The Blame Game

[Penk Wolf]

As we were sitting deeper and deeper and United were pushing up more and more, do you not think his instructions were to just go for it whenever he received the ball and he took it a bit too literally?

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

As we were sitting deeper and deeper and United were pushing up more and more, do you not think his instructions were to just go for it whenever he received the ball and he took it a bit too literally?

Definitely, there were a couple of occasions where i was expecting him to run it down into the corner, but he went for goal and had a couple of efforts. I initially thought that Nuno's 2nd chat (when Doc and Boly were down) with AT was to tell him to be more conservative, on reflection i think it was to tell him to shoot on sight!

 

[Boozad]

I was absolutely furious that he didn't pass it! He definitely should have played it either side!

Raul was the best bet, he was in acres of space and would have buried it from there. MGW was in a more awkward position with a couple who could have closed him down and De Gea had committed to that side already. Raul was completely on his Jack.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

One goal by Man Utd that was as good as unavoidable. That's it since August.

None of our English defenders are better than Lewis Dunk though.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

One goal by Man Utd that was as good as unavoidable. That's it since August.

None of our English defenders are better than Lewis Dunk though.

Selfishly if Coady isn't picked he stays fresh for us. I didn't realise his captaincy pedigree for England. Every level bar senior!

 

[Jack Regan]

One goal by Man Utd that was as good as unavoidable. That's it since August.

None of our English defenders are better than Lewis Dunk though.

Dunk is easily worth £40 million according to no such other luminary as Garth Crooks. For what its worth I quite like Dunk as a player, I cant say I've seen enough of him this season though to say whether he's in better form than Coady or Bennett.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Rui Patricio is considered world class and has been awesome. So should do better than be wrong footed from 30 yards. Not a howler but I would expect him to save those more often than not. Bennett can have a blame token for the second. His namby Pamby challenge was ineffectual although there were other candidates.

 

[The Bear]

I thought Rui was unsighted for the first and didn't expect it to go through everyone.

Personally I thought he maybe could have done slightly better with the second. It was a good finish but at a narrow angle and the ball went straight past his body under his arms.

Who was it who lost the ball for the 2nd? Was it Doc, because he was out of position up field which meant Bennett had a big problem on his hands down that side?

 

[Tony Towner]

I think there is some mitigation for Patricio as he would have only seen it late, but ultimately he got beat from 30yds by a ball that neither took a deflection nor went in the corner so he should be disappointed.

For the second there's a collective brain fart around manically trying to score straight away rather than keeping shape. Bennett shouldn't be isolated like that, but if he is he should do better. As I said on the verdict thread they used the space behind our wing backs well.

 

[Trips]

I thought Rui was unsighted for the first and didn't expect it to go through everyone.

Personally I thought he maybe could have done slightly better with the second. It was a good finish but at a narrow angle and the ball went straight past his body under his arms.

Who was it who lost the ball for the 2nd? Was it Doc, because he was out of position up field which meant Bennett had a big problem on his hands down that side?

I think it was Moutinho who lost the ball for the second goal

 

[east-coast-wolves]

Rui got to take some blame for the first. Went though some legs but only on the edge of the box, and wasn't exactly a rocket in the corner.

Blame on everyone for totally losing shape for the second, but particularly Moutinho and Bennett.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

It sounds like I am staying the bleeding obvious but our game under Nuno is built from solidity at the back. The " every game starts at 0 0 ,make sure it gets no worse than that " Shankly-ism is so true. To win games we are set up not to concede the first goal. Conceding 2 in a minute yesterday was pretty much game over. We needed a quick response and despite a better second half Watford saw us off like a boxer who knocked his opponent down twice in the opening rounds and then boxed behind the jab for the rest of the fight. So on the blame front Costa, Jota and Raul have not been anywhere near clinical enough so far this season. That is an urgent area of improvement required. We need to be capable of coming back in games.

 

[AndyWolves]

It sounds like I am staying the bleeding obvious but our game under Nuno is built from solidity at the back. The " every game starts at 0 0 ,make sure it gets no worse than that " Shankly-ism is so true. To win games we are set up not to concede the first goal. Conceding 2 in a minute yesterday was pretty much game over. We needed a quick response and despite a better second half Watford saw us off like a boxer who knocked his opponent down twice in the opening rounds and then boxed behind the jab for the rest of the fight. So on the blame front Costa, Jota and Raul have not been anywhere near clinical enough so far this season. That is an urgent area of improvement required. We need to be capable of coming back in games.

I agree with this

Our strength in 343 can also be our weakness, I do sometimes think it leaves us a man light in attack

 

[Premier Quality]

It’s fine when at least two of the front three are firing - none of them really are at the moment, and it’s a real worry. They’re all working hard but the quality is lacking.

 

[Nando]

Jimenez had a goal or assist in his last 5 before yesterday. That's good going for anybody playing up top outside of the top six.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Jimenez had a goal or assist in his last 5 before yesterday. That's good going for anybody playing up top outside of the top six.

https://www.premierleague.com/players/11071/Raúl-Jiménez/stats

But he is not clinical enough. These stats show 7 big misses. So far. It's not about work or efforts it's about clinical finishing

 

[Nando]

https://www.premierleague.com/players/11071/Raúl-Jiménez/stats

But he is not clinical enough. These stats show 7 big misses. So far. It's not about work or efforts it's about clinical finishing

If he was Aguero-like in front of goal, he wouldn't be playing for us.

Sure, someone like Glenn Murray will score more across the season, but you get none of the link play, which is fundamental to how we play.

The wide men need to step up their efforts in the final third as no goals from either of them so far is difficult to justify.

 

[Deano]

Jota has been very disappointing so far thought he was really poor again yesterday. He’s not been a threat to defences at all so far at this level.

 

[YoungWolf]

I thought Jota was the only of the front three who showed anything at all.

 

[Johnny75]

If he was Aguero-like in front of goal, he wouldn't be playing for us.

Sure, someone like Glenn Murray will score more across the season, but you get none of the link play, which is fundamental to how we play.

The wide men need to step up their efforts in the final third as no goals from either of them so far is difficult to justify.

I agree with all of this. We had quite a few efforts on goal from just outside the box and not one hit the target. Cav's header was a poor miss too. Jimenez is barely getting a shot on goal and I think that has more to do with us not creating for him.

Costa for all his endeavour yesterday had no support from anybody and was crowded out a fair bit whilst Jota was far better with a left footed left wing back outside him. He doesn't look the same player with Jonny at LWB even though Jonny is a very good player.