Manchester United rumours 2

28 Aug 2025 17:59:12
Some stories floating around the Internet that Burnley will be Amorims last game in charge. He's walking away apparently.

Just passing on what I read. Likely a load of made up rubbish.

28 Aug 2025 18:59:27
It has come from his post match interview when he basically said that himself, not sure if it was just emotion talking though.

28 Aug 2025 21:01:56
No, it was Ruben Amorim, GDS. It was on tv and all, unless this emotion was impersonating him, and, as we all know, identity theft is not a joke.

28 Aug 2025 23:10:56
I thought Amorim was calling out his players for their attitude for not following their instructions.

I thought in the second half he bought on those he does trust to save the game.

I have heard/ read a lot of different takes on those words.

I think he's done because he's realised that we still need that open heart surgery and what he thought would happen this summer hasn't.

I didn't think we would go into this season with no midfield.

28 Aug 2025 23:19:34
Why is Amorim calling out his players? He selects them. It’s kind of obvious that several players believe that they are better than what they really are. Leave them out.

29 Aug 2025 00:15:27
Becsuse i dint think he expected to have the squad he did. We have clearly been after a DM and GK as well but we didn't think we would shift no one on.

He can only select from what he has i dknt think anyone thought qe would think this GK options and rhis midfield would be acceptable.

29 Aug 2025 09:10:22
Mourinho, Ruud, and Ole are now all available. I’d actually have Jose back, although would prefer to stick with Amorim, assuming he hasn’t lost all faith in the project.

29 Aug 2025 09:22:33
I think he's the kind of person who would walk away if he felt that the players weren't with him.

However, I don't think that will happen this weekend. I feel like his interviews after the Grimsby game had a lot of emotion in them, which will happen after a bad performance and result, at least it does if you care.

While Amorim's display of emotion was different, it's the same thing as when SAF would come out after a game angry (which often ended with a fine/ ban from the FA) . It's the emotions that hit immediately after and during games.

I suspect once that immediate spike in emotions has subsided and the brain starts to take back the wheel with logic I imagine Amorim's response will be very different.

What we need to do now is decide are we fans or are we supporters. We play a big role at our club, we can either get behind the team and the manager, try and be that 12th man on the pitch, help carry them when they are struggling so that the club can move forward. Or we can turn toxic, snipe and tear them down, dragging our club backwards.

We know how the latter turns out, we've seen it enough times over the past decade. Hopefully we've learned from our mistakes and we choose a different path now.

29 Aug 2025 11:43:00
‘He picks them’ is hilarious how quick we forget we had to fill the bench with kids last season or how bad we were, there is no one else to pick from. 3 windows turns into 3 matches ….
The top 4 could put out a 2nd team to challenge us, we can’t fill a first 11 with half decent players, never mind a bench. Bar 2 players the squad needed changing. It does highlight how Eth decimated the club though (they couldn’t play 4-3-3 either) . Give the new boys achance despite them senior management has failed miserably this window. (So far) i honestly believe we are only a couple of players away from a good side. We just have to get our heads down till we get there and get rid of those who aren’t bothered. it’s clear that every manager can see how weak our players are they get after us in the first half it’s piss easy. Having said that he should strengthen midfield in the first half. Once we go behind even Arsenal had eight men behind the ball. But are the players capable of that? A pub team would be able to play his formation by now which raises all types of questions.

28 Aug 2025 17:39:51
Galatasary sniffing round lammens and had talks with him today. If we lose out on him then who? because we simply cannot continue with Onana and bayindir.

28 Aug 2025 17:56:19
You’re putting a lot of faith in a young, untested keeper. No guarantee he’s any good or ready to be first choice.

There are some videos around of good saves he's made. But have a look for the videos on his mistakes. In some clips he looks no better than Onana.

28 Aug 2025 18:06:03
Why haven’t we gone all in for Donnarumma? The last thing we need is an untested GK. Yes Donnarumma hasn’t played in the PL but surely if available we got to rival City after the rubbish show yesterday.

28 Aug 2025 18:10:58
Fall guy I’m not saying he’s the messiah just that he’s the only credible gk link we have so if we don’t get him do we have any other options. Continuing with what we have just can’t be an idea, I’d honestly start heaton if we don’t sign anyone.

28 Aug 2025 19:00:04
Singh,

Because he wants £300k a week and would be coming for the money, have we not learnt?

28 Aug 2025 20:40:35
Donnarumma isn’t the answer in my opinion. I don’t think he’s any better at crosses into the box. Although he is a better shop stopper. But he will want a ridiculous salary.

I’d look at Costa from Porto. Or just go and get Emi Martinez.

29 Aug 2025 08:25:51
We should sign Ederson from City. €15-20m for a keeper of his caliber is a steal. Can’t think of too many players who are better with their feet.

29 Aug 2025 09:28:53
Redseven, if we still had EtH as manager then Ederson might make some sense. Or if we had a manager who puts a lot of focus on playing out from the back with the keeper.

