Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

GSPfan

Thats a lot of disabled seating being installed. Its gonna transform the east stand and parts of the north. It'll be a bit weird looking at it on tv as the disabled sections normally are spaced out to allow for wheelchair access of course. I always get a dreadful thought about disabled seating being behind the goal. Are the people not in danger of getting walloped with the ball?

Jayop

No more in danger than anyone sitting in a normal chair by and large. Most of them will still be able to duck or put their arms up. Others will have people with them that will be able to push the ball away.

yabadabado

Could have Bailly available for the weekend.IC one down 20 minutes to play.

Kerrydude1981

Korat wrote: »

https://youtu.be/ebSRjIBxFNE?t=47s

Both teams were deducted points for this.

Was it much worse than what went on between City and Chelsea recently?

There was a proper scrap just starting there but it was stopped fairly lively

McClair gave Winterburn a good kicking on the ground,must have been testing out new boots that day id say

jayo26

yabadabado wrote: »

Could have Bailly available for the weekend.IC one down 20 minutes to play.

Not looking good for them thankfully. He should be given a bit of time to recover we ain't in any rush for him for another week or so anyway.

Hopefully Senegal make it threw their quarterfinal the weekend I'd love to see them in the final

GSPfan

yabadabado wrote: »

Could have Bailly available for the weekend.IC one down 20 minutes to play.

I didn't wanna jinx it too early. Fingers crossed.

yabadabado

GSPfan wrote: »

I didn't wanna jinx it too early. Fingers crossed.

All over .They were very poor .

Headshot

ah man that is great to have Bailly back so soon.

Terrible competition in general tbh

zerks

zerks wrote: »

I think a lot of fans are a bit underwhelmed by him breaking the record.Perhaps if he'd averaged 20 a season for the last 4 seasons then maybe there'd have been more of a fuss.His dogsh1t performances have dampened people's enthusiasm over the achievement. I think the fact we could only get a draw in the 94th minute against Stoke seemed to take our attention more.
Fair play to Rooney but the last 4 seasons of mediocrity and his flirtations with City have reduced the impact of setting the record.

Another draw was disappointing of course, and our lads had chances to win the game, but I wouldn't be letting this result against Stoke dampen my mood too much. Liverpool at home and Stoke away were the fixtures which stood out as presenting more of a challenge than the rest when looking at the run of games from January up to the next City game.

Since Fergie retired, a United team getting 3 points at the Brittania Stadium hasn't been an easy task, so much so that it has yet to be done. That's 4 league games without a win there. Back in those years after Stoke were promoted (2008-12), they were arguably a weaker unit with less variation to their game than the improved side of today.

Overall since 2008, United have played them 18 times in the Premier League, 9 of those games at the Brittania. 4/9 is the amount of games United have won there, all under Fergie, 3 draws and 2 losses making up the rest.

The Brittania is far from a fortress in the league, if our rivals can get wins there this season (City, Spurs) it can be done. However, they got those wins back in the first few games of the season, where Stoke had an uncharacteristically deplorable start to their campaign, and have since worked their way from bottom up to 9th. Their home form has a large part to play in that improvement.

Watching the game in real time last Saturday, it was highly frustrating to see several good chances go to waste for United. Chances which should have seen us go in at least level at halftime, then with the win at the end. The reality was though that by the 80th minute I had resigned myself to the thoughts that a loss was imminent. The chances had dried up and despite playing not really deserving a loss, it was about to happen for United. Stoke were playing very well defensively, and some of our important players were having an off day. United were playing badly and needed a result.

I say all of that because I can't just shrug off Rooney's last minute equaliser as 'nice...but we should be beating Stoke'. Not when recent reality has shown that such a dismissal of Stoke and their home record against us is flawed.

Not when despite the improvement in the football at United, this team is still very much a work-in-progress. Part of that progress includes improving on the poor away form of the last few seasons against teams the United of old would beat with relative ease, and rarely lose against. That progress is happening.

There are some poor away results and performances from earlier this season, Watford and Chelsea for example, but last Saturday's draw at the Brittania was United's first non-win away in the league since Goodison in early December. We know how close United came to victory that day.

While it was nice to amass a bit of a winning run there before the Liverpool game, those things are very hard to maintain. Short of that though, a team looking to finish in this season's Top 4 really need to not be losing games or dropping many points against the outside teams. Now that the top 2-6 have tightened up the points gap, look at the drop in places Liverpool have had as a result of some unexpected losses and draws, same with City.

