The problem with games such as these is that we've been here soooooooooo many times before we end up saying the same things, complain about the same problems, only for us to make the same mistakes in next game.
Some of these points are ones that you would've seen by me before or others and it's at a stage where it's difficult to find the words to describe it not because of disbelief but rather, there are no more words as we've said the same shit several times over the years.
And again I'll say,
We ain't fucking learning.
1. Bruno Playing Higher?
This was one of the few games where I've seen the skipper this high up the field as often as he was.
In the first half and late in the second, we saw him make runs into the box from that deep-lying no 8 position. He almost made things happen but just couldn't finish the chance.
However, we haven't really seen him do this too often this season or at all under Amorim. The captain also looked to be more involved in the game in an attacking sense and we know that when that's the case, he can be quite deadly.
In the second period, the manager then moved him into the no 10 role when Zirkzee and Cunha came off for Ugarte and Mount. Mbeumo played as the false 9 in this situation.
We all know Bruno needs to play further forward as that is his best position. It's no coincidence that he had those two late chances in the box. That's what he was doing as the no 10 before Amorim arrived and we hardly see it whenever he stays deeper.
Whether moving him further forward was a tactical thing or not, it was clear that the magnifico was pushed up the field and to an extent, I believe it worked. Amorim needs to do this more often.
2. Keeping It Simple
This was one of the more frustrating things amidst a whole bunch of frustrating things.
For most of that game, we were shite. Which was frustrating. But the period we weren't was actually football that I could get behind, the type of football that we should be seeing.
After about 25 minutes, United began to get a hold of the ball and dictate the play. What we did from that point until halftime was remove the long diagonals, keep it on the ground and not look to force the issue. There was a lot of rotation of possession, passing and probing, short passes and try to actually play through West Ham.
Amad was key in this as he was causing the Hammers problems down the right.
The best moment we had was when the space was worked for Amad to be one-on-one with a defender before he put in a good cross resulting in Zirkzee's effort being cleared off the line, a subsequent bicycle kick from Cunha that was blocked and an acrobatic strike by Bruno that clipped the wrong side of the post.
All of this from patient play, working it out wide and putting in a cross.
We don't do this that much as what we get is something very pedestrian, predictable and peevish.
Stoke ball is what we get.
Those bloody long throw-ins. Really irritates me 😡.
This 20 minute period though, showed that we can play good football without the need to have play on the break or look for set-pieces. This is why it's frustrating because it means that this team isn't completely shite.
It truly is the hope that kills you.
3. Right-side Dependent
We know that the right flank of United's is their strongest. Is this a coincidence?
Amad and Mbeumo play down that side, two players who actually work in those positions and know what they're doing. You could even throw Mazraoui into it as well as he was one of our better players playing as the right centre-back, which is his best position.
Square pegs in square holes down this wing.
Most of our attacks in any game comes down this flank with United looking for Amad's creativity in the final third as well as Mbeumo's directness and ability to score.
The partnership the two of them have struck up has been key to their and our successes. They seem to have this telepathic understanding where they just know what the other is going to do before they do it.
However, when they have off days, we can see that United struggle to do anything in attack.
This pair have been average at best in the last three games which happens to coincide with bad results and poor performances. We have won just the one but that was down to two free-kicks and a Palace side that appeared to be feeling the effects of playing Thursday-Sunday football rather than United playing brilliantly and carving them open time and time again.
If Amad and Mbeumo don't show up, we have a problem.
I think you know where I'm heading with this.
The AFCON starts later this month and while these players are allowed to remain at the club until the 15th (a week before the tournament starts, which will be a boost to United), these average displays by Amad and Mbeumo have given us a glimpse into what we could look like without them and I don't need to tell you that it ain't looking good brev.
We went from being solely reliant on Bruno over the years to create and score for us to relying on Amad and Mbeumo.
This shows yet again that we are still very much a side that don't play as a team and need these individuals to bail us out. The style of play is awful and the only good part of our team going forward, will be gone soon.
Then what?