Yet that's not really Amorim's style, he doesn't need a playmaker keeper. He needs a good shot stopper who is strong in the air and commands his box.
The 343 shape should force teams to attack the wide areas with the middle of the pitch congested. That tends to lead to his team's facing more crosses than teams that play with a back four.

The problems we have with Onana and Bayindir is that both are weak in the air and tend to flap at crosses, and neither command their box well or communicate with their defence. Both can be reasonable shop stoppers (although Onana makes a lot of saves he had a tendency to push the ball back into danger, but does at least make the initial save) .

Ederson doesn't solve any of our problems with the keeper while adding a strength that isn't needed and wouldn't be made the most of.

29 Aug 2025 14:24:31
Maybe on paper, Shappy, but in reality, our current formation just leads to teams running straight through our midfield and attacking us head on. Our vulnerability from corners comes more from the poor positioning of our defenders than our keeper (although, dgmr, our keepers do suck) .

Ederson is a better shot stopper than any of current keepers and could walk right into the starting 11. Maybe Lammens will become an elite keeper, but Ederson is already at that level, and would cost around the same.

27 Aug 2025 17:02:42
I’d have Ole Gunnar back for 2.5 seasons now.

I genuinely think he’d get more out of this team.

27 Aug 2025 17:54:17
Time for Ken I think 🍿.

27 Aug 2025 18:02:17
Ole caused enough problems. Scored a goal in 99, not a manager for us, move on.

27 Aug 2025 18:34:13
As a certain J P McEnroe said "you cannot be serious"

27 Aug 2025 20:41:43
I’m with IUtd Road. Our best football in 13 years was under him.

This is utter tripe. Ruben out of his league. He’s confirmed what I’ve thought all along.

27 Aug 2025 20:54:31
can’t see what amorim is excited about, but a good goalkeeper would be worth getting excited about. 3 of our last four goals have been absolute goalkeeping errors.
Ian wright spoke of the effect it has on a team after the arsenal match and i can’t help but think Amorim hasn’t been backed on this end…. yet.

27 Aug 2025 20:55:21
Mainoo wouldn’t make it into the grimsby team on this performance, never mind real and atletico!

27 Aug 2025 23:03:11
Mainoo played fairly well. Onana was horrific. The confidence in the team is being eroded by all these individual mistakes. Bayindir, Dalot, Onana, Onana, Onana. We should be much better but we're 3 games into the season. This doom and gloom won't help anything.

27 Aug 2025 23:07:55
Mainoo was ok. It was a no win match for him. His team mates hardly covered themselves in glory and he was coming in from having played barely any minutes I thought he did ok.

28 Aug 2025 01:05:52
He did OK first half hour or was all to fat for him and he was or but found his feet. To be expected not played for a while.
Awful team performance needless to say i would expect a lot better.
Keeper is a joke.
Midfield and wing backs were shocking.

28 Aug 2025 02:55:49
Cunha, Dorgu, Amad were flat.
Sesko was non existent.
Ugarte was non existent.
Fredrickson was a lost puppy, and needed Maguire to guide him, where was the leadership through the spine?
Onana. FMD, never let him near the teamsheet again.

I thought Mainoo did ok, given the above, and paired with Bruno was also, okay. I thought the dynamics really changed when Zirkzee came on, the link up when he is involved is key to this system actually being successful.
MdL was solid, Mbeumo needs games but made a difference.

However, we desperately need a keeper in. Above anything else.

28 Aug 2025 06:31:37
Mainoo did okay? I have seen him misplacing a number of passes. The manager is good, its the players that are letting him down time and again.

And Ruben is not learning from his mistakes, he has a very good starting eleven, why field players like Onana, Ugarte, Dalot.

These three players alone are responsible for our 2 losses and a draw. Onana can't make saves, the shots that they were taking were ending up in goals and similar shots that we were taking were getting saved by opposition goalkeeper.

Dalot, he was responsible for the goal we conceded against Fulham, when he had the chance to play the ball, he chose some godforsaken skill and lost the ball.

Ugarte, I still thinks he needs understand what his role is and needs a good run as a substitute.

Its actually about players, Onana should never start again, leave the goal open and play an extra attacker instead. :P

Dalot and Ugarte should be subs at the max.

And I say I trust Amorin, is becasue when you see all the matches we have lost, we were better

Arsenal, we should have won by 3 goals, again a goalkeeping error and team's morale goes down and we lost, we fought though.

Fulham, we were electric and should have been atleast 2-0 up within 20 minutes. I have seen other teams hitting the inside of the post and somehow they are able to get ball inside the goal. With the luck we have, we hit the post, it comes out, keepers make herioc saves.

This team is missing luck, I have played football professional level here in my country and I know how morales go down when we were playing well but were not able to score. It feels like giving 110% and still not getting wins.

I believe Amorin could turn this around, we can't again go on changing coaches. He just need a hint of luck. A hint of luck is what Manchester United needs.

28 Aug 2025 06:55:22
It was Grimsby guys. Grimsby. They deserved to win in normal time, and they were more composed than us at penalties too,

Plenty of fish related puns coming our way. But Man U get battered, everywhere they go seems fitting.