At minute 1 vs Stoke last Saturday, 3 points should have been on the card. However when the game unfolded and we saw the likes of Mata score an own goal and then miss an open goal at the other end minutes later, it became clear that this mightn't be the easy victory that some expected.

When Rooney's free-kick rattled the net Saturday, I honestly celebrated like it was a winner against a Top 4 team. The fact that he had just beaten the record was an after-thought, an own goal would have brought about a similar reaction within me. Tell me before the game that I would be celebrating a 1-1 result and I would laugh, but how the game transpired brought about a different reaction than I would have expected..

It wasn't just about not getting beaten by Stoke, but keeping an unbeaten run going and the momentum it carries. There's no stat for momentum and it can't be measured but IMO its effects are undeniable. That's not to say a loss would have been the end of the world, not with cup games coming up against weaker sides where there would be a chance for a defeated United to bounce back in time for the next league game. Just that in the end it was important for United not to get beaten on Saturday and once the draw happened, it's not the worst result in isolation. Also, it is another example of this United team fighting to the end, and the fruits which it can bear,

As it turns out it was Rooney with a smasher almost at the end to save it. Like I said I celebrated it a bit more than the result should have allowed, but I think it potentially is a very important goal for United's campaign. "Potentially" because it will mean very little if we don't win against Hull, Leicester and Watford in the next league games leading games leading up to City.

TL:DR Rooney's goal was important for the team and the campaign outside of his own achievements, one I found hard not to celebtrate. Stoke at the Britannia is not a guaranteed 3 points for United in recent years.

hufpc8w3adnk65

Sir Alex talks to the BBC about Jose

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/38735437


Manchester United are making progress under Jose Mourinho and are "unlucky" not to be challenging Chelsea, says their former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson, 75, stepped down in 2013 but retains close ties to Old Trafford and attends most games.

"I think he has done a great job," said the Scot in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport.

Jose Mourinho became Manchester United's third manager since Ferguson retired when he replaced Louis van Gaal in May.

Although he won his opening three games in charge, Mourinho's team collected just six points from their next seven Premier League matches.

There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn't getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now - he is calm and in control

Ferguson on Mourinho
They have been sixth after every round of matches since the end of October and stayed in that position after the 1-1 draw at Stoke on 21 January, when Rooney scored an injury-time equaliser to become United's record goalscorer, with 250.

Nevertheless, Ferguson can see signs of progress under the Portuguese. And though Chelsea are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League - and 14 points ahead of the Old Trafford club - he believes his former side are "unlucky" not to be up there with them.

"You can see he has got to grips with the club," he said.

"The team is playing really well and he has been very unlucky. He has had six 1-1 draws and in every game he has battered the opposition.

"If they hadn't had all these draws, they would be there challenging Chelsea. That is the unfortunate part but he is going to have to live with that."

'The team is mirroring its manager'

Mourinho has been sent to the stands twice this season, against Burnley and West Ham, as his side struggled to overcome supposedly inferior opposition at Old Trafford.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager seems far more relaxed now though.

United go to Hull on Thursday for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final unbeaten in 17 games. That run encompassed nine successive wins, including a 2-0 triumph in the first leg at Old Trafford, their longest-winning sequence since Ferguson called time on his illustrious career.

Ferguson said: "I was a little bit different from Jose in the respect that I wanted to build the football club and wanted young players to be part of that.

"Nonetheless, the first team weren't doing great and you have to find solutions to correct that. I think Jose is finding solutions now. There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn't getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now - he is calm and in control.

"That is the obvious observation I am making of the team now. The team is mirroring its manager.

"On Saturday at Stoke, they played to the last kick of the ball. They never gave in and got their rewards to take something from the game with that great Rooney goal.

"And did you see what he did? Ran to the halfway line. No celebration. Pointed to the ball as if to say 'get it, we are going to win this'. That is exactly the spirit Jose has created."

Korat

Players get extended holidays after the WC and Euros but they are expected back in the line when the ACN is finished.

I hope Bailly is treated well.

yabadabado

Korat wrote: »

Players get extended holidays after the WC and Euros but they are expected back in the line when the ACN is finished.

I hope Bailly is treated well.

Bring him back for the game on the 1st.A full week off is plenty.
It's not like he had too strenuous of a tournament.

deaddonkey15

stankratz wrote: »

TL:DR Rooney's goal was important for the team and the campaign outside of his own achievements, one I found hard not to celebtrate. Stoke at the Britannia is not a guaranteed 3 points for United in recent years.

