Curious if they'll overturn the Wan-Bissaka red. It's pretty tenuous at best. Salah has lost the ball before he one of his feet clips the outstretched knee/leg of Wan-Bissaka. It feels like it wasn't really a clear scoring opportunity at that point.
By Arnie Go To PostAlisson my man of the match. So many times we’d be under pressure and he’d just pick out a mental pass into feet for Robertson or Trent. Beats the press so well.Unreal passer.
By Hitch Go To PostNormally we can trust the front three to do a goal or two even when we've lost control, they weren't on it today though. Which is weird because you can still make a list of good contributions they made to the match, certainly far more than Palace didTake your points and the goals will come,
By Meier Go To PostCurious if they'll overturn the Wan-Bissaka red. It's pretty tenuous at best. Salah has lost the ball before he one of his feet clips the outstretched knee/leg of Wan-Bissaka. It feels like it wasn't really a clear scoring opportunity at that point.
Don’t think the FA will overturn it because it would show doubt in Oliver’s judgment. I agree it shouldn’t have been a red.
By Perfect Blue Go To PostPerfect mentality for United
Soft lad. Incredible how he feels entitled to play with us. Lad’s head is inflated.
Pretty much missed the whole game after deciding to spend my time smashing the office lads at age of mythology, but sounds like it wasn't a great watch. Great result away against a team that is probably best of the rest, especially looking at the expG figures:
By Perfect Blue Go To Post
Soft lad. Incredible how he feels entitled to play with us. Lad’s head is inflated.
He's good player and has had to watch the likes of Danny Drinkwater and Bakayoko play ahead of him
RLC will probably leave and I would be surprised if anyone apart from City didn’t try to get him. He’s good and English and his ceiling is very high.
By Fergie Go To Post
By Pennywise Go To PostHm?Nice
lol, just saw a sky sports news flash that said that Norwich painted the away dressing room pink to lower the testosterone levels for the opposing team.
Surely this can't be true??? If it is, is there any scientific proof around this at all?
Surely this can't be true??? If it is, is there any scientific proof around this at all?
By batong Go To Postlol, just saw a sky sports news flash that said that Norwich painted the away dressing room pink to lower the testosterone levels for the opposing team.When I went to Stamford Bridge and got the tour the tour guide said during Ranieri’s tenure he brought in a sports psychologist and the recommendation was to make the visiting dressing room as comfortable as possible for the other team so they’re relaxed and pampered prior to the match and supposedly, play less intensely. The old dressing room was small and tight and had opposing players angry that apparently made them play better vs. Chelsea.
Surely this can't be true??? If it is, is there any scientific proof around this at all?
No clue if this, or the pink dressing room thing actually work but there you go.
By Vini.lad Go To PostWhat are they sayingNeville saying that he learned a thing or two at Valencia and that Big Sam's comments the other day was wrong.
video is region blocked
And then something about Arsenal.
By Perfect Blue Go To PostWhen I went to Stamford Bridge and got the tour the tour guide said during Ranieri’s tenure he brought in a sports psychologist and the recommendation was to make the visiting dressing room as comfortable as possible for the other team so they’re relaxed and pampered prior to the match and supposedly, play less intensely. The old dressing room was small and tight and had opposing players angry that apparently made them play better vs. Chelsea.
No clue if this, or the pink dressing room thing actually work but there you go.
Saints away dressing room has benches slightly too high and slightly too deep to be comfortable to sit on.
Also as mirrors on the doors of the toilets so you have to look at ya self when you have a shit
It's only week 1 in Serie A and it's already VAR chaos. There have been a couple of glaring omissions in Chievo - Juve and Sassuolo - Inter and the reason (one of, anyway) are the new VAR rules from IFAB. The "on field review" is only to be invoked / used when there's a "clear and obvious mistake by the ref", which absolutely doesn't apply to, say, a suspect contact in the penalty area, if the field ref saw it and judged it. Whatever his initial call was, that's the call. The video ref can only ask "did you see the contact?" and if the answer is "yes", then that's it, even if it was clearly the wrong call.
Just an incredibly stupid rule. One italian refs are opposed to, btw, but that's what IFAB want. It'll be absolute chaos, even worse than last season.
Just an incredibly stupid rule. One italian refs are opposed to, btw, but that's what IFAB want. It'll be absolute chaos, even worse than last season.
VAR is a lot like my philosophy in life, which is, why even bother trying, you're just going to get it wrong anyway.
