Match Day Thread Time to look at our defence 2023/2024

The irony of that post, is that the reason we came nowhere despite having one of the best strikers in the league last season, was because we sieved goals.

Let that permeate a minute......

 

No it was because Lukaku never turned up for the close games but would bang in a hattrick in games you'd already won

 

Tobes can put you top of his alternative league table

You concede fewer goals than us and have more clean sheets but that just means you concede more costly goals than us

 

Most Goals in top 5 Euro League this season.
Monaco 30
Barcelona 30
Real Madrid 28
Roma 26
Atl Madrid 25
Liverpool 24
Man City 24

Previous Premiership winner Leakiest defences

1999-2000 Manchester United 1.18
1996-1997 Manchester United 1.16
2012-2013 Manchester United 1.13
1998-1999 Manchester United .97
2010-211 Manchester United .97
2013 -14 Manchester City .97

....And Liverpool this season (So far} 1.30

 

Nice break down there Dribs.

 

So if we compare our 1.3 to a value of about 1.1 then we're 2 goals leakier so far this season.

So let's take those 2 goals to be the 2 just scored by Palace. Without conceding those would we have any more points?

How about instead if we'd won 5-0 against Hull instead of 5-1 and 4-0 against Leicester instead of 4-1? Suddenly our title challenge is #legit ?

 

Interesting enough, without the 2 goals scored by Palace we would be above Arse but still not top of league.

We're 4 goals conceeded off top so far. That's because City currently beating the average concede rate and below 1 goal a game.

We can cut out a couple of conceeded goals a quarter to meet that 1.1 average but we would still be conceeding more than City if they keep up same .9 ratio.

Fortunately points, no GA count first.

 

This early in the season, when we haven't even played every team yet, I don't think GD is worth looking at

City and Arsenal have still had an easier start to the season than us #falseposition

 

It's one of a number of factors. 25% of games played is a significant milestone, nothing in stone yet though. Time to adjust and improve.

 

We would "only" need to be within 3 points or so of the top IMO, so being on equal points is ahead of schedule IMO. Plus we've played harder games, and don't have Europe.

I also think we have better effective squad depth because of our style of play.

FFS Phil Neville is still backing Man Utd and they're 8 points behind with no midfield and a EL campaign.

 

United under Mourinho are like City under Mark Hughes.

Ridiculous amount of money spent but not sure how to use it effectively. Instead buying people like Pogba/Ibra (Robinho).

At least Mark Hughes wasn't a total twat though.

 

Yes, but Phil Neville is an idiot. He tries so hard to be like his older younger looking brother...it's cringe.

 

Annoying thing is, some of the goals we conceded are too soft and avoidable.

 

That's because some of our defenders are soft and avoidable. A new CB and a new LB for Xmas would be nice.

I'll hold off requesting we replace our strikers until summer. Don't want to change too much mid-season.

 

Oh really? I'm sure I blamed MIgs after 2-3 years of consistent poor performances, and I also blamed the defence as well.

Not contradictory at all - we are conceding fewer chances because a) we have more possession and b) our attack work their arses off to ensure that the defence aren't exposed.

The problem is that when the defence is exposed, we concede. I've yet to see Karius being directly responsible for the goals conceded yet (I could be wrong).

 

First half at Palace we failed to defend as a unit, only in the second half we defended as a unit. All players are defenders as well.

 

Agree with Tobes - we need to sort our defence out if we want to be consistently challenging for honours. We could probably get away with a one off (won't complain!).

As mentioned previously, Leicester defended extremely well in the second half of the season and that's what helped them win the league because they weren't scoring that many.

The good thing for us that our attack is sorted, our midfield is getting stronger and the defence is slowly coming on - we used to be cut open at will under Rodgers. Now we're just conceding from stupid mistakes. It's not a systemic issue - changing LCB and LB and we become a different IMO.

 

add in at least 2 goals v arsenal in that 4-3.

the fact is we've not dropped a point yet really from poor defense.

the loss was deserved from poor play.

The two draws IMO were fair. spurs and utd...

So as of today you are right, we've not thrown in a ridiculous goal and cost ourselves 2 or 3 points.... eventually we will.... cos eventually scoring at 2.4 goals per game will ease up and if we are 1.9 goals per game then theres a chance of a 1-1.

thus far palace and west brom etc have not been good enough to do for us.

 

United were 14 points behind Newcastle before (second half of the season) and they
went on to win the league.
This time is different,I cannot see them overhauling Tottenham,Chelsea,Liverpool,
Arsenal and Manchester city.It would need a miracle.
Phil Neville can't say anything negative about united just like Carragher about Liverpool.

 

Another difference is it's more difficult to close a points gap with a manager who plays for draws