Manchester United Banter Archive August 08 2018

08 Aug 2018 22:54:42
I've read a lot of negativity recently and I'd just like to share my view on the current plight of our Club. It's more cathartic than anything so please forgive its length and thank you for those that took time to read.

For years, (even during SAF's time) the Club we're predominantly against the signing of ageing players approaching their 30's. Exceptions have been made in certain cases for the likes of RVP, Ibra and Sanchez but all we're players coming towards the end of their contracts and we escaped having to pay a hefty fee.

We have predominantly invested in buying the best domestic talent Keane, Rio, Rooney, Berbatov and RVP to name but a few, supplemented by foreign players with potential for development. The emergence of Chelsea then City, the rise of foreign investment and increased TV revenue means we can longer just pinch the leagues best players. Clubs are no longer compelled to sell and when players do become available we face stiff competition. The landscape has changed and we have struggled to adapt.

The problem as I understand is Jose wants to invest significant money on ageing, experienced players whilst jettisoning younger players with huge potential that the Club have invested heavily. Surely LVG's assertion of Martial being a present for his successor are still ringing in Woodward's ears.

I would like to point out that I don't believe our current owners are good for our Club. Having said that I don't think they are the devil incarnate. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. We must understand we operate as a business therefore from the owners point of view this model makes financial sense. Paying hefty fee's for the likes of Toby, William, Perisic etc is risky. They probably only have a few years left at the very top, are at more risk of injury and if they don't settle, which can often be the case the Club will take a heavy hit.

I think the board have shown a commitment to compete for the best players if they become available in the right circumstances as evidenced by breaking the transfer record to buy Pogba and spending heavily on Lukaku. Unfortunately such purchases have taken up much of the budget and we've been unable to strengthen in other key areas.

Our core values should not change or be diminished by time or circumstance. There should always be a emphasis on playing attacking, entertaining, attractive football, giving youth a chance and a platform to flourish. To represent the Club with bravery, courage, to never give up and always try to win.

Perhaps the Clubs biggest failure has not been to appoint a manager in its own image. I was convinced Jose was the right man but am becoming increasingly concerned I was wrong. I was seduced by his CV and winning mentality. As his career has progressed he has become frustrated, sullen and impatient fuelled and driven by his substantial ego. He has lost his charisma and charm. He wants immediate solutions and doesn't have the patience to nurture or develop certain players in our squad. In some respects I do have sympathy because I don't think his demands have been unreasonable or excessive. He has simply fallen foul of a Club that are only prepared to back him so far. I think the Club could have been more generous and shown a real commitment to deliver what he wanted but have stopped just short. I will continue to support Jose as I believe he is an excellent manager. I just think he is not compatible with the Club. He doesn't play the right brand of football and appears in conflict with the board. Having said that I do believe he's done a decent job (style aside) and if he left tomorrow he'd leave us in a stronger position than when he took over.

Make no mistake it will be hard to return us to the pinnacle of both English and European football. What we need is a young, driven, ambitious, manager with a clear commitment to attacking football, investing in youth and working to develop and improve players. The board must invest in better scouting, our academy and to uphold and protect the values and tradition of our Club. They must also continue to invest in the squad and be prepared to compete for the best players. They should judge their tenure on trophies won not revenue created and not lose sight that they are the custodian's of one of the most famous sporting institutions in the world where success should be measured on the pitch not off it.

We have no divine right to win but we must at least try and give ourselves a fighting chance. sometimes that means going the extra mile and taking a leap of faith which the board have so far been unwilling to do. Good night and let's all hope for some positive news tomorrow.

09 Aug 2018 06:57:58
DLIB

Under the present ownership I have not seen the ambition to be No1 in the world, finish top four and increase the asset value definitely but it seems to fall short of wanting to be the best. I see more ambition from City and now Liverpool than from us (even Wolves and Fulham) but hey they don’t have the yummy noodle partners that we have. I saw a stat yesterday about the difference in the Glazers net spending which indicated once they made top four they seem to ease off on the spending. I am an old cracked record but when Ronaldo left we bought Valencia, the Ronaldo money propped up the accounts preventing a loss. They seem to have an aim and that is increase the asset value by doing enough on the pitch, when is the last time the stadium had any real upgrade? Only when they used the money in the bank from plc days. See it for what it is.
Let’s see what happens today but I don’t have high expectations of solving our issues. The clock on the years since winning the league is ticking and right now it is more likely Liverpool will stop theirs before we stop ours, and that is down to the board.

