What happened to the "Mourinho hates Rashford and Martial" meme?

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

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I'm wondering how many times we'll bang in four before people start to realise it isn't an accident.

When was the last time we scored 4 goals 5 times before the end of September?

Perhaps a harsh truth but the attack doesn't miss Zlatan. United have always been best with that dynamism to the front play and Lukaku obviously is so much more of a threat on the transitions. The bigger matches will tell us more, but they do look hungry for goals.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Perhaps a harsh truth but the attack doesn't miss Zlatan. United have always been best with that dynamism to the front play and Lukaku obviously is so much more of a threat on the transitions. The bigger matches will tell us more, but they do look hungry for goals.

I think it's a combination of a few small details. And they often make a big difference.

Confidence plays such a huge part too. Everyone is buzzing.

Lukaku's added mobility has certainly helped. We haven't missed Zlatan, but we shouldn't have done with replacing him directly with a proven goalscorer.

I think Zlatans hold up play when we're up against it away from home might be missed, but we haven't really had chance to see that yet.

I'll be interested to see how he integrates once he's back.

Bigger games to come. Those Liverpool, spurs and Chelsea games will be a huge test of our defence and how far we've really come.

5 points or more out of those and we're in really great shape.

I miss the nil nil’s.

Now that was possession.

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

I think it's a combination of a few small details. And they often make a big difference.

Confidence plays such a huge part too. Everyone is buzzing.

Lukaku's added mobility has certainly helped. We haven't missed Zlatan, but we shouldn't have done with replacing him directly with a proven goalscorer.

I think Zlatans hold up play when we're up against it away from home might be missed, but we haven't really had chance to see that yet.

I'll be interested to see how he integrates once he's back.

Bigger games to come. Those Liverpool, spurs and Chelsea games will be a huge test of our defence and how far we've really come.

5 points or more out of those and we're in really great shape.

It's obviously very early. The giddiness at the football at the start of 2011/12 should never be forgotten. We were playing even better then than now and the wheels came off quite drastically. So far we have played quite a few sides who have looked to defend despite having no threat on the break, which has made it much easier.

Originally Posted by utd99

I miss the nil nil’s.

Now that was possession.

If only someone had said we needed almost entirely different players to start scoring goals

It's not a huge shock that the transition-based game works a bit better without Rooney and Mata.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

It's obviously very early. The giddiness at the football at the start of 2011/12 should never be forgotten. We were playing even better then than now and the wheels came off quite drastically. So far we have played quite a few sides who have looked to defend despite having no threat on the break, which has made it much easier.



If only someone had said we needed almost entirely different players to start scoring goals

It's not a huge shock that the transition-based game works a bit better without Rooney and Mata.

Nah

We were playing some great stuff going forward but had no control over the games
Giving up 20 plus shots on our goal to even shite like Bolton was a recipe for disaster and so it proved

In most of the games this season we've looked very commanding

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Nah

We were playing some great stuff going forward but had no control over the games
Giving up 20 plus shots on our goal to even shite like Bolton was a recipe for disaster and so it proved

In most of the games this season we've looked very commanding

Well indeed that team wasn't set up to be tight at the back. It had Anderson and Cleverley in midfield ffs It was about completely unrestrained attacking and playing great football. For that brief period we played the most attractive stuff I think in recent times. The results were hardly bad either, culminating in sticking eight past Arsenal.

This team is set up to be more solid and exploit the transitions. They do it just as well, and should be more sustainable.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

It's obviously very early. The giddiness at the football at the start of 2011/12 should never be forgotten. We were playing even better then than now and the wheels came off quite drastically. So far we have played quite a few sides who have looked to defend despite having no threat on the break, which has made it much easier.



If only someone had said we needed almost entirely different players to start scoring goals

It's not a huge shock that the transition-based game works a bit better without Rooney and Mata.

Probably playing better attacking football, but it seemed like it was about 3 or 4 games rather than 6 or 7 . And we've had a couple of poorer performances and won.

Maybe I'm not remembering 11/12 quite correctly.

The wins this season against Leicester and Southampton felt like big wins and games we perhaps wouldn't have won last season.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

It's obviously very early. The giddiness at the football at the start of 2011/12 should never be forgotten. We were playing even better then than now and the wheels came off quite drastically.

Mentally we look much stronger. Mou also showed last season at Anfield that he's happy to go and spoil a game to get a result. I doubt he'll be sending them out against Liverpool, City, Chelsea etc to win 4-0. He'll play for a point in those games if he needs to.

That said, those games often come down to the first team to make an error. If you capitalise on that you often go on to win. And we have the players now not only to capitalise but to force them in the first place.

Much is made of an "easy start" but we couldn't have done much more (maybe beaten Stoke) and I'm feeling confident when the tougher games start coming around we'll be ready mentally and physically

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Mentally we look much stronger. Mou also showed last season at Anfield that he's happy to go and spoil a game to get a result. I doubt he'll be sending them out against Liverpool, City, Chelsea etc to win 4-0. He'll play for a point in those games if he needs to.

That said, those games often come down to the first team to make an error. If you capitalise on that you often go on to win. And we have the players now not only to capitalise but to force them in the first place.

Much is made of an "easy start" but we couldn't have done much more (maybe beaten Stoke) and I'm feeling confident when the tougher games start coming around we'll be ready mentally and physically

Indeed.

Games are easy if you play well. Not winning 'easy' games killed our domestic campaign last season.

Liverpool drew with Burnley. As did spurs. City drew with Everton. Burnley beat Chelsea.

All 'easy' games.

I expect us to be switched on for the big games. Whether we win them will probably come down to the little moments.

We were a Zlatan fluffed header away from the perfect smash and grab job at Anfield last season.

We went into that game in shit form and Liverpool were flying. They created £#%&! all and we shut them down. Hoping for more of the same but better transitions and killer instinct in the final third.

Originally Posted by saffers

Is this supposed to make me look bad?

This from you a mere month and a bit ago.....

He meant to type 4. Honest

I wanted him to take over from SAF he was the only manager capable of doing this and thank the Lord we've got him now.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

It's not a huge shock that the transition-based game works a bit better without Rooney and Mata.

The same Mata thats started most of our games this season pol?

Also think Rooney would have benefited greatly from playing with Romers.

Originally Posted by saffers

The same Mata thats started most of our games this season pol?

Also think Rooney would have benefited greatly from playing with Romers.

aah now here..... Rooney is finished at the top level, his legs have well and truly gone, if he still had it, then he would still be here..

Originally Posted by saffers

The same Mata thats started most of our games this season pol?

Also think Rooney would have benefited greatly from playing with Romers.

And been subbed before most of the goals probably

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

And been subbed before most of the goals probably

Hasn't scored yet either has He?

Unlike him.

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

Hasn't scored yet either has He?

Unlike him.

12 goals in the last two league seasons combined. 6 in each. Needs to score more tbh given how good a finisher he is.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

12 goals in the last two league seasons combined. 6 in each. Needs to score more tbh given how good a finisher he is.

Probably second top scorer with those stats too.

Two very low scoring seasons from the team though. Still one of the better finishers at the club.

Much better spread of goals so far this year.

Rashford and martial chipping in regularly was always going to be key this season.

Even though Lukaku is banging them in,it doesn't feel as important as Zlatan last year