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29 Aug 2025 01:12:51
Last night was ridiculous and embarrassing.
I think Amorim himself felt that way. The issue with that though is he is himself holds as much blame as the team.
Having said all that though, this team will continue to hold embarrassing losses the longer we keep Onana in goal and don't improve our midfield.
Amorims job is getting into the territory of untenable now. 8 home losses in our last 13 league games at OT is a crazy stat to hold. The players should shoulder a lot of blame but it can't be ignored that being married to a system is an issue as well.
Burnley is a huge game now. Not just foot the team but Amorim as well.
There really isn't many clubs that would allow this sort of form and still back the club and manager.
Do or die Saturday.
1.) 29 Aug 2025 07:15:03
If it is the system, do we need to revert to the one that got Ten Hag sacked 12 months ago?
2.) 29 Aug 2025 10:28:28
I can't remember who said it, but Manchester United should NEVER lose to Grimsby (all due respect to them) regardless of who is selected or what system we are playing.
We are supposed to be a top EPL team, while many of the Grimsby players will have part time jobs to supplement their income.
That loss wasn't about the quality of the players it was about the application or lack of it they showed.
Hard work beats talent when talent forgets to work hard.
We started the game like it was a training exercise and we thought we would coast to a win. Their was no hunger, desire or passion. No fight, no guts, just apathy.
We then fell behind and by the time we realised we were in a game we were 2-0 down and being outplayed. We then struggled to get back into the game and our recent form seemed to weigh on them.
The shootout is neither here or there, it's a lottery even when you have a quality keeper. With paper-wrists Onana it was pretty much a forgone conclusion before the first ball was placed on the spot. We were going to have to rely on Grimsby players folding under the pressure and missing the target completely to have a real chance.
As Amorim said the shootout in the grand scheme of things didn't matter, what the team had shown before the final whistle was and is what the manager and his coaching staff will need to focus on.
25 Aug 2025 13:02:10
A lot is being said today about the system, manager and style of play.
I get it, this season has left more questions than answers already but we have to accept where we currently are. I think a lot of people saw the three new attackers and assumed we would instantly improve. That was never going to happen that easy. We are a work in progress.
The keeper clearly has issues and has now entered the territory of being allowed to be fouled in most set plays because of it. Amorim needs to highlight this asap.
The defence I feel is fine, De Ligt has started the season well and Yoro is excellent. Dorgu is learning and improving but still prone to the odd immature moment. RWB is being severely hampered by the lack of quality in the middle. Often runs are being made but Case who normally operates that side doesn't have the skills to utilise it, choosing to bee safe.
Attacking wise I also feel we will be fine, the movements and invention already look promising and goals will come.
Which brings us always back onto the midfield. This is an area that for some reason has been neglected for years, we often buy the same profile of player whenever we decide to address it. Matic, Fred, Ugarte etc. These are limited players that require a top level partner to negate their inefficiencies, but for some reason we never get one and always look to just get by. Bruno for me is the biggest issue now. He is a player with no place in this system but Amorim is shoehorning him into it. What makes it even odder is the skillset Amorim requires, Mainoo has. A ball carrying technical type but he is reluctant to play him because of his lack of athleticism. So we suffer Bruno's kamikaze style of passing and his headless chicken running, often leaving us with little control.
That area is like a constant spinning roundabout, the ball goes in there and you're not sure what is coming out and where.
Until we fix this, we will continue to struggle in games we don't score a couple of quick goals in.
Amorim has to get the confidence to drop Bruno and pair Mainoo with Case for a few games to allow them the time to gel. Or do something radical like sign a midfielder lol.
1.) 25 Aug 2025 13:50:19
we spent a lot on ugarte who was suppose to be the guy who solved it. I see people talking about the team missing the perfect midfielder and why we are not performing. its a myth and not many teams have the perfect midfielder. they all have their flaws.
2.) 25 Aug 2025 15:46:25
Ahmed,
United have spent a lot on a lot of players to solve issues. Ugarte imo is just another in a long list of players that ultimately are not of the required ability.
As for teams having the "perfect midfielder" being a 'myth' I don't remember suggesting that being the issue.
What I said was, we need a top level midfielder that would balance out the double pivot. Unless you're suggesting a Bruno/ Ugarte or Casemiro midfield is balanced and it's just the manager and the previous ones to him that have been the issue.
I'm certainly not in the "Amorim can do no wrong" camp but I do believe that we are in a more clear direction with him if we add the right players.
