Manchester United Thread

I'm gutted because he was a long serving member of the club, at one time absolutely one of the most vital players in the team and also one of the last remnants of the 2008 team.

But I'm glad we're losing the sentimentality that had invaded SAF's thinking in the last few years of his reign. Instead of keeping players for ages that have never shown that they deserve to play, we're getting rid of them pretty sharpish. Anderson gone too is a sign of this.

Now if we can start moving quicker in the transfer market and be ruthless like the likes of Chelsea and Madrid are in terms of getting the players they desire then we'll be absolutely mindblowingly good in a few years.

That said I don't trust LVG in the transfer market whatsoever. I don't believe even half of the £150m we spent in summer was spent wisely (perhaps only really Blind) and also don't believe he has a say in a lot of it either. Di Maria and Falcao were clearly Woodward waving his dick about and Herrera and Shaw must've been basically forced on the manager anyway because they'd been in the works for a while.

Shaw is clearly not a LWB, he's nowhere near enough attacking-wise and I reckon Herrera is the complete opposite of a Van Gaal-philosophy player so he's not playing at all.
 
jaygrim said:
Ferdinand?
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Definitely. Ferdinand should have gone maybe a season or two earlier, he legs were gone.

Ferguson thought that Jones and Evans were the future but they weren't, he kept investing in the wrong kind of player apart from Van Persie and De Gea.

He was a great manager no doubt. But his signings were poor in his final years and he let the ManU squad get stale.

Van Gal looks to be getting rid of the rubbish. I mean, how on earth did Anderson and Cleverley stay so long at ManU? Never good enough, everyone could see it.
 
matherto said:
Shaw is clearly not a LWB, he's nowhere near enough attacking-wise and I reckon Herrera is the complete opposite of a Van Gaal-philosophy player so he's not playing at all.
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Herrera is not starting games because his "mind isn't 100% focused" according to a few sources today - he has the match fixing case in front of him remember.

Shaw is an incredible talent and still young, he will definitely be part of Van Gaal plans in future IMO, he is now playing with a back four again, not a 3 with two wing-backs.
 
I'm kind of zen about LVG at this point. I've not been impressed by what he's achieving on the pitch, but am impressed by what he's doing off of it. He has managed to pretty much take all of the pressure off the individual players, and make all discussions about him. And by being reasonably affable and honest with the press, there's not nearly as much negativity being created by the third estate - probably less than any time I've been a United fan in 'modern media' times.

He's also getting rid of a ton of players. Nani, Anderson, Hernandez, Welbeck, Fletcher, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Kagawa, Cleverley, Buttner AND Giggsy. All in 12 months. That's literally half the first team squad. It needed doing, but despite obviously spending a lot of money, the fans/press still expect LVG to have replaced that much experience and have us ticking together.

Scarily, there's still more that needs trimming. Mainly in the shape of RVP, unfortunately. He's just not cutting it for us this year, and it's been almost two full seasons since he was at his best.

Further there's the Rooney problem - he's not good enough in midfield, and is harming us in terms in both attack and defence playing there.

So lots to get sorted still. It's a huge pity Falcao isn't working out, because that seemed a sensible solution to the RVP 'problem'. But if both leave in May, we'll have to buy a truly class striker, and who is around? I can't think of anyone at present.
 
Huh, just as I type that, the FA are charging LVG for his comments post-Cambridge of:

"We have to come here, the pitch is not so good but that can influence also that you play in another style and the opponents are always giving a lot more than normally and defending is easier than attacking. And then you have seen the referee - it's always the same. Everywhere I have coached these games - and I have coached them with other clubs - it's always the same."

When directly asked about the referee, LVG said: "I cannot give my opinion."

So, erm, what are the FA charging him with? Not giving his opinion, or saying the referee is always the same?

