Post Match Reaction: Manchester United 1-1 SAINTS

[Minty]

Thought Davis was superb again today as was JWP when he came on, for those saying Cork is a better player than Wanyama, that game summed up why he isnt. Wanyama won everything in the middle of the pitch today

 

Although if he wins it but then gives it away again, what do we gain? I covered it further up... I think Wanyama brings something we need, but we cannot and should not overlook his poorer passing.

[niceandfriendly]

Wanyama was excellent, bossed Fellaini. Schneiderlin was also great. Clyne and Shaw very solid, Fonte pretty good, Davis brilliant. Rodriguez ok and Osvaldo so-so but, a great team performance overall

[LGTL]

Quite possibly the greatest celebration I've ever had inside a football stadium. There, I said it.

[Saints Fan Dan]

The great thing is I'm not even surprised that we played so well, we're a good team and we know it. Also, nice to see the doom-mongers and wums are rather quiet.

[Jimmy_D]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24503988

 

Full write-up on the BBC is far more balanced than the 'Man Utd haven't won at home' template they used for the short one they put up quickly

 

We've had an awesome result today, challenge now is to follow it up against Fulham if we're going to actually mount any sort of challenge on the higher places.

 

Maybe the aiming for Top 4 helped us today? Not sure Saints teams of the past would have still been fighting and chasing at 89 mins losing at Old Trafford with as much belief and effort as we did today, back when our aim was mainly to avoid relegation.

 

What might help us is the League One / Championship experience we still have in the team. The constant pressure of having to get a result every single week is something we've experienced, albeit at a lower level.

[dan abnormal]

Wanyama and Morgan made Fellaini and Carrick look utterly ordinary. Promising signs of an excellent understanding developing there.

Lallana and Clyne both need England recognition.

What a fantastic time to be a saints fan.

[alpine_saint]

Haha, stick that one in yer pipe and smoke it, Lawro...

 

So much for "comfortable"..

Edited 19 October, 2013 by alpine_saint

[Fan The Flames]

Brilliant photo on the Beeb website. Although does big row over who scored allude to splits in the camp or illegal betting, is there English and Foreign camps in the the squad or did they all have a oner on Lallana scoring.

[Ewell]

A great team performance and a brilliant and well deserved point but there were a couple of worrying signs for me.

 

1. The final ball into the box was pretty appalling at times. We got into great positions and then our decision making or execution let us down.

2. Take your chances when you are on top, particularly away from home against a top team. You never know when that next chance will come along. Luckily it did in the 89th minute.

3. The Strikers whilst working hard I would say Osvaldo, Rodriguez and Lambert just do not look that much of a threat away from home. If we had Rooney and Van Persie up front we would be potential champions (yes I know most teams would).

 

Some real positives though in that defensively and and in midfield we look a really strong team with a great spine and if we can click going forward then potentially this could be a great season. We do need a striker\winger, particularly for away games who has a bit of pace though.

[Roger]

Great team performance and not once did we look out of place competing against them. We justified our league position entirely.

 

A few players with MotM performances; Lallana, Lovren, Morgan in particular, but my MotM vote goes to Clyne who had a superb game defensively and offensively.

 

I clearly watch a different Osvaldo to others though, as I thought he did well, looked good and played his part well. He should have done better with his excellent chance on goal, so if that's the base for the criticism I kind of understand, but he's clearly quality so doesn't deserve the comments he gets against him.

 

Yes he does osvaldo was awful.

[S-Clarke]

Yes he does osvaldo was awful.

 

I wouldn't say he was awful. A bit frustrating, maybe. Kept trying, didn't quite come off. But the thing is he keeps trying, he keeps battling away. He's not one to shirk away at the responsibility.

 

Should have scored though, will be mega-disappointed with that.

[OldNick]

I think you will find many top players took time to get used to the PL when they first came to England. We don't need to add pressure to Ossie by turning on him.

[corky morris]

Just back from the game. Morgan & Lallana were immense. Clyne very good too! Osvaldo was very poor. We carried him all game.

Moment of the game for me was Wellback getting clear & an absolute world class tackle by Morgan & that's why he was MOM for me.

Still waaaaay to slow though.

Well done Saints!!!

