Something special is building at Old Trafford

The Boy

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This isn’t about Ole or whether he’s good enough or not. Whoever your manager is in one or two years time they could have something very special on their hands.

The core of your team is young, very young and they’re growing together, The Athletic have done a piece about how Martial, Rashford and Greenwood have outscored Mane, Salah and Firminho so far this season. Put that alongside the growth in players like AWB, James, McT, Williams, that’s seven players aged 24 or younger all looking the business. Add in the possibilities like Laird, Garner and Tuanzebe and the future looks very bright.

This season maybe erratic but actually for once you truly are a team in transition. Key older players from the past few years are gone or being phased out and they are being replaced by fresh talented youngsters. That’s not something you’ve been able to say for years, since before SAF left.

If you get Fernandes this window, that could well be another key part of the puzzle. Maguire and Lindelof are 26 and 25 respectively, the next 4 years should see them at their peak as well.

Whoever your manager is in 2 years time will be incredibly lucky, a very talented core is coming of age at OT and though you might be disappointed or frustrated this season, soon you’ll be the envy of most clubs. The ground is being laid superbly at the moment.
 

Massive Spanner

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Some positives there for sure but sadly under our current ownership we still won't get anywhere.

Also really don't agree with Maguire and Lindelof part. The former is just about good enough for a top four club and the latter isn't good enough at this level.
 

Reditus

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There are a lot of positives to take. I do not think Ole will be the man to bring us forward but I do think he will leave the club in better shape than the previous managers. We may well look back at his time as a very important step to get back to where we want to be.
 

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Good analysis, The Boy.

The future is never guaranteed, but the signs are showing and there seems to be a strategy.

Your point about the performances being erratic is spot on, I've been saying all season that they would be , following such a big change.
 

BluesJr

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I do agree with this actually despite our struggles. I still have my doubts about Ole and think it could end up being Poch that benefits the most from this team. Regardless of that though, if we added Bruno and Soumare this window and somehow kept Pogba (unlikely but I wouldn’t say impossible at this stage) then we our team is looking very strong. Rashford is on the cusp of being a very special player, it has that feel to it. Defenders are really starting to fear him and I think he’s got a very dominant performance in him coming soon which will elevate his confidence to new heights.
 

amolbhatia50k

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We always tend to have talent. Need to couple it with a top class manager otherwise we'll be sat here 3 years from now waiting for another team to come together.
 

The Boy

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Thought this was going to be about the new lego kit. Disappointed.
I initially called this thread something special is growing at old Trafford but was worried everyone would think it was about weed and be disappointed
 

Skills

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We always tend to have talent. Need to couple it with a top class manager otherwise we'll be sat here 3 years from now waiting for another team to come together.
This. We're a graveyard for talented players because the club doesn't think giving them the right coach for their development and actually making best of use of them, is important enough.
 

Amadaeus

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Ole seems like a better director of football than he does a coach. During our past few managers, I was vocal about our transfer policy and how unstructured it seemed. Ole has brought a better structure where we are signing/interested in the right type of players so far for his philosophy.

Signing Bruno Fernandes will complement MMM(M3) at the moment, but M1, might still be too young to start consistently. We still don’t have a natural right attacker and Bruno isn’t the answer. Especially if Pogba comes back into the team. Will Pogba have to play deeper to accommodate Bruno? Anyway, Soumare is also an interesting link as well and will be a more welcomed addition than longstaff.
 

JPRouve

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I wouldn't say that something special is definitely building but that we have the material and a part of the foundations to build something special. The question is whether the site manager is actually good enough to give the project life.
 

Ian Reus

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Ole is there to bring back the virtues of United that the balloon Moyes undid in a few short months.

Hopefully the next appointment is the right one and builds on the solid base left by Ole.
 

amolbhatia50k

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This. We're a graveyard for talented players because the club doesn't think giving them the right coach for their development and actually making best of use of them, is important enough.
I also feel this thread, as the fans tend to do, focus far too much on mere talent. Our biggest problem isn't talent, we always have the money acquire that. I think it's far more important that we modernise as a football club - especially on the tactical front. To match the likes of City, Liverpool, even Spurs (under Pochettino) as a cohesive and fluid football team. That is what I want to see.
 

fergosaurus

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Martial, Rashford and Greenwood have outscored Mane, Salah and Firminho so far this season.
That's an insane stat which I find difficult to compute considering the vast difference in quality between the teams. If they can do this with no creative spark in the team and questionable tactics it bodes well for when we address those issues.
 

