Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015 Mod Note Post #2331

Rossi IRL

Keane definitely deserves some game time against Shrewsbury.


Would be nice then to maybe see Weir and Pereira get some time in that game also. Weir is a very tidy player.

J. Marston

You'd wonder if that level of competition actually benefits someone like Keane if he's scoring 5 goals in a match and capable of showboating like that.

J. Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

You'd wonder if that level of competition actually benefits someone like Keane if he's scoring 5 goals in a match and capable of showboating like that.

I'd say it does his confidence good, but for progressing his ability who knows. In the case of Memphis tonight though, I'd say he is in a far better frame of mind having played 90 minutes and assisting 3 goals tonight, than he was at this time yesterday.

It puts some distance between him and a bad substitution appearance at Stamford Bridge. I'd like to think that rather than banish him to the U21s for punishment of some sort, LVG did it for his own good and to help him get some confidence back.

Just a further point but has nothing to do what you said J. Marston (p.s. your demise broke my heart) but since I'm typing I'll say it anyway; I don't think anyone is getting carried away with these U21 games. They are what they are and the league is what it is. But they are an entertaining watch, it's far better to see them on a winning streak than the losing streak the U18s are going through, plus they are genuine opportunities for first team players to regain some match fitness and confidence.

Kerrydude1981

Gifs from yesterdays game

http://beautifullyred.co.uk/2016/02/08/skills-from-mata-martial-more-gifs-from-the-chelsea-draw/

bangkok

stankratz wrote: »

Good thing there's no one here suggesting that we line out the U21s against Sunderland next Saturday then.

No but some of them games are pointless for the likes of depay etc, they are not gaining much by it apart from some fitness. Standard is very poor in fairness.

Robson99

homerjay2005 wrote: »

the scapegoating of Memhis for yesterdays goal, is disgraceful. if it was Martial, Mata, Herrera etc that did it, not a word would be said.

we didnt concede that goal due to a pass 120 yards up the pitch, we lost it due to absolutely shambolic loss of defensive shape and concentration.



Smalling completely out of position, three players in a straight line leaving a gap as wide as a whores ****, Daley Blind slipping/missing the pass and then CBJ playing him onside.

it was defending like a schoolboy team that cost us (and the fact that Chelsea had been on top for 15 minutes before that and the goal was coming anyway) and not Memphis.

Thanks Homer. Thought I was the only one who saw Smalling f*ck up by leaving his centre half position. He should be leading the back four and having them holding their shape but he ****d up as much as anyone for the goal

PhlegmyMoses

People surely understand why people are a bit more pissed off with Memphis than Smalling or CBJ or whoever. Another key moment where he has the chance to contribute something positive and he makes a silly decision. A minute later we concede, when realistically we should have been at worst out of transition and back in a defensive shape, at best 2 up.

Smalling and CBJ and Blind and whoever else have contributed incredibly positive things to this campaign at times and have earned a line of credit. Memphis has not done this, so his mistakes are less tolerated. Nobody is saying that other mistakes weren't made, we're more saying that Memphis' was the most frustrating as it has been par for the course for him. It's a loss of trust.

To simplify it further, if De Gea lets one through his hands at the weekend and we lose, we'll all say **** happens. If Memphis loses his man and he goes on to score, we will be less forgiving. This is standard stuff, no?

Bleating Lamb

Did not see Chelsea game or the highlights.

From newspaper reports and comments on here Depay seemed to give ball away cheaply and didn't kill himself trying to get back.

Have to ask the question of LVGs thinking of bringing a lad like him on with 4 or 5 mins to go when your 1 nil up away from home!

Pro. F

Robson99 wrote: »

Thanks Homer. Thought I was the only one who saw Smalling f*ck up by leaving his centre half position. He should be leading the back four and having them holding their shape but he ****d up as much as anyone for the goal

Leaving the CB position to fill in at full-back is not a fúck up. There hasn't been a defensive system in the history of football where the CBs weren't expected to move across and fill in for the full-backs when needed. Football formations are not static.

I wonder if the recent improvement in our attacking play is anything to do with the fact that our full backs are now getting busy with the attack, like earlier in the season (before Shaw's injury).

Both Darmian and CBJ are getting forward a lot more, making themselves available for overlaps with the attackers. CBJ hits a nice ball into the box, and Darmian participates in some good interplay out on the right, often choosing to run in on the corner of the box rather than run the ball down to the byline.

As much as I look forward to the return of Luke Shaw, CBJ is impressing me more and more each game. Darmian seems to have bounced back from the slump of a few months ago, I'm quite happy with them as a pair at the moment.

Canadel

stankratz wrote: »

CBJ is impressing me more and more each game.

