386: He's World Class! Man United 2-1 Brentford Match Reaction

0:00Hello, everybody. Welcome to the United Stand. Manchester United 2, Brentford 1, and surely that is Champions League football for Man United. In fact, it is. It would be incredible. We'd need to lose our last four, and Brentford would need to win their next four, and Liverpool would need to win games. Villa would need to win games. We're going to get Champions League, and it is going to be back at Man United. And I think at the start of the season, we probably didn't think we were going to end the season with Steve Holland and Michael Carrick as our coaches, but we would have took Champions League football.

0:28And that has got to be worth a like on the video and a thank you and everybody can go to bed. Thank you very much. Good night. See you later. But that's not it, is it? That's not it because, and there was somebody world-class on the pitch tonight and I'll tell you who that was in a moment. But look, I just actually saw Gary Neville say it's not a beauty parade. Michael Carey could just be bothered about the result. I actually disagree, Gary. I think it is a beauty parade at this stage because I think we know we're going to get the Champions League and we're trying to figure out whether we should give this guy the job or not.

1:00And it's ironic that in the second half, he played the same way as Amorim and actually lost the second half 1-0. And he, you know, apparently that system doesn't work. And we did it for a half, couldn't score again, and we lost the second half 1-0. So, you know, we're back playing, you know, three at the back and a system that most people, you know, ridicules. And that's meant to be tactically flexible, but we actually lost the second half 1-0. I thought the first 12 minutes, because I timed it, was absolutely incredible. I think absolutely incredible. The intensity. We started a game at Old Trafford for the first time since Man City with real intensity.

1:37And I thought, you know what? Has that cup of tea with Sir Jim Radcliffe that Michael Carrick had last week made Carrick think, I've got an audition next week. I've got an audition. And I thought for the first 12 minutes, we're going to play really good football here and he's going to try and win this game 4 or 5-0 and send a message that we all go, this is exciting. But once we scored, it went to, you know, Brentford. I mean, to be honest with you, let me be honest, right? There was one world-class player on the pitch today and his name was Le Mans. And I said it in the first half. I said it at half time.

2:10I said it when he made those three saves. We need to remember this at half time. We've gone from Inanna to him. That's like having a dustbin in goal to having a proper goalkeeper in goal. And when David De Geo is here, we won a lot of games like this where we didn't probably deserve it. But the goalkeeper is one of the 11. Remember that time we went to Arsenal at the Emirates and they were losing their shit outside going, it's cheating. We've absolutely dominated them and they've beat us. And I remember saying, hold on a minute. There's 11 men out there. One of them's the goalkeeper. If the goalkeeper does his job to the absolute peak of his ability and stops balls going in, how are you lucky to win?

2:48You win because they're good at their job. And we won because Le Mans was good at his job today. Because in fairness, Brentford scored from a worldie. Every other half chance or good chance, they didn't score. So I think, again, it's a bit like Fulham where we won in the last minute. It's a bit like Everton where we won with one goal. It's a little bit like Villa where they were coming back and Bruno played that worldie pass. we've had a few of these wins under Carrick where we've drifted but we've managed to get the result the question is how sustainable is that going to be next season playing twice a week I mean I saw Casemiro falling on the floor very intelligently they're not fouls he just knows what he's doing and then they're all fist pumping and this that and the other and I'm going the amount of effort we put into getting that Chelsea result and that Brentford result that's one game a week these tactics next season I worry about the amount of effort and fist pumps people are doing.

3:48Can they do it twice a week? But look, that's a different conversation. You should never. Ironically, I remember us beating Brentford 2-1 a couple of years ago under Ten Hag, where we were losing 1-0 and McTominay scored a couple of goals. And people were in the chat saying, embarrassing, embarrassing. It's never embarrassing to celebrate a Manchester United win because that's what we're here for. And, you know, if we'd lost today, we'd be nervous. We'd be nervous about the Champions League. So we put ourselves in a positive position. He definitely parked the bus in the second half and went 2-0.