28 Aug 2025 09:06:04
The manager is responsible for putting a team onto the pitch, for the structure of the team and for the tactics. He has been found wanting, limited in tactical nous. Almost half of the team are simply not good enough - Onana, Dalot, Ugarte, Amad, Dorgu. I’m not sure what differentiates these players from lower league players. Honestly. They are not Manchester United players. To salvage his season, Amorim needs to players for two positions - goalkeeper and centre mid. If he doesn’t manage to get these players in, he’ll lose his job.

28 Aug 2025 16:42:01
massive over reaction. itas seriously grim to watch, but we were failed fora simple reason, last night and also against fulham and arsenal. our keepers are utter rubbish andwe don't have a right wing back or cometent midfielders.

we knew tyhat, and we also know that's the previous manager, by far thw biggest idiot ever to manage united, with his delusional approach to only ever signing players who have played for him before, and the leadership who couldn't negotiate a BJ in a brothel.

These massive flaws will take time. That said, Amorim needs to get very quickly unwed to his inssitence of playing to a system that still has 2 major holes in midfield and defence. the keeper issue is ludicrous and how we are payng 20m for lammens when donnarumma is availbel for 26 is nothing short of negligence by INEOS and UTD. a real misstep for me.

I would be ruthless here. Ferguson would have been. Get i'd of Dalot and Mainoo and bring in Baleba or Wharton and a top class RWB along with Donnarumma, NOW, no around, get it done.

we knew it would take 3 summer windows, and we are literally 3 games in. The feelng after week 1 was we were unlucky to beat arsenal. we drew with fulham thanks to rubbish performance yet again from Dalot, and yeah yesterday Amroim was deeply naive not playing his best 11 from the outset and ensuring the narerative didn't even begin. They guys still learning his craft and the Uk leagues. This is NOT his fault, but he does need to be repsoibsle for cutting his cloth acoridng to the resources he has got. Blind faith in any system is a form of extremeism. Flex, and make good decisions. having 5 at the back against a low block until the last 10 minutes was ridiculous.

28 Aug 2025 18:01:00
Utd are just plain crap. accept that abd you feel better. There's simply no words left to describe how hofforic a performance that was. but the most angry with it all, was after getting 2-2 and winning the shoit out was cunhas penalty. man just smack it in. that it itself sums up utd now. Just pure tripe.

28 Aug 2025 20:53:36
LFC fan here in peace . I can not understand why he did not play the team he started the league off with . Yes you did not win but drew the next game so to me that says they needed more time to blend more games together so changing the team in the cup did not help .

You're not in Europe so nothing to stop him playing the first team and now your out of the cup which means two cups to go for one the premier and other fa cup and let's be honest can not see you winning premier league no disrespect so you have one cup to go for it is Manchester United .

Your manager is not up to your clubs standards .
good luck for the rest of the season .

26 Aug 2025 22:31:49
Real and Atletico keeping tabs on Mainoo over a potential loan deal. Personally hoping its just media clickbait!

27 Aug 2025 05:56:42
A Real midfield containing Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Guler, Bellingham and Valverde and a Athetico team who have just spent €30m on Cardoso from Betis to partner Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo De Paul.

If he wants minutes on the pitch then these are probably not the best two teams to be linked with, that is why it’s either idle paper talk because United generate clicks, or an agent stirring.

{Ed077's Note - should I point out that De Paul has joined Inter Miami earlier this window ?

27 Aug 2025 08:05:21
Interesting discussion on Muppetiers about what’s really going on with Mainoo.

Fuelled by agent who wants new contract / more game time

Mainoo being gradually prepared to take over Bruno when he leaves for Saudi next summer and will hopefully partner Baleba.

27 Aug 2025 08:31:33
I am not worried about Mainoo going. We have not managed to complete a sale in 2 months of negotiating.

Cant see us suddenly completing one in under 5 days.

27 Aug 2025 06:20:59
Sorry Ed, early in the morning, thought he was still there.

{Ed077's Note - NW

27 Aug 2025 12:45:02
Listen to mitten. Muppeteers is an aggregator.

28 Aug 2025 10:37:18
Lets be honest about Mainoo, he's a talented young player with potential. He isn't a top level player right now. Maybe his first season and his run the Euros final with England has made him think he's further along in his career than he actually is.

Right now he's a talent young player who had a purple patch for the first 8 months in the first team while he benefitted from having the surprise element over his opposition. He then had an injury hit season where he struggled to match his first season performances.

Yes he has a lot of potential, and if he works hard and develops his game then I'm sure he can be a regular first choice player for us.

But right now he isn't that player no matter how much us fans want him to be the Messiah.

He struggles in a midfield two and to be completely frank while he looked good individually when he played in a midfield three with Casemiro and Bruno, it didn't improve our performances as a team. Games still reassembled a basketball match with teams running right through the heart of midfield where we left far too many large gaps.

The reality is that the midfield issue cannot be solved by any of our current midfielders. In fact it's not even entirely a midfield issue.

Yes we need a more athletic and positionally intelligent defensive player in there than we currently have in the squad.

