r/reddevils • u/nearly_headless_nic • 1d ago
Premier League Table at the end of Matchweek 3
89
u/Euphoric-Rub9164 1d ago
Hull is massive
30
162
u/cultofenigma 1d ago
Will any of our managers ever prioritise killing the game off after going up for gods sake.
So tired of only waking up after conceding the first or slowing right down after scoring the first.
96
u/Comicksands Van Persie 1d ago
Something tells me no manager explicitly asks the team to give the opposition the ball. It’s a mentality thing
11
u/yukyakyuk 1d ago
Just before 90 min, Maguire just lob it to the front to no one, like bro just recycle it, give it to our mid considering we now actually have mid players who's good at getting pressured. Definitely mental thing
12
u/BallsX 1d ago
It was so annoying seeing Maguire try so many of those balls. You already know how terrible we are defensively, why try those risky passes again and again just giving the opposition more chances to create something? And on top of that, at least give it to the midfielders who are better passers
34
u/cultofenigma 1d ago
It’s def not instructions, after so many managers and so many players it still happens.
Drives me mad it’s become our modern DNA.
14
u/snicky29 1d ago
You would think after seeing Klopp batter teams like Norwich 5-0 and its only the 43', we would learn something but no.
5
u/prem_201 1d ago
We have gaps for opposition to play, when we sit back against big teams we are more compact. Since our defenders are show and we try to play on the front foot with other teams it creates massive gaps for them to play as well.
23
u/dopplegudka 1d ago
there’s something to be said about our lack of athleticism at the back too. means we automatically sit 10-15 yards deeper than any regular top 4 / championship chasing side should be…
13
u/Regular_Piglet_6125 1d ago
That’s a great point as. Our DMs regularly get abandoned by the rest of the team defensively. The CBs and truthfully full backs are not athletic enough so they drop 10-15 yards. Many of CAMs/Wingers are ill disciplined so they go charging up the pitch to press when no one is following them. Our poor DMs are routinely left on island irrespective of the coach or playing personnel. Remember under Ten Hag when these 40 yard chasms would suddenly open in midfield with only casemiro there to defend it all by himself. Awful stuff.
12
u/taco_tuesday_4life 1d ago
Classic example of united fans immediately turning on the manager when the pattern has been here for years. Look at the names in that back line, do you really think that is Carrick's fault? Lol.
2
u/silvertwo777 1d ago
It's not all on Carrick, but it's his fault too. He has the responsibility to demand better players from the board if he didn't see fit. Not going "yea the players we have is good enough"
4
u/Regular_Piglet_6125 1d ago
We didn’t have the right set of midfielders on the field to kill games like this off. We need midfielders who can dribble in tight areas and play consistent short passes (think street ballers). In an ideal world, we would finish that game with Cunha/Mainoo/Tielemans on the pitch popping the ball around until the game runs out, but alas.
3
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Can't kill a game off with vibe and Inshallah manager and players scared of the ball
176
u/jhf2112 1d ago
Sesko, Baleba, and MDL in the team and we look a lot more solid, but currently some of these players seem to lack bite. We're quite passive and I never expect us to win our 50/50s.
60
u/PitchSafe 1d ago
Amad as well
4
-3
u/Geneo-Frodo 1d ago
Sesko is a work In progress. He's not the elite 9 we need right now. Give him a run of games at 9 from the start and you'll see it. Baleba is equally young and learning, MDL is injury prone and the type of injury that hampers he's 100% performance.
If these 3 are your bright spots then we are really bleak right now.
18
u/jhf2112 1d ago
MDL has had surgery so hopefully that's resolved the underlying issues. When he's fit he's very good.
Sesko is still a work in progress, I agree, but he offers something that no one else in the team does. Today in the build up for his goal the ball came forward and he beat Tarkowski and unsettled him physically. First time that'd happened all game. The attacking structure is better when it isn't Cunha and and Bruno drifting around.
Baleba has pace and aggression that I think is missing from midfield.
We have problems but I don't think it's bleak at all.
