Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015 - Mod Post in OP 23/07

Giggsy11

Fantastic first touch (thinking he meant it)

irishfeen

bucketybuck wrote: »

If Van Gaal is going to start the season with Blind as a CB then he is an utter fool. I refuse to believe he could be that stupid, so I will assume thats all just mind games.

LVG's roll of honours throws your comment out the window - whatever LVG might be he is not a fool, he knows exactly what is needed to win.

This is his swansong from European football, he will win a major trophy before he retires - give him time, we are building nicely!

Giggsy11

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

LVG: "I will play Blind, he is versatile, he can play at CB, LB or DM"

Media: "LVG SAYS BLIND WILL START AT CENTRE BACK AGAINST SPURS SHOCKER"

:rolleyes:

Maybe you should just read the full interview.

“I have to start with the formation and when the formation is doing well, I let them play in that formation,” the manager explained. “I think I shall play [Luke] Shaw with [Matteo] Darmian, and with Daley Blind. The right central position I have to consider. I am very pleased with the performance of Matteo Darmian, and you can see he can play on the right and left.

TheDoc

RobertKK wrote: »

Good result, it is what we needed before the season starts. Time to fix it.
Darmian from his first game for us has been really good.

I'd never be one to care about the pre-season results, and think people are getting too carried away with them the last few years.

No injuries, integration of the four new signings, and plenty of game time and opportunities for most of the squad.

A defeat is nice as it makes sure the squad are reminded there is hard work to be done.

Blind starting at LCB for the season wouldn't be an overly shocking thing. Just says to me that the CB's we tried to sign(in the media spotlight or otherwise) couldn't be done , or maybe aren't done yet, and he wants a left footed CB. Rojo has missed the entire pre-season so Van Gaal probably wont factor him in, and Blind is awfully reliable.

Still feel there is signings to come. Not subscribing to that Adidias conspiracy bollox, but don't feel the clubs finished. Ideal to have gotten everyone in for the pre-season, we did have four in place, and four first teamers, so its not a disaster.

I assume the Di Maria delay is due to the club wanting to ensure we have a replacement lined up, most likely Pedro, that will soften the blow. And for me it would massively soften the blow, and probably mitigate the entire Di Maria situation. (for me anyway)

TheDoc

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Fantastic first touch (thinking he meant it)

Prefer more how he sent three plays into jangle leg mode

Have slowly started to re-asses my opinion on Shaw. Was probably too critical and harsh on him last season(which was pointed out plenty) but he has been thoroughly impressive this pre-season and hopefully he can keep it up.

Hotblack Desiato

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Maybe you should just read the full interview.

Didn't say CB though did he? The media are always eager to read too much into what LvG says, when he is actually very careful about what he says.

Now maybe he will start Blind at CB against Spurs (I like Blind, but I hope not) but that's not what he literally said. He is good at making the media think he is saying one thing when he actually hasn't.

Trigger

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Fantastic first touch (thinking he meant it)

Even the quickness of his stop and turn at the end had 3 players on their asses.. I'm looking forward to seeing him and Darmian in the League this season

py2006

Perrierra, Mata, Schneiderlin and Darmian looked good last night. I thought Perrierra had some great touches and moves.

The rest of the team were average to poor, we gave the ball away alot and didn't look to know what to do with it from midfield going foward.

We are seriously lacking a Van Persie/Van Nistelroy up front.

At the back, well...

Giggsy11

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Didn't say CB though did he? The media are always eager to read too much into what LvG says, when he is actually very careful about what he says.

Now maybe he will start Blind at CB against Spurs (I like Blind, but I hope not) but that's not what he literally said. He is good at making the media think he is saying one thing when he actually hasn't.

That was so obvious what he meant when he talked about formation and 2 full backs and also saying he should find right CB.

Also he is not good at making media think, his english is just poor and sort of clumsy.

bucketybuck

irishfeen wrote: »

LVG's roll of honours throws your comment out the window - whatever LVG might be he is not a fool, he knows exactly what is needed to win.

This is his swansong from European football, he will win a major trophy before he retires - give him time, we are building nicely!

I don't give a rats ass about his roll of honours, and those honours didn't stop Van Gaal making a lot of mistakes last season. Now we are discussing the possibility of yet another baffling LVG decision, which if it comes to pass will no doubt be classified as yet another bull**** LVG mistake.

