Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2018

Whatsisname

bucketybuck wrote: »

It would take an implosion. Which would immediately be followed by talk of lost dressing rooms and player power.

I'm not sure how I would feel about that, underperforming managers rightly get sacked but by god there are a lot of bull**** players there that need a good cull, it would be disappointing to see them roll onto the next victim and swap what has been progression for another few years of rebuilding.

Agree with your point on certain players that need to be culled, out of curiosity, who would you like to see gone by September?

dubmick

Jamaal Lascelles laying the boot into Smalling and Jones. He's right too.
"We were aggressive, and they didn't like it. You could see their centre-halves on the ball and they didn't really know what to do with it.
"We set up really well and we matched up really well against them. The manager got it spot on."

Rayne Wooney

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

We will switch to a midfield 3 and people will moan that it’s too defensive against the smaller clubs.

It’s fcuking Newcastle lads, not being tactically outmanoeuvred by Barcelona here.

Criticise Mourinho, 3 man midfield, more attacking drills whatever. The reality is we aren’t good enough to be closer to City. 3rd is about our level and I think that’s where we will finish.

Forget trying to be specific about the problem(s), the reality is we just aren't good enough overall.

So how do you fix that if you don't look at the specific problems? Yes, I know that we're not going to fix them here (Jose closed his Boards account after the last DDOS attack) but for discussion's sake.

I'm with you on 'It's Newcastle lads', but clearly that's not a good enough reason to beat them in reality. Not just Newcastle, but many weaker teams we've struggled against this season, whether we got the win in the end or not. Shelvey looking like Shelvio against us, that's not uncommon for an average, opposition midfielder when playing against United this season.

The match against Newcastle at Old Trafford earlier this season comes to mind too often as one where our CM looked its most devoid in this campaign. We were lucky to beat them on the day, they were 1-0 up and had us with our backs to the wall in the first half. A few months later, they deservedly beat us.

The reality is that this team and squad are not performing to the sum of their parts. Quite a few of those players are better than they are currently showing, Pogba especially, and 'we're just not good enough' is true, but why are we just not good enough?

Liam McPoyle

bangkok wrote: »

If jose was to leave and we got poch i would be delighted. For the money we have spent and the performances we are producing its just not good enough.

The same Poch that has won literally nothing as a manager?

The same Poch that has never had a job with any kind of pressure?

The same Poch that has won only one away game in 18 vs top 6 rivals?

The same Poch who for all the pretty football is still 4 points behind stinky pants Jose?

The United job is not a project for unproven managers, we tried that with Moyes and it was an unmitigated disaster.

The United job is arguably the biggest job in world football and by a country mile is the biggest job in England.

The expectation at Saints was not get relegated.

The expectation at Spurs is to challenge for a top 4 spot.

He has operated under zero pressure from fans or the board in any job he has had.

I'd rather stick with Jose tbh, even if we don't get top 4 this year.

bangkok

Business Cat wrote: »

The same Poch that has won literally nothing as a manager?

The same Poch that has never had a job with any kind of pressure?

The same Poch that has won only one away game in 18 vs top 6 rivals?

The same Poch who for all the pretty football is still 4 points behind stinky pants Jose?

The United job is not a project for unproven managers, we tried that with Moyes and it was an unmitigated disaster.

The United job is arguably the biggest job in world football and by a country mile is the biggest job in England.

The expectation at Saints was not get relegated.

The expectation at Spurs is to challenge for a top 4 spot.

He has operated under zero pressure from fans or the board in any job he has had.

I'd rather stick with Jose tbh, even if we don't get top 4 this year.

The same pochettino that is the number 1 target for real madrid this summer. He has proves to be a quality manager with his teams playing excellent football all while opperating with a limited budget

Also if we dont make top 4 he should be sacked!!

Andrew Beef

A great post. Pochettino is this year’s Phil Brown/Alan Pardew. He’ll leave Spurs having won nothing, he’ll go to Real Madrid, he’ll be run out of town within a season, and we’ll see him back at West Brom.

Sack Mourinho?! Heaven help us!!!

deaddonkey15

Pochettino is a lot better than many here give him credit for.

Liam O

Annoyingly enough Daley Blind is still there unused who is better in CB than Smalling and better in CM than McTominay and probably Carrick at this stage. Shame how it's gone for him as he'd probably be seen as a world Class CB if he was 3 or 4 inches taller.