However, half the problem is still that the team overall loses it's compactness as the game wears on. Our defence later in games stops pressing as high and drops deeper which increases the amount of space the tiring legs in midfield need to cover. Which is why Amorim has subbed a couple of CB's in the games this season, to try and get the defence to push higher up and close those gaps.

While the new No.10's are yet to fully adapt to the role they need to play. They need to both offer attacking creativity, but they also need to drop deeper when we don't have the ball to help form a 4 man box midfield. The issue we have had so far is Cunha has had to play as the false 9 in games due to Zirkzee being injured and Sesko still settling in. Which means he hasn't managed to get to grips with the role fully yet. Then Mbeumo joined later and is still clearly trying to get back to full fitness to the level needed, as well as having very little time to be coached the role.

The two man midfield is not the real problem, lots of teams line up with a double pivot. The real problem is that we haven't got the right blend of skill sets and quality amongst the midfield options, along with the rest of the team struggling to implement the tactics successfully for the entire 90 minutes.

If the defence can push high for the whole game and the No.10's can drop deep when we don't have the ball then we actually have 5 players in the middle of the pitch (CCB who steps up, both midfielders, and both No.10's) when the opposition have the ball.

This issue is more about how the team play together as a team and move together as a unit. Once they get that the performances and results will start to improve.

We saw it against Arsenal where we did it so well that Arsenal retreated into their shell and hung on. We started doing it against Fulham, but the confidence of the players wobbled and the defence started to drop deep along with Bruno pushing further forward trying to force the goal which totally opened us up in the middle of the park allowing Fulham to take control of the game.

The strength of a clear structured system is it can allow a team to play greater than the sum of its parts. The weakness of it is that it only takes one player to not do their job properly and it starts to break down,

28 Aug 2025 14:02:58
I'd say probably a year ago Mainoo was one of our better players, and more England too. His best position is difficult to pin down. I thought he wasn't quite right for those no.10 roles but still managed to contribute a lot in an attacking sense.
Past 6 months I have no idea what's happened. All seems to have changed since he cut his hair!
As a Utd follower for about 4 decades I've been treated to and always associated Utd with some of the best centre forwards in the world and always a great pulse or cog in the middle the whole team evolved around. Sadly we've had neither since Fergie left.

28 Aug 2025 16:34:29
A lot of players burst onto the scene then get found out. Their habits, the preferences, even their tells get noticed and leant and the more the play the more game film there is the more that everyone understands how they play and how to play them. Its up then for the player to add more strings to his bow find ways to hurt you thst cpunter your counter to what he is good at.

With Mainoo you don't press because his great at recieving and turning into space and taking one or two players out of the game whilst he isn't strong he has a low centre of gravity and uses his body well here.

Mainoo for example bevomes a totally different player if people start dropping off allowing him turn and he starts hitting 40 or 50 yard passes. Suddenly you have a massive headache in how to deal with him.
Hjulmand certainly did a bit of this at Sporting. The big thing with Hjulmand though is defensively his reading was exceptional which covered for his lack pace. Mainoo isn't at that point yet by a long way.

Mainoo needs to develop his game like all players. I think that's at least in part why he has seemi gly regressed. He hasn't so much as others have adjusted how they deal with him.

A lot of players have difficult years 2 and 3 whilst they work out what got them through a decade of youth and reserve football isn't going to carry them through EPL.

25 Aug 2025 11:01:27
It's being reported that Kobbie Mainoo will consider leaving if a suitable offer comes in for him!

25 Aug 2025 12:20:22
I've read the same. He's fed up with his lack of game time, apparently.

25 Aug 2025 12:23:36
Don’t blame him. Clearly not getting a game anytime soon under RA.

25 Aug 2025 13:25:52
If mainoo is sold its a sackable offense. how he's not playing is ridiculous. At least he's a midfielder. as the weeks go on the less I think of ruben. Yesterday was dreadful management all round. Worrying is that us supporters can see it but he cant. feels like last season.

25 Aug 2025 15:48:13
Mainoo should have been given minutes against Fulham. RA went defensive instead.

25 Aug 2025 17:28:47
If that’s his attitude then sell him,

Why should a player dictate how much game time they are getting you perform in training and earn your spot if that’s not what you want then sell him

He was garbage last year aswell wouldn’t warrant a starting spot and then the games he has played, like the rest of them last year he was poor

Mard kids who think they deserve the world,

Last week we played well so why did the manager need to change his team?

We didn’t exactly get played off the park yesterday we had 2/ 3 chances in the first half and a missed pen other than some dodgy corners and dalot not doing his job we would have got the points

We lost the battle in the centre of the park but mainoo isn’t the answer either he isn’t a good central midfielder we’ve seen it plenty of times when he’s played there.

Dont see an issue it’s 2 games in he needs to get a grip and stop being so entitled.

25 Aug 2025 17:54:30
He had an awesome breakthrough year, and was hindered by injuries last year, as well as the manager criticising him publicly.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say thise criticising Mainoo don't come from Manchester.

25 Aug 2025 18:08:20
But I will add he has a lot of potential so hopefully gets a chance and shows why he should be in the team because I like mainoo.

