Manchester United Banter Archive April 23 2019

23 Apr 2019 19:45:45
Hi ed002.
Hope your keeping well.
You have mentioned before that united have always had a reluctance to accept or include players in part exchange in transfer deals.
With fees reaching such big numbers now do you know if that policy is under review?
Secondly do you know why the reluctance is there. I think in Italy its very common.
It is something that seems reasonable if there is players of interest.

{Ed002's Note - Yes, they have avoided it where they can. It is rare that it happens in any case but I am not aware of any change from MU at this time. In Italy it is very common and there have been plenty agareed for this coming summer already.}

23 Apr 2019 20:06:59
Thanks ed002. I've no doubt its no easy fix with double the amount of players, agents and advisors on board.
As the nose get bigger i'd expect to see it become more common.

24 Apr 2019 10:06:58
prob makes it easier if the 2 players involved have the same agent.

23 Apr 2019 17:41:21
I'm over in Mexico at the minute and have been receiving Spanish language news.

One of the articles was about a UK bias at Utd and the Spanish speakers / clique feel hard done by and would have had new contracts if they where English. The article specifically mentions Herrera, De Gea, Mata, Rojo and Valencia.

Probably bias and Brexit tinted article but wondered if there is a thread of truth here based on recent form of these players and the others not playing at all.

23 Apr 2019 17:58:08
Well Valencia is past it and should have gone last summer. Rojo is permanently injured and rubbish anyway and had an extension inexplicably 13 months ago. Mata is a great guy but too slow for the English game, ineffective out wide and not that great centrally. Herrera can argue he's hard done by but he's asking for stupid money by all accounts. And de Gea can also argue like Herrera but I have a feeling its deliberately running his deal down.

A UK bias at a UK club, how dare we.

23 Apr 2019 18:02:35
No bias. I agree with mort there 100%.

23 Apr 2019 18:40:26
Well said mort.

23 Apr 2019 20:16:16
I'm in complete agreement but interesting to hear this be reported on.

23 Apr 2019 21:51:32
Read this the other day and just assumed it was a slow news day for United related news.

23 Apr 2019 15:49:02
From this list of players we have in our squad I would like to know peoples thoughts on which player to keep and which one to be sold.

Definitely keep: DDG, Pogba, Shaw, Rashford, McT, Lindelof
Squad Player: Dalot (needs time), Lukaku, Fred, Matic, Lingard.
Sell/ Release: Jones, Young, Smalling, Rojo, Mata, Alexis, Pereira, Bailly, TFM.

Promote: Tuanzebe, Greenwood, Chong ( use Occasionally)

{Ed004's Note - I would say the same except Smalling and Martial to squad players and would only include DDG and Pogba in the definitely keep if they committed to the club long term}

23 Apr 2019 16:05:21
Definitely keep: DDG, Shaw, Rashford. For the likes of Pogba, Bailly and Lindelof (for me our best pair in defence but need to improved a lot) I would keep them but won't affect me if they leave.

Squad Player: Dalot, Lukaku, Matic, Lingard, Mata, Pereira (miles better than Fred but is not given the same chances), McT, TFM.

Sell/ Release:FRED (way overrated), Jones, Young, Smalling, Rojo, Alexis (A MOST SELL RELEASE) .

I agree on you're Promote player but would add Angel Gomez.

23 Apr 2019 16:10:18
I'd sell Pogba this summer. Wouldn't even consider anything else. Doesn't want to be here, bad influence in the dressing room and most games little to no effort. can't keep making excuses for him.

I"d also sell de Gea for the right amount if all the fee was made available for transfers.

Martial would also be gone. Not enough effort.

23 Apr 2019 16:21:26
I don't see the the need to differentiate between squad player and first team player as I feel everyone in the squad should be able to compete for a first team spot. So for me its just a keep list and a sell list.

Keep: Romero, Grant, Henderson, Dalot, Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Jones, Shaw, Matic, McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Fred, Lingard, Lukaku, Rashford and Martial.

Sell/ Release: DDG, Joel Pereira, Valencia, Darmian, Rojo, TFM, Bailly, Herrera, Pogba, Mata and Sanchez

Then Promote: Tuanzebe, Gomes and Greenwood.
Loan out: Garner and Chong. Maybe Gomes in January depending how he's doing.