LeeJM

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

Pochettino is a lot better than many here give him credit for.

Pochettino is nowhere as good as many here give him credit for.

bangkok

Andrew Beef wrote: »

A great post. Pochettino is this year’s Phil Brown/Alan Pardew. He’ll leave Spurs having won nothing, he’ll go to Real Madrid, he’ll be run out of town within a season, and we’ll see him back at West Brom.

Sack Mourinho?! Heaven help us!!!

This years?? Pochettino has been excellent manager for the last few years. Good defense, midfield and attack and they play as a team. We play like a team of lads who have never met each other ever before

Ninthlife

Is there really a discussion about Jose being sacked?

2nd in the league, still in Champions League and FA Cup.

Despite some poor performances we have been far better than previous seasons.

Same like minded fans who are talking of Jose out are probably similar to those who held up a Fergie Out banner all those years ago..gladly they werent listened to

Turtwig

Poch's away record against the Top 6 should immediately place reservations on him being Utd manager. You're not going to win trophies if your team can't mentally bring it to an away fixture.

bangkok

Ninthlife wrote: »

Is there really a discussion about Jose being sacked?

2nd in the league, still in Champions League and FA Cup.

Despite some poor performances we have been far better than previous seasons.

Same like minded fans who are talking of Jose out are probably similar to those who held up a Fergie Out banner all those years ago..gladly they werent listened to

If he doesnt make top 4 then yes, he should be sacked

bangkok

Turtwig wrote: »

Poch's away record against the Top 6 should immediately place reservations on him being Utd manager. You're not going to win trophies if your team can't mentally bring it to an away fixture.

What about jose's recent away record?

Liam McPoyle

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

Pochettino is a lot better than many here give him credit for.

Care to expand on why?

I never said I thought he was a bad manager btw, he has done a good job with spurs but as I said, zero expectations and zero trophies in 3 or 4 years.

People in other threads console themselves with being also rans by extolling that exciting free flowing football is all that matters.

Fcuk that.

Guardiola is the only one that can currently talk the talk and walk the walk.

Everything else is just fluff.

deaddonkey15

Turtwig wrote: »

Poch's away record against the Top 6 should immediately place reservations on him being Utd manager. You're not going to win trophies if your team can't mentally bring it to an away fixture.

Mourinho's record since becoming United's manager isn't exactly great either.

Turtwig

bangkok wrote: »

What about jose's recent away record?

That is true but presumably if the idea is to replace Mourinho then you want to replace him with someone better. A weak away record against your biggest rivals is a significant issue for an expected title charge.

LeeJM

Its amazing that any argument about any other manager is always met in here with "but Mourinho".

Ninthlife

bangkok wrote: »

If he doesnt make top 4 then yes, he should be sacked

OK...he gets the sack but who replaces him. I personally think Poch will go to Madrid.

Do we really need another 'rebuilding' settling in period of a new manager

deaddonkey15

Business Cat wrote: »

Care to expand on why?

I never said I thought he was a bad manager btw, he has done a good job with spurs but as I said, zero expectations and zero trophies in 3 or 4 years.

People in other threads console themselves with being also rans by extolling that exciting free flowing football is all that matters.

Fcuk that.

Guardiola is the only one that can currently talk the talk and walk the walk.

Everything else is just fluff.

He's developed an excellent team that play some excellent football - probably better than us at their best. More importantly, he seems to get the best out of his players which is something Mourinho is still struggling with. And all this on a limited budget, probably the lowest in the top 6 although I'm open to correction on that. Seems like a decent guy, not much drama surrounding apart from the book release a few months ago. He was impressive at Southampton too.

There is only a finite number of managers who can realistically win major trophies every year, that least is even smaller if discussing potential United managers (I'm not in favour of sacking Mourinho by the way). Eventually there will be another generation of trophy winning managers in charge of the top European clubs. I think Pochetinno has as good a chance as anyone of becoming part of that next generation.

bangkok

Ninthlife wrote: »

OK...he gets the sack but who replaces him. I personally think Poch will go to Madrid.

Do we really need another 'rebuilding' settling in period of a new manager

I think given the choice pochetinno would choose us over madrid.

Ninthlife

bangkok wrote: »

I think given the choice pochetinno would choose us over madrid.

And if he didnt?

Lord TSC

bangkok wrote: »

I think given the choice pochetinno would choose us over madrid.

