The Manchester United Thread

[Theatre of Dreams83]

With all due respect to Lindelof, that would be the true heir to Rio & Vidic.

Yeah would be fantastic partnership. Beat in the league possibly one of the best in Europe. Not sure how much would cost 45-55m?

Think Lindelöf has been very good his last 5/6 performances. Great on the ball! Looks to be settled now.

 

[RedUnited]

"Alderweireld's situation is complicated by the nature of his contract, which is due to expire in 2019 but has a clause that enables the club to extend it by 12 months. However, the same clause also allows Alderweireld to leave next summer for £25.4 million before the final 14 days of the transfer window, so the end of this season represents Spurs' last chance to achieve his full market value, which would be more than £50 million. Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid are among the clubs monitoring the situation"

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

When you both play the way Mourinho plays with that protection for the defence first and foremost, and you have the best security blanket in the World in de Gea, spending major money on central defenders is WAY down on Utds list of priorities.

 

[RhQQ]

Yeah would be fantastic partnership. Beat in the league possibly one of the best in Europe. Not sure how much would cost 45-55m?

Think Lindelöf has been very good his last 5/6 performances. Great on the ball! Looks to be settled now.

He has a 25M RC I think I read somewhere lol

 

[RhQQ]

When you both play the way Mourinho plays with that protection for the defence first and foremost, and you have the best security blanket in the World in de Gea, spending major money on central defenders is WAY down on Utds list of priorities.

I see where you're coming from mate, but if you can ship out Smalling for a fee that all you have to do is add 5-10M MAX to get Alderweireld, the best CB in the league, then it's a must move.

As you've shared before with the xG conceded stats, our defence is not as solid as "goals conceded" suggests.

Smalling's a donkey. Lindelof looks real tidy, but not completely trusted yet. Rojo's decent but a red card & career ending challenge waiting to happen. Jones is solid and underrated, but he's nowhere near Toby. Reads the game, controls the backline, builds it well from the back, we're crying out for him.

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

I see where you're coming from mate, but if you can ship out Smalling for a fee that all you have to do is add 5-10M MAX to get Alderweireld, the best CB in the league, then it's a must move.

As you've shared before with the xG conceded stats, our defence is not as solid as "goals conceded" suggests.

Smalling's a donkey. Lindelof looks real tidy, but not completely trusted yet. Rojo's decent but a red card & career ending challenge waiting to happen. Jones is solid and underrated, but he's nowhere near Toby. Reads the game, controls the backline, builds it well from the back, we're crying out for him.

Would mind shipping 2 CB out this summer Jones injuries are starting to come again. Rojo struggling to regain fitness after that terrible knee injury and yeah Smalling. Tuanzebe back off loan and Alder in.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Yeah, that maybe came over not how I quite meant it. Don’t get me wrong, you can never have too many top players. And yeah, Utd’s defensive record is misleading thanks to Superman in nets. (PLEASE Madrid save us all from him the summer. We beg you. Sincerely, the other 19 PL clubs ...... But I digress ...... ).

I guess I was just trying to say Mourinho drills guys so well within what he’s always done that he you can plug in most anyone the back so long as they’re competent yer know? Defence is the last area he ever really needs to spend major cash on. But it naturally help.

 

[Mike.]

For me its not even about solidity, neither of the buffoons can play out the back without having a brain fart

 

[Sherkey]

I'd keep Jones. Has been solid this season. Ship out Smalling? Sure, especially for a better shot at Alderweireld. Considering injury issues, we will need Jones, Rojo and Lindelof.

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

I'd keep Jones. Has been solid this season. Ship out Smalling? Sure, especially for a better shot at Alderweireld. Considering injury issues, we will need Jones, Rojo and Lindelof.

I would prefer Bailly, Alder, Lindelöf, Rojo, Tuanzebe

 

[Bujakaa92]

OptaJoe‏Verified account @OptaJoe

14- David de Gea has conceded 19 Premier League goals this season, but based on Opta xG data for the shots on target he's faced, the average goalkeeper would have been expected to concede 33 goals. This is the biggest differential by a PL goalkeeper in 2017-18. Exceptional.

 

[Tyton]

For me its not even about solidity, neither of the buffoons can play out the back without having a brain fart

Strange, I seem to remember them spending 2 years comfortably playing out of the back and keeping 70% posession in most games.

 

[RhQQ]

Strange, I seem to remember them spending 2 years comfortably playing out of the back and keeping 70% posession in most games.

Smalling was doing that, Jones was stealing a living on the medical table.

