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

Liam O

TRC10 wrote: »

Their records are similar. But if you had to choose to be where we are now, or be where we were in May 2018, which would you chose? It's a no brainer for me.

With the right signings this summer, I dont think we're far off challenging. I never felt like that was the case in 2018. That team had hit it's ceiling, the current team has another level to get to IMO. But that's just my opinion. If you think you'd rather still have Jose then that's your view.

You mean the Summer in which United finished ahead of Liverpool who kept building while United regressed? They got more points and probably had a better squad overall with Matic and Mata still able to contribute. If United had listened to José that Summer they would be in a better place now. Gotten Maguire a year earlier and solved a few more issues before they became rotten.

It's not whether you'd still have José, it's would you still have all the players who weren't upgraded that Summer who were a hindrance to the team. José may not have lasted, evidence suggests that he probably would not have, but not doing it his was held the team back from hitting a higher ceiling. They've still not reached the level from that season since, even with Bruno, Maguire, AWB and a "happy" Pogba.

TRC10

Mitch Connor wrote: »

May 18.

Give Jose Maguire that summer (or Alderwereld or other) CB that he wanted. Get him the winger that could cross in to Lukaku, Peresic was targetted but Mahrez moved that summer, would have solved our RW problem that we had back then too. A top midfielder, not Fred, and we'd have had a very good squad, a manager that was backed and Jose/the team may not have imploded as they did. Probably would have needed a RB, to be fair, too.

We were closer to a top side in 18 than we are now, imo.

De Gea
Lacking a Right Back
Maguire
Lindelof/Smalling
Shaw
Matic
Pogba
Herrera
Mahrez
Lukaku
Martial/Rashford

that would have been a very promising starting 11. with some decent squad options as well.

Yeah some good points made here. Jose was completely shafted in that 3rd transfer window and I do sympathize with him for that and we would have been stronger with those players. But it's not like in Jose's last season we were 2 signings away like we are now. We were miles off and the atmosphere around the club was completely toxic.

With Jose there's always been a 2 season window where he might win a league, but after that it always goes south. And with Jose we'd passed that window. In another era where City weren't so strong, we may have won the league in 2017/18. I don't think that we'd have improved by sticking with Jose.

I'm not saying Ole win will a league either, but I think theres certainly more scope for growth under him than with Jose who has always specialised in short term success, and him being around for more than 2 years has rarely ended well.

wanderer100

Love this

https://twitter.com/utdreport/status/1397554585129136132?s=20

EltonJohn69

wanderer100 wrote: »

Love this

https://twitter.com/utdreport/status/1397554585129136132?s=20

Jaysus !!! Sir Alex doesn’t look a day over 35

Zeek12

wanderer100 wrote: »

Love this

https://twitter.com/utdreport/status/1397554585129136132?s=20

Great to see Fergie looking so well. And on hand to give advice & encouragement.

What greater incentive could any player want!

DM_7

Mitch Connor wrote: »

May 18.

Give Jose Maguire that summer (or Alderwereld or other) CB that he wanted. Get him the winger that could cross in to Lukaku, Peresic was targetted but Mahrez moved that summer, would have solved our RW problem that we had back then too. A top midfielder, not Fred, and we'd have had a very good squad, a manager that was backed and Jose/the team may not have imploded as they did. Probably would have needed a RB, to be fair, too.

We were closer to a top side in 18 than we are now, imo.

De Gea
Lacking a Right Back
Maguire
Lindelof/Smalling
Shaw
Matic
Pogba
Herrera
Mahrez
Lukaku
Martial/Rashford

that would have been a very promising starting 11. with some decent squad options as well.

I agree on paper United are not in a much better place now.

To me the team is in a much better place when I consider the context of the direction the players within the team are going, players placed to grow and the overall squad position I think United are much healthier now. They are better placed to move forward with additions.

Even in the team you have below, after adding two players it does not have a right back.

