Manchester United

That season we got second in the league, knockouts of UCL and FA cup final. In big moments we got it wrong and our performances were inconsistent. City smashed the league and no one really expected their signings / team play to be consistently that good. 

Ultimately what has changed is City has raised the bar on English football and we have not kept up. All of the other clubs are trying, in their own different ways and we have no direction, except for make money to pay off the Glazer debt.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/premier-league/einna...

Transfer data since 17/18 - while United are 5th in total dollars spent, only Spurs have bought fewer players. Only Spurs have sold fewer players and that is because they have had one manager since 2014 so majority of squad he would have been his purchases. 

No consistent or meaningful direction

This is just one opinion of many, and in August.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/why-mancheste...

What we need is another 200m to keep Nathan Redmond at bay.

After today's performance Mourinho chose to criticise his team for not moving the ball quickly and simple enough. That was a direct criticism of Pgoba (fair enough), yet it was Mourinho that insists on starting with Fellaini and Matic (both of which can't move the ball without taking 5 touches)... Mourinho even went so far as to praise Matic by name!

Also in his press conference, he says his team doesn't understand the simplicity of football. Well what the fudge have you been doing on the training ground for the last two years?

Ya'll need to wake up.

Coming in slightly late her but I also refute this. Although I have been critical of Woodward, I never said Mourinho was blameless, because he's not. 

Fair call Martial, I was getting a bit carried away to be fair, probably spent a bit too much time and effort trying to back up my one basic point. 

The Southampton game at the weekend was actually another good reflection on the state of United at the moment. 

Jose selected a team to fit the 5-3-2 formation with Matic and McTominay either side of Jones at the back. That formation wouldn't suit Mata or Lingard, and Fred and Martial unlucky to miss out, but Herrera and Rashford would have been on the bench so like for like really.  Southampton play 2 up top, so its not a bad option to play that formation but they are 18th.. but no one was fit at the back so couldn't just play attackers... [Jose's issues]

Jones was the only fit CB (crazy) and all of them have histories of injuries. Bailly and Lindelof are newer recruits and are probably the better ones of the group, as the others have only shown patches of quality amongst the injuries. Jones and Rojo are better than Smalling but get injured more. Our fullbacks are either young or old so when you play two midfielders at the back you can't really play two young (not Young) fullbacks. [Board's issues]

Only Jones, Herrera and Rashford played with a bit of passion. Lukaku was alright, but the rest were not good and Matic has been poor for some weeks now. Pogba, Lingard, Young, Sanchez and Fred have all been dropped / not played at some stage but don't seem to have any extra quality when they have come back in. Only Shaw and Martial have played many more good games than bad ones this season. [Player's issues]

Mark Hughes sacked after draw with United!

You couldn't make this shark up.

We are in for an absolute thumping mid week.

I wouldn't say that... despite some of the dross being dished up, Mourinho always has the ability to park a bus and pilfer an unlikely result, e.g. Juventus. Plus you guys seem to get up for the games against us, even when you're not going well. 

This is a pretty good piece in my opinion, seems to say a lot of things you've been saying 20Legend:

https://www.football365.com/news/why-cant-jose-mou...

paulm - which United players would you take at Arsenal currently?

This also https://twitter.com/CoachPeteQuinn/status/10696147...

Great question. Always a tough one - look at those silly "combined 11" lists people do, some of them had 11 tottenham players in them in the lead-up to our game, yet we beat them, so it's folly at times. But if I'm thinking seriously about who I'd have in our squad, then:

De Gea

Sanchez

Shaw (long-term replacement for Monreal)

Pogba

Martial

Rashford

If ManU were playing as well as they could, more players would be in form and would make this list. For example, when Bailly started I thought he looked fantastic, but he's regressed terribly. I would take that early version of Bailly at the drop of a hat. I'd have taken an in-form Matic had we not signed Torreira too. 

On the other side of the coin, who from Arsenal would you have in your ManU squad?

This sums up my thoughts on United and Mourinho at the moment - "a vortex of mediocrity". How about actually doing some coaching?

https://www.football365.com/news/why-cant-jose-mourinho-find-his-own-christian-eriksen

Doesn't matter how well we are playing and how bad Man Utd are playing - I always think we'll lose at Old Trafford.

The fact we're coming off a huge high v Spuds and exerted ourselves to the extreme (and only have a 3 day break) means this will be closer than people think.

Nope. If you're taking Rashford and Martial you'd keep Laca and Auba. He just doesn't come in on his form since joining United.

Plus he's just a c*nt.

From Arsenal -

Ozil

Lacazette

Aubameyang

Torreira

Mhiki

Bellerin

Mustafi

Maybe Papa

You're welcome to him.

We do owe them back for Silvestre. 

So Mkhi being on that list kinda tells a story... I am pretty sure everyone thought you guys were getting the better end of that swap deal for Sanchez. Pretty damning for Mourinho that both players have performed better for Arsenal than for him (and under different Managers at Arsenal too). 

Big rumours that Ozil is not happy at the minute, I reckon there could be a deal in there somewhere... I'd take a straight swap for Martial, or Shaw, or better yet De Gea ;)

Jesus fudge I could realistically see Mourinho taking any of those deals.

I always rated Mhiki, I think he is an excellent technical player. Uniteds current style never suited him.

Feels like the first time in a long time we've started with 11 players who all have a first touch.

I take it back I take it back I take it back I take it back

Lol poor Dave

Neve ra yellow card for Bellerin lol

Can't decide whos defence is worse lol

That was an entertaining game. Wish we played with that intensity every week. Both sides backlines struggling, some good goals. 

I hope Fellaini cops a ban for that hair pull, that's absolutely disgusting.

I missed the hair pull, sheesh, whose hair did he pull???

Pretty ironic with Fellaini having cut off his afro hahahaha

https://streamable.com/x2zi8

Should be a red and a ban

A million times better. As I mentioned earlier, we picked 11 footballers. To me the "United" players, Rashford, Lingard, Dalot, Herrera, all looked good. These guys need more game time.

Completely agree about Fellaini getting suspension. Scummy as.

Last season Lukaku was linking the play and this year its as though he doesn't know where to be and is almost trying too hard now. Good to see Herrera, Shaw, Rashford, Martial all showing that desire with some quality too

Thought it was a terrible game from both sides. So many niggly, dumb fouls - we copped the worst of it, but we also put in some bad tackles (Torreira comes to mind as one who got away with it). That foul from Rojo on Douzi, coupled with the dumb boos from the OT crowd, summed up the game.

Thought our exertion v Spurs showed in those last 30 mins, we were out on our feet. Every goal was a dumb goal to concede from both sides.

You forgot the leg breaking tackle by Mustafi on Rashford. 

Rashford broke his leg??? Dang I did not notice that, poor lad.

Haven't seen the game but seen the goals. Re, Nelfoos' comment about the subs slowing the game down, the general consensus from the UK from what I've seen is that we looked like we may kick on and snatch it but Lukaku coming on (and Martial off) was detrimental to that. 

Sounds like a good game, looking forward to getting out of the office and watching it through!

what's the news on Martial? He finally made a contribution to my fantasy team. Hows his injury?