Manchester United Thread

Well, we play the second leg in the CL next Wednesday, so it's ok.

We have at least 3 days rest between all of our matches - it doesn't really make a difference whether we play a 12:45 or a 15:00 game.
 
Utd bid for Sadio Mane

Utd fans now:
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We are probably trying to sign the improbable again (similar to RvP, DiMaria, Falcao) and might even pull it off. Whoever it is..it d be nice if we get someone who is not a pussy.
 
So, Otamendi gone to City...

What a clusterfuck this is... So we could have had probably the most consistent defender in La Liga, but Van Gaal chose not to sign him because he wanted a left-footed CB on the left side?

Let's have Blind playing there all season, why not... the old man has gone bonkers...
 
Its the philosophy, i honestly can't complain about us defensively, I mean we've been the best defensive side since last december and now have the players in midfield to further solidify that, Neville's peice on us being the best organised defence showed that.

We wanted Ramos whose even better than Blind at playing from the back, if we sign a CB he needs to be capable of great distribution, he obvously doesn't think Smalling and Otamendi woudl suit the system he's playing which makes sense.
 
The best defensive side since last December is a big, big exaggeration tbh...

Listen, Blind is not a centre-back. If we want to compete and win things, we need top quality players playing in their best positions. Blind is neither.

What happens when we face top opposition? Blind will probably be targeted and quite honestly, I don't see him coping with top attacking talent. In defence you need players who can defend first and foremost... Blind isn't that at this stage. Look at Mascherano - he only works as a defender because he's by nature one of the, if not the, best DMs in recent years - great positioning/awareness, great tackling, great speed.

About the distribution, I don't know what you're getting at, I've watched Otamendi live twice recently and he was vital for Valencia in the passing department. Actually, he was their only defender who had the ability to link defence and midfield effortlessly.

Quite honestly, I'm not convinced by Van Gaal's "philosophy" or "process" when it involves players playing out of position and not to their strengths. Players getting instructions not to try anything with the ball, not to try through balls if there's a chance... At the start of last season, only Di Maria having some freedom to try things, this season it's gonna be Memphis. Honestly, that's just bollocks - you can't play attacking football without taking risks... And we all thought Van Gaal was all about an attacking style football, 4-3-3, etc. With him in charge, we seem to be afraid of not having the ball - why is that, if he believes so much in Blind at CB?
 
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Hrm...how much did WE really not want Pedro?

With the revelation of the real Schweinsteiger fee, #MUFC have actually spent just a net £8 million so far in this transfer window

Markets are down, spent a ton and looked awful last year. Hrm. I wonder if the Glazer children are pulling the rug out a bit. If I were them, and I cared at all about watching United, I'd be saving some moolah for post-LVG. It could be here before we think.

Re: Defensive skillz - we conceded the most chances in the league from individual errors last season. We allowed the 4th highest shots against. Our defense is not great, despite the lack of goals. We just got lucky/had DDG.

The most striking thing about watching LVG's United is how much excellent work we do to move the ball around without creating a thing, and juxtaposing that against a big lump up to a striker who almost invariably manages to create a shot against us. It's like a parody.

I think he'll have been good for the club for 2 reasons: 1. His name made us attractive again, and his attitude shut the press up. 2. He's forced all these players to be very comfortable with the ball under pressure. That'll be useful with whoever is next.

Dear Mr. Klopp, hope you're having a nice gap year...
 
So I must say I kind of expected these rumors to be revived but the Pedro game and even Mane seems to be hiding our actual interest in Griezmann (Utd interest in him is not new). Doesnt seem that far fetched and would instantly make me forget about Pedro going to Chelski!

Make it happen Ed!
 
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Love Griezman, and he's a United fan!

But not going to happen. I think we're done for the summer, barring the DDG sale. Glazer's clearly need some $$$ for something else.
 
beachryan said:
Love Griezman, and he's a United fan!

But not going to happen. I think we're done for the summer, barring the DDG sale. Glazer's clearly need some $$$ for something else.
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Think we still have one trick up our sleeve. DDG plus cash for Bale is my ultimate Muppet dream but that one seems most improbable.

Perhaps the Glazer's are saving up to expand the South Stand and take capacity to about a 100,000? =D
 
Just 20 minutes, but we looked like United there. Wonderful to see it IS possible.

Rooney scored too! Well wrongly disallowed but hey, he's also had 2 shots! Madness.

Then we ran out of steam and faded for the next 20 mins. Sigh.
 
That was great. Much more like United of old. Screw the result, we absolutely battered them for about 60 mins of the match. Must have had 10+ blocked shots, 70% possession and their two best players by a mile were the keeper and centre back.

Can't complain when we play like that, we'll lose very, very few matches if we do.
 
beachryan said:
That was great. Much more like United of old. Screw the result, we absolutely battered them for about 60 mins of the match. Must have had 10+ blocked shots, 70% possession and their two best players by a mile were the keeper and centre back.

Can't complain when we play like that, we'll lose very, very few matches if we do.
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Agreed. Frustrating to not get the goals but we ll always have a result or two like that.. Like almost any team. Should've been 4-0 or so but despite the point loss I actually feel better about us now than after the first two games. Kind if ironic though how it was our defense being the concern for a long time and now it's our offense efficiency. World upside down. I really really hope we have a forward lined up still. On the plus side, Januzaj, Memphis, Shaw have looked great going forward.
 
As things stand, Schweinsteiger is looking like a bad buy for you, imo. Now, whenever Carrick or Schneiderlin need replacing, LVG uses him and that means Herrera is being wasted
Herrera should be one of the first names on the teamsheet
 
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Like someone mentioned to me were essentially where Chelsea were in Mourinho's first season, were a Diego Costa short of being championship material.
 
I'm in France at the moment.
I watched PSG's match against Montpellier Friday evening.
Cavani was the worst player on the pitch, he got a 2/10 note from L'Equipe.
The report said he hadn't played a single decent match for months now. At Napoli he was great, maybe a change of air might do him good, but Cavani seems a huge gamble to me.
 
Nobody in their right mind would rate Cavani at this moment. He just has a good reputation from his Napoli days...

He has been really bad for PSG every time I've watched him and he plays in their mickey mouse league. For Uruguay too btw.

I'm glad the Cavani rumours are all paper talk, don't think we're interested in him at all.
It's not gonna be a gamble if we bought him - it's gonna be a disaster.
 
But that hair...!

Yeah I've tuned in time and time again to see what the hype is about. It's not him.

I'd have Lucas Moura if I could get 'scraps' from PSG's petrodollar project. Think he's a starting position away from being genuinely very good.
 
Also, imagine not getting Pedro. As if he wouldn't improve us.

Sigh.

I guess it means Januzaj will get more chances. But we'll win less games. Hrm.
 
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