Manchester United banter 8

28 Sep 2025 02:37:59
Rubbish performance aside, I'm still trying to work out how Mbuemo wasn't denied a goalscoring opportunity.

28 Sep 2025 09:56:06
He was, Howard Webb will be on ref watch apologising and saying the refs are learning and must do better, just you wait. It’s a red card for every single person watching, even Collins knew, apart from the clowns making the decisions.

28 Sep 2025 11:07:53
The decision only made worse why the fact that chalobah was sent off for Chelsea for doing the same thing only an hour later.

28 Sep 2025 12:51:03
Yup. Awful decision from all involved. We were once again nowhere near good enough, but had they gone down to ten men I’m fairly sure we’d have beaten them. I don’t think Bruno misses the penalty if he’s not made to wait five minutes either.

Obviously bad decisions go against you sometimes, but they seem to be going against us a lot more often than they’ve been going for us so far this season.

28 Sep 2025 12:56:00
Standard of VAR is a complete joke. need ex pros in there with them. Definitely a red for collins. The Chelsea v Brighton game and gusto almost kicks the Brighton players head out the stadium and not deemed a foul or dangerous play ?.

28 Sep 2025 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Tusole has posted a new article entitled, Chelsea FC No Longer Has A Trophy Winning Policy?

27 Sep 2025 23:57:18
Ruben Amorim: "It is always the same. When we win, it is not the system, when we lose, it is the system. "

This illustrates his delusional mentality. One judges a system not with regard to winning or losing any particular game, but with regard to the total number of wins and losses over the course of a season. Amorim's record is abysmal and right now it's not looking like it's going to get much better.

28 Sep 2025 05:27:04
It’s very difficult to understand the tripe he comes out with in fact I know the perfect position for him, either Sir Kiers replacement or his number 2…. Both are in positions currently that they have zero experience in or qualifications to be in, both are making a pigs ear of it, both are as popular currently, both can’t get results on anything when the answers are staring them in the face.

Are they related by any chance!

28 Sep 2025 05:28:13
My comment was disappointingly dumped on discussion page, but yesterday’s management decisions were appalling. I will not hide from saying that.

28 Sep 2025 06:47:39
9 wins in 33 matches. The system ?.

28 Sep 2025 07:10:39
We didn't beat Chelsea because of the system. We beat them because we capitalised on them going down to 10 men early.

He has 3 wins in his last 10 games and none of them were because of this "system" he believes in.

I'd take park the bus Mourinho at this point.

28 Sep 2025 09:42:58
I have a feeling it’ll be OGS as interim again.

28 Sep 2025 10:31:50
I know this will be unpopular. It looks likely Ruben is setting the scene to vacate the United manager post. There are some good shouts to replace him, Ireola etc
What we need is a manager who comes in and stabilises United, works with the players here, makes us hard to play against.
Sadly that man is Southgate, I’m not his greatest fan by any stretch.
Hard to type but United are a graveyard for careers, players sign and within months they are shadows of former selves. Players leave and improve.
I don’t think it’s specifically a mentality problem but it’s definitely psychological, and I mean psychological from the club, fans, and players.

28 Sep 2025 12:33:37
RA managed to be worse than all the managers we had after Fergie. Even Moyes done better than him.

Now he started with the lame excuses. His time is up.

28 Sep 2025 12:35:09
I think he’s given up. They’re still trying to play counter attacking football in Amorim's front foot formation. Player power and the garbage senior leadership team speak to much of the problems . Until that’s gone nothing will change. His captain is the worst in the league.

When the going gets tough Bruno cries like a baby. Can hardly stand to look at him in the pitch because of how it makes us look.

28 Sep 2025 12:56:53
Fine margins, and all that. If Bruno hadn’t fluffed his penalty against Fulham, we’d be two points better off. If he’d scored the penalty yesterday, we’d probably have ridden the momentum and gone on to get the three points.

Those extra five points would put us in joint second, three points off the top.

28 Sep 2025 15:21:32
Redseven if we go on the principles of what might have been we can it's only fair to consider every other goal or point that every other team 'should' have gained too. Sorry, it's only what's on the board that counts. Bringing it home is part of it, not just the what ifs.

28 Sep 2025 19:27:28
Last I checked, no team has missed penalties against us in the league, Spenno. I can’t think of any instances where decisions have gone our way when they shouldn’t, either. In fact, on another day, I think Arsenal’s goal against us gets ruled out for a foul, and Bournemouth’s first goal as well. Cas shouldn’t have been sent off against Chelsea, and they probably should have been down to nine men due to Cucarella’s horrendous tackle. And don’t get me started on the Collins decision yesterday.

