Manchester United Banter Archive April 25 2019

25 Apr 2019 21:42:47
I’ve been a little quiet as I’m struggling with the extreme reactions to our current malaise. Things are clearly not good but the comments on here are bordering on tragic. Ole’s first 11 games saw us securing title winning points, the latest run would put us in the relegation zone. There was a demand to have him appointed but now there is a loud wave of opinion saying he was the wrong appointment. Talk about flip flopping.

Ole wants to play on the front foot, working harder than our opponents. We tried that with huge success before injuries set in and right now we are again being out run by our opponents. We had (apparently) one of the best Managers in the world for the last 2 and a half years yet our players are not as fit as any other team, well I never.

Pogba looked a world beater for 10 games but now looks like a pub player. DDG who has been the best GK in the world for many years is now making a lot of mistakes. And they are not alone. I still don’t accept that our players are crap and that we need to ship all but 5 of them out. What we are lacking right now is leadership at every level, leadership on the pitch, leadership in the boardroom.

Allowing SAF and Gill to leave at the same time was a mistake, appointing Moyes was a mistake, chasing big name signings was a mistake, allowing Woody to look after football matters / transfers was a mistake, signing Sanchez was a horrendous mistake. All these things have compounded our situation, a situation that was initiated by SAFs constant refrain that ‘there was no value in the market’ whilst Chelsea and a City were hoovering up talent.

What we need is for the club to back the Manager and sign players who can play to the required style, high intensity, hard work, play on the front foot, and proud to play for our club. We also need to quickly ship out those who do not want to be here, relegate those who are not quite good enough to squad players, and promote the most promising youth players. Anyone who is less than 100% committed needs to be shown the door, whatever the cost. Right now, attitude is everything.

City and Liverpool have raised the bar to a new level, their football is a joy to watch and whoever wins the title will be worthy winners. Bear in mind we spoke to both Pep and Klopp and they left scratching their heads about what we wanted, another example of poor leadership from our club. It is not just on the pitch they are leading the way but also off the pitch: their structure and approach leaves us a long way behind. We are the richest brand in world football but we are being run by rank amateurs.

Still, all is not lost. We do have some very talented players but right now they are surrounded by leeches, fakes, and charlatans. A ruthless approach is needed, an inspirational leader is needed (which may or may not be Ole), and a shed load of cash is needed.

Keep the faith.

25 Apr 2019 22:09:18
Smashing post mate. I agree with everything, ole may or may not be the right man. That will be found out in time, but we can’t make that assumption until he gets to build his own team and play his way.

Caolán.

25 Apr 2019 22:32:58
Top post Tony.

25 Apr 2019 22:38:41
Hi Ajh, initiated by SAF?

25 Apr 2019 23:04:20
Good post AJH.

25 Apr 2019 22:57:14
Good post that R3dman but we really don't know of Ole is right man or not and we will only find that out after if he is backed in th3 transfer window and that is the big window.

Our main issues are the players qe have are not good enough, bad attitude, lack of talent and clearly some of them don't want to be here.

Look at City they stepped away from Fred, Sanchez and Jorginho as soon as they found out that thwy eanted to come over here for the money.

That is how you run recruitment. We panicked when city got Guradiola and we decided to bring in Mourinho but he wasnt backed fully wher3 as Guardiola was.

City had a red carpet for Guardiola to do what he wants where as we didn't beleive in Mourinho's plan which was insane. Why would you bring in a manager if you are not going to back them.

I can only see one reason in that and that is to keep the man utd brand going and fool the fans into the stadium to make more money.

United whether you like it or not is a money making machine and until we get th3 structure sorted in terms of recruitment, right football decisions and a clear way of playing/ style then we might get somewhere with the club.

My 2 cents on this that as soon as we start losing games next seqson and if Ole doesn't perform he will b3 sacked in 12 months and then we will start all over again.

Th3 fans have no patience and they want success over night but that is not going to happen, we are not going to win any premier league title for the next 2 to 3 years what we do need to do is keep th3 faith with Ole even if he doesn't perform and buy the right players in and get rid of the players that lack talent or players that don't want to play.

To be honest I don't thnk what i mentioned is going to happen based on the past experiences with previous manager but i hope I am wrong and Ole is backed to make this team United again.

25 Apr 2019 23:17:54
Singh keep up, that's ajh.

25 Apr 2019 23:09:59
Ajh I agree with most of what you say but answer me this how many world class players are in our team?

How many of our players would get into city or liverpool's team or even spurs.

We have a bang average team with bang average players only interested in 1 thing. We need more than 5 players gone but that's not going to happen we are full of crap players who don't care

I don't get the whole the players ain't fit enough bs they train enough to be able to run for 90 minutes.

