Was that our best performance under Jose?

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Matic was the key yesterday - was instrumental in so much - we've needed a player that can make the others tick for ages and he might just be the one. He seemed to make everyone play well. Was a superb performance.

But also we were just sharper - there were plenty of times West Ham had every player in their own half and we usually aimlessly spread the ball around the middle of the pitch ad Infinitum but not yesterday - loads of risk taking balls being played - all accurate and confident.

Very assured - just got to keep it going.

Cigar and slippers stuff for Pogba and Matic tbh. West Ham's midfield is woeful and no Lanzini in the spaces between the lines. They were very easy to play against, which I think Mou realised and encouraged that selection. It'll change during the season but in those home games against limited opposition, this is the blueprint.

The fluidity wasn't always there but as the players get used to each other there's much potential improvement.

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

We didn't let early missed chances affect us either.

Could have been forgiven for tightening up after half an hour, given the struggles of last season, but we kept going and stayed on the front foot the whole game.

We still moved the ball a bit too slowly at times.

The whole team just seemed far more confident, aggressive and composed overall. West ham looked overawed. Very few games the last couple of seasons where we've dominated a team and taken it away from them.

Yeah that difference in confidenc was obvious. Matic had definitely added personality to the midfield. Contrast to Schneiderlin who froze; Matic has that authority and presence of a player who has won league titles. Midfield challenges will get much tougher though.

Originally Posted by Buck

Don't think Mkhitaryan is getting enough praise. When he's in the mood as he was yesterday the lad is dynamite. There are other attacking midfielders in the league who are more tidy with the ball and probably are more consistent, but in terms of pure dribbling and 'get you off the edge of your seat' factor Mkhi has my approval.

He started slowly but got better as it went on.

Just such a smart and dangerous player. Usually does the right thing at the right time.

The ball for martial goal.
The assist for Lukaku hat trick chance
The ball through for Mata where Hart came dashing out.
Good ball for the lukaku header.

Four clear openings created from him.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Cigar and slippers stuff for Pogba and Matic tbh. West Ham's midfield is woeful and no Lanzini in the spaces between the lines. They were very easy to play against, which I think Mou realised and encouraged that selection. It'll change during the season but in those home games against limited opposition, this is the blueprint.

The fluidity wasn't always there but as the players get used to each other there's much potential improvement.



Yeah that difference in confidenc was obvious. Matic had definitely added personality to the midfield. Contrast to Schneiderlin who froze; Matic has that authority and presence of a player who has won league titles. Midfield challenges will get much tougher though.

we absolutely dismantled west ham.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Cigar and slippers stuff for Pogba and Matic tbh. West Ham's midfield is woeful and no Lanzini in the spaces between the lines. They were very easy to play against, which I think Mou realised and encouraged that selection. It'll change during the season but in those home games against limited opposition, this is the blueprint.

The fluidity wasn't always there but as the players get used to each other there's much potential improvement.



Yeah that difference in confidenc was obvious. Matic had definitely added personality to the midfield. Contrast to Schneiderlin who froze; Matic has that authority and presence of a player who has won league titles. Midfield challenges will get much tougher though.

True. And it'll be interesting to see what Jose does in those moments. But you can only beat what is put in front of you and all that....and we didn't do that enough last season.... as an isolated game, it couldn't have gone much better in terms of selection, attitude,performance and result.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

we absolutely dismantled west ham.

Indeed; as I said convincing domination.

And as a result you aren't complaining about refs or bad luck. Funny what playing well does.

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

True. And it'll be interesting to see what Jose does in those moments. But you can only beat what is put in front of you and all that....and we didn't do that enough last season.... as an isolated game, it couldn't have gone much better in terms of selection, attitude,performance and result.

You get the message to the players with that selection. It's telling them exactly what's required.

Blind over Darmian at LB every time against dross tbh.

We are literally 2 foot taller. I think that made a big difference, cuse the pun. We look like a proper unit now.

Apart from the players mentioned I though Jones was solid. I would go as far as to say Real might not have beat us if this team had been available.

Originally Posted by gbmufc

We are literally 2 foot taller

But I thought this meant long ball football, so was bad??

Originally Posted by gbmufc

We are literally 2 foot taller. I think that made a big difference, cuse the pun. We look like a proper unit now.

Apart from the players mentioned I though Jones was solid. I would go as far as to say Real might not have beat us if this team had been available.

Jones is a terrific defender and good with the ball.

There is a reason why ourselves, Liverpool and Arsenal went in for him when he was 18.

He is just injured a lot, some players just are and as much as he is a great natural defender he will probably be injured by the new year based on the record.

