Lee O'Connor

amolbhatia50k

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I get your point but that mess is partly due to said player wasting space and wages while contributing nothing. Just like he did with Fellaini (who was actually more useful than Rojo for example) get rid. Nothing about being cautious and while I want to be more patient with Ole, he is showing worrying signs and making bad decisions. All is fine if he learns from it, but some are repeating itself.
Look, even SAF would put experienced players who are used rarely on the bench becuase sometimes it isn't as simple as designating a spot or two for 'wonderkids'. There's an element of keeping a group and the human beings forming it happy and at the very least content. That's something you and me don't see.

But in the long run I definitely agree that he should prove that he's a manager that believes in youth.
 

Kostov

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Look, even SAF would put experienced players who are used rarely on the bench becuase sometimes it isn't as simple as designating a spot or two for 'wonderkids'. There's an element of keeping a group and the human beings forming it happy and at the very least content. That's something you and me don't see.

But in the long run I definitely agree that he should prove that he's a manager that believes in youth.
While I agree that team morale and spirit should be kept in tact, I think we are doing quite the opposite by giving lifelines to under performing and quite average players too much of a chance and it's one of the reasons we are where we are. After all we are talking about a group of players who have generally under performed and let this club down many times. This club owes them feck all and we should be more ruthless in how we deal with deadwood.

Look at Rojo, gets a new deal while injured and has been largely shit since coming back while pocketing 100k a week at the very least. Same as Young, Mata, Lingard and many others. They are quite happy as well don't worry, they hardly give a feck about the mess and how far we are behind our rivals. If they could get better wages at another club, they wouldn't blink an eye an leave. Ole needs to put a stop to this, and he begun his reign by giving Jones and Young new contracts. Hardly inspiring that.
 

In Rainbows

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I think my problem with Rojo especially in this instance is that Rojo's good form in a United shirt has only ever been at CB. He has largely been complete shit as a LB so knowing this fact, why would you not want to gamble on O'Connor? Even if you take a look at just the last u23 match, it was clear that O'Connor looked better than Rojo.

If Rojo starts over O'Connor, what message does it send? That a player who is out of favor, hasn't played in a while, is awful in that one position, and has no future at United, is preferred over giving a chance to a kid?
 

Acole9

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Rojo and Darmian should have been sold 2 summers ago. They are pocketing weekly salaries while contributing shit all.
I agree, no idea why they're still here. Both crap just flog them.
 

Rozay

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For all the talk of Garner, Gomes, Greenwood et al, I'm surprised O'Connor hasn't been given his bow yet. Especially since he plays in a position where we've had old ex wingers playing as opposed to dedicated specialists.
O’Connor barely gets to play FB for United at any level. I’m obviously not a coach, but from my layman observation, I’ve been furious that he’s almost been mismanaged here. He’s been played everywhere BUT right back for years.

Of course, I expect it to all make sense as part of his longer term development, but it’s been frustrating to watch.
 

The Nani

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O’Connor barely gets to play FB for United at any level. I’m obviously not a coach, but from my layman observation, I’ve been furious that he’s almost been mismanaged here. He’s been played everywhere BUT right back for years.

Of course, I expect it to all make sense as part of his longer term development, but it’s been frustrating to watch.
Sounds like the new O’Sheasy. :devil:
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Well if Ole is true to what he said about giving youth a chance, a young full back must play this weekend. Otherwise it's all talk and not much truth to it.
Not 2 young full backs that’s too risky for a team who can’t afford to lose the game.
 

