Match Day Thread United vs Saints - Yes We Can

We're at home so you know...

Fck knows really.

Anyway after my prediction of a high scoring game against arsenal which was obviously too much to hope for, I'm going to go for a 0-0.

Bearing in mind we have a real chance of either closing the gap on City or increasing the gap on Livpl when they play each other at the end of the week, we really need to win the next couple of games.

 

We really need to go all out for this one against a very decent team. I have a feeling that Liverpool will come out fighting against City. If they can get a result, this may be our chance to reset the challenge for the top.

 

The idea that we can't go 'all out' in any game until the end of the season is gone after last week. Assuming we still want to win this thing?

To be honest, they were the two most disappointing displays of the whole season and essentially exposed the whole management structure as not up to it. Not from a supporter point of view anyway, I assume we all want to be winning stuff rather than gamely competing but failing?

I suspect the club itself are now happy with the latter, which is just absolutely ****ing depressing.

This is a pivotal game for Solskjaer, if we don't win, or even lose, than I genuinely think the club should be taking big steps on replacing him at the end of the season, if not actually sacking him straight away.

Then again, I said that last season so.............................

 

I genuinely don't have a ****ing clue what the approach will be by the way.

Does he look at the league table and think "right, Southampton, they're eleventh. They fall into the ok category, not ****e but not brilliant, so we won't just assume we'll win, we'll try a bit but still be cautious. I know, I'll play Matic!" .

**** knows.

 

I don't think it was ever in his plans to be challenging for a league title this season, and it suddenly presented itself, but he's afraid that if he aims higher than what he probably agreed with the board pre-season (namely finishing Top 4 again) he may end up not achieving that. So he approaches games with a more measured approach, hence why we always start slow and usually spend most of our time playing in front of the defence, looking for opportunities to counter attack.

He also goes cautious and plays safe in the big games happy to settle for a draw. As long as the club is on course for Top 4 he's happy, and if we actually end up top it's a bonus AND an extra buffer for him.

It's quite ironic that when he first took over the role everyone (rightly so) said he'd let the team "off the shackles" with our free-flowing attacking football. 2 years later and he's gradually morphing into LVG and Jose lite.

Looking at the makeshift Saints side, they look ravaged by injuries and our players should feel confident about this game and hopefully we'll be too good for them. Having said that, I thought their attack looked sharp against Villa on the weekend so we really shouldn't invite pressure and we absolutely cannot, must not have a slow start.

 

Submissive team news -

 

Let's fcking do this

 

Right, against ten men for more or less the full match.

Early goal then shut up shop anyone?

 

I'm really hoping trying to break down 10 men isn't going to be harder than playing against a Southampton 11 who at least would be coming forward.

 

I'd sub Fred for Van De Beek right now.

 

Absolutely. We didn't need both Fred and McTominay aginst these anyway, we definitely don't now.

Give van de Beek a run ffs.

 

My thoughts exactly.

If he can't get a game against an injury-ridden makeshift Saints line up down to 10 men, then when will he.

 

Great, Martial coming on. There's just no need at 4-0. What does he have on Ole ffs?

Fred stays on, bloody hell.

Glad that De Beek is getting some game time at least.

 

Fred is such an average player. That's about 3 times he's slipped including their goal we got lucky was disallowed.

 

Just seen the best and worst of Martial in both those finishes

Have to say that was a brilliant ball by Fred, brilliant, deserved a goal.

 

That second sending off is just a joke but our GD is certainly improving.

 

Yeh I thought it was a pen, but didn't want the sending off.

I can understand why he was sent off but easily could've stayed on as well.

 

I completely missed this game due to work. But MY WORD!! How do you go from struggling to get a shot on target to scoring 9 times? We are so schizophrenic.

Regardless, I can't wait to see the replay of this game. AMAZING!

 

Get on MOTD in 5 mins

We'll get talked down by the pundits mind but worth it for the highlights

 

Absolutely ****ing hilarious - negative coaching, ****e tactics etc etc - the definitive negative , half empty match thread. Can't even you two see that ths was a magnificent game.......................... obvs not - cue anti Ole bollocks. I'm in a minority of two or three that watch the same game as me each week - that was fantastic - cue the perennial pessimists ..............