v Manchester United (H) - Matchday Thread

[Mckram]

1 minute ago, Carl Sagan said:

For me we may well win the game if either of Sibbo's shot or Waggy's header is just a few inches the other way. Just a matter of inches. Whereas they took the lead against the run of play with a mishit shot into the ground that bounces up, hits Lingard in the back and loops over Roos. So I'd say we were unlucky.

Totally agree. We had 3 or 4 big chances and got nothing. On another day they go in. 

[Alph]

That was like when we played Chelsea under Mac. They were just comfortably too good. Just every little thing they do better than us. They don't make the mistakes we make and expect them to make. 

Just annoyingly better. Not wow! better. And we didn't look hopeless in comparison. They just look like they have gone out and picked some of the worlds better players and we've picked some of the countries better players. 

An annoying gap in quality. 

Thought United put in a professional and respectful performance that should be enough to beat a Champ side. We put in the effort but you need a bit of luck in that situation. 

Just something to shake them up. We nearly got it but ultimately when they scored their first you felt that they would remain calm and ease through the match. 

Ah well. 

[Andicis]

Probably should have lost by more. Centre half selection cost us badly. Sibley excellent, Whittaker good.

[mwram1973]

No shame in that defeat, first 2 goals were fortunate. They are an in form top 6 prem side. We played some good stuff and the youngsters didn't look out of place.

Bigger picture here and I applaud Cocu for keeping faith with the young talent we have.

We lost, we move on

[Ghost of Clough]

Evans put in a decent performance for me. I’d be happy with him, Wisdom or are Wierik playing CB next season. Need to sort the left sided position out as Forsyth just isn’t a CB and Davies is past it. 

[SillyBilly]

2 minutes ago, Srg said:

Think we did alright. Max Bird and Sibley in particular. Massive night for the academy and no disgrace at all. 

 

Think we had just as good a set of chances first half as they did, and let in two pretty lucky goals really. Can’t afford the luck not to be with you in games like this and in fairness to them, they did turn up and didn’t put in a half-arsed performance. 

 

Really good effort second half until the 3rd. No heads dropped. Wasted the good chances we had. Always tough when you don’t take what you do get but absolutely no shame. Them extending it was then inevitable. 

 

Atmosphere was diabolical. Day trippers everywhere. Chants didn’t last a chorus. Boos and jeers at keeping the ball and not running round like headless chickens to get bypassed. Streams of people leaving at 3. Did they expect us to roll up and batter them like non-leaguers or something? The players did not deserve it tonight. Embarrassing. 

 

Don’t agree whatsoever with any criticism Cocu is getting for the line-up. This is the future. This is next season. This will be our team bar a few tweaks and I’m absolutely here for it. Young, homegrown, talented, committed, eager, quick, athletic... it’s something I’ve been calling out for for months. Yes he could have maybe played a better centre back pairing, but I don’t mind at all. What an experience for them, and it fills you with both pride and hope. If you didn’t enjoy the performance from some of them kids then I really don’t understand what you’re after. 

 

On one hand immensely proud and excited after that. On the other, disappointed and disgusted. The life of a Derby fan. 

Excellent post. I am as casual a "fan" as you will find these days...heck, I have seen AS Roma play more times than Derby in the last 3 years; I reckon my waned affinity qualifies me to comment as unemotionally as one can with regards to an atmosphere, and that is this: the players deserved far better tonight. I am 200 miles away and in the deafening reverberation of breaking the seal on my second bottle of Corona tonight I reckon I have acoustically challenged the entire South stand in the noise stakes.

 

[FlyBritishMidland]

4 minutes ago, Srg said:

Atmosphere was diabolical. Day trippers everywhere. Chants didn’t last a chorus. Boos and jeers at keeping the ball and not running round like headless chickens to get bypassed. 

BT commentary picked up on this after about 75mins.  Said the young lads didn’t deserve it and I agree.  You do wonder how that’s supposed to lift them and get the best out of them.

[mwram1973]

1 minute ago, Andicis said:

Probably should have lost by more. Centre half selection cost us badly. Sibley excellent, Whittaker good.

Disagree, thought Evans looked no worse than anyone of our cbs this season and he's a damn sight better than Davies

[Andicis]

Just now, mwram1973 said:

Disagree, thought Evans looked no worse than anyone of our cbs this season and he's a damn sight better than Davies

Can't agree. Too much aimless hoofing under pressure, playing it into Max Bird with 4 men around him.

