Oasis007:
^^^^^

Chill! We ain't gonna lose to Liverpool! All our Players are fit! The injured ones are back! And I trust Jose Mourinho to choose right Players for the Game!

Mourinho has learned his Lessons from his first big Game as Manchester United Manager - against Manchester City!

He got it wrong with his first Eleven, though he made fruitful changes in the second half, but it's already over!

I trust him to do the needful against our Arch-Rival! United can't afford to lose to Liverpool. It's a game we much at least pick a point!

Seems like you're expecting magic. I truly hope you're right even though I share none of your confidence.

MrTA:

Seems like you're expecting magic. I truly hope you're right even though I share none of your confidence.

I am not expecting even a Miracle to happen! I'm much sure we are picking up at least a point!

Paul Pogba with Anthony Taylor

Dis liverpool sef! Who dem be?

3 points for united jare....

Mark Riley the guardian angel of the devils is getting ready to protect them under his umburella ella ella e e e..

Anthony Taylor, step forth lad...

Oasis007:
^^^^^

Chill! We ain't gonna lose to Liverpool! All our Players are fit! The injured ones are back! And I trust Jose Mourinho to choose right Players for the Game!

Mourinho has learned his Lessons from his first big Game as Manchester United Manager - against Manchester City!

He got it wrong with his first Eleven, though he made fruitful changes in the second half, but it's already over!

I trust him to do the needful against our Arch-Rival! United can't afford to lose to Liverpool. It's a game we much at least pick a point!

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

eph12:

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

The coach was supposed to tell them on the field how to keep the ball when they get it? What about those that kept the ball after they got it? Who are we going to attribute that success to?

eph12:

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

mehn we should b fair and objective..so mou has to teach them how to trap a ball??

MrTA:

Seems like you're expecting magic. I truly hope you're right even though I share none of your confidence.

I wonder when Liverpool turned Barcelona cum Madrid in your sight.

What's the fuss about not beating Liverpool? I can't believe this.

eph12:

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

Baba when you start dey talk nonsense?

dubylhover:


mehn we should b fair and objective..so mou has to teach them how to trap a ball??

Mourihno default tactics were as clear as daylight - his intention was to sit deep & hit City on the Counter.

IMO, Our manager accorded Pep too much respect (probably due to his poor record against the Spaniard). It's okay to be cautious against top teams but with the heavy investments in the squad, we shouldn't be willing to be on the back foot against any opposition whatsoever in a home game - that's my grudge with Mourihno as regards that particular match!!

i don't think this match is winnable considering liverpool's speed and form. we dont have a decisive stiker too!

Una Good morning o!

The atmosphere here is ......

eph12:

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

UniqueGem:
Baba when you start dey talk nonsense?

I wonder o!

AdisaOwala:


Mourihno default tactics were as clear as daylight - his intention was to sit deep & hit City on the Counter.

IMO, Our manager accorded Pep too much respect (probably due to his poor record against the Spaniard). It's okay to be cautious against top teams but with the heavy investments in the squad, we shouldn't be willing to be on the back foot against any opposition whatsoever in a home game - that's my grudge with Mourihno as regards that particular match!!

i think why the outcry was this much is becos we lost that match..we all knew that mou would sit behind,the thing about this sort of tactics is that you hope and rely on your frontmen to b efficeint and effective..for christs sake lingard was an embrassment to football in that match..micki was also poor..thats y mou said they let him down and its very true...

about our investment and sitting back against mou at home..dont forget ancelotti did d same against pep at d bernabeu..pep dominated him totally,just that madrid had a quick attack and d frontmen delivered..
in essence d major fault why we lost to city wasnt d tactics entirely but the starting 11..you cud see how we improved in the 2nd half

The kind Molue wey Mou go park today still dey undergo service for Kazeem workshop, me sha know say party will start early say by 8:45pm we should be grooving.

Hi everyone,

This is a special blog entry, it’s different because I’m writing this on the eve of a game and not after it. And, as you can imagine, this isn’t just a football match. We are in Liverpool, resting in the hotel, looking forward to this Monday and hoping that it’s going to be a great day for us.

