10 Things we Learned from last night's game

Mama A.
Oct 18, 2016
3 min read

1. Wayne Rooney should have started!

Mourinho packed a 5-mand midfield to block, defend and stop Liverpool's game.

It worked so well and could have been applauded as genius move except Man United did not score.

There were two glaring, tactical issues: Rashford, Pogba and Zlatan do not make for creative players.

With Mata out, Rooney should have started and taken Pogba's role.From then on, the sniffling could not be avoided.

2. Ander Herrera is the Man.

Herrera was fierce in midfield.

He was all over in defense and attack; doing the work of two men.

He gave Pogba that freedom he's been known to crave (although Pogs did not do much with it) and he even made the Big Fella look good; making for his insufficiencies.

He was, for me, the man of the match.

3. David De Gea Saves.

Don't be fooled by the bus; Liverpool have been prolific of late and only DDG's supercat moves saved in the end.

And despite black cat that passed in front of him before the game, #SupersticiousMuch he was on top form.

4. Eric Bailly & Chris Smalling are the new Rio & Vida.

Okay, Smalling is back and he takes his #BeastMode label back because he was Captain, winning duels and being the strong man in the back.

Bailly on the other hand did his part by being the disruptor... it was like a match made in heaven.

They shone and did their work - #LongMayTheyReign

5. Paul Pogba needs a break on the bench or to return to play further back.

Like Mikhi or Schneiderlin or Rooney, Pogba needs a break.

First off, it seemed to do Anthony Martial a world of good.

Second, Pogba has been featured all over, but it's a new league even if he was here before.

There is too much pressure for the Frenchman and every time he took the ball, there were expectations of greatness but he was really low on his game.

Mou should give him a break to ease him off all this so he can get his groove back.

On him playing number 10 role, that was ill advised, Mou... Pogba was out of his element on that one.

6. Jose Mourinho's bus has finally arrived!

I repeat; Mourinho packed a 5-mand midfield to block, defend and stop Liverpool's game.

It worked so well and could have been applauded as genius move except Man United did not score.

Since Zlatan is not known for his creativity, it's clear that he needed creative support from the middle of the pack.

7. Possession is overrated! Tactics matter.

Man United's 35% possession, the least ever for the club in the Premier League era was something that should not even be mentioned in polite company... 35% That's low.

Yet, United's only mistake was failure to connect ball to net in those glorious moments of chance and opportunity.

At the end of the day, it would not have mattered...

8. Mou needs his first 11, and fast.

There is no denying the mess at the team with all the main players fit and ready to play - however, there is too much inconsistency for things to remain the same.

JM needs his best XI and the rest can fill in.

9. Blind can stand in for Shaw... but Young has been a defender for too long.

Blind started on left back, as we'd asked... the only issue was his forward connection, for Ashley Young has been a bit out of the game and he was very rusty for such an important role.