The minute I saw our team choice, I knew we were going to be in for a long afternoon. It got me wondering what Mourinho is actually trying to achieve with the team he put out, and the tactics he employed.
Defence:
My first complaint would have to be why he chose Daley Blind over Luke Shaw. We all knew that Chelsea would be playing in a 3-5-2, and so our full back had to be very agile as he would be playing against the pacey wingers/wing backs Chelsea were playing with. Playing Blind against lesser opposition is fine, but against a team that can stretch you out like Chelsea, it was a suicidal mission.
Midfield:
Fellaini. He's been done to death on this board, so there is literally no point expanding on how much of a liability he is to our team. During the second part of the first half he was running around like a headless chicken in the opposition's half, with zero effect. Carrick, or even Schneiderlin are twenty times the better players in the defensive midfield position.
After another dazzling display in the number 10 role in midweek, Mata was again overlooked. Our best attacks went through him on Thursday, yet against our rivals, he is on the bench? Pogba thrives on having players like Mata and Herrera in the team.
Onto another puzzling decision from Mourinho. Including both Rashford and Lingard in the team and employing them to go so deep to create a back 6 when defending. It was one of the most puzzling and poor decisions I've seen from Mourinho, and led to us soaking up so much unnecessary pressure and practically no option for any of our midfielders to choose from when moving the ball forwards. In fact, the only person I saw actually playing wide was Valencia. Martial also had a decent game midweek, and yet was dropped again for an important clash.
What's been very clear to me so far this season, especially in the big games, is how defensive and cautious Mourinho has made us. You see the opposition are confident enough to include more attacking minded players and trust that their defensive players will do their job.
Puzzled by Mourinho's team choice
posted on 24/10/16
More pace, but Shaw certainly does not offer more guile.
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I never said he did.
posted on 24/10/16
Too early for the Fosu-Mensah hype to begin,imo.
He's still all potential.
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No harm in giving him a bit more playing time.
I think Pogba's already played too much football as it is.
posted on 24/10/16
It's because of the way players grow up these days. They're discovered when they're still children then pampered the rest of their lives earning more money in a week as a teenager than the average person earns in a year. They have little sense of reality or struggle and thus don't grow any f-cking balls.
It was nice to read that Tv viewing figures for football on sky and BT have dropped 20% this season. The sooner less money is pumped into the game the better it'll be IMO.
posted on 24/10/16
Yep,just read a article on the Guardian based on the drop off on viewing figures.
(Funnily enough there's a fair amount of comments based on the response of the United players after yesterdays game.)
posted on 24/10/16
It was a little odd how our players didn't really seem to care when the whistle went?
posted on 24/10/16
Frankly, they're just a bunch of overpaid mercenaries.
If they dont care then neither will the supporters.
posted on 24/10/16
Did you read the other week it came out that while Rafael was injured for Lyon last season he gave every penny to charity. There are still some likeable players, not many though.
posted on 24/10/16
1982
I would take Raf at RB over any of those at the club at present, if only he wasn't made of balsa wood.
posted on 24/10/16
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 1 hour, 44 minutes ago
1982
I would take Raf at RB over any of those at the club at present, if only he wasn't made of balsa wood.
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Indeed. I think it's testament to his character that he was a stand-out performer in the Moyes season when he was fit.
I think there's a few other players that I look back at and think it was a mistake to let them go and/or not replace their *character*.
Two names stand out - and I admit they may divide opinion - but Hernandez and Nani. Say what you like about them, but Hernandez was a trier - he'd never give up. And say what you like about Nani, but he was never afraid to get on the ball and keep trying to make things happen. He spent several years under Ferguson of course and he's a standout player for Portugal consistently.
There's definitely a fragility about the current squad.
posted on 24/10/16
. And say what you like about Nani, but he was never afraid to get on the ball and keep trying to make things happen.
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Early on Berba. But in his later years he used to stop at taking on the defender and pass it back. It frustrated the hell out of me because I knew what he was capable of.