Naive

Setting up with two powder puff strikers and two attacking midfielders, affording United boat loads of space when possession was inevitably turned over

I see a lot of United and City as I live in Manchester. For 7 or 8 years now United have massively struggled to break down teams, including some pretty mediocre ones, when they set up defensively with a low block and one up front. They hate possession, and the only guy they have that can really pick a quality pass, Bruno, was on the bench. But they're absolutely lethal when they break kn you with pace, they've filled their squad with wide attackers who are massively fast and great on the counter attack.

Do I think we could win or even give them a game, no, but setting up so open like that was absolute crass stupidity. Clarke is making horrible decisions on a weekly basis.

Humiliated twice in 4 days. Not a good look.

 

Regardless of the opposition and how we were set up, we were so fücking thick on so many occasions. It was like after the 3rd went in everyone's brains went for a wander. No-one bothered marking, no-one broke into so much as a jog, no-one thought to look up for a pass at any point. Our keeper, defence and midfield out of possession make me weep.

 

Didn’t watch the game but was surprised to see Jalo playing. Talented player with a big future, but he’s too lightweight for League 1, never mind United! Cosgrove surely needed to play.

A bit surprised we didn’t play our strongest team. But oh well

 

It was a weird choice of both personnel and shape. We weakened our side more than United did, which is, you know, an interesting choice...

 

Talented player with a big future ???


Surely if that’s the case he should be starting week in week out for us !

 

I thought we could give them a game. Not win, but not get humiliated. I thought he'd go with a back 3 of McCarthy (As Pines is injured), MDG and Roberts. Connell and Craig sitting in front of them, Cotter and Earl as wing backs. Earl with the instruction to drop back and Cotter to get forward, with either McCarthy or MDG covering him when he does.

Then you play Phillips a bit further forward with Cosgrove and Watters up front. And you just try to hit the forwards, Cosgrove to hold it up or flick it on, Watters to run in behind. Might not have worked but at least it's a plan. And it's what he's done before. I have absolutely no idea what we tried to do tonight other than capitulate.

 

Humphry's found himself free quite a bit too. Linked up a bit with Cosgrove but both looked as fit as me eating a pie.

 

Agreed. The title of this thread is naive but actually 'baffling' or 'mental' might have been better choices.

 

Bat S hit Mental.

 

Poor dive by Mr Humphrys.

 

Should have got a shot off. If it was me once in a lifetime I'd have got a shot off.Shooooot. Same goes for Connell with free kicks. Not up for discussion lads. Connell delegated too much to be respected tonight for me. Captains make decisions. In the grand scheme of things he let two shooting opportunities go and snatched at one into the side netting near the end.

 

Agreed.

It was an awful snatch. Seen better.

 

Don't know why the keeper dived.

 

Completely agree.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the team sheet & saw Jalo & Yoganathan starting.

I thought it was nailed on to be Cosgrove & Watters up top with a midfield 3 of Craig, Connell & Phillips.

I just find it hard to believe that between Clarke, Devaney, Hourihane, Whitehead & Stead that there’s not one of them that’s said ‘I think this is a bit stupid’.

It makes me wonder if orders are coming from above to start Jalo & Yoganathan to put them in the shop window. Neither look ready to start in league one never mind at Old Trafford.

Our left hand side was a shambles. I’m not someone who’s a big fan of Connell playing further forward but if there’s ever a night for him to play advanced of a sitting midfielder to protect the left wing back it was tonight with O’Keeffe starting there.

I know they alternated but when Jalo was on the left of the front 2 it was Jalo, Yoganathan & O’Keeffe on his weak foot down that side. I wouldn’t mind if we didn’t have options.

Why is Gent playing 90 minutes for the U23’s this lunchtime leaving us without a left wing back yet we’ve taken 3 central midfielders & 3 strikers in the squad when realistically you’re never going to use more than 2 of each. Baffling. He was man of the match in the U23’s from what I was told as well.

As you say, keep it tight & defend deep against them. Also don’t be afraid to leave one on them. There’s no way we should be losing 7-0 & only picking up 3 bookings with one for diving. They weren’t afraid to put the boot in. The left back got away with a couple early doors so it was clear we had a ref that wasn’t card happy. Give them some back.

 

Top post

 

I thought we'd cracked it when Connell left his foot in on Ugarde. Too many wrong decisions last night.

 

He should have booked that 43 for his 1st challenge then let him off with 2 more. Same with the 25. Couldn’t wait to book one of our players for actually being fouled. An absolute homer of a ref that bowed to being at old Trafford.

 

You might well be right that he was in awe of the occasion but I don’t think we gave him enough decisions to make. It’s not like we committed many fouls. There were opportunities to take players out high up the pitch before they got anywhere near our area & we never took them. It felt at times like they were playing in a semi final on a booking & knew another would rule them out of the final.

 

I fail to understand how there were any other options even considered.

 

Completely agree and said as much in the Matchday Thread.

To set up how we did, with the personnel selected, and the instructions for the style of play was naive at best and completely idiotic at worst.

What was he expecting? Our team of League One players and kids to stylishly play our way through their press and pass them off the park? Foolish.

It's early days yet, and I won't make snap judgements, but tonight wasn't good.