Manchester United Banter Archive March 30 2018

30 Mar 2018 23:17:17
Thoughts out to Ray Wilkins and his family ❤️.

31 Mar 2018 02:46:23
Gentleman. Praying for his recovery. 🙏.

{Ed0333's Note - Hear hear 666. Years ago I went to watch Liverpool play Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Rd. The game will be remembered for a young Les Ferdinand causing the Liverpool defense a myriad of problems, John Barnes making a long awaited comeback from a serious injury and for me it was for Ray Colin Wilkins. Not because he was particularly good that night in fact he was pretty dire, he was at the end of his playing career so there was mitigating circumstances for his performance. The traveling Kop was in full voice and giving QPR offensive players verbals. It was late in the game and QPR got a corner, Butch picked up the ball near the our goal and went towards the flag to take the corner thousands of people gave him a piece of their mind. Butch looked at the Liverpool supporters and just said ‘Gentlemen, please show some class’. Everyone just shut up and acted like naughty little school boys who had been scolded. He said 5 words and silenced a whole away section. That was the measure of the man. Even though he had made his name with the arch enemy he commanded so much respect. He is a true legend of the game and I truly hope he pulls through and has a long and healthy life.

31 Mar 2018 03:45:14
Agreed boys. Played at a lot of clubs and always well liked. Not about the clubs more about the man which is testament to him.

Lets hope he pulls through.

31 Mar 2018 04:02:00
Thanks for that Ed. Awesome. He's like football gentry, when football went to sky football italia was the only regilar weekly football on terestrial tv. Ray brought a bit of intelligence to a game of thugs and ludites. Best wishes to Ray him and his family.

31 Mar 2018 09:13:47
A real gentleman, shame he didn’t win more trophies.

31 Mar 2018 09:33:05
My thoughts and prayers are with Ray Wilkins and his family. It doesn't seem that long since I watched him play at OT, but every time I have watched or heard him he came over as a true gent. It sounds a tough battle that he is on but all football fans of every club should want him to pull through.

{Ed025's Note - im with you all the way mate..

31 Mar 2018 10:16:51
Wish him a quick quick recovery. A lof of good people in football have been lost recently. Fingers crossed he recovers well.

31 Mar 2018 13:33:11
Ed0333 yes he is such a person who commanded respect. I am sadden that there are less of such character these days. Don’t really care who he played for but a true professional.
I remembered he was with Chelsea and whilst Jose was in the forefront of the club we know that Ray was very key to the team but never been really mentioned. Real good man.
I sincerely pray he recovers fully and is not another casualty to the football world. It’s really a big shame this happened to him. May God be merciful to him.

30 Mar 2018 18:42:12
I keep reading about our supposed interest in Bale and have to admit I'm on the fence. A front 3 of sanchez, lukaku and bale firing on all cylinders is a mouth watering prospect but his medical issues deter me a little.

What's the general consensus?

30 Mar 2018 19:10:50
We’ve done this quite a bit over the ast year. Most recognise he is a fabulous player, a real game changer. However his injury record is becoming increasingly worrying so for the money being quoted he is a major risk.

Personally I love him but injuries aside, I’m not sure where he would play.

30 Mar 2018 19:11:44
Great player on his day, maybe one of the top. But for money as ed said that price might be an issue. I would stay clear.

On the other hand, considering injuries he had, there is not that many "miles" on the clock for him. So if injury free, would be a great buy.

If i may ask eds or anyone else in the know. How does injuries, lack of playing full season after second influence players body in the long run?

Does the club run risk management on players they intend to sign? I can appriciated there are many variables.

Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - injuries take a toll and gradually wear a body down which is why clubs always ask for medical records. Some clubs will not take players that have had any long term injuries.}

30 Mar 2018 19:44:15
We bought our big name attacker when we got Sanchez.

30 Mar 2018 19:51:13
I've been a big fan of bale and he went for big money because he was one of the world's elite players, but is he now .
He's approaching 29 and had injury problems, Madrid have had his prime years and will still look to recoup a lot of their initial outlay and the buyers may find him not worth a lot at the end of his next contract . to me Madrid waited a year too long to sell to command huge money . Very much price dependant to me as I can't quite put him in the elite bracket anymore probably through injury . So basically I wouldn't gamble paying super money for a player with a poor injury record and approaching 29, but a sensible price which reflected this then never say never .

30 Mar 2018 19:55:02
He has played 179 games for Real Made over a five year period when his body is supposedly at its physical peak. That averages out around 35 games a season. Considering over that period Real Madrid have made it to the final or at least deep into most cup competitions that means they have averaged around 58 games a season. Which means on average Bale has missed around 40% of the games Real Madrid have played since they signed him.

Those injuries will have taken their toll, and he is unlikely to suddenly have an injury free season or even a mostly injury free season.

Sadly he is a great player who is unable to play as often as he should.
The idea that our club which has the second worst injury record in the EPL should sign the most injury prone player in La Liga for a huge fee and put him on massive wages over a long contract is close to madness.

30 Mar 2018 19:55:36
I'd like him to sign. Always risks with injuries, but three players off the top of my head that similar stuff was talked about we got one and it worked, RVN. Vidal and Gundogan both seem to have been astute deals as well for Bayern and City and many wanted to avoid them or thought they were unnecessary risks.

