Manchester United Banter Archive December 31 2019

31 Dec 2019 18:08:07
ED002, I know how you gave spoken about the amateurish way Utd have being conducting their business both regards to the foot all side if the club.

I'd imagine that this will no doubt be well known and out potential players off, from signing for the club. Obviously no CL football makes it far less appealing.

{Ed002's Note - Yes. Lots of things put players off joining clubs - (a) there needs to be plan or project for the club - there is nothing clear; (b) there needs to be a plan for the player - not necessarily guarantees of first team football, but a plan that the club sticks to - the players and agents don't see this; (c) there needs to be a coach and staff that instill confidence - certainly not the case but the club are reluctant to make a change - and a big decision will come in the summer; (d) there needs to be a good feeling amongst the other players - holding Paul Pogba back sends a poor message, players like Gomes and Chong wanting out will not attract quality youngsters - who are being cherry picked by the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool; (e) the facilities need to be first class - they are not at Manchester United.

But Manchester United can throw money at the problem of course.}

31 Dec 2019 18:39:36
This summers transfer window was really good for united imo,

31 Dec 2019 19:03:29
Jred - So do I mate. Happy New Year pal.

31 Dec 2019 19:06:01
Ed are Gomes and Chong really that good to persist with?

Dont you think young players like them need to be patient as one of the things United do well is give youngsters chances.

{Ed002's Note - They are well liked but need to move to better clubs.}

31 Dec 2019 19:07:11
By the way i agree with everything else but i think Gomes and Chong are being a bit too impatient and that is certainly in Chongs case.

{Ed002's Note - They are nearly out of contract and can speak to other clubs (except from England and Wales) from tomorrow. They are hardly at fault.}

31 Dec 2019 19:27:07
Ed002 tells us as it is, yet people just don’t want to believe it. They would rather believe the gooey nice ideal sentimental nonsense that Ole is solving everything for the club.

31 Dec 2019 19:30:39
Ed002, I really can't understand how we have got to this situation. I thought Gill and Ferguson had things sorted? Maybe wrong, but has it happened since or have we always been this way?

{Ed002's Note - It has been going downhill for a number of years.}

31 Dec 2019 20:22:03
Do you think they've looked ready, Red Man. I always rated them, Gomes in particular. But they've shown very little so far to be demanding first team football. Or perhaps you've seen more than those that work with them every day.

31 Dec 2019 20:05:00
So who is to blame? Us fans still pay the money, there is a toxic element but a mutli million or multi billion pound company must be able to make decisions on the club as owners or those in charge? How has it got to this?

{Ed002's Note - The club laid down plans for a coach that would have taken them through, if he had stayed, until 2022. That was killed off by the toxics getting at the club. Now the club are in a difficult position in terms of throwing money about in support of the manager - if they go too far in January and it doesn't work out and OGS needs to move on in the summer, the situation is compounded.}

31 Dec 2019 22:39:19
I can only imagine how hard it may be, I don't know who, but Mourinho was given the reigns and told to sort the problem. I hope some with the ability and sense looked at Allegri and wanted a long term project from him.

31 Dec 2019 23:14:45
Of course allegri would of been a sure thing.

31 Dec 2019 23:22:08
I think Gomes definitely deserves more chances ahead of lingard and mata.

01 Jan 2020 00:10:34
There is no sure thing. But some have a higher probability of success than others. But with a mess upstairs its hard for anyone to succeed.

01 Jan 2020 01:08:37
Gomes didn't tear up any trees with the chances he got. Neither did Chong. That doesn't mean they won't come good, but they did get shots in the first team in cup matches and they didn't stand out as much as, for example, Greenwood.

Chong has top quality ahead of him for the wide positions. He has never really convinced me.

Gomes could feel a little hard done by given how poorly Jesse and Andreas have been. But they both offer something more defensively, which maybe swung it. He is very short for an epl player, so he looks young.

Who knows when the club became aware that they would look to leave. Was it before they seemingly slipped down the running order or after? Difficult to know. Same issue as with Pogba. Everyone pointed to games when he could have played, but maybe Fergy knew he was arranging to leave?

Ole has an excellent record bring players through, in real games so far this year. Some forced, some by choice. His agreement to letting Sanchez and Lukaku go without replacement has been vindicated for me - the stats of our young strikers speak to that.

01 Jan 2020 03:35:31
Blue tinge leads a few, chong looked great youth level been really poor first team . Gomes I really like, but never realy done it for the first team .
Both been offered contracts, up to them to sign it .
Jose was the messiah, it was everyone else fault but jose .
Allegri is the new messish he would be great? Even tho we have toxics? Even tho we are amatures?

01 Jan 2020 09:17:10
It is more than about two youth players, it is about the whole plan and direction of the club and that we also have the wrong coach/ manager. Basically Ed says we are amateur at many levels, including Ole, read what he said.