The alternative is we sack another manager, revert to a 4-3-3 again plug the issues with stop gaps because the new manager will want another type of player and in 12 months go again.
I'm in the camp of putting pressure on our board to supply the level of player to improve us this season.
3.) 25 Aug 2025 17:00:38
We need to go back to 4 at the back. This wingback system with 2 mids produces very little offensively imo. play a 4/ 3/ 3 and why complicate out of everything. we escape goat too many players over the last 12 months and whilst this system fais us, the players more often comparative to producing a great game. how many great games has any one seen under amorim may i ask.
4.) 25 Aug 2025 17:34:01
4 at the back, 3 at the back, 5 at the back is really doesn't matter.
Formations are just starting positions, it's how the players adapt and implement a style that matters. Yes 3 centerbacks can force a team to feel more defensive but like wise we were getting run through at will when we had 2 in more traditional 4 at the back.
For me the issues were clear, but just because they were clear doesn't mean they are easily solved.
Our attack was selfish, immature and not up to standard.
Our defenders often lack concentration and our midfielders often roamed and went where they wanted.
We have addressed the attacking issue but my point further in another post was if we have just been able too sign 3 players was it that critically to sign 3 forwards at the sacrifice of a top midfielder.
I'm hoping we have a plan over the coming week to actually sign a midfielder but I think it really depends on outgoings.
5.) 25 Aug 2025 17:47:42
Ahmad
You say we need to go back to 4 at the back, basically your round about way of saying sack the manager. He needs to be given the CM and GK then see what happens. He needs time. I know you were Amorim out last season, but we have had two games. Two.
6.) 25 Aug 2025 18:40:01
The system Amorim plays is giving us all what we have craved for near on 15years+, exciting football.
Where it falls down is not realising when a player is cooked. Against Fulham Mbeumo and Mount needed to be changed. Bring on sell for one, shift Cunha back 10, send Bruno to the other, have Mainoo in the middle, or Ugarte, whatever.
I will say this, again, we need. RWB as that side is so weak with Amad/ Dalot, manly because neither are a RWB.
Back to the system, we are so intense from the get go, that has to be the gameplan - overrun the opposition and score goals, quickly. I've said it a couple of times, someone is getting hit for 6 shortly.
7.) 25 Aug 2025 20:16:20
Exciting football? Really?
8.) 25 Aug 2025 21:24:06
Red man, with all due respect, he has been in charge now for 29 games in the league, not 2.
9.) 26 Aug 2025 09:11:19
redman
we finished 15th and had our worst ever season. At no point in his tenure has he given me any footballing reasons to think this guy is going to win things for us. He gets an A+ for his silver tongue though.
We sack him today and replace him and I reckon we are a top 5 team with a good manager. a lot less mangers on paper with lesser squads have done a lot better in this league.
I did not advocate for his sacking but said he will get himself sacked because he knows no better than just one way of playing and its not working, look at his results. On top of that his game time decisions to change the directions of games are rubbish.
Let's pick this up after 10 games and see where we are.
24 Aug 2025 20:09:20
The biggest issues for us is midfield. It has been for years and will remain so until we fix it.
We have no natural partnerships in there. And now we have shoehorned Bruno into there restricts us even more!
From my point of view our build up plays has been awful for years but one player remains there, Bruno.
Yes his numbers are excellent since arriving but his IQ is awful when player deep.
If he was a golfer every club in his bag would be a driver. His pass selection is questionable even when player in his natural position.
Pair him with Ugarte or Casemiro and we might as well give up the midfield battle before we start. Case is a stopper type, he looks to cut out opposition attacks and give it to a ball player. When that ball player is Bruno we can't be surprised when our attacks fall apart. I have long said United start a game cooking and zipping passed about until Bruno gets into the game then it all falls apart.
I love the guy and I do appreciate his attitude and leadership gets us through some tough times but what can't be ignored is his overall game management.
We will continue to drop points until we fix this issue.
My fix would been to sell Bruno, replace him with a Baleba/ Wharton type player.
1.) 24 Aug 2025 20:51:57
Or let Bruno play where he does a damage and get in a midfielder who does the other things he cannot?
2.) 24 Aug 2025 21:10:44
Bruno played "where he could do damage" last session and we finished 15th.
3.) 24 Aug 2025 22:23:09
we have a manger who I can't see any players improving playing for him and most have gone backwards.
