Manchester United Banter Archive March 03 2019

03 Mar 2019 19:59:01
Yesterday showed just how important lukaku is to this side. I get he's not everyone's cup of tea. He does have a touch like a curb, and is awkward but one thing which can not be denied is his ability to score goals.
Both his goals yesterday were superb, he didn't even need to look at the goal, that's the sort of striking instinct we don't have.

He already has 40 goals for the club. If we give him chances he will score, and for that reason I still think he will have a big role for us going forward.

03 Mar 2019 20:41:03
Yep, he’s a top class goal scorer.

I think he was going through some personal issues over the last few months, and his confidence looked shot. But he’s back on form now, and showing why he’s such an important player for us. He works his backside off, and is willing to put in a shift regardless of what the manager asks. Keeping Lukaku, Rashford, and Martial at the club is crucial going forward.

03 Mar 2019 20:45:27
Agreed, i see him as an "outsized" in the most respectful way inside the box goalscorer. Usually, vardy, aguero, salah etc are a certain size so big rom is expected to be a Heskey, quinn, crouch etc but he's not . he's a six yard box poacher. he was on the wing lately and did well. i like his tenacity. He's not my ideal player for united but my hat's off to him.

03 Mar 2019 21:02:11
Ive been darting the same. He needs to adapt as the manager said but he is works hard every day according to the manager.

03 Mar 2019 21:30:08
Lukaku will never have the first touch of Messi. Yet over many years he has proven to be an effective goalscorer. Personally I think he has bulked up too much, and that is slowing him down and making his control worse. If he can get a good conditioning coach over the summer and he can slim down, keep his strength but lose some of the size he will be much better suited to play in the system Ole wants.

03 Mar 2019 21:38:20
Loved it in yesterday’s game when a Southampton player jumped into Lukaku to tackle him as he was running down the right wing. The player just bounced of him and Big Rom didn’t even break stride.
We need him for his goal tally. He can get some good finishes plus get all the scruffy ones that generally Rashford and Martial don’t get.

03 Mar 2019 22:29:29
I’ve watched his last 4 goals, so many times and they’ve all been brilliant. Off course he will miss chances, all strikers do. But I think he gets what it means to be at united, and there’s no reason he can’t average between 25 and 30 a season for us, numbers that were deemed incredible until Messi and Ronaldo starting taking the biscuit.

04 Mar 2019 05:16:42
Lukaku is the most physically dominant forward in our team. We need players with different attributes. Otherwise, we will be predictable.
He also gives everything on the pitch.
Therefore he is very essential for our team.

04 Mar 2019 08:09:40
I’m a big fan of his. He does have deficiencies which everybody is familiar with but I really like his attitude. He seems like a really down to earth and humble guy and he loves scoring goals. He needs to get himself back to the agile player he was in his final season at Everton. His attributes give us something different to our squad. I wouldn’t sell him but he will have to realise he may not always be first choice.

03 Mar 2019 17:30:46
A question for ed002 if you're around. Would the United dof job interest allegri and would he be suitable to that role.
Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - No, he is a coach not a Director of Football.}

03 Mar 2019 19:37:51
Question for 002, please. What is the informed view about Ole's managerial prospects? Is the current run if success a reasonable predictor of his abilities, or an adreneline high? Can he develop a sustainable career at this level?

{Ed002's Note - Deliberately he arrived when there was an easy run. He will likely get the support that was not given to the previous manager. I am not convinced he will be the one the club needs.}

04 Mar 2019 00:33:17
I tend to agree with you. This looks like a "dead cat bounce" that has a long trajectory. If it turns out to be Schrödinger's cat they had better not open the box. But the crowd is now in control and one can only wish him well.

