Manchester United Banter Archive February 27 2014

 

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27 Feb 2014 22:47:44
right just wanted to give my view on moyes. I feel he will be given atleast till next yr after the summer to see if he can help us get through this 'transition' however I feel moyes is a man with pride and believe if the frustration from fans continues to build, he will walk much sooner and I genuinely see this happening. although its a shame he may have not got the time he wanted, with any big team, fans are used to seeing their team winning and if a manager can't get a team of champions fourth, then itll be difficult to keep fans content with no idea what the future holds if the manager stays. if we do get a replacment it will b between klopp and van gaal. van gaal very experienced in the game and would build the team around rvp, meaning a lot of creativity. however for me klopp is the one. he has built his team from scratch through the youth, spent little money and plays attractive football, all the traits perfect for a utd manager. he could get the best out of kagawa which wwould be a boost and hopefully attract other dortmund players. whos everyobes top choice?

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27 Feb 2014 22:25:43
That was an interesting youtube video showing Kagawa's movement into space and the inability of players to find him with (what should be) simple high percentage forward passes. It speaks to the tactics most of our squad have been raised on: long cross field balls and wing play. It's a style which has seen it's day and it's time to move on.

A blind cross is just a very low % pass, especially when executed by the likes of Valencia, Young or Smalling. It is no wonder our forwards look like they are hating their game. They are too un-involved.

I would like to see the following formation.
RVP up top: Rooney left, Mata, Kagawa, Janusaj right; Fellaini and Carrick; Back 4 - who's fit? I would also like to never experience the displeasure of watching Tom Cleverley wearing the United shirt again.

It is also time for a few of the senior players, whose time at United is not necessarily up, being more demonstrative about what they need and expect from the players around them. There doesn't seem to be anywhere near enough communication.

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27 Feb 2014 22:05:57
I was born just after SMB passed over the reigns. What followed was 20 years of playing catch up after an appalling transition. Fast forward and we're in a similar position. A manager at the helm for 20 plus years, a new inexperienced manager and players struggling with the transition. Do you think, when Moyes fails, United need to change its view on appointing managers for overly long periods?

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Yeah, good plan, because the last 25 years have been a real hardship.

Unbelievable.

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Not because stability is what is needed. What is needed is to make sure they appoint the right person who above all can get results as it's a results business. I think the club have picked the wrong person and need to rectify it ASAP sorry to say.

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DB I enjoy the 20 years of success of course. Loved every minute of it but my question is whether this type of appointment style might lead to a kind of boom and bust period of trophy winning followed by lean periods. If so would shorter managerial tenures be better for the club? It was Just a question, there's no need to answer it if you don't understand it!

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Managers need to earn their stability, stability for stability sake will lead us on the path to 7th where Everton usually hover around.

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27 Feb 2014 20:52:57
The more I think about it the more I think that the club will get rid of Moyes in the summer. The players aren't happy and have no confidence in him, he has spend nearly £70 million and has given the world's thickest man a 300k contract. We have lost our captain. Things just add up.

Ask yourself the question, if you were the Glazers, would you trust Moyes with your money? I wouldn't.

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Why wait till the summer?

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Fresh

The Glazers and Woodward are the guys who did the rooney deal and moyes has nothing to do with what rooney gets paid.

The only thing that I worry about is being stuck with a bunch of old guys on huge wages in a few years and hope rooney is the last of these obnoxious contracts.

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Fresh

That person you call the WORLDS THICKEST MAN has basically dragged our p*ss poor excuse for a team single handedly into 6th postion. Christ knows where we would be without his goals, assists and general hard work.
"Rooney out Kagawa in"
What a joke!

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Rooney has a good season and we are 6th/7th. Van Persie has a good season and we win the league. People need to realise just how important Van Persie is.

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27 Feb 2014 20:43:46
There seems to be two trains of thought at the moment.
1. Either Moyes is out of his depth tactically and at the club, the players aren't playing for him and he hasn't got a clue about his first eleven or best formation. He looks doomed, reminds me of Fraser from Dad's Army lol

2. The squad he has inherited off fergie needs ripping apart and starting again. Lack of investment over the last few years means there are massive gaps in the squad, one or two reserves who could come through but are they the quality we need right now? No. Moyes needs time, a lot of money to spend on new faces and he needs to have some confidence in himself.

