05 Jan 2018 22:48:38
Loving seeing Jesse in the form he's in at the minute. Always been a fan, and Fergie always said he'd be a late developer.
He could so easily have been discarded like so many others who don't get the chance for one reason or another, and here he is now, a regular in the first team at his hometown club. His performances are becoming so much more consistent with experience. He must be pushing Dele Alli for an automatic World Cup spot now.
Chuffed to bits for him. I always get a bit more pleasure seeing someone like him making it, then someone we've spunked x amount of millions on.
His celebration moves still bug the diddies off me.
05 Jan 2018 23:17:38
Agree with all that mate especially the celebration bit ðŸ˜.
05 Jan 2018 23:31:33
Just got back from the game. Full marks to Lingard he's finally showing some end product and quality to go with his excellent movement and work rate long may it continue!
One quick observation is that we're far too passive when not in possession.
We fall back into a very deep defensive shape and put no pressure on the ball. This allows the opposition to have some easy possession deep in our half. I'd like us to be more aggressive and press teams a lot higher up the pitch especially against inferior opposition. Sometimes we had really good spells of attacking play but then let them off the hook by sitting deep and allowing them easy possession of the football. This helped them to release the pressure we'd built up! I'd like us to work a lot harder when we haven't got the ball and try and win it back a lot quicker. Apart from that I thought our movement and attacking play was decent at times although we definitely lacked a bit of width.
05 Jan 2018 23:44:27
Jesse is in fine form at the moment, and a must have selection for those of us that play fantasy football against friends. If he keeps it up and doesn't go to the World Cup it will be criminal.
05 Jan 2018 23:55:27
Good post Tony and Danny. I will admit I was a massive doubter and didn’t rate the lad but I’m so happy that I am eating humble pie because he has been sensational. His movement both on and off the poor is terrific and he has some shot on him. But above all he works so hard and is an example to the rest of the team. Being a local lad he is living the dream that many of us would give our left arm for.
Danny - great observation on us not pressing aggressively enough without the ball. I agree with that we afford teams too much time on the ball and allow them to drive at us. I thought our link up play and movement was great at times today but if we could press more aggressively as a team without the ball then I think it will improve us massively.
06 Jan 2018 00:06:57
Totally agree Park is it the manager asking them to sit deep in a defensive shape or the players not working hard enough to close the ball down? What ever the reason it drives me mad! We saw similar against Everton in the second half. We'd totally dominated, got ourselves in front then retreated deep and they had a 5-10 spell when they could easily have equalised! Jose's instructions, work rate, fitness or a combination of all three maybe?
06 Jan 2018 00:21:40
Great to see jose developing an academy graduate that has worked hard. He has come through good loan spells and spent seasons as a squad player and can now truly can be considered a fist team player.
Too many young players get too much too soon and let it affect their professionalism and ambition and are not prepared to work as hard as jessie has done. Sitting on the bench and working to prove themselves is too much like hard work or lack of self belief.
I hope other kids like gomes don't feel they have to leave if they are not a regular starter by the age of 20. Harry Kane has been the same he has not been an overnight success and had remained very level headed with his success.
06 Jan 2018 01:16:51
I think it’s tactics Danny. The frustrating thing for me is that we have spells in a game where we are fantastic playing at a good tempo and pace and then we suddenly drop off and invite pressure onto us. Then we have situations where we give away sloppy goals and lack game management. I feel that is also down to leadership in the team. We seriously lack an iconic figure such as Keane, Vidic or Ferdinand who were fergie’s eyes and ears on the pitch. Those players pushed fergie’s instructions and high standards onto the rest of the team and we seriously lack this. Love pogba but I’m not sure if he’s captain material. yet. I do think it is jose’s Style to soak up pressure and wait for a mistake as opposed to the modern way of pressing and forcing the mistake from the opposition. Personally I prefer the later and think we have the speed and players to press from the top but obviously that is not how Jose wants to play.
Ken - something that has really surprised me about Lingard is how hard he works and his attitude when he has not been getting into the team. Has not sulked or shown bad attitude and that has been refreshing. He is still a bit eccentric and immature from what I have seen from social media but as long as he keeps producing the goods I couldn’t care less!
06 Jan 2018 06:09:13
Park, Noucamp is Stevie mate. On the subject of Lingard he is currently massiveLy outperforming Ali so it will be interesting to see who Southgate picks. I really hope he can maintain this level of energy and contribution, it’s really refreshing.
Stevie, he’s still a young kid, remember Giggs, Sharpe, Ince all doing their silly little dances? If he keeps scoring he can celebrate all he wants mate.
06 Jan 2018 09:55:55
Linders is great example of a player that is playing at the top of his game .
City have 11 constantly doing it .
Decent squad this.
06 Jan 2018 10:17:05
Been saying this for a while Danny. It really frustrates me when we sit deep. Of course, it's a lot less work than pressing high. So is the manager telling them to do it or are the players taking the easy option? I think it is mourinho asking them to sit back. Not a great tactic as the opposition have no one to beat until they get 30 yards from our goal.