Let's All Laugh At... Let's all wonder what's going on at United?

[Maxtremist]

I actually thought Fernandes was bought in as his replacement and he’d go there in the summer. Seems Madrid weren’t ready to buy him then though for the obvious financial reasons. I reckon he’ll go there next summer when Madrid have a proper go at the transfer window.

That won’t be a good thing for everyone else though. He’s the albatross around that club’s neck. A real problem for whoever is the current or next manager while he is there.

Started to think Fernandes was a Pogba replacement but then end of last season it did almost feel like they'd cracked how to have them play together and that be effective so I thought they might kick on from there... then this transfer window happened.

I really don't get the Van De Beek signing cause I don't see how he fits in there too. Fernandes and Van De Beek signings do feel like ones you'd make with Pogba going... but there wasn't even a sniff of Pogba going this summer. And given how he's playing now and the financial burden of this pandemic, do Real even go for Pogba? Especially with Mbappe and Haaland also seemingly on their wishlist

 

[nailsy]

Started to think Fernandes was a Pogba replacement but then end of last season it did almost feel like they'd cracked how to have them play together and that be effective so I thought they might kick on from there... then this transfer window happened.

I really don't get the Van De Beek signing cause I don't see how he fits in there too. Fernandes and Van De Beek signings do feel like ones you'd make with Pogba going... but there wasn't even a sniff of Pogba going this summer. And given how he's playing now and the financial burden of this pandemic, do Real even go for Pogba? Especially with Mbappe and Haaland also seemingly on their wishlist

I think they possibly realised that it's going to be a very strange season with a lot of games in a short space of time and possibly lots of injuries so Van De Beek was bought so they can rotate players without it impacting the team too much.

 

[Col_M]

If he wants to play for Real surely he has to start playing better for United?

nah.

 

[Shadydan]

 

[rez9000]

You have highlighted it and I agree, Ferguson was not a one man show though. He had incredible support, he had David Gill and before that Peter Kenyon. Wenger had David Dein.

Spurs have Levy, all those managers and appointments have been Levy. Well I could go on and on about levy and how good he has been to the club.

I am absolutely convinced that we are ready to go up to the next level. Winning stuff and being title challengers.

Finally we have a structure in place, we have the best manager in the world and the best chairman in the world, Injuries aside I can't see us not challenging.

United are a car crash, poch could be really good for that club, if they back him. I don't mean in the transfer market I mean when he joins and tells the club to sell players like Pogba and shaw they do it. Like Levy did.

What is not helping United is Gary Neville with his "we are united" bullshit. If they just had a bit of humility.... People also forget that United never really signed superstars under Ferguson. They signed young potential or old experience. They also signed a hell of a lot of players from pl clubs, the best of the chasing pack.

Infact the only real superstar they signed was veron. And he failed.

Cavani, Pogba, Ibrahimovic, di María and Sanchez are not really traditional 'united' signings.

So if I was Woodward, I would appoint poch and then have a massive clear out. And only sign players who poch wants (united can probably do this better than spurs could).

All pretty much as I see it too.

What your first section highlights for me is almost defined as a disconnect between the team-management side of Man U and the executive side.

As you highlighted, Ferguson had Gill or Kenyon standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him - they faced in the same direction. And it worked. Wenger had David Dein standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him. And it worked.

The possibility, however, of Woodward appointing Pochettino and then willingly delegating his control over the footballing side of things completely to Poch is outside the realms of possibility in my view.

I would actually worry for Pochettino if he went to Man U, as Woodward has, with the help of the Glazers, essentially constructed his own little fiefdom within the club. He's the gatekeeper to the money, he's the one who controls the direction of travel and has the club pointed firmly due-money, and he can hire and fire managers on his own whim. Who, in that position, would be willing to give away pretty much the entirety of his power by handing over a significant chunk of his power to someone else?

If we were in his place, yes indeed we may well do what the club needed of us to do. But that's because our objective in that situation would be to do what's best to make the club successful in proper football terms i.e. to win things.