4. Too Complacent
Complacency comes about when one feels too comfortable causing them to then think that it's okay to take things easy, to sit back and relax.
This is what we tend to do whenever we take the lead.
It wasn't a good performance by any means but you get that opening goal and feel this sense of relief that the game isn't going to drift to a drab 0-0 draw. It gives you a feeling of 'we have a chance of winning and perhaps scoring more goals.'
Well, this is what we all think but clearly, the manager and players don't.
Dalot scores around the hour mark to make it 1-0 against a crap side who weren't causing us any trouble. This is your opportunity to go on and finish them off, score a couple more goals and get a convincing win that otherwise looked unlikely. With the chance of moving up into 5th, that gave this result more meaning and us more of an impetus to go on and claim the victory.
What we saw was a very flat display thereafter with United looking highly unlikely to double their lead and kill the game.
In the last three matches where United have taken the lead (Forest, Spurs, West Ham) we failed to win any of them. All ended in draws and this pattern of not going on to win those games is becoming increasingly worrying.
We really don't finish teams off.
5. Cowardly
Not only is the style pathetic and one that is unwatchable, but the manager doesn't do anything to try and rectify that.
In-game management has been spoken about as being shockingly shite because it seems that there is none. We know that the players have a weak mentality and any chance for them to down tools or take things easy, they will.
But when the manager does the same thing as well, then you have a recipe for disaster.
There is no identity. We look better as a counter-attacking side. We struggle to break down tight defenses. We don't score enough and we concede too many.
On top of this, the substitutions make things worse.
Usually, the changes are there to affect the game in a positive sense. The team isn't performing well, some players look off the pace, you look to your bench and find that certain players will improve things.
With us, it's the opposite, for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, whether the first team is just miles better than the second is up for debate. I don't think either is good enough. But when the manager doesn't really utilize his squad properly, you're going to have players who are also off the pace, not up to speed of things, look a little lost.
Heaven is a good example. He was very bad in this draw but not only is he a young player but one who hasn't played that much football. He got an early yellow due to a very late challenge and couldn't get himself going. Lack of minutes.
Zirkzee is the opposite example. A couple of games ago against Everton, bro was seriously hustling. He wasn't terrible but he really struggled. Starts the next game, was improved and scored a good goal. Starts a third game in a row and looked even better still. Consistent game time and this player whom many still have their reservations about were saying that he deserves to start based on his performance at Palace.
Why the manager doesn't do this with others makes no sense to me because it isn't as if those who play regularly are performing like 2008 United.
The second thing is that the substitutions he makes are always so negative.
It's very rare that Amorim makes changes that positively affect the game or ones where it's something different.
Everton saw him change little and less against 10 men. This game, he changed little and less against a shite West Ham side who were doing nothing.
I'm not the biggest Dalot fan but he was decent for the second game running. He scored and was having an overall okay game. Why take him off? Why do it with over 20 minutes to go? You then bring on Dorgu who isn't the best and you yourself criticized him for making you anxious when in possession. You really want to bring on a player like that in a match like this?
You then take off Cunha who despite having a poor game, can make a difference due to his attributes (not that we use them correctly) and it's not as if he looked to be suffering from injury and needed to come off. Zirkzee was another who was having a decent performance. He is also our only striker. To remove them for Mount who has been decent this season but doesn't fill me with confidence that he will make a massive difference, but to also sub on Ugarte?!
I'm all for giving players minutes but in a game like this where we need goals, why bring on a defensive midfielder? He didn't even take Casemiro off meaning that he had TWO CDMs on the field! Against West Ham! Who were creating nothing! At home!
This just gave the Hammers that bit of belief that which they didn't have before those changes which resulted in them getting a goal and looking likelier to score the next for a good few minutes.
Cowardice, foolishness, naivety. Whatever you want to call it, Amorim fucked up big time.
The problem is, he's done so too many times before to a point where it isn't a fuck up anymore but just plain stupidity.
Man Utd drop further points after 1-1 draw with West Ham | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)