Manchester United Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - 2013/14 mod warning post#7259

Valmont

I would love to see Hernandez, Kagawa, and Rooney start against West Brom.

Rayne Wooney

DDG
Raf Evans Smalling Evra
Jones Fellaini
Zaha Kagawa Nani
Hernandez

That would be nice

Backstreet Moyes

BloodBath wrote: »

When a player consistently gets worse every season and others improve every season there is eventually a crossover point. We have reached that point. Obviously Rio has more experience but does he have the fitness, speed and desire to play at the top level? Based on his performances so far I would say no. He was poor right from the start of the season so it can't be put down to tiredness. Our defence used to be solid as a rock. The kind of goals we have been conceding are a joke. Not all are the CB's fault but a lot of them are. Rio has been lucky his mistakes and bad marking haven't led to more goals.

Should we continue playing our 2 oldest cb's together while we have 3 upcoming prospects, 1 who has proven himself perfectly capable already. (Evans) My suggestion was to rotate Vidic and Ferdinand alongside the younger players rather than playing Vidic and Ferdinand together every game. They need experience and Rio should not be playing every game. Vidic has been injury prone as well but should still be getting the Lions share of games.

So Ferdinand is consistently getting worse each season besides being in the team of the year last year. You really are not making any sense at all your ignoring his form last season and using his poor start to the season to help your point which is wrong.

Do you mean as solid as a rock like the 2nd half of last season. Where we leaked goals in the first half of the season and had the best defensive record after christmas when Rio and Vidic were back playing together.

Yes we should continue to play our best players no matter how old they are. Rio and Vidic have one of the best partnerships in the world. Also no your point was not about rotating. You said Smalling, Jones and Evans are all better than Ferdinand which means they should be playing. I have no problems rotating the younger defenders in games. But in the big games Rio and Vidic should start. But for you to say they are better because of Rio having a few bad games is just idiotic.

bucketybuck

I'm one of Ferdinands biggest fans, I would easily have him as one of the best defenders to ever play for the club and a true great.

But there does come a time when the club needs to think long term, and United are at a point where their collection of young defenders need to start showing their worth. Is Ferdinand still better than Evans and Smalling? Yes, he probably is. But he is in the twilight of his career, and Evans/Smalling are at an age where more than anything else they need to be playing games. It would be the best thing for the club to start using them ahead of Ferdinand.

And don't forget Phil Jones, who I feel is having his development stunted by never actually playing as a central defender.

Your Airbag

Kagawa nutmegs Gerrard

BloodBath

So Ferdinand is consistently getting worse each season besides being in the team of the year last year. You really are not making any sense at all your ignoring his form last season and using his poor start to the season to help your point which is wrong.

Do you mean as solid as a rock like the 2nd half of last season. Where we leaked goals in the first half of the season and had the best defensive record after christmas when Rio and Vidic were back playing together.

Yes we should continue to play our best players no matter how old they are. Rio and Vidic have one of the best partnerships in the world. Also no your point was not about rotating. You said Smalling, Jones and Evans are all better than Ferdinand which means they should be playing. I have no problems rotating the younger defenders in games. But in the big games Rio and Vidic should start. But for you to say they are better because of Rio having a few bad games is just idiotic.

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't care what "team of the year" he was on. I watch the games and see his failings. Vidic is the one who keeps the ship afloat at the back and it was his return to the team that tightened the defence.

Calling someone an idiot for having a different opinion is in itself idiotic and against the forum charter.

Backstreet Moyes

BloodBath wrote: »

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't care what "team of the year" he was on. I watch the games and see his failings. Vidic is the one who keeps the ship afloat at the back and it was his return to the team that tightened the defence.

Calling someone an idiot for having a different opinion is in itself idiotic and against the forum charter.

So has it been Vidic who has made Ferdinand look good for years. What you classify as failings is a fairly common thing for a lot of fans. Most people think people like Vidic and Terry are better because they make more last ditch tackles. If you watch close enough Ferdinand's positioning is so much better he rarely has to make last ditch tackles. He is a fantastic reader of the game and he makes it look effortless. The fact he is so good he doesn't get the praise of more all action defenders.

Backstreet Moyes

BloodBath wrote: »

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't care what "team of the year" he was on. I watch the games and see his failings. Vidic is the one who keeps the ship afloat at the back and it was his return to the team that tightened the defence.

Calling someone an idiot for having a different opinion is in itself idiotic and against the forum charter.

Can you also tell me why you think Smalling, Evans and Jones are better than Ferdinand.

BloodBath

Did I say he was a bad player? I suppose you think Giggs should still be playing as well. I'm merely pointing out the fact that younger CB's like Evans have performed well at the back and should be getting more games.

