The Man Utd Thread

[fatbob]

Eriksen out for most of the remaining season. 😕

 

 

[feltmonkey]

That cunt Andy Carroll has fucked the rest of our season. We have no replacement for Eriksen.

[Gabzy]

Fuck.

[feltmonkey]

I wonder if we could put in an offer for Tielemans. He's out of contract in the summer so might be affordable. Leicester would not want to lose him in the middle of the season of course, but perhaps they would see it as better than losing him for free in a few months.

[feltmonkey]

Loan move for Pogba?  

[fatbob]

Oh.. hello

 

 

[feltmonkey]

I couldn't tell you a single thing about Sabitzer beyond that he's Austrian. Good that there's some action and we're not sleepwalking back to McFred though.

 

I think it's worth recalling Hannibal, personally.

 

Edit - Hang on, isn't Sabitzer one of the players Rangnick wanted to sign?  

 

[feltmonkey]

Incidentally, we might be making an approach, but looking into it a bit closer, there's no way it will happen. If Bayern sell, they'll only have three central midfielders in their squad. Kimmich, Gravenberch, and Goretzka - that's a hell of a good three, but no team is going to sell their only rotation or cover option on deadline day. I just can't see it happening.

[JPL]

Time for a last minute panic buy!

[Gabzy]

1 hour ago, JPL said:

Time for a last minute panic buy!

I mean, the Eriksen injury pretty much forces this to happen. Without that, I doubt we’d have bothered until Summer.

That’s if it goes through at all! You know what the club is like…

 

but looks promising!

 

 

[JPL]

5 minutes ago, Gabzy said:

I mean, the Eriksen injury pretty much forces this to happen. Without that, I doubt we’d have bothered until Summer.

That’s if it goes through at all! You know what the club is like…

 

but looks promising!

 

 

Oh yeah, I know it's a necessity because of Eriksen. I just hope they get it done. To be fair, the transfers seem to have been going through a lot more smoothly and quicker since Erik's been in charge.

[spork]

Sounds like it’s basically done. I’m guessing he’s a decent fit rather than one of those square pegs for round holes kind of transfers we used to like.

[Gabzy]

Just now, spork said:

Sounds like it’s basically done. I’m guessing he’s a decent fit rather than one of those square pegs for round holes kind of transfers we used to like.

I really doubt Ten Hag would stand for that. I’m hopeful he’ll do a decent job for us.

[feltmonkey]

Is it a loan or a permanent deal?

[spork]

20 minutes ago, feltmonkey said:

Is it a loan or a permanent deal?

Loan. 

[Gabzy]

Henderson must be PISSED 😂

[MikeBeaver]

Sabitzer signing officially announced.

Feel bad for poor Erikson though, nasty twar Andy Carroll done a right number on him

[JPL]

I can't believe they actually managed to get it through without any hiccups. It finally feels like we're heading in the right direction, doesn't it?

[fatbob]

Yeah, I can't remember a time they reacted so quickly and got such a quality player in like this.

I like Sabitzer a lot, he's very versatile - more all action than Eriksen, but, and a better playmaker than Fred. I could see him working really well next to Casemiro.

 

I'd heard that they'd inquired about Gravenberch too, which makes sense given the Ten Hag connection but Bayern only happy to loan Sabitzer.

 

I remember United being linked to Sabitzer a bit last summer before they got Eriksen in.

 

A last minute deal, probably got a bit lucky, but a very good bit of January recruitment I think. (same goes for Wout)

[fatbob]

I was also thinking, given Cancelo has gone to Bayern (although who knows where he'll end up playing for them) if he makes the move permanent where that leaves Mazraoui in the summer and whether United might have an opportunity there.

 

He's had a covid related illness since the World Cup so maybe that explains the Cancelo move, but I wonder whether he'd be happy to be second or third choice at Bayern next season if Ten Hag wants to bring him to United. 