You can believe that the manager is infallible if you want but I prefer to call things as I see them. I see LVG choosing Blind at CB ahead of other defenders pre-season, and intimating that he will do the same in the league. That would be a mistake, it would be an obvious mistake, and this storied manager would need to be a fool to make that mistake.

Will Blind actually play at CB in the league? Time will tell, I find the idea of bypassing 3 central defenders to pick him there to be so strange that I don't really believe it will happen. But if it does happen, my prediction is that after a few games the cries for LVG to stop ****ing about will be deafening.

homerjay2005

irishfeen wrote: »

LVG's roll of honours throws your comment out the window - whatever LVG might be he is not a fool, he knows exactly what is needed to win.

what he achieved in the past at other clubs is irrelevent to United if we are playing s*it, aimless football like we did under Moyes and then himself last season.

we all have faith in him that things will be got right, but some of the stuff he is doing is completely mindless and the results last season were testament to that.

bucketybuck

Giggsy11 wrote: »

“I have to start with the formation and when the formation is doing well, I let them play in that formation,” the manager explained. “I think I shall play [Luke] Shaw with [Matteo] Darmian, and with Daley Blind. The right central position I have to consider. I am very pleased with the performance of Matteo Darmian, and you can see he can play on the right and left."

Its also good to see the ridiculous argument that Valencia might retain his full back spot put to bed, not that there was ever any real doubt about it.

bangkok

heard David Luiz was class last night :pac:

Trond

Probably the best move given the experience he'll gain getting 30-40 championship games.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/transfers/11772280/Man-Utd-transfer-news-Sam-Johnstone-to-complete-Preston-North-End-loan-move.html

Adamocovic

Trond wrote: »

Probably the best move given the experience he'll gain getting 30-40 championship games.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/transfers/11772280/Man-Utd-transfer-news-Sam-Johnstone-to-complete-Preston-North-End-loan-move.html

Good move, was great with them in his previous spell and should be nailed on as their starter for the Championship. Really hope Johnstone can go on to be a realistic option for our future keeper.

homerjay2005

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The flew out straight after the game. Probably still in the air.

due to arrive in manchester at 3.00 today.

Maximus Alexander

Defence is far from perfect but it also wasn't a major problem last season, so I don't see why it suddenly will be the end of the world this season.

I'm much more concerned with the inability to break teams down that we saw all of last year, and that still seems to persist.

Kirby

PSG are better than most teams though. You wont play against their midfield every week.

If you arent scoring after several games against mediocre opposition....then its time to worry. Not before the season starts. It's important not to read too much into pre-season. There is likely more players to be bought anyway....especially with the Di Maria money.

jayo26

homerjay2005 wrote: »

due to arrive in manchester at 3.00 today.

Yes but where are they in the air? I bet bangkok can tell us the exact location

bangkok

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Defence is far from perfect but it also wasn't a major problem last season, so I don't see why it suddenly will be the end of the world this season.

I'm much more concerned with the inability to break teams down that we saw all of last year, and that still seems to persist.

we are seriously lacking a truly world class player. A Ronaldo, Bale, Suarez, Messi, Neymar and there are not many of them out there that we could sign either

ScummyMan

Knee jerk reactions left right and centre after that. We were all conquering in pre season last year, and we didn't exactly start the season on fire after that.

Van Gaal is not stupid, he knows as well as we do that we lack creativity, and leadership in defence. Do ye seriously believe this is the finished squad for the new season? I'd bet my life there's at least two more big signings coming, Pedro and Laporte are my personal guessed.

Also, anyone who says that De Gea has no interest in playing for the club, and wants him sold, can go and sh!te imo. The man saved our asses multiple times as per usual against Barca, and suddenly off the back of one average game he becomes Judas the second?? His attitude throughout the whole saga has been exemplary, a polar opposite to Di Maria.

bangkok

jayo26 wrote: »

Yes but where are they in the air? I bet bangkok can tell us the exact location

yep... 5Y8076 / GTI8076

http://www.flightradar24.com/GTI8076/6f5e8d7

homerjay2005

ScummyMan wrote: »

Knee jerk reactions left right and centre after that.

eh??? i think you will find that everybody on here has said that last night was meaningless and doesnt matter.

its the reality that we are starting the season with Jones, Daley Blind and Ashley Young in our starting 11 thats worrying everybody and the LVG quotes about DDG have set off the alarm bells also.

the Di Maria situation also looks like a right mess.

bucketybuck

On a different angle, am I the only one that is bemused by the lack of creativity in the team, and the apparent need for more creative players?