Same. So much so in fact that he seems to be approaching DDG territory whereby he's too good to be playing for Utd.

Korat

There isn't anyone too good for the club at the moment. Our most valuable employee seems to Ed Woodward and marketing skilz

Liam McPoyle

Share prices in the club are down to their lowest point since December 2012.

Hard to not connect the mostly terrible on field performances with that.

Ed doesnt seem to listen to the fans concerns, one has to suspect the shareholders may have a thing or two to say, quarterly results are out later this week.

Liam O

Canadel wrote: »

Same. So much so in fact that he seems to be approaching DDG territory whereby he's too good to be playing for Utd.

This can't be a serious thought you've had...

brinty

Business Cat wrote: »

Share prices in the club are down to their lowest point since December 2012.

Hard to not connect the mostly terrible on field performances with that.

Ed doesnt seem to listen to the fans concerns, one has to suspect the shareholders may have a thing or two to say, quarterly results are out later this week.

Stock markets worldwide are at their lowest levels in years so of course United shares prices are going to be lower, its nothing to do with on field performance
Strong financial results this week will see a bounce in the stock price provided they meet market expectations...

user2011

Canadel wrote: »

Same. So much so in fact that he seems to be approaching DDG territory whereby he's too good to be playing for Utd.

Lol, the kid is 19/20? Played a few first team games and is already to good for United?

GTFO

Liam McPoyle

user2011 wrote: »

Lol, the kid is 19/20? Played a few first team games and is already to good for United?

GTFO

Canadel has a propensity for outlandish statements, yer better off just smiling and nodding tbh.

jayo26

Business Cat wrote: »

Canadel has a propensity for outlandish statements, yer better off just smiling and nodding tbh.

I wonder has he meet Sands

sReq | uTeK

Canadel wrote: »

Same. So much so in fact that he seems to be approaching DDG territory whereby he's too good to be playing for Utd.

I just wet myself.

Flint Fredstone

Welbeck for the Balon d'Or!!!

bangkok

More talk of Pochettino this morning... would be very happy to see him get the job

Januzaj out for a month with injury

Kiith

bangkok wrote: »

More talk of Pochettino this morning... would be very happy to see him get the job

Bugger off...you can't have him :pac:

bangkok

Kiith wrote: »

Bugger off...you can't have him :pac:

jayo26

bangkok wrote: »

More talk of Pochettino this morning... would be very happy to see him get the job

Same here doing a great job at spurs and trusting young players and playing nice football.

RobertKK

bangkok wrote: »

More talk of Pochettino this morning... would be very happy to see him get the job

I wonder if Mourinho would take over at Spurs, for family reasons, and we get Pochettino.
The talk was the Glazers like Pochettino. Maybe he becomes a compromise candidate between those who want Jose and those who don't.

bangkok

RobertKK wrote: »

I wonder if Mourinho would take over at Spurs, for family reasons, and we get Pochettino.
The talk was the Glazers like Pochettino. Maybe he becomes a compromise candidate between those who want Jose and those who don't.

cant see it too be honest, mourinho would be on massive wages and would expect a big transfer kitty that spurs wouldn't be able to match as they are in the process of moving to a new stadium

Kerrydude1981

Kiith wrote: »

Bugger off...you can't have him :pac:

Pochettino to Utd

Giggs to Spurs

As Del Boy says "Everyone's a winner"

Trigger

As far as I can see its just the Sun running with it, Neil Custis the writer. Wouldn't even acknowledge that tbh. Though I think he would do a good job

Mitch Connor

astradave wrote: »

As far as I can see its just the Sun running with it, Neil Custis the writer. Wouldn't even acknowledge that tbh. Though I think he would do a good job

Custis was laughing off the idea of Poch leaving Spurs less than a week ago, for him to be putting out this story now would indicate he has heard somethign to change his mind.

VW 1

Mitch Connor wrote:

Custis was laughing off the idea of Poch leaving Spurs less than a week ago, for him to be putting out this story now would indicate he has heard somethign to change his mind.

Or that the wind has changed direction and he needed to put something to print.

sky88

Speaking with his representatives but poch said earlier in the year that he doesn't have an agent. Bullcrap story i think especally with the sun and wasnt custis the one lvg called fat?? i would think that he will try write as many bad van gaal stories as possible.

Mitch Connor

sky88 wrote: »

Speaking with his representatives but poch said earlier in the year that he doesn't have an agent. Bullcrap story i think especally with the sun and wasnt custis the one lvg called fat?? i would think that he will try write as many bad van gaal stories as possible.

He said he doesn't have an agent. He didn't say he doesn't have representatives. Or you reckon he answers every business call, meeting request, function invite etc all himself?

