Manchester United Discussion

02 May 2024 19:41:51
If any of the Ed’s are around, just looking at the info given by ed002 and news coming out from various different places, it looks like we’re wanting at least 2 cbs, a full back, a midfielder (maybe 2) and a forward. The first choices seem to be Silva £60+ and Todibo £35m+ at the back, Ait Nouri £30m+ at left back, Neves £70m+ in midfield with maybe either Fofana £25m+ or Hjulmand £45m+ and then Olise £55m+ as the forward. Is there any way that this type of summer would be at all financially viable?

{Ed002's Note - putting aside the money these are all targets as I have explained.}

03 May 2024 10:03:34
I think Olise and Branthwaite will most definitely sign for us in the summer. Who else beyond that will depend on how well our new football structure do.

Who knows, me may finally get de Jong?!

03 May 2024 11:55:32
Lads, no brainer is that CB from Fulham. Rather than spend on Branthwaite.

29 Apr 2024 20:34:35
So it seems most of the squad is up for sale.

Beyond the 3 mooted off-limits players, we do have so many issues.

Heaton, Varane, Evans and Shoretire are likely off for free with Martial (please, please, please) finally going away.
Lindelof and AWB on extensions.
Maguire, Kambwala, McTominay, Eriksen and Amad each carrying only the value as determined by the market in light of just a single remaining year on their respective contracts.
That's so far 12 players who won't bring in a fortune.

Then, we have those with significant or perhaps worsening injury crises - Martinez, Shaw, Malacia and Mount.
That's now 16 players for whom we wouldn't get what we want.

Then come the old legs and the one-legged - Casemiro and Antony.
Now we're at 18.

Then the keepers - Onana and Bayindir.
20.

20 from a squad of 27 who would bring in much less than we'd like.
After those 20 and after sending back Amrabat, we're left with 6 players with decent sale value - Dalot, Bruno and Rashford, plus the 3 youngsters.

Even the loanees won't help much.

We really are in a proper little pickle, aren't we?

30 Apr 2024 00:28:34
Promote the youth, that are ready, to plug the gaps. We will be in the Europa league/ conference cup or whatever it is called, just get them some experience of European football. Even the experience of PL, FA cup, league cup. Give it all to the youth, and reverse the financial conundrum over the next season or two. Have the reset. Be smart in transfer dealings, look at the expired contracts market, or expiring contracts market.

The time to dip in and cherry pick the final piece of the puzzle, is some way I to the future.

We need a reset, and we are going to get one, finally.

I've said this before, but Fergie started this trend with his RVP purchase to buy the 20th title, and the glazers thought this could just be repeated year after year. Every year compounding the issues further.

Now we are where we are.

Thankfully Liverpool didn't take the advantage as they should have, and we still have time to regroup and keep the likes of City at bay.

30 Apr 2024 08:16:07
About time.

I’d keep:
Martinez
Dalot
Mainoo
Bruno
Garnacho
Hojlund

Any other player who’s made more than 20 appearances should be looking for a new club.

The likes of Eriksen, Shaw, McTominay, Maguire, Lindelof haven’t worked out for different reasons including injury and ability, but at least they tried. The likes of Martial, Rashford and Casemiro based on this season should be embarrassed and first out of the door.

30 Apr 2024 08:44:40
I think that’s a fair list Wazza.

There must be some youth players ready to step up again - I think we’d all have far more patience with them rather than watch experienced pros jog around half arsed, unable to pick a pass or follow instructions, or quite simply mark someone at a corner!

Not sure what’s happened to Malacia, as I think we have an excellent left back there, but injuries and other challenges have really stalled his progress.

Frankly, my view on Rashford is that he should now be stepping up as a leader in our squad and stay rather new be the one causing problems. But he’s hiding on the pitch big time, and we need bigger characters to take the mantle like Mainoo and Garnacho are. They constantly seek the ball, want to be involved in play.

30 Apr 2024 09:47:59
Problem is with stories like this coming out, doesn't it just kill off the motivation for all the players, why bother if they are not going to be here next year especially with a FA Cup final coming up.

We saw what happened when Fergie announced his first retirement, the season just went downhill.

