Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016 - Mod Note in OP, 13/9

beno619

RobertKK wrote: »

Barcelona wanted Nolito, but players have turned them down.

He wouldn't get a sniff in that Barca side barring injury.

Quite an easy decision to take more money and first team football at City under Pep.

johnnyryan89

RobertKK wrote: »

This is the first time that Guillem Balague has said players are choosing to turn down the opportunity to join either of the Spanish football giants.
He does suggest the Premier League is becoming the bigger draw.

The thing is the Premier League is the most popular wealthiest league in the world, and this is why it is attracting the best managers, players and increased money.

FYP there for ya.

Flint Fredstone

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

FYP there for ya.

Don't think there was any need to fix it. I'd imagine it is the most popular by a long way.

Liam O

Manutd_4life wrote: »

Still find it hard to believe he was the one that took over from Fergie. Worst season I have witnessed in my life.

Lets leave it there and not talk about this. I'd rather have a 'we should have kept Welbs' debate or 'Rooney is sh*te' debate or 'why does Bangkok keep moaning about Fellaini ( disregarding his recent confession )

Last season was worse than anything under Moyes who spent less than 30m his first window compared to the huge sums thrown around by LVG without any return. Moyes was starting to get the team back on track and sacking him without giving him a chance meant that the rubbish in the squad was allowed to linger around for another year and some good players allowed leave.

Manutd_4life

Manutd_4life wrote: »

Still find it hard to believe he was the one that took over from Fergie.

I'm still finding it hard to believe that Paul ****ing Pogba plays for Man Utd this season.

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

FYP there for ya.

Why do you think it's the wealthiest exactly?

It's because the most people want to watch it, relative to the other leagues.

Korat

Mourinho's Utd.

The term is hard to conceive.

But with Ryan Giggs being patronised by Jamie Carragher on tv and Bobby Charlton venturing to twitter it's a different football world.

DM_7

Liam O wrote: »

Last season was worse than anything under Moyes who spent less than 30m his first window compared to the huge sums thrown around by LVG without any return. Moyes was starting to get the team back on track and sacking him without giving him a chance meant that the rubbish in the squad was allowed to linger around for another year and some good players allowed leave.

What exactly was he starting to get back on track?

IamtheWalrus

Korat wrote: »

Mourinho's Utd.

The term is hard to conceive.

But with Ryan Giggs being patronised by Jamie Carragher on tv and Bobby Charlton venturing to twitter it's a different football world.

Care to elaborate?

Liam O

Liam O wrote: »

Last season was worse than anything under Moyes who spent less than 30m his first window compared to the huge sums thrown around by LVG without any return. Moyes was starting to get the team back on track and sacking him without giving him a chance meant that the rubbish in the squad was allowed to linger around for another year and some good players allowed leave.

I don't think so. It had been a really poor season in general but in the weeks before he was sacked, Utd got hammered in OT by Liverpool and then a few weeks later by City. Just not at the races compared to the top 4 that season.

I thought last season was barely better though, really was dreadful.

Korat

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Care to elaborate?

One of the better moments of FNF was Jamie 'as a box of rocks' Carragher trying to prompt and direct Ryan Gigg's analysis.

Billy86

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

FYP there for ya.

It's the wealthiest because it is the most popular, and it is the most popular because a) obviously it is the main english language league, and b) is has come on greatly in terms of parity due to how the TV money etc is divvied out. I could be wrong here, but what we might be seeing is the tipping of the scales where Barca and Madrid's completely unfair advantage over the rest of Spain (Atletico even getting themselves into that mix is one of the greater sporting achievements of all time and that's not an exaggeration) looks like it could be coming back to bite them in the arse a little.

Otherwise, hats off to Schweinsteiger. Everyone at the club seems happy, things are on the up and up, and there is optimism all around except for him. He's been exemplary as a pro, a veteran and a role model in putting his head down, going about his job regardless and not making it at all about him. It didn't work out at Old Trafford but even though I did like him for years before hand, my overall opinion of him has if anything gone up over the last 12 months.

Cantona's Collars

It will make a nice change watching United actually creating and taking chances against teams compared to having one shot on target against the likes of WBA etc. that we had to endure.The whole "one goal is enough" ideal never ever suited United,thank fuk it is resigned to the bin.For all our owning the ball,we were never comfortable,having our 'keeper as POTY shows that.
The other night DDG had practically nothing to do and even when Southampton pushed on we always looked like we would sweep upfield and create a chance unlike under LVG where we go to half way and waited.

