Well that was pretty sh*t.
Carl (always thought it would be really) the Welsh
Liverpool should be happier with the point
Welp. I’m not sure I buy into the narrative that Manchester will be happier with that point. We’re still ahead of them, we kept our first clean sheet, we restricted them to two meaningful chances and got denied by the brilliance of de Gea and Valencia. We’re still ahead of them in the table, and Jose still doesn’t know his best team.
Certainly not feeling triumphal or anything, but getting a point while playing badly feels like progress for this side, and just maybe a bit of treading water for United. I’ll be interested to see what them lot make of it.
Dan, Plastic LFC
This is a brilliant line
No surprise here, Liverpool always have a hard time and struggle to beat the smaller teams who lack ambition and park a bus.
Great Job Mourinho! you turned Man U into an overpriced version of Stoke. Pulls would be really proud of the work you did.
Mor (what a save by De Gea! and that Valencia Tackle was beautiful) Las Vegas
Mourinho doesn’t get it
The biggest fear of the Mourinho appointment has come true. He doesn’t get it or doesn’t want to. Fergie used to respect teams away from home but never with this level of negativity.
It’s embarrassing, boring and not why I support Man Utd.
Mark, MUFC
Where was the United ambition?
It’s hard to tell if Mourinho’s tactics worked really well and stifled Liverpool or if the deputies for Lallana and Gini were simply not good enough.
Can definitely took a lot of touches and didn’t seem to see the options as well as Gini. Sturridge is an excellent player but he didn’t provide the same electricity playing through the middle that Firmino does.
It was astounding that Ibrahimovic didn’t bury that header. Karius was still a bit shaky to watch and in fact I thought he was also poor with the ball at his feet. Ultimately Mignolet was a horror show in a variety of ways and I’m happy to persist with a younger model that might improve, but this was not the start I was hoping to see.
Man Utd came here having spent £150m this summer, and I honestly can’t remember a game at Anfield where they’ve shown less ambition. Maybe as a Utd fan you can stomach this if they win the league, but at this stage it looks like they’ll be fighting it out for 4th place at best. If they finish 5th having played such negative football in all their big games, either drawing or losing, will that be acceptable? A loss or draw at Chelsea could bring about a bit of pressure on Mourinho.
Minty, LFC
Conclusions
Not one to normally write in, but sitting here as a neutral with a slight buzz on watching ‘Super Fantastic Red Monday TM’ or whatever it’s called and thought I’d have a crack at those conclusions you are so fond of churning out. The game isn’t quite finished yet, so this could all go pear…
* What with the other articles and comments about the Super Sunday just gone and the quality on offer, I didn’t think this match served up much better fare. A United team with minimal ambition looking to sit back and defend and maybe nick a point, and a Liverpool team devoid of ideas until Lallana came on where they had a spell looking threatening, all round pretty disappointing. Was a shame because we’ve had some cracking games from the so called big teams so far this year.
* I really thoroughly dislike Mourinho anyway (stating this early), but seeing the way he sets him teams out to play just grates with me even more; all that talent wasted. Seeing Rashford playing as an extra right back for most of the game was sad. I know Liverpool have been great this season, but shorn of two of the players who’ve been key to the energetic press Klopp employs I would of hoped they’d be a bit more ambitious.
* Moreno just came on, this could be interesting.
* Back to Rashford, and I hope Mourinho doesn’t do what he did to Hazard and smother the natural attacking talent by turning him into a workhorse. Let your flair players play, why else would you keep picking Fellaini in the team but to do all the donkey work.
* I like Daniel Sturridge as a player, but he really doesn’t suit this Liverpool team and what Klopp is trying to do. Such a nearly game for him, touch not quite there, dropping deep to try and get involved but with no added effect, similar to how it was for England recently where things weren’t really coming off.
* David de Gea, what a guy. Where would they be without him.
* Been watching Pogba since his move with interest, I would be surprised if I’m the only one who’s expecting a little more. Watching him play for France in the Euro’s and seeing the quality, the touches, the power, I was really hoping to see a bit more of it. You can see it’s there, flashes from time to time, but he still seems to be trying to find his place in that midfield whether it’s playing slightly withdrawn, or further up the pitch now Rooney has been shunted aside.
* So a draw in the end, and probably what Mourinho wanted from a game he had no intention of winning. Am very much looking forward to seeing how United set up against Chelsea who are looking good recently, assuming more of the same.
Cheers for the quality website that keeps me distracted at work!
