After the Lord Mayor’s Show

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

A comment I heard several times during and after the match was that the performance against Rotherham, following the brilliant display v Burnley, was typical United ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’. A little perspective sometimes helps cope with disappointment- was this typical United, or just what happens sometimes at sport? What examples do other people remember? I think I learnt the expression following the outstanding 3-1 Cup giant-killing at Newcastle in March 1961. 3 days later we lost at home 3-1 to Ipswich (crowd of over 35000), and the euphoria disappeared. But we then went on a 7-game unbeaten run in the League, and secured promotion with 2 games to go. Do not despair!
And looking for positives: December 1956, we lost 7-2 against Rotherham at the Lane, the heaviest defeat I have ever seen. Losing 1-0 represents some progress over 66 years

 

[BladeByChoice]

Technically that puts it into perspective, but you can’t put emotion into perspective, still gutted even though Rotherham deserve credit, its still an expected win.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Technically that puts it into perspective, but you can’t put emotion into perspective, still gutted even though Rotherham deserve credit, its still an expected win.

You are right, of course. But it’s a funny old game, to quote another saying…

 

[Sheffsteel]

Also to be honest 2 polar opposite types of games.

Burnley haven't lost for months, so came highly confident with tactics to attack to take the game to us, making it a very open entertaining game.
Rotherham were low on confidence and set up very defensively with tactics to try to frustrate us, making it a tight cagey game of few chances.

It was hardly a surprise so I'm unsure how Hecky designed his tactics to overcome it.
Rotherham had a clear gameplay. Would love to know what Hecky's plan A and plan B was.

We again started the match slowly, as though we were conserving out energy happy to let it get to 0-0 at half-time, then up the tempo and go for it 2nd half.
However we again give a goal away due to some terrible defending on the left hand side.
Once they scored, you knew it was going to be a long night. We did loads of attacking but apart from the ball ricocheting around their box a few times,
we never looked that threatening, we were just hoping for some luck in the packed penalty areas as it always seemed to fall to their player..

 

[Sithblade]

In 88/89 with Deane and Agana in their pomp Chesterfield still managed to do the double over us even though they ended up getting relegated.

 

[Geordie Blade]

The fact is, football is a bit random, and that's what makes it great. Sometimes a team plays well and loses, sometimes they play badly and win, sometimes they play well and thrash someone, etc.

I said it on another thread, but if the game last night was played ten times and the luck was allocated differently each time (but the performances were about the same), I'd say that we'd win 6 times, draw 2 times and lose 2 times. We were the better team overall (the efforts on goal backs that up), but we weren't comprehensive (it's rare that any team is). But that doesn't take anything away from Rotherham. They would have probably taken the 6-2-2 chance at the start of the game, and they did enough (and more) to make it work.

I disagree with other posters who've questioned the players' effort. They gave a lot yesterday, but things just didn't come off. If I have a criticism, it's that we weren't smart enough with the ball at times. Rotherham looked most vulnerable when we played quick first-time passes to get through. But we too often dilly-dallied on the ball, which gave their solid defence time to re-shape and set.

 

[Geordie Blade]

And just as an aside, yesterday was one of those classic examples of football psychology. If we'd been 1-0 up against a team with that much possession, I would've been as nervous as anything, thinking that we're clinging on and going to concede at any moment - even deep into injury time. The last 30 minutes would have felt like three hours.

As it happens, 0-1 down and I was thinking 'Only 30 minutes left - no chance we can score today'. Two minutes later, and there were only ten minutes left - same feeling.

How does that happen?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

And just as an aside, yesterday was one of those classic examples of football psychology. If we'd been 1-0 up against a team with that much possession, I would've been as nervous as anything, thinking that we're clinging on and going to concede at any moment - even deep into injury time. The last 30 minutes would have felt like three hours.

As it happens, 0-1 down and I was thinking 'Only 30 minutes left - no chance we can score today'. Two minutes later, and there were only ten minutes left - same feeling.

How does that happen?

Einstein used those typical football fans’ perceptions of time to prove the theory of relativity.

 

[Selly]

If we win on Saturday, we will be 5 wins from 6 and it looks like a blip on an otherwise very good run.

Of more concern is that we haven`t really looked good for more than 90 mins in total over the last 5 games.

I'd genuinely, and unironically, take a point on Saturday and a guarantee of no more injuries before we return after the WC.