If we consider where some of the players in your line up were in summer 18:

De Gea
No Right back
Maguire
Lindelof/Smalling - Lindelof started 13 league games, Smalling not even in England World Cup squad but Jones is
Shaw - started 8 games the previous season
Matic was about to regress
Pogba - was at the world cup hoping it would lead to a move away from United
Herrera only started 13 league games
Mahrez
Lukaku
Martial/Rashford - Lingard started more games in 17/18 than Rashford or Martial in the league

Sanchez has taken over from the above and is not mentioned in your line up

The squad included Valencia, Fellaini, Rojo, Darmian, Andreas (who started the next season).

py2006

I wish Alex would cover his noise with that mask.

Note, not a live stream, it is showing the coach and staff arriving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHID3KUDEbQ

wanderer100

Rumours on twitter that Fred is dropped and it's McTominay & Pogba in midfield. Hope it's true, 35 mins till team news

PARlance

wanderer100 wrote: »

Rumours on twitter that Fred is dropped and it's McTominay & Pogba in midfield. Hope it's true, 35 mins till team news

It's a bold move if true, and I like it.
(Lots of questions as to why it wasn't tried more throughout the season though)

TRC10

wanderer100 wrote: »

Rumours on twitter that Fred is dropped and it's McTominay & Pogba in midfield. Hope it's true, 35 mins till team news

Huge statement that. A sign of intent for sure. Big responsibility on the two of them to put in a defensive shift and protect Lindelöf and Bailly/Axel. But it does give us a very menacing attack.

Lucas Hood

This is doing the rounds on twitter
Ddg
Awb Bailly Lindelof Shaw
MCT Pogba
Greenwood Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Father Hernandez

wanderer100 wrote: »

Rumours on twitter that Fred is dropped and it's McTominay & Pogba in midfield. Hope it's true, 35 mins till team news

Rashford most effective on the left, Greenwood our best player on the right, Cavani up top. No brainer IMO if that means Pogba plays in the middle with McT.

Much rather that than McFred middle, Pogba shoehorned on the left and Rashford OOP on the right.

United are a better side going forward and need our best 3 in their right positions to allow that to happen.

I hope that's the case.

Loafing Oaf

Lucas Hood wrote: »

This is doing the rounds on twitter
Ddg
Awb Bailly Lindelof Shaw
MCT Pogba
Greenwood Bruno Rashford
Cavani

But wouldn't that be a de facto 4-1-4-1? Would Pogba in reality be doing any more defending than Bruno?

Pipmae

Lucas Hood wrote: »

This is doing the rounds on twitter
Ddg
Awb Bailly Lindelof Shaw
MCT Pogba
Greenwood Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Happy with that bar Bailly. I'd prefer Tuanzebe.

adox

I’d prefer to see Axel ahead of Bailly. Not a lot between the two players and playing Axel keeps the disruption to the back 4 at a minimum.

Looking forward to the game.

Lucas Hood

Lucas Hood wrote: »

This is doing the rounds on twitter
Ddg
Awb Bailly Lindelof Shaw
MCT Pogba
Greenwood Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Confirmed now.
https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/1397609943281373190?s=19

adox

Maguire on the bench

Father Hernandez

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Confirmed now.
https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/1397609943281373190?s=19

I like the look of that front 6.

Mantis Toboggan

PARlance wrote: »

It's a bold move if true, and I like it.
(Lots of questions as to why it wasn't tried more throughout the season though)

Absolutely, hopefully it works out but Pogba is either good or awful in the middle.

adox

Still think it’s a mistake putting Bailly in and moving Lindelof over. Hopefully doesn’t cost us tonight.

FourFourRED

Best possible 11 for me. Enjoy the game everyone.

wanderer100

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Confirmed now.
https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/1397609943281373190?s=19

Brilliant lineup, get in !!

I think Ole's got the lineup absolutely spot on

Whatsisname

Tuanzebe should have started over Bailly. Please don’t **** this up Bailly.

Lucas Hood

Any time recently I've seen Tuanzebe play I've thought he was dodgy.

The Big Easy

Biggest game of the season..... and it's McPogba!

Caegan

That's the strongest 11 he could put out, I'm very happy with that line up and really looking forward to this.

KH25

Happy with that. Hoping for a good game from
Pogba beside McTominay. Good to see Rashford on the left.

Ninthlife

Im looking forward to this...would love for the team and Ole to get a trophy.

Im going with 3-1 United..

ollkiller

I'm actually in shock. I'm delighted but still in shock. 1 holding midfielder. Finally. Let's bash them now.

