Manchester United Teamtalk/Transfer/Gossip 23/24 - [New Thread Available]

Louis Friend

StringerBell wrote: »

One season out of it isn't going to do them much harm tbh

Post Covid and its financial impact, the loss of something approaching €100m will do them a hell of a lot of harm, as will Thursday night football.

Sorry, but the winner of the Europa League is the tallest of the 7 dwarves in my view…nice to win, blah blah blah, but what about the real competition?

It’s all about next season and the culmination of the Ole “project”. We must mount a meaningful challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League.

Drumpot

If we were going to try and give Bruno a rest , today’s game is a good one. Today , Tuesday and Thursday wouid be gruelling even if he was rested for the Fulham game. Also you would surely not want to risk him getting an injury.

8th Today Villa - rotate

11th Tuesday - Leicester - best team

13th Thursday - Liverpool- best team

18th - Fulham -rotate (check fitness after previous week slog)

23rd Wolves - rotate

26th Villareal - Best team

Now when I say rotate, it may only mean one or two changes (Ole doesnt usually rotate much) but given the 4 games in 11 days and we have a top 3 finish in EPL all but in the bag I just don’t see how we won’t see some changes.

On a different note, I wonder if Bruno is one of those players who just wants to play every game and is actually able to do it mostly. He hasn’t really been rested and while in some games he has looked off, he has bounced back. Maybe he just goes through off periods like most players and some have been too quick to jump to the “he’s exhausted” theory.

That said, I’d be thinking rest him today , push Pogba up, slap in rashford , Cavani and Greenwood up front. Midfield can be 2 of Fred, McT, Matic (maybe even give Fred a rest).

Feels like Leicester game is the big one, beat them and worst we finish this season is third and we really only need 4 points from the other three games to finish second.

I know we would like to finish as close to city as possible but not at the expense of any injuries for the Europa final. Yeh it would be nice to make a meal of Liverpool’s CL hopes but that’s not really important to me. If anything I hope Liverpool qualify for some sort of European competition as a Liverpool team with no Europe next season could be like Chelsea when they won the league in 2016/17 the year after they finished 10th in league.

S.M.B.

I don't think we should be looking to field our strongest team twice in 3 days and I don't think Ole plans on doing so either.

Continuous rotation over the next 5 days is essential imo.

Anyone expected to play against Leicester and Liverpool should not be playing today.

ParkRunner

StringerBell wrote: »

Thing is though, even if he was to go in the summer who on that list of players since Ronaldo has actually been a better number 7 since? Who has had more of an impact on a season injuries and old age an all?

It’s a hard one to call really. Different teams, different managers, different tactics/systems etc. Cavani is playing in a good enthusiastic team with good service from Rashford, Pogba, Greenwood, Shaw etc. Michael Owen did pretty well when he played. Di Maria and Depay only played about 30 games each and could have done a lot better in different circumstances.

I do like Cavani’s workrate and think he will be a big plus for the squad next season if he stays. At the moment he’s at the Henrik Larsson level of impact, which isn’t bad!

wanderer100

I think Ole will rotate today and Tuesday and only field our best 11 against Liverpool. We've got to be very careful not to lose any of our big players to injury before the final. Losing Cavani, Pogba or Bruno would be a disaster.

I'll be very surprised if we don't drop points in these next 2 games tbh. Roma away the other day showed just how rusty some of our backup players are. Donny, Telles, Williams all need a run of games before we can properly judge if they are the real deal imo

Father Hernandez

Louis Friend wrote: »

Given the choice, I’d prefer Liverpool to miss out on Champions League football rather than United to win the Europa League.

It’ll cost them a fortune, it’ll damage their ability to sign players, and it’ll damage their ability to compete for the title next season with the curse of Thursday night football.

For me, the next 2/3 years is all about winning the league title and the Champions League.

Yes, winning trophies is a habit and breaking our recent duck might be helpful in that regard, but ultimately the Europa League is a booby prize and a competition for losers. It means almost nothing to me as a fan, other than to serve as a reminder of how far the club had fallen.

Can’t agree.

