The Manchester United Thread

Legend Incredible said:
As a segue, the past five years old Barcelona's dismissal transfer policy all on display tonight. Shocking. Absolutely shocking performance from an "elite" club
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I've always had an issue with Barcelona being classed as a European elite.

Pre-Messi era Barcelona were far from elite in Europe.

And post-Messi era Barcelona is fixing to be the same.
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
I've always had an issue with Barcelona being classed as a European elite.

Pre-Messi era Barcelona were far from elite in Europe.

And post-Messi era Barcelona is fixing to be the same.
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Here's my beef: Messi wasn't the only reason Barcelona earned that elite status. It was a combination of him, properly breeding la masia graduates and shrewd signings. Current Barcelona pretty much neglect their academy, make puzzling signings with no continuity plan beyond Messi. They've lost their way. I've said this before but I see a very AC milan-esque decline with Barca once Messi leaves/retires
 
Legend Incredible said:
Here's my beef: Messi wasn't the only reason Barcelona earned that elite status. It was a combination of him, properly breeding la masia graduates and shrewd signings. Current Barcelona pretty much neglect their academy, make puzzling signings with no continuity plan beyond Messi. They've lost their way. I've said this before but I see a very AC milan-esque decline with Barca once Messi leaves/retires
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That was the glaring difference again tonight. (Even though Munich could well have conceded 5 themselves.).

One club out there that's run superbly top to bottom. Who recruits superbly. As much as they just bully their way through a poor Bundesliga.

Against one club with an amateur hour set-up full of political infighting who makes Woodward's recruitment look positively competent. ;)
 
Barca's recent transfer policy has been utterly shocking. They don't have a functional midfield, they don't have a plan for their brightest midfield recruit (de Jong, who they tried to shoehorn into the Biscuits role too many time when he can only play CDM as part of a double pivot), sold another promising, young recruit in Arthur to get an old immobile, deep playmaker in Pjanic. Not to mention getting Griezmann, whose role in Atleti meant him occupying the same spaces as Messi - and on enormous wages.

They're a club in shambles. They've probably not had any sort of idea or plan on how to use any of their transfers since the last 2 or so years. Not to mention La Masia being frozen out. Puig and Alena should get more starter roles, for heavens sake.

You get the sense they're waiting for the elections to happen before either going to Xavi or Pochettino for a hard reset.
 
Also, too many similarities to the start of the Guardiola era. I mean, they desperately need Messi, atleast for a year or so. But they can no longer afford to have a system that solely revolves around him. They need much better recruitment and to ship out old players. I mean, lets face it, ter Stegen and Messi are the only two WC stars on the team, and even there, Messi is growing old.

Plus, its not even the case of a system where the sum of the parts if greater than the one because their system literally revolves around Messi.
 
Sherkey said:
Also, too many similarities to the start of the Guardiola era. I mean, they desperately need Messi, atleast for a year or so. But they can no longer afford to have a system that solely revolves around him. They need much better recruitment and to ship out old players. I mean, lets face it, ter Stegen and Messi are the only two WC stars on the team, and even there, Messi is growing old.

Plus, its not even the case of a system where the sum of the parts if greater than the one because their system literally revolves around Messi.
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They turfed out Ronaldinho and Deco because they didn't want him influencing Messi and the other young starlets. Messi has too much influence at the club (Cant drop his over the hill friends Suarez and co.) and doesn't matter how good you are that can never be a good thing. Not quite the same thing as Liverpool had problems related to owners, chief executive at the time and the club just being miles behind its competitors in every aspect of a football club. However both Carra and Gerrard also had too much influence at the club aswell and it was detrimental in its own way. Sometimes you just need a complete clearout like Guardiola done and start from scratch with young and hungry new stars.
 
dilakh2 said:
They turfed out Ronaldinho and Deco because they didn't want him influencing Messi and the other young starlets. Messi has too much influence at the club (Cant drop his over the hill friends Suarez and co.) and doesn't matter how good you are that can never be a good thing. Not quite the same thing as Liverpool had problems related to owners, chief executive at the time and the club just being miles behind its competitors in every aspect of a football club. However both Carra and Gerrard also had too much influence at the club aswell and it was detrimental in its own way. Sometimes you just need a complete clearout like Guardiola done and start from scratch with young and hungry new stars.
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It's also because there is no coach who has the management behind them. With the change in elections, that might actually happen. If they do get in either of Xavi or Pochettino, you have to imagine that'll be the first thing they'll ask for - complete backing to reshape the squad.