Evans was my first choice as he has already proven himself. Obviously Smalling and Jones have to play more to show that but they aren't going to be able to prove it if they are warming the bench every game or being played out of position.

Poor performances do not warrant a first team place and Rio has been poor so far this season.

He hasn't been marking anybody from set pieces, he doesn't challenge in the air anywhere near enough and is liable to make silly mistakes that gift the opponents guild edge chances. These are the basics of defending that he's failing at.

Combined with his age and lack of ability to play consecutive games to a high standard we should be looking at phasing him out now. The others are more than ready to step up to the plate.

homerjay2005

Rio being played against Palace, Leverkusen and then City all in the space of 8 days, is pure madness. did Moyes ignore the fact Rio has been on a special programme for the past 18 months and rarely, if never played 2 games in a week let alone 3?

looks like he did. Smalling or Evans should have been in CB against Palace, with Vidic then rested against Leverkusen to allow both Rio Vidic be fresh enough for City. considering that City scored with 4 of their 5 chances and all of them were from 6 yards out, looks like it was a big error from Moyes.

bucketybuck

Nuts102 wrote: »

So has it been Vidic who has made Ferdinand look good for years. What you classify as failings is a fairly common thing for a lot of fans. Most people think people like Vidic and Terry are better because they make more last ditch tackles.

Yep. I would say that at their peak, Rio Ferdinand was a better defender than Vidic was. We were incredibly lucky to have two fantastic defenders who complemented each other so well.

They are still our best defenders, but, in four/five years time we will need more world class defenders. Smalling, Evans and Jones possibly could be world class, but not if they are sitting on the bench, they need to play and it needs to be now.

homerjay2005

squad photo finally done -



high res link here -

http://www.manutd.com/~/media/Wallpapers/2013-14/Squad-wallpaper-Sm.ashx?w=1600&h=1200

Backstreet Moyes

bucketybuck wrote: »

Yep. I would say that at their peak, Rio Ferdinand was a better defender than Vidic was. We were incredibly lucky to have two fantastic defenders who complemented each other so well.

They are still our best defenders, but, in four/five years time we will need more world class defenders. Smalling, Evans and Jones possibly could be world class, but not if they are sitting on the bench, they need to play and it needs to be now.

I agree Evans, Smalling and Jones should be playing more. Evans in particular is far more proven yet seems the most forgotten about when people talk about our future cb partnership. For all Smalling's promise he has very little experience at the top level and still makes silly errors and also injury prone. Jones near the end of last season looked very good when got a run of games at cb. They are all very promising but when you have 2 world class defenders and 3 potentially world class defenders fighting for 2 positions it's tough to get games.

Your Airbag

Plenty of guff in last nights game



Longer version



Adnan and Enrique



Ah what the hell, i may as well ad this while I'm at it



Pool fans chucked a flare into the home fans section from a top tier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZD6EF-ndOQ

Mitch Connor

Faces on raf, fab, Zaha and Valencia in the squad photo. Confused.

Mars Bar

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Faces on raf, fab, Zaha and Valencia in the squad photo. Confused.

They all constipated! Nani too.

Schwiiing

They're being blinded by some massive light being shone at them. Nearly all of them are squinting.

bucketybuck

Schwiiing wrote: »

They're being blinded by some massive light being shone at them. Nearly all of them are squinting.

Must..resist..obvious..joke......

bucketybuck

homerjay2005 wrote: »

squad photo finally done -

Why is Buttner in it twice?

barneygumble99

rooney is not happy looking at all

BloodBath

Is he ever?

sprinkles

homerjay2005 wrote: »

squad photo finally done -


high res link here -

http://www.manutd.com/~/media/Wallpapers/2013-14/Squad-wallpaper-Sm.ashx?w=1600&h=1200

Good to see P Neville back in a squad photo at OT

KH25

Your Airbag wrote: »

Plenty of guff in last nights game

Ah Henderson, what a useless player.

Nolars

KH25 wrote: »

Ah Henderson, what a useless player.

so funny

Liam O

I like Henderson, still plenty of potential and good eye for goal. When Gerrard gets moved out there will be a spot up for grabs in that area for him that I think he'll be able to stake a claim for.

kryogen

BloodBath wrote: »

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't care what "team of the year" he was on. I watch the games and see his failings. Vidic is the one who keeps the ship afloat at the back and it was his return to the team that tightened the defence.

Calling someone an idiot for having a different opinion is in itself idiotic and against the forum charter.

In all fairness, despite starting this season looking extremely rusty and not in good form, Rio had a brilliant season last year. He was excellent.

kryogen

barneygumble99 wrote: »

rooney is not happy looking at all

Yeah, neither is Raf, Fabio, Januzaj, Tony V, Smalling, Fellaini, Cleverley or Buttner. That's just at first glance!