30 Apr 2024 10:02:23
Eric it’s a really sad state of affairs when two 19 year olds are the ones leading by example.

You’re right about where Rashford should be now. Unfortunately we don’t have any senior players other than Bruno who understand what it means to wear the shirt.

30 Apr 2024 10:56:04
In last 2 years under eth we have landed
1 an idiot keeper
2 an aging midfielder with a heart defect on a 3 year contract
3 a lb that is never available
4 a cb rarely available although good when he is
5 an idiot rw
6 a former midfield star struggling with epl pace
7 a new no 10 bought to play as an 8 for some unknown reason but has not been available
8 a loan midfielder that never plays
9 a loan striker that was useless
10 a young striker who has potential
11 a 2nd keeper who has only played once so hard to judge.
It's not hard to see why they want rid of this coach his vision is very hard to see.

30 Apr 2024 11:53:45
Up top, I’d keep Garnacho, Hoijlund, and Greenwood and then look to sign another promising forward (maybe Sesko or Openda) and a versatile winger who can cover both sides (I expect we could probably get Bynoe-Gittens as part of any deal for Sancho) .

In midfield, I’d keep Bruno and Mainoo, though wouldn’t be surprised if we cashed in on Bruno in favor of keeping Mount (who I think is a lot better than this season has made him out to be) . Sadly, there aren’t too many top tier CDMs around these days but Manuel Ugarte would probably be worth a punt if he doesn’t end up at Juve. If he does, I wouldn’t say no to Locatelli. Add another versatile midfielder and I don’t think we’d be in terrible shape.

The back is where we’re really struggling. Having wanted him gone last summer, I think I’d probably keep Maguire. Granted, he’s not good enough, but assuming we don’t renew Evans and Varane, we’d be left with just three senior CBs, and I think Maguire is more reliable than both Lindelof (performances) and Martinez (fitness) . If we could sign two top tier CBs I’d let Maguire go and just keep Martinez, but assuming we can only get one through the door, I think Maguire has to stay.

Onana should go at all costs. If needed, bring back DDG. He might be terrible with his feet, but at least he’s good with his hands. If he doesn’t want to come back (and who could blame him, really? ), I’d put in a cheeky bid for Ramsdale.

I like Luke Shaw but his fitness record is atrocious. I like Wan Bisaka too, even if he offers little in the way of attack. I’d let both go if a half decent offer came in, but they’d be way down the list of players I’d be actively looking to move on. Dalot stays as cover.

So yeah. Not a very long list, really, and one or two of those names are only there because replacing them this window would be tricky.
Garnacho
Hoijlund
Greenwood
Bruno
Mainoo
Maguire
Martinez
Dalot.

30 Apr 2024 20:28:04
For all the negatives people spout, what has EtH brought us.

The start of a future team.
Garnacho
Mainoo
Hoijlund
Martinez
Malacia (has been unlucky with injuries, maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't)

Just stop being such neggy Nellie's.

01 May 2024 07:39:54
People will take about Onana and other signings. Do you guys remember the likes of Massimo Taibi. not even SAF got everything right.

The same applies for other transfers and direction. Fergie wasn't right all the time.

Give the lad a chance.

01 May 2024 09:56:39
No manager is jimbob.
Eth won't be here next season so he is irrelevant.

01 May 2024 16:55:48
Ken with the inside knowledge apparently.

02 May 2024 09:00:47
I may be in the minority, but i don't think our squad is that bad. Now I'm not saying it can't be improved because clearly it can, but I don't think the players are the major issue.

29 Apr 2024 09:36:32
ED002,

If Utd were to appoint TT as their next manager, would there need to be any compensation paid to BM?

I know that they have agreed for him it leaves the club.

Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - No.}

29 Apr 2024 13:47:01
Cheers ED002.

29 Apr 2024 16:46:44
A follow up question, if you don’t mind, Ed002.

If a club sacks a manager and then the manager finds a new job a few months later, are the sacking club still
obliged to pay off the duration of their contract (or whatever amount was agreed in said contract)?

