Manchester United Banter Archive July 29 2018

29 Jul 2018 19:00:39
Hello fellow united fans!
I haven’t posted on here in a long time but always reading! I love the debates and detailed posts all of you put on here. Always check the site everyday day without fail.

Obviously fans are split atm with how things are going right now.

But I thought let’s take a step away from what’s happening right now.

So my question to you guy, who had the best Season in a man united shirt since the premier league started? So give the player, season and why they stand out for you!

For me it had to be Robin Van Persie 2012/ 2013 absolutely phemoninal. He just came in and absolutely smashed it, winning the title back of off City!

Would be great to hear everyone’s favourite!

29 Jul 2018 19:13:44
Agree, that was RVP season was phenomenal and the many instances that we came from behind to win games was mind boggling and it only made the season more special.

I know we have many seasons and players to choose from but I feel Vidic 2007-08 was really top notch.

29 Jul 2018 19:16:56
Love the debates they've become tiresome moan moan moan everyday. It won't take long for this thread to be turned into mourinho bashing.

Anyway to answer your question for me it would be Rooney the season after Ronaldo got him sent off for England can't remember the year without checking but he was unstoppable that season also that was a season when Valencia knew how to cross a ball.

29 Jul 2018 19:24:35
Cantona 95/ 96. Came back from his ban and almost single handedly won us win the double. Even more impressive when you consider we won eight games by a single goal in the run in and he scored every single winning goal and the only goal in the FA Cup final back when it meant almost as much as the league. (Stats from memory so maybe ever so slightly wrong)

29 Jul 2018 20:38:17
Ronaldo in 07/ 08. He was just relentless. The goals were one thing but he scored some big goals. Champions league final, league decider. 31 league goals was amazing and he played from the wing.
Second for me is Van Nistelroy in 02/ 03, 44 goals and a league title. What a player.

29 Jul 2018 21:35:54
Beckham 2001/ 02 Awesome 😆😆.

29 Jul 2018 21:36:40
Robin. Van. Persie! Dragged us to a league title after signing from a rival, couldn't be more sweeter, big goals in the big games, loved that season, enthralling.

29 Jul 2018 21:41:35
Good question

The easy answer would be Ronaldo, simply phenomenal in 2008, I could say Cantona in 1995/ 96 the talisman. However how about Keane, 1993/ 4 our first double driven by Keane, or even more in 1999, who can forget that semi final in Juventus, the selfless Keane driving the team on to the final, even though he would miss the final, my first in living memory, Full speed ahead Barcelona, driven by Keane.

29 Jul 2018 21:49:05
99 for me. What a team we had that year. Great balance and match winners all round plus Keane, the symbol of Fergie on the pitch. God what I'd do to have him now.

Anyway Dave, what were you saying about Jose? 😂😂.

29 Jul 2018 21:55:17
Rooney 09/ 10 for me, he was unstoppable till he got injured in munich, complete striker, shame it ended the way it dis though.

29 Jul 2018 22:12:08
What a fabulous thread, we had some super players who delivered brilliantly in some seasons, I’d struggle to pick a favourite.

29 Jul 2018 22:32:13
Hiw about DDG 2015 -? I shudder to think where we woukd be without him. 12-15 points a season Keeper.

29 Jul 2018 22:33:00
Big pete in 99 . Why oh why did he leave us so early. But i agree ajh its very difficult too pick one when there is too many candidates through such a long period for too many reasons.

29 Jul 2018 22:36:49
Thank you for all the replies people! Bringing back memories of all the great seasons we had! Some I didn’t even consider, Keane is a great shout, true leader which the world of football lacks now a days not just United. I’m happy to be back posting on the page.

{Ed007's Note - Roy Keane is only second to Jesus Christ himself as the greatest man ever to walk on God's green earth.}

30 Jul 2018 01:16:30
I agree with red man and ed007.

29 Jul 2018 15:22:26
what are peoples thoughts? - are we not getting players in because they a0 don't want to play for the club, b0 they don't want to play for JM or c0 a bit o both.
We appeared to be the club in EPL that players would aspire to but no longer. It surely can't be money as we reportedly pay over the top in fees and wages so it must be something else.

{Ed002's Note - Players will go and palyers will arrive. You are seeing problems that don't exist.}

29 Jul 2018 15:43:54
Ed002 - fair play that players will come and go but recruitment is obviously not going smoothly, and was simply asking an opinion not giving one. After all it is a banter page.

