The Football Thread 2018-19 - This is the end.

[PES Fan]

Yeah. Quite a lot of that is bollocks.

To be fair, I do believe some of the points he is making are good points.

What top club waits till they mathematically out of the top four race to sack the manager? Standards have slipped and it comes from the top. Woodward has gone on record saying winning leagues are not important. We are turning into Arsenal. Praying for top four places which is ridiculous. Any other so called top club and Mourinho would have gone before Newcastle. But beating Newcastle who were like bottom at the time is some sort of job saver.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

[Winckle]

Just sick of this gooseberry fool, had enough.

"Feel like pure gooseberry fool just want him back gone"

[DML]

United are underperforming, but they don't have the players a top four side needs.

Young, Fellaini, Jones, Smalling, Lingard...these are okay players but not top four. Where are the players that are meant to make United a top four side? De Gea sure but then who? Lukaku? Rashford? Pogba isn't delivering massively when he plays.

Something has to change from top to bottom.

[Jamo3103]

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

Scatter gun defines it perfectly, the same approach has happened with managerial appointments.

As you point out, we have an unbalanced squad, missing players in key positions. If you have a coherent strategy in terms of playing style and recruitment then you sign players to fit that style of play (and appoint managers to play football in a certain style). If the manager changes then it enables you to keep some sort of continuity. When Pep came to City he didn't have to sell off the entire squad and start over, he had to refresh in key positions (such as full-back and GK) but by and large he had players who would gel with his style.

When Van Gaal came in he ripped apart what was still essentially Fergie's squad and started over. If United were run well at the top, with a coherent footballing structure then that would have been a part of building a team for the future. Instead players were sold who could actually have been part of this squad right now (Rafael, Evans, Zaha, Welbeck and Chicharito) and a lot of money was thrown at players without much thought over whether or not they were the right signings. Even then we at least signed some players who looked like good bets for the future like Shaw, Martial and Memphis. Then we appointed a manager in Mourinho who was wildly unsuited to developing young, attacking players and who plays a style of football which is the total opposite of Van Gaal's. He again started to rip apart the squad and start over.

We can't afford to be in a position where the next manager comes in and once again rips apart the squad and starts over. We need somebody who can get the best out of what we already have but we also need a strategy in place from the very top level which ensures that with each new appointment we are simply building on what's already in place, not starting from scratch again and again.

I think Jardim could be a good appointment, although it fell apart at the end with Monaco you could make the same point about Klopp at Dortmund but things are working out alright for him at Liverpool. Ultimately, whoever it is needs to be somebody who gets what United are all about - attacking football, wing play and young, hungry players.

[Curls]

Shaqiri <3

[Winckle]

Liverpool Liverpool, top of the league!

[mcjihge2]

Lucky with both strikes Liverpool ...........

You make your own luck in this game.

[Finiarél]

Honestly. We again performed shite. Only really kicking into gear in the last 20 minutes.

United are awful. It's one hell of a slippery slope for them right now.

Big big 3 games for us now. Wolves, Arsenal and City.

Shaqiri

[Finiarél]

G Neville the most scathing I’ve seen him about Manu this season.

His head has well and truly gone. Properly rattled

Can't think of a manager who would come in given how United are running and the amount of shite in the club. Emery would have been the perfect choice for them, They'll probably go for ZZ though because $$$$$



Speaking of which, I want Pulisic. Decent player and that American Market

[darksideby182]

Honestly. We again performed shite. Only really kicking into gear in the last 20 minutes.

United are awful. It's one hell of a slippery slope for them right now.

Big big 3 games for us now. Wolves, Arsenal and City.

Shaqiri

Not looking forward to Arsenal playing at Anfield with our defence at the moment hopefully it will be stronger than it was today. But at least under Emery we should have a plan and the players will be up for it.

[Finiarél]

Triple post!


Fabinho was absolutely boss. Made up that he's showing what he can do. Squad depth

[Finiarél]

Honestly. We again performed shite. Only really kicking into gear in the last 20 minutes.

