Jose Mourinho

[THOWIG]

He wasn't the right choice and we can all agree on that. The only hope we have is somehow Levy backs him in the market and we pull out some blinders. Still maintain 2 new fullbacks, defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder and we could get back on track or close to it. Obviously a striker and even looking at a winger too, but we're not signing all of those.

 

[Albertbarich]

Everyone saying we have poor players. We have the 4th best squad in the league. I don't know what's wrong but there is no cohesion.

I think we have on paper one of the best squads but its really unbalanced. The full back areas especially are a huge step down from where they need to be.

Also a lot of the players look stale. Maybe they need a move or a new manager but a few seem to have last their peak.

 

[danielneeds]

He wasn't the right choice and we can all agree on that. The only hope we have is somehow Levy backs him in the market and we pull out some blinders. Still maintain 2 new fullbacks, defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder and we could get back on track or close to it. Obviously a striker and even looking at a winger too, but we're not signing all of those.

Although things can change quickly in football, and a signing or two can be a spark for change, I’m of the opinion that there’s just no way we’ll make enough changes in this short, cash-strapped window to cut out the rot that’s taken hold. It would probably take 6 or 7 out and the same number in to get that fresh, non-jaded mindset out of the club.

 

[THOWIG]

Although things can change quickly in football, and a signing or two can be a spark for change, I’m of the opinion that there’s just no way we’ll make enough changes in this short, cash-strapped window to cut out the rot that’s taken hold. It would probably take 6 or 7 out and the same number in to get that fresh, non-jaded mindset out of the club.

Completely agree. We all know where this is heading and that is the saddest thing.

 

[Metalhead]

Either put each other on ignore or have a candlelit dinner but don’t drag it through the threads.

Look if you mean that they should get a room, just say so.

 

[Dougal]

Look if you mean that they should get a room, just say so.

Romance is dead.

 

[dbspurs]

Everyone saying we have poor players. We have the 4th best squad in the league. I don't know what's wrong but there is no cohesion.

On paper. In reality we have Kane, Son, Alli and Toby then 6 players who have been around the squad for less than a season so hard to fully judge their worth.

That leaves around 15 average / stale players.

The current top 5 all have better overall squads and I would add Wolves to that as well.

Its not just about quality. I would happily have players with a bit less quality but with added application and awareness.

 

[daryl hannah]

Anyone know where Sacramento is/seen him recently??

 

[cjbyid]

Anyone know where Sacramento is/seen him recently??

He was on the bench last night anyway. Camera panned his way once or twice.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Completely agree. We all know where this is heading and that is the saddest thing.

It really is looking like an impossible task.

Not only do we need to make multiple strong signings in key positions we also need to get rid of a number of players that Mourinho seems to love despite them being totally unsuited to his style, namely the Aurier-Sissoko-Lucas (bermuda) triangle where our attacking football goes to die.

As you say we need two very good all round full backs, arguably two at RB. A new CB to replace the outgoing Vertonghen, preferably of starting quality, and a top drawer DM that could give the likes of Ndombele (if he stays) and Lo Celso a chance to flourish. We absolutely need a quality rotation striker on top of that and probably another DM so we don't end up back with the Winks-Sissoko pairing if the new DM gets injured/suspended.

When you consider our funds and how we really seem to make hard work of doing deals in and out it just sounds impossible. Leicester managed to do it with some smart signings in recent years (Ndidi, Ricardo, Maguire, Evans, bringing through Chilwell) so there is a glimmer of hope but certainly not in one covid affected window.

I was in favour of the Mourinho appointment in theory, not realising how broken the current squad is mentally and physically. Now the size of the rebuild required is clear I really think it was a massive mistake and I hope there is some kind of get out clause in Jose's contract.

 

[Stamford]

Everyone saying we have poor players. We have the 4th best squad in the league. I don't know what's wrong but there is no cohesion.

No we dont this squad is so poor. Winks and Sissoko is bottom half fodder in this league.

 

[ClintEastwould]

United fans are laughing at us and anyone who still has any sort of faith in this dinosaur.

 

[shoggy33]

Everyone saying we have poor players. We have the 4th best squad in the league. I don't know what's wrong but there is no cohesion.

