United (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

Citi-leaks said:
Exactly, the fact that he let the game flow without any stop start nonsense, gave City the opportunity to build up a momentum and all 3 goals came from quick, free flowing, open play.
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I don't think we can have any complaints, as you say he let the game flow, and that was because he let a lot of borderline challenges go unpunished for both sides. There were a couple of times when city players went in hard and won the ball back and I was waiting for the ref's whistle but it never came. Quite refreshing.
 
Gorbachev said:
Hopefully the penny has dropped and Pep has now realised we look a really competent counter attacking team. Almost Atletico Madrid like or Inter Milan.

Pointless trying to dominate games with possession when we don't have the players we once did.

We looked class on the counter today. Fun to watch as well.
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Lijnders’ influence
 
JewelZee said:
To be fair it's not necessarily the same posters. I for one have been consistent that we needed to change our approach. Kudos to Pep because I would bet it went against the grain for him to play that way but he let go and we responded. No buts from me. Watching us be solid in defense while Haaland, Foden , and Doku ran roughshod on them was delightful. Arsenal looked shit against this same ManUre squad just a few weeks back. I can't wait for Napoli and Arsenal!
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I dont disagree with you in that we needed to change something, the point i was making is that when we did change something which everyone has been clamoring for people still arent happy
 
BillyShears said:
United did what Brentford have done in the past, and in a different way, what Liverpool did under Klopp. They knew that if they could win the ball back when we were attacking, there'd be a big spaces in the channel on the opposite side of the pitch. This made it easier when we gave the ball up for them to pin us back.

The other side of that, for me at least, is that with Khusa, Dias, Josko, is we backed ourselves to defend in those moments and not panic or do anything stupid. We managed their transitions fairly well, even if we did cough the ball up in some stupid areas. Once that midfield rhythm comes back, we'll be close to back to our best.

You can see the influence of Linders increasing game by game IMO. We are getting better in attacking transitions, we are braver in making choices even if it means giving the ball up on occasion. The defensive line continues to be really aggressively high too.

Can't really underestimate how much of a 'new' team this is. 4 games in the biggest net positive for me is Pep's commitment to the rebuild and the new players. Oh and playing Phil centrally.
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I noticed that Utd were hitting Mbeumo a lot with diagonals but O'Reilly defended that well.

I did find it rather unusual that at 2-0, and 3-0, with City in control of the game, that we allowed Utd to have a lot of the ball and a lot of attacks. Was that because City were fatigued? Was it because City were not as dominant as we have been in the past?

I was very impressed with Doku when I watched the highlights back. I didn't realise the quality of his assist for Haaland's first goal. It was perfectly weighted.

I feel that City are behind Liverpool and Arsenal now but that we are progressing once more. We've made some necessary changes and now players like Rodri have to get fully fit, and Reijnders has to adapt.
 
BillyShears said:
The other side of that, for me at least, is that with Khusa, Dias, Josko, is we backed ourselves to defend in those moments and not panic or do anything stupid. We managed their transitions fairly well, even if we did cough the ball up in some stupid areas. Once that midfield rhythm comes back, we'll be close to back to our best.

You can see the influence of Linders increasing game by game IMO. We are getting better in attacking transitions, we are braver in making choices even if it means giving the ball up on occasion. The defensive line continues to be really aggressively high too.
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I wonder if the future is a flat back four of real defenders and with Rodri in front of them we can afford to let teams come on to us and then fast transitions using Erling, Phil, Doku, Cherki to attack at real speed. Instead of slow control, controlled havoc. If I'm honest that is much like how Liverpool play but so what. Its a huge change for Pep though and after two decades of winning everything by playing possession football, maybe it is simply him planning the rebuild with one eye on handing it over next season.
 
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