Not even dominating so much. More just playing well. City and Chelsea in the cup I remember watching us and thinking we played well even if it was counterattacking and us having less posession. Now it's just Emery-****e almost every game. Stop playing five defenders and unleash the forwards.
Offical match day thread
- Thread starter PINKIE
- Start date
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I'm still quite annoyed by the Leicester result and the reason is because Arteta made so many mistakes that were totally avoidable.
Opinions on Lacazette seem to be split, but I really think he isn't good enough for us. He's had one standout year where he got 19 goals + 11 assists (won our POTS too), but he's been average in the other seasons. He's not reading situations well, giving away stroppy fouls, our play is breaking down when the ball is at his feet and he's missing sitters. He should not be starting as the main CF.
Right now, we're not optimising our chances of scoring by playing Aubamayeng out wide when he's being marked out of the game and is being forced to play as some sort of auxiliary winger. Play him centrally so that whatever chances we get fall to him. He's more likely to score than Lacazette.
Playing Ceballos, Xhaka and Partey, all of whom are build-up players that had starting positions which were very deep, meant we had no threat through the middle to break the lines and create space. Leicester were very comfortable in defending with two banks of four because they knew we didn't have the capability to play penetrative passes. Xhaka, late in the second half, was then playing as a left centre-back when out of possession and was partially responsible for not reading the danger that led to the goal. But that's because he's not a CB. So I don't know what Arteta was thinking here.
Giving Pepe 10 minute cameos to try and change the game is silly. He's struggling to get into the team, but then you're not giving him sufficient time to try and change the game. Arteta's subs came far too late.
Mustafi. Second time in successive games against Leicester where he's switched off allowing Vardy the space and time to score. Would Sokratis or Saliba really have been worse options than Mustafi in this situation? If Saliba made a mistake like this, at least he could learn from it and improve. Mustafi is 28. He won't improve. This is who he is as a player. Not including Saliba in the Premier League squad is yet another baffling decision from Arteta.
Why is he not including any of the youngsters like Nelson or Smith-Rowe to try and inject some youthful energy/acceleration into the game? Another strange one, considering we didn't loan any of them out.
Overall, it's just a total mess and that's 3 league losses from 6. Liverpool and City away you can understand, but we should not be losing to Leicester at home.
Lots of work to do...
Opinions on Lacazette seem to be split, but I really think he isn't good enough for us. He's had one standout year where he got 19 goals + 11 assists (won our POTS too), but he's been average in the other seasons. He's not reading situations well, giving away stroppy fouls, our play is breaking down when the ball is at his feet and he's missing sitters. He should not be starting as the main CF.
Right now, we're not optimising our chances of scoring by playing Aubamayeng out wide when he's being marked out of the game and is being forced to play as some sort of auxiliary winger. Play him centrally so that whatever chances we get fall to him. He's more likely to score than Lacazette.
Playing Ceballos, Xhaka and Partey, all of whom are build-up players that had starting positions which were very deep, meant we had no threat through the middle to break the lines and create space. Leicester were very comfortable in defending with two banks of four because they knew we didn't have the capability to play penetrative passes. Xhaka, late in the second half, was then playing as a left centre-back when out of possession and was partially responsible for not reading the danger that led to the goal. But that's because he's not a CB. So I don't know what Arteta was thinking here.
Giving Pepe 10 minute cameos to try and change the game is silly. He's struggling to get into the team, but then you're not giving him sufficient time to try and change the game. Arteta's subs came far too late.
Mustafi. Second time in successive games against Leicester where he's switched off allowing Vardy the space and time to score. Would Sokratis or Saliba really have been worse options than Mustafi in this situation? If Saliba made a mistake like this, at least he could learn from it and improve. Mustafi is 28. He won't improve. This is who he is as a player. Not including Saliba in the Premier League squad is yet another baffling decision from Arteta.
Why is he not including any of the youngsters like Nelson or Smith-Rowe to try and inject some youthful energy/acceleration into the game? Another strange one, considering we didn't loan any of them out.
Overall, it's just a total mess and that's 3 league losses from 6. Liverpool and City away you can understand, but we should not be losing to Leicester at home.
Lots of work to do...
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Well yes and No. Lacazette has been poor for two whole Seasons at this point - under two managers.
Pepe is a worry also.
I still think the biggest issue is a lack of creative players though.
It's also a lack of movement. Players aren't moving around or trying to create space. Like I said, Xhaka, Partey and Ceballos are all build-up players. None of them will take the initiative to play a defence splitting pass, make a late run into the box or try to dribble past players. There's no variety to our game. We're too static.
Certainly not true of Partey. But he's an all rounder - we need a midfielder with more offensive qualities particularly as Xhaka is soo immobile and Ceballos is soo inconsistent.
Aouar would have been the right kind of player to be fair on Arteta/Edu.
Because no-one passed him the ball! Which is my point - I'm not saying he/the others aren't capable, I'm saying we're not seeing it. Maybe that's because they're stifled by Arteta's tactics, I don't know.
I do mainly think its a personnel problem.
Our squad doesnt really make sense.
If you look at Man City for example they have: Bernando Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Mahrez, Gundogan & Foden when it comes to creative midfielders.
Xhaka is a problem for us because he will give us defensive shape a decent passing but totally lacks dynamism and mobility.
