United (A) Post Match Thread

[Marvin]

I’d politely disagree and suggest that if, before the season started, I’d said we would be 9th (maybe 10th!) after 11 games (almost 1/3 of the season) and Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, United, Leicester, Everton, West Ham and even Soton were all above us, plus we had just notched our 6th consecutive game without conceding, but our GD was only +6, and Ferran Torres was the top scorer so far this season after starting less than half of our games, I’d have been laughed at, pointed at, called a stupid Yank and a Rag, and you’d be singing a different tune about it being just fine.

But, hey, maybe 9th (possibly 10th after Villa play?!) fits current expectations going into the CL Round of 16 Draw?

But this isn't a normal season is it?

You''re conveniently taking the context and background away from these results and also ignoring what's happened to rival sides. Collectively we had zero preparation for those opening weeks and hence some ctazy results and we weren't alone. We're not in scintillating form but we're looking better than the side that started the season and our defence looks very strong. Cancelo looks a top class full-back, Stones has recovered and Dias has brought authority to the defence. We still have some outstanding creative players too.

The team is human playing in extraordinary times and the trend is one of improvement.

 

[Burtonblue]

But this isn't a normal season is it?

You''re conveniently taking the context and background away from these results and also ignoring what's happened to rival sides. Collectively we had zero preparation for those opening weeks and hence some ctazy results and we weren't alone. We're not in scintillating form but we're looking better than the side that started the season and our defence looks very strong. Cancelo looks a top class full-back, Stones has recovered and Dias has brought authority to the defence. We still have some outstanding creative players too.

The team is human playing in extraordinary times and the trend is one of improvement.

Agree with all you say Marvin.
This is far from a normal season and we are a different team to that of two years ago.
I think the way we play now will make us v strong in Europe. Not conceding is essential there.
I also think a back to form Kun plus another top quality striker will send us back top of the league.
We’ve been written off far too early by too many.

 

[OB1]

But this isn't a normal season is it?

You''re conveniently taking the context and background away from these results and also ignoring what's happened to rival sides. Collectively we had zero preparation for those opening weeks and hence some ctazy results and we weren't alone. We're not in scintillating form but we're looking better than the side that started the season and our defence looks very strong. Cancelo looks a top class full-back, Stones has recovered and Dias has brought authority to the defence. We still have some outstanding creative players too.

The team is human playing in extraordinary times and the trend is one of improvement.

Nice to see you've got a more positive hat on.

We live in very strange times and this has impacted football in many ways. How things will shake out is hard to know but to throw in one of those old cliches: the cream always rises to the top and we can hope that will apply to City, because we do still have a very large, very able squad, a manager who (despite some of the nonsense written on social media) actually knows what he is doing and, as you say, has seemingly got the team back on an upward trend. To do that, he has had to make some adaptations that are a move away from what he would really like to be doing. People can agree or disagree about whether he has been slow to change and even then over whether he has made the right changes but I think people need to bear with it for now and see what transpires: this season really does look like it has a long way to go.

 

[alexmcity]

I’d politely disagree and suggest that if, before the season started, I’d said we would be 9th (maybe 10th!) after 11 games (almost 1/3 of the season) and Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, United, Leicester, Everton, West Ham and even Soton were all above us, plus we had just notched our 6th consecutive game without conceding, but our GD was only +6, and Ferran Torres was the top scorer so far this season after starting less than half of our games, I’d have been laughed at, pointed at, called a stupid Yank and a Rag, and you’d be singing a different tune about it being just fine.

But, hey, maybe 9th (possibly 10th after Villa play?!) fits current expectations going into the CL Round of 16 Draw?

Imagine that Liverpool fans were told before the season that they were going to lose 7:2 from fucking Villa. It's a strange season. I'd accept to be 3 pts off the top come March even if that would mean being 5th in the table. Personally, I expect several teams to be within 3-5 pts in March and one of the top 3 teams, maybe even the leaders, to miss out on a CL spot (maybe Liverpool!). Crazy season with crazy results and probably a crazy finish where the 4th or 5th team in March wins the title in May.

 

[bluemoon32]

Lovely to see all the cuddly hugging after the game, i bet tongues were used

 

[pirate]

I made the home game. Didn't make the away or York away(sorry blues ; ) as I had a two year old daughter and worked 12 hour continental shifts. I made it to a few local aways though.

I think some fans forget where we were, not just the 98/99 season either. That's why every trophy we win is a bonus I think. I'm losing interest with football nowadays for several reasons. And one reason is watching apathetic players cosseted by fame and fortune. I'd much rather see a youngster given a chance than players costing millions who don't seem to give a fuck. We may have been shit back in the day but we knew who the players were who cared about us daft sods travelling all over to watch them. They put a shift in and are remembered fondly for grit over greed.

to be fair even back in the day we had players who didnt give a shit
eddie mcgoldrick for example

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

to be fair even back in the day we had players who didnt give a shit
eddie mcgoldrick for example

I know. We had plenty. Made the ones who cared stand out.

 

[Ban-jani]

There is an element of other teams failings making our own look reasonable.

Given all the content on the last few pages, some of which is very valid, I personally still feel it’s been a disappointing start to the season.

Hopefully it gets better in these next run of games.

It’s a bizarre season where preseason and the break got messed up.

The crowds not being in, no usual break for the players, all the additional restrictions.

It’s meant that everyone has suffered and fitness has been poor.

Only Aston Villa have pressed more than they did last season, every one else has regressed in that regard.

It’s narrowed the gap massively and I think it’s going to just be one of those weird seasons.

That said, we’re not conceding goals and the defence looks solid for the first time in 2 years.

Our forwards will click and if we put a run together we can win it back.

Plus, I’d keep one eye on Europe, I reckon we could be in business this season.

 

[sir baconface]

Despite many posts to the contrary, there is plenty of middle ground between hung-ho attack/open door defence policy and sterility/lack of ambition.

Pep was right IMO to set up more cautiously against the sucker punch. Lots of us argued for that beforehand. Where it really smelt was the wimpish last 20 minutes when the rags were visibly wilting, we had key players making zero impact but energy aplenty glued to the bench. Instead of ramping up at that point we just settled for a bore draw.

Hard to excuse when our players were rested during the week while the rags had a tough and potentially demoralising away game in Europe.

Edit: bore draw, not bore drama.

 

[BillyShears]

The pragmatism is welcome,as one size never fits all,that isnt the point i'm making,or the issue i have.The problem with Saturdays game wasnt the approach but the choice of personnel and the failure to change such - his in game management was poor,and that wasn't due to lack of alternative.

Of course there has been reason and mitigation for our less than fantastic start to this season,but that isnt to also say things could have been done better.Clearly me and you arent privvy to the inner workings......but many of his decisions have been head scratchers.

I feel as though there's too much emphasis placed on what "you" would do rather than giving respect to what the manager has chosen to do. In general when I look across your postings on the forum they are wantonly negative and you seem only interested in sniping at Guardiola or players you don't like.

Even when you give credit, it's mealy mouthed and there's always a barb in there. It's a shame as you're meant to be one of the grown up posters yet you contribute far too much to the unhealthy levels of negativity which infect so many threads on this forum.