Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Read Mod Warning in OP 7/1/15

Bridge93

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Bitter seems to be everyones favorite word when you make a post they dont like

Have a look at the definition of bitter then read the posts again.

Hey those nasty Liverpool fans ruined our thread. Look how scummy and rude they are. Oh look a thread on Steven Gerrard, let's go troll it too and derail a second thread because sure its fair game when they did it to us first. It's only revenge they still started it so it's their fault.

There's some pretty pathetic stuff on both sides. It seems no thread on anything to do with either club can be discussed without bickering from either side. It's a small minority but it just ruins threads. The trolling on the Gerrard one isn't even relevant in any way to the topic as I'm sure the stuff on the Giggs one wasn't either.

Will I Amnt

stankratz wrote: »

For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, today's post of the day is a good one courtesy of a now ex-poster in the LFC thread!

Yeah, seen it in the posts/moments/threads of the year thread. Kudos for taking something way too seriously yet going out in such a blasé and funny way.

Vic Vinegar

Real Madrid's Pepe is stalling on renewing with RM. #mufc are willing to bid. [marca]

I know we need a new CB or two but not him, please!

(Hopefully it's just his agent's ploy to get him a better contract with RM)

DARK-KNIGHT

Come on woody get the conveyer belt rolling

mcratsix

Infuriating to see Rooney wasted in midfield. Hopefully Herrera forces his way into the team, making Rooney play more advanced (assuming he can't be dropped as captain.)
I really don't think it's good for the teams balance to try and cram Mata Rooney RVP and Falcao into the team.

DARK-KNIGHT

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Come on woody get the conveyer belt rolling

He was spotted outside Vidal's house yesterday....

Will I Amnt

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Yeah, seen it in the posts/moments/threads of the year thread. Kudos for taking something way too seriously yet going out in such a blasé and funny way.

Him signing off with a couple of Kenny Powers gifs was the clincher for me, very appropriate to the tone of the post!

Liam O

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Yeah, seen it in the posts/moments/threads of the year thread. Kudos for taking something way too seriously yet going out in such a blasé and funny way.

I don't know, I'd probably do something similar if I was a Liverpool fan and forced (i know it's a bit hyperbolic) to read and post in that thread everyday. The fact that the main antagonist thanked it is indicative of what drives me mad when I post there which I only do sporadically anyway.

Lord TSC

To be blunt, overnight, there's been way too much backseat moderation and incitement to troll from certain users.

I don't care what happened in the past, there's no excuse for breaking charter at this stage, and some people would want to step back and realise that what they've posted is obviously disrupting the thread and going to cause problems.

The other mods have already dished out some cards over night, and one or two users should count themselves lucky about that cause I was going to dish out harsher punishments than they got. Trying to get cheap digs on people in a bid to disrupt the thread and cause problems (while admitting to doing so) is not on.

Either get back to United related matters or stop posting.

TheDoc

After seeing the results of the Christmas schedule, I don't know if our results were good, or a total missed opportunity.

Cant help but feel we blew a big chance. Always feel Xmas schedule is a great chance to close gaps, or widen them. And historically we have always had a strong christmas period thats let us close gaps.

We could have been putting a lot more pressure on City and Chelsea. Personally feel it's a major chance wasted, although that may be too harsh considering injuries and all other things concerned.

Falcao again yesterday...he grew into it, but there is something horribly poor about him receiving the ball back to goal. Perhaps its just rustyness/match fitness related, but he just constantly seems to loose the ball.

Hopefully it is just match fitness related, took his goal well, and would like to see him hit the ground running for the rest of the season. Has been by far my biggest disappointment of the season so far.

bucketybuck

TheDoc wrote: »

After seeing the results of the Christmas schedule, I don't know if our results were good, or a total missed opportunity.

The dropped points over christmas were always going to happen given the actual performances we had been putting in. Fact is we have continued to be pretty poor for a few months now but got away with it to an extent. We were rubbish against the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, and that Southampton game was a bloody disgrace. I really enjoyed the Newcastle game, but the games against Spurs and Villa were more of the same.

Its a results business and so the unbeaten run was welcome, but I was never impressed with performances at all, and its no real surprise that we stopped getting away with it.

RobertKK

Lots of room for improvement, 9 off the lead, some strange results all round in the league. Our draw with Spurs was made look good with the Chelsea result, Stoke are a decent enough team and we did face problems with them at Old Trafford.
Villa should have been beaten, but overall it is a mixture of missed opportunities and keeping the confidence by not getting beaten.

