Manchester United Banter Archive January 08 2020

08 Jan 2020 12:53:58
That press conference was something else.

Legend Yeah, manager horribly clueless (at least for the club) .

08 Jan 2020 09:49:05
The worst thing about yesterday was that I was relieved and in some ways pleased we didn’t get smashed more than 3-1. That’s how far we’ve fallen. We’ve become a laughing stock on the world stage.

From top to bottom we are inept. Amateur board, scattergun transfer policy, disinterested owners, egomaniac CEO, a manager who is devoid of any tactical nous or ability, a supposed ‘star’ player who publicly undermines a club, a graveyard for talented players.

What has happened to this great club? It’s been destroyed in a matter of 6.5 years. We really are at an important cross road for our future. Keep someone who is so out of his depth as manager is potentially catastrophic for our future.

Already we are an unattractive proposition, but who wants to play for a manager and team that serves up that dross last night? Can’t deny I’ve never been this worried in my lifetime as a United fan.

The only positive last night was Brandon Williams for me. That kid has the heart of a lion. He never gave up, never let his head drop and was a match for Bernardo. He made some brilliant driving runs and showed real quality at times.

I’m not sure how long we can go on like this, but I hope our board can make a decision and fast. The past suggests they can’t even do that.

08 Jan 2020 10:13:42
Top post.

08 Jan 2020 11:13:59
The rot set in the day the Glazers bought the club saddling us with enormous debt and high interest payments making the timely replacement of like with like as players aged a thing of the past.

Only the will power, nous, and ability of Sir Alex, coupled with the marketing power of the EPL and the CEO's ability to capitalize on a United brand that someone else created for him, held it together for so long. The last six and half years are the fruit of the first 10 under the Glazers. Yes, they have spent money - lots of it since - but they have spent it unwisely because they haven't a clue what they're doing as far as football itself is concerned. Not a clue.

Ed 002 has blamed the toxic fans in the past, but nowadays he regularly talks about the incompetence of the club's management. In truth it has always been a failure of management that's at the root of the problems. (This is not the fault of the Board except insofar as they retain the services of a CEO and team who don't know how to inspire a football club)

I sometimes wonder, when the Glazers took over and our debt was £600m+ and revenues were £230m, what would have happened if all of a sudden the club started sputtering on the field as it's doing now. Would we have survived? Would we have gone the way of Leeds United? The Glazers have been very lucky. They leveraged the club and made a lot of money. But it could have been otherwise. It may yet be.

As far as Ole is concerned he is obviously out of his depth. I have not been a great fan of Pocchetino for the role, that is assuming he's even interested in the position, but I will give him this. He did a very good job working with a young Tottenham team, giving them an identity and style. He may not have won anything, but at this point in time winning things should not be the top priority.

We need to get back to basics. What we have are a number of very promising young players and not much else. Let him get rid of the dead wood, give him the budget he never had at Spurs, and perhaps, in 2-3 years, we will have a decent football team again. despite the incompetence of Woodward and his team.

08 Jan 2020 11:19:13
Cheers Singh. And really good post Shaw. I agree with all of that. Although I do think Poch would do well here.

08 Jan 2020 11:25:35
If we are to navigate ourselves out of this current malaise Man Utd must start acting like a big Club. Despite our recent appalling performances against Arsenal, Wolves and Man City a top 4 finish is still within reach but only if the Club acts decisively and invests in the squad this January.

Nobody was too disheartened when the likes of Lukaku, Sanchez, Fellaini and Herrera were allowed to leave the Club. Most were deemed not good enough to wear the shirt of our great Club and had become synonymous with the abject and mediocre performances we'd come to expect. Sanchez, Fellaini and even Lukaku had all become scapegoats for a Club basking in mediocrity yet paying a kings ransom for the privilege. The expectation was these overpaid charlatans would be replaced and upgraded by better models more deserving of the shirt; yet amidst the exodus came no fresh blood. No upgrades, no additional quality, nothing.

Instead the Club would choose to promote from within; ignoring the inconvenient truth that the charlatans were perhaps still better than what remained. Players like Lingard, Pereria, Fred, Mctominay, Rashford and Martial led by the enigmatic Paul Pogba would herald a new dawn, or so we were told. The fact that most of theses players had already been at the Club for a number of years and failed to deliver on any kind of consistent basis was seemingly dismissed and ignored.

OGS is now paying the price for a naive and complacent summer window. Lukaku and Herrera simply had to be replaced; not just replaced but upgraded and this was in addition to the business we'd already done.

If this season has taught us anything it's we don't have a recognised No10. Lingard, Pereria and Mata simply aren't good enough. We still don't have a RW and our midfield is none existent. Matic and Pogba will move on in the summer. Both will need replacing. Realistically we'll need at least three CM's, a No10, a RW and possibly a CF.

Bruno Fernandes is still available and would be a good place to start. Waiting for the inevitable is simply repeating the mistakes of the past.

08 Jan 2020 12:06:47
Good post dlib, sorry to nitpick, but weren't you and shappy championing the club's vision and yourself dismissing and ignoring that what we had wasn't good enough? I remember, me and a lot of other posters complaining about the lack of depth and you both replying with essays about how pigs might fly.

08 Jan 2020 12:59:09
CSM - ha ha ha ha, your right mate and I do love a good essay.

I thought the players we signed during the summer were promising however there was no doubt in my mind more investment was needed especially considering the players that had been allowed to leave.

I was livid when Lukaku was sold and not replaced. It was obvious there was a lack of goals in the squad and I was unhappy that we didn't get a RW or a replacement for Herrera.