Mata, Herrera, Depay and Rooney. Di Maria perhaps. Backed up by the Sch's in midfield. Felliani and Januzaj for variety if needed.

Most teams would kill to have that level of creativity available, hell, we can't even name a lineup that doesn't drop a Mata or Herrera, thats supposed to be a sign of a healthy squad. If we can't put those lads on a field and have them break down lesser teams then something is badly wrong.

Is it as simple as a lack of pace in the team? Personally, if we don't sign another attacker this window I will still be expecting those players to go out and score goals, there shouldn't really be any excuses there.

ScummyMan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

eh??? i think you will find that everybody on here has said that last night was meaningless and doesnt matter.

its the reality that we are starting the season with Jones, Daley Blind and Ashley Young in our starting 11 thats worrying everybody and the LVG quotes about DDG have set off the alarm bells also.

the Di Maria situation also looks like a right mess.

I've seen more than one proclaiming that 4th is the best we can hope for, on reddit you'd swear that the end is nigh.
I'd be willing to wager that at least two of those 3 won't start vs Spurs.
I also think the Di Maria situation will be resolved soon. Anyone who truthfully believes the club didn't see this coming and doesn't have a replacement lined up, doesn't see the glass as half empty but bone fcuking dry.

homerjay2005

ScummyMan wrote: »

I've seen more than one proclaiming that 4th is the best we can hope for.

in fairness, a considerable amount of this forum were saying that before last night and have been saying so for weeks. we still have massive problems to sort and last night changes nothing. we could have won 2-0 and it still is the same outcome - we have alot more work to do in the transfer window and that doesnt even include a potential DDG situation.

anybody who has said we will mount a title challenge ( and i think it will happen), is basing it on the expectation that a CB, striker and Pedro are coming asap.

bucketybuck

ScummyMan wrote: »

Anyone who truthfully believes the club didn't see this coming and doesn't have a replacement lined up, doesn't see the glass as half empty but bone fcuking dry.

Of course everybody seen it coming, we have known about the De Gea and Di Maria situations for months now.

But here we are, the season starts next weekend and the issues still aren't sorted. Their departures are still hanging over our heads months later.

I'm not as worried as some because I believe the current squad is still good enough for a title challenge, but if the club has deals lined up and all its plans made I would suggest that at this stage they really need to, you know, actually get it done.

Should we be replacing our keeper 2/3 games into the season that would be criminal considering what we have known about De Gea for a long long time now.

Adamocovic

Maybe I am being a bit ignorant to the issues people are raising about our squad but with 9 days to go until the league starts and mostly back and forth debates about our defence over the last few months (myself included in them) I'm just going to block out any negativity and look forward to the first game of the season.

I'll leave my beloved stats behind me for know :P

Roll on Spurs and seeing Schweinsteiger in the United team!



pic related: me blocking out negativity while I wait to board the positivity train

v3ttel

People were bashing Moyes because he had never won anything, and now we've a manager who has won every league managed in, it's suddenly irrelevant and he's some kind of idiot.

It's all rather hilarious, particularly as this is coming on the back of a friendly defeat. The sky seems to be falling in because lost a friendly. That's probably a fair point, seeing as our pre-season form last year culminated in a convincing start to the season.

All of us have called the issues with the squad (CB, RW, ST). If you think that the United staff can't see it, I would question who is being the fool here.

More drama in here than on Eastenders at Christmas.

jayo26

Pereira did more in the 20 odd minutes that he was on then young did all game he created a great chance for mata who in my mind looked poor last night he didnt seem to have any energy at all.

Darmian i like him i think he is a big step up from toni v but im also aware that his crossing is poor. There is no point in beeting several players but not been able do anything with it and several times last night he got into positions for a cross but it was just along the ground into the box but his link up play with mata and the midfield is very good he is not afraid of one touch passing.

It has to be tactics why we aint creating enough chances, as a poster said already we have so much talent going forward in our first 11 but we just cant seem to get it working in one unit apart from one or two chances outside the box and matas chance we never looked like scoring and that concerns me more then blind plaging as cb.

yermandan

Gas

https://www.facebook.com/SportsJOEdotie/posts/943270859069824:0

Adamocovic

v3ttel wrote: »

People were bashing Moyes because he had never won anything, and now we've a manager who has won every league managed in, it's suddenly irrelevant and he's some kind of idiot.

