Man utd match thread sponsored by Fergies rolex

[ayjaydee]

You're wrong Ian.

We played exactly like that first half of the season. Always got tired in the second half and when we did lose it was always to second half goals. The performances got worse the closer to Christmas we got simply because morale was low.

With Zac totally on this.

Just don't understand the point of us doing that tonight. It played out exactly like most of those other games. Now we go into a very important league game with (hopefully) a change in formation.

Agreed completely with both of you. I'm a little tired of seeing us trying the sitting back, working our socks off kind of approach. It requires alot of fitness and discipline to work, and the smallest of errors you get punished. Watch almost any other team play at Old Trafford and you'll see that they try and retain possession alot better than we did & it's alot more effective than running around all match. Also thought we should have made changes earlier in the game, some of the players looked shattered towards the end.

Not quite sure where you are coming from as only Spuds have won at OT this season and 13 wins on the spin for Utd would indicate to me that the teams who try and retain possession have achieved no better than our huff and puff style.

[paultheroyal]

Absolutely shocked that there is only 9 pages to this thread.

[AthleticoSpizz]

^

[Royal Ginger]

There's so little to say. Good performances from all, Feds, Kelly & Hunt especially, but always going to be second best. Gutsy performance, over now, we move on.

[winchester_royal]

BFTG

We put in a good effort, with decent performances across the pitch. Feds and Mapps were outstanding. Fans were in good voice, home supporters predictably fcuking awful.

Thought we might nick something at the end but it wasn't to be.

[TommyF]

We had 45% possession against Man U At Old Trafford. A win for Utd was fair but a draw wouldn't have been a mugging.

Really impressed and think that we have maybe matured enough for 442

Well done the boys

[Ian Royal]

Oh come on you guys, criticising us after a performance like that?!? I'd say we played way better with 4-4-2 and were more defensively solid than we were playing

that way in the first half of the season.

Totally with Ian on this, this game did not matter and our second-string put in a very good performance.

Back to the league we'll be 4-5-1 with Pog up front and Pearce at the back.

Or more likely a 4-2-3-1 against Wigan.

On to the next game.

Think people forget that we were calamitous at the back, had no quality possession in the middle, were torn apart down the wings and were wide open through the centre with no-one tracking runners. Pull backs from wide were usually punished.

Today we actually competed well in midfield, played some pretty decent football at times, got the blocks in and generally tracked wingers and midfield runners very well. We force Utd into lots of possessional errors and made them work damn hard. That only really stopped just before Legs went off when it was clear he and Karacan were knackered. Him because of a late fitness test and Jem possibly because he's not long back from injury and hasn't played a great deal iirc. We managed to play 4-4-2 whilst retaining most of the defensive solidity that 4-5-1 had got us, albeit without a great deal more penetration.

Nani really was the killer difference. He's just so quick, strong and deadly. We couldn't match him.

[paultheroyal]

BFTG

We put in a good effort, with decent performances across the pitch. Feds and Mapps were outstanding. Fans were in good voice, home supporters predictably fcuking awful.

Thought we might nick something at the end but it wasn't to be.

Yep, agree with that.

[yappy]

Agreed completely with both of you. I'm a little tired of seeing us trying the sitting back, working our socks off kind of approach. It requires alot of fitness and discipline to work, and the smallest of errors you get punished. Watch almost any other team play at Old Trafford and you'll see that they try and retain possession alot better than we did & it's alot more effective than running around all match. Also thought we should have made changes earlier in the game, some of the players looked shattered towards the end.

Not quite sure where you are coming from as only Spuds have won at OT this season and 13 wins on the spin for Utd would indicate to me that the teams who try and retain possession have achieved no better than our huff and puff style.

Fair point, was more of a comment about our away style in general, but probably not very well put. Definitely feel as a team we need to improve massively on the ball, even against the best sides we should be retaining possession better than what we are currently. Problem is we seem to have the same issue whether we are playing Man Utd away or Aston Villa away.

Probably a little critical to say this, baring in mind the opposition today, but I think its a fair assessment of our away style in general.

[winchester_royal]

Oh come on you guys, criticising us after a performance like that?!? I'd say we played way better with 4-4-2 and were more defensively solid than we were playing

that way in the first half of the season.

Totally with Ian on this, this game did not matter and our second-string put in a very good performance.

Back to the league we'll be 4-5-1 with Pog up front and Pearce at the back.

Or more likely a 4-2-3-1 against Wigan.

On to the next game.

Think people forget that we were calamitous at the back, had no quality possession in the middle, were torn apart down the wings and were wide open through the centre with no-one tracking runners. Pull backs from wide were usually punished.

Today we actually competed well in midfield, played some pretty decent football at times, got the blocks in and generally tracked wingers and midfield runners very well. We force Utd into lots of possessional errors and made them work damn hard. That only really stopped just before Legs went off when it was clear he and Karacan were knackered. Him because of a late fitness test and Jem possibly because he's not long back from injury and hasn't played a great deal iirc. We managed to play 4-4-2 whilst retaining most of the defensive solidity that 4-5-1 had got us, albeit without a great deal more penetration.

Nani really was the killer difference. He's just so quick, strong and deadly. We couldn't match him.