Sign: RB, CB, CM (box to box), AM and RW. Possibly Wan-Bissaka, Romagnoli, NDombele, Bruno Fernandes and Nicolas Pepe.

Then the following summer move on Young, Matic, Jones definitely. With Smalling, Andreas Pereira, Lukaku and Martial depending on how they do next season.

For me the time has come to let DDG go, as great as he is it isn't worth further destroying our wage structure to keep him. Plus I feel he will have an early decline for a goalkeeper as his game is strongly based around his reflexes which will be the first thing to decline. His positioning, commanding of his area, organisation skills, communication, coming for high balls and his distribution are all sub par for a world class goalkeeper. Pogba doesn't want to be here and he needs to go. I have been damning of Jose Mourinho in the past but he rarely calls a player a virus. Pogba is at the centre of all of our problems with our squad.

23 Apr 2019 16:37:41
I agree with mort and shappy. Time to move DDG and Pogba on. We will have serious issue in the future with wage structure and mercenaries if we give DDG what he wants. No man is bigger than the club. We need to regain order again and getting rid of the bad apples and players on obscene wages is a start. I don’t need to add why we should get rid of pogba as it has even done to death now.

Listening to Oles comments the last few days has given me some hope. He knows what needs to be done and I think he is sick of a large portion of this squad. The culture needs a change. Those that are not committed need to be shown the door. No matter how good they are. I would rather a player who had 80% percent of pogba’s ability but has 110% of mctominay’s attitude and commitment. I’m sick of it.

23 Apr 2019 17:36:22
+1 Shappy. I posted something similar as pitch if I was running the club which was broadly on the same lines.

23 Apr 2019 17:39:18
Gut instinct was to wholeheartedly agree with shappys In s and Outs: but then I looked closer at what we have left, and its sadly frightening!
Romero ok great no 2 but Grant coaching at best. Young effort but exposed more and more ina position that's not natural and with Var expect more penalties against with Mike and Matic. Lukaku cannot trap a ball and martial is more often poor than good. It really doesn't leave a title chasing bunch. Okay players to come in, and the "kept lot" are not all going to start but it shows how far behind we really are. Its possible to get players in part ex for pogba, DDG etc but really we are at risk of clearing out the big shots' garages. The fundamental problem is the structure of the club through all levels of developement through certainly a lack of structure but perceivably through complacency. We need to clear the decks of outdated, unwanted and troublesome players, staff and personnel which will take a decade or more.

23 Apr 2019 18:11:13
I agree with Ed004 here but i would definitely not want Smalling in the first 11.

23 Apr 2019 18:12:27
I would also get rid of Pogba as i think we will get the same issues next year. We can't afford to have another year of Pogba's drama.

23 Apr 2019 19:03:06
I know Angel but i didn't mean it the way it came across to you guys. I will put my hand up and say that was rubbish from me! . I am not shy in owing up. Like i explained above i didn't take the english quota into account as it completely slipped out of my head.

23 Apr 2019 19:29:52
Cookyman, I agree to a large extent. Yet we can't sell everyone. I have tried to focus the outs on the "problem" players. Be that bad attitude, poor work ethic or ridiculous destabilising wages. The players with not enough talent, but the right mentality and work ethic have a stay of execution otherwise we would be selling 12-15 players. Which just isn't practical.

I think your being a little harsh on Romero who is an excellent goalkeeper, and vastly underrated by many. For me DDG is only better at shot stopping. But Romero is better at distribution, at organisation and in the air. However, DDG shot-stopping has been god tier for the last few seasons.

I posted an article the other day where I outline that turning this squad around will take at least 2 years. The issues with the squad is the main reason for this. Next season if we sell the right players and bring in the right players we will still be looking at getting top four as a main target. Then build from there the following season. This squad is far too far gone to recover it in one window.

24 Apr 2019 09:47:20
Yes Shappy I agree as said romero Ok meaning he is a great no 2 but to elaborate he could easily cover no 1.Think we are both agreeing it will take time but I honestly think it will take longer than 2 year playing side but the approach, logistiacal running of the club by placing improved structure will take longer as we have been stuck in a rut for a while.
Ever the eternal optimist I will still be at OT tonite cheering and shouting the team on:)

24 Apr 2019 09:50:23
Agree with Shappy's list. But I would definitely sell Jones.
Fred deserves another chance.

I believe Wan-Bissaka, Koulibaly in defence, Saul in midfield and Sancho in attack would massively inject much needed quality to the current squad.

