Benching two players that cost the club £180m

Josep Dowling

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Pogba £90m
Lukuku £75m plus £15m easy add one.

Two players our manager wanted. Two players that probably took half our transfer budget in each summer they were purchased.

We can never improve spending this kind of money on one player then not using them.

This is a follow on thread from my ‘why did we buy Fred?’. I’m not questioning the quality of the players (although there is skeptism on how good Lukaku actually is) but continually buying expensive players then not using them is plan stupid and it’s been a common theme under Mourinho.

Bailly - £30m before CB prices went crazy. No longer used, arguably our best CB but still a raw talent, should have bought an experience leader next to him by now.

Fred - £50m, has looked okay when he started, at least he provides energy and pressing in midfield unlike Static Matic.

Sanchez - £500k a week wages swapped with a £30m Micky who was purchased on his last year of contract at Dortmund, yet another player that was dropped before he even played a game for us.

This is 6 players that have cost this club so much money yet I am still seeing Fellaini, McTominay, Lingard, Smalling, Young and Jones start sometimes?
 

ivaldo

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This is new information!
 

Cpt Negative

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Two players who need to be dropped because they’re not putting the effort in.

/close thread
 

2 man midfield

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It’s certainly a mark against Jose that he’s been poor in the market during his time here. I can see why the board/some fans aren’t keen to write him another blank cheque.
 

Charlie Foley

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Well, players should be picked based on performance and not price tag. Lukaku has justifiably been benched for one.

That said, players whom we paid big money for only to not give a fair crack of the whip (imo) like Fred, that’s an odd situation.

More of a transfer market concern than a team selection concern.
 

donkeyfish

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Bailly has been injured a lot the past 18 months, think he would've played a lot more had he been fit.

Lukaku has played almost every game after he signed, if anything I would've liked seeing him on the bench more when he's in this kind of form.

Sanchez was given several long periods in the team playing poorly before being benched then injured, again not a bad decision at all.

When they play horrible, they should be benched. Regardless of their price.
 

Zlatattack

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It’s certainly a mark against Jose that he’s been poor in the market during his time here. I can see why the board/some fans aren’t keen to write him another blank cheque.
From a fan perspective...

1. It's not my money.
2. It either gets spent on players or the Glazers.
3. If its spent on players at least the next manager will have a decent squad.
 

Sgt.Major

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One of those two hasn't scored at Old Trafford since March. He's also clearly out of shape, missing sitters, injuring himself with the touch of an elephant, so it's obvious that his head is somewhere else. The other one is a virus, as I've been told.
 

2 man midfield

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From a fan perspective...

1. It's not my money.
2. It either gets spent on players or the Glazers.
3. If its spent on players at least the next manager will have a decent squad.
I tend to agree, but I can understand why the Jose out brigade would prefer that money to be spent by someone else
 

Zlatattack

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I tend to agree, but I can understand why the Jose out brigade would prefer that money to be spent by someone else
Yeah that's true. I wouldn't want it spent on a Willian or Perisic, but anyone would want Koulibaly or a player of that ilk.
 

Leftback99

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I see the Lukaku fee mentioned a lot but he replaced Ibrahimovic who came for free and we lost for nothing. Benching a 'free' transfer wouldn't be seen as an issue.

Alternatives that summer were the likes of Morata and Belotti for similar high fees but none as good as Ibra. It hasn't worked out but i reckon 90%+ on here would have 'wasted' that money on a striker in similar fashion that summer, including myself.
 

Ekeke

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Bailly had his chance, fluffed it and has just taken his most recent one.

We'd be much further down the table if we didnt replace him in the team when he was playing so poorly. Now hopefully he'll continue to play better
 

lex talionis

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I'm not opposed to benching players who aren't performing to an acceptable standard but it is worth nothing that with the exception of De Gea, not a single United player -- regardless of whether Jose brought him in or not -- is playing to a standard we expect of that particular player.

But since it's not possible to field only one player (which would be De Gea), Jose doesn't really have any good options right now. He can't, or at least there's no way he ever would, sack or even just bench himself, so we must persevere with the rubbish we've been served up so far this season and hope it ends quickly. Does it really matter who starts and who doesn't between now and May?
 

2 man midfield

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Yeah that's true. I wouldn't want it spent on a Willian or Perisic, but anyone would want Koulibaly or a player of that ilk.
Definitely up for Koulibaly. Perisic would have been a good signing back in 2016 when we wanted him, think it's too late now though.
 

Ali Dia

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This season is done. Jose, if you’re going to get sacked at the end of the season will you please play the kids. Can’t be anything worse than what we are seeing now. May as well start building now. But that won’t happen because this is just one big vanity project for everyone concerned that’s backfired completely.
 

Will Singh

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Were beginning to sound like a broken record. The players are out of control and have gigantic egos as does Jose and when they don't play for the shirt, then you end up where we out today.

Case closed!
 

simonhch

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Two players who need to be dropped because they’re not putting the effort in.

