Brighton vs Manchester United KO 8pm - 04/05/2023 - Official Match Thread

Originally Posted by Ethers

Go for it pal, you seem to believe everything on a football pitch can be measured by some metric on fbref.com. That’s fair enough. I don’t.


He’s scored 6 goals

I don't, it's just a useful tool for showing a lot of the things he lacks or fails to do.

Originally Posted by Ethers

Go for it pal, you seem to believe everything on a football pitch can be measured by some metric on fbref.com. That’s fair enough. I don’t.

He only started using it last month as well

Like a kid with a new toy, bless...

Heard he’s been seen cutting about in this….

Originally Posted by Ethers

Heard he’s been seen cutting about in this….

Prefer the one in red, tbf.

G2C the Chuckle Brothers ignoring the stats.

The problem against Brighton was the same problem we’ve had all season against good sides away from home, we can’t play with any control and impose ourselves on the game

We have to be the sloppiest team in the league
Can’t build any pressure or momentum when we give the ball away so needlessly
That brings us to the elephant in the room, how often did Dave just give the ball back to Brighton in the 2nd half by just booting it up the pitch leading to sustained Brighton pressure

If Dave is still number 1 next season expect to see more of these away performances as we simply can’t play out from the back and control games with him in goal

a major problem or controversial issue which is obviously present but is avoided as a subject for discussion.

Yeah right

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

The problem against Brighton was the same problem we’ve had all season against good sides away from home, we can’t play with any control and impose ourselves on the game

We have to be the sloppiest team in the league
Can’t build any pressure or momentum when we give the ball away so needlessly
That brings us to the elephant in the room, how often did Dave just give the ball back to Brighton in the 2nd half by just booting it up the pitch leading to sustained Brighton pressure

If Dave is still number 1 next season expect to see more of these away performances as we simply can’t play out from the back and control games with him in goal

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

Originally Posted by Hyman_Roth

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

Agree with every word.
If I see that skinny virgin sipping Monster outside Affleck’s this summer, I’m showing him this post.

Originally Posted by Hyman_Roth

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

Very good tbf.

It’s just stupid to ignore the effect he has on our wider play though. With him in goal, we can’t play out from the back effectively or with any kind of consistency. It means we can’t control possession, and forces us to rely on counter-attacks or winning the ball in transition to launch most of our attacks. It’s why particularly away from home our games seem to descend into scrappy, disjointed messes because so often we give the ball straight back to the opposition.

People can laugh about the focus on De Gea all they want but it’s blindingly obvious to most United fans now, and the rest will come onboard eventually.

Have a look at these pass maps from the other night ffs And the Brighton keeper wasn’t exactly throwing shots into his net, he was very solid at his primary job. But also managed to not give the ball away to the opposition constantly. Absolutely crazy how that can help a team play better tbf.

https://twitter.com/ftblnl/status/1654246894242070528?s=20

https://twitter.com/ftblnl/status/1654250949911760899?s=20

Thought online stats weren’t allowed. What I seen with my own eyes was de Gea making four saves that kept us in the game and us missing four great chances to score. That happens and no one gives a £#%&! who he passes to or not.

Originally Posted by believe

Thought online stats weren’t allowed. What I seen with my own eyes was de Gea making four saves that kept us in the game and us missing four great chances to score. That happens and no one gives a £#%&! who he passes to or not.

Exhibit A.

Originally Posted by believe

Thought online stats weren’t allowed. What I seen with my own eyes was de Gea making four saves that kept us in the game and us missing four great chances to score. That happens and no one gives a £#%&! who he passes to or not.

Any keeper makes those saves.

Originally Posted by dunk

Any keeper makes those saves.

Yeah that’s what keepers do, they stop the other team from scoring.

Originally Posted by Hyman_Roth

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

Originally Posted by Hyman_Roth

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

He does need to go though.

Originally Posted by believe

Yeah that’s what keepers do, they stop the other team from scoring.

The point being literally any other keeper in the league improves us, except Lloris tbf, because they will make the saves Dave makes and won’t be an utter £#%&!ing fanny with 2 left feet. So rather than praising him for doing the bare minimum, as you are often wont to do, pay attention to the pile of problems he causes, most of which lead to him having to make saves or him looking helpless as another team grabs a cheap goal to get their dander up and put us further onto the back foot.

Originally Posted by Hyman_Roth

You’re right pal. Pretty much all our problems start and end with that waste of space. His insipidness affects the whole team - you’d have to be mad to ignore how Dave’s distribution puts our midfield under pressure and that has a knock on effect upfront. It leads to Antony’s inability to shoot pass or cross with his right and you could even argue that martial’s lack of determination and spirit is down to him seeing that goth mess in nets. He looks at his white heavy metal style head and practically gives up.

I think we’re seeing a different cass now because of Dave. Cass pointing out how goalies need to make themselves big was a real eye opener in how little trust cass has in Dave. Cass’s poor performances of late can all be put at Dave’s door imo. Or at least some of them. And most worrying is we’re seeing Dave’s influence now affecting Erik’s team selection and tactics. Very worrying. Erik not setting up with a more solid midfield is pretty much all down to how weak Erik thinks Dave is. I think Erik offering Dave a new contract is proof if anything of how little trust Erik has in Dave - it’s clearly just to protect value.

Get rid of Dave and this team wins the title. End of.

Many a true word said in jest, even by accident..

For every save he makes which other keepers wouldn’t do (and there are some, although definitely not against Brighton) there’s just as many he lets in that he shouldn’t. Maybe at his peak it was different, but feels like he’s pretty much breaking even in that regard these days.

Regardless, if we could play properly at the back, we would create more chances so the missed ones wouldn’t be as important, and we would concede less chances to the opposition. Not sure how anyone could argue that wouldn’t be a good thing given the way we’ve looked recently

Like it or not, keepers are expected to do more now. Most teams play out from the back to some degree. The best ones have keepers who are good with the ball at their feet. If Alison, Ederson, Raya, Ramsdale, Sanchez weren’t at their respective clubs, De Gea wouldn’t be considered by any of them. It’s why he can’t make the Spain squads too. It’s not just his execution either. It’s the choices he makes. That Sevilla game being an example.

And that’s before we get into how he stays rooted to his line.

Pulling off the occasional reflex save is far less importance than the overall influence on the defence and midfield.

With the way we want to play, he can’t be our number one, long-term. It’s the same as having Maguire as centre back.

He’ll be phased out over the next 12 months.

Originally Posted by Ethers

For every save he makes which other keepers wouldn’t do (and there are some, although definitely not against Brighton) there’s just as many he lets in that he shouldn’t. Maybe at his peak it was different, but feels like he’s pretty much breaking even in that regard these days.

Regardless, if we could play properly at the back, we would create more chances so the missed ones wouldn’t be as important, and we would concede less chances to the opposition. Not sure how anyone could argue that wouldn’t be a good thing given the way we’ve looked recently

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Like it or not, keepers are expected to do more now. Most teams play out from the back to some degree. The best ones have keepers who are good with the ball at their feet. If Alison, Ederson, Raya, Ramsdale, Sanchez weren’t at their respective clubs, De Gea wouldn’t be considered by any of them. It’s why he can’t make the Spain squads too. It’s not just his execution either. It’s the choices he makes. That Sevilla game being an example.

And that’s before we get into how he stays rooted to his line.

Pulling off the occasional reflex save is far less importance than the overall influence on the defence and midfield.

With the way we want to play, he can’t be our number one, long-term. It’s the same as having Maguire as centre back.

He’ll be phased out over the next 12 months.

glad everyone can see it tbh.