Am at a loss on this one, unless the FA's new rule is: 'Saying the word referee is banned'
 
Pathetic. But then its been awhile since the FA has done something ridiculous. But he's right. Same thing happening in the Bolton game atm;
- A Bolton player charges into a Liverpool player in possesion, falls on his face and gets a freekick
- a bolton player trips up Sterling when he was near the box, puts up his hands to apologies to the ref to hopefully not get a red and nothing is given, not even a freekick
- twice Liverpool have been flagged offside when they werent (but were close calls)
- countinho twice being fouled and nothing given

And that in a game where hardly anything else has happened.
 
If i was the Cambridgemanager i would complain about the pitchat Old Trafford.
That it's too good and that my players aren't used to it.

Perhaps Van Gaal didn't deserve to be charged, but his comments after the Cambridge match were very unclassy. Surely a team like Man Utdshould win against Cambridgeeven if theref makes mistakes and the pitch is awfull.
 
Godotelli said:
He said 'the ref was against us'

Can't do that
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No he didn't - not directly, that's my point. He said the quote above. You can't just chop words out of a quote to make it sound different. When he said 'everything is against us' he followed that with an entire series of things - the pitch, the defensive nature of Cambridge, the weather.

Following that, he then mentions the ref as "And then you have seen the referee, it's always the same." What is the same? His outfit? His calls? His smile? I don't know. You don't know. The FA don't know.

It's also pretty odd that the FA have taken over a week to do this - I thought that violates their own rules (they're supposed to charge within a week).

For me the only answer to the ridiculous protection refs get by the FA is to fine the media for asking about them. Because if the FA are going to fine LVG for those comments, pretty much every single losing manager will be fined after every match.

* Conspiracy theory: The media need news to raise the money that pays the FA. Not many interesting things happening this week, poke FA, get the words "United" "Ref" "Bias" back into search strings. Nailed it.
 
beachryan said:
No he didn't - not directly, that's my point. He said the quote above. You can't just chop words out of a quote to make it sound different. When he said 'everything is against us' he followed that with an entire series of things - the pitch, the defensive nature of Cambridge, the weather.

Following that, he then mentions the ref as "And then you have seen the referee, it's always the same." What is the same? His outfit? His calls? His smile? I don't know. You don't know. The FA don't know.

It's also pretty odd that the FA have taken over a week to do this - I thought that violates their own rules (they're supposed to charge within a week).

For me the only answer to the ridiculous protection refs get by the FA is to fine the media for asking about them. Because if the FA are going to fine LVG for those comments, pretty much every single losing manager will be fined after every match.

* Conspiracy theory: The media need news to raise the money that pays the FA. Not many interesting things happening this week, poke FA, get the words "United" "Ref" "Bias" back into search strings. Nailed it.
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He did. In the BBC post match interview he said, "...everything is against us, the pitch, the referee ...everything ..."

I remember watching it.

Managers always get asked about refs and yet rarely do they call into question the ref's integrity. Most complain about decisions. Sometimes they say the ref was poor. It's not often they say the ref was against them. When they do, they ordinarily get punished. Happened to Mourinho a number or times. Happened to Pellegrini in the CL.
 
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Well that was dreadful. Again.

LVG needs to display the balls and play a team that will get results, not our 'best' players shoe-horned onto the pitch.

Di Maria should be stuck in the reserves. Really expected more bottle from him, but he should be wearing a sign saying 'I don't give a f*ck here'.

And Falcao...done. We'd be better with James Wilson, or Fellaini, or De Gea up there.
 
Magnificient from Allardyce:
'We couldn't cope with long-ball Man United. It was thump it forward and see what you get.'

That's Sam Allardyce. Whose team scored off of long ball lumped forward, headed by two United players, deflected in off another.

Are people associated with football the worst sportsmen in the world? My god.
 
If he wasn't going to cost an arm and a leg, Falcao would be a better bet than RVP imo - if played as a lone striker (with Rooney in behind). You can have one stationary ST but not 2. Falcao has always been a player who does nowt outside the box but comes alive inside it.

He'll get stick for his miss but RVP had 2 great chances and just blasted them aimlessly like some Stoke CB

Di Maria has been very poor every time I've seen him since the Leicester away game.
 
