Man Utd Thread:

[Helix]

I see sky sports saying lukaku isn't signing a new contract for Everton. I wonder will we make a bid in summer if we get top 4? Or is he keen on move abroad. Could do a pogba and return to Chelsea either.

[magpie seanie]

Watched most of the game back there and the histrionics of the Chelsea players and manager were the polar opposite of what United did* and that along with crowd seemed to panic the ref into the ridiculous second yellow card. Some other points I'd like to make:

1. For fans of the persistent fouling argument here's one for you....Darmian fouled Hazard and then Willian twice between the 9th and 13th minutes. They were innocuous enough fouls and correctly no booking given. Jones fouled Hazard in the 22nd and 34th minutes (similar fouls, got too tight and pushed him over). Herrera shouldn't have been booked for his foul on Hazard in the 35th minute. This was the first foul (plus the time Hazard ran into him) in the game. Nuts.

2. Hazard was fouled 4 times in the first half in plus the first yellow card given to Herrera (which I think Hazard ran into him more than anything) after ref played advantage. United also won the ball cleanly from Hazard around 4 or 5 times (on 2/3 of these occasions Hazard and Conte appealed to the ref even though the ball had been won cleanly). Considering the amount of touches Hazard had these numbers do not seem unreasonable. Any accusation that United went out to kick Hazard is completely unfounded based on the facts and watching the tape. There's no doubt he was tagged as a danger man and they tried to get as tight to him as possible but definitely tried to play hard but fair.

3. Two situations that highlight what I've said above occurred in the 23rd and 40th minutes. In the first incident, Kante takes Pogba late after he has passed the ball. Ref waves play on and United play on. In the later one, Valencia takes Alonso late after he passes to a teammate and Conte goes ballistic. This is the one that leads to the confrontation on the sideline with the 4th official in the middle.

4. Rashford was, if anything, too honest. He took a lot of abuse but always wanted to get after the ball so stayed on his feet when he could. Cannot understand how Cahill was not booked for pulling him down in 43rd minute. In an earlier tangle where Rashford flicked the ball wide and Cahill caught him, Rashford stayed up and went after the ball but it beat him to the sideline. Others would have gone down and rolled around a few times. The way the game is im afraid we'll see him "learning" how to milk the ref....after all it seems to work better than honesty. Can't see him playing on Thursday...he really ran his heart out.

* I of course accept United have behaved less than optimally in the past and have had a share of divers playing for the team over the years. I also accept that Jose's behaviour over the years and during his time at United has been less than good too. My points in this post are just regarding last night.

Anyway - I just have too much time on my hands currently so don't take the above as a rant based on how annoyed I am. I simply had the time to go back and review it.

[magpie seanie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39272896

Charged with failing to control their players

The FA should be charged with failing to control their referee. Rojo getting away with it too, pure joke.

[GJL]

I see sky sports saying lukaku isn't signing a new contract for Everton. I wonder will we make a bid in summer if we get top 4? Or is he keen on move abroad. Could do a pogba and return to Chelsea either.

Would love to see him at Utd. He is a top striker.

[stiffler]

The way Utd players surrounded the referee after he red was reminiscent of the Keane era.

Will rojo avoid a suspension for the stamp?

[magpie seanie]

Comparisons of Pogba to Veronica make me laugh. Verona was a maestro but just not suited to England. Pogba has a long way to go to be as good as Veron.

Some of the Pogba criticism has been unfair but a few things about him bother me. He seems to have a poor football brain, suspect workrate and terrible concentration. He also has several annoying bad habits like trying to flick balls over people's heads and back again - that's for when you're in the playground or messing with your kids - get it down and pass to a team mate. He's very much an individualist and seems to have little or no team ethic. And he has baseless arrogance....unlike Ibrahimovic he doesn't back it up consistently. I can see why he rubbed Fergie up the wrong way.

All that said he is a tremendous athlete, has great pace and power and a great shot (should and I think in time, will, score more goals). He has a complete range of passing but doesn't always show that. On occasions I have seen him control midfield in games where obviously Mourinho has drilled it into him tactically what he has to do.

The money was for his potential which is gigantic (plus United tend to have to go over the top with transfer fees anyway) and I think he'll eventually get there eventually but he has a lot to learn.

[Cunny Funt]

The way Utd players surrounded the referee after he red was reminiscent of the Keane era.

Chalk and cheese Keane era wanted to frighten the ref. Last night I think they only surrounded the ref to tell him Jones didn't make that foul. A real oops on Olivers face when he realised it.

[Helix]

I see sky sports saying lukaku isn't signing a new contract for Everton. I wonder will we make a bid in summer if we get top 4? Or is he keen on move abroad. Could do a pogba and return to Chelsea either.

Would love to see him at Utd. He is a top striker.

Throw Rooney in the deal and 40 million. A proven premier league scorer and relatively young still.

[magpie seanie]

The way Utd players surrounded the referee after he red was reminiscent of the Keane era.

Chalk and cheese Keane era wanted to frighten the ref. Last night I think they only surrounded the ref to tell him Jones didn't make that foul. A real oops on Olivers face when he realised it.

Absolutely nothing like the famous Keane led one.

[Milltown Row2]

Rudd was asked about Pogba and his performance to date and he said he'll be fine, he's playing in the right position but needs better holding midfielders around him to push on.... the price tag hangs over him Rudd said as it did him when he went to Milan...

Be less media attention next year and he'll be grand

[Il Bomber Destro]

United kicked Hazard at every opportunity, there were a lot of fouls which weren't recorded as such as Oliver allowed the advantage to accrue and no free was awarded for it but time and time again Jones, Rojo, Valencia, Herrera and Darmian were in late all night.

Herrera's first yellow was an absolute certainty.

No sympathy on his second, seconds after the referee calls over Jones and the captain Smalling to tell them they are on their final warning when it comes to cynical fouling on Hazard, Herrera decides it is a good idea to go and make another mistimed tackle on Hazard right in front of the referee. It was idiotic in the extreme and he gave the referee a decision to make.

United were utterly gutless, playing with Jones in midfield and then deciding to add another hammerthrower on in Fellaini. Mourinho is a busted flush as a manager.

[Captain Obvious]

Mourinho is a busted flush as a manager.

Was and still is a better manager than Luciano Spalletti

[Il Bomber Destro]

Mourinho is a busted flush as a manager.

Was and still is a better manager than Luciano Spalletti

Still is? Very doubtful.

[Captain Obvious]

Mourinho is a busted flush as a manager.

Was and still is a better manager than Luciano Spalletti

Still is? Very doubtful.

To most it's not doubtful at all. Very doubtful if Spalletti is even a better manager than Van Gaal with his sideways possession football.

[Il Bomber Destro]

Mourinho is a busted flush as a manager.

Was and still is a better manager than Luciano Spalletti

Still is? Very doubtful.

To most it's not doubtful at all. Very doubtful if Spalletti is even a better manager than Van Gaal with his sideways possession football.

To most it is doubtful.

Mourinho has spent the most money of any manager in European football this season and his team have laboured to 6th position. He was sacked at Chelsea last season after leaving them hovering above the relegation zone, they're now 10 clear at the top of the table little over a season later.

Mourinho is very much a busted flush.

As for Spalletti, we're currently 2nd in the table after losing our best player last season to the dominant force in Italian football. Things have taken a turn for the worse lately but as of now we are still in the hunt in all three competitions and I think he has certainly made progress with fairly moderate spending.