Honestly, I would still keep Messi, as his performances have always been top, and the lure of playing with the best player ever still exists. Can still ship out the other older players if you have the board's backing (although the club has to be worried that Messi could walk away for free in 2021, if he so wishes).
 
Sherkey said:
It's also because there is no coach who has the management behind them. With the change in elections, that might actually happen. If they do get in either of Xavi or Pochettino, you have to imagine that'll be the first thing they'll ask for - complete backing to reshape the squad.

Honestly, I would still keep Messi, as his performances have always been top, and the lure of playing with the best player ever still exists. Can still ship out the other older players if you have the board's backing (although the club has to be worried that Messi could walk away for free in 2021, if he so wishes).
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As long as bartemou (sp) and co are still around nothing will change hence why Messi will most likely walk next year. I said it elsewhere Poch needs a strong Dof and structure to curb his excellent ability in buying dross players on a consistent basis. Xavi from what ive heard during his time in the middle east is egotistical and unproven. Not a good combo.
 
dilakh2 said:
As long as bartemou (sp) and co are still around nothing will change hence why Messi will most likely walk next year. I said it elsewhere Poch needs a strong Dof and structure to curb his excellent ability in buying dross players on a consistent basis. Xavi from what ive heard during his time in the middle east is egotistical and unproven. Not a good combo.
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They've already had meetings with Poch, according to the rumours. So, that'll be interesting to see.
 
And on the other side you have Real Madrid who are showing how to cope after losing a star. They have a plan to build new team and have guys for that transformation.

Also biggets issue is the coaches they hire. They are giving opportunities to guys who should not have the backing they are getting.
Even Big Sam would do better.
 
Bujakaa92 said:
And on the other side you have Real Madrid who are showing how to cope after losing a star. They have a plan to build new team and have guys for that transformation.

Also biggets issue is the coaches they hire. They are giving opportunities to guys who should not have the backing they are getting.
Even Big Sam would do better.
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Lol, yeah, the narrative is completely flipped. RM are building a young team who have the potential to go on and become superstars (but are not there yet). And let's be honest, they are still in transition, it will take them also a couple of years.

On the other hand, you have Barca, who have increasingly opted for a "Galacticos" route in recent times to see it fail massively in recent times.
 
Theatre of Dreams83 said:
10 gls and 3 assists from Stevanovic this season in Partizans first team. That’s pretty good considering he was 16 at the start of it.
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Similar to Greenwood, but Stevanovic is extremely 2 footed, he's quick and pretty good dribbler. If he can get rid of our "dis gonna be easy" mentality that rules over the Balkans, he'll be really good.
Also fun fact, he was playing against United with Partizan last year at Old Trafford. Reporter asked him after the game how does it feel to play in such famous stadium like Old Trafford. His answer was that it was pretty good considering he turned 17 but he doesn't want to remember that moment because Partizan lost.
 
Bujakaa92 said:
And on the other side you have Real Madrid who are showing how to cope after losing a star. They have a plan to build new team and have guys for that transformation.

Also biggets issue is the coaches they hire. They are giving opportunities to guys who should not have the backing they are getting.
Even Big Sam would do better.
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Because at Madrid you have ruling directors who do not want to spend season or two developing those young players, they want to win it all and now. Its really hard for coaches because if they give youth the chance and they do not perform, they could be fired at any moment. Its a really toxic environment and Zidane's reputation can allow him maybe a bit more freedom than the rest of the coaches, but still not enough to overpower those who think Real is godsend and should win it all every season.
So I wouldn't blame the coaches as much as those above them.
 
Theatre of Dreams83 said:
Lol nice little leak out of Dortmund that Madrid and Barca are very interested in Sancho this window. Thought he’s not for sale...... shame Dortmund crying to the press they have no money for transfers. Least that gives them away to save face if Utd pony up.
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It also means they save face to a certain extent when they capitulate and agree to a lower price when United don't budge on refusing to pay the 120m Euros up front...
 
Vanjagl said:
Similar to Greenwood, but Stevanovic is extremely 2 footed, he's quick and pretty good dribbler. If he can get rid of our "dis gonna be easy" mentality that rules over the Balkans, he'll be really good.
Also fun fact, he was playing against United with Partizan last year at Old Trafford. Reporter asked him after the game how does it feel to play in such famous stadium like Old Trafford. His answer was that it was pretty good considering he turned 17 but he doesn't want to remember that moment because Partizan lost.
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Yeah remember that.
 
If Sevilla are playing the press game against us I hope we have a better plan than we did against Chelsea in the cup. Think they will because we are really poor when getting pressed lately, seriously need to not insist on playing out from the back because we get put in to all kinds of trouble.
 
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