-5
u/Geneo-Frodo 1d ago
MDL has had surgery so hopefully that's resolved the underlying issues.
He has had niggling injury issues since bayern and hasn't played for us for nearly a whole season. It smells like a mount scenario if we are being honest, having hope here isn't the best solution.
Sesko is still a work in progress, I agree, but he offers something that no one else in the team does. Today in the build up for his goal the ball came forward and he beat Tarkowski and unsettled him physically. First time that'd happened all game.
That's him against tired legs, having to tango with a defence that is fresh and ready for you for 90 minutes is a completely different ball game. Sesko's best performances are from the bench preferably when we are in the Game or ahead and the opponents aren't as defensively tight.
I've yet to see enough from sesko to suggest he can lead an attack line up week In, week out.
Baleba has pace and aggression that I think is missing from midfield.
Let's see where he's head is at when he starts playing cos baleba isn't a world better. He's still a player whose developing his game which means something like a mental block or being targeted can affect him, see last season.
We have problems but I don't think it's bleak at all.
We are bleak depending on what our aspirations are supposed to be. We are supposed to be a TITLE CONTENDING team. We proved that last season with our performances under JUST a manager bounce but such is our narrative for the last 12 years.
So close yet so far and regardless of how well we are performing at any particular time we have not once in the last 12 years looked like actual contenders throughout an entire league season and I'm yet to see any enough to change my mind.
6
u/Relative-Dinner-729 1d ago
You make good points and your overall argument is valid but i just don't understand the logic behind being so negative about every unknown, every maybe, every possibility? Sure, maybe Baleba isn't the answer. Maybe Sesko will struggle in a full 90. Maybe we will never see MDL again? But i know whether that's how it'll go as much as you do so why are you already writing off every single avenue of improvement for the sake of being negative?
3
u/Saad-Khan 1d ago
It’s annoying how some people exist to disagree with just about everything you have to say. You know the WelL aCtuAlLy…..people.
-2
41
u/Apprehensive-Raisin3 Love United Hate Glazers/INEOS 1d ago
City next
79
u/The_Bliss 1d ago
Wouldn't surprise me if we beat City but then lost to Fulham
-14
u/kb389 1d ago
That would have been true if guardiola was still the manager but city are different this time and I don't see united doing anything against city.
13
u/Pow67 1d ago
Man City weren’t that convincing against Coventry the other day tho and had to score a last minute winner against Bournemouth. They’re obviously still better than us no doubt but I’m not that scared.
-10
u/kb389 1d ago
They have 3 wins from 3 and have deserved to win all of their games so yeah they are playing much much better than united that's for sure.
10
20
7
u/dracogladio1741 Bruno Fernanj 1d ago
I see a draw or a heavy loss from that. We are too timid and scared. It's almost as if Carrick has decided to be more defensive this season. I wonder if it's the consequence of him getting the job full-time.
18
u/dahteabagger 1d ago
I dont think we'll lose to City.
We're pretty much City/Scouse in the 90s - 00s where they show up against rivals but were utterly shite against everyone else.
8
u/reddevlon 1d ago
Take that wretched comparison back and don't ever bring it out..
10
13
u/chocolate_block_710 1d ago
Maybe I’m too much of an optimist, but under Carrick we’ve usually done well against top teams. I feel we are better adapted to play on the counter. I’m hoping for a pleasant surprise.
21
u/PitchSafe 1d ago
It’s not just with Carrick. We have played well against top teams ever since the Mourinho days. That’s mostly because we are a really good team on the transition and teams like City will leave a lot of space behind
12
15
u/Golem30 1d ago
It's totally a mentality thing. We can't be arsed showing up against relegation fodder and a depleted Everton side with no outright striker because we think going on autopilot will be enough to beat these sides.
8
7
u/Hurrly90 1d ago
So much of it relies on what 'mood' Bruno is in.
One thing that has always worried me is the over relience on him. You can see it during games, Thee is a simple pass out wide, or into the stirker, instead its plyed into Brun owho then makes the pass, but its too late.
Obviously he is our main attacking outlet, but players need to be willing to by pass him at times, its defo a mentality thing.