Ninthlife

adox wrote: »

Maguire on the bench

Id imagine he will come on last couple of minutes should the game be wrapped up

xtal191

adox wrote: »

Maguire on the bench

He'll come on when we're a few up, can see us winning by 3/4

Rossi IRL

Wonder if Bailly has experience playing with some these Villareal players, didn't he come from there.

Might help him but I thought he was dodgy and looked off the pace the last few games.

useless

Ninthlife wrote: »

Id imagine he will come on last couple of minutes should the game be wrapped up

Yep. Better have him on the bench to come on at 90+5 to get ready to lift the trophy. Avoids any Terry-esque FKW accusations

Santan

Ninthlife wrote: »

Im looking forward to this...would love for the team and Ole to get a trophy.

Im going with 3-1 United..

I'm going with this score as well, comfortable win tonight, probably go 3 up and concede a silly corner in the last 15 mins

unplayable

Whatever happens finally a team selection that is spot on the correct way to play this final. We won’t keep a clean sheet without Maguire so we will have to score 2 to win this. With that lineup can see us doing it. Up the ****ing reds

Whatsisname

Ye’re all so confident, I’m ****ting meself here :pac:

PsychoPete

After the first few games of the season I didn't United would finish up second and in a European final. Excepting a some bit comfortable game for united

Mitch Connor

Very surprised that neither Fred nor Matic are starting with McT. Worry we are going to be very weak defensively with neither Pogba nor Bruno being of much help to McT.

S.M.B.

S.M.B. wrote: »

Looking forward to tonight. Feels like a pivotal moment for Ole. Win and there could be real momentum behind his current tenure. Lose and those questions off his pedigree will get louder and louder.

I'm curious to see how he approaches tonight just as much as I am looking forward to the actual game.

Does he start with the McFred double pivot?

Does he risk Maguire if that's an option?

Does Bailly get the nod or is he destined to never partner Lindelof?

No

No

Yes

Pleasantly surprised with all three of those decisions, especially the lack of McFred. Really feels like he's setting up for the game and not the occasion. Expectation is that Villareal will play a slow game with a low block so glad to see we are not waiting until the 60th minute to identify that we'll need a bit more creativity to break them down.

Your Airbag

Fred's been poor for a while now, its the right decision not to start with him.

xtal191

Your Airbag wrote: »

Fred's been poor for a while now, its the right decision not to start with him.

He also went off injured in the last match, maybe not 100% fit

Liam O

PsychoPete wrote: »

After the first few games of the season I didn't United would finish up second and in a European final. Excepting a some bit comfortable game for united

If they can't do it against the 5th best Spanish team there is something wrong, I worry that McTominay is going to be left alone in the middle and he's not a DM so if he bursts forward then it's one ball to be one on one with the CBs for a Villarreal attacker.

Bleating Lamb

Positive lineup from Ole.....will be saying a few Hail Marys that Bailly manages to get through the game without doing something ridiculous.
Would be worried at fact that Lindelof won’t be comfortable coming out of defence on his wrong side.Need a big game from AWB.....he can’t afford to be caught napping positionally.

Adamocovic

Looking at the bench and wondering where a goal would come from if needed late on.

Great we’re keeping Cavani but we need to add another forward.

A goal scorer off the bench is something every side needs and something we’ve normally had. It’s mad just looking at it.

dubmick

Lack of protection in centre midfield is worrying although as other posters have mentioned Fred has been poor lately. Option of Rashford or Greenwood from the bench could change a game.

Liam O

I did think Pogba would have made a big difference if available to start the Leipzig game but obviously Raiola put paid to that so this is his night. Step down from Leipzig to Villarreal though.

Pipmae

dubmick wrote: »

Lack of protection in centre midfield is worrying although as other posters have mentioned Fred has been poor lately. Option of Rashford or Greenwood from the bench could change a game.

Scholes pretty much saying the same re the centre midfield. It's a risk all right. It depends on what Pogba shows up doesn't it.:eek:

Your Airbag

Also glad DDG starts, it wasn't really in too much doubt but still glad.

The Big Easy

Pogba pretty much saying in the pre-match interview that he doesn't want to play on the left

DenMan

Arsenal fan here guys. Best of luck tonight now!