Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

jayo26

Lord TSC wrote: »

Ah here, there's another flipping international break?

Edit. Just remembered of course there is cause the Ireland game is coming up. Ffs.

Last one until March then I think? I really hate international breaks I rarely watch international football to be honest... only when I find space on the bandwagon.

RobbingBandit

Darmian only player to be affect by this break as he's surely gonna be in Italy squad for their playoff.

jayo26

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Darmian only player to be affect by this break as he's surely gonna be in Italy squad for their playoff.

I assume they are internationals friendlies too tho?

Trigger

jayo26 wrote: »

I assume they are internationals friendlies too tho?

Pretty sure there is as i seen henry winter calling for Young to be picked for England on form for the next internationals, and surely that can't be for March

Worrying about Pogba
No idea how long he's out but again could be Jose playing it down
Been 6 weeks now

Mitch Connor

Looks like we've lost our top youth product. Juan mata saying angel gomes is gone.

http://juanmata8.com/en/blog/two-top-level-games/

Calls him a former team mate.

Mitch Connor

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Worrying about Pogba
No idea how long he's out but again could be Jose playing it down
Been 6 weeks now

I took those comments as originally referring to the fact Pogba was not at the club recovering but as far as I know he returned to Carrington Friday.

The fact Jose is taking these public shots at him is very worrying.

Trigger

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Looks like we've lost our top youth product. Juan mata saying angel gomes is gone.

http://juanmata8.com/en/blog/two-top-level-games/

Calls him a former team mate.

Could be just cause he was up with the First team squad last year but is back to the academy now. might just be a little mistake on Mata's part

Mitch Connor

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I took those comments as originally referring to the fact Pogba was not at the club recovering but as far as I know he returned to Carrington Friday.

The fact Jose is taking these public shots at him is very worrying.

That's how it felt alright
**** it if Pogba is being slack in his recovery, annoying

jayo26

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I took those comments as originally referring to the fact Pogba was not at the club recovering but as far as I know he returned to Carrington Friday.

The fact Jose is taking these public shots at him is very worrying.

What public shots? Have I missed something?

Trigger

jayo26 wrote: »

What public shots? Have I missed something?

All i understand is him saying he has no idea when he would be back, not seen any shots at Pogba at all

Mitch Connor

astradave wrote: »

All i understand is him saying he has no idea when he would be back, not seen any shots at Pogba at all

To me they are shots at him for not being at the club - the reason he gives for not knowing is because he isn't (or wasn't) recovering at the club. It may be a fact, but the repeated public comments on it feel like shots.

Lord TSC

Jose mentioned that Pogba is rehabbing the injury on his own, with a personal fitness trainer, as compared to Rojo who is doing it at the club. Because of that, Jose has no clue when Pogba will be fit or whats happening, while he gets constant updates on Rojo. There seemed to be some frustration with how Pogba has handled his rehab as a result.

Mitch Connor

Lord TSC wrote: »

Jose mentioned that Pogba is rehabbing the injury on his own, with a personal fitness trainer, as compared to Rojo who is doing it at the club. Because of that, Jose has no clue when Pogba will be fit or whats happening, while he gets constant updates on Rojo. There seemed to be some frustration with how Pogba has handled his rehab as a result.

Have to assume United can maintain control 8f they want to, and sanctioned Pogbas rehab plans.

If they didn't, that's a huge issue. If they did, then why us Jose making these repeated comments.

Rossi IRL

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Looks like we've lost our top youth product. Juan mata saying angel gomes is gone.

http://juanmata8.com/en/blog/two-top-level-games/

Calls him a former team mate.

**** sake

He is out of contract in the summer. There was rumors of Barca sniffing around. I really hope he stays.

