Closed for new posts
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Leggy wrote:
Tekkers wrote:
Leggy wrote:
20 Legend wrote:

We've also had a fairly decent injury crisis; just Ole has chosen not to use it as an excuse.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article...

1. That's the daily mail.

2. Zero mention of injuries as an excuse.

3. Again he is saying the right things

4. That's the daily mail.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ole-g...

More fake news from another paper?

https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-lea...

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

None of that dross says anything about using injuries as an excuse

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
paulm wrote:

None of that dross says anything about using injuries as an excuse

Troll. Suggest you read the first one again.

Phoenix Academy
180
·
480
·
over 16 years

To be honest, I am also a bit confused as to why you've linked those articles. 

The first article is states true facts but barely news. The point of the second one is to point out that playing Lingard played a role in the defeat. As did average performances from Dalot, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Matic, Pogba, Herrera, Martial and Rashford. True but barely news.

The third one is the sensationalising of the Wolves and Arsenal defeats and calling things a "mini-nightmare". The author points out the differing line ups between the PSG game (with 10 players out) to Arsenal and Wolves (6 players out). How fascinating. 

Phoenix Academy
180
·
480
·
over 16 years
Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

The fact that he has an image in his mind of what a team representing the club is supposed to be, and that he inserts it into the narrative at every single possible moment, because in his mind that's how important it is, is the big thing that ManU fans appear to have been wanting, and this guy is the first one that's really bought it in spades. The previous 3 tried to in certain areas, but this guy seems to really understand how to drive that message through a team. I'm impressed by that, even if I'm not a fan of your club. 

Tactical ability is another thing altogether, and is probably more important in the long run, admittedly. But results suggest he's doing enough in that area at the present moment to at the very least warrant a 1 or 2 year contract in my opinion. 

Phoenix Academy
140
·
330
·
almost 11 years

Ole's at the wheel permanently! He's got it!

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years

Very excited - hopefully we can get our transfer policy back on track.

LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years

3 year deal, this could make for interesting and much more positive times at Old T.

Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years
Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years
First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years
paulm wrote:
20 Legend wrote:

Very excited - hopefully we can get our transfer policy back on track.

This seems like a good way to start with that:

https://global.espn.com/football/soccer-transfers/story/3809790/manchester-united-change-transfer-policy-prefer-emerging-talent-over-past-it-stars-sources

I forgot Fellaini used to play for us. What a horrible time that was.

Starting XI
2.5K
·
2.4K
·
over 8 years
20 Legend wrote:
paulm wrote:
20 Legend wrote:

Very excited - hopefully we can get our transfer policy back on track.

This seems like a good way to start with that:

https://global.espn.com/football/soccer-transfers/story/3809790/manchester-united-change-transfer-policy-prefer-emerging-talent-over-past-it-stars-sources

I forgot Fellaini used to play for us. What a horrible time that was.

Got us some pretty vital points at times. Not a subtle player but contributed more to our squad than many we had at the same time. I miss the big Fella, seemed like a great guy but not the sort of footballer United needed, now or ever.
Phoenix Academy
180
·
480
·
over 16 years

Aaaaaand United are back in sixth. Two games against the best of the rest and you would have to say that the results and performances were a fair reflection of the squad right now. 

Young's experience and 'leadership' do not make up for his lack of ability to pass, to cross, to defend and to make smart decisions. Back up at best. 

CBs behind Lindelof are just too inconsistent. Jones and Smalling were solid against Watford but then make poor choices against Wolves. Lindelof needs a consistent partner next to him and while I am still willing to give Bailly another chance, it would seem Rojo is a certainty to be out the door. 

Mctominay might have moved ahead of Matic and Fred in the pecking order. Fred was at fault for the first goal and didnt stand out but McTominay had so much energy. Matic hasnt been decent under Solskjaer. Really want Herrera to stay but if we can get an improvement then spend the money. Mata should also be used to free up squad space but those two help keep Dave happy. 

Lingard and Lukaku have been average of late. Rom might not want to be a back up but we need someone to join Rashford and Martial up top and it seems like Rom needs to be the main guy or he doesnt get going. Sanchez has to be shown the door. 

Liking the noise about Sancho, Wan-Bissaka and De Ligt. Rice could be another to look at. Ultimately any signings need to have a United temperament as it shows that recent signings like Bailly, Fred, Mkhi, Sanchez dont have that. Dalot has it. 

