Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016 - Mod Warning link in OP 20/3

Billy86

I have to say, I don't think Mourinho is the answer to our problems and as much as he absolutely is the biggest and most glamorous name for us to pick up (and a great manager in his own right), I don't know if he is the right guy for this club, especially right now - I think Nani's comment about "it's not Manchester" really hit the nail on the head in this sense.

You have to worry about how (un)attractive a prospect we are at this very moment in time. It's clear that the squad is lacking in quality, and even where there is talent it often appears to be somewhat disjointed, yet the expectation is still to at least be challenging for the title, and going deep in Europe (which will likely only be the Europa next year, not something many manager prioritise or really like competing in due to the Thursday evening times). The reason I say this is because the guy who might just be best suited for the job completely bent us over on the weekend.

Flint Fredstone

stankratz wrote: »

He's gone forever... well I'm sure he will appear again in another form.

Antibac

billyhead wrote: »

If ands its a big If Mourinho becomes our next manger are there any Chelsea players he might try and sign or that you would like at United. What about Willian?

What Madrid players would he look for if any? And who would he have a chance of getting?

Mitch Connor

Giggsy11 wrote: »

No need of Chelsea players but he will get at least 2 players he tried to sign when he was at Chelsea, Martial and Shaw.

1 player whom he tried to sign from United and failed - Rooney.

Hopefully he would push for a few targets he had at Chelsea (or previous clubs).

Varane, Stones, Pogba - he desperately wanted Stones and Pogba last summer - and United wanted both too, so I could see United/Mourinho pushing for those two this summer. Stones I could see us getting (if Everton will sell) but Pigba won't be a United player no matter how much United or Mourinho might want him.

I could see an "ideal" Mourinho United side being: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Stones, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Pogba, Herrera, Martial, SOMEONE, Ibrahimovic.

Mitch Connor

Antibac wrote: »

What Madrid players would he look for if any? And who would he have a chance of getting?

If that is a serious question - Varane, 100%. Mourinho loved him at Madrid and it is rumored that he isn't too happy at Madrid given he wants to be a first choice player, which he isn't. I think Madrid would sell Pepe and promise Varane the spot before they would look to sell Varane.

Antibac

Mitch Connor wrote: »

If that is a serious question - Varane, 100%. Mourinho loved him at Madrid and it is rumored that he isn't too happy at Madrid given he wants to be a first choice player, which he isn't. I think Madrid would sell Pepe and promise Varane the spot before they would look to sell Varane.

You never know Mitch. Madrid are just that mad that they might sell anyone. Varane and Modric would be 2 great signings but I doubt that will happen

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Hopefully he would push for a few targets he had at Chelsea (or previous clubs).

Varane, Stones, Pogba - he desperately wanted Stones and Pogba last summer - and United wanted both too, so I could see United/Mourinho pushing for those two this summer. Stones I could see us getting (if Everton will sell) but Pigba won't be a United player no matter how much United or Mourinho might want him.

I could see an "ideal" Mourinho United side being: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Stones, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Pogba, Herrera, Martial, SOMEONE, Ibrahimovic.

It has already started. ManUtd have met Manolas' agent according to Di Marzio. Chelsea tried to sign him last summer.

I'm not sure on Stones, IMO he is overrated and the reason he is rated highly is exactly the reason David Luiz got so much **** from english media.

Billy86

Giggsy11 wrote: »

It has already started. ManUtd have met Manolas' agent according to Di Marzio. Chelsea tried to sign him last summer.

I'm not sure on Stones, IMO he is overrated and the reason he is rated highly is exactly the reason David Luiz got so much **** from english media.

Wait, what was that? Double standards in the English media when it comes to English players? Well I never!!

0gac3yjefb5sv7

bucketybuck wrote: »

This was suggested a few months ago and it didn't pass a logic test for me, any money saved from Van Gaals payout would have been dwarfed by money for getting into the champions league. It would have been the height of idiocy to jeopardise the big payment trying to save the small one.

But Woodward may have assumed he would turn it around.

Giggsy11

Billy86 wrote: »

Wait, what was that? Double standards in the English media when it comes to English players? Well I never!!

And typical overrating decent ball playing defender.

billyhead

Antibac wrote: »

What Madrid players would he look for if any? And who would he have a chance of getting?

