Manchester United Banter Archive March 31 2018

31 Mar 2018 19:33:22
City are very good, no doubt about it, but too many teams have made it easy for them. The passive football played by the likes of Everton and Newcastle against them is shocking. You can be defensive but can't be passive. Everton only pushed up on them a few times, but each time City wobbled. Teams will have to learn to push them back, sitting on your 18 yard line just let's Silva and Debruyne have all the freedom to do what they like, and allows the fullbacks to play as wingers . Lesser teams have lived with them and caused them problems, but by pressing them not being passive.

31 Mar 2018 19:46:36
We did the same thing. I remember Rojo just hoofing the ball back to them loads of times when they out played us at home.
Same thing will happen next week.

31 Mar 2018 19:59:06
They have players to destroy any team and ate very offensive. So I think your plan is more hope than anything else.
City are not good, they have proved that they are sensational. It hurts us to see or admit it, but they are light years ahead of the rest.

01 Apr 2018 06:28:15
Us United fans just don't want to accept that City are too good for this league right now. Only one team Liverpool have shown this season how to beat a full strength City team. And even then city almost made it a draw once the Liverpool players were tired. High pressing throughout the game and not missing your chances is the only way. If you miss they might strike on the counter. Year after year there has been some team that looks great but the very next season teams figure out what to do against them. But it looks next to impossible for teams to counter the style of city unless there are drastic changes in the style of play and technical abilities of the players in this league.
Guardiola has very much adapted his game to counter the English teams. This City team is not playing like his Barcelona team. This team when compared to his Barcelona team is more aggressive when they don't have the ball and their buildup with the ball is much quicker. Teams like United, Chelsea etc who have much better players than the mid or bottom table teams were not able to put 3 passes together so how can we expect these other teams to give them a fight.

01 Apr 2018 08:01:46
Couldn't agree more Sailor. They have very athletic and technical players busting their guts to attack and defend. Liverpool showed that you have to work hard to press them and attack them and they succeeded.
Our team on the other hand, is the laziest of the top 6 teams. We move the ball slower than the top teams and we're one paced and too narrow, which makes defending against us very easy. Our lack of hard work, general slow play, lack of pressing is frustrating to watch. In addition, we don't have a midfield that can move quickly and pass the ball accurately and with pace. All these factors put pressure on our defence and restricts our attacking play.

01 Apr 2018 15:19:29
I do accept that City are much better, my point was, playing passively is no way to deal with them. Wolves, Wigan, Crystal Palace, to name a few have caused them plenty of problems by competing not just sitting off. Are you happy to see teams just roll over just because they are up against a better team. They are good but definitely not unplayable.

01 Apr 2018 16:31:27
Like us at Anfield?

31 Mar 2018 18:18:02
From the Internet

Pep Guardiola inherited the midfield he is using right now.

Jose Mourinho inherited the midfield that Everton are using right now.

31 Mar 2018 18:26:25
Credit to pep then because he has that midfield playing out if it's skin . Is it the best midfield in Europe now?

31 Mar 2018 18:51:31
After Glenn Whelan and Charlie Adam jred.

{Ed001's Note - Glenn Whelan is at Villa. Probably explains why Stoke are struggling so badly breaking up a partnership of such quality.....}

31 Mar 2018 19:00:09
You tell me jred, you have all the answers.

31 Mar 2018 19:03:33
Fzz
Cheers fzz . They are definitely up there . Kdb and Silva in a midfield 3 brave move that.

31 Mar 2018 19:05:21
Now i feel foolish ed.

{Ed001's Note - I am sure you well used to it mate ;-)

31 Mar 2018 19:18:13
Watch Bayern vs Dortmund jred, that's a midfield to go up against peps.

31 Mar 2018 19:22:43
Is it better tho?

31 Mar 2018 19:40:13
You tell me.

31 Mar 2018 19:43:43
All we can do now is ride the storm and hope to sign a few good players in the summer and get rid of some dead wood.
I backed Jesus to score today being easter and all that
But I backed him to score first,
What was the first mention of football in the bible?
When Jesus went up for the cross😀😀.

31 Mar 2018 19:47:37
I'm not sure fzz that's why I asked the question .

31 Mar 2018 19:48:34
If pushed I would say they probably are.

31 Mar 2018 19:49:20
City are better that is .
Need to stop pressing reply.

31 Mar 2018 20:15:38
Haha.

They are in decent form jred, but are untested I think. Teams just let them play.