StringerBell

Robson99 wrote: »

Thanks Homer. Thought I was the only one who saw Smalling f*ck up by leaving his centre half position. He should be leading the back four and having them holding their shape but he ****d up as much as anyone for the goal

Moving over to cover for your full back who is out of position is part of centre half play

Edit:Sorry I see Pro.F already pointed out the obviousness of that!

RobertKK

astradave wrote: »

As far as I can see its just the Sun running with it, Neil Custis the writer. Wouldn't even acknowledge that tbh. Though I think he would do a good job

We all kind of laughed when Neil Custis said Woodward was trying to set up a deal to sign Neymar this coming summer, when he broke the story last August.
Since then Neymar's father not only confirmed it, but said he has an offer on the table for Neymar from United.

So Neil Custis has credibility even when some of his stories seems way off...

RobertKK

Smalling would make a good defensive midfielder, he makes very positive runs up the field.

StringerBell

RobertKK wrote: »

Smalling would make a good defensive midfielder, he makes very positive runs up the field.

He lacks the technical ability/ball skill for the role though, he is great for where he is, a centre half who is capable of stepping forward.

I hope CBJ bulks up a bit over the next 12 months, may have the making of a good centre back in there but he looks a little light weight at the moment even though he did deal very well with Walters who is one of the most physical players in the league

Mitch Connor

RobertKK wrote: »

Smalling would make a good defensive midfielder, he makes very positive runs up the field.

And then hits a cut back pass to the winger or fullback. Every time.

He doesn't have anywhere close to the skills or ability on the ball to be a good DM.

Also, you have to remember that when he is making those runs, he is doing it as a defenders so he has momentum and, usually, no player on the opposition detailed to stop him doing so. As a DM his starting position and the attention from the opposition would be different.

The fact he is poor on the ball will also contribute to the way he can run forward with it. The opposition know he isn't likely to create something himself, or really threaten them, so they can let him come forward without any real fear; and then look to capitalise on the space he has left behind.

bangkok

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Custis was laughing off the idea of Poch leaving Spurs less than a week ago, for him to be putting out this story now would indicate he has heard somethign to change his mind.

Dan Walker said 2 weeks ago he heard from 3 reliable sources that United had made contact with pochettino

RobertKK

Guillem Ballague saying Neymar is leaving the door open for a move to United.

Ballague:
‘Barcelona cannot afford to give new contracts to Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar as it stands, financially they do not have the power to do so.’

‘They need to bring a lot of money in, if they do that they will be able to keep them, but if they don’t they may have to get rid of one.
‘That’s why Neymar keeps leaving the door open for United.’

---

But then Barcelona is up to their necks in debt and a sale of Neymar makes things much easier for the club.
This is a story that is going to rumble on and will blow up and happen, or go away like a volcano that had threatened to erupt but was just a lot of hot air.
I do think Woodward will be offering money to Neymar that he knows puts Barcelona under very severe pressure to match.

bangkok

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/10161093/david-de-gea-offered-163667m-deal-to-leave-man-utd-for-real-Madrid

some serious money... 8.4m signing on fee as well

TheDoc

RobertKK wrote: »

Guillem Ballague saying Neymar is leaving the door open for a move to United.

Ballague:
‘Barcelona cannot afford to give new contracts to Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar as it stands, financially they do not have the power to do so.’

‘They need to bring a lot of money in, if they do that they will be able to keep them, but if they don’t they may have to get rid of one.
‘That’s why Neymar keeps leaving the door open for United.’

---

But then Barcelona is up to their necks in debt and a sale of Neymar makes things much easier for the club.
This is a story that is going to rumble on and will blow up and happen, or go away like a volcano that had threatened to erupt but was just a lot of hot air.
I do think Woodward will be offering money to Neymar that he knows puts Barcelona under very severe pressure to match.

As I've mentioned before, while we have to be suspect of this sort of thing, and we have the disappointments when it turns out a player gets their way with their current club who cave, sooner or later a club isn't going to meet the demands, and we will land a bit player out of it.

Not saying it's this one, just something I mentioned in the summer with the Ramos affair. While it's frustrating for us to see the links, and the player stay and sign a new contract, sooner or later one will come off.

Canadel

bangkok wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/10161093/david-de-gea-offered-163667m-deal-to-leave-man-utd-for-real-Madrid

some serious money... 8.4m signing on fee as well

They could be offering him a pay cut and he'd still be crazy not to go. My comment about him and CBJ yesterday was half true, De Gea is too good to waste away his career any longer with this current manifestation of Man Utd.

What exactly has Pochettino proven and won @ management level?

Spurs look good this year fine but I think some of you are jumping the gun in here. The season isn't even over yet.