[Roger]

I wouldn't say he was awful. A bit frustrating, maybe. Kept trying, didn't quite come off. But the thing is he keeps trying, he keeps battling away. He's not one to shirk away at the responsibility.

 

Should have scored though, will be mega-disappointed with that.

 

He was awful. Missed an easy chance but just didn't bother, not strong enough got knocked off ball easily wrong passes. Was like playing with ten men!

[S-Clarke]

Just back from the game. Morgan & Lallana were immense. Clyne very good too! Osvaldo was very poor. We carried him all game.

Moment of the game for me was Wellback getting clear & an absolute world class tackle by Morgan & that's why he was MOM for me.

Still waaaaay to slow though.

Well done Saints!!!

 

I don't think that's really an issue, our attacking swagger has clearly been pulled back to allow for a defensive stability.. This is how we play. High pressure, dominate the middle, and break on teams with numbers.

 

Under MP I don't think we'll ever play with out and out wide men with pace.

[badgerx16]

6 of the starting 11 are younger than Adam Lallana - this is a team that is still in development !

[doc oli]

I think you will find many top players took time to get used to the PL when they first came to England. We don't need to add pressure to Ossie by turning on him.

This is true. United fans already cheering a Fellaini substitution which isn't a good sign. Ossie just needs to get used to the pace of the PL. But he (like anyone else) isn't guaranteed a place, and maybe starting from the bench would be a good thing for him

[Batman]

That tackle by Morgan was almost worth a goal in itself

[Danbert]

Just me that didn't think he played that badly? I thought his general play was nice but yes his finishing looked terrible.

 

This

[Olallana]

That tackle by Morgan was almost worth a goal in itself

 

True but lucky for us Welbeck has no footballing brain, if he had just a small bit of that he would have put Rooney on with a first touch...

[buctootim]

True but lucky for us Welbeck has no footballing brain, if he had just a small bit of that he would have put Rooney on with a first touch...

 

Course he doesn't. Thats why he's playing for Man U and England and you're.......well you know.

[Olallana]

Course he doesn't. Thats why he's playing for Man U and England and you're.......well you know.

 

So, your view is that people shouldn´t criticise someone unless they´re better themself?

 

Basically in football Leo Messi is the only one that should be allowed to criticise then?

 

Lot´s of journos will be out of work, not really good for world economics you know..

[buctootim]

So, your view is that people shouldn´t criticise someone unless they´re better themself?

 

Basically in football Leo Messi is the only one that should be allowed to criticise then?

 

Lot´s of journos will be out of work, not really good for world economics you know..

 

No. Its perfectly reasonable to say something like 'if he had passed to Rooney they probably would have scored', 'should have done better' or 'Morgan made a fantastic saving tackle'. Saying a top player has 'no footballing brain, not even a little bit' is just plain moronic.

[Roger]

He wins it as much as he gives it away though

 

His passing was better today and he's only 21. Great player

[Jimbo]

Just back from the match. Thought we played like the home team, controlled it for large parts of the game.

 

Morgan and Adam immense, lovren very good. Rest of the team looked the part, although wanyama's distribution was a bit sloppy. Jwp looked class when he came on.

 

Away fans were very good too, came over very well from where I was sat (in with the prawn sandwiches).

[Suffolk Saint]

I had tickets in the Man Utd end. Saints fans made slot of noise and team were fantastic. United fans around me all said that Saints deserved to get something from the game. We had so much possession and our passing and tackling was superb. The trip home will fly by!

[Roger]

Boruc 7

Clyne 9

Fonte 7

Lovren 9

Shaw 8

Vic 8

Morgan 8

Lallana 9

Davis 7

J rod 5

Osvaldo 4

 

Lambert 6

Ward prowse 7

[Olallana]

No. Its perfectly reasonable to say something like 'if he had passed to Rooney they probably would have scored', 'should have done better' or 'Morgan made a fantastic saving tackle'. Saying a top player has 'no footballing brain, not even a little bit' is just plain moronic.

 

Well, considering we´re on an internet forum I´m inclined to think it´s a bit moronic to take every word that is said here literally....

But we´re all different I presume..

[Hokie]

From the user comments under the match report on the Guardian,

 

"Dropping points needlessly against vastly inferior teams, as they’ve done today, might prove extremely costly come the end of the season in the race to secure a European place.