24 Apr 2019 09:56:16
We all have our top trump/ football manager wishlists but who do you realistically think we will get in / change this window?

Meunier, for value/ price
Toby same reason.
Milenkovic again value and age
try for saul but end up with partey
Bale on loan as a sweetener for pogba, de gea deals out. I think at least one to RM and other possibly psg.
Not the list I would like but what I think is very likely.

23 Apr 2019 10:30:49
Anyone seen or heard from The Beast lately? He has been absent from these pages for quite a few weeks now, months rather. Funny that this time coincides with the downturn in our form under the current regime. Is Beast Scholes or Giggs?

Didnt post anything after the humiliation over the weekend because it would have attracted more sarcastic comments from the "Ole at the wheel" brigade calling me out on the i told u so viewpoint. Hoping the lads turn up in midweek else we are looking at a disastrous scoreline.

23 Apr 2019 10:48:49
Maybe 'Beauty" finally kissed him.

23 Apr 2019 11:13:52
Hahaha classic that mbd. That was something to smile about in this sombre week.

23 Apr 2019 13:20:02
Hi mate - still about just not commenting as much at the minute.

I posted a few months ago during our good run that Ole should not be given the job (yet) . The players started well against Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth - then played pretty much the same as under Jose and LVG since. We got lucky against Spurs and very lucky against PSG. This was ignored and the media with short-sighted fans jumped on the 'SIGN HIM UP' bandwagon.

I'm not anti-Ole, I just thing he needs to earn the job and we should have waited until the summer. Players are getting worse by the week, they are rotten, turn up once a month at best. Is Ole the best man to rebuild and kick out the weeds?

Unfortunately, yet again, the club had a plan and failed to deliver it, bowing to their media overlords and social media sycophants.

We are hard to watch and have had so much luck this season yet still don't look like making CL at this rate. Maybe for the best, so we can attract some players that want to fight and aren't only signing because they get to play in the CL.

Hopefully we sort it out during this long summer.

23 Apr 2019 14:03:41
Fair assessment Beast, not a lot to disagree with there. Not Ole’s fault, but a symptom of how poorly run the club is. Appointment of Phelan as DOF would be the final nail in the coffin.

23 Apr 2019 14:11:59
Nice to have you back buddy. Keep posting regularly. I am being a bit selfish in asking for your posts because i echo your views on the performances and Ole.

23 Apr 2019 16:03:33
we can all agree the performances are a joke but to already turn on ole is a bit embarrassing give the guy a fair crack at it.

let him have his pre season and implement his way of playing with players he wants. (if we get them)

its not going to be a case of boom title contenders next season.

its a long road and we need to get it right and give the management time with the correct resources.

23 Apr 2019 18:08:26
Beast what a post!

23 Apr 2019 18:11:04
There is a turn up, I agree with the Beast!

I recommend reading the article today, how misguided emotion left Manchester United stuck in the past.

23 Apr 2019 07:29:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 23rd April 2019

23 Apr 2019 09:41:58
Thanks Ed. I am one of those guilty in indulging in trivial stats like the fastest list ;) I all honesty I don't know why either. Guilty pleasure I suppose.

{Ed001's Note - so long as someone is interested, it is worth reporting.}

23 Apr 2019 10:44:09
Surprised Rebic is top of that list. I suppose he has a slightly awkward sort of run that masks how quick he is moving.

23 Apr 2019 14:48:07
Who would you have expected to be top Shappy? I too was surprised Device was top of the list. I thought Bellarabi was the quickest guy but he isn't even in the top 10.

23 Apr 2019 15:27:36
If Pogba played there he would be top, i regularly see him sprinting full pelt to stop an attack.

23 Apr 2019 17:40:19
What pogba is that seagull?

23 Apr 2019 21:09:04
Angel, a pelican stake.

23 Apr 2019 01:29:08
Interesting situation.
Now that Chelsea drew, a win against City could potentially put us back in top 4 (pending Arsenal game) .
Liverpool fans will be hoping we beat City. City will go all out to beat us. Now we will see why are our players - boys or man.
Do we want Liverpool or City to be PL champion? It's all in our hands. What a predicament.