I was at the Everton game before the end of last season and the running joke was "the match would ruin a great weekend".It wasn't far off the mark,even the tribute to Bobby Charlton failed to rouse the crowd,this season things seem so much different,even the anti-Mou brigade will have to admit the magic is back.

Billy86

Liam O wrote: »

Last season was worse than anything under Moyes who spent less than 30m his first window compared to the huge sums thrown around by LVG without any return. Moyes was starting to get the team back on track and sacking him without giving him a chance meant that the rubbish in the squad was allowed to linger around for another year and some good players allowed leave.

I'm sorry but any claim Moyes was starting to get the team back of not track is farcical. In his last 15 games we had 23 pts (7w, 2d, 6l) which over 38 games would come to 58 points. If anything we were going backwards, as Moyes got sacked on 57 points after 34 games.

IamtheWalrus

Billy86 wrote: »

I'm sorry but any claim Moyes was starting to get the team back of not track is farcical. In his last 15 games we had 23 pts (7w, 2d, 6l) which over 38 games would come to 58 points. If anything we were going backwards, as Moyes got sacked on 57 points after 34 games.

What a debacle. Only now am I starting to regain any semblance of pride in the club.

Cantona's Collars

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/539507/Man-United-news-Bastian-Schweinsteiger-exit-Paul-Pogba-Sir-Alex-Ferguson

The Star are saying United are willing to pay up Bastian's contract and allow him to leave for £2 million.

edgecutter

Liam O wrote: »

Last season was worse than anything under Moyes who spent less than 30m his first window compared to the huge sums thrown around by LVG without any return. Moyes was starting to get the team back on track and sacking him without giving him a chance meant that the rubbish in the squad was allowed to linger around for another year and some good players allowed leave.

At least we won a cup with LVG. With Moyes we could only aspire to be like city, make it difficult for Newcastle and get trashed by Liverpool at Old Trafford. As bad as last season was Moyes's reign tops it by a large distance.

Korat

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

What a debacle. Only now am I starting to regain any semblance of pride in the club.

1-10 scale, where are we, Utd, at in your opinion?

Liam O

Billy86 wrote: »

I'm sorry but any claim Moyes was starting to get the team back of not track is farcical. In his last 15 games we had 23 pts (7w, 2d, 6l) which over 38 games would come to 58 points. If anything we were going backwards, as Moyes got sacked on 57 points after 34 games.

At that stage it was more about starting to build for the next season and there were some encouraging performances that could be built on. There was a big clearout coming and some naturally stopped trying but the game against Munich showed that there was still something there. Some of the games with Kagawa and Mata interchanging were very good. A match fit Fellaini would have made a huge difference too as we found out under LVG.

I just can't help but thinking the rebuild would have gone better with someone who knew the players rather than someone who didn't. I mean in theory LVG seemed good, an authoritative figure who would cut out the dead weight. The problem is that he didn't know who a lot of the dead weight was. Moyes, after working with them for a full season would have known imo and would have built a better team (even if a lot of the same players had been bought) than LVG.

Moyes was ultimately given an unmotivated and aging group that also had a propensity for injuries in the time he was there. He obviously has to share some of the blame but by all accounts he wanted Fabregas and Herrera and didn't get them. Both players moved 12 months later so you have to feel that it was a failing above him to get the players needed in.

JakeArmitage

Is Rachael Riley a 10

johnnyryan89

edgecutter wrote: »

At least we won a cup with LVG. With Moyes we Igcould only aspire to be like city, make it difficult for Newcastle and get trashed by Liverpool at Old Trafford. As bad as last season was Moyes's reign tops it by a large distance.

To be fair to Moyes though his record in Europe with United was better than LVG and Moyes did win the CS which is technically a trophy

Headshot

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Is Rachael Riley a 10

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

brinty

JakeArmitage wrote:

Is Rachael Riley a 10

12

JakeArmitage

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

brinty

JakeArmitage wrote:

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

Griezemann

JakeArmitage

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Is Rachael Riley a 10

Id play her as more of an 8 and sometimes a 6

Flint Fredstone

Déjà vu

Brendan Flowers

Bale for me. I think the club should do whatever it takes to bring him in next summer. Of the 3 mentioned he's the only one I could see spending his career (or at least his best years) at Utd.

And I know some will disagree that nationality doesnt matter but I do think it'd be great to see the club signing the best British players.

