superfaisty
Nico Claesen
anyone know where I can watch some highlights as I missed the game?
@NWND, you also get the distinct impression that some posters can't wait for a loss so they can lead a wild-eyed witch hunt against anyone not completely happy with the performance and result. Don't know why being holier-than-thou gives these posters so much pleasure, really.
I should never come on here after a loss. I'm pi**ed off already and I am prone to doing the whole keyboard warrior thing - sorry
Fair play LukeMy first visit to Old Trafford, the self proclaimed 'Theatre of Dreams'. We decided to travel up on Friday night and stay in a hotel due to it being a lunch time kick-off. For anyone that's not been before there are plenty of hotels in the Salford Quays area and we ended up in the Travelodge for approx £40. There are plenty of places to eat and drink (ie. Frankie & Bennies, and one dedicated to their sub striker Chiquitos (sorry!)). The morning of the game we decided to venture out to grab breakfast and soon discovered that the number of hotels in the area could potentially have something to do with the number of 'home' fans needing to stay over due to the distance that have to travel, on our way home the number of Utd fans travelling south on the M6 was incredible. I did honestly think that the joke about Utd fans coming from Surrey was an exageration but it seemed that it's pretty accurate!
The hotels are easily in walking distance to the ground, we took a little time to wander round the ground and the square in front of the Mega-store was full of the home fans taking pictures in front of statues of Busby, and the 'Utd Trinity' of Best Law and Charlton (although I do suspect a few of the fans there weren't sure who they were). Manchester United is a brand that also has a football team that plays, and it has to be said that they are good at advertising the brand and ensuring that they will get money everyway that they can from the day trippers. I can honestly say that I have never seen so many adults in replica shirts in my life before, it is noticable on the highlights too.
Old Trafford as a Premier League it is impressive due to the size of it (i've not been to the Emirates or Etihad so can't compare to those), however as a 'super' stadium along with the likes of Wembley, etc it was very dated. I didn't feel overly impressed and perhaps a bit underwhelmed when going in to the stand perhaps expecting it to be bigger than it was. The seats were uncomfortable and cramped leg room, however as we stood for the whole game this didn't matter. We were in the 6th row and the view of the pitch was pretty decent.
On to the game, I thought we started brightly and at times we were playing with 3 CB's with Dier dropping in as a central CB, which enabled Walker and Davies to play as wing backs. We looked more fluid and looked like the home team, I also thought for a plit second that Eriken's chance was going in. Obviously Bentalab made a big error for the goal and Utd made us pay. This enabled Utd to get a bit of momentum for the second part of the first half, but without creating a great deal. The second half was more of the same, with both teams having periods of control without creating too much. In the later stages of the game the Utd players especially Rooney used their experience of seeing out a game, niggly fouls winning free-kicks for innocuous challenges. We looked fitter than the Utd players, with a few Utd players pulling up with cramp, Kane did look exhausted for the last 15 mins too. Overall I don't think we did enough to deserve a win, but neither did Utd, a draw would have been a fair result. It's not all doom and gloom and lot's of positives to take on to the next game.
The away fans were excellent all afternoon, and one spell of singing in the second half of 'Everyhere we go...' was immense. The Utd fans were very disappointing, the loudest I heard them was Schweinstieger coming on (louder than when they scored?!), did anyone else think that he seems to be carrying alot of extra weight? I am going to moan about the group behind us in the stand that arrived 20 mins in the game (due to traffic issues on the M6 apparently), for the full 90 mins they didn't stop moaning about every player, "Eriksen, he's a waste of a player, he just gives the ball away", "all we need to do is kick it long to Kane, Poch is clueless if he can't tell the players to do that", etc. Although I did enjoy one of the guys say in all seriousness as the half time whistle "wow that half flew by" before one of his mates reminded him that they didn't get there til 20 mins in!
Overall a good day out, would have been nice to have come away with at least a point.
Fair play Luke
I think it's a **** ground, it's just big. The facilities are poor too
Did you see the hotel that Gary Neville owns?
Yeah my thoughts too. Gary Nevilles hotel is 'Hotel Football' isn't it? that's right next to the ground the look from the outside wouldn't make me want to stay there!
Watched the game again this morning. I think it's a much more impressive performance from us in the cold light of day. We really should have won that game.
Pochettino got everything spot on. Our defensive strength has improved massively from last season. Last season, LVG murdered us with long direct balls behind our defence. We squeezed them in midfield and defence and didn't let them get any momentum going. Dier and Bentaleb did a very good job of cutting out most of their attempted forward passes. They did not look a threat at all throughout the game other than unfortunately the goal. Even then it wasn't a clear chance. There was never an unmarked Man U player with a free run or shot at goal, even the goal was deflected into the net by a challenge by Walker who unusually for him had spotted the danger and reacted quickly.
We should have been in front by then. Eriksen missed the clearest chance of the game. We also should have scored twice more in the second half, while we again restricted them to long-range shots and set pieces.
It was the perfect away performance against a strong team. Frustrate them and hit them where it hurts. Unfortunately we missed all of our chances and they scored with their only half-chance of the game.
Bentaleb didn't have a bad game in terms of his tactical awareness, pressing and positioning, therefore contributing to our solid tactical performance. Unfortunately, he did have a nightmare in possession. He just had one of those games everyone has, when every time he hit a pass it went to their player. The goal was direct from one of those mistakes.
What we were crying out for was the kind of pace and directness we saw in the Swansea team that scared Chel53a in a similar away performance to us yesterday (only with more cutting edge going forward). I feel if we add Berahino and/or N'Jie to that team yesterday, we would be a very very tough opponent.
There are obviously a lot of Man U fans that come from all over the country, but they do have a large local support too, I live not far from Manchester and do go there fairly regularly. I'd say it's pretty even in and around the city between red and blue. Don't believe the Emirates Marketing Project fans that everyone in Greater Manchester is a blue.
Sods. It's like Stockport doesn't exist.
Good morning Pirate.
In my opinion we should have had 2 goals in that opening 20 minutes, a fully match sharp Eriksen buries that golden chance set up by Kane, a tuned in Kane squares the ball to an unmarked Chadli for a simple tap in.
I understand your concerns but this was Manchester United away and basically you and me are piddled off about defeat, but I dont agree our creativity was lacking yesterday...more our cutting edge went out of the window.
The way I see it with an absence of blistering pace up front means we have to out-football teams to create chances....this we did at times vs Utd away. the lack of pace means that if we cant out-football teams then we wont score, hence why some of the balls over the top came to nothing.
Yesterday I missed A Lennon...I really did.