The United Way

Not bad I must say.
Just a few reccomendations for you:

  • Shorten some of the updates. Post 7,14,17,19 and 20 are a little too large for my liking. They are labour intensive and takes quite a while to read them all. Try keep them around the same length as your op or a little larger.
  • Dont bold an entire text. In post 19 you have a lot of bolded text and it doesnt make it look attractive to read.
  • Try to limit the amount of pictures in each update to 4-5. Some of your posts have about 10 images and it would look better if you used less as they would have more attention. Sometimes less is more.
  • When doing press conferences dont space them out so much. You have 2-3 spaces between some questions and answers. It may look better if you reduce that to 1 or sometimes none depending on its importance.

But you have the basis of a very good story once you keep the updates a little shorter you will get a good following. Keep up the good work
 
Steve* said:
Not bad I must say.
Just a few reccomendations for you:

  • Shorten some of the updates. Post 7,14,17,19 and 20 are a little too large for my liking. They are labour intensive and takes quite a while to read them all. Try keep them around the same length as your op or a little larger.
  • Dont bold an entire text. In post 19 you have a lot of bolded text and it doesnt make it look attractive to read.
  • Try to limit the amount of pictures in each update to 4-5. Some of your posts have about 10 images and it would look better if you used less as they would have more attention. Sometimes less is more.
  • When doing press conferences dont space them out so much. You have 2-3 spaces between some questions and answers. It may look better if you reduce that to 1 or sometimes none depending on its importance.

But you have the basis of a very good story once you keep the updates a little shorter you will get a good following. Keep up the good work
Click to expand...

Thanks for your feedback mate. Like i said i did squash alot of information in just to get back in real game time. I will look to shorthen the post :) Sorry my laptop been acting up so i can't tell when the font is bolded or not. So i'll correct that. Thank you so much :) will work on what you said
 
Summer Update

The major talking point of this summer has been the Euro's which was won by Spain after they beat Holland in the final 2-1. England was again knocked out in the quarter finals after negotiating their way through a tough group which contain both Holland and France. One of the biggest surprises of the Euro's is that Germany did not make it out of the group stages.

There was also a big interest on how clubs will be looking to reinforce after a dominating season by Manchester United. Obviously looking to outdo their neighbours Manchester City has bought two of the most expensive summer signings so far. Marek Hamsik and Salvatore Bocchetti both signed for a combined fee of 47 million pounds. Another big transfer was Cabaye from Newcastle United moving to Tottenham for 14.75 million pounds.

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Manchester City's two major summer signings so far.
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Manchester United have reinforced but it's been mainly youngsters who will go straight into the united's youth academy. 6 relatively unknown youngsters have been bought so far. 13 players have been let go by United and 3 players have already been sold. Federico Macheda was surprisingly sold for 7 million pounds to Fiorentina, Joshua King and Richie De Laet were also sold for 1.5 and 3 million pounds. Ben Amos is also reported to be wanted by Southampton and Park is also set to leave. Promising youngsters Felipe Andersen and Zakaria Labyad is also set to move out on loan deals.

They have announced that they will be buying off Jones and Smalling clauses which were heavily based on appearances. This is a great re assurances for the players who should feel their future at Old Trafford is certainty bright. Also united fans will be pleased to hear that Nani, Hernandez, Evans, Welbeck and Pogba have all signed new 5 year contracts for the club. Giggs also signed for another year. One of the perhaps distasteful stories of summer is Rio Ferdinand being forced out by Ian Lim. Lim has tried to move Ferdinand on numerous occasion and it is reported that the squad isn't happy with that decision. It was also rumoured that the manager was looking to off load Carrick but reversed his decision due to the squad’s resistance. The season is yet to begin but the manager seems to have a number of problems already.

Pre-Season
5 preseason games have been played. First game back is always against the reserve which the main squad comfortably won 6-1. Arsenal came to Old Trafford 3 days later with both squads looking to increase their match fitness. We dominated them and won 4-1. The next two games against PSG and Sporting Lisbon should have been a foregone conclusion but complacency and carelessness at the back led to us conceding late goals both game ending 3-3. I was certainly not happy with that performance and let the squad know how I felt. The next game was against AC Milan who we faced in the Champions League semi final, we won thanks to an impressive hattrick from Yaya Sanago. A pre season tour in Japan is scheduled just before the community shield but first united will face Malaga who came 5th​ last year in the La Liga.

