Manchester United Banter Archive January 15 2018

15 Jan 2018 23:17:17
An amazing stat. Manchester United are unbeaten in the last 35 games pogba has played in.21 W 13 D . Pogba has not lost a premiership match since the 4 nil loss to Chelsea in 2016.
So he does make a difference. A huge difference.
Lukaku looked very sharp tonight and his all round game and confidence on the ball is improving weekly. He is a very hard working player at training by reports and David may was saying he has some of the younger lads stay back and ping balls at him to improve his touch and he joins in on all the shooting drills with the younger lads.

15 Jan 2018 23:57:08
Yep i see an improvement in him week by week in his all round play, he’s playing better now overall than he was when he was scoring for fun early doors. With his peak years still around 3 years off and the good attitude he seems to have to want to learn and improve we could have an absolute machine on our hands. One particular thing I like is he’s always encouraging our other players aswel even at times when the service has been poor to him.

16 Jan 2018 00:18:56
He is growing on me is big Rom. I wasn’t sure if he was the right fit for us but you can see the ambition in him every time he steps onto the pitch. His work rate has improved and his overall hold up play has come on leaps and bounds. His link up with martial and pogba was so slick at times tonight and it was great to see him bag a goal. He is clearly a very popular member of the squad and at only 24, he is so much more room to improve and hit his peak. Players like Sanchez will only take the pressure off him and share the load of being Man Utd’s no 9. I thought at times tonight we attacked very well and it was an enjoyable game. Still dodgy at times at the back but that is always going to be the case if it is only matic anchoring whilst the offensive players press high. Signing Sanchez could just be that injection of quality and spark we need and I wouldn’t rule us out as dark horse for the champions league. Not many teams will want to play us over two legs.

16 Jan 2018 04:45:09
Pogba turned up again. If he can keep this form going I will change my perception, consistency is the key for him, it's been missing until recently imo, but he is starting to be reliable.

Shout out to Rom as well, starting to find his feet and contribute.

We did look suspect defensively, Stoke had several very good chances despite looking awful. Good performance, entertaining and a pleasure to watch.

16 Jan 2018 08:07:32
We got beat of Bristol when pogba played and lost to city and Chelsea when he was missing this season .
The last game pogba has lost in the league, Chelsea.
United have only lost 3 league game all season, the Huddersfield game was a poor performance, Chelsea and city played very well.

15 Jan 2018 23:06:10
Eds please tell me this will be zlatans last season! Unless you are zlatan!

15 Jan 2018 22:16:56
Ed002 I've got it firmly rooted in my head that you said Chelsea weren't in for Sanchez due to the wages required and only Utd and city were played to cover the cost.

I've had a good search and can't find the quote, is this something I've dreamt up or do I remember correctly and just can't search right?

Thanks in advance and additionally thanks for all the Sanchez info to date I think I speak for us all when I say we're very grateful.

{Ed002's Note - Ok.}

15 Jan 2018 22:25:43
Thanks.

15 Jan 2018 22:11:31
Chelsea in for Alexis now. Would be less upheaval I guess moving etc? I really hope we can get this over the line. It's only been a few days but I'm already bored of it all! Just pick one quickly Alexis and make sure it's us!

15 Jan 2018 21:37:09
Get away from the Sanchez transfer if there was no man utd who would people be supporting.

15 Jan 2018 21:51:04
Man Utd reserves.

15 Jan 2018 21:51:27
Probably Wigan, my town team. Thank God there is Man Utd is all I can say!

15 Jan 2018 21:55:37
Spurs, in England. Grew up watching the 2 Argies and Hoddle. Always tried to play football the way it's meant to be played. Plus the late, great Northern Irishman, Danny Blanchflower, captained them in their double year.

