The dark arts

[Drunk blade]

We know refs are not going to give us anything if we stay on our feet and it is costing us. There were a number of occasions, including just before their 3rd goal, where if we flop to the floor, they get a yellow card.

Mcatee goes down when their lad is trying to swap shirts and its a free kick and a booking the score is still 2 1 and they can't touch him again. Im sure the same lad did a rugby tackle 5 mins later on to stop another attack which would have been his 2nd booking.

A team with 3 or 4 defenders on yellow cards are much easier to break down than those who know they can give you a quick rugby tackle if they are desperate and take a booking

I hate to see it, but unless the refs clean up their act, we need to start playing their game... it could cost us a top 2 spot if we don't

(McBurnie not included he's terrible at diving)

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Was it the referees fault that we played awful against Wrexham in the first match, or against Rotherham, or last night? Blaming referees is merely a way of ignoring and deflecting from what is the real problem. Boro beat us last night because they did everything right, not because the referee favoured them or because we're too honest. You should be able to win a match so that a bad decision doesn't have a baring.

 

[GodricBlade]

I’m not so sure it’s a ‘dark art’ any more though.
Given that sort of behaviour seems to be being encouraged & rewarded, it becomes the norm & the ‘dark art’ is actually trying to stay on your feet. Madness.
I’d love to see the return of more physical game of football where players don’t pirouette & go to ground at the slightest touch. It’s not going to happen though & Hecky needs to get on with instructing his players to do what everyone else does and get the benefits.
He can try to tackle the issue in the wider game in a different way. And I admire his desire to do that, by the way. But not at Utd’s expense.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Was it the referees fault that we played awful against Wrexham in the first match, or against Rotherham, or last night? Blaming referees is merely a way of ignoring and deflecting from what is the real problem. Boro beat us last night because they did everything right, not because the referee favoured them or because we're too honest. You should be able to win a match so that a bad decision doesn't have a baring.

Said this after game, you can maybe blame the ref for the third, but the rest of the game was down to our own stupid errors.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

I would like us to be better at drawing fouls in and around the penalty area for sure. There were a few times last night players went around the outside to shoot with a low chance of scoring, if they'd turned back inside they might have drawn a foul and got a penalty out of it.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I always thought tackling was just one of the basic requirements of football. When the opposition player has the ball you generally try to get it back from them without dangling a leg like a ballerina. We didn't seem interested in tackling Middlesbrough.

I'd concentrate on learning these basic skills before we start throwing ourselves to the floor.

 

[Drunk blade]

Was it the referees fault that we played awful against Wrexham in the first match, or against Rotherham, or last night? Blaming referees is merely a way of ignoring and deflecting from what is the real problem. Boro beat us last night because they did everything right, not because the referee favoured them or because we're too honest. You should be able to win a match so that a bad decision doesn't have a baring.

Against wrexham yes, completely the refs fault, the jebbo sending off was a joke and he basically gave us nothing all game

Rotherham game, we were taking elbows and terrible tackles all game, if we're down rolling about on the floor, they go down to 9 or 10 men and we break them down and win

Boro went down every time and half our team were booked ... it makes it easier for them to play trough us if you've got 3 defenders who know they can't touch you or they're off.

 

[Gavlar]

We know refs are not going to give us anything if we stay on our feet and it is costing us. There were a number of occasions, including just before their 3rd goal, where if we flop to the floor, they get a yellow card.

Mcatee goes down when their lad is trying to swap shirts and its a free kick and a booking the score is still 2 1 and they can't touch him again. Im sure the same lad did a rugby tackle 5 mins later on to stop another attack which would have been his 2nd booking.

A team with 3 or 4 defenders on yellow cards are much easier to break down than those who know they can give you a quick rugby tackle if they are desperate and take a booking

I hate to see it, but unless the refs clean up their act, we need to start playing their game... it could cost us a top 2 spot if we don't

(McBurnie not included he's terrible at diving)

I saw a vid recently where rugby player Ellis Genge said,’ at the end of the day do you want to get congratulated by your nan for staying on your feet or do you want to win?’
He makes a fair point though it’s not the right way to win.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Against wrexham yes, completely the refs fault, the jebbo sending off was a joke and he basically gave us nothing all game

Rotherham game, we were taking elbows and terrible tackles all game, if we're down rolling about on the floor, they go down to 9 or 10 men and we break them down and win

Boro went down every time and half our team were booked ... it makes it easier for them to play trough us if you've got 3 defenders who know they can't touch you or they're off.

Only Anel and Bogle got booked in the back line last night, and Bogle was booked in the 86th minute, so that's plainly not right. We were crap against Wrexham before the sending off and created nothing against Rotherham all match. But yeah, it's the match officials fault and not the poor football that we've been playing. We can't keep papering over the cracks and telling ourselves that we've been playing well recently when we clearly haven't been.

 

[Drunk blade]

Only Anel and Bogle got booked in the back line last night, and Bogle was booked in the 86th minute, so that's plainly not right. We were crap against Wrexham before the sending off and created nothing against Rotherham all match. But yeah, it's the match officials fault and not the poor football that we've been playing. We can't keep papering over the cracks and telling ourselves that we've been playing well recently when we clearly haven't been.

Never said we were playing well... but tell me this if macatee goes down... do they score the third?