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Good pre-season so far with a hattrick against AC Milan
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Manger thoughts
It’s great news that Hernandez and Nani both agreed to their new 5 year contract deals. Yaya Sanago hattrick against Milan will not go unnoticed, he had a successful spell at Twente averaging a goal every 2 games with the majority coming off the bench. Felipe and Zakaria did not do so well but it may just be getting use to first team football. I’ll be looking to send them off on loan again. I can’t believe Rooney, Jones and Cleverley have been picked for the Olympics. After playing the Euro’s I thought the FA would understand. We would be without De Gea and Hernandez as well. Hopefully we’ll have them back before the start of the season but they’ll need a rest when they get back. The FA sure loves to make things difficult.

Tottenham and City have reinforce yet again this summer. It's going to be an even harder test to beat them this year. The amount of money they are spending is ridiculous, how deep can their owners pockets go. It was reported that Hamsik will be getting a 165kpw.

I can’t wait for Ferdinand to recover from his injury so clubs will be willing to make a bid for him. I don’t see a future for him at the club and with his excessive high wages it’s time for him to move on. Carrick is an interesting case, he played extremely well last year but I’m looking for Cleverley and Pogba to grow into the first team this season. He’ll still be a useful experience head to have around. This season more pressure will be put upon us after last year’s amazing performance. We have to concentrate on what’s ahead and not what we have done. I may look into buying an experience premier league player to give the fans and players a boost. He’s reportedly unhappy at his current club, but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
 
August Update

United announced their link up with Ipswich Town at the start of August. This new partnership allowed United to send youngsters out on loan and in return Ipswich will gain a friendly from United every year.

With City having just bought Luka Modric for a whopping 41 million pounds, both sets of fans were interested to see how their team would line up. It was rumoured United offered 30 million pounds with Rio Ferdinand and Carrick in exchange. Rooney, Hernandez, Rafael, Jones and Smalling all miss out due to Olympic duty with Young and Cleverley injured during the Euro’s both still recovering. De Gea was expected to play with Spain surprisingly being knocked out by Great Britain in the early stages of the tournament. Manchester City was favourites going into the game with a number of Manchester United’s first team players either injured or on international duty.

There was a certainly an element of surprise with the line ups. Silva not starting or even making the bench for City, Modric making his immediate debut as an attacking midfielder alongside Hamsik and Aguero, Dzeko would hold up on his own up front with new summer signing Bocchetti starting at the back with Kompany. United pulled off a number of surprises. Darren Fletcher who missed the entire season due to illness was named in the starting eleven and 19 year old Paul Pogba starting as well. As expected Sanogo and Welbeck up front, Fabio was shift to right fullback and Evans in the heart of the defence with Vidic.

Manchester United 1 Manchester City 0
The game was a tight affair, with neither team dominating. United scoring with their first real chance, Evans flicking on Valencia’s corner for Vidic to header past the hopeless Joe Hart, 1 nil to the champions! Having dominating the early exchanges, it was only a matter of time before the champions had another chance on goal. Pogba receiving the ball after a slick passing move roll the ball for Welbeck to strike home from 10 years. It was however ruled out as Danny Welbeck was ruled to be offside.

That seemed to have shock City and they responded well with Moutinho hitting the crossbar from a freekick. A few minutes later, Aguero taking the next free kick from just outside the area managed to sky the ball high and above the bar. City nearly equalise again with Kompany hitting the bar from a freekick.

Going into the break united fans were the happier set of the fans with their team leading at the break, with City with the majority of the chances. Due to Fletcher and Pogba’s incredible work rates Modric, Ageuro or Hamsik found it hard to find time on the ball. This meant the majority of their chances were coming from set pieces.

Into the second half, where a diving header by Welbeck was well saved by Hart at his near post, the England number one was quick to react and did well to get low. Dzeko had a one on one opportunity with De Gea but hit the outside of the post. The first substitution came from City with Bocchetti being replaced by Kolo Toure. Welbeck and Sanogo movement had been troubling him all day and looked a lost boy at times. United responded with Nani coming off for summer signing Gaston Ramirez, Vidic also had to be taken off due to a knock he picked up for 19 year old Michael Keane to make his United debut.