SteM

astradave wrote: »

Could be just cause he was up with the First team squad last year but is back to the academy now. might just be a little mistake on Mata's part

Yeah, this is what I thought when I read it too. Just a miscommunication for now, but he could go next summer.

jayo26

Lord TSC wrote: »

Jose mentioned that Pogba is rehabbing the injury on his own, with a personal fitness trainer, as compared to Rojo who is doing it at the club. Because of that, Jose has no clue when Pogba will be fit or whats happening, while he gets constant updates on Rojo. There seemed to be some frustration with how Pogba has handled his rehab as a result.

I don't think so from my understanding was the pogba training on his own was an issue with how he got the injury but i don't think that came from jose it came from the rags.

I always understood the reason jose never put a time frame on pogba was because he was with the specialist and it started out with them assessing him to see if he was better to have an operation which would of been the best option but mean he was out for longer or to leave it heal itself and hope it won't cause issue for him again.

The specialist pogba is with is not someone he would of just picked himself he has worked with United and other English clubs in the past.

ElChe32

On gomes, Mata just said he shared a dressing room with him last year.

S.M.B.

Deleted User wrote: »

The goal - sweet flick from Lukaku, great run from Martial, but surely he didn't mean that shot as it appeared? Because that would be fúcking scary if so.

If he had have drilled that shot low and hard instead, Lloris could have stopped it with it his feet. If he had have gone for height and the top corner, he could have hit the stands. Instead, he appears to have chosen a precise moment to side-foot the ball into the ground to bounce it across the sliding defender and spreading goalkeeper. Almost too perfect, and possibly a 'I guess we'll never really know what he meant to do' sort of goal. Good stuff from him anyway.

https://streamable.com/4gxcf

It's crazy how this one bit of fortune makes such a difference in our perception in how a game went. In one way it makes perfect sense as at the end of the day it's all about 3 points won but there will always be some bias when it comes to our performances in games where we get a positive result.

bucketybuck

S.M.B. wrote: »

It's crazy how this one bit of fortune makes such a difference in our perception in how a game went. In one way it makes perfect sense as at the end of the day it's all about 3 points won but there will always be some bias when it comes to our performances in games where we get a positive result.

You see this so often in these threads. You could make perfectly valid points about poor play, poor decisions, poor performances, and then somebody who was utter muck all game gets a chance, scores a goal, and now the usual numpties will just dismiss everything that came before. The Van Gaal era was particularly bad for that, people who couldn't see the woods for the trees concerning how bad we really were because sometimes those **** performances got a few big wins and they convinced themselves everything was ok.

And the flipside of course, you can see a team play a really smart game or play some great football, but they don't take the chances, points are dropped and then they are the worst in the world. All of last season in other words.

Cheer results of course, but long term it is performance that matters. Ignore the poor performances and the reasons behind them just because you got a point away from home and you'll find yourself months later wondering how you ended up in 6th again.

Donnielighto

bucketybuck wrote: »

You see this so often in these threads. You could make perfectly valid points about poor play, poor decisions, poor performances, and then somebody who was utter muck all game gets a chance, scores a goal, and now the usual numpties will just dismiss everything that came before. The Van Gaal era was particularly bad for that, people who couldn't see the woods for the trees concerning how bad we really were because sometimes those **** performances got a few big wins and they convinced themselves everything was ok.

And the flipside of course, you can see a team play a really smart game or play some great football, but they don't take the chances, points are dropped and then they are the worst in the world. All of last season in other words.

Cheer results of course, but long term it is performance that matters. Ignore the poor performances and the reasons behind them just because you got a point away from home and you'll find yourself months later wondering how you ended up in 6th again.

How do you feel about the club overall. My own position is that the first team all fit are good enough could always be better but the manager could never be happy if he's that attitude.

Lb need someone if shaw isn't the answer, rb needs someone to understudy value for a year or two and take it. Gk we're in rude health, cb we've a good selection, I'd replace blind as fifth option there.

In midfield centrally we've four players whove shown over different periods of the last twelve months that they are up to it whether herrera show it again and Fellaini maintains it on his return Matic and a returning Pogba whenever that is are the level we want our top players to be at. After that carrick is spent and I wouldn't want to be force to play the alternative options.