{Ed002's Note - In what way is it not going smoothly - what are you expecting?}

29 Jul 2018 16:07:47
Don't see any need to panic. I still think 2 or 3 will come in and 2 or 3 more will leave.
Only 3 or 4 players on this tour that will start more than 10 games all season.
As ed002 says takes jose's comments with a pinch of salt.

29 Jul 2018 17:04:01
Buy 1 maybe 2 more that would give us 3/ 4 new players which is about par for the course.

29 Jul 2018 17:21:09
ed002- simply my opinion that JM would have liked to have incoming/ outgoing players sorted prior to preseason and that hasn't happened in the way he would of preferred. Granted the world cup and transfer window closure date could be viewed as being hindrance factors.
Regarding expectations- it is the norm to be linked to almost every player on the planet by each and every media outlet but it has been expected by many, indeed on this site also, that the primary positions for strengthening in this window would be cb, and lb. Up till now, we have, an injured rb, a 3rd choice keeper and a midfielder who was involved in the world cup. It could be argued that luke shaw has been given another chance but it still leaves the lb and rb light with young not back and valencia injured. Regarding cb, then rojo out, jones has probably a doctors appointment for a sicknote this week then it doesn't fit to the brief of defensive strengthening we thought would happen. You could and quite rightly say there is still time to bring in players which was never in dispute, but the banter question again was about attracting top players to the club.

{Ed002's Note - So if it is not possible to agree moves for incoming and outgoing players in the first couple of weeks of the transfer window would your preference be to keep trying for what you want or pick up some random players who are easily available?}

29 Jul 2018 18:18:35
Spot on ed sign the players the make your team better not just buy for the sake of it, I'd rather give jose some leeway and make him play players such as tuanzebe mensa Chong gomes or some of the other young talent then buy players not of the quality needed that's why we have the problems were having now.

29 Jul 2018 19:07:24
ed002- RTP that was neither said or implied!
Yourself and others give valuable snippets of info to the many fans who come onto this site but apart from a select bunch nobody knows the full extent of what has gone on or is likely to. You have read more than was meant into my original post and replied accordingly. It is accurate that jm wanted players in early and it hasn't happened;fact. Over the years not all but several players would not hesitate if given a chance to play for utd (other sides had this also) so maybe if there were more options you wouldn't have been so dismissive in your response after all we can't always get it right, can we?

{Ed002's Note - Clubs will try to avoid selling players until they have a warm feeling about having replacements. I cannot believe how naive a view you seem to have. The club is doing what they can but they have to work within constrainst and one of those is the need to stay within FFP rules and another is to protect the financial future of the business.}

29 Jul 2018 14:17:03
Haven't been posting here for regularly recently, been busy with work etc, but more the fact I'm just totally fed up with the club in all aspects. This has nothing to do with the performance against Liverpool or any pre season game. I've felt this way for a long time. Since Ferguson left we have made poor decision after poor decision. From managerial appointments to player recruitment, the whole things been shambolic.

We have appointed the wrong manager 3 consecutive times. On the whole money has been wasted on poor transfers, and we now have a manager who can't get the best out of what good players he does have. The football last season was a joke, we as fans pay our money to be entertained. That's the least we should expect from our players earning upward of £100k a week. Yet I can't say I enjoyed a single game last season.

I've supported United my whole life, and will do for the rest of it, that is not up for question. But what I've found over the last year or two is I can miss a game, I don't rush home to watch the match, I don't go anywhere near as often to Old Trafford as I have before. I just don't feel any kind of joy watching this united anymore. Jose Mourinho is a has been manager. He's lost his mojo. Football has moved on, changed, he has stayed in the past. If we evaluate his signings, who has been a success?

Bailly - good player out of favour with Jose
Miki - was poor and moved on
Lindelof - done nothing to suggest he'll make it
Pogba - all the tools yet Jose can't get the best from him
Sanchez - class player again playing poorly under Jose
Ibra - why?
Matic - not good enough for top level

Yet he's moaning now about recruitment. If we signed Messi and Mbappe we'd play the same old boring crap we dish up every week.

Does our club have any identity any more? Do we have a plan? I don't see it? What exactly are we trying to do? We just float from one poor manager to another, buying player after player, without any improvement.