That, from observation, doesn't seem to be Woodward's perspective in the least. His perspective seems to be to further the Man U brand and so everything seems to be about marketing. He seems to work to a classic marketing brand-awareness manual. All the hoo-ha over Pogba's signing, all the hoo-ha over Mourinho's appointment, for instance. It was all about the pomp-and-circumstance rather than any strategic objective - in fact, the pomp-and-circumstance was the objective; get people talking about Man U.

The more I think about it, the longer that OGS in in place, the less likely I think it'll be that they'd even approach Pochettino because Pochettino becomes older and older news as the days pass. I may be way off, but I think that in the event of OGS being given the boot, Man U will look at any manager that is making news this season, whoever's new and exciting.

Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[Japhet]

I think they possibly realised that it's going to be a very strange season with a lot of games in a short space of time and possibly lots of injuries so Van De Beek was bought so they can rotate players without it impacting the team too much.

Wonder if that's how they sold the deal to Van De Beek.

 

[rossdapep]

Yet some of their fans still don't get it.

"He played rubbish boring football"

No, he was trying to make the team kore compact and defensively disciplined because some players only wanted to do work on the ball which meant they were exposed easily in transition - see Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham.

"He clashed with the players"

He did, yes. But why? Was it because they couldn't put their egos aside and fight for the team by any chance.

"He was toxic and moody"

Yes, because when he joined the club he was told he'd have control over signings in order to make the team compete for the title. Woodward backed him half way and sided with the ego-driven players, who are coincidentally the same players letting down OGS now. Of course, Jose was going to show his frustration, he's a winner, a competitor of the highest calibre, I'd have been worried if he'd have been sugar-coating substandards.

"He was the wrong fit for the club"

Again, no. United, symbolised as winners. Jose, symbolised as a winner. Should have made sense.

The reason it didn't was due to your board and directors not having matched his ambition on the pitch.

I find it incredible that they can't see this.

Fergie understood the value of having every one working together and I'm sure he'd have made the same steps as Jose in that period.

 

[glacierSpurs]

Sanchez actually admitted that himself the other day

Alexis Sánchez wanted to leave Manchester United after one training session

Alexis Sánchez has revealed he asked his agent whether he could leave Manchester United and return to Arsenal after only one training session

www.theguardian.com

Sánchez recalled being left out of the matchday squad by Mourinho against West Ham in September 2018. “I wasn’t picked,” he said. “That had never happened to me as a player. It bothered me and I said it couldn’t be possible.

“To go from being one of the best in the Premier League to not playing in five months. I came to my house and I was very sad. The next day I trained in a double shift, because I love what I do.”

United lost to West Ham and Mourinho was sacked months later. Sánchez then spoke to Ole Gunnar Solskjær about leaving the club. “I told him that I needed to take a breather, and the opportunity to go to Inter. He told me that yes, there was no problem.”

HAhahaha, Mourinho will be disappointed he didn't take up to his challenge. When OGS also allowed him to go on loan just futher vindicated Mourinho was right about him all along - a self-entitled prima donna who doesn't work hard.

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

All pretty much as I see it too.

What your first section highlights for me is almost defined as a disconnect between the team-management side of Man U and the executive side.

As you highlighted, Ferguson had Gill or Kenyon standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him - they faced in the same direction. And it worked. Wenger had David Dein standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him. And it worked.

The possibility, however, of Woodward appointing Pochettino and then willingly delegating his control over the footballing side of things completely to Poch is outside the realms of possibility in my view.

I would actually worry for Pochettino if he went to Man U, as Woodward has, with the help of the Glazers, essentially constructed his own little fiefdom within the club. He's the gatekeeper to the money, he's the one who controls the direction of travel and has the club pointed firmly due-money, and he can hire and fire managers on his own whim. Who, in that position, would be willing to give away pretty much the entirety of his power by handing over a significant chunk of his power to someone else?