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

Interesting opinion piece on who to keep/ditch:

https://www.football365.com/news/who-does-solskjaer-keep-and-who-should-man-utd-ditch

A lot in there agreeing with you tekkers, particularly around the CBs and the attacking end. 

They talk about a front three next season of Sancho, Martial and Rashford. Now that would be quite frightening if they all hit their straps. 

I wish you weren't paying Sanchez so much otherwise we could have him back :( 

Although maybe Wenger was the key to unlocking him. His form at Arsenal certainly eclipsed his form everywhere else he played. Obviously he was pretty good at Udinese and Barca but not as good as he was at Arsenal. 

PSG or China would be my guesses for his next destination. 

Marquee
3.1K
·
6.7K
·
over 16 years

So Manu find themselves in an interesting position this weekend. If they beat city, they get to enjoy beating city. But pretty much hand Liverpool the title. If they don't beat them though, they pretty much hand City the title.

Which option do the supporters want? 

shark choices and shark options really. 

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

I don't think those motivations would even be considered by ManU supporters given the number one goal right now is making the top 4?

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years
kwlap wrote:

So Manu find themselves in an interesting position this weekend. If they beat city, they get to enjoy beating city. But pretty much hand Liverpool the title. If they don't beat them though, they pretty much hand City the title.

Which option do the supporters want? 

shark choices and shark options really. 

Both terrible choices. But I don't agree that it hands Liverpool the title. I really doubt that either City or Liverpool will win all of their last 6 games.

But yeah, Champions League is most important regardless of anything else.

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years
Tekkers wrote:

Aaaaaand United are back in sixth. Two games against the best of the rest and you would have to say that the results and performances were a fair reflection of the squad right now. 

Young's experience and 'leadership' do not make up for his lack of ability to pass, to cross, to defend and to make smart decisions. Back up at best. 

CBs behind Lindelof are just too inconsistent. Jones and Smalling were solid against Watford but then make poor choices against Wolves. Lindelof needs a consistent partner next to him and while I am still willing to give Bailly another chance, it would seem Rojo is a certainty to be out the door. 

Mctominay might have moved ahead of Matic and Fred in the pecking order. Fred was at fault for the first goal and didnt stand out but McTominay had so much energy. Matic hasnt been decent under Solskjaer. Really want Herrera to stay but if we can get an improvement then spend the money. Mata should also be used to free up squad space but those two help keep Dave happy. 

Lingard and Lukaku have been average of late. Rom might not want to be a back up but we need someone to join Rashford and Martial up top and it seems like Rom needs to be the main guy or he doesnt get going. Sanchez has to be shown the door. 

Liking the noise about Sancho, Wan-Bissaka and De Ligt. Rice could be another to look at. Ultimately any signings need to have a United temperament as it shows that recent signings like Bailly, Fred, Mkhi, Sanchez dont have that. Dalot has it. 

I get the impression that Smalling is a beast at training, but loses the plot during games. Else why would he keep creeping back into the first XI?

Bailly is all or nothing. You won't find consistency from him. And his mental game and the wya he reacts is exactly what United don't need. I'd be more than happy to see the back of Bailly.

I'd love De Ligt but I don't think it will happen, he will follow his Ajax mates to Barcelona.

Also loving the rumours of Sancho. What a great signing that would be. We would pay through the roof though.

Loving Dalot and excited to see him cement his place at RB. He's good enough to be a regular starter now, and for a long time into the future. He also has the ability to cross a bloody football!

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
kwlap wrote:

So Manu find themselves in an interesting position this weekend. If they beat city, they get to enjoy beating city. But pretty much hand Liverpool the title. If they don't beat them though, they pretty much hand City the title.

Which option do the supporters want? 

shark choices and shark options really. 

You must know something that no one else does. They don't play City until the 25th April. 

Marquee
3.1K
·
6.7K
·
over 16 years
Leggy wrote:
kwlap wrote:

So Manu find themselves in an interesting position this weekend. If they beat city, they get to enjoy beating city. But pretty much hand Liverpool the title. If they don't beat them though, they pretty much hand City the title.

Which option do the supporters want? 

shark choices and shark options really. 

You must know something that no one else does. They don't play City until the 25th April. 

Or I got my dates wrong. my bad

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years

A shame. Rashford hit the post 2 minutes in and it could have been a different night. We looked the better team until Messi's second sucked the air out of us. (And I'll throw it out there but I thought Fred was fouled in the build-up to that goal...)