I'm not a fan of 4-2-3-1 but to play this system effectively we needed a No10 and RW.

I believed in the likes of Rashford, Martial and Mctominay to step up but I wrongly calculated that Pogba would give us a decent farewell season with the Euro's in the summer to keep him honest.

Injuries have bitten hard and left the squad exposed and I must admit I've been very disappointed with the form of De Gea, Lindelof, Shaw, Lingard and of course Pogba who has been injured. I feel that these players in particular have let the manager down after he placed so much faith in them.

Had they performed to expectations I think Ole was entitled to think this team was capable of achieving a top 4 finish but it was also naive not to expect some injuries and loss of form and the depth of the squad was just not good enough.

Ole's great gamble will probably backfire but he didn't get the backing he needed. Another two key signings in the summer could have made all the difference.

Sadly it's looks like the Club are paralysed by indecision once again. They will probably not invest this January and leave Ole a dead man walking. A new manager beckons in the summer when Ole doesn't deliver Champions League football and the whole sorry circus will start again.

{Ed047's Note - you sure do! 😉

08 Jan 2020 14:12:13
the problem as regards lack of goals in our team is not our forwards Rashford, Martial and Greenwood have scored a fair few between them .

The problem is the complete lack of goals and creativity from midfield and also from the full back areas .

08 Jan 2020 07:46:17
Wanted to echo the comments of Andy Goldstein who said he isn't angry anymore, just sad.

The only players that can or could cut it here are De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Tuanzebe, Williams, McTominay, James, Martial, Rashford and Greenwood.

Look at our bench yesterday.

We need at least 6 starters: A partner for Maguire, two central midfielders, a centre forward, a number 10 and a right sided attacker (still) .

They don't have to cost the world and I'd love to see some shrewd buys.

Get poch in now - I almost hope we lose to Norwich.

The crowd has started to turn.

{Ed047's Note - I don’t really think anyone can argue with that Fresh

08 Jan 2020 08:16:59
agree with that fresh.

but we were set up for disaster when we didn't make the necessary signings in the summer.

ole was never going to succeed with the backing that was shown in the summer in terms of getting in the players we needed.

as you say look at our bench, who we bringing on to change the game.

we bring in poch he needs to be backed. Pointless changing managers again when its the same process every year.

08 Jan 2020 08:28:09
I never hope we lose fresh personally always going for a miracle.

08 Jan 2020 09:07:22
bolger no competent manager will allow players like lukaku or hererra leave without getting in a replacement. Also they will have some clue as to what tactic or style they want to play.

08 Jan 2020 10:14:57
Never hope to lose but it really is sad watching how the club is letting this happen.

08 Jan 2020 10:46:58
I find every time we sack a manager exciting as it gives me hope. Until they start and it’s the same as usual dross.

08 Jan 2020 11:01:10
do you really think ole has a say on who to keep and sell.

he was prob promised the club will try sign replacements but as usual its all about the books.

08 Jan 2020 11:01:21
Common Sense - was it really up to Ole to let Lukaku and Herrera go? For me Lukaku is in the same mould as Pogba, he was completely disinterested and wanted the move. The board seen 79 million pounds coming back from Inter and took the money. Herrera wanted a massive increase in wages and apparently the board didn't want to pay it, that isn't Ole's fault. Ole's is a yes man and had no say in it. I am not defending Ole by the way, he is completely out of his depth, we need a change. The whole club from top to bottom is embarrassing, an absolute laughing stock.

08 Jan 2020 12:01:03
Simo what exactly are you arguing here? bolger's point was that it isn't the manager who is at fault and changing manager wouldn't change much, which i disagree with as while even a competent manager won't win much with this lot, it won't be as shambolic as it is currently.

If ole is a yes man as you put it, then surely he is a big problem, and the reason lukaku wanted to leave was because ole didn't fancy him, and how exactly was he disinterested? i remember that psg game that got ole this job, lukaku worked as hard as anybody, not his fault ole didn't play him much. About hererra, a manager can force the board's hand, if the yes man had been a bit firm with his higher ups maybe hererra wouldn't have left.

08 Jan 2020 12:33:41
I agree ole is clueless but I'm telling you now. Any manager would struggle with that team.


Were 5th 5 points off 4th somehow.

08 Jan 2020 12:49:45
FRESH- agree with majority of your post except

"The only players that can or could cut it here are De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Tuanzebe, Williams, McTominay, James, Martial, Rashford and Greenwood. "

DDG -a delorean and a fax machine would fix him; not a fan, great shotstopper but distribution, crap, strength/ commanding his space at crosses, poor andover the last few seasons just doesn't seem up for it.
AWB work in progress agree but poor at both forward passing and crossing attempts
maquire, tuanzebe and williams exiting prospects with good sytems in place
mctominay- we are missing his drive and tenacity
james and greenwood definate potential.
Rashford didn't want to know last night and has shown signs that all is not happy? and martial injury prone, lazy and plays the same as pp, turns up 1 in 5 if we are lucky. OGS has no plan b and not sure about plan A tbh but he cannot shoulder the blame. A common denominator the last 6/ 7 year has been the infastructures poor quality and the recruitment in all departments but the coaching set up and staff apart from the manager is farcical.
City, pool etc have been slowly building a structure/ framework for success over a similar period putting pieces of the jigsaw in slowly BUT surely, identifying people required behind the scenes to deliver on the pitch; by comparison we have spent money by the bucket load but to paper over the cracks without preparing the foundation.
Last night was one of the worst team performances I have witnessed in 4 decades of support but I'll be there on saturday hoping for a result but i fear the rot is set in.

08 Jan 2020 12:54:20
Lukaku was not the answer, move on.