IanM
Journeyman Pro
- Joined
- May 18, 2009
- Messages
- 14,613
- Location
- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
The bloke keying the stats is on his phone looking at Facebook
He’s probably having more fun than anyone watching this turgid dross.
Swango1980
Well-known member
I think they are including the 4 times Greenwood passed the ball to Martinez
Slime
Tour Winner
Well ................................... we're through to the next round.
With the ignominy of a home defeat to Middlesbrough now on the cards. This season can end now for me. United are such a difficult watch these days.
Slime
Tour Winner
Do I assume you're not watching them again?
I often feel like that but am inevitably excited next time they play ................................ just in case!
Wilder has achieved plenty in the last 6 weeks. Great to watch going forward. However, for all your concerns, I can’t see Middlesbrough playing well enough at OT.
4LEX
Well-known member
Villa were robbed, that was never a clear and obvious mistake for the VAR goal. Cavani wasn't getting near that ball and crumpled to the deck. And he was the defending player! VAR checked first for offside, then handball and eventually found something to scrub the goal off with.
One of the worst games I've seen all season, Utd were tragically awful. That said in the first half it was the most chances I've seen them create for months. Villa zipped it around well but I think Gerrard will get shot of Taggart who is hopeless. Digne will be a huge upgrade. Bailey fit and Coutinho in that side will be very interesting.
4LEX
Well-known member
Still better than the Women's Super League by a billion miles though.
I’ll still watch - I’m a glutton for punishment!
Alas, I’m not sure my shower will play well enough either. They are currently as bad as at any time since 2013.
Swango1980
Well-known member
Villa were robbed as they were the better side. However, their disallowed goal was the correct decision, albeit the officials made a meal of it. I don't even know if they didallowed it for the correct reason?
The Villa player was clearly in an offside position. Although that is not an offence in itself, it is if they become involved in the play, interfere with an opponent or gain their team an advantage. Well, he clearly interfered with Cavani (it doesn't even have to be a foul for this to be the case). Cavani was running directly back to goal. He might have cut out 1st ball, or been able to cut out ball hit back across goal. We'll never know, as the offside player stopped his run.
What confused me is how the officials dealt with it. They looked an age checking for minute offside decisions after than incident, to only finally go back to Cavani. Then, they asked the ref to review it on the monitor. That seemed to imply they were scratching the goal off for a foul, rather than offside. However, had the Villa player been onside, I don't agree it was a foul. The only potential credit I'd give to the on field ref was that, when he explained why goal was disallowed to Villa player, his hand gestures did seem to suggest the player was coming back from offside position, which was the correct call.
Rashford needs time away from football to sort his head out. His mentality is shocking. And Utd need to figure out a way in which they can actually play with a midfield.
Junior
Tour Winner
Utds performance in the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of the first half was actually promising. Created chances and attacked with pace. Rashford had his best half this season and with Greenwood on the right and Cavani and throught the middle we looked dangerous. Most impressive though was the commitment, work rate and passion from the players.
Varane looked like the player he can be throughout but Lindleoff was a duck out of water. Lack of game time maybe but get Bailly in there ASAP .
2nd half something went wrong for Utd, but credit to Villa they played Utd off the park for the first 35 minutes of the 2nd half. Very impressed with McGinn, Ramsey and Cash. Utd lost all organisation and were very lucky to get over the line. I was relieved when Ramsey went off for El Ghazi. It seemed to slow the attacks down somewhat. Thought the goal should have been disallowed for the body check on Cavani. Whether he'd have got their or not, a body check is a body check, even off the ball.
Utd still giving the ball away far too much (Lindleoff, Fred and Rashford) Long floaty passes that are easy for defenders because no one is available for the short easy ball. Still think RR will clear out the egos and build from there.
Despite another poor performance the crowd were in good spirits and there was a buzz about the place. DVB reception when he came on was huge. He's got something and the fans know it.
Varane looked like the player he can be throughout but Lindleoff was a duck out of water. Lack of game time maybe but get Bailly in there ASAP .
2nd half something went wrong for Utd, but credit to Villa they played Utd off the park for the first 35 minutes of the 2nd half. Very impressed with McGinn, Ramsey and Cash. Utd lost all organisation and were very lucky to get over the line. I was relieved when Ramsey went off for El Ghazi. It seemed to slow the attacks down somewhat. Thought the goal should have been disallowed for the body check on Cavani. Whether he'd have got their or not, a body check is a body check, even off the ball.
Utd still giving the ball away far too much (Lindleoff, Fred and Rashford) Long floaty passes that are easy for defenders because no one is available for the short easy ball. Still think RR will clear out the egos and build from there.
Despite another poor performance the crowd were in good spirits and there was a buzz about the place. DVB reception when he came on was huge. He's got something and the fans know it.
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
Rashford has done a lot of good over the the pandemic and I do wonder if that pen miss in the euros after being on such a high of things going well has had a big affect on him. He hasn't looked the same since no?
Swango1980
Well-known member
Who knows? Has his off field work been a distraction, or put him under more pressure on the field? His form dipped before Euro's, hence not getting any real playing time in that tournament. However, Southgate's appalling decision to bring him on for penalty shootout, and him then missing, has probably been no help at all to him.
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
Agreed before that his form dropped however pen goes in and we win or whatever massive boost in confidence prob would feel top of the world
Miss.. can have all kind of affects on people
Swango1980
Well-known member
That's the thing though, had he scored (and England won), would he have felt top of the world? Unless his mindset is like John Terry, I doubt it. Despite scoring, he will still always be aware that he was not trusted to represent England throughout the tournament. He'd probably feel a little bit of a fraud for enjoying England's success amongst many of his team mates, who played in the majority of games and got them to the final in the first place. And, no doubt sections of opposition club fans would remind him of that every now and then. So, scoring would have felt great in the moment, but I don't think it would have had any medium or long term beneficial impact on having a positive mentality. And, of course, if he misses as he did, it feels much worse for him than it does if he'd missed but also been an important player in the tournament overall (at least he'd have had that to be proud of). Not just Rashford, how has it impacted on Sancho as well?
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
I would say its impacted both of them
rashford is the only one I actually blamed in the pen shoot out.. the rest worked the keeper... forced him to make a save but rashford? did the hard work .. sent the keeper the wrong way and then missed? come on..
not that it matters ofc, however I think regardless of who you are you would feel top of the world because england have historically failed in major tournaments since 1966.. they would be part of history... beating beckham... terry... gerrard.. lampard.. all legends who could push us over the line
Bdill93
Undisputed King of FOMO
Rashford is clearly a good player, but im not sure hes ever proved to be as good as he is claimed to be. I dont think the other top 3 sides take him. Clear to see he isnt there mentally with it all, someone needs to put the enjoyment of football back into him.
Greenwood is fast becoming Rashford V2. Promise but no real improvement.
Sancho? Didnt realise he was a united player?! Does he ever make the field?
But again - maybe he too is struggling mentally. That or the bundesliga made him look better than he is - but I dont believe that! Lots of well payed dudes who arent earning their money at present.
D
Deleted member 29109
Guest
Rashford has always been average. It was ignored when he first got into the first team as ManU could say he ‘has potential’. He’s not improved over the years and is living on false past glory.
He needed a decent manager to coach the best out of him. Unfortunately it’s likely too late now.
