The Official Manchester United Thread (Vol 9)

[franki68]

Frimley111R said:

I didn't think we were bad at all. Arsenal were just a bit better but couldn't finish. In the end, if you had to give the game to one team, it would not have been us but one error and that was the difference.

There's a big difference between being awful and just getting beaten by a better team on the day.

Arsenal played very well ,but we were awful .The team had no shape and individuals were abysmal .The entire midfield was pathetic.Fred can’t pass ,pogba thinks he’s playing in a playground ,Bruno passing was exceptional in finding an Arsenal player and I didn’t even know mct was playing .
The team selection and tactics are not right .

[likesachange]

unident said:

Just a bad day at the office, like it was against Palace, Spurs and Chelsea and nearly was against Brighton and Newcastle. Not to worry we’ve had plenty of good days in the office this season in the PL ……………………………………… oh

We beat Bristol and Newcastle and drew with Chelsea who have just added about 150million to the squad if not more, lost to Tottenham where we had 10 men after 25 minutes and everyone lost there head. And I have no excuses for the Palace game....

Just because we won in last 1/4 what has that to do with anything!? oh wait goals don't count after 75 minutes. My bad.

Liverpool have won 4 of there 5 games by a single Goal. Its a strange season. We have been underperforming as we have for last god knows how many years, but I still think we are in a better place now than in recent years, regardless of results not going our way.

Yesterdays game could have went either way is what I'm saying... unfortunately it was our sloppy play that cost us. It happens.

Stay Positive. I'd actually like to see Poch in tbh but I still don't think its fair not to give Ole (or indeed any manager) at least 2 full seasons to try and get the team how he wants it.

[ORD]

I dont think it serves any purpose pretending we have been anything but appalling in the PL this season. We have not played well, or even played OK, in any of the games.

[franki68]

ORD said:

I dont think it serves any purpose pretending we have been anything but appalling in the PL this season. We have not played well, or even played OK, in any of the games.

Yep,first two games they were clearly unfit so no point including them but it’s clear ole is struggling to find the right formation ,tactics and players .

[jammy-git]

200Plus Club said:

ORD said:

I disagree re Klopp. I think Utd would be easily in the top 3 every season with Klopp at the helm. We have some very good players.

I meant klopp wouldn't have done anything initially with squad ole inherited, just as he didn't with Liverpool. He may well be able to get more out of our current team however, we'll never know.

The difference in playing style and motivation was night and day within a week or two. He bought Mane, Wijnaldum, Karius, Matip (free), Klavan (£4m) in his first summer and went from 8th to 4th the next season. He might not have won any trophies in his first few years, but the progression was immediately apparent.

[200Plus Club]

To be fair to ole, we were the form team by far from January on last season, massively scoring and keeping a tight defence. Anyone taking a snapshot from Jan would say he was a miracle worker. Unfortunately the players and his selections at present aren't working, that's not to say they won't yet. This for me is his make or break season and he should be given the full season rather than jumping the gun again.
Lots of people including fans were calling for his head last season before January.

[Challo]

Adam B said:

To be fair this was the first XI Klopp inherited, and his net spend in next 5 years was about one Pogba

I dont get all the 'net spend' bks. You have spent a huge amount of money since he has been here in 2015, and been fortunate to ship out Sterling and Coutinho for a total of £190m.

Klopp is like any other manager for the top clubs. Spend a ton a money, to get the results he wants.

[jammy-git]

Challo said:

I dont get all the 'net spend' bks. You have spent a huge amount of money since he has been here in 2015, and been fortunate to ship out Sterling and Coutinho for a total of £190m.

Klopp is like any other manager for the top clubs. Spend a ton a money, to get the results he wants.

Because you cannot talk about spend without a context.

Would you put Klopp in the same boat as Pep with regards to spend and coaching a team? I certainly wouldn't.

I think most would agree that Pep will spend vast sums on a team to get the players he wants and if they don't work he'll simply spend more vast sums to replace already expensive players. He brings very few youth players through.

Klopp, yes, has spent a lot (gross spend), but the investment in the team (net spend) has been minimal. Where players have been sold, the money has been used to replace the hole in the team (and others). But he's also made the most of free players and youth players.

Even if you look at overall spend, Klopp has spent what he's spent to lift LFC from 8th in the league to winning every major club competition. Pep has spent what he's spent to take title winers to 2nd in the league.

FWIW, Ole looks like he could be good at bringing through youth - as for what Utd have spent, it seems he's operating with one arm behind his back due to Woodward. You're never going to be able to get a fair assessment of a manager's transfer dealings at Utd whilst Woodward is the one in charge of signing players.

[Challo]

jammy-git said:

Because you cannot talk about spend without a context.

Would you put Klopp in the same boat as Pep with regards to spend and coaching a team? I certainly wouldn't.

I think most would agree that Pep will spend vast sums on a team to get the players he wants and if they don't work he'll simply spend more vast sums to replace already expensive players. He brings very few youth players through.