{Ed0333's Note - you should play to win every match even if it means helping you’re bitterest rivals win the title 666 🤣

23 Apr 2019 04:48:07
I think I would want us to try and win but I also remember when faced with a similar situation a few years ago slippy G slipped made a back pass to Drogba to ensure their win. Returning that favor would be nice.

23 Apr 2019 07:08:51
As a pool fan, the thought of united “having a say” is all completely irrelevant. City will embarrass united and that’s the bottom line. We are more hopeful of their game against Burnley and Leicester. The only favour you could do Liverpool fans is finishing out of the top 4 and continue the spiral down 😊.

23 Apr 2019 07:09:46
Shouldn't be a question that even enters our heads. We play to win, end of discussion. Liverpool and City are fighting for the title because they deserve to be. We are 20 odd points behind because we deserve to be. The league us in their hands, not ours so what will be will be.

23 Apr 2019 07:30:04
After what we witnessed at weekend I don’t know why anyone is bothered about Liverpool or City. We have our own mess to sort out and dreaming that we have any say in the title race is just desperation to stay relevant. We should be trying to win every game for ourselves, what will be will be.

23 Apr 2019 07:52:19
benny we have won more trophies in last 3 years than you have in the last decade.

23 Apr 2019 08:01:26
Of course we play to win Betty, doesn't mean the blow of losing won't be softened by the fact it scuppers Liverpool's title bid. :)

23 Apr 2019 08:36:39
Other than being relegated I can not think of anything worse than Liverpool winning the title so i will happily take a loss on Wednesday. Anything under 1st means we lost just because the money men reward you for being rubbish ie finishing below the top spot and getting Europe doesn't mean it should be good enough.

23 Apr 2019 09:34:44
Common sense Moyes, you clearly don't remember us beating king Kenny's Blackburn on the last day of the season which gifted you the league but you messed it up and couldn't beat West ham, and we had zero on the line in that game as well, you'd rather not win and give a massive boost to your champions League position because you actually think Stevie deliberately gave a back pass to drogba?

By the way do you not remember him doing the exact same thing against France in the world cup, he probably did that because he knows all man United supporters are England fans and he wanted to throw that game as well to piss yous off, he really was that obsessed with United don't ye know. 🙈.

23 Apr 2019 09:55:05
So you gifted us one premier league title and we didn't take it yet we are still 13-0 up. I'd take 13-1 if it means we get top 4, not like the other team that can win it isn't a big rival also.

23 Apr 2019 10:28:03
What on earth has this got to do with the past / trophies 😂 this isn’t even about rivalries, this is about wanting your team, whether it United or Havant and Waterloovile, beaten. Fans sit their and claim pogba et all are mercenaries that don’t care about the club, yet fickle fans want their team to actually lose. Pot calling the kettle black.
The decent united fans want to win every game, and thank god there are some on here, we have plastics on our page too, so I feel your pain boys.
As I said, it’s all irrelevant, the team could give 150% but will still lose. If you boys want to say “ stops you winning the title “ as if it’s some achievement, we will see what an achievement it is in the summer when no big players will come to Cardiff level manager and a team not playing with the big boys. Not to mention missing out on huge revenue whilst trying to pay of a billion squid of debt. He who laughs last laughs longest.

23 Apr 2019 10:45:40
Waro, I think your right, Gerrard was just pants.

23 Apr 2019 12:13:20
Truth be told I don’t think your capable of beating city so the helping us out dilemma is irrelevant. That’s just how I see it and expect it to unfold. Your players seem to be on holiday already. I understand your players not caring who wins the league, but they seem to not care for their own club.

23 Apr 2019 12:34:20
GDS2 is right, it is all irrelevant, how foolish of us to forget that football began in 1992.

23 Apr 2019 13:22:59
This hoping we lose thing. I really can't understand it. I grew up with Liverpool winning everything, so obviously I hope they don't win it. But not at the expense of us losing a game. Any game.

23 Apr 2019 14:03:19
Doesn't matter City will need to play poorly to lose, it's up to them.

If both teams play to the best they will win end of.

I don't care for either club but from a long term position for Utd it is better for us that the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi win the league.

If Liverpool win it will put them back at the top table. If city win it will only serve to increase the volume of complaints about them buying the league and financial doping.

23 Apr 2019 15:15:15
Sorry Woolback, 20-19 then.

23 Apr 2019 15:30:27
Lots of Scousers on the page.