How do we motivate ourselves and keep going?

[Suedesi]

The PL has been gone since the derby, how do we keep going knowing we are fighting for 2nd at best?

It's hard to motivate as a player/team when you're not fighting for the title - and to beat most teams in this league - you need to be 100% on. You can see how the heads of some of our players have dropped already, Lukaku, Rashford, Pogba even, they're just not giving 100% fighting after every ball etc.

 

[R.N7]

2nd place.

 

[Bubz27]

Let's pay them a decent wage every week.

 

[Bojan11]

Is that motivation enough?

Well how do the rest of the premier league teams motivate themselves? You do realise we aren’t the only team behind City.

 

[BluesJr]

We need to get some joy and freedom in our play. If they enjoy themselves playing they’re more likely to try harder.

 

[Bubz27]

It's not entirely about the money, unfortunately.

There should be an element of pride involved. A professional footballer should want to prove they're better than Burnley or Leicester.

 

[cyberman]

It's the same for every side though. I do wonder if every other side are looking at 2nd plus as a must like this forum does though.
We could see a busier January window due to teams wanting signings to acclimatise to the league for 4 months before next years push.
I also think it will help the English sides in the CL. The excuse of intense games either side of important games doesn't really apply anymore.

 

[nokoya]

The manager must do that, he is the leader of the group. Otherwise there are no harmonious between manager and players. Manager blame on players, some players not happy and maybe sometimes think this is bad/not good enough/not suitable manager for them. Then you will get kind of these result. Players playing with half of their heart even 1/4.

 

[Suedesi]

Well how do the rest of the premier league teams motivate themselves? You do realise we aren’t the only team behind City.

Psychologically, we are at a worse spot than all the chasers tho. All we can aim for is not to lose the second spot, all the others can aim to get to a better spot

 

[Beagle]

By watching every game as a fresh one and believing that this dysfunctional team might just start to click and play some good football.

That's for us who watch the games. No idea about the team.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

If they want to play for United, then they are playing for a place in the team for the next game and the game after etc, and a place in the squad beyond next season. That should be their motivation. If they're not motivated to perform week in week out regardless of what trophies are available, then get rid.

 

[Greck]

The desire to attain higher levels of performance in time for the CL group stage, other cups and future league campaigns is plenty motivation. We are in the middle of a rebuild project and those can take 3-5 years. Can't enter a state of regression just because we aren't winning the league this year.

I'd like to see us employ a style of play that can lead to sustainable excellence in the future

 

[Leftback99]

We've been nowhere near the title for the last few years so what is the difference. I don't know where this confidence that we are comfortable in 2nd comes from, we never have been.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

PEDs.

 

[NJM78]

I think a lot of our squad must pinch themselves everyday to be at United. Some are mid table players at best and they know it, just waiting for the penny to drop. They can’t be motivated to be better as they are limited to their capabilities. I bet few who are top players must look at them and think I’d pick you last if this was the school playground but unfortunately we must play together. The fact there are no apparent leaders who will roast a poor performing player on the pitch either then I believe it will not get any better this season. This team is woefully unbalanced in terms of positions and technical ability and I pray for January signings as I believe we can easily finish out of the top 4 without any.

 

[JPRouve]

It comes back to what a part of the fans hostile to Mourinho used as argument. Football is supposed to be entertaining, so if we are not going to win then the players should try to have fun, improve individually and collectively. To me it means play every game to win while playing enthusiastically.

 

[donkeyfish]

If they want to play for United, then they are playing for a place in the team for the next game and the game after etc, and a place in the squad beyond next season. That should be their motivation. If they're not motivated to perform week in week out regardless of what trophies are available, then get rid.

Good post. I believe the primary motivation must come from within.

 

[RedFish]

Playing for their places in next year's title winning side!!!

 

[Adam-Utd]

Psychologically, we are at a worse spot than all the chasers tho. All we can aim for is not to lose the second spot, all the others can aim to get to a better spot

Well that won't be an issue because the rest of the top 4 will be overtaking us at this rate.

 

[Cristiano Lell]

Bizarre question. These are professional football players. You don't get there by being easily demotivated. I certainly did not see a lack of motivation from Utd's team today.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

The attitude was poor entire first half. Has been since we lost to City. They need to remember the EPL is not the only thing to achieve in a season. Only Pogba, Shaw and Lingard looked interested today.

 

[marlowe78]

I think going out of the League Cup hurt. I personally didn't care about it much after winning it last year but sometimes you need to be in those competitions to feel you have something to play for.

 

[Cristiano Lell]

The attitude was poor entire first half. Has been since we lost to City. They need to remember the EPL is not the only thing to achieve in a season. Only Pogba, Shaw and Lingard looked interested today.

You came back from a 0:2 against a team that sat deep, defended with all they had and scored twice from set pieces without creating much else. A team no less that has been doing very well all season, is a strong opponent and very tough to break down. And then you were unlucky not to score more and win. I have no idea why lack of motivation is being debated.