I would love Modric at United. A bit like Scholes he would be ideal to link the midfield and attack. Realistic players he could get from Madrid would probably be Pepe (even though hes getting his game now over Varane but varane is the better long termj option for them) and Isco

bucketybuck

Pheonix10 wrote: »

But Woodward may have assumed he would turn it around.

Possible, but if true it would be a damning indictment of Woodwards football judgement. Van Gaal has been a busted flush for a long time now, if Woodward truly thought that anything was going to change then he couldn't see what was very, very obvious.

StringerBell

Pheonix10 wrote: »

But Woodward may have assumed he would turn it around.

Which would mean he wasn't kept in a job to save a few pound.

Cookie_Dough

Anyone watching the U-21s on MUTV? Just switched it on there to see Rooney blasting a short miles over the bar. It's almost half time and score is

0-0

0gac3yjefb5sv7

StringerBell wrote: »

Which would mean he wasn't kept in a job to save a few pound.

No as he may have thought he could turn it around but now have decided to let him go but don't want too. Also, it looks better for the club if the don't fire managers mid season.

StringerBell

Pheonix10 wrote: »

No as he may have thought he could turn it around but now have decided to let him go but don't want too. Also, it looks better for the club if the don't fire managers mid season.

It just fails a basic logic test tbh, not sure I can say anything other then that.

The notion that it looks better for a club to stick with a manager who has failed in his job instead of doing something proactive to rectify the situation/try to salvage it also fails a logic test.

Rayne Wooney

Gundogs off to City rumours lately, I didn't want him anyway...

Hopefully that would rule them out for Pogba though, making our slim chance of signing him slightly less so. My money would be on Madrid though

TheDoc

Pro. F wrote: »

What I mean is, Doc was only venting and not being serious when he said "Quicker Blind is back in DM removing Carrick from my sight the better." Is that not what Doc meant by saying he is biased and needed to vent?

I mean that I'm never objective with Carrick, I just dislike him immensely. But I'd never get into like a for and against discussion about him, cause I just don't rate him at all. So I'd never be able to have an objective chat about him.

And then I guess based of that, I'd have Blind in my DM spot ahead of Carrick everyday

Vic Vinegar

Cookie_Dough wrote: »

Anyone watching the U-21s on MUTV? Just switched it on there to see Rooney blasting a short miles over the bar. It's almost half time and score is

0-0

I'm watching it. Jones hasn't got injured, it's mental.

TheDoc

Martypants1 wrote: »

Not as embarrassing as the state of this thread. I'll go back to reddit, a proper place where people can actually discuss Utd without whingers telling them what they want to read. Things literally posted here 2 days later over here.

You'd probably like it but you'd lose your status over there.

No disrespect to the users on reddit, and I'm a big user there, and a big reader of the United subreddit.

But that place tends of stinks of the terrace style fanfare, that I actively come here to avoid. It only occurs here in smaller doses, and its a totally fine thing. But its overwhelming there

Vic Vinegar

2 points away from winning the u21 league now.

Woo?

Cookie_Dough

Vic Vinegar wrote: »

I'm watching it. Jones hasn't got injured, it's mental.

I missed the start of 2nd half, had Rooney gone off before the goal? I didn't notice him and then I started channel surfing.

SAF embodying Bricktop from Snatch as he tells Danny Willett that he had money on Spieth to win the Masters...

Never mind the football or the current state of the place; With the man's personality and that cheeky sense of wit, I do miss Fergie at the club.

J. Marston

Vic Vinegar wrote: »

2 points away from winning the u21 league now.

Woo?

Van Gaal in.

Lol good read

Only wish "Au Revoir Le Cocksuckers" was used :P

Sorry TSC not sure why the above is not getting censored!!!

Manutd_4life

Jesus Christ, still can' get over yesterday's game.

How can LVG get away with the positions he put some of the players - Young at striker was an absolute catastrophic joke. And conceding 3 bloody goals in 7 minutes!!!

If the Utd board have any active brain cells, they should be going all out for Jose's signature. I can't stand LVG with his philosophy nonsense and that stupid ****ing clipboard he brings every single game. I wish someone would smash that thing through his head! **** sake man

Pro. F

TheDoc wrote: »

I mean that I'm never objective with Carrick, I just dislike him immensely. But I'd never get into like a for and against discussion about him, cause I just don't rate him at all. So I'd never be able to have an objective chat about him.

And then I guess based of that, I'd have Blind in my DM spot ahead of Carrick everyday

Yeah exactly. If you aren't serious about the thing then there's no point discussing it.

