PBP: EPL - Burnley FC vs Manchester United FC - Apr 23, 2017 [R]

You should ask the gatekeeper. Seems fitting.

 

You mean, the dude who scored 28 goals and supplied 10 assists in 44 games this season?

But I forgot the Teso memo: what a shame Jose didn't keep Memphis, who might as well have been in a coma as he pulled up in his Bentley every day to Carrington. After an impressive 45 minutes against Club Brugge, Memphis disgraced the club for the next 18 months, capped by his wretched performance against Stoke -- possibly the worst 45 minutes by any United player during the prem era. But no, you continued to insist that he was worthy of the shirt and was unfairly treated by his Dutch manager before Jose unfairly treated him again, right?

But no, let's run down the club's leading scorer. Sharp thinking.

 

Very nice from the boys prematch and they've been vocal about their support for them post game as well.
Further proof of how tight they are as a group. A good team spirit can definitely help in the run down of a season.

 

Bailly reminds me of a young Kevin Garnett. A young KG played all out every game. He didn't know how to conserve his energy. He is all out every game so when it got to playoffs he didn't have anything left. I fear Bailly is getting to that point.

 

Rooney scored today so by definition he played great, facilitated the attack and was great on the left wing. According to your logic.

 

Hyperbole on both sides is always fun.

Zlatan has been great this season. Zlatan should not have started a lot of matches he did this season and that is a big part of he reason for so many draws.

 

By great you mean wasteful.

 

Anyway Zlatan is done here, we need to move on. Next Jose needs to decide on what template he wants to build his attack, speedy 9 dribbling wingers or asymmetric attack with a winger cutting in (I know Martial does that already), 10s on the wing interchangeable width by full backs. A big brute of a 9 or a 9 that drops deep etc etc.

 

I think Rashford has his trust. Martial can gain his trust. The question is how much he is willing to include them in his future plans.

I think if he believes in both of them then he doesn't make a speedy 9 a top priority. If he upgrades CB and CM first and grabs an elite winger then maybe he just signs a target man type.

Beyond what happens in the run in to inform his decisions, I think the clear out will be the biggest indicator of direction.

 

No, that's not my "logic". Nice trolling effort, however.

Rooney's goal was hardly the stuff of magic. He gets credit for being at the right place at the right time but it was in no way a brilliantly taken goal. And in no way can it be argued that he was excellent or even great or the rest of the game. "Poor" might be harsh, but "impressive" would be overly generous. Of the 10 outfield players, it is arguable that Rooney was the poorest of the group, despite scoring a goal.

On the other hand, Ibra carried the squad on his back while getting no help from Rooney, Martial and Rashford. Martial and Miki did their fair share but the entire attack was predicated on getting the ball to Ibra -- which is was Teso should be complaining about and not this idiotic notion that Ibra failed to "faciliate the attack. The better argument, if Teso were to think through the use of words more carefully, is that we were too reliant on Ibra. And you see that in the numbers -- 28 goals and 10 assists and no one else comes even close. Mourinho played him too often and too long late in games, and we clearly saw chronic fatigue catch up to him despite a two week rest due to suspension. And now he's done and should, IMHO, be moved on to MLS.

Observing that the obvious that Ibra was our best (and for a long time our only) forward this season does not logically require the conclusion that "Rooney played great" yesterday. There is no "logic" that connects the two entirely separate claims.

 

I just want him to decide on a style and go for it, I may not be happy with the direction but would be less frustrated than the mess we have.

 

I understand. I think you have to give him some time. He's had a tremendous though task. Our squad was garbage and he didn't have the option to build this season because we need to qualify for the CL. I think 3 windows is standard for seeing a manager's vision implemented. I'd give him 4 given the task he has been given. I want to see improvement all the time, but I'm trying to be realistic with my expectations. We need to qualify for the CL this year, challenge for the league next year and win multiple trophies or at least be in the hunt by the end of next season.

 

I think the Zlatan thing is a bit like Colombia when Falcao was fit and playing well. So much ran through him that the abilities of everyone else suffered. James would never have shined as bright with a fit Falcao.

The system Jose has, makes us chained to Zlatan so he needs to do more

 

If Ibrahimovic had been more composed in front of goal and in possession it would have been okay. The problem is Ibrahimovic underperformed. His chance conversion was below par and his inability to hold onto possession or create chances for others was erratic. In a Mourinho system that demanded our wing-forwards got back to defend his inability to hold onto the ball killed our attack as it restricted the time on the ball, in advanced positions, and chances for everyone else. It was a gamble that made sense on paper but failed in practice. Ibrahimovic being run into the ground only compounded and already bad situation.

 

Jose definitely brings with him a more "pragmatic" approach to football and I suspect not even Teso is surprised that we're solid in defense, despite suffering so many injuries to our defenders, but not as ambitious offensively as other managers are.

Yet I can't deny that we've underachieved in terms of goals scored. But it's not for lack of glorious chance creation -- it's clearly for lack of clinical finishing.

I can't buy the theory that play going through Ibra caused Rooney and Martial to play as badly as they have this season, so far. But Ibra is gone now and we'll see if Rooney and Martial rise to the occasion.