 

[Antisocial]

Ask them if they want to be playing in the Champions League or the Europa League next season? There wasn't really a title race this season, but there sure as hell is a top 4 race and we've played ourselves right back into it.

 

[VeevaVee]

1 goal = wifi code for one day at Carrington

 

[Bwuk]

The players should be embarrassed that the title race is over.

Any of them who are struggling for motivation should be sold.

 

[Liver_bird]

You came back from a 0:2 against a team that sat deep, defended with all they had and scored twice from set pieces without creating much else. A team no less that has been doing very well all season, is a strong opponent and very tough to break down. And then you were unlucky not to score more and win. I have no idea why lack of motivation is being debated.

Indeed. Hell I got a warning for wumming because I had the audacity to suggest it wasn't a bad result in isolation.
I know not everyone is a fan of the style of play but it's been his Mandate for a decade plus it's not going to change now.

 

[Carolina Red]

You’re playing a game for a living and getting paid massively to do it.

Get over it and play to win the damn game.

 

[Bojan11]

The players should be embarrassed that the title race is over.

Any of them who are struggling for motivation should be sold.

Embarrassed how so?

Can’t really do a lot when a team has won 17/18 games. They having a freak season whilst we having a normal season where we wouldn’t that be far off the top spot usually.

 

[Bwuk]

Embarrassed how so?

Can’t really do a lot when a team has won 17/18 games. They having a freak season whilst we having a normal season where we wouldn’t that be far off the top spot usually.

If you think our previous sides from the last ten years with the likes of Rio, Vidic, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, VdS wouldn't be embarrassed to in effect be playing for nothing in the league in December then your wrong.

We are becoming Arsenal.

 

[Bojan11]

If you think our previous sides from the last ten years with the likes of Rio, Vidic, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, VdS wouldn't be embarrassed to in effect be playing for nothing in the league in December then your wrong.

We are becoming Arsenal.

Erm do you remember 05-06 season? We were miles behind a certain Chelsea team at this stage with those above players. Oh and the 04-05 season too.

We have worse players now.

 

[Gopher Brown]

I'd say a lot of players need to prove they are good enough to make us a title winning side. That is the motivation. There are question marks over the majority of the members of the squad.

 

[BusbyMalone]

A bit of fecking pride in themselves and, more importantly, in the fecking club that they're playing for!

That should be more than enough motivation for the feckers.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

They shouldn’t need motivating, fecking bunch of wasters are playing for technically speaking, the biggest club in the world.

That should be all the motivation they need and If any players don’t want to perform then just bin the spineless fools off.

 

[pocco]

I don't know how any red blooded male can't be motivated in a competitive sport. I get annoyed if I'm on the losing team in a kick about with my mates. These guys have the added extra of being under the spotlight of the entire world. There's plenty of motivation.

 

[Raoul]

The PL has been gone since the derby, how do we keep going knowing we are fighting for 2nd at best?

It's hard to motivate as a player/team when you're not fighting for the title - and to beat most teams in this league - you need to be 100% on. You can see how the heads of some of our players have dropped already, Lukaku, Rashford, Pogba even, they're just not giving 100% fighting after every ball etc.

It shouldn't be hard to motivate ourselves to make a strong 2nd place finish. We will obviously have to stay sharp for the other cup comps as well, so I don't think Jose will let the prospects of not winning the league bleed into our FA Cup and CL preparations.

 

[pocco]

Another great way to motivate the players and get the fans excited is to unleash the team. The second half today we saw a team with true attacking impetus, line up like that every week. Try to blow away the other team. Something like this...

.................DDG
Young Bailly Lindelof Shaw
................Matic
.....Mkhitaryan Pogba
Mata.....Lukaku.....Martial


Allow the fullbacks to bomb forward. Allow Pogba and Mkhitaryan/Mata to interchange and join the attack. Overwhelm the opposition and ultimately let our players enjoy their football. If we lose then we lose, at least we can all accept we had attacking intent.

 

[paulscholes18]

To get into the starting XI, should be all the motivation a player needs, especially in a World Cup year

 

[Billy Blaggs]

You’re playing a game for a living and getting paid massively to do it.

Get over it and play to win the damn game.

This. I mean how do we motivate ourselves?. They're playing for Manchester United!!

Some fans are precious.

 

[Henry Gaervell]

I'm sure the players are motivated to do their best, but there is that extra 'unconscious' motivation an individual has when under pressure or pursuing a worthwhile target.

In the prem we are perhaps lacking this unconscious motivation due to the gap to city. Two potential solutions are:

1) Squad competition
A couple of winter signings and more chances for youth could put the pressure on snr. players

2) Change of target
Instead of looking up, jose changes the focus to looking below to the teams threatening to usurp us and knock us out of the CL automatic positions