This is Manchester United # 133 - Towards new challenges in 2018

[Shadow7]

Whenever we have players rested and feel that they will be raring to go after their off days they almost always came back looking jaded and lethargic

[KeeHuat]

Some observations from the loss against Spurs and other matches where we struggled.

Smalling is not a top class defender. Slow to read the situation at times and "kan cheong"

Jones, prone to mistakes at times and sometimes get caught out of position by being too far forward and unable to cover back when the opposing teams break.

Pogba cannot defend and is not suitable defensively.

Matic alone cannot provide cover in front of the back line if the opposing teams break with many players and at speed. He lacks speed. Another midfielder is required to help Matic if Pogba is to play more forward.

If United wants to play with more attacking players, the forwards must retreat back to the midfield and cover when we lose the ball into a 4-5-1 formation.

[Shadow7]

Miss the good old times with SAF and his "Come on lads it's Tottenham"

[lenghan]

In retrospect, we can say this play should be in or that player should be out etc... But based on last night's performance it is very clear that Smalling simply is not good enough to be in the starting line-up. 99% of the time we see him either kicks the ball off for throw-ins or passing the ball either laterally or backwards even tho under no pressure.
Unfortunately most of our players are not technically gifted in dribbling (unlike most South American players) so our game plan mostly is trying to make long passes/high crosses which we do not have natural wingers to provide such services.

[loveikan]

Liverpool won, Chelsea lost their game.
Now we heap more pressure on ourself to retain the number 2 position.

[moscowblue]

overall, we are second best for each ball
AM is playing with so much poor decisions
RL is certainly not in the class of a Kane
Matic also put in fair share of mistakes yesterday

We only have ourselves to blame as MC sprints away with another predictable big scoreline win

Now how to reel in MC with less than 15 games left???

This is the question we need to address, as we can now no more drop any points or draw any games

[KeeHuat]

Manchester United Champions League squad revealed

Man Utd have updated their Champions League squad ahead of the knockout fixtures vs Sevilla now Alexis Sanchez has signed.

Manchester United have included Alexis Sanchez in their Champions League squad for the knockout phase.

The 29-year-old joined United in a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving in the opposite direction to Arsenal and Sanchez has taken the Armenian's place in the European squad list.

Axel Tuanzebe has been retained by United despite leaving on loan to join Aston Villa last week. Tuanzebe made just three appearances this season, including a cameo in the final group stage fixture against CSKA Moscow.

Demetri Mitchell has also stayed on the list even though he headed on loan to Hearts in the January transfer window. Mitchell, 21, failed to make the bench for the first-team in the first half of the season, having made his debut against Crystal Palace in United's final Premier League fixture of last term.

United have omitted James Wilson from their squad list after he moved to Sheffield United on loan until the end of the campaign. Wilson, 22, was a surprising inclusion in the initial squad list in September, having not played for the first-team since their League Cup fourth round defeat to Middlesbrough in October 2015.

Wilson received the number 29 shirt earlier this term but did not make a single matchday squad and was a regular in the Under-23s.

United have kept Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their 29-man list, despite the possibility of him moving to the LA Galaxy ahead of the start of the MLS season next month.

Jose Mourinho's side travel to Sevilla for their round-of-16 Champions League first leg on February 21.

Full United Champions League squad

Goalkeepers: David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Joel Pereira*, Kieran O'Hara*

Defenders: Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Axel Tuanzebe*,

Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Michael Carrick, Ashley Young, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Nemanja Matic, Demetri Mitchell*, Scott McTominay*

Forwards: Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford*

*B list

[lenghan]

JM finally faced up to reality and conceded that the title for this season belongs to City

[SabaDen92]

Like that he thinks like that till it's really impossible. Well, hopefully we can keep 2nd place.

Anyway, was wondering how do u guys rate Batshuayi?
Now loaned to Dortmund...he scored 2 goals in his debut. Thot he's a threat n scored plenty when he came on for matches in EPL.

[lenghan]

Originally Posted by SabaDen92

Like that he thinks like that till it's really impossible. Well, hopefully we can keep 2nd place.

Anyway, was wondering how do u guys rate Batshuayi?
Now loaned to Dortmund...he scored 2 goals in his debut. Thot he's a threat n scored plenty when he came on for matches in EPL.

If we continue to play so negative football, maintaining the 2nd spot could also be an issue. Hopefully AS can help solve the goal scoring drought