Darmian, Shaw, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Young, Valencia, Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, McTommy, Rashford, this standard of player will never get us back to the top. Let's be realistic, we're a squad full of average footballers. De Gea aside do we even have a world class player? Pogba has potential, Sanchez is close at his best, but Jose can't get either to perform.

As things stand, City and Liverpool are now streets ahead of us on the pitch, make no mistake about that. City were so strong anyway, if they don't make any more signings they will challenge again. Liverpool have purchased really well, with VD in jan shoring up the back four, Keita is a top signing, Allison can be De Gea level, Fabinho, even Shakiri off the bench as an option. Klopp also gets his average players playing out of their skin. They will be right up there this year.

As much as it makes me sick to say it, my predictions for this season are Liverpool to win the league, with City close second, 3rd and 4th is difficult, but as things stand I don't see us making top 4 with Jose still in charge.

I wanted Jose out last year and i want him out now. We're years away from challenging the top sides in the league and Europe, just have to accept we're not a top side any longer.

29 Jul 2018 15:25:15
There’s no quality in defence, so the midfield we have have to be more defensive minded, and some of the midfielders we have doesn’t suit their game,
Everyone is banging on about “since Fergie left” but he left an ageing team, a good one, but ageing, whoever took the mantle would be a poisened chalice,
Moyes was a disappointment
Lvg.
Jose, I don’t think he realised what he was taking on, this club is massive, and he’s having to juggle all the time, this is alien to him
Three good buys in defence, to add to the young lads and we will be immense,
Until then, hold onto your seats. It’s going to be a rough ride.

29 Jul 2018 16:06:27
"If we signed Messi and Mbappe we'd play the same old boring crap we dish up every week. "

Agree with this completely. As fans we are looking for at least one of these two - attractive football or winning trophies (ideally we want both)

Right now we aren't close to either one. I agree that Ed Woodward has been incompetent and might give Mourinho the benefit that because we haven't landed certain players we haven't been able to win the league. But how does he justify the dire football? There are teams with far far less quality than us who play a hell lot better than we do.

Okay, Pep inherited a better squad and added top players to it so he won the league. But he spent a year before that setting everything up and gave the team an identity and built the league win on the back of that.
Klopp inherited a squad worse than Mourinho did and has now spent money to strengthen it, yet even if his records in finals remains rubbish the football (and the atmosphere around the club) remains extremely positive.

And now we are stuck because we know there are certainly 2 teams who have a better chance of winning the league and quite frankly I don't see our football getting any better.

29 Jul 2018 16:40:17
Not sure I can read this hyperbole much longer. Not close to winning trophies?! What nonsense. Jose won the Europa Cup for us for the first time, League Cup, Charity Shield and we just lost the FA Cup final in May!

Gone are the days any club can dominate, and the English league is the most competitive it has ever been. The style is questionable I will most certainly agree, but to say we are not close to trophies is nonsense. Try being a Liverpool or Spurs fan who are apparently streets ahead of us now.

29 Jul 2018 17:06:06
Gone are days any team can dominate.
City and pep might disagree.

29 Jul 2018 17:07:00
Sorry I should have been clearer. By trophies I mean the league or champions league.

Yes the odd cup is good but the ultimate prize for me remains the PL or the CL and I'm not even saying that we have to win it every year.
Playing dire football and not even being in contention for the PL or CL is unacceptable imo.

29 Jul 2018 17:00:32
haha Eric, 'Europa League, League Cup and Charity Shield' - the amount of abuse we would dish out to other fans if they cited those tin-pot competitions as success in the past!

There is a reason we haven't won the Europa League before! Something to do with us barely playing in the 'also-rans' cup.

This is why we continue to get rubbish displays, some of our fans think this is good enough! It isn't.

29 Jul 2018 17:43:56
We are just 2 or at the most 3 players from having a squad capable of winning any trophy out there. If we get those players in over the remainder of the window it's up to Jose deliver.

I know people love to cream themselves over full backs in the modern game and how important they are. However, Jose has never had full backs who bomb forward at every opportunity, he sees them as defenders first and foremost. If we bought a left back this window it was never going to transform the way we play. It would have only ever to have got a better defender at LB and it doesn't look like one's happening anyway. This isn't a problem.

