The Manchester United Thread

[Tyton]

It irks me when people think that our players just stopped playing for Mourinho. It simply isn't true or else he wouldn't of even luted until December. We kept on coming back against teams like Southampton, Newcastle etc. when being 2 goals down.

Mourinho just wasn't managing the team well and wasn't suited to United at all. It happened at nearly every club he has been at recently. When he goes there is an upturn of form, why do people keep blaming our players? It's all on Mourinho for me.

The first thing he does at start of this season is criticise a world-cup winner in Pogba and then it just all went to **** from there. But what did he expect? You can't do that in the modern age, Solskjaer is levels above in terms of man-management.

Solskjaer is actually respected by the players because he doesn't criticise them for no justified reason at any chance he can. That's not to say that things will always go smooth sailing but I can't see it ever getting to a Mourinho toxicity. It's happened at Chelsea, Madrid and United now, the only person who can't see it is himself. Which is why it will happen if he goes to another club, just look at his recent interviews, the man is an egomaniac.

Thing is, everybody - myself included - have blamed Mourinho when similar thing happened in Chelsea. But then it also happened to Conte and seems to be happening to Sarri, who is far more relaxed than the other two and overall a nice bloke. And your lot before falling out with Mourinho also fell out with LVG and Moyes before that. So i'm afraid the explanation of Jose being toxic and poisoning the backroom doesn't hold up anymore.

Jose definitely didn't do himself any favors, but all signs point quite clearly that you have emerging problem with player power and that can only be tackled by manager with certain status, which Ole is not. Although his massive popularity in the fanbase works to his advantage, so there's that.

 

[zzeezzy]

Thing is, everybody - myself included - have blamed Mourinho when similar thing happened in Chelsea. But then it also happened to Conte and seems to be happening to Sarri, who is far more relaxed than the other two and overall a nice bloke. And your lot before falling out with Mourinho also fell out with LVG and Moyes before that. So i'm afraid the explanation of Jose being toxic and poisoning the backroom doesn't hold up anymore.

Jose definitely didn't do himself any favors, but all signs point quite clearly that you have emerging problem with player power and that can only be tackled by manager with certain status, which Ole is not. Although his massive popularity in the fanbase works to his advantage, so there's that.

We can't blame every scenario on player power, did LVG really lose the dressing room considering he won an FA cup in his last game? I think it was more down to Woodward knowing we didn't get CL spot and wanted Mourinho.

Sarri is shooting himself in the foot, playing Kante and hazard out of position then wonders why can't score goals. Plus that outburst he made after Arsenal actually must of got a positive reaction considering they beat Spurs in next game.

 

[Mike.]

As much as I enjoy ******** on Mourinho, this rapid transformation of entire team is highly suspect and awfully resembles Chelsea's problem with player power. They can just deliberately stop playing for several months to get manager sacked and club is helpless to stop it.

Ole is far too green to deal with that **** and in the long run they're gonna eat him alive.

It's almost like players are people and a hostile environment badly effects them.

I mean seriously, it isn't rocket science at all.

 

[Mike.]

It's also a bit of a myth that Ole is a light touch in training. He's just not endlessly surly

 

[Tyton]

It's almost like players are people and a hostile environment badly effects them.

I mean seriously, it isn't rocket science at all.

You know what else isn't rocket science? That comparing football club to a normal work is beyond absurd. You and I are not in a position to get our boss fired by not doing our jobs. They are. So I'd wager a guess that what counts as hostile environment for us and what counts as hostile environment for someone like Neymar is not at all similar.

What was that story that LVG would text them performance analysis after the game and they refused to read it, so he had programmers create a tracker program that checked if message was read? Very hostile environment indeed, manager dared to send me a text with some tips. I'd be sacked within a week if I did that at my job, they've done it for 2 years and LVG was the one who got the sack.

 

[Mike.]

You know what else isn't rocket science? That comparing football club to a normal work is beyond absurd. You and I are not in a position to get our boss fired by not doing our jobs. They are. So I'd wager a guess that what counts as hostile environment for us and what counts as hostile environment for someone like Neymar is not at all similar.