Billy86

Not the player he used to be, but to be honest Carrick is a handy reference for forums, if someone tries to claim that one of the first names on the team sheet (and the first in midfield) over the most successful period in the clubs history was always useless, well that's one less person who's opinion needs to be taken seriously.

If he did some more "oooohhh, err!" crunching tackles after letting his man get the ball, rather than just cutting off the passing lanes and making interceptions etc, most of the same guys who can't stand him would be chanting his name for years now.

Pro. F

Billy86 wrote: »

Not the player he used to be, but to be honest Carrick is a handy reference for forums, if someone tries to claim that one of the first names on the team sheet (and the first in midfield) over the most successful period in the clubs history was always useless, well that's one less person who's opinion needs to be taken seriously.

If he did some more "oooohhh, err!" crunching tackles after letting his man get the ball, rather than just cutting off the passing lanes and making interceptions etc, most of the same guys who can't stand him would be chanting his name for years now.

"Useless" was over the top criticism, just as "excellent" was over the top praise.

Strumms

A lot of people are using the whole.."well under this regime and style nobody is playing great" as a bit of a cop out when it comes to assessing the performance of a player in a particular game or over the course of a period of time. There is of course 'some' ring of truth to it but the reality is no matter if we had Winnie the Pooh as our manager football isn't an overly complicated game and it's not so hard to make a judgment.

I have always liked Carrick. He was very poor yesterday though and in a couple of other games I have watched. I think from watching him that he seems to have lost that bit of energy and he doesn't seem to have that same gas in the tank so to speak. He was always a box to boxish type player with a good engine who could get around the park and cut out through balls and effective in breaking up play as well as influencing his own side in terms of launching attacks from deep. This being maybe one reason why he might find it hard to adapt his game as he gets older and just maybe that is what is influencing his decline every bit as much as suffering under the LVG situation which lets face it everyone is.

secman

Reports saying senior players turned on LVG after the match on Sunday, allbeit reported by the rag "Sun". Would say it's not far from coming to a head. Will be very interesting to see his team selections on Wed and more importantly the response or lack of by the team selected.

jayo26

secman wrote: »

Reports saying senior players questioned LVG after the match on Sunday, allbeit reported by the rag "Sun". Would say it's not far from coming to a head. Will be very interesting to see his team selections on Wed and more importantly the response or lack of by the team selected.

I wouldnt think it's far off. We seemed to loose our way after the substitution of young and one theory I had was maybe the players were like wtf are you doing and I know mata wasn't great but his reaction on the bench was out of character for him.

TheTownie

secman wrote: »

Reports saying senior players turned on LVG after the match on Sunday, allbeit reported by the rag "Sun". Would say it's not far from coming to a head. Will be very interesting to see his team selections on Wed and more importantly the response or lack of by the team selected.

Similar story in the times too.

Thecon21

TheTownie wrote: »

Similar story in the times too.

I need some help, can anyone get 13 across?

Flint Fredstone

Thecon21 wrote: »

I need some help, can anyone get 13 across?

Landmine

fatherted1969

Thecon21 wrote: »

I need some help, can anyone get 13 across?

Jose Mourinho :-)

jaykay74

Thecon21 wrote:

I need some help, can anyone get 13 across?

LawOfMurphy

bucketybuck

Strumms wrote: »

A lot of people are using the whole.."well under this regime and style nobody is playing great" as a bit of a cop out when it comes to assessing the performance of a player in a particular game or over the course of a period of time.

Players like Mata and Rooney do need to look at themselves but its certainly not a cop out to accept that poor management is having a huge effect on all the players. In isolation we can criticise a player, but when you realise that almost every single player in the squad over a three year period has been rubbish you have to always be aware of that context. Especially when players who were **** here are going elsewhere and doing fine.

Every match there is somebody else to blame. This month Carrick and Rojo are in the firing line, last month it was Mata and Blind, before that Rooney etc etc. Its a context that can't be ignored, this regime is making fools of some good players and any criticism kinda does need to acknowledge that.

GSPfan

Id only be delighted if the story of player revolt was true. LVG does seem to pick out players a lot in terms of blaming them for everything. Id be sick of it too.

When you think of it, imagine you are one of the players and you are in the dressing room when you hear Ashley Young is coming on up front. You'd look around at everyone, even Young, and wonder whats going on. Then you lose badly and LVG blames you and your mates for the defeat.