This side needs a trophy and a boost. It’d be massive for the mentality of the side even if it’s the ‘booby’ prize of the Europa League.

Trophy under the belt for Ole and the side would be a great catalyst for champions league football and maybe, just maybe a PL charge.

As for Liverpool, couldn’t care less...

PARlance

I would expect some rotation but Ole generally does that anyway. The problem is that we've a relatively small squad of players who have his trust/have done enough/whatever reason and within that, some positions don't really have cover.

It'll be interesting to see who if any starts all 3, my money would be on AWB, Maguire and Bruno starting all 3.

I know people like to go on about overplaying players but our (lack of) injury record has been great. Maybe it's time to stop beating that drum, give Ole et al the credit for the way they've managed a busy season.

Players are monitored so closely and looked after so well these days, getting rested in between games, the main fatigue I'd be worried about is the mental side tbh.

I hope we play near to our strongest team against Villa and Pool. And I hope Ole sees Cavani in that strongest team, especially against Pool... We can't let them off again.

StringerBell

Louis Friend wrote: »

Post Covid and its financial impact, the loss of something approaching €100m will do them a hell of a lot of harm, as will Thursday night football.

Sorry, but the winner of the Europa League is the tallest of the 7 dwarves in my view…nice to win, blah blah blah, but what about the real competition?

It’s all about next season and the culmination of the Ole “project”. We must mount a meaningful challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League.

The first part, okay sure - I can rephrase if it works, it's not going to do them that much harm tbh

Second part
Not sure what any of that has to do with Liverpool?

Football is about winning trophies, this team needs one.

Mr.Crinklewood

Bit of extra security today..

https://mobile.twitter.com/RedIssue/status/1391331573132312578

Zico

Did anyone here buy shares in the club when the Glazers were mounting their hostile takeover?

The_Kew_Tour

Worried about Pool coming 4th over United winning a trophy at this stage?

Might be best to give up supporting the club for while if that's the case.

S.M.B.

Very strong starting XI.

KH25

S.M.B. wrote: »

Very strong starting XI.

Makes sense I guess. Aim to get the points on the board today and there’s a bigger gap between us and Leicester.

Louis Friend

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Worried about Pool coming 4th over United winning a trophy at this stage?

Might be best to give up supporting the club for while if that's the case.

Nah…prefer to think about things logically and rationally rather than blindly following the mob.

Forget the battle…it’s about winning the war.

The Big Easy

Surely it's worth giving Donny a run of games at this stage, there's no way we're not going to qualify for the Champions League now. It's so hard find match rhythm or show any form when you don't get a run of games.

At least then Ole would have a better idea if there's something there he wants to persevere with. As I and others have said before though, he's the type of player we've bought before (Veron, Kagawa and Miki, to name a few), but just doesn't fit with Fergie or Ole's style of play. Real round pegs in square holes and we've no real sign of evolving into a team that will utilise a Donny style player effectively.

While I like Donny, with the way we play it's probably best to move him on and put the money towards a Sancho or someone more suited to more direct football.

sReq | uTeK

The Big Easy wrote: »

Surely it's worth giving Donny a run of games at this stage, there's no way we're not going to qualify for the Champions League now. It's so hard find match rhythm or show any form when you don't get a run of games.

At least then Ole would have a better idea if there's something there he wants to persevere with. As I and others have said before though, he's the type of player we've bought before (Veron, Kagawa and Miki, to name a few), but just doesn't fit with Fergie or Ole's style of play. Real round pegs in square holes and we've no real sign of evolving into a team that will utilise a Donny style player effectively.

While I like Donny, with the way we play it's probably best to move him on and put the money towards a Sancho or someone more suited to more direct football.

Yup we influence the game very little from intricate 1-2s from midfield. We are all about coming in from wide and full backs overlapping. Night and day to what Donny came from. Youd question how 40 million could be spent on a player who clearly doesn't fit the system.

xtal191

I hope its not Rashford on the right

Zico

StringerBell wrote: »

Football is about winning trophies, this team needs one.

And official Noodle brands in Japan according to you a few years ago.

