Manchester United Banter Archive March 01 2019

01 Mar 2019 18:04:01
Ed002.
Im sure sanchez has a contrast left with somewhere in the region of 70m or so.
In a situation like he is in. Obviously unhappy not only in his football but also his demeanour.
Knowing a good move will likely help him find happiness too do you think he would look for less than his full contact to be paid up in order to help facilitate a move.
For example could he settle for a 20m pay off to cancel his contract.?
Secondly what do you think the clubs position is or in your opinion should be?

{Ed002's Note - (1) Why would he do that? (2) The club are stuck with a difficult situation.}

01 Mar 2019 19:59:37
Why ed? I think if he is unhappy he will put some price on his move. No point having lot of money and being unhappy. He could i'm sure get a 10m a year contract as a free agent with 20m pay off its bot a bad spot to be in if your happier.

{Ed002's Note - So why would he give up £50M or whatever the figure is?}

01 Mar 2019 20:47:22
Who says he is unhappy? Maybe he is resigned to the fact he is a shadow of the player he once but is still one of the highest paid players in the world.

The club deserve to be saddled with this ridiculous contract they gave for a player they didn't need to spite a rival club.

No other european club is naive enough to help us out of this hole we dug for ourselves.

01 Mar 2019 20:36:34
Maybe he wants to play, but the club are stuck with it and Woody needs to accept responsibility for that. It’s no like we can simply not play him as that gives him freedom to move as well, all in all a terrible terrible deal.

01 Mar 2019 20:37:14
Personally if i could be enjoying my football and getting some real personal fulfilment and earning x million plus my pay off as opposed to earning twice that and being unhappy in my surroundings and in my career.
I suppose he might hold out for a contract elsewhere and for united to supplement the difference in those contracts. So effectively the better contract he gets elseehere the more saving for united.
As you say the club are in a difficult position.
I can't imagine too many of the highest paying clubs are jumping up to sign him.

01 Mar 2019 23:04:34
I'd play for man united for diesel money⚽,
That stupid amounts of money has football ruined, will they ever cap players wages,
For every player start off on 10,000 and go up every year you start at a club, and if a player isn't happy with that he shouldn't be playing.

02 Mar 2019 00:31:03
If we cannot sell him on because of his wage demands, maybe a loan for a season or 2 with the club loaning him from us paying a certain amount of his wages would be good for everyone. Technically we would lower our wage bill somewhat from this and maybe Sanchez can rediscover his best form playing abroad.

02 Mar 2019 02:27:14
Ed002. Could you explain the situation with sanchez contract please. Eg if a club came in with an offer would it nullify his current contract? Or would utd have to fulfill his current contract and take some return on any transfer fee? Sorry if this has been discussed previously.

{Ed002's Note - If he were sold it would mean he would have a new contract with another club and therefore he would not have a contract with Manchester United.}

02 Mar 2019 07:57:16
Maybe as he has been a top player for a number of years he has confidence in himself to turn it round .
Team look to be going in the right direction he maybe wants to be a part of it and backs himself to get back to a good level?

02 Mar 2019 08:19:39
Jred, I’m sure he does but I’ve seen nothing to suggest he can. It’s not just that he isn’t putting in stellar performances, he seems unable to make simple passes. It’s probably a mental thing but overcoming it is proving a challenge. Right now, I don’t see how he gets in the team as there are 4 players ahead of him.

02 Mar 2019 09:48:13
Ajh
Im not sure he will either but if the question is " why doesn't he move " i think the answer might be he has confidence in himself to turn it round .
If he does or not, well that's a different matter.

02 Mar 2019 10:10:13
Jred it may also be the fact he's on a bumper contract that no one would even pay a quater of elsewhere.

02 Mar 2019 10:37:22
W16
Its prob a bit of both.

01 Mar 2019 17:43:44
Ole and Phelan will be here next year.

Valencia will leave so we will be looking at a rb/ lb cover.

Personally I can only see 2 signings in the summer and that will be a rb/ lb and a cm.

Reasons for this is we have 4 cbs that don't look like leaving.

Mata will stay so we won't sign a rw.

Rojo, darmian, Valencia, will be the only players to leave.

Ole will promote the youth and a couple of them will become well established in the squad.

01 Mar 2019 18:39:18
There’ll be more investment than that I’m sure.

May be a change though, not pursuing household names.

{Ed004's Note - I still expect a rb cb and winger to come in with potentially another midfielder or left back signing as well}

01 Mar 2019 20:38:12
For me it’s not about numbers, it’s about quality. There’s no point signing 4 players who are marginal improvements, we need 2 or 3 great ones.

01 Mar 2019 20:01:47
Ed004 do you not think xm is a priority. We have no cover apart from mctom and fred.

{Ed004's Note - The midfield is an issue but I just think rb, cb and winger/false 9 is more of a pressing issue. We can get away with McTominay, Fred, Perriera and even Lingard as cover although our quality will drop}

02 Mar 2019 08:20:25
Big V, sounds like you’ve been looking into your crystal ball.

02 Mar 2019 07:51:40
Ed004, I disagree. Matic struggles to play a whole season. The drop off in quality between our first choice midfield and our back up is huge. Although I have been impressed with McTominay in the last couple of games. However, we have excellent young prospects in Chong, Gomes and Greenwood who can cover up front and out wide.

That's why in my opinion midfield is more important than RW.

{Ed004's Note - McTominay has shown more than all of then (only because hes has stepped up to this level) and Garner is very highly rated. From what I have seen of Greenwood - hes the potential to be special. Im not sure Gomes or Chong will make it too the first team tbh and I know that'll be an unpopular opinion. Next year Id like to see out attacking line up as Martial, Rashford + another, with Lukaku, Mata and Lingard as cover with Lingard also being able to play centrally when Pogba needs rested. Ideally we would bring in someone like Ndombele for the future or Casemiro if Madrid are actually looking rid}

02 Mar 2019 09:53:16
Is Casemiro good? He's been terrible whenever I've watched him, but only seen him play a handful of times.

{Ed004's Note - He was world class the 3 seasons Madrid won the champions league. Allowed Kroos and Modrid to play their games. Hes apparently had a dip in form this season but so has that whole side. He consistently keeps Fernandinho out of that Brazil starting 11 and fernandinho is arguably one of Peps most important players. If he came in anywhere at his prime hed be an upgrade on Matic}

01 Mar 2019 12:09:28
So the form guide puts us pretty much top of the pack, and that is without any signings or squad improvement. This side has talent, there are clear gaps in the squad but the thing that was missing was work rate and intensity. That is what Ole has brought in along with a shift in attempting to play in a more offensive way.

There is a long way to go between now and the summer, but presently it would take a brave man to bet against Ole getting the job.
So if he does get the job what next?

many people are starting to talk of revolutions, of mass squad change, 10-12 out and 5-6 in with 4 or 5 youngsters being promoted to take up the other spots.

To an extent I can agree with the assessment that the 10-12 players often mentioned probably don't have a long term future or certainly not one as a first team regular. But will we really see all those players moved on in one window?

Since Sir Alex retired we have seen mistake after mistake, Moyes ripping out the backroom staff, Ed Woodward's "no major retooling", LvG and his philosophy, and Mourinho and his constant digs and general sulky demeanour. However, one thing often missed is the huge turn over of players, where are the Di Maria's, Falcao's, Schweinsteiger's, Depay's and Blind's that were brought in? Plus the countless others, while steady yet unspectacular players where shipped out, Evans, Chicharito and Fletcher.

I agree that we had an ageing squad when Sir Alex retired, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Giggs and RvP were regular key players. A new freshness needed to be injected. Yet many would now agree that the heart and soul was ripped out of the club and we suffered for it.

Ole has just started to put that back in place. If given the job in the summer will he really want to rip apart the squad that helped him secure the job? If someone else comes in will they really want to sell 10 players before working closely with them to get a better idea of whether they could do a job for them?

Both cases I feel it is unlikely. I would say the best way forward for our club is evolution rather than revolution.

Really how many of the players have let Ole down? I would say Rojo and Darmian are likely to leave, one hasn't really had a chance while the other can never get fit. Valencia is another who will likely leave, as is Andreas Pereira who needs playing time in a less demanding league. Sanchez is one who probably needs to move on, however with his wages that might not be possible.

I think we are more likely to see 3 maybe 4 at most come in during the summer. A RB, a CB and CM. Possibly a winger if we can move Sanchez on. If not then he will remain and it will be up to one of Chong or Gomes to displace him.

That is why we are seeing the club give out a raft of new contracts, even to those players we don't agree with. let's learn from the mistakes of our recent past, it might take a season or two longer, yet the longest lasting building are those built on solid foundations.

01 Mar 2019 12:30:44
Good post Shappy.
We need 4 players who would come straight into our starting 11.

Competition brings the best out of players.
Look at City, the competition for place are so fierce and it keeps everyone on their toes.

01 Mar 2019 13:43:45
I posted but it went to the others page. Based on Ole’s tenure our points per game is as good as Liverpool and City, if we win on Saturday it will be better. That’s over a third of a season, I suspect to maintain that we need greater depth and we have seen that with Spurs, they didn’t buy in the Summer and it seems they are running into a bit of trouble as the season progresses.

We have a lot of players who don’t really feature and we have a few youngsters we need to integrate, I think 3 top signings is enough for us to improve but retain the heart and soul you have mentioned Shappy' assuming the youngsters continue to progress. Look how well Sancho is doing, albeit he had to leave City, The Chelsea fans want to see Hudson-Odoi given a run. We are a club who have never been afraid to give youth a chance, I think with where we are 3 top signings and 3 or 4 promotions allows us to take a big step forward.