KH25

GSPfan wrote: »

Id only be delighted if the story of player revolt was true. LVG does seem to pick out players a lot in terms of blaming them for everything. Id be sick of it too.

When you think of it, imagine you are one of the players and you are in the dressing room when you hear Ashley Young is coming on up front. You'd look around at everyone, even Young, and wonder whats going on. Then you lose badly and LVG blames you and your mates for the defeat.

That was one of the first things I thought after his interview on Sunday. The way he spoke about Martial's chance felt as if he blamed him for not scoring.

ericzeking

I only watched that interview with SAF and Jim White last night, seemed obvious to me that Pochetino seems to be his choice for the next manager, if he has much say that is.

Ashley Young, pre injury this season was one of our best players, playing out wide....and he gets brought on up front....

Crazy stuff, Bill.

GSPfan

Honestly if you asked me to pick between Pochettino and Mourinho right now I'd pick Pochettino. I could go back and find a post from myself throwing his name in the mix when Moyes left. I just thought he had something about him. It was too early then to really consider him when Moyes left but he really is the perfect candidate but maybe the timing isn't right now either.

Convincing Pochettino to move to United is a massive task. Pochettino is verging on lengendary status at Spurs and has a new stadium and an exciting team to look forward to. The only problem is that he also has to look forward to financial restrictions and players constantly being sought after by bigger more financially powerful clubs.

If Pochettino accepted an offer from United to become their next manager then we really have found the perfect man for the job as his ambition would be blindingly obvious and that single minded drive to be at the best club and be the best would be exactly what United need.

Kerrydude1981

LVG just rolled the dice the last day chancing Young up front

That's the same dice he rolled bringing on Nick Powell in the Champions League

nullzero

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

LVG just rolled the dice the last day chancing Young up front

That's the same dice he rolled bringing on Nick Powell in the Champions League

The dice known as philosophy.

nullzero

secman wrote: »

Reports saying senior players turned on LVG after the match on Sunday, allbeit reported by the rag "Sun". Would say it's not far from coming to a head. Will be very interesting to see his team selections on Wed and more importantly the response or lack of by the team selected.

The sun also reporting that Fergie was at Augusta and threw his sausage sandwich down in disgust at the end of the game.

GSPfan

nullzero wrote: »

The sun also reporting that Fergie was at Augusta and threw his sausage sandwich down in disgust at the end of the game.

My initial reaction to that was ..... Mmmmmmm Sausage sandwich.

After hearing it again I can't help but think ..... Mmmmmmm Sausage sandwich.

I'm off out to get a sausage sandwich in the Topaz. Mouths watering.

nullzero

GSPfan wrote: »

My initial reaction to that was ..... Mmmmmmm Sausage sandwich.

After hearing it again I can't help but think ..... Mmmmmmm Sausage sandwich.

I'm off out to get a sausage sandwich in the Topaz. Mouths watering.

Ask for a Fergie and they'll throw it at you and all.

Lord TSC

GSPfan wrote: »

Honestly if you asked me to pick between Pochettino and Mourinho right now I'd pick Pochettino.

He'd be a very close number 2 behind Jose for me, and I can certainly see the appeal. He's certainly done very, very well with Spurs and Southampton. He gets young players playing very well, and he'd benefit from the structure at United.

Still...if a common complaint thrown at Jose is the fact he never lasts more than three years at a club, what can be said about Poch? We'd be his third club in three seasons, and I'd be shocked if he's not being courted by the likes of Real or Barca within the next year or two, at the rate he's going and with the ability he's displaying. Thats not to say we shouldn't be after highly-sought-after managers. Nor am I saying the whole "legacy" argument is one I care about (the priority should not be getting a long term manager, it should be about getting a world class manager). Just say it since it's one of the most common arguments used against Jose.

Also...I feel we're at the stage now where we need to bring in two or three top tier players, and I'd have more trust in Jose's name being a bigger draw than Poch's at the moment. Though there's a selfishness there; I just really want a big name or two to join :P

Mitch Connor

One thing I find funny is that people say no to Mourinho because (amongst other things) he doesn't offer longevity - but want Pochetino - if we got him off Spurs, his club history would be a joke!

Kerrydude1981

nullzero wrote: »

The sun also reporting that Fergie was at Augusta and threw his sausage sandwich down in disgust at the end of the game.

Threw away his sandwich and lost £8k

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3534009/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-tells-Danny-Willett-Masters-victory-cost-8-000-d-bet-Jordan-Spieth-Augusta.html