Imagine not being encouraged by that second half

We have come a long way lads.

It is going to be a special season.

Originally Posted by saffers

We have come a long way lads.

It is going to be a special season.

He brought fellani on

Originally Posted by Child of Darkness

He brought fellani on

Who played well.

So?

Should be the end of 5 at the back.

Yep

Thought we looked decent for large parts of the game

The cabbie says it was £#%&! pal ..hes the knowledge

Originally Posted by saffers

We have come a long way lads.

It is going to be a special season.

Yeo their best two players go off and they still outplay us. Special.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Yeo their best two players go off and they still outplay us. Special.

You do realise we're absolutely nowhere near their level, right? That they are, for all intents and purposes, the best team in the world?

Are you surprised that a team which have been loitering around 6th for the last four years and in a bit of a state i might add, don't quite match up to the back to back european champions?

We couldn't beat Madrid when we were the best team in the Europe. What exactly about last night's result and performance surprised you?

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Are you surprised that a team which have been loitering around 6th for the last four years and in a bit of a state i might add, don't quite match up to the back to back european champions?

You seem to be by the amount of whinging you're doing ffs

We were shit

Originally Posted by TheFatGoth

We were shit

spurs weren't playing hth

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

You seem to be by the amount of whinging you're doing ffs

Yeah whinging is very out of the ordinary for me tbh.

We were shit.
It actually looked like they were using it as a training session. Ramos could not have looked less arsed if he tried.


Not surprising really though

Originally Posted by saffers

We have come a long way lads.

It is going to be a special season.

Are you taking the piss?

It was dire, all things considered.

Even the special ones Bale mind games were like a pea shooter against the SAS.

Good enough to compete in the EPL; yes. Outstanding; no.

Still a lot of work to be done.

Rashford did ok, Micki moves better now, and Lukaku is a beast but I fear for the longevity of Matic when he winds his neck in.

Average at best against a far superior team.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

You do realise we're absolutely nowhere near their level, right? That they are, for all intents and purposes, the best team in the world?

Are you surprised that a team which have been loitering around 6th for the last four years and in a bit of a state i might add, don't quite match up to the back to back european champions?

We couldn't beat Madrid when we were the best team in the Europe. What exactly about last night's result and performance surprised you?

Nothing surprised me Sparky other than my levels of expectation were higher than planned.

I think we've progressed. The players need to stop being selfish and use the ball better... I include Rashford, Pogba and Lukaku in that.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

You do realise we're absolutely nowhere near their level, right? That they are, for all intents and purposes, the best team in the world?

Are you surprised that a team which have been loitering around 6th for the last four years and in a bit of a state i might add, don't quite match up to the back to back european champions?

We couldn't beat Madrid when we were the best team in the Europe. What exactly about last night's result and performance surprised you?

yep, we had to settle for just beating bayern, barceloan and juventus

The second half was better, started to get into Madrid, rattle them a little and impose our gameplan.

Can not ignore that it was predicated on hitting Fellaini/Lukaku on diagonals and playing from there. I do worry that the reliance on these long ball tactics will restrict the development and progression of a style that is more likely to be effective at that level.

Originally Posted by Clarkie

We were shit.
It actually looked like they were using it as a training session. Ramos could not have looked less arsed if he tried.


Not surprising really though

sadly very true - the real difference between the two teams was in how comfortably they defended us in the spells when either side was on top ...

generally speaking we were hurried or forced into last-ditch blocks and clearances, while they mainly had the cigars on heading crosses away ...

tbf the stats show that we matched them for actual goal threat, and a lot of their possession was side to side ...

our early spell was about good movement and clever one touch passing through them and we looked a genuine threat. the second spell we had was more about getting the delivery right, which we rarely do and which is a lot harder against top defences.

for all real's class - they've been the best team in the world for a couple of years after all - the match is defined for me by pogba missing an absolute sitter from 8yds out and lukaku missing the tap-in with the foliow up. that situation has to be a goal every single time if we're going to challenge, especially against these teams.

The second half was better but anything is better than being completely dominated. We were in control of the game for 20 minutes at most but the positive is that we can take control against a team like Madrid. The key part is whether we can get on top from the off and actually take a 2-0 lead ourselves.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Yeah whinging is very out of the ordinary for me tbh.

much like liverpool I thought you'd turned a corner. the sparky whinge/positivity cycle.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

much like liverpool I thought you'd turned a corner. the sparky whinge/positivity cycle.

It's a penny farthing. Doom is the front wheel obviously.