Pre/Post Match Discussion: Premier League vs Brighton (h)

[Ole]

vs.

Home to Brighton in the Premier League.
Saturday 19th January 2019, KO 15:00 UTC.

[Goku]

Preview :

Perfect start for Ole, some good football and excellent football at times. The Acid test was not Spurs as I do believe we have a better team on paper than them and a better squad for sure.

I think this is a build up to hopefully getting the momentum for the PSG game. Our front three are excellent at this moment creating chances even in the second half against Spurs.

Pogba probably should have made it 0-2 but the real question is how fit is this team to play that one and two touch football.

Some weakness have been exposed, or CBs are slow we are weak at set pieces and forgot how to defend the second ball.

I think we do need a number 5 and a solid header of the ball to stop that second ball. So what do we need to do if we work with we have we do have players to hurt any team from midfield to attack.

If the game were 70 minutes we could play anyone off the park but after that mark we tend to lose a bit momentum.

One any day we can beat any team in the prem. This 5 out of 5 game winning run in the prem is superb.

I expect Alexis to be back and I think the style is to play the ball on the ground where you will seldom see us crossing and scoring headed goals.

In the Spurs match there was poor finishing. Every game in the prem is a challenge. Who are our best CB is it smalling and lindelof.

I expect some changes and the goal is to try and catch Spurs as Ole said. We seven points behind them and I don't think they can win the title with there squad.

Potcb is good tactically as he proved by changing the system at half time. Brighton gave Liverpool a good game so I expect us to go for the kill against them to move up to a while the UCL takes a break.

4 games then the 5th is against Liverpool. The next 4 games are winnable and if that is done then it will be sweet to beat Liverpool at Old Trafford winning 10 games back to back.

I expect us to take the game to Brighton and the only question is whether we change the team. I think there will be some changes.

Fred the Red and I think Fred could adapt to be the player that we signed or thought we signed.

This team has talent and we can beat any team at Old Trafford. I expect a lot of goals in this game and a few changes.

Player to watch: Fred Herrera had cramp so maybe this will be Fred's opportunity.

DDG
Dalot. Bailly. Lindelof Shaw

Fred. Matic. Pogba

Sanchez. Rashford. Martial

Subs: Romero, Fellini, Mata, Lingaard, Lukaku, Mctomanny.

There will be some changes due to the away FA Cup tie at Arsenal.

Prediction: Home win 5-0

Man Utd to play on the attack to improve the goal difference to go 5th

[Dante]

At some point, we're going to not win a game. Hopefully, this isn't the one. Brighton are an inconsistent team who've got some results agains top clubs and then lost to clubs at the bottom, which is probably why they're in 13th.

They don't make a habit of conceding loads, so probably not 5-0, but I'd very much like another clean sheet and a few goals on our side.

[Sigmar]

I don't think there are five goals in this game, a 5-0 win whilst confidence boosting is not what we should be c oncentrating on, a win obviously, but more importantly, for the defence a clean sheet.
The Spurs game was a very demanding one, I can't see this one being that intense, and no it didin't have anything to do with the size of the Wembley pitch, OT is exactly the same size ( 105 x 68 mtr), the players have had a ood long break, so Ole should be able to pick who he wants to, regardless of cramp and other issues.

[Dante]

Aye, clean sheets are what we need right now. Defence is still a shambles, so any solidity we can get is good.

[Glorio]

Tbh when we say the defense is a shambles, it seems a bit unfair on someone like Lindelof, who's been very good, even before Ole.

Against Spurs, Jones was being taken to school on a regular basis, whereas Lindelof actually played exceptionally.

There was a conscious decision to be "brave" and leave Martial and Rashford high up the pitch, which meant when they overloaded their right side of attack, Shaw was outnumbered, and Trippier usually got a free-ish cross in. It was up to the central defensive pair, and the supporting midfielders to deal with the incoming crosses; but Jones was found wanting just about every time

[Dante]

Lindelof is a walking disaster who sometimes has good games.

[Devil Pikney]

Lindelof is a walking disaster who sometimes has good games.

He does have his moments but that sounds a lot more like Smalling to me.
I think the jury is still out on Lindelof but if he can continue to improve his consistency through the rest of the season he just possibly could end up as an asset for the team.

[Dante]

Its all our central defenders.

[RedSte]

Lindelof is a walking disaster who sometimes has good games.

He does have his moments but that sounds a lot more like Smalling to me.
I think the jury is still out on Lindelof but if he can continue to improve his consistency through the rest of the season he just possibly could end up as an asset for the team.

I think it applies to both but Smalling is never going to improve now, whereas Im hopeful Lindelöf might. Therefore we should dump "Mike" and keep the Swede

[ArizonaRed]

Its all our central defenders.

100% correct

[RED3bution]

Lindelof is a walking disaster who sometimes has good games.