On the flip side we were talking about Vlaar and Vermaelen a little while ago and they were good swerves of course, but would have cost next to nothing.

Players like Bale are worth a gamble and I'm sure the price will reflect that as well (or it would if we had anybody but Mr. Blank Chequebook making deals) .

Wouldn't mind making a cheeky bid for Reus as well, whilst on the topic of injury risks.

30 Mar 2018 20:01:16
I think given a long run in the first eleven Rashford and even Martial would be just as dangerous as Bale and would spend more time on the pitch instead of on the treatment bed. Real would probably ask for Rashford if a deal is on the table anyway 😆😆.

30 Mar 2018 20:49:39
Bale when fit is still a great player. Always have been a big admirer i still think he has a lot to offer. It depends on the price and his desire to play for us.

30 Mar 2018 21:19:13
Wouldn't Ronaldo make more sense .
Still banging in the goals. Fit as a fiddle. Knows United well. Must be still 2 good years in him.

30 Mar 2018 23:35:58
he would be a great attacking signing for us, if we can also get his team mate ronaldo for a two season cameo even better.

31 Mar 2018 10:18:02
If we were to sign a player over 30 like Leahy mentions it has to be Ronaldo.

30 Mar 2018 06:36:39
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 30th March 2018

30 Mar 2018 11:02:49
I forgot Ben Arfa even existed ed!

{Ed001's Note - is that because the excitement of the van Gaal era, as he moved you towards playing like Pep, made you forget?}

30 Mar 2018 12:03:54
That hurt, ed : (.

{Ed001's Note - I don't know what you could mean, he just needed more time!}

30 Mar 2018 12:18:28
I was usually on the edge of my seat during the Van Gaal era. mainly so I was closer to turning of the tv ed. I’m not sure if you’ve ever covered it on here, but what do you make of LvG as a manager? He seems to talk a good game based on previous accomplishments but that’s really it.

{Ed001's Note - awful. He has made every team he managed into a bunch of robots. Terrible manager who has succeeded by talking bull**** and taking the credit for teams improving the moment he is sacked! Surely someone one day will realise they improve because he was holding them back, rather than because he laid down the groundwork.}

30 Mar 2018 12:25:50
Couldn’t agree more! Bet you’re gutted Liverpool never got the dreamteam of Martinez as coach and LvG as director of football eh!

{Ed001's Note - oh yes mate, that is one of my life's biggest regrets *sigh*}

30 Mar 2018 12:35:29
Was there anything good he achieved at United ed? I know he cleared a few out but replaced with mostly rubbish. How much influence did he have behind the scenes regards scouting and the academy?

{Ed001's Note - be thankful he didn't have anything much to do with either, though he did start on an overhaul of the scouting, he was kept well clear of the academy. You only have to read what Cruyff said about him: "Van Gaal has a good vision on football. But it's not mine. He wants to gel winning teams and has a militaristic way of working with his tactics.......On the basis of the criteria now in use at Ajax [which were recommended by van Gaal] I would have failed the test."}

30 Mar 2018 12:56:09
Thanks ed. I was wondering if he'd had much to do with those. The scouting did need an overhaul.

If you don't mind, what's the latest with the academy and are things now going in the right direction?

{Ed001's Note - it depends on how you view it. They have improved the scouting to find better players, but there is still an emphasis on the academy as a way of making an income for the club, rather than expecting it to produce players for the first team. There is little in the way of planned progression from youth to first team now because, like most teams, there is very little that can be done to get players a good level of football at reserve level. While the club works to get the right loan moves, it is a very hit and miss way to develop youngsters. The fact Rashford and now McTominay are getting regular gametime has helped lift the belief in the academy though, which can make a significant difference to the youngsters involved. Sometimes they just need the belief they have a chance to bring out the best in them.}

30 Mar 2018 13:17:49
Yeah I guess its tricky. The pressure on the club to deliver regular champions league football means its harder to throw in raw youngsters now. I doubt we'll ever see 4-5 all coming into the first team squad in one go ever again. At the same time the lack of decent reserve football surely has to sit with the FA and the premier league. We've got some good prospects and hopefully a few of them come through.

{Ed001's Note - the FA have been trying to fix it, but it will never work while so many players are sent out on loan each season. The reserves sides are reserve youth teams most of the time.}

30 Mar 2018 13:44:25
But their sent out on loan because of the lack of decent standard reserve football. Its catch 22 isn't it. Hopefully the world cup hammers it home and they have a proper look like the Germans did and force through the necessary changes. Bug I won't hold my breath.

30 Mar 2018 18:41:22
Ed001, your views on Van Gaal are almost, dare I say, toxic 😉.

{Ed001's Note - hahaha they probably could be viewed that way.}

30 Mar 2018 19:17:13
Ede 1, if you don't mind. Don't know how much have you seen of McTominay.
What do you make of him going in the future based on what you seen?

Thank you. Much appriciated.

{Ed001's Note - I like him a lot, though it does worry me that he was nearly dumped but for growing so tall. There still seems to be far too much emphasis placed on physical aspects in the later years of development. He has a lot of potential to be like a Matic 2.0.}

30 Mar 2018 22:24:42
Quality that noucamp99!

LVG was part of the plan Ed01 how dare you!

31 Mar 2018 12:25:53
Thank you Ed.