You're deluded.....

Turtwig

bangkok wrote: »

I think given the choice pochetinno would choose us over madrid.

Doubtful. No disrespect but Madrid will back him initially and he'll be given an thoroughly excellent squad as opposed the issues United have with their squad. You'd be a fool to pass up the chance to manage Madrid even given their managerial turnover rates.

Liam McPoyle

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

He's developed an excellent team that play some excellent football - probably better than us at their best. More importantly, he seems to get the best out of his players which is something Mourinho is still struggling with. And all this on a limited budget, probably the lowest in the top 6 although I'm open to correction on that. Seems like a decent guy, not much drama surrounding apart from the book release a few months ago. He was impressive at Southampton too.

There is only a finite number of managers who can realistically win major trophies every year, that least is even smaller if discussing potential United managers (I'm not in favour of sacking Mourinho by the way). Eventually there will be another generation of trophy winning managers in charge of the top European clubs. I think Pochetinno has as good a chance as anyone of becoming part of that next generation.

Cheers.

He could well become one of the next big things in managerial terms but he could also be a damp squib.

For every Guardiola there are 10 Pardiolas.

An unproven manager is imo not what we need at present or regardless of where we finish.

Eventually the managerial churn has to stop otherwise it's a rinse repeat cycle every couple of years.

Trigger

bangkok wrote: »

The same pochettino that is the number 1 target for real madrid this summer.He has proves to be a quality manager with his teams playing excellent football all while opperating with a limited budget

What’s that got to do with anything, you have a dislike for Jose yeah but using that to back up Poch as manager is just stupid, Jose has already been the Madrid manager, and won the league with them against a brilliant Barcelona team while scoring a record number of goals. He was also wanted by them again if Zidane was sacked by most accounts.

He is also the top target for PSG.

bangkok wrote: »

Also if we dont make top 4 he should be sacked!!

What if we win the Champions league and finish 5th, hypothetically of course, should he still be sacked?

bangkok

astradave wrote: »

What’s that got to do with anything, you have a dislike for Jose yeah but using that to back up Poch as manager is just stupid, Jose has already been the Madrid manager, and won the league with them against a brilliant Barcelona team while scoring a record number of goals. He was also wanted by them again if Zidane was sacked by most accounts.

He is also the top target for PSG.



What if we win the Champions league and finish 5th, hypothetically of course, should he still be sacked?

Win the champions league?? We cant even beat newcastle ****ing united!!!

bucketybuck

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

He's developed an excellent team that play some excellent football - probably better than us at their best. More importantly, he seems to get the best out of his players which is something Mourinho is still struggling with. And all this on a limited budget, probably the lowest in the top 6 although I'm open to correction on that. Seems like a decent guy, not much drama surrounding apart from the book release a few months ago. He was impressive at Southampton too.

There is only a finite number of managers who can realistically win major trophies every year, that least is even smaller if discussing potential United managers (I'm not in favour of sacking Mourinho by the way). Eventually there will be another generation of trophy winning managers in charge of the top European clubs. I think Pochetinno has as good a chance as anyone of becoming part of that next generation.

Doing well at a smaller club with low expectations. Limited budget, but useful signings and gets the best out of his players. Decent guy who also did well at his previous club. No trophies but its hard for smaller clubs to win trophies.

Remind you of anyone?

secman

Lord TSC wrote: »

We've already established finishing outside the top four and not having CL football is a sackable offence. If we went from spending all season in second to dropping down to fifth, it would show a lack of progression.

But I'd be utterly amazed if it happened. Chelsea are a bomb site at the moment, and Pool and Spurs will drop silly points just like we have. There was a post on the Soccer Reddit the other day about percentage chances of European qualification. We were at 96%.

It will be City, us, Liverpool and Spurs.

Bomb site Chelsea are a mere 3 points behind us, Liverpool and Spurs are arguably playing better than us... we are more than capable of putting in dire performances, hard to believe you would be utterly amazed if we lose out on top 4. We probably have more top 6 games left and are not performing well in them !

bangkok

Turtwig wrote: »

Doubtful. No disrespect but Madrid will back him initially and he'll be given an thoroughly excellent squad as opposed the issues United have with their squad. You'd be a fool to pass up the chance to manage Madrid even given their managerial turnover rates.