The truth is that I have played several times at Anfield already, with good and bad results, but I prefer to remember those good and exciting moments that I have lived in this stadium over the last few years. These games are always very intense and thrilling, with a big dose of adrenaline. I hope we can see good football and get a good score for us.

Of course, we feel privileged for being part of this kind of game where tradition and rivalry go far back in time, and we will try our best to make our fans happy.

Thank you for your support! Hugs!

Juan

AdisaOwala:


Mourihno default tactics were as clear as daylight - his intention was to sit deep & hit City on the Counter.

IMO, Our manager accorded Pep too much respect (probably due to his poor record against the Spaniard). It's okay to be cautious against top teams but with the heavy investments in the squad, we shouldn't be willing to be on the back foot against any opposition whatsoever a home game - that's my grudge with Mourihno as regards that particular match!!

Will you also say conte's default setting was to sit deep and hit arsenal on the counter? Considering the way arsenal came at them

We were pressed hard right from the moment the ref blew the whistle, so we can't possibly say that was Mourihno's default tactics, when your opponent presses you that hard, you have no choice but to defend first before anything, we all didn't expect That high pressing and if my memory serves me right, there was a time in that match(first half) were we held a high line

It's just like two cult groups going out for a brawl to claim the bragging rights but one came well prepared attacking the other from the get go, first they'll have to defend themselves, re group and attack, that doesn't mean it was what they set out to do


A clear example of "sit deep and hit on the counter" was city in the second half as we all saw Pep's instruction to his players

"These are the games you live for when you are young, growing up wanting to be a footballer.

"It will be a tough game; we will have to play well but so will they. 

"Games like this are played with a lot of emotion but, just like every game, we go into this to win. What is important is the result and we will try to get that.

"We have a lot of height in the box and we must use that. Top-level football games are close and they can be decided with small details; set-pieces are one of them and it is an opportunity for us to score a goal.

"Our fans are always with us, they always have our back and we feel that, which is important for us," Blind said. "Every game they are there and they are always behind us in their numbers; that is great to see."


- Daley Blind

"Even when I first joined up here, they all mentioned that obviously you know about City and United. But Liverpool - this is the one. With the way the rivalry has brewed over the years because it's been so competitive, it was stressed to me and especially the new lads now how important this fixture is.

"They have always been tough games. I think even in the last one [in January], they probably played far better than us but we took our chance. We know they're a high-pressing team and we're not going to get much time on the ball, so we need to be prepared for that.

"It's not easy, especially for us defenders, because they make it very difficult for us to play out. Quite often, against some teams, we can be quite relaxed and have a lot of the ball but Liverpool are a high-energy pressing team and, even when you win it back, they can be at their most dangerous, as they're right at you. If you don't move it on, you're going to get tackled. It's a very difficult job for us midfielders and defenders to make sure we dictate the play.

"All week, we'll be working on tactics and quite often, in the first 15 minutes, the plans can go right out of the window until the game settles down. It's one of those where we must keep a cool head and implement our game plan to exert pressure on them."

"It's one of those (Matches) where the manager has stressed again this week we need to keep our emotions in check because even players who haven't been at United long know how important this fixture is. It's about controlling our emotions and keeping all our men on the pitch. It's a game where I think you need to play to your maximum.

"Quite often on the pitch, you're trying to call to the midfielders to say there is a man there but it's so loud and the atmosphere is so alive, it's just your blood flowing through your body that makes it hard to control those emotions.

"I've been lucky enough to win there a couple of times and it's a great feeling when you make all those fans happy as we've done our jobs and can go back to Manchester with a smile on our faces."


- Chris Smalling

Why are peeps feeling we don't have a chance against this Liverpool side. Is it because of their speed?

This is football and this is the premiership where where am sure we all agree that form alone might not get you the required result.

Liverpool can as well win but that does not change the fact that there is a chance a low table club will not be able to beat them this season even with their pace.