Well said. Stoke away is probably the toughest fixture in the league outside games with the rest of the top 6. In fact I reckon it's tougher for a United side to beat Stoke away than it is to beat Arsenal and Spurs at home. A 1-1 draw is a decent result in that fixture. We're not going to win every game.

GSPfan

Korat wrote: »

Players get extended holidays after the WC and Euros but they are expected back in the line when the ACN is finished.

I hope Bailly is treated well.

He had the whole Summer off and he'll have every Summer off so no reason why he needs a break in January too.

adox

Korat wrote: »

Players get extended holidays after the WC and Euros but they are expected back in the line when the ACN is finished.

I hope Bailly is treated well.

Completely different situations. No reason why he shouldn't be available for selection for the next game when he gets back to Manchester.

adox

I agree with a lot of what stankratz said in his post about the Stoke game although I did celebrate the fact that it was a Rooney goal and it was for the record. It was a piece of history for the club and the player and what a brilliant goal to accomplish it. It's why I questioned Doc on not celebrating. We could have still been behind and I would have celebrated it, given th circumstances.

I've been a critic of Rooney the last couple of seasons and I still think his time is up and th club would be better off without him but that was a special moment to witness and they have been few and far between the last few seasons. I was delighted for him no delighted I got to see most, if not all his goals scored during his Utd career.

GSPfan

Talk of United expanding the stadium has popped up. Most likely just a reaction to the loss of capacity to the disabled seating increase. It would be cool to see the South stand increased somehow to make the stadium look a bit more finished. I wonder could they just raise the roof and add in 4 or 5 layers of corporate suites to raise the capacity without having to build backwards onto the railway.

Google Levi Stadium to see what I mean with regard to suites build upwards. Also look at Ford Field.

~Rebel~

GSPfan wrote: »

He had the whole Summer off and he'll have every Summer off so no reason why he needs a break in January too.

Well, there's still the World Cup...

Cantona's Collars

Former united player Jonathan Spector has joined Orlando City from Birmingham.

hufpc8w3adnk65

zerks wrote: »

Former united player Jonathan Spector has joined Orlando City from Birmingham.

Isn't he from Murica any ways?

Trigger

GSPfan wrote: »

Talk of United expanding the stadium has popped up. Most likely just a reaction to the loss of capacity to the disabled seating increase. It would be cool to see the South stand increased somehow to make the stadium look a bit more finished. I wonder could they just raise the roof and add in 4 or 5 layers of corporate suites to raise the capacity without having to build backwards onto the railway.

Google Levi Stadium to see what I mean with regard to suites build upwards. Also look at Ford Field.

They are looking to increase it to 88000 which will one of the biggest in Europe. An increase of 12000 after the disabilty seats are done. Think it's 7500 seats will be onto the main stand. Can't remember where the other 4500 are going..

brinty

astradave wrote:

They are looking to increase it to 88000 which will one of the biggest in Europe. An increase of 12000 after the disabilty seats are done. Think it's 7500 seats will be onto the main stand. Can't remember where the other 4500 are going..

Others would be the corner pods to fill out the bowl effect of the stadium

SteM

The extra would be created by filling in the quadrants between in the new main stand and the east and west stands.

I don't think this talk is just a reaction to the reduction caused by the disabled seating, there have been architects plans floating around for a few seasons now I believe.

brinty

As stem says,the plan was always complete the quadrants and buy up the housing behind the k stand
With the railway line behind it then needed to factor increasing the stand without too much cost. With stadia like lansdowne now doing it so too can old Trafford

Mitch Connor

I know there has been constant talk of logistical problems with regards increasing capacity because of the railway line behind the stand and the need to build over it.

With the amount of land United own in the immediate area beside OT, I'd be shocked if there hasn't been some thought to simply building a new stadium. There would be no real term relocation involved as the stadium would simply be a few hundred yards from where it is now and there would be none of the logistical problems in terms of the actual build. It would allow them to create a seating layout (and corporate seating layout) as it suits them, rather than relocating or losing existing ticket holders.

If they aren't planning on a new stadium build I wonder if they have any real plans for the massive amounts of land they have continued to buy up in the OT area - or has it been done simply to stop other people from developing something near Old Trafford that United don't want.

I remember there was talk in the summer of possibly building a small stadium for the reserve team - as Man City have done at their new complex.

Cantona's Collars

MrMac84 wrote: »

Isn't he from Murica any ways?

He is,been over here a long time.