He does have his moments but that sounds a lot more like Smalling to me.
I think the jury is still out on Lindelof but if he can continue to improve his consistency through the rest of the season he just possibly could end up as an asset for the team.

I think it applies to both but Smalling is never going to improve now, whereas Im hopeful Lindelöf might. Therefore we should dump "Mike" and keep the Swede

Is smalling that bad though? I think he is our best man marker with ball at feet. Headers are a different issue for everyone. Our most rounded defender is actually Bailly imo, but you don't know when he will decide to play for or against his team. It's atrocious. It's like he gets a reward for that.

[ArizonaRed]

A lower table team at home after a big win last week, use to be almost a guaranteed three points, but the last few years these have been the game that have driven us all crazy. Brighton has the type of defense that has given us problems the last few years, but if we continue to take the game to them, with quick movement and crisp one touch passing we will get chances.
DeGea
Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw
Fred Herrera
Lingard Pogba Martial
Rashford Ideally we get off to a really good start that allows us to rest some players and get youngsters some minutes.

3 - Nil United

[raycreative]

Lindelof is a walking disaster who sometimes has good games.

He does have his moments but that sounds a lot more like Smalling to me.
I think the jury is still out on Lindelof but if he can continue to improve his consistency through the rest of the season he just possibly could end up as an asset for the team.

I think it applies to both but Smalling is never going to improve now, whereas Im hopeful Lindelöf might. Therefore we should dump "Mike" and keep the Swede

Nicky Butt summed Smalling up for me

He said you can tell Smalling came through the non league ranks by the way he positions himself for crosses
In non league,as a centre half, you place yourself around the penalty spot and wait for the cross
You can only get as high as you can jump from a standing start
Somebody good in the air such as Fellaini will anticipate where the cross is going to end up and runs to meet it
As he is running he can almost certainly get higher than somebody coming from a standing start and if you can't block off the attackers run he is going to win the header

That's why centre halves works as pairs ir Bruce and Palliser,Rio and Vidic
One blocks off the run(they know instinctively who it will be) and the other goes for the header(hopefully off a running start)
It then helps if one is a good player of the ball out of the defence(Rio and Pallister were both classy at that)

With our current mix and match we have Smalling who gets under the ball
Jones who goes for walkabouts and is always the wrong side
Bailly who is an accident waiting to happen
And none of them are capable of working as a pairing
That's why we need two centre halves or possibly just one if anybody with a football brain can find one who he sees as pairing with one we already have

Here endeth the coaching lesson
Maybe Ed Woodward with his football brain can find just one to help make a pair

[ArizonaRed]

Not much change to the starters;

deGea
Young
Jones
LIindelof
Shaw
Herrera
Matic
Lindgard
Pogba
Martial
Rashford

Subs: Dalot, Bailly, Romero, Mata, Lukaku, Pereira

[RedSte]

You up at what must be about 6am there! Respect!

[ArizonaRed]

Looks like Dalot is starting on the left?

[ArizonaRed]

Pogba penalty 1 - 0 United

[ArizonaRed]

A really good goal from Rashford. It can be easy to forget just how strong he is.

2 - 0 HT

[Dante]

Sounding tight on 5Live, we under the cosh?

[ArizonaRed]

Not under the cosh but much more defensive teh last 10 minutes.

[ArizonaRed]

6 on the bounce in the league for Ole.

2 - 1 FT

More nerve wracking than it needed to be, but than also the United way.

[Goku]

I feel we should have scored the third. A wonder goal from Rashford.

This team seems to drop off in the second half maybe due to lack of fitness as they have been doing a lot of work.

I think we need some rest with the first team. We score a lot of goals when we put teams under pressure.

Our goal difference should improve and the triangles that we pass will improve.

[Ole]

It's definitely lack of fitness. They can only last an hour or so at this intensity because under Mourinho, it was all about a slow, laboured build up.

Actually playing the Manchester United way involves a high level of fitness because nine times out of ten, it's a relentless onslaught.

[raycreative]

Second game in a row seen from a totally different light

If this was the Jose era we would have been accused of parking the bus and playing boring football but under Ole it became a "magnificent result"

Against Brighton despite some saying we were not under the cosh we were under the cosh
I would go as far as saying we were hanging on
If this was a jose team that had ended up clinging on he would have dogs abuse but as this is Ole the great run continues despite an average performance against an average and well organised team

I also like the comment that it is a fitness issue due to the way Jose played
Bollocks
These are professional footballers over half way through the season having a week training in the sun in the Middle East
If fitness is the issue they should be ashamed but honestly it is not

The same weakness's appeared again
Poor at defending set pieces as we have no centre halves who can dominate(still)
Fullbacks were better but not top class
When Pogba stopped dominating the team stopped playing

A good result with an average performance