Kostov

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Not 2 young full backs that’s too risky for a team who can’t afford to lose the game.
Oh stop with this crap. Wolves away was a game that we could not have afforded to lose, we did because our experienced RB and captain committed 2 stupid yellow cards in 5 minutes. Arsenal at home was a must game for this team, Rojo scored an own goal and was horrible. Feck them. Every game is a must win game for this club, every game. Wasting minutes on sub standard overpaid shit footballers does feck all. I'd rather a kid get minutes and commit an error than watching some of that dross make mistake after another and still getting picked.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Oh stop with this crap. Wolves away was a game that we could not have afforded to lose, we did because our experienced RB and captain committed 2 stupid yellow cards in 5 minutes. Arsenal at home was a must game for this team, Rojo scored an own goal and was horrible. Feck them. Every game is a must win game for this club, every game. Wasting minutes on sub standard overpaid shit footballers does feck all. I'd rather a kid get minutes and commit an error than watching some of that dross make mistake after another and still getting picked.
I understand your frustration but your original idea to play two young full backs, one is bad defensively and the other one is a debut in one of our last 6 games which we really need 3 points in order to keep us in the race of top 4 doesn’t have any logic.
 

Kostov

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I understand your frustration but your original idea to play two young full backs, one is bad defensively and the other one is a debut in one of our last 6 games which we really need 3 points in order to keep us in the race of top 4 doesn’t have any logic.
Well we went into this season with dire situation in the full back department and only added Dalot. He is here in order to help and all 38 games in the Pl are a must win game for this club. Giving a chance to a young full back instead of Rojo at LB is perfectly logical to me. Even at his best days he was a shit LB for us, why would I want him to play a "must win game" for us? I sincerely have so low expectation from dross like him, Young, Darmian and Jones, that I really feel that giving a kid a chance is a win win situation for us.
 

limerickcitykid

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I understand your frustration but your original idea to play two young full backs, one is bad defensively and the other one is a debut in one of our last 6 games which we really need 3 points in order to keep us in the race of top 4 doesn’t have any logic.
There isn't much logic in playing a returning injuree who has no fitness or match practice, is tried and tested and proven to be absolute shite at LB, and was outplayed by that young full-back just last week either.
 

limerickcitykid

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O’Connor barely gets to play FB for United at any level. I’m obviously not a coach, but from my layman observation, I’ve been furious that he’s almost been mismanaged here. He’s been played everywhere BUT right back for years.

Of course, I expect it to all make sense as part of his longer term development, but it’s been frustrating to watch.
He's played exclusively at full-back for the u23s bar 2 matches. Unfortunately, though he's been consistently moved around and when he does get to play full-back its largely on the left. He's been a star player for the u18/19s and instead of prioritizing his development we've shifted him all over the place to accomodate bang average shit like George Tanner. He was played at CB for the u18s/u19s simply because he was that much better than everyone. If they refuse to even have him in the match day squad when both of our full-backs are out then I hope he leaves on a permanent in the summer. He's one of the biggest talents Ireland have produced in years and he's already pretty much wasted a year under Sbragia's garbage, time to move on and stop stagnating here.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Well we went into this season with dire situation in the full back department and only added Dalot. He is here in order to help and all 38 games in the Pl are a must win game for this club. Giving a chance to a young full back instead of Rojo at LB is perfectly logical to me. Even at his best days he was a shit LB for us, why would I want him to play a "must win game" for us? I sincerely have so low expectation from dross like him, Young, Darmian and Jones, that I really feel that giving a kid a chance is a win win situation for us.
There isn't much logic in playing a returning injuree who has no fitness or match practice, is tried and tested and proven to be absolute shite at LB, and was outplayed by that young full-back just last week either.
You guys are right. Let’s play two teenager full backs Dalot & Lee against West Ham. We have nothing to lose so why not giving the youth chance, I see the logic there, nothing wrong, I like the idea. Rojo is poor as a left back, he won’t suit to play in that position. And if we lose the game, we can always put smile in our face that we have given the youth chance. The best part is this will prove Ole that he is giving youth chance despite of him giving McT, Chong & Greenwood games time against PSG.
 

