Manchester United vs West Ham United : Official Matchday Thread 30/10/2022 @ 4.15pm

Yet again the inability of our forwards to kill a game off when on top almost comes back to bite us. Thank god for the back 4 and the goalkeeper because the players infront of them did them no favours today in the 2nd half.

We've taken a lot of steps forward in recent games but that last 20 mins was straight out of the last half of last season. Sloppy, lazy idiotic mistakes that left us hanging on for dear life against a pretty limited west ham team who are nothing special.

The relentless fixtures and the fact we've had such a %@#$&! hard start to the season meaning we can't rotate has left us looking a bit leggy in the last few games. All in all you've got to be pleased with the spirit and dogged determination we've shown in the last two games in the league. There's something building there, a spirit and fight that's been missing.

Yeah we made hard work of that, but anything other than a United win would have been a travesty.

Odd game. Very comfortable then devolved into mad chaos where half the outfields legs seemed to go and it was a miracle they didn't score by the end. They're the 3rd lowest scorers in the league, which goes some way to explaining it. Varane is immensely important for calming the back 4 down. Best DDG performance in recent years. Playing with 10 men against any half decent side or when the momentum of a match turns of course, but at least the eleventh man got another 90 minutes match fitness under his belt at 37. He'll be back in form soon

Another big Rashers goal. 7 goals and 3 assists in 15 games this season while being pulled positionally all over the pitch to do a job for the team.

Anything can happen after the WC, but presently top 4 looking more and more likely.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Yet again the inability of our forwards to kill a game off when on top almost comes back to bite us. Thank god for the back 4 and the goalkeeper because the players infront of them did them no favours today in the 2nd half.

We've taken a lot of steps forward in recent games but that last 20 mins was straight out of the last half of last season. Sloppy, lazy idiotic mistakes that left us hanging on for dear life against a pretty limited west ham team who are nothing special.

The relentless fixtures and the fact we've had such a %@#$&! hard start to the season meaning we can't rotate has left us looking a bit leggy in the last few games. All in all you've got to be pleased with the spirit and dogged determination we've shown in the last two games in the league. There's something building there, a spirit and fight that's been missing.

Very frustrating last 30. Some appalling passes just gifting possession. Was “seething” during, but… really think it’s catching up on us a bit. Playing passes short when a counter was on, began to realise there was a collective awareness not to ask Ronaldo/Rashers etc to sprint 50 yards and lose it anyway, due to tired limbs. Maybe being a bit kind but there’s no doubt they’ve been putting in a big effort without asthma drugs. Not a CR poster boy but I think he and Rashers put in a big shift. Don’t recall seeing CR retrieve so many loose balls. The collective reaction from the players at the end spoke volumes. Last season would’ve just sauntered off in the unlikely event they saved the points. The change in attitude/effort must be killing them.
Wondering if we should just let this Europa tie go to the squad players cos it’s doubtful we’ll win by 2 anyway.. and at what cost for the following game?
Maybe the WC might give a lot of em a bit of a break from the intensity.

Tough at the top

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Yet again the inability of our forwards to kill a game off when on top almost comes back to bite us. Thank god for the back 4 and the goalkeeper because the players infront of them did them no favours today in the 2nd half.

We've taken a lot of steps forward in recent games but that last 20 mins was straight out of the last half of last season. Sloppy, lazy idiotic mistakes that left us hanging on for dear life against a pretty limited west ham team who are nothing special.

The relentless fixtures and the fact we've had such a %@#$&! hard start to the season meaning we can't rotate has left us looking a bit leggy in the last few games. All in all you've got to be pleased with the spirit and dogged determination we've shown in the last two games in the league. There's something building there, a spirit and fight that's been missing.

The breakaway right at the end where we should have gone to the corner flag was infuriating. There were about 20 seconds left and we had the ball. We gifted it back and that’s where the Rice effort came from. Absolutely criminal.

It was a reminder that we’re not quite there yet, there’s work to be done and the squad options are thin.

However, some games you’ve just got to stick at it and we did that. We protected that lead like our lives depended on it. The sloppiness was right out of last season, but the spirit and determination was not.

It’s the first time we genuinely haven’t played well in a while and we still managed to find a way to win. You’re seeing the affects of this ridiculous scheduling due to this insane World Cup and it’ll only get worse over the next couple of weeks. Everyone around is looking the same too. Newcastle look the freshest because, surprise surprise, they’re playing fewer games.

I’m pleased we’re showing different qualities to win games. We’re breaking down teams. We’re coming back from behind and we’re holding onto leads. It’s encouraging. We’ve had a hellishly difficult fixture list and been really unlucky with the timing of when we’ve played teams: West Ham were in good shape going into that. Same with Villa this weekend who have a brand new manager in this week and will have the place bouncing

We’re doing really well. We knew this wasn’t an overnight thing and the primary concern this season was sorting that dressing room, weeding out the shit and building towards something we could all see Unfolding in front of us.