At the end of the season we can come back to this jred because if they are they will have a Champions League medal.

31 Mar 2018 20:13:49
Only once before Ed001, when i said to my mates 'im sure LVG will take us back to the top'😳😳😳.

{Ed001's Note - you obviously don't often read back what you wrote on here then....}

31 Mar 2018 20:31:07
Fzz
CL is a cup comp not sure if you win it means your the best cm in Europe.
They could play out there skins and there striker miss chance after chance .
Or they could play against Messi and he scores 10 .
I'm struggling to think of 2 players playing in a midfield that have played to the level of kdb and Silva week after week backed up by someone like fernandinho through out this season .

31 Mar 2018 20:37:01
Fzz
Didn't see the Munich game Muller Martinez Rodriguez in midfield?

31 Mar 2018 21:24:11
Any hints Ed001? Bit of constructive criticism wouldn't go amiss lol. May be the bias.

{Ed001's Note - I think it would be easiest to list the things you do get right, ..... there done that! ;-)

31 Mar 2018 21:55:16
💔💔💔 ed001, you've finished me😂 i thought you had bad memory Ed😮.

{Ed001's Note - I do but some things stand out....}

31 Mar 2018 22:12:21
This is getting worse for me isn't it😂😂.

{Ed001's Note - it is like a Scholes tackle now....}

31 Mar 2018 21:42:09
Bayern ripped them apart, hard not to fall in love with Heynckes, my tip for the CL this season.

31 Mar 2018 22:57:34
Or a Gerrard stamp eh Ed? 😮😂.

{Ed001's Note - you aren't that obvious mate.}

31 Mar 2018 21:42:09
Bayern ripped them apart, hard not to fall in love with Heynckes, my tip for the CL this season.

31 Mar 2018 17:45:20
A glimpse of what the team can do in the first half .
A glimpse of Jose pragmatic style in the second .

3 points is 3 points tho.

31 Mar 2018 18:13:31
Wins a win. If goal difference would make a difference we would probably have played the second same as the first. As it is job done an on to the next game.

31 Mar 2018 18:24:13
Lol, you love pointing out the negatives when there wasn't much difference in the way team was playing compared to the first half.

Top performance today. Pogba looked like he was actually trying and was running more then 2 mph. This is what he needs to do if he wants to stay in the team.

This was the first team i saw him chase after balls, usually he just strolls around the pitch.

Sanchez and Lukaku were good as well.

31 Mar 2018 18:50:49
Singh
Really? I thought we were far better in the first half .

31 Mar 2018 19:18:13
I just think Swansea played better in the second half and they were able to create more chances.

31 Mar 2018 23:33:20
They were a bit better Singh in the 2nd half. I wonder will their manager review the backlash jose did for his half time subs. 2 changes for players not performing. Our intensity did drop in 2nd half but the game was won. Pogba and sanchez reacted very well to being dropped its what you expect from top professionals. let's hope that's the end of the lethargy and the start of something better. I thought lindelof and played well too.

01 Apr 2018 06:00:50
Have you seen how Swansea played in the 1st half? Totally bullied out of the field. Surprised that we did not score more in the first half.

31 Mar 2018 11:56:33
Ex Utd player Ray WIlkins in a coma?

Best of luck for a speedy recovery Ray.

31 Mar 2018 12:19:35
Yeah, Hopefully Butch will pull through and here's wishing him all the best.

31 Mar 2018 12:44:26
heres hoping he pulls through.

31 Mar 2018 14:33:44
Been told about this on Good Friday and that he has been in a really bad way since Wednesday. Yet the world gets to know on Saturday! . I really like "nice fella" Wilkins I hope he pulls through . #Prayforbutch
😆😆.

31 Mar 2018 08:13:22
I’m somewhat baffled by the Martial transfer concerns. He’s lethargic, sullen and seems to loose possession more often than not. He is undoubtedly skilful and still very young. But is that enough?

11 goals in 41 appearances. Potential no doubt. But 22 is not 18, especially in terms of emotional development for me where he seems lacking. Very rarely see him attempt to recover his mistakes and I suspect some of his aloofness will never go.

I’m certainly not saying he’s worthless or top of the list to sell, but I don’t feel José warrants criticism if he does sell him. He’s definitely not an ‘untouchable’.

{Ed025's Note - im with you timbo, he has the talent but does he have the heart? i want to see my players busting a gut and loathe to be left out or taken off and i just dont see that in martial, is he one of the new breed who thinks hes made it and just happy to live the lifestyle and pick up the cheque every week?, im not sure mate..