You’re right, of course, it’s the points on the board that matter, but let’s not ignore the fact that we have been terribly unlucky so far this season.

29 Sep 2025 09:56:17
Redseven, Being unlucky does not change the fact the manager is terrible. the team are playing terribly. And if we carry on we will be in a relegation fight. Is it unlucky that his record is 49 games 19 wins 21 losses and 9 draws I don't think it is unlucky its just inept and we need to move on and quickly.

27 Sep 2025 22:36:33
Also I would like to say a big thank you to the eds on this site after ed002 passed away they keep this site relevant thank you for your time and effort!

{Ed001's Note - thank you mate.}

28 Sep 2025 07:42:39
I have to echo those sentiments, this isn’t just another fan forum, it’s a community with lots of different personalities all contributing to lively weekly debates. That is all made possible by the Eds, so thanks for all the time, patience and effort you guys put in.

{Ed001's Note - thank you so much! It is an oddity though that all the sites get busiest in bad times. Why do people love to complain so much I wonder?}

27 Sep 2025 22:28:33
Id like to get experienced opinions what people can put their fingers on, what is the major malfunction at our club what is it?

27 Sep 2025 23:02:54
Devoid of any pace and lack of heart.

27 Sep 2025 23:16:09
Easy, from top. glazers. its a cash cow and ran like a business not a football club. massive debt created by them, club ran into ground and supporters being ripped off. Add the soul and community being ripped apart by them and Radcliffe. list is endless but the glazers has utterly destroyed the club.

28 Sep 2025 02:04:43
Years of mismanagement, poor recruitment, years of poisonous employees running a muck etc etc.
We needed a reset, and we have started that.
It starts from everywhere.
Training ground is now world class
Stadium has a masterplan
Youth setup is flying
We have shipped out a lot of the dross and/ or toxic players
We have recruited for the future.
It takes time to change over a decade of bad decisions.

28 Sep 2025 05:28:46
Every club nowadays is run like a business, even the FA is a business, all professional football is, that’s just not a stick to beat the glazers with that’s commonplace…it’s 2025 not 1980.

28 Sep 2025 05:34:44
Yes agree with East Stand Nick, the Glazer ownership. Direction comes from above, the day to day management may be Ratcliffe but the owners give direction. I have been in board meetings where MD’s cower to owners telling them what they want. The model Ratcliffe has given leaves us flawed, left Glazers who have bled the club dry, in charge, with a massive debt. It should have been a clean takeover Glazers gone, no debt, what we have now is a lack of direction and a part owner in Ratcliffe who doesn’t have a good history in football ownership. Sort the top ownership out so we move in one direction is vital.

28 Sep 2025 07:24:47
I’d trace it back even further, Nick. Before Ferguson’s arrival, Manchester United were rarely a genuine force in the league. There were occasional cup runs, but the club was often weighed down by a drinking culture, and some spicy scandals, Ferguson’s appointment sparked a cultural and competitive revolution, redefining what the club could be.

In truth, United’s history has really only seen three prolonged eras of dominance under Mangnall, Busby, and Ferguson. Outside of those golden periods, the club has usually looked much like it does today flashes of quality, but lacking sustained success.

Now with the club focused on Project 150, that goal feels as far off as that 26-year wait once did, for the men’s team at least.

28 Sep 2025 14:45:38
The issue is the character of the players.

They aren't driven to win, winning teams, winning individuals have a hunget, a drive.

You see it in any moment of adversity, they wilt. You see it on the pitch in moments all the time. Youll see players stop competing and turn to the ref with an opposition player carrying on playing.

You will aunited players banging their hand on the floor throwing their arms around in frustration, not spring back to thwir feet and fight to make amends.
United lack players with heart to stand up when things get tough, lack players with the drive to push the team on to fight through adversity. To stand up when get physically battered, we get pushed around on set pieces because we don't have players who revel in a phsyical battle.

United will not progress until they find a coupke of characters like this. You get a couple of players like this and everything will impove, o4hers will follow their lead.

If i was United leaders i would be throwing money at Guehi and Palace and at Elliott Anderson and Forest.

I know the first seems to wamt Liverpool well he seems exactly the sort of leader we need now and the right kind of character that's worth apendint extra and Anderson is constantly involved and drives the team on. Both lead by example.

We don't need world class players we need a couple of world class characters in the squad.

