Reply With QuoteUnited – Night and day. Chalk and cheese. Use whatever differences you will. The performance was so much better than from the weekend. We were committed, won tackles, chased, harried and individually and collectively just were so much more at it. We won battles, we looked hungry and did all the things United do when they are good. We moved it around and kept it well with some neat moves. We got men forward, used the overloads, passed it at pace at times and also with Washington; we were able to mix it up too. We seemed to have control of the game for long spells despite not always having the ball which is pleasing and something different. The midfield seemed to have control much of the game; we offered a goal threat and came onto the ball all game to ensure many off the loose stuff/50-50’s we got to. I felt our application and honesty was very good and a big reaction to the performance and Wilder’s comments.
It was not perfect. Another sloppy start and goal to give away. We at times panicked with the ball a bit much and sat too deep and you worried we don’t know how to see games out again. I always worried we may let a late goal in and at times the players seem to lack belief they can get over the lines. It is annoying as we dominated for long spells tonight but then just switch off for moments. After the first goal it was mostly all us and even to start the 2nd half but then for a 10-minute spell we panicked, gave it away, stopped marking and doing the things we had done well.
Enough off the negatives though. There were so many things we did better. The defence for the most part played well (Freeman apart - still having a bad run) and the three centre backs save for the mistake on the goal were excellent. Stevens played well. Fleck and Norwood were very good tonight and not only passed it better but also got their foot in and chased and covered ground. Lundstram did a job for the team but was quiet and did not get on it much. I felt McGoldrick had one of those nights both link play, touch and finishing. It was the worst he has played for us. Washington was very good and his running/pace gave us something different.
United did not have as much of the ball but felt we did more with it when it mattered; in key areas. We created more clear chances and looked more dangerous. Henderson made one routine save from the free kick and a few flashed past the post. Clarke, Lundstram and McGoldrick (x2) both had really clearer chances for us. It was a game with better finishing we could have won more comfortably but we did show great character to come back from being behind and then after being pegged back going again.
Really pleasing overall. We played well, scored three goals and actually saw a game out. It was not straight forward and at times you felt here we go again but we did what we had to and the right team won. The changes worked in an odd way in that Lundstram allowed Fleck to move forward and be more effective and Washington played well too. We also have Sharp and Duffy fresher and fitter for their inevitable recalls Saturday. We have a big game Saturday but Leeds will not sit back and thus it should be a cracking game. They are relentless in pressing so we have to be bang at it and cannot regress and go back to another poor performance. As long as we can apply the same application, effort and ball movement and zest to go forward when we can; then we should be ok both in this game and moving forward. We definitely got back to the high standards we have set against a very decent team regardless of their current league position.
Brentford – They are underachieving for me for a side that play nice football, all the players are comfortable on the ball and they have the leading scorer in the league. They are now down to 17th and are just 4 points off the bottom 3. They are on woeful run and the managerial change that many of their fans felt would not affect them declaring it about the style and how they are set up rather than the coach and that the transition to the new manager would be relatively smooth due to him being there before; has not really worked. They are on a real slump and as pretty a football as they play; they need to start winning some games ugly. Like us, I am not sure they can do this. They will pass it around (68% possession tonight – not many teams will do to us, what we do to them) but often do it in areas that do not count. I felt other than that 10-minute spell second half and the pressure they applied at the end; they actually did not hurt us that much. They look a bit powder puff. They have some good players but some frustrating ones too. Maupay is a goalscorer and a talent but a cheat (said it). He is simply going to ground with often minimal or con contact. He tried to con the referee twice for penalties and was also lucky not be sent off for a wild lash out at Stevens. He is a petulant player that has loads of talent and probably starved of the ball – they take forever to get it into the box so probably gets frustrated but why does he have to go to ground all the time. Judge is a decent player who has lost so much time to injury but showed his ability.
Heard Brentford fans over recent times when we signed Egan and O’Connell, criticising them both saying they have better and it was good money they made but to be honest both have been very consistent in their United careers and proving to be excellent signings. Their position in the league suggests these defenders they have better than these two that many of their fans proclaim are maybe not quite all that. I acknowledge that Mepham and Konsa are highly rated but need to defend better for the basic passes/crosses that come in. I know which defence I would rather have at the moment.
I am sure the way they play and the amount of possession they have/expected goals etc will see them climb the table but like last year it will take a hell of a push for them to threaten the top 6 and have left themselves a lot of work to do. I worry that teams may take Sawyers, Maupay etc in the window and they will have to go to their European scouting/data model again to find more talent that they can clearly do!
Opponent man of the match – Maupay scored a decent goal and Judge was involved a lot but the best player was Saywers. We did a good job first half on him after he assisted on the goal but gradually, he grew into the game and we had to swarm round him. He made the second goal too. Very good player and I expect Dean Smith to go for him in January to take him to Villa as the commentator alluded to.
Weak link – The defence looked really poor. They did not mark or seem to understand when players moved off them and just stood motionless. The lad Mepham is being talked about going for a lot of money but he was poor tonight as was the other lad Konsa. Thought Canos was a bit disappointing and Norwood and Fleck both outplayed McEacharan in the middle.
Henderson 7/10 – Made a bit of a mistake for the first goal. The shot lacked power and went in at the near post. I was surprised it went in. After all the great saves Saturday he lets that in! He did recover after this but did not have many saves to make until the late free kick and a few other routine pieces of play.
Freeman 5.5/10 – Another poor performance. First half he was ok-ish and used it a bit better and defended a bit better but seemed to get worse as the game went on. He gave his man too much space, failed to stop the cross and did that annoying thing where he kept clearing the ball back into the centre. Seemed slow to spot dangers and often reacted too quick when a man was over. He needs a rest too as looks utterly knackered by the hour mark and thus cannot get forward. He did take a good throw in the build up the winner though to give him his due. Baldock will come in for a spell surely when healthy/fit?
Stevens 7.5/10 – Thought first half he was excellent and got up and down and involved in so many good attacks. He used it well and showed some nice touches. He nearly made a few goals and often was the furthest man forward. I thought he stuck to his task when he had to defend more second half and at times, they did have a lot of space but not sure it was all his fault as they overloaded down this side and the goal came when Sawyers came inside two players. Makes some odd decisions at times. Made me laugh when he went forward with it and maybe remembered Johnson on Saturday as the game came towards the end and he just punted it to the keeper!
Egan 7.5/10 – Not a great start as Maupay seemed to get beyond him to score but like Henderson recovered well and won so many headers and tackles. He was really good after this and I felt commanded the back line. He was a strong presence as they came forward and I felt made some good interceptions on the floor; normally teams would lump it into the box but Brentford tried to probe and pass their way through and he kept his composure.
O’Connell 7.5/10 – Thought he had a really good game tonight. He was decisive in his play on and off the ball. Won headers and looked a class act. Read the game well and helped nullify the gaps. For all the worries we all had about conceding; the chances came from two long range Judge efforts. To keep them after the goal to these sorts of chances and a deflected own goal shows how well the defence played.