Trigger

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

Who would YOU prefer?

JakeArmitage

astradave wrote: »

Who would YOU prefer?

Bale

Billy86

Liam O wrote: »

At that stage it was more about starting to build for the next season and there were some encouraging performances that could be built on. There was a big clearout coming and some naturally stopped trying but the game against Munich showed that there was still something there. Some of the games with Kagawa and Mata interchanging were very good. A match fit Fellaini would have made a huge difference too as we found out under LVG.

I just can't help but thinking the rebuild would have gone better with someone who knew the players rather than someone who didn't. I mean in theory LVG seemed good, an authoritative figure who would cut out the dead weight. The problem is that he didn't know who a lot of the dead weight was. Moyes, after working with them for a full season would have known imo and would have built a better team (even if a lot of the same players had been bought) than LVG.

Moyes was ultimately given an unmotivated and aging group that also had a propensity for injuries in the time he was there. He obviously has to share some of the blame but by all accounts he wanted Fabregas and Herrera and didn't get them. Both players moved 12 months later so you have to feel that it was a failing above him to get the players needed in.

1. Performances were improving - no, they were not. Mata/Kagawa/Rooney were linking up OK, the rest of the team was an utter sh*t show.

2. A major clearout was coming - no, it wasn't. Or maybe it was. This is nothing but a complete assumption on your part.

3. No, it wouldn't. Fellaini was horrific for us under Moyes - are we going to claim he was unfit for the entire season? His first season under LVG was similar, and his second wasn't great either. Yet Moyes went all out to get him, and about you mentioning him only spending 30mn... if he had had more, he would have spent it on Leighton Baines.

4. Against Bayern, there wasn't 'something there' - it was just one of the only games against another big team that we didn't walk out and immediately assume the fetal position. It says a lot about the Moyes era that it keeps getting brought up that we were beating Bayern for less than 10 minutes over a two legged tie - in the second leg they were missing their talisman (Schweini) and yet within 20 minutes they were 3-1 up, and it never looked close again.

5. No, the rebuild wouldn't have gone better. At least there is good as nothing to suggest that. The purchases and youth players he brought in under LVG actually weren't bad, it was what he did with them on the pitch that was the issue. Under Moyes, we were chasing the likes of Leighton Baines for high fees. He was there when Mata came in, but given he seemed to think he was a traditional winger for the first several months, I think it would be generous saying he had a lot of input in the signing. Moyes does not deserve credit for 'knowing who the dead weight was' or wasn't either by the way - Carrick instantly became deadweight under him despite being maybe the best CM in the league just a year previous. Hernandez was so misused that he was eager to get out ASAP, the likes of Cleverley, Jones and Valencia played lots of games while Nani, and earlier in the year Kagawa (as well as Mata when we initially signed him) were often used incorrectly or not used at all.

6. Moyes might have had an ageing squad in some areas, but they still had enough in them if he used them right. Rio & Vidic fell apart early from being ridden into the ground, etc... it was comical squad management at times. Evra was similar. Carrick as I said was maybe the best CM in the league last year, playing his 'screening DM' type of role... so Moyes figured he would be best suited in box-to-box role to accommodate for his very high front 4 and very deep back 4. For all the talk of Moyes having an older defense, it also has to be said that LVG took over a team that had lost something like 50 years of experience in Rio/Vidic/Evra, and 30ish of that being years playing together at Man Utd. Not intended as a full defense of LVG, more pointing out that it's not like Moyes had it impossible and LVG had much better circumstances that Moyes would have seemingly thrived under which I've heard as few people say, despite every bit of evidence to the contrary.



One good thing that happened under LVG was getting in some talented players and promising youngsters, he just didn't know how to use them as his style of play is now very dated and he was far too stubborn to ever admit that and adjust (on top of other issues, as he really had a poor tenure here), but at least the overall squad had shown improvement strictly on paper. Under Moyes, I'd be worried that we'd be looking at a CB pairing of Smalling and Shawcross, a midfield of Charlie Adam and Fellaini, and FBs of Leighton Baines and Nathaniel Clyne.

I don't have anything against him personally and he seems a nice guy, good pro etc... but Moyes was just out of his depth at Man Utd in a way you don't see all too often at the top levels. Hodgson is probably the easiest comparison in recent times.

Billy86

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

Verratti, then Griezemann, then Bale. Any would be very, very welcome though.