25 Aug 2025 20:36:48
I wonder why he isn't being picked. Is he showing so little in training? Is there something specific he neded to work on to prove himself worthy to Amorim.

I also think Amorim must want hin or he would have been sold this summer as he would have generated a lot of profit.

26 Aug 2025 08:20:34
Amorim is taking a longer term view with players (as seen with Sesko yet to start/ Zirkzee still being eased in) . I expect Mainoo to be a key player for us as the season goes on getting more and more minutes either alongside or in place of Bruno.

We are 2 games into the season. good game poor result against Arsenal, good start then ultimately poor second half. not what we wanted result but point on the board against Fulham.

I expect us to win the next 2 games and then be competitive against City and Chelsea with maybe a surprise win against one of them. Optimism.

26 Aug 2025 09:04:30
Oak… Amorim is on record saying that Mainoo needs to increase the rhythm, the pace … he can be better.

Stamina and sustained intensity are currently viewed as key developmental gaps in Mainoo’s game if he is to fill that double pivot midfield.

Mainoo had a stand out first year, but spent most of last season out injured because he was over relied on by Ten Hag. Amorim isn’t going to make the same mistake, and will take some of the pressure off by managing his appearances so he will have a proper career and not burn out in his mid twenties.

Mainoo’s eagerness to play every minute is understandable, but given his muscle issues, a head not heart approach is more appropriate at this point.

26 Aug 2025 09:35:37
For gods sake stop saying “I expect us to win the next two games” - have a look at the last time we won b2b games. Granted it’s Grimsby and if we lose then genuinely think RA is under massive pressure before august is out. Until CM is sorted then it’s going to have more troughs than peaks imo. I really like RA so don’t want him sacked but we need midfield sorted.

26 Aug 2025 10:29:45
I said this a month ago and was abused for saying such a thing as RA don’t rate him, it’s clear as hell…
But RA with only a 24% win rate, not sure is best to make decisions based on that atrocious record…he won’t make Christmas.

26 Aug 2025 11:06:49
Amorim rates the player, he's pretty much played in every game that he has been available for under Amorim.

The problem this season is that he is most suitable for the No.8 position, meaning he is in direct competition with Bruno for a a starting position. That is a difficult challenge for Kobbie given that Bruno is the club captain, is never injured and rarely subbed in games.

The other positions Kobbie could in theory play is the No.6 position, but he isn't really suited to that role, especially if paired with a more creative No.8 such as Bruno. Which if Bruno isn't playing for some reason in the No.8 then that is where Kobbie will play. He could also potentially play as one of the No.10's, but then we;ve just spent 135m on Cunha and Mbeumo for those positions, with players like Mount, Amad and Bruno offering competition and probably better suited to that role than Kobbie.

Personally I've seen enough to know for sure that Bruno isn't suited to the No.8 position. He either needs to be a rotation option with Cunha for the left 10, or needs to be sold. With a new more athletic natural No.6 being singed and with Kobbie playing more regularly, with players like Mount and Ugarte rotating with him to play alongside the new No.6 or Casemiro.

26 Aug 2025 14:44:45
That’s wrong he not played a minute this season and did not play once back from injury at back of last season either….
But it don’t matter you can’t be United manger with 24% win rate it’s just not acceptable no matter what the excuses are
You rave about need players with EPL experience why do we not need a manager with epl experience? Explain that in not an essay please or why we have a manager with such little experience full stop? Apart from Portugal weak league that’s it, how on earth is that what’s required at united.

26 Aug 2025 15:39:05
I don't often agree with what German writes, but I would like to see Shappy answering in "not an essay" way 😁.

26 Aug 2025 16:00:34
German, I'd imagine standing on the sideline, running training, and football tactics are the exact same in every country in the world.

How to manage a team doesn't change when you move countries. What does change is the style of football, which will have a big impact on the players actually playing the game, but not so much on the manager.

The fact the ball is played faster, or players are more physical doesn't impact the manager on the sidelines, just the players on the pitch.

It is good you ask such questions as educating you is good practice ahead of my return to work next week 😂.

26 Aug 2025 15:10:37
Sounds like you're making excuses for Amorim re Mainoo, Shappy.

Also, rotate our best player or sell. These points almost making every essay redundant. What a take.

26 Aug 2025 16:29:17
Amorim said himself Mainoo is competing with Bruno for that same position. He's not going to play them both together and he obviously values Bruno higher. Maybe we'll get a look at a 'Bruno-less' XI against Grimsby but who knows.

26 Aug 2025 17:14:05
LOL…. what a load of ……you come up with some classics in your time but this might top the lot… how ridiculous that you say just because your manager in one country means you can transfer that to another country, another league another level…. which clearly you can and look at the outcome… management like playing is all about experience.
There are a few Sunday league managers who will like your view and may apply for United job.
RA nativity shown already over and over…because he lack of experience
Even ex professionals and ex managers are now doubting him, which is warranted
Forgiven me if I don’t accept you teaching me anything, ( ___deleted___ )
Your main problem is you think you know everything and always right…May i just remind you, Sancho, Onana, ETH, Ole and the latest will be RA.