4:20Let's hold on to it. And it worked. It wasn't very pretty. The reality is that we had 44 % at home today and we went down to 10 men. Brentford had a better XG, if you care about that. They had 55 % possession to our foot. Sorry, 55 to 45 % possession. They had more shots than us. They played better football than us. And so did Chelsea. And so did Leeds. But we've got six points from nine. And every team we've played against has played better than us. But we've got six points from nine. So you sort of find a lot. There's a chat. There's a poll. Would you give Carrick the job? Yes or no? Vote in it.

5:00I'm finding it very hard to see a scenario where they don't because he keeps winning games. It's just whether this luck will run out or whether it will be a platform for something better. But we don't know what that better is going to be. I keep saying this. It's results over performance and vision. Every game we win, apart from Man City and Arsenal, there's a but where you go, it's a good result. But basically, I said this against Fulham at the start of February. If Fulham had Bruno Fernandes that day, they'd have beat us. and if Brentford had Bruno Fernandes today, they would have beat us. I do think we are getting results on vibes and it reminds me of a manager we had before.

5:52I think a lot of our results are very reliant. I mean, look at the first goal. It's literally Bruno to Maguire to Casemiro. I've been saying this for weeks. Those three players have been getting us results and today it happened again with the first goal. I'm just, I'm just like, I don't know. I don't actually know what to say because I'm so excited about being in the Champions League. This is such a big thing for me because I mean, I'm watching the Champions League on Mats Football tomorrow night. I love the Champions League. I love the new format and I'm so excited that we're going to be in it.

6:28It's just great. But Newcastle were in the Champions League this year and look at where they are now. So being in it, you can't just focus on the short-term goal. I'm also terrified of what's going to happen to us next season. I still, for 12 minutes, I saw something and I went, I like this. Intensity, four corners in the first four minutes. I like this. And then it died. It disappeared after 12 minutes. The light was on and then it all went dark again. Look, maybe that 12 minutes becomes 45 minutes against Liverpool, becomes 90 minutes for the last game of the season against Brighton and becomes every week next year.

7:04Maybe that can happen. for the first time in two months, I saw 12 minutes of Man United where I thought, actually, I can live with that. I like it. So look, maybe, maybe. But, you know, giving character jobs a massive risk. But I think the results are going to give him the job. Like it's a results business and the results are good. You can't swerve the results. The results are good. The performances are questionable. You know, it's fair to say. just a bit of comedy do you think we're signing Thiago this summer? because I've never seen such a shit performance from a striker who can score lots of goals I mean bloody hell have we already got a deal in place for him and it's like don't score against us today I mean he is one of the best strikers in Europe and he was I mean the chances he missed today I couldn't believe it unbelievable but I don't think we are signing him It was just a bit of a joke.

8:04But yeah, if he if you would have thought he was a bag of shit. He's actually really good, Thiago. Really good. I like their midfield. I like their midfield. But then again, how many times do we like the opposition's midfield? I just think we haven't got any legs in the midfield, have we? But look, I think that vibes football, great football, Carrick in, Carrick out. You know, when's the look going to run out? Playing a low block for 45 minutes at Old Trafford. The second half was terrible, by the way. I don't think we had a chance in the second half. It was it was a it was the first half was a really good half of football.

8:40We played our part. Brentford were very good. Second half, I thought it was quite poor. And 47 percent possession at home isn't sorry, 44 percent or 45 percent possession at home isn't very good. And our possession this season, I think Carrick's average possession is nearly down below 50 percent now. So, you know, we're not a possession based team anyway. We can't we can't say that we're that. but look I said we'd beat Brentford I expected it to be a little bit more resounding than 2-1 and I think we'll beat Liverpool on Sunday as well it might not be pretty but I think we'll beat Liverpool on Sunday as well and results will then be what it's all about Mark what do you think about Ahmad?

9:21I don't I mean I think that was a tactical switch and if I'm being honest with you I you know Steve Holland and Michael Carrick aren't useless I'd argue with anybody about that it's just whether they're good enough to be Man United's manager which is a big job I think that going taking Ahmad off at half time tactically or whatever shows balls and a lot of people were very unhappy with Ahmad in that first half a lot of people have been very unhappy with Ahmad this season so I'm not going to criticise Michael Carrick for taking Ahmad off I don't like us going to a back five at Old Trafford at half-time against Brentford just to get a result and I do agree with a lot of people online who are saying it's massively hypocritical that people will be talking tomorrow about Carrick's tactical flexibility when Amorim played three at the back and got ridiculed for it And also, what tactical flexibility?