United are awful. It's one hell of a slippery slope for them right now.

Big big 3 games for us now. Wolves, Arsenal and City.

Shaqiri

Not looking forward to Arsenal playing at Anfield with our defence at the moment hopefully it will be stronger than it was today. But at least under Emery we should have a plan and the players will be up for it.

Are defence is pretty goosed at the moment too. Hopefully TAA is back in time, but saying that Clyne did really well considering how long he's been out for.

Quite envious of Torreria, He's a right little bastard.

[Finiarél]

Yeah. Quite a lot of that is bollocks.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing.

Need a CB. Splash £40 big ones on Fred. Madness.

[Denster]

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

Scatter gun defines it perfectly, the same approach has happened with managerial appointments.

As you point out, we have an unbalanced squad, missing players in key positions. If you have a coherent strategy in terms of playing style and recruitment then you sign players to fit that style of play (and appoint managers to play football in a certain style). If the manager changes then it enables you to keep some sort of continuity. When Pep came to City he didn't have to sell off the entire squad and start over, he had to refresh in key positions (such as full-back and GK) but by and large he had players who would gel with his style.

When Van Gaal came in he ripped apart what was still essentially Fergie's squad and started over. If United were run well at the top, with a coherent footballing structure then that would have been a part of building a team for the future. Instead players were sold who could actually have been part of this squad right now (Rafael, Evans, Zaha, Welbeck and Chicharito) and a lot of money was thrown at players without much thought over whether or not they were the right signings. Even then we at least signed some players who looked like good bets for the future like Shaw, Martial and Memphis. Then we appointed a manager in Mourinho who was wildly unsuited to developing young, attacking players and who plays a style of football which is the total opposite of Van Gaal's. He again started to rip apart the squad and start over.

We can't afford to be in a position where the next manager comes in and once again rips apart the squad and starts over. We need somebody who can get the best out of what we already have but we also need a strategy in place from the very top level which ensures that with each new appointment we are simply building on what's already in place, not starting from scratch again and again.

I think Jardim could be a good appointment, although it fell apart at the end with Monaco you could make the same point about Klopp at Dortmund but things are working out alright for him at Liverpool. Ultimately, whoever it is needs to be somebody who gets what United are all about - attacking football, wing play and young, hungry players.

Agree with most of what you've both said there.

The fault in the board lies with the appointment if the managers but they have supported them with funds.
With hindsight we've appointed van Gaal and mourinho when both their styles have been eclipsed by better approaches. Football has simply moved on.

Dont agree on the players you think we should have kept.

Don't know enough about your preferred candidate but he sounds like someone we should go for. Not sure ZIdane would be the right appointment.

[Jamo3103]

Yeah. Quite a lot of that is bollocks.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing.

Need a CB. Splash £40 big ones on Fred. Madness.

Who Mourinho says he won't play because we're not good enough defensively. Absolutely brilliant.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

Scatter gun defines it perfectly, the same approach has happened with managerial appointments.

As you point out, we have an unbalanced squad, missing players in key positions. If you have a coherent strategy in terms of playing style and recruitment then you sign players to fit that style of play (and appoint managers to play football in a certain style). If the manager changes then it enables you to keep some sort of continuity. When Pep came to City he didn't have to sell off the entire squad and start over, he had to refresh in key positions (such as full-back and GK) but by and large he had players who would gel with his style.

When Van Gaal came in he ripped apart what was still essentially Fergie's squad and started over. If United were run well at the top, with a coherent footballing structure then that would have been a part of building a team for the future. Instead players were sold who could actually have been part of this squad right now (Rafael, Evans, Zaha, Welbeck and Chicharito) and a lot of money was thrown at players without much thought over whether or not they were the right signings. Even then we at least signed some players who looked like good bets for the future like Shaw, Martial and Memphis. Then we appointed a manager in Mourinho who was wildly unsuited to developing young, attacking players and who plays a style of football which is the total opposite of Van Gaal's. He again started to rip apart the squad and start over.