By Zabojnik Go To PostIt's only week 1 in Serie A and it's already VAR chaos. There have been a couple of glaring omissions in Chievo - Juve and Sassuolo - Inter and the reason (one of, anyway) are the new VAR rules from IFAB. The "on field review" is only to be invoked / used when there's a "clear and obvious mistake by the ref", which absolutely doesn't apply to, say, a suspect contact in the penalty area, if the field ref saw it and judged it. Whatever his initial call was, that's the call. The video ref can only ask "did you see the contact?" and if the answer is "yes", then that's it, even if it was clearly the wrong call.Anything that helps Napoli win the Scudetto is fine by me.
Just an incredibly stupid rule. One italian refs are opposed to, btw, but that's what IFAB want. It'll be absolute chaos, even worse than last season.
By Vini.lad Go To PostWhat are they saying
video is region blocked
The Game Dissected: How José Mourinho’s system shackles Manchester United’s attackers
In the third instalment of a new weekly column tackling an issue in depth, Tom Clarke analyses why a team packed with creative talent looks so one-dimensional
The 3-2 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion highlighted many faults in José Mourinho’s United side and has raised questions about the spirit and defensive abilities of the team. But, in today’s column, we take a look at another issue: a lack of creativity and attacking plan.
Why, when 3-1 down against Brighton, did Mourinho’s side manage only four attempts on goal before Paul Pogba’s penalty? And why are this United team becoming renowned for being easily shut out by sides lower down the table?
No creativity? No chance
It was halfway through the second half at Brighton. Having huffed and puffed his way through the game, Pogba had the ball about 25 yards from goal. Frustrated at how the game was going and the lack of passing options around him he hit a dipping shot that would have crept in at the far post had Mat Ryan not tipped it out for a corner.
It was a good effort. It was also United’s only effort on goal in the second half before Pogba’s stoppage-time penalty. That United had only four attempts on goal and only one of those was on target is a startling statistic given a) their need for goals at that stage of the game b) the attacking talent in their team and c) the fact they had 71.8 per cent of the possession in the second half.
They offered little threat and arguably more worrying for United fans and Mourinho is that this kind of result is no longer a surprise. Last season they lost away at newly-promoted Huddersfield Town (2-1), Newcastle United (1-0) and Brighton (1-0) as well as dropping points against West Bromwich Albion (1-0 home defeat), Stoke (2-2) and Southampton (0-0).
Of course dropping points to lesser opponents is not indicative of a poor side. Ferguson’s teams did it, and even last season’s runaway title winners Manchester City drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace and Huddersfield. But what is perhaps a good indicator of where Mourinho’s United fall short compared to their rivals — and a reason they struggle against smaller teams who take the lead — is their creativity.
With Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sánchez, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial in the side United have plenty of goalscoring ability. But you can’t score goals without creating chances. Looking at the statistics for chances created — a combination of both assists for goals and passes that lead to the recipient of the ball having an attempt on goal — United were far behind their top-six rivals in the League last season, as the chart above shows.
That pattern seems to be continuing into this campaign. Only two games in and United have created only 11 chances to score, far behind City and Chelsea and even one short of the 12 Liverpool managed in one game against West Ham.
Not shown in the chart above is that only three teams have created fewer chances than United. Crystal Palace managed ten in one game, an opening-day win against Fulham while Huddersfield with eight chances (from games against Chelsea and Manchester City) and Brighton, with nine, are the other two clubs. Brighton’s low number is perhaps down to a poor display in their opening-day defeat by Watford and to the fact that, having scored with their three shots on target against United they surrendered possession and challenged their opponents to break them down. Which leads us back to Mourinho’s side . . .
So is it the players or the manager?
While the statistics for the team as a whole do not look great, United’s attacking stars rank poorly as individuals too when compared with players from rival teams. As the chart below shows, United’s most creative player last season, Juan Mata, is far behind the top five players in the Premier League for making goals and chances for team-mates.
So what is going wrong? Mourinho is well known for tactical traits such as defensive stability, a focus on the collective shape of his team and, ironically, beating sides who are more attacking or more talented than his own. It must be said that despite dropping points to smaller teams, United beat Liverpool and Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford, drew 0-0 at Anfield and won away to Manchester City last season.
But there needs to be a plan to break down teams who are defending a lead and United don’t seem to have one. The graphic below is a good example. Paul Pogba is on the ball in the second half against Brighton with midfield partner Fred alongside him.
Pogba has two options — go short to Fred or Ashley Young, both surrounded by Brighton players or go long with United having four players on the edge of the box. He launches a long ball which is easily claimed by Ryan.