Further up mhiki is similar to herrera but hasn't shown as much as him in a utd shirt. Mata is a good squad player and will do well in a functioning team but I don't see him as being dangerous or forceful enough to have an impact when things aren't going out way. Out left Martial and Rashford both have a very high ceiling and work well in tandem from the bench. On the right either of the 10s or Lingard doesn't fill me with confidence but Lingard is like a young young for me, good attitude and does what he's told, of a sufficient ability and showing fight those players are a benefit to have but not to have as your starters. I do think we'll reinforce here next

Lukaku and Ibra, happy with that when Ibra is back but depending the development of the two lads on the left and rw purchase mentioned we'll need another player for the CF spot within the year.

Lithium93_

Some early team news ahead of the Benfica game tomorrow night.

Jose Mourinho has told journalists he can play Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford together, but the Manchester United manager naturally did not reveal his plans for the UEFA Champions League match against Benfica.

Martial and Rashford have almost been taking it in turns to start on the left flank throughout the season so far, scoring 13 goals between them and registering an impressive tally of assists.

In Saturday's Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, Martial came on for Rashford and grabbed the winning goal in front of the Stretford End at Old Trafford. It was the fourth time the Frenchman has scored as a substitute this campaign and he is naturally eager to start against Benfica.

During a press conference at the Aon Training Complex, Jose was asked if he can start both forwards together and whether he might rotate against Benfica with Sunday’s trip to Chelsea in mind.

We played Marcus and Anthony together at Swansea one week ago so yes they can play together, That's no problem. What we cannot do is play with 12 men, and we cannot play with everybody at the same time. But we did play them together, so we can repeat that against Benfica or we can repeat in any other match. But nobody here thinks about any other match than Benfica. Nobody here thinks about Chelsea, so it is Benfica - just Benfica - and the Champions League.

Mourinho also confirmed his squad has not suffered any further injuries and that the same players from the weekend are available to him in midweek. The mission now is to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, which will be secured with a victory over Benfica if CSKA Moscow beat FC Basel in the other Group A fixure.

We have so many matches and if we can qualify tomorrow, it would be better, If we can qualify in first place, you cannot say it would be better in terms of the last-16 draw than finishing second in the group because sometimes you finish first and get bad draws, but football is football and we’d prefer to finish first than second. Let’s try to qualify first though.

Benfica are a better team than Basel and CSKA. Yes, they are in a difficult position and now they can really only expect to get enough points to go into the Europa League. So they are going to try to get at least a point from our match. Since we played in Lisbon they have won both of their [domestic] matches. I think they are more confident, they are more Benfica than two weeks ago, so I expect a difficult match.

The boss also had kind words for Benfica's Mile Svilar who, at 18 years old, became he youngest goalkeeper in Champions League history two weeks ago but made a terrible error by carrying Marcus Rashford’s free-kick into his own net to hand United the 1-0 victory in Portugal.

He is very good, In the next match after us, he kept a clean sheet and the same again at the weekend. He has a good personality and is a good goalkeeper.

TheDoc

jayo26 wrote: »

Absolute nonsense from people here about lukaku he hasn't scored in 3 games but in them 3 games he has assisted two goals and one looks like its a winning goal he lived off scraps against pool due to no fault of his own.

Pogba will do more to improve that team then zlatan will.

Jose right for once to lash fans out of it and call knowledge into question.

Lukaku has been feeding of scraps and absolutely brutal service the last few games but has ran himself ragged at times totally isolated and still contributed.

It’s unbelievable people are talking so much **** about him. Unbelievable.

TheDoc

Just back from a weekend in Kerry. Caught the match in a pub in Tralee. Always feel sometimes I take different vibes from a game I watch in a pub as opposed to Home. Thought we started great and then just turned to utter dog****.