Maybe a new signing or two will help out, too many injuries so far which has affected formation and a settled team.

FutureGuy

RobertKK wrote: »

Lots of room for improvement, 9 off the lead, some strange results all round in the league. Our draw with Spurs was made look good with the Chelsea result, Stoke are a decent enough team and we did face problems with them at Old Trafford.
Villa should have been beaten, but overall it is a mixture of missed opportunities and keeping the confidence by not getting beaten.

Maybe a new signing or two will help out, too many injuries so far which has affected formation and a settled team.

The only game I was disappointed with was Villa. A point at Spurs and Stoke is not the worst.

Cantona's Collars

TheDoc wrote: »

Falcao again yesterday...he grew into it, but there is something horribly poor about him receiving the ball back to goal. Perhaps its just rustyness/match fitness related, but he just constantly seems to loose the ball.

Hopefully it is just match fitness related, took his goal well, and would like to see him hit the ground running for the rest of the season. Has been by far my biggest disappointment of the season so far.

There seems to be a problem in our moving of the ball from back to front,far too often we saw the ball going back then knocked long for the likes of Falcao to battle with defenders for it.When the ball was moved through midfield,the first instinct of Rooney and to a lesser extent Mata/Herrera was to get it wide.Carrick was also guilty of it but to a lesser extent due to his deeper role.Time & again we saw RVP & Falcao calling for the ball in good positions only to be ignored as the ball was knocked wide.
We all laud Rooney as having a great football brain but I wish he'd use it to play another ball other than float it wide on the diagonal,our 2 strikers run around making space only to see the ball head to the wings and then they are left waiting for a cross that seems to hardly ever come to them.

Liam O

I'm not sure why Falcao should be the one coming back to receive the ball with Rooney, Mata and even RVP there. Just not playing to his strengths at all. You can see when he gets a run at a defender he causes huge problems.

Cantona's Collars

Liam O wrote: »

I'm not sure why Falcao should be the one coming back to receive the ball with Rooney, Mata and even RVP there. Just not playing to his strengths at all. You can see when he gets a run at a defender he causes huge problems.

Didn't LVG hint at the fact the defenders aren't doing what he worked on in training,he likes the ball played out but our lads seem clueless and hit it long or else gve us heart attacks by messing around with it at the back before going back to De Gea.
Last season we had a gap between the strikers and midfield,now this gap is further back,it's grand when Carrick gets the ball but when the 3 behind him are needed to move the ball forward it's comedy capers at best.

Spazdarn

If you use two strikers of Falcao and RVP's ability you'll need pretty impressive wingers to supply them and give them the service they need. Seeing as we don't really have that, I feel we were missing Di Maria's ability to dribble with the ball, add a directness to what seemed like just holding onto possession aimlessly at times.

Liam O

zerks wrote: »

Didn't LVG hint at the fact the defenders aren't doing what he worked on in training,he likes the ball played out but our lads seem clueless and hit it long or else gve us heart attacks by messing around with it at the back before going back to De Gea.
Last season we had a gap between the strikers and midfield,now this gap is further back,it's grand when Carrick gets the ball but when the 3 behind him are needed to move the ball forward it's comedy capers at best.

I don't know, Evans is still playing it out and I haven't noticed Jones overly playing it long either. I guess with McNair, Smalling and the others maybe that could be a problem I think the problem at the back has been that there is 3 defenders rather than 5 which is how he played it at the WC. Yesterday Shaw looked a bit lost as he was asked to play the winger role which leaves defence short but wasn't used to it. I just want a return to 2 of Evans/Jones/Smalling and Rojo when fit with Raf and Shaw as a 4 at the back. I'd play Mata inside left and Di Maria inside right. This means that Rooney (though I'd prefer Herrera as Carrick/Blind's partner in the middle) can still play it wide and the strikers can still get supply from out wide.

GSPfan

I rarely post anymore but i'm completely annoyed by the passing aspect of Uniteds performances. The passing is awful and gutless.

To try describe the type of thing i am talking about is hard but the ball goes from right/left wing back to centre back to goal keeper to lump forward way too much. I'm sure someone with a better brain can tell me why this happens but i'd guess it's our lack of support on the wings. In years gone by we had a left back over lapping a winger which either creates opportunities to pass or advance forward but thats gone with the 532 formation. I'm not sure if it would be fixed with the 433 which we all think will happen eventually but something has to happen.

