10 Aug 2018 10:34:45
Well now the dust has settled and some press have reported their take on our transfer failures it is time to reflect. I think some of us can understand maybe the owners telling Mourinho to do what he is paid to do and coach for once. The present squad certainly has some talented individuals and a few players yet to fulfil their potential. All the reporting was about our clamour for a CB, I think the owners have a point in that Jose has already brought 2 CBs into the club which he hardly used last season so maybe he should find a way of making his purchases work. Midfield we were short of someone to help out Matic and Fred was bought to solve that. In Sanchez, Rom, Rash, Martial, Pogba, Jesse, Mata we have players that should create a lot of chances per match so Jose must find a way of playing that does just that. The thing i am struggling with this window is not replacing the LB and RB position with top level players. Young and Valencia would not get near any other so called top sides team in Europe yet we have persisted with them for what will be the third year now. In todays style of football the wing backs are probably the most crucial area to get right. Unfortunately ours cannot defend that well and offer very little going forward, i cannot remember the last time either got to the byline and put in a dangerous cross. I believe these areas are why we struggle in games and look static and predictable, especially against teams that sit deep as we never stretch the pitch with both young and Valencia constantly coming inside instead of offering the midfield a wide outlet. I appreciate Dalot is a RB but he was clearly bought for the future although i am hoping he gets an early chance and takes it and maybe just maybe Shaw can get back to the player we thought we were buying. I just fear Jose will sulk and moan awaiting the inevitable departure like he did at Chelsea. I would love nothing better than Jose taking on this situation and going for it an all out frontal attack let's get back to making the opposition worry about what we are going to do rather setting up our team to neutralise an opponent. If this is going to be his last season why not go out with a bit of fight
As Dylan Thomas wrote Jose
"Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying light".

{Ed0333's Note - fantastic read mate, eloquent as f**k. I really enjoyed reading that. You make some salient points and it is not often we get a Dylan Thomas stanza on here. Ed’s 001 thinks he’s a welsh footballer. I think my opinions on your squad and manager are well documented so I’ll keep stum at this time.

1.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:12:14
Good post Jamie. time for Jose to earn his crust now
And if you can't do it Jose you must move on.

2.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:27:22
We played some of our best football under the negative one with Blind at left back playing pretty much as a third centre back. That doesn't follow suit with the importance of the full backs.

Valencia gets a lot of stick but before his mid season injury and him being seriously overplayed he was one of our better performers.

Maybe I'm nuts and maybe my judgement is clouded but I believe the reason we started to look static, sluggish etc etc was because Jose gave up on our season when he realised he wasn't going to get the silverware he wanted.

3.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:52:30
Totally agree with all of that. We have a very good group of players, and significant money has been spent over the last couple of years on Jose's request. He now needs to coach the undoubted talent out of them.

I agree on the full back situation, for me full backs were the most important players we needed to sign this summer. Followed closely by a link player in midfield. We got Fred, and Dalot is very promising by all accounts and with both Valencia and Young able to play RB this season I can understand taking a chance on a super talented young RB.

LB however, needed sorting. If Shaw can come good then we will be golden. Yet the more time that goes by the less likely that he will achieve his potential becomes. Especially when the manager doesn't trust the player to give him a chance. I would have signed a new first choice LB (Jose Gaya or Kieran Tierney) then loaned Shaw out for a season after agreeing a new contract with him. That way he can play regular football for a manager who wants him. Then he can either come back to battle it out for the LB berth or he can leave having hopefully increased his value while on loan.

As for the Cab's we seemed to be chasing all summer, for me it would have to be Alderweireld, Giminez or no one. I don't see the point in spending serious money unless we get a serious upgrade and those two are the best available atm. Varane possibly as well but his injury record has been pretty poor, and I'm not keen on replacing injury prone defenders with other injury prone defenders.

4.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:02:23
Now that the dust has settled a little and I am less depressed than late yesterday afternoon, I feel there is every reason to be positive and every reason to be pessimistic. It is make or break - the infamous Jose 3rd season.
I believe that by and large we have more than adequate squad. MU seem to have done three things. 1.told the manager that he has enough talent if he develops youth. 2.Resisted splashing large amounts of cash on great players at their peak (who can only decline in ability and value) . 3.Preserved resources financial and great players we already have for the next manager should JM throw his toys out of the pram.
Hold on to your hats for a roller coaster as we find out how good a manager Jose is. Can he really build, enthuse and man manage a team and individuals and improve / transform what he has. Is he really a great manager or can he only buy success with older players? We are about to find out! I look forward with trepidation and excitement. Forgive any future pessimistic posts. I have only been on one roller coaster before in my life - a very small one when I was very young and I hated it.