Second half definite noticeable step up. Spurs are so weird at OT under Poch. Such a good team normally but seem weird against us. I didn’t feel any mad real panic at any stage.

Talk about perfect timing with the Sky stat about late goals brilliant finish from Martial. Kinda agreeing with Neville that if he could unlock that last bit of his game with consistency he would tear the league apart. Still a striker for me. With calmness and finishing like that feels a bit wasted out wide at times. Don’t see why he can’t be part of a Lukaku partnership or give Lukaku breaks here and there.

I liked the 3-5-2 setup. Felt positive. Would love to see it again at home. Becoming painful noticing game by game how important Pogba is. I’m a little worried about Mourinhos comments constantly about him. There is something not right there with what’s been said. Really hope he is back sooner than later. Herrera has been pretty terrible this season. I never thought he was as good as he was being praised, thought he was an upgradeable component of Last seasons team but he’s always a good tackler and passer so surprised how off the boil he has been.

The Liverpool tactics and performance knocked the stuffing out of the team and killed all momentum. Hopefully this can ignite another good run of form

bucketybuck

Donnielighto wrote: »

How do you feel about the club overall. My own position is that the first team all fit are good enough could always be better but the manager could never be happy if he's that attitude.

I think that the club is in an infinitely better position than it was 18 months ago, I think that there must have been massive improvements on the coaching side of things and that you can frequently see the results of that in many performances. I think that good players have been brought in and that departing players have been handled well. I was delighted with the cup wins last season and would agree with a focus that puts cup wins above any league position that isn't first position. I think that the manager has done just about a good a job so far as he possibly could have.

I also think that we still aren't good enough. That crucially there remains a weak character in that squad that will hold us back until all of those players who have consistently failed to stand up and be counted are sent on their way. I believe that the first team has too many of these weak characters, and also has too many players that simply aren't as good as our ambitions should be demanding. I would genuinely like to see another 5/6 first teamers come into the squad and let the best of the rest fight for squad roles. I also have concerns regarding the managers transition from fire fighting to lighting a few fires of our own.

In short I'm content with how things are going at United, but there are still a lot of problems there still to be solved.

S.M.B.

S.M.B. wrote: »

It's crazy how this one bit of fortune makes such a difference in our perception in how a game went. In one way it makes perfect sense as at the end of the day it's all about 3 points won but there will always be some bias when it comes to our performances in games where we get a positive result.

Aye, a moment of luck/brilliance can polish a turd.

I'm happy with the 3 points. For our title credentials, we needed 3 points in that game IMO. However, I don't think we robbed them or didn't deserve them. For me, it was a decent performance against a good Spurs team. Grabbing a goal at Anfield two weeks ago, now that would have been a different story altogether.

bucketybuck wrote: »

You see this so often in these threads. You could make perfectly valid points about poor play, poor decisions, poor performances, and then somebody who was utter muck all game gets a chance, scores a goal, and now the usual numpties will just dismiss everything that came before. The Van Gaal era was particularly bad for that, people who couldn't see the woods for the trees concerning how bad we really were because sometimes those **** performances got a few big wins and they convinced themselves everything was ok.

And the flipside of course, you can see a team play a really smart game or play some great football, but they don't take the chances, points are dropped and then they are the worst in the world. All of last season in other words.

Cheer results of course, but long term it is performance that matters. Ignore the poor performances and the reasons behind them just because you got a point away from home and you'll find yourself months later wondering how you ended up in 6th again.

You talking about the Liverpool result here? That Anfield performance and result seemed to be very divisive amongst United fans. My feeling remains the same - We should have went there to win like we could have done, but our players were so piss poor on the day that it's hard to know exactly what the manager's intentions were. The performance or the result, I could cheer neither really.

Whatever about us grabbing a late goal in the Spurs game to take the 3 points, I don't think that game is a good example of a goal papering over the cracks with a player/team. I do think that before the goal, we were doing alright and that it was an improved performance, certainly when compared with the games against Huddersfield and Liverpool. We also hit the post and showed other signs of getting a second goal. Even with Kane out of the side, the majority of observers had us down and out against Pochiola's Spurs in the build-up.