Formations aside there is ample opportunites for passes to go to the feet of players in between the midfield and back line of the opposition but our defenders and wing backs are too worried about losing possession that they don't make the pass and we end up being pressured into rolling it back to De Gea to lump a 50/50 ball back to the area where the defender could have played the original pass. That annoys me so much.

GSPfan

On another issue, I think we could sell RVP Fellaini and Mata and use the money and squad space to buy another Di Maria type player who gives us pace in wide areas and another strong midfield player. I don't think trying to accomodate RVP, Rooney, Mata, Falcao is working at all. It works sometimes due to the fact they are all good players but its a mess most games.

Backstreet Moyes

Evans is a complete confidence player and right now he looks totally off the pace. I think we badly need a defender. Jones thinks he is a battering ram he just charges at players giving away stupid frees. A defender is badly needed as is getting a bit of sense and taking Rooney out of midfield.

KH25

Any transfer news lads?

Copper_pipe

KH25 wrote: »

Any transfer news lads?

Nick Powell called back from his loan deal

The Moldy Gowl

KH25 wrote: »

Any transfer news lads?

Window doesn't open until tomorrow, even then, it's a weekend so I wouldn't hold my breath on hearing anything on a weekend.

KH25

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Window doesn't open until tomorrow, even then, it's a weekend so I wouldn't hold my breath on hearing anything on a weekend.

Ah my mistake I thought it opened on the 1st!

The Moldy Gowl

KH25 wrote: »

Ah my mistake I thought it opened on the 1st!

Probably because it was a bank holiday?

No idea why it dosent open until the 3rd or today.

Anyone know why?

homerjay2005

GSPfan wrote: »

The passing is awful and gutless.

very simple reason for this and its down to buying very limited, but hard working players. the likes of Jones, Fellaini and more are just not technially good enough to play for the club, but offer other qualitys that are needed in the league.

keeponhurling

DM_7 wrote: »

Smalling was needed back there today for height more than anything.

I hope not.
Beaten by Crouch for the "penalty", beaten by Crouch for the one that hit the post.

keeponhurling

Copper_pipe wrote: »

Nick Powell called back from his loan deal

Is this cause he wasn't getting games on loan or what ?

Surely he won't be getting a run in the first team

KH25

We missed Fellaini yesterday especially at set pieces. He would have dealt with crouch well.

MagicIRL

KH25 wrote: »

We missed Fellaini yesterday especially at set pieces. He would have dealt with crouch well.

Would've dropped him with The People's Elbow in the opening 2mins and set the tone for the game. War Fellaini!

homerjay2005

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Window doesn't open until tomorrow, even then, it's a weekend so I wouldn't hold my breath on hearing anything on a weekend.

if we are signing anybody, it wont come until the end of the month and to be honest, im not expecting anybody in.

a few loans out plus Anderson perhaps, but apart from that unless we get a few more injuries to our defenders, nobody will be coming in.

Strumms

I hope we get in a couple of players in this window and ideally ship a couple out. Fletcher and Evans need to be shown the door. Fletcher is a shadow of his former self since his illness and I'd imagine would drop down the leagues like a stone if released. Sad to say it because I always liked him as a player and as a person he always came across well in interviews and was 100% committed to United. Evans... well the guy hasn't made any progress in the last 3 years at all, he is still only 26 and I just get the impression he is pulling a paycheck and lording it up in the red shirt. A complete liability of late.

I'd love another good all round semi-experienced center back along the lines of Vertonghan or Hummels. They could partner Rojo and also would see how far Jones and Smalling might want to push them to get in the first team. This has imho been part of the problem where you have these guys in their early 20s still supposedly learning and developing yet when not injured are almost certain to play every week as the only competition is Blackett and McNnair effectively. Want to also see a technically all round midfield player along the lines of Pogba or Koke.

Backstreet Moyes

Strumms wrote: »

I hope we get in a couple of players in this window and ideally ship a couple out. Fletcher and Evans need to be shown the door. Fletcher is a shadow of his former self since his illness and I'd imagine would drop down the leagues like a stone if released. Sad to say it because I always liked him as a player and as a person he always came across well in interviews and was 100% committed to United. Evans... well the guy hasn't made any progress in the last 3 years at all, he is still only 26 and I just get the impression he is pulling a paycheck and lording it up in the red shirt. A complete liability of late.

