Ratings & Reactions: Man Utd v Villa

[TRO]

That was a Defensive horror show, could have been 5 or 6.....This was always coming and even after we went 2-0 up, it was a nervy affair....and our general play was not convincing, in the slightest.

We surrendered the initiative....by losing duels and misplaced passes, due to being closed down, by willing runners....we stopped competing after we took the lead.

We never really dealt with the bullies, like we should, we rarely do.

This has been coming, and we have been riding our luck against lesser teams...even when we have won.

It got Uniteds season back on track, its a trait we had in the past.

When opponents, get their mojo back, against us, or score their first goal.....It should tell us something, about what we are doing.

I hope it influences the thinking for Jan 1

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by TRO

[John]

A game of two halves. Two nil and we ****** it up! The Mancs were there for the taking, they have had a miserable first half to the season, they were poor at the start today and their crowd were on their backs at half time. Ten Hag was rescued by an inept Villa in the second half and by that lot playing at their best against us, against all the odds, for probably the first and only time this season. Of course their misfiring striker, who just never scores for them, scored their winner tonight, as we all knew that he would. At 2-0 up, I thought this couldn't possibly happen again could it? Of course it could, this has happened so often to us against them. 

We really need to beat Burnley now. Two disappointing results within a week is more than enough, we don't want a run of such results to develop and we need to get points on the board before too big a dent is put in what had been such a tremendous season, before these two games halted our progress. Our winning home run has ended, as has our habit of winning the games we take the lead in and of bouncing back after a poor performance. Let's make this a two game blip and not a slump of the like that we have suffered as a club in the past. It has been a miserable and disappointing week for us, but we can put that behind us at the weekend. 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, villa4europe said:

Anyone but these words removed

 

If ever there is a team, that gives United, belief............its us.

They scored 18 goals before today, and we make them look like a free scoring goal machine.

as a team, on nights like this we are defensively horrendous....not a clue how to close a game down, and see it out, playing suicide football.

Everton have conceded less than us in 16th place.

[TRO]

8 hours ago, John said:

A game of two halves. Two nil and we ****** it up! The Mancs were there for the taking, they have had a miserable first half to the season, they were poor at the start today and their crowd were on their backs at half time. Ten Hag was rescued by an inept Villa in the second half and by that lot playing at their best against us, against all the odds, for probably the first and only time this season. Of course their misfiring striker, who just never scores for them, scored their winner tonight, as we all knew that he would. At 2-0 up, I thought this couldn't possibly happen again could it? Of course it could, this has happened so often to us against them. 

We really need to beat Burnley now. Two disappointing results within a week is more than enough, we don't want a run of such results to develop and we need to get points on the board before too big a dent is put in what had been such a tremendous season, before these two games halted our progress. Our winning home run has ended, as has our habit of winning the games we take the lead in and of bouncing back after a poor performance. Let's make this a two game blip and not a slump of the like that we have suffered as a club in the past. It has been a miserable and disappointing week for us, but we can put that behind us at the weekend. 

The signs were there during the game John....even when we went 2-0 up....our play was not convincing for a leading team.

The manner of our play invited united in to the game, they may not have had a chance in, by a team of stronger character.....we simply wilted, and just seemed to be overwhelmed by the pressure.

We couldn't stay on the ball.....and they could smell blood, it was just a matter of time.

Our off the ball work, simply couldn't match theirs, and they suffocated us, in to submission.

Its simply happened too many times, like this.

Edited December 27, 2023 by TRO

[briny_ear]

I’ve often thought this thread should be renamed “Ratings and Overreactions” and tonight it has truly earned that name. Some posts here literally take the breath away.

I look forward to someone opening a Relegation Thread tomorrow. 

[TRO]

In games like this it just highlights the fact, that we let teams play at times...too easily.

Sheff Utd....just closed us down and shut us out.....is it beyond us to revert to such a plan, after going 2 goals up away from home....we did it against Spurs away.

Why oh why, do we play so naive and open against United....they must think we are Santa Claus.

[TRO]

2 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

I’ve often thought this thread should be renamed “Ratings and Overreactions” and tonight it has truly earned that name. Some posts here literally take the breath away.

I look forward to someone opening a Relegation Thread tomorrow. 

That was bad Briny, even you must confess to that.

What gets me angry the most is....I could see it coming....I would guess many fans could too.

[Xela]

9 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

Some posts here literally take the breath away.

I look forward to someone opening a Relegation Thread tomorrow. 

No wonder we are renowned for having difficult and fickle fans. Some of the overreactions make me despair.

Tonight was disappointing, no doubt, but no need for meltdowns. 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, Tom13 said:

Absolute horror show.

Aside from two set pieces created fa against a bang average side, and let them back into the game giving up chance after chance.

Pathetic!

I don't think they are a bang average side Tom.....They have been made that way by opponents, who shut them down.

They have some really talented players, like us.....deny them time and space, and they look bang average, like we did....give them time and space, like we did, and they will play like that.