We have an excellent squad as well, a huge following and imo we are the biggest club on the planet

LeeJM

bangkok wrote: »

Win the champions league?? We cant even beat newcastle ****ing united!!!

Good thing they aren't in the champions league then isn't it. How about answering Daves question?

bangkok

LeeJM wrote: »

Good thing they aren't in the champions league then isn't it. How about answering Daves question?

No of course he should not be sacked.

The only way he should be sacked, but the club wont, is if we fail to make top 4 and win nothing

Trigger

bangkok wrote: »

Win the champions league?? We cant even beat newcastle ****ing united!!!

That’s not the question..

bangkok

astradave wrote: »

That’s not the question..

No of course he should not be sacked.

The only way he should be sacked, but the club wont, is if we fail to make top 4 and win nothing

Trigger

bangkok wrote: »

No of course he should not be sacked.

The only way he should be sacked, but the club wont, is if we fail to make top 4 and win nothing

Sorry didn’t see your reply before posting cheers

Screenshotted (I joke)

limnam

bangkok wrote: »

Win the champions league?? We cant even beat newcastle ****ing united!!!

City couldn't beat crystal fcking palace.

They may as well just not bother turning up to their CL game.

Tripe.

Ninthlife

bangkok wrote: »

No of course he should not be sacked.

The only way he should be sacked, but the club wont, is if we fail to make top 4 and win nothing

Sack Jose for failing to get top 4 and Poch takes over..if he fails to get Top 4 sack him too?

The sack the manager solution isnt always the best one

deaddonkey15

Business Cat wrote: »

Cheers.

He could well become one of the next big things in managerial terms but he could also be a damp squib.

For every Guardiola there are 10 Pardiolas.

An unproven manager is imo not what we need at present or regardless of where we finish.

Eventually the managerial churn has to stop otherwise it's a rinse repeat cycle every couple of years.

I agree, that's why I'm against sacking Mourinho.

I don't agree that only going for "proven" managers is the best strategy either. van Gaal had won plenty of trophies and even won one with us and wasn't good enough. Klopp won a few trophies in Germany and I doubt many would want him at United. Zidane's managerial honours is very impressive but whether he is actually a good manager is still up for debate. Ranieri won a league title and got sacked the next season. Simeone has a decent trophy haul also and wouldn't be many people's manager of choice for United. Benitez is a Champions League winner and now managing Newcastle. Even previously successful managers like Ancelotti, Mancini, and Wenger would not even be considered.

I think finding someone with the right personality and the right ideas, that can build a formidable team and play the type of football that United fans demand is more important than what trophies they won. For that reason I'd take Pochetinno at United ahead of every trophy winning manager I've cited above.

deaddonkey15

bucketybuck wrote: »

Doing well at a smaller club with low expectations. Limited budget, but useful signings and gets the best out of his players. Decent guy who also did well at his previous club. No trophies but its hard for smaller clubs to win trophies.

Remind you of anyone?

Point taken, but van Gaal, Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez are Champions League winners. Arsene Wenger is "premier league proven" having won it three times and once went unbeaten in a premier league season. Not an attractive collection of managers though.

Rayne Wooney

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

We will switch to a midfield 3 and people will moan that it’s too defensive against the smaller clubs.

It’s fcuking Newcastle lads, not being tactically outmanoeuvred by Barcelona here.

Criticise Mourinho, 3 man midfield, more attacking drills whatever. The reality is we aren’t good enough to be closer to City. 3rd is about our level and I think that’s where we will finish.

We are good enough to consolidate 2nd place and possibly win a trophy.

There have been plenty of teams like Newcastle who did the same thing by getting a result or coming very close because of selection decisions and poor substitutions from Jose. Our luck ran out with the same problems present.

If he continues shoehorning players and not playing to their strengths then it's putting a quite possible very good season in jeopardy.

I've not turned on him. I'm just not afraid to call him out when he's wrong. Some lads are backing him to the hilt and fear to challange some of his questionable decisions.

On a lighter note, thread probably needs some cheering up;

https://twitter.com/utdxtra/status/963061200820080640

Decent win for Chelsea. There's that safety net gone which I was talking about a couple of weeks ago. It's not exactly rocket appliances - If we fail to pick up 6 points against Huddersfield and Newcastle, then these upcoming Chelsea and Liverpool games become a bit more 'must win' for us in the quest to finish runners-up. If not 'must win', definitely 'must not lose'.