09 Aug 2018 07:22:40
Isn’t Jose providing this youth by playing Rashford, McT, bringing back Andreas P, Dalot, Fred, Lindelof, Bailly, Pogba, Lingard etc?

08 Aug 2018 21:59:01
Something I found strange today. There was a picture of a car with supposedly Pogba covered in a blanket going in through a side door for anonymity. Unless his latest hair colour had gone wrong and his stylist was waiting inside, do we really think it was Pogba covered by the blanket?

08 Aug 2018 22:20:33
The big worry for me is if we have 2 players pogba and marital that want out after tomorrow what do we do with them. The main thing the team needs going forward is positivity.
Will there be bad vibes around between players and the manager.
Does he play them, drop them.
Whatever happens it will be a case of your dammed if you do and your dammed if you don't
One thing it will be interesting to see how it's managed.

08 Aug 2018 22:35:26
We manage them, this is Manchester United. Positivity should come from the top and we have had no leadership from the owners or Woodward. Now they have to show it. If they get Savic in tomorrow then sit and wait Barcelona out, play them how Liverpool did with Coutinho, make them sweat until the last day of the foreign window and extract the maximum. If we don’t get Savic in, then Pogba stays, end of.

09 Aug 2018 08:05:58
If the blanket was wet, it was either Pogba or Martial.

08 Aug 2018 21:28:13
Best bit of united transfer news is courtois to Madrid done. Should hopefully see that de gea contract signed.

I don't expect us to have a good season but I believe we can have a good season

So might as well live in hope till at least we are double digits behind top.

08 Aug 2018 22:28:56
Hasn't De gea already signed a new contract this summer? I believe it was around June time 🤔.

08 Aug 2018 23:07:17
Damon,

No, he didn’t.

08 Aug 2018 21:12:54
With Sanchez likely to start on the left of Lukaku when he's back and fit I would like to see Rashford or Martial play on the right for a sustained number of matches. They are both quick, skilful and right footed. The same as most of United's great right wingers so why would they not try and make this position their own? Get to the byline, cross it in, get bodies in the box. Especially if we play three centrebacks there should be one spare to join Lukaku in attack on breaks.

08 Aug 2018 21:52:30
Ive been saying that for a few days mikey. Its their best route into the team and when all 3 at their best i'd pick sanchez on left every time.

08 Aug 2018 20:37:31
Liverpool fan in peace. I think selling pogba would be best for the club, not this window now but when you have time to find a replacement because he is not interested in being a world class player in my opinion he is only interested in his image of being thought of that way and performing for France for national pride he is using United name to maintain his profile. He is a celebrity now no longer a footballer. Just my opinion.

08 Aug 2018 22:02:49
Scousers trooping to the Utd is never a good sign, we really must be having an awful window😂.

08 Aug 2018 19:56:20
Sir Alex Ferguson: "I would like to remind you this club stood by me in bad times, the players and the staff. Your job now is to stand by the new manager. "

A new season. A new challenge. Back the manager. Back the players. Keep the faith. Come on United!

08 Aug 2018 20:06:49
He said this about Moyes, who is now unemployed after failing at a succession of clubs.

08 Aug 2018 20:15:12
So that's only limited to one manager Danny? Should be getting behind all the managers at the club.

08 Aug 2018 20:30:48
I am more concerned by the Owners / Ed Woodward rather the manager. I understand people are getting frustrated with him but I have a lot empathy for him to be honest, he's in a terrible position.

08 Aug 2018 21:23:52
Love how all the fans calling for us to back Jose, and how we should always back the manager are the same ones calling for LvG's head.

09 Aug 2018 00:27:54
How about the manager gets behind us; the supporters. How about the manager gets behind his players. How about the manager gets behind his employers? How about the manager gets behind our club. Howabout the manager gets behind our city? It works both ways and I don't see Jose getting behind anything except his own ego. I'm done with that guy. Get behind him? You're joking right?

08 Aug 2018 19:33:30
On the bright side, we are keeping De Gea the best keep in the world, Courtois going to madrid. We have Sanchez back fresh, Pereira is like another signing and Fred looks very good. Roll on Friday!

08 Aug 2018 19:47:39
What are you doing?

A positive post, don't you know there's no positive posting on this page.