But Barcelona are a class team. Coutinho scoring was a bit of a laugh. I've caught 6 or 7 Barcelona games this year and he's been absolute trash. Not a single United player would start for them right now and I think that says it all - the quality simply isn't there for this level. (But we all know that).

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

What's up with De Gea? Terrible error. 

Phoenix Academy
190
·
370
·
over 10 years
kwlap wrote:

So Manu find themselves in an interesting position this weekend. If they beat city, they get to enjoy beating city. But pretty much hand Liverpool the title. If they don't beat them though, they pretty much hand City the title.

Which option do the supporters want? 

shark choices and shark options really. 

Do United fans want City to have 6, or Liverpool to have 19? I'd have thought that's a pretty easy choice. 


(as long as we're discounting 'neither' as an answer)

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
20 Legend wrote:

A shame. Rashford hit the post 2 minutes in and it could have been a different night. We looked the better team until Messi's second sucked the air out of us. (And I'll throw it out there but I thought Fred was fouled in the build-up to that goal...)

But Barcelona are a class team. Coutinho scoring was a bit of a laugh. I've caught 6 or 7 Barcelona games this year and he's been absolute trash. Not a single United player would start for them right now and I think that says it all - the quality simply isn't there for this level. (But we all know that).

I have been saying this for a very long time. We don't have the quality players to challenge for the league and it would take 6 top players to turn it around. Woodwood should be the one to blame for a lot of Utds problems. Since he came in it would appear that his main object is to increase sponsor/revenue and while this has worked he has omitted to raise the standard of players. JM made this point last year when he wanted better defenders.We are in 6th place which is about where we deserve to be. Very few of our players would get into the 5 teams above us. We overpay them and none of them appear to be hungry. Not just blaming Ole but he has lost 5 out of 7 games. All the people that said we had the players to challenge for the league( and a few trolls) must be wondering where they went wrong. It will take 3/4 years with the right players to get back into the top echelon but by then Ole will be gone.

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years
Leggy wrote:

We overpay them and none of them appear to be hungry. 

Agree with this point. 

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years
Leggy wrote:
20 Legend wrote:

A shame. Rashford hit the post 2 minutes in and it could have been a different night. We looked the better team until Messi's second sucked the air out of us. (And I'll throw it out there but I thought Fred was fouled in the build-up to that goal...)

But Barcelona are a class team. Coutinho scoring was a bit of a laugh. I've caught 6 or 7 Barcelona games this year and he's been absolute trash. Not a single United player would start for them right now and I think that says it all - the quality simply isn't there for this level. (But we all know that).

All the people that said we had the players to challenge for the league( and a few trolls) must be wondering where they went wrong.

That's the thing... I don't think people really ever said that. The point was that we shouldn't be getting out played by Derby. (And we were under JM).

We lost continuity in particular when we went with JM, who did not fit the mould of the club. But a LOT of fans and media were calling for a proven winner, at any cost.

But we need to be patient and spend clever money. Players who have the right mentality as well as the ability.

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

I said it! 

Having said that, I may concede on the defence. Ashley Young looks well and truly gone, and the CBs aren't looking crash hot. 

But for me, the calibre of the midfielders, the forwards, plus De Gea, Shaw and Dalot, are definitely good enough to be in a league-winning side. 

There's a further complication though, and that would be the sheer quality of Man City the last 2 seasons, and Liverpool this season. The points they are racking up is absolutely insane - they both already have just about league-winning totals with 4/5 games to go!

Perhaps you aren't capable of that, but then nobody is right now, except them, it's pretty crazy. However you can't say ManU's squad is less than Leicester's when they won league in 2016, which is the obvious benchmark for this debate. 

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
paulm wrote:

I said it! 

Having said that, I may concede on the defence. Ashley Young looks well and truly gone, and the CBs aren't looking crash hot. 

But for me, the calibre of the midfielders, the forwards, plus De Gea, Shaw and Dalot, are definitely good enough to be in a league-winning side. 

There's a further complication though, and that would be the sheer quality of Man City the last 2 seasons, and Liverpool this season. The points they are racking up is absolutely insane - they both already have just about league-winning totals with 4/5 games to go!

Perhaps you aren't capable of that, but then nobody is right now, except them, it's pretty crazy. However you can't say ManU's squad is less than Leicester's when they won league in 2016, which is the obvious benchmark for this debate. 