If we were in his place, yes indeed we may well do what the club needed of us to do. But that's because our objective in that situation would be to do what's best to make the club successful in proper football terms i.e. to win things.

That, from observation, doesn't seem to be Woodward's perspective in the least. His perspective seems to be to further the Man U brand and so everything seems to be about marketing. He seems to work to a classic marketing brand-awareness manual. All the hoo-ha over Pogba's signing, all the hoo-ha over Mourinho's appointment, for instance. It was all about the pomp-and-circumstance rather than any strategic objective - in fact, the pomp-and-circumstance was the objective; get people talking about Man U.

The more I think about it, the longer that OGS in in place, the less likely I think it'll be that they'd even approach Pochettino because Pochettino becomes older and older news as the days pass. I may be way off, but I think that in the event of OGS being given the boot, Man U will look at any manager that is making news this season, whoever's new and exciting.

Time will tell, I suppose.

Agreed, although united are a bit crazy with their signings and managers. It's like ew is trying to please everyone. As you say whomever is in fashion.

I actually don't think he is as agenda driven, maybe players like Pogba and cavani are players to appease the marketing side but I genuinely think he wants the club to succeed and he tries but he is getting advice from the wrong people.

I actually have a sneaking suspicion Ferguson still holds a lot of power. Ole and Moyes were both Fergie favourites and he is most definitely holding the club back if that is the case.

The problem is United can't mug off the other clubs for their best players without parting with a fortune anymore.

As for poch, I actually think ew would appoint him, but as you say he has trust/power issues to fully back him. Just imagine Pogba, Shaw and martial in a poch training session it would be rebellion within the week.

I think the problem is he is weak minded. He didn't support José and then backed ole with AWB and Maguire which at the time were the fashionable players. He is erratic.

Why not 50m for Chilwell? If you're paying that for AWB on the back of one good season, why not. Why not pay 25m for Toby a few years back. Why not try and get ings for 40m. Honestly if they have money there are intelligent signings to be made.

Cavani for one season who will probably cost above 20m is just crazy. Suarez was on a free and available, a much better (and hilarious) option. Milik for 20m (apparently). Lots of options out there and Sancho is crazyness an ex city academy product for silly money.

Ole has to go and ew will hire whoever the United fans scream for. The problem is I don't think they can attract the best anymore. Poch wouldn't go there as well if he didn't get assurances that he would be the main man.

 

[Mark_147]

Started to think Fernandes was a Pogba replacement but then end of last season it did almost feel like they'd cracked how to have them play together and that be effective so I thought they might kick on from there... then this transfer window happened.

I really don't get the Van De Beek signing cause I don't see how he fits in there too. Fernandes and Van De Beek signings do feel like ones you'd make with Pogba going... but there wasn't even a sniff of Pogba going this summer. And given how he's playing now and the financial burden of this pandemic, do Real even go for Pogba? Especially with Mbappe and Haaland also seemingly on their wishlist

The plan was for Real to go for pogba in the summer but Covid put an end to that.

 

[Col_M]

Were Pogba and Sanchez signed on Jose’s watch?

 

[rossdapep]

Were Pogba and Sanchez signed on Jose’s watch?

Yeah but Pogba was already well on his way, the club had specifically targeted him before Jose's appointment. I guess Jose thought he was getting a massive player so went along with it.

The Sanchez one is a bit of a strange one. I think Jose wanted him and should share some of the blame regarding his failure. Having said that no one expected that massive drop off from him. He literally went from one of the best players in the league to invisible on putting the United shirt on and if you listen to his complaints the other week it adds a bit of clarity as to why it went wrong.

I will say this though, I was told that Sanchez didnt bother to learn English, he didn't really mingle with other players and he shirked PA activities at Arsenal.

Jose won't get the best out of a player with that attitude. At Arsenal it worked cause Wenger is a pushover.

 

[EQP]

Agreed, although united are a bit crazy with their signings and managers. It's like ew is trying to please everyone. As you say whomever is in fashion.