Must also be said Daley Blind was the one who took most of the responsibility from playing out (breaking lines etc.), Smalling was predominantly a square passer, and was made look 100x better with LvG's very good spacing. Always passing lanes available. He had the team drilled incredibly in that regard.

 

[Tyton]

Smalling was doing that, Jones was stealing a living on the medical table.

Must also be said Daley Blind was the one who took most of the responsibility from playing out (breaking lines etc.), Smalling was predominantly a square passer, and was made look 100x better with LvG's very good spacing. Always passing lanes available. He had the team drilled incredibly in that regard.

Correct, and that was my point exactly. Every year around this time into the season, the United fanbase is brimming about how half of the squad is **** and how you need 5 new players for every position. It's like the concept of improving the players who are already there never crosses people's minds.

People were able to play from the back, and suddenly they are ****? No, the coaching is **** because Mourinho either can't, or doesn't want to drill his team the way Guardiola or LVG do it. My guess is that Jose is more focused on defensive drills, unlike the possession coaches, so the defenders are just told to pass it to the nearest guy who knows what to do with the ball.

 

[RhQQ]

Correct, and that was my point exactly. Every year around this time into the season, the United fanbase is brimming about how half of the squad is **** and how you need 5 new players for every position. It's like the concept of improving the players who are already there never crosses people's minds.

People were able to play from the back, and suddenly they are ****? No, the coaching is **** because Mourinho either can't, or doesn't want to drill his team the way Guardiola or LVG do it. My guess is that Jose is more focused on defensive drills, unlike the possession coaches, so the defenders are just told to pass it to the nearest guy who knows what to do with the ball.

While me or you don't like it, Jose has won Champions Leagues and umpteenth League Titles playing his reactive, transition-focused football, he's not going to change his approach now.

José Mourinho: "For me, beautiful football is not giving our opponents what they want.” #mufc (LOL)

 

[Mike.]

Correct, and that was my point exactly. Every year around this time into the season, the United fanbase is brimming about how half of the squad is **** and how you need 5 new players for every position. It's like the concept of improving the players who are already there never crosses people's minds.

People were able to play from the back, and suddenly they are ****? No, the coaching is **** because Mourinho either can't, or doesn't want to drill his team the way Guardiola or LVG do it. My guess is that Jose is more focused on defensive drills, unlike the possession coaches, so the defenders are just told to pass it to the nearest guy who knows what to do with the ball.

Smalling doesnt fit, once he's asked to be adventurous.

Blind does but he is out of favour

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

OptaJoe‏Verified account @OptaJoe

14- David de Gea has conceded 19 Premier League goals this season, but based on Opta xG data for the shots on target he's faced, the average goalkeeper would have been expected to concede 33 goals. This is the biggest differential by a PL goalkeeper in 2017-18. Exceptional.

It get's more ridiculous by the passing game.

When it's all said and done, he'll go down as Utd and the PL's best ever goalie. If he's not at that point all ready.

Forget Schmeichel having more silverware. You can only play on the team's you're on at a certain time in history. And the Dane's time was fortunate to coincide with far better talent ahead of him. Individually, DDG's at such a consistently great level it's not even funny.

 

[Vanjagl]

Smalling and Jones are good as bench options. Still no verdict on Lindelof, though he was decent in the last game. Bailly was good for United, but far away from finished article. Way too eager at times and his positioning was iffy. But he has that Ferdinand-esque aura around him. Shaw is getting back, but in the same way, can't be sure about him. Young has done decent, at times he was good. But he's liability in defense most of the times, and its understandable. How much more gas in the tank Valencia has? Is TFM ready?
Don't forget United have Tuanzebe, a really bright CD. Williams is still young and can still turn the table around, though I doubt it.

Bigges woes are in midfield. Need something to glue all the things together. Needs a proper partner for Pogba. And Mourinho needs to play to squad strengths. A lot of blame is on Mourinho. And he refuses to change things. Thats why I'm kinda against him in long term. But oh well, at this rate, couple more years of scratching the head for sure.

 

[Tyton]

PL's best ever goalie. .

I'm afraid that spot is already occupied by pre-helmet Cech.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

I'm afraid that spot is already occupied by pre-helmet Cech.

If I'm not having de Gea I'm taking Schmeichel over anyone else personally.

Singlehandedly won these a few titles. Along with Cantona, he was the biggest difference maker for them that period. Honestly, don't think I've seen much of a bigger presence in anyone's nets than that fella' was.

There wasn't much difference in talent between Evans L'pool and those Utd sides mid 90's. But they had the dominant, ball-winning shithouse in midfield we lacked to control and close games out, who could pull everyone together through his leadership in first Ince and then Keane. And more so they had a WC goalkeeper. Whilst we had a brain-dead one.