Experience should help and ironically in a parterniship of Bailly and himself he could sit back a bit and that might help in terms of injuries.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

we absolutely dismantled west ham.

What must Lothar Matthaus be thinking?!

Originally Posted by AnthonyMartial

Jones is a terrific defender and good with the ball.

There is a reason why ourselves, Liverpool and Arsenal went in for him when he was 18.

He is just injured a lot, some players just are and as much as he is a great natural defender he will probably be injured by the new year based on the record.

Experience should help and ironically in a parterniship of Bailly and himself he could sit back a bit and that might help in terms of injuries.

Bailly and Jones with Rojo and Lindelof as the main four man rotation is a quite a deep pool tbh. Would mitigate Jones' perpensity toward injury and Smalling deputising for league cup games will allow for plenty of rest as well. Even Blind can slide in there at a push.

This could be key for us when you see how shallow the other squads are at cb. Arsenal were all over the place, Chelsea went to shit as soon as Cahill went off, Liverpool are just shit, period, and City are the inevitable Kompany injury away from Ottamendi and Stones. Spurs have good starters but not much behind them.

Originally Posted by Neo

What must Lothar Matthaus be thinking?!

With the greatest of respect, who cares?

Originally Posted by gbmufc

We are literally 2 foot taller. I think that made a big difference, cuse the pun. We look like a proper unit now.

Apart from the players mentioned I though Jones was solid. I would go as far as to say Real might not have beat us if this team had been available.

We weren't all 4ft last season, pal. Just saying.

Originally Posted by Neo

What must Lothar Matthaus be thinking?!

Talking of midgets... more interested in what Walter Matthau is thinking tbh

Originally Posted by AnthonyMartial

Jones is a terrific defender and good with the ball.

There is a reason why ourselves, Liverpool and Arsenal went in for him when he was 18.

He is just injured a lot, some players just are and as much as he is a great natural defender he will probably be injured by the new year based on the record.

Experience should help and ironically in a parterniship of Bailly and himself he could sit back a bit and that might help in terms of injuries.

Agreed. Mou clearly thinks the same. Bailly and Jones is our best partnership imo.

Jones is an excellent footballer when he is fit. Much, much better than Smalling.

Really hoping he can stay fit this season and prove sparky wrong as Rashford already is in abundance.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Indeed; as I said convincing domination.

And as a result you aren't complaining about refs or bad luck. Funny what playing well does.

atkinson was total shit - you may have noticed the ironic cheers when he actually gave us a free-kick ...

i've barely mentioned the match. the fact we played pretty much exactly like so many home games last season but this time scored the goals is obvious to everyone and i'm sick of all the shite naysayer manic depressive cranks banging on about the halcyon days of winning the passing.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

atkinson was total shit - you may have noticed the ironic cheers when he actually gave us a free-kick ...

i've barely mentioned the match. the fact we played pretty much exactly like so many home games last season but this time scored the goals is obvious to everyone and i'm sick of all the shite naysayer manic depressive cranks banging on about the halcyon days of winning the passing.

Yep, he was awful again that @#%&!.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

atkinson was total shit - you may have noticed the ironic cheers when he actually gave us a free-kick ...
.

£#%&!ing atrocious refereeing more or less all game.

Originally Posted by Neo

What must Lothar Matthaus be thinking?!

I love that shot of him sat on the bench in the Nou Camp. Total disbelief, unable to process what was happening.

For me Utd's win over West Ham ,was the most compact confident performance for a good 5 seasons , don't get me wrong it was only West Ham and we certainly ain't world beaters , but we looked more solid ,balanced and dangerous and finally managed to kill a team off ,instead of constant battling for 90+ minutes . good signs indeed .

Originally Posted by Sweet FA

For me Utd's win over West Ham ,was the most compact confident performance for a good 5 seasons , don't get me wrong it was only West Ham and we certainly ain't world beaters , but we looked more solid ,balanced and dangerous and finally managed to kill a team off ,instead of constant battling for 90+ minutes . good signs indeed .

Second goal was crucial. Had we got that in many of those draws last season, we'd have won them, but we just constantly struggled to get it.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

atkinson was total shit - you may have noticed the ironic cheers when he actually gave us a free-kick...

i've barely mentioned the match. the fact we played pretty much exactly like so many home games last season but this time scored the goals is obvious to everyone and i'm sick of all the shite naysayer manic depressive cranks banging on about the halcyon days of winning the passing.

Yep, he was. But it didn't matter because we played well. Kinda the point.

If you want to keep thinking United finished 6th due to bad luck that's up to you. I find manic depressive crankiness can just as often involve delusion

Play well most weeks and you won't end the season focusing on perennial luck or refs. Fact.