Partey is a deep lying midfielder capable of driving forward and changing the play - but he's not a creative outlet.
Ceballos is frankly confusing. Good on the ball, works hard but isnt really creating much and is sitting very deep when he plays.
I wonder if Saka could play in the AMF position. I'm sure Arteta will try Willian there as well.
Biggest problem is not playing Auba up top. Absolutely mental. Pepe also looks like he actually has real potential. Just give him games. Never going to do anything with a start here, a 10min cameo there. Just play four at the back, Auba up top, Pepe and Saka on the wings and Willian ACM in front of Partey and Ceballos.
Maybe - If we had a forward who could play as false 9 then Auba on the left would be great. Imagine Firminho in their with Auba.
Lacazettes touch has been terrible latley and he's also missing chances. Nketiah works hard but doesnt look top class in terms of finishing.
Perhaps Martinelli will be ready to make an impact - he is set to return to full training this week.
we may get a spanking today, i have predicted 3-1 but United will get at least two penalties if Mustafi starts and we will get a red card
Absolute grindfest but whatever. Need to win the next three now to get into the top four before spurs away. Then after spurs there's two more winnable games so I want 15+ points from the next six games.
Hopefully at some point we'll start playing better football but the comedy of United having a home record as it currently stands is epic
Hopefully at some point we'll start playing better football but the comedy of United having a home record as it currently stands is epic
Great result that. Not easy to go get 3pts at Old Trafford particularly after a loss. We were clearly the better side as well.
Partey was ****ing superb and Gabriel/ Holding partnership looked excellent.
Elneny had a really good game - you really cant fault the guys attitude or workrate.
It's looking like I initially predicted though Partey is really a replacement/1st choice alternative to Xhaka.
He can do everything Xhaka can yet he is far more mobile and dynamic.
The issue is we still dont have the correct partner for him. They need a Carzorla/ Fabregas - someone who can sit deep when we dont have the ball but carry & pass it forward quickly when we retain posession. (I think Aouar could be that exact kind of player - shame we didnt try and get Thiago)
Although we have clear creative issues with the team - you can see what Arteta is doing/what he ios looking for. It all makes sense.
I'm still annoyed about the Leceister result though - that was a big waiste of three points. Thankfully the league is still very tight.
Partey was ****ing superb and Gabriel/ Holding partnership looked excellent.
Elneny had a really good game - you really cant fault the guys attitude or workrate.
It's looking like I initially predicted though Partey is really a replacement/1st choice alternative to Xhaka.
He can do everything Xhaka can yet he is far more mobile and dynamic.
The issue is we still dont have the correct partner for him. They need a Carzorla/ Fabregas - someone who can sit deep when we dont have the ball but carry & pass it forward quickly when we retain posession. (I think Aouar could be that exact kind of player - shame we didnt try and get Thiago)
Although we have clear creative issues with the team - you can see what Arteta is doing/what he ios looking for. It all makes sense.
I'm still annoyed about the Leceister result though - that was a big waiste of three points. Thankfully the league is still very tight.
4-1 Last night seems like a decent result but it should have been more. We missed two basically open goal oppurtunitys.
I thought It was interesting that Saka came on and our overall play improved significantly. He's clearly the most exciting English player we have had for some time.
Pepe showed moments of real quality but Willian, Xhaka, AMN and Ceballos were all fairly annonymous.
Willock showing real potential, scored 2 goals. He strikes a ball very well that's for sure.
Mustafi made a few errors which would have led to goals against better opposition. You cant tell me Saliba would'nt be an imporvment on this guy - 19 or not he's a better player. Arteta needs to forget about this year 'education year' on loan and just ease him slolwy into the side. The Europa would be perfect for this.
I thought It was interesting that Saka came on and our overall play improved significantly. He's clearly the most exciting English player we have had for some time.
Pepe showed moments of real quality but Willian, Xhaka, AMN and Ceballos were all fairly annonymous.
Willock showing real potential, scored 2 goals. He strikes a ball very well that's for sure.
Mustafi made a few errors which would have led to goals against better opposition. You cant tell me Saliba would'nt be an imporvment on this guy - 19 or not he's a better player. Arteta needs to forget about this year 'education year' on loan and just ease him slolwy into the side. The Europa would be perfect for this.
strangely we also improved once Elneny came on. I haven’t been the biggest fan of Mo as I previously thought he was full of energy and running but no real style to his game as he seemed to just pass square or backwards. Since coming back to the side he seems to look up and look for forward passes, presses with purpose, and covers the whole pitch. He has made me rethink him, whereas Mo shows how slow and ponderous Xhaka is and that Xhaka doesn’t press very well. Going forward the middle 3 is Partey, Elneny, and Cabellos, with Xhak on bench.
1st 11:
Leno
Bellerin
Gabriel
Holding/Luiz
Tierney
Partey
Elneny
Cabellos/Willock
Saka/Willian
Auba/laca
Pepe/Willian
Subs to bring on at 65 minutes to change a game:
Willock needs to play when teams are defending as he is the only one to get between the lines like Ramsey did.
I like Nelson as well as dynamic as well.
Martenelli and Eddie if we need a goal
squad players on bench:
Xhaka
Saliba - bring him in to get experience
AMN
Soares
Mari
ESR
Balogun
sell in January
Ozil
chambers
muatafi
katastrophe
sakratis