I'd love another good all round semi-experienced center back along the lines of Vertonghan or Hummels. They could partner Rojo and also would see how far Jones and Smalling might want to push them to get in the first team. This has imho been part of the problem where you have these guys in their early 20s still supposedly learning and developing yet when not injured are almost certain to play every week as the only competition is Blackett and McNnair effectively. Want to also see a technically all round midfield player along the lines of Pogba or Koke.

That is just a load of crap in fairness. Evans has performed very well the last few seasons but he has has been poor this season. He looks to be struggling playing in a back 3 and his confidence is shot.

How you can say he is happy pulling a paycheck i wonder based on what exactly. All the reports of his bad attitude and problems off the field. The lad is short on confidence to say he is pulling a paycheck is up their with the biggest rubbish i have read on here.

Nalz

homerjay2005 wrote: »

a few loans out plus Anderson perhaps, but apart from that unless we get a few more injuries to our defenders, nobody will be coming in.

who's gonna take him? Most likely back to Brazil?

Fuhrer

Nuts102 wrote: »

That is just a load of crap in fairness. Evans has performed very well the last few seasons but he has has been poor this season. He looks to be struggling playing in a back 3 and his confidence is shot.

How you can say he is happy pulling a paycheck i wonder based on what exactly. All the reports of his bad attitude and problems off the field. The lad is short on confidence to say he is pulling a paycheck is up their with the biggest rubbish i have read on here.

He cant play in the back 3 at all, the amount of times you see him on the ball stopping and throwing his arms up because he cant find a pass.

Strumms

Nuts102 wrote: »

That is just a load of crap in fairness. Evans has performed very well the last few seasons but he has has been poor this season. He looks to be struggling playing in a back 3 and his confidence is shot.

How you can say he is happy pulling a paycheck i wonder based on what exactly. All the reports of his bad attitude and problems off the field. The lad is short on confidence to say he is pulling a paycheck is up their with the biggest rubbish i have read on here.

He might be short on confidence but he seems to be like he is short on effort on the field and short on performance also whatever is going on elsewhere I don't know. How long does one keep selecting a player who is systematically a liability based on the fact that ' ohh he is a confidence player '. THAT is a load of crap. If he cannot adapt to playing 3 at the back, if he is not that flexible then ship him out and bring in someone who can do it. Evan's has played left back for NI on many occasions so he should be used to the requirement for flexibility in the modern game.

It's a performance based sport and if you haven't produced on a consistent bases for going on 2-3 seasons then you should be worried. Although Evans doesn't really look that worried to me which might be part of the problem.

Backstreet Moyes

Strumms wrote: »

He might be short on confidence but he seems to be like he is short on effort on the field and short on performance also whatever is going on elsewhere I don't know. How long does one keep selecting a player who is systematically a liability based on the fact that ' ohh he is a confidence player '. THAT is a load of crap. If he cannot adapt to playing 3 at the back, if he is not that flexible then ship him out and bring in someone who can do it. Evan's has played left back for NI on many occasions so he should be used to the requirement for flexibility in the modern game.

It's a performance based sport and if you haven't produced on a consistent bases for going on 2-3 seasons then you should be worried. Although Evans doesn't really look that worried to me which might be part of the problem.

Show me one piece of evidence that Evans is just picking up a paycheck or else yes you are talking nonsense.

Strumms

Nuts102 wrote: »

Show me one piece of evidence that Evans is just picking up a paycheck or else yes you are talking nonsense.

Evidence ? such as... Do you watch him play for Man Utd ? We are talking about the same Evans right ? I offer his big **** off paycheck, in return he delivers sub standard performances week after week, cant pass, seems to have lost a yard, poor positional sense and his body language would not inspire you that he gives a great deal of a monkey's about all that. Guy is 26 and not the player he was at 23. Now unless you want a signed statement from the player himself that might have to do you...

kippy

In fairness, every singly player out there (for every club) is "just picking up a paycheque".
Very few of them actually earn or deserve the obscene amounts they are getting.

In relation to the effort the players are putting in, I don't particularly think that any of that United squad are "sitting back" and not putting in the effort. In a game like soccer and at the highest level that kind of behavior is very easily exposed.
If the charge being leveled at him is that he ain't good enough at this level, fair enough, he probably isn't.