08 Aug 2018 20:45:02
Agreed David absolutely out of order being positive while the windows still open!

08 Aug 2018 15:17:46
Long time reader here, but I haven't posted much. I'd like to suggest another view. I think complaints should focus on the club owners and CEO. The Glazers are happy to take millions out of the club each year. To do that we don't need to win anything, just stay in the top 4. They are not interested in buying experienced leading players who can help win the premiership; the shelf life of such players for selling on at a profit is not high enough for their purpose. They would be very happy with an Arsenal situation at United, so long as the profit keeps rolling in.
Why did we not buy Perisic last summer? Does anyone believe we would not have been a more effective team with him on the right wing? Why have we bought only one top player this summer? Has Woodward not had lists of who we need for 4 months? Of course Woodward is probably also incompetent as far as football transfers are concerned. Like the owners, he knows very little about the business. But there is great resistance from the owners to the idea of employing a director of football, someone who could actually do football business. Much less important than having more commercial sponsors than any other club!
Many posters want to get rid of Mourinho, but I feel the problem is much deeper. Mourinho is not being supported in his desire to challenge and win. No wonder he seems fed up. In the current situation, would any other manager be given that support? I don't believe so.

{Ed0333's Note - omg the Glazers have spent ridiculous and gargantuan amounts of money. How you can with a straight face complain of penny pinching by the Glazer family is laughable and lamentable. Did you ever think that the reason Perisic wasn’t signed was because of other reasons other than United not paying the fee? Maybe he didn’t want to come? Maybe his agent was asking for too much commission. You payed 90million for Pogba two years ago which helped distort the market amongst other signings and then you have the temerity to blame your owners for being cheap? Mourinho has been given plenty financial support it’s not Woodward’s fault he’s a decaying manager with Bronze Age tactics. I despise people that blame others for their own shortcomings. Pardon the pun.

08 Aug 2018 15:41:18
Ed the only thing i can think of at the word Bronze is your manager's teeth.

{Ed0333's Note - he’s actually had them cosmitecally enhanced (veneers, crowns, etc) a while back so unless your still living in 2017 mate you need to work on your banter.

08 Aug 2018 15:42:59
Perisic has played left wing exclusively for nearly 3 seasons.

Alderweireld was the clear first choice centre back. If we do sign him for whatever the cost it's good job Woodward. Cus Levy.

Can't remember specifically but it sounded on the sharkopod like Alex Sandro was Jose's pick for LB. If we pay 60m for him and he repeats last seasons form you would add him to the list of left backs Ashley Young has benched.

One of the Eds has said we've been chasing a right winger all summer. Maybe the one position where Woody has goofed up.

08 Aug 2018 15:43:26
Got to agree Ed. Mourinho is on a ridiculous amount of money each year and the way he moans you would think he's on a big labouring job for 3 quid an hour. he's the second favourite to leave his job in the premier league. Its inevitable for me that he will go and ill be stunned if he makes it til Christmas.

{Ed0333's Note - honestly mate he’s toxic for everyone’s sake he should just do one. Can you imagine the party in the Woodward household when Jose leaves United? There will be champagne, hookers, cocaine the lot.

08 Aug 2018 15:51:24
Thanks for the reply Ed0333. The Glazers actually haven't spent a penny of their own money on the club. Scattergun random buys over 4 years has lacked overall planning - unlike City, where there has been clear planning and a total spend half as much again as for United. This is my point. I'm sorry you aren't willing to seriously consider issues beyond your clear hatred of Mourinho.

{Ed0333's Note - why would the glazers spend their own money. It’s makes sense to borrow money against your business? It’s not as if United are the Glazers first love. You have to appreciate their businessmen not fans. I’m willing to consider issues if they are logical and devoid of bunkum. Please give me examples of your lack of spending?

08 Aug 2018 16:02:10
Hahaha definitely he will be having a month long binge! I can't for the life of me see how he hasn't been backed? He wants to overspend on older players and ship out the younger players with bags of potential. Why would you trust a manager when all the players he has signed, either haven't worked out or he wants rid of. There's clearly issues between mourinho and the board so they should have ended it before the season had started as we now run the risk of ruining and wasting another season.

08 Aug 2018 16:18:12
Putting the blame solely at the feet of Woodward and the Glazers is a cheap shot.

The transfer targets that Mourinho has given to Woodward are in the main from top clubs in Europe, who are either champions league or premier league rivals. Clubs who do not want to lose their best players and who don’t need to take the money.

However when you go outside of the top teams in Italy, Spain and England as is the case with Fred and Dalot then the signings are much easier.

You can’t have Utd telling Barcelona to get lost with Pogba and then expect to easily sign Sandro, Willian, Alderweireld, Perisic and the like.