Valencia cause Hart several problems throughout the half and this was shown when the united winger forced Hart into a quick double save. Initially from out of the box with a low drive, and with the rebound Valencia managed to strike it directly at the keeper. In the dying minutes of the games, City had a corner and from the second ball Hamsik had a free header from 6 yards which forced a magnificent save from David De Gea.

After the game Lim was quick to praise his team efforts, special praise were reserved for Darren Fletcher who the previous season battling against ulcerative colitis. He then went on to add it was an easy decision to put Fletcher into the team despite not playing a competitive game over a year.

Mancini was quick to downplay any impact the result will have on the rest of the season. He was quoted saying “it’s only a preseason game”, he cannot deny that his team full of megastars weren’t unable to beat a very weak united team.

Leicester City 0 Manchester United 4

United’s first half dominance showed how different the premier league is to the championship. Leicester City having gained promotion through the playoffs will have to adapt quickly to life in the premier league. Leicester nearly gave united an early shock within the first minute of play, Shikabala Egypt international was put through in the 6 yard box and drawing an impressive save from De Gea. They will rue that miss as 8 minutes later, Rooney passing the ball back to Cleverley struck the ball sweetly from the edge of the area flying into the goal. It didn’t stop there, from a counter attack started up by Rooney, Evra cross found Hernandez in acres of space head home to double united’s lead. Hernandez nearly scored 2 goals within 2 minutes as Schmeichel did brilliantly to parry Hernandez volley onto the crossbar.

United dominance was then reinforce with an early through ball played by Hernandez set Cleverley free whose shot from the edge of the area curve round the keeper into the top corner. Leicester city fans will also be anxious over the injury to Obertan who was forced off shortly after the third goal.

The first half ended with a bang with Cleverley setting up Rooney for their team’s fourth goal of the game.
The second half was nothing like the first with Leicester sitting back and defending in and United happy to keep the ball. Cleverley was taken off to give Pogba some game time received a standing ovation from the travelling supporters. Ramirez was also given his premier league debut.

Tom Cleverley was named man of the match. He was surprisingly given the nod over the likes of Giggs and Carrick in a potentially difficult away game. Lim will be happy with his decision to play Cleverley who got his first brace for united and an assist on the day.
View attachment 222245
Two goals and an assist for United's playmaker
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Manchester United 4 Wigan 0

First game of the season at Old Trafford saw a repeat of the same score line from their first away game. Lim sticking with the Cleverley in the middle with Fellani and his only change was Jones coming in for Evans. Wigan had an early chance from a freekick which De Gea comfortably saved from the resulting shot from McCarthy. Hernandez has an early chance which left Al Habsi rooted to the spot but going the wrong side of the post. The first goal came from Tom Cleverley. Picking the ball up from 35 yards, dribbling his way past 2 defenders and shooting across Al Habsi to give united the early lead.

With the first corner of the game for United, Wigan was to pay for their abysmal defending with Vidic easily over jumping young McCarthy to head home. 2 nil united! It looked like Lim was heading towards an opening home victory. Both Rooney and Cleverley had the chance to put the game out of Wigan’s reaches were both denied by fantastic saves from Al Habsi. Hernandez put the result beyond doubt as a misjudgement from Caldwell allowed Hernandez through to shoot past Al Habsi from 6 yards with plenty of time and space.

After the break, Wigan had a few chances to get a goal back. Victor Moses choking in a one on one situation against De Gea managing to shoot wide and a header from Alcaraz just over the cross bar. A low cross from Nani saw Rooney pick up the ball within the 6 yard box and with a fantastic first touch and foot control saw Rooney tap the ball past Al Habsi. If it weren’t for Al Habsi the score could have easily gone into double figures as Al Habsi saved late on against Vidic, Rooney and Hernandez.

The man of the match was given to Nermanja Vidic whose dominating performance at the back gave united the foundation to attack constantly. United on top by goal difference with just 2 games into the season with City just behind.

Manchester United 6 Dynamo Kyiv 0

With United losing their last European Winners Cup Final, there was certainly motive for the players to finally get their hands on the trophy. An entertaining game which saw Rafael getting a red card in the first half which did not stop Manchester United from winning the game.

Within 8 minutes, United managed to score from a counter attack after a corner was cleared. Valencia breaking loose and sprinting past his marker and crossing into the six yard box and Hernandez to tap home, the amount of times that it happen last season was unbelievable. No team has managed to find a way to counter united’s lightning counter attacks.