Trigger

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I know there has been constant talk of logistical problems with regards increasing capacity because of the railway line behind the stand and the need to build over it.

With the amount of land United own in the immediate area beside OT, I'd be shocked if there hasn't been some thought to simply building a new stadium. There would be no real term relocation involved as the stadium would simply be a few hundred yards from where it is now and there would be none of the logistical problems in terms of the actual build. It would allow them to create a seating layout (and corporate seating layout) as it suits them, rather than relocating or losing existing ticket holders.

If they aren't planning on a new stadium build I wonder if they have any real plans for the massive amounts of land they have continued to buy up in the OT area - or has it been done simply to stop other people from developing something near Old Trafford that United don't want.

I remember there was talk in the summer of possibly building a small stadium for the reserve team - as Man City have done at their new complex.

I pretty sure that I read/heard that due to advancements that they think that the railway line won't cause as much problems as they initially thought and that they can construct on that side.

I would think that you would be correct in saying that it would stop developers from building something that they don't want in the vicinity.

Nalz

brinty wrote: »

As stem says,the plan was always complete the quadrants and buy up the housing behind the k stand
With the railway line behind it then needed to factor increasing the stand without too much cost. With stadia like lansdowne now doing it so too can old Trafford

What are Lansdowne doing exactly?

brinty

Nalz wrote: »

What are Lansdowne doing exactly?

They built over the Dart line so it runs under the stand but still has plenty of concourse area above it. United would need to do likewise

Lukekul

Nalz wrote: »

What are Lansdowne doing exactly?

See the train line went under the stand

yabadabado

When you see what they are constructing in New York with the Hudson Yards project then you would have to think the rail line beside Old Trafford wouldn't pose huge problems anymore.

Mitch Connor

yabadabado wrote: »

When you see what they are constructing in New York with the Hudson Yards project then you would have to think the rail line beside Old Trafford wouldn't pose huge problems anymore.

I think it might be an insurance/logistics problem rather than a construction one - getting the greenlight to be allowed to build over it (as was the most common consensus of how the stand would need to change to increase capacity over the last decade or so) from the government and private train company would be difficult and costly as there could be no construction related disruption to services on that line.

SteM

There's no doubt it can be done. Each site is different though and they have to balance up whether the cost of the building work will pay for itself over time. If it's a more costly build because of the train lines then the cost per seat goes up. At what point does it become financially rewarding to them to do it.

Also, a lot of the income now comes from TV revenue, sponsorship deals etc. Gate receipts aren't as important to the top PL clubs now that they once were. As much as I'd like to see OT expanded it's probably much more cost effective for them to bring money in by signing another global partner than it is to expand the stadium at this stage.

Cantona's Collars

I'm open to correction but with new construction techniques isn't the problem of the rail line now redundant,I'm pretty sure I read about it somewhere when the new guidelines for disabled seating were brought up.
The one thing I don't like is the fact the new area is behind the goal which gives the impression of a huge empty space. Look at the existing disabled seating area at the moment on match day and visually you see a big void.Imagine that big void all the way across the goal. You'll have hundreds of fans instead of thousands.I've sat in front of that area and there's a huge amount of wasted space there,people are in wheelchairs not jumbo jets.

scudzilla

i see coutinho has signed a new contract, now there's a player who has no ambitions to win any trophies :pac:

Probably doubled his wages but stuck in a 70 mil or so release clause for when he goes to spain in the next 18 months

Cookiemunster

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I think it might be an insurance/logistics problem rather than a construction one - getting the greenlight to be allowed to build over it (as was the most common consensus of how the stand would need to change to increase capacity over the last decade or so) from the government and private train company would be difficult and costly as there could be no construction related disruption to services on that line.

Chelsea's new Stamford Bridge is going to be covering a railway line behind the stadium. If can be done in London I can't see an issue in Manchester.

yabadabado

scudzilla wrote: »

i see coutinho has signed a new contract, now there's a player who has no ambitions to win any trophies :pac:

Probably doubled his wages but stuck in a 70 mil or so release clause for when he goes to spain in the next 18 months

where would he go ?
Pool wouldn't sell to another EPL club and he's not good enough for Real/Barca.

SteM

scudzilla wrote: »

i see coutinho has signed a new contract, now there's a player who has no ambitions to win any trophies :pac:

Probably doubled his wages but stuck in a 70 mil or so release clause for when he goes to spain in the next 18 months

The lads on the Liverpool thread say there's no release clause in his new contract.