We are pretty bad to watch tbh and very frustrating. We create very little and at some point someone has to ask the question, it can't be always the players. Gotten him 3 top players but still same sh. t like last year. He has has almost a whole year, whole pre-season and all the things he got a pass for last year.
This can't continue. we have much better players than what we are showing and no one will convince me we are a second half table team.
4.) 25 Aug 2025 00:36:41
Ahmed,
I disagree to some extent.
I think in moments like this we always look for the same excuses and often land back at "it can't just be the players it has to be the manager".
I think in this instance we are in a poor position balance wise and it was never going to be an easy fix. Just look at the level of player we still have at the club that are considered "good professionals" or not part of the 'bomb squad'.
Players like Dalot, Casemiro etc. These are not good players and average level at best. But because they are not problems in the changing room they are still here.
As for Amorim not improving players. I think he has, look at Bruno, his numbers gave always been good even if his performances were not. Last season under Amorim I think we saw a much improved Bruno along with others like Amad, Garnacho and Zirkzee, etc. The issue is imo 2 of those players are not good enough anyway.
We are suffering due to a really imbalance of quality in the team. It's was never going to be fixed quickly, a decade of mismanagement has caused this and now we have a group in trying thee rectify it. The only issue is have is the players desperately need a midfielder or two to help along the project and having to neglect that area again will stall any meaningful progress this season.
5.) 25 Aug 2025 06:41:43
It’s fair CTR. But isn’t that the formation rather than the players causing that midfield gap?
6.) 25 Aug 2025 07:50:06
CTR, you have nailed it. I have been saying the same about Bruno for quite some time myself.
7.) 25 Aug 2025 09:10:05
CTR
We had our worst ever finish to the pl under him and he managed 29 out 38 games last year with an average of 1 point in those games. Everyone said give him a full summer and some signings.
I give him the best manager in the world prize for how he speaks and can charm you but on the pitch its a manager whose set up other teams seem to handle with ease. who plays and how we set up is all on him.
At some point someone has to wonder if his proffered style of play is just hogwash and does not cut the mustard in the pl. Garnacho gone backwards and gone, kobe has disappeared, Dalot gone backwards. Bruno is bruno under this manager or the next. He will have his moments of brilliance and poor showings. Blaming bruno for is a scapegoating. The team just does not produce scoring opportunities when it counts and needed and defensively always there to give up soft goals.
Zirksee was in his first year at united so not sure how you can say he has improved lol improved on what?
The only two players who seem to have secured regular playing time are cas and maguire.
I said give him 10 games to see where we are but he is digging himself a hole already.
we will beat Burnley at home next then its city away, Chelsea at home, Brentford away, Sunderland at home and Liverpool away yikes.
we are maybe looking at less than a point from our first 8 fixtures and a repeat of last year getting results against promoted teams and sh. tting the bed against anyone who is decent.
8.) 25 Aug 2025 10:02:43
There is no guarantee we will beat the clarets but we have to stop breaking the first few games down to just points. We’re not challenging with our back ‘8’ players. Bruno and Amad (and the rest) still playing last season ball. The irony is that Bayindir is one of the few players who’ve adapted to the new system despite his obvious defensive frailties. The new front 3 have barely played 90 competitive minutes. Fulham I think beat all last seasons top 3. If we can play like that for 15mins we can do it for 60. We looked brilliant at times and are only on our second game. Shaw shocking and I’d get rid of Bruno in a heart beat he doesn’t fit anymore. Fergie got rid of far better players if they were no longer in his longer term plans. Still too much of last seasons playing and attitude but you can see it changing.
23 Aug 2025 23:23:22
A lot was made last week over a loss in my opinion.
Yes we played well for large spells and overall I feel we deserved a lot more from the game.
Our season however will not be defined by a good performance against arsenal. It is games like Fulham away etc. I know our record of late is good there but as a whole these are the type of games we HAVE to see improvement in. I'm not talking about just winning, I'm talking about winning and playing well and scoring goals.
Our 'fear factor' has somewhat diminished over the last few years resulting in teams feeling they can nick points when previously they didn't.
Look at Liverpool in the opening day for example, spirit was high from their fans and club going into the game and after a really good half hour from Bournemouth Liverpool got a few goals and all looked great.
The Seymenyo switched it on, got Bournemouth back into the game and level and with 15 mins to go it was anyone's game. But it really wasn't.