{Ed002's Note - It is unreleted to the duration of his contract. There will either be a payment that needs to be made to the manager and his coaching staff which is pre-agreed or they would need to negotiate with his agent.}

29 Apr 2024 21:41:10
What’s your view on Tuchel Ed?

{Ed002's Note - As I said, he should be above Southgate and Potter as an option. Known to Jim Ratcliffe.}

30 Apr 2024 08:45:46
Thanks Ed. I agree on that pecking order. I recall you saying Slot would be a good choice, but seems he is Liverpool bound. Who would be your plan B now?

{Ed002's Note - If Thomas Tuchel were not possible, perhaps Thiago Motta.}

30 Apr 2024 12:01:35
Thanks Ed.

28 Apr 2024 16:10:06
We can now no longer mathematically make top four, No Champions League football next season. The plans will have to be made without the income from that. In previous seasons when that happened there were indications the manager had a clause in his contract about meeting that. I read the managers pay would be reduced I think by 25%, but given it was the trigger to sack Moyes, it may be difficult for ETH and perhaps less costly for the club to sack the manager .

They are bringing in best in class, so why would they stick with ETH who has not achieved one of the key objectives, do they really believe ETH is best in class? Experienced eyes are not seeing one of the most entertaining teams in the league, a ridiculous claim. I am often told on here to ignore comments by managers after games, yet who is that nonsense yesterday aimed at?
It's a deluded claim, yet one by someone who knows he has failed the club key objective.

I started by saying the finances will take a hit because of ETH failure to achieve Champions League football. SJR is also here to win, yes, he maybe realistic on how long it will take to challenge for the league but how will he feel when his manager has already conceded next years league title? Maybe he is right yet so much for positivity, so much for visualisation technique. To raise the white flag over Old Trafford like this sticks in my craw quite honestly. How can we entice players to sign when our own manager, the one they want to play for has given up the ghost already, more than a year in advance. Admitting that is his Moyes, be like City comment and telling Rio and Vidic to watch Jagielka. Unacceptable to say this in public, unforgivable.

Plans have got to be put in place now, knowing who the manager will be, July 1st is far too late. I cannot see how the top professionals they are bringing in, can possibly think ETH is the right one and it will reduce with every game and pronouncement. They have to have made a decision by now, they have to be planning based on certainty of who they want in charge, not someone appointed two years ago by the previous regime.

28 Apr 2024 17:12:28
Club will change if those defining strategy want possession based football. ETH seems obsessed with transition, which is why our midfield is absent defensively. I can think of very few, if any, teams that won major honours domestically or internationally with that turgid approach.

28 Apr 2024 18:08:09
There is more than one way to play "possession" football. ETH came to OT, and with the players he signed, looked like he wanted to implement some of the possession fundamentals. To completely abandon it in his second season is a huge mystery to me.

Regardless of ETH staying or going, next season will have to be considered "Year 0" of a rebuild as INEOS will be asking any manager to implement THEIR style of play. ETH has effectively wasted 400M and 2 years of time.

Shocking that we find ourselves in this position again, but I choose to look at ETH as the last mistake of the Glazer era.

Tuchel it is then. Exciting.

29 Apr 2024 16:55:47
You're all as predictable as the English cuisine.
Boring, predictable and lacking substance.
For this repetitive nonsense I really hope they stick with EtH.
Sure, it's EtHs fault the players didn't turn up as a group every week.

30 Apr 2024 11:07:13
They won't jimbo because people can see what you refuse to open your eyes too.
Eth has no future at this club he is out of his depth.

27 Apr 2024 21:50:39
I’d like to ask you all and Ed002 about what do you see possible for next season?

Me?

Arsenal - probably stronger by signing a good CF

Man City - hopefully the PL will grow a pair and relegate them and hopefully strip the. Of all their trophies - oil will run out and the stadium be knocked down for a KFC or something

Liverpool - too much change at manager and okaying staff

Spurs - keep their hands in their pockets and just clear the place pov other teams.

{Ed002's Note - Arsenal are looking to a new Centre Forward as you say, but they need to remove someone from their forward line to make space - else Havertz to an AM role. The Premier League are not responsible for handing out punishments and I don't see the matter concluded before the start of next season. Stripping them of titles is not an option. Players will depart and arrive at Liverpool but the change of coach should not make too much of a difference. Spurs are looking at changes.}