Match Day Thread 2016/17 Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

I'm sure Jose was upset about that as he went on to other clubs and delivered trophies, RA was so upset by this he took him back.

 

I would happily accept boring football if it meant we won trophies and competed in the league and CL.

 

Rafa never played the most expansive game, he setup to win and also had brilliant players. He was sometimes defensive ......but he did what counts, put silverware in he cabinet

 

At the end of the season, no one will ask you how entertaining you are, even supporters are more concerned about trophies. Real Madrid won the league in Spain
Barcelona came second: Barcelona are more entertaining than Real Madrid.
Rafa Benitez won the Chanpion League with defensive footaball, who cares.??

 

I don't think Rafa was even that defensive - we were a solid outfit and could attack at will.

But his philosophy was not to concede. For me thats the right approach as opposed to scoring 2-3 goals a game.

Ah, each to their own I guess.

 

Haha thats just a nice way to say rafa is a pragmatic coach. Same as jose. Joses teams under chelsea could attack. He just chose to not concede too.

 

TBF Rafa's way wasn't to sit back and counter - he wanted possession and to dictate the game.

I haven't got a problem with Jose's style - it's effective and he can set up attacking teams when required. his defensive set ups are world class as well.

 

I was really pleased in December that we were able, with a depleted squad, to stifle out yourselves and City in big games (I don't think you had a shot on target at Goodison) and nick the points. Foolishly, I believed we'ed turned a corner and would be able to win games ugly - January ****ed that confidence up the arse. My snidey criticism though is that this approach is Jose's one and only approach to games, along with incessant, niggly time-wasting and rotational fouling of the opponents key men. It's nothing new - it's Leeds in the 60's and 70's, Inter Milan @ 1965. Sure, every team has to do it occasionally, and the Achilles Heel of the Barnes, Beardsley, Houghton super-team of the late '80's was that they froze often when they came up against it. I just don't think it's needed every game, especially against a side that looked like Bolton Wanderers youth team.

 

I always remember Rafa's statement "If we do not concede we are going to win many matches"

 

The same Rafa who never learned the lesson that one win yields more points than two draws.

 

Man Utd's "treble" in finals against Leicester, Southampton, and Ajax U21s

No one will ever look back on these finals again in 12 weeks, let alone special nights like Istanbul that are still remembered after 12 years

Man Utd's season can be considered a marginal success on the basis of getting back in the CL no matter how it was achieved

But no revisionism will change the #reality that Jose built the most expensive squad in history to be #brave enough to talk of the title and then came 6th

Good that Man Utd won't be #parttime and I definitely hope to meet Ajax in the CL group stages and Man Utd in the knockout stages #goodtimes

 

At least you're not bitter about it mate

You didn't mention the ref so progress made

 

I get your point.

But we could argue that he won being too defensive and that he could have been more adventurous. Ajax are in the final on merit and to say they are some first division youth team do not do them justice. They beat Lyons in the semi. They were made to look like a youth team yes, but against any other opposition (dare I say against us even) would they have been a "youth team". Finals are for winning and not for entertaining.

We have lost the same two finals that Mourinho won. I wonder whether when/if we do reach that stage we will again freeze under some psychological block.

 

that went well

suppose money talks but there you go.

 

^^^^^
#seething

 

During his time we supposed to win the league, but we had too many draws. We lost two games the whole of the season. Win five league games and lose
one is not a bad result ,much more better than win three and draw three Win five and lose one will give 15 points. Win three and draw three gives you 12 points..
No one has ever won the league losing more than seven games since the inception of premier league.

 

Rafa was defensive.

houlllier was defensive.

both won things but neither has people very happy. now there was ****e going on which IMO led the crowd to side with rafa but at times his team were booed off park

Van gaal won an fa cup playing terrible stuff for poor utd fans
Mourinho delivers 2 cups but its awful to watch

 

United supporters are.

 

Jose kept up his record of taking top wages and delivering league titles and trophies

 

****ers?