Bestietom

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I believe that Ole is doing a good job, especially with the signings he has brought in so far and the ones he has got rid of.
A few more signings and still a lot of players to get rid of, will have us challenging for honours in the next season or 2. We will be a young side together for years, whoever the manager may be.
 

Fiskey

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I'm excited. We really need to win something in the next couple of years though or else people will start looking to move on. Liverpool and Arsenal have had some promising teams over the past 30 years and then lost players at key times (McMannaman, Mascherano, Alonso, Owen and Fabregas, Van Persie, Overmars, Anelka etc.)
 

prateik

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The bar set by the club under Fergie is crazy high.. so calling it something special is probably a bit of a stretch..

But this is the first time in the last 6 years, we seem to be acting with the bigger picture in mind..
It'll probably be slow.. but it is better than it has been in the recent past.

Its hard to forget 6 years and act like the rebuilding has just stated.. but that is what it is..

And Woodward is still a clown. He is learning on the job.. and doesnt seem to be a quick learner either.
 

izec

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If Ole steps down in the summer and we have a proper coach/manager that can take it to the next level, we are on a good way. Someone that suits the ethos of the club and the direction/players we are heading. Currently, we are still too erratic and one dimensional on the coaching side of things. Ole might be doing all right with the media and general direction the club is going and all that feel good factor, but winning things and getting titles you need more.
 

Bilbo

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This. We're a graveyard for talented players because the club doesn't think giving them the right coach for their development and actually making best of use of them, is important enough.
And yet so many players seem to be developing well. Go figure
 

TRUERED89

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I initially called this thread something special is growing at old Trafford but was worried everyone would think it was about weed and be disappointed
:lol: Am I the only one that actually expected to see what you wrote ?
 

Bilbo

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I'm excited. We really need to win something in the next couple of years though or else people will start looking to move on. Liverpool and Arsenal have had some promising teams over the past 30 years and then lost players at key times (McMannaman, Mascherano, Alonso, Owen and Fabregas, Van Persie, Overmars, Anelka etc.)
We wont reach the level of Liverpool or City in the next 2 years. I strongly doubt anybody in the league will. However a lot can change in 2 years. Look at our squad now with the right 4 or 5 additions over the coming transfer windows, and if the recruitment is handled right then there are many, many reasons to be confident.
 

Jev

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Personally, I'm just really happy that we've become a sympathetic team again. We used to pride ourselves on doing things the right way, trusting youth, thinking long-term, spending responsibly. It was hard to see us becoming everything we used to used to accuse City and Chelsea of, and with the most unlikeable manager in football to make matters even worse. It's easier to accept us being average when you can at least like the club again.
 

ThinkTank@Cafe

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“Ole managed to give us that sense of bright future. He built a core of a very promising young United team. He has to leave for a better person. I will be kind to him and give him a DOF position. I’m a good fan, and I appreciate him as a club legend. Yes, I do.”

Ole haters start to repaint their camouflage.
 

Paxi

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Good OP. Definitely some positives in terms of players but I still feel we need a solid bulkhead up above, lest it all comes crashing down. I'm talking about Woodward and Judge who should be relieved from any footballing side of things. We should appoint a DoF and other supporting roles to help the manager imo.
 

Oldyella

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I'm excited. We really need to win something in the next couple of years though or else people will start looking to move on. Liverpool and Arsenal have had some promising teams over the past 30 years and then lost players at key times (McMannaman, Mascherano, Alonso, Owen and Fabregas, Van Persie, Overmars, Anelka etc.)
People already are. Love him or hate him Pogba is arguably our best outfield player when on form and has apparently had enough. Our current club captain wants to head off to Italy. Our record striker couldn't wait to get out. Our 2nd best midfielder left last year.