Bournemouth retreated knowing the threat and avalanche that could come their way and subsequently gave up a silly goal and lost the game. That all came from fear of what they thought was going to happen.
With us recently it's been different, teams know we are disjointed and lack any consistent attacking threat so dig in, make it hard and wait for 35 mins to pass knowing our team are going to panic and we duly deliver.
It all comes from mentality and mindset. If a team knows your only threat is a moment of brilliance falling to a specific player like Bruno they can negate that a lot easier, limit that threat and use it against you.
Tomorrow we need to announce to the league that although we are not 'back' we are a serious threat to teams across the league.
Achieve this and it's worth a lot of points over a 38 game season.
1.) 24 Aug 2025 02:01:23
I agree, but we need to tempur our expectations for the first few games. A new front line needs to learn to play together, and we will drop points with our midfield and goal keeper.
City showed how tough this league is, many of these teams are capable of beating anyone else o a really good day. We have to make sure we have far more good days than bad days, and let's be honest, 3 points by any means gets us into the season. We all want glorious football, but any win away from home is a good result this early into the season.
2.) 24 Aug 2025 11:35:54
I'm interested to see how we play against Fulham. It's one thing to be able to play well against a team like Arsenal that will try to come at us and in doing so will leave gaps and spaces we can exploit. It's a totally different game against a side that refuses to open up and create the spaces we need to be a able to attack.
That's the fun of the EPL, lots of good quality teams with top managers all playing their own style of football and the need to both be able to play your own style and still adapt to come up with different solutions to the different problems against each team you face.
I think Amorim is far more tactically adaptable than most people give him credit for. He has his clear principles and ideology, but within that he does have different strategies and tactics to win games. Unfortunately last season he didn't have the players or players with the right conditioning to play his brand of football. Nor did he have the time to train the players and get his ideas across to the level needed to get them playing how he wanted.
Last season was a write off, it was from the moment they sacked EtH. Amorim should really start this season with a clean slate, and it's how the team perform this season on which he should be judged.
3.) 24 Aug 2025 11:46:42
Off topic but Saliba clearly shown on motd looking at the ball then giving it a nudge with his forearm in the 6 yard box, arsenal scored not given. The premier leagues very own Sergio Ramos.
23 Aug 2025 00:46:34
Guess it's just a back up keeper for the rest of this window then.
Not a terrible window, a couple of signings that were top of the lists and a good opportunity with the other.
I feel like we have pivoted a few times this window and come out of it a lot better than we went into it. A far change from the scatter gun and panic buys of the windows past.
Yes a Baleba or Wharton would've been amazing but I think we have to swallow it for now. Years of mismanagement have caused this. The not suprise is it took this long.
Cass in midfield with Bruno is manageable, see where we are Jan and take it from there.
Our goal should be big improvements both on and off thee pitch.
1.) 23 Aug 2025 10:29:01
I think Lammens is a starter if we sign him to be honest.
2.) 23 Aug 2025 11:02:50
Theres nothing to back up if we are honest, all goalkeepers at the club are easily droppable and they can not complain.
Its not like when we were signing goalkeepers to back up prime DDG when they knew they were never going to play.
3.) 23 Aug 2025 11:40:04
Lammens I think will be first choice before the end of the season, possibly before Christmas.
While I'd have liked to see the club bring in a possible cheaper alternative to Baleba, players such as Lucien Agoumé or Djaoui Cissé could have been bought for less than 30m and would have offered many similar qualities to Baleba. I can understand the clubs perspective of focusing on only signing players they believe are big upgrades and who can have an immediate impact this season.
I'm hopeful but not confident of Ugarte fully working out for us. So I fully expect that with Casemiro leaving next summer that we will need two new more defensive focused midfielders next summer. However, the club have very high hopes for Sekou Kone who could be ready during this season or for the start of next. While Ugarte could still come good. If we sign a cheaper Baleba alternative this summer (who will not be as good as Baleba) and either Kone or Ugarte are good enough for us next season. Then it no longer makes sense to spend big on a third player for that position.
While the club have agreed to only loan out Collyer rather than sell him as they feel he also has potential to be a very good player for us.
I expect they clubs thinking is that they have Bruno, Mainoo and possibly Mount who can play as the more creative No.8 in the double pivot. While currently having Casemiro and Ugarte for the No.6, along with two young prospects in Collyer and Kone who could be ready for next season.
