An observation… With 2-0 win today, this is the 13th clean sheet this season - not bad! Same as Newcastle with the best defensive record of conceding 20 goals in 28. Yet, we have conceded 37 goals which is almost double that of Newcastle. When we click defensively, we are superb! But when we drop the ball, we completely tank. In conceded goals, we are 7th in the league. Again not bad! But goals scored at 44, we are 8th in the league. Liverpool has scored more goals and conceded less than United albeit they scored 9 and 7 in two games which are more or less fluke results. But Brighton is probably better relative comparison and they’ve scored more and conceded less than United. Yet we are ahead of both teams in results because on the balance of the season, we have actually been very good at defending when we are not conceding 3 or more goals. AWB I bet would have been better option in those games as well. Overall, the defensive clangers strike me as a mentality problem as opposed to quality problem. Scoring goals, however, has been hard for the team which is ultimately why we haven’t challenged Arsenal and City even though we have claimed wins against both teams. Tellingly, we have scored 39 goals inside the box. City has scored 65 with Arsenal at 63. With that, the number priority for next season has to be the forward position and linkup play. We need better linkup play and players with higher football IQ. This is where players like Sancho and even Martial when he plays on the left are good at penetrating teams. We have struggled in number of games this season to find the goals to kill off games even when we are dominating. Decisively, our ability to get results has been the driver for the cups run this year. It is why we are still fighting for two trophies. But if we can get better balance in linkup play and a top striker to hit the back of the net when chances present themselves, we will no doubt be challenging next season.
Fcking stupid aint it. Casemiro and Eriksen back, and Rashford gets injured. Fck it, hopefully we got enough in the tank with them two back to continue scoring from elsewhere.
And another centre midfield. Despite all the conceded goals, it's not the defence. When we get dicked the whole team capitulated and that doesn't necessarily all stem from a poor defence. We need quality midfield back up. We do also need two strikers, yeah. Ferguson from Brighton, and Kane as the finished article. If Rashford is injured or needs a break, not necessarily the end if the world of Martial can see the season out. No way can we rely on Weghorst for actual goals.