Cookie_Dough

Canadel wrote: »

They could be offering him a pay cut and he'd still be crazy not to go. My comment about him and CBJ yesterday was half true, De Gea is too good to waste away his career any longer with this current manifestation of Man Utd.

That's a very defeatist attitude. If that case why try to sign any world class players? "Sure why would they want so sign when we're crap anyway". By your logic we can never improve as we will be in a viscious cycle of settling for mediocre players and never winning anything again.

I think we are only a couple of players short of being serious title contenders. If DeGea is happy to play for us, I'm more than happy to keep him.

Lord TSC

M!Ck^ wrote: »

What exactly has Pochettino proven and won @ management level?

Spurs look good this year fine but I think some of you are jumping the gun in here. The season isn't even over yet.

Would be very weary of Poch at the moment. If he joined us, it would be 3 clubs in 3 years for him, right? Plus there's the whole "We need a proven title winner" situation. It would, imo, be yet another romantic choice, the young manager with bags of potential.

He'd probably be on my list of managers I'd want, and I'm not saying I'd be unhappy or anything, but we really need to prove we're still a top club who can win a trophy, and Poch doesn't promise that....

TheDoc

M!Ck^ wrote: »

What exactly has Pochettino proven and won @ management level?

Spurs look good this year fine but I think some of you are jumping the gun in here. The season isn't even over yet.

I'm one who would hang off to see what he achieves, as if he achieves nothing he hasn't really done anything others havn't done before him at Spurs, and I don't see what would separate him from a host of candidates at that tier.

But it's hard not to be impressed with what has done thus far with Spurs, but there will need to be some end result for me to be totally convinced.

As a sidenote, I find it interesting that Rafa Benitez hasn't been linked anywhere or even spoken off. I like him as a coach. I assume the Liverpool puts him totally out of the running, but would have even thought when things for Van Gaal went horrid, I would have saw his name thrown up as an interim boss.

jayo26

M!Ck^ wrote: »

What exactly has Pochettino proven and won @ management level?

Spurs look good this year fine but I think some of you are jumping the gun in here. The season isn't even over yet.

Its not what he has won or proven its what he has done with Southampton and spurs he has taken two squads and coached the players and made them better and more consistent while also have laying a good brand of football and playing young players.

Its not a case that id prefer prefer pochetino over someone like jose or ancelloti but if we can't get a top manager that has won at the top level id have him because of his experience in the premier league over a manager that has no experience in the league.

TheDoc

jayo26 wrote: »

Its not what he has won or proven its what he has done with Southampton and spurs he has taken two squads and coached the players and made them better and more consistent while also have laying a good brand of football and playing young players.

Its not a case that id prefer prefer pochetino over someone like jose or ancelloti but if we can't get a top manager that has won at the top level id have him because of his experience in the premier league over a manager that has no experience in the league.

That is a pretty good explanation and reasoning for why Poch has impressed, and I'd be the same. The way his team play, his character, numerous players getting visibly better under him etc.

But at the same time the reason I'm coy, is that is the lines that I among many others rolled out when David Moyes was in the running, and subsequently appointed.

I think if the club were to go with Poch or someone of his ilk(a manager making a step up to a bigger club with bigger expectations) there will need to be some really solid planning and a vision from the top, to coincide. so rather then "holy **** we need to win a title ASAP" let it be the appointment that means taking a step back, look at the whole club and then start tackling the issues, and building foundations to move forward.

If that means a few barren years more, I'm perfectly happy with that. Expectations can be tempered, and the fans will toe behind in support if we believe something is being built.

Where our support flounders massively, as through the Moyes and Van Gaal era has shown, is where there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, where it feels like a mad scramble to say we are the best again, and it's all chaotic.

Maybe that's jsut me. Of course the club will trot out how we will challenge for titles and the likes, but if an appointment like Pochetino came in, accompanied by a plan that might mean tough times initially, but a brigther outlook longterm I'll be happy and atleast will know when things are bad, why they are so.

At the moment it feels like there is nothing there past the next game, or the next summer transfer window. Feels like a mental, chaotic rush, to just get back to winning a title with no real strategy behind it. Just buy the players, play the players, hope for the best.

RobertKK

M!Ck^ wrote: »

What exactly has Pochettino proven and won @ management level?

Spurs look good this year fine but I think some of you are jumping the gun in here. The season isn't even over yet.

The main thing is the style of play is very good. He has the team very good defensively and has a balanced team.
He has a very calm demeanor and lacks controversy.
He doesn't appear to be a manager who lets things get to him, and for the United job that would be a very important thing.
He does look the genuine article as it doesn't appear he fluked it with Spurs.