[spork]

Jack Butland, Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer. What an unexpected transfer window 

[feltmonkey]

17 hours ago, Gabzy said:

Henderson must be PISSED 😂

 

I think they got Navas in because Henderson is out injured for six weeks or something. What's interesting is that apparently Ten Hag contacted Henderson about cutting his loan at Forest short after Dubravka went back to Newcastle, and Henderson refused. I can see why he would do, as he would have been reluctant to swap a starting role for being a back-up, but they way things have worked out he might well end up as a back-up for the rest of the season anyway and all he's achieved is a load of burnt bridges.

[Gabzy]

Just now, feltmonkey said:

 

I think they got Navas in because Henderson is out injured for six weeks or something. What's interesting is that apparently Ten Hag contacted Henderson about cutting his loan at Forest short after Dubravka went back to Newcastle, and Henderson refused. I can see why he would do, as he would have been reluctant to swap a starting role for being a back-up, but they way things have worked out he might well end up as a back-up for the rest of the season anyway and all he's achieved is a load of burnt bridges.

Ahh, true. To be honest I think we should sell him as soon as possible, he’s clearly a bit of a shit stirrer and not so good that you could allow it. As you say, massively burnt bridges.

[feltmonkey]

Yeah, I agree. I don't blame him for his career choices particularly, or even for being annoyed that his loan move last season was blocked, but he seems to have a habit of being melodramatic and blowing things out of proportion. There's no way back from that interview he did, really. He said stuff then that was arguably worse than what Ronaldo said. 

 

Much of his disgruntlement last season came from him apparently being promised the first-choice keeper position by Ole last season. As things transpired, Henderson got injured, and De Gea put in a string of excellent performances, including one miraculous match-winning save against Wolves. By the time Henderson came back, De Gea was undroppable. This happens in football - nobody is guaranteed a starting position, nobody has a god-given right to be picked. He had his arse in his hands from then on. Rumours persisted that he was one of the sources of leaks coming out of the dressing room as things turned generally toxic.  It's weird, but I think if he'd have stayed this season he would have played. Dave has been good, but we are all well aware that Ten Hag wants someone with better distribution. 

 

He's a good keeper, and I hope he has a decent career, but I can't see him playing for us again.

[spork]

3-0 going into the second leg tonight. What are we expecting line up wise?

 

I hope we see some rotation but I’m mostly expecting to see

 

De Gea

 

AWB

Varane

Martinez

Shaw

 

Casemiro

Fred

 

Rashford

Bruno

Antony

 

Martial

 

 with Sancho coming off the bench in the second half.

[ckny]

Scarily close.

 

3-0 up at home. Who needs squad rotation!

[5R7]

you would have thought he would have learnt about putting an absolute first team required player into a dead rubber...but...noooo

 

22 T Heaton

 

29 A Wan-Bissaka 19 R Varane 6 L Martínez 23 L Shaw

 

8 B Fernandes (c) 18 Casemiro 17 Fred

 

21 A dos Santos 27 W Weghorst 49 A Garnacho Ferreyra

 

Substitutes

1 D De Gea 2 V Lindelöf 5 H Maguire 9 A Martial 10 M Rashford 12 T Malacia 25 J Sancho 28 F Pellistri 73 K Mainoo

[feltmonkey]

The problem is, 3-0 up or not, it's still a semi-final, and you don't want to fuck it up by being complacent.

 

There's not a huge amount more rotation we could do. Shaw has had a rest recently, there's nobody else available at right back, centre backs generally don't need rotating. Rashford is rested, I think Antony needs games more than a rest to continue his improving form. McTominay, Eriksen, and VDB are all injured, so that is the available midfield. The only option might have been Mainoo for Bruno, but I get the impression that Bruno is weirdly indefatigable, despite always looking knackered.

 

I'm hoping we go through in style, and that Sancho and Martial come on at some point, and get through unscathed.  An absolute dream scenario would be Sancho scoring, but I don't want to expect too much of him too soon.

[Gabzy]

Weghorst’s pressing and link up play is really good isn’t it? Just wish we could provide him with more chances.

[feltmonkey]

Bruno has been fantastic so far.