All united fans are looking for someone to blame, moaning about this and that and I have had my rants as the performances are shocking in most games this season. Olympiakos game was a joke we only sparked a bit into life once Kagawa came on. Clearly cleverly and young and rio (and smalling at right back is a no) need to be squad players at the most as they are a joke. Switch to a compact 4 - 3 - 3 or the 4 2 3 1 that is being mentioned as our wingers aren't up to the job. Have Carrick / Fellani / Fletcher as the holding 2 and then Kagawa or Mata along with Januaz rooney and RVP until the end of the season.


All things considered we are in a whole pile of crap at the moment but part of the blame should be aimed at Fergie, Gill, the Glazers over the last few years for lack of investment in the team and letting talent like Pogba go (not mentioning Morrison as that was down to his lifestyle). Aresenal, Liverpool, Chesea, City, Spurs, Everton have invested heavily over the last few years and have overtaken us and we all hate to admit it.

The rest of the fault is down to Moyes for his team selections, tactics and also the players who seem to have lost their confidence, hunger and fight. Maybe they think they've done it all under Fergie and don't need to prove anything anymore. If that is the case they should be ashamed of themselves.

The question now is do we want Moyes to have the chance to rebuild our great club or should he be replaced to sort out the mess. I don't like the guy but I would give him a chance to see what he can do with the type of players he signs. Sure its embarrassing now but its a massive step up for him.

He needs to figure out the teams strengths and play to them. Its not like we have much more to lose so sod the pressure and tell the players to go out and play attacking football. You never know we might win a few more games!

Believe in yourself Moyes!! You might surprise yourself!

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It's both, but I think the biggest problem for us being in 7th is point one. Until point one is sorted out I think it will be hard to get out of the rut we are currently in.

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39 games 39 different starting XI. The fact that he keeps saying, "next game" "game by game" shows he doesn't have a plan. Fergie would know his starting 11 for a game a month from now, he always had a plan.

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Good post, but what is Moyes's style? Can anyone tell me please. I'm confused!

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He should have his best team and rotate accordingly depending on fitness. Keeping the same structure. Eberything is different every game and players seem confused, especially at the back.

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27 Feb 2014 20:41:18
I tried to post earlier my thoughts about the squad we have, but it didn't make it on so I will try again. The common feeling is Moyes inherited a poor team but I think a starting 11 of Degea, Raphael, Smalling, Evans or Vidic, Evra, in defence, Midfield 3 from Fellaini, Fletcher, Carrick and Kagawa, and a front 3 from Rvp, Rooney, Mata and Januzaj. That is not a poor team, then a bench of the none starters from these along with Wellbeck, Chicarito, Valencia, Nani and Young( I know not popular but I believe useful squad player) we have a squad that should be challenging top 4 plus cup comps. The real problem is the extremely slow cautious tactics which are sucking the life out of the players.
I will give Moyes a chance if he adopts a more attacking style. We should not set up worrying about the opposition, they should be worrying about us. Moyes needs to realise the slow negative football actually helps the opposition, making it easy for them to regroup and get men behind the ball when we have possession . If we continue with the current negativity it will only get worse, and there will be no fear of United anywhere.
Sorry for the long rant but hope it makes sense.

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That is not a poor team, but part of the problem has been injuries. We haven't had our best XI fit all season. Other reasons are a change of tactics and I think the main issue is confidence. I don't think the players have confidence in the manager. A huge summer spend could change that though. I just hope we get the players we NEED!

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Syd, when players are fit he still chops and changes and goes back to the same sub standard players, and actually since we've been getting players back some of our play has got worse. He picks teams to hopefully stop the opposition instead of to win.

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All teams get injuries. We've looked just as bad when we've played a full strength side. Whatever that is!

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Once we are saying that Moyes needs to adopt this or Moyes has got to realise that, then you know that our manager is useless. If we're giving him advise then god help us!

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27 Feb 2014 19:56:21
I think the older players in particular are the unhappiest, Carrick looked unhappy, Vidic is jumping ship, Evra probably too and Ferdinand has also been critical. RVP saying what he said has attracted some criticism, even though I think he is right. Former players and also Chicharito has come out and said in one way or another that he is a prat. I unfortunately really do see him leaving.

