Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

D14Rugby

Richard Hillman wrote: »

It is a very worrying trend falling into football, which stems from the herbivore approach from underage and academy football.

United's biggest fear was always about turning into Liverpool. It is worse. They are now Arsenal.

I mean I'm all for having a pint with the other team post match but from when you wake up to the final whistle the opposition should be nothing more than the opposition.

Lucas Hood

D14Rugby wrote: »

Players hugging, laughing and having a chat before kickoff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8EVKWLWVFE

Stuff like that must annoy you?


It's a wonder how the 2 teams above have managed to win the champions league each year for the past 3 years with all that hugging and laughing going on. Almost like it has no bearing on a game at all.

Lord TSC

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Jaysus id love Bale for left wing.

A fit Bale would be a ****ing dream.

I'd not really heard much about injuries and such up till now. Is he really having that much of an issue?

Lucas Hood

Lord TSC wrote: »

A fit Bale would be a ****ing dream.

I'd not really heard much about injuries and such up till now. Is he really having that much of an issue?

Missed 24 games so far with injury this season.

https://www.transfermarkt.ie/gareth-bale/verletzungen/spieler/39381

D14Rugby

Lucas Hood wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8EVKWLWVFE

Stuff like that must annoy you?


It's a wonder how the 2 teams above have managed to win the champions league each year for the past 3 years with all that hugging and laughing going on. Almost like it has no bearing on a game at all.

It does yeah but there are some key differences
1. They're European, it's a completely different culture there in the sense of pre match hype.
2. That's an electric classico they can be friendly beforehand because as soon as they get out there the fans won't let them be like that on the pitch unlike in the epl
3. They're very technical sides so you don't have to be as hyped up for that style of football

adox

D14Rugby wrote: »

It does yeah but there are some key differences
1. They're European, it's a completely different culture there in the sense of pre match hype.
2. That's an electric classico they can be friendly beforehand because as soon as they get out there the fans won't let them be like that on the pitch unlike in the epl
3. They're very technical sides so you don't have to be as hyped up for that style of football

This is a wind up surely?

RobertKK

D14Rugby wrote: »

It does yeah but there are some key differences
1. They're European, it's a completely different culture there in the sense of pre match hype.
2. That's an electric classico they can be friendly beforehand because as soon as they get out there the fans won't let them be like that on the pitch unlike in the epl
3. They're very technical sides so you don't have to be as hyped up for that style of football

Most of the players for United and Arsenal are European.

United had rested a lot of players who had played last Thursday, and when you rest players like Pogba and Bailly, it says it was not the most important game ever.

RobertKK

adox wrote: »

This is a wind up surely?

Didn't you hear the Arsenal fans shouting for United and the United fans shouting for Arsenal yesterday?
Sure neither team on the pitch took the game seriously.

The Talking Bread

D14Rugby wrote: »

It does yeah but there are some key differences
1. They're European, it's a completely different culture there in the sense of pre match hype.
2. That's an electric classico they can be friendly beforehand because as soon as they get out there the fans won't let them be like that on the pitch unlike in the epl
3. They're very technical sides so you don't have to be as hyped up for that style of football

ha, christ, that reply is ridiculous!

deaddonkey15

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

Nothing "high-horse" about what I said and none of my Rooney defences has hit a wall. It's common across other football threads including this one for people to get quite confrontational.

Call it a high-horse or whatever, it's some form of deus ex-machina tactic you resort to when none/few of your points about Rooney hold merit and you've no other play to make.

No one is obligated to respond to me. If they reply with petty jibes it reflects on them, not me.

No they're not obligated to respond, but when you pepper a discussion forum with an unpopular opinion expect to get some responses. When you play the 'Rooney has been unfairly criticised by the fans and can contribute to the team' card, that's okay as a starting point once you build on it. It's when you have to resort to comments like 'Rarely in this thread do people take what you say at face value. Always will be twisted and manipulated by some of the more confrontational posters.' do you provoke other posters.

Many posters post here with differing views. That's one of the attractions of this place - It's not the echo chamber that other sports fora tend to be. Many posters use arguments for the their differing view points without having to resort to wrongly generalising the thread in the negative way that you do. 'Ah this place stinks anyway, sure what would they know, I'm/we're right', it's not a flattering type of mentality.