10:29We lost the second half 1-0. We didn't play very well in the second half. The flip side of that is I agree with all that, but I also think it's a positive that he made a sub at half time because Carrick's average subs are around 70 minutes and he did one at half time. So there is a positive to it. in relation to Ahmad I personally don't think the criticism is justified I personally don't think he's as bad as people are making out I actually think as a right wing back he was playing really really well and probably thought that's what he's going to be and now he's a winger again and maybe that's a struggle for him the output statistically isn't very good but neither is Saka's and it was Ahmad's tackle that led to the second goal.

11:21So I don't think the Ahmad criticism, I think the Ahmad criticism is a bit over the top. I don't think he's far off. I mean, that chance that he should have scored from Mainu in that first brilliant 12 minutes nearly went in the bottom corner. And if it goes in the bottom corner, we're not having this conversation. So I do think that the substitution was justified, but I'm not ready to be sort of writing Ahmad off yet. And can I just add a little bit of sauce to that conversation and say, hold on a minute, Mbormo was crap again and has been crap pretty much under Carrick since January. So, you know, there is also that conversation and Mbormo is not playing well either and hasn't been playing well under Carrick at all.

12:06And that's against these old club where you normally expect a performance. So it's not just Ahmad, is it? our wide players haven't been playing particularly well anyway let me just read some of these super chats 67 % of you wouldn't give the job to Carrick 33 % of you would which is incredible when you consider the results and the fact that the club are going to give him the job and yet he still doesn't seem to have that backing hopefully the back five was not auditioned for Liverpool says Yusuf loved best Sesko speaking great about Bruno and then Bruno telling him to celebrate today shows what being able to learn from others can do, says Tyler.

12:43Le Mans not lucky. He made his own look, says Adiccio. I don't think anybody said he was lucky. Days like these, I think we have the best goalkeeper in the land, says Andres. I thought he was world-class today. I'd argue that with anybody. Do I think he's a world-class goalkeeper? Not yet. Do I think he was world-class today? Yes. It reminded me of David De Gea. It was just a performance where at half-time, we should have been 3-1 down, we were 2-0 up. When we went 1-0 up, they had three big chances and they should have scored all of them and he saved them all. And if we'd have been 3-1 down, we wouldn't be 2-0 up, would we?

13:16So I think it was an incredible performance by him. And on top of that, he did all the stuff you want him to do as well. He came and collected corners. He punched corners. He distributed the ball well. It's not just the saves. His whole game is really good. Really, really good. I don't think this style of play is sustainable, says Shiz. Enjoy that on my birthday, says Christopher. Cheers, lads and everyone. Happy birthday, pal. Do you think it's Carrick or the fact we still have players like Shaw Delo at the club can never develop with them, says Eddie Thompson. If it's Carrick, get him the best players possible.

13:50Ahmad Delo, Shaw must be replaced, says Keel. Brentford beat Grimsby 5-0. Great results, says Kay Stone. Magnus says, please let Casimiro stay one more year. Let him be a mentor for a young midfielder And by the way, if we get Ibrahimović in 2012 instead of PSG, he would be a United Legends, says Magnus. Any Brentford players you'd take? Says Just Pasty. I liked their midfield. I don't know whether I would take any of them. And Mark, at what point do we become daft for not offering Casemiro a year extension on more favourable terms to the club? OK, you're the second one now. I'm answering this question.

14:27Thiago failed to score against us like Arsenal, says Fraz. has Ineos sneaked Southgate in a Carrick mask, says Roy. And Mojo's gifted 50 memberships. Thank you very much. That's great. Thank you very much.