The other interesting comment was from Stan Collymore stating that if Moyes is sacked in the summer and we ask Mourinho, he will not say no as he wants this club. Personally I think Moyes time is nearly up and if 5th saves his job with 6th meaning he goes then I would rather finish 6th or 7th.

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Stan collymore,
Jose to leave Chelsea for united,
Moyes sacked.


Really?

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Fresh

I think the messages coming out of the club are that he is not getting sacked. I thinks we will see many who don't tow the line shown the door. That is just United and players will never be allowed to formulate the direction of the club as long as fergie sits on the board.

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Moyes will get time. He will have buckets of cash to spend over the next three windows and much of it will be spent this summer. If we are still stuttering along around November time I think decisions may well be made, but if we start next season well, I think Moyes will get two full seasons or more at this club.

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Just interested me as more of a 'what if', would personally love it to happen lol.

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Moyes will be gone by the summer, possibly sooner. Once the vultures start circling there's little hope!

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27 Feb 2014 22:20:10
If Stan Collymore said it was raining outside then I would still take a quick look myself. just to check!

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You've depressed me now.
Cgu, I have to admire your support of Moyes. He's been the worst thing to have been involved in our club, but u still support him as if he's the business.
What do u think Moyes will achieve over the next two years? And what is his style? I'm not being funny, I just need to know!

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I think Moyes will be gone, he's lost the dressing room, he never had it but it's got worse and worse. We need Klopp or Mourinho.

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I would have thought top 4 is a minimum requirement. If not then send for Klopp, Mourinho or Van Gaal if the other 2 aren't available. Bielsa and Simone don't speak English so wouldn't be ideal appointments.

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Fresh, we are not getting Mourinho. Stop it.

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Nomid

Here is how I see things.

1. Moyes will clear out quite a few players in the summer(good thing and Fergie should have done this a few years ago)
2. We will buy quality players (I trust moyes scouting more than fergies' and people can say what they want but Fellaini is a better buy than many many of the guys fergie brought in the last few years, he just got away with it because he had so many good players and the team kept ticking along)

3. I don't believe we can change our style of football without a major overhaul of the squad. We have looked sh. t for 3 or some might say 4 years going forward and this year it has all caught up to us.

4. With new players and pre season to work with them he will need to demonstrate I would say early on next year that we are on the right path.

If he can't get us winning after that then he leaves a pretty good team for whoever comes in, in the meantime I will wait and see.

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Guys, forget Mourinho. The man has a big ego, and a lot of pride.

It's like being besotted with a bird when you're younger, only to be heartbroken when she goes off with your mate. Then, years down the line, the same bird (far less attractive than she was back then), tries it on with you. If that's ever happened to anyone else on this board, you'll agree that a degree of pleasure was taken in turning her down, a nice ego-boost. Mourinho and United are now destined to fall into that category.

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27 Feb 2014 19:32:33
On the night the club were embarrassed in Greece Klopp took his Dortmund team (the one in transition) to Zenit and played modern, state of the art Champions league football. In fact our tactics were described as the opposite of Dortmund or "anti Klopp" tactics.

Listen to what the Dortmund captain said "We stayed compact. We wanted to pressure them to win back the ball. That was very important. We brought the game in the right direction and made Zenit uncertain." It is the anathema of our managers tactics, his philosophy is still unclear but his teams do the talking. I also watched Madrid play a pacy attacking game that put us to shame. My point is that the European teams have moved on playing a brand of football that we haven't a hope of copying if we continue in the direction Moyes is taking us. We bought Fellaini and Mata, Mata a top top player but can't play the modern pressing way that the top teams are doing, that is why Mourinho sold him. We must establish the philosophy and direction before we buy any more players and decide whether it is to be Klopp or anti Klopp football. Then can the manager coach the football philosophy we want to play?

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And here was us thinking you were a Moyes fan. I posted last year Jan or Feb that we needed 6-8 players over the then 2 summers and got ridiculed by some. I've always amended that statement with, some may come from our youth. Moyes is moving to a 4231 its obvious. He just does not think without Janu and Mata he can play it. I still believe we need 7 players with at least 4 of those this summer.