{Ed077's Note - cool off bud

26 Aug 2025 17:34:56
Mainoo competing with Bruno, what poppycock.

26 Aug 2025 17:47:16
“Your main problem is you think you know everything and always right…”

I guess everyone see’s the irony of Germans comment here!

26 Aug 2025 19:12:24
So play Mainoo at 8, and push Bruno forward to 10 where he is super effective. Drop Mount.

Simples.

26 Aug 2025 19:28:07
I think the whole Mainoo story would have been avoided if Amorim had been a bit cuter with his post match comments.

Something along the lines of its a long season and he's going to play a lot of games and be a valuable part of the team would have quitened that story down.

The mwdia already had all the headlines they needed with United losing and drawing one to start the season they didn't need another one that Mainoo is stuck behine the captain who we all know never misses a game.

27 Aug 2025 05:40:28
More pots and kettles than a kitchen warehouse!

27 Aug 2025 11:34:49
The Mainoo situation is starting to feel like Rashford put on a pedestal as our new youth superstar (thanks 92) but with very little football to back it up. He looked lost last season and not just that you couldn’t find him on the pitch. Needs to make a much bigger impact which starts by doing enough to get picked.
The more you look at Bruno the worse it gets. He really flatters to deceive. He scored 5 non penalty goals last season (league) as a WC no10 and the team was built around him. How many times did he lose the ball that lead to an opposition attack/ goal. Was he minus goal difference. Shockingly poor value if he’s worth 100m. No one in this league would pay serious money for him.

24 Aug 2025 14:08:39
Manchester United transfer target Senne Lammens has not been named in the Royal Antwerp team to face Mechelen today.

24 Aug 2025 14:17:26
Beat me to it by a minute there Fizz!

24 Aug 2025 15:43:27
6 Minutes ;)

25 Aug 2025 18:57:39
Thankfully, this is not a mathematics site otherwise it would clearly be doom and gloom.

24 Aug 2025 03:13:07
Reports of a £90-£100m bid for Bruno from Al-Ittihad. United have said it’s up to Bruno is he wants to accept the move.

Having already turned down something similar earlier in the window, I can see the same outcome.

Is that the right decision from United as it is a lot of money and would help towards rebuilding that midfield.

24 Aug 2025 07:54:44
If we had signed Baleba, then I’d be all for it.

But we didn’t, so I’m not.

Tell them they can have Casemiro instead.

24 Aug 2025 08:50:50
If Bruno wants to move, then take it and go back in for Baleba. I Bruno doesn't want the move, then it's a moot point.

24 Aug 2025 10:14:37
Some small rumours of casemiro with a potential Saudi offer too would you let both go if we could get stiller and baleba this summer.

24 Aug 2025 10:21:14
£120m and let him go, knowing when to sell is as important as buying. He’s 31 in September, he can’t play in the double pivot, he lacks tactical discipline and is inefficient in pressing and defensive actions, he runs hard but it’s not effective work when we don’t have the ball. Baleba would be the ideal replacement as it gives us options being left footed to pair him with Mainoo or Ugarte depending on the opposition. Wharton or Stiller would be great alternatives, although their defensive output isn’t at Baleba levels.

24 Aug 2025 11:08:42
It's the right decision. The club know Bruno is both not the long term solution, but also one of our most important players this season.

Bruno has earned the right to choose whether he wants to take the Mon or stay and help us rebuild this squad.

I suspect he'll come to the same conclusion as he did earlier in the summer. That he wants to stay and help the side for now.

I suspect he'll stay this year while the new signings settled in and some of the younger players develop and hopefully kick on. Then next summer he'll leave safe in the knowledge that other players have picked up his mantle.

24 Aug 2025 11:49:16
If we could get 115 i would take it. spend 30 on a decent stop gap even a loan . give mainoo and mount more minutes and we've got 80 mill in the pot to go big on baleba when we get the chance. often shoehorning Bruno in these days . too good a chance to miss the big money won't be there next year . get cass out too and we can begin a new era with a proper midfield partnership/ partnerships.

24 Aug 2025 12:58:36
He’s our best player by far and captain.

Feels too late to sell him now the season is underway, and the time to sell was pre-Season.

24 Aug 2025 13:03:02
Bruno is our best player. He's not perfect but that's often because he forces it. I want to see him with the better players around him that we have now. Financially it's also sensible to keep him because our chances of making CL places is definitely enhanced with him. It only makes sense to contemplate selling him if we can get Baleba now, and that's been ruled out.

24 Aug 2025 13:15:25
Bruno has been the best player in a very average to poor declining team for the last 5 years. As good as he might be/ have been, he's presided over the worst United team since the EPL began. He's being frozen out of his best position by quality team players. He's clearly not in the club or Amorim's longer term plans notwithstanding utterances to the contrary. If he's willing to go the club should jump at the opportunity to cash in. It's all profit. If it's going to happen let's hope it does so quick enough for a genuine #6 to be brought in.