Had one of those four attackers dropped off into the space highlighted Pogba would have had an easy link between midfield and attack. The reason they don’t is perhaps a lack of confidence, enhanced by a manager who demands rigid, defensive positioning as a priority over fluid movement. Or maybe the plan at this stage — with Marouane Felliani on the pitch — was for Pogba to play long balls into the box. Either way there is a big gap on the edge of the Brighton area that could be exploited by a quick pass-and-move play but United waste the opportunity to move their opponents out of their defensive shape.
A lack of width and no clear Plan B
Against Brighton, United lined up with a 4-3-3 system that worked fairly well in the home win over Leicester. At half-time and losing 3-1 Mourinho ditched one of his midfielders — Andreas Pereira — and Mata who had been playing on the right of three attackers.
On came pace, skill and direct running ability in the form of Lingard and Rashford. Pogba dropped back alongside Fred in a midfield two and Lingard, Rashford and Martial were to operate behind Lukaku. A potentially devastating 4-2-3-1 which, in reality, became 15 minutes of chaotic movement and no attacking threat. On came Fellaini, up went the high balls and Brighton easily held firm.
Another failing that the Brighton game highlighted was a persistent problem for Mourinho’s United: a lack of width. The average position maps below show United’s players in the two halves. In the first the team are well spread across the pitch with Martial (No 11) on the left with Pogba (No 6) — playing in his preferred midfield three — close by. These positions are broadly similar to the ones United players occupied in the 2-1 win against Leicester.
But what happened when Mourinho “went for it” in the second half? As the position map from the second half shows his four attackers continually moved into central areas with the only width coming from full backs who were being pressed and harassed by a tireless Brighton. No width means no outball and no chance to stretch the opposition and create space.
The image above is a good example of these maps in practice. United’s creative and attacking midfielders and forwards are all collected in one half of the pitch. There is space to be exploited on the left-hand side but Luke Shaw, out of shot near the halfway line, is the only option and Martial has few options because, as well as being bunched together, no United player is making an effort to find space.
Later in the half United do spread the play. Pogba plays a good first-time ball to the left wing where Shaw has got forward (below) much-neededme much needed width. But the full back is isolated without any supporting runners — this is another common failing for United. Too often their full backs are the only players offering width and are left with a choice between making a cross from deep or dribbling on their own. If an attacking player was also in a wide position they would be far more of a threat.
In this situation there is again an area of space where a United player could (and should) be to provide either the option for a quick one-two with Shaw or make a run in behind Brighton defenders. In this scenario Shaw was forced inside into the congested central area and his pass was intercepted.
This is not a one-off. The maps below from defeats by “smaller” teams last season also show United’s attacking players all in central positions. It is easy to defend against, particularly when you have the lead as it allows your defensive lines to be compact, without any gaps for attacking runs or through balls.
It is worth noting that Brighton’s opening goal came from an attack down the left wing, which dragged United’s defence out of position and left space for Glenn Murray to flick home at the front post.
While all blessed with skill and pace, Mourinho’s attacking players are not natural wide men. Lingard and Mata would prefer to play in a central role behind the striker, Martial and Rashford burst onto the scene more as forwards and Sánchez likes to have the licence to roam where he chooses. But Mourinho doesn’t need to look too far for examples of how width can create chances — his own team did it just ten days ago.
Can Sánchez (and Shaw) show the rest how it’s done?
Something else was missing for United against Brighton: Alexis Sánchez. In relation to criticisms of United’s creativity it is interesting to note that since Sánchez joined United in January this year he has created 30 chances for team-mates in the league — more than any other United player with Mata second with 20.
It is also interesting that it was his work down the left flank with Shaw that led to both United’s goals against Leicester.
As highlighted, United’s full backs provide the width but often lack attacking players to combine with and link the play. Against Leicester Sánchez and Shaw did that.
In the image above Shaw has overlapped Sánchez, and that run has dragged right back Daniel Amartey into a wide position. That allows Sánchez to drift inside, giving Shaw an option for an easy pass and meaning the forward can find space to then get off the shot which is handled and gives United a penalty to take the lead.
United’s second came thanks to the same players. This time Sánchez makes his move first, darting inside, as shown in the image below. This could be seen to be similar to the movement criticised above but there are key differences to the image of United players bunched together on the right against Brighton.
Here United players are in more threatening positions: Lukaku and Sánchez are on the edge of the box, right back Matteo Darmian is staying wide on the right and Pogba is giving Mata an option for an easy short ball.