04 Mar 2019 07:17:48
16 games with 1 loss and 2 draws is a bounce, sorry but you’re having a laugh mate.

04 Mar 2019 09:02:55
Under Jose this season there seemed to be no easy run of games we couldn't win three straight games no matter the opposition, some already have what it takes to be good managers why some need experience to become one I think Ole has wat it takes we won at spurs Chelsea and at Arsenal if he had lost any of those matches I would still back him because when utd lost it hurts him as a coach and as a manutd fan that's the kind of man I need to lead the club I think Jose made me understand there is a difference btw a coach and a manager Jose is one of the best coaches in the world but not a good manager u can be good coach and not a good manager and u can be a good manager and not a good coach Moyes was a fine manager but never a good coach lvg good coach Jose best coach in the world PEP best manager in the world now in the Era we are in it is very important that u are a good manager we think wat ole has done is so easy but it's not he has managed the club better and has shown signs he can be a good coach with proper backing and Dof we could be in for a great ride.

03 Mar 2019 14:46:01
Pereira has a one year option the club can extend. Would you extend it over say giving juan mata a contract extension?

Doesn’t necessarily have to be either or but would save the club on wages which could be used elsewhere.

03 Mar 2019 15:09:44
If I had to go either or then I would have to go for the guy who has 50 EPL goals and 50 EPL assists.

Maybe that's short sighted, and maybe getting Mata's wages off the book would be more impactful than Andreas Pereira's.

But we need a team that can challenge, Mata has proven he can.

03 Mar 2019 15:19:41
Fairpoint but with alexis sanchez essentially being dead money on the wage bill till 2022 we are going to have to be a lot more smarter about how we allocate wages in the future.

Pereira over mata might just be one of those instances. Tuanzebe over rojo and jones also might be another.

03 Mar 2019 15:35:03
Tuanzebe is a better player than Jones and Rojo though.

I sadly just don't think Pereira will make it at the highest level. There is nothing about his game which is world class. He might be a decent squad players but at this moment I would rather have Chong, Gomes and Greenwood in the squad if we are looking to cut down wages.

03 Mar 2019 16:15:23
Sorry, Shaps. Apart from a few premier league games, what evidence do we have that Tuanzebe is a better player at the top level than seasoned international-level pros like Rojo or Jones? Don't get me wrong, I think he has great potential, but I do worry at our rush to elevate youngsters to a high level, before they've proved themselves properly. I like Pereira, but Mata would be first choice in the 10 every time for me, despite some looking to get rid. When Tuanzebe has a few seasons premier league experience under his belt, then we can properly compare.

03 Mar 2019 16:25:32
Stevie, Tuanzebe kept an in form Alexis Sanchez in his back pocket a few years ago while playing out of position.

Jones and Rojo can barely make it 30 minutes without ballsing up.

Plus neither can stay fit long enough to make it worthwhile paying them a wage.

03 Mar 2019 16:59:43
One game, Shaps.

03 Mar 2019 17:07:21
Name me one game where either Jones or Rojo kept a world class forward in their back picture for 90 minutes?

03 Mar 2019 18:46:23
You're clutching, mate 😁.

03 Mar 2019 19:24:32
That pocket has gone missing in the championship shaps.

03 Mar 2019 21:12:17
Two different scenarios. Mata over Pereira. No comparison. Mata is proven class. And Tuanzebe over Rojo and Jones. Those two are error prone and injury prone, while Tuanzebe has far greater potential than Pereira, in my opinion.

04 Mar 2019 00:29:31
Whatever anyone thinks about Jones and Rojo's ability, the fact remains that they have both played for years in the EPL, and both have played for their country, many times in Rojo's case. Tuanzebe is playing in the Championship. How can anyone say he's better than the other two at this stage in his career? How often have we seen him play against proven Premiership opposition? I want the lad to do as well as anyone, but if he was better, he'd be at Utd right now in front of Jones and Rojo. We really need to stop pinning our hopes on every young player that comes along. It was Fosu-Mensah up until recently, and Januzaj before him. They'll play for us when and if they're ready.