That safety net would still be there of course if Chelsea had have dropped points against West Brom tonight, or if Liverpool dropped points against Southampton over the weekend. However, worryingly, we are the team in the Top 5* who have appeared to enter a slump at the wrong time of the season where the others have become a bit more solid. Of course, tonight's win was Chelsea's first in a few league matches, but they are still a threat to us and they might not be quite the shít show that a lot of us thought they were becoming recently.

*Top 5, because Arsenal are surely out of the Top 4 race at this stage, or at least the run for second. With 11 points separating them and United, their form should not concern us.

Even a draw against Spurs and a draw against Newcastle would have given us a bit more margin for error in the upcoming rival games. But sure that has been the story of the season for us so far, hasn't it? - Only for that draw at Stoke and loss at Huddersfield we would have kept up pace with City earlier in the title race. Only for that abysmal run of draws at Christmas we would have recovered some ground in the title race and at least given City something to think about. Only for those poor, poor loses against Spurs and Newcastle, we'd be a lot more comfortable in second without the likelihood of getting dragged into a Top 4 battle in March occuring.

There is good progress being made at the club, the fact that we are still second despite the Beautiful Football™ which Spurs and Liverpool are playing is not a total accident. However, it's not enough progress unfortunately. We should be facing down these next few fixtures with an air of confidence, but I can't say for sure that we won't be knocked out of the FA Cup or the CL in the next round.

Those who can, are possibly the same who said something like 'It's Newcastle, our 11 is better than theirs, there can be no excuses.'

I wish it worked like that. Clearly, it doesn't.

54and56

Business Cat wrote: »

The same Poch that has won literally nothing as a manager?

The same Poch that has never had a job with any kind of pressure?

The same Poch that has won only one away game in 18 vs top 6 rivals?

The same Poch who for all the pretty football is still 4 points behind stinky pants Jose?

The United job is not a project for unproven managers, we tried that with Moyes and it was an unmitigated disaster.

The United job is arguably the biggest job in world football and by a country mile is the biggest job in England.

The expectation at Saints was not get relegated.

The expectation at Spurs is to challenge for a top 4 spot.

He has operated under zero pressure from fans or the board in any job he has had.

I'd rather stick with Jose tbh, even if we don't get top 4 this year.

I'd like to know

why you always

feel the need

to waste so much

screen space?

Trigger

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I'd like to know

why you always

feel the need

to waste so much

screen space?

Who

Gives

A

****

Really?

54and56

astradave wrote: »

Who

Gives

A

****

Really?

You?

StringerBell

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I'd like to know

why you always

feel the need

to waste so much

screen space?

It's

Most

Likely

Done

Specifically

With

You

In

Kind

Knowing

You

Will

Be

Here

To

Get

Your

Knickers

In

A

Twist

About

It

Ironically

Copying

It

bucketybuck

Deleted User wrote: »

However, worryingly, we are the team in the Top 5* who have appeared to enter a slump at the wrong time of the season where the others have become a bit more solid.

Its worth pointing out that we have been in this slump for over two months now. Not since November have we really been in a position where we could be confident which side is going to turn up, the flat track bullies or the pussies in their shells.

Our league form going back to the Arsenal game start of December is LWLWWWDDDWWLW. There is nothing particularly impressive about that and with Chelsea and Liverpool both next up I'm wouldn't be confident of it getting any better.

Andrew Beef

I’m genuinely shocked at this Pochettino stuff. Post Fergie, we went for a manager who had won zero trophies and who had never managed a big club, i.e. David Moyes. Look where that got us! Pochettino happens to be the flavour of the month but he’s achieved the square root of nothing in the game. We have one of the greatest managers of all time in situ and doing a rebuild job post two of the most disastrous reigns in the history of the club. The madness has to stop; give Jose time. Jesus Christ, the man won three trophies last year, has us 2nd in the League and has us fighting for the Champions League and the FA Cup.

limnam

Andrew Beef wrote: »

We have one of the greatest managers of all time in situ and doing a rebuild job post two of the most disastrous reigns in the history of the club. The madness has to stop; give Jose time. Jesus Christ, the man won three trophies last year, has us 2nd in the League and has us fighting for the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Yeah...yeah...yeah..but...but he doesn't know how to add a 3rd mid fielder against relegation fodder.

JOSE OUT.

Julez

Thread's gone to shíte.