Adam, London
…1. I said before the game that I would snatch the proverbial hand off for a draw, but I was hoping we wouldn’t just play for it. We were probably the better team in the first half, while Liverpool were vastly superior in the second. Probably a fair result really.
2. Speaking of the second half, our defending was somewhere between haphazard and shambolic. Every time Liverpool came forward we looked like conceding either a goal or a penalty, goodness only knows how we didn’t. Lallana, Coutinho and Firmino gave us no end of trouble. Only the offside flag, a couple of last ditch challenges (Valencia’s especially), and De Gea kept us in it.
3. You could tell what kind of performance we were going to get when looking at the starting 11. Young and Fellaini were always going to result in a negative performance, while the supporting cast created virtually nothing for the isolated Zlatan. It’s no wonder we only managed one shot on target.
4. Why didn’t Mata get a look-in? He has been brilliant against Liverpool previously (red card excepted) and in general this season. He should be very disappointed to miss out entirely, and I am disappointed that we didn’t see him at all.
5. I’ve been saying it for 3 years, but how bad would we be without De Gea. What a player.
6. I was glad to have kept a clean sheet (our first of the season!) but the fact that we couldn’t create any meaningful chances while doing so is just awful. With a squad like this it really shouldn’t be either/or.
7. Chelsea could run riot next weekend if we play like that. We led a very charmed life but I can’t imagine we will get away with it twice in a row. Hazard and an in-form Costa will be much tougher opposition.
8. I still can’t see anything close to even hints that Pogba is going to be a great player for us. Seriously, did we buy the right Pogba? Regardless of how early it is, he should be contributing way, way more. He was anonymous tonight, and it’s not the first time he has been this season.
My prediction for the rest of the season is that the top four will be made up of Arsenal, City, Spurs and Liverpool, with Chelsea, Everton and us fighting it out for 5th. Personally, I would rather win the Europa League than finish in the top four (if only it was as easy as that), but I’ll think we’ll struggle to do either. Still, I’m happy enough with the point against a very good Liverpool team.
Ted, Manchester
…1. Mourinho still has it. The way we suffocated Liverpool especially in that 1rst half is incredible. Every ball was cut out in the middle of the park by Fellaini or Herrera (More on him later) and we had the most of the ball but couldn’t really create anything of note.
2. While the threat of Liverpool was somewhat extinguished, Mourinho’s tactics also nullified United’s own attacking qualities. Ibrahimovic and Pogba spent 90 mins trying to bring balls down and jumping for headers.
3. The back four and Herrera were all sublime. Composed, tackled when they should, stood their ground when they should. An all around defensive solidity that I havent seen in a United team for years. Clean sheet well kept.
4. Just how good is David De Gea? Jesus that shot from Coutinho should have nestled in the top corner. Thats a world class save and save of the season so far.
5. On the other hand, It might have been too big an occasion for Marcus Rashford. But with Martial and Mkhitaryan out of the squad, his selection could only have been rivaled by Mata. Mourinho’s system meant the latter would stick to the bench.
6. A point at Anfield should feel better than this. We could have won the game had our attacking play been better at times (Head it goalwards Ibra !!!) but I guess it had to be sacrificed to make sure Liverpool’s fluidity was countered.
I’ll take it. Roll on Fenerbahce and then another big one at the Bridge.
TONY (MUFC)
…*Liverpool are going to be title contenders. It says a lot that Jurgen Klopp was tactically outdone yet his players managed to somehow find a way to adapt and be the better side in the match. The first 25, united were all over Liverpool, but even without any changes, Liverpool players adapted and ended up on top. They also totally controlled the second half from the onset, they really should have got that 1-0 win.
*Coutinho is becoming one excellent manager bled player, his defensive discipline was incredible, and once liverpool had overcome Mourinho’s tactics, he was a man on fire. Too bad he had to score against DDG to show his worth, any other keeper, and that goes in 90% of the time.
*Apart from Coutinho, Liverpool do not have any other special player, what they do have though is a team, they trust each other and trust the system. The way they countered Mourinho negative tactics and ended the stronger side speaks to Klopp’s influence. Keep it up and I can see title contention in the near future if not this season. Liverpool vs City will be a very interesting match.
*Both teams would have taken a point before the game, but I do feel liverpool will feel a little hard done. They were clearly the better side.
*However, Liverpool’s physical exertions do not look natural, the muscle strains on the pitch are a result of the overexertion of the players, Liverpool may start strong but will probably end up pretty weak when the going gets tough.