I say this because our two major deficiencies in terms of attacking style were 1) no-one on the right wing and 2) very poor depth in midfield in terms of technical ability. We've addressed the latter (Fred and also Andreas looks like he could be a key member of the squad) and Ed has told us we're after a right winger.

If we get in a top right winger we have all the players needed to attack like a Jose Mourinho team attacks. Full backs are contrary to what some people think not the be all and end all of how a modern football team attacks.

29 Jul 2018 17:54:33
"attack like a Jose Mourinho team attacks"

I don't think we are lacking here. We are currently attacking like how a Jose Mourinho team attacks.

29 Jul 2018 18:31:58
Yes because we are akin to his record breaking Real team, his treble winning Inter team, either of his title winning Chelsea teams.

And before you give me the football has changed spiel. Counter attacking football is still winning trophies and it still can for United.

29 Jul 2018 18:46:26
Beast

“There is a reason we haven't won the Europa League before! Something to do with us barely playing in the 'also-rans' cup. “

As someone who supported from late sixties I can tell you that from 68 to 91, I would have liked us to be good enough or have won something to get in the second level competition like the UEFA cup and even win it. When we won the CWC in 91noone was saying what you just said. We were never good enough and if you think we didn’t try perhaps re watch the Cup Winners Cup in 84 v Barcelona.

We should aim for the best but look at our own history before belittling the other completions.

29 Jul 2018 20:01:16
You guys can live in misery but I certainly won’t.

City have won the league once under Pep. Get some perspective.

29 Jul 2018 21:43:05
We are 2 signings away from a top squad with the tools to win our trophy back. This season will make or break us. Jose has a split persona one for the press and Mr Nice for the players . Mr Nice will win the day this season 😆😆.

29 Jul 2018 11:48:37
Free flowing attacking football v winning trophies.
Personally I want both.
But first and foremost I want the exciting, edge of your seat football, something that entertains.
If we produce this the trophies will come.

29 Jul 2018 12:16:58
It's pre season. We have literally a full team out.

29 jul 2018 12:44:19
the reaction from a pre-season game is actually embarrassing and dreadful, never seen anything like it. psg are definitely in a crisis after losing 5-1 to arsenal. also, on a more positive note, happy birthday ed001.

29 Jul 2018 12:53:00
I’m less bothered about the scores and performances than I am by Jose’s comments and demeanour. He’s becoming like a Dementor out of Harry Potter, literally sucking your soul out of your body.

{Ed002's Note - I have explained on many occasions, don't take anything he says seriously.}

29 Jul 2018 13:49:40
I'm commenting on the style football we have played since SAF left, not one pre-season friendly. The last 3 managerial appointments have been poor.

29 Jul 2018 14:19:14
It's like the ed said we actually had a plan.

A plan that many have talked about having on a daily basis.

If it wasn't for the majority we would still be following that plan.

Unfortunately that plan changed and now the result is what we see now.

29 Jul 2018 16:43:49
Time to move on from this now. All best laid plans can and do change. Time to make new ones and stop sulking all round.

29 Jul 2018 22:28:19
If you play attacking, free-flowing football, with good players, the trophies will follow on. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive.

29 Jul 2018 11:31:41
Liverpool fan throwing his two pence in.

Firstly didn’t manage to watch the game last night and not going to gloat about a result in a friendly that means nothing apart from adding to the global appeal of the two teams.

Mourinho is starting to look and sound really down in the dumps. There is clearly a difference of opinion between him and the board and when that happens it always ends in tears, just ask mourinho. But his temperament will, if it hasn't already, rub off on the players and they won’t want to play in that atmosphere. Sound familiar?

Mou has this ‘third season curse’ over his head and he is doing nothing to try and pour water over it, if anything he is adding to it. I really don’t see how this ends well.

I see him throwing his toys out the pram and walking. Which will leave you high and dry mid season and then fighting to save your season by either winning a cup or scraping top four. Btw i want to Win trophies but hope you get my point.

So my question is do you wait for the perceived and predicted fall out of do you beat him to the punch?

29 Jul 2018 10:11:58
I've backed Mourinho through thick and thin, comment after comment and tantrum after tantrum. Last nights interview overstepped the mark, he is begging to be sacked as he was in his third year at Chelsea. Clearly fed up with Manchester and unhappy with his personal scenario and the lack of quality being brought in.

I will of course support the team, but we need to be thinking whose next?

