Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015 - Mod Note Post 7373

Alex Meier

TheDoc wrote: »

Andy Mitten just had an excellent segment onofftheball there.

The guys started with the "is this a man cracking under pressure" and Mitten launched a pretty passionate defence for Van Gaal in the context of the interview. And went into some detail about the recent stories and editorial decisions from the last few days. According to him the two games to save stuff is not coming from any United source and that LVG has the full support of the club.

Totally believable and probably accurately the case.

I've no doubt that Van Gaal has the support of the board of United and that he has has the phone calls from Gill, Ferguson etc. . . telling him his job is safe regardless of Stoke/Chelsea.

However results will dictate events and Van Gaal knows this. He cannot carry on losing matches and expect to retain his job.

Remarkably the run of results he's having now at United are not too dissimilar to the run of results he had when manager of Bayern Munich in February-March 2011 where he was eventually sacked in April 2011 . . . with five matches to go in the BL.

During that period with Bayern he went out of the CL, the German Cup and went on a losing streak which caused everyone to pause for thought (it literally all unravelled in a matter of weeks . . .sound familiar?):

26 Feb 2011: Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund (H) LOST 3-1
02 Mar 2011: Cup - Schalke (H) LOST 0-1 (out of the German Cup)
05 Mar 2011: Bundesliga - Hannover (A) LOST 3-1
12 Mar 2011: Bundesliga - Hamburg (H) Won 6-0
15 Mar 2011: Champions League - Inter (H) LOST 3-2 (out of the CL)

What was remarkable then was that LVG went on to win the next 3 Bundesliga matches but they then threw him out the day after a 1-1 away draw to Nurnberg. . . Implying that the decision had been made long before (and probably during the run of bad results) and they were only waiting for him to slip up again.

Louis had few friends on the board of BM as opposed to some who have posted here suggesting he does on the United board.

Today's press conference was all about the fans [because he has lost huge swathes of support after the Norwich defeat]. . . Adopting a siege mentality because of the media, asking for an apology (and expecting to not get one), reminding the "press" that he was top of the league four weeks ago and could be top again in another four weeks. . . . .

And remarkably it has worked a treat.

Nevertheless the media are just stating what everyone else is thinking.

United could have made the 2014-15 Champions League if they had sacked Moyes sooner. . . That mistake cost the club tens of millions.

I doubt they'll make the same mistake again. . . As long as he can maintain reach of top 4 then he's in a job at OT.

Maximus Alexander

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Unless you are an arsenal fan, that's insane.

You're right, it would work out much better for United if he went to City.

Mitch Connor

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

You're right, it would work out much better for United if he went to City.

I wouldn't like to see him at any English club if it isn't United.

I think it's odd to want to see him anywhere but United or some other nonPL side.

Maximus Alexander

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I wouldn't like to see him at any English club if it isn't United.

I think it's odd to want to see him anywhere but United or some other nonPL side.

Meh, I don't know the guy personally, but I assume he's no fool. If that's the case, he won't be coming to United. His stock is high right now and it would be too big a risk. If you were him, you'd want to keep the streak going and go somewhere that's already at the top, in the ascendancy, or already set up for success. Right now, that's not United, so in my eye we can just rule that out.

The talk is he wants to go to England, if that's the case, and it's not United, then I'd like it to be Arsenal. For two reasons - firstly, they aren't the bottomless money pits that Chelsea and City are. Secondly, they're a club that I generally have more respect for than either of the other two.

If he's the messiah that everyone makes him out to be, then I'll be less annoyed to see Arsenal profit from that. If it turns out that he's not that messiah and has just been riding the crests of some waves to date, then he's more likely to fail at Arsenal. So, win-win really.

dfx-

SlickRic wrote: »

It's quite obvious LVG was angry at them for speculating that he was about to be fired, and that José had been approached.

You only have to look at his post match interviews even this past weekend to realise he's happy to talk football, results, tactics, and how they're not working. He'll argue, but he will engage.

What he won't engage in, nor should anyone, is speculation about others being offered his job.

Fair play to him.

I think his days at Utd are numbered ultimately, but certain hacks in the room deserved a dressing down.

The English press, the majority of the time, deserve nothing but disdain. Someone asked what other managers had little respect for the press other than Fergie and Louis? Kenny Dalglish was another. He'd often treat them like idiots, especially when they asked speculative, moronic questions.

Despite all that, he has fed the fire instead of quenched it. What does he think is going to happen at the next press conference?

Only Ferguson ultimately got away with not liking the questions.

v3ttel

TheDoc wrote: »

Andy Mitten just had an excellent segment onofftheball there.

The guys started with the "is this a man cracking under pressure" and Mitten launched a pretty passionate defence for Van Gaal in the context of the interview. And went into some detail about the recent stories and editorial decisions from the last few days. According to him the two games to save stuff is not coming from any United source and that LVG has the full support of the club.

It was a really riveting listen. Sat in my car a good 20 mins where I'd normally go into the house.

I have to say while my head dropped after Norwich and I lost the faith, I feel my support for Van Gaal reignited after today. I know its odd. But that presser just really presses some buttons for me. I detest the UK press pack (I'l worked as a journalist for a few years on a voluntary basis) and what Van Gaal did today was dress them down entirely in a calm and controlled manner.

There is no doubt results must improve and he must start making big calls to get us back on track. But I've every will in the world and hope he is the man to turn it around

+1 on all of this.

I lost faith after Norwich and the recent disastrous results but I thought he handled the press conference perfectly. I really hope he turns it around. He's got the character to do it.

The "big calls" I'd like to see him make are to change to a less possession based style, sign a right winger, sign a center forward, drop Rooney for Herrera. If that happens, and Depay starts to hit form, things will seem a lot rosier. With De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Depay, Martial there's the backbone of a great squad for the next 5 or 6 years.