We can't afford to be in a position where the next manager comes in and once again rips apart the squad and starts over. We need somebody who can get the best out of what we already have but we also need a strategy in place from the very top level which ensures that with each new appointment we are simply building on what's already in place, not starting from scratch again and again.

I think Jardim could be a good appointment, although it fell apart at the end with Monaco you could make the same point about Klopp at Dortmund but things are working out alright for him at Liverpool. Ultimately, whoever it is needs to be somebody who gets what United are all about - attacking football, wing play and young, hungry players.

Agree with most of what you've both said there.

The fault in the board lies with the appointment if the managers but they have supported them with funds.
With hindsight we've appointed van Gaal and mourinho when both their styles have been eclipsed by better approaches. Football has simply moved on.

Dont agree on the players you think we should have kept.

Don't know enough about your preferred candidate but he sounds like someone we should go for. Not sure ZIdane would be the right appointment.

Van Gaal and Mourinho were both yesterday's men when appointed and I definitely don't think due diligence went into either appointment.

United have spent money extensively and supported the managers, you're right, but it's been spent so unwisely. It's unbelievable how much money we've spent under Van Gaal and Mourinho and you'd be hard pushed to name any real successes out of the lot. Probably the most reliable post-Fergie signings have been Fellaini and Mata who were both brought in by Moyes Van Gaal has suggested since that he didn't get the players he wanted and Mourinho has made it pretty clear too that he hasn't necessarily had all of the signings he wanted to make. To an extent I understand Woodward's refusal to spend big on another CB, given Lindelof/Bailly were Mourinho's signings and both have hardly convinced but someone like Alderweireld was a safe bet and we definitely wouldn't have conceded so many goals with him starting each week.

I don't necessarily think that all of those players I mentioned keeping were amazing players by any stretch, solid squad players but not much more, still, none of them should have been outlived by Phil Jones

I'm not sold on Zidane either, he had a brilliant side already there for him at Real Madrid and he left just as it needed rebuilding. Would be a massive risk.

[Denster]

Yeah. Quite a lot of that is bollocks.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing.

Need a CB. Splash £40 big ones on Fred. Madness.

Who Mourinho says he won't play because we're not good enough defensively. Absolutely brilliant.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

Scatter gun defines it perfectly, the same approach has happened with managerial appointments.

As you point out, we have an unbalanced squad, missing players in key positions. If you have a coherent strategy in terms of playing style and recruitment then you sign players to fit that style of play (and appoint managers to play football in a certain style). If the manager changes then it enables you to keep some sort of continuity. When Pep came to City he didn't have to sell off the entire squad and start over, he had to refresh in key positions (such as full-back and GK) but by and large he had players who would gel with his style.

When Van Gaal came in he ripped apart what was still essentially Fergie's squad and started over. If United were run well at the top, with a coherent footballing structure then that would have been a part of building a team for the future. Instead players were sold who could actually have been part of this squad right now (Rafael, Evans, Zaha, Welbeck and Chicharito) and a lot of money was thrown at players without much thought over whether or not they were the right signings. Even then we at least signed some players who looked like good bets for the future like Shaw, Martial and Memphis. Then we appointed a manager in Mourinho who was wildly unsuited to developing young, attacking players and who plays a style of football which is the total opposite of Van Gaal's. He again started to rip apart the squad and start over.

We can't afford to be in a position where the next manager comes in and once again rips apart the squad and starts over. We need somebody who can get the best out of what we already have but we also need a strategy in place from the very top level which ensures that with each new appointment we are simply building on what's already in place, not starting from scratch again and again.

I think Jardim could be a good appointment, although it fell apart at the end with Monaco you could make the same point about Klopp at Dortmund but things are working out alright for him at Liverpool. Ultimately, whoever it is needs to be somebody who gets what United are all about - attacking football, wing play and young, hungry players.

Agree with most of what you've both said there.

The fault in the board lies with the appointment if the managers but they have supported them with funds.
With hindsight we've appointed van Gaal and mourinho when both their styles have been eclipsed by better approaches. Football has simply moved on.