I play sundays for 90 minutes and run my arse off I might get tired but not once will I stop running.

The players are lazy and they have no pride I'm sick of hearing them say what's needed yet none of them are grabbing deep looking for a pair of balls and doing on the pitch

What I wpuod give to be able to play my the team I love.

Ole is not the issue. Injuries are not the issue the owners are not the issue. The players are and I agree get rid of those not wanting to be here

But we have set ourselves up to fail by giving the likes of smalling and Jones and young new deals

You would think Jones and smalling would have learnt the basics on how to defend when Rio and Vidic were here. and to think they will be getting testimonials soon


This is going to take more than just money to throw at it. But I do agree with keep the faith. in ole but he can only succeed if Woodward the clown backs what he wants.

25 Apr 2019 23:28:46
The ironic thing though AJH is that some of the most talented ones are the same ones that need shipping out. DDG I would like to keep, but we get this circus every year. He needs to go and for us to move on. What isn't he point of us blocking the move as Ed has suggested we could do? If he wants to go, then go.

Pogba I would carry tongue nearest airport myself. Martial I thought would go on to be a huge talent for us, but I've seen more effort in a dead sloth - get rid. Sanchez has been a disaster both in terms of performances and the effect I suspect it has had on the dressing room and morale.

Lukaku is a conundrum - he is a decent striker if played in the right way, but we don't seem to want to play that way. Rashford needs to get his head down and stop believing this own hype and prove he can be the player we all hope. Mata is a top bloke and professional, but he has little or no impact these days, just too slow for the EPL but one of the few who can hold his head night knowing that he has given his best - but time to move on.

Herrera is a decent enough player who I hope stays, but that is no certainty. The rest, well I just look around an don't see a whole lot of talent - at least not enough to get us to where we need to be.

Dalot has potential and has a future here, as does Lindeloff and Shaw. As for the rest, well I struggle to find any other defenders to keep. Bailly, Jones, Shaw etc all about as reliable as fishnet condoms.

It really is that time for a proper clear out and major recruitment. Of course we can ship out 10 or 12 in one window, so it will be a big headache in deciding who stays and who goes, but one thing I do think is important is that we make a point of recruiting at least some new players from the EPL.

All signings are a gamble to some extent, but at least players from the same league know what it's all about.
Very interesting and important summer coming up.

26 Apr 2019 05:54:55
Great posts AJH and Betty.
I said before just let Ole do his job till end of season before deciding but we went ahead. So that’s done for good or bad reason so be it. We back and support him hereon like it or not.
I agree with you both on clearing out. I’d rather see us taking chance on a younger team and go challenge the title in a year or two. If lucky we may even do better than Ajax! .
Through all these, I feel it is imperative that we have a final team plan which we want to achieve over that 2 yrs. May start with a minx of a few seniors since we can’t go out to buy 10 players right away. I guess the word is evolution so that we phase the senior out by that time. So pple like Young and Shaw can be squad players but we hone the younger team’s skills and development. Give the youngster more game time and exposure.
Key criteria is they must want to play for the club. Monetary rewards comes when they have achieved targets. I know it may be difficult to look for such players but I’m sure there are. I still believe SAF’s “no value out there” statement. Hasn’t Pep and Klopp adopted that even though their clubs might have paid highly for a few (but key players)? Obviously managers sometimes make mistakes but importantly it should be more success than the mistakes.
I’m disappointed with our current state with the highly paid players being side tracked and some who start to think they are the CR7 or Messi. Of course they have potential but that should come with hard work. However I feel a good house will last a long time with proper foundation. I just hope the club take this opportunity to reflect the tradition of the club and do the right thing. Else sooner or later it will be hit financially if supporters and sponsors start staying away.

26 Apr 2019 06:25:05
It was SAF who allowed the squad to deteriorate and for whatever reason stopped major investment (other than RVP) in his final years. He squeezed every last drop out of what he had but the squad he handed over needed rebuilding. Unfortunately that rebuilding has been at best poor. Look at the players we have bought in the last 6 years and look at the players who have moved to other clubs and you will see that we have been all over the place, and that is down to our structure, which is down to Woody or the owners. The big worry right now is we need major investment but don’t have structure to support sensible decision making.

We have the biggest wage bill in the Premier League. Think on that for a minute, we are miles behind City and Liverpool, behind Spurs, yet we pay our players more. I suspect there is more than 1 reason that has led to this but it needs to change.

