The Manchester United Thread

One thing I have noticed the last 2 matches. We are better with Bailey partnering Maguire. Both players have been very good and Maguire has looked better with pace next to him.

On the American stream I was watching afterwards. There was a noticeable difference in average team positioning higher up the pitch. With and without Bailey in the team. Also our FBs get forward more also. Ole has got to stick with this IMO.
 
This was before tonight's game. Quite nuts the impact Bruno has had. We're actually 1 point ahead of Liverpool.


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I am all about stats and analysing it. But the one stat that I hate seeing is the showing points from specific time period showing that you are top of the table. Does not matter and can be bended to match what ever reason.
Points are collected from start of the season to end. Does not matter if in specific time period combining two season you have more points.

It is not directed to you :D. Just some years ago these post where everywhere and they are coming back a bit.
 
I am all about stats and analysing it. But the one stat that I hate seeing is the showing points from specific time period showing that you are top of the table. Does not matter and can be bended to match what ever reason.
Points are collected from start of the season to end. Does not matter if in specific time period combining two season you have more points.

It is not directed to you :D. Just some years ago these post where everywhere and they are coming back a bit.

I do agree with you. But I think

1) 30 games is a pretty large sample size
2) From a United perspective, showing games in which we didn't have to play Andreas Pereira in the #10 role is also pretty relevant reading
 
One thing I have noticed the last 2 matches. We are better with Bailey partnering Maguire. Both players have been very good and Maguire has looked better with pace next to him.

On the American stream I was watching afterwards. There was a noticeable difference in average team positioning higher up the pitch. With and without Bailey in the team. Also our FBs get forward more also. Ole has got to stick with this IMO.

I've always maintained that Bailly could potentially be a better partner for Maguire as he fills in on a lot of his deficiencies.

The issue is can he stay fit?
 
I do agree with you. But I think

1) 30 games is a pretty large sample size
2) From a United perspective, showing games in which we didn't have to play Andreas Pereira in the #10 role is also pretty relevant reading
Good sample size, but still constist half games from both season. Maybe show wins and losses, but not push the narrative that club would be top from this specific date :D

In this case it would be facinating to see how other stats and areas has improved compared to same amount of games before Bruno joining.
How many key passes, chanches, passing and movment improvments. Improvments on other players - really concerning should be Martial 1 goal in PL...

Understand that these stats are hard to combine and it is easier, heh see they would have most wins from this period.
 
Good sample size, but still constist half games from both season. Maybe show wins and losses, but not push the narrative that club would be top from this specific date :D

In this case it would be facinating to see how other stats and areas has improved compared to same amount of games before Bruno joining.
How many key passes, chanches, passing and movment improvments. Improvments on other players - really concerning should be Martial 1 goal in PL...

Understand that these stats are hard to combine and it is easier, heh see they would have most wins from this period.

The point is to merely highlight the direction the club has went since fixing one of, if not our biggest issue on the pitch: goals/creativity from #10. Not to say we're on Liverpool's level or anything like that.

Since he's joined we create more chances, register higher xG, score more goals & most importantly, win more games. Martial, Rashford & Greenwood were playing brilliantly with him post-lockdown.

Would be more concerned with Martial's slow start if he hadn't bagged a 30 goal+assist season last season in his first campaign at CF without being the penalty taker. He's always been a confidence player. Looked proper shaky after Lamela ratted him vs Spurs but has looked back to his best in recent games. Was superb vs Leeds & also had an impact last night, imo.
 
Joking aside - I do think people need to at least understand the structure of the club in order to know what to judge Ole on. What exactly do you think is he mediocre at? The training ground coaching & transferring concepts on to the pitch? McKenna, Carrick & the coaching team are in charge of that; Ole is a delegator, similarly to Sir Alex. If you have issues with that side of it, it's Kieran McKenna you probably have beef with - but he's really well regarded by many at the club, Sir Alex included and I think you can see lots of patterns and set piece routines, ideas etc.

So, let's go to what he should be judged on (in relation to his role): man-management, team selections & an on-the-day tactician --- do you really think he's mediocre in all, or even any of that?

I was all for Poch, as like you, I love coaches who can do it all - but I think Ole has been playing a little blinder at OT. Knows his limitations, delegates and focuses on what he's good at. Keeping good harmony, refining forwards/using them in modern roles, making some big decisions (selling Fellaini/Lukaku/Young etc. + humbling Pogba) and some really good in-game decisions (i.e. system changes, etc.). I think if he swapped places with Potter or Wilder at Brighton or Sheff United last season, or Bielsa/Leeds this season, they'd all be doomed - but I do think he's suited to this traditional manager position at Old Trafford. That's not to say he's the perfect man but I don't think it's unthinkable for United to win trophies with him.
 
Joking aside - I do think people need to at least understand the structure of the club in order to know what to judge Ole on. What exactly do you think is he mediocre at? The training ground coaching & transferring concepts on to the pitch? McKenna, Carrick & the coaching team are in charge of that; Ole is a delegator, similarly to Sir Alex. If you have issues with that side of it, it's Kieran McKenna you probably have beef with - but he's really well regarded by many at the club, Sir Alex included and I think you can see lots of patterns and set piece routines, ideas etc.

So, let's go to what he should be judged on (in relation to his role): man-management, team selections & an on-the-day tactician --- do you really think he's mediocre in all, or even any of that?

I was all for Poch, as like you, I love coaches who can do it all - but I think Ole has been playing a little blinder at OT. Knows his limitations, delegates and focuses on what he's good at. Keeping good harmony, refining forwards/using them in modern roles, making some big decisions (selling Fellaini/Lukaku/Young etc. + humbling Pogba) and some really good in-game decisions (i.e. system changes, etc.). I think if he swapped places with Potter or Wilder at Brighton or Sheff United last season, or Bielsa/Leeds this season, they'd all be doomed - but I do think he's suited to this traditional manager position at Old Trafford. That's not to say he's the perfect man but I don't think it's unthinkable for United to win trophies with him.

Also said last season on here that Ole has been building in reverse to Klopp (back-to-front instead of front-to-back) and you feel a Sancho addition will be the VVD cherry. After that, there can't be any real excuses not to be properly challenging across the board.
 
Also said last season on here that Ole has been building in reverse to Klopp (back-to-front instead of front-to-back) and you feel a Sancho addition will be the VVD cherry. After that, there can't be any real excuses not to be properly challenging across the board.

Now you’ve completely lost me if you’re attesting any semblance of a competent backline has been ‘built.’ I’ll leave the conversation here.

Happy NY mate to you and yours. It certainly can’t be any worse than 2020.

And the table at least ‘suggests’ you’re in a title race so there is that. ?
 
Also said last season on here that Ole has been building in reverse to Klopp (back-to-front instead of front-to-back) and you feel a Sancho addition will be the VVD cherry. After that, there can't be any real excuses not to be properly challenging across the board.
Interesting point, both this post and the post you quoted. You might be right, but I think for proper challenge across the board some United players need to step up with their consistency.
 
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