Manchester United Banter Archive December 31 2018

31 Dec 2018 21:50:03
Good afternoon everyone, I hope you've all had a great Christmas. So three games in what can we gleam from Ole's mini revolution?!

For me the biggest change has been in mentality. At last we now play on the front foot with courage and bravery. For too long under three different managers we had resorted to defensive, passive, cautious football and played with a mentality of containing the opposition rather than blowing them away; Of not losing and
cautiousness rather than taking risks and trying to win. LVG and Mourinho became obsessed by control. Too often they would let games dangerously drift towards full time precariously balanced at 0-0. Mourinho preferred to sit deep in a passive, low defensive block and was content with his team not conceding chances hoping a moment of quality from one of his attackers would win the game. LVG was similarly happy when not much was happening but he preferred possession to measure his element of control on the game. Neither were comfortable with flowing end to end football which would leave them squirming in their seat. For men of such experience it always astonished me that the only way to control a game of football was via the scoreboard and to start games so slowly and let them drift always seemed like a recipe for disaster to me. We were certainly not used to this type of football and I think it sent a nervousness and apprehension throughout the stands.

Ole certainly knows the Club and he's been able to quickly re establish the style and values we've become accustomed. We now play with more width and pace. We play quicker with more forward passes. We get players flooding forwards into the box. The fear has seemingly evaporated overnight and been replaced with a more cavalier spirit. Yes games against Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth hardly represent the elite of English football but perhaps that's the point. Ole has demonstrated that these teams are not to be feared. We have better players and these teams can be blown away if we simply match their endeavour, put them under pressure and attack.

Don't get me wrong I'm not getting carried away and we'll need more than spirit and a caviller attitude to compete with the likes of City, Liverpool and Spurs but we've suddenly become a more dangerous opponent. We're prepared to press harder, commit more men forward and with risk comes reward.

Man Utd have never suited the role of underdog, certainly not in domestic football. Our cautiousness has given other teams a chance. They have been able to play us uninhibited and without fear. In only three games Ole has reversed that. I don't expect us to finish in the top 4, I think we'll struggle against the better teams but for the first time in a long time we have our identity back and that's something to celebrate and build on. Happy New Year everybody.

31 Dec 2018 22:34:48
Spot on pal.

31 Dec 2018 23:23:48
Good post and totally agree with the mentality bit.

01 Jan 2019 00:18:18
Great post DLIB. I think we'll be top 4 by the end of the season. Only Liverpol and City stand out for me. And city are having a wobble at the moment. Just happy mybpositivity is back!

Happy new year posters and Ed's.

01 Jan 2019 00:25:17
Well said DLIB
It is a significant improvement if it were only regaining our identity.
The three comfortable wins are a bonus.
The EPL is the most comparative league in football, there are no easy wins. That said we do expect to beat Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
It should build confidence to face the next big game against Spurs.
The aim in sacking Jose was to turn things around and in that respect it couldn’t have gone better.
We have our identity back, can we show our character now against the teams (currently) above us? i'm looking forward to that now at least.

01 Jan 2019 03:23:04
I so knew this was a DLIB post 😁.

01 Jan 2019 10:04:14
Top post as always DLIB. Happy new year to all on this site. I can’t wait to see what is in store for united for 2019. God it’s great to be itching to watch united play football again.

31 Dec 2018 16:12:17
We took a battering from all when Liverpool beat us 3-1, everyone knew we were there for the taking with Jose and his negative set up. This new attacking and great Arsenal side are beaten 5-1 and not much is mentioned. Why is this?

31 Dec 2018 17:13:06
Not as big a game. Not as big a club.

31 Dec 2018 18:06:25
Different rivalry, our perch is higher and therefore all and sundry are more pleased to see us knocked off it.

31 Dec 2018 23:28:36
Maybe because the Liverpool game was the final nail in Jose’s coffin.

01 Jan 2019 00:28:27
The two biggest clubs in Britain are always going to attract attention.

31 Dec 2018 11:08:02
We have had an upturn in fortune and allround a feel good factor is there surrounding us although the tougher tests are yet to come.
All the players have performed better than they had before Ole took over. But for me the biggest takeaway from these past 3 games is it has brought our old friend Chris (CTR) back to this page. One of the more frequent poster when I first started visiting the site but less and less posts with time. Good to have you back Chris.

31 Dec 2018 08:45:46
Think i read a stat right that came up on Sky during the game yesterday. Is it true we have never been beat when leading at OT in the Premiership?

31 Dec 2018 09:08:55
Certainly never when leading at the end.

31 Dec 2018 12:19:46
When leading at half time.

31 Dec 2018 16:16:45
Inhope, well very helpful. Why bother replying? Dodgy, was that the stat?

31 Dec 2018 17:14:58
Have a sense of humour. Do your name justice.

31 Dec 2018 17:20:48
Yes CSF. Something like 285 games, 12 draws no losses?

31 Dec 2018 22:01:10
And when scoring first.

31 Dec 2018 05:31:14
Ok a bit of fun.

First I want to be clear, I don't think we need a shiny new player. I would like to see Tuanzebe return so he can be a part of the first team set up to see if he is good enough to help at centre back.

But for a bit of fun. IF you could add 1 realistic player (no not Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar) to help ensure this current squad gets up into the top 4 - who would you choose?

31 Dec 2018 07:11:51
ricardo pereira on the right for me, i think it’s only a matter of time before one of the big sides snap him up, but he’d do a massive job for us.

31 Dec 2018 07:55:38
Koulibaly for me. I think for now we've got enough width at fullback with dalot and shaw abd we've obviously got no weakness in scoring due to the amount of attacking talent we have. But it's clear our defence is shaky, conceding pretty much every game and I feel koulibaly could help keep us in shape which will give even more freedom to attack. You see the difference of Liverpool after fixing up their defence and we saw it last year with city.

31 Dec 2018 08:33:06
Probably Kouilbaly. Beast of a defender and could be perfect alongside Lindelof.

Or Sergio Ramos - just to wind up the Scousers.

31 Dec 2018 11:02:39
Van Dijk or Salah to weaken and wind up tge scousers and potentially derail their season.

31 Dec 2018 11:08:32
Kante from Chelsea to replace matic. No need for anyone in defence then.

31 Dec 2018 11:29:51
Kante, absolutely awesome player who despite the accolades is still underrated by most.

{Ed004's Note - Kante would be the perfect upgrade on herrera for me as well. Him, Koulibaly or Ousmane}

31 Dec 2018 13:13:06
Good shout Penfold with Ricardo Pareira, great player.

The issue is realistic signing in January. None of the top sides will let their best players leave, also those in a relegation fight will also do all they can to keep their best players.

personally I don't think its a good idea to sign players from outside of the EPL in January as its hard enough to settle into a new team, if you add a new country to that then they are on a hiding to nothing.

Personally Ricardo Pareira or Nathan Ake would be the best options.

31 Dec 2018 22:00:45
I don't believe a defender would get us top 4 (I don't even believe it is needed, as mentioned above, we have Tuanzebe to come back and Lindelöf is performing great), the issue we have, especially now that Matic has discovered a new breath of life, is a true right sided winger. So I'd go down the lines of Bailey or Pulisic, but Mbappé would be the dream (an attacking four of Pogba, Martial, Rashford and Mbappé would be destructive) .