14:50Mojo is a legend of the chat and he has gifted 50 memberships. So if you've got one, that's absolutely fantastic. Right. Before I do the player ratings, I'm going to answer this Casamiro question. before I do that

15:03I need a hard hat I can't find a hard hat okay I'll get down like this for pelters okay what the fuck are you talking about giving Casemiro another year for do you actually watch football he's got no legs you can't keep Casemiro for another year just because he's good at corners and blocking you know he's got no legs he's got, he can't, no, in my opinion, absolutely do not keep Casemiro for another year. I might be in the minority, but no, I don't know where we'd be without him this year, but look at Salah last year and then look at Salah this year. Casemiro is definitely on the last fumes of his tank in the Premier League.

15:53This is not a fuel tank that you're filling up and it's going again. He's definitely having the last shoots of summer, right? There is no Casemiro next year. It's not going to happen. It shouldn't happen. And he should go out with this legacy of nine Premier League goals from a holding midfielder, which is incredible.

16:21Casemiro's brilliance to us this season has been his passion his dedication and working towards a World Cup summer for Brazil next season he wouldn't have that World Cup summer and it would be another year trying to do what he's done again I don't think he'd be able to do it I don't and also our midfield does get bossed every week it got bossed by Leeds it got bossed by Chelsea and it got bossed by Brentford so if Maynou was brilliant which I think he was and Casemiro was brilliant why have we been dominated by the last three midfields so look Casemiro is a brilliant leader he's been brilliant for us this year and his goal return has been incredible but do I want him in that midfield for another year no absolutely not he hasn't got another year in him and if you think he has you hold on to that because it's not going to happen anyway that would be my opinion you've got yours but look, let's just drop the mic on it.

17:18It's not happening anyway because he's on 300 grand a week and Man United will not give him 300 grand a week and he will get 300 grand a week somewhere else. So he will not sign a contract for half that to stay at Man United. So it's a financial decision anyway. We move on. Player ratings. Let's go. Mark every player out of 10, six being the average. Le Mans, my man of the match and a strong eight today. I thought without him, we don't win the game. And if I was Michael Carrick, I'd be going up to him and saying, thank you. You've just helped me keep my job for another year. Because I think Le Mans today, if that's an honour, we've just got to beat 7-1.

17:58I'm not joking. If an honour was in goal today, we've just got to beat 7-1. With all those crosses coming in and the big saves, it's over, bro. It's done. Deleuze today, I don't think he was that bad. Six? 5.6? Okay. Not far off. Yeah. A few misplaced. De Lowe being De Lowe, really. I would say it was an average De Lowe performance. Some good tackles, some bad passes, some bad positioning, just a typical De Lowe performance. Do we need an upgrade? Absolutely. Was he terrible? No. Was he good? No. Average. Maguire today probably gave him a 6.5. Yeah, I agree with that. Loves a game like that where he can get his head on it.

18:47Very unlucky not to score as well. Remember, those first 12 minutes were good. I won't have that from anybody. The first 12 minutes, Maynou set Ahmad up. He had a great save. We had about four corners. We scored. The first 12 minutes was very good. and he made some good defensive headers Heaven I think was a 7 for me I think we forget just how young and raw he is there will be mistakes but I just think he's maturing already I think this season's been brilliant for him I think he had some good games under Amarim he's now had a couple under Carrick I'm very excited about what he can be because he can't be sat on the bench next season, but maybe he will be.

19:36We've still got Martinez to come back, haven't we? Martinez will be back soon. Luke Shaw today. I mean, look, my eyes did not deceive me. Luke Shaw did an overlap at the start of the first, second half and put a cross in. I thought I was dreaming. I started pinching myself and I was like, wow, that's real. He actually did overlap and put a cross in. So for that reason, it's man of the match. no um probably the same as um probably the same as the low i give him a six yeah give him a six uh average uh casemiro the goal puts him on a seven the fist pumps yeah seven for me 7.5 yeah you're probably right well but but i i've given le mans an eight no i'm gonna go seven and then i'll go i'll go 7.5 for mainy maybe i should have gone 8.5 for Le Mans.

