PBP: EPL - Manchester United FC vs Newcastle United FC - Feb 21, 2021 [R]

Diable Rouge · Feb 21, 2021

our standards have gone down so much, i love fred's energy but running around should not be enough to be a man utd midfielder. we need to sell him.

Sofabloke · Feb 21, 2021

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 said: ↑

also no aggression, doesn't even try to dribble anymore. Jekyll & Hyde from last season

maybe something off the pitch is causing this? this is an alarming drop off in form
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Seems to coincide with Cav coming. Similar thing iirc when Ibra came (though that was handled poorly in his defence - eg taking his shirt number).

Some/Most players such as Shaw etc. benefit from competition, with Anthony competition seems to send him into some bad place.

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

CybrSlydr said: ↑

Man, 18 and PKs have saved this team this year.
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Rival fans every time Bruno scores a penalty...

Sofabloke · Feb 21, 2021

I honestly think most people on this board would get a shot from the edge of the area nearer the goal than Fred

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

lulz. at least try to direct that header dude

Sofabloke · Feb 21, 2021

Shoretire coming on.

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

shout out Daniel James. he was fine today.

Shoretire gonna debut now

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

First time I ever heard a commentator getting Shoretire the way it's reportedly supposed to be pronounced.

Great to see another debut though.

CybrSlydr · Feb 21, 2021

Rashford ain't bad, but I don't think you can call him "Great" yet. Sheesh.

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

it doesn't matter at all to the result but Shoretire getting bodied off the ball very easily.

to be expected i guess

CybrSlydr · Feb 21, 2021

Feels like a win in-spite of ourselves.

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

CybrSlydr said: ↑

Rashford ain't bad, but I don't think you can call him "Great" yet. Sheesh.
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He's definitely not that. But as stated earlier, he still contributes goals and assists pretty regularly at least, even if his overall performance is nowhere near up to snuff.
We can only hope that his overall game can come back sooner rather than later though...

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

FT: 3-1. The main positive is that we managed to secure the W despite playing very poorly. But that surely will not cut it in our upcoming league games. Chelsea and City will not be as generous or forgiving for that matter...

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

Sofabloke said: ↑

Seems to coincide with Cav coming. Similar thing iirc when Ibra came (though that was handled poorly in his defence - eg taking his shirt number).

Some/Most players such as Shaw etc. benefit from competition, with Anthony competition seems to send him into some bad place.
Click to expand...

if this proves to be true then ultimately he'll have to go.

he's already sitting at 2 good seasons (debut and last season) out of 7 as it stands. he's almost entering his physical peak as well and he should be trending upward but he's doing the exact opposite.

as it stands even if we don't renew Cavani for another 12 he'll still have the Greenwood problem since those 2 are clearly in rotation now

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

Shola Shoretire turned 17 earlier this month.

Today, he made his Manchester United debut, becoming the 240th academy graduate to play for United’s first team 🔴 pic.twitter.com/FFRte9ieRr
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 21, 2021

doubletrouble · Feb 21, 2021

Martial with another boring performance

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

very honest post game interview from Daniel James. says he lost his way and reflected on where he fell off last season and worked on it.

can't hate him for that. whether he ultimately makes it here long term we'll see

Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10 · Feb 21, 2021

interesting Owen called the Rashford pen a dive and specifically named Salah as a regular offender of diving.

i do think there was a slight stamp on the toe right before he might have had a shot, Willock going sliding in didn't help though

Sofabloke · Feb 21, 2021

55' - Solskjær to Martial: "Some movement. Anto, move! Start moving!" [via @samuelluckhurst] #mulive
— utdreport (@utdreport) February 21, 2021

Ashur · Feb 21, 2021

SF19 · Feb 21, 2021

A big bravo to James. Martial needs to clear his head. With the way things are going for Newcastle they'll end the season in relegation. Fulham look the better team.

Anonymous_United · Feb 21, 2021

Martial is so infuriating .. No fire in belly.

yikchi · Feb 22, 2021

very worrying with Martial... it's not just he is not scoring... there is no hold up play, no link with teammate. Feels like he started more counter attacks for Newcastle than creating anything positive for us.

Naboomagnoli · Feb 22, 2021

Martial was at least contributing a lot of those things earlier in the season, when everybody was railling on him - but he's been genuinely harmful to us recently. I think it's why Ole is giving Mase more time at 9.

Sofabloke · Feb 22, 2021

Agree - it was easier to defend him earlier in the season as he was helping others score so still contributing.

What makes it frustrating is that he has the skills and he has the ability, but if he has confidence issues, positioning issues and lacks the single-mindedness to want to be there in the middle to score goals then his output will be what it is.

This means he is inconsistent and fact is top teams in a competitive league need some level of consistency.

Talented player but not a CF is the charge from BBC who highlight in particular his positioning and hunger. Having watched his movement closely this game it is hard to disagree.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/56150151