I'll admit I have been disappointed by the transfers so far ( Mata is great but was not a necessity). I also admit I'm having doubts about Moyes and if we are still not competing for top 4 by xmas next year I'll bow to your superior knowledge. Until then your constant I hate Moyes posts are wearing thin and I'll just skip past your posts and pretend I'm reading one of the 55555555555555 similar posts you have made.

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When u say Mata do u mean that 25yr old, world cup, Euros, europa league, champions league and fa cup winning attacking midfielder? Yeh ure right, he can not play the modern gameand there's no room for him. Seriously dude are u for real? I get u dnt like Moyes and dnt want him here, i'm more than warming to that idea too, but u really are desperatly trying to find holes and faults in everything at the club mate. The players are seemingly not playing for Moyes, but there is plenty of room in football for a variety of playing styles, if everyone played tiki taka barca would win everything. :-)

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I like Mata very much he is a top top player if played in the right formation and not as a winger but perhaps the point was not clear. We need a clear philosophy before buying more players

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RedMan

I would agree with your views if you posted stuff that had some truth or objectivity. Dortmund did not play modern football but just happened t play a team that had been on break for weeks and were quite pathetic.

Your views on mata are quite silly mate and who cares what mourinho thinks off him. Mata has every medal a player would want and in some ways a lot more accomplished than mourinho.

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Klopp's Dortmund are 20 points off Bayern, in third place, sitting behind Leverkusen, who we hammered home and away, and only a few points ahead of the mighty Wolfsburg.

I wonder which manager will be the flavour of the month next season.

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Cgu, come on mate. Zenit are a very good team. U know it and we know it, give Dortmund some credit.
We played a Greek team who will not make top six in pl and we lost and lost badly.
So what's your point?
Red man has a pouit, all the top teams are playing fast, attacking, high pressing football. And we have gone out and bought fellaini! And we play slow, boring, negative football that is better suited to Italian football in the 70s.
Who is responsible for that?

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And CCU, we know you think mourinho is rubbish and Moyes is the best.
Unfortunately, results so far show that the opposite is true. There again, we all saw that coming but some just didn't want to believe it.

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Nomid

You definitely did not watch the Dortmund then. Zenit were terrible and Dortmund did nothing out of the ordinary. Zenit have been on winter break for quite some time and were all over the place. This Dortmund team will be send packing in the next round and for some reason they are very far from what they were last year.

Regarding your post about me believing that Mourinho is rubbish and moyes great, it goes to prove you are as sensible as a 5 year old. Just because I don't see us sacking him after 7 months and will not join in does not make me a fan of Moyes as my choice was always Guardiola. But guess what he went to Bayern and as far as I am concerned DM is our manager and I am hoping he is successful.

You can be such a hypocrite, when considering that you could not shut up last year about how bad our football was and how bad most of these players are but as someone said no one was ever going to ask for Fergie's head especially with us winning.

We played one of our worst games I have seen in a long time and all you lot have to say it is DM fault. What about the lot that were getting paid to perform. If you guys took the time to post with some degree of objectivity then guys like me would accept your frustration with Moyes and probably agree, until then it is just drivel :)

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27 Feb 2014 18:26:55
Just got in from working on a building site in of all places Liverpool & have had a quite bizarre day. It started at brew time & continued at dinner. The question was do you want United to lose to Olympiakos, Liverpool, city, West Brom etc if it means Moyes gets the boot. There was a good mix of fans involved, 1 x city, 1 x Tranmere, 3 x Liverpool, 4 x Everton & 7 United. As expected all non United want Moyes to stay ( as he is doing a great job ) but the other 6 United fans said they want us to lose all remaining games until Moyes goes, now I'm definitely not in the Moyes camp but am amazed that fans ( all match going ) want us to lose. Any thoughts or is it just me?

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Middleton

I spoke to my very smug and amused Scouse mate today and he says we need to keep Moyes for 10 years and that he and his mates love Moyes, a City fan says they have put up a banner supporting Moyes. Things are really bad when our own supporters are desperate for us to lose to get rid of the Manager. Maybe the board will realise the strength of feeling. I have said I don't know anyone amongst all the United fans I know who wants Moyes to stay, and they don't know anyone either. I wonder if the club will ignore the fans and just keep going in order not to upset SAF? It's a dangerous game to play to alienate the fans but the Glazers are used to it aren't they? The only difference is that tickets are becoming harder to sell and in the past we could cope with Arsenal and Chelsea winning but would we accept being embarrassed by City and Liverpool?