Kostov

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You guys are right. Let’s play two teenager full backs Dalot & Lee against West Ham. We have nothing to lose so why not giving the youth chance, I see the logic there, nothing wrong, I like the idea. Rojo is poor as a left back, he won’t suit to play in that position. And if we lose the game, we can always put smile in our face that we have given the youth chance. The best part is this will prove Ole that he is giving youth chance despite of him giving McT, Chong & Greenwood games time against PSG.
Firstly Dalot is not a teenager full back, he just turned 20, he's also a guy that we paid 22m euros. He's vulnerable at the back but I'd rather have him at RB than Ashley Young who is as vulnerable in defense as he is shit in attack. Secondly Rojo is not a LB, he is a shit CB and even worse LB, a player that should have been long gone and a player that is not to be trusted. A guy that has no future here whatsoever. Do you honestly trust the guy? If so fine.

From that pool of average shit donkeys all I expects is a big let down. With a 19 year old kid I will forgive him, not to overpaid average footballers collecting huge salaries.
 

BlahRules

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Having Rojo as left back for the West Han would just show OGS is all talk about giving youth a chance.

Rojo had been atrocious when playing as a left back for us and he had detrimental affect on the way we play. Having an experience player in the line up just reeks of Mourinho.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Firstly Dalot is not a teenager full back, he just turned 20, he's also a guy that we paid 22m euros. He's vulnerable at the back but I'd rather have him at RB than Ashley Young who is as vulnerable in defense as he is shit in attack. Secondly Rojo is not a LB, he is a shit CB and even worse LB, a player that should have been long gone and a player that is not to be trusted. A guy that has no future here whatsoever. Do you honestly trust the guy? If so fine.

From that pool of average shit donkeys all I expects is a big let down. With a 19 year old kid I will forgive him, not to overpaid average footballers collecting huge salaries.
You are trying to make pointless argument. The kid isn’t even in the squad so move on with it. At least either Greenwood & Gomes might be given the chance by Ole.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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It would at least give me satisfaction of watching a young kid give his best instead of this shit.
Poor attitude for a level club like us. The aim is to win not watching a young kid.

I would rather see us winning a match with the best possible players in this current situation rather than using a youth who’s not ready and end up losing top 4 spot now.

Oh, Another match when we need goals, Ole decided to bring a youth chance like Greenwood. I hope you didn’t miss that one again and said “it’s all talk only”
 

AndyJ1985

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I would rather see us winning a match with the best possible players in this current situation rather than using a youth who’s not ready and end up losing top 4 spot now.

Oh, Another match when we need goals, Ole decided to bring a youth chance like Greenwood. I hope you didn’t miss that one again and said “it’s all talk only”
Of course he brought on Greenwood. Who else is he going to bring on? There was no other bastard on the bench who could provide goals.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Of course he brought on Greenwood. Who else is he going to bring on? There was no other bastard on the bench who could provide goals.
He’s giving a youth chance which exactly what the guy asked for.

Unbelievable, we are missing two our full backs but we still won the game and the guy still be unsatisfied with the result.
 

Kostov

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Poor attitude for a level club like us. The aim is to win not watching a young kid.

I would rather see us winning a match with the best possible players in this current situation rather than using a youth who’s not ready and end up losing top 4 spot now.

Oh, Another match when we need goals, Ole decided to bring a youth chance like Greenwood. I hope you didn’t miss that one again and said “it’s all talk only”
We won a match we should have lost, and conceded a goal because of Rojo. The one situation we were dreading before the match and discussing. That was the point. He was shit as expected and only cost us while wasting space and time.
 

Kostov

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He’s giving a youth chance which exactly what the guy asked for.