Come on, there is a 50-50 chance of coming out victorious in this game regardless of Liverpool's form and pace.

Which thought Celtic would score 3goals against city and with all their form they also got beaten by everton.

Mourinho just needs to select rightly and the players themselves must realise how important the game is which am sure they do.

Let's be positive.

dopeJemi:


The coach was supposed to tell them on the field how to keep the ball when they get it? What about those that kept the ball after they got it? Who are we going to attribute that success to?

When they got the ball they were always in a hurry to fling a long pass to an attacker instead of doing the simple things of playing with your nearest man opening spaces then look for a through pass forward. It's easier to deal with long balls forward unless you have a player like Drogba who is always handful against any defender especially in the air. Lingard gets the ball and instead of playing with your team he wants to take on the defenders. Same with Miki and Pogba. It's easier to beat an advancing opposition with a pass to another player unless you have enough space to beat and run into. When our attackers lose balls at will because they feel they can dribble it creates problems for the rest of the team especially when playing with a team fast on the ball.


I don't expect some of you to agree with me of course after we don't have to play anything. Just win the match and win the trophy. Lol. Na magic na. Mourinho na magician. Lol

dopeJemi:


Will you also say conte's default setting was to sit deep and hit arsenal on the counter? Considering the way arsenal came at them

We were pressed hard right from the moment the ref blew the whistle, so we can't possibly say that was Mourihno's default tactics, when your opponent presses you that hard, you have no choice but to defend first before anything, we all didn't expect That high pressing and if my memory serves me right, there was a time in that match(first half) were we held a high line

It's just like two cult groups going out for a brawl to claim the bragging rights but one came well prepared attacking the other from the get go, first they'll have to defend themselves, re group and attack, that doesn't mean it was what they set out to do


A clear example of "sit deep and hit on the counter" was city in the second half as we all saw Pep's instruction to his players

You don't expect a Pep team to press you hard from kick off? Why?

eph12:

You don't expect a Pep team to press you hard from kick off? Why?

Because we had/have an equally good team, they couldn't press celtic and tottenham hard, could they?

eph12:

When they got the ball they were always in a hurry to fling a long pass to an attacker instead of doing the simple things of playing with your nearest man opening spaces then look for a through pass forward. It's easier to deal with long balls forward unless you have a player like Drogba who is always handful against any defender especially in the air. Lingard gets the ball and instead of playing with your team he wants to take on the defenders. Same with Miki and Pogba. It's easier to beat an advancing opposition with a pass to another player unless you have enough space to beat and run into. When our attackers lose balls at will because they feel they can dribble it creates problems for the rest of the team especially when playing with a team fast on the ball.


I don't expect some of you to agree with me of course after we don't have to play anything. Just win the match and win the trophy. Lol. Na magic na. Mourinho na magician. Lol

I actually agree with you, what I don't get is you saying it's mourinho's fault the players couldn't keep the ball

AdisaOwala:


Mourihno default tactics were as clear as daylight - his intention was to sit deep & hit City on the Counter.

IMO, Our manager accorded Pep too much respect (probably due to his poor record against the Spaniard). It's okay to be cautious against top teams but with the heavy investments in the squad, we shouldn't be willing to be on the back foot against any opposition whatsoever in a home game - that's my grudge with Mourihno as regards that particular match!!

I believe the team has learnt it's lesson though. We were unlucky against Stoke in the first half but the second half is totally unacceptable. Since this season I can't remember us having two good halfs. Unless the cup match and against maybe Southampton.

dopeJemi:


I actually agree with you, what I don't get is you saying it's mourinho's fault the players couldn't keep the ball

If the manager instruction about the use of the ball is not clear what do you expect. I don't believe it was clear and Pogba didn't mind taking on 3 players at once continuously when it was obvious he will get the same results which is losing the ball to the opponents. Mourinho was about hitting city fast and hard but city was ready for that by keeping the ball. They made sure they were first to every long ball forward even when not so long. And what did they do when they got the ball? They kept it just to frustrate the opponent. If you didn't notice this I did. I was just laughing when I realised what they were doing. Keep the ball, pass around and then look for a sharp pass to KDB or Ihenacho. We were lucky those guys were wasteful in the second half.
This evening will be interesting though. Waiting to see how we play with and without the ball.

