Vs UTD

[FromTheDarkness]

First half is very concerning.
I have been saying for a long time, out midfield is not good enough. Every team Ive seen this season and last have dominated UTDs midfield. We can't win a ball in there, which then means our wingers never get on the ball.
If you like Cullen fine, play him as a 10.
But in the middle against world class midfielders, we need to be combative, fast and first to the ball, good on the pivot and play the simple ball.
We simply are not winning the ball and getting Hannibal, wingers any attackers on the ball.
Bruno and casemrio, a poor slow but experienced mid are winning it all and dominating the game.

[Swissclaret]

Let’s get real. Yes Man Ewe we’re more skilful but how much has Man Ewe spent ?

I thought that we did well and suffered from the bias in the PL in favour of Man Ewe. We played against 13 players with the ref and Var.

It is sick to say the least.

[FromTheDarkness]

pfft should have been 2:2 I thought it was a free kick, as the pull on the shirt was outside the box.
You know we buy these "promising" players and "sick notes" as they are discount players, but here we are after 2 defensive errors and a tug on the shirt, losing a game basically though our own doing.
Leeds and Sunderland have spent their summer buying experienced players.. Players that when under pressure on the pitch, in a huge stadium with fans shouting your ****e can keep calm and manage the game, the ref, the occasions. We buy discount maybe's and gambles.

On a side note , we all knew that Utd would come out all guns blazing, we should have setup 5 at the back and counter attacked for the first 20mns and been prepared to build into the game.
we could all read it like a book, yet we where quiet poor in defence and lucky it wasn't 3:0 at half time.
Second half we where a lot better, I just felt that Park got it wrong the first half.
Mid field is seriously ****... as UTD are not a top 10 team.

[ClaretinBudapest]

Let’s get real. Yes Man Ewe we’re more skilful but how much has Man Ewe spent ?

200m on their front line alone and they can every year but never get looked at by the FFP mob.Its a joke.What is this nonesense with the ref having to explain his wrong decision to the crowd? You can tell the Yanks are in charge.It is all theatre.

[Swissclaret]

200m on their front line alone and they can every year but never get looked at by the FFP mob.Its a joke.What is this nonesense with the ref having to explain his wrong decision to the crowd? You can tell the Yanks are in charge.It is all theatre.

I agree CiB. The only explanation that I would welcome is that ?we favour a big, glamorous money club like Man Ewe?. At least that would be honest.

We played against not just a ?100;million front line, but the ref and VAR. All credit to the team that, despite that, they nearly came away with something.

[ClaretinBudapest]

I agree CiB. The only explanation that I would welcome is that ?we favour a big, glamorous money club like Man Ewe?. At least that would be honest.

We played against not just a ?100;million front line, but the ref and VAR. All credit to the team that, despite that, they nearly came away with something.

I bet they cannot wait to get Birmingham or Wrexham to replace us LOL.

[Swissclaret]

I bet they cannot wait to get Birmingham or Wrexham to replace us LOL.

Spot on. They will be creaming their jeans at the thought of superstars like Brady being involved. They will be hoping that some of the players will be nominated for Oscars with their acting ability. It takes real ability to be breathed upon and convincingly look like you have been machined gunned.

[ballcock]

Just got back.

Poor 1st half Utd bossed it and we played with no belief. 2nd half we were a different beast and got stuck into em.

Unlucky not to come away with a point after a good 2nd half, but **** happens and we soldier on.

[outwoodclaret]

What on earth is going on? That is 2 defeats already! As many as we had in the WHOLE of last season! Sack Parker now! No, seriously we all know from very bitter experience that VAR is there to screw us over. It?s double tap. If the ref doesn?t give the decision in favour of United then VAR will intervene to change his mind. If on the other hand the ref makes an incorrect decision in favour of United VAR is there to ratify the decision by not intervening. Crap happens as ballcock says but we know the crap will happen before it happens.

[alfinyalcabo]

Just got back.

Poor 1st half Utd bossed it and we played with no belief. 2nd half we were a different beast and got stuck into em.

Unlucky not to come away with a point after a good 2nd half, but **** happens and we soldier on.