[Alph]

6 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Struggling to think of much they did wrong except for Lowe coming too narrow for the 3rd. 3 men unmarked outwide, so even if Lowe was further across, a ball would still have been played out there and a cross in anyway. Forsyth’s more to blame for losing Ighalo on the two goals. 

I can think of plenty but I don't want to argue about it. It just makes it look like I'm digging them out for more than just a bad game. 

Gets a bit too heated on here for me nowadays. Some too quick to criticise and some too quick to defend. Is hyperbole the right way to describe it? Escalates way too quick into "he's the worst player ever/he's never made a mistake!" Back and forth

[Comrade 86]

Just now, Ghost of Clough said:

Evans put in a decent performance for me. I’d be happy with him, Wisdom or are Wierik playing CB next season. Need to sort the left sided position out as Forsyth just isn’t a CB and Davies is past it. 

Yep, I'm going to head to Specsavers too as I thought he did well and much as I love Curtis, George's distribution is way better. Given how little football he's had, I think he did alright. Perhaps he and Fozzy could have done better for their 2nd but there was an element of luck for them in both their 1st 2 goals. Wasn't our night really but it's hard to see how we would have beaten them anyway. They look a lot better than the times I saw them play earlier in the season.

[Bubbles]

End of the day lads, Mel had to sell his toolbox to balance the books so he couldn’t fiddle with the Norwich floodlights, so either way we would of experienced heartbreak?

[Ghost of Clough]

1 minute ago, SillyBilly said:

Excellent post. I am as casual a "fan" as you will find these days...heck, I have seen AS Roma play more times than Derby in the last 3 years; I reckon my waned affinity qualifies me to comment as unemotionally as one can with regards to an atmosphere, and that is this: the players deserved far better tonight. I am 200 miles away and in the deafening reverberation of breaking the seal on my second bottle of Corona tonight I reckon I have acoustically challenged the entire South stand in the noise stakes.

The SS over relies on 2 pockets of fans to create the noise. If they don’t feel up for it, it’s flat for the whole game. Cup games are even worse as the seats not taken up by STHs are bought by ‘day trippers’ who expect to be part of the atmosphere rather than the ones helping to create it. 

[Alph]

9 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Indeed but I don't think they've been as bad as you make out. That's ok too isn't it? Not digging you out mate just saying I don't agree with you! 

Sloppy in the second half I'll take, but 'really bad' just seems harsh to me.

Fair enough?

It's like tippy toes in these threads. I never know whether I'm gonna get labelled a wrist slasher or happy Clapper and like everyone else I come into the thread ready to fight to the death armed with strong opinions!! 

Chaotic threads! 

[Gritstone Ram]

I think we handed it them on a plate. We weren’t good enough. I doubt any championship side would have beat the tonight. We did well to keep it down to 3. We didn’t get the run of the green in front of goal. We need a couple of central defenders.

[hintonsboots]

2 minutes ago, Squid said:

End of the day lads, Mel had to sell his toolbox to balance the books so he couldn’t fiddle with the Norwich floodlights, so either way we would of experienced heartbreak?

You are Ian Holloway admit it .

[LeedsCityRam]

Bizarre match, we had our chances but didnt score. They had plenty of the play but their 3 goals were very fortunate in terms of the ball breaking.

Was impressed with Sibley..quality on the ball, looked to be direct & refused to be bullied by McTominay. Thought the Evans experiment at CB went perfectly well, he did fine. Also liked our confidence on the ball overall, even in tight spots. We needed to be stronger/more physical at times & our lack of quality in key areas (the odd heavy touch or misplaced pass) cost us a goal or 2 but a decent effort all in all.

[Biley66]

Brave management from Cocu for me, maybe he has a long term plan ...

[Justa]

11 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

I assume he meant unlucky not to score. We did have some good efforts.

I don't think anyone looking at 62 to 38% possession and 26 to 13 shots on goal could say manure were unlucky winners.

Well there first goal was very fortunate - this gave them confidence and belief to kick on

SO yes I think they were a little lucky

[Srg]

I’m just at a loss when people are saying we left a load of players out who absolutely should have played. 

Malone? Worst full back I’ve ever seen. Wisdom? Was an after thought 2 months ago, he’s not suddenly maldini at centre back. Martin? No evidence he can play 3 games in a week. Marriott? Has he even played a game since Lampard because I must have missed it. Shinnie? Milk turns quicker. Hamer? Isn’t better than Roos. 

Just not sure what you wanted exactly. Clarke? Ok, maybe grant you that one. I don’t see any other combination of players acquitting themselves better than what we have just seen. And these boys are our future and they’re a pleasure to cheer on.