Manchester United v Leeds : Official Match Thread : 8/2/23 8pm

Originally Posted by Sparky***

No, there was no real handball, it was a scrappy 50/50 which yet again we £#%&!ing lost. There were several opportunities to clear the ball and get up the pitch which we continually failed to do

I was holding out hope we’d be done by another $#*! refereeing decision and not us being garbage, but it does sounds like they all had an off day.

Originally Posted by shenwen

How was Sabitzer last night?

I was watching it on replay this morning so ended up forwarding most of the game (at least until we scored) as I was getting PTSD.

Like someone stood in the middle lane of the M6 most of the night, has barely kicked a ball this season for Bayern and was thrown into that chaos last night to babysit Fred. I'm sure he's a decent player but him and fred were all over the place.

Originally Posted by shenwen

How was Sabitzer last night?

I was watching it on replay this morning so ended up forwarding most of the game (at least until we scored) as I was getting PTSD.

Wasn’t great, wasn’t bad. Played about as well as you’d expect someone making their first full debut halfway through a season in a new league would. I’m sure he’ll improve the more he plays and trains under ETH.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Wasn’t great, wasn’t bad. Played about as well as you’d expect someone making their first full debut halfway through a season in a new league would. I’m sure he’ll improve the more he plays and trains under ETH.

I'm sure having Fred next to him didn't help, the useless @#%&!. Looking forward to him linking up with Casemiro.

Originally Posted by AK14

I was holding out hope we’d be done by another $#*! refereeing decision and not us being garbage, but it does sounds like they all had an off day.

We had no answer to Leeds' chaotic pressing. Our system is built around Eriksen and Casemiro dropping into spaces to receive the ball from the the defenders, that went completely out the window last night. Leeds front 3 sat right between our defence and midfield and we couldn't bypass it at all. Their gameplan worked perfectly up until about 70 mins.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We had no answer to Leeds' chaotic pressing. Our system is built around Eriksen and Casemiro dropping into spaces to receive the ball from the the defenders, that went completely out the window last night. Leeds front 3 sat right between our defence and midfield and we couldn't bypass it at all. Their gameplan worked perfectly up until about 70 mins.

Sunday should be fun then

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We had no answer to Leeds' chaotic pressing. Our system is built around Eriksen and Casemiro dropping into spaces to receive the ball from the the defenders, that went completely out the window last night. Leeds front 3 sat right between our defence and midfield and we couldn't bypass it at all. Their gameplan worked perfectly up until about 70 mins.

and we didn't vary it by hitting the ball up to Weggy -

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We had no answer to Leeds' chaotic pressing. Our system is built around Eriksen and Casemiro dropping into spaces to receive the ball from the the defenders, that went completely out the window last night. Leeds front 3 sat right between our defence and midfield and we couldn't bypass it at all. Their gameplan worked perfectly up until about 70 mins.

100% this, my 10yo lad said watching it was like watching us last year and he was spot on. You’ve articulated the actual issue better than he has but it points to the same thing.

Need to just go long for the majority of goal kicks on Sunday. I get it’s not fashionable but we won plenty doing it before it became the current trend.

What was apparent last night is just how good and important Eriksen and Casimero both are. Not just attacking distribution but filling the holes - we had huge gaps at times and Pastor Fred doesn't read the game well enough to be in the right place.

Originally Posted by shenwen

How was Sabitzer last night?

I was watching it on replay this morning so ended up forwarding most of the game (at least until we scored) as I was getting PTSD.

A couple of nice moments, but it all understandably passed him by. Fred was the one who needed to take responsibility and he couldn’t do it.

That 70 odd minutes will have done Sabitzer good. He’ll be better on Sunday. Hopefully most of them will.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We had no answer to Leeds' chaotic pressing. Our system is built around Eriksen and Casemiro dropping into spaces to receive the ball from the the defenders, that went completely out the window last night. Leeds front 3 sat right between our defence and midfield and we couldn't bypass it at all. Their gameplan worked perfectly up until about 70 mins.

if we can see this (and it was obvious right from the start), you have to wonder why 10h couldn't. sabitzer was far too high up the pitch most of the time.

Tbf, he could and they started chucking the ball long instead, quality was sorely lacking in those passes, and Leeds defended well tbf to the sheep worrying #@&%!s. We moved the ball too slowly all night and slipped back into that nasty habit of giving the receiver the ball too slowly or slightly in front or behind rather than where they needed it. (Hi Fred)

The outlet to drive the ball up the pitch has been AWB in recent weeks, Dalot wanted nothing to do with it and looked well off the pace. He also wasn’t tucking in and making the extra man in midfield, as AWB has been doing, and that was sorely missed. With Bruno wandering and Fred chasing crisp packets, the midfield was swamped with Lids, who were able to push on to Martinez and Varane early, they had no ball through midfield, Garnacho was bullied and shackled by that ponce at RB leaving Shaw isolated, Bruno was in K-stand upper, and we ended up playing hopeful balls and losing it.

I thought Sabitzer did well, all things considered.

We were effectively missing half of our first/form team in AWB, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony and Martial. It showed.

Without Eriksen and Casimero Bruno is vital and he was a bit hit and miss.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Without Eriksen and Casimero Bruno is vital and he was a bit hit and miss.

his set pieces were atrocious. had a really poor game.

Originally Posted by shenwen

How was Sabitzer last night?

I was watching it on replay this morning so ended up forwarding most of the game (at least until we scored) as I was getting PTSD.

I thought he was good, he seemed to play a little deeper than Fred, almost covering for Casemiro, so I don't think helped him. Get him in the middle with Casemiro behind and I think he'll be a cracking player for us this season.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

his set pieces were atrocious. had a really poor game.

Once again, when we needed him to calm everything down and do the basics right he failed to do so. Instead he rushed everything and stomped about like Napoleon having a temper tantrum.

Brilliant player and I love him to bits, but he's not a captain imo.

So many fannies on this match day thread. Drama queens galore (apart from Pure, who was quite coherent and reasonable)

Anyway, disappointing in the manner in which we conceded goals, but very happy in the fight back. We should gain strength from that.

Fred was fine - he played much better than Casemiro, McTominay, Garner, Pogba bla bla.

We will win on Sunday.

£^$$!ed, at my mothers, all sorts. We won eah?