27 Sep 2025 21:56:25
Take the positives.
Sesko off the mark!
Time to get Cunha off the mark asap otherwise he gets a red card soon.
I really want to see Mainoo start with Ugarte.
The defense concerns me still.

27 Sep 2025 22:13:20
I hate been negative, but its extremely hard to find any positives with our showing today, it was the worst imo since sir Alex departed.

27 Sep 2025 22:39:34
I admire your optimism mate I really do…top 4 is achievable if we get our act together, just don’t see that happening under this manager. 33 games, 17 losses in the EPL, that’s atrocious by any clubs standards.

28 Sep 2025 02:09:46
Top 4 is achievable? I'll have what he's drinking!

28 Sep 2025 09:23:43
Take a look at the rest there’s None of them setting the world alight bar Arsenal and Liverpool. If we get ourselves together then top 4/ 5 is achievable. Do I think we will get there under RA? NO, but that’s the point. Where’s the point of continuing along the path we are on as it’s clearly not working, make a change now b4 another season is flushed down the toilet.

29 Sep 2025 10:01:38
Tim that's the issue we won't get our selfs together. we have just gone 49 games 19 wins 21 losses and 9 draws. We are relegation fodder until this manager leaves.

27 Sep 2025 21:08:25
Anyway are you allowed to make a substition between a penalty decision and penalty being taken and VAR deciding on a penalty? Today was ok so it seems all good. Chaloba gets a red even though the player wasn't in control of the ball. Mbeumo deemed not in control as he was pulled back. So Collins gets a yellow and referee not sent to screen. Referee didn't give anything for Chaloba but sent to the screen. Great consistency on the same day.

28 Sep 2025 02:06:07
It was a stonewall red card. No attempt to go for the ball, pulled Mbeumo back. Would’ve been a tap-in. Bruno use to seem bulletproof when it came to pens but he got flustered when he backed into the ref against Fulham and then missed after a 5 min delay against Brentford. Pressure makes diamonds and Bruno is know for going missing when it matters. I’d put Mbeumo on pens, he had a great record for Fulham following on from Toney after he left.

28 Sep 2025 02:11:30
Blatant red. Would have only papered over the cracks.

27 Sep 2025 20:45:17
I've been a constant reader of this site for the last 12 years and i have registered just to post this, that game today was the worst I have seen since Alex fergeson retired, I wanted ruben to succeed but after today its a must now he needs to go, I don't know what's wrong with our club and we are in a constant loop with managers/ players and it breaks my heart.

27 Sep 2025 20:55:33
Football wise I think it's the worst start to a season for a very very long time. At this stage I'm indifferent to it now. It doesn't seem to matter who he plays or where he plays them the performance is always terrible and we usually lose.

27 Sep 2025 22:18:20
Its not that its the worst start, its we have no identity, its absolutely shocking, its that bad I don't even know know how we could start correcting it, i'm LOST.

28 Sep 2025 02:17:38
Problem is, putting it on the manager gives the players, the management team and the owners a free pass. They all get to carry on and we all start the cycle again.

These players can't play his system. No doubt. The have proven it.

I would play the kids. Lamens, yoro, heaven, mainoo and ugarte. Hell even Leon and Kone if needed. I could get behind losing if I felt that we were bleeding young talent for the future. Stay in Epl and develop the next gen. Can't be worse than this lot.

If amorim fails then those who picked him should go too. It was clearly a terrible pick as we needed to change the whole squad to have a chance of it working.

And please for the love of all things mighty, drop fernandes. Should have sold him.

27 Sep 2025 18:09:07
As I said a few weeks ago, if every other coach can see what our weaknesses are and Amorim is unwilling to fix them, they will be exploited.

The first goal today was the most blatant illustration. With the two wider centre backs pressed up, the wing backs pressed up, and the two midfielders pressed up, all it takes is one hopeful ball over the top and we're exposed.

People can talk about Amorim tinkering with things all they like, but the basic foundations of formation, shape, and tactical approach never change, and they are not working.

One of the things that really sticks out to me is the lack of threat coming from the two number 10s. The club spent over £100m on Chunha and Mbeumo. They were supposed to give us attacking threat and creativity. However, they often seem completely anonymous. Chunha in particular looks lost. This is a player that can score and create, but the space he's being asked to play in really limits his ability to impact the game. Today he seemed to be drifting all over the field trying to get on the ball. The system puts creative players in congested areas of the pitch, and this results in the wingbacks being the ones with the space to create. It's just not working for the players, the team, or the coach.