As for the players, there is something not right in the dressing room, the lack of effort by some in unacceptable as is the form of others. People want to ship DDG out after a few mistakes, this is the player who was our player of the year for I think four years running but people now want him gone. Rashford was the next big thing, then overrated, then the future, then overrated. Pogba has been average since he arrived but awoke from his slumber when Ole arrived before nodding off again. Sometimes it can be one or two players who can impact the rest, both positively and negatively and if that is the case then they need to be the first to go.

We are caught in a loop and simply selling and buying players is unlikely to fix it by itself. The rumours of appointing Phelan as DOF or Technical Director reinforce the feeling that the lunatics are running the asylum. Giving Jose a new contract and then having to pay him off was ludicrous, the Sanchez deal was unbelievable, the wast of money in buying players we then quickly sold was amateurish. In any other business, the man in charge would have been sacked by now yet Woodward seems immune to criticism or censure.

We shall see, I still maintain we have some good players but for whatever reason the current culture is having a massive impact on performances on the pitch.

26 Apr 2019 07:10:41
Just reread my last post, I wasn’t suggesting that DDG, Rash, and Pogba are the ones who need to go, I was making a wider point.

26 Apr 2019 08:20:06
Top post AJH.

26 Apr 2019 09:08:06
Great posts AJH mate.

26 Apr 2019 09:20:16
"Just reread my last post, I wasn’t suggesting that DDG, Rash, and Pogba are the ones who need to go, I was making a wider point. "

good points tony but in the words of meatloaf, "2 outta 3 ain't bad"
DDG is the tiresome annual soap opera and pogba simply doesn't justify being first name on the sheet or having a team built round him as is often suggested.
Earlier post stated the huge wage bill at utd for a team only occupying 6th tbh not challenging on any significant level and the answer is obvious: we have attracted mercenary agents who arrange the overpriced sale of players to a club negotiating with a despot with no idea of football.
We will never get the perfect scenario of domination that we would love as fans but as Keane stated among others: youve got to get the foundations right. He was indicating start at the back then move on, but as a club we have to start further back with the hierachy and infastructure.
On a more positive note, we have a big game sunday, a massive window and fingers crossed, soon a DoF.

26 Apr 2019 09:25:10
AJH I’m sure we all have different views. I’m also sure that the players have exhibited their passion and intentions from the way they play on the pitch.
For me, we have just appointed a new manager. Good, bad, right or wrong one hopefully the board backs and support him through. The board went with Ole at the expense of Jose so they must have learnt from our current situation. I only support the manager whoever he or in future she is 😉🤣. That’s my support for the club.
Hopefully we do not deteriorate until we are bottom half of table. I’m disappointed of course but hopefully we can only get better if the management wakes up and support the project. May be 2 maybe 3 or 4 years but damn they better have a bloody good plan. I might die of high blood pressure explosion if they continue this way 🤦‍♂️🙄.

26 Apr 2019 13:17:08
Excellent posts AJH. Totally agree with your analysis. In any other business Woodward would have been sacked several times before now. I'm beginning to feel that it hardly matters which manager or players we have - no-one will be sufficiently backed by the board and the wonderful football mind of Woodward will have the final say. Abu Dhabi City have invested hundreds of millions whilst our owners only seem to be interested in how much money they can take out.

25 Apr 2019 18:27:09
I would just like to hear everyone's opinion. With the list provided by Ed002 of in's/ outs of players at United, what do you guys think the best and realistic starting lineup would be for next season?

25 Apr 2019 18:47:59
No idea mate.
If we finish top 4 it could be a different approach. It really is anyone's guess.
We could well get stuck with players we would prefer to move on so that will have any impact.
Im really looking forward to seeing what transpires between end of the season and the window closing.
We all have different opinions on players we would like to see leave and come in.
I don't kike martial as a player but who is to say if we buy 3 players that he clicks with that he won't become what some think he can.
Ole knows who he wants to keep and will find out soon enough won he has to keep and who he can bring in.

25 Apr 2019 18:48:32
Some positions are hard to guess at the moment.

In goal, maybe Romero or a new player. I would love Oblak but cannot count on it.

Back four, I will guess Shaw, Lindelof, a new center back, and Wan-Bissaka at right back. Hard to guess who that new center back will be. Hopefully not Smalling or Jones still starting. Any of Koulibaly, Milenkovic, Manolas all would be a major upgrade. And Dalot to get plenty of minutes on either flank.

The midfield is a major problem. Pogba and Herrera look likely to be gone, and Matic is slowing down. Maybe Ole will go with two defensive midfielders, with McTominay as one of them. We have heard many names, but hard to guess who is realistic. I would love Ndombele and Bruno Fernandes as the #10.