04 Mar 2019 05:30:32
Mata over Pereira any day.
Whenever we are chasing, he finds those little pockets of space. Often comes up with goals.
He has a fantastic free kick as well.

04 Mar 2019 07:32:48
Shappy, many a word has been written about Jones efforts playing in midfield where he was used to keep Fellaini (Everton) Ronaldo and Bale Real Madrid under wraps to great effect. So yeah there has been a couple of times.

04 Mar 2019 09:17:13
Mata showed in the Chelsea game ge can still perform a role. I'd probably still let him go unless the deal was right, I.e. A wage cut but I doubt he'd go for that.

Regards Pereira I'm with shappy. Apart from dead balls and long range hits nothing in his game shouts out world beater. Maybe he could be a late bloomer but I don't see him as anything more than a squad player. Good off the bench or in a situation like now with the injury crisis. We do need quality squad players though.

Neither player really seems to have a defined role though.

04 Mar 2019 09:19:17
What not one game? Jones and Rojo have had their chances and neither has clutched at it. Both are at a stage in their careers where they won't improve much if at all. Both struggle to stay fit for 5 matches in a row. Time to move them on and bring through a super talented youngster who has earned his chance. We will sign another CB this summer along with Lindelof, Bailly and Smalling. Tuanzebe doesn't need two dudes blocking his way.

04 Mar 2019 09:25:11
I am sorry but Jones at 21 was a much better player than Tuanzebe currently is. Question though is will Tuanzebe improve over the years as Jones seems to have digressed.

03 Mar 2019 11:16:02
How many people would sacrifice (United’s) Champions League qualification next season if that guaranteed Liverpool not winning Premier League this year?

Just had an interesting chat with a friend and wondered what wider consensus is.

03 Mar 2019 11:33:56
I really don’t get this. Much as it would frustrate me, if Liverpool win the League then fair play to them, they will deserve it. They have played some scintillating football and if they pip City then that is some achievement. I would say well done, and then concentrate on United and how we can close the gap.

Why would we sacrifice anything? I found the whole debate a bit childish.

03 Mar 2019 11:43:12
No one is doubting its childish I don’t think. I don’t particularly like it in myself that I would sacrifice 4th as long as that lot don’t win. It’s not logical or big of me but that’s football.

I would not sacrifice a goat or an arm to stop them but one little 4th place so they continue to have never won the Premiership. Worth it 😉.

03 Mar 2019 11:59:03
If its not liverpool who win the league it'll be city - so either way i won't be pleased but United's upturn lately is much more of a positive focus for me. All is much rosier at old Trafford so frankly I've no appetite to consider things like that. How we aim to close the gap on these teams is a more interesting debate.

03 Mar 2019 13:05:53
So you’d be happy for our reputation to fall further just so we can say yah boo to the Scousers?

We had a banner showing how many years had passed since City won a trophy but times change. Like it or not Liverpool and United are by far the most successful clubs in English football history and their current barren run matches ours post ‘68, it was only a matter of time.

I’m looking forward to improving more and battling them for the title, if they win it this year (and I think they will) then it will be well deserved.

03 Mar 2019 13:32:07
The problem with this hypothetical situation, if we finish 5th it’s europa league next season which more or less guarantees we won’t be challenging for the title next season with Thursday/ Sunday fixtures.

03 Mar 2019 14:08:00
Crazy talk. No self respecting united supporter would be happy if Liverpool win the league. But no self respecting united supporter would sacrifice our failure for theirs.
I want us to win every game.

03 Mar 2019 14:31:02
30 though is such a nice round number.

03 Mar 2019 14:58:45
These things are never as bad as they seem. Their fans are already insufferable so nothing will change there. Champions League football means we can attract a better calibre of player in the summer and improve. We're not too much away from having a squad that could challenge. Top 4 would be a huge achievement and if we could take that form into next season, they we would surely be in the mix and that's all that matters.