15 Jan 2018 22:05:22
Man City 😑🙈 I'm a manc! I'd have no choice!

15 Jan 2018 22:31:24
The mighty Rochdale.

15 Jan 2018 22:51:47
Port vale.

15 Jan 2018 21:01:39
SSN , City have pulled out officially. Is this really happening?

15 Jan 2018 21:45:34
Unless Conte has something to say on this.

16 Jan 2018 07:40:29
The allure of London huh?

15 Jan 2018 19:11:55
No mkhitaryan in squad 🤔.

15 Jan 2018 17:59:14
Hi ed002 you have said before that signing sanchez would potentially cause us an issue with regard to wage limits.
Do you expect anybody to leave not necessarily to aresenal. ?
It appears that blind darmian miki are surplus to requirements and potentially shaw and fellaini who have been linked with moves all season but i'd say shaw is earning himself another chance.
Is there any interest in ibra?

{Ed002's Note - Yes, there are potential issues with wages. Yes there are players who could leave if buyers are found. The interest in ZI won’t come to anything due to the money involved.}

15 Jan 2018 18:24:51
Thanks ed.

15 Jan 2018 13:52:38
Anybody sick of van gaal's whining. I thought he was supposed to be a clever man but he can't understand why he was sacked. You were sacked because you were absolutely pony end of.

15 Jan 2018 14:05:46
He’s so bitter it’s embarrassing 😂. Dinosaur of a manager with the worst style of play a united team has ever played. Not a shot on target till the 60th minute. He should take his money and keep his mouth shut.

15 Jan 2018 14:12:16
It’s remarkable just how delusional he is. Obviously I’m not privy to what went on behind the scenes but surely he must’ve been aware of the undercurrent of dissatisfaction about the playing style and performances. It is said that he is incredibly stubborn but he really takes it to a whole new level.

15 Jan 2018 14:35:37
Playing devils advocate here, I suppose it depends on what the board were telling him the expectations were. If he was told he was doing a good job, that he had time to improve things and to carry on and then to be sacked then maybe he has a point. If not then he is dillusional.

Don’t get me wrong, I did not enjoy his style of play or comments. He did seem to be a sandwich short of a picnic and was not sorry to see him go, but if the club did say one thing and then do another, that would not reflect well on the club.

15 Jan 2018 14:54:18
I understand where your coming from Huggy but this is LVG we are on about here, he deserve's no defence at all, IMO he and his signings were 1 of the biggest mistakes United made, even worse than Moye's.

15 Jan 2018 16:03:50
Nobody was as bad as Moyes. I still have nightmares about the Fulham game.

15 Jan 2018 16:04:00
He seems to be very bitter that he was sacked rather than asked to choose his successor. Early in his reign we did actually play some good stuff, there was one game against city where we dominated them and won something like 4-2. But his team regressed into possession obsessed negative no risk nancies and I will not be sorry to see the back him.

15 Jan 2018 16:14:17
I think we regressed because he was an authoritarian and would lay in to players if they made mistakes. So in the end they stopped taking risks.

Many of us wanted someone who'd give our players a kick up the arse, they did and it didn't work. It's almost like the world and football have moved on from the 80's and you can't get the same reaction out of a modern day player as you would of 30 years ago.

Maybe to succeed in modern day football, with modern day players we need a modern day manager? Just a thought.

15 Jan 2018 16:16:04
I can understand why he’s not happy, ED002 said there was a plan and strategy (I think he said 3years) he was part way through the plan and the fans turned. Again from memory I think ED002 eluded the fan stuff caused a change in transfer plans and ultimately put a stop to a project. He was obviously close to Ed Woodward, to be this annoyed he openly feels the club betrayed him. To be fair to him as we don’t know what was said to him or promised behind closed doors he might have a point.

For me I can see what he was doing, he was getting a new very young group of players together and trialling some youngsters out. It would of been interesting to know what the plan was.

15 Jan 2018 16:20:12
didnt like LVG as a manager for obvious reasons but I liked his arrogance, thought he was quite a nice fella. old school. bit nutty but still a little bit of footballs all time great managers even if his best years were behind him.

All this whinging is too much now, doing himself no favours at all . i'm guessing he was stitched up and promises broken. must be nice for his big ego even with a big pay off

But for the football he played he couldn't expect to hold on for much longer than he did.