dubylhover:


i think why the outcry was this much is becos we lost that match..we all knew that mou would sit behind,the thing about this sort of tactics is that you hope and rely on your frontmen to b efficeint and effective..for christs sake lingard was an embrassment to football in that match..micki was also poor..thats y mou said they let him down and its very true...


about our investment and sitting back against mou at home..dont forget ancelotti did d same against pep at d bernabeu..pep dominated him totally,just that madrid had a quick attack and d frontmen delivered..
in essence d major fault why we lost to city wasnt d tactics entirely but the starting 11..you cud see how we improved in the 2nd half

I agree that the poor performance of certain players contributed to the loss...no doubt but even if we are to look at it from your perspective, there was no way Lingard or any of our wide men (even in top form) were gonna be as effective as an attack that had Cristiano Ronaldo & Gareth Bale - a further indictment on Mourihno's approach that day if you ask me.

The Madrid / Bayern game you cited was a CL knockout game - it isn't outta place for a manager to be focused with keeping a clean sheet at home...hence Carlotti's counter attack approach. That was a stage of the competition where a 0-0 draw at home is even considered to be a good result (depending on the circumstances ofcourse).

dopeJemi:


Because we had/have an equally good team, they couldn't press celtic and tottenham hard, could they?

RM have a team as good as barca but when they play against barca they play extra hard because they know what to expect. Barca will definitely press hard up front and try to keep the ball.
I praised Pochettino for that match. His team kept the ball well and made sure they won almost all the necessary 50-50 ball. They were not losing the ball in dangerous places. They worked extra hard but because we have the most expensive player in our team we don't see why we should work extra hard. Maybe we expect our opponents to just roll over for us. Celtic and Tth worked hard and they were rewarded. We need to work hard and not be in a hurry to lose the ball when we get it.
Against Everton, would you say city were unlucky? Or they didn't deserve to win?

eph12:

His first eleven wasn't wrong against city. The players were obviously not hyped enough psychologically. They didn't fully understand they have to give a 110% on the field starting from the kick off against a direct rival both for the trophy and bragging rights. Then they had no idea how to keep the ball after they got it. That to me is the failure of the coach and not the team selection.

Seriously? How is the bolded above the failure of the coach? Isn't poor team selection the fault of the coach? What are you saying sef?

eph12:

If the manager instruction about the use of the ball is not clear what do you expect. I don't believe it was clear and Pogba didn't mind taking on 3 players at once continuously when it was obvious he will get the same results which is losing the ball to the opponents. Mourinho was about hitting city fast and hard but city was ready for that by keeping the ball. They made sure they were first to every long ball forward even when not so long. And what did they do when they got the ball? They kept it just to frustrate the opponent. If you didn't notice this I did. I was just laughing when I realised what they were doing. Keep the ball, pass around and then look for a sharp pass to KDB or Ihenacho. We were lucky those guys were wasteful in the second half.
This evening will be interesting though. Waiting to see how we play with and without the ball.

You shouldn't be told how to keep a ball on the field of play, it's basic common sense which fortunately for me Lingard doesn't have

I agree with the rest

eph12:

RM have a team as good as barca but when they play against barca they play extra hard because they know what to expect. Barca will definitely press hard up front and try to keep the ball.
I praised Pochettino for that match. His team kept the ball well and made sure they won almost all the necessary 50-50 ball. They were not losing the ball in dangerous places. They worked extra hard but because we have the most expensive player in our team we don't see why we should work extra hard. Maybe we expect our opponents to just roll over for us. Celtic and Tth worked hard and they were rewarded. We need to work hard and not be in a hurry to lose the ball when we get it.
Against Everton, would you say city were unlucky? Or they didn't deserve to win?

City were unlucky not to win