If Mourinho could develop players who are a bit younger and at the so called lesser clubs instead of buying 29 year olds who are at the top clubs then we could acquire his targets much more easily.

Why didn’t we buy Maguire last summer and develop him into what he is now! Instead if we can get him it will cost us £60M plus now.

{Ed0333's Note - super post Hoggy but don’t concur with your last two sentences. Mcguire is a mediocre player at best. You may not be able to go over him but you can go round him and behind him easily. If you fail to sign him Woodward deserves a pat on the back.

08 Aug 2018 18:36:22
Dont agree with the comments about Mourinho. His teams have worked everywhere. I would blame the players now a days for not following what the manager tells you to do.

Pogba sbould play the manager wants him to play until he is employed by our club. When he leaves then he can go to a team which plays the way he wants to be playing.

Martial shouldn't sulk and just play where he is being asked to play.

The club should buy players the manager has requested or they should not have employed Mourinho in the first place.

It is the club'a fault for employing Mourinho and now are in two minds whether to fully back him or not.


If i was Mourinho i would feel the same way. He might be a bit harsh sometimes but he is not here to mess around nor is here to amake friends. He is a born winner and wants to win at UTD. If he wanted an easier rout he wouldve gone to PSG this year.

Players like Pogba, Mhiktaryan and the inrs he's signed all knew how he plays or his teams tend to play so they shuldnt be complaining now about how United play it is their fault for signing up for United.

If the players signed for us because of big wages then that is an even bigger reason to get rid of players that have signed for us because of getting famous or the potential to earn money.

08 Aug 2018 19:29:14
I don't get the negativity. We finished second and invested in one first team player who would improve the midfield and we bought Sanchez for this season. you look at the team on paper and you think that team is capable of competing for the title. Let the season kick off and if we are struggling by end of October then I would worry.

08 Aug 2018 20:34:12
Ed0333 thanks for the comment and I agree with your view on Maguire. Just pointing out that if Mourinho wants him then why wasn’t he considering him 12 months ago.

{Ed0333's Note - McGuire didn’t play relatively decent in an international competition 12 months ago mate.

09 Aug 2018 15:43:25
0333 - I'm glad you've come out and said that as it might carry a bit more weight from you.

The Glazers have spent a ridiculous amount of money, I have no idea how any football fan, let alone United fan, can see it any other way.

002 has also hinted several times this week alone that the issue here is not with Ed Woodward either.

I'm mid 30's so not exactly of the older generation but I've followed the club going enough to remember when we wouldn't 't spend money on the big players bar one or two (Cole, Rio, Veron) and what I see now is ridiculous amounts being spent on some of the biggest transfer fees and highest wages not just in England but World football.

Last summer everyone on here was saying Perisic isn't good enough. He's another player hitting 30 who will command a fairly large fee and will want the wages to match. You really can't fault the board for not jumping feet first into signing a bunch of 29 year olds simply to feed the ego of a manager who only wants short-term success.

08 Aug 2018 14:29:02
Read that Pogba is demanding more wages.
I feel we have in him great potential as with Martial. For me much as I am fed up with their antics and whining I feel why don't we just increase their wages and tell him to play their best for us. Perhaps tie them to some sort of measurable performance bonus. It can't be a one way so they have to give it their best but we save money on transfers. Perhaps then also Jose can also work on his relationship with these lads.
If we can get another defender in I think we will be more than ok.

08 Aug 2018 14:55:43
SkySports have said this is not true a couple of hours ago. Media have us on a run around buy the looks of it.

08 Aug 2018 15:24:52
666, if we allow the players to blackmail us in this way, then i would rather we told them to pack their bags and get the best price we can for them.

08 Aug 2018 15:33:55
Yeah Luke the papers uses our club’s name to sell papers and clicks. I’ve given up on them and just read for fun. If I really want to know I always come here first to read from the Eds’ comments especially Ed001 and Ed002. The are the knowledgeable and trusted ones.
Impatient for this Fri kickoff but think it will start slow and cautious.
Btw thanks Eds for the summer patience with the postings although the weather can be quite hot 😉. I’m giving my heart a rest and not getting to stressed up with the situation. Afterall it’s only football but the positive for me is I am meeting so man friends here. Life is good.