I wouldn't like to see Allegri or Simeone. To top this league we are going to need free flowing and attacking football. For me, Ancelotti is first pick, Zidane would be excellent or Pochettino should he prove this year that he can build a side that doesn't feature a soft underbelly.

29 Jul 2018 10:48:30
I think there's a lack of outstanding candidates. And if Woodward's doing the hiring I don't trust his judgement. Hardly got an inspiring track record has he.

29 Jul 2018 11:44:50
Jardim is another who should be considered. Played good football, probably overachieved with a young Monaco side, brought through some of the young players and in the transfer market he seems to look for young players who can develop.

For me though, if there was to be a situation where we needed a new manager, I don't have a huge amount of confidence that we would appoint a forward thinking coach who has a plan. The fashionable word in the football is project but it feels like that is what we would need. Woodward, like anyone in a job like his, has his priorities. Making Manchester United the most marketable brand possible seems to be his main focus. The football side has certainly been secondary since Woodward was promoted to his current role.

One thing I will say regarding Mourinho is the club are almost like the girl who tries to change a guy and is then surprised when it doesn't work. I'm as guilty as anyone for thinking he was a good appointment. However, his track record of reasonably short stays at clubs, signing of players either in their peak now or people who would be described as "experienced and cautious style of play has continued here and in hindsight it shouldn't be a huge surprise to us. The only problem is that generally Mourinho has won a league or 2 before the implosion happens where as this time we haven't been good enough to do this.

{Ed004's Note - Why would Pochetino or Jardim leave their current clubs to come here though? Can't think of any currently unemployed top managers other than maybe Zidane but not sure how good he is or just how good his squad was}

29 Jul 2018 11:49:30
I really don't understand why people suggest simeone, people moan about mourinho's football, Simeone's is worse.

29 Jul 2018 12:12:28
Pochettino would obviously be looked at but I agree he would prob at not leave Spurs. Jardim for me is a realistic target as Monaco are a good side but are in a league where PSG will dominate and I think h has probably overachieved at Monaco due to this. He won the league, had a good CL run and put the club in a good position moving forward.

I would be wary of Zidane. It looks a very Woodward type of signing. Big press, known worldwide but not very well thought out. Zidane has accolades most managers would kill for but is that because he has managed a very good team at a time where there are no outstanding teams in Europe or is it because Zidane did things to make Real a brilliant team? He was the perfect manager for Real, he was an exceptional player himself and the players respected him because of this. That is half the battle at Madrid.

29 Jul 2018 12:39:50
Arsene Wenger as our manager maybe?

29 Jul 2018 08:10:59
When will fans realise there is a deeper problem than who is manager of the club?

It wouldn't matter if Pep was manager, the problem is above that. Our manager is having to publicly beg for transfer activity and that is something we must not ignore. Let us remember who the board, the owners, Woodward appointed as SAF's successor, likely because he was used to working on a small budget, remember Woodward telling us no major "Re-tooling" (spending) was needed, then remember the Glazer/ SAF years of no value in the market, then remember LvG said he wasn't given who he asked for, now Jose begging, it's there, an underlying problem.

Now when the game is cash rich, when we are the second most valuable sports brand, our manager is having to beg publicly for transfer action. Jose wants two from now on and I suspect wanted more but now only expects one more to come in. There seems to be restraints, tight restraints and no strategy. This is nothing short of disgraceful. Maybe the owners and their puppet Woodward will buy in the next few days, but the signs are the club is in turmoil at the top. We are going to start to fade as a force with this direction from the owners. People direct their anger at the manager but really it is letting the ones causing this mess off the hook, the owners and Woodward. I want them out of our club, I want them gone to the point where I would accept mid table for several years to get rid of them. They may prove me wrong in the next 10 days but seeing our lack of strategy and our manager having to beg is unacceptable.

29 Jul 2018 08:20:52
Agree with all that Redman. We will get a couple in this coming fortnight. 😆😆.

29 Jul 2018 08:48:39
I think it’s a combination, We have spent a lot of money in recent years but we have spent iit badly; Jose has bought players he wants rid of or doesn’t play, and it seems he is focusing on ageing players to bring in. He also has an air of despondency similar to Eeyorw, don’t under estimate the impact that will be having around the place.

The last 2 managers have had a lot of money to spend, just spent it badly. Add to that Jose can’t seem to get the best out of what he l has.