It's all rather hilarious, particularly as this is coming on the back of a friendly defeat. The sky seems to be falling in because lost a friendly. That's probably a fair point, seeing as our pre-season form last year culminated in a convincing start to the season.

All of us have called the issues with the squad (CB, RW, ST). If you think that the United staff can't see it, I would question who is being the fool here.

More drama in here than on Eastenders at Christmas.

I'm more of an Emmerdale sort of guy

ScummyMan

bucketybuck wrote: »

Of course everybody seen it coming, we have known about the De Gea and Di Maria situations for months now.

But here we are, the season starts next weekend and the issues still aren't sorted. Their departures are still hanging over our heads months later.

I'm not as worried as some because I believe the current squad is still good enough for a title challenge, but if the club has deals lined up and all its plans made I would suggest that at this stage they really need to, you know, actually get it done.

Should we be replacing our keeper 2/3 games into the season that would be criminal considering what we have known about De Gea for a long long time now.

Maybe they haven't pulled the trigger on new signings yet cause y'know, they hope to convince our current world class players to stay?

Look I can see why people are worried, but I fully believe the club is in good hands, they know the squads shortcomings just as much as we do. I think things are going to start happening quickly in the next few days.

FutureGuy

Shaw's attitude this summer has been utterly fantastic. Januzaj too. You can see the difference in both players as Shaw looks about half a stone lighter and Januzaj looks much stronger.

Would like to see Shaw start every game and Januzaj to get cup games as a striker. He seems to be still lacking the ability to make the right decision, but if he is played as a striker and told his only decision to make is to provide space and shot when he has the option, you might have a very decent player :-D

Rossi IRL

Jones and Blind playing center back against Spurs.

Kane is now my fantasy league captain.

bucketybuck

ScummyMan wrote: »

Maybe they haven't pulled the trigger on new signings yet cause y'know, they hope to convince our current world class players to stay?

Maybe they are still trying to convince them to stay. But really, after months and months you really need to make a call one way or another. A week before the start of the season you can't be in limbo over your first choice goalkeeper.

Those are the areas that need clarified. At this stage other signings are incremental improvements and not as urgent, but the De Gea and Di Maria situations have dragged on enough.

Drumpot

My feelings about the DDG, ADM drama along with the players we haven't signed fills me with a bit of dread. The dread being that this season will be another one of mediocrity (decent run in CL, maybe 3rd spot).

However, if I try to take my emotions out of the equation and reflect on our performances last season, United actually outperformed everybody against the better teams of the league. Uniteds problems were dropping stupid points to lesser teams. I can honestly say the squad looks (on paper) better equipped to win the games we should be winning.

In theory, this squad is stronger then Arsenal's and our first team is better then theirs. The problem is that once DDG leaves (I don't think ADM is a loss) it reduces a lot of the gains our squad has made from last season.

homerjay2005

ScummyMan wrote: »

I think things are going to start happening quickly in the next few days.

we all hope this is the case.

pedro in before the Spurs game and a striker late in the window would be my guess. i still think Otamendi will sign also, but its alot to get done in the space of a few weeks.

bucketybuck

Drumpot wrote: »

I can honestly say the squad looks (on paper) better equipped to win the games we should be winning.

I really think it is. The squad could still be improved, sure, but already the players are there to beat 99% of the teams they will meet. Which is why I don't want to hear excuses next season, we should be winning league games and challenging at the top.

Ed did his job, lets see LVG start doing his.

The_Kew_Tour

We lost a friendly, not relegated to the Championship

irishfeen

homerjay2005 wrote: »

what he achieved in the past at other clubs is irrelevent to United if we are playing s*it, aimless football like we did under Moyes and then himself last season.

we all have faith in him that things will be got right, but some of the stuff he is doing is completely mindless and the results last season were testament to that.

Yes but his past allows him to use the one characteristic that we need - trust!

I don't have one single concern for the club under his reign - he is competent and has a fantastic history in building successful teams. We don't have a right to win the Premier League or other throphies... Chelsea & City have been building transfer window after transfer window for years and years while we stood still under SAF and Moyes.

I think we now have the best midfield in the Premier League, LVG can't do anything about the two players who want to leave (DeGea & Di Maria).

