The old Man Utd Thread

[teddymeow]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say no more transfers. 

 

Woodward is useless.

[spork]

14 minutes ago, teddymeow said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say no more transfers. 

 

Woodward is useless.

 

2 more!

[JPL]

11 hours ago, tbb said:

 

Again, they could be best buds for 99.9% of the time but that doesn't make news.

Why so defensive over Poggers?

 

I know he’s a brilliant player, when he wants to be, but his attitude in so many matches last season was pathetic and he seems more concerned with his social media image than his football. I also know the press seem to have it in for him, but I can see with my own eyes that he really doesn’t give a shit about United, so I’d rather he went.

 

Obviously the worry then is who do we replace him with, which isn’t a job I feel confident Woodward handling. I can see him leaving and us not replacing him before the transfer window shuts, but even then, I still don’t feel that’s a reason to keep him. I’d rather give the youngsters a go than have his toxic attitude at the club for another season.

 

It’s just a big mess whichever way you look at it.

[Steely]

The thing is, if you get rid of Pogba, you dont need a like for like replacement, because the system that it looks like Ole wants to play doesn't seem to really accommodate for the Pogba role. What ever the hell is best role is actually meant to be. 

 

You certainly need midfield reinforcements but they dont need to be like Pogba.

 

Imagine if things were being set up behind the scenes for Milinkovic-Savic and Bruno Fernandes to cross the line for when Pogba left! Imaaaagine it! Because it certainly wont be happening.

[spork]

49 minutes ago, Steely said:

The thing is, if you get rid of Pogba, you dont need a like for like replacement, because the system that it looks like Ole wants to play doesn't seem to really accommodate for the Pogba role. What ever the hell is best role is actually meant to be. 

 

You certainly need midfield reinforcements but they dont need to be like Pogba.

 

Imagine if things were being set up behind the scenes for Milinkovic-Savic and Bruno Fernandes to cross the line for when Pogba left! Imaaaagine it! Because it certainly wont be happening.

 

Sounds like we are trying to bring in 2 regardless. Bruno Fernandes and Longstaff seem to be who we want. Reports came out yesterday we are now after Lemina from Southampton but that might be in the same way we are after other right backs when discussions were ongoing for AWB to make it look like we had other options to keep the price lower.

 

There is also a lot of thinking that we let Leicester go for Tielemans without any competition so that they would be prepared to let Maguire go for a slightly more reasonable price and that it's almost complete.

 

Who actually knows these days though 

[Guest]

12 hours ago, JPL said:

Why so defensive over Poggers?

I'm not bothered either way. I've just seen people jumping this way and that based on what the papers have reported.

People hated him at the start of the season because he was toxic and killing Mourinho. Then when Mourinho left and Pogba scored a few goals he was suddenly everyone's favourite player. Now the papers are reporting him as being toxic again everyone is jumping on him.

He's high profile and the papers love to make stories about high profile players. However Pogba visiting old folks homes and reading books in children's hostels isn't juicy so maybe the papers are fabricating negative stories? Who knows.

 

According to the Beeb (I know, I know, Paper talk)

Quote

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Paul Pogba has "never been a problem" and there is an "agenda" against the France midfielder.

<snip>

In his first pre-season news conference in Perth, Australia, Solskjaer made reference to a video of £89m record-signing Pogba and team-mate Jesse Lingard that was reported as a bust-up between the pair.

"It's an agenda against Paul, he's a great, great professional, never been any problems, he has a heart of gold," said the Norwegian.

"Jesse and Paul yesterday walking around was portrayed as a fight between the two boys and I know you're here to sell papers and stories but they're all professional.

"Paul's never put himself out of the team, always given his best and I can't report anything other than that agents talk all the time.

"I can't be sitting here talking about Paul and what agents are saying, we've got a few years left of his contract and he's been fantastic."

 

[milko]

Sounds a bit like all the stories Raheem Sterling has to put up with. 

[JPL]

27 minutes ago, tbb said:

I'm not bothered either way. I've just seen people jumping this way and that based on what the papers have reported.

People hated him at the start of the season because he was toxic and killing Mourinho. Then when Mourinho left and Pogba scored a few goals he was suddenly everyone's favourite player. Now the papers are reporting him as being toxic again everyone is jumping on him.

He's high profile and the papers love to make stories about high profile players. However Pogba visiting old folks homes and reading books in children's hostels isn't juicy so maybe the papers are fabricating negative stories? Who knows.

Yeah, I totally get the media seem to have an agenda with him, but surely that isn’t a factor for any United fan. People will rave about him when he’s putting in the effort, because he can be an outstanding, unstoppable player. The problem is that he’s just so inconsistent and when you see the way he conducts himself - being stroppy when things aren’t going his way in a match, saying he wants a new challenge in interviews, etc - he just comes across like a spoilt brat, that undoubtedly unsettles his teammates and has little respect for the club.

 

If he could sort out his attitude he could be one of the best midfielders in the world, but I don’t think he’s mature or wise enough yet. I hope he sorts himself out, but I just can’t see it happening with us and I don’t think we should waste any more time trying to find out.

