Unfortunately though, this bomb resembled Hiroshima and Nagasaki more than anything else.

I don’t even know how to describe that game.

I feel as though we’ve said three or four times this season that that was the worst performance of the campaign.

Brentford away was our worst performance of the campaign.

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From the get go, we appeared as if we just got off the plane from international duty. Or perhaps it was too late a kick-off for these players and they were too sleepy IYKYK 👀.

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You often hear that how teams’ start a game usually sets the tone.

Well, United didn’t start at all and continued like that for the rest of the game. The only time something exciting happened was Mount’s 96th-minute winner.

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Sorry, getting ahead of myself. We couldn’t even do that right. To score a goal that deep into extra time yet still not win is embarrassing and what’s even worse, we conceded straight after scoring.

But at least we only conceded 1. How is the question.

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Thomas Frank’s side were all over United seemingly hungrier than their opponents whom they sunk 4–0 in this fixture last season.

Looking at the chances they had, they should’ve doubled that. No exaggeration.

The Bees just wanted the ball more, fought for everything, won the first, second, third and 15th balls. Where we lacked in energy, they more than made up for it.

The home side struck the post four times, had ample other good opportunities, Andre Onana was forced into some top saves and a brilliant double save; it really was all hands on deck for United. All game.

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Brentford had a staggering 31 shots at goal to our 11 but their real issue was getting it on target. Only 5 forced Onana into a save with one finding the back of the net. Even MUFC had 5.

The Bees had 14 corners to United’s 4.

Those numbers are humiliating.

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I mean no offense to Brentford and they absolutely deserved to win, but to be having such numbers against you against that level of opponent, embarrassing.

I must also remind you that it was Brentford who was in 15th and fighting relegation and United in 6th fighting for CL qualification.

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A tactic of long ball and moments was deployed by ten Hag which is not going to get you anywhere in the modern game except for final minutes desperation.

That tactic looked to have weirdly paid off though, with that late Mason Mount strike but as is our wont, we lose concentration and concede straight away.

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The lack of energy and desire, cohesion and all round footballing IQ from United was unacceptable. There were far too many sloppy passes when there ought not to have been.

And as has been a major problem all season, too many players didn’t show up.

And too many big players at that.

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Andre Onana, Rapha Varane and to an extent Kobbie Mainoo and Victor Lindelof were the only players who can hold their heads high. The rest…

I just can’t understand how we can go from such a high of Liverpool that still gives us all so much joy and happiness now 2 weeks later, to a performance like this against Brentford.

This is why there is no trust with these players as we never know what we’re going to get.

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But it wasn’t only the players who have to take the blame.

Manager Erik ten Hag has had his critics all year yet after victories like Liverpool, all those who back the manager had reason to show why they support him and why he needs time. Those who want him gone, can point to games like these.

The starting lineup wasn’t too much of a problem but at halftime, it was plain to see that several changes needed to be made. All he did was bring on Harry Maguire for Varane as he was another player to pick up an injury and even Lindelof picked up a hamstring injury that probably keeps him out for a while.

The midfield was being overrun (again), Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho weren’t putting anywhere near enough effort nor creating anything going forward and AWB was out of sorts at left-back. It all went wrong.

His substitutions didn’t make any sense as well. While Garnacho was poor, he’s a youngster who’s still developing and can get us on the edge of our seat. Rashford is supposedly a senior pro who gets paid more than most in football and looks like he can’t be arsed. Why does Garnacho come off instead of Rashford?

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Why does Bruno stay on? He was as bad as those two. We have the options in Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen who can do that number 10 role.

Why does Scott McTominay stay on despite being a ghost yet again? Casemiro, Sofyan Amrabat and Eriksen all provide good replacements for the Scotsman. Mainoo and Casemiro do give us a bit more balance and could perhaps better combat the midfield being overrun. Mainoo off for Casemiro was a straight swap that changed nothing.

While a lot of the players should be ashamed of themselves, Erik ten Hag has to take a decent amount of the blame as well.

His constant favoritism for the likes of Rashford, Bruno and McTominay in particular will lead to a potential downfall.

Absolutely disgraceful.

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Ratings:
Onana — 7 MOTM

Dalot — 5
Varane — 7
Lindelof — 6
AWB — 4

Mainoo — 6
McTominay — 3

Garancho — 4
Bruno — 3
Rashford — 3

Hojlund — 5

Maguire — 6
Antony — 5
Mount — 6
Casemiro 6

Erik ten Hag — 4

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Final Thoughts

With that, the top 4/5 race is done. 8 points is much too much to make up to Spurs especially with this lot.

I cannot express how disappointed I am. I really thought that the win over LFC could give us such a boost moving forward and that that race for CL qualification would spur the team on further still.

But what do I know?

Just end the season already.

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Background Image: Image credit: Getty Images via Eurosport