08 Aug 2018 15:46:22
AAA I see where you’re coming from.
But it’s been a tough summer with the WC disruption and other clubs are asking us to pay above the market so rather than weaken our team perhaps tentatively pay them and work it out as time is tight. If we can’t get our desired buy we’ll be totally screwed if we let them go now without proper replacements.
As to who is at fault (ED or JM) I think it’s a little late to blame now. We need to be ready for the new season.

08 Aug 2018 21:02:59
Hopefully, it won't come to that 666. Its been a difficult preseason, but hope the players knuckle down and do the business.

09 Aug 2018 15:47:10
It's been reported as not true 666, but it doesn't work like that. Staff need to out-perform their current pay packet, THEN they can negotiate. Pogba has done very little on a consistent basis to be making demands. No doubt he's already on a very handsome wage.

08 Aug 2018 14:02:38
Phew. Just when we thought there were going to be no signings, the club proved us wrong and lifted our "spirit" with the global signing of Chivas. Thank God, that's changed my mood for the new season.

08 Aug 2018 14:20:36
Cheer up mate, it might be better than you think, in fact it definitely will be, let's just see what happens and enjoy the ride.

08 Aug 2018 14:32:57
We will be ok guys. There are glaring gaps in key positions but we do have some very good players. Hopefully we add some but if not, Jose has to get the best out of what he has. Get pogba, sanchez and Lukaku clicking and we will challenge. Let’s get not sucked into the media crap and hate because it is splitting the fanbase apart. Sky don’t have a clue what is going on. Earlier they said Boateng rejected us and now saying both him and Maguire want to join. Nobody knows what is going on. Ed said expect some movements so let’s just trust the process. Things are not great but let’s get behind our club. Whatever 11 players cross the white line at old Trafford on Friday night will have my unwavering support. Whatever will be will be. Let’s just try and enjoy the ride.

08 Aug 2018 14:38:48
I dunno, I’ve drank it before and wasn’t that impressed.

08 Aug 2018 14:44:25
Definately will be GDS?
Based on what?
What is written in the daily fail?

08 Aug 2018 15:20:30
Perth,

I don’t read the papers maybe that’s why I am happier than a lot on here, it definitely will be because people are talking like it’s the end of the world and we have the worst team in the history of football. We are going into the season with one of the strongest squads we have had in years, some real quality in there, if they hit form it could be a really good season but people are crying because we haven’t signed exactly who they wanted. If we are that bad with the players we have then a couple of signings isn’t exactly going to get us anywhere is it?

08 Aug 2018 15:26:41
Can we get a discount on chivas?

08 Aug 2018 17:44:30
As it stands we haven't lost one single player that we didn't want to lose, we have made what looks like a very astute signing in Fred and we have bought a very promising right back for the future.

There are positions that need strengthening we all know that, the manager, the fans, the board but the bottom line seems to be that the club does not want it's pants pulled down in every single negotiation just because we are Manchester United.

Fine by me we have some very promising youngsters and a very capable squad and regardless of what most on here think we also have one of the very best managers to ever be involved in the game .

For the time being my "end is nigh" sandwich board can stay in the shed.

08 Aug 2018 13:13:46
Get the feeling we are not going to sign anyone. No news of any players leaving either. Very disappointing transfer window and not optimistic about the season ahead. I think Ed needs to put someone else in charge of transfers and stop using this tactic of lining so many players up in the hope of signing 1. ☹️.

08 Aug 2018 12:37:28
IF, Martial does end up staying this window, can it be assumed he has signed a contract or extension? Reason is I thought he had just over 1 year to go and surely wouldn't think the club would let him run it down . Apologies if I have read it wrong
Ps I have used the search but haven't found anything.

08 Aug 2018 12:41:27
im sure we have the option to extend for a further year.

08 Aug 2018 12:53:37
Sincerely hope so Bolger -.

08 Aug 2018 12:07:25
Leicester are buying a couple of centre backs, please don't do it Woody!

08 Aug 2018 12:42:57
Seems more and more likely!

08 Aug 2018 13:37:33
I just don’t want us to spend a similar figure to that spent on Pogba on Maguire.

08 Aug 2018 08:53:03
Hi Eds. More of a question about how a club works really. Sorry if this is simple but i'm struggling to understand why this is a thing. Woodward seems to struggle in transfer markets but seems great at the commercial side. Is there any reason why we couldn't bring someone to solely focus on the transfers? An experienced negotiater that can get the deals done while Woodward continues on with what he is good at?

{Ed002's Note - I am not sure why you think he struggles. He doesn't pick the players.}

08 Aug 2018 10:38:15
Maybe because we've only really signed one first team player (Fred) Ed? Just over 24hrs of the window and key areas haven't been strengthed, frustrating, hopeful from your previous comments though.

