We deserved nothing out of yesterday; shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted doesn't count. We were set up wrongly in the first place; Utd are leaking goals; we simply looked to simply contain and yet they still had acres of space to create their goals. Tactically inept imo. This is not the first time; we've shown too much respect against all of the bigger teams.....when will you realise that we are not Swansea!!?? Sort it! rant over
We were handy for the bulk of the second half. Fungus reckoned that's the best united have played for a long time and they hammered us...........2-1. We could easily have had a draw out of that. I agree that the first half was poor, but that isn't just down to tactics.
I respectfully disagree; I think you refer to confidence, which we seriously lacked in the first half.....but this imo came about because of how we were set up.....in short, Rodgers tactics offered too much respect to a Utd team that leaks goals for fun, as such, that's exactly what was offered on the pitch. We only really improved when we went after them and offered more of an attacking threat. Appreciate that it's a fine balancing act but if that's not tactical, I'm not sure what is!
Considering we only played for half the game and Sturridge (still not 100%) missed a sitter, 2-1 is hardly worth wailing about.
I think you're slightly harsh. We narrowly lost 2-1 at Old Trafford to the current league leaders. But - it was an absolutely dire first half performance where we showed too much respect and played with too much fear. A more ruthless Utd side could have finished us off in the first half but we stuck in and carried on almost got a draw. At a push, we deserved a point. But nothing more. I just wish we would start playing games as we end them. We only seem to get going once the game goes beyond us.
I don't think we are disagreeing tbh.......although I think our tolerance levels may be different; I fear we'll be saying the same thing in a year.......either I've seen through BR's BS or I am a hopeless cynic......I truly hope it's the latter!
Didn't Fergie also say he was happy to hold on at the end? I think the right team won, we got the tactics wrong and played the wrong team
I thought I saw abject laziness in the first half. Downing walking back when a manc was beyond him in space waiting for a pass he duly received and THEN Downing starts running. Too slow to close down. Failed to control the midfield. Poor passing. Though, for all the faults, we were more effective in attack over the 90. Scored one good goal and Sturrige should have added his second from good football. RvP's flick apart, they were not exactly creating bags even when we were sh!t. Agger should have easily blocked that shot but yet again he gets a rush of blood to the head after being slow to react. That united team was there for the taking yesterday by a half decent 90 minute performance. That's how bad we were for all but 25 minutes of football.
I think that is harsh. Skrtel followed Welbeck's movement leaving a gap within the six yard box near the front post. IMO, Skrtel should have let Welbeck go since he would have been offside anyway, then he would have cleared the danger before the ball got near RvP. Bit harsh to blame Skrtel too though since he was just following the run. It's easy for us to say these things whilst watching from the sidelines though
RVP is a world class striker. Not just because of his ability to strike a ball, but it's also his movement and ability to find space and lose a defender. Agger was caught out by some clever movement from RVP. The real concern is that MUFC kept the ball for a little while and were comfortably passing the ball in front of our defence. The midfield needed to be more 'in your face' and we lack a physical presence in the middle.
I have mentioned this for awhile and it is crazy to think that Moussa Sissoko is out there for only 3.5 and Newcastle are going to snap him up. Feel we have missed this player for some time now.
I'm not disputing that, it was good movement that gained him about a foot of space, enough to score (obviously). But, IMO, it is the movement by Welbeck that creates the goal. Watch the replay and Skrtel is ideally placed for the near-post CB, he could have easily have cleared the ball but Welbeck jogs towards goal and Martin drops back a yard to cover the run. Neither's fault, just good all round play from Man Utd IMO.
Of course we can talk about the marking in the box, but for me the ball was played out wide and we did not close down quick enough at all. Just too much time to pick that pass out.
I did say on a thread somewhere that I though Wisdom was MOTM. he hardly put a foot wrong apart from (and heres the link) that goal, he didn't close down Young (?) quick enough. Plus he jumped/turned side on when try to block the cross, a big no no IMO! So basically, I think there is part blame on Wisdom, Skrtel and Agger rather than particular blame on one of them
Always a domino effect. Same with the first game when we played them and Rafaels goal. It was error after error, didn't track back ( think it was suso), got wrong side ( johnson), too much space and did not make himself big enough to block shot ( agger). All goals are like that though, unless it is a Skrtel, Ivanovic backpass gone wrong or something.
Agger's been done by a few forwards and I believe is now being targeted as a weakness on set pieces and crosses. Twice forwards lost him by running around another player, Agger doesn't realise he's been done before the ball even gets there. The area with RvP was aggers area to control and he should have been first to that ball cos he was 6 yards out so nothing is going over his head Reina cant deal with. Poor awareness at times Daniel has shown this season. if you let RvP stand in front of you to receive passes on the ground 6 yards out he will score time and time again. Fk his movement, if agger had decided I'll beat him to a pass and dominate my zone instead of standing off and behind him giving him room to slot the ball under him, it was a rash make up challenge in hope after being done by some simple not brilliant movement. Agger needs to anticipate.. RvP did. Do you think Carra would have done any better in this instance? I reckon yes. Wisdom, experience is everything in some games and he's young.