You obviously did not watch the West Ham game. We deserved to lose.

The calibre of the midfield? Pobga has not had a good games for many weeks. Overrated. Should sell him to Madrid for 100 million and get someone that actually wants to play for us. The same can be said for one or two others.

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

If your argument is based around Pogba not being good enough then you're not coming at it from a very good angle.

He hasn't been consistent at ManU but I think most would agree he has the quality to start in a title-winning side. He's been a starter during 4 Serie A wins, and a World Cup. There's a reason Madrid, Barcelona and others are keen on signing him. 

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
paulm wrote:

If your argument is based around Pogba not being good enough then you're not coming at it from a very good angle.

He hasn't been consistent at ManU but I think most would agree he has the quality to start in a title-winning side. He's been a starter during 4 Serie A wins, and a World Cup. There's a reason Madrid, Barcelona and others are keen on signing him. 

I have never said that he is not good enough. What I have said that he is overrated. When you play 1 good  game out of 5 then you are not genuine quality. He has a lot to say on social media but does not back it up on the field. A show pony is what he is being called. I just get sick of him saying on social media etc. -- it would be amazing to play for Madrid etc. If you don't want to play for us--- leave.

Think AF got him right. A trouble maker. 

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

Agree with that. The juve manager got more out of him and he motivated himself at the world cup, but doesnt seem to be able to do that week to week in the premier league so far.

First Team Squad
200
·
1.4K
·
almost 17 years

I'd struggle for motivation if I had to play in that team with players like Young, Jones, Smalling etc too.

WeeNix
760
·
750
·
over 9 years

Its going to take some big and bold decisions to sort this mess out. Young, Smalling, Jones, Lukaku, Sanchez and even Pogba have to go. I like Pogba but the inconsistency is just too much of a liability and horribly Im now starting to question if its time to move DeGea on as well. There needs to be a conscious effort to concentrate on the style and method of football and buy players to fit an ethos and ignore any shiny sparkly name that looks available. Highly technical and skillful players who can move the ball and themselves have to be looked for. In every position. I hope Ole is as good as his word and is ruthless.

First Team Squad
200
·
1.4K
·
almost 17 years

This is why whilst Ole has been great for the feel good factor and has done reasonably well ( recent results against some very tough teams excluding ) the fact is can he really develop long term a style of football that is going to garner the club results and reward over the next few years. And I don't just want to hear "We'll get them playing the United way" - I want to hear and see they're going to play the 2019 and onwards way. Footballs changed and we need to as well!

Personally I'm not convinced he can, I'm certainly not jumping around saying "Ole out" as of yet, but I'm loathe to believe he's the right man for the long term future of the club. The club have a huge role in this as well and really need to invest in the right ways to aid this. I think a director of football is a must and at the moment they should be throwing a big fat massive chequebook at someone like Van Der Sar who is doing incredulous things with Ajax.

Starting XI
6.7K
·
4.5K
·
over 9 years

Well, that was embarrassing. 

Actually don't have anything else to say about that performance, other than it has to rank as one of the worst performances United have turned in, in a very long time. It was tame, toothless stuff, the players didn't look like they wanted to be out there and minds were obviously elsewhere. Abysmal performance. 

Manchester City and Chelsea next up... To say we need to get up for those games is a massive understatement. If we turn in performances in those matches like we did today, we'll be looking at similar scorelines.

Woeful. 

First Team Squad
1K
·
1.7K
·
over 15 years

Said it a million times but I'll say it again... City's entire football philosophy relies on tactical fouls during transition. It's so blatantly obvious and the referees just lap it up.

Rashford takes an absolute battering each week and has no protection whatsoever. But someone with a latin sounding last name falls over and rolls on the ground a bit and it's an instant free kick.

Not to say that City weren't the better team.

Despite the loss today, I'm still scathing over the Everton game. We should be 4th equal with it all in our own hands. And yet here we are.

Phoenix Academy
270
·
460
·
over 9 years

Whilst Ole's start papered over the cracks somewhat we're not just short of 1/2 players, we need a complete rebuild & that wont be done over 1/2 transfer windows or seasons. 

I could easily list 8/9+ players who I'd happily see out of the club: .Pogba, Sanchez, Lukaku, Fred, Darmian, Young, Smalling, Matic, Mata & the list goes on. 

LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years

Guys, you only had one job to do - win at home.

Closed for new posts