Klopp, yes, has spent a lot (gross spend), but the investment in the team (net spend) has been minimal. Where players have been sold, the money has been used to replace the hole in the team (and others). But he's also made the most of free players and youth players.

Even if you look at overall spend, Klopp has spent what he's spent to lift LFC from 8th in the league to winning every major club competition. Pep has spent what he's spent to take title winers to 2nd in the league.

FWIW, Ole looks like he could be good at bringing through youth - as for what Utd have spent, it seems he's operating with one arm behind his back due to Woodward. You're never going to be able to get a fair assessment of a manager's transfer dealings at Utd whilst Woodward is the one in charge of signing players.

I dont disagree that Klopp has done well to get the best out of players, whether that be youth or cheap buys but its old comment about look at our net spend when Klopp has spent a good chunk of money to get the players he wants.

Pep is a great coach, but been fortunate to have an open cheque book to keep buying and buying till he finds the right player.

OGS has been good at clearing out some of the dross at the club from previous managers buys, plus ensured we bring the youth through and integrate them into the team. He did well last season, but can he do the same again this season i dont know.

[anonymous-user]

We lost 1-0 to Arsenal playing badly and Ole needs to go and Klopp is da best

Not a couple of weeks after Liverpool got done 7-2 and we one 5-0 at Leipzeg

The season is gonna be topsy turvy, assume PL games go ahead but not sure about CL/EL will have to see

Maybe we should all just take it one week at a time

[200Plus Club]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Well said.

[selym]

200Plus Club said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Well said.

There is a fine line between taking it one week at a time and burying your head in the sand though. At some point the question will have to be seriously considered; is Ole out of his depth, and the longer it is left, the less chance you'll have of rescuing anything from this season.

[Randy Winkman]

I'm 100% behind Ole. I've supported United since 1970 and think we should show support for a proper United man like him. We owe him masses and if it means we don't win much for a while I think we should just suck it up.

Speaking of proper United men it was sad to see this news about Sir Bobby:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54770216

I hope we will get to see him and his wife watching football at Old Trafford at least once more. For me, enjoying the contributions that people like Sir Bobby, Nobby Stiles and Ole have made is what football is all about.

[200Plus Club]

It's really sad as he's such an ambassador for Utd and football generally.

[Zoon]

I still think Pogba is the issue.
Not productive enough, lazy and dragging the team down with him.

Sell him to the highest bidder and move on.

[Fittster]

Zoon said:

I still think Pogba is the issue.
Not productive enough, lazy and dragging the team down with him.

Sell him to the highest bidder and move on.

Why isn't the manager who continues to select him the problem?

[anonymous-user]

selym said:

There is a fine line between taking it one week at a time and burying your head in the sand though. At some point the question will have to be seriously considered; is Ole out of his depth, and the longer it is left, the less chance you'll have of rescuing anything from this season.

I don't disagree ordinarily we'd look around Christmas time and see where we are and I'll be doing the same this year

I just think it's far too early in an unnatural season to be making judgements

Liverpool are without their best player for a whole season and yes they are filling the gaps now but that will take its toll too

We could have any number of players at clubs going down with Covid

Spire are second despite their up and down form, literally anything can happen

[200Plus Club]

Fittster said:

Zoon said:

I still think Pogba is the issue.
Not productive enough, lazy and dragging the team down with him.

Sell him to the highest bidder and move on.

Why isn't the manager who continues to select him the problem?

I think ole is trying the permutations but it is time to bench him and give VDB and others a run. In the fullness of time it will sort itself one way or another. Fergie was right about him I think from day 1

[Gone a bit AMG]

Randy Winkman said:

I'm 100% behind Ole. I've supported United since 1970 and think we should show support for a proper United man like him. We owe him masses and if it means we don't win much for a while I think we should just suck it up.

Speaking of proper United men it was sad to see this news about Sir Bobby:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54770216

I hope we will get to see him and his wife watching football at Old Trafford at least once more. For me, enjoying the contributions that people like Sir Bobby, Nobby Stiles and Ole have made is what football is all about.

This is where I am at. There’s no consistency in results across the league. We still have a slightly bloated squad and had no preseason to speak of. The run in last season seems to have been forgotten. I’ve said all along Ole is here to lead us through a transition that’s been fked up since Fergie, he arguably kicked off the problems by appointing Moyes. I don’t think that Ole has the tactical nous to get us back to the very top but he’s cleared out most of the dross and the signings made have been hugely encouraging for the long term future. One defeat is a crisis at United always has been. That won’t change but Ole’s moved the squad on and another managerial change is premature. IMO

I hope he ends up die To

[selym]

Randy Winkman said:

I'm 100% behind Ole. I've supported United since 1970 and think we should show support for a proper United man like him. We owe him masses and if it means we don't win much for a while I think we should just suck it up.

Speaking of proper United men it was sad to see this news about Sir Bobby:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54770216

I hope we will get to see him and his wife watching football at Old Trafford at least once more. For me, enjoying the contributions that people like Sir Bobby, Nobby Stiles and Ole have made is what football is all about.

He will make more games I'm sure.