 

Sell him and use the money to buy some players who want to actually be at United.

[Gabzy]

We won our first pre-season match 2-0. James and Wan Bissaka looked SO damn good. As did Tuanzebe at CB, Greenwood up front and Garner scored a peach. Good start. Hoping next week we’ll have sold Lukaku and announced a CB and midfielder.

[feltmonkey]

Some highlights, badly edited of course because youtube, and who knows how long before they get nuked.

 

 

[Chooch]

 

 

This is brilliant. 

[spork]

Lots of reports starting to surface that Maguire is almost done, possibly with a medical tomorrow. Reports seem to be that it is costing £60m + £20m in bonuses. While that is a lot for someone who isn't really a glamorous signing he is one of the best CB's in the league and is a massive humongous step above the likes of Smalling and Jones. Him and Lindelof should complement each other so well.

 

If we do actually get him, along with AWB coming in, we've probably gone from having the worst and most comedic defences in the league to one of the top few 

 

[Gabzy]

Yaaaass! Get it done, then Bruno Fernandes next please.

[feltmonkey]

I still think Macguire is completely the wrong choice.  De Ligt still hasn't got a transfer sorted and he's just a better player.  Macguire is only really good in a back five isn't he?  Not so good in a back four.

[dizogg]

Maguire isn’t much of an improvement on your current choices. Not for £80m. He has mistakes in him that will be magnified playing for a big team. 

 

But then its its easy to be critical when you watch a team with Van Dijk at the back. 

[Gabzy]

1 hour ago, feltmonkey said:

I still think Macguire is completely the wrong choice.  De Ligt still hasn't got a transfer sorted and he's just a better player.  Macguire is only really good in a back five isn't he?  Not so good in a back four.

 

De Ligt doesn’t want to come to us. Why would he? No Champions League, clearly going through a period of change that will take who knows how long to fix. We could offer him the best wages in the world, it wouldn’t matter.

 

Maguire is a definite upgrade on Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Bailly.

[Stopharage]

I'll drive Maguire to Manchester for that £80m deal. He wasn't great for us last season although our supposed replacement is £45m Lewis Dunk, which makes me feel rather apprehensive.

[spork]

I'd have loved to have De Ligt in our team (based on not a lot other than how good he is in FM ) but at the same time I'm quite glad we aren't taking on another Raiola client. The fact that he was pretty much confirmed to be a Barcelona player to then be pretty much confirmed to be a PSG player to then be pretty much confirmed to be a Juve player rings alarm bells doesn't it? Especially when you also look at what Raiola has been saying in the press to try and get a move away for Pogba.

 

Plus De Ligt is apparently going to be earning 350k p/w and have a release clause that is low enough for when Barcelona come along in a few years. Doesn't really seem like it's worth the hassle does it?

 

 

[spork]

1 hour ago, feltmonkey said:

I still think Macguire is completely the wrong choice.  De Ligt still hasn't got a transfer sorted and he's just a better player.  Macguire is only really good in a back five isn't he?  Not so good in a back four.

 

Pretty sure Leicester often play 4 at the back don't they? Maquire (with the help of AWB) will either do the equivalent of what VVD did for Liverpools defence, or he will become a third chuckle brother with Smalling and Jones. 

 

If we can get Bruno in then sell a couple of the unwanted players I reckon that will be a pretty good window all things considered and if we can get a 5th player in then even better!

[5R7]

TBH, Inter want Lukaku...we should trade him for Skriniar! end of.

[Nicky]

watching this Leeds match at the moment, our defence is attrocious. Romero has kept us ahead.

[Loik V credern]

=thisisprobablyaweirdposthmm. ok=im not malfunctioning. There was a 5live podcast the other day talking about Ravel Morrison, if anyone heard it. He's at newly promoted Sheffield now. Mark Nolan was talking about how when at West Ham Ravel would disappear for a week, turn his phone off, then walk in like nothing had happened with a smile like a cheeky kid. Another time they went for [i think] christmas dinner as a team and he disappeared turning his phone off again.

 

The reason i am always on the side of players is because we know the overall balance and function of a side affects every individual, because we know every player is following instructions we aren't privy to. That we only see players casual side on social media and in club tv interviews, and the media like to use high wages to foster resentment in people to give the perception all young footballers are greedy narcissists. I always think young players are badly handled because i think most teachers are narrow minded and psychologically dense, i think 'work' is an awful word badly used, i think the emphasis should be on demanding more from yourself, being obsessive, being perfectionist, and work is just the bit inbetween needed to reach the point of more excellence and consistency. Because work emphasises the grind, conjures working in pits, of toil, when football should be fun. It's fun to be able to in one flowing movement measure the speed of the defender and take a touch of the ball inside from a long cross and guide a curler into the top corner. I always used to be on the side of players like they're the tools and the coach is the artist. That young players playing at the very top haven't found themselves there by accident.