As to the two youth players I certainly haven’t seen enough at first team level of Gomes to say he isn’t good enough. We cry out on here for creativity yet he hasn't had a real chance. It seems Ole favours pace which Gomes doesn’t have like others. Gomes in particular has been sought after for a long time by all accounts. The worrying thing Ed said is also that other clubs are hoovering up the best talent whilst we meander with the sentimental nonsense with Ole.

01 Jan 2020 09:00:49
Thanks ED002, sounds like a dog chasing it's own tail.

01 Jan 2020 10:16:14
So should we be offering him guaranteed first team football or not? When he's not shown a great deal in the chances he's been given, compared to Greenwood or Williams? I would have thought you wouldn't be a big one for supporting player power over a manager, especially when he's not really done anything to justify what he's looking for.

01 Jan 2020 11:25:40
Nou

No one is guaranteed first team football, no one. Where did I say I was supporting player power?

I did say i haven’t seen enough and it doesn’t look to me like he has been given enough of a chance. It seems the manager is looking more for pace. Gomes has been one of the most exciting prospects since very young and I have said many times on here that the step up doesn’t always happen and the player drifts to another level. That may be the case with Gomes. However, if he goes to Barcelona and does do something, the club will look amateurs. Time will tell.

Like I said this is more than two youth team players, the Ed comments on the whole issue, which people seem to want to avoid, pushing the discussion on the two youths. The Ed points also makes Raiola’s recent comments an interesting read.

01 Jan 2020 12:24:56
How does Greenwood fit into this narrative?

01 Jan 2020 12:58:38
Is Ed2 Raiola? 😂

By big decision Ed I take it whether to sack OGS and replace with a proper coach?

01 Jan 2020 14:25:12
I think he'd do alright in Spain. Style and pace of football would probably suit him better. Unfortunately, we don't play in the Spanish league, so it matters little if his abilities at this moment in time aren't suited to the EPL. If he does go on and do well there, it has no relevance whatsoever to what's going on at Utd.

01 Jan 2020 15:06:21
City will snap up all the best talent, but then how many games will they get? Foden is not getting much of a sniff behind the start studded city squad. That does appear to be changing now, but he has had far less chance than rashford did at the same age.

How many players are there behind Foden who don't play at all in any meaningful games?

Sancho was at City.
De Brune was at Chelsea.

Sometimes the timing is not quite right. Sometimes a player does better to move away for game time and a different experience.

City and Chelsea have been sanctioned for illegal approaches to young players recently. And lost two the the best players in world football in recent times. But we are rank amateurs and should hang our heads.

{Ed002's Note - Neither club has been an santioned for illegal approaches- you might want to look closer to home before writing all of this nonsense.}

01 Jan 2020 16:16:05
Chelsea have just had a transfer ban related to recruitment of young players?

City are being charged by FIFA with FFP and issues surrounding youth player recruitment?

Perhaps sanctioned is not the correct term. But my point is that at this time those youth recruitment set ups are not the shining light we should all be following.

{Ed002's Note - You don't understand obviously. There are no legal approaches. You would do better just try not to post about such matters as they are obvilously confusing you in to making things up.}

01 Jan 2020 16:21:22
Dodgy good point with foden . And don't forget chelsea with there championship manager and transfer ban can do no wrong .
United and ole are given youth a chance but keep it quite.

01 Jan 2020 22:55:03
Chelsea got the ban because they called academy players trialists despite the fact they we playing in PLGP games. They then kicked off with FIFA over the definition of a PLGP game.
The upshot is that if you spend more than 12 weeks at a club, you should really be registered with them.

01 Jan 2020 23:12:18
Ed if i may ask, youve mentioned a couple of times recently that a big decision will be made in the summer. Would you mind explaining further about the decision?

{Ed002's Note - About weather to financially back OGS or not.}

01 Jan 2020 23:31:37
Surely if they don't back him they are just waiting for him to fail and sack him. Not a great way to run a business again.

{Ed002's Note - No, they don’t want him to fail.}

31 Dec 2019 13:40:55
Lukaku did NOT need replacing.

The player we've desperately missed this season is Ander Herrera - for his grit, leadership and the fact that he's a CM and we don't have many!

CM is an absolute must in January. Priority no.1.

31 Dec 2019 14:53:27
We need assists and goals from midfield. Pogba with his head in the game would be perfect. Maddison and Grealish are interesting links in the press - but surely neither will be available?

{Ed002's Note - Jack Grealish (CM/AM) will certainly leave if AV are relegated and may need to be sold for FFP reasons regardless.

31 Dec 2019 15:17:19
Still think RW is the priority number 1, martial and rashford are really progressing well and need someone on that right hand side that is a threat to the opposition to get them more space.