Up front, we still could have Martial, Rashford, and Lingard. Maybe Lukaku will go to Italy. Mata should go where he can get more minutes, and hopefully Sanchez can be moved on somehow. Greenwood should come into the rotation, even Chong perhaps, but the real need is a proven goalscorer.

So as of now, it seems really hard to answer your question. Next year looks very difficult already, with all the changes required.

25 Apr 2019 19:42:39
Based off of ed002s list i think the window could look like:

Pogba out - bruno fernandes in
Darmian out - Meunier in
Rojo out - Milenkovic in
Herrera out - saul in
Mata out - zaha in
Sanchez out (loan) - no need for a replacement as there is nothing from a footballing perspective to replace.

25 Apr 2019 19:58:53
finish out of the top 4 i would expect more investment in the squad. but i just can't imagine Ed Woodward negotiating so many transfers.

25 Apr 2019 20:33:20
DSG, I'd be more than happy with that.

25 Apr 2019 23:41:34
DSG, I like your list, except I hope to see Wan Bissaka at right back.

26 Apr 2019 07:45:11
Ok for my tuppence worth, if we are hypothetically talking a squad reset assuming that DDG, Pogba and Herrera leave.

DDG out - Romero in house - deserves a year to see if he can be no1. Buy in jan if not claiming the no1. (Saves spending on a replacement this year)
Darmian out - AWB (40m) ideally, Meunier (to allow Dalot time) if not AWB
Rojo out - Milenkovic (35m) in good cost effective option
Bailly out - Manolas (36m release clause) in further strengthening CB ( Lindelof, Milenkovic, Manolas, Tuanzebe-it’s time to find out)
Herrera out - Saul (85m) in (best MF available)
Pogba out - Neves (60m) in (Rice (50m) if the budget won’t stretch to Neves
Mata out (sorry Juan) - Bruno Fernandes (50m) in
Sanchez out - Hirving Lozano (38m) in
Approx 333-343m spend with a budget of 250m plus around 100m for Pogba and a combined 20 from selling lesser players should be achievable. Admittedly 2 CB’s is asking a bit much, but I think necessary, I would settle for Milenkovic first to drop the spend down to around a more realistic (if that word can be used) 300m

The ideals. We would all love Sancho but Dortmund won’t let him go even for a reasonable price. We would all love Koulibaly but again too expensive with the needs we have. De Ligt could be the possible leader we need but he will most likely go to Barcelona. Joao Felix - very expensive, very young and un proven. Zaha looks to be going elsewhere as do Bergwijn and Hernandez.

25 Apr 2019 14:49:54
I do see a few posters suggesting we are not playing to the strengths of some X or Y players or we need to build a team around them, which is crazy.

We first need to adopt a style of play and get players in to fit that system rather than trying to bring in players or play a system to get the best out of a particular player. We need to play to the team's strength.

Unfortunately, for the past couple of years we have been in transition and still are to adopt any consistent style of play with managers coming and going - it's been a total mess.

25 Apr 2019 15:36:16
When people say we need to build a team around Pogba, what they are really saying is that we should build a team that covers for Pogba’s lack of effort.

This is a player who has the ability to attack, defend, can be an exceptional passer, skilled dribbler, and has the physicality and engine to dominate a game. Pogba has the ability to fit into any midfield, regardless of the system. The fact that he constantly looks like a square peg is solely down to his lack of effort and application.

If Pogba put the work in in every game, he would be one of the top players in the world. Instead, he looks for ways to take the easy option, and wants a role with zero responsibility but all the glory.

25 Apr 2019 15:55:26
Totally agree, the biggest problem has been our inconsistent recruitment.

Moyes signed two players, Fellini and Mata, both have vastly different styles yet both perform best in the No.10 position. How were they meant to play together? Also both had a lack of pace and mobility.

LvG bought a right mix of players, why sign an injured Falcao when we had RvP? Di Maria was a farce. Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, and Blind all signed to play in midfield, yet none addressed the lack of energy or movement in midfield. Darmian was signed to take over from Valencia but clearly lacked the physical requirements to play full back in the most physically demanding league in the world. Sign Rojo to play CB almost entirely because he is left footed.

Shaw and Herrera were signed even though LvG admitted he didn't want them, but they were deals the club had mostly agreed under Moyes. What sort of madness is that, sign a sacked managers targets for a manager with a very different style.

Sack LvG, then hire a manager renowned for a preference for players in their late 20's/ early 30's, then argue that his signings don't have "re-sell" value. Currently we have sold nearly 30% of all of our post Sir Alex signings. With that figure to rise significantly over the summer.

This aimless transfer policy for want of a better word is completely responsible for the poor state of our current squad.