I can't see a situation where Amorim keeps his job because he isn't willing to change something that is fundamentally broken.

27 Sep 2025 18:49:41
See my post below Danny.

27 Sep 2025 19:03:28
Exactly, AJH. The coach’s job is to get the best out of the players, and if the players can play better in a different system, then do it. Amorim’s style of play is not getting the best out of anyone, including players he bought specifically to play in it.

27 Sep 2025 20:35:16
Said it about the Chelsea game, we didn't look any better; we were just lucky they went down to 10 men after 5 minutes.

We are poor, not even statistically; we are just poor under RA. This "system" isn't a system and certainly isn't good enough for the Premier League. Whatever it is meant to be doesn't work. I would argue this is the worst football to watch under any of our other managers. Previous managers have been sacked for less.

Its not just RA fault. Ineos incompetence also to blame. Not listening to the people appointed. Not getting a centre midfielder in the window.

Despite the best in class structure, we are far from it. Ineos couldn't run a bath.

27 Sep 2025 21:00:37
Didn't palace just beat Liverpool with a 343 system.

27 Sep 2025 22:23:15
It all boils down to the coach. Not good enough.

28 Sep 2025 04:43:24
Palace got proper CBs to play the system decent wing backs and a midfield that’s the difference, plus a coach who plays to his strengths.

28 Sep 2025 07:29:04
Ironic if Amorim is sacked, Glasner comes in plays 3-4-3 and makes it work.

27 Sep 2025 16:26:42
I think we have bought well recently, we now have some very good players, but the system is making them look ordinary.

Heaven and Yoro have huge potential, as does Sesko, Cunha and Mbuemo are EPL proven, and when fit, Mount has looked good. We also have many other players who I think k would do well in a more flexible formation.

433 or 442 would see a real change in our form, but the Manager is entrenched, same approach for every game, irrespective of the opposition or the state of the game. Even when struggling we carry on with this bizarre formation. Grimsby anyone? Sadly he has made a rod for his own back; bu being so entrenched he has nowhere to go.

The issue for me was our approach. Last week we were hungry and aggressive, this week we were sluggish and passive, surely it is not to much to ask to motivate the players and ensure they are up for it.

For the first time today the substitutions were a tiny bit more adventurous, but surely we need to be very adventurous when chasing a game.

I'd love to be wrong, and I said it before, but RA looks like a man who is finding the water too deep. People are focusing on us having played 3 big teams, but we drew with Fulham, lost to Brentford, and were embarrassed by in Grimsby, scraping a wun against Burnley. Stats don't lie, and RA's are shocking.

27 Sep 2025 18:39:18
AJH

35 games, 32 points. let that sink in. If that was a full season, we would be relegated. united, relegation form.

I'm sorry, but we appointed a manager way way way out of his depth

I didn't want Ole, I said he was way out of his depth, which he was, but he was a damn sight better than this guy and that's saying something.

27 Sep 2025 18:56:05
Its just become political now with the Ineos ownership in my opinion.

Sacking Amorim to them would be admitting that Ashworth was right given the aggressive briefing that came out in the media at the time.

27 Sep 2025 19:23:23
I don't get the whole combining points from this and last season.
Whilst I agree with a lot of the points especially around sticking with the formation, RA didn't want to come mid season and was using poorly performing players that got a previous manager sacked and barely had time to work with them.
Bunch of quality signings as said above but they'll take time to gel.
Whether it's the right system and manager to do it, I'm not sold, but it's this season that should be judged.

27 Sep 2025 20:29:03
DSG is right there’s a political agenda but I think noise is so loud now there must be change.

As AJH says Amorim has been backed with quality signings and the moving out of players he doesn’t want. The club barring a DM, has removed every excuse. They’ve given him time and support, things all managers after SAF haven’t benefited from.

Credit where it’s due if this management team had been with Ole in his time, we’d likely have Haaland, Bellingham etc.

Someone pointed out a clause that saves £12M in compensation if sacked in the after 12 months. So I wouldn’t be surprised if Amorim is given a few more weeks yet.

I’d be delighted to seem him come out with a 4231 and win or at least play well against Sunderland and Liverpool but I’ve zero confidence in the man.

I hope they are working on Iraola and Howe now.

27 Sep 2025 21:53:56
Wouldn’t be too sure we’ll beat Sunderland. They’re currently 3rd and 4 points ahead of us.

28 Sep 2025 06:29:24
Tim when you say it like that then 4 points off thrird place doesn't sound so bad.