We have that. It’s becoming clearer by the week and it’s putting us in a good position.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Yeah we made hard work of that, but anything other than a United win would have been a travesty.

How so? We showed great spirit and some excellent scrambled defending but no way could you say an equaliser would have been a travesty

Ten Hag is building something.

Typically we go to Villa on Sunday with a new manager.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

Ten Hag is building something.

Typically we go to Villa on Sunday with a new manager.

Hag out?

Well Gary, great teams can play poorly and still get the result at the end of the day. We got the three points and need to just take each game as it comes.

(didn't see the match)

Originally Posted by Gypsum Fantastic

How so? We showed great spirit and some excellent scrambled defending but no way could you say an equaliser would have been a travesty

Struggling with that too. You could be forgiven for thinking it was one of the great Barca sides peppering our goal at the end and us holding on for dear life. It was West £#%&!ing Ham who can’t score goals for toffee managed by David Moyes.

Too many games with too poor a squad. Hope we win the europa because it’s hugely disruptive.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Well Gary, great teams can play poorly and still get the result at the end of the day. We got the three points and need to just take each game as it comes.

(didn't see the match)

Same here. Listened to Goldbridge whilst building some IKEA furniture.

I'd have taken being 1 point behind 4th place with a game in hand after we got tonked by Brighton.

Is it right we only have 1 league game before the World Cup?

WTAF? It really doesn't have the usual World Cup excitement does it??

Originally Posted by My Name is Heath

Listened to Goldbridge whilst building some IKEA furniture.

Hard to imagine which was more infuriating

Originally Posted by andyroo

Hard to imagine which was more infuriating

I just have to grab a tool and start banging until it's done.

I thought we won ??

‘Peppering our goal’ I think Dave made 2 saves all game and both were in the last 10 minutes?

We were definitely tired towards the end, midfield lost all control and composure when Eriksen went off, and with him went any attacking threat somehow

Martinez was superb and Maguire was great last 20, can’t help but feel that he’s at his most comfortable defending crosses in his own area though, which is probably why he looked decent. Dalot’s back post headers were superb. Shaw good throughout up and down the left. Rashford the only threat though, Bruno a bit off yesterday for me.

Originally Posted by dunk

‘Peppering our goal’ I think Dave made 2 saves all game and both were in the last 10 minutes?

We were definitely tired towards the end, midfield lost all control and composure when Eriksen went off, and with him went any attacking threat somehow

Martinez was superb and Maguire was great last 20, can’t help but feel that he’s at his most comfortable defending crosses in his own area though, which is probably why he looked decent. Dalot’s back post headers were superb. Shaw good throughout up and down the left. Rashford the only threat though, Bruno a bit off yesterday for me.

Bruno runs so hot and cold it's infurtiating.

Was fantastic about Spurs then goes missing for 4/5 games...

Thought Bruno was good tbh

He’s not as sloppy in possession and managed to create a couple of good opportunities for Ronaldo iirc. He runs his arse off too and put in a fantastic shift.

Everything seems to be falling to Ronaldo's left peg on the run atm, he looks to be a bit slow or reaching/stretching for everything. He was slightly better yesterday than previous, still offered too little though.

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

I thought we won ??

You wouldn't think so would you


Clearly lagging in the last 30 minutes, but we absolutely dominated the first half and yet again the lack of a proper striker meant we couldn't put the game to bed. But we know this already and hopefully it'll get sorted in January.

I also thought Shaw was excellent but according to the sages on here he was shit?

Rashford on the way to getting back to his best from the left... Dalot superb again.... Dave saves....

3 points. Move on.

Originally Posted by AK14

Thought Bruno was good tbh

He’s not as sloppy in possession and managed to create a couple of good opportunities for Ronaldo iirc. He runs his arse off too and put in a fantastic shift.

This.

He’ll always £#%&! up the odd Hollywood ball, because that’s just how he is, but he ran his nuts off and he’s usually at the heart of most good things we do. He does seem better without Ronaldo and with the armband though.

I’m worried we’ll be shoehorning Maguire and Ronaldo in there.

You could be forgiven for thinking West Ham were Barca if you were completely unable to apply any context to the game, week or season.

Originally Posted by dunk

Everything seems to be falling to Ronaldo's left peg on the run atm, he looks to be a bit slow or reaching/stretching for everything. He was slightly better yesterday than previous, still offered too little though.

Yeah, I thought he was a bit better, but his brain is definitely moving quicker than his body right now. He’s on the wane, but I still think he’s got a purple patch in him. I think he needs a ‘proper’ goal to build a bit of confidence. A trademark header or smashing one into the corner. Something to give him a bit of belief that he can still do it.