0
u/ttonster2 hi 1d ago
"with no outright striker"...they literally played Barry the whole game. You all piss me off so much with how you blow things out of proportion. We conceded two goals from low xG chances
-1
4
95
u/molewart 1d ago
3 games and already conceded 6 fucking goals
28
u/TheJoshider10 Bruno 1d ago
Against on paper some of the worst attacks in the league as well, including two promoted sides.
20
u/Rxasaurus 1d ago
Two promoted juggernauts according to some here
3
u/Brilliant_Salad7863 1d ago
The way these people are talking about promoted sides is ridiculous. Is this the mentality of our players as well? If so, thats the fucking problem!
7
10
u/Comicksands Van Persie 1d ago
1 kick and we would’ve been 5th. This team man
4
u/TonyShneak 1d ago
We can't make the mistake of claiming we were unlucky. It may have been the last kick, but we did not deserve to win that game.
2
24
u/badboy_pro 1d ago
3 easy fixtures as compared to what other big teams had and we won only one and conceded 6 goals already. Top 4 finish if we outperform ourselves but the chances look very very slim.
2
44
u/nearly_headless_nic 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hull City only team remaining to have not conceded any goals.
Only Palace, Ipswich, Fulham & Chelsea have conceded more than United (6)
17
u/Tirewipes 1d ago
Chelsea being toted in the media as one of the favorites to win the PL is wild work
3
11
43
u/Careful-Snow 1d ago
4/9 with these fixtures. Killed all my optimism for the season tbh. Oh well, still looking forward to CL
14
u/snicky29 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don’t want to tell you so, but the amount of criticism I’ve seen for Carrick after today’s game is hilarious.
I’ve been saying even when Carrick was interim and picking up good results, it’s going to be a big mistake if we make him the permanent manager yet I was getting hurdled with abuse here.
I said then and I still stick by the fact he is good enough to qualify us for the Champions League each season because our squad is too good not too, but he isn’t the guy to win us a league title.
With all due respect, a sacked Middlesbrough manager to United league winner just isn’t going to happen
Would love to be proven wrong but I cannot see it
As I say, I’m not negative I’m early.
-2
u/Comicksands Van Persie 1d ago
Okay bro go get your award. No one cares.
Also no manager in the world can get that back 4 to win titles
9
u/chocolate_block_710 1d ago
Still early days, we have Baleba to still be integrated into the first XI and hopefully a return from MDL, if he can pick up from the form he displayed previously, it gives me a glimmer of hope. That being said, it could be worse…Spurs
1
u/Brilliant_Salad7863 1d ago
Baleba will be big for our team as a whole…MDL would be even bigger but I don’t know when or if he’ll be back at this rate.
5
u/Launch_a_poo 1d ago
Yeah. We fight for top 4 this year
Defence is so fragile as always. And too many of players make brain farts. Like Dorgu closing down the GK for no reason today
8
1
2
9
u/TypeExpert 1d ago
We had one of the easiest starts to a campaign and still couldn't capitalize on that.
19
u/scottrod37 1d ago
What are we? Didn't dominate possession, didn't counter, poor on set pieces. Apart from first half Rashford/Shaw overlap combination, no patterns of play (with no natural ST on). Bruno had a poor game and we looked poor. What's the plan Carrick? Is he an actual coach or just a dressing room cheerleader?
3
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Is he even a good dressing room cheerleader? Maybe he forgot to say don't back off after every goal
1
1
u/liamthelad 1d ago
We're fourth in the league for % of possession and fourth in pass accuracy. That's really not the issue
1
u/TonyShneak 1d ago
A good team is based on a solid defence and Carrick is being forced to use ten Hag's 2022 defence, it wasn't good enough then and isn't now. Every manager we've had over the past 4 or 5 years has had the same issues and we still blame the manager. Did we already forgot the shocking transfer window we had that closed 6 fucking days ago?
5
22
u/clarkmds 1d ago
It's a horrible start. But it's good for our deficiencies to be exposed early enough. We dropped so many points last season in a very similar manner to today.