20:28I can give Casemiro a 7.5, but if I give Casemiro a 7.5, I want to give Maynou an 8, and I can't give Maynou an 8 because I've gone 8 with Le Mans. So I've got to knock people up. 7.5. What? People have gone Casemiro over Maynou. Get your glasses out. Get your bloody glasses on. I mean, Casemiro was good, but I think Maynou was better. I think Maynou was exceptional today. defensively he's always going to get run past I agree with that like every time a Brentford player ran past him they're gone and he can't catch them he is slow without the ball defensively but with the ball he's quick and we saw that with that great run I thought his passing was good his positional sense was good I thought Manu was one of the better players on the field so I would give him a 7.5 and therefore I'd give Kavis Amiro a 7 6.5 for Mboguaya 7 for heaven.

21:27Mbomo, 5.5. Yeah, below average again. I mean, I don't know. Am I stupid? Don't answer that. When was the last time he scored? 6.9, says Dave. 6.9. What game are we watching? When did he score last? When did Mbuyamo score a goal for Man United last? Why can't I think about it? Arsenal away? No, it can't be. Oh, don't come at me with he works hard. He's meant to bloody score goals. That's his job. He's meant to score or assist goals.

22:18Spurs. He scored against Spurs. That corner one. Yes, I remember it now. Yeah, the corner straight after the red card. Well done. Bruno tonight. I feel like I need to put Casemiro up to 7.5 and Bruno to an 8. Sorry, and Maynou to an 8. No, I'm not. 7.5 for Bruno. Why are people giving Bruno a low score? He got an assist, then he set the corner up. I think it was a 7.5, Bruno. It's all about opinion. Ahmad. All right, look, it was a 5. It was a 5. It was a five. We've said our bit on Ahmed, right? Sesko today worked really hard in a graveyard shift. Got very little service apart from the pass by Bruno.

23:04Worked really hard. Probably a 6.5 for me. Got the goal, but, you know, it was a bit of a shift. For a Man United side that's at home, I think he had to work very hard for very little in that game. Yeah. and Masraoui I would say came on did very well had 6.5 easy thought he did really well Yoro wasn't on very long 6 Mount barely noticed you're 6 Xerxi fair play you got a few minutes 6 Carrick 6.5 first 12 minutes really good probably give him a 7 or an 8 after that I think Brentford dominated got a goal on the break with Sesco second half part the bus Brentford dominated a bit more scored a worldie got the three points 6.5 I think is fair um I feel like I want to just go back with Casemiro and I will knock him up to a 7.5 with Maynou and Bruno and then I want to keep Le Mans on an eight um because Casemiro did play well but i also have a problem with saying that we're my problem with it is right and and to the to the to the low iq football fan they'll never get this but some of you will right how does your midfield three all get 7.5 but your midfield gets dominated that's the way my brain works in football right we're giving meina a 7.5 we're giving bruno a 7.5 and we're giving And Casemiro a 7.5.

24:42But our midfield did get dominated. So something's got to give. Explain that one to me. Something's got to give, hasn't it? Because we did get dominated. We had 44 % possession at home. And time and time again, they ran through our midfield. So what are we seeing? I'm doing it as well. I'm giving all three a 7.5. But what? What? Why? Why is that? I don't know.

25:13Man of the match. Oh, you're having a fucking laugh. I'm quitting. I'm having a laugh. You don't know what you're talking about. I've had enough. You're having a joke. How are you giving him Man of the match over Le Mans? Do you watch football? Do you actually fucking watch football? Oh, my God. Now, look, I've got no problem with it being Mainu or Casemiro. But, you know, Mainu's in second place. Le Mans is in third. He's only just ahead of Bruno. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

25:55Oh, apparently I've just been told, can I refresh it? It might not be the case now. It's changed.

26:06Still Casemiro. I'm getting messages in from the back system.

26:18Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I stand corrected. I've just been told. Okay, if I refresh this, it should work now.

26:33I've got it. I've been sent it here. Casemiro, 39.6 % of the vote. Le Mans, 39.3 % of the vote. Mainu, 16.07 % of the vote. I can sleep with that. I can sleep with that. That's fine. The one I had at the start, and I think it's because I hadn't refreshed it and was probably doing my ratings on a smaller pool, because as you can see, they've all adjusted a little bit now.

