25 Jul 2019 23:34:54
Looking like another farce of a window in all honesty. Bissaka class deal. Very happy with that. James is still a kid with a lot to prove. Just a few weeks left and messing around lowballing, haven't addressed CB, CM or CF yet. Talks of Maguire, Bruno, SMS etc, I can't see anyway we wrap those deals up. Ed does his usual dithering, miss out on big players who would make the difference. I can't see anything other than a fight for 4-6th again. At most I see us eventually paying £80 odd million for Maguire. Get Bruno and sms in and give us a chance.
26 Jul 2019 00:35:41
You trying for drama queen of the day award? 🤣.
26 Jul 2019 05:19:09
Over to AJH.
26 Jul 2019 06:36:41
As the window starts to close the panic seems to grow with it. Stand, clearly we haven’t finished yet but what about the progress of the youngsters? How about the clearly improved morale? The development of McT? DDG signing a new deal?
Whatever happened last year we currently loom well prepared and ready to go. The squad lacks depth but we’ve tried signing big names and most of them haven’t worked out. A CB and a CM and I think we will comfortably make top 4.
26 Jul 2019 07:15:34
Seems like ground hog day on here with a new post like this to wake up to every day.
Did you try the search function? “Miserable ****†will yield the best results.
26 Jul 2019 07:40:53
Wazza, if we don’t sign anyone by Tuesday I can’t wait to see the meltdown on here.
26 Jul 2019 07:45:42
Dodgy - no drama whatsoever, just the obvious thst people like to ignore
Wazza- just a realist pal. Seen it time and time again.
Ajh- If we sign a minimum of two decent first 11 players we should be in contention at least for top 4. Still feel we’re short at that tbh. But as we’ve been well informed, United are playing games again offering silly amounts of money they know are not sufficient. Dithering. If we want the players pay the money. As you say big signnibgs haven’t worked for us, doesn’t mean they won’t tho, just need the right ones. Allison and VVD took Liverpool to a CL title and one point from the PL title, that shows what a couple of the right big signings can do. Unfortunately we don’t hace a manager fit to lace klopp Boots.
As for development if youngsters, great, all for it. But we can’t rely on them to close the gap. They will be bit part players. Our midfield will get overrun by most top sides if we dive improve it. Fred and Matic are poor, Pererra has never took his chance. The only top CM we have doesbt want to be here and as such doesn’t bother when he’s on the pitch.
And where are the goals coming from? Rashford is not a 30 goal a season striker. Martial floats in and out of form. Lukaku doesn’t fit.
You say we lack squad depth, I’d argue we lack first 11 quality. Be honest with yourselves, how many of our players would start for city or Liverpool? 1, maybe 2?
I had Liverpool to win the league last season as I could see the improvement. Unless united somehow produce 3 top signings I’ll put it out there now, we won’t make top 4 again.
Some call it drama, we’ll let's wait and see.
26 Jul 2019 08:03:41
Stand-United, you have mentioned only the negatives.
What about the positives?
Rash has not played a whole season solely as a Striker. So we do not know yet whether he can produce 20 plus goals.
The talents we have from the academy is massive.
We may be short on quality in midfield.
But Fred will be like a new signing. The likes of Mctominay and Andreas will be ready to step in when needed.
Also we have signed a proper winger and arguably the best RB who will seamlessly slot into the starting 11.
And mainly, our improved play style will cause problems to the opposition.
Two weeks is still a lot of time in the transfer window.
So keep calm.
26 Jul 2019 08:09:44
Really don’t think we need a new striker of Rom leaves. Martial, Rashford, Greenwood and Sanchez can all do a great job there.
AWB looks quality, and as long as we can get in a CB we are vastly improved.
Al the talk of Bruno and SMS etc - unless we actually get an acceptable bid for Pogba I don’t see either happening.
Maguire and Longstaff I think will happen and that is it.
26 Jul 2019 08:41:17
Right, we were 4/ 5 points off of top four last season and that is after the team played well below what they are capable of for large parts of last season.
So why have we got no chance of top four this year? All the team need to to do is play to their potential.
There is no point comparing us to City or Liverpool as we would need to sign 10-12 players to be at their level. Which just isn't happening.
Our aim this season has to be to be better than Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. Who did we beat yesterday?
Arsenal unless something drastic happens between now and the close of the window won't be much stronger if at all. Chelsea have sold their best player, been unable to sign anyone else and have hired a manager with only one years experience (at a lower level) . So why are they going to be better than last season? Spurs granted have signed a great midfielder, yet we beat them yesterday.
We have massively improved our side with the signing of AWB. Players like Lindelof, Dalot, Shaw, McTominay, Rashford and Martial have gained experience and should be better this season than last. We have a fantastic crop of youngsters who could step up. The atmosphere around the club is ten times better than it was this time last season and that is with two players wanting to leave. Which highlights just how poorly the situation was managed last summer.
We will be better than last season, and in reality we only need to turn two loses into wins and that would secure top four. This side is more than capable of doing that.