Alternatively - If we had nicked a goal at Anfield and taken the 3 points there, that would be a good example IMO of where a goal and win would paint a very inaccurate picture of the performance. And hence afford 'numpties' the chance to paper over the cracks.

While watching the Anfield game, the team were on a late, rare attack. I remember thinking 'If we score and get out of here with 3 points, they will be the most undeserved we've won in a while.' - Given the rivalry and the NaCl potential, yes that would have been nice on the day. In the bigger picture though, it would have still been cause for concern with such a poor, inept performance, just like it was with 0-0.

There's certainly been a dip in the team's performances lately, notably in the league. I thought Spurs was a marked improvement though, but because the previous two league performances were atrocious it's hard to know yet if last Saturday's game was the start of an upturn, or just a glitch.

Chelsea at the Bridge will be interesting. If we come out of it with a win, and therefore 7/9 points against Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea in close succession, I will be more happy with the points than concerned with the performances which achieved those points. A loss or a draw at the Bridge, well that's where that Anfield performance and result start to affect that bigger picture more. 4 or 5 points from 9 in those fixtures would concern me for our title credentials.

It's what we go on to against the likes of Brighton, Newcastle and Watford (Watford who are decent this season in fairness) after the break which is where we definitely want to be seeing both a performance and result. Until then, I'll just take the (winning) result. Bearing in mind though, if we put in a performance at the Bridge like we did at Anfield, we won't get that result.

Tylerdurex

I'd love to see Verratti come into our midfield. Him Pogba and Matic would be the best midfield in europe .Getting him off PSG would be next to impossible but there's hope the fact Raiola became his agent at the start of the season.Griezmann as a replacement for Miki and a world class left back and we would have a great team

Trigger

Eric Bailly Highlights must watch, he's a headcase

https://streamable.com/8glzw

A classic from Juan

https://twitter.com/juanmata8/status/925084306233585666

Hococop

astradave wrote: »

Eric Bailly Highlights must watch, he's a headcase

https://streamable.com/8glzw

A classic from Juan

https://twitter.com/juanmata8/status/925084306233585666

I feel we all look that way at juan

Lord TSC

Game day, and finals of the Bake Off. today should be a good day

Lord TSC

Lord TSC wrote: »

Game day, and finals of the Bake Off. today should be a good day

Game day wahey!
Bake off?? No idea what that is but each to their own!

As for the match tonight, looks like 12 points could possibly even win the group the way the other teams are going?

Trigger

Lord TSC wrote: »

Game day, and finals of the Bake Off. today should be a good day

Oh no I don’t know which one to watch...

Mitch Connor

astradave wrote: »

Oh no I don’t know which one to watch...

The wife will be watching bake off so Man United on the phone for me!:o

Lord TSC

astradave wrote: »

Oh no I don’t know which one to watch...

Luckily we don't live in a single screen age any more :P

Rumors of a loan move for Luke Shaw
Actually think it's a great idea

Trigger

Mitch Connor wrote: »

The wife will be watching bake off so Man United on the phone for me!:o

Send her into a different room?

Stephen to win btw

bangkok

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Rumors of a loan move for Luke Shaw
Actually think it's a great idea

If its to a club where he plays every week great. If its to spurs and he is sitting on the bench then it is pointless

jaykay74

Seems a bit of unnecessary needling from Mourinho towards the fans. Maybe need to see the full piece for more context.

https://twitter.com/AndyMitten/status/925293078197522433

I think it's a dangerous game by Mourinho and I don't know what the benefit of it is.

It's one thing to take a pop at the media or referees but having a go at the fans is just stupid imo.

Mitch Connor

Deleted User wrote: »

I think it's a dangerous game by Mourinho and I don't know what the benefit of it is.

