I'm leaving my feelings about our supposed new manager buried for now. There hasn't been much said about yesterdays game except the usual MON digs. Saddens me people are pleased that our losing, is some sort of tickle to their own ego for saying they didn't want him here from the start. First half ManU edged it with their higher work rate and faster passing. Second half we had the upper hand with our higher work rate and pushed Utd back. Even Fergie agreed we were all over them second half. MON had clearly given them a rocket and told them to get about Utd at half time. Doesn't match up with the ongoing claims of MON being negative does it? Just like at Norwich the players on the pitch are the problem not the manager. So why didn't we win? Simple really we have far too many water carriers in the team. Graham put in a hell of a shift up front but very little facing goal most of his work was harrying Utd and doing it well. The ball humped up in the air isn't his game, and I will lay odds MON didn't tell Mig and the defenders to keep doing it. When he was PASSED in the couple of times it happened, he controlled it well and took on the defender with ease. Which led to him putting one of the best crosses of the game into the box. (Just a pity he couldn't have been in two places at once and got on the end of it.) Graham was making very good runs that for any other team would have led to goals, if the pass was made for him. I have made excuses for McC and AJ,s form. There can be no excuse of young age or recovering from injury for that yesterday. A winger with no end product is a waste of a shirt imho. (Young for Utd was just as bad his whole game plan seems to be to win soft freekicks, I can't see him being at Utd much longer.) And no, Larsson out there isn't an option, a winger who can't run or miss the first man would be even worse. Our defence did enough to keep Utd at bay and RVP's goal was just a frustrated lash at the ball as he couldn't get past an isolated Bardsley! I have never subscribed to the Ref's favouring Utd conspiracy theory. But I have to say that refereeing left me dumbfounded at times. Any 50 50s the ref looked to be going after the Sunderland players. Strange freekicks which left Utd in good field position!. Fouls against us that weren't given. Bardsley's yellow was the only decision I can remember agreeing with.
Mackem Tend to agree with your views about the game. I traveled up from Rossendale yesterday and I have to say I thought we played quite well particularly in the second half. Thought Danny Graham ran his socks off and was even trying to get the crowd going. It frustrates me when I read other posts seriously criticising players with mag connections. Chopra is a dick but we seem to forget that Lee Clarke was pivotal in our record breaking points season to get us into the premier league. Yeah he got caught out by the shirt debacle but to say he didnt give his all when he played for us is a disgrace. Danny Graham appears to be the same given his contribution yesterday. Stiil we all have our opinions but lets hope whatever happens its premiership football for us next season
We improved in the second half but the issue is (and has been all season) is that we didn't trouble their keeper at all. 1 shot on target all game right at the end of the game which didn't even worry De Gea
Said from the start I will base my opinion on Graham on his football not his roots. He grafted hard yesterday and got no rewards, ie. a ****ing pass!!!!!!! Like I said I'm positive MON didn't tell the rest of the team to lump the ball up at him. Even the lump balls were all over his head or no where near him. I still reserve judgement on him for when I see him handling passes to put him in on goal. Lets not forget Fletcher for a long time now, has had nothing to feed on either.
I too was impressed by Graham's graft. Made a few very good runs but the no one wanted to help. Another observation everytime Sess made a run with the ball eveyone seemed content to stand still and try and let him do it on his own These players need to take a large slice of the blame for our **** performances this season
I must have seen a different game lads, Graham did sod all during the game. Mind you the whole team were crap, second half was better than the first but, it couldn't get any worse really. Man U got the goal then cruised the rest of the game knowing that we had no clue how to put the ball into the back of the net. 1 shot on target all game tells a story lads, I left around the 80 minute mark and we'd had the sum total of no shots on target.
agreed, we should of had wickham on from the start, but grahams work rate was high, dont think he should of started, but he put a shift in
I was talking to an old mate about Sess, I know we are old farts both done 50 years hard labour with SAFC. We were saying the same and that he is having to hold onto the ball too long as he has no easy out ball as the oppos surround him. Only saw two others making any effort to move to be available for an easy ball Bardsley and Gardner. I can see glimmers of a good player in N'Diaye a bit more composure and getting used to not having the time he wants in the Prem and could come good.
We must have Talc mate. As Graham made some great runs and the ball just never came. There's not a lot he can do if he doesn't get passed the ball marra. He was also putting a shift in putting pressure on Utd. Unless you saw some goal on a plate I missed? No forward is going to score if he isn't passed the ball, as Fletcher can already testify too.
Fair enough mate, what about the pass to Sess in the first 10/15 minutes all he had to do was put his foot through it for at the very least a shot on target even a good chance of a goal instead he passed to Sess who by then was offside. Like I said Utd stepped off and if they did that against any other team in the league they would have conceded, against us though they knew we had nothing. The game yesterday was dire mate and if it was against a Utd first eleven I'd be inclined to say hard lines not a bad effort (0-1 and an OG to boot) it was against their second string barring Vidic, RVP and De Gea and we still couldn't get anywhere near their goal for at the least 80 minutes. Not singling out DG here but, I saw something different from him that you did and, as I said the whole team were poor yet again. Maybe that is the problem and not the manager?
Man U's goal was the result of the ref giving them a free kick for a perfectly good tackle which had us in a promising attacking position...Kevin Friend was in my opinion their most effective player..As for the rest of the game, we huffed and puffed, but never at all threatened to blow their house down...
Thank Christ for that, thought it was just me. I couldn't believe some of the decisions he was giving them. Not using it as an excise just stating it like it was, as we all know we are pretty toothless right now, it's not as if the oppos need any help.