{Ed025's Note - you never know AJH he might surprise us all by smiling and playing free flowing attractive football culminating in utd winning the league mate?..

29 Jul 2018 08:53:04
Maybe the problem is deeper, maybe it isn't. Ultimately all we as supporters have to go on is the football we watch. We don't know what to believe with PR machines behind everything, trying to convince us black is white. There are big problems throughout the club though, I agree mate.

Which signings were Jose's which were the clubs? I don't know, but I do know that very few have worked as intended and a hell of a lot of money has been wasted. Jose seems to think he is playing Football Manager the computer game, I haven't seen him develop anybody of note, correct failings in peoples games, he has not managed the problems just bitched about them like anybody can. I want to sign X players to solve the problems - how about you manage with the tools you were given - the tools are better than what you are doing with them currently?

He may have some legitimate complaints, I'd like to have seen better and more players come in and more players leave - but we don't know what is being said. Not many of us would have chosen to extend Fellaini's contract, who was behind that, Jose or the club? Most of us don't see Willian, Perisic and Maguire as the type of players to lift us the several levels needed, but from what we read Jose might - that does not install confidence in his judgement for me!

All I know for sure is that our football hasn't looked like improving during his tenure. Our rivals do look like they are improving. Our squad seems unhappy in general and has been that way for 2 years, the omens don't look good for us fans. We can excuse everything if we want to, maybe Jose, the players and the club are at fault collectively (they are in my opinion) . We can't change the club quickly, we can't realistically change the players quickly - but we can change the manager quickly - and believe me a quick change is needed if we are not to have another hard, grumpy, boring season.

We have the manager that was sacked by Chelsea, not the manager that was once top of the game. Sad, but we had the same thing with LVG - we just got them both after their sell-by-date. Time to learn and move on, not prolong the misery for everybody (fans, manager, player and I imagine the board - even rival fans want the old Utd back, it has gotten that depressing watching and reading about us) .

29 Jul 2018 09:06:38
Even if Jose walks i think we'll still have the same problem, owners are simply not interested in winning trophies, how on earth can Fred be the only first team player signed with 11 days of the window left? Where's the LB CB RW? Jose has even come out and said he's likely to only get one more player, we could have Pep, Poch, Sarri whoever it is and we'd have the same problem, the board can't be trusted to get the manager's targets. Look at FSG and the owners at City, they want their teams to be the best, the Glazers though? WOW! Have they ever put a penny of their own money in the club? that's a genuine question, absolutely rinsed this club for the last decade for their own gain!

29 Jul 2018 09:13:52
While I agree with that it does let Jose off the hook a bit. We’ve spent a lot of money since he arrived and when you look at players like Pogba, Lindelof, Mkhtaryan, Sanchez that he brought in and players like Martial and Shaw who were already there, that’s a lot of expensive footballers he’s failed to get the best out of .
Maybe it’s time for him to do his job and coach the squad he’s got . At times it looks like the only coaching that’s done is regarding our defensive set up and the attacking players are more or less left to their own devices .

29 Jul 2018 09:15:11
Agree with you redman that the problems with the club are deeper than the manager, we need a DoF or Sporting Director or whatever Title people want to come up with, we need someone who understands football and has a vision for the club that is longer than the just the next season.

But that doesn't mean we can absolve mourinho of his failures, he wants players fine, but can you trust him right now? He wants woodward to spend 60-70mn on a cb when his last 2 cb's signings haven't even been able to dislodge smalling and jones from the First 11. He wants a big money top end winger, when his last big player on whom we spent 100mn wants to leave because mourinho has mismanaged him. Mourinho has spent 400+ mn but we haven't bought a single fb who can as of now replace either valencia or young.

The season hasn't even started yet and half our team isn't even back to training and he has already thrown martial, valencia and woodward under the bus, we are right now on the verge of the usual mourinho 3rd season meltdown. That isn't down to woodward or glazers, that's on the grumpy one.