It's one thing to take a pop at the media or referees but having a go at the fans is just stupid imo.

He's been doing it loads over the two seasons too - constantly digging out the home fans in particular and comparing them to the more vocal away fans.

bangkok

No need for that by mourinho. He was giving out about the fans v spurs saying they shouldnt be moaning about lukaku.

If you are at the game and the player makes a bad pass or miss controls a pass the crowd will clearly moan and its a natural reaction. Mourinho making comments on it highlights that and there is no need to.

I felt he was making digs at pogba as well and his recovery the other day, again no need for it

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

No need for that by mourinho. He was giving out about the fans v spurs saying they shouldnt be moaning about lukaku.

If you are at the game and the player makes a bad pass or miss controls a pass the crowd will clearly moan and its a natural reaction. Mourinho making comments on it highlights that and there is no need to.

I felt he was making digs at pogba as well and his recovery the other day, again no need for it

It was a direct response to the moaning of the substations even though both were positive.
Lingard created space and rightfully replaced the awful Miki.
Martial on for Rashford was a like for like.
They were not negative subs.

As for Lukaku,

He created two assists in his last two PL games with little to no service from Midfield, he's doing really well. People already jumping down his throat because he's gone a few games without a goal and not considering the context as to why.

MagicIRL

I definitely remember SAF having a go at the fans one week and them being amazing the next.

Don't ask me to point to the year or match but I definitely remember it. As soon as I heard José say it I thought he was morphing more into Fergie :pac:

TheDoctor

Rashford 20 today.

bangkok

M!Ck^ wrote: »

It was a direct response to the moaning of the substations even though both were positive.
Lingard created space and rightfully replaced the awful Miki.
Martial on for Rashford was a like for like.
They were not negative subs.

As for Lukaku,

He created two assists in his last two PL games with little to no service from Midfield, he's doing really well. People already jumping down his throat because he's gone a few games without a goal and not considering the context as to why.

Lukaku waw poor against liverpool and poor against spurs. Its ok though, he will go through those kind of games.

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

Lukaku waw poor against liverpool and poor against spurs. Its ok though, he will go through those kind of games.

Again you completely missed the point.
Why do you believe he was poor?

secman

astradave wrote: »

Send her into a different room?

Stephen to win btw

It's already out who wins, the new judge fckedup and let the cat out of the bag.... apparently
No interest in it anyways just came across on the phone

J. Marston

Don't see the problem with Mourinho chastising the home fans.

Lukaku has been poor recently and criticism of those performances is warranted but home fans actually groaning and booing him this quickly is dumb.

"They pay their money and can boo who they want."

Sure, but don't complain if it starts to breed a toxic atmosphere, especially with a manager as salty as Mourinho is.

jayo26

bangkok wrote: »

No need for that by mourinho. He was giving out about the fans v spurs saying they shouldnt be moaning about lukaku.

If you are at the game and the player makes a bad pass or miss controls a pass the crowd will clearly moan and its a natural reaction. Mourinho making comments on it highlights that and there is no need to.

I felt he was making digs at pogba as well and his recovery the other day, again no need for it

You really do exaggerate and put a negative spin on everything.

You were talking crap about lukaku other day all game but when he flicked ball on for the goal nowhere to be seen.

Jose is responding to questions been asked about his opinions on fans again I'd prefer him to be honest and rise the fans up then be talking crap...

klopp does it every game asking fans to be more vocal but for him it's only passion woth mourinho its tw8stes into been diggs at the fans. it still doesn't stop them same pool fans from booing his team at half time the other day.

Again if you felt he was making diggs at pogba your not the only one but it's only reading what you want to read... he isn't rushing pogba back from injury and not puting a time frame on it but according to you and others he is making diggs he isn't he is giving him time to heal without pressure of a date.

secman

Mourinho really is a grumpy fcker, I'd be careful of waging a war with fans..... only one winner when that happens