So you're saying that with comments like 'Rarely in this thread...', it's other posters' problem for not ignoring you and getting confrontational? This is strangely familiar, I'm getting drawn back to last September/October.

That wasn't why Rooney started yesterday.

I never said that it was, and that reminds me why I'm loath to go down this rabbit hole with you again. Based on what Mindbender said about Giggs in his post that I quoted, I wondered if sentimentality had a part to do with Rooney's inclusion in the United team for Mindbender, certainly not for Jose who decides, not even for you or I.

I shouldn't have to explain that to you though, it's all there in my last post, but here we are and it's there I feel like leaving it if we can't even be clear on that much.

hufpc8w3adnk65

D14Rugby wrote: »

Anybody who wants to know why United aren't top of the pile anymore just look at the tunnel footage from the weekends game. If that had happened in Keane's day there'd be murder.

Got a link?

J. Marston

JamboMac wrote: »

Just looked at mbappe stat's how is his price tag 85 million? Sure supposedly he has decided to join madrid as of this morning so that's grand.

Hype.

We have our own teenage striker who has already scored winners against City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Won't be losing much sleep over losing out on Mbappe.

The Talking Bread

MrMac84 wrote: »

Got a link?

I will describe it. Monreal says hello to Mata, Herrera and a hug for De Gea. His countrymen who he probably hasn't seen in months. Criminal offence.

Wayne Rooney stands miserably and nervously staring in front of him. Hero.

hufpc8w3adnk65

The Talking Bread wrote: »

I will describe it. Monreal says hello to Mata, Herrera and a hug for De Gea. His countrymen who he probably hasn't seen in months. Criminal offence.

Wayne Rooney stands miserably and nervously staring in front of him. Hero.

Thanks

I've more of an issue with Rooney walking off at HT laughing and joking with Arsenal players.

Hococop

http://www.espnfc.com/club/real-madrid/86/blog/post/3112177/breaking-down-bale-injury-plagued-real-madrid-career-season-by-season

Interesting read on his injury list and how the team is not that affected with him out

Quandary

Big no thanks to Bale, we have enough players who are far too attached to the medical facilities at the club.

deaddonkey15

stankratz wrote: »

Call it a high-horse or whatever, it's some form of deus ex-machina tactic you resort to when none/few of your points about Rooney hold merit and you've no other play to make.

It isn't a tactic I resort to at all and it was addressed to another poster regarding a post which clearly said one thing but a number of posters decided to take it as saying another. My points on Rooney hold plenty of merit and I haven't run out of "plays to make". I'll happily debate Rooney with sensible people who don't question if I think he should win the Balon d'Or this season or say nonsense like "Rooney has been hopeless/finished/poison for at least (insert 2/3/4/5/6 depending on how upset you are with the most recent result) seasons now".

stankratz wrote: »

No they're not obligated to respond, but when you pepper a discussion forum with an unpopular opinion expect to get some responses. When you play the 'Rooney has been unfairly criticised by the fans and can contribute to the team' card, that's okay as a starting point once you build on it. It's when you have to resort to comments like 'Rarely in this thread do people take what you say at face value. Always will be twisted and manipulated by some of the more confrontational posters.' do you provoke other posters.

I never said I didn't expect to get responses. You suggested I draw petty arguments from others and I simply said if others decide to write petty posts in response to me then it's a reflection on them and not me. No one is forcing them to respond. If they want to respond with maturity then great, if it's with petty nonsense then that's their decision not mine.

'Rooney has been unfairly criticised by the fans and can contribute to the team' That was another poster's point, not mine.

Again, that post that you quoted from me was not in reply to anyone arguing with me over Rooney. It was certainly not some sort of tactic for running out of plays.

stankratz wrote: »

posters post here with differing views. That's one of the attractions of this place - It's not the echo chamber that other sports fora tend to be. Many posters use arguments for the their differing view points without having to resort to wrongly generalising the thread in the negative way that you do. 'Ah this place stinks anyway, sure what would they know, I'm/we're right', it's not a flattering type of mentality.