31 Mar 2018 09:54:15
You can't blame him to be fair. He is never a winger and he won't get chances as a striker until Mourinho is here.

If we can get a proper winger in place od him and improve our team then that is ther perfect for me.

Players come and go, next year we will forget about him once he has gone.

We need players that isn't going to sulk or be emotional about every little thing.

I have auppoeted Martial for a long time but it looks like he is picking on every little thing. He has the talwnt to be a top top player but he needs to grind out the tough tines like Lingard has over the years.

I just think he is worried about his position in the france team as there are so many players ahead of him at the moment.

31 Mar 2018 10:20:29
Singh when do you think we will see Jose here, I'm getting a bit impatient about it now😀😀😀.

{Ed025's Note - well some do see him as the second coming leahy.. :)

31 Mar 2018 10:44:16
I think martial has been far better than pogba this year .
That said they are both very good players.

31 Mar 2018 10:48:23
Of course you can blame him. If he's not trying as hard as he could, regardless of where he's played, that's a problem.

31 Mar 2018 10:59:00
Martial and rash have covered the left side attack for much of the season and between them got 23 goals and 16 assists, I don't see their position as a problem area . They are both comparable to mane stats wise and all 3 have similar goals and assists . The numbers from the right hand side of attack is where the goals and assists change drastically compared to our rivals with Salah and Stirling . I'd address the right before looking at the left . Its why I'd have tried Sanchez on the right to see if we can fix the problem instead of playing him left where we were doing quite well anyway .

31 Mar 2018 11:18:47
Loll he is more visible then most of our players. He certainly is better then every other manager out there. 🤣🤣.

31 Mar 2018 12:13:54
jred.

Being better than Pogba this year really isn't that special is it?

31 Mar 2018 13:01:53
I think all this with Martial, Pogba and Shaw could put off future transfers, especially any younger ones. It doesn't look good some of the best young player around being moved on after a few years, what does it say to other players?
I for one think this could be a big mistake in more ways than one.

31 Mar 2018 13:24:35
Martial isn't a striker. Imagine him up front alone? No movement or power. His biggest asset is pace, hence why a wide player is best for him.

31 Mar 2018 13:34:11
@Murph, I see where you're coming from, but each of those you mention have issues known to the footballing world:

- Pogba: Social media fame getting to him. In love with himself. Egocentric with a passion for elaborate hair styles. Used to playing in a team that is built solely for him. I don't see why he deserves to be carried in such a way when I see the likes of David Silva and De Bruyne chasing down players, tackling, niggling and cajoling week after week. Pogba isn't anywhere near their class yet.

- Martial: Lethargic. Heartless (I love that description Ed025). Emotions are contagious on a football pitch and I worry how much his persona rubs off on other players who see his shoulders and bottom lip drop.

- Shaw: Unprofessional. Overweight. Fed-up with it. Managers less capable than Jose have stated that Shaw has baggage. We're seeing it season after season now.

Plenty of footballers do not have these traits and will know if they are worthy of the United shirt. Many will like a ruthless manager who only wants 11 men committed to the cause week after week. At the moment I question how much each of the above are committed to United. Talent is god-given, however we all have the ability to work on our attitude and develop a work-ethic - and that is where all of the above seem to be lacking.

I cannot think of one United legend who sulked/ behaved in any of the ways these three do. This is less to do with cultural change in football and more about what's inside each player. I truly hope that this summer window is the one where these negativities are rooted out. Its taken a long time coming, but personally this summer is more about who is going than it is who is coming in. Time to change the culture in the dressing room. Time to stand 100% behind Jose. I've put my faith in him - I truly believe he is compromising on quality of football in favour of results due to a poor squad. Seems entirely sensible in a longer term plan to me.

I see the Sevilla result for some players being not too dissimilar to those who played against MK Dons a few years ago. Out the door you go divas.

{Ed025's Note - cracking post timbo and full of perspective, i still dont think jose is the man for united but he does have some massive ego,s and prima-donnas to deal with mate..

31 Mar 2018 13:55:48
Timbo
Was pogba not the managers big signing?

{Ed025's Note - he was jred, but until you take the wrapper off the sweet you dont know how it tastes mate.. :)

31 Mar 2018 13:57:21
Get what your saying Timbo, was expecting a reply like that, and i agree with you, it just concerns me the amount of players we have bought over the last 4-5yrs who have not progressed or left for what ever reason, and i think it could cause us some problems in the transfer market. Hope I'm wrong,
Great reply Timbo.