You think maybe all of them hate their lives so much now they just cant sleep?

2moreMinutes

Your Airbag wrote: »

Plenty of guff in last nights game

Think Giggs was on a yellow when he fouled Henderson just prior to that. I assumed Henderson was asking the ref for what I was fully expecting to come:eek:

The squad picture looks like the whole lot of them were just superimposed onto a backdrop of the pitch. Looks kinda shoddy to me.

MisterAnarchy

Mourinho cried when he didnt get the Utd job

José Mourinho is said to have broken down in tears at the news that David Moyes had been given the Manchester United job. The allegation is contained in a book by the respected Spanish journalist Diego Torres, who writes for El País.

In the book, Prepare to Lose: the Mourinho Era, Torres says the appointment "provoked an earthquake" and that Mourinho felt let down by Sir Alex Ferguson, who had recommended Moyes to the United board.

"Mourinho ... thought that Ferguson was, besides his ally, also his friend and godfather. He was convinced that they were tied by a relationship of genuine trust. He thought that his fabulous collection of titles constituted an 'endorsement' unreachable to any other contenders. When he knew that Ferguson had chosen Moyes, the Everton coach, he was struck by a terrible disbelief. Moyes hadn't won absolutely anything!"

Torres said that Mourinho was on the phone constantly to his sports agency Gestifute. "Mourinho wouldn't stop calling them. His 'interlocutors' had heard him sob loudly and they were spreading the word. The most feared man in the company was crushed."

The book, whose account has been denied by Mourinho's adviser, goes on to describe the Portuguese spending a sleepless night in a hotel in Madrid, "the most unfortunate hours of Mourinho's phase as Real Madrid coach. He endured them between dozing and waking, glued to his mobile phone in search of clarifications, on the night of the 7th and the morning of the 8th of May, tucked into the Sheraton Mirasierra hotel." Moyes's appointment was made official on 9 May.

Mourinho, according to the book, was sure that Ferguson would call with an explanation but he heard nothing. He recalled reading comments from the United director Sir Bobby Charlton pouring scorn on the idea of him getting the job.

"He was tormented by the memory of an interview of Sir Bobby Charlton in the Guardian in December. His judgments gave him a big uncertainty. 'A United coach wouldn't do what he did to Tito Vilanova', stated Charlton, evoking the finger in the eye, when asked if he saw Mourinho as a successor for Ferguson. In regards to the admiration that Ferguson professed towards him, the veteran footballer implied that it was a fable: 'He doesn't like him that much'.

"In the morning he called Mendes so that he urgently got in touch with United. Until the end he wanted his agent to pressure the English club as an attempt to block any operation. It was an act of desperation. They both knew that Mendes had put Mourinho in the market a year earlier."

The book says that "Mendes had already been told in the autumn of 2012 that Ferguson's first option was Pep Guardiola. He had been explained the reasons. In Gestifute, the message from a United executive rumbled like a drum: 'The problem is that when things don't work for Mou, he doesn't do club politics. He does José politics.'"

Mourinho, the book says, "felt betrayed by Ferguson and feared that someone might stop taking him seriously. For years the propaganda machine acting at his services had divulged the idea of a friendship that now was revealed as a fantasy image. To give coherence to the facts in the public light, Gestifute's advisers recommended he should say that he already knew because Ferguson had called him to inform him.

"On the 9th of May someone from Gestifute got in touch with Record newspaper to say that Ferguson offered his crown to Mourinho four months ago but that he refused it because his wife preferred to live in London, and that was why he ended up choosing Chelsea. At the same time Mourinho offered an interview to Sky in which he declared that Ferguson kept him in the loop about his decisions but that he never made him the offer because he knew perfectly well that he wanted to coach Chelsea. The contradictions were not planned."

Mourinho went on to take up the offer of a second term at Chelsea from the owner, Roman Abramovich. When he took up the job in June he claimed to have known of Ferguson's plans to stand down but said he was always intent on returning to Stamford Bridge.

"I knew that Ferguson was retiring many months ago," he said. "I would have turned down every job in the world – the Manchester United job, every one – for Chelsea."

Mourinho's adviser Eladio Parames has denied the book's account. "This story does not have any sense," he is quoted by the Portuguese newspaper O Jogo. "It is completely false. It has no head or tail."

lol

The_Kew_Tour

I say you could tell Chico you ****ed is missus and he still smile.

I love the little raskle.