Unbelievable, we are missing two our full backs but we still won the game and the guy still be unsatisfied with the result.
I’m unsatisfied by the manager’s decision and they are more and more frequentl. Rojo did not justify his inclusion as expected and that’s on the guy who made the decision. We won the game, barely. But with this kind of decision I hope you enjoy lingering at 6th place for a while.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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I’m unsatisfied by the manager’s decision and they are more and more frequentl. Rojo did not justify his inclusion as expected and that’s on the guy who made the decision. We won the game, barely. But with this kind of decision I hope you enjoy lingering at 6th place for a while.
We won a match we should have lost, and conceded a goal because of Rojo. The one situation we were dreading before the match and discussing. That was the point. He was shit as expected and only cost us while wasting space and time.
Because of Rojo? We conceded goal because of De Gea’s initial error. Do you really think Lee can do any better in that situation? That was a counter attack near our penalty box area when our player weren’t in the positioning of defending.

There are two points;
1) Rojo is bad but it still turned out to be the right decision to play Rojo not throw away Lee who’s still not ready and expect 2 very young full back who are still raw in back four in a game like this.
2) Ole has given a youth chance today when we need a goal so it’s not just talk.

Let these two sink in!
 

Kostov

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Because of Rojo? We conceded goal because of De Gea’s initial error. Do you really think Lee can do any better in that situation? That was a counter attack near our penalty box area when our player weren’t in the positioning of defending.

There are two points;
1) Rojo is bad but it still turned out to be the right decision to play Rojo not throw away Lee who’s still not ready and expect 2 very young full back who are still raw in back four in a game like this.
2) Ole has given a youth chance today when we need a goal so it’s not just talk.

Let these two sink in!
It was on him as well as De Gea. He lost his man couple of times and was horrible through out the game. You will never know how a kid will do unless given a chance and he will be 19 in the summer, Lee should get in the squad instead of shit like Rojo. He supposedly outperformed him in the reserves game as another poster pointed out.

Games like that are actually ones that I expect fans to see what garbage are we being served, but supposedly for you that was top decision by Ole.

But as you pointed out, credit where it’s due and he gave Greenwood a chance, and hopefully there are many more to come including Lee.
 

POF

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I really like Lee O'Connor as a player and there is a lot of talent there, but positionally he is not good defensively at full back. How could he be? In his key development years he rarely played there.

Up against Felipe Anderson it would have been a huge gamble to play him.
 
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JJ12

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It would at least give me satisfaction of watching a young kid give his best instead of this shit.
Or he would have been out of his depth and we lose.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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It was on him as well as De Gea. He lost his man couple of times and was horrible through out the game. You will never know how a kid will do unless given a chance and he will be 19 in the summer, Lee should get in the squad instead of shit like Rojo. He supposedly outperformed him in the reserves game as another poster pointed out.

Games like that are actually ones that I expect fans to see what garbage are we being served, but supposedly for you that was top decision by Ole.

But as you pointed out, credit where it’s due and he gave Greenwood a chance, and hopefully there are many more to come including Lee.
I don’t know why can’t you just move on with the fact that Ole had the same thought as me of playing Rojo instead of Lee and we still won the game. It’s all about balanced, you can’t just be fantasia like a football manager game think that playing two raw full backs in the yesterday game will be the best thing to do.
 

Kostov

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Or he would have been out of his depth and we lose.
And Rojo was not out of his depth yesterday?

I don’t know why can’t you just move on with the fact that Ole had the same thought as me of playing Rojo instead of Lee and we still won the game. It’s all about balanced, you can’t just be fantasia like a football manager game think that playing two raw full backs in the yesterday game will be the best thing to do.
We still won the game despite a string of appalling decisions by Ole. Nothing that a United fan should be proud of. That team was anything but balanced. Not playing underperforming shit players like Rojo, Mata and Lingard for example might be the best thing to do yeah.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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And Rojo was not out of his depth yesterday?


We still won the game despite a string of appalling decisions by Ole. Nothing that a United fan should be proud of. That team was anything but balanced. Not playing underperforming shit players like Rojo, Mata and Lingard for example might be the best thing to do yeah.
In this current situation what we want and need is a win to keep us in top 4 race, playing two raw full back is huge gamble, that’s why Ole played Rojo instead. Whether you like it or no, we won the game and that’s what we were trying to achieve yesterday.
 

