19 Jan 2021 09:11:07
Good morning gents,

As always I like to take a day or two for the dust to settle before adding my two penneth.

On reflection I think this was 2 points lost rather than 1 point gained. Yes, Liverpool have a tremendous home record but they also had no centre backs on the pitch. Our team selection was completely wrong, as evidenced by Cavani coming on for Martial after an hour. Cavani's physicality and movement from the start would have caused far more problems for Fabinho and Henderson. Shoehorning Pogba into the side is also not great viewing. When has Pogba ever played in right midfield? He was completely lost out there. I also hate to see the two holding midfielders start. We have an abundance of quality in there and playing Fred or McTominay alongside Pogba or DVB would have matched up much better to Thiago et al. You could see the problem caused to Liverpool defence when Fred drove forward (for once) .

We have come a long way in the last few weeks, and we are still top until City play their game in hand. We've clearly closed the gap, but the teams above us have come back to the pack more than we have caught them up.

Ole needs to start making better decisions. Martial has had chance after chance yet usually disappoints and Pogba clearly doesn't fit into the shape Ole wants to play. If Pogba is set to leave at the end of the year and doesn't have a clear place in the side then I can't understand why DVB can't get on the pitch. He's well suited to starting alongside McTominay, Fred or Matic but Ole doesn't fancy it for whatever reason.

There's a long way to go, we are in with a shout so let's see what happens.

1.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 09:39:24
When has anyone in our squad played right midfield as they're best position?

Reality is we have one out and out right winger in our squad now and he's an 18 year old who signed a couple days ago.

We are going to have continue shoehorning players in that position, james, greenwood, mata, rashford, martial, pogba, vdb, diallo, pellistri will all get a run out at right wing at some point in the second half of the season.

2.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 11:03:09
The RW position should have been addressed years ago. We don’t have a single player in our squad that is natural or comfortable in that position. Maybe Diallo but he’s an 18 year old kid with no experience of first team football.

We must not forget a disastrous summer window where Ole got none of his first choice signings.

The Cavani deal clearly wasn’t planned and was a desperate last minute deal. He’s done ok, added depth to the squad but is not first choice.

I have no idea behind the VdB signing. The cynic in me thinks he was a cheaper alternative to Grealish but they are totally different players and obviously not what Ole wanted. In many ways his arrival has caused more problems than solutions. Maybe he’ll fulfil Pogba’s role when he eventually leaves in the summer? His signing smacks of very good player available at a decent price with negotiations facilitated by a Utd legend. There doesn’t appear to be any consideration to what type of player he is or where he was going to play. He might yet be a success but he’s never going to play regularly at No10 ahead of Bruno and I’m not convinced Ole wants to use him in the double pivot!

Telles has provided good competition for Shaw but is obviously not first choice.

The two young kids Pellestri and Diallo I class as development players not ready for the first team and may never even make the jump to first team football.

Ole entered this season without adequate backing and none of the summer signings can be considered first choice. Cavani, VdB and Telles have added depth to the squad but not improved the starting 11!

I think it’s incredible we sit top of the league and we shouldn’t forgot the failed Sancho pursuit after making him our top priority and the chaos that followed!

Ole may inevitably fall short but we also have an incompetent board making crucial footballing decisions without the necessary knowledge, expertise or experience.

I’m going to enjoy this moment whilst it’s last cause it might be short lived.

3.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 11:09:14
It's great people's reaction AFTER the game. Before the game Liverpool were favorites with the bookies, majority of pundits predicted Liverpool to win or certainly not to lose. Mcateer said United were in a false position in the league, Souness said Liverpool would win, Owen, Lawrenson, Richards, Carragher all didn't predict a United win. All of this despite the ''injury problems'' Liverpool have even though apart from Henderson at CB, that was a strong Liverpool line up. Don't give me this nonsense Fabinho isn't a CB, the fella played 16 times at CB this season. He has over 120 games in defense in his career and over 50 at CB,

Yet in the game, Liverpool had one decent shot on target from outside the box which De Gea pulled off a save for the camera's and United had the two best chances to win the game. But because United didn't go all out attack, like Klopp wanted them to do because that would of opened up holes for Thiago to exploit, United were poor, disappointing and if you were to believe everyone, out of order! If Pogba or Fernandes or both had scored their chance and United win 1-0 or 2-0 then Solskjaer got his tactics spot on. Lindelof was excellent yet not many fans wanted him to start.

I guess it is fair to say that from these reactions, United are really starting to upset and worry people that they might, just might challenge the title this year! Do I think we will win it, really wouldn't want to make that prediction this season, do I think we are with a chance this season, 100%.

4.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 11:15:23
I spoke to a friend of mine this morning. Niw view, and I think he has a point was:

We showed them too much respect initially and let them have too much of the ball but they did very little with it. We grew into the game, got better the longer it went on, and if Pogba had scored we would be hailing a great away win.

He’s not wrong, but so many posts decrying Ole again (who said he was disappointed) .

We are missing a wide right player and probably a top class mobile CB (if Bailly stays fit he may have a shout) and we have a forward line that is misfiring. Despite this, we are top which I don’t think any of us expected.

5.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 11:54:27
Ajh
We are work in progress people expect it to happen over night.

6.) 19 Jan 2021
19 Jan 2021 13:21:34
The matches are there. We have scored 0 open play goals in 5 matches against big 6. So we show them much respect (or we can't do better) .
Ofcourse i don't entertain seeing us playing so safe but i don't complain because, at least, what we do we do it perfect from a defensive view. Even Mourinho couldn't defend so deep without conceding clear chances. You make it better, Chelsea didn't had a clear chance, City i don't think they had clear chances, Arsenal certainly not and Liverpool not. Except Tottenham which was a day off we did extremely well defensively against all others.