26 Jul 2019 08:42:55
I really think we need a better left back luke shaw doesn't do enough going forward for me and he's positional sense is poor defensively every game I watch he gets dragged inside every time.
We need to buy Tierney 25m is gone be a steal this kid is the real deal he would fit us perfectly.
26 Jul 2019 08:45:06
AJH if we don't sign anybody else by the time the window shuts I'll probably take a break from the site 😂
But we will bring more in and we will be fine.
Then people will find something else to moan about. I remember not so long ago people were moaning about Chevrolet being our main shirt sponsor. People will literally moan about anything!
26 Jul 2019 10:03:10
Maybe he's not a drama queen? 12/ 13 days left of the window, 2 players signed and 0 sold, one injury away from seeing Smalling and Jones as the 2 at the back. No right winger, no midfielders signed with Herrera and Fellaini having left, no CB bought in either. Same old s**t!
26 Jul 2019 10:14:27
TrueRedDevil- if you read the OP I’m happy with the Wan Bisakka deal. I don’t know what you’ve seen if Fred to think he’ll be like a new signing, but I watched him before he signed for us and I’m yet to see for us or previous side have a decent game. His game is very limited, energy, that’s about it. Andreas has floated about for years now, has the odd good game but won’t be a first 11 player for us, just not good enough.
Eric - neither Rashford or martial have scored 20 prep goals in a season, Sanchez has been abysmal and greenwood looks a prospect but can’t rely on a kid to get us 20 plus goals: so where are you seeing the goals coming from, I must be missing something?
Snappy, are you actually comparing results against top 4 rivals in a pre season friendly as some kind of indication? You say martial and Rashford should be better than last season. We’re they better last season than the one before? Has Rashford progressed each year? I’d argue not.
Was I the only one who watched as we got beat time and time again toward the end of the season? We had a good run against the bottom sides, soon as we faced the top half we got found out again, out the cups, and quite frankly were shocking the last 2 months of the season.
Not point comparing to Liverpool or city maybe not, but if we want to get back to that level that’s what we have to do. No point spending £50m on players like Fred, we need top players or we’ll be a top 4-6 side for the foreseeable future.
26 Jul 2019 10:16:46
Good post Shappy I agree we are in competition with Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal for a top 4 place and I wouldn't rule out the likes of Leicester possibly Everton or even West Ham and Wolves to keep us honest.
I know many don't agree but I think Maguire would be a huge signing and with the emphasis of playing on the front foot, pressing hard, putting the opposition under pressure and winning the ball back higher up the pitch where we can kill teams with our pace and movement in the transitions hopefully we can enjoy some good football along the way.
26 Jul 2019 10:58:52
Stand. We beat Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea. Are they not the top teams you are worried about?
26 Jul 2019 11:16:55
It seems we are awful and everyone else is amazing . we underperformed last season it all went, jose 3rd season, on us and yet to be honest we still should of made top 4 .
Never mid new players get our current players playing more as a team, address some of the tactical issues from last season that in itself should be worth 10-15 points .
26 Jul 2019 11:33:41
Wazza we finished below then all 😂 what good is it beating them if we lose to the lesser sides and finish behind them.
Jred, how many players of ours do you put in a city or Liverpool side? Get real, we’re a poor side.
26 Jul 2019 11:34:50
After we came 2nd to city lots on here said our squad was good enough to compete. It was down to jose and that he was under achieving with this squad
Now those same posters are saying we can't compete with city or Liverpool.
Ergo our squad is not good enough to compete and jose over a burdened in coming 2nd with this squad.
If we want to compete we need 3 more signings and we need to rid the lub of 3 4 or 5 more players.
Then we can compete.
Im sticking my neck out now and saying Liverpool will not be in the top 2 next season. Big fixture pile up and they are yet to strengthen which they need to do to keep moving forward.
26 Jul 2019 11:45:54
Yes Ken, Liverpool were lucky in regards to injuries.
26 Jul 2019 11:51:50
TrD.
They were very good last year. But i think they over achieved.
26 Jul 2019 12:29:45
Stand. Your point was that we only beat lower teams and lost against everyone above us. That is not correct and your next reply proved that you are simply contradicting yourself.
26 Jul 2019 12:32:01
Ken, how did they over achieve? I’m sure they had the best defensive record, lost one game all season was it? Made CL final year before, won it last year. They didn’t iver acheive, they’re just better. It’s a hard pill to swallow but we have to admit the obvious. I’d have a wager with anyone they will be top two again. Who of United, Chelsea, Spurs or whoever have improved to the degree needed to over take them? I think a lot on here are setting their expectations of this united side to high. We’re a poor side with one World class player and a lot of overpaid, lazy and frankly poor footballers.
26 Jul 2019 12:48:19
Stand - what’s the fixation with 20 goals? If Rash, Martial, Sanchez, Pogba (if stays) all chip in with 15 goals each plus others players chilling in with 4/ 5 each we are on to a good thing. The way it seems OGS wants to play is a fluid forward line rotating around so I think we will see the goals more evenly spread over the season as we have no focal point. He’d keep Rom if he wanted that.