31 Mar 2018 14:03:31
Ed
That's an expensive way of finding a sweet you like.

{Ed025's Note - it is jred but i think jose thought he was getting the boss in the purple suit and ended up with the toffee penny mate...well certainly not quality street.. :)

31 Mar 2018 14:07:58
There's too many in the squad that lack character required for a trophy winning team. Whether Jose is the right man or not us another question. But that dressing room needs a good clear out.

31 Mar 2018 14:13:07
Thanks Ed025 - for what it's worth I'm not sure I'm a Jose fan either, however in my opinion the United board have no choice but to show these players that 'Jose rules'.

We all know SAF made some astonishing player decisions at times (moving on Hughes, Kanchelskis, Ince, Stam, RVN - and he would of Rooney too) that made many wonder what the hell he was he doing. Whilst there were ago issues with each of those players many supporters still felt they should be kept. These guys had steel, skill and a win-at-all-cost attitude. Try putting Martial's demeanour on any of those players and see how wrong it looks and feels. Ultimately though the manager ruled and reached even higher levels after they all left. No player ever became bigger than the club, with for me Roy Keane, one of the greatest players ever to grace the shirt, being the stellar case in point.

For me its simple. if United don't fully support Jose now irrespective of what we think of his tactics very dark very long times will prevail. The King is dead, long live Jose etc.

31 Mar 2018 14:15:12
That's a great post timbo.

31 Mar 2018 18:12:52
If Martial leaves I guarantee most people on here in a few years time will be regretting him leaving.

31 Mar 2018 18:29:26
Shappy,
Have you ever noticed that as soon as we are linked to a player they suddenly become world Class and exactly what we need .
As as soon as there is a report in the paper that a player might leave he suddenly becomes not that good.

31 Mar 2018 06:44:13
I was reading an article about United online and came across the following in the comments.

“Mourinho shouldn't be in this job of leading young people. How many other young men is he going to be allowed to destroy before he is sacked at Manu? He displays classic signs of a narcissistic sociopath that bullies and throws people under the bus instead of taking accountability. A true leader defends his or her underlings to the bitter end and actually helps bring out the best out of them when the chips down. This coward just belittles and deflects, never offering solutions. ”

Accurate or not? Seems close to the truth for me.

31 Mar 2018 08:09:19
can see why youth players struggle under him as he plays a very rigid system with a lot of discipline and less freedom. As for whether he is good at developing youth, we can't say that yet because he has taken over jobs where short term success was important and developing players was not a priority.

Another factor to mourinho's success is being ruthless and buying well established players during a couple of transfer windows. For me he hasn't done that enough at united and is the main reason why we are still struggling under him. If he was ruthless players like martial, pogba, smalling, jones, etc. would have been shipped off by now or in the coming window. But again this kind of ruthlessness works only for the short term which is why he was never the right fit for a club like united.

31 Mar 2018 08:24:33
Destroying young men at United? Are you talking about Scott Mctominay who he is playing over Paul Pogba? Or are you talking about Rashford who has played every game this season? Or is that Jesse Lingard who seems to start all big games or is beought on as a sub and trusted to make an impact?

Perhaps this is about Luke Shaw, a player whose attitude has been questioned by multiple managers now and struggles with fitness. I don't get the love in with Shaw. He's done next to nothing at United and has been bang average whenever he's played. Can you find any other "young men" at United that Jose has supposedly destroyed?

31 Mar 2018 09:12:27
It was about Shaw and Pogba, and the rumours of Martial being on the way out. He’s also just bought Sanchez which is likely to restrict Rashford’s game time. I thought sociopath was harsh, but narcissistic is pretty spot on.

31 Mar 2018 09:27:15
I’m sorry but if anyone thinks he’s not right to have a go at pogba who’s looked dissintersted recently, or shaw who just gains weight constantly then I don’t know. Maybe he’s looking a reaction? Two extremely talented players who should be doing a hell of a lot more.

31 Mar 2018 09:27:34
The supposed article sounds an opinion, a bitter and not particularly well written opinion either. Add to that it refers to “Manu” which is distasteful to most longer standing United fans. An opinionated article is one thing, opinions agree like assholes, everyone has one, but to refer to it as fact is naive at best.

