PBP: UEL - Manchester United FC vs FC Midtjylland (2nd leg) - Feb 25, 2016 [R]

Mata is the reason why we lost the first leg and now he's the reason why we aren't winning in the second leg. The less I see him play the happier I will be.

 

Mata's attempted penalty much sums us up.

 

Teams really have nothing to fear from us;

- bunker and park the bus and we will just pass sideways and backwards

- play an open game (which used to be suicide against us) and we bark but don't bite

 

Memphis has taken on players and created danger. Which is more than he's done lately.

 

Heated convo on Fox re the defending by the two midfielders on the back line. Back line defending is a skill you learn over years and years. Carrick and Blind were horrible on the play but Warren Barton has to understand the limits of what midfielders can do for you defending inside the box.

 

Happy with Riley's play so far. Showing the same type of game he's been showing with the U21s. And obviously, Depay is loving it as well, with all the space he's opening up for him with his overlapping runs.

 

The game is so open the bigger risk is us conceeding rather than needing two.

 

Don't have much of a choice though: United need to take some risks and score goals...

 

Come on Herrera: should have buried this one!

 

Herrera, just WTF?

 

wtf herrera. NICE PASS BY MEMPHIS.

 

He has created danger and chances. He gas taken people on and beaten thenlm.

 

That's an inexcusable miss from Ander Herrera.

 

Memphis is too good for this team. That team is Man Utd.

 

Well done Romero!

 

They're trying at least and are playing more positively. So there's that at least.

 

Heard a stat the other day that we had the least shots on target at home in all English divisions. No doubt due to LVG style of play and rules.

Considering that, wonder if the rustiness of Herrera, Mata, Memphis etc. in front of goal is because they have just not had chances to convert the last few months so are very ring-rusty?

 

Should be 4-1 up on the night.

 

This happens every time though. When we have no choice but to go for it we do, and we usually score. But it has the adverse effect of opening up our backline and leaving us completely exposed to counter attacks. Playing with desperation means that all of our previous tactics have failed. We lose all shape and coherence.

 

Our other tactics are and have been a failure so we'd have to try something different. Not sure what your point is to be honest.
As far as the defense is concerned, it is a worry (especially with how decimated it is at the moment) and Mi'Land could bite us in the a@@ at any moment, but that's even more reason to go for it and try to score some goals at this time.

 

Don't worry. We'll get goals from the bench.

 

Blind is an idiot.

 

We would be better off without blind

 

My point is that our stale tactics cause us to have to play with desperation in a lot of similar situations to the one we face today. Which in turn leads to significant stress being put on our backline.

Playing with desperation is not a tactic. It's a last resort.

 

Get Lingard off.