Man Utd Thread:

[Maroon Manc]

I'm still puzzled at how anyone can justify paying £85m for a player like Pogba and have no idea where to play him. And Di Maria before him. I'd argue Lukaku too, as although he's playing in the right position, the service he gets is deadful. He plays off the last shoulder but United want him to be Shane Long runnerman.

If United fans are looking to work out why they've been knocked off their perch, don't look at the Glazers and their spending. Look at this.

I agree. Pogba was a disgrace last night. He cannot play that position for starters but to see a guy wearing the armband jogging around when his team was 0-2 down almost defied belief. Rio and the Lampards rightly got dug into him afterwards but I suppose they're just jealous of the money Pogba's on as well. 

Lukaku certainly doesn't look worth what was paid for him. Mourinho seems to think he's going to turn him into Drogba or something. A good, honest player but he's really struggling.

And after all the spending we still have Jones and Smalling at the heart of the defence. I always felt if they stayed fit and got a good run in the side they'd be fine but I'm giving up now. Still think Smalling is a good defender but he's very uncomfortable with the ball at his feet. Jones mistake last night was awful. You can say unlucky but it was laziness going for the ball with the wrong foot.

An appalling last 70 mins, apart from the goal we played well until they scored their 2nd goal then we fell apart. Jones has been excellent this season but last night was shocking but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, as for Smalling I have no idea why he keeps getting picked; He's a complete liability who panics when he's on the ball and that breeds through the team.

Jose picked the wrong team, just hope it doesn't happen again. Against top opposition United need to play an extra midfielder and I'm sure that will happen for the rest of the season. They were all appalling last night apart from Valencia, but Pogba, Martial & Lukaku were the biggest frustrations. Lukaku has to do more, barely won a header last night or held up the ball when we badly needed him to do so. He'd improved his all round play in recent weeks but back to square one last night.

Agreed MM

Actually for once Glenn Hoddle on commentary was spot on. If united could have worked the ball around for another pass in the attacking area Spurs were playing so high that a deep runner, like Lingard did would have been enough to unpick them with one decent through ball. The problem was that they kept trying it first time and was easy to read.

Anyway should be a lot of learning from the game last night, not going to catch city regardless so it is all about getting a decent run in the CL and improving the team as the season goes on.

Agreed, Spurs were there for the taking early on but our final ball was hopeless although the one time Lukaku was away he wrongly called offside whilst the commentary team ignored it. Lukaku couldn't make the ball stick like Kane did and that was the difference in an open first half.

[magpie seanie]

Disappointing result and performance last night, Spurs are the type of side as has been proven that if you keep them out of the game long enough they are easier to work with. The first goal was a killer, ridiculous defending. To be fair the response was good and with a bit more care Lingard should have equalised in that period United were sharp and crisp on the ball and attacked the Spurs back four, didnt last though and the pace of the game died and allowed Spurs to get into their rythmn.

Pogba was pretty annonymous and yeah he can work harder and make more tackles but when they are out numbered in there it was always going to be a tough night for him and Matic.

This clamour to blame JM every time there is a poor performance is getting tiresome, JM didnt lose that first header which caused the goal, he also didnt hoof one into his own net. He had a defence up to this game that operated well and had been keeping clean sheets, so there was no need to change it. Some times you hold your hands up and say Spurs played well, United didnt show up and gave them two goals. End of.

There's certainly an over reaction when we lose, this thread comes alive.

Mourhino got the team wrong last night and the subs too but I'm sure he's learnt from it. We gave them too much space and left the back 4 far too exposed. Matic's form too is a worry, was a lot better earlier on in the season.

Smalling though is out of his depth, can't understand why he's getting picked ahead of Rojo.

