United (A) - Sat 14th Jan, 12:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[JWCH-99]

Gundogan (the captain) coming out and saying that he hopes Southampton will be a wake up call as although we’ve won games something has been missing and off this season I.e. desire, hunger and performances (his words not mine) is slightly worrying. But, if they can’t change that for this game of all games this season may well be a write off.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

He seems to have binned Cancelo at LB since the red against Fulham

But he's noticeably worse on the right, he offers a lot stepping into midfield from the left I think.

Walker has co play conventional RB Sunday or we get shredded down that side

Makes Cancelo's new deal all the more bizarre.

We badly need him to recover his forward attributes.

 

[mcfcphil]

One of the most pertinent factors is that teams don't press Eddie anymore, they know it isn't worthwhile and the striker instead should stand right on Rodri.

We have lost the overloads coming out from the back, which is why the ball is now much slower coming forward, been like that for about a year.

Whereas previously Eddie's skillset was essential to us creating a spare man, it stands to reason we have now lost that advantage?

Possibly another reason why the inverted full-backs are asked to make up the extra man in midfield, but that is still too far advanced upfield for the first stages of build-up play.

Walker isn't reliable enough in possession.

Rico is certainly more accomplished on that front.

On the opposite side, we might start to realise just how good Zinchenko was helping to get us out on the left?

Cancelo, for whatever reason, has dropped off big time for a while and his flaky defensive ability doesn't make up for what he can give inside the middle.

All that is why I think we always look better with Bernado dropping deep to collect the ball.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Makes Cancelo's new deal all the more bizarre.

We badly need him to recover his forward attributes.

Absolutely agree as the signs haven't been good with him for some time. Seemingly a problem in with the Portugal team too.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

All that is why I think we always look better with Bernado dropping deep to collect the ball.

Correct!!

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

The amount of pressure that fringe and armchair coat tail followers of this club put on a coach when it is absolutely clear from the first kick who is the culprit is laughable.

Our players yesterday were to a man disinterested with a few possible exceptions. They were playing elitist "we'll win, you'll roll over because we are so great" football. You could have a team of world class coaches fiddling with the lineups and tactics for a week focused on one game but the execution and the determinations 100% on the players who lost it before the game looking ahead to the semis and the derby and overlooking the opposition.

Pep has his quirks- but it doesn't matter who was coaching that lot last night- we would have lost. The opponents were hungry and we had players taking up spots last night who would have been better off not even making the trip.

Even if you do try and play the "Pep is to blame" card if you have no vocal hard ass leader on the field who you are afraid to see int he locker room at halftime if you cock it up in the first half- a player who can pull the team into the fray- the coach's input is even less of a factor. Our leadership on the field is non existent. Gundo as much as I have come to respect him as a player is not a leader of men. KDB is not a leader of men. Not Mahrez, not Phil, not Cancelo, Stones nor Eric are vocal enough. Ruben is the only player in this team I'd give the arm band to and he's injured. I'd say Eddie as well as he is the player on the team I'd have walk with me in a dark alley as he seems the hardest guy on this team- but not sure I like a keeper as captain full stop as the message often doesn't get from the sticks to the front line.

You can well blame the coach for obvious errors- but in this case you do it as you are afraid to have a rummage under the hood and see that there are a lot of parts that are not working and a lot that will need replacing soon- blaming and replacing the steering wheel is much easier.

Agreed more or less. Is it disinterest that can be rekindled after a kick up arse? Is it no leadership on the pitch allowing Brentford, Everton and Southampton to bully us out of games? Or is it more worryingly a burned out mentally and physically squad like LiVARpool?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Absolutely agree as the signs haven't been good with him for some time. Seemingly a problem in with the Portugal team too.

Possibly. I'm still hiding behind the sofa from his fuck-up at Liverpool.

If I take out his amazing outside of the foot pass to Erling (of which he still needed to be amazing to convert) against Dortmund, then he has been bang average for a while.

 

[argyle]

Not looking forward to this.

They'll be right at is us and most of our players don't look fit enough to withstand the press or have the legs to outrun them.

All stemming from a hit and miss recruitment. Haaland and Alvarez are fantastic. Grealish, Phillips and Gomez not so much. We have no creativity outside of KDB and left back continues to be a problem, more so having sold Zinc.

Walker still doesn't look fit so right back is also a problem.

Added with KDB and Gundogan seemingly ageing fast over the summer and our midfield is relying solely on and overplayed Rodri with Bernardo helping him out. One injury to Rodri and we're fucked.

Foden's form has gone off a cliff and coincides with him looking more interested in his haircuts, shit eyebrows and bling.

Other than that, Rico looks top and hope he plays but can't see it.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Wow people are actually flapping here cuz of “cup match second string fill in the blanks” team vs derby team against the rags .
Come on now come on , seriously?

 

[Deleted member 81382]

All that is why I think we always look better with Bernado dropping deep to collect the ball.

I would argue Bernardo is the most important player in the team. It's going to be an absolutely mammoth task to replace him if he goes in the summer.