Sánchez’s move inside has dragged Ricardo Pereira —now playing at right back — inside. That gives space for Shaw to attack and he is picked out by Mata before firing home United’s second goal.
Mourinho has plenty of problems at Old Trafford but given the points United have dropped against teams lower down the table, unlocking his side’s creative potential should be a top priority.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-game-dissected-how-mourinhos-system-shackles-uniteds-attackers-89pjwd66b
By batong Go To PostNeville saying that he learned a thing or two at Valencia and that Big Sam's comments the other day was wrong.Fuck you
And then something about Arsenal.
By Fergie Go To Post
Thank you. Yeah Gary is right for once. Loved that he subbed Ozil out and is giving Ramsey a hard time (don't know it it has something to do with his contract talks).
By Plasma Go To Post
Neville is exactly spot on there.
100% agree
If Emery wants to change Arsenal into a high-pressing side, the likes of Xhaka and Ozil don't have a future.
These two wouldn't get into City or Liverpool's first XI, not because they lack individual quality, but rather due to the lack of their running.
Xhaka does not suit this league, there's a reason why other managers target him as the weak link. He gets pressed far too quickly and easily for my liking and doesn't do anything to sort out that fact.
As for Ozil, it's great that Emery is hooking him off, maybe this forces Ozil to buck up his ideas and think about the team differently
As for Ozil, it's great that Emery is hooking him off, maybe this forces Ozil to buck up his ideas and think about the team differently
gnev was on fire tonight. even though they should've fired carragher, for my entertainment purposes im glad they kept him.
To be honest, not many Arsenal fans have said this, but Auba isn't offering much to our play and I would prefer to see Laca start.
By Meus Renaissance Go To PostTo be honest, not many Arsenal fans have said this, but Auba isn't offering much to our play and I would prefer to see Laca start.
Laca has been the better player in the first 2 games.
By Killer7 Go To PostLaca has been the better player in the first 2 games.
It's not even in the last 2 games. Auba touches the ball maybe 10 times in a match. He makes good runs, fair play to him, but we rarely find him or make use of him. He is often on the periphery of games.
Laca comes deep and tries to make combinations. He's a typical CF.
Emery will need to make big changes, and it's not the sort of players people are expecting (Bellerin, Mustafi etc). He's gonna cull the front players.
Aubameyang could have had a hat trick if he didn't forget how to finish. Thought he was good on Saturday.
im looking at new cleats since im about to play in a social league.
nike's designs have really gone off a cliff huh. adidas actually look better.
nike's designs have really gone off a cliff huh. adidas actually look better.
By Arnie Go To PostAlisson my man of the match. So many times we’d be under pressure and he’d just pick out a mental pass into feet for Robertson or Trent. Beats the press so well.
It's sad but I was almost giddy by the end when he was finding players with so much space on those 60 yard kicks.
Not a classic, but I feel like this team has the ability to grind games out like I've rarely seen in the 10 years or so that I've been following them
75m, not played a full season and all that shite, but it's kinda tough to overstate how fucking good and transformative VVD has been for us
He's got everything you want in a centreback, to a very high level
He's got everything you want in a centreback, to a very high level
VVD and Alisson feel like they’re having the same impact Mane had when he was signed. They fill a role we’ve not had such quality options in for ages
I am not too worried about Auba, guy had ten goals in 14 last season. Not every player needs to be a complete player who drops deep, holds the ball etc. The problem is more the service into. Ozil has been absolutely atrocious the last two games and Miki is hit and miss. I would agree that his style didn’t suit playing against a team that dominates possession and Laca should have started. But against Chelsea he should have had goals, but he was poor. I expect once he gets his first then he will be banging them in on the regular.
Is that the first time G Nev has said anything positive about an Arsenal manager? Lol.
He is right, Emery can’t change shit now otherwise it has been a waste of time all that he has been coaching them so far. Arsenal looked better after the opening 25 minutes in both games. Obviously, we still didn’t look great, but I am sure he will work on getting us off to better starts especially as we won’t be facing City and Chelsea every week.
Is that the first time G Nev has said anything positive about an Arsenal manager? Lol.
He is right, Emery can’t change shit now otherwise it has been a waste of time all that he has been coaching them so far. Arsenal looked better after the opening 25 minutes in both games. Obviously, we still didn’t look great, but I am sure he will work on getting us off to better starts especially as we won’t be facing City and Chelsea every week.
Kinda understand why Allisson > Ederson in the Brazil NT. At the moment he's just much better at everything.