I never said we were unlucky either. I agree that we should have gone at it more from the word go but what I'm actually trying to say is that the margins aren't that massive. I would say it comes down to our midfield being workmanlike whereas their's is highly skilled. Pogba could have made a difference, shame he didn't play. We really should have appealed.
I think we're saying the same thing, Chief. But I am directly blaming Mourinho for how he set us up mentally and on the pitch today. Those players out there have enough skill as their City counterparts to have played better today and we saw that in the second half.
I agree and when he's done it before, against Liverpool and, to an extent, Chelsea, we played ****e the following game as well. Got to bounce back big style at home against Bournemouth. Sadly, City are more then capable of putting ten past a ponderous and nervous Swansea.
He needs to learn to be brave. He is no longer at Chelsea. Today, we had enough great players on the pitch for him to work with, yet we still self-defeated ourselves. 4 months ago, we were title favorites. Nothing has fundamentally changed other than the mental aspect. I really do believe that Mourinho has the capacity to change his approach. But he has to own up to the mistakes first and what the mission is as a United manager. Hopefully today is a day to make him rethink and reinvent the team.
Lets not kid ourselves guys, the difference between the 2 sides today was huge. We where completely outplayed for most of that game. We shouldn't ignore the fact we where at home too, which is a huge advantage in these clashes, yet we where made to look like West Ham where last week, parked in our own half chasing shadows, especially in the first half. The reason Pep Guardiola continues to get the upper hand on Jose is not because he has access to much better players, and much more transfer funds to spend, it's because he coaches his sides to play football the most effective way, and he signs players that he knows can control a game of football. Jose has spent the last 2 seasons turning us into the tallest, and most athletic team in the Premier League, yet seems to have completely ignored the most important aspect of football and that's actually being able to play. Pogba definitely would have helped our cause, but in all honesty the result still would have been the same. They are just light years ahead of us at the moment, and that is unlikely to change when they've got Pep and we've got Jose.
Have you missed most of the season so far? We are more than "able to play" when he lets the team go, ability is not the problem, tactics are.
Nice win, enjoy it because you have looked far from convincing in your last 3/4 games. The good lead will probably see you win the league though
I never said ability was the problem, it is how the side is being coached. We are able to play against the weaker sides, but every top side we've faced this season we've been found wanting, and been completely bossed, and forced to play like a relagation battling side. Even the game against Arsenal last week, it was only thanks to a super human performance from the goalkeeper that we won. If you replayed that game 10 times, that'd probably be the only time we'd win.
Sounded like you were questioning the ability yet seems to have completely ignored the most important aspect of football and that's actually being able to play. If you are only questioning the coaching then we agree
Carry on, and one day you might actually have some decent ex pros representing you on Sky, and we wont have to listen to Noel Gallaghers half time analysis
You're hoping. We hired Mourinho and we're getting Mourinho. If he was going to change it would have been when Guardiola's Barcelona were dismantling his Madrid team. He's not so much pragmatic anymore as dogmatic in his tactics. Surely a pragmatist would have had a go at the shaky defences of Liverpool and Arsenal and better utilise world class attacking talents like Martial, Mkhi and Rashford. Yet they are overburdened with the same defensive responsibility with which Mourinho eventually alienated other free spirits like Robben, Ronaldo and Hazard. Most telling of all, when he joined United, Mourinho told the fans he understood the attacking traditions of the club and would do it the United way. He's broken that promise many times over, showing it to be a lie and that anyone was a fool to believe him. I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for his reinvention.
That's true. The expected goal stat, which is calculated on both the number and quality of chances, was 4-2 in Arsenal's favour. It does suggest we relied on De Gea playing a blinder to keep Arsenal out, which of course he did.
I think JM still has too much of a focus on beating Chelsea - stealing Matic etc and has taken his eye off the bigger picture
I'm surprised he didn't start with Ibra considering the tactics he employed, at least it would have stuck when it went forward giving you something to build on.
I don't think anyone was stupid enough to believe that. A couple of 4-0 wins v weak opposition with a flurry of late goals only fool the most limited fan