They know Casemiro will leave next summer, and they have Ugarte, Collyer, and Kone who can all potentially be able back ups/ rotation options to the first choice No.6 who they want to be Baleba. If they think they've got a very good chance to sign their first choice either this summer or next summer then it's probably best to stick with what we have. Then even if Baleba doesn't sign next summer (maybe he moves elsewhere), then we can look at the alternatives then. Especially as many of them (Agoumé, Cissé etc) are young and another year of experience at another club would probably be a good thing for them in all honesty.
I think the clubs plan was always to sign a new CDM such as Baleba next summer when Casemiro leaves. However, they saw a potential opportunity to bring in their first choice this summer with little to no competition for his signature this year. They went for it, and decided he was worth stretching the finances for. But when that door was closed, but left ajar for next summer they've probably decided to just wait until next summer. Also as a side note, if there is going to be more competition for Baleba next summer, then surely signing an alternative to him this summer weakens our hand in trying to convince him that he belongs here. Surely the narrative that he is the one we want and we are prepared to wait for him is far more likely to convince him to choose us next year than if we just move on and sign an alternative now, showing that we think he's replaceable.
He's good friends with Yoro, and we have a couple of his compatriots who can bend his ear during international breaks and the upcoming AFCON.
I'm fairly confident that we can sign him next summer, we've open talks with Brighton now, and we might be able to negotiate something during the season with them so we can sign him early when the window opens next summer.
If we get Lammens this summer to go with Cunha, Mbeumo, Sesko and Leon then that's a really good summer of business. Especially if we can find solutions to get the players out that need to move on.
Then next summer sign Baleba as first choice CDM, bring in a new CB, maybe two depending on how they do this season. Then look at a potential Bruno replacement (someone who can play in the pivot or in the No.10 positions) and move Bruno on after the rest of the new players have settled. Someone like Mateus Fernandes from Southampton would be a great option. I think Bruno has agreed to give the club one more year to help the new players settle and to help guide the team on the pitch. I suspect he will leave for a good fee next summer.
4.) 23 Aug 2025 13:19:05
Don't get me wrong. I like the signs I've seen of this GK. And I like that we're getting him in before what's expected to be a clamour for him next year. I compare this to Henderson. If he were patient he'd be our first choice keeper. But as a club he was developed really well through the loan system. Anyway I'm hopeful he's ready to go and will be first choice quickly.
5.) 23 Aug 2025 22:56:22
I would bet a lot of money that hhe doesn't start a meaningful prem game more than once this season. I wouldn't be surprised if we loaned him and kept both the keepers.
6.) 24 Aug 2025 00:48:28
Sssh CTR you'll get in trouble with talk like that!
7.) 24 Aug 2025 01:25:19
CTR,
I’ll take that bet all day long, he will be better than Onana and Altay because my grandma would be.
06 Apr 2016 19:11:01
That United blood in you coming out mate.
{Ed001's Note - erm. Somehow I doubt that. If there was any of that in me me ma would have crucified me as a child. Me mate gave me a Wolves shirt once as a present. It was a proper team shirt like, as replicas weren't something you bought then in the early 80s when I was in primary school. She burnt it.}
21 Feb 2016 13:46:36
I love the fact that any spainsh player/ manager first thoughts are "right get this contract signed, then tell ballbag all the info"
06 Feb 2016 14:58:24
RIP to all the people that lost there lives on this tragic day.
We will never forget you.
{Ed001's Note - well said. RIP.}
05 Oct 2015 18:40:51
How about after the international break ms85?
05 Oct 2015 18:38:08
But he kinda did fresh lol.
29 Aug 2025 00:35:12
When we are down we lol.
29 Aug 2025 00:32:58
I don't expect us to beat anyone at the moment.
25 Aug 2025 20:04:40
Owl, based on what?
25 Aug 2025 17:42:18
I think we have a real energy issue in the center of the park.
Bruno and Casemiro simply cannot go above 50 mins or so before flagging.
What was very evident yesterday was our energy levels died on the hour mark in that area and this forced us to drop.
Couple that with Dalot coming on and feeling like he can take that level of touch and move in that area against a team that was over running us and I wasn't surprised we conceded.
RA has to force that area to be upgraded. Having a double pivot that low level will see us drop many points if we don't score 2 or 3 before the hour mark.
25 Aug 2025 17:37:41
Redman,
My big fear is we sack the manager then the next over comes in with a clean slate and we are stuck again with them for another year.