You see the problem is all of us want a top quality CB and Striker... We have to keep mind LVG has always said he will only sign players who will raise the standard of the team.. We could go out today at 12 noon and by 6pm we could sign a decent CB - problem is we are in the market for top tier players, a step above Liverpool, Spurs, Everton etc and that's a fact.

It's extremely hard work to sign this calibre of player! Overall we have had a fantastic transfer window, long way to go yet I admit but we are a much better team then this time last year.

ericzeking

We can't win with the ADM and DDG situations.... it's fairly obvious we are trying to play hardball and get the requisite fees that should be due but it is leaving us in a bit of a pickle, if we go out and sign a world class replacement for DDG then Real just offer us a pittance and we nearly have to take it....same goes for Di Maria....I'm going to assume that the replacements are lined up and it's a case of who blinks first between ourselves, Real and PSG....it's not ideal and it might affect the beginning of the season but it probably won't as DDG has been professional to now and ADM is no loss really.

If the club sold DDG for 17m or whatever they'd be lynched too.

I haven't seen last nights game, was Blind as bad as it is being made out here?

Adamocovic

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

We lost a friendly, not relegated to the Championship

Kew.. it wasn't just a friendly! We lost the prestigous International Champions Cup! How many more competitions must VG fail in before we wake up and smell the coffee?!

py2006

Adamocovic wrote: »

Kew.. it wasn't just a friendly! We lost the prestigous International Champions Cup! How many more competitions must VG fail in before we wake up and smell the coffee?!

In fairness, there is only 3 competitions of any importance. Really only 2 nowadays as FA Cup has lost its shine a bit.

Having said that, last nights performance suggest we will struggle in all.

TheDoc

I think people are drastically inflating how far Chelsea are ahead, and underestimating how we can potentially close that gap.

TheDoc

py2006 wrote: »

In fairness, there is only 3 competitions of any importance. Really only 2 nowadays as FA Cup has lost its shine a bit.

Having said that, last nights performance suggest we will struggle in all.

And what did the Barcalona performance, few nights previous, suggest? Remember, when we trounced the European champions 3-1.

This reading in depth into pre-season matches is exactly the sort of ****e the media outlets are feeding you and you are taking. "Five things we learned" and reports down at ****ebag friendlies giving match updates.

Get a ****ing grip please.

Absolutely embarrassing reading some of the reactions to last nights FRIENDLY.

Blatter

bucketybuck wrote: »

Maybe they are still trying to convince them to stay. But really, after months and months you really need to make a call one way or another. A week before the start of the season you can't be in limbo over your first choice goalkeeper.

Those are the areas that need clarified. At this stage other signings are incremental improvements and not as urgent, but the De Gea and Di Maria situations have dragged on enough.

I would guess that the only way that the de Gea/Di Maria issues can be put to bed is to bend over to Real Madrid and PSG and take whatever offers they currently have on the table.

I think most in here would like to see the club hold firm until an offer that is deemed good enough is made. Unfortunately, limbo is just an unavoidable byproduct of this. It's a farce that de Gea wasn't tied down to a new deal years ago though.

py2006

TheDoc wrote: »

And what did the Barcalona performance, few nights previous, suggest? Remember, when we trounced the European champions 3-1.

This reading in depth into pre-season matches is exactly the sort of ****e the media outlets are feeding you and you are taking. "Five things we learned" and reports down at ****ebag friendlies giving match updates.

Get a ****ing grip please.

Absolutely embarrassing reading some of the reactions to last nights FRIENDLY.

Barca hit the posts 3 times and out passed us. We gave the ball away alot and they were without two of the current best players in the world. The scoreline flattered us.

My opinion of last nights game is based on what I saw and not on media articles the next day.

Unless, this mornings game was a blip?

Cookiemunster

py2006 wrote: »

In fairness, there is only 3 competitions of any importance. Really only 2 nowadays as FA Cup has lost its shine a bit.

Having said that, last nights performance suggest we will struggle in all.

Seriously? It was a meaningless friendly. We won all our preseason games last year and the proceeded to pick up 2 points from the first 3 games.
I can remember Utd losing all their preseason games one year and then going on to win the league.
These games tell us absolutely nothing about how the season will go. Especially with 5 weeks left in the transfer window.

Shane St.

Sickened Di Maria is leaving as I really think he would flourish in the team this year. But there is no point keeping him if he wants out! Disgraceful behavior not boarding the plane and stuff. Very unprofessional