/close thread
Yes, because it's that simple. The bigger issue is that the manager buys players he seemingly doesn't know how to use, and/or can't get along with. It's a problem when you have a player like Pogba, who was brilliant at Juventus, and was brilliant as the fulcrum of the World Cup winners this last summer, who plays like he doesn't want to be here. He's alienated player after player, and despite what anyone says, it is clear that there is a massive problem with half his squad. It's hardly a shock, it's happened everywhere he's been.

He needs to go, and it needed to happen months ago.
 

Ali Dia

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Yes, because it's that simple. The bigger issue is that the manager buys players he seemingly doesn't know how to use, and/or can't get along with. It's a problem when you have a player like Pogba, who was brilliant at Juventus, and was brilliant as the fulcrum of the World Cup winners this last summer, who plays like he doesn't want to be here. He's alienated player after player, and despite what anyone says, it is clear that there is a massive problem with half his squad. It's hardly a shock, it's happened everywhere he's been.

He needs to go, and it needed to happen months ago.
This. I’m finally seeing this now. I held out as long as possible. If anyone else can get more out of pogba and lukaku then please by all Means save us from this monstrosity! I have my doubts those players are ever going to deliver for this club whoever is in charge though, our recruitment has been so so poor. I reckon pogba is out of here regardless of whoever the manager is next season anyway.
 

Thiagoal

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The big positive on spending so much on these two players in their early 20's is that they have great resale value! Could easily see us getting £180 million plus back if we sold them this summer!
 

Arruda

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It’s certainly a mark against Jose that he’s been poor in the market during his time here. I can see why the board/some fans aren’t keen to write him another blank cheque.
What I don't understand though, is how can you keep a manager you're not willing to trust? In my club it's not usually the manager deciding the market policy, but if it was, I'd find it very stupid to do that. The day you decide you don't want to give him a cheque should be the day you sack him.
 

scoi

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When one player underperforms it can be a clash of personalities or maybe their skills don't match the formation or tactics.

When every single player is far from their potential its obvious its not individuals and a major problem. Where this stems from, and we all have our opinions, is the biggest and only challenge.
 

Snow

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We didn't even know if Lukaku was fit for the match. Our front 3 was the better pick even if Lukaku were fit. I don't mind benching Pogba now and again when he's not playing well but I also wouldn't have minded him starting.
 

ayushreddevil9

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It would have been 230m had Fred been on the bench
 

Denis79

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As much as I dislike the way Mourinho is doing his job I can't fault him for benching Pogba and Lukaku. It does however annoy me Matic didn't join them on the bench.
 

Steerpike

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Let's talk about three of those players, all I think throwing up different questions:

- Fred - I've no idea why he isn't getting more game time. His performances haven't exactly set the world alight, but neither has he been dreadful when he's played. Our midfield isn't pulling up any trees right now, so he should still be in the frame. At this stage, I can't tell whether he has been a good signing or not.

- Lukaku - plainly out of form and low on confidence. I don't believe his problems are due to any lack of effort or desire, I just think playing up front for United right now is difficult. I also fear that, due to his low confidence, he is presently guilty of 'hiding'.

- Pogba - talented, but not performing. It seems the conversation around him is always about how good he could be, but the question of when he is going to show it remains. Right now, he gives the impression that he isn't giving 100%, and probably doesn't want to be here. I also doubt that he is suited to playing in the Premier League, and particularly for a club which is struggling to meet expectations.

Based on the above, I believe Fred and Lukaku can turn their situations around, and have a role to play going forwards.

Pogba, on the other hand, obviously has a problem with Mourinho (and vice-versa), and isn't doing himself any favours with his attitude and performances. Whilst it may be embarrassing for the club to admit that such a marquee signing has been a failure, I nevertheless think it would be best for both parties if Pogba moved on.
 
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breakout67

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Man City's bench against Watford cost £207m, that's what the best in the league is doing. Man City's best players are Silva, De Bruyne and Aguero all scouted before Guardiola got here. Aside from Man City's shocking centre back recruitment, their scouting is better than ours. This is largely because we basically don't scout for the first team and let the manager do everything. Guardiola obviously wanted Sanchez, but didnt get him so the club got him Mahrez. I'd love if our club told Mourinho to get over his Willian obsession and we got Mahrez as a right winger. But no one is hired for that type of input here.

Remove the manager from scouting for the 1st team because there are far better people in the industry for that. He gets to give recommendations and that's it, 95% of his work should be on match preparation and adaptation. Once Mourinho gets sacked, we will see the exact same problems arise if we dont restructure.
 

2 man midfield

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What I don't understand though, is how can you keep a manager you're not willing to trust? In my club it's not usually the manager deciding the market policy, but if it was, I'd find it very stupid to do that. The day you decide you don't want to give him a cheque should be the day you sack him.
I agree. I'm definitely behind the 'back him or sack him' line of thinking. We either need to give him the money he clearly thinks the team needs in January and the summer, or we might as well sack him tomorrow morning. It's just a waste of 6 months, even ignoring what happens with 4th.