{Ed002's Note - There is a lot of time available still.}

08 Aug 2018 10:52:04
I don't get the panic. Yes we only have a day left but Ed has said plenty of times there will be incomings and outgoings. I'm sure things are in place, let's just see how it unfolds, not long to go let's enjoy it.

08 Aug 2018 11:16:52
He came in when Moyes did and since then business has always been hard to come by. Granted football has evolved but some clubs find it so easy while we are still struggling with just over a day left. Liverpool for example may have overspent on some players but some of their deals have been great. Take Toby for example. He wants to leave and we want him. Spurs are going to have to sell eventually and surely they would rather get it done early so they could spend the money and we would want him early so he could be fit and ready to play our first game. But here we are with one day left and although it looks very likely nothing is ever sure until its confirmed.

Maybe its just Mourinhos comments that put him in a bad light in my mind.

Woodward is great at the commercial side so why not let him concentrate fully on that and have someone work fully on ins and outs.

08 Aug 2018 12:30:29
Luket,

Every player Liverpool sign is the best thing since sliced bread in the press and from the Liverpool fans. Fabinho - world class (didnt even make the Brazil squad), Keita - world class (no prem experience and imagine most have never even seen him play), Shaqiri - world class back up (just got relegated with Stoke and has left clubs previously because he wasn't first choice), Allison - world class keeper (no prem experience, not even that much top level experience, played at Anfield once in his career and conceded 5+ against them) .

So yea, they might do ok, but don't be fooled into believing all of their signings are the best of the best, if we want top players then it takes time.

08 Aug 2018 11:17:09
Ed’s,
Who do you think is most likely to move at this stage?

{Ed002's Note - I cannot answer “most likely” questions.}

08 Aug 2018 13:06:06
GDS2 By your logic then Fred has no premier experience and didn't get a minute of football at the world cup, Dalot is still very young with no experience and Grant couldn't get into the same stoke team that got relegated (granted he will probably never get a game anyway) so are they not good signings? I think the players we have brought in are good but compared to other teams in the top 6 (bar Spurs) we haven't strengthened as much.

I'm not saying liverpool's players are the best in the world but they have done very good business and relatively quickly so everyone has trained with the squad and is ready for the season starting. even if we sign someone today chances are it will take them a week or 2 to get up to speed.

At the end of the day time will tell if what we have done is good enough. I'm not Mourinho's biggest fan but if the manager doesn't think he has what he needs then that worries me.

08 Aug 2018 13:10:34
Who do you think will move on Ed? Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - See previous posts about who is available.}

08 Aug 2018 13:26:55
Also not sure what anyone else thinks but i would have taken Shaqiri for 13 million too.

08 Aug 2018 13:57:03
Gds, hand on heart do you honestly believe anything you wrote in your post? Its embarrassing to write off Liverpool's purchases the way you have.
Let's see what happens during the season, i would like you to admit to underestimating them come April next year, by the same score, we'll all hold our hands up if they fail miserably and United win the league.
Your argument that keita, allisson, fabinho have no PL experience is laughable. How much PL experience have Fred, Dalot and Grant got between them?
Optimism is great, but blind optimism is what has got us into this mess.

08 Aug 2018 14:19:24
AAA,

I have no idea how Liverpool's signings will do just like you don't, everything I said about each of them players is a fact though so yes I believe what I said. I was just trying to make the point that every time Liverpool sign a player he is the best thing since sliced bread even if they know nothing about him, the humour and fun on this website has totally disappeared recently and I will soon be going the same way as a few of the others and the reason most posts are so negative at the moment.

Supporting a football team is a hobby, I support united through thick and thin, I don't spend all my life worrying about transfers and I enjoy going to the games, people seem so upset and annoyed all the time about everything, I apologise for not living my life like that.

08 Aug 2018 08:58:20
Long time reader but don't post much these days. I must be the only fan that isn't bothered if we don't sign anymore players and the reason being, honestly ask yourself who was the last player we bought that made a massive difference consistently. Lukaku did okay last season, ibra did okay too but was never a long term investment. My point is we're either crap when it comes to buying the right players or it's what happens when they get here. pogba, Di Maria, Sanchez, Shaw, martial, Falcao, mkhitaryan, kagawa to name a few were all top players before they came to us and agreed Sanchez hasn't had time and Falcao was coming off another injury but we're fast becoming the team that kills talent not nurtures it. Until we sort that out it doesn't matter who we sign.