25 Apr 2019 18:32:35
transfer policy was abysmal. but we don't have the scholes type player who can dictate the tempo.

25 Apr 2019 19:46:37
Shappy

On Schweinsteiger have you seen the video of Woodward saying that when they saw Schweinsteiger was in the team the opposition teams would be quaking in their boots or something to that effect? It looked genuine.

25 Apr 2019 14:20:19
{Ed's Note - mbd has posted a new article entitled, Football Player's Superstitions

25 Apr 2019 11:29:48
Pogba in the team of the year. Only representative from a club that is not man city or liverpool.

Might not be as bad as everyone makes out or at least his peers don't think he's that bad.

I am sure he will get the praise and adulation on this site he deserves lol.

We need more players of his quality and ability not less.

25 Apr 2019 11:41:32
We need players who respect their own teammates enough to put in the hard work required to dominate a game, and not just the highlights reel.

25 Apr 2019 11:48:18
Team of the year? This is a joke, surely?

25 Apr 2019 11:54:02
I'd put makka pakka in there before pogba, I'd definitely have put in one of the wolves players before pogba.

25 Apr 2019 12:07:19
I'm speechless. About 10 good games and his fellow players have him in the team. Perfect example of style over substance.

25 Apr 2019 12:13:04
Haters going to hate, potatoes will potate, read on this site last year.

25 Apr 2019 12:27:30
There's no haters, just honest posters saying what they see with their own eyes, a guy with loads of ability just not interested in becoming a top player for Manchester united.

25 Apr 2019 12:37:18
As i said i am sure the site will support their own player and give him the praise and adulation he deserves for what has been a good season.

{Ed001's Note - you are very good at the sarcasm, only for a moment you actually had me believing you thought Pogba had actually had a good season rather than a couple of good moments in an otherwise dreadful, lazy excuse for a season!}

25 Apr 2019 12:40:56
Also becks is right, most posters on this sight have some sort of personal animus towards pogba, he has his obvious shortcomings but he is our best outfield player by some distance.

{Ed001's Note - you really are good at this. You really do sound almost believable.}

25 Apr 2019 12:41:39
A guy with loads of talent, who thinks that this means his teammates should do all the donkey work.

25 Apr 2019 12:54:36
I do actually think pogba has had a good season, and he is our best outfield player, although that is picking the best out a bad bunch.

{Ed001's Note - you really have low standards if that is a good season. Is turning up with the right name on the back of his shirt the sole requirement for you to call it good? If so, I agree. If actually bothering to try is part of it, then no he hasn't. He has played at about 1/100th of his ability all season long, that to me is not good.}

25 Apr 2019 13:02:20
That is a fair point of view ed, he does need to up his work rate but i don't particuarly like the tropes that cone out on this site of him being lazy and flashy.

Poor work ethic could be attributed to every player in the squad but some get away with it on here.

{Ed001's Note - Fred works hard, he is just total garbage (to be nice). Herrera is a hard worker too.}

25 Apr 2019 13:05:30
Pogba has more talent and ability than any other current Utd player. The point is that he does not utilise it correctly.

He ambles around the pitch, holds onto the ball too long and consistently chooses the wrong options. As a result we make criticism and expect more.

He should be dominating the midfield in most games but he doesn’t.

It’s very clear that for some time that Pogba has wanted to leave and that Utd have been interested in selling.

People need to get over this fact and let it go.

Utd will be better off without Pogba in the long term and that is how we must think.

He shouldn’t be in the PL eleven when you consider players at other clubs such as Wolves, Watford, Spurs etc.

25 Apr 2019 13:06:53
He should have been dragged when Sterling out jumped him to win a header. Regardless of whether we had subs or not!

25 Apr 2019 13:10:27
Read a good piece by a former player about how players chose who to vote for.

For the most part, players vote for the player they found most difficult to play against. If you are an average Premier League midfielder tasked with stopping Pogba then you can see why he would stand out. He is strong, he is quick and he has good ball control. He floats around the pitch and can pass a ball 90 yards. All in all, a nightmare to DIRECTLY play against as - even if he fails to play at his best - his style is a nightmare to play against.

Now he certainly has his detractors on here and plenty of the criticism is rightful. However, he is one of maybe 5 players in that squad who are actually Man Utd class. It isn't his fault that he doesn't fit the style we play.

Finally, compare Pogba and Fred. Both cost astronomical amounts of money. PP has scored plenty of goals and has a few assists despite not being at his best, being constantly slated by fans and the former manager whilst, largely, being used in a role he isn't a natural in. Fred, on the other hand, is - without a doubt in my mind - the worst midfielder we have had since the days of Djemba-Djemba and can't even pass a ball 5 yards.

