[redforever56]

judging by the efforts of TC, Carrick and TC, i'm not certain they will have recovered for this game, the 3 of them looked like they had nothing in the tank.

 

[redforever56]

A team is due a hiding at OT this season and it might just be Spurs. The team is on a roll now. It's not perfect by any stretch but we have seen improvements with Young, Cleverley and Welbeck. The return of Fletcher is a boost to everyone. Carrick is back as well. Rooney to follow suit. The run of fixtures over the Christmas period has counteracted our difficult start of season fixture list. We are in a good place at the moment, well mentally anyway.

It would be nice but I don't think we have the squad to give anyone a hiding, we are clawing our way back up the table, United must win every game in order to catch up, Arsenal have come through a difficult period and have a run of winnable games, as do Everton and Liverpool. Arguably we are still not in the best form with a number of injuries, and tough games ahead. There is no room for error, top four is still attainable but not without a healthy squad and perhaps an addition or two.
It also depends on what happens in the transfer window for the other clubs also. Chelsea is in need of a striker and has one at everton, why they refuse to give him a chance is beyond me.

 

[redforever56]

I would say this is a big test for Moyes and United, it's the first top 10 club they have faced since going on this latest run of results, have to say I'm a bit concerned with this game. I said the last time we played Spurs that it was a must win in order for us to stay close to the top four. I'm going to repeat myself and say it's a must win. Spurs look a bit rejuvenated under Sherwood.

 

[redforever56]

Toni V's back from serving a suspension earned from the red card during the Hull game but Rafael's definitely out for god-knows-how-long ...so NO chance of that pairing featuring @ all tonite :ROFL::ROFL:

He had the beating of the LB at White Hart Lane, but had absolutely no end product, if memory serves me, he was 1 for 11 in crossing attempts.

 

[redforever56]

A strange game for United so far, I thought for the first time this season they were playing with pace and energy both with and without the ball, lots of quick movement and passing, but the end product from TV and Adnan is not good.Spurs look clinical on the counter. United need more from CM Carrick and Cleverly are non existent with the ball.
I'm thinkin we need to change tactics and try and attack through the middle, perhaps Kagawa for TC and drop Rooney back deeper, Valencia has been true to form, pitiful end product.
This is it, United need to score 2 or more to win this otherwise all the good work prior to this game has been wasted, we look devoid of ideas and cohesion in the box.
Lots of positive signs though

 

[redforever56]

Not for the first time this season, when needing a win United have come up short. I thought we played well in the first 15-20 minutes, I thought our ball recovery was excellent, our movement excellent and our passing crisp, sadly we had Antonio Valencia providing the service, which was abysmal. for the third time this season Moyes dropped Valencia back to RB and for the third time he cost us a goal, it was a panic move by Moyes which was unnecessary.
Again we were far too predictable trying to play wide, despite our possession and pressure in the last 30 minutes of the game there was no real controlled attack, it was all a bit hap hazard with us again still trying to force the ball wide. I thought dropping Rooney back and bringing Kagawa on was a smart move, except we made no effort to try and bring the ball forward through either one of them and we ended up looking disorganized.
At the end of the day it was our play in the final third that cost us again, poor crossing, poor passing, poor touches and too many players bunched up in the same area, having a manager such as SAF on the sidelines is entirely different than Moyes, as a player you must have belief beyond doubt that you will score to comeback, no such luck with Moyes.
United deserved better today, but we are our own worst enemy, 2 sloppy goals given up and a distinct lack of quality in the final third cost us the points.

 

[redforever56]

Manchester United manager David Moyes: "The performance was really good. It was a stonewall penalty kick and sending off for the goalkeeper. I find it unbelievable that the referee doesn't give a penalty kick and a sending off.
"Then he goes and books Adnan Januzai for diving. I find it incredible. People who employ referees are going to have to look at that. Today we played well. We're not asking for anything, we're asking for the right thing. I don't know what's a penalty kick if that's not.
"I thought we defended really well, got done by a couple of counter-attacks today. The boys played well and we couldn't take the opportunities when they came along.
"All you can do is play well and hope you take the opportunities when they come. Their effort was terrific in trying to come back from 2-0 down. We didn't deserve to be behind. We'll keep trying to win the next game, that's all you can do. We're not necessarily looking at the league table."



You know things are bad when the manager bangs on about a penalty we didn't get and seems to think we actually played well.
As I said previously, I hope that's just a public front. Otherwise, we're in dire danger of not even getting into the Ch League lplaces next season. New blood is needed NOW.

