Post Match Manchester United 4 Leicester 1

[FIF]

Zieler 5 - maybe not at fault for some of the goals but 4 again.

Simpson 5 - at fault for some of the goals and can't handle pace
Morgan 5.5 - needs to marshall that defence better
Huth 5.5 - think he was knocked over for the first goal but 4 goals!
Fuchs 5 - nothing like as good as the last game at both ends

Albrighton 4.5 - had a poor game today, he has to cross the ball better
Amartey 5 - better in the second half but unsure of position in the first.
Drinky 8 - was possibly the best player on the pitch (both sides) given the situations
Mahrez 5.5 - never got into it.

Vardy 5 - never got into it.
Slimani 5.5 - poor first half but better in the second

King 5.5 - should have scored 4-2 would have made it interesting, mr anonymous
Gray 8 - beautiful goal, could outshine Mahrez one day.
Schluup 2 - really disappointing - I've championed him but he made no effort today. Can we still have £9m from WBA?

 

[fitz]

I don't get the criticism of Amartey. yes he went to sleep for the goal from the short corner but otherwise he played well.

Yup. Seems the easy target though for not being Kante. We can all ignore that Vardy wasn't Vardy and Mahrez wasn't Mahrez today though.

 

[Miles Away]

Yes. On the set piece front the change of goalkeeper can't be helping at all. Not to mention United are a pretty enormous physical side.

With regards to the midfield, Amartey is young, inconsistent, and getting picked on by the big sides. Bags of potential though.

We've conceded early goals at United and Liverpool and it's got their tails up. I'm not worried long term.

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Context. Last season this game produced 1 point. Today none. So we are 1 point down. However Kante would not have given Ibrahamovitz and Pogba that level of respect. We must protect our defence better so we need 3 in the middle, so Slimani takes the Rooney role or Gray starts.

 

[londonfox]

Schlupp 2 out of 10? Come on be serious. The guy played a half hour when the game was already lost. If he gets a 2 then so should Mahrez and Vardy and Morgan

 

[FIF]

Remember; no knee jerk reactions.

I'd like to criticize a wholly shambokic and unacceptable performance but I keep being told (by some) that we won the league last season and we're in the Champions League so in the bigger context everything is fantastic. Oh and games at Old Tradford and Anfield won't define our season so it doesn't matter. I thought we got the same points (or lack of) at those grounds as any other game, and last season every game defined our season but what do I know?

Do you know the difference between a knee-Jerk reaction and a Jerk reaction.

 

[Miles Away]

Remember; no knee jerk reactions.

I'd like to criticize a wholly shambokic and unacceptable performance but I keep being told (by some) that we won the league last season and we're in the Champions League so in the bigger context everything is fantastic. Oh and games at Old Tradford and Anfield won't define our season so it doesn't matter. I thought we got the same points (or lack of) at those grounds as any other game, and last season every game defined our season but what do I know?

Jus wondering. How many points did we get from those two fixtures last year?

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

Pressing is another area where they were better than us. I get a bit annoyed by people saying 'it wasn't that bad'. The first half really was that bad. It all stems from the loss of Kante but we need to find a way to make things work without a player like that in the team. Amartey clearly isn't able to replace him, he doesn't sense the danger, he doesn't track enough and his industry isn't nearly as good. IMO we probably need to go 4-5-1 with support from either the flanks or an attacking midfielder in these games just to give us a bit more of a solid midfield. At the same time though the defence is making some shocking defending and we aren't just talking about the pitiful defending from corners today. Liverpool ripped us open playing along the ground too so in general defence is an area that needs serious attention. 12 goals in 3 games against Chelsea, United and Livepool and neither of the three are as good as we've made them out to be in their games against us.

 

[The Old Fox]

Amartey is clearly a young player who has not played consistently in the defensive midfield position. From what I've seen, he is learning fast but, against top teams, to expect him and Drinkwater to dominate the middle of the park, is asking too much, at this stage of his career. I am sure that Claudio is on to it, but we do need to be careful not to destroy his confidence by asking Amartey to be an instant Kante replacement.

 

[FIF]

Schlupp 2 out of 10? Come on be serious. The guy played a half hour when the game was already lost. If he gets a 2 then so should Mahrez and Vardy and Morgan

He got a 2 because he couldn't be bothered to run forward and more so back. Perhaps go and watch his 30 minutes again. What do you think he did to actually earn more than a 2?

Stand on the pitch?

 

[fitz]

He got a 2 because he couldn't be bothered to run forward and more so back. Perhaps go and watch his 30 minutes again. What do you think he did to actually earn more than a 2?

Stand on the pitch?

Yet Vardy gets a 5 for standing on the pitch?

 

[Polar Bear]

It would certainly make a lot more sense than our defence suddenly becoming absolutely crap at something they were almost unbeatable at last season.

They played above themselves last season. The whole was greater than the sum of the parts. They had the 'flow' you sometimes hear athletes and performers talk about, where you're so on top of what you're doing time seems to slow down - hence what people refer to as a 'telepathic understanding'. They don't have it this season, so react just that bit more slowly. Against good attackers that's fatal.

 

[Moose]

I keep seeing people saying midfield wasn't the issue, it was defending corners. Clearly defending corners was a problem today but United only got into advanced positions to win corners so regularly because they were able to move through our midfield so easily.

You also have to look at this game alongside the Liverpool defeat; teams with good passers and movers will cut through us if we continue to play 4-4-2 this season. Unless Mendy turns out to be brilliant it just isn't something we can do without Kante.

We conceded 8 corners today. Last season we conceded an average of 6.3 corners per game, which was actually in the top few highest for corners conceded in the league, so the stats don't really back up the idea that we were much better at preventing corners being won last season. People seem very keen to highlight the loss of Kante at every opportunity but i don't think there's any evidence he'd have prevented any of them corners being won nor improved the way we defended them.

 

[Jeff]

He got a 2 because he couldn't be bothered to run forward and more so back. Perhaps go and watch his 30 minutes again. What do you think he did to actually earn more than a 2?

Stand on the pitch?

He was better today than he was against Chelsea. You gave him a 5 for that.

 

[TommyK]

I don't get the criticism of Amartey. yes he went to sleep for the goal from the short corner but otherwise he played well.

We won the second half and could have got back in the game if King scored and Gray got a another.

All the players seemed in awe of Ibrahimovic and Pogba, giving them far too much time on the ball where last year Kante would have just pressured them in to mistakes.

Completely disagree about Amartey. Watch the second goal again. He just stands there as it's passed around him. No challenge. Just stands there watching.
Terrible play. He's not a defensive Midfielder (a good one anyway)

 

[FIF]

Yet Vardy gets a 5 for standing on the pitch?

So you think I was generous there. I thought he ran forward a few times and certainly I saw him come back at least once.

Perhaps he should have a 4.5 but he did a lot more than Jeff today. The corner flag moved more than him.

 

[Micky]

Just got back from shopping with the wife and kids. Did I miss anything?

 

[FIF]

He was better today than he was against Chelsea. You gave him a 5 for that.

I thought he made more of an effort against Chelsea - I'm a fan of his but today he was terrible - and I realised that it was his first game back.

 

[FIF]

Just got back from shopping with the wife and kids. Did I miss anything?

Yes, your pregame "hex" on the opposition is failing miserably.

 

[M17TT C]

Thank **** we don't still have Cambiasso otherwise it would have been 72-0.