15 Jan 2018 16:36:49
Sandwich short of a picnic. 😀.

15 Jan 2018 16:38:05
People assume he's intelligent, but in actual fact, he's as thick as pig s. t. trust me, I know him and he's thoroughly unpleasant.

15 Jan 2018 16:56:23
How do you know him AAA?

15 Jan 2018 19:09:12
He has a villa in Portugal beside NoMid, Park. The man sucked the life out of our club, with his anti-football. Move on.

15 Jan 2018 20:29:10
Mort as bad as Moye's was I think the team he inherited didn't do him any favours, he lost before he started to be fair. Fergie's transfer policy (or lack of) towards the end left our team with to much work to do.

16 Jan 2018 01:53:09
What plan and strategy do we expect from LVG's hypothetical 3rd season? Apart from more scattergun approach to transfer and youth policy, I can't really think of any.

15 Jan 2018 12:07:12
Hi Eds. any insight into Mkhitaryan going to Arsenal either as part of the offer for Sanchez or directly?

{Ed002's Note - Try the search engine.}

15 Jan 2018 09:54:47
Hi Ed's,

Any idea if Carrick is in contention to play this season? It seems likely he will retire at the end of the year too. His passing from deep would have been useful and allow pogba to play higher up the pitch frequently.

{Ed001's Note - they have said he will be back fit to play next month, but it is unlikely he will be match fit. That is saying there is no setbacks in his recovery as well, heart conditions are dangerous things after all.}

15 Jan 2018 10:21:37
Thanks for your reply.

If he is to retire at end of season do you know of any potential replacements man utd are looking at? Any idea if the club looking at winks or verrati?

{Ed001's Note - I don't know of interest in either of those two sorry, but the club are looking to replace him in the summer. Too early to know who right now for sure who it will be, but Milinkovic-Savic is the player Jose would most like.}

15 Jan 2018 10:21:39
Personally I wouldn't risk it. Get him on his coaching badges, have help out with the u18s and then give him an hour in the final home game as a farewell. going to be hard to replace.

15 Jan 2018 10:45:38
Many thanks for your prompt replies Ed.

{Ed001's Note - you are very welcome.}

15 Jan 2018 11:56:08
Hi ed001 just a quick question if you have the time. What is your view as a non Man Utd fan at the way we are progressing and the team that Jose is building? Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - tough one. In terms of the quality of playing staff you are progressing massively, but the on field play has still a long way to go. I feel that is partly down to Jose still missing the players he wants to make things tick. There is defo progress there though, I mean Pogba is growing as a player, Lingard too. You just had a long way to go because the squad had slipped so far under Moyes and LVG.}

15 Jan 2018 12:53:07
I would agree with that ed you are spot on. I think Jose has no excuses after this summer window and we must be challenging or winning the league next year with the spending that he will have done. As fans we must be rational and see how far we have come from the debacle under Moyes and LVG. There is a resilience and positive atmosphere in the squad which is great to see. However, the style of play is still not entertaining enough but I will fully judge that next season when Jose has the team that he wants. We have the players to play more expansively and I do wish he would take the shackles off more often. Thanks again Ed for your input.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate.}

15 Jan 2018 13:33:04
Couldn't agree more Ed, definitely think we are going in the right direction under Jose and like you said, we slipped so far under Moyes/ LVG, so it's going to more time than people think, despite spending a fortune. The squad is better, the unity looks good and with a few more signings over the next few windows, we will be right up there again I'm sure. Patience.

15 Jan 2018 19:11:10
I hope his last season with us doesn't just peeter out into a damp squib. He deserves better than that.

15 Jan 2018 09:06:49
Moura reported to have said .

"Unfortunately, it's the end for me in Paris. I like the English championship. "

So, where do you think he'll end up then? Derby? Sheffield Wed? Ipswich?

