First half performance in particular let us down, and just in general we were a bit too flat. Typically United put in one of their best performances of the season after a number of crap ones earlier in the campaign, but either way we weren't good enough.
We just seem to be so sloppy on the ball and lacking creativity and imagination compared to how we were last season. And even against Newcastle, Manchester City, even Liverpool our use of the ball was so much better than what it has been for the last games. I understand we've had injuries and that undoubtedly would've caused a lot of disruption within the squad, but we need to make improvements or unfortunately I just can't see us picking up many points.
Tim Krul however, f*cking fantastic. Such a shame that his 2 penalty saves and other superb saves in the game didn't count for anything. The improvement in him though from last season is great to see. Hernandez also has to start ahead of Cantwell for me next game if he's fit enough. Brilliant goal and certainly added something when he came on. I have to say though I would've liked to have seen him play on the right so he was up against 34 year old liability Ashley Young, rather than Wan-Bissaka.
As for VAR there's not a lot that can be said that hasn't already been said, but yeah, it was a shambles. James clearly falls into Godfrey for the first penalty, so how on Earth VAR came to the conclusion it was a foul by Godfrey after watching the same 3/4 seconds of footage for so long is just absolutely staggering. In general it was a farce, having to sit there and wait for what felt like forever on both decisions, not having a clue what was going on, and after all of that they didn't even come to the right decision. Also, there was such a big thing being made in the media about how VAR was not being used for 'positive' reasons like the awarding of goals/penalties, as before this weekend there hadn't been a single penalty/goal actually awarded by VAR, instead it was being used to overturn penalties/goals when they had already been given. Then suddenly, 3 penalties are awarded by VAR in 1 day, 2 of them (one in our game and one in Palace vs Arsenal) being dubious to say the least. Without sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I genuinely believe that in an effort to try and endear VAR to the public more the FA or whoever had a word with all the officials and said maybe we should try a bit harder to give penalties and goals, as there being none for 9 weeks worth of games and then 3 in the same day is certainly very strange, and to me more than just a coincidence. It would certainly explain what possible reason they had for saying Godfrey fouled James. I was all for VAR, but in the 10 games we've had it in the Premier League if anything the rules are less clear than they were before we had it. The use of it this season has been absolute appalling, and I think to be honest they need to strip it back and only use it for offsides, or when the referee specifically asks them to take a look at something, until they actually sort out and define what VAR can and should do.
Anyway, Brighton away and Watford at home next 2 games. That HAS to be a minimum of 4 points. I do love this team and always will but even so our performance this season has been frustrating on the whole, as we are capable of so much more.