We are not very good at stopping opponents, we win games by out playing them, when we are afforded space.....We have to find a defensive/robust edge to our game to claim the top spots, consistently.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by TRO

[Xela]

2 hours ago, Mark Albrighton said:

And we’re third in the league. And I think we’re third in the form over 2023. Just set a club record for home victories. Most number of victories in one year.

Would any of that have happened if mentality was as big of an issue as you insist it is? 

Setting several club records the hallmark of mentally weak sides is it?

Well said but you won't change the mind of a negative nelly. 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, Rosch said:

We’re afraid of heights. 

and players that run at us.

[TRO]

3 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Probably worse performance since Liverpool. We lose 2 key players and the drop in quality is why we will always struggle to finish top 4.  Hopefully we have enough to beat Burnley and then Kamara, Torres and Tielemans return for Jan.

The traits of openness was similar, as they was against Newcastle....I have a real concern about our defensive qualities and I have for some time....we still concede too easily and too often for a top placed side.

despite the 2 well worked goals.....you simply cannot play like that, so passively, and expect to be going anywhere.....we made United, look like Title contenders, in the second half.

They have scored 18 all season, before tonight......We gifted them that performance....it was shocking at times from us.

 

[Xela]

Disappointing day at the office, some mistakes made, these things happen. We're not going to win every game!

Half way through the season, and we're on 39 points. I'd have snatched your hand off at that after the 5-1 Newcastle game. 

[TRO]

7 hours ago, Xela said:

Disappointing day at the office, some mistakes made, these things happen. We're not going to win every game!

Half way through the season, and we're on 39 points. I'd have snatched your hand off at that after the 5-1 Newcastle game. 

Thats a euphemism imo....There has been traits of that in other games too.

and we are not going to win games, we expect to, playing like that.

The season, is not the issue.....its games where the performances are not convincing, and the good past results could be under threat, as a consequence.

We all want a top 4 place.....we won't get that, with some or our play being substandard.

UE will be fuming at that, even if some fans are happy with our current league placing......just remember, we are not where we are in the table, through playing like that.

Edited December 27, 2023 by TRO

[TomC]

2 hours ago, Jas10 said:

I think many of us need to realise that Unai has got this squad over performing… there isn’t a heap of quality or even form beyond our strongest 11.

In form and uninjured, we're deeper than 11.

Emi, Cash, Diego, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Pau, Moreno, Doug, McGinn, Tielemans, Buendia, Diaby, Bailey, JJ, Kamara, Watkins. That's 17 that are capable first teamers.

I'm sure that some will disagree with players in this list (Tom13 about Cash, Delphinho about Bueni) but I don't think too many would narrow that list down past 14 or 15.

Losing both Mings and Bueni for a whole season has hurt with depth, though, because that does reduce the list from 17 to 15. Then take out Tielemans, Pau, Kamara, and Cash as unavailable (Cash is out of form anyway). Then take out Diaby and JJ as out of form. Now you see why we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, Sulberto21 said:

After the performance today we need 3 players.

The right players too....in positions of effect.

not more fancy dan wingers.

[TRO]

3 hours ago, Jas10 said:

Anyway… Unai was pissed off n unhappy…

he will sort it out… 

Standards and demands are higher than ever… players that can’t meet them will be replaced with better.

To be fair Jas......There was things from us tonight, bottom half of the table team fans would be peed off about.

He will sort it out....he was fuming.

[Xela]

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

and we are not going to win games, we expect to, playing like that.

The season, is not the issue.....its games where the performances are not convincing, and the good past results could be under threat.

We all want a top 4 place.....we won't get that, with some or our play being substandard.

UE will be fuming at that, even if some fans are happy with our current league placing......just remember, we are not where we are in the table, through playing like that.

We're not going to play fantastically well every game either. Sometimes good teams play poorly - look at Man City in recent weeks. 

The team isn't going to be 100% on it every single game, no team is. How we react for the next game is important. 

I sometimes feel the fans expect too much. We're well ahead of where we should be based on squad strength/depth. 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Xela

[TRO]

10 minutes ago, Xela said:

We're not going to play fantastically well every game either. Sometimes good teams play poorly - look at Man City in recent weeks. 

The team isn't going to be 100% on it every single game, no team is. How we react for the next game is important. 

I sometimes feel the fans expect too much. We're well ahead of where we should be based on squad strength/depth. It was never going to be an overnight project. 

I don't feel the fans expected too much after going 2-0 up tonight, I think they was let down....I think in view of our league status, and theirs........most fans nationally, would think we would have gone on and won it.

However, We have to move on, so any amount of mitigation, can be applied to sooth/massage the feel good factor......The fact is, that was poor in so many ways.

No team is always on it, thats right.....but we are only as good as our worst performance, as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

On the evidence of last night, and a few other games, this season.... we still have a way to go.

Maybe the good thing to come out of this is, the stupidity of the title talk will now fade away.

Edited December 27, 2023 by TRO

[KentVillan]

Arsenal fans wanking over this result because supposedly this is a classic Unai bottle job … rather than a tricky away fixture with a depleted squad.

Need to make sure we don’t buy into the narrative and just get on with picking up points. Unai continues to work miracles here.