Match Threads Manchester United vs Spurs - Match Thread

rossdapep said:

Looking at how we have played against both Newcastle and Fulham we are surrendering possession more frequently and I do believe this is partly down to an adaption in how we are set up to play. At the same time we still have the gears to move up should we need to.

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I've been thinking for years that camping in the opposition half is not working against bus parkers. Letting teams come out and spread out opens up space. We just needed to be able to exploit it quickly when it happens. Dele had 2 chances to make the score more than humiliating for United last night in these very situations. Shame he couldn't punish them as it could have made it a 4-5 nil thrashing. Imagine that!

MyNameIsNicolaBerti said:

Dele has very much matured over the last 18 months or so. He has learned how to control his frustration. Personally I am very pleased at the increasing maturity he is show, something nobody has yet given him credit for, not least the tools last season demanding he be dropped.

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Totally agree. But football fans of other teams will never let it go.
Kinda reminds me of people always saying BMW drivers never indicate. Yes they do. Not all of them, but not all drivers of any car indicate. It's time to let your 1970's prejudice go buddy.

Grey Fox said:

Poch has just wiped snot in his hair

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That was Mourinho’s soul

Gassin's finest said:

Wrongun...

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Ledley's a legend mate.

riggi said:

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I’m Soweee.

Please can I face away from the wall now uncle Graham

We weren't at it in the first half. It looked very much the identical theme to our recent trips to this ground where our players seem to be stuck in treacle. Wanting too many touches, underhit passes, players dithering.

That said their only clear chance was as a result of a big mistake by Rose. Lukaku should have buried it - the angle wasn't tight because the pass had so little weight on it Lloris as quick as he is -wasn't able to tighten the angle. Had that been put it the crowd would have been up and the game would have been different.

However not just in favour of Utd but because it would have woken us up and play with urgency. We came from 1-0 down at Stamford Bridge to dominate and win and we were pretty gash in the first half at Anfield last season but dominated the second and probably should have won it. We came from 2-0 down to get a very well deserved 2-2 draw at Juventus and again could have won that. So in 2018 we have done alright in big away games.

So when we went in at half time at 0-0 - while it was no a first half to be positive about - the fact that we knew we are much more capable of that and that we had more gears to switch in was the hope. Whereas for Utd all that huff and puff may have been all they had in their circumstances.

And the boys delivered. Lucas was dynamite all game. His brilliant penetrating run should have been rewarded with a penalty in the first half. That's what we hoped for when he joined. We signed a player who lost his way a little but still with his peak years to come, and with an exemplary attitude since he joined. He was scarcely used after he joined to May largely because it's very difficult for a new signing to get used to this league, used to Pochettino's regime and more-so for him since he barely played for PSG from August to January. However that breaking period is baring its fruit now because we are seeing the 1v1 attacker we have all been wanting.

There are some players who look better than the ability they hold because of the system. There are some players who make the system. And there are some players who can perform great without the system. Take Eden Hazard who has only played under defensive coaches until Sarri has come in at Chelsea, yet has been one of the world's top players. Under Sarri he should go further given the rest of the team is going to play a front-foot attacking style of play. I'm not going to say Lucas is that level but maybe he can be. Last night was great evidence.

The two Belgian boys were at their stellar best together. We saw Jan's tenacity and aggression and Toby's ability to read the play and nip things in the bud. Other players grew into the game too like Dembele, Eriksen and Trippier. Alli was good throughout because in the first half he was one of the few along with Lucas who upped the tempo. He also covered lots of ground and probably should have scored. Alli has played a more box to box style in these opening games and looks like he really enjoys it.

And lastly, while Lloris's charge is inexcusable and the Utd fans had a bit of fun with it, he played an excellent match. Probably the best I've seen since Real Madrid away because everything he was asked of whether it was making saves, anticipating and sweeping up danger, crosses and distribution was superb.

Did Hugo make a save last night ?

KILLA_SIN said:

Did Hugo make a save last night ?

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Yeah, a vital one to keep the score at 1-0. We went up the other end and Moura'd the fuck out of United after that.

KILLA_SIN said:

Did Hugo make a save last night ?

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Early one from Pogba.

Gb160 said:

Early one from Pogba.

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Made a really good one off Lukaku early in the second half.

dtxspurs said:

Made a really good one off Lukaku early in the second half.

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I remember shitting myself at this point as the ball continually bounced off our players to land at their feet. This particular occasion was down to Dembele's poor touch, and my turtle head crawled back to whence it came once Lloris palmed away Lukaku's shot.

Anybody else think that Lukaku just isn't that great? He's clearly no where near Kane as a player. Can't fully tell if he's just not being used correctly based on the other players around him or what but he just doesn't scare me at this point.

Locotoro said:

To be fair to Mourinho he's got a point. He sets out a team to win (the way he knows how) by playing the defensive turgid stuff and plays the percentage game. Fans and mainly media say "It's not the result that counts it's the style". Ok so now he's trying to play a more attacking style which he doesn't know how to at a club like United and yes they got beat 3-0 but they did play more attacking than expected. But seems the result is more important than style.

If you hire a defensive manager you should expect defensive football and not criticise him for doing so.

Yes, he's an arse but that's something else.

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Totally agree jose was never the right fit for Man U.
Jose will win things and grind out results but United has always demanded attacking football first and foremost and that was never going to happen and now they are sort of stuck in the middle

dtxspurs said:

Anybody else think that Lukaku just isn't that great? He's clearly no where near Kane as a player. Can't fully tell if he's just not being used correctly based on the other players around him or what but he just doesn't scare me at this point.

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Jan and Toby seem to always handle him well. The only decent game he has had vs us was last season at theirs when Sanchez and Dier played in a back 3 with jan iirc

dondo said:

Jan and Toby seem to always handle him well. I only decent game he has had vs us was last season at theirs when Sanchez and Dier played in a back 3 with jan iirc

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The player on ManU that always scared me was Martial.

dtxspurs said:

Anybody else think that Lukaku just isn't that great? He's clearly no where near Kane as a player. Can't fully tell if he's just not being used correctly based on the other players around him or what but he just doesn't scare me at this point.

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looks like butterbean at the moment too. think he's carrying way too much timber.....

danielneeds said:

It was Trippier's corner that Kane scored from, mate.

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You can tell Eriksen didn’t take the corner as it missed the first man.
Eriksen is a wonderful player but trippier taking corners is long overdue

dtxspurs said:

Anybody else think that Lukaku just isn't that great? He's clearly no where near Kane as a player. Can't fully tell if he's just not being used correctly based on the other players around him or what but he just doesn't scare me at this point.

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He's the Belgian Ricardo Fuller.

dtxspurs said:

The player on ManU that always scared me was Martial.

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Sanchez for me, he always seems to score against us

dondo said:

Sanchez for me, he always seems to score against us

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He's been pretty shit since he got there.

Guntz said:

He's the Belgian Ricardo Fuller.

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He's the Belgian Jozy Altidore.