Hococop

Another protest for Thursday apparently

KH25

Very poor from Lindelof.

Mantis Toboggan

Cracker in fairness, lindelof should have done better though.

Iago

Greenwood, fred, mctominay and lindelof all complicit there

PARlance

Paging Nullzero...

A Dub in Glasgo

Great finish but poor from Lindelof

wanderer100

So poor from McFred initially and Lindelof

We love a good comeback though away from home

S.M.B.

Very frustrating after a strong 25 minutes.

Whatsisname

In the few times we've gotten into the box, you can see how much we miss Cavani.

Drumpot

wanderer100 wrote: »

So poor from McFred initially and Lindelof

A player with the body of McTominey and the mind of Fred

ankles

Bad everywhere now. So soft defending, shoved off the ball. And in attack everyone waiting to be presented with a tap in. Cavani a different class, and much harder worker.

PARlance

Sick of saying it, Cavani has to be starting games like this.

Father Hernandez

PARlance wrote: »

Sick of saying it, Cavani has to be starting games like this.

I’m not sure how jaded he might be given his age (which I think gets a little overplayed anyway and players of similar age), if we’re playing our strongest side, Cavani has to start.

No target man or anyone to aim for and it’s glaringly obvious in the final third.

PARlance

Father Hernandez wrote: »

I’m not sure how jaded he might be given his age (which I think gets a little overplayed anyway and players of similar age), if we’re playing our strongest side, Cavani has to start.

No target man or anyone to aim for and it’s glaringly obvious in the final third.

It's nothing to do with his age or minding him imo. For some reason, Ole still doesn't see him in our strongest 11 at times.

He wasn't going to start him against Liverpool last Sunday and there was no resting/minding issues at that time.

KH25

Whatsisname wrote: »

In the few times we've gotten into the box, you can see how much we miss Cavani.

Yeah. It’s very clear that Rashford is not a striker nor is Greenwood at the moment.

S.M.B.

PARlance wrote: »

It's nothing to do with his age or minding him imo. For some reason, Ole still doesn't see him in our strongest 11 at times.

He wasn't going to start him against Liverpool last Sunday and there was no resting/minding issues at that time.

Ole is on the record regarding concerns about Cavani starting games in quick succession. I don't think he has started in a mid week match followed by the weekend.

Mantis Toboggan

Well done Pogba

KH25

Pogba did very well in the lead up to that.

beakerjoe

Silly by Luiz but Pogba was very clever there.

Great run too and smart pass by AWB.

BorneTobyWilde

That's a penalty, but the hack job on Sterling wasn't.

beakerjoe

Many know how much I have criticized Pogba. Bit hes winning me over the last 6 months.

beakerjoe

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

That's a penalty, but the hack job on Sterling wasn't.

Are you saying Pogba wasn't fouled?

wanderer100

Excellent from Pogba there

BorneTobyWilde

beakerjoe wrote: »

Are you saying Pogba wasn't fouled?

No I'm saying Sterling was.

PARlance

S.M.B. wrote: »

Ole is on the record regarding concerns about Cavani starting games in quick succession. I don't think he has started in a mid week match followed by the weekend.

It's an easy out if you ask me. Easier to say something like that rather than rock the boat or damage Rashford's confidence.

He was playing Rashford on the right, it wasn't working. Neville and Scholes had a pop, and now he's back to playing him as a CF which we all know doesn't work.

Cavani should have been starting last weekend imo. It was bad enough that he didn't start him at Anfield in Jan. He could have given Cavani the Roma match off.

BorneTobyWilde

wanderer100 wrote: »

Excellent from Pogba there

Won the penalty, just like Sterling yesterday, one given, one not.


Drives everyone mad

wanderer100

Let’s grab the winner now !! Cmon United

S.M.B.

What a stupid challenge to make in the box. Defeat penalty.

Mantis Toboggan

Boom lovely from Greenwood

KH25

Lovely finish from Greenwood. Did so well to turn Mings.

BorneTobyWilde

Another for United, City can't rest yet.

ngunners

PARlance wrote: »

He could have given Cavani the Roma match off.

Cavani was pretty essential in the Roma match.