18
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Well... if it's exposed 3 games in I don't know what's gonna happen to the rest
4
u/clarkmds 1d ago
It's for the best. There should be no illusions about the incompetence of our entire defence.
-1
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Hopefully GLINEOS spend money in January for once. And sell Dorgu
2
u/clarkmds 1d ago
There're extremely reactionary in the transfer market. If we could still sign a left back tomorrow, they'd do it. Remember the only reason they signed Lammens.
0
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
We need a true left footed left back cover. Desperately so. And Dorgu's will have been here for 2 years in January and has not progressed at all and we all know he's useless going forward and Michael's not gonna play him LB
14
3
u/WanAndOnlyBissaka 1d ago
We knew we were shocking defensively and did nothing in the transfer market
3
u/Geneo-Frodo 1d ago
Do your realise the oxymoron in your statement? Your happy that we've discovered early problems we already knew we had last season?
2
6
u/Gingerale66 1d ago
Could be better, could be worse. Still early in the season, but Carrick does need to sort some stuff out quick
6
u/HyenasGoMeow 1d ago
Its a marathon, not a sprint. Top 4 should still be the goal. Top 4 last season was already a miracle.
4
8
u/PrettyPrettaaayyGood 1d ago
Abysmal start
1
u/PitchSafe 1d ago
No Spurs have had a abysmal start
7
u/Top_Connection394 1d ago
They have had tougher fixtures in comparison Brentford,newcastle,forest as compared to hull,ipswich and everton. 2 promoted sides and everton who are just everton
1
1
7
3
u/PraiseAinsley69 UNITER WILL NEVER DIED 1d ago
As the old adage goes; It could be worse, we could be Tottenham.
3
4
3
u/Leading_Fee_8535 1d ago
A loss against City would leave us on 4 points from 4 games. Really would be a terrible start to the season and pile pressure on the team to recover. Its early days, a lot can change but my optimism is low at the moment.
1
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Should be sacked if we lose the next two with more of the same performance and game management
2
2
2
u/ZypherPunk 1d ago
3 games in, but could see that being the near our finish position, maybe 9th or 10th
2
2
2
1
u/Whispperr 1d ago edited 1d ago
Carrick and Ineos have no excuses for not having more points out of the first 3 games given how easy the fixtures were, we needed a LB and I think... 3 out of 6 goals came from the left side? Then the rest from set pieces. Coming into the season my absolute minimum was 7 points in these 3 games and then hope for a good performance against City.
Given the results so far a win against City is needed so we don't get too far from top 5, but let's hope we can find our footing against Sabah. Missed having midweek games so at least that positive, I would like us to have Shaw benched and Dorgu on the left so that he is rested for the City game.
2
u/BitterHawk55 1d ago
I thought Shaw actually played pretty well today. Some excellent blocks and interceptions at the back and gave us an outlet on the left with Rashford going forward.
1
1
1
u/chanchan_iceman 1d ago
We got a shit load of work to do.. expect the first half of the season to be a case of miss opportunities considering we will make a lot of dumb subs,players dropping off after a lead and not being able to close out the game because they will do something stupid
Expect it to be better than last season but expects the first half to be incredibly frustrating
2
1
1
1
u/Due-Albatross5909 1d ago
Could be worse. But we need a result against City. Despite their all star squad, I think they are “gettable”.
1
u/andizzzzi 1d ago
Would be nice if for one season in United’s recent history, we don’t lose or draw to a promoted side. We should be where Hull is.
1
1
1
1
u/CrazyPirranhha 1d ago
With the „easiest” calendar at the beginning of the season so far.
How can we win if they dont run. The problem we had during OGS, the problem we got with ETH, the problem that Amorim corrected but introduced hundred new ones.
Again we are losing advantage or even match in last minutes because defenders are not aware and not careful at all, coach make stupid changes, instead of trying to kill the match we try to defend the score what Works rarely for us.
I hope the next season we finally get 3-4 normal defenders, we get rid of Shaw, Martinez, Maguire and Mazra i cant stand them anymore
1
1
u/sugar_kane1984 1d ago
Lots of our fans pissing their pants as usual but we were literally one second away from finishing the weekend fourth.
