When was last time you were surprised by what a United player did on the field of play? I mean we've been playing a lot of mediocre football that I feel every half turn, drop of the shoulder or a nutmeg from United players surprises me. We were once a team filled with players with such flair. It is so hard for our wingers to even dribble towards defenders these days. Rashford always looses the ball when dribbling at speed. When was the last time you were surprised by something a United player did on the pitch? Mine was the time when Valencia cut back in on his left and shot towards the goal. That was EPIC!
When were you last surprised?
- Thread starter OleTheGreat
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Sunday, when Fred's right footed swinger, was not only on target but also went in.
Last night's goal was lovely.
I was about to say Fred just fecking scored with his right foot
AWB put a decent cross in a few weeks ago.
We did have some wow goals scored this season. Ronaldo against Atlanta, Telles against Villarreal, Greenwood yesterday ...
But wow moments like Berbatov pulled against Westham or brilliant counters we used to pull are so rare.
A lot of people blame coaching, but we might be actually over coached and overly micromanaged where players think too much and they trip over their own thoughts. Flair comes when players are trusted to be free and creative, and when team chemistry is high. ... And off course you have to have very talented squad.
I don't know. Who are our flair players? Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood and Fernandes ? Ronaldo became too goal focused that he lost the flair he ones had. Pogba is supposed to have flair but never showed it at United.
But wow moments like Berbatov pulled against Westham or brilliant counters we used to pull are so rare.
A lot of people blame coaching, but we might be actually over coached and overly micromanaged where players think too much and they trip over their own thoughts. Flair comes when players are trusted to be free and creative, and when team chemistry is high. ... And off course you have to have very talented squad.
I don't know. Who are our flair players? Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood and Fernandes ? Ronaldo became too goal focused that he lost the flair he ones had. Pogba is supposed to have flair but never showed it at United.
Any one of Matic's unforced errors yesterday, as he doesn't strike you as a typically erratic player
Surprised at how well Dalot has looked tbh - thought he was utter useless.
Small sample size mind.
Small sample size mind.
Our last two goals, Fred's because they're usually never on target, Greenwood's because it was a genuine wow goal, I froze five seconds before realizing it had gone in.
Probably last year's Europa League final, I thought that would be a cakewalk like our game against Ajax in Mou's era but far from it.
More positively, Amad's backwards header against AC Milan. That was unexpected and delightful, like being given a surprise birthday cake.
More positively, Amad's backwards header against AC Milan. That was unexpected and delightful, like being given a surprise birthday cake.
Last time Phelan wore full jogging bottoms.
Of recent Mason's goal yesterday. I never thought he could do it. Fred because he actually scored. Telles scoring long range. Of pure magic. Berbatov against West Ham and I cannot remember another game where he pulled down a head high pass with his foot and took a shot. He missed the goal but the take down was brilliant.
ITT: yesterday
The ultimate one would be 1999.
My mate told me he was still confident with 10 to go but I wasn't.
My mate told me he was still confident with 10 to go but I wasn't.
I was surprised De Gea stayed down when there was nothing wrong with him.
When our new manager came in and said his immediate priority was Crystal Palace and Young Boys.
Over coaching might be an issue for some teams, but surely not for United. Flair needs a solid base, players must know what they can safely do to concentrate on doing something special on top. United's players looked just lost a lot of time, but not confident. And who lacks confidence usually doesn't try to pull off something magnificent, he even fails at basic stuff.
Not sure this can be used as a stick to beat us with. Literally our entire tactic on the ball during Ole's 3 years here was give it to somebody to make something out of nothing. It was all based on unpredictability, moments of magic, very little consistent/repeatable bits of team play, but just give it to good players to do something really good. Leads to high rate of mistakes/attempts that don't come off but plenty that do.
What we want is to become a more predictable team if anything. We want consistency which pretty much means predictability in terms of what we do, but we want that thing to be really hard to defend against. City isn't really unpredictable.. They're just really good at what what do.
What we want is to become a more predictable team if anything. We want consistency which pretty much means predictability in terms of what we do, but we want that thing to be really hard to defend against. City isn't really unpredictable.. They're just really good at what what do.
I know it's only 1 game but has to be Dalot and his performance against Palace which was excellent, his career here looked dead and buried, now all of a sudden he looks to be the nailed on starter for that RB position for some time, until we buy an upgrade or AWB can wrestle it back from him, which is unlikely given the way Rangnick likes to play
That Bailly has played a couple of games now and not once has he fell on his head.
How quickly we've got good at winning back possession in opposition's half since Ralf came in. I expected it would take awhile and end up in a load of fouls.
First half against Crystal Palace surprised me. Who could have thought our millionaire players could play like elite players for once?
Maguire has surprised me this season. Surprised me that he could be so shit.
Yes. I was gobsmacked.
But in the spirit of the OP I'm not sure I can remember being genuinely surprised.
The last few years have tainted by the shit
He never performed any King-Fu kick clearances last night, that genuinely surprised me.
DDG got his body on a penalty. Yes the rebound went in but that was disallowed and he saved the next one. Incredible for a keeper that's not been anywhere near a spot kick for 5 years.
When it became official that an incompetently managed club like ours with a history of succumbing to sentimental appointments would employ an astute tactician like Ralf.
RvP goal against Villa.
When Valencia put in a left footed cross. 
Dinger
I'll take a well worked tap in over the type of philosophy that tells players to shoot on sight. Squaring passes for tap ins is a staple feature of most top manager's attacks nowadays. Quality players don't overthink those situations because they already know what to do. Flubbing the decision and timing isn't due to overcoaching it's due to the player's foolishness or inexperience.
If that's your criteria, then surely you've had a few surprises recently, no?
When with the score 0-0 to Crystal Palace and only 15, or less minutes, remaining our manager bought on Elanga.. that was such a United Way/DNA thing to do, it was a pleasant surprise as in the 3 years before we’ve heard the United DNA spoken about but to finally see it in action by someone who walks the walk and doesn’t talk for propaganda sake was a very pleasant surprise.
Next you’ll be telling us you’ve seen the Loch Ness monsterWhen Valencia put in a left footed cross.
I was suprised our squad could fall from heaven so fast post SAF.
Never expected us to be drifting so far from top 3. I expect decline but not this much.
Never expected us to be drifting so far from top 3. I expect decline but not this much.
I was surprised when Moyes came and sacked all the background staff and brought in sub standard coaches. He set us on the road to ruin immediately, instead of a gradual change. That to me is the biggest failure this club have allowed to happen since Fergie left.
We had a few very good counter attacks under Ole that felt like the good old times.
Maybe it was just sour grapes or frustration but I was so surprised at how Arsenal celebrated their goal a few weeks back. I was so embarrassed for them
Some of Ronaldo's goals this season. Surprisingly still able to pull fantastic skills and finishing off in his age.