RobertKK

Theo Griezmann at it again...

https://twitter.com/theogriezmann/status/823965451562680322

I'd argue it may also be another case of contract negotiations with AM
Hopefully not but we have been used before

StringerBell

yabadabado wrote: »

where would he go ?
Pool wouldn't sell to another EPL club and he's not good enough for Real/Barca.

TheDoc

Headshot wrote: »

ah man that is great to have Bailly back so soon.

Terrible competition in general tbh

I love how critiscing that competition is now labelled as being "racist".

I've heard it mentioned a few times in some podcasts and that. Ridiculous. There is a reason there is memes and gag reels of that competition, its a borderline farce.

Mitch Connor

SteM wrote: »

The lads on the Liverpool thread say there's no release clause in his new contract.

I i was a pro footballer (and a good one) there is no way I would sign a contract they didn't have a realistic release clause in it. I don't understand why players would sign away their future in such a way, giving up such control of their lives.

Countinho, for example, a 60 or 70million release fee would make sense - maybe have it that if a bid of that is rejected (despite it being a 'release' clause) the weekly wages are upped and a new release fee automatically set.

ie - we think you are worth at least 70million so therefor 150k per week. If we decide to reject 70million (and thus now value you at 100million) you wages are upped to 220k per week. If we then reject 100 million and the release fee is again moved, to 120 for example, then your contract goes up again too.

Wages should be related to value, imo - and being able to buy a player should be linked to that as well. Don't forget, even if a 70million release fee clause was accepted, it doesn't mean the player HAS to leave.

Trigger

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I'd argue it may also be another case of contract negotiations with AM
Hopefully not but we have been used before

He posted up after it "I'm just a man utd fan " but that was then deleted..

jayo26

astradave wrote: »

He posted up after it "I'm just a man utd fan " but that was then deleted..

I think he is just having a bit of fun and enjoying the attention to be honest. I think both genuine united fan that's without doubt but the brother is having a bit of a laugh knowing his tweets are getting attention.

Headshot

TheDoc wrote: »

I love how critiscing that competition is now labelled as being "racist".

I've heard it mentioned a few times in some podcasts and that. Ridiculous. There is a reason there is memes and gag reels of that competition, its a borderline farce.

Who would even come up with that lol

54and56

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I i was a pro footballer (and a good one) there is no way I would sign a contract they didn't have a realistic release clause in it. I don't understand why players would sign away their future in such a way, giving up such control of their lives.

The contract consideration (wages to the player) reflect the terms of the contract. A club may be prepared to pay higher wages if the player is prepared to commit to the full duration of the contract without having a pre-determined value release clause. Also, don't forget it works both ways. If there was a £70m release clause and some Chinese club offered it the club may accept and the player may have to go despite the fact he doesn't want to go to China or wherever. The player is committing to receiving £7.8m a year in this case X 5 years = £39m. Not exactly signing away his future is it? At worst he'll be a free agent aged 29 with at least £39m in net assets!! (He's probably got £20m already from his time at Inter and LFC + endorsements etc)

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Countinho, for example, a 60 or 70million release fee would make sense - maybe have it that if a bid of that is rejected (despite it being a 'release' clause) the weekly wages are upped and a new release fee automatically set.

ie - we think you are worth at least 70million so therefor 150k per week. If we decide to reject 70million (and thus now value you at 100million) you wages are upped to 220k per week. If we then reject 100 million and the release fee is again moved, to 120 for example, then your contract goes up again too.

Wages should be related to value, imo

I think that's a good idea providing it works in favour of both parties to the agreement and not just the player i.e. if a player who was bought for a big fee and is on big wages loses form and value his wages should decline in the same way (under your system) they'd increase should his value go up. Take Bastian Schweinsteiger as an example. His value has plummeted and Utd haven't been able to get any buyer at any price for him so perhaps his wages should reduce by 99% to reflect the drop in his value?

TheDoc

TheDoc wrote: »

I love how critiscing that competition is now labelled as being "racist".

I've heard it mentioned a few times in some podcasts and that. Ridiculous. There is a reason there is memes and gag reels of that competition, its a borderline farce.

Criticism comes because the quality of football is ****e to watch plane and simple
Precious Snowflakes cry wolf over everything
PC principal would be so proud of them

Kerrydude1981

Apparently Hull are going selling Snodgrass to Burnley,

If true, thats a big loss for Hull ahead of the game tomorrow night

StringerBell

He won't be playing tomorrow either way, manager confirmed that already.