15 Jan 2018 09:36:36
Wolves.

15 Jan 2018 10:22:10
Wolves wouldn't be a bad shout.

15 Jan 2018 07:47:51
The Sly Sports pundits yesterday on the Liverpool v City game were an embarrassment. I'm not sure if their opinions are their own or they have to tow a certain narrative but they were really disrespectful towards United.

Carragher said the only reason Sanchez would go to United I'd "money".
Shay Given saying "he's going to City, it's a no brainer. "
Souness spouting his usual bitter nonsense. "Theres foul play going on. United must have tapped him up"

Guillme Ballague, another SS mouthpiece saying "Alexis must choose a project with Pep or money"

I don't want to get into the hypocrisy of Liverpool fans talking about "tapping up" players with their record over the last couple of years, but those statements are disgraceful. So now we're the "money" club and City are the club steeped in tradition and history. I wonder how Pep can jump around so much with all those tongues up his arse!

I shouldn't be getting so worked up this early. Onto yesterday's match. Fantastic game of football and it was the result the league needed to maybe keep it interesting for a little while longer. We'll done liverpool.

Tonight's game is huge. This is the first chance we have to claw back some points on City. If we can announce Sanchez today or tomorrow and get a big 3 points tonight then we can start to turn the heat up on City. I still expect them to win the title but we can't let them stroll it while they're smoking cigars.

15 Jan 2018 07:56:31
Quite honestly though city are almost certain to win the league, their squad is immense, it makes sense for him to move their, he’s not as young as he once was and how many year at the top does he h e left? United could well win a cup but at the minute sadly look like an easy choice.

15 Jan 2018 08:03:35
I am sorry but if Alexis Sanchez joins Utd its only for the money, he would be on 360 000 £ a week. Saying anything else is complete delusion. These are FACTS jack!

15 Jan 2018 08:13:36
Yh i switched off from all the 'analysis' that sky pundits do, more because its extremely boring and generic than because of any anti united perceived bias.

Sky should really save some money and ditch these pundits and bring back fanzone. Least it will be cheaper rubbish being spoken.

15 Jan 2018 08:31:27
It’s annintersring debate, up to this point why do you think people have been joining City, that’s right, the money. It’s worth pointing out they won nothing last year.

We have been struggling recently but made progress last year winning 2 cups and are progressing further. 2 or 3 top class signings and who knows what might happen? A lot of players say they had no idea how big the club was before they signed so listening to bitter old pros is embarrassing, Shay Given would have sold his Mother to play for us.

15 Jan 2018 08:36:11
No problem if chooses money, sure he isn't playing football for leisure. Many athletics are earning a lot of money.

At the end of the day improves the team.

I think he would I have earned more if decides to run down is contract.

Utd should be proud has few clubs can afford that, Money is most attractive thing to most of us, people will say whatever they wish but money comes first to many.

{Ed001's Note - I don't get the money argument as he is asking for the same wages from all interested clubs. City were willing to match the amount in the summer and would have no issue doing so now if they weren't miles ahead in the league and so not desperate for signings.}

15 Jan 2018 08:37:45
How are they “FACTS”?

15 Jan 2018 08:51:20
I understand right now City are ahead in the league and playing a more attractive style of football, my point being, he's not joining Swansea. It's not like he won't have a chance to win titles and cups with United over the next 4 years.

The revisionism of history is what is quite astonishing. City taking the moral high ground saying they won't pay more than £20 million is like me saying I'm a vegan after just finishing a four racks of lamb!

Legendary, best not talk about money mate. Your mob are blowing through your money like a scene from Brewsters millions!

"Hello is the RBL? Heya doing its Liverpool here. I know we've already bought Keita for a ridiculous price, but we were just wondering. Is there any chance we can maybe buy him again? "

Don't worry legendary. When Griezemann signs for Liverpool, I'm sure he'll play for free.

15 Jan 2018 08:57:52
Sky wonder why they lose subscribers when there pundits are talking about the side with the most following in the UK in the way they do.
I watch NBCSN its miles better and unbiased opinions.