No, the score is 2 1, they have a player booked and we're still in the game with a good chance of getting a point

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Never said we were playing well... but tell me this if macatee goes down... do they score the third?

No, the score is 2 1, they have a player booked and we're still in the game with a good chance of getting a point

No, we lose 2-1 and are still beaten comprehensively and convincingly by a better side. It still doesn't address the actual problems and the real reason we lost, so that one decision would had no baring on the result or performance whatsoever. There was no way we were going to equalise last night. No chance.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I would like us to be better at drawing fouls in and around the penalty area for sure.

Yep, there is no finer sight than Norwood rifling a free kick into the BLUT/back of the kop. We want more of it!

 

[Drunk blade]

No, we lose 2-1 and are still beaten comprehensively and convincingly by a better side. It still doesn't address the actual problems and the real reason we lost, so that one decision would had no baring on the result or performance whatsoever. There was no way we were going to equalise last night. No chance.

I disagree at 2 1 there was always a chance, we've been picking up points when weve not played well all season

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

I disagree at 2 1 there was always a chance, we've been picking up points when weve not played well all season

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

Absolutely this.

I only hope Hecky's interview blaming this is taken from the Alex Ferguson book of diversionary tactics.

The facts remained we were out run, out fought, out thought and out coached.

Most of those are on the manager/coach.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

Egan's header into the keepers hands in the last minute but that would have been a travesty after being completely outplayed.

 

[vas borbokis]

Against wrexham yes, completely the refs fault, the jebbo sending off was a joke and he basically gave us nothing all game

Rotherham game, we were taking elbows and terrible tackles all game, if we're down rolling about on the floor, they go down to 9 or 10 men and we break them down and win

Boro went down every time and half our team were booked ... it makes it easier for them to play trough us if you've got 3 defenders who know they can't touch you or they're off.

Totally agree!

 

[BettingBlade]

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

The momentum of the game would have been different though. I agree we were shite and never looked like scoring but all the intensity went out of our game at 3-1.

At least there’s a feeling that we might rally at 2-1 and something might fall for us if we throw the kitchen sink at it. They would have also been dropping deeper and inviting us on instead of giving it the oles for the last 5 minutes.

 

[Large Mendonca]

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

Also, Anel very nearly megged their keeper when in on the angle: think it was early in the 2nd half

 

[Houston_Blade]

Yep, there is no finer sight than Norwood rifling a free kick into the BLUT/back of the kop. We want more of it!

If he’d had a free kick at the edge of their box last night it would have been the SS and JSS in danger. Banana boots.

 

[Drunk blade]

Yes, there's always a chance at 2-1, you're right, but be honest, at what point at 2-1 did we ever look like equalising and not going on to lose? At no point, that's when. We weren't good enough all night bar the opening ten minutes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we looked capable of an equaliser, or likely to get an equaliser at any stage of that second half.

We had at least 5 good chances after 2 1 ... off the top of my head jebbo has a shot well saved, jebbo and Egan missed headers they should both have scored, a block at the keepers legs which could have gone in, another shot which was blocked by a defender....

 

[ATL Recs]

No, we lose 2-1 and are still beaten comprehensively and convincingly by a better side. It still doesn't address the actual problems and the real reason we lost, so that one decision would had no baring on the result or performance whatsoever. There was no way we were going to equalise last night. No chance.

Get beaten 2-1 and still you would be replying to the same stuff as there is this lack of humility with supporting your own team, certainly with United. We have problems that need sorting. We seem tactically rigid and our substitutions are questionable two used last night and you could see in the first half what needed addressing ( midfield ) why didn't we respond more proactively?
Our manager underestimated our opponents he went for it and threw everything at them but a few tweaks by Boro and by minute 20 they took control and out footballed us.
No lets blame the ref and us not stretching the game by falling over

 

[Geordie Blade]

Never said we were playing well... but tell me this if macatee goes down... do they score the third?

No, the score is 2 1, they have a player booked and we're still in the game with a good chance of getting a point

Do you think McAtee should have gone down against Blackpool?
Do you think Brewster should have gone down against Swansea?

Both of those times, we played on and scored. I'm sure there are more examples.

 

[Tezza1889]

We know refs are not going to give us anything if we stay on our feet and it is costing us. There were a number of occasions, including just before their 3rd goal, where if we flop to the floor, they get a yellow card.

Mcatee goes down when their lad is trying to swap shirts and its a free kick and a booking the score is still 2 1 and they can't touch him again. Im sure the same lad did a rugby tackle 5 mins later on to stop another attack which would have been his 2nd booking.

A team with 3 or 4 defenders on yellow cards are much easier to break down than those who know they can give you a quick rugby tackle if they are desperate and take a booking

I hate to see it, but unless the refs clean up their act, we need to start playing their game... it could cost us a top 2 spot if we don't

(McBurnie not included he's terrible at diving)

I get you mate, and I agree, some on here disagree and I understand that..

We should have a reputation with the refs that we are an honest team trying to play the right way and not cheating, but guess what the refs don't give a fuck about playing the right way, they aim for the Premier league where any contact is a foul and play stops, that's why we suffer...

Wait till Watford come, they won't be honest and plucky like the teams of old, you pull them or make any contact, they'll go down and take possession..

Some won't like it, but we're gaining fuck all from being honest, we need to play the game a little more.