 

Definitely something Mauricio Pochettino needs to be working on."

[ART]

I felt we could have won this game. In the second half Lambert was being deliberately being side stepped as we were centering balls to target Osvaldo,. Osvaldo screwed up ball after ball with lack of power and direction.

Had Ricky been targeted instead he'd have scored the winner we so badly wanted. I feel sorry for Ricky playing second fiddle to a player who's definitely struggling to adjust to the English game. It'd taken Pochettino 9 months to produce results so perhaps Osvaldo will not perform till next year.

 

In Osvaldo we are seeing players being sacrificed to give him majority inclusion. This will need to be addressed if Osvaldo continues to struggle before it effects the confidence of others.

[Winchester Red]

I felt we could have won this game. In the second half Lambert was being deliberately being side stepped as we were centering balls to target Osvaldo,. Osvaldo screwed up ball after ball with lack of power and direction.

Had Ricky been targeted instead he'd have scored the winner we so badly wanted. I feel sorry for Ricky playing second fiddle to a player who's definitely struggling to adjust to the English game. It'd taken Pochettino 9 months to produce results so perhaps Osvaldo will not perform till next year.

 

In Osvaldo we are seeing players being sacrificed to give him majority inclusion. This will need to be addressed if Osvaldo continues to struggle before it effects the confidence of others.

 

Although I agree with most of the above, I can't see the players losing confidence whilst the results keep coming.

 

One loss in all comps so far this season, how can they be anything but confident?

[Batman]

ironic that in a similar vein last season, a manager takes off his best attacking threat and threw away points

[pangy]

From the user comments under the match report on the Guardian,

 

"Dropping points needlessly against vastly inferior teams, as they’ve done today, might prove extremely costly come the end of the season in the race to secure a European place.

 

Definitely something Mauricio Pochettino needs to be working on."

 

Lol

 

Was reading that thinking here we go typical Utd fan,then they kill it with the last line

[Batman]

18 shots and more possession at OT too.

we need to test keepers more.

[CB Fry]

ironic that in a similar vein last season, a manager takes off his best attacking threat and threw away points

 

I think you'll find a manager did that in today's game as well.

[adrian lord]

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/thematch/id/509?cc=5739

[Charlie Wayman]

We still need to be better at finishing, offered nothing much of a goal threat in the 18 yard box. We are good at containing but must improve going forward and strikers need to work more intelligently.

[Barry Sanchez]

My take

 

Wanyama can not pass a football for **** and probably never will be able to.

Osvaldo did not look arsed at all until after the match shaking all the players hands.

Shaw drifts into the centreback position and was fortunate today he did not get caught out.

We need an outlet like a pacy winger, it screamed it today as United were attacking leaving space upfront but with no pace and in reality a 4-4-2 or a dovetailing 4-4-1-1.

 

We never gave up and team spirit really showed today, why Lambert did not start is beyond me and if Guly is getting in front of Ramirez he truly is well gone, fine by me as he is ****.

 

The bounce and celebration after the game is the best I have personally seen for years, that was a ****ing brilliant way to celebrate the goal.

 

 

Summary= A good day out and long may it continue.

Edited 19 October, 2013 by Barry Sanchez

[SuperMikey]

We still need to be better at finishing, offered nothing much of a goal threat in the 18 yard box. We are good at containing but must improve going forward and strikers need to work more intelligently.

 

I dunno, I thought 4-1 was a good result for your lot today. Top of the league too!

[Glasgow_Saint]

At Preston after missing my connecting train to Glasgow....... Grrrr!

 

 

Great day out, saints fans delirious after the equaliser. We lacked an impact in the final 3rd and Osvaldo is a problem (IMHO)

 

 

Clyne got forward well 2nd half and Lallana was superb today. Wanyama had moments but his passing is dreadful.

 

Good point

[Vegas]

Epic tackle from Morgan on Wellbeck. Great performance from all of them.

 

Loved the way Fellani couldn't get near big Vic. Shrugged him of like a bug!

 

I tuned in late, saw that tackle and watched how we were keeping possession and thought we are going to nick a goal here

[Dimond Geezer]

We need to do better against these mid-table teams if we are to progress to the Champions League.

