FA CUP SEMI-FINAL UNITED 1-3 CHELSEA

Post match thoughts

United's FA cup campaign and aims to reach Arsenal's record of 13 FA cups came to an end. Poor performance from the United team that just didn't turn up for the game. Ole's tactics from the start were poor and United were on the back foot for most of the game. If that Chelsea team have a vulnerability, it is in defence and they were not tested and made to look good. It was like telling Chelsea "You go and play your game and we will try to hit you on the break". They kept possession, played good football and capitalised on the poor passing of United.

Ole should have started Ighalo and Romero yesterday and a back four which he reverted to later but they could not get a fluidity in attack and keep possession so it was pointless. There is no point of having those players in the team if they don't play in such games. Now there is pressure on De Gea who had one of his worst games last night.

The gameplan of United helped Olivier Giroud and his game as there was no need for him to make any runs as the team was already sitting deep. As a forward, his hold up and link up play is good and he is great at putting the ball in the back of the net and that is exactly what he did in a first half full of stoppages.

If you give the ball away in key areas, you get punished and that is what happened in the second half. Mount scored through a mistake by United and then another weak defensive play ended up in an own goal by Maguire. What is more depressing for United fans is that they brought in their best players like Paul Pogba and still could not do enough to test Chelsea. There was one good moment for United which was the penalty which Martial got and Bruno scored a good which was a mere consolation in the end.

Lessons learnt from this game: 5 man defence doesn't work if the fullbacks can not attack and there is nobody to go forward. This sort of a formation might work in Serie A for a few games maybe but even there teams have full backs who can keep possession, attack and defend comfortably and United just do not have that. You just invite pressure on your team and if your team is susceptible at the back you get punished. The best way United can play is to play the United way! Start the game on the front foot and Attack! Attack! Attack!