24 Aug 2025 14:13:05
I expect Bruno will make the same decision as previously and want to stay this season.
What would be interesting is if a deal was agreed for next season, deal to be completed before End of June that gives the club certainty of money to maybe spend for this season.

If he decides to go then the Baleba conversation becomes real again.

25 Aug 2025 08:36:01
100% sell him, he's a disaster in midfield. Not his fault that's ruben, its either he plays 10 or not at all. but 100m is crazy money to turn down. Use money to buy 2 quality midfielders asap.

25 Aug 2025 09:51:42
So we played well against Arsenal with this formation, but didn’t pick up points.

A week later we started well then faded, and picked up a point.

But cue fan meltdown.

Two games guys, you need to relax it’s a long old season.

25 Aug 2025 13:27:57
Sorry grim but yesterday was not lessons learned from last season. utd play without a midfield. Its madness management.

25 Aug 2025 16:43:03
Bruno is the best player if he was playibg at 10, he isn't the best player playing in the middle of the park.

25 Aug 2025 08:35:32
RA spent 200 million to replace our best player with players who won’t score/ assist as many as Bruno, to put Bruno a square peg in a round hole……. it’s a total shambles, but it’s ok we looked good against Arsenal, did not score let one in but it’s ok we looked good….

23 Aug 2025 04:44:24
Welcome to Manchester United Senne Lammens.

23 Aug 2025 10:11:29
A little premature maybe. But it does look like we will be signing him. From the little I've seen of him and from what I can find out he seems like a good young option with a lot of potential. He might take a little while to settle, and being a young keeper he will make a few mistakes, yet he has the potential to be our long term No.1. Hopefully he has the personality for it, you need to be either a little crazy or have supreme self-confidence to be a keeper at our club. Talent alone will not carry you. The pressure is huge and every tiny mistake is pounced on with hyperbole. Just look at Bayindir who apart from the mistake for the goal last weekend actually played well. While the mistake of him being a little weak in the air, he was probably fouled. It was part of a routine that Arsenal did all last season, and despite every keeper knowing what was coming none really found a way to stop it. Most keepers in the league failed to keep that routine out of the net last season.

Personally I felt the majority of the blame for that goal fell to whoever thought having Mount be the guy to pick up Saliba at corners. I really rate Mount, but he is always going to come off second in a physical battle against Saliba. Had it been Yoro or MdL who was tasked with blocking Saliba from getting under the keeper then I'm pretty confident we don't concede that goal.

Keepers are always going to be coming from a standing position to collect that ball, while the opposition know where the ball is going to be played (front post, back post, middle of the goal) and as such can get a run into that position. A player coming in at pace will nearly always beat the standing player. That's why the only way to stop that routine is to block the opposition players coming in at pace towards the keeper.

23 Aug 2025 23:53:13
Mount came off 2nd best because he was fouled by Saliba though, I’ve no idea how the goal was allowed, there was about 3 fouls, it’s just what they do.

24 Aug 2025 11:11:14
GDS, it was probably a foul in the modern game. A soft foul, but a foul none the less.

That said even without it being a foul, Mount Vs Saliba is a physical mismatch, and one where Mount will come second 9 times out of 10.

22 Aug 2025 11:45:39
Fabrizio and a number of outlets are reporting we’re in talks for Senne Lammens.

Who is he replacing Onana or Bayındır replacement?

22 Aug 2025 12:52:21
When life gives you Lammens ….

22 Aug 2025 15:26:14
👏👏👏.

22 Aug 2025 15:26:54
👏👏👏.

22 Aug 2025 15:31:53
Both I hope.

22 Aug 2025 17:47:09
Onana hopefully.

23 Aug 2025 03:50:37
Whichever one gets sold first.

23 Aug 2025 10:20:53
Both need replacing, I expect if the Lammens deal gets over the line then we will see one of Onana or Bayindir leave before the window closes. Maybe just on loan, and possibly to Turkey with their transfer window closing on the 11th of September rather than the 1st, or to Saudi with their window closing on the 10th.

We know that there has been interest in Onana from Saudi, and there are rumours he turned up to pre-season with his agent unhappy about his wage cut for not being in the UCL. While Amorim suggests he wasn't dropped for the opening game against Arsenal, it can definitely be seen as him being dropped.

While I'd imagine there will be some interest in Bayindir in his native Turkey.

Personally I think Onana is a better keeper than Bayindir (from what I've seen so far), but if Lammens is to be the No.1 then Bayindir makes more sense as the back up. Supposedly Bayindir has been very impressive in training and the coaching staff are very pleased with him.

I've got a feeling we could see Onana leave this summer. Although I think it'll likely be a loan to Turkey rather than a full sale to Saudi.

24 Aug 2025 12:01:26
Galatasaray need a keeper. I’m sure they’ll be in for either if Toney can’t land ederson and we buy Lammens.

21 Aug 2025 09:19:09
I know we seem to be pushing for a new dm ( if you believe the media), but my guess is they were probably expecting one to get some time over the season and why they sent collyer on loan. Now one is injured that leaves us thin with just Cass and Ugarte. What about using martinez or shaw in there? Both have good engines and can rotate their time on the treatment table.

