PBP: USC - Real Madrid CF vs Manchester United FC - Aug 8, 2017 [R]

This was our biggest problem. We had no outlets. Pogba didn't cover himself with glory but he had nobody to aim for out wide. We need an elite midfield three to play without width and with a technically poor CF. We don't have that. We could also have used some running out of defense. The one time Smalling advanced we walked right through their press.

This one is on Jose for playing Lingard as a wingback and sitting too deep, leaving Mkhi on when it was clear we needed Martial.

All of that said... 2-1 to Marie isn't there worst result and their first goal was offside. Hopefully we learn from this, but the goal this year is to do well in the prem. We won't see many midfields like this over the course of the season.

 

Hmm. Seems very similar to last season.

Limited width or threat from width with Jesse and Darmian providing zero threat, and Miki being very average. TonyV had a decent game going forwards, and was the entirety of our wide attacking threat there. Slightly better when Rashford comes on, but he is not an elite WF who can turn a game on its head.

Poor finishing from Pogba and Rashford. Defensively fragility when our backline is exposed to movement and interplay around the box, or decent dribbling or movement out wide. Martial and AP not used, while Jesse is started so he can run around lots. Fellaini used as the hail Mary.

Its very much more of the same. Perhaps in some ways, some minor upgrades. Lukakus decision making and close control was poorer than Zlatans, but then his positioning and movement are better for the team. Matic provides a minor upgrade, mostly in that Pogba is allowed go forwards, which is good.

Its hard to see significant progression from last season unless Jose really dramatically changes things and goes for more attacking threat out wide, and gets a lot of Martial, rather than going for Jesse and his drone abilities. Or we need to sign an elite WF, which should have been among the highest priority for the window, particularly once Lukaku was wrapped up. Or he changes formation.

As a whole, the window and preseason have not been super encouraging, given the amount of improvement needed from last season.

 

That's exactly it. To play the 3-5-2 you need truly dynamic wingbacks, which we clearly do not have. It helps our midfield in that we can play three players there in their rightful positions, but then as you've pointed out, we encounter another problem with having them find outlets for forward passes. The midfield three shouldn't be responsible for being the width. They should be responsible for finding the width.

We were so narrow all game. To win like that you need to have the most technically gifted players, which we do not. Finding and creating space in front of the 18 yard box is incredibly difficult. I fear that this will be a problem for us in getting Lukaku the chances he needs to thrive. He just won't have the space to operate that he needs.

Our formation should just be a 4-3-3. It doesn't solve our lack of wing play issue entirely, but it establishes constant presence on the flanks in theory more than a 3-5-2 does.

 

From the perspective of a fan of the other team, here's what I thought.

The Good:
I thought Matic looked good. He looks like a strong addition.

Smalling was better than I expected. I know that a lot of fans aren't high on him, but I thought he played pretty well. It could be due to the very defensive alignment of the team giving him a lot of cover, but he was pulled out 1v1 a couple of times and acquitted himself well.

Similarly, I thought Fellaini was a good sub. He definitely gave our back line some problems, esp. when he could get himself matched up with Dani Carvajal (the RB), where he had a notable size and strength advantage. Dani was gassed, so that it even more advantageous for him. It seems like a legit role for him.

De Gea looked great.


The not so good:

The midfield doesn't yet look up to top level competition. Matic was best, but not a world beater. Pogba was so-so to not so good. Lingard wasn't good. I don't even remember Herrera playing. Valencia had his moments, but wasn't overwhelming.

I'm sure that some of that was due to apparently not being told to try to hold possession or press up the field, but the only times MU looked really threatening was when they were trying a higher press.

Lindehof didn't look good.


Meh:
I didn't think Lukaku looked that bad, despite some things I've read people saying. He should have done better with one chance. He put away the other. He didn't really seem to get much service, so it's hard to evaluate his performance. I'm not sure he proved that he could be Mourinho's new Drogba though in having the ability to win and hold a long ball in order to allow his 9 other teammates to deboard the bus and move upfield.


in any case, good luck this season!

 

We played a 352?

I thought it was an off balanced 433. With Valencia venturing further up than Darmian and Mhik given license to roam inside.

I do agree how narrow we were in general though.

 

People are so confused by Jose ridiculous negativity, they just assumed.

It was clearly a 433.

 

The team selections is what continues to be baffling. Does Jose think Lingard is what Park was to Fergie ? .... because he's not.

 

For the sake of my sanity and to glean some enjoyment watching the team, I decided last season that until the run-in, I'm just going to watch United league matches in a vacuum, enjoy the wins and lament the losses.

Otherwise, if we have similar results to last season, it's just a depressing routine of focusing on every dropped point and wondering when we'll ever contend for a title again.

That's not to say that outside the match I'm not going to criticize. I've probably explained this very poorly...

 

Can we ask Dortmund if they want to take Martial on loan. We can let him grow in a team who like to go forward for 2 years...and bring him back after either a) Jose has left b) Proves Mourinho wrong.

 

Translated.

Take it game by game.
Don't consider culmination at all.
And whatever you do, don't look at the league table until at least March.

Am I close?

 

Lingard is very a "specialist", who is at his most effective in very specific roles, against a certain type of opposition. He definitely shouldn't be a nailed on starter and yesterday's game was the prime example of this.
Martial or Rashford clearly should have got the nod ahead of him. Lingard has a place in the squad and he'll come handy at some point.
The biggest lesson for Jose is to know when to use who, especially upfront. He failed on that part yesterday and hopefully it will be a lesson learned for him.

 

You sound like a Lingard apologist. The only time he should start is when Rash, Martial, Mhik and Mata are all injured.

Then he can be considered.

 

You forgot AP and maybe even Angel Gomes.

 

Lingard will be fine if he puts on weight. He needs to protect the ball better.

 

He is 24 heading to 25 before the year end, adding weights mean limiting whatever mobility he has.

 

Why is so much being made of this game? It's essentially a glorified friendly. I'll reserve any judgment until after our 5th game of the season.

However, Lindelof needs to step up 3 or 4 levels to be a starter here. He look lower level PL team quality so far. He's made some basic level defending errors.

 

Whether you want to accept it or not, Lingard is a guy who has a place and who has shown plenty of times that he belongs. I'm certainly not advocating him as a regular starter (I've said exactly the opposite time and again).
He had a bad game yesterday, in a game he should not have started in. Nothing more really. If that makes me an "apologist", then so be it...

 

There's no time to be upset. Premier League starts on Sunday 🔴 pic.twitter.com/NLdf5JWUva

— Ander Herrera (@AnderHerrera) August 9, 2017

 

He has never shown me that he belongs. Not once.

 

No it won't if done the proper way.

 

Different strokes and all. As I've maintained from the start, he's just fine as a squad option for me. He's proven quite often to me at this point...

 

Right.... hence why I compared him to Park.

Fergie used Park in the big games because he trusted him to follow very strict and hard working instructions. Which was , you know , my point.

 

Yeah. Will take Syed too as a bonus
Reus is always injured, Martial will get a lot of games on the left.

 

So I can transfer to Bayern for free at the peak of my career, no thanks and yes I was born in Munchen.

 

This is the peak of your career? Poor us.