GWT: PL Matchweek (mostly) 13

[Venkman]

Job done type of win for United. Frustrating how they can be good and shit in the same game/half/20 minute period. Obviously Henderson's mistake for the goal but Lindelof and Maguire didn't help him with the short passes knowing Sheffield Utd's early pressing intent. Fleck had a decent chance at 1-0 too.

Great touch by Rashford and passes by Lindelof and Pogba. Got worse when Fernandes went off. Probably be a similar team to the City game against Leeds, but with Martial upfront and Rashford on the right.

 

[Savant]

Bruv, Fabinho is better than any of our CBs...

Right. But if Fabinho is playing CB that means he isn’t playing in the midfield. And none of the depth midfielder are healthy either. Luckily Jones has emerged or it would look worse but there is a reason Wijnaldum has played every minute this season.

 

[Chimaera]

You can’t be the favorites with no healthy CBs especially when most of, if not all of the competition is better this season

Yes, you can. Fabinho is as good as much of what other teams lineup at this stage. Matip, maybe a bit injury prone, but is good enough to play there.

They're not the prohibitive favorites, and I think there's a good chance City will catch them. But, they should be slight favorites at this point.

 

[Chimaera]

I don't have a problem saying that, and even if Fabinho takes away from the midfield depth, it should improve as the season goes.

The season is way too long to really put much stock in the favorites talk or whatever, as I don't think it's done, but right now, today, they're top of the table, and have handled most of the challenges they have. Sure, they're held together in central defense by balsa wood and glue, and their midfield is pretty tired, but... they've gotten through it.

It can always change, but today, right now, this instant, as fleeting as it is, they are the favorites. That could change. Spurs could go out and buy a world beater. Salah could decide he's going on a walkabout in the Sahara. Liverpool could actually buy a central defender.

 

[Savant]

Yes, you can. Fabinho is as good as much of what other teams lineup at this stage. Matip, maybe a bit injury prone, but is good enough to play there.

They're not the prohibitive favorites, and I think there's a good chance City will catch them. But, they should be slight favorites at this point.

Fabinho at CB means he isn’t playing midfield, and the midfield is short on options too. This could all bottle neck at some point.

 

[Chimaera]

It might. But at some point, Thiago, Milner, Keita, Shaq and Ox will be healthy. For how long, who knows, but there are guys coming back.

I also think it's much easier to steal a match, by playing Minamino or Jota in the midfield, or hiding a kid like Clarkson in a game where you know you'll have most of the possession, or even playing top heavy, with basically four attack.

I'm less worried about Fabinho playing central defender instead of midfield, than I am in Matip being fit for more than just one or two matches, then weeks out. The kids have done admirable, and I think both Williams and Phillips are good enough to get them past most of the easier matches (especially if they can increase scoring a bit). Might not always work, and there probably will be a few draws they should win because of it, but they're not going to win the league by 30 points either if they do.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Job done type of win for United. Frustrating how they can be good and shit in the same game/half/20 minute period. Obviously Henderson's mistake for the goal but Lindelof and Maguire didn't help him with the short passes knowing Sheffield Utd's early pressing intent. Fleck had a decent chance at 1-0 too.

Great touch by Rashford and passes by Lindelof and Pogba. Got worse when Fernandes went off. Probably be a similar team to the City game against Leeds, but with Martial upfront and Rashford on the right.

Great to get the points. But they’re not going to challenge for anything if they can’t start games well. You’re not gonna keep digging out from 1,2 goal deficits weekly. I can’t blame the manager for Henderson’s goal - that was players error. But the fact this team comes out flat every single match can’t be all on the players.

 

[The Abusement Park]

United are currently better than ever since Fergie was sacked, which has a lot to do with Ole. Solskjaer is a great manager tactically and his reliance on natural dynamits and fluidity in attack makes them so, so effective in attack.
Solskjaer is doing better than Lampard with far less investment.

Huh?

 

[Jussi]

United are currently better than ever since Fergie was sacked, which has a lot to do with Ole. Solskjaer is a great manager tactically and his reliance on natural dynamits and fluidity in attack makes them so, so effective in attack.
Solskjaer is doing better than Lampard with far less investment.

He retired...

 

[AB13]

Huh?

He retired...

Yeah, obviously he retired. Still, the point stands.