Dont agree on the players you think we should have kept.

Don't know enough about your preferred candidate but he sounds like someone we should go for. Not sure ZIdane would be the right appointment.

Van Gaal and Mourinho were both yesterday's men when appointed and I definitely don't think due diligence went into either appointment.

United have spent money extensively and supported the managers, you're right, but it's been spent so unwisely. It's unbelievable how much money we've spent under Van Gaal and Mourinho and you'd be hard pushed to name any real successes out of the lot. Probably the most reliable post-Fergie signings have been Fellaini and Mata who were both brought in by Moyes Van Gaal has suggested since that he didn't get the players he wanted and Mourinho has made it pretty clear too that he hasn't necessarily had all of the signings he wanted to make. To an extent I understand Woodward's refusal to spend big on another CB, given Lindelof/Bailly were Mourinho's signings and both have hardly convinced but someone like Alderweireld was a safe bet and we definitely wouldn't have conceded so many goals with him starting each week.

I don't necessarily think that all of those players I mentioned keeping were amazing players by any stretch, solid squad players but not much more, still, none of them should have been outlived by Phil Jones

I'm not sold on Zidane either, he had a brilliant side already there for him at Real Madrid and he left just as it needed rebuilding. Would be a massive risk.

Yeah I agree. I do think it's on the board about not signing a centreback but I also get why they didn't. Spurs would have made us pay silly money for Alderweireld.

Other than Mourinho has been backed well and hasn't bought well or coached well the players he has got. Since he took over he hasn't known his best 11-15 players of the system they should play. Today's first half was a classic example of this.
I've heard laurent Blanc's name mentioned. That could be interesting. Completely agree about Zidane. I don't think he wants the job either.

[Hypes]

Dem Shaqiri goals

[PES Fan]

Yeah. Quite a lot of that is bollocks.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing.

Need a CB. Splash £40 big ones on Fred. Madness.

Who Mourinho says he won't play because we're not good enough defensively. Absolutely brilliant.

The board have given the money but it’s been a scatter gun approach in terms of signing. We haven’t got a right winger or world class CB. We play Ashley Young as left back and to add insult to injury he’s our captain. You love Lingard. But he was diabolical today besides the goal. His passing was terrible.

Zidane and Conte, I wouldn’t mind. But I would probably edge towards Jardim. He’s a team builder and good with young players. Yeah things ended badly at Monaco but they lost all their best players and have been plagued by injuries this season.

Scatter gun defines it perfectly, the same approach has happened with managerial appointments.

As you point out, we have an unbalanced squad, missing players in key positions. If you have a coherent strategy in terms of playing style and recruitment then you sign players to fit that style of play (and appoint managers to play football in a certain style). If the manager changes then it enables you to keep some sort of continuity. When Pep came to City he didn't have to sell off the entire squad and start over, he had to refresh in key positions (such as full-back and GK) but by and large he had players who would gel with his style.

When Van Gaal came in he ripped apart what was still essentially Fergie's squad and started over. If United were run well at the top, with a coherent footballing structure then that would have been a part of building a team for the future. Instead players were sold who could actually have been part of this squad right now (Rafael, Evans, Zaha, Welbeck and Chicharito) and a lot of money was thrown at players without much thought over whether or not they were the right signings. Even then we at least signed some players who looked like good bets for the future like Shaw, Martial and Memphis. Then we appointed a manager in Mourinho who was wildly unsuited to developing young, attacking players and who plays a style of football which is the total opposite of Van Gaal's. He again started to rip apart the squad and start over.

We can't afford to be in a position where the next manager comes in and once again rips apart the squad and starts over. We need somebody who can get the best out of what we already have but we also need a strategy in place from the very top level which ensures that with each new appointment we are simply building on what's already in place, not starting from scratch again and again.

I think Jardim could be a good appointment, although it fell apart at the end with Monaco you could make the same point about Klopp at Dortmund but things are working out alright for him at Liverpool. Ultimately, whoever it is needs to be somebody who gets what United are all about - attacking football, wing play and young, hungry players.