I can and do use arguments for my view points but that doesn't mean I can't pass what I believe to be an accurate assessment of this forum to another poster. It was a one line post addressed to another poster, certainly not to you yet look at the massive essays you've written to me over it. Seems a bit confrontational to me. If you don't agree with it just let it go, everyone else did. For what it's worth, I have received a PM from a poster here before who also remarked on the aggressive mentality in this thread. That may not mean much to you, but it at least proves I'm not on my own with my opinion. The bit in the quotation marks here was at no point said by me. Don't put words into my mouth.

stankratz wrote: »

I never said that it was, and that reminds me why I'm loath to go down this rabbit hole with you again. Based on what Mindbender said about Giggs in his post that I quoted, I wondered if sentimentality had a part to do with Rooney's inclusion in the United team for Mindbender, certainly not for Jose who decides, not even for you or I.

Well it seems to me that you were suggesting that's why he was starting. Perhaps I just misunderstood.

Leroy42

That was pathetic from Jose. To basically give in to Arsenal. And Arsenal team on the floor. This was not Arsenal of 10 years ago.
We the right attitude we could have battered them and they would have folded. How is that any worse than Moyes claiming we need to try to be like City (or was it Pool?) and LVG saying we should get used to missing out on top 4.

Jose has completely sold out the spirit of MU. Never give up, fight to the end. Well except when you are tired or think the next game is more important then by all means roll over.

I can't believe the lack of pushback on this, all because there is a potential bauble at the end of it. We had the chance to make a massive mark on insuring that CL place, but Jose turned his nose up at it.

How can he possibly have any credibility complaining about certain players lacking fight (Smalling, Jones, Shaw etc) when he is the complete embodiment of that.

Jose has accepted mediocrity. And that will permeate (it already has, he was supposed to reverse it) throughout the club.

wanderer100

Jaysus would people get over yesterdays result already! Top 4 is gone and has been for quite a while. Jose is doing the right thing by prioritising the Europa.

We have two routes for the same reward of CL next season and one of them is a whole lot easier than the other.

1) Beat Celta Vigo & Ajax
or
2) Beat Spurs, Southampton & C.Palace

Jose knows what he is doing. Yes it isn't easy seeing United get beaten easily but you have to look at the bigger picture here. Saying United have accepted mediocrity and Jose is doing no better than LVG is just daft!!

Leroy42

wanderer100 wrote: »

Jaysus would people get over yesterdays result already! Top 4 is gone and has been for quite a while. Jose is doing the right thing by prioritising the Europa.

We have two routes for the same reward of CL next season and one of them is a whole lot easier than the other.

1) Beat Celta Vigo & Ajax
or
2) Beat Spurs, Southampton & C.Palace

Jose knows what he is doing. Yes it isn't easy seeing United get beaten easily but you have to look at the bigger picture here. Saying United have accepted mediocrity and Jose is doing no better than LVG is just daft!!

I respectfully disagree. You have simply bought into the myth that Jose has sold about depleted playing squad etc. He sold 3 players and bought non in January. He did that. He felt he had enough.

And you accept that MU can only go after 1? Real seem to be able to keep up both the league and the CL. Hell we did the treble once? Its nonsense. 24 hours before kickoff sure, it made some sense, but then Pool choked again and if we had beaten Arsenal we were in the driving seat. Doubling our chances of CL.

What will you say if we don't win the EL? An unlucky penalty, Pogba continues to hit the bar etc.

and to add to it, this was Arsenal. We had the chance to nail another nail into that coffin whilst also damaging Pool. Any self respecting MU fan would choose that. There is no excuse for not beating Celta at home. We are already 1-0 up, that should be taken as a given

RobertKK

Leroy42 wrote: »

That was pathetic from Jose. To basically give in to Arsenal. And Arsenal team on the floor. This was not Arsenal of 10 years ago.
We the right attitude we could have battered them and they would have folded. How is that any worse than Moyes claiming we need to try to be like City (or was it Pool?) and LVG saying we should get used to missing out on top 4.

Jose has completely sold out the spirit of MU. Never give up, fight to the end. Well except when you are tired or think the next game is more important then by all means roll over.

I can't believe the lack of pushback on this, all because there is a potential bauble at the end of it. We had the chance to make a massive mark on insuring that CL place, but Jose turned his nose up at it.

How can he possibly have any credibility complaining about certain players lacking fight (Smalling, Jones, Shaw etc) when he is the complete embodiment of that.

Jose has accepted mediocrity. And that will permeate (it already has, he was supposed to reverse it) throughout the club.

Most people are frustrated with the league for a long time at this stage, and just want to win the Europa League.

If we don't get to the final and win it, there will be a lot of very disappointed fans, and it will create push back against the team more so than against Jose.