I actually don't think he is as agenda driven, maybe players like Pogba and cavani are players to appease the marketing side but I genuinely think he wants the club to succeed and he tries but he is getting advice from the wrong people.

I actually have a sneaking suspicion Ferguson still holds a lot of power. Ole and Moyes were both Fergie favourites and he is most definitely holding the club back if that is the case.

The problem is United can't mug off the other clubs for their best players without parting with a fortune anymore.

As for poch, I actually think ew would appoint him, but as you say he has trust/power issues to fully back him. Just imagine Pogba, Shaw and martial in a poch training session it would be rebellion within the week.

I think the problem is he is weak minded. He didn't support José and then backed ole with AWB and Maguire which at the time were the fashionable players. He is erratic.

Why not 50m for Chilwell? If you're paying that for AWB on the back of one good season, why not. Why not pay 25m for Toby a few years back. Why not try and get ings for 40m. Honestly if they have money there are intelligent signings to be made.

Cavani for one season who will probably cost above 20m is just crazy. Suarez was on a free and available, a much better (and hilarious) option. Milik for 20m (apparently). Lots of options out there and Sancho is crazyness an ex city academy product for silly money.

Ole has to go and ew will hire whoever the United fans scream for. The problem is I don't think they can attract the best anymore. Poch wouldn't go there as well if he didn't get assurances that he would be the main man.

Or forego the Donny Van de beek signing for £35 million and give Athletico £45 million for Thomas Partey, which would have significantly improved their midfield.

 

[rez9000]

Agreed, although united are a bit crazy with their signings and managers. It's like ew is trying to please everyone. As you say whomever is in fashion.

I actually don't think he is as agenda driven, maybe players like Pogba and cavani are players to appease the marketing side but I genuinely think he wants the club to succeed and he tries but he is getting advice from the wrong people.

I actually have a sneaking suspicion Ferguson still holds a lot of power. Ole and Moyes were both Fergie favourites and he is most definitely holding the club back if that is the case.

The problem is United can't mug off the other clubs for their best players without parting with a fortune anymore.

As for poch, I actually think ew would appoint him, but as you say he has trust/power issues to fully back him. Just imagine Pogba, Shaw and martial in a poch training session it would be rebellion within the week.

I think the problem is he is weak minded. He didn't support José and then backed ole with AWB and Maguire which at the time were the fashionable players. He is erratic.

Why not 50m for Chilwell? If you're paying that for AWB on the back of one good season, why not. Why not pay 25m for Toby a few years back. Why not try and get ings for 40m. Honestly if they have money there are intelligent signings to be made.

Cavani for one season who will probably cost above 20m is just crazy. Suarez was on a free and available, a much better (and hilarious) option. Milik for 20m (apparently). Lots of options out there and Sancho is crazyness an ex city academy product for silly money.

Ole has to go and ew will hire whoever the United fans scream for. The problem is I don't think they can attract the best anymore. Poch wouldn't go there as well if he didn't get assurances that he would be the main man.

It's going to take a lot of work to sort out Man U, whoever they appoint as manager and I don't see them changing their MO any time soon.

Long may it continue.

 

[Col_M]

So there are reports that there were strong words exchanged by United at half time and particularly around Lamela. Are we supposed to be impressed that they showed some passion albeit in a private room? What’s the theory behind releasing that story?

 

[teok]

Well done to marcus.




- Ok back to laughing at utd.

 

[Shadydan]

Well done to marcus.




- Ok back to laughing at utd.

What a hero, very proud of him.

 

[Cochise]

I rewatched the match and only now noticed that after half time Pogba was put on the left wing. Such a bad idea to put a player with his effort levels in that position.

 

[Real_madyidd]

I rewatched the match and only now noticed that after half time Pogba was put on the left wing. Such a bad idea to put a player with his effort levels in that position.

Pogba was playing?

 

[ardiles]

Pogba was playing?

Well, probably the biggest contribution he did, was giving away that penalty.