08 Aug 2018 09:05:21
All very true Strebor. But if we don't sign anybody then that means we are relying on Mourinho to improve the players organically. I haven't seen signs of that happening, certainly not to anywhere near the level to compete with City for the league.

Some of our rivals are strengthening and their signings in recent years have worked out as well. So not only are people like Pep and Klopp getting more from their existing players, they are also signing players for their system that on the whole seem to click. So a double whammy hit.

I think most of us realise that the only way to catch City currently is with making world class signings.

{Ed0333's Note - you can make all the world class signings you want but if you carry on playing prehistoric football under a manager who doesn’t want to be at your club the results will be the same. I would suggest you get rid of Mr Charisma and start again with someone who has a blueprint and some desire.

08 Aug 2018 09:19:11
beast i find it odd that a youngish manager like jose has failed to move with the times. fergie did this well albeit with the help of the assistant managers he employed, it was only in his latter years it dipped. now i'm not the kind of fan that calls for a managers head if results aren't happening as long as i can see where we're heading and unfortunately with mour i can't anymore. like ed0333 has said we can sign who we want but while jose is there i don't think it's going to make the slightest difference so why waste the money.

{Ed0333's Note - Im incredulous your board bettering the terms of Moan-rinho’s contract. Heads should role for that alone. You guys need to get rid of him ASAP and start again. He’s becoming toxic.

08 Aug 2018 09:26:08
Plans come from the top though ed. What's the glazers plan? Scrape top 4 and get the champions league cash. Sign marketable players with resale value. Woodward carries that out. They know jose can deliver top 4 but they have no further ambitions and he does.

{Ed0333's Note - I would be aghast if that’s the true ideology for the richest club in the world mate.

08 Aug 2018 09:42:32
+1 mort.

08 Aug 2018 09:30:32
like i said ed0333 i'm not one to call for a managers head but i find it difficult to disagree with you. his interviews get me angry and he'll never get the best out of his players while he's constantly slagging them off.

{Ed0333's Note - if he carries on like this he’ll the club will have no choice but to terminate his contract. How anyone can thrive and flourish under this atmosphere is beyond me.

08 Aug 2018 09:33:22
Well spending was cut under Fergie. No value in the market but he could keep on delivering. Its only when we started dropping out the top 4 they spent big money. Now were back in the top 4 the spendings stopping again. Ok as you say why waste the money on the current manager. But it is what it looks like.

08 Aug 2018 09:35:26
playing prehistoric football under a manager who doesn’t want to be at your club.

Harsh but true Ed.

I do worry it will end in tears, and I really don't want another season to go to waste. Hope the extra special one can at least earn his modest wage and get the players playing, even if he is sad and lonely.

First game is massive for many reasons. The world is waiting for us to fail on the opening night of the season and stick the knife in, so I hope we can get through the challenge.

Also seems like no smoke without fire on the situation with our reality TV star Pogba. Leaves us very exposed to this farcical position of our window closing early but the other European giants having free rein to unsettle our players for the rest of the month. Frequently flatter to deceive but possibly our only player with a bit of X factor so we are in a pickle without a replacement.

{Ed0333's Note - Your players should be giving their all but don’t due to the manager. Look at Sanchez on his day is unplayable but is a shadow of the player he can be and that in my opinion is due to Jose. This isn’t about me being a Liverpool fan and reveling in your misery I’d like nothing more than Liverpool and the red half of Manchester having strong teams and going toe to toe for the title that would give me unbridled joy. Jose is just a train wreck momentarily and with his demeanor you can’t help but want adverse results for him. The best analogy I can muster for my feelings toward Mourinho at the moment is it’s like when your dating someone that is moody. They are always in a bad mood and make your life hell but when on the odd occasion their in a good mood you think their the best partner on the planet. You abide their bad moods just to experience that once in a while positive demeanour. I’m sure the guy is a nice guy away from football but FFS mate smile will ya.

08 Aug 2018 10:12:08
Sat in 2nd place in the league when we went out and made Sanchez the highest paid player in EPL history .
Spends millions over the last few transfer windows.
This window hasn't even closed but dummies are out.

08 Aug 2018 10:21:29
There are some of us that have seen the writing on the wall and have been saying all this but of course we have a deluded group who believe it's the players' fault and want all the fair players we have gone so Mourinho can buy his lump-in-the-air giants.

People screaming about some players being on break, I haven't heard them or Mourinho complain about Fellaini.