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I find that amazing, and these people will sit there and say they love this club and want to continue being successful. How can you love your club, when you wish them to lose? Regardless of the situation, whenever you want a team to lose, you have no support for them, end off!

I also find it amazing how fans can support players that are not performing for the team. We sit here blaming one man, when quite frankly, you hear this cliche a lot, football is a team game. If a player doesn't play for the manager, then to me he doesn't support the team. If the players deliberately don't want to play for Moyes, than they can quite frankly follow him out the door. You play for the badge on your shirt and if they don't do that, then who really is missing out? Not the player, he still gets paid. Not the manager, sure he'll be under pressure until the board see fit to part ways. But us the fans, we can't change what happens, were the ones paying into the club and seeing no return, that's why I can't stand certain fans blaming it on one man.

Personally, what I see is a team that has been sussed out by the manager. I saw it when Carrick got interviewed after the european game, and he was asked the question about there being no natural leader at the club. He could not answer, partly due to there being no leader on or off the pitch, but also because the one leader we truly had Sir Alex, being the only reason certain players still have a career and have accomplished so much. Many players are now being exposed as the frauds they are and only masked by the immense team spirit Sir Alex assembled.

Moyes has found and made clear the players he wants to get rid off and I have a strong incline that those players are my choices as well, as well as some of yours. I will not judge him to at least Christmas next year, but I will still not wholly blame him for everything, certain players have really let themselves down and believe they are untouchable. It is if the players are playing like they are indispensable and the manager is not. But at this present time, with Moyes still in charge it is is the players that are on trial and if they don't fit into his plans they will be the ones with egg on their faces.

aaallj5

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Aaalij5 the most sense from one post this site I have ever read

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MR. Add me on the lose all, to get red of Moyes.

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Nomidfield, no offence, but that last statement was a disgrace.

You would gladly have our team lose, just to get rid of a manager you don't like. How long do you want to take this view? If we suddenly went on a long unbeaten run to the end of the season, would you be starting next season still hoping the same.

I knew some of your views were a bit strange, but that one takes the biscuit.

Shame on you.

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MR, that's quite a conundrum.

No, you cannot say that the people who wish United lose are not real supporters. After all they are willing to see their team go through a hard time, wishing to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

They don't want Manchester United to lose, they want Moyes out. They do not rate him as a manager, and he has done absolutely nothing to make anyone think otherwise.

But in order for Moyes to go, we might need to have a couple of bad results ( not that we've short on them so far ).

Now I'm not one of those supporters. I don't wish for the team to be dragged through the mud in order for the owners to change managers, but the signs are not looking positive.

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No way do I want us to lose the scousers and city - no way . I hate the feeling I get when it happens. Moyes or no moyes I want to beat them all the time.

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I'm Malaysian and don't fully understand or rather know the footballing culture between United with Liverpool/ManCity but when we do lose to whoever. I get harassed by others about the lost let alone the "NorthWest rival" as if these ABU's(Anything But United) are part of that local culture.

So no no no. never want to lose to 'em.

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27 Feb 2014 17:57:54
(Banter please Ed)

This video analyses Kagawa's performance vs. Olympiakos. Over and over again he goes into spaces and looks for the ball, yet his team mates ignore him. Very interesting short video which just highlights how are style of play won't suit players like Kagawa/Mata.
Its a shame when you see player like Young who constantly play but can't pick a simple 10 yard pass because they choose not to look up.

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27 Feb 2014 19:15:21
Sorry forgot to add the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI_fVzuhJPw

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What a waste of an incredible footballing brain that is being allowed to rot on the bench. And to think that it's available to us without even having to dip into transfer funds!

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Thats why I think even if he's given £200m to spend, he'd buy talented players but still play them poorly. Bad players can play poorly too and won't cost 100s of millions

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Indeed. You mentioned "footballing" and our manager does not understand what that means!

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27 Feb 2014 16:16:37
Hey Ed,
Just wondering why was my post from last night deleted?

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{Ed002's Note - It probably attracted abuse.}

Fair enough.

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27 Feb 2014 13:34:09
So Lingard has gone on loan down to Brighton today. A good passing side, so should be a good move for him I reckons.