Eggs are all in one basket and for Jose he has to make sure the eggs don't break, as EL looks the best route for CL football.
One home game, and a 0-0 or a win and then a final in a neutral venue, versus 2 away games and a home game where we seem to draw more often than not in the league.

The_Kew_Tour

U23 drew 2-2 with Arsenal after being 2 down

secman

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

U23 drew 2-2 with Arsenal after being 2 down

Rubbing salt in now Kew...... when have we last come back from 2 nil down ?

The_Kew_Tour

secman wrote: »

Rubbing salt in now Kew...... when have we last come back from 2 nil down ?

No idea. Good question actually.

thelad95

secman wrote: »

Rubbing salt in now Kew...... when have we last come back from 2 nil down ?

Hull city, Stephens Day, 2013

The_Kew_Tour

thelad95 wrote: »

Hull city, Stephens Day, 2013

Good shout

secman

thelad95 wrote: »

Hull city, Stephens Day, 2013

No wonder I couldn't remember:)

JaMarcusHustle

Here's a depressing stat. Ronaldo has more Champions League goals since moving to Madrid than our entire club has

KaiserGunner

D14Rugby wrote: »

Players hugging, laughing and having a chat before kickoff.

This is modern football for you and happens literally before every game. I don't like it myself but have accepted it for what it is nowadays. It's just a job for the players, the typical tribal players that would die for the shirt are long gone.

Lithium93_

Andy Mitten basically summing up United;s season.

For Man United, a poor league season means it's Europa League glory or bust.

http://www.espnfc.com/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/3121935/for-manchester-united-its-europa-league-glory-or-bust-after-a-poor-premier-league-campaign

Quandary

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Here's a depressing stat. Ronaldo has more Champions League goals since moving to Madrid than our entire club has

He probably has more champions league goals than Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City combined since moving to Madrid.

Liam O

He didn't score in his first 26 too

jayo26

Liam O wrote: »

He didn't score in his first 26 too

You play fifa too much

Lucas Hood

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Here's a depressing stat. Ronaldo has more Champions League goals since moving to Madrid than our entire club has

Tbf Ronaldo is a freak.

He has more goals in the knockout stages than everyone else has in the whole competition bar Messi & Raul.

secman

Lithium93_ wrote: »

Andy Mitten basically summing up United;s season.

For Man United, a poor league season means it's Europa League glory or bust.

http://www.espnfc.com/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/3121935/for-manchester-united-its-europa-league-glory-or-bust-after-a-poor-premier-league-campaign

Hard to disagree with him, not getting top four is a failure, looking like a 6th place finish. Mourinho would be under severe pressure if we don't win Europa cup, which is a 3rd/4th tier trophy after all. This season has been as bad as previous two, every bit as frustrating. Fizzy cola cup just doesn't cut it , a 4th tier trophy.

Robson99

wanderer100 wrote: »

Jaysus would people get over yesterdays result already! Top 4 is gone and has been for quite a while. Jose is doing the right thing by prioritising the Europa.

We have two routes for the same reward of CL next season and one of them is a whole lot easier than the other.

1) Beat Celta Vigo & Ajax
or
2) Beat Spurs, Southampton & C.Palace

Jose knows what he is doing. Yes it isn't easy seeing United get beaten easily but you have to look at the bigger picture here. Saying United have accepted mediocrity and Jose is doing no better than LVG is just daft!!

Fine if he wanted to prioritize the Europa.
But why not have a go yesterday. Why this negative pathetic 6 at the back **** if it didn't matter to him. Let the attacking players play in the opposition half of the field. Redknapp was right yesterday. All that money spent and the quality of players we had on the pitch to serve 90 mins of that puke away from home AGAIN

J. Marston

Rumours on Defoe again. Wouldn't mind it really. Significant upgrade on Rooney and we'd probably only see him in cups anyway. He's still a a good striker.

Richard Hillman

J. Marston wrote: »

Rumours on Defoe again. Wouldn't mind it really. Significant upgrade on Rooney and we'd probably only see him in cups anyway. He's still a a good striker.

Yes, I reckon he would be decent enough to have around. A bit of a Michael Owen type signing with more consistency in terms of injury.

Is there any buy-back clause for Chicharito?