Anyway, bit of a long post that went off on a tangent but, yes. Players hate playing against Pogba and maybe we would see his true value if he wasn't playing next to a hopeless competition winner like Fred who, truely, wouldn't get a game for any other team in the league.

25 Apr 2019 13:13:41
2 ex players on sky last night, whatever we think of them, 2 proper midfielders in their day, now 2 honest boys who will say what they see, souness just sat back at let Keane tell it as it is about pogba,
Before the game even started Keane said I don't believe a word he says,
Souness was getting attacked for talking about pogba all season so he was glad to let Keane talk,
Now them 2 can judge a midfielder.

25 Apr 2019 13:07:51
Fred works hard in the literal sense but could he not work harder at being able to control a football, he has had many years as a professional to work on this rudimentary skill.

Same could be said for lukaku.

Smalling and jones have been professionals for 10+ years but have not worked hard enough at passing a ball accurately more than 5 yards.

{Ed001's Note - some people lack talent but there is nothing worse than a lazy get who has talent but doesn't bother to use it.}

25 Apr 2019 13:55:44
That's more rubbish, pogba needs this player and that player beside him,

25 Apr 2019 14:05:05
Keane said he doesn't know pogba but managed to make a pretty strong character judgement on a person he doesn't know by speculating that he is not trustworthy.

Most of what keane said was usual tripe you hear from the pundits, he is becoming a parody of himself and living up to this hardman label people give him. He sells himself short as he was actually an amazing football player leaving aside the hardman image.

Souness obviously has a blant agenda against pogba, he doesn't hide it.

25 Apr 2019 14:07:46
Leahy, he just needs someone who can receive a pass and make a pass. Pretty much every professional footballer can do this. Fred, somehow, can't control the ball, can't pass the ball, can't dribble the ball. all he has is a Left-foot which has, genuinely, less ability than Charlie Adam's left-foot and a high-workrate. I'm not saying Pogba needs Xavi or Iniesta, he is much better when playing with Herrera and McTominay as they actually have the ability to be professional footballers.

25 Apr 2019 14:13:35
DSG, I would agree we need more players of his quality but with the right attitude and passion to fulfill their potential.

Poor work ethic + loads of talent never equates to a top player and such players come more under the microscope because of how frustrating they make it for everyone associated with the club, especially when they are playing for a top club.

Pogba is still regarded by most as being a top talent, unfortunately not a top player because of his inconsistency and at 26 yrs old just being a top talent is not good enough when you also factor in his success at Juventus and being a world cup winner.

25 Apr 2019 14:39:50
Pogba for 100 million and the talent he has doesn't give 1 percent of his ability like Ed001 said above.

Id have Hereras of this world over Pogba any day just b3cause they work hard.

We don't need Pogba for another year with all this crap. He never want3d to play for us why are we begging for him to play for us. Just get rid of him and let him take his antics to Real Madrid or where ever he wants to go.

25 Apr 2019 14:49:21
So72 if Fred can't do his job in midfield, what is he doing at Manchester United,
Neville said last night that's what he does that's his make up, if he can't make a pass or be bothered to track back and put in a few tackles what's he doing at one of the biggest club in the world, and who made the decision to pay 50 mil and bring him in, they should be shown the door as well.

25 Apr 2019 15:27:03
I could make an argument for at least 10 players ahead of Pogba in that team, it is crazy.

Eriksen, David Silva, Hazard, Brooks, Jota, Son, Fraser, Maddison, Gundogan just off the top of my head.

25 Apr 2019 15:40:11
Leahy, I agree - Fred is useless.

25 Apr 2019 15:52:05
People seem to forget the tripe served up for the first 6 months at Utd by 2 greats named Vidic and Evra. Atrocious they were but settled the next season. Same with Lindelof. How many games has Fred played in a new country, new culture, new team, changing managers and a language he doesn't know. Handful. How can you compare Fred to Pogba is ridiculous to say the least. Yes he misplaced a pass or two but atleast he tries unlike Pogba who stands on the ball till the time 3 opposition players converge on him and nick the ball away. Pogba is a passenger and needs others to do the dirty work so that he can make that hollywood pass at the end to Rashford, who would miss the goal. But i think the players are tired of Pogba and refuse to do the work for him.

25 Apr 2019 16:00:13
A joke gds2, but he is one of the cool kids with fancy hair and clothes, plus he has a million friends on the Internet he doesn't even know.
Everything is false about it.
And they made the toty a shambles putting him in.