Cleverley who’s been in good form so far this season kept his goal scoring record so far with a left footed half volley which threatens to break the net. He managed to react quicker than any defender to pounce on a rebound. 2 goals to the good, united comfortably controlling the game. Just 4 minutes after Cleverley’s goal, Rafael managed to earn himself a red card with a two footed tackle. Rafael who did gain a few red cards towards the end of last season managed to be the first united player to receive one this year. The manager could have no complaints with the punishment. This forced Lim to take off Nani for Fabio with Rooney moving to the left.

This didn’t stop united from dominating the game from start to finish, on the hour’s mark. Hernandez rifled in a half volley from a cross from Valencia gave united their third goal. 3-0 United. Dynamo didn’t seem to be in the game at all even with a numerical advantage were unable to force united out of their half.

Hernandez completing his hattrick from the sport when Khacheridi tripped Valencia inside the box, Rooney the normal penalty taker allowed Hernandez to complete his hattrick. 4-0 United. Just three minutes later Hernandez grab his fourth goal when Evra put his through, beating the offside trap and shooting low and hard. 5-0 United. This wasn’t the end of the embarrassment with Vidic heading in from a corner which bounces off the post onto the keeper’s back and rolled into the empty net. An own goal by Dynamo’s keeper who looked like he just wanted to the game to end after his miserable performance.

Javier Hernandez got man of the match with four goals to his name.
View attachment 222248
4 goals in the European Super Cup Final
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It was a good month for United with Cleverley winning August Player of the month after two great performances from the youngster. Phil Jones winning August Young player of the month with two solid performances.


Transfer Update

To wrap up the summer spending, Manchester City spent a total of 91 million pounds on three players, Modric coming in for a record British fee of 41 million pounds from Tottenham. Adam Johnson left City for Fulham and last season’s signings Srna and Quaresma both moving on after unsuccessful spells at City. Arda Turan spending a year at Atletico Madrid was bought by Chelsea for 21 million pounds. Liverpool managed to beat the likes of Chelsea and City to sign Hulk for 11.75 million and signed Jeremy Menez from PSG for 14.75 million pounds. Tottenham was active as well signing Ryan Shawcross from Stoke for 11.75 million pounds and Papiss Cisse for 12.5 million pounds.

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One of the few big name players on the move this past summer.


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United however did not spent big with only youngsters coming in. Gaston Ramirez from Bologna for 2.9 million pounds and Kevin Gilbert from PSG the only additional arrivals since July, Ramirez was a surprisingly signing with a relatively average season last year. Lim obviously believes he has the potential to be a world class player. Kevin Gilbert is another youngster that Lim has discovered and will be sent out on loan to Leicester City. Felipe Andersen was sent to Braga to gain first team experience with the likes of Drinkwater, Tunnicliffe, Vermikl and Blackett all also going out on loan. Ben Amos was sold to Southampton for 2 million pounds which the player will benefit greatly from constant first team action.

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New Manchester United signing
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Manager’s thoughts
A good start to the season, the lads have worked hard throughout preseason and it looks like things are going well. Ramirez seems to have fitted in well with the rest of the lads. He has a bright future ahead of him and to get him for just 2.9 million was a steal. I’m extremely pleased for Darren having recovered from his illness it’s great to have him back and his experience will no doubt add to team. Cleverley has started on fire this season; I think I’ll leave him in the side for awhile. It’s his chance to claim a first team spot on the team. Ashley Yong is making his recovery from his injury in the summer so I’m glad the international break is next giving him more chance to be fit for the Chelsea game.

The league has been relatively straight forward with wins against Leicester and Wigan. No disrespect to both teams but it’s just going to get harder. We have Chelsea next at home which should prove to be a testing game.


We’re on top at the moment with City breathing down our neck. I was surprised to see them beat Villa comfortably 5-1 on opening day but it’ll be a real test from all the teams with most of our rivals strengthening.


I’m pleased to add the European Super Cup to the trophy cabinet. But my focus has to be on the league and champions league again. I still want to achieve my personal goal of winning the champions league for three consecutive seasons. We were drawn with an easy group with Marseille, Kobenhavn from Denmark and Metalist from Ukraine. I was glad to avoid the likes of Juventus and Ajax. Having the next two weeks will give me the chance to assess what I’m going to do with several youth players.


 
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