m-u-f-c Message Board

[m42her]

Still in an absolute daze as to what exactly happened and how it happened...

Did we win because of the manager or in spite of the manager?

Do our players actually have character or is it just talent that isn't being consistently applied? Coming back from 2-0 away to City suggests we do. Going 2-0 down in the first place suggests not. What if we'd gone in 3, 4 or 5 down - what second half would we have had to witness then??

If Jose himself admitted he didn't change much at half time, what the fuck do we attribute the first half to? Were they executing a good gameplan badly, or was it a bad gameplan to start off with?

If the players have always had it in them, why the fiddly fuck have they not shown it for most of the season?

Who is the real United? The side scoring 4 goals in most games for the first 10 games, or playing like strangers for the next 20? We can't equally be good enough to beat City away yet not be good enough to beat Sevilla at home. What is that down to?

Team selections notwithstanding. Our recent games are:
Scousers H (incredible first half, terrible 2nd half)
Chelsea H - (1-0 down, 2-1 up)
Palace A (2-0 down to win 3-2)
City A

Is this the sign of giant slowly reawakening, or a lazy team rousing themselves for the big occasions. Is there such a problem of attitude that they can only do it when the chips are down and they really need to?

Answers on a postcard.
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"I'm a massive blue, you'll probably find there's none bigger" - Ricky Hatton

[john smith]

the problem that has had reds arguing with reds all season.

glass half full = we have improved and we are better than we were, and it will improve
glass half empty = we are still miles off city and only look better because dippers and arsenal and chelsea are poor, and the football is so shite it's no better, win when we play so shite is not the utd way.


sometimes the best displays are when we slacken off the tactics that jose employs, when he plays so pragmatically he chokes the attacking nature of our most attacking players.

second half yesterday he seemed to say, "just go fucking play, don't come back in here having let them humilate you" that's hardly tactical genius is it

first half he seemed to play his favoured, hold em tight and don't commit route
he tried
same v palace
same v seville
same v Newcastle away

for my opinion, Jose has the ability to make us a great side, he just has too negative a mindset to allow himself to do it...
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People say I'm condescending. That means i talk down to people

[1999]

I think what happened yesterday was all of city's own doing. They were impressive in the first half and could/should have had the game won. Instead, they came out in the second half strolling around (remember the o-lay's?).

We got a break and took full advantage of the momentum it created. city were far too slow to react, I doubt they could believe what had just happened.

At half time I'd have been happy to have Smalling, Pogba and Sanchez off the wage bill in May, fuck the transfer fees.
Within a 2nd half 15 minute spell, Smalling and Pogba had scored three excellent goals and Sanchez had put in two undefendable deliveries. What the fuck do I know?
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This is Manchester, we do things differently here.
- Anthony H. Wilson.

[Southern Red]

Which ever way we look at it, half full or half empty, both arguments are completely valid.

We are currently the 2nd best team in the league on points but also the worst of the best four/five in style. The money we've spent also puts an added pressure/expectation on us.

We've been so far short of where we could be. I think Jose's fear of losing and resulting negativity is holding us back, but it has also got us second in the league with a points tally that would likely challenge for the title in any normal season.

Since the Seville game I've been glass half empty. Recent results, where we've had no choice but to go for it, have given me enough to think Jose would get more out of the players and far more from supporters (after all, we feed off what we see on the pitch) if the shackles were to come off.

[The Dave]

[Stig]

I think that a lot of the approach revolves around him having zero trust in his centre backs, either with or without the ball.

[Chubby]

[The Dave]

[Chubby]

[Jackl]

It's a bit of both.

Our central defence (or our defence as a whole) is no worse than anyone's in the PL. Certainly it isn't worse than City's. The playing out is a cultural (nurture rather than nature) thing. City didn't do it effectively if much at all before Pep. He hasn't changed much back there other than the culture.

United beat them on Saturday because they had to stop hiding. There are some very good players there and they needed to appreciate you don't wave when you're drowning. You start making headway.

[Stig]

[quote="Jackl". There are some very good players there and they needed to appreciate you don't wave when you're drowning. You start making headway.[/quote]

This is too cryptic or poetic for me. Please can you explain in cobble stones type of language.

Thanks.

A. Pleb.

[Southern Red]

[Chubby]

[Jackl]

Jose has never given Blind a sniff - in common with most of the LVG signings (e.g Herrera, Martial and Shaw). If he wanted to play out from the back Daley would be a good option.

Smalling is very one-footed (he has improved this slightly). I agree he is not top drawer but he is as good as most in the PL. He lacks composure and usually needs to put his foot through the ball and clear his lines. Jose is clearly happy with that.

Jones is a good player but he needs to be inoculated against the panic virus. Once he catches it he's a headless chicken.

Neither of those two is the greatest communicator so they need to be with someone else. I have hopes for Lindelof, have always liked Rojo. Bailly is excellent when fit. Daley has seldom let us down. As a group there is enough material already there to fashion a decent defensive back line and the stats bear that out.

To me the defence isn't the major problem except for that tendency to panic and I think that is about confidence. United look better when Herrera, Pogba and Matic play in a three. The back five get all the support they need then. I am not sure why Herrera has been left out in the cold this season (his injury period excepted) but there was a story early doors that he couldn't play with Matic. Not so. It only needed time. I think he and Mata would be great losses if they are shown the door at the end of this season.

[Chubby]