Cantona's Collars

Nolars wrote: »

so funny
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwoeEqM_xz4

Henderson always reminds me of Gary from Team America with the constant gormless look on his face:pac:

Cantona's Collars

homerjay2005 wrote: »

squad photo finally done -



high res link here -

http://www.manutd.com/~/media/Wallpapers/2013-14/Squad-wallpaper-Sm.ashx?w=1600&h=1200

I give you the 1982 picture,looks like they had cleaned up on a gameshow:D

Lovely Bloke

fúcking lol at that picture.

KevIRL

Cash register would be quite apt though in the modern day pic

yabadabado

zerks wrote: »

I give you the 1982 picture,looks like they had cleaned up on a gameshow:D

Decent prizes on Bullseye that weekend. No sign of a soda stream .

Crimson King

yabadabado wrote: »

Decent prizes on Bullseye that weekend. No sign of a soda stream .

Or a Speedboat!

bucketybuck

zerks wrote: »

I give you the 1982 picture,looks like they had cleaned up on a gameshow:D

Can you imagine an alternate history where Ron Atkinson has been our manager for the last 31 years and has won everything in the game...

fish fingers

This lad I know, used to sell all electrical stuff, still does actually. Anyway, years ago he sold so many sharp products that he won a trip to Old Trafford to watch a match from the directors box. He got to meet all the players and I presume big Ron. He sat down to watch the match and tried to act interested, this lad wouldn't know soccer from Adam. He just mentioned it one day when I was checking scores.

homerjay2005

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Mourinho cried when he didnt get the Utd job



lol

whats the lol, the article/story itself or Jose crying?

replacing Fergie is one of the biggest moments in the clubs history. i hope the decision to rule Jose out of the race (if that is the case), wasnt based on him not being a yes man. Cantona and Keane were absolute egos and look how they shaped this great club. i think Jose was made for us and despite what people think, he would have finally found the right club for him to settle down and offer long term stability.

Danye

homerjay2005 wrote: »

whats the lol, the article/story itself or Jose crying?

replacing Fergie is one of the biggest moments in the clubs history. i hope the decision to rule Jose out of the race (if that is the case), wasnt based on him not being a yes man. Cantona and Keane were absolute egos and look how they shaped this great club. i think Jose was made for us and despite what people think, he would have finally found the right club for him to settle down and offer long term stability.

I think one of the main reasons he was ruled out was because of some of his behaviour. Bobby Charlton was asked what he thought of Mourinho and Charlton said he was a good coach but didnt like some of his behaviour. I think he mentioned the eye poking incident against Barcelona and Charlton said something along the line of "That's not a Manchester United managers behaviour" or words to that extent.

bullvine

Garry Birtles...

ericzeking

Remember the one in the green and gold kit where the players were all styled like the players that would have been around in the days of Newton Heath, that was class. It may have been a poster with the mag or something as opposed to the official season photo.
Someone might post it there, my computer is acting up

jambofc

didnt see this yet.....

Kerrydude1981

zerks wrote: »

I give you the 1982 picture,looks like they had cleaned up on a gameshow:D

You could put that teams wages into that cash register

Lovely Bloke

ericzeking wrote: »

Remember the one in the green and gold kit where the players were all styled like the players that would have been around in the days of Newton Heath, that was class. It may have been a poster with the mag or something as opposed to the official season photo.
Someone might post it there, my computer is acting up

Paul Ince's tash isn't fake!!

Kerrydude1981

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Paul Ince's tash isn't fake!!

Denis Irwin looks like one of the lads from the Fast Show

v3ttel

Your Airbag wrote: »

Its a problem when the away fans are noisier than the home fans. Thats why they moved them from the Old Scoreboard end because they could made more noise and on tv broadcasts this really came accross as they were easier to hear .

They stuck them in the nosebleeds so the home fans could go into that section and be heard better. It didn't work. Thats why they are trialling a new singing section.

I have better hopes for this move.

This makes absolutely no sense. Putting the away fans in tier 3 is a problem as the away fans will be louder than the home fans?

That's exactly the problem they are trying to solve? Having a dedicated singing section can only improve the home support. Having a proper 100% dedicated singing section like at the Bernabeu & Camp Nou works there.

I was at the Bernabeu earlier this year, and there is just one tiny section, but Jesus, I wasn't even seated close to them but they had the place absolutely rocking and never stopped for the entire 90 mins. In both stadia the away fans are up in the Gods and it works fine. Same in St. James.

Most clubs save the best seats for the home fans.

bullvine

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Paul Ince's tash isn't fake!!

Jees, some very average players in that squad outside of the first 11, how times have changed.

Mitch Connor

bullvine wrote: »

Jees, some very average players in that squad outside of the first 11, how times have changed.

yeah - now we have them in the first 11 too.

bullvine

Mitch Connor wrote: »

yeah - now we have them in the first 11 too.

That first 11 had as good a player in each position of any team in the league at the time.