That bit in bold - that's what managers fighting relegation say! Though of course we do now have a manager who thinks mid-table. That's another problem we've got!

We did play well in the first 30mins, we pressed and recovered the ball well, our movement and passing were very good just not in the final third. The second half we lacked any direction and attacking tactics, we needed to bring the ball through the middle and we needed better quality.

 

[redforever56]

Manchester United manager David Moyes: "The performance was really good. It was a stonewall penalty kick and sending off for the goalkeeper. I find it unbelievable that the referee doesn't give a penalty kick and a sending off.
"Then he goes and books Adnan Januzai for diving. I find it incredible. People who employ referees are going to have to look at that. Today we played well. We're not asking for anything, we're asking for the right thing. I don't know what's a penalty kick if that's not.
"I thought we defended really well, got done by a couple of counter-attacks today. The boys played well and we couldn't take the opportunities when they came along.
"All you can do is play well and hope you take the opportunities when they come. Their effort was terrific in trying to come back from 2-0 down. We didn't deserve to be behind. We'll keep trying to win the next game, that's all you can do. We're not necessarily looking at the league table."



You know things are bad when the manager bangs on about a penalty we didn't get and seems to think we actually played well.
As I said previously, I hope that's just a public front. Otherwise, we're in dire danger of not even getting into the Ch League lplaces next season. New blood is needed NOW.

That bit in bold - that's what managers fighting relegation say! Though of course we do now have a manager who thinks mid-table. That's another problem we've got!

I think Webb got his decisions right, don't think it was a penalty, I totally agree with your comment that we have a manager who thinks mid table, "we'll keep trying" is very passive.

 

[redforever56]

For me the biggest issue is how Moyes sets up the team against so called bigger teams. Its a defensive and cagey mindset which doesn't help us at all tbh. We have well documented midfield and defensive problems but by using these tactics, we just get teams running at us and today was no different.

Fergie understood this and so send his teams out to attack and attack - it papers over these cracks when you have the ball far from our own goals.

If anything United had an attacking impetus yesterday and got caught on the counter, we had enough of the ball that we should have scored more, but our passing and crossing was dire, not to mention we were predictable attacking from wide positions.

 

[redforever56]

We had the ball enough yesterday and had enough territorial advantage, that we should have won the game. We lost because our quality of passing and crossing was not good enough, we lost because we had nothing in attack centrally, we lost because we defended poorly on the 2 goals, with a makeshift right back costing us the second goal, we lost because we had no one who was able to find that half a yard of space or that touch needed, to put the ball in the back of the net.

 

[redforever56]

Just watched MOTD and have to say the view I had at the game about Webb was confirmed.Two shocking decisions from the supposed best ref in the league , first not to award a pen to us after Lloris took Young out 2 nd to book Januzaj after he was barged down by Rose.
Even Robbie Fowler said Webb was wrong. It's almost as if Webb has heard all the ' agent Webb ' jokes and is determined to prove them wrong.
I have seen pens given for less than Chiricles tackle on Welbeck too.

I'm on the fence about the penalties tbh, but what I don't like is Moyes's reaction about not getting the calls. these things have a way of evening themselves out over time, the non calls did not lose us the game, our own inability to score and defend 2 easy attacks, was what cost us. We are MUFC and should not have to rely on refeering decisions to win us games. Moyes came across as a whinger in post match interview.

 

[redforever56]

Normally I hate to moan about the ref but the fact is that the foul on Young was blatant and not a tough decision.Everyone is entitled to fair play.I am also concerned about Januzaj, are refs going to adopt the attitude that every time he hits the deck he has dived ?
Finally one of the greatest football myths going is that decisions even themselves out over the course if a season, they don't .Bad decisions are bad decisions end of.

You are right about bad decisions, however a few years back United were awarded a penalty against Spurs, I believe it was against the GK Gomes for bringing down Carrick, I think it was the last forward run Carrick has made( cynical) it was not a penalty and it helped United win the game, it was a bad decision at the time and it affected the outcome. It was a non call yesterday and probably a bad decision which may have affected the outcome, no doubt Webb would have given it to Chelsea( a bit cynical on my part).
The refs are human and see things in real time, human error will always come into it and it's part of the game, I would hate to bring video into the game, it would slow it down. If United had won that game it would be a non issue, Moyes was deflecting from the real issue yesterday, we lost because of our lack of quality in the final third and his inability to change tactics.
As for Adnan, yes he is getting a reputation, the easiest way for him to lose the reputation is to stop diving and falling to the ground so easily, it's a blight on football all these divers, Oscars dive yesterday was Oscar worthy.