I really enjoy your contributions and you're usually spot on but I take issue with the piece highlighted. This was not a one off mistake in terms of team selection. Pogba is almost always played in the wrong position. Matic looks a shadow of the player that arrived at the start of the season but that happens when you're trying to do two peoples jobs. Pogba is grand in there against teams that can't expose him but the better sides will and do. When you're behind you need to win that area and United simply can't. Until that platform gets established this side is going nowhere. Though if you push Pogba further up the field you're dropping a Lingard/Rashford/Martial/Mata. It's just annoying, there's no excuse for laziness.

[magpie seanie]

Glenn Hoddle is usually a very good reader of a game and an excellent co-commentator. A shame he couldn't keep his trap shut about his religious beliefs......was a good coach.

United did look dangerous up to the second goal. Spurs were absolutely shaking at the back. An equaliser might have resulted in a classic but the complete capitulation after the second goal was worrying in the extreme.

[AZOffaly]

What exactly is Pogba's role in the team? I just saw the highlights, but it looked as if he was supposed to sort of be a central midfielder, but he was completely focussed on the attacking element. He put a beautiful pass through for Lindgard that almost led to the equaliser, but after that he seemed to be high and right, or high and central, and Matic was basically on his own and about 30 yards away from him...  Matic was overrun there. Is it that Jose wants to see Pogba as an attacker only? Basically a deep lying '10', or is he trying to make a central midfielder out of him? If it's the latter, he's failing so far. If it's the former, he needs to have another one in there with Matic.  The looked unbalanced.

[magpie seanie]

What exactly is Pogba's role in the team? I just saw the highlights, but it looked as if he was supposed to sort of be a central midfielder, but he was completely focussed on the attacking element. He put a beautiful pass through for Lindgard that almost led to the equaliser, but after that he seemed to be high and right, or high and central, and Matic was basically on his own and about 30 yards away from him...  Matic was overrun there. Is it that Jose wants to see Pogba as an attacker only? Basically a deep lying '10', or is he trying to make a central midfielder out of him? If it's the latter, he's failing so far. If it's the former, he needs to have another one in there with Matic.  The looked unbalanced.

He was supposed to be a central midfielder last night (and most games). He only runs one direction though. When United are defending he shuffles over and back, going through the motions, and then comes alive when United get the ball. It's incredible. And him with the armband on too.

[Maroon Manc]

Disappointing result and performance last night, Spurs are the type of side as has been proven that if you keep them out of the game long enough they are easier to work with. The first goal was a killer, ridiculous defending. To be fair the response was good and with a bit more care Lingard should have equalised in that period United were sharp and crisp on the ball and attacked the Spurs back four, didnt last though and the pace of the game died and allowed Spurs to get into their rythmn.

Pogba was pretty annonymous and yeah he can work harder and make more tackles but when they are out numbered in there it was always going to be a tough night for him and Matic.

This clamour to blame JM every time there is a poor performance is getting tiresome, JM didnt lose that first header which caused the goal, he also didnt hoof one into his own net. He had a defence up to this game that operated well and had been keeping clean sheets, so there was no need to change it. Some times you hold your hands up and say Spurs played well, United didnt show up and gave them two goals. End of.

There's certainly an over reaction when we lose, this thread comes alive.

Mourhino got the team wrong last night and the subs too but I'm sure he's learnt from it. We gave them too much space and left the back 4 far too exposed. Matic's form too is a worry, was a lot better earlier on in the season.

Smalling though is out of his depth, can't understand why he's getting picked ahead of Rojo.

I really enjoy your contributions and you're usually spot on but I take issue with the piece highlighted. This was not a one off mistake in terms of team selection. Pogba is almost always played in the wrong position. Matic looks a shadow of the player that arrived at the start of the season but that happens when you're trying to do two peoples jobs. Pogba is grand in there against teams that can't expose him but the better sides will and do. When you're behind you need to win that area and United simply can't. Until that platform gets established this side is going nowhere. Though if you push Pogba further up the field you're dropping a Lingard/Rashford/Martial/Mata. It's just annoying, there's no excuse for laziness.