29 Jul 2018 09:33:03
Since sir Alex retired the club have spent a significant amount of money, off the top of my head these players all came in from moyes onwards (please ignore spellings) - Pogba lukaku Matic Sanchez miki lindof Dalot Fred Rojo di Maria swiney falanie martial blind Herrera mata. Please don’t get me wrong as I am not a fan of the Glazers but the above list evidences that the club has spent a huge amount on transfers over the last few years. I agree there seems to be no clear stratagey when it comes to ins and outs but I think it’s a bit much to state that the current and past managers needed to beg for money.
I have stated recently that I am pleased with some aspects of what our current managers has achieved and am feeling optimistic about the upcoming season, however I would like to add that in my opinion he is very devisive and his constant need to moan during interviews is getting slightly tiresome. Mourhino is a top class managers, maybe he should be focusing those skills to develop some of the younger talent within the club (martial) instead of requesting the club spend x amount of millions on a 29 year old who is looking or one last big pay day.

29 Jul 2018 09:39:49
Red man, I completely agree that the owners and members of the board are a serious problem. There seems to be no idea about where the club is heading or what the clubs aims are beyond financial growth.

And I do believe they are in danger of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Our club has "brand appeal" due to a combination of our history, and our precieved image as a team that plays football in a cavalier exciting way.

If you aren't creating history then people lose interest the longer it has been since your glorious past.

And if no one wants to watch your club because the football is so poor, then why would sponsors pay so much money if they aren't tapping into such a large audience?

Jose isn't everything that is wrong with our side, but he is responsible for how the team plays. And no one but hardcore fans will sit through continuous rubbish football, especially if there is no silverware at the end of it.

As for him having to beg for new signings. This is his third summer transfer window. And he has been backed to the tune of over 400m so far.
However, if you were honest and you were investing in a company, and the head of that company kept making poor purchases with your investment would you continue to offer up your money?

So far Jose has signed-

Zlatan on huge wages, he was decent but has since left. Value for money? Probably not.

Mkhitaryan, signed and sold as he was deemed not good enough. Value for money? No.

Bailly, good first season, injured and in and out of the side second season. Value for money? Yeah.

Pogba, signed for a world record fee, with eye watering additional costs that put off everyone else interested in him. Jose now wants him sold. Value for money? No, not yet.

Lindelof, signed after a tip from Jose's friends in Portugal. Has been said he doesn't have a long term future at the club, and the club is still looking for another CB after already signing two. Value for money? No.

Matic, high fee paid for a near 30 year old. Has had an excellent season, although he clearly tired towards the end of the season. Value for money? Yeah.

Lukaku, signed for a huge fee, scored 16 league goals, 25 goals in total. Good return. Value for money? Probably will be, but not on the basis of one season.

Sanchez, has had a poor first 6 months. Value for money? Jury's still out.

So out of 400m and 8 players only Bailly, Lukaku and Matic can be considered total successes. With the jury still out on Pogba and Sanchez.

That's not a great success rate, and would certainly make me think twice about letting a man behind those signings have another 200m.

29 Jul 2018 09:49:58
Wilcey1

A bit much to state the manager needs to beg for money? He gave a list of five names and only one has arrived. We do not have the quality to win the league, for me a minimum of two very high quality additions are needed and that may just see us stay in the top four. Maybe we should start crowdfunding to help the owners.

What is the Glazers ambition? To win the top prizes or to increase the value of their asset? The answer seems to be they will do enough to keep us in with a chance of challenging and aim for top four but nowhere near going the extra mile to get alongside Madrid and the elite.

29 Jul 2018 09:50:32
Shappy - Bit generous giving Bailly a 'total success' tick imo, maybe even Matic. Bailly looked great first few games, but the manager clearly isn't happy with him and he has barely played since. Matic started well as well, but seemed to plod through the season after Christmas offering little going forward or defensively - for £50m and at the hub of everything in midfield I'd expect a lot more!

Lukaku has looked promising - but let's not forget he scored 26 league goals for Everton the season before he signed and he only managed 16 league goals for us last season. We are a better team than Everton, so that looks like a player going backwards based on goals and frankly he handicaps most other things despite being a hard worker and trying to link (failing more often than not) .

29 Jul 2018 09:58:21
Sorry shappy look at city and pep. I get you dislike Mourinho but you can’t give it the would you trust Home ith more money speech.
Bravo, Nolito, stones, Danilo. Yet when these players underperform he went out and spent a fortune to rectify that. Us on the other hand whilst we have spent, we still penny pinch on players. Toby and Peresic being prime examples. That hasn’t happened at city, and I think at board level they are desperate to dominate football. I don’t get that impression with us.

29 Jul 2018 09:59:35
Shappy

What we don’t know is whether all the names were first choice on Jose’s list.

