PBP: PSF - Manchester United FC vs UC Sampdoria - Aug 2, 2017 [R]

Pereira has a good understanding of where and when to make runs. He has freed Valencia and exploited his movement several times already but his final ball or shot has been poor.

 

According to MUtv commentators who have been making point of watching him, Matic is organising and bossing midfield - telling people when to go and when to stay etc.

Mou said in interview before game that Matic understands his tactics and it seems Matic is not afraid to be verbal on the pitch.

 

AP is not afraid to try his luck from distance either. We saw it also vs Real. Hasn't come off yet, but it's a good trait to see. Just need to work on his calibration obviously.

 

Both Pereira and Pogba doing a good job of taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by this system to get forward. Pogba been the furthest player forward a number of times.

 

Valencia in a wing back position with freedom to press and the space he is afforded will be a handful if teams don't pay special attention to him.


As an aside, Matic has been ordinary with the ball but seen at recovering the ball quickly.

 

Good play from Pogs and Valencia wide and Mikhi puts header just wide.

 

And this is a guy who's had no preseason to speak of. I'm thinking more and more that we could see good things from him, returning to his2014/15 level. Which was ridiculous tbh. Changing clubs and coming back under Jose, as an important component of the team, will rejuvenate him.

 

AP has given the ball away a hell of a lot. The tempo, the game plan and the formation are way out of his comfort zone.

 

that was poor by pereira, had all the time in the world to find his striker on that cross.

 

Blind just got turned inside out. Surprise, surprise.

He's going to cost us points this season.

 

Lindelof misjudges a corner and nearly knees it in for an og.

Went with his wrong leg Smalling stylie.

 

Almost a nice OG from Lindelof. Definitely has the look of someone who's going to need time. Probably so worried about making mistakes, he's a ball of nerves. Bad for someone usually as cool as he is.

 

thank god for blind that lindelof is on the tour, his terrible play is falling under the radar.

i am officially starting to get a bit worried abuot lindelof, mistakes will happen but i think his ball skills have been overstated. the new beckenbauer, he ain't.

 

What the ******** are you talking about?

 

He will come back to senses when we plod in Jose attacking system.

 

I'm still backing him to turn it around. I honestly believe that the mistake he made vs the Galaxy messed with his head, especially being new and all and his performance subsequently have suffered from it (as he's subconscious and his confidence affected as well).
He needs a spark, a good moment or game to get back to the player he really is and it should be behind him then.

 

More positives than negatives;

+ Valencia looks better at wing-back as can get forward more (Darmian less adventurous)
+ Pogs noticably nearer oppo goal with Matic cleaning up behind
+ Mikhi got into some good positions and means Lukaku has closer support

Some individual performances below par;

- Blind
- Pereira passing not up to his good standard of previous tour games
- Lukaku a little rusty looking

 

Don't worry, I'll keep pointing out when Blind screws up.

 

Just seen a replay on the goal, correction on earlier description - Valencia pulled it back for Mikhi to crossfield it to Darmian and then got on the end of the cross too.

 

Like the 3-5-2 system, think it suits Pogs, Valencia and Mikhi in particular and should give Lukaku closer support.

 

Suffice it to say that Matic is far from the disaster the moaners here have made him out to be. He's looks almost in mid season form. Or at least far superior than a player who's just put in his 45 minutes of the season.

 

His quality is shit been saying that since last winter when we were linked with him. Tuanzebe is miles better.

 

We'll agree to disagree: what he's shown so far is nowhere near his true quality. And it's painfully obvious he looks like a guy playing with butterflies and way short on confidence...

 

I'm against any system that requires us to play 2 of Smalling, Jones, Blind, or Lindelof.