Overall, though I'd like to see Mourinho or Pep as United manager long term. If both of them go to other Premier League teams, we're rightly screwed. If things don't pick up and we're going to make a change, I hope we do it before it's too late to make top 4.

RobertKK

RobertKK wrote: »

The media will have to be more careful if they want to question him, and stick to facts rather than making up stuff. I think on more than one level he got it right.

It was a fighting Louis and I hope he turns United around starting on Saturday.

Whatsisname wrote: »

Lord TSC wrote: »

Yep...looks like at least the tabloids are being very careful about him now...

IamtheWalrus

Deleted User wrote: »

Yep...looks like at least the tabloids are being very careful about him now...

It's all a bit crass. The press conference has given me a 'he might be a fool but he's our fool' mentality.

IamtheWalrus

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

It's all a bit crass. The press conference has given me a 'he might be a fool but he's our fool' mentality.

It is possibly crass. But taking on the media is foolish. You can get away with it as long as success continues or the job is safe, ala Ferguson. But once they smell blood...

Alex Meier

Deleted User wrote: »

It is possibly crass. But taking on the media is foolish. You can get away with it as long as success continues or the job is safe, ala Ferguson. But once they smell blood...

It's not just the media who smell blood. . . So too do the opposition.

No one is afraid of turning up at Old Trafford anymore and giving United the run around.

ericzeking

When the media guys were put on the spot yesterday they hadn't much to say for themselves and yet they come out with more guff in their rags....they're like bold kids in school when the teacher turns their back

Lord TSC

ericzeking wrote: »

When the media guys were put on the spot yesterday they hadn't much to say for themselves and yet they come out with more guff in their rags....they're like bold kids in school when the teacher turns their back

Probably couldn't believe their luck at how he was handing them an easy story....

jayo26

Wayne Rooney interview coming up on sky sports news next.. It will probably be full of cliché after cliché but might be worth a watch.

The_Kew_Tour

Lads and ladies have Happy Christmas. Have good one be it United fan and all others. At end of day it's just game.

See ye on Stephen days for meltdown galore

Rossi IRL

Rooney interview coming up on sky sports news

Trigger

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Lads and ladies have Happy Christmas. Have good one be it United fan and all others. At end of day it's just game.

See ye on Stephen days for meltdown galore

Happy Christmas and a happy new thread to all

homerjay2005

Huge game on saturday, cant wait for it. safe travels to anybody heading over to that or on Monday.

we all have our disagreements on here but we all have one goal, what we believe is best for the club. Happy Christmas everybody.

brinty

Lads,
Thanks for all the chats over the year, they've kept me sane over several dark working hours.
I hope you all have a great Christmas with friends, family and loved ones.
Roll on Saturday and a victory
#PositivityTrain

Kerrydude1981

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Rooney interview coming up on sky sports news

Just turned on SSN "News Alert"

Probably another chat about him being England's new top goalscorer

Rossi IRL

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Just turned on SSN "News Alert"

Probably another chat about him being England's new top goalscorer

Probably along the lines of "we all love the manager and we must do better blah blah blah"

homerjay2005

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Just turned on SSN "News Alert"

Probably another chat about him being England's new top goalscorer

speaking of Rooney, ive defended him alot over the last 12 months, but i think ive finally lost patience with him, his performances this season have been a disgrace.

it appears there is something else driving this, but regardless the fact he is getting paid £300k a week and is playing and acting like a Sunday league football is a complete and utter disgrace.

Kerrydude1981

He is reading the lines off the floor

"Ahem"

On rooney: Looks subdued
Confindance looks shot

BTW happy Xmas to you all and your families!!

Hopefully there's a set of match tickets under the tree this year for uz!!

Rossi IRL

Just watched some of the highlights from the 09/10 game away to arsenal.

Jaysus those were the days, nani was unreal.

Mitch Connor

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Just watched some of the highlights from the 09/10 game away to arsenal.

Jaysus those were the days, nani was unreal.

scored an absolute belter yesterday.

Still a quality player, just needs to be a bit indulged at times cause his attitude can go the wrong way, spectacularly, when he has his selfish moments.

Would love to have him in the current squad - the type of player who can do something off the cuff and turn a game. We have one, maybe two of those in the squad, imo. Which is a crying shame.

bucketybuck

Mitch Connor wrote: »

scored an absolute belter yesterday.

Still a quality player, just needs to be a bit indulged at times cause his attitude can go the wrong way, spectacularly, when he has his selfish moments.

Would love to have him in the current squad - the type of player who can do something off the cuff and turn a game. We have one, maybe two of those in the squad, imo. Which is a crying shame.

9 goals and 5 assists in 20 games this season.

Pro. F

Sand wrote: »

Agreed - whatever the exact terminology, I think it ought to be accepted that LVG is more willing to openly discuss his tactical approach and thinking (or "philosophy") than most other managers at his level are.

Yes he's certainly more willing than most to expound on his football thinking. If that's what had been said I wouldn't have disagreed. It's only the idea that he is willing to discuss/debate football that I doubted.

Pro. F

Alex Meier wrote: »

Today's press conference was all about the fans [because he has lost huge swathes of support after the Norwich defeat]. . . Adopting a siege mentality because of the media, asking for an apology (and expecting to not get one), reminding the "press" that he was top of the league four weeks ago and could be top again in another four weeks. . . . .

And remarkably it has worked a treat.

Nevertheless the media are just stating what everyone else is thinking.

That's a great theory. Makes the most sense of any I've seen put forward.

Lord TSC

Going to close this topic as we approach 10k posts.