 

 

Well done Saints, sounded like a cracking display.

[shurlock]

I don't think that's really an issue, our attacking swagger has clearly been pulled back to allow for a defensive stability.. This is how we play. High pressure, dominate the middle, and break on teams with numbers.

 

Under MP I don't think we'll ever play with out and out wide men with pace.

 

Why? It doesn't stop Spurs and our styles are quite similar.

[Batman]

Why? It doesn't stop Spurs and our styles are quite similar.

 

It doesn't stop spurs as that is how they play. This is how we play

 

They also have better players to allow them to be a bit more open

[Saint86]

Am I the only one who thinks we could have played better.

 

To my mind, without Lambert we aren't able to get and keep the ball up front as per our usual long balls. This stopped us pressing united as effectively because proportion wise, the ball was in the midfield more than expected.

 

They also caused us real problems with diagonal through balls to the flanks, I think we knew this was a danger but their goal (hints of offside) came from the 3rd such through ball in the space of 5min.

 

Without Lambert first half we struggled to engage the press. It was very telling that after he came on he was bringing the ball down and allowing us to have Kore possession in the united 3rd and then press them from these regions directly.

 

1st half was acceptable and good character to keep it at 1-0... Second half was better, but still, I think we could certainly improve on that performance.

 

Either way, a sound point we would all have taken at the 70min mark at the very least. And 4 points from united and pool away is not bad by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Nice play by lallana but Morgan was also class today. Wanyama still cant pass!

[S-Clarke]

Why? It doesn't stop Spurs and our styles are quite similar.

 

We have our style, this is our style. I wish people would stop looking for us to change it or say we're still missing things. There's nothing wrong with it as it suits the players we have at our disposal down to a T.

[Barry Sanchez]

Am I the only one who thinks we could have played better.

 

To my mind, without Lambert we aren't able to get and keep the ball up front as per our usual long balls. This stopped us pressing united as effectively because proportion wise, the ball was in the midfield more than expected.

 

They also caused us real problems with diagonal through balls to the flanks, I think we knew this was a danger but their goal (hints of offside) came from the 3rd such through ball in the space of 5min.

 

Without Lambert first half we struggled to engage the press. It was very telling that after he came on he was bringing the ball down and allowing us to have Kore possession in the united 3rd and then press them from these regions directly.

 

1st half was acceptable and good character to keep it at 1-0... Second half was better, but still, I think we could certainly improve on that performance.

 

Either way, a sound point we would all have taken at the 70min mark at the very least. And 4 points from united and pool away is not bad by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Nice play by lallana but Morgan was also class today. Wanyama still cant pass!

 

 

I fully agree, we have not played bar Liverpool away all that well this season, one half here one half there, the thing is we are where we are by ourselves, luck, others, and a poorer League, I will happily take it though as we are improving.

[Rut]

If we had Rooney and Van Persie up front we would be potential champions (yes I know most teams would).

 

I disagree. Man Utd look far from potential champions and they actually DO have them up front!

 

Despite the late equalizer (and them cracking the bar just after they went 1-0 up) I'm actually a bit gutted. They were there for the taking today I thought.

 

We are good.

[shurlock]

We have our style, this is our style. I wish people would stop looking for us to change it or say we're still missing things. There's nothing wrong with it as it suits the players we have at our disposal down to a T.

 

Is it? All the rumours linking us to wingers/inside forwards with pace would suggest otherwise.

 

Some pace would make us infinitely stronger and less one-dimensional and, in no way, would be in conflict with 'our' style.

[DuncanRG]

Great day and what a buzz when we scored! One of the best away vibes since we came back up.

 

A big thank you to the chap who sorted me out with a ticket - you'll have to forgive me but I can't remember your name!

 

Regarding the game:

-Sad to see that Osvaldo is becoming a victim of his pricetag. He wasn't really at it today but still could have scored

-Clyne and Lallana were really dangerous on the right hand side though Januzaj's lack of defensive presence helped in that regard

-Wanyama was everywhere, as always, but he could be twice if the player if you could rely on him to land a pass

-Tactics were perfect. Right subs at the right times - a shame we didn't have Ramirez as an option instead of Guly but hey-ho.