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Not sure if it is the best move for him, although the seagulls are a decent passing side they are also very 1 dimensional and have a hard time mixing it up. As someone fom brighton I have seen this first hand on many occasions.

Will be great for him to get a number of run outs as the wide options at brighton aren't the best. Just would have preferred him to go to someone like wigan who play good football but also get stuck in when needed, something I feel lingard lacks and could have trained into him at another club

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It sounds asif us and Brighton have a lot in common in terms of playing style

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27 Feb 2014 12:58:44
Edda none of my recent post have made it on to here, only one reply has been registered.

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{Ed002's Note - You mean the repeated nonsense from Twitter. We are not interested in any of that. Stop posting it.}

27 Feb 2014 11:38:29
I'd rather keep the earlier post for peoples guesses at summer signings. Supasub I don't know or care but my first reading on ed002 was another ed reffering to him/her as her. I'm not going to refer to them as it lol so as I say it does not matter.

StevenC you mean just as Griezmann is doing for Real Sociedad? Its always going to be a matter of personal taste but even I can remember when a lot of us did not consider CR the best at Man U never mind the world. Also I remember a lot of hatred for CR after getting Rooney sent off with England playing Portugal. Not so much for the sending off but the sly smile as Rooney left the pitch. Playing in the same league as Ronaldo and Messi he's 3rd behind those 2 in goals/assists and chances created. That's playing for a much weaker team he's only 22 while the other 2 are in their prime and he's not that far behind them.

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27 Feb 2014 08:29:16
Anyone for a guessing game? Ed002 said she'd try and post a breakdown of prospective targets for the summer window. let's see how close we can get to the list.

Just my opinion but without Vidal I think we need 2 CM's so I'm going for 5 players LB CB 2*CM AM/F.

1) LB my choice Alex Sandro, Moyes choices we have obvious interest in Shaw but think we will settle for Coentrao.

2) Would love Mangala but even I think he's too expensive. He's had the chance to sign Garay in the last 2 windows, so common sense dictates Moyes does not rate him, but I've never let sense get in the way of a good argument so I'll go with Garay.

3) As much as I'd love Vidal I just can't see it happening. I'd like Herrera and Strootman, I think Strootman is happy where he is and unlikely to move. I have not seen Herrera linked since last year really. Most of the recent media has been for Song, Kroos, Carvalho and whole rain forests on Gundogan. I'll go for Herrera and Gundogan ( if fit ) Song if no Gundogan.

4) Lastly an AM/F I want Griezmann, the more I watch him the better he gets, he tormented Barca in his last game and he's 22 going to be at least as good as Ronaldo. Reus, Di Maria and Costa have all been mentioned but I'll go out on a limb and suggest the Cavani stories may be true. So Cavani around £50m as our big summer signing.

Feel free to laugh, at how wide of the mark my suggestions are, I will be.

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Ed002 is a man (I think). This has been one of the longest running sagas on this site. The ed002 sexuality saga that is. I went for about a year thinking they were a woman but I'm 99% percent certain 002 is a man.

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I think not movin for Garay is due to havin 5 centre backs in the squad. With Rio and Vidic leaving I think that we will see him come in once they have gone. 6 centre backs for any team is excessive and impossible to manage and keep happy all of them. I too would like Griezmann, can't see him bein as good as Ronnie but we will see - seems PSG bound though, perhaps to replace Lucas who could be coming our way.

My best guess is Shaw, Garay, Gundogan and Lucas. But if RVP leaves then Cavani is a possibility if he doesn't mind a season out of Europe.

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Supasub,
Maybe he/she is a "ladyboy". There are more of us around than people realise lol.

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Griezzman going to be as good as Ronaldo? Take it easy, Grund! Griezzman is 22 and still only showing potential to be world class. At 22 Ronaldo was winning us games most weeks in the PL & was the best player in the world.

Good player but will never be on Ronnie's radar.

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I think people will be surprised at the players who we are looking at for the summer, and when Ed002 gets round to their summary I'm not sure if people will be overly happy.

At LB I think we will bid for Shaw. However, Southampton have no need to sell and are asking for massive money, and the player would prefer a move to Chelsea. I'm not sure if we will pay what they are asking for or if the player even wants to move at this point in his career. I think we may see a different player at lb next year.