We really, really don't. Other than Son and Lo Celso I'm not sure we currently have any other genuinely top players, and even they are inconsistent. Kane on current form is not a particularly good forward, obviously he was world class a few years ago so time will tell whether he regains form. Lloris does admittedly look better since returning so hopefully he can keep it up. Bergwijn looks promising but still has a long way to go. Dele, Dier, Winks, Sanchez- not yet lived up to their potential. Toby, Jan - done. Ndombele is talented but gets out of breath jogging onto the pitch. Lucas & Lamela, moments of brilliance but wildly inconsistent. The rest are just very very average. I'm convinced no manager could get this squad performing. The squad is stale, the core needs replacing.

 

[Jaddas]

I'm afraid that between the owners and Mourinho, we have football dinosaurs running/ruining our club.

The owners penny pinch and only spend when it comes to capital appreciation e.g. stadium, training ground. 1 trophy in 20 odd years tells the story. When we could've pushed on under Jol, Redknapp or Poch and become a bigger player, they didn't want to and we are suffering the consequences.

The manager has tactics that worked 5 years ago, and was very successful at it. Since then, Klopp and Pep have taken football to a whole new level. You can't win things anymore with the tactics we are using. He's been schooled twice by Frank f**king Lampard for heavens sake. His "I've developed new strategies on my sabbatical" is nonsense and evidenced with the dire football we've had. 2 wins in 11 is not reflective of the players we have.

I know the players are also factors but I think they are least culpable. Some of them have been run into the ground and you can see it in their performance (Son, Kane, Dele, Rose etc). Others just weren't good enough purchases and have performed as such. Also, a lack of investment on the pitch has probably left some disillusioned.

We are now a club that is punching well below where we should and I'm afraid it's us fans who suffer. Those that pay the highest prices in the world to watch their team continually disappoint and fail to deliver.

 

[Jamturk]

I think that we need to show more patience, everybody should be given a fair crack of the whip.

I personally don't think JM fits our DNA as a club but do think that hyperbolic reactions to a less than stellar season are quite frankly childish.

I've seen Enic out, JM out, Players out.

We've had a run of good seasons under a good manager where maybe a false sense of entitlement has grown.

On status, finance, history we have no right to this entitlement.

 

[adamsky]

Speak to any United fan and they will tell you how bad it was under Mourinho by the end. He sucks the joy out of football and unfortunately for us it seems to have happened quicker than it normally does.

 

[IamSpurtacus]

If the same problems that were apparent under Poch are now manifesting under Jose, then maybe the manager isn’t the issue...

totally imbalanced squad, a lack of quality, no holding midfielder, no striker back up, second rate full backs, old/past it center backs and no depth, a weak youth set up with second rate light weight players coming through and still no youth director (look at the calibre of your players at the other “big 6”)

Those things point to lack of investment and structural issues that go beyond the manager

 

[Kiedis]

To those that feel that Mourinho is the right manager as we've been targetting younger players to rebuilding our squad; what has he shown in the last five years that make you think he's the right fit for this job?

I'm genuinely asking, not trying to be an ass.

 

[emiley heskey]

If the same problems that were apparent under Poch are now manifesting under Jose, then maybe the manager isn’t the issue...

totally imbalanced squad, a lack of quality, no holding midfielder, no striker back up, second rate full backs, old/past it center backs and no depth, a weak youth set up with second rate light weight players coming through and still no youth director (look at the calibre of your players at the other “big 6”)

Those things point to lack of investment and structural issues that go beyond the manager

I don't understand it if we don't buy top class players then no problem, but then we need to have great youth academy. But I think among top 10 clubs in EPL, our youth academy is worst. I mean we keep producing lightweight midfielders like Caroll, Mason, Winks and now White ..

 

[Amo]

Still astonished by last night. There's little scope for trauma in football results but if there was, last night was PTSD-inducing. Thankfully, I don't care that much about football anymore.

It was so, so, much worse than the Sheffield result or even the Brighton result. Negligent, malevolent management.

Someone needs to compile a list of all the shocking stats and runs we helped Bournemouth overcome.