Agree with most of what you've both said there.

The fault in the board lies with the appointment if the managers but they have supported them with funds.
With hindsight we've appointed van Gaal and mourinho when both their styles have been eclipsed by better approaches. Football has simply moved on.

Dont agree on the players you think we should have kept.

Don't know enough about your preferred candidate but he sounds like someone we should go for. Not sure ZIdane would be the right appointment.

Van Gaal and Mourinho were both yesterday's men when appointed and I definitely don't think due diligence went into either appointment.

United have spent money extensively and supported the managers, you're right, but it's been spent so unwisely. It's unbelievable how much money we've spent under Van Gaal and Mourinho and you'd be hard pushed to name any real successes out of the lot. Probably the most reliable post-Fergie signings have been Fellaini and Mata who were both brought in by Moyes Van Gaal has suggested since that he didn't get the players he wanted and Mourinho has made it pretty clear too that he hasn't necessarily had all of the signings he wanted to make. To an extent I understand Woodward's refusal to spend big on another CB, given Lindelof/Bailly were Mourinho's signings and both have hardly convinced but someone like Alderweireld was a safe bet and we definitely wouldn't have conceded so many goals with him starting each week.

I don't necessarily think that all of those players I mentioned keeping were amazing players by any stretch, solid squad players but not much more, still, none of them should have been outlived by Phil Jones

I'm not sold on Zidane either, he had a brilliant side already there for him at Real Madrid and he left just as it needed rebuilding. Would be a massive risk.

Yeah I agree. I do think it's on the board about not signing a centreback but I also get why they didn't. Spurs would have made us pay silly money for Alderweireld.

Other than Mourinho has been backed well and hasn't bought well or coached well the players he has got. Since he took over he hasn't known his best 11-15 players of the system they should play. Today's first half was a classic example of this.
I've heard laurent Blanc's name mentioned. That could be interesting. Completely agree about Zidane. I don't think he wants the job either.

It’s also down to the lack of planning by the club.

Yeah, we spent a lot of money. But you also have to look at the players we lost and didn’t get any fees for.

Vidic
Ferdinand
Evra
Scholes
Giggs

Then you had Rooney and Van Persie who were past it, so we had to get rid. Fletcher was not the same player after his illness.

Chelsea had a similar situation with Drogba, Lampard, Terry and Cole. But they planned it better. They let them all go one by one rather than all at the same time. I’m not going to criticise Fergie because what worked for him was successful. But it was never going to work for other managers. Fergie wasn’t ruthless in his latter years as he was once. We had too many 30 plus players and we let majority go at the same stage. Fergie also trusted his faith in players like Smalling, Jones, Cleverley and Welbeck. None of them were good enough.

Jose hasn’t helped himself though. The only successful signing he has made was Ibra in his first season. He binned Mkhitaryan after a year and wants to bin his replacement. He wants Pogba gone now. He says Fred can’t play till we sign another defender basically which sure does help the confidence of the current defenders at the club. Wants to get rid of Bailly and Lindelof. Matic has been awful, but plays every game. The same goes for Lukaku who can’t control a ball and loses every aeriel duel.

But it’s not just money. After 3 years the team struggles to string a few passes together. Something Bournemouth can do easily without spending a huge amount of money.

He can keep pointing to the fact not signing Alderweireld cost us. But the fact is if we did sign him he’d be punting long balls to Fellaini. Aldeweireld isn’t going to do something when Ashley Young is sleeping constantly or Jones/Smalling have their usual brain fart. I would never have given Smalling that contract. He can’t get in the England team because he can’t pass yet gets in ours.

[Photek]

I thought Fabinho was brilliant yesterday, excellent man management by Klopp to not play him for a few months till he gets used to how the club play, he did the same with Robertson with the results speaking for themselves.

CL draw at 11 today. Porto please.

[Preezy]

Can I just add that it was great to see Keane in the pundit box yesterday. Dude is old school as strawberry float, what I'd give for a player like him in the United dressing room right now. Keane for Prime Minister