Spazdarn

Evans was pretty good the last few years but he's been shocking for a while now. Think he plays his best stuff alongside a more experienced defender. He doesn't seem to have enough about him to be a leader of the defence.

I'd personally have Smalling out the door before him...

The Moldy Gowl

I think he is more getting annoyed at your assumption that he is just showing up for the lols and not trying, when, you know, he clearly is trying at least.

homerjay2005

We are short of options at the back and have a sicknote epidemic throughout our entire defense. Why on earth do people want us to get rid of Evans and Smalling when the "replacements" for them are Carrick, Blackett and Mcnair?

Even if we sign another center half, we still need to keep Jones, Evans and Smalling. We need two top class players in before even contemplating selling one .

One right back, one center back and a CM in the mould of Strootman or Vidal is our lot for this year.

Pro. F

I think the people giving out about the centre-backs in possession are wrong about where the problem lies. We've got three CBs, a defensive midfielder who prefers to receive the ball deep and in space and two strikers who do their best work inside the box. Then there's Rooney who still hasn't figured out the CM position and falls back on the long diagonals which usually kill the play. There ends up being so little useful movement ahead of the ball. The lads are trying to pass it out from the back, but the available options each time are very poor. The static play and over reliance on individuals is very reminiscent of LVG's Dutch team from the summer.

Defensively, Evans had a bit of a nightmare but he calmed down as the game went on. Smalling fücked up on one corner (the goal), but other than that himself and Jones were comfortable without being really tested.

The only thing that seriously bothers me about our CB options is their proneness to injury. In terms of quality of defending and on the ball their fine imo, the problems we're seeing are caused by how the team is set up.

Strumms

homerjay2005 wrote: »

We are short of options at the back and have a sicknote epidemic throughout our entire defense. Why on earth do people want us to get rid of Evans and Smalling when the "replacements" for them are Carrick, Blackett and Mcnair?

Even if we sign another center half, we still need to keep Jones, Evans and Smalling. We need two top class players in before even contemplating selling one .

One right back, one center back and a CM in the mould of Strootman or Vidal is our lot for this year.

Unfortunately Evans has been part of the sicknote trio. My view we simply need to replace a player who has consistently not performed for us with one who has proven reliability ie. a Hummels or Vertongen. and then look at possibly another center half in the summer. If we revert to 4-4-2 then that is plenty of cover as Rojo is also due back. Although the issue playing 4-4-2 has been the lack of available full backs which is also something that needs to be addressed at some point.

The Moldy Gowl

kippy wrote: »

In fairness, every singly player out there (for every club) is "just picking up a paycheque".
Very few of them actually earn or deserve the obscene amounts they are getting.

In relation to the effort the players are putting in, I don't particularly think that any of that United squad are "sitting back" and not putting in the effort. In a game like soccer and at the highest level that kind of behavior is very easily exposed.
If the charge being leveled at him is that he ain't good enough at this level, fair enough, he probably isn't.

Players wages are just an easy stick to best them with if the play bad.

It's impossible to justify the money they are on, even the 'crap' players.
Any time someone brings out that arguement, you know they are spouting spoof

homerjay2005

Trilla wrote: »

who's gonna take him? Most likely back to Brazil?

being lined up by mcdonalds apparently.

kippy

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Players wages are just an easy stick to best them with if the play bad.

It's impossible to justify the money they are on, even the 'crap' players.
Any time someone brings out that arguement, you know they are spouting spoof

I was making the point that EVERY player is "just picking up the paycheque" in that they are hardly paying back their wages or not accepting payment when they play poorly etc.



We're all paying for "players wages" in one way or another and of course it's a stick to beat them with.........
Tangent - Professional players who cannot strike a dead ball, cannot beat the first man from a corner, keep a shot down when taking a long range shot unopposed etc etc

The Moldy Gowl

kippy wrote: »

I was making the point that EVERY player is "just picking up the paycheque" in that they are hardly paying back their wages or not accepting payment when they play poorly etc.



So, I am spouting spoof?

I was agreeing with you.

They are hardly gonna say, no boss, knock off 20 grand there, I missed a sitter.

pmasterson95

homerjay2005 wrote: »

being lined up by mcdonalds apparently.

They cant afford his wages. Wants to be paid in happy meals.