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Two nailed on facts. Van Persie and Falcao cannot play together and Rooney is not a midfielder by any stretch of the imagination, but expect to see the same crap again and again
 
Every time i saw Falcao, he was good.
I watched the West Ham match and IMO Falcao was much better than Van Persie and played very well...just before the equaliser, RVP missed a big chance that Falcao offered him.

The problem is that after his injury, Falcao isn't the same player anymore. When he played for Atletico, he was the best CF in the world. Now he isn't anymore, but i would prefer him always before Van Persie who is past it and who is a permanent danger to get excluded (today in the first half, that should have been a yellow card at least).

Beach, maybe Allardyce was being ironic...
 
Im not knocking falcao or van persie's performances. They toiled for the majority of the game without much help from the midfield. Would like lvg to play two holding players in away games and allow to front four some freedom in attack. At the moment our forwards are taking on too much of the defensive load.
 
@ Gerd: I like to think he was, I actually quite like Big Sam and think his record is better than his reputation.

@ Goto: Di Maria hasn't played well since October. He's reminds me a bit of Robinho at yours. Undeniably talented, but little no application, and ends up putting the team on the back foot by making wrong decision after wrong decision.

RVP and Falcao should both go in the summer. RVP because he's past it and we have to give him £10m for another season as a 'bonus' and Falcao because there's nothing to suggest he'll get back to his pre-injury best. Which is so sad, as he was indeed the best in the world before going to Monaco.

I don't know about LVG's transfer record tbh. AZ wasn't exactly able to attract great names, and Bayern was a while ago now. But Di Maria and Falcao are very obviously Woodward signings, so I do kind of hope that LVG can show some clout and get in players he wants.

Today was such a great example of how close great players and good players are in football. Reputations mean so little without application, and that is the main difference without Fergie.
 
knh4 said:
Im not knocking falcao or van persie's performances. They toiled for the majority of the game without much help from the midfield. Would like lvg to play two holding players in away games and allow to front four some freedom in attack. At the moment our forwards are taking on too much of the defensive load.
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They're both strikers and both missed golden chances that came their way. It sucks, but that is what strikers are judged on. Not saying the service was great, but both should be on the scoresheet today.
 
I think De Gea is becoming one of the best due to so many saves and becoming so vital at the end. How many keepers get the chance to shine? He has more MOTM awards then any other player on MUTD :P
 
LVG is only 4 more points up after 24 matches than Moyes apparently..

Moyes 12-4-8 40 points +10
Van Gaal 12-8-4 44 points +17
 
Yes I agree with northstandhero, its a bit rich making fun of LVG when Rodgers has spent over £200 million on players in his tenure yet still hasnt won anything and his team are in 7th. People in glass houses and all that.

Saying that, Van Gaal's decisions have been baffling. I like him as a manager, he's confident and has an excellent CV.

But for me, Man U are playing some of the worst football I've ever seen by them at times this season.

Rooney needs to play as striker. Mata needs to play behind him with Di Maria on left wing. Herrera and Blind in midfield behind them.

But I think LVG is stubborn and his ego says "I know best" when in-fact he is making silly judgements IMHO.

I still think ManU will scrape 4th with either Arsenal or Spurs getting 3rd. Man U, even when playing bad, pick up points - they simply have too many good players to miss out on CL place for me.
 
Saw an even stranger stat - if you exclude the first 10 matches of the season as 'bedding in period' or some other crap, United are actually top of the form table.

So, erm, yeah, stats don't mean much.

This year the league is far stronger - teams like Southampton, West Ham etc are actually genuinely good, and taking lots of points from most of the 'top' clubs.
 
I think the league is weaker than it's been for a long time personally. Yes, Saints are doing well, as are West Ham.

But I think our "good sides" would really struggle against the "good sides" in other leagues.

Will be interesting to gauge when the English clubs play their European ties in a few weeks, in both Europa and CL.
 
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