25 Apr 2019 16:39:56
I am with you DSG.

Pundits like Keane and Souness dislike Pogba for reasons out with his footballing ability. I do not wish to start a debate about racism or that, but so many of the tropes that get brought out regarding Pogba are always exclusively applied to Black footballers. These ex-pros who bump their gums about dancing and haircuts think real footballers are people like Jonjo Shelvey and Lee Cattermole.

It isn't a conscious bias but it is the same issues that Sterling has alluded to with media coverage. These opinions are repeated and reinforced by the media and pundits until they are swallowed up - uncritically - by fans. Then, all of a sudden, players who don't fit the stereotypical English view of a footballer become vilified and held up as 'unprofessional'.

You know the whole irony? Pogba is an elite athlete who takes great care of himself. The very pros who slate him and the legends the fans hold up (like the immortal Georgey Best) were out eating fish n chips and downing pints of beer every other night whilst sleeping with everything that moved. It is the same across every club in England and it is outdated.

I am not having a swipe or a go at anyone on here at all, and sorry if it comes across that way. There a very legitimate criticisms that Pogba has to face. It is just about time people realised the dog-whistle nature of some of the criticisms thrown his (and plenty of other black footballers) way.

P.S. not trustworthy? Pfft Keane knows all about that after walking out on his country in 2002.

25 Apr 2019 17:54:29
Are we likely to be talking about Pogba in 20 years time? There's your answer.

25 Apr 2019 20:37:43
Good point, So72. I think there is a subconscious bias there alright.

25 Apr 2019 21:07:41
Keane didn't just walk out on his country, the man had standards and wanted to win the world Cup not just take part, and he offered to stay on but was told to go home, a load of muppets from the muppets show he was dealing with.

{Ed007's Note - Well said. What happened in Japan is up there with the Keane ended Alf-Inge Haaland's career on the BS meter about him. Shocking treatment from some Utd fans to one of their greatest ever players, I can only assume they weren't around or were waiting for a Blackburn comeback when Keano was in his pomp.}

25 Apr 2019 10:37:01
Hi Ed002, I remember last year there were mentions of the owners potentially readying up to sell the club. Do you know of any updates regarding this? Would be interesting to know if the glazers plan on sticking around or leaving the club in the mess it's currently in.

{Ed002's Note - Nothing has changed. The club is in a mess due to a serious of self-inflicted wounds not related to the owners. If the club were to be sold institutional ownership would be the most likely or a floatation of part of the club.}

25 Apr 2019 09:07:50
I may be going against the grain here but I do not believe that Rashford and Lingard are good enough either. They flatter to deceive and give the ball away too much.

25 Apr 2019 09:53:06
Rashford is still only 21.
He has lot of scope to improve. But there is no world class forward in our team to guide him on the pitch or take pressure off him.

25 Apr 2019 10:11:28
I think Lingard is good when we are pressing high with intensity and on the counter. We saw this last night early on and in the first leg v PSG until he went of injured. But when we are not doing either, we are carrying him and this is the issue. A good preseason so the players are at the fitness levels that Solskjaer wants and so that we can maintain a higher tempo for longer I believe we will see a better Lingard.

There has been a lot of pressure on Rashford and I think we are seeing him burning out a little bit now coming to the end of the season which is resulting in his dip in form. Again, a good preseason, a mature approach to managing his conditioning and we will see a more consistent Rashford.

25 Apr 2019 10:20:17
Rashford will make it. He is displaying all the weaknesses of a 21 year old; inconsistent, poor decision making, wanting to do everything. When he matures he will be great.

I also think he would do better in a better team. He is carrying a massive weight at the moment. He would mature a lot faster with the likes of Keane and Scholes behind him. We need to bring in better players - and leaders - to help him reach his potential.

Lingard i have a lot of time for but he is a squad player - a very useful squad player that works hard. He's just not good enough to lead the line of a team that wants to win trophies, but he is committed and scores important goals.

25 Apr 2019 10:22:40
Totally agree pal on both of them but would allow Rashford time due to his age but Lingard is pony.

25 Apr 2019 11:26:44
Rashford is 21 but he has been playing for 3-4 years at the top level in one of the biggest clubs in the world and in the England national team. Being young is relative and you can remain young forever if you compare yourself to an older player. He is younger than pogba who in turn is younger than matic. Add to that the selfishness and the rumoured attitude that he has. He simply doesn't do enough to be leading the line at a club like Man Utd.

25 Apr 2019 11:46:42
Rashford’s issues are attitude related. He drops out of games if things aren’t going his way, and puts in half the effort if he isn’t played centrally. This is a result of not having any strong senior players setting a good example.