What was that story that LVG would text them performance analysis after the game and they refused to read it, so he had programmers create a tracker program that checked if message was read? Very hostile environment indeed, manager dared to send me a text with some tips. I'd be sacked within a week if I did that at my job, they've done it for 2 years and LVG was the one who got the sack.

Except it's not. It runs very much the same way. You ever spend time round football/sports clubs on a regular basis? Because I do.

This whole going on strike thing exists in the heads of the media who should know better, and the fans, who only ever see players on match day

It still effects your working environment if it's unpleasant place. If you as a boss create a poor environment, in any industry, you're likely on your way out

When it's elite sport, even being slightly off your game ha huge effects.

United were hesitant, nervous, second guessing their play. When your sport works in reactions of milliseconds, that's everything

I'm baffled as to why you mention LVG in a scenario that was caused by Mourinho.

I don't think LVG ever lost the dressing room, we just didn't play well enough.

 

[Mike.]

We can't blame every scenario on player power, did LVG really lose the dressing room considering he won an FA cup in his last game? I think it was more down to Woodward knowing we didn't get CL spot and wanted Mourinho.

Sarri is shooting himself in the foot, playing Kante and hazard out of position then wonders why can't score goals. Plus that outburst he made after Arsenal actually must of got a positive reaction considering they beat Spurs in next game.

I don't think LVG ever did tbh. I think we just weren't good enough target wise. His style of play was a bit dull. But he never actually broke the mood or brought the mood of the players down. Jose brought a genuine melancholy. Even Noyes didn't do that.

 

[morimech]

Interesting to see how United's performance's are after the playing out of spite high wears off. I do not think Ole has shown much tactical acumen so far.

 

[wkdsoul]

He didnt against Tottenham, got through that by the skin of his teeth, did against Arsenal had Lukaku exploit the space Kolasinac left perfectly, same with subs tbf.

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

U18s 3 gls against Pool. Greenwood https://twitter.com/fabioprod/status/1089160765662101509?s=21


And that’s absolute tosh about Ole not showing any tactical nouse he’s shown plenty. Especially against Spurs and Arsenal the 2 supposedly big tests. Both in formation and where certain players have played.

 

[RhQQ]

Interesting to see how United's performance's are after the playing out of spite high wears off. I do not think Ole has shown much tactical acumen so far.

He's shown a lot more than I thought he had. For example, yesterday, playing Lukaku as the wide outball because he knew Kolasinac wanted to bomb forward for the 90, assigning Herrera to cover Lukaku's defensive duties & tracking Kolasinac's runs while Lukaku stayed high and killed them in transition. Little things like this that most of us average Joes don't notice. 4-3-3 in possession, 5-3-2 out. Executed really nicely, Fergie-esque.

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

He's shown a lot more than I thought he had. For example, yesterday, playing Lukaku as the wide outball because he knew Kolasinac wanted to bomb forward for the 90, assigning Herrera to cover Lukaku's defensive duties & tracking Kolasinac's runs while Lukaku stayed high and killed them in transition. Little things like this that most of us average Joes don't notice. 4-3-3 in possession, 5-3-2 out. Executed really nicely, Fergie-esque.

Exactly. And the way he used a false 9 against Spurs to specifically run into the channels were there FBs always push high.

His rotation has been bang on also. And getting the youth there mins when he can. Still early doors to be decided whether he gets the job or not.

 

[Mike.]

He didnt against Tottenham, got through that by the skin of his teeth, did against Arsenal had Lukaku exploit the space Kolasinac left perfectly, same with subs tbf.

He did against both teams. It actually worked better against Spurs first half. Team overran a bit second half though as Poch recovered

Arsenal he killed them. But emery wasn't as savvy as Poch was in recovering.

 

[wkdsoul]

He did against both teams. It actually worked better against Spurs first half. Team overran a bit second half though.