James is pretty much redundant against teams that defend deep and greenwood is a striker first, right winger second.

31 Dec 2019 15:55:16
Bruno Fernandes will be the buy for us. He's doing very well in the Portuguese league and is head and shoulders the best midfielder in Portugal. He scores loads and assists plenty, and he's extremely good at closing down the opposition. I cannot understand why we're not going for him.

31 Dec 2019 16:06:27
I believe he is the first choice AM we are after then closely followed by Maddison.

31 Dec 2019 16:45:08
I like Grealish, he has swagger to go with the skills. Still young with huge potential and I think he would flourish on a. Iberia stage.

31 Dec 2019 17:23:12
I don't think he is a big talent and is just another very overhyped young kid.

31 Dec 2019 17:58:34
I think grealish is a good player has been for a couple of year now . Would be a good buy imo.

31 Dec 2019 18:17:25
I like him i like his attitude it all went to his head early on but he is blossoming now.

31 Dec 2019 20:09:22
I agree ken, a big move could make or break him, it could go to his head or he could really take that next step.

01 Jan 2020 14:04:18
Think he'd be a good signing actually. Someone that is comfortable in possession and has an eye for a goal.

31 Dec 2019 11:46:55
So at the midway point of the season we have Rashford on 15 goals, Martial on 10 goals and Greenwood on 8 goals. Assuming they score just as much in the second half of the season we could potentially have 30 goals, 20 goals and 16 goals for each of the forwards respectively. For me that is pretty decent considering we let Lukaku go without actually signing a replacement and for me also indicates that sometimes a little faith in the process isn't the worst thing. By no means am i saying that they will hit those projections but i think its entirely feasible. Its also the reason i think we should prioritise signing atleast 2 midfielders before we get to getting fussed about not signing Haaland.

Add Pogba who appears will be around until atleast the end of the season and 2 midfielders and i think our 2nd half of the season will be decent and I will be disappointed if we didn't win atleast one cup and finished top 4 which is the bare minimum really.

31 Dec 2019 12:41:21
Pogba might be around in body, but not in spirit.

The first half of the season has shown that he will not play if he thinks it could risk an injury that could cost him a move. He has never given his all for the club, and I doubt he will operate at more than half speed when he plays.

We desperately need another cm. McTom is injured, Matic isn’t wanted and wants out, and Pogba is focused on leaving.

31 Dec 2019 13:25:10
As the weaker clubs get wise to the way we play they will give us possession and drop deep denying us the ability to counter attack. Without this facility and without a central midfielder or two of real quality goals from Rashford and Martial will not be as plentiful. Even with midfielders of quality it's a big step in goals scored from the past few seasons. Even top strikers like Mane and Aguerro don't always get more than 25 to 30 in a season.

31 Dec 2019 18:51:48
Pogba played two games through injury which has kept him out for an extended period but go off.

31 Dec 2019 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 31st December 2019

31 Dec 2019 11:03:19
Pogba needs to keep his mouth shut and let his football do the talking.

He has a lot to prove.

31 Dec 2019 11:27:42
Why? Isn't that part of the remit of a modern day agent?

They are a public mouthpiece for the players they represent. They can say the things publicly that puts pressure on club's while it not being directly from the horses mouth. If the player said it then they would suffer the backlash.

You hear fans jeering players during games, but do you ever hear chants against an agent?

Mino Raiola has made a lot of money from our club in fees associated with the signings of Zlatan, Pogba, Lukaku, Mkhitaryan and Romero. Close to the tune of 100m.

He wanted another 15m to facilitate the signing of Haaland.

He will say whatever he needs to say to move players to the club's prepared to pay him the biggest fee. Simple as that. Pogba wants to leave, so will be happy that his agent is doing what he can to help Pogba move.

31 Dec 2019 11:59:08
Ed, did you notice Paul Merson while attempting to describe Jack Grealish's assist for Conor Hourihane for Aston Villa against Norwich, he said Jack Wilshere provided for Wes Hoolahan. LOL
Another tit bit, this time about brazil's hulk dating his ex wife's neice. He split up with his wife of 12 years months ago but there is no waiting period long enough before starting a relationship with your children's cousin.
Let me end this with the Globe Soccer Awards, Jorge Mendes was named Best Agent of the Year for the eighth time in nine years. The super agent's most famous client, Cristiano Ronaldo, was named Best Player of the Year for the sixth time.
No other agent or player has ever won either award more than once.

{Ed001's Note - I don't get any commentary with Paul Merson here, thankfully.

That Hulk thing is a bit creepy to say the least. Got that Woody Allen vibe about it.

Those Globe Soccer Awards seem a bit pointless. Ronaldo hasn't even played that well in 2019.}