The Manchester United Thread

IMHO, Tactical masterclass from Mourinho today. Losing on purpose today to ensure Wenger gets a contract extension for next season.:P
 
I'm getting confused how come this loss means United have no chance of getting Champions League football next season, yet according to the media it puts Arsenal back in the mix. Ok Arsenal have a game in hand over Citeh and United and two in hand over Liverpool but even if they win that game it only puts them in 5th place and still 3 points behind Citeh and 4 behind Liverpool, win the second game in hand and they are still in 5th due to goal difference! If United win and Liverpool, City and Arsenal lose/draw their next game then we are back to the same situation as last week. They can't have it both ways.
 
I think United won't get further than 5th this season.. even 6th maybe, but it all comes down to winning EL!
 
RedUnited said:
I think United won't get further than 5th this season.. even 6th maybe, but it all comes down to winning EL!
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Funny isn't it?

As a match going fan, even if Utd end up the Europa League again next season and L'pool are in the Champions League, I'd swap that to have had the day out the League Cup Final and silverware. Obviously, the club needs to be in the CL from every standpoint. But you can't beat finals and winning things.

So from that perspective, it's been a good season for Utd. But from the club and Mourinho's perspective, if you now end up with Europa League footie next season it's been an absolute disaster. Which could have a knock-on effect.

Let's say Arsenal win their game in hand and Utd finish 6th. And then don't win the Europa. After he's splashed £150 odd million on top of inheriting the most expensively assembled squad in World footie. I don't see how that can't be spun into anything other than complete failure? It might not be right, but spending that amount of money brings its own massive cost and you HAVE to deliver on it.

Could you imagine this thread alone if Van Gaal was looking at potentially finishing 6th behind Arsenal after that? Heads would be falling off all over the place to be kind.

Which then knocks on to not only attracting the very top players like Greizmann without the CL carrot this summer. Which is where every player worth his salt wants to play regardless of how much £ you throw at them. It also puts a whole new complexion on thongs under Mourinho going forward. Players and fans will buy into his conservative/ pragmatic/ however you want to term it brand of footie when it works and he's getting results. But when it doesn't, and you're finishing as low as 6th with no CL, that soon wears thin and less top flair players will buy into working hard for the team backwards when there's no ultimate reward the end the season.

Really can't be understated just how vital Thursday night and the final are to Utd. Which in itself is as big a gamble as could be to put everything on when 4th had opened right back up for you after L'pool's latest F-up yesterday.
 
Yup, ending lower than 4th and not winning EL is not a good season imo.. even with the **** injuries we had.. :(
 
Don't think injuries have been our main issue this year. Compared to the last two seasons it's been loads better. Our problem for not making 4th is missing a **** load of stone wall chances and keepers having MOTM performances visiting OT.
 
Not getting CL is unthinkable for me this season, that is the bare minimum expectation Jose had, he simply has to deliver it in any way.

If he doesn't then for me there is HUGE pressure on him, he'll probably get another season, but LVG will be scratching his head why and probably rightly so.
 
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Yeah it will a huge dissapiontment if we fail to get CL. But he deserves another season. I know he's spent big last Summer, but least his signings have been a success. I look at this team and it's a right mess from players from 4 different managers. It's no excuse and this squad is still good enough to make top 4. But this squad still needs some work!
 
Let's not forget LVG was in similar situation last year, his entire reputation was hanging on that FA cup win. If he didn't win that he would be deemed a huge failure. Same thing here, if Jose wins EL it's actually a decent first season, but he fails to improve on LVGs last year after spending so much, that's a disaster and there's no other words to describe it. No CL, 5 or 6th in the league, and after all the saber rattling about attractive football and giving youth a chance, he didn't deliver on that either.
 
I'm surprised tbh. I didn't think the youth would get so many mins this season! Footballs not been exilerating but we've still created **** loads of chances, with a squad I'm sure half he wants to get rid of and full of players he would never of signed.
 
RhQQ said:
Never a pen but justice done. Good goal from Harrop
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Yep justice done good save! Harrops goal was very good. He's been most probs our best player tonight. Been impressed with Mitchell development into a LB, reminds me a bit of Paddy Evra. Can't fault the young lads that have stepped up from the 18s. Especially Bohui, he's lead the line very well. Warren looks ready for the step up full time next season as does Dearnley who I like a lot. Also Kehinde reminds me of a young Essien fantastic energy and power and love him winning the ball and making driving runs. Willock and McTominey were wank! Good game did well to come back from 2-0 down.
 
He had and has to get CL. That was the bare minimum. Restructuring the was squad was going to happen, but this was still a minimum target. I would say if he gets it by winning the cup, it's a better season than if he finished 4, and would constitute a pretty good season. But without it it's a poor one. Fine Margins.
 
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