GamesGamesGames

Can you read? Edit: Actually, nevermind. Daft to ask.

That's his game to be fair. Was at Sporting, and has been at United. He's a midfielder in name only. That's not a criticism. What Bruno does really well, is producing a high number of opportunities. That enables him to skip some of his off-the-ball responsibilities, because whoever is lying deepest in front of the opposition defence has to follow him around. Give him time AND space and you're going to pay. United don't exploit that space he makes anything like well enough. Once Cavani and Ronaldo were on the pitch he dropped deeper, purely because there was always a body in space he would otherwise have occupied. He looks to find those areas wherever he can find them - pound to a penny he hasn't been told to drop deeper because he's playing too far forward. He plays where Ole wants him, and this was just a by-product of taking a risk with the sub. Something I haven't seen any outlets pick up on, is why Ronaldo is capable of tracking back in the last twenty of a game when he's switched wide, but won't do it from the front. You can't bang on about what a great athlete he is and in the same breath give him a pass on his pressing because of his age. He's either fit enough, or he isn't. Those last twenty suggested there's a more-worrying managerial problem; that perhaps he doesn't think it's his place to lead that pressing from the centre of the park. If that can't be sorted, then Cavani should be given the starting nod. Reputations bedamned. Over the past few games, through a variety of different circumstances, the one positive has been the revealing of United's best starting XI. Such a thing exists. De Gea Wan-Bissaka Lindelof Varane Shaw McTominay Fred Greenwood Fernandes Rashford Cavani That's not necessarily the eleven most-talented individuals, but it's the most-cohesive and dynamic unit United can put out. It's a big bonus for any squad to know its best eleven and to start from that template. It's not going to happen, but if Ole really wants to make good on his endless harping on about United's best traditions, the place to start is by making that eleven the foundation. United's best traditions meant going to toe-toe and often coming out on top in the toughest games, and winning more than most of the rest. You can't go toe-to-toe with bang average sides, drop points to sides not much better, be comfortably beaten by sides not much better than that, then go pointing to your last-minute win as if it was the Nou Camp in 1999.

Don't let another round of DNA chat fool you. Had the right side been put out United would have been home and hosed within the hour. Atalanta were really disappointing. Still, all that adrenaline from tonight and the comedown in the legs tomorrow. Good job they won't need to cover much ground at the weekend then.... That'll need a proper 80s United showing. Do not pass Go. Do not collect £200.

Great header. Good job he didn't have...etc.

Cavani has shamed Ronaldo into tracking back. Galaxy brain Ole.

Smart finish that. Good job he didn't have to run to reach it.

Rolling the dice for moments at the expense of balance. Even if it pays off, it's not a winning strategy over the course of a season.

Great goal.

Rashford is fully fit. He needs to play. It's not a rush job. Point to rust by all means, but his fitness is there. As far as Maguire goes, if Varane's fit I wouldn't play him at all. I'd rather Lindelof's plus points and Varane policing him than constantly dropping off and keeping both of his full-backs on a leash.

Wouldn't be in the least surprised if United got something out of this still, but the players shouldn't be let off the hook regardless. Mason, Fred and Shaw the only positives from that. They can't push up with Maguire, Ronaldo is a waste of time unless he's scoring...Christ I remember idiots thinking Ruud didn't contribute if he wasn't scoring. Would love to show them that forty-five. The best thing that could happen to this side right now is a couple of choice hamstrings to go. It'd push the whole side up ten yards and have someone up top to play off in the space of two subs which won't be made otherwise.

Nothing wrong with their positioning, players just couldn't be arsed. The saddest thing about this is that Atalanta have been ordinary.

Shambolic.

It's almost as if they work on that in training....

For all his failings graftwise, quite looking forward to seeing this front three - Ronaldo spearheading, with Bruno behind them. Rashford coming back is a real boon, and Mason's been like a pig in shit about it.

That's fast-becoming the diplomat's code for 'no Pogba', and it's a fair shout if Ole insists on playing him deep. It'll be the usual though. If the individuals show up, United will be OK. If not, they're fucked. More so than usual, given how Atalanta go about things, United getting the first goal could really open it up.