*Mourinho’s tactics worked for a good 25 minutes but he didn’t have an answer once liverpool figured out what was going on. This was a game to get the players fired up, but United defended like they were playing Barcelona, not a good look.
*His setup was very constructive, and he conceded to much possession for this to sit right with united fans. The expansive football united fans have been asking for seems like a pipe dream, but they should have expected this after dismissing LVG and hiring Mourinho.
*DDG got MOTM, but it was a tight call with Herrera playing exceptionally well, he broke down so many Liverpool attacks and contributed effectively on the limited attacks united attempted that it should be a duo man of the match award.
*Zlatan was poor, so poor that he should have been subbed, but Rashford was even worse. Don’t get me started on Pogba, abysmal is the correct adjective to describe his performance.
*Mourinho is essentially asking alpha males to play defensive. Pogba, Zlatan, Rashford have gained their fame by being on sides that dominate the football, control the match and batter teams, when as a manager you set them up to defend, you see Pogba trying to score from halfway point, Zlatan trying to dribble past 4 defenders and Rashford looking like a lost sheep on the left.
*Not a bad result, but it speaks a lot about both Managers, and I secretly hope Klopp wins because Mourinho just sucks the joy out of football. How do you make Pogba play to his weaknesses, it was acceptable when facing Mess I, it’s pathetic when facing Firminho.
David M
Pray 4 Shaw
So clearly Luke Shaw is the first team player that should be an automatic starter that Mourinho is alienating. The man has no scruples.
Brian (going for a brace), Wexford
Football stopped being entertainment
I read with interest over the weekend the news of Sky’s viewing figures dropping by 19% for this season, and after watching the predictably drab ‘Super Sunday’ and ‘Red Monday’ have come to the conclusion that perhaps the revolution we’ve all been waiting for will not come from the terraces as expected, but from the comfort of the armchair.
Now big games being tight tense affairs is nothing new, especially when Mourinho is involved but in the last two seasons or so I’ve noticed that the Premiership seems to be more a case of two teams of athletes competing, rather than two teams of footballers. The current infatuation with the pressing game means sprinting, endurance and ability to track players is expected from the front right though to the back, and again whilst the concept of defending from the front is nothing new it appears a level of skill has been sacrificed in doing so at this point.
We’ve already seen the erosion of the striking partnership in favour of the lone frontman to get an extra body in midfield. And now we’re beginning to see the whole ‘false nine’ nonsense rearing it’s ugly head. Now there are many different ways to win a football match and I am in now way saying that every side should be capable of playing easy on the eye, free flowing attractive football BUT…
Football is or was primarily supposed to be entertainment and along the way as it become a multi-billion pound business it feels like it’s lost that element on a far more regular basis. And back to my original point it’s possible that it’ll be the armchair fans who the industry is now so reliant on who could actually hold the key to where football goes in the next few years. If people continue to drop subscriptions in droves be it because they’re bored or no longer feel they’re getting value for money then maybe all that money draining away from the next TV deal could force the likes of Sky to get clubs to make the games more entertaining again, bring back wingers, and striking partnerships, and going out to try and win games instead of setting up to not lose?
Call me an old romantic, or a bitter old fool looking back with rose-tinted glasses but the way football is going we’re approaching a point where it’ll be the fittest side who can run longest and hardest that will begin to dominate, and is that really anybody’s idea of entertainment outside of the Olympics?
Marc
The day I met ‘Daniel Storey’
I currently work at CeX. Earlier today a customer approached me about selling his iPad. We went through the usual process as I told him what we would offer for the item. I then asked if he had a membership; his name: Daniel Storey. My heart began to pulsate, I looked at the I.D. – it was spelled the same as Sir Daniel Storey of 365. I gazed upon him, almost trembling in awe, “Are you Daniel Storey… the writer?”
“Yes”
“Wow! From 365!?”
What followed was truly the most excruciatingly awkward period of time I have ever been involved in…
“No the business writer.” He then proceeded to say ” I thought that you were going to be the first person who recognised me for my writing.”
“Oh”
By this point; I realised that both of our dreams had been crushed. He looked at me with a slight mistiness in his eyes whilst I stared at the keyboard. We exchanged small talk to fill the full 30 seconds of complete silence that ensued and said our goodbyes. At this moment I realised how much this site means to me, I was genuinely elated thinking that I was about to meet one of the writers that I absolutely adore. Keep up the excellent work.
Jack (yes this is my real name) Jones
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