Poch adjusted accordingly at HT, Ole did nothing. He's prepared well, but nothing to show he can adjust on the fly during the game as yet for me.

 

[RhQQ]

Exactly. And the way he used a false 9 against Spurs to specifically run into the channels were there FBs always push high.

His rotation has been bang on also. And getting the youth there mins when he can. Still early doors to be decided whether he gets the job or not.

Yep and Lingard as false 9 vs Spurs meant he could drop off in defensive phase to occupy the position Herrera was vacating when tracking Kolasinac, meaning we still had a midfield 3 thus numerical advantage in that area, with Lukaku & Alexis high and ready to kill. It was a really nice plan. Can definitely see the thinking. Just a pity Herrera was quite poor for the goal, Ramsey sent him for a hot-dog.

 

[RhQQ]

Poch adjusted accordingly at HT, Ole did nothing. He's prepared well, but nothing to show he can adjust on the fly during the game as yet for me.

I think the Spurs game showed Ole's definitely got tactical acumen, but Poch has more. Could see Ole learned from the game for Arsenal though, it's a learning experience.

Arsenal really lacked a RW though. They needed to force Alexis and/or Pogba back to support Shaw & stretch the pitch. Didn't have any option there. Can see the logic behind the recent Malcolm links.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Not related to Friday Rh mate as I was watching Grujic for the first time this year in Berlin, but as a general poimt Arsenal need a **** of a lot more than a RW.

I totally ovesold them getting back the top 4 the summer. They’re in a massive mess and need serious surgery. WC attack. Meh to good midfield. Relegation standard defence and goalkeeper. By far and away the worst of the top 6. As much as yoo can see what Emery’s trying to do, he’s in a complete no win situation with such a poor group.

Squad needs a complete overhaul. With minimal money to spend and repeated mediocre buys the little they do invest.

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

Not related to Friday Rh mate as I was watching Grujic for the first time this year in Berlin, but as a general poimt Arsenal need a **** of a lot more than a RW.

I totally ovesold them getting back the top 4 the summer. They’re in a massive mess and need serious surgery. WC attack. Meh to good midfield. Relegation standard defence and goalkeeper. By far and away the worst of the top 6. As much as yoo can see what Emery’s trying to do, he’s in a complete no win situation with such a poor group.

Squad needs a complete overhaul. With minimal money to spend and repeated mediocre buys the little they do invest.

Link with Perisic by DiMarzio. Not sure the need for another attacker!

 

[zzeezzy]

Interesting to see how United's performance's are after the playing out of spite high wears off. I do not think Ole has shown much tactical acumen so far.

He shown more than our last manager ever did with Lukaku and he has only been here for like what 1 month? I'm surprised you say that if you have been watching us, against Spurs in first half the false 9 and flexibility of our front 3 caused Spurs all sorts of problems. That was very inventive and I know they got the better of us second half. However I thought we had very good opportunities in that game in first half to be 2-0 or 3-0 up ourselves. As people have said against Arsenal it was genius really, playing Lukaku in a Mandzukic role and it won us the game ultimately.

Although I would agree that perhaps he didn't react well enough second half against Spurs, however I thought vs Arsenal he made the subs exactly at the right time bringing on Martial and Rashford. I can't fault him, he seems to be doing a lot better tactically than I thought, he seems a level above what we had previously. Which is mad to say when you think about it.

It's a bit naive to say the least thinking that these players are simply still winning games to get at Mourinho. You don't go on a 8/9 match winning streak unless you have a manager who knows what he is doing. it's the first time in our history a manager has ever done that and I think he deserves more respect. But at the same time I'm not getting too carried away, make a decision at end of season.

 

[RhQQ]

Link with Perisic by DiMarzio. Not sure the need for another attacker!

They need width mate. They have no width/1v1 players. Iwobi = tucks in, Mkhi = tucks in. Auba = striker, Laca = striker. Probably need to get Mkhi off the books in the summer.

A loan deal for Perisic until the end of the season would be good. Then you'll have Saka & Nelson a little more ready come August.