I alluded to this on Monday's episode of the Debrief podcast (still available
https://pod.link/1688380656 ) but I think the United performance - whilst lacking the intensity in the second half to get at least the point that was on offer - was another big step in this team's evolution.
Yes, United were poor for the most part and we were a little passive in the second 45 mins with the back line keeping possession etc but I saw it as a chance for the side to really work on the basics and United, in a way, allowed them to gain experience and confidence in doing the simple things that are required at the top level.
Those sideways passes give the backline the experience of keep possession under a press (which we were terrible at doing in the first couple of home games), those ventures out of the back by Beyer are all about him learning when he can or can't do that etc etc. It's turning the game into hundreds of phases of play and getting comfortable at executing each of them.
All the best performances in the Premier League are underpinned by doing the basics as well as they can be done. In the first three home games our undoing was not doing the basics right. (Ian McGeechan described it on the High Performance podcast a year or so ago as 'world class basics')
The first half v United was a super performance whilst the second half was about having a crash course in experience and confidence that will stand us in good stead for the rest of the campaign.
There's 38 games in a PL season and the only league table that really matters is the one after the 38th game. The fixture list at the start of the season has been torrid but every game has been an opportunity for this young side to learn what is required.
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