31 Dec 2024 12:45:52
I know a lot of focus is on us after yesterdays loss but Newcastle look like a quality team:
1.) Full backs that can both attack and defend
2.) Tonali and the better Bruno in midfield who can control the ball and pass it to a teammate (something we are unable to do)
3.) Wingers who are quick and can take on their full back and track back.
4.) Elite centre forward who can hold the ball up, dribble and scores goals.
We should look to get in the sporting director that helped put this team together. I don't care if we have to pay millions of pounds to get him or wait months for him to complete his gardening leave.
{Ed001's Note - none of that was key, the main difference I thought was effort. Newcastle players tried. Guimaraes was out on his feet after about 80 minutes but still chasing everything.}
31 Dec 2024 13:06:04
Disagree Ed, i don't look at this team and see a lack of “effort”.
I see a severe lack of physical qualities and technical qualities. To have spent this much money and have neither sorted is a damning indictment of the recruitment team and why we are so low in the table.
But that's just my opinion.
{Ed001's Note - there was a lack of effort last night. They were outworked.}
31 Dec 2024 13:16:44
Newcastle have an average defense but they have a brilliant midfield, a superb winger and arguably league’s best central striker. It was impossible to beat them on quality. The ideal situation would have been to play to our strength rather than “I can only play my way”.
31 Dec 2024 13:16:51
Absolutely ed. Aside from Amad, Hojland, and Manioo when he came on, the Man Utd players didn’t work as hard. It’s has been this way for years. Consistently toward the bottom of the distance covered stats. It doesn’t take talent to run, only effort.
31 Dec 2024 13:17:22
There was a point in the first half where Amad had the ball on the wing where he was hunted and then surrounded like a pack of starving hyenas. The Utd players stood and watched. That moment in the game illustrated the difference in the two teams.
It doesn’t matter who is the manager, for years we’ve lost games simply due to a lack of effort, hunger, intensity and desire!
The Club is rotten and it can only be fixed from the top down!
31 Dec 2024 13:44:56
DLIB
Yep, and my post on match posts is another example of effort not being put in.
There was one moment in the match that summed us up nicely for me.
Yoro stepped forward with the ball near the left flank and had to delay his next action because there wasn't a single player showing - a sight made more startling by the decent spread of 5 Newcastle players in a midfield block without a single red shirt between them.
DSG
Mainoo doesn't lack the physical and technical qualities, but he was also guilty of ducking a few scraps and hiding from the battlefield - is that an effort/ desire or courage issue?
We thoroughly embarrassed ourselves with our disgraceful lack of effort at Ipswich too - what excuse can you provide for that?
31 Dec 2024 14:41:25
Ed is right. Newcastle first and foremost are a team, and that is glaringly obvious when you compare them to our players. Nobody dies for each other out there, and we are always out fought and played. That is Amorim’s biggest challenge - tactically yes we are getting it wrong but that can be rectified through training g and hard work. But until they play for each other we have no chance.
I thought Bruno G was outstanding last night. Superb player. And Anthony Gordon is developing into a very tidy footballer indeed.
31 Dec 2024 14:49:47
Was told I was an idiot for saying we might go down. its looking great is it ?.
31 Dec 2024 14:50:26
I’m not so sure why hojlund doesn’t get any stick yes he is starved of service but he needs to do more, he often drops deep or pulls out wide, his hold up play is not the best and when he does get chances he is hit and miss
I still think a striker is needed but we are in dire need of 2 wing backs
But effort wise there is 0 in this team other than 2 or 3 players.
31 Dec 2024 14:52:11
The team has lacked that determination for a long time. It's not just this iteration of players, over the last 5 years especially we've always been outworked, out ran.
The best teams work hard off the ball, it's that simple and we don't.
The first training session that Amorim took showed him doing attacking drills, when the ball was lost the whole team sprinted back to defend. There is a clear lack of desire within a number of these players. Ten Hag tried to address this making them run 13k after a defeat to Brentford. The next game we beat and out ran a Liverpool team which is no mean feat. But the players slowly return to that comfort zone of thinking just turning up is good enough.
The best of the rest in the Premier league have some super teams that work hard and can play ball. These players think that wearing a United badge gives them some sort of advantage when it's the opposite. Teams work harder to get a scalp off United.
As for yesterday, it was men against boys. Twice Eriksen and Mainoo tried to foul Joelington and he just kept going. Simple one twos and they were through our midfield and their continued movement was too much for our static backline. I genuinely think Liverpool will put another 7 passed us next week.
We only have 1 game a week for the next two weeks so hopefully Amorim can find his first 11 and stick with it. Too many changes trying to put square pegs in round holes and combinations like Eriksen and Casemiro should never see the light of day again.
Last point about the fans cheering Zirkzee coming off, I thought it was absolutely disgraceful to single out a new lad that's struggling in a team of wasters. Boo the team as a whole but that's a really embarrassing look for the spineless match going fans.
31 Dec 2024 15:11:32
Mumbles I agree regardless if your opinions on a player and we all slag players off but one thing you don’t do is cheer or boo a player walking off or on that pitch
Felt bad for him. I hope he uses it to come back strong and show a bit Sunday. there is a player in there but like most of the team confidence is absolutely shot.
31 Dec 2024 15:52:01
That's been the case for some time, Ed. We have always been out worked and out fought. Never win the second ball.
There was a moment against Newcastle where Amad was through on the wing and ended up with 5 or 6 Newcastle players close him down - he got no support around him from a united player.
It's almost as if there's an issue with fitness.
{Ed001's Note - I think it is more about attitude than fitness.}
31 Dec 2024 16:29:55
Go down lol okay then.
31 Dec 2024 17:07:07
Easy stand nick,
Can call you an idiot again if you want, we aren’t going to go down, usually people say ‘I was called an idiot’ when something has happened to prove them right.
31 Dec 2024 17:10:56
No matter how much effort the players put in, they are still inadequate. We need to understand that most are simply not good enough. With Amorim’s system, they are like ducks out of water. I’m all for going Amorim the time to build a team in his own image but some of his selections don’t make sense. Midfield was a shambles although it improved when Mainoo entered the fray. I will never understand how Dalot retains his place. He is simply ineffective. What I cannot understand above all is why, in spite of our awful performances, Amorim has not introduced one or two young players. Surely they could not be any worse. At the very least, they would bring an enthusiasm and energy to our play.
31 Dec 2024 17:23:15
Ed001,
There are a fair few players who give 2 sh**s about the club.
Hopefully the club can move a few players on in January whilst giving some of the youth players a chance. Although I do believe that the club will try and buy a LWB.
Do you know of any clubs that are interested in any of the Utd players?
Thanks.
{Ed001's Note - not off the top of my head. Maybe the Dog and Duck could take Casemiro off your hands? He looks about as fit and mobile as a sunday league footballer.}
31 Dec 2024 17:32:36
Thanks Ed001,
Hope you have a good NYE bud.
{Ed001's Note - you too mate and may 2025 bless you with health, wealth and happiness.}
31 Dec 2024 21:34:08
Agree with you on attitude, not just to work hard, but also being switched on and alert and showing desire to get to the ball first.
The two defensive lapses and many of our recent conceded goals have come from defenders not doing their job, and also standing watching when they should be going to the ball. Good defenders act fast. They don't think, they go. Ours look like they are in holiday.