Keefy18

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Well that would be a blow right in the teeth of Ole's talk about giving youth a chance. None of Darmian and Rojo have futures here, why waste valuable game time?
Ole's in a tricky situation, we have to win games. Whilst I get your points on here the last few days about LVG giving youth a chance even when results really mattered, I think Ole will want to achieve top 4 first and then look at in a bigger picture mindset possibly from Aug next season.

Remember it was top 4 that ultimately cost LVG his job.

Whatever LvG achieved prior to United is irrelevant. At United, his faith in youth extended only as far as not trusting the senior players and having no other option. It's not for this thread, but Rooney wanted to play in midfield and he allowed it. Rashford didn't force that change. By all accounts, Rashford only got into the team because an already depleted front line was further hampered by Martial getting injured in the warm-up, with his only other involvement with the senior side prior to that being a couple of games a few months prior where he sat on the bench.
This narrative is rubbish.

As you say Rashford was already involved in the squad prior to his debut, Rashford was quite clearly in LVG's plans and he saw him as an incredible talent. Does it matter that he debuted because of injuries? No. If it does then we should be abusing Ferguson for daring to debut Giggs for an injured Denis Irwin.

The vast majority of players make their debuts on the back of injuries / bans to players, its absolutely ridiculous to try use injuries / bans as a stick to beat a manager with and suggest they had no interest in X player.

Quite a few of the class of 92 debuted in a similar manner, Gary Neville debuted because of the "foreigner" ruling in UEFA tournaments at the time. Didn't think any less of Fergie at the time anyway.

Why is LVG given heat over only having him on the bench but Ferguson done similar and not?

It's hypocritical if your honest.
 

ArjenIsM3

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And Rojo was not out of his depth yesterday?


We still won the game despite a string of appalling decisions by Ole. Nothing that a United fan should be proud of. That team was anything but balanced. Not playing underperforming shit players like Rojo, Mata and Lingard for example might be the best thing to do yeah.
Don't know what your deal is constantly bashing Ole's decisions, even though clearly he's playing youth more than Mourinho was it's still not good enough. How does it not make sense to you that Ole wants to give everyone a chance? Everyone started with a clean slate under him and that includes Rojo. Whether you like him or not. What they do with that chance determines whether they will be here next season. It's that simple. It wasn't even a strange decision to play him as we already had the youthful Dalot playing on the other side who, like O'Connor, isn't the best defensively just yet. He tried to balance the team, which is fair enough. That it didn't work out that way in the end doesn't change anything. I'm not sure what other decisions you find so appalling. Do you really want him to take a huge gamble by starting Angel and Greenwood for the first time in a must win game? There would be a massive shitstorm on here if that backfired. Especially when we had someone like Lingard who whether you like it or not has scored a fair amount of goals for us available. He's easing Greenwood (the only youngster we have that seems PL-ready) into the first team which is the right thing to do. He's playing McTominay in important games. He's shown faith in Fred (who's justifying it) while the rest of us had already written him (an expensive asset) off. He got rid of Fellaini. He's making the tough calls that Mourinho didn't yet somehow people like you are still bashing him on here for not ditching our entire first team and playing our under 23 squad instead. It's ridiculous.

/Rant
 

Kostov

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In this current situation what we want and need is a win to keep us in top 4 race, playing two raw full back is huge gamble, that’s why Ole played Rojo instead. Whether you like it or no, we won the game and that’s what we were trying to achieve yesterday.
I just don't see the point in playing Rojo if we are planning of getting rid. These guys are mercenaries and don't care about the club, on top of being absolute shit. I feel we have very little to lose by giving a youth player that place and we might get a player in the process. There are so many great examples of kids thrown in the deep and delivering. I also feel we are going in circles so let's agree to disagree.