United (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

The score line massively flatters our performance. Pep rolled the dice on the defence and it backfired spectacularly. Our vulnerability at the back was contagious and transferred through the team. After that, the league has definitely gone. Frankly we’ve got our work cut out just to finish top four.
 
Who I want as manager when Pep goes in 18 months (if he goes)

Is Tuchel he has his teams defensively set up very well and if you’ve been watching England does play good football when they have the ball! He is the link up from what Pep does passing positional wise to the old football when strength pace football was around like now it’s coming back!

Will we go for him doubt it but he would be my first choice then Kompany after him
 
Out hustled everywhere on the park, except between the sticks! Thank goodness for Gigi, Rodri & Khus or that could easily have been worse than the Sick Swan!

We look like we are LITERALLY devoid of any attacking threat at the moment, and some of that is the fact that we have such a lightweight midfield with (Lewis,) Semenyo, Bernardo, Foden & Doku playing as a 4/(5) ahead of Rodri.

Hard to know where we go from here, because Pep and the team look bereft of confidence and energy, with the early nerves and scares at OT not helping.

It’s weird. We can look like world beaters given an inch of space, but when a team puts it up us, we are constantly backpedaling to find the open CB or Gigi to recycle, recycle, recycle.

If we are going to play a back three, we need someone to sit in alongside Rodri…and that can’t be Bernardo or Rico. Hugo needs to get on the blower to Forest and do his magic, because it’s clear to every team, every pundit, every commentator and every fan that we are completely wide open at the back ANY TIME we are camped inside the opposition 30.

I’m all for having an attacking 5, and even a 6th as long as they have recovery pace, but the kamikaze tactics of having the right back crowding out your #10 on the edge of the box, then watching him give up on their break, is a bit galling.

Pep loves his “squad” of 16, but it’s killing us! We need 19 or 20 “first team players” because injuries have killed us for the second season straight, and much as I love seeing an Academy player get on the field, I’d prefer it be to play out a comfortable win, rather than come on to give a rest to Tuesday night starters by saying you have given up the game!

I’m sure the media will have a field day and I’m sure Carrick will be crowned the Second Coming of Baconface, while City will be deemed to have given up the title. Excellent journalism, I’m sure!

Pep & Pep need to get their head around who the Back Four will be (Nunes Khus Guehi NOR) for the next month or so, with Alleyne, Ait Nouri and Ake filling in only as needed. From there, we need to solidify the midfield by playing a double DM at times, sacrificing an attacker.

At present, the 3 and 1 look like Semenyo Cherki & Doku, with Haaland up top…or Foden as a false nine breaking out of the pack.

Gigi - 9
Lewis - 2
Khusanov - 7
Alleyne - 3
Ake - 4
Rodri - 8
Semenyo - 5
Bernardo - 6
Foden - 3
Doku - 6
Haaland - 3

O’Reilly - 4
Cherki - 7
Air Nouri - 3
Reijnders - 4
Mukasa - 3
 
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ancoats said:
Maybe that is what is happening ?
Cup games are the best chances of silverware and getting a top 4 place

The title race was never in our hands and the truth is the squad is not good enough to push Arsenal.
But if Arsenal drops points and hands City a lifeline, you never know what can happen with 8 games to go
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Can only admire your hope and enthusiasm
 
nijinsky69 said:
The score line massively flatters our performance. Pep rolled the dice on the defence and it backfired spectacularly. Our vulnerability at the back was contagious and transferred through the team. After that, the league has definitely gone. Frankly we’ve got our work cut out just to finish top four.
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Dias, Gvardiol, and Stones were injured. Nunes was ill. I didn't understand why Ake was at left back instead of NOR but we didn't have many options.
 
richards30 said:
Nothing defensively he could do though surely? Available players at the moment are just meh
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He could certainly have pulled the line back.

For me that first half should have told him that unless we did something completely differently then we were going to lose that game. We were lucky not to be at least 2-0 down at half time.

Instead the subs didn’t do anything to change the way the game was going.

It was a shitshow from him and the team.
 
Marvin. said:
We lost because of the back 4. It was difficult enough starting with Khusanov and Alleyne and is became Mission Impossible when Rico and Ake started at full back.
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We lost because our midfield gets overran and we play a suicide high line.. any counter team we always struggle. Anyone can see that it seems but pep. If we had 4 khuso type players with pace sure… but Lewis and ake no shot..
 
Pep more or less saying the same as us but without the emotion we feel after a derby defeat. He has to remain level headed, he's the boss. He knows we are in the middle of a rebuild so there will be ups and downs while its happening. Obviously injuries played a big part in today's result too.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports: "The better team won. They were better. When a team is better you have to accept it. They had the energy we didn't have, so congratulations.

"They had the chances at the end and of course the goals we conceded were poorly. We didn't control but in general we can talk about this action or that action. We have the duty to analyse the game in general and they were better."

On the impact from the crowd: "They started really strong, we lost one or two balls. The crowd is normal, because it is a derby. In many years they have been behind them and also with the new manager it is normal these kind of things in the game.

"We never made a threat or a cross or a movement to try and win that. It is also part of the energy, win or lose it is about what we do with the ball as well, not just without.

"It is not about one player."

The late changes - including taking Haaland off - was that to save legs? "Part of that yes. We had new energy. At the end it is a question of how many moments you have."

On should Diogo Dalot have been sent off: "You could say that, you could say that red card, different game. Many, many situations happen. It is easy for me to come here and say it should be a red card. It is not about that, we will not grow up if that is the argument to win or lose a game. To do you have to do better and we didn't today."

On gap to Arsenal: "It is about how we grow up as a team. I have the feeling we have done very good things so far. To be better you may have to take a step back. The season is a long way and you have to continue to analyse."
 
bigA said:
Like your optimism but judging on the tripe and onions that was served up by the team today I would not put my money on it.

The most of that team today needs to sit in a room of mirrors and take a good look at themselves and question their commitment and attitude after that non performance. Not acceptable, not by any stretch of the imagination. If any of those players think otherwise then please fuck off asap, we want commitment, honesty and fight above any result. If you get beat then fine, but go down fighting and leave nothing left on the pitch. Same for the management as well.
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Agree

It's unacceptable the way they went about today

But again we all need to get some ray of light cause we will all wallowing in our own sorrow

We are at least in other competitions unlike those rag bastards :)
 
OntarioBlue said:
Just wondering. Did we spend the best part of £65m on Semenyo to leave stuck to the touch line on the right wing ? Exactly what we did with Grealish on the other side. I know there are much better football brains than mine making these decisions. I’d just like to understand what’s going on.
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Haaland should have been hooked at h/t an put Semenyo down the middle Horrible , painful watch that was
 
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