21 Aug 2025 10:17:13
Is this a joke? Shaw in midfield? Good engine? I can’t believe you’ve typed this and sent it and thought it was a good idea.

21 Aug 2025 10:40:14
Out of all that, this is the only bit you could reply to 😂😂 that bit was tongue in cheek and this should have been on the banter thread but hey ho.

21 Aug 2025 13:04:33
Have you forgot about Mainoo?

21 Aug 2025 15:10:16
RA clearly forgotten about Mainoo and don’t rate him

But Shaw or Martinez in there is got to be a joke, neither should even start in there natural positions let alone midfielders!

21 Aug 2025 16:13:04
If he doesn't rate him then sell him.

21 Aug 2025 16:50:38
here he is, german. the man who knows better than qualified football coaches.

21 Aug 2025 19:53:28
So why does the qualified coach RA play him then?

21 Aug 2025 20:00:39
Mainoo situation seems a bit weird, Amorim says he rates him and has big plans, but it seems he will be an understudy all year to Bruno. Maybe Bruno is being slowly phased out during the year?

21 Aug 2025 20:25:09
Or, RA intends to use Mainoo as an understudy and replace Bruno when we're ahead in games rather than chasing them, and there's no inconsistency in what RA is saying at all.

21 Aug 2025 20:34:40
Who is injured.

22 Aug 2025 09:16:52
Mainoo is highly rated by Amorim and the club. The rumoured view inside the coaching staff is that he lacks the stamina and running power in the double pivot. However, this is something that can be worked on and improved, which is what they are doing. He has a specific training program to increase his pace, power and stamina when running.

He already has the vision, reading of the game, and technical skills, all of which are much harder to coach into a player. We have to remember he only turned 20 in April. I think his meteoric rise into the team under EtH has made people forget just how young and inexperienced he is right now.

He had a lot of injuries last season, which is a sign that he might have been over played at his age and level of physical development. Which if you saw the photos of him training during pre-season you'll have noticed how much bigger he is and how he has filled out a lot now compared to his first season. Highlighting how he wasn't fully developed physically when he was playing 180 minutes a week under EtH.

He will get plenty of playing time this season, but it will be as an understudy to Bruno. He isn't really suited to playing as one of the more defensive midfielders, while his relative lack of running power means that he cannot be paired with Casemiro. Meaning the only midfield partner he could play with to form a balanced midfield is Ugarte, which we saw during pre-season.

He is being groomed to be Bruno's replacement. Bruno remember isn't an ideal fit in the double pivot due to his tendency to chase the ball and be out of position. He is also more of a passer than a ball carrier. Which isn't the ideal profile for Amorim. But his leadership, energy, stamina, and his creativity means he has to be in the team more often than not. That said I wouldn't be surprised if Kobbie has started to take his spot by the end of the season. He just needs to improve his stamina and running power.

22 Aug 2025 10:33:17
Shappy - like you said Mainoo looks to have bulked up even more which will surely affect his pace, stamina and his ability to run more.

22 Aug 2025 11:47:00
1 game into the season, I guess Amorim doesn't rate Heaven either?

22 Aug 2025 15:33:54
Ports,

It’s mad isn’t it some of the nonsense people come out with. OP, you asked 1 question in your post, so yes that’s the bit I responded to.

23 Aug 2025 10:25:23
Ports, spot on. We have a squad of 31 players, with another 4 first team players already out on loan. At best Amorim can play 16 players in a game (11 starters and 5 off the bench) . Does that mean the other 15 players aren't part of his plans?

Rubbish, the reality is that Mainoo is behind Bruno right now, and the in game situation didn't really suit bringing him on off the bench.

23 Aug 2025 10:40:01
Sim, not necessarily. Adama Traore is an absolute tank, he looks more like a body builder rather than a footballer (and sometimes he plays like one 😂 ) . Yet he is absolutely rapid and has the stamina to bomb up and down the pitch all game.

I agree if you bulk up too much or in the wrong way then it can absolutely effect your mobility and stamina. We just have to trust that the coaching staff have a better understanding of how to build strength and muscle in the right way while also improving stamina and pace. It can be done.

I think a big part of Mainoo getting bigger is just him naturally filling out. We have to remember he was just 18 when he started to be a regular for us. Most young men don't fully fill out into their bodies until their early 20's.

Mainoo need to increase his lung and heart strength, I expect he'll be making good use of the new facilities at Carrington. That will increase his stamina. His pace isn't too bad, it's his acceleration that really needs to improve. He needs to be quicker over the first 5 yards or so. That is what Amorim needs from his midfielders so that they can jump to spring a press and win back the ball. The opposition need to feel that they can pass to a player as they aren't closely marked, only for our players to quickly make up that distance and win back the ball.

That's where Kobbie needs to improve. Can he develop that explosive pace over the first 5 yards to enable him to become a better ball winner in Amorim's pressing midfield. That pace is also needed to quickly recover back into position when we lose the ball, especially as we play with a midfield double pivot often up against a midfield three. Our midfielders need to have the stamina and pace to cover a lot of ground quickly.