Giggsy11

TheDoc wrote: »

Here are the fixtures involved

0-0 vs Arsenal
0-1 vs Arsenal
0-3 vs Manchester City
0-0 vs Tottenham
0-0 vs Liverpool
0-4 vs Chelsea
0-1 vs Chelsea
0-0 vs Manchester City
0-2 vs Arsenal

One of the potential conclusions here is that Mourinho in those games is probably the most obvious coach. That he might need to get a bit more creative and inventive when it comes to those games.

There is some risk reward when it comes to playing rivals. I believe anyway leagues are won and lost based on beating the 14 other teams in the league consistently, and you can drop your points in the big games. But to give you that affordability and slack, you need to pick up points in some of these games, as you will have a silly result (or in our case, ****ing loads)

I think there is much more gained from winning against a rival, than is lost from losing, or negated from a draw. I know that "sounds" like a bleeding obvious thing to say, but how many times in a big game do you hear "important they weren't beat today". I don't subscribe to that.

I think the injection of confidence and belief that comes from a win against a rival is superior to the take homes from a draw or the impacts of a loss. While losing a certain way can be severely damaging, a good win can and should be a catalyst or a catapult for form and putting a string of things together.

I think for a new manager or a team like ours, some good wins against big teams will be important for everyone involved for every aspect, and is much more important than "just not getting beat".

The caveat to all off this is if the manager just simply believes his team cannot play another way in these games, well then not much you can do. Some would mark organisation and defensive strength as the first step in building a strong team. So it's entirely plausible that with some summer work and pre-season we might see something different next season. Just not holding my breathe, but I can see it being possible.

I know I have already replied to this post, saw interesting stat on MNF.

Hococop

Giggsy11 wrote: »

I know I have already replied to this post, saw interesting stat on MNF.

So his goals conceded is around the same but the scored stat is brutal, I know its like beating a dead horse at this stage but if the players could have finished a few of the easier shots they had, this season would have been different and I know that could be said for every team

wanderer100

https://twitter.com/utdreport/status/861707115601301504

jayo26

wanderer100 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/utdreport/status/861707115601301504

So we are signing chicarito and Keane so far. I really hope he does not mention NANI

Defoe?! Seriously lads

Lord TSC

If Defoe was happy with being third choice striker behind a tier one striker and Rashford, I could see the logic.

But looking at the sources, I can't even see anything remotely concrete.

Liam McPoyle

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Defoe?! Seriously lads

Couldn't agree more.

jayo26

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Defoe?! Seriously lads

Don't worry it Defoe won't be happening.....



I'll leave now.

Pro. F

I'm not arguing against Rooney being moved on in the summer. But the way people are acting as if he played noticeably worse than the rest of the team is wrong.

He was one of our better attacking players on Sunday. Overall he was better than Mata and Mkhitaryan. And yet it's him that gets singled out for criticism. The 631 defensive shape and the thrown together team didn't do the team any favours, particularly the four attackers. But altogether the performance was not a whole lot different from a lot of what we've seen against the big teams this season.

The press are happy to feed into the Rooney negativity hype too. Somebody posted these squawka stats yesterday:

Squawka wrote:

Wayne Rooney's game by numbers vs. Arsenal:

7 failed crosses
4 shots off-target
1 chance created
0 take-ons
0 tackles won

Squawka could just as well have tweeted:
6 tackles*
44 succesful passes
86% pass accuracy
1 chance created
3 shots inside the area

Those are good numbers. But reporting it that way wouldn't sell clicks. Much better to feed into the Rooney scapegoat angle after a poor result.

* tackles "lost" are not necessarily a bad thing at all when you read the definitions

Kerrydude1981

Interesting debate by the two lads last night,I think Carragher was blinded by the results and performances against the top teams,ok it was defensive and not pretty to watch but the results against as Gary Neville said "stupid teams" at home have killed us.

jayo26

Same as pogba everyone talk about the negatives and ignore all the positives.

Rooney wasn't great infairness he is not up to the standard anymore it's just that the rest of the team were so poor going forward he blend in more.

Leroy42

Well except that he is the captain.

Mkhitaryan is struggling in his 1st season, no doubt about that. He needs a big start to next season.

Mata is just returning from an injury.

6 tackles lost? What does that even mean? Is it kinda like total shots. I mean it meaningless. So what, he failed 6 times, and was never successful at it. Great.

He should never play for Utd again, not if we even think we are a top team. He had plenty of years at the top, he did very well. Time has caught up on him.