United are a team you can just about get away with playing 4-4-2 against because of the way they play. Still think we looked too vulnerable defensively and would be concerned if we lined up the same way on Saturday.

We put in a good shift tonight, but I saw little to suggest either the system or personnel changes made for tonight should be permanent.

[ZacNaloen]

We actually faced up against another team playing 4-4-2 so we weren't out numbered anywhere on the pitch. This is the reason we looked more competitive than earlier in the season.


Against 90% of the premier league our midfield would still have been ripped to pieces even with those performance levels.

[ZacNaloen]

Think people forget that we were calamitous at the back, had no quality possession in the middle, were torn apart down the wings and were wide open through the centre with no-one tracking runners. Pull backs from wide were usually punished.

Today we actually competed well in midfield, played some pretty decent football at times, got the blocks in and generally tracked wingers and midfield runners very well. We force Utd into lots of possessional errors and made them work damn hard. That only really stopped just before Legs went off when it was clear he and Karacan were knackered. Him because of a late fitness test and Jem possibly because he's not long back from injury and hasn't played a great deal iirc. We managed to play 4-4-2 whilst retaining most of the defensive solidity that 4-5-1 had got us, albeit without a great deal more penetration.

Nani really was the killer difference. He's just so quick, strong and deadly. We couldn't match him.

We were calamatous at the back because our midfield was being ripped to shreds due to being outnumbered, and so we were playing ridiculously deep and chasing shadows.

Today we competed better because Man U were playing 4-4-2 as well.

[ZacNaloen]

We were massively improved on the ball over our earlier season efforts today, but it's still not enough to play 4-4-2 in this league.

To suggest we do so is madness. And this isn't Sparta.

[Maguire]

Did okay today - obvs got put under a lot of pressure at the back but it was good to see us control possession for parts [of the first half] and just lack a bit of quality going forward.

Not hating but McCleary for me is a good footballer trapped in a coward's body. Have some faith, son.

Anyway, don't care abotu today as Sat is way more important. Back to 451 with the Pog and see what happens.

[Archie's penalty]

We actually faced up against another team playing 4-4-2 so we weren't out numbered anywhere on the pitch. This is the reason we looked more competitive than earlier in the season.


Against 90% of the premier league our midfield would still have been ripped to pieces even with those performance levels.

They played 4-2-3-1 not 4-4-2.

But I want to go back to our 4-3-2-1/4-2-3-1 on Saturday with Pog up there on his own. You know it makes seeennnnsseee.

[windsorroyal]

thougjt the performance tonight at OT was superb and shows how much reading have improved. team strongest at the back with feds and mariappa in awesome form. managed to string passes together and hunt effective against vidic up front. i think the boys can take alot of pride and confidence into the league game with latics on saturday. utd too good for us but play with spirit and composure during run in and we should win enough. like many other people, surprised pog didn't come on. come on urrrrz

[royalsteve]

TWICE Jobi Notgoodenpough not got back to support his defence and 2 goals scored. The bloke looks dis interested and should be off.

idiot, why take off a creative player!!

[royalsteve]

great performance by the team

feds was awesome

also mcanuff played well despite what some blind idiot on here says! he is a creative player and is prepared to take players on so sometimes he will lose the ball!

thought for most of the game utd were awful by their high standards

le fondre unlucky but a draw would have been a mugging lol!

we made a better fight of it than fulham who were absolutely dire

thought we would nick it in the end. was also suprised mcd didnt bring on the pog at the end. maybe mcd didnt want a replay, though he wouldnt admit it and if so it was the right decision, noone wants a replay.

[royalsteve]

We were massively improved on the ball over our earlier season efforts today, but it's still not enough to play 4-4-2 in this league.

To suggest we do so is madness. And this isn't Sparta.

spot on, but its a gradual process if we can stay in the league - think stoke still play with 1 up front most games

[DaveBanana]

Sat in the hotel after the game, a tram ride to the wrong side of Manchester, and a disappointing lack of beers.

I thought we were great. The result wasn't there, and having seen the five minute ESPN highlights we looked dominated but I think that's unfair - the first five minutes were a fright, and Feds saved us a good few times, but there was only a small period where it felt like they were "turning the screw" whereas I'd have said we had (minus the first five minutes) the better first half, and a heartfelt finish.

First ever trip to OT, and of the big teams they were always my fave as a kid - obviously now my allegiance lays with Reading, but nonetheless I've never been anti-united... However!! I couldn't believe how oxf*rd a fair few of their players were, particularly Hernandez? And the support was dire.. I appreciate we're probably seen as a "chalk that one off the fixture list as a victory!" side to their fans, but it was eerily quiet for the majority of the game - when they got going it sounded incredible, but it was rare, and (although the vast majority of it is painfully juvenile and routine at every game) the back and forth between their fans in response to ours was dreadful - quiet in the library/fire drill/sing a song for you may be unspontanious and trite, but the lack of *anything* back was double as awkward. On a side note, it wasn't shown on the highlights I've seen but Van Persies 360 mid air back heel roundhouse showboat was unbelievable..

Regardless - we were a lucky touch away from what would be a point in a months time when we meet them again, came out unscathed and with dignity. We gave it a much better crack than many who are considered stronger opponents would have done, and if we carry on like that, will be playing at OT again next year regardless of the cup.