The team that tops the table deserves it. If it's them, so be it.

03 Mar 2019 15:36:29
Don't care if they win it, will make it so much sweeter when we take it off them next year.

03 Mar 2019 16:18:58
Makes us look like a small club when we'd rather fail, than have Liverpool win. You know, like the Scousers.

03 Mar 2019 19:34:47
Perfect response Noucamp a question like that should never pollute the pages of this great site.

03 Mar 2019 09:01:19
Saw a quick post-match interview with Pereira. The basic gist of it was, yeah, I saw Shaw to my left, but I'd banged in 4 the day before in practice, right in the top corner, so I went for it. That's the sort of confidence I love to see in a young player. While the rest of us were screaming for him to pass, he had the inate confidence in his own ability, stemming from hours on the training pitch doing the exact same thing. I like the cut of the young man's jib.

03 Mar 2019 11:36:42
The future looks bright Stevie, I thought the game changed when Dalot came on and he is still massively inexperienced but he looks like he will be some player. We had 4 Academy graduates in the starting 11 and Chong also got a few minutes.

Some of these players may or may not make it but they all have balls and have been brought through the United way so I’d like to see a few given their chance.

03 Mar 2019 11:47:53
Anyone who saw him play for the u23s will know he has skill and confidence in his ability. That said it is a huge leap to the senior team and he has a) to be played as an attacking midfielder to get the best out of him and b) he has to impose himself on games and I am still unsure whether he can do that.

03 Mar 2019 12:59:19
To be fair to him, Hendon, he can't do number two without getting number one first. And a run of games.

03 Mar 2019 00:05:44
I think we should be thinking about giving some players a rest before the Arsenal game next week, don't see us getting a winning result in Paris so play some of the kids and give, lukaku, young Shaw and Rashford a rest for the bigger game on Sunday.

03 Mar 2019 01:20:19
We never lose, we only run out of time. What is the point of maximum effort to get in the top 4 if you are just going to wimper out when the going gets tough?

You have to go for it. Even if that means playing a Chong as a wild card. But you can't go into the game showing that you are not expecting anything from the game. And thankfully, there is no way Ole will do that.

03 Mar 2019 02:02:32
Sends out the wrong message. We should play to win. Stranger things have happened.

03 Mar 2019 03:33:23
Why risk getting battered with a under-strength team at their home and make us look even worse over the 2 ties, rather than being positive and go for it. For me, take the best team, have a go at them and try and get a positive result - maybe not win the tie, but win the game. Probably, rest some key players later in the second half.

We are Manchester United and it's our pride on the line, play well, put in a good performance and come back with our heads held high and have a go at Arsenal.

03 Mar 2019 04:39:42
PSG have had a history of bottling it before in the last 16.
If history tells anything, if ever a team needs a turnaround, united are the one of the best to do it.

Chelsea turned the game against around being down 3-1.

I wouldn't put it past the players to do the same and eventually lose by a goal.

Lukaku has found his scoring boots again, and I expect us to give a real fight.

03 Mar 2019 06:07:52
Everyone thinks that PSG have already won the game. And half of the United first team is out injured. There is less expectation and pressure on the players.
If we somehow manage to get the 1st goal early on then it would be 1 hell of a match. Just need our midfield to step up and control the game better. These PSG players won't allow the likes of Mctominay and Fred to take as much time on the ball as they've been getting against our last 2 opposition. There has to be fast interplay in the midfield and our forwards are good enough to get us the result.

03 Mar 2019 09:45:50
A lot can be said for momentum. At the moment we have it. It's helping us dig out results when at other times like the start of this season we would have capitulated.

I don't think going there with the intention of not trying to win with our best available 11 sends out the wrong message and could undermine everything Ole has built so far.

What will be will be. But we should never do aim for anything other than winning every game. No matter what the odds or the situation.

03 Mar 2019 10:26:54
No point surrendering in the competition every team strives to be in each season.