08 Aug 2018 10:22:24
And you think there's nothing wrong?

08 Aug 2018 10:23:49
my dummies not out jred, like i said i don't mind if we don't sign anyone else, my problem is what we're doing with the player once they arrive. somethings wrong and no amount of superstars will change it. In fact the list of players i listed were not all purchased under Jose, it wasn't even a jose bashing statement i made. whether it's the coaches behind the scenes or maybe the old blueprint fergie used with the attitude/ mentality of a player being important has disappeared. something ain't working!

08 Aug 2018 10:23:53
Moyes. Wasn't backed in the market. Two panic buys.
Van Gaal. Claims he didn't get the players he asked for.
Mourinho kicking off this window because he hasn't got the players he asked for.
But there's nothing wrong.

08 Aug 2018 10:36:42
but what's being done with the players even when they're backed!

08 Aug 2018 11:05:32
Mourinho asked for two players;Bailly and Lindelof but went went on ahead to keep them on the bench while whe had calamity after catastrophe in defense.

How can the board back you when you don't use the players you asked for and were bought for you.


Remind me of the time he took off Pogba for McTominay.
MC to ina! I don't care what you think but your football sense is whack if you'll even contenplate justifying that ego-tripping action because Mourinho didn't do it for footballing reasons but to assertain who's the boss.

Constantly playing Fellaini over Herrera.

Another game we were seeking a goal he messed it up and we lost with Martial, Rashford and Mata on the bench.

Tell me something new!

08 Aug 2018 09:59:29
Ed 33 - I've been moaning and doing everyone's head in for a while about the Grumpy One. I have long said the most important transfer we can make is the one ridding us of our toxic manager. Probably Christmas his first season I realised that we had hired another LVG, somebody over his prime and not looking like he is willing or able to change his ancient ideas.

Watching my team look like West Brom almost every week is horrendous, especially with the hundreds of millions we have spent and quality we have.

{Ed0333's Note - your right pal get rid and start again. It will cost you a few quid but will only benefit you in the future. His once successfully tactics have long been bypassed with a different type of football and his once lauded man management is also a thing of the past. I think it stems from him not wanting to be there. You’re right he’s LVG on steroids.

08 Aug 2018 10:07:07
Ed0333 atleast Jose shows up on his dates unlike the great Klopp. Tell me again how many finals he won?

{Ed0333's Note - I think he’s not won any mate. But I’d still have Klopp over the guy that’s gonna drag your club into mid table mediocrity.

08 Aug 2018 16:47:31
Loads of jose bayttering . justified to an extent. He has imoroved things tho. tropies, position etc. No one can give a dead cert answer- one that holds up above all the rest as to who would bring us back. My humble guess is that the next manager who ever he be will a struggle too. Go and hammer me now but i have no answers just like you lot or maybe some subjective conjecture like the masses. No one can say with certainty who's better than jose. but yet he is what we have. i'm fed up of the whining, moaning and so on of fans. and then theres. Jose. I sense the toxics are back too. united are a multinational business with a footballer at the helm. pick holes but imagine the share price/ bottom line success being based on a bolchy, cocky failed footballer. what do you expect? Sir Alex was a one in a million everbody. he nearly ended at arsenal too and we wouldn't be here. we'd be like newcastle. a sleeping giant.

08 Aug 2018 17:07:26
How could ripping it up and syarting again work? there's three or four changes needed. 1, manager (who could yet proveus wrong - he has done more in football than many) . United have quality and need four players. Top class cb, ch, full bk, holding mid. Now why is a team that finished second last yr, euro lg yr before, spent more than spurs and arsenal over the past few years meant to rip it up.? Its like a drama for the sake of it . its poor reasoning. good lord almighty.

08 Aug 2018 08:31:23
I think if Pogba wants to leave then let him leave, the manager decides how to play and if a professional footballer does have issues in following manager's instructions, then good riddance.

Man Utd won't be fazed by player power, not in the past, not now and hopefully not in the future.

If Pogba's heart is set on a move then Ed must act swiftly and get that done. For they have an unsettled player we can use on RW who has electric pace.

A cash plus player exchange will suit all. Both the clubs get rid of unhappy players.

we can play 4231 with Dembele on the right, sanchez in the hole, Lukaku up top, Martial/ Rash on left, Fred, Pereira as holding.

08 Aug 2018 08:58:35
Sounds like a plan. programmerFan,
are you completely mad.
Who makes plans.