 

But United play enough shit football to change anyone's mind on anything. And hearing how outstandingly talent Ravel Morrison was because he could put seasoned pros on their arse in training or score wonder volleys, i thought who gives a fuck. At every team he's ever been at he can't get a game and gets sent on loan to then still not play. People take football so seriously they and pundits in the media talk like being 10 minutes late for training is like running over the club owner's dog in the car park because they reversed their Lamborghini too recklessly. But disappearing for a week? So pundits reckon the 'penny will drop', it won't. He's 26, and might have 'found his home'. I predict he'll have one outstanding (but actually merely quite good) game from August to December, everyone will be raving about a nutmeg, a brace; one a class low finish, the other a tap in, then by March everyone will have forgotten he exists. This is probably what being inside the mind of Mourinho is like, the disgust for talent. It's more the disgust for the reverence for talent with nothing else there. Would you rather have a Ravel Morrison who does a special thing once every 4 months or a Jordan Henderson or James Milner who is a 7/10 every day.

 

If talent means just a natural ability it covers all aspects of the game, not just the technical parts. Wilshere was a special teenage talent but year after year couldn't work out holding on to the ball for a second longer than he should means taking impacts. If Ravel is so special he must know decision making is the most important aspect of the game. dunno what my point is. Most of the criticism of Pogba is that he doesn't care, but his style is naturally languid, and most of his poor performances have factored around his decision making, dawdling on the ball when he shouldn't, overcomplicating the play when he should keep it simple. His frustrations could be seen. He must want to be the best he can be, mark club football history, score the wining volley in a champions league final and not just put headers past Bournemouth.

 

And then Lukaku who is mega ambitious but also arrogant with it. Is it so much to ask for you to run around like a deranged loon like it's the last game you'll ever play? Can clubs hire a hypnotist to convince them of that before every match?

 

im going for a lie down.

 

 

[5R7]

aaah, Ravel...jesus, where do you start! i mean, lets compare him to lingard, Ravel is massively technically better than lingard...BUT...lingard, made up for his technical shortcomings, with the right mental attitude, the determination, the work rate, the desire! Ravel, had always thought his "ability" is enough, he doesn't work, he never has. He's like the kid the that got A's at GCSE, but failed at life, as he didnt learn how to put the work in.

Shit, Ryan tunnicliffe, has had a FAR better career than ravel, yes its been in the Champ,. but  its consistently been in the champ! same as Ben Pearson! they were in the same age bracket!

 

 

 

 

And now for summit different, we should sell Pogba, and buy Grealish! *waits for somebody to point out the madness in this!*

[feltmonkey]

Where would I find that podcast, Loik?

 

I find Ravel Morrison's story incredibly sad.  He could have done anything.  He could have won the World Cup for England.  He's ended up playing reserve football in Mexico.  Now he's at Sheffield United, and much as I hope he finally starts to show what he can do, I suspect that talent is gone, he's squandered the time he should have spent learning the game.

[Loik V credern]

9 hours ago, feltmonkey said:

Where would I find that podcast, Loik?

 

The bbc 5 live football daily podcast last Wednesday, 'Steve Bruce's Newcastle and Athletico Madrid's Kieran Trip...' About 10 minutes in. Also I've listened to the 43 minutes three times now and can't find where they talk about Trippier. 

 

I was reading about Cassano in Italy and he's another who could have been the best player in the world and among the greatest ever if he wasn't so wrong in the head, though maybe that gave him an extra spark in moments and curtailed any chance at consistency. But at least he played a lot. Ravel barely has. If he stayed at West Ham and we had 5 seasons, 30+ appearances from him that would be a drop from where he could be (Cassano played with the galacticos at Madrid) but if he gains consistency who knows. And that's still worthy, something. He instead fell off the map completely. 

 

I mean i hope Ravel does well this season, i just don't think 'talent' means anything without the mentality which everyone would agree with anyway. Harry Kane wasn't really outstanding in his teenage age group and apart from his quick powerful shot with the ball under him doesn't have anything that stands out. He i think worked on his acceleration for years doing certain burst training just because he's naturally not quick so gaining that half yard meant everything. That was his commitment. He's intelligent on the ball, always composed, and it makes such a difference that without injuries he'd be the first striker in 2 decades to best Shearer's all time premier league goals record.

 

Kevin Nolan is like 'ah i really hope he does well cos i have a lot of time for him, as a person as well'. They sound more understanding than I'd normally be, when you disappear for a week at what point does it just become arrogance at knowing you're highly hated and revelling in it, it gone completely to his head. People like Harry Kane would be ashamed to even think of having such disregard as that. It's disappointing enough to see so many young players get injuries, fall out of favour, go out on loan and just fade away. 

 

I've seen Ravel twice in real life, once in soccer dome, the other in costco. The first time he seemed pleased he was noticed. I should have yelled something to him shouldn't i as i get dragged away. 

[5R7]

i take it back ... I TAKE IT BACK! wan bisaka!!! good lord what a tackler!

[Stevie]

Lingard out. 

[feltmonkey]

Ashley Young is getting booed? Why? 

[Mr Do 71]

Greenwood. 

[JPL]

How are we looking then? I haven’t had chance to catch any of these matches, but it seems from what I’ve read they’re at least putting some effort in. Hopefully this translates into a good start to the season.