01 Mar 2019 13:48:52
Problem is 4 players coming in for the starting 11 would cost over £200 Million if you average that out at £50 Million for a player of that calibre.
For example, I'd be happy with:
CB - Kouilbaly or Skriniar
RB - Doherty
CM - Rice
RF - Leon Bailey or Federico Chiesa

But how much would this set us back and 3 of the 4 positions are not big name players in those positions.

01 Mar 2019 16:46:05
I believe we need 4 tony along with the promotions.
1 cb 2xcm 1 right sided attacker.

Sanchez darmian rojo valencia will leave i hope.

01 Mar 2019 16:50:10
And we don’t know what Pogba is planning ken, that could cock things up further.

01 Mar 2019 17:34:18
I think realistically we see Darmian, Valencia, Rojo and Pereira leave. The others will very likely stay, and to be honest we need a big squad.

I think a right back, centre half, central midfielder and a versatile forward will be the targets.

Likely to be Koulibaly for the centre back place, a right back hasn’t been linked but I’m sure one is lined up. Versatile forward could be Costa unless we look within the league to someone like Brooks. Central midfield links have also been quiet.

01 Mar 2019 17:47:43
I don't think we will get all the players we need, not will we move on all the players we would like.

The key is balance, we need to bring in the right players and move on the right ones while maintaining the feel good factor and momentum that Ole has built up.

01 Mar 2019 20:40:32
Amen Shappy.

01 Mar 2019 20:30:35
The £200M transfer fees for 4 players is not really the issue. This can be financed and paid over a few years.
The problem are the wages in relation to FIFA fair play rules.
Thus we need to get rid of Valencia, Rojo, Darmian, Mata and Sánchez etc in order to allow room for wages for the new signings.

{Ed002's Note - Not entirely, it is not as simple as that. The club can only account for players one way (cash now) or another (spread over the length of the contract). They cannot chop and change how it is done between players, and the must stay within FFP - and that is a big issue. For fear of confusion I won’t go in to detail - but it is the wages that are an issue for MU. The issue was resolved with HM and ZI leaving last year and then back with AS arriving. To fix it, the club need to sell and replace in addition to the minor increase that is allowed as you infer. MU are not the only side maxed out on wages. But don’t lose sight of how costa are accounted for for purchases and sales. This is going to bite another EPL side on the ass next season where they need to make a downward adjustment.}

02 Mar 2019 12:46:36
Would that EPL side be City?

01 Mar 2019 10:56:25
So Antonio Valencia will be leaving in the Summer.
Ole hailed him as a fantastic servant for the club.

Who would you guys choose as the next captain for United?
Young might be one (although he might not play regularly next season), the other one I would like it to be De Gea.
Hopefully he becomes more vocal on the pitch.

I might get sticks for this but I would also consider Pogba if he commits to us and maintains the current standard.
He is pretty vocal on and off the pitch. The responsibility could possibly bring more out of him.

01 Mar 2019 11:21:56
Herrera. Most of our best captains have been midfielders.

01 Mar 2019 11:31:55
Herrera is a great shout.

01 Mar 2019 11:47:14
Herrera is the obvious candidate. Lindelof could be a good future option, but I don't think he's ready just yet.

01 Mar 2019 11:59:42
I do not think Pogba is captain-material. For me as a captain, you need to lead from the front and need to work hard on the pitch and set an example. Pogba's languid style and his antics when things don't work well for him on the pitch, would probably not go down well with his teammates.

01 Mar 2019 12:50:44
Pogba has become a father now.
Maybe that will keep his off field antics in check :)

01 Mar 2019 14:07:44
I might be stuck in a bygone era, but I think that the club captain should be someone who actually wants to stay at the club, so I wouldn’t give it to Pogba.

01 Mar 2019 14:09:20
thats if pogba is still here in the summer.

his agent will still be hawking him around.

01 Mar 2019 16:19:34
De Gea, throw in the armband as part of a negotiating tactic.

01 Mar 2019 16:46:49
Id give it to jessie.

01 Mar 2019 08:26:14
How many players can you see us signing in the summer. I'd say two. 4 or five not having it.

01 Mar 2019 09:04:08
Why would they leave, they are on big contracts that no other club in Europe would be silly enough to give them.

01 Mar 2019 00:13:19
Hi people going down to game Saturday, usually don't drive down, just wondering if anyone knows of any car parks near by within walking distance to the ground thanks In advance.

01 Mar 2019 06:46:23
Get in at Frankie and Bennys if you’re early. It’s really close and we’ll priced.

01 Mar 2019 10:47:27
Booths car park near media city is fine and easy to get out of afterwards, about a 15-20 minute walk and follow the crowds. The Lowry is slightly closer but can take a long time to get out afterwards.

01 Mar 2019 11:30:39
Thank you will look them up.

02 Mar 2019 12:41:26
I park at CEF, free parking.