Colin: Frustrations of squad building were laid bare
The Manchester Derby was on Sunday was a match where Manchester United should have gotten more and didn’t. On top of that, there was a highly controversial goal allowed for the Citizens as well as about 30 minutes of play in which they were down a man. There is plenty to talk about from all of that as well as a performance that was lacking, but what I’ll talk about is the squad Michael Carrick has to work with.
Behind the front three on the pitch was Benjamin Sesko, who had a poor cameo off the bench.
After him was Joshua Zirkzee, a player that has not been part of the plan for this club since about four months into his United tenure. Shea Lacey and Mason Mount were unused substitutes.
There were options in defense and midfield to change things up, but there weren’t too many problems in those areas apart from the absence of the team’s only left back, Luke Shaw, through injury.
The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell made a similar point about the Zirkzee vs. Iliman Ndiaye sub, but that difference between United and City is a whole other conversation that involves at least 115 other points. United’s long term recruitment strategy/struggles are of their own making. We may sit here next summer and be glad with the players acquired, but it will still feel like an opportunity missed to knowingly put depth issues on the back burner for multiple seasons in a row. The depth across the board is still lacking after just a couple of key injuries and it leaves whoever is manager with a problem of balancing the approach.
Suwaid: Beyond a Wake-Up Call but Not a Crisis
The loss to Hull City was a wake-up call, and the loss today was more than that, but it’s not a crisis yet. It looks like fifth place will be enough for Champions League football, and if so, United won’t have much to worry about for a long time. This is the problem United will face all season.
United were unfortunate to go down after a ridiculous refereeing decision, but the performance was worrying. United handed it to City today; they didn’t have to do much to get a point, never mind three. It’s the third time in the last year that United have lost to a side despite being up a man – the pattern isn’t changing. The frustration isn’t so much with just the performance, but with how United are playing catch-up so early in a season, and how, once again, qualifying and playing Champions League football doesn’t feel sufficient.
Fans go into a new season hoping to exceed expectations; it rarely goes that way, but holding onto that belief helps; that was the biggest disappointment from yesterday. It’s hard to know what to make of United in the Champions League at this stage, especially after losing their first big game of the season in such underwhelming fashion, but Michael Carrick and co can’t feel too sorry for themselves. The side has to start collecting three points again and go on a run. y
Vince: United Can’t Hide Behind a mistake
Yes, the goal was a terrible call. We all saw it, and it definitely hurt United. But I also think blaming the result on that one decision ignores what happened for the other 70 minutes.
United had an extra man for most of the match and only managed three shots. Three shots against ten men. That’s just not good enough, especially in a derby.
As soon as City went down a man, I expected United to go after them. Press higher, keep them pinned back and make them uncomfortable. Instead, it was City who seemed to step up their game. United sat back and tried to deal with City’s pressure when it should have been the other way around.
I also don’t understand why Šeško didn’t come on earlier. This felt like the perfect situation to get another striker on and really go for it. Carrick has done a lot right, but I think he got the game management wrong here.
And that’s why I have a hard time putting this all on the penalty. Yes, it was a bad call, but United should have already been two goals up by that point. The referee shouldn’t have even had the opportunity to decide the game. When you have a man advantage for 70 minutes and barely create anything, you have to look at yourself first.
The decision hurt, but United wasting that advantage is what really cost them.