There is a difference between managing and leading and that is something the author of the article has missed. He/ she is correct that Mourinho is a leader not just a manager as was SAF. The two between were not, in fact I recall one was reading a book on how to be a leader, to the amusement of the team. I understand the difference having managed for decades and had formal leadership training, maybe the article writer might benefit from understanding what he or she is writing about.

Leadership is not about mollycoddling, a leader inspires and leads, makes tough decisions but correct ones and earns respect because of it, takes people with them because there is belief in where the journey is going to, no one doubted SAF as a leader. When SAF dropped and humiliated Leighton in 1990, we knew it was a tough decision by a leader of men, it was right and the team went on to greatness. That was ruthless, the accusation against Mourinho. Our manager is dealing with a soft culture in the club which was created after the last leader left and the subsequent vacuum of leadership in the managers chair and boardroom.

Shaw has been soft, talented but not committed, believed the hype and is not giving everything. Successive managers have highlighted it, how many times have we said he looked overweight, then he gets a kick, loses weight and plays well. Maybe they are referring to Pogba, also immensely talented, but who seems more bothered about his media image. Perhaps Martial, immensely talented but seems to go missing at times and is inconsistent. Maybe all three have had the arm round treatment already but all it does is reinforce their soft nature or distraction, maybe it’s time for them to toughen up mentally or be shipped out.

Make no mistake as with Lingard, Rashford and McTominay, show it on the pitch and you play, the other young players have to show it as well. United don’t play charity games every week so they can show a flash of talent, they play tough games, it’s time certain players and fans realised right now tough love is needed.

{Ed025's Note - really good post that red man..

31 Mar 2018 10:14:48
Top post Redman.

31 Mar 2018 10:15:40
Perfectly sums him and his narcissistic ways.

31 Mar 2018 10:25:14
As was pointed out the other day is lingard at 25 year old still a kid .
Or the 25 year old pogba .
How well is Rasford playing? Does he look a better player than 2 years ago .
Do we want to see a talented 22 year old like martial pushed out of a team like United . The same martial that has scored 4 less than lukaku with significant less minutes on the pitch playing out wide .
Not really sure what martial has done wrong this season to be honest .

So are people really wanting these players sold? Or is just the normal back Jose at any cost attitude .

31 Mar 2018 10:35:14
A leader gets the best from his team, that’s the challenge Jose has. Lingard has stepped up, as has Young, but he seems unable to coax th best out of Martial, Pogba, obviously Shaw, and as jred says, has Rashford progressed?

31 Mar 2018 10:50:44
Brilliant post Redman.

31 Mar 2018 10:52:40
I back jose. Get rid of uncommitted players get rid of the wasters.

31 Mar 2018 11:12:06
Ken
We just have that why ibra has gone .

Lot of talk about pogba and his relationship with Jose commitment etc .
I would like to see Jose stick with him and get the best out of a talented lad . Seems a few would like to get shot.

31 Mar 2018 12:55:42
Ibra will be the first of many and rightly so. 6 7 or maybe 8 will leave this summer including him. I can't wait to see the back of the likes of fellaini blind darmian . Even if we don't replace them we will have a stronger squad.

31 Mar 2018 13:18:46
When was the last time we saw darmian or blind? Make little difference if they leave .

31 Mar 2018 13:47:09
Great post Red Man.
I don’t really want to comment on Jose as I don’t know what he has in mind and his plans and his given objectives from the board. If he is not making progress according to the board I am sure the board will ask him to leave.
On the players I feel there is another side to it. Even if Jose is trying his best to accommodate them (Shaw and Pogba), if they have no heart, passion and professionalism then it is not fair to rage on Jose. You can bring the water to the cow/ s but you can’t force them to drink. I think the kids are just too spoilt for my liking tbh.

31 Mar 2018 14:12:28
Well blind an Darmian are taking squad spots an its not like their on low wages.

31 Mar 2018 14:31:14
Of course it makes a difference jred. If you replace them with better players that do make a difference. We can't sign players until we make room so players like fellaini ibra darmian blind carrick and a couple from shaw herrera jones smalling mata martial need to be moved on in order to find space for the likes of mctom tuanzabe tfm and some new 1st team players.
Many of those guys are not providing credible opposition to the 1st team regular starters and often when called upon they don't shine. So moving them on and getting in 4 high class players plus the youth mentioned to put real pressure on valencia young pogba matic lingard whoever will make a huge difference.

31 Mar 2018 14:49:13
Ken
Blind hasn't been near the squad it would make no difference if he left .

So I don't don't get your " even if we don't replace them " comment .

Especially when you follow it with a post about replacing them.