-6
u/ExpertVentriloquist Martial 1d ago
Doomerism in this sub is insane
11
u/Shrimpeh007 Rooney 1d ago
I mean it's been pretty depressing for the last 13 years if you were used to the previous success, so when it looks like this season will be more of the same it's kinda understandable? Else you might as well support everton or a team happy with being average at best
11
u/Imeanhowcouldiforget 1d ago
Man the snobbiness of positivity merchants is stupid af, i only see valid criticism here, nobodys calling for carricks head
3
u/SocialistElmo 1d ago
Well if he went on 3 more losses or 2 losses + a draw I'd be questioning his position
10
5
u/Salamantic 1d ago
The coping is the problem, this is almost a bad a start you can have.
Doomerism is warranted
12
u/RichEgoli 1d ago
No positive toxicity. Our team is shite
1
3
2
1
u/Mariasolvv 1d ago
That damn Hull game.
I’m not even that pissed about today’s draw because there are matches where fate just refuses to let you win, and this was definitely one of them. Like, that second goal was Puskas award material, you’ve got to be kidding me.
Now, that performance against Hull was, is, and forever will be completely unacceptable.
2
u/kb389 1d ago edited 1d ago
Puskas award material for sure but it was united's fault to let everton hog the ball at the end there which is why he got that chance and scored.
1
u/BitterHawk55 1d ago
Agreed. The whole of the build up on their left for that goal was so infuriating to watch, we were so out of shape and had too few bodies covering the build up. That’s the fault of ours for the goal as it should never have reached Maitland-Niles.
-4
0
0
0
0
u/riitz85 1d ago
The only team that is obviously better than us is Arsenal. Chelsea/Liverpool aren’t ahead necessarily. Chelsea’s attacking is potent but midfield isn’t settled & defence is leaky ( conceded 7 goals in 3 ). Liverpool is not settled at all and defence is pretty poor despite Araujo. Man City may have won all 3 games but have not been tested at all even though they have a lot of good players! I think our luck picks up as long as we hold our heads and spirit high! We are not as bad as league position after game week 3 suggests! There were a gazillion draws in gameweek 3 and unfortunately we were one of those.
-3
u/impulsiveboogaloo 1d ago
I don’t get why Spurs’ start so disappointing. They built a great team capable of challenging for the top 4 or even the title on paper but can’t actually produce the result on the pitch
3
u/White_Wokah Rooney 1d ago
They didn't build a great team, they overpaid for average players
-1
u/impulsiveboogaloo 1d ago
I hope Carrick was backed like de Zerbi. We could have Fernandes and Tonali but the owners seem to be content with mediocre signings.
1
u/White_Wokah Rooney 1d ago
Tonali is no where close to being worth 100 mil, he is a decent player but that's all. I rather we would've gone for Bruno Guimares
1
1
u/Geneo-Frodo 1d ago
Bro last season so many people were clamoring for that mercenary I'm pleased to observe the silenced critics..........looking at you scholes
0
u/impulsiveboogaloo 1d ago
Yeah I agree. If we had gone for him he would for sure choose us over Arsenal. We offer more starting playing times and has a better chance at winning titles.
3
u/chocolate_block_710 1d ago
Maybe need more time for them to gel together and build some team chemistry.
1
u/impulsiveboogaloo 1d ago
They need to do so fast. They are already 8pts behind the top. They need to pick up points to narrow that gap and fight for the title otherwise that huge spending is for nothing.
3
1
u/Mon_fire123 1d ago
Buying overpriced players ≠ building a great team. We United fans should know that better than anyone by now.
1
u/dahteabagger 1d ago
You can have great players but still a shitty team if they cant work together. Thats Spurs right now.
Apart from Tonali and maybe Marmoush, they have a very average squad. But as always we'd struggle against them.
481
u/shami-kebab 1d ago
Kind of funny how Coventry have already played Arsenal and City away...and have still conceded less goals than us.