Its the first time this season where Pogba has played in a big game where United have have gone with that formation. Pogba played against Arsenal but Mourinho went with a back 3 which offered more protection, Mourinho wanted to get all his form attacking players on the pitch and it backfired, that won't happen again.

I've no issue with United playing that way against teams outside of the top 6.

[ned]

It was as a strange balance. Almost like 4-1-1-4. Sanchez was deeper than Pogba a lot in the second half. United were sucker punched but could have had a couple themselves in that blitzkrieg first five minutes. Still second though.

[Hound]

Guardian reported Fellini stormed off the pitch and threw his jersey away on the way up the tunnel. Must have been very frustrated at his, ahem, injury. 

In fairness I just saw a video of him hurting the knee and hobbling about so will give the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.

Did you see the substitution though? The real time clip of the goal shows exactly what Fellani did wrong. He had Erickson covered, but needlessly got sucked across towards the left back position, but before he got there, the ball was passed to Erickson, so he charged back towards Erickson, and before he got there Erickson slipped Son in. Fellaini did more running in the clip than anyone else! But was chasing shadows instead of doing what presumably he was told to do and keep Erickson covered. Jose went ballistic, told Rashford to sit down and called out Herrerra (who was sitting down on the bench) and put him on immediately.

There was no physio for Fellaini to check whether he was injured. And if there had been an injury worry in the minutes before it, would they have not asked Herrera to warm up? And Fellaini jogged off and down the tunnel without any hint of a knee injury!  It was definitely tactical.

[Milltown Row2]

Guardian reported Fellini stormed off the pitch and threw his jersey away on the way up the tunnel. Must have been very frustrated at his, ahem, injury. 

In fairness I just saw a video of him hurting the knee and hobbling about so will give the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.

Did you see the substitution though? The real time clip of the goal shows exactly what Fellani did wrong. He had Erickson covered, but needlessly got sucked across towards the left back position, but before he got there, the ball was passed to Erickson, so he charged back towards Erickson, and before he got there Erickson slipped Son in. Fellaini did more running in the clip than anyone else! But was chasing shadows instead of doing what presumably he was told to do and keep Erickson covered. Jose went ballistic, told Rashford to sit down and called out Herrerra (who was sitting down on the bench) and put him on immediately.

There was no physio for Fellaini to check whether he was injured. And if there had been an injury worry in the minutes before it, would they have not asked Herrera to warm up? And Fellaini jogged off and down the tunnel without any hint of a knee injury!  It was definitely tactical.

If it was tactical and that was the reason for it then fair play Jose, nothing more annoying than giving instructions to players and the do there own thing!

[magpie seanie]

Why come out and pretend it was due to an injury though? It's not like he has a policy of not criticising players in public or anything.

[NAG1]

Why come out and pretend it was due to an injury though? It's not like he has a policy of not criticising players in public or anything.

Yeah I dont think he would have held back, maybe it is a bit of both. He didnt do what he was supposed to do coming on and Jose pulled him for that and the injury is a convenient story but not all false.

JM and Fellaini have had a good relationship and JM has backed him on more than one occasion so it would surprise me if he scapegoated him deliberately.

[magpie seanie]

And also - why not take Pogba off the thousand or so times he didn't track a player?

[StGallsGAA]

And also - why not take Pogba off the thousand or so times he didn't track a player?

Cos he wasn't sent on 6 mins before with that very instruction?  Bad result as they played well for long periods but I'd be most concerned that United failed to find the net again.  Ferguson would be scoring bagfuls with that squad.

[magpie seanie]

And also - why not take Pogba off the thousand or so times he didn't track a player?

Cos he wasn't sent on 6 mins before with that very instruction?  Bad result as they played well for long periods but I'd be most concerned that United failed to find the net again.  Ferguson would be scoring bagfuls with that squad.

OK - why not do something then when someone doesn't do their job and stop a goal after 11 seconds which they'd apparently studied. Guy's a hypocrite, liar and bluffer.

[Jeepers Creepers]

Pogba isnt a box to box midfelder and I dont think will ever be.