15 Jan 2018 09:10:46
we have the 5th least net spend of the top 6 in the last 7 seasons, please don't talk about money, glass house and all that. Griezmann? i have about zero % belief we will sign him, and Alexis was going to join Man City for 280 000 a week, 80 000 more and Man City are not willing to match that anymore because they cant' right now, Van Dijk cost Liverpool 78.8 million euros in transfer fees and coutinho will eventually get LFC over 150 million euros in, it's not like we have gone out and spent an outrageous amount on a player without knowing money was coming in the other way! And Liverpool has not contacted RBL for Keita whatsoever in Jan. Its the player and his entourage who are pushing for a move now which is understandable! But good thing you believe the media like they have a clue what's going on!

15 Jan 2018 09:13:11
When it comes to his wages they are always going to be higher than usual. He has run his contract down on purpose, that means clubs are able to buy him at a fair cheaper cost than if he had three years still on his contract.

For him to be able to run his contract down he will have had to turn down new offers which will have included a pay rise. It's a calculated gamble, he turned down more money over the last few years so he can make even more now.

Why would a player turn down the chance to make more money just so the club that buys him can save a bit in transfer fees?

Buying a player on a bosman or with only 6 months left on his contract isn't necessarily cheaper, the money just goes to the player and his agent rather than the selling club.

City at the end of the day supposedly agreed a deal last summer with him and his agent which had wages in the region of 300k per week with a 20m signing bonus if he moved on a free or a smaller one if City paid for him last summer.

I think the packages on offer a similar, yes he will probably earn more at United than he would at City, yes if he signs for City in January he will be garenteed to win the title this year, although no one points out that he would win it without being a key player in winning it. I'm sure that winning a title feels different depending on how involved you are in the winning of it.

Recent history doesn't suggest that he'll definitely win more during his time at City than he would at United. We have won three trophies in two years, City have won zip in that time.

Both Jose and Pep have a history of not staying at a club for longer than 3 years, so there is no garentees that either manager would be his boss for more than a year or so.

I don't think there is a lot in it to be honest, what it might come down to is who wants/ needs him most. Because above all things players want to feel needed.

15 Jan 2018 09:14:04
Ed001 spot on. He was barfly gping to play for Cit for peanuts. Go back a few days and the narrative was
"Sanchez is nailed on for City, hard working world class player wants to reunite with Pep and try a cement City at the top of English football for years to come"

United enter the fray.
"He's clearly been tapped up, he's only a mercenary going there for the money. He's toxic in the dressing room. He clearly lacks ambition"

Ed001, I have my conspiracy hat on here. Would the SS pundits and Ballague have been told what to voice as their opinion or as they just jealous and bitter?

{Ed001's Note - could be either mate. They do often have certain things to discuss or ways they have to talk. I mean you don't think every pundit wants England to do well or cares about English players do you? However none of them are going to say that on air as it would be the end of their career. They are not there to just go with the flow and say what everyone is thinking, they are there to create discussion and cause arguments. The more people are talking about what they say, the better for the TV company concerned.}

15 Jan 2018 09:28:57
You want arguments, watch Eamonn Dunphy, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles tear lumps out of each other on RTE. Glorious television!

15 Jan 2018 09:52:56
Legendary
You say good job we believe what's going on in the media like they have a clue. Yet your banding around wages mentioned it said media. But because its your argument its now facts.

15 Jan 2018 10:30:57
W16wes, i have no idea what you are talking about, i honestly don't read any media at all, only this site, but whatever you say man, whatever you say :)

15 Jan 2018 13:31:34
Who does Legendary support then? LOL.

15 Jan 2018 16:30:54
Legendary are city going to pay him in blessings or is going to be free as playing for pep is now considered a huge privilege, anyone thinking it is pep or money needs to remember how many trophies pep has won at city and how many for mourinho.

15 Jan 2018 04:47:33
I seriously hope that we do sign Sanchez. Not because of the team or the manager but for the Beast. that's that happiest he has been for years.

{Ed001's Note - I fear for him. Not sure he remembers how to smile and his face might crack! Some people are just not meant to be happy....}