A high, high end RB (or really good one with bags of potential) would be near the very top of the list for me as things stand, though.

Cantona's Collars

Varane story has popped up again:

http://www.donbalon.com/noticia/detalle/35896/mourinho-planea-un-golpe-de-ultima-hora-al-real-madrid

Trigger

zerks wrote: »

Varane story has popped up again:

http://www.donbalon.com/noticia/detalle/35896/mourinho-planea-un-golpe-de-ultima-hora-al-real-madrid

I suppose if Jones leaves Jose will need to bring in a squad replacement.. If Jones and Rojo both go there will defo be a CB brought in i reckon, maybe even two as Jose has said he is going to be using a 23 man squad due to the Europa.

xtal191

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

Veratti then Bale then Griezmann

Rayne Wooney

Should beat Hull comfortably, two week wait until the title decider however

JakeArmitage

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Should beat Hull comfortably, two week wait until the title decider however

im going to be on a flight for that match, ****ing sickened

IamtheWalrus

Korat wrote: »

1-10 scale, where are we, Utd, at in your opinion?

7. Now we have a world-class manager again, an improving squad, I see no reason why the CL can't be won in 3 years.

Cantona's Collars

The game against Liverpool on a Monday night:(,I thought games like that were played early on police advice?
I'll be stuck in work that evening unless I come up with a cunning plan.

Ulysses Gaze

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

7. Now we have a world-class manager again, an improving squad, I see no reason why the CL can't be won in 3 years.

Chelsea would have thought the same a few years back.

jayo26

Just got home excellent weekend in Manchester and thanks for all the advice on places to visit. Took in the history museums and football museum they were excellent and I even enjoyed the shopping trip to Cheshire Oaks.

If all goes to plan this season i would love to see griezman above all others signed and for the simple fact he would bring more world class ability to the team and he is a genuine united fan we know it would be his dream and would bring him to an extra level.

RobertKK

JakeArmitage wrote: »

Who would you guys prefer as a marquee signing next season, Bale ,Griezmann or Verratti

Griezmann as he is a United fan, and I'm a huge fan of him, perfect replacement for Rooney next season.
Bale wanted Madrid over United and I don't think the relationship is good between United and Real Madrid since that fax machine...
PSG will not sell Verratti.

How hard is it to get tickets to home games? Considering trying to head over at some point this season.

RobertKK

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Chelsea would have thought the same a few years back.

United is different for Jose.
Ed will go after players that Mourinho wants, not buying playing he doesn't want, which goes on at Madrid and Chelsea.
The United manager gets a lot more control than a manager does at some other clubs.
This gives Mourinho a chance to last longer. We know he wanted Pogba at Chelsea last year but Pogba didn't want that.
Jose and United getting the world record deal for Pogba will make it easier to sign the big names that Jose wants and what the bean counters at United want too.
I would say Jose is so happy with the amount of freedom he has at United and having the chief executive on the same page, rather than imposing things on him.

Rayne Wooney

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Chelsea would have thought the same a few years back.

To be fair he half heartedly did the Chelsea job and still won a league title, he would always have picked the United job over Chelsea and probably all others. He's wanted it years

Cantona's Collars

Willow Massive Strawberry wrote: »

How hard is it to get tickets to home games? Considering trying to head over at some point this season.

Try the tickets thread,you might get sorted.Just be wary of changes in kick off times and dates due to tv.

jayo26

Willow Massive Strawberry wrote: »

How hard is it to get tickets to home games? Considering trying to head over at some point this season.

I got mine in the ticket thread a great bunch of guys.

ShooterSF

zerks wrote: »

The game against Liverpool on a Monday night:(,I thought games like that were played early on police advice?
I'll be stuck in work that evening unless I come up with a cunning plan.

Sickened myself. Will be over in Vegas that weekend with a fellow United Supporter and 2 liverpool ones. Had made plans to watch it at stupid o'clock. Gets moved and now we'll all be on a plane home at kick off. FU SKY

My m8 Phil is rumored to be on his way to Stoke
Who will have the #bantz with me now?

Rossi IRL

M!Ck^ wrote: »

My m8 Phil is rumored to be on his way to Stoke
Who will have the #bantz with me now?

Who will be your new profile picture.

Glad he is going, he is a crock

brinty

M!Ck^ wrote:

My m8 Phil is rumored to be on his way to Stoke Who will have the #bantz with me now?

Who's coming in so???