Wasteful United.
Manchester United are not getting better and their performances sum up how this team has been struggling. It shows how they are not playing together as a team because they can't even give the right passes or pick out their teammates with the kind of passes that would hurt an opponent. They have relied so much on individual players and it's beginning to show.
Manchester United wasted too many chances and Bruno Fernandes with Cristiano Ronaldo were the culprits on the day. It was a day that nothing seemed to go right for the two layers. Ronaldo struck the post before having a goal correctly ruled for offside. He fluffed his lines at other times too and the goalkeeper denied him at other occasions. He also had a penalty appeal waved away by the VAR.
Bruno Fernandes missed chances too and he is a passer but failed to pick out Ronaldo inside the box with the goal at Ronaldo's mercy. Fernandes went for glory and Foster; former Manchester United goalkeeper denied him. He also headed over the bar another chance after Ronaldo managed to stay on his feet with the goalkeeper beaten. United had a lot of former players in Watford's rank with Cathcart, Tom Cleverly, Ben Foster and Joshua King all determined to frustrate Manchester United.
Manchester United dominated the game from start to finish, no doubt and restricted Watford to half chances and counter-attacks but they fired blank as they had 22 shots with only 3 of them on target. In the first half alone, Manchester United had 10 shots with just 1 on target.
United asked all the questions but they still didn't get an answer which made Roy Hodgson get Watford's first-ever point at Old Trafford since 1985. Of course, Roy Hodgson had won at Old Trafford against United when he was still at the helm for Crystal Palace. I think they won 3-1 that day.
After a brilliant team play that involved Pogba's flick, you can also say that Elanga wasted a wonderful chance as well when he was played through on goal by Pogba's flick. Elanga fired wide with the goal at his mercy too but Foster did so well to narrow the angle but Elanga should have scored. He also blocked a goal attempt from Ronaldo that looked like it might head on target. Watford defended for their lives and Samir made a vital block to deny Fernandes in the box after a Ronaldo's pass to Bruno Fernandes.
The game ended 0-0 for Manchester United at Old Trafford and the frustration keeps growing. With the crazy fixtures they have next, I can say that Manchester United might have to kiss the top 4 goodbye with games against Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Leicester City and Everton on the horizon. They can't get past Watford and it's hard to imagine they would get past these teams with more coordination, clinical and firepower.
I think this is the time Ralf Rangnick had to make a tough decision and that is to bench Ronaldo. Ronaldo would better serve Manchester United when he comes off the bench even though his ego wouldn't let him take that. He doesn't have the legs again, the pace and the trickery and he still throws tantrums like in his younger years. He has already fired blank in 8 of his 9 matches played and that sums up everything about Manchester United.
Arsenal are breathing down the neck of Manchester United and they have 2 games in hand to play. If they win both, United would slip down to 5th and if Arsenal keeps being Arsenal, they might lose that spot also in case Tottenham's revival springs in.
Manchester United need to make some tough decisions regarding their starting 11 and despite the love I have for Ronaldo and his ability to do just about anything to win the game, I would still drop him on the bench and make him come up as a substitute in the 60th minute if deadlock needs to be broken or we need certainty in closing up a game that has been by 1 goal margin.
He has been terrible or let me say poor with freekicks too and that should be another reason they need to take him off freekick duties. Alex Telles produce more from freekicks these days. A lot needs to be fixed regarding this Manchester United side and no one is ready to make the tough call.
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Thank you
Still fun to watch them struggle as I have a United fan in the house and this is keeping him quiet lol. Havre to get rid of Ronaldo for next season as he is finished and should have retired. Why ruin your name instead of retiring is crazy.
🤣🤣😂😂🤣😂 the silence would be deafening.
I don't know the points they all try to prove...same with Ibrahimovic...40 years and hardly play every game...and still gets injured hahaha. It's crazy.
There are times where the ball doesn't go in, and this was one of them. Not going to blame it all on bad luck, but bad luck was present.
Either way, I am happy with the result as it gives us Arsenal a space to break into the top four with games in hand.
That's right...the ball just won't go in. Chelsea suffered the same fate against Liverpool. Arsenal should close up when they can now.
I must say that a lot has changed with Manchester United. The team is lacking in quality yet they are some good players in the squad. Could be there is a lack of understanding while playing or they are just unlucky or maybe the frontline needs an overhauling.
For many games now, Manchester United has been playing draws allowing Arsenal to close in on them. I hope they can do better but somehow, their poor form favours LFC😎 as well so, I'm not bothered.
My heart goes out for CR7. I know he'll never get to read this but it's always better to leave the stage when the ovation is high. He is appearing more frustrated by the day. No one will question him if he retires.
No one can question him and his ego just like Zlatan wouldn't make both of them do that. I feel he would be more effective coming on from the bench.
I don't want to laugh, so you won't say I'm mocking you 😂. It was good to see your direct rival struggle.
Objectively though, it was an eyesore and I wondered what it would have been if Watford had faced a more clinical side with how much chances were created and the errors committed by Watford at the back.
I really don't think Ronaldo is the problem or benching him would solve it, except there's an empirical proof that his teammates believe he's a bad influence cos to think of it, he's saved United countless times this season.
I think it's more of a team's mentality and not just an individual's doing.
Hahahaha laugh me...it won't still change how terrible this team is. I didn't say he is a problem and never believed the report of being a bad influence because he has been remarkable all his playing career. I only felt he would make more impact coming from the bench because he would still be fresh and the opponents would have been tired then, so he can make good use of his abilities to destroy them.
He doesn't have the legs for pace anymore which is why he struggles to get past his markers sometimes and rightly so, he is 37, they shouldn't expect too much from him. He would be more effective coming from the bench. God knows I love that man...what a career he's had.
I also agree that he can't do 90 minutes every other game. Sometimes, you also feel having him start games could instill fear in opponents, but I guess that was the Ronaldo of then, not his 37-year old self.
Nonetheless, like you noted, he's still a very big influence on the team.
I wish United well, but not at the expense of my own team. 😂
Absolutely... He still commands that presence but mehn... Age has caught up with him. Hahaha I wish my team the best... The others would be alright 🤣🤣😂
😂 😂 😂
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Sorry to say this but the Portuguese duo are way off top 4 pace.
The whole team in general.