If the Glazers/ Woodward are thinking twice about supporting the manager, don’t agree with what we need and therefore fudging signing the right quality of player, then they should sack the manager immediately and put in a manager who they agree with. At least that would show a strategy. However, they are likely worried they may not get into the cash cow of Champions League spots with a different manager so they fudge it giving us the worst position of all.

29 Jul 2018 10:03:34
I'd compare us to a rich man wanting 6 new Ferraris, the bank manager says it's one Ferrari or 6 family cars . I'd buy the Ferrari and save up for the next one, in a few year IL have my 6 Ferraris .
The squad looks totally unbalanced to me a huge number of people to play CB and yet next to no natural width and short on creative midfielders . I've never really seen Fred so maybe he does that I have no clue. Maybe that's harsh on pogba but I see him more as a big athletic midfielder more than a Silva or kdb type .
Jose has the record of a winner but I have to be honest lots of times I struggle to see what we are trying to do, I hope if we don't buy fullbacks we don't just keep doing the same thing in wanting width from FB area as we know they aren't that good at that .

29 Jul 2018 10:13:40
Jose has had a huge amount of money to spend already and given 2 of his signings Zlatan and mhiki have left already and it seems as if Pogba could have left if we had a buyer. Add to that 2 of his other signings Bailley and Lindelof hardly get a game it is quite understandable why the board won’t give him more money to waste. I’d rather they saved it for the next manager, this season already looks a write off given Jose’ demeanour, already making excuses just like he did at his final season at Chelsea. Fully expect him out by Xmas maybe earlier.

29 Jul 2018 10:15:58
Jose has a record as a winner but as Beast said maybe we’ve got him when he’s past his sell by date .
When you look at teams like City and Liverpool who press high and play with so much energy, it makes Jose’s wat of doing things seem a bit played out .
Maybe part of his frustration and his constant moaning is the fact that what he’s always done just isn’t working as well as it used to.

{Ed025's Note - hes a bit of a dinosaur for me bilko, his teams have never been good to watch and i have said from the start he was a bad fit for united mate..

29 Jul 2018 11:09:30
Life after fergy some managers work out some don't.
Jose got the sack 3 points above relegation it doesn't always work out.
Hopefully the next manager gets it right.

29 Jul 2018 11:16:55
We would look a far far better team with pep .
Some managers work out some don't that's football .
Some United fans have been spoilt thinking the good times will never end .
Shows what a great manager fergy was, Jose couldn't lace his boots.

29 Jul 2018 11:32:03
There is a bigger problem than who the manager is. The Glazers have haven't paid a penny for the club or put a penny in. They don't care for the club or the fans, all they care about is the money Utd generate. To them our great club is just a cash cow, and there doing the milking. The money spent on transfers isn't coming out of their pockets but is reliant on Woodward doing another commercial venture.
Where the manager is responsible is for the playing style, formation and for motivating the players. Most players that have come in under Mourhino have gone backwards, and the ones he inherited have too. We need a manager, who will adopt the club's attacking style and flair. I want to be entertained, and I'm not at the moment. I've not been since SAF left.
It pains me to say it but we need to change manager, we also need a director of football, someone who will respect the history of out great club and uphold those traditions.
Rant over.

29 Jul 2018 12:46:23
At least one top 6 manager will be gone before Christmas. Who knows it could be Jose or Klopp or even Pep. The pressure is massive on them all but a poor start could quite easily result in the exit door "Every point is now a prisoner". This is going to be the best title chase ever-i can't wait for it to get started 😆😆.

29 Jul 2018 06:13:37
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 29th July 2018

29 Jul 2018 00:26:48
Hello, is there anything in the mina to Utd for 27million that is being reported at the moment?

He had a solid WC but couldn't get anywhere near barcas team.

{Ed025's Note - united have shown interest mate but nothing concrete as of yet, the reason he cant get near the barca side is that they are a good team...he walks into the united team..

29 Jul 2018 02:23:09
Cheers ed.

29 Jul 2018 07:27:29
He's a solid player, and definitely suits the EPL more than La Liga in my opinion.

Could be a great signing, could struggle to adapt to living in England.

However, we could always call him the the anglicised version of his name (Jerry Mines) to tone down expectations and give him a little more breathing room to settle in. Lol.

Also fantastic scoring record for a CB, strong in the air, which is a key attribute for Jose.