True Ballcock,but that lost point that we were robbed out of could see us relegated. The officials are all corrupt..If it had been the other way round Fosters goal would have stood and the penalty would not have been given. I phookin hate the Premier league and VAR
I do like to be on a level playing field though. These robbing bastid officials can twist every tight decision to suit the big clubs.

[FromTheDarkness]

What on earth is going on? That is 2 defeats already! As many as we had in the WHOLE of last season! Sack Parker now! No, seriously we all know from very bitter experience that VAR is there to screw us over. It?s double tap. If the ref doesn?t give the decision in favour of United then VAR will intervene to change his mind. If on the other hand the ref makes an incorrect decision in favour of United VAR is there to ratify the decision by not intervening. Crap happens as ballcock says but we know the crap will happen before it happens.

Ye mate, it will happen all season, we all know it. Parker knows it.
So lets concentrate on us. We knew Utd where going to fly out after a rocket up their arse after Grimsby. So why not set up a 5 at the back with the message to defend and counter, get through the first 30mins, wait for Utds wheels to fall off their crowd get frustrated then switch it up and push more...
We conceded 2x soft goals from defensive errors and giving the ball away - noting to do with the officials.
We where very lucky not to be 3:0 at half time - nothing to do with the officials.

All day we lost the midfield battle, we didn't win the loose balls, we where caught in position and we couldn't find a pass. Cullen didn't turn up, Lesley I think he played? and Hanibal did do much.. as we didn't win the first ball or second ball which is why our wingers didn't get on the ball

[The Bedlington Terrier]

FFP? Pfhucking Fair Play? Someone is having a proper giraffe.

[Vintage Claret]

Bruno, was booked in the 76th minute, yet after they scored from the penalty, he twice shouted to the referee pointing to his wrist, in my opinion telling the referee he should be blowing for full time.

If a player holding up an imaginary card is a booking offence, then should pointing to an imaginary wrist watch also be bookable, if so Bruno should have been sent off.

But I am not sure of the rules on this perhaps Sub could enlighten me.

[army88]

Ye mate, it will happen all season, we all know it. Parker knows it.
So lets concentrate on us. We knew Utd where going to fly out after a rocket up their arse after Grimsby. So why not set up a 5 at the back with the message to defend and counter, get through the first 30mins, wait for Utds wheels to fall off their crowd get frustrated then switch it up and push more...
We conceded 2x soft goals from defensive errors and giving the ball away - noting to do with the officials.
We where very lucky not to be 3:0 at half time - nothing to do with the officials.

All day we lost the midfield battle, we didn't win the loose balls, we were caught in position and we couldn't find a pass. Cullen didn't turn up, Lesley I think he played? and Hanibal did do much.. as we didn't win the first ball or second ball which is why our wingers didn't get on the ball

Darkness

This is basically a description of what I
Posted at the Spurs game , the gap between midfield and attack was far too large and we invited the opposition onto us , although we did start with 5 in that game the gap in the middle was huge , after 25 mins Parker realised a bit and pushed us up the field another 10-15 yds and we became more prominent in the game.

I didn’t watch today as I’m away in Croatia on holiday with no access , but centrally if we don’t get a grip of teams early and stop - control them driving through us we’ll chase games too much and lose more than we win.

I really like Cullen but if we want to stick and play him it has to be in a 5 as if he loses his battle in midfield not only does it put too much workload on Ugochukwu it makes Hannibal and Anthony less involved in the game.

Solution for me is another big strong ball playing midfielder to solidify the engine room where matches are won and lost in no time at all.

They were the better side overall but if we give the Var geeks an opportunity to get their names in the papers with controversy in the final moments at old Trafford they’ll take it with a smile on their face.

Tbf to Parker he’s realised the midfield dilemma I think player wise but he needs to set us up in games like this much more compact until we can get a grip and create our own chances otherwise we’ll be chasing games and the dangerous

[The Bedlington Terrier]

On a positive side Parker is getting his team into a position where it picks itself with really good options off the bench.

Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Ekdal, Hartmann, Cullen, Hannibal, Ugochukwa, Larsen, Foster & Anthony are a good enough team to stay up.