26 Jul 2019 13:14:30
Stand-United, you have got it absolutely spot on. I would argue that if Lukaku goes, then we'll need both Fernandes and Pepe in. Also another central midfielder, longstaff, as matic, Fred and perriera are not going to do anything for us.
Biggest problem we have is creating enough chances and width along the pitch. Fernandes will be excellent, he plays on the right mostly very creative, and scores goals. Pepe will give us width and unpredictability in attack, which we've been lacking for years.
We then need a central defender as non of Bailly, Rojo, Smalling, or Jones can stay fit and non are good enough. I cannot understand why we didn't go for Alderweild AND McGuire? We need proper strength in central defence. And two of the aforementioned, should have been sold.
We shall wait and see what happens between now and the end of the transfer window. But all the points you make are valid and realistic view of where we're at present.
26 Jul 2019 13:38:01
Wazza - my point is we had an easy run of fixtures when everyone thought we became world class overnight again, then when the fixtures got trickier we showed our level again. We got beat by arsenal, beat by wolves, battered by Everton, beat by City, beat by Cardiff for Christ sake. Drew with Huddersfield.
After the performances the last few months we needed a big window. So far with a couple of weeks left we’ve signed a good rb, and a kid for the future. Not addressed the glaring issues at Cb, CM or attack
Eric- my issue with 20 goals is if you don’t score you can’t win. Rashford martial and Lingard to score 15 each is very very unlikely. Pogba probably won’t be here, and Sanchez, what on earth has he done to convince you he can bag 15 goals this season? I bet he won’t score 5.
26 Jul 2019 14:23:25
AAA
Isn't Pepe off to Napoli?
I am sure the Oracle said that in answer to another post.
26 Jul 2019 15:13:39
Stand they over achieved because they on my list 1 game all year. i'm not saying they were lucky or that they didn't do well i'm ssying they over achieved.
Do you think they will lose more than 1 game next year?
Did you think they would only lose 1 game last year, i didn't so i think they over achieved. Same as united over achieved seadon before last coming 2nd which was borne out last season.
26 Jul 2019 16:24:05
I agree with Ken, I think to an extent Liverpool overachieved last season. They should have lost more than one game. They were lucky on occasions. They also had the highest shot conversation rate in the league, while also having the least number of injuries of the top six sides.
They were also excellent for large parts of last season.
However, this season they are unlikely to have as few injuries, they are unlikely to sustain the shot conversation rate (which is nearly 10% higher than anyone else) . They don't have the squad depth and they will lose more games this season.
Stand, when Ole took over he tried to implement a similar style to what we have seen during pre-season. Had the squad had the fitness to maintain that style we would have likely won a few more games in the run in and that would have given us the points needed to finish in the top four.
Ole and the coaching staff have worked on that fitness during pre-season. So hopefully the squad can sustain that style for the whole of next season. If we can then this squad will achieve top four, as it is. However, there is a good chance we will add to this squad to make it stronger.
26 Jul 2019 16:42:44
Johnny Blaze, yep, ed002 did mention that, but we're talking hypothetically of course, as we don't know where Pepe will end up. But if we need a fluid, attack, then Fernandes and Pepe both have to be considered.
26 Jul 2019 17:26:55
Shappy i don't care how fit our squad is.
If we go into next season with midfield options of
Pogna matic fred mctom pierera we will not compete.
If we go with our current cb options we will not compete.
We need at least 1cm preferably 2 and we need a cb.
People blaming fittness on last years collapse are kidding themselves.
There was a lack of leadership a lack of ability a lack of quality in key positions a lack of harmony a lack of pace a lack of technique.
Lots of average players at this level. No quality in depth when the injuries came.
Awb and james do address and will potentially solve big problem areas.
Maguire will help us improve dramatically i believe.
Bruno likewise if they are signed
I don't know enough about pepe (which seems unlikely)
Dybala really nice player but can he adapt? Again unlikely anyway.
Maybe there are other candidates who knows.
Im not having all this talk of top 4.each team starts on zero and we compete to win. I see fans here daily who have already conceded the title begore its begun. That's not my way. I will enter every match next season believing we can win it but unless we sign some players its unlikely that we will compete to win enough games to compete for honours.
26 Jul 2019 19:13:50
Ken, the truth is Liverpool and City are too far ahead for us to genuinely compete for the title regardless of whether we sign Maguire and Bruno or not. Obviously signing them will put us closer to them.
We can still compete for the league cup, FA cup and Europa League and have a genuine chance of winning any of them. On our day we can beat anyone, as our game against PSG last season proved.
To win the league you need at least 18 players who could genuinely be in the first team of any side in the league. We are too far away from that.
However, I don't believe it should all be doom and gloom. If you only support United because you want your team to win titles then you will be a disappointed United fan next season.
26 Jul 2019 21:57:43
That's not the reason i support united. But no matter what the support i'm watching i always want my team / man / woman to win. I don't watch for the entertainment i enjoy the competing.
Same as when i played. The feeling i got from competing was greater than the feeling of winning.
I go into every game wanting to win. Never upset when we lose because the game is over never over elated when we win because the game is over.