Lingard is a wasterman. Despite his mobility and willingness to run about a lot, he doesn’t have the talent to produce on a consistent basis. He is one of the club’s senior players now, and people still treat him like a 19 year old finding his feet in the big league. Enough said.

25 Apr 2019 14:42:32
Agree. Only because academy lads. and English.

25 Apr 2019 14:43:25
After last nites performance its easy to conclude that bad form is an epidemic at M.U.
De gea made a top notch save but why does he try and play like a ball playing CB when he is simply useless at it? The last 4 games have seen goals come after playing suicide balls - clear the lines man!

Smalling and the back line are looking nervy at every minute the opposition has the ball and to a point look scared to receive it.
Mid last nite, Periera no bite, Fred worked hard chasing down but tired early, pogba again lack lustre - always wants the worldly ball instead of sometimes playing simply. Rash and lingard just isn't happening atm- why does rash come from a central position to go outside and away from the goal?

The one glaring point from play last nite was that 8 out of 10 times the ball came out to our oldest on the pitch and possibly most vulnerable Ashley Young. It was himself to defend and clear and start forward play - astonishing.
All in all the City team didn't play to potential or it could have been a lot worse and other results did us no harm in 4th place chase.
To sum up, we are a team lacking more in confidence than ability with a good few players switched off as team players.

25 Apr 2019 07:46:52
Gary Neville and Roy Keane made a very astute point on sky yesterday. Really knocked it out if the park.

Apparently senior players like pogba should be guiding younger players like lingard, negating the fact they are pretty much the same age. I think pogba is younger in fact.

Just because lingard acts 6 years doesn't mean he is actually 6 years old, he should be treated like a grown up not an adult child.

25 Apr 2019 08:26:41
May be just need to get rid of mediocre players around Pogba, one's who can't even hold on to the ball or just can't dribble past anyone or the ones who can't shoot? Imagine playing in that midfield and you pass the ball to Lukaku or Martial or Lingard just to know for a fact that they'll lose the ball cheaply now you have to run behind to defend.

25 Apr 2019 09:03:17
Pogba doesn’t want to be here and he also does not so the basic hard work required, why would we build a team around someone like that who will down tools on a whim, he is one of the most overrated footballers on planet Earth and i'd much rather 3 Scott McTominay’s in there than 1 lazy Pogba.

25 Apr 2019 14:38:04
Or imagine playing in that midfield and regularly getting dispossessed and then jogging around without a care in the world.

Pogba talks the talk but doesn't deliver, his performance was atrocious last nighta.

25 Apr 2019 00:03:22
I wonder and i am hoping that ole was holding back a few players for the chelsea game.
Mctom will surely start dalot and either one of martial or sanchez.
I can see no other reason to start andreas ahead of mctom tonight. a draw see uits chelsea i'm hoping that plays into our hands on Sunday. A win pots its right bank in the hunt for 4th miraculously enough. With Europa semis to come i don't think either will win all their games so if we do we could nick it.

25 Apr 2019 01:27:38
It's amazing that we still have a chance. Pereira offers very little, not a presence defensively like McTominay and he cannot control the tempo like a top class center mid. A win Saturday and we actually have a real chance to get top four. Hard to believe after our last few weeks.

25 Apr 2019 04:54:24
United, Chelsea and Arsenal are dropping points at will.
A victory against Chelsea would be massive for us.

25 Apr 2019 06:09:12
A win on chelsea would put top 4 back in to arsenals hands, would still see us needing them to drop points. Also if one of them or chelsea win europa league does 4th place now drop to europa?

25 Apr 2019 06:16:14
W16 no it doesn’t, wed have 5 teams in CL.

25 Apr 2019 06:45:00
No top 4 for me even if we be beat Chelsea because of their superior goal difference. Why has nobody mentioned Son of Spurs for our right side not saying he would come but really rate him very similar to 3 lung park gives his all and has quality.

25 Apr 2019 07:11:47
We are struggling to do the basics at the moment. We seem to have a lot of players who can't pass with any accuracy. The amount of times in the last few weeks where someone has misplaced straightforward passes is unreal. We also have forwards who can't hold the ball up, defenders who don't close down properly and unfortunately a goalkeeper who looks distracted and is making mistakes he shouldn't be. There seems to be a fitness problem where Ole wants to play at a higher tempo but the players can't do it. That's obviously quite hard to change mid season though.

It really is a mess and the entire club has a huge amount of work ahead.

25 Apr 2019 09:04:32
5 English teams can go into CL, spurs would also have to win CL and finish outside top 4 for 4th to be EL spot.

25 Apr 2019 10:22:37
blackpool - son would be a dream. no chance of us signing him though.