27:15But Le Mans got 7.8. Casemiro got 7.6. Wow. He got that, you know, how do you vote Casemiro man of the match when Le Mans got the highest score? It was close. It was close. I think Le Mans deserved it because he kept us in the game. But Casemiro obviously had a good game as well. There we go. It's just a vote. It's just a vote. And as far as far as votes go, 65 percent of you have said you wouldn't give Carrick the job. And 35 percent of you have said that you will give him the job. So very, very grateful for that.

28:08Let's have a quick look at what people are saying in the chat Carrick's plan less attack in second half was risky Says MMK Casemiro most duels and tackles won this season Give him one more No Do you think Bruno Look honestly I genuinely think I know more about you than football If you want to give Casemiro another year I don't think he's got another year in him. I really don't. Look at what happened with Salah. But even so, why are you falling out with me? Fall out with Sir Jim Radcliffe. This is a financial thing. This is about money. Do you think Bruno breaks the assist record this season? Don't always agree.

28:48Too many United fans think supporting is blind supports. Hey, mate, this whole community is built on not agreeing. It makes me laugh how we still get clipped up out of context for saying stuff that people don't agree with. And I sort of sit here and go, like 10 years ago when we started, you're not meant to agree. You're meant to make your own mind up. And then people moan because you have a different opinion. There'll be somebody moaning tonight going, he didn't give Casemiro a man of the match. He gave it to Le Mans. Oh, man don't know football. And I'm like, for 10 years, it's been about this.

29:19It's exactly what it should be about. Different opinions. Everybody matters says, I wasn't so bored watching United. I liked the first 12 minutes. Magnus says it's not about his legs, but he can really be a great member for a young player if he wants that part, not as a starter. Mate, he's on£350 ,000 a week. He's not going to be at the training ground at Carrington helping some player for£100 ,000 a week. He's going to go to Inter Miami or Saudi and earn£300 ,000 a week. This is about money. From his side as well, We won't give him what he will get elsewhere. Would you stay at Man United for 100 grand to help out some young player?

30:04Or would you go and play at Inter Miami on 300 grand a week? His wages are too big to stay. I'm going to be really nice about this, but everybody tonight who says give Casemiro one more year, there is a slight sense of moron to you, if I'm being honest. I'm not calling you a moron, but what I'm saying is, There is something slightly stupid to saying giving Casemiro one more year because you're not living in reality. He earns 300 to 350 grand a week. I think it's 350 grand a week when we're in the Champions League. So he actually gets a pay rise to 350 grand a week if we keep him. And he'll get there elsewhere.

30:46It's financial. If you're sat there saying keep him for another year, how are we paying for that then? It's financial. It's not about ability. the United won't do it for financial reasons. So you're wasting your breath. Erfan says, can this fan base be honest with itself? Ask yourself one honest question. Can Carrick actually improve any of these players? I don't think so. Mate, this debate's going to roll and roll. And I actually feel quite wrong about this. But he is winning games. He's winning a lot of games. and it is just results. I'm sorry, it is just results. It's not performance and some of our players are getting worse under him as well.

31:35Ahmad, Embermo, Kunia have got worse under him. The players that are playing well under him are Bruno, Casemiro, Maguire who are very senior players and then Maynou and Le Mans, one of them's a goalkeeper. I don't know whether it's sustainable. I think it's a big, big risk. But I think he'll get the job and we'll have to take the risk. Nine goals, eight from his head. Agree, but who do we sign? Says Arrow. And Thomas says, I love Casemiro, but he's been great. Let's get over to the fan forum and just for a laugh, get in the chat with one more year. Even though I don't agree with it. One more year, one more year.

32:17Get in the live chat. Thanks everybody for watching. Really enjoyed. I actually really did enjoy it today. It was a really, really good watch along. And also, thank you to everybody. Well, well done to everybody because we won our award, didn't we, at the Sports Journalism Awards. That was announced tonight. So well done, everybody. That's for us. We share the love. Take care. Stay safe. And I'll speak to you on the next one. 10 o 'clock tomorrow morning.