CB, Moyes has stalled on Garay for far too long. The player wants to join and the club is willing to sell but Moyes has held off. Mangala is far too expensive, and if Moyes has held off for this long I just can't see him coming. I fear that we may see a 'proven' EPL defender from a mid-table club coming in.

Midfield, we chased Vidal during January and it looks like he's staying at Juve. Kroos is playing hard ball with Bayern and using us for leverage, but I simply cannot see him leaving. Can't see Moyes taking a risk on Gundogan this summer because of injuries. The price for Carvalho is too high, and sadly I think our chance to sign Herrera may have sailed. Song looks like the most likely at the moment simply because Barca are keen to sell. But he's hardly the player we need to sort out the midfield.

As for forwards. This is an area that I am really sceptical of us signing anyone. Griezmann, Ed002, says is off to PSG. Di Maria has been playing a lot for Madrid and is secure. Costa, I think may stay at Althetico, and plays the same role as Rooney. Cavani will move to Chelsea if PSG are willing to let him go. Reus is a possibility but we will need to make Dortmund a massive offer and hope that nobody matches it.

I think we may see some new names emerge in the coming months and it will be interesting to read Ed002's take on it. But most of the names we have been linked with, I fear, are just paper talk.

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I know Betty, I have issues, I often think I'm a pelican trapped in a mans body.

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Ed I'm sure you changed a word in that sentence on porpoise.

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{Ed002's Note - I would never do that.}

Ed I'm sure you changed a word in that sentence on porpoise.

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{Ed002's Note - I would never do that.}

27 Feb 2014 15:05:53
Hi all,

I know who I would sign but I know what way my team would play. I have always said that until we have a designated style and method of playing and an established pattern and formation there is no point in suggesting more square pegs for round holes
This is the single most disppointing output from DM's reign so far. It is not clear what way we are playing and what he wants the players to achieve. i'm not surprised they look lost, as a coach he has failed miserably to get his ideas and patterns of play through to his players. All top coaches can do this. Look at Liverpool / Everton / and Chelsea all have changed their style dramatically over past 6 months because their coaches can get their methods and ideas across.
So if when we know what style / formation we are going to play then we target the right players to fill those roles. Asking Vidal or Kroos to play in our existing style is useless. mata looks average out of position as does RVP so I assume the same would happen to them. we played 27 long balls of over 40 yards on Tuesday from the back to front so with that style its the like of Vinne Jones and John Fashinu we should be signing

Ken

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Ngiak does not appreciate pelican jokes
They are very sweet cousins of his
gan

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Danny

We will get saw from what I am was told and he wants to come. I am with you on midfielders and have not got a clue who we are after who will come across.

It will be an unbelievable summer and we are underestimating the word cup and who might turn up as a target from that. Ozil and Khedira were not household names until the last world cup mate.

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27 Feb 2014 05:08:52
Great post mick1 agreed with everything you said except buying fellaini. Touch of a donkey overrated and over priced. Played well for Everton but like moyes out of his depth at united. Fellaini is too slow on the ball for uniteds traditional high tempo game. IMO panic buy after all main targets turned us down. Please don't call fellaini a great player.

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Ngiak wonders how many games in the last 3 years the team played a "high tempo game"?
gan

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Major,

Then please don't call Fellaini a panic buy. He was a target all summer and we eventually got him, that's not a panic buy.

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27 Feb 2014 09:10:45
Fellaini was bought with minutes to spare and we overpaid to get him. that's a panic buy.If we had landed Fabregas/Herrera there is no chance Fellaini would have been signed
How daft do we look now refusing to meet Herreras buyout and ending up with half the player in Fellaini and ironically paying more than his buyout clause when it expired. great post btw mick!

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Major, paying for Fellaini 27 million was a panic buy. We paid more than his worth, but he was a target all along.

And no, we have not been performing well for the last Fergy seasons, but we were playing much, much better football at the time. We wanted Klopp to get a more continental style going, and yet Moyes has taken us a couple of steps back

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Fellaini too slow for our 'traditional high tempo game '
How do you explain Carrick then?

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Fellaini was certainly a target, but maybe 3rd or 4th choice, we were exploring better options first. He was certainly on the list of targets though.

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Fellaini was always a target. It only went to deadline day because Woodward tried to be smart and get him on the cheap.

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