We are lucky Rashford is a local lad and the younger players coming through are as well.
 

Smores

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The problem is every club with a few young decent players fall into this trap of expecting glory years. Heck England itself does as regular as clockwork.

The positive is that if they crack on then you can build a team that dominates for a long time. Does it mean you're more likely to produce anything special over well run teams who are on average older but who balance their recruitment and youth? Not really.
 

Lentwood

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This isn’t about Ole or whether he’s good enough or not. Whoever your manager is in one or two years time they could have something very special on their hands.

The core of your team is young, very young and they’re growing together, The Athletic have done a piece about how Martial, Rashford and Greenwood have outscored Mane, Salah and Firminho so far this season. Put that alongside the growth in players like AWB, James, McT, Williams, that’s seven players aged 24 or younger all looking the business. Add in the possibilities like Laird, Garner and Tuanzebe and the future looks very bright.

This season maybe erratic but actually for once you truly are a team in transition. Key older players from the past few years are gone or being phased out and they are being replaced by fresh talented youngsters. That’s not something you’ve been able to say for years, since before SAF left.

If you get Fernandes this window, that could well be another key part of the puzzle. Maguire and Lindelof are 26 and 25 respectively, the next 4 years should see them at their peak as well.

Whoever your manager is in 2 years time will be incredibly lucky, a very talented core is coming of age at OT and though you might be disappointed or frustrated this season, soon you’ll be the envy of most clubs. The ground is being laid superbly at the moment.
I agree. Ole is approaching the “managers” role more like a “Director of Football” would approach it. Problem is people are a) incredibly impatient and b) are blinded by him being a “failed Cardiff manager” and so can’t see the good he’s doing
 

Rozay

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This isn’t about Ole or whether he’s good enough or not. Whoever your manager is in one or two years time they could have something very special on their hands.

The core of your team is young, very young and they’re growing together, The Athletic have done a piece about how Martial, Rashford and Greenwood have outscored Mane, Salah and Firminho so far this season. Put that alongside the growth in players like AWB, James, McT, Williams, that’s seven players aged 24 or younger all looking the business. Add in the possibilities like Laird, Garner and Tuanzebe and the future looks very bright.

This season maybe erratic but actually for once you truly are a team in transition. Key older players from the past few years are gone or being phased out and they are being replaced by fresh talented youngsters. That’s not something you’ve been able to say for years, since before SAF left.

If you get Fernandes this window, that could well be another key part of the puzzle. Maguire and Lindelof are 26 and 25 respectively, the next 4 years should see them at their peak as well.

Whoever your manager is in 2 years time will be incredibly lucky, a very talented core is coming of age at OT and though you might be disappointed or frustrated this season, soon you’ll be the envy of most clubs. The ground is being laid superbly at the moment.
Could very much still go either way. Not just in football, but in life in general, youth is synonymous with hope, but on the whole, people don’t regularly turn out great. You mention AWB, James, McTominay, Williams and added Laird, Garner and Tuanzebe - but that could very easily be a group of averageness. I wouldn’t say they are a group of world class talent. They are just young.

I do agree that we have enough talent to at least get 3 in and around the first team by the time they all mature, which is good. It will also be good that they have grown up together. It is very important they are stewarded well though, and are brought into a system and plan.
 

gerdm07

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I also feel this thread, as the fans tend to do, focus far too much on mere talent. Our biggest problem isn't talent, we always have the money acquire that. I think it's far more important that we modernise as a football club - especially on the tactical front. To match the likes of City, Liverpool, even Spurs (under Pochettino) as a cohesive and fluid football team. That is what I want to see.
Our problem is very much talent. Money does not always buy the right talent as seen in the past 6 years. For sure, the talent chasm between us and the top 2 is because of the previous managers and the front office. Ole has put us on the right track as the OP has said and he deserves credit. Tactics are help so far if you don't have the squad to implement correctly.
 

Lynty

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Some positives there for sure but sadly under our current ownership we still won't get anywhere.

Also really don't agree with Maguire and Lindelof part. The former is just about good enough for a top four club and the latter isn't good enough at this level.

Living up to your name I see.

Why put a downer on a positive thread with the very first reply :lol: