Has apathy already set in for you?

[Todd]

I wouldn't say I'm excited about the season, but I'm still interested. It's all about managing expectations.

I'm already beginning to look at this as a lost season, primarily due to the injury crisis.

It'll likely end as a season for which the one and only thing we have to show is a Europa League qualification. If we manage to make a cup run or manage to hang around the top 4 come spring, it'll be like playing with house money, and it'll become interesting.

 

[sullydnl]

The honest answer is that there was a moment before the season started where I thought that, in spite of all common sense, Greenwood would be returning to the side. And I didn't know how I would be able to enjoy watching us play football.

The relief I felt when that didn't happen has spilled over into this season and I'm just enjoying watching us play without that off-field issue intruding.

Even leaving that factor aside though, I think we've been unlucky and things can change quite a bit when players return to the team. So nah, I'm still relatively optimistic.

 

[m1tch]

Before the season started I had the usual dreamland hope of us clicking and somehow winning the title. Reality has hit hard and early this season, I'll be genuinely shocked if we equal last season's achievements. I'd say I could be apathetic about what we end up with, in regards to what's the difference between 5th and 8th sort of thing, but I know I'm going to be annoyed if my suspicions prove to be true and the players do a 2021/2022 on us again.

 

[Blood Mage]

The season is panning out exactly as I predicted after our joke of a transfer window. It still hurts watching us get schooled though, so I wouldn't say I'm numb to it just yet. Apathy will set in if the Glazers confirm they're staying.

 

[Gycraig]

I was discussing this with a United mate this morning at work and with the best will in the world I'm really struggling with supporting the team right now. I have a monumentally stressful life and going through some personal challenges, United should be an escape for me and bring some joy but the last 6 months with the failed sale, the potential state ownership, Greenwood, Sancho, Antony, Maguire, the transfer window, the burnt out players continuing to play at 50 per cent the back end of last season, City's plastic treble, the pathetic pre season, the lack of effort and desire by the players so far since. I'm sick of the media narrative surrounding us and I informed The Athletic so when I unsubscribed last week. I'm sick of the circus of football. I'm sick of the wages and the differential that brings with some players and fans. I'm sick of City getting away with cheating, I'm sick of Barcelona and all their failings. So my apathy goes beyond United too. The fact we had a few months of an 'up' with the league cup, Maguire dropped and Ronaldo gone then the sudden downer makes me feel worse, I don't know.
And ultimately that has been felt on the caf beyond myself I feel, which I (despite being a very long term newbie) have frequented pretty much daily since the late noughties.
Many people seem to feel similar and it makes this place miserable, which contributes to making me miserable.
We were spoilt for so many years under Fergie we really were, and maybe these feelings would be different if we were a Villa or a Spurs.
But I've got some serious thinking to do over the coming days regarding associating with United and giving up something that has been such a big part of my life, as well as this place which has always been full of so many great fans, debates and a lot of laughs

Honestly nailed it on the head really, I still watch United match’s and will still go on a regular basis but iv started going to lower league and you realise what has been lost with var etc.

In lower league you go to the ground you watch a goal happen, you look at the referee you look at the linesman the place erupts. I haven’t even got excited when United score this season as a nose hair will be offside, a ball will be 100 millionth of a millimetre out of play, there will be a foul in the build up it’s like there’s always something, this is while var refs openly admit they know the ref got it wrong but they don’t want to embarrass there mates.

High end Football has just lost that spark for me. Being shown 50 replays of hojlund blatantly being rugby tackled while the almighty var that spend the last 5 minutes debating whether a player was a teeny weeny bit offside completely ignores it.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Many people who go with the mantra of "if you can't support us during the lows, don't come back during the highs" don't understand that Utd is not a religion for everyone. Utd used to be a source of entertainment for me and entertainment for me means being competitive.

I have come to terms with the fact that this club is the best example of false dawns FC. Last year it almost tricked me into believing that the tide is turning but alas.

I don't enjoy watching this team, watching these players. It feels like a waste of time. So yes, apathy has set it for me. Why should I ruin my mood every weekend by keeping any expectations from this club? Sad part is i can't even enjoy other football matches because how easy the teams make it look whereas here we make it look like it's rocket science. I have endured more misery than actual glory and it sucks to be a Utd fan these days.

 

[Marcus]

I am now already numb to losing. Relegation? Why not? Maybe ownership will change.

 

[mav_9me]

No, not at all. For the first time in 10 years we have the right profile coach who understands the modern game and has the attributes to succeed. It is vital we get rid of the scum owners bleeding this club dry and watching it literally crumble. The sooner ETH has the structure and backing in place, the sooner we start to compete.

Could not agree more.

I am fully behind ETH, I think he is a brilliant coach.

We are having a tough period with injuries and issues leading to absent players. And so there are mitigating circumstances.

And I think we were getting better against Arsenal.

But against Brighton he was outcoached.

So now I'm fascinated to see how ETH steadies the ship, the midfield and defense. Whether he succeeds or not, at least he has the ability. We shall see.

 

[shabadu84]

I'd like to reserve full firmer judgement until we are a little bit closer to full squad strength and give the new signings some time to bed in, though that may not be for months. As it is, it just looks like we've picked up where we left off except we're trying to press higher up with essentially the same personnel that already look as burned out as they did in last season's run-in.

Hard to get excited about anything related to the club right now.

 

[CloneMC16]

Pretty numb to losing at this point. We've experienced it so much over the past 10 years. These players have humiliated the club so many times now. The Liverpool thrashings did hurt, though.

It's hard to feel excited for games when you think it's going to be a loss or 1-0 win that's not enjoyable to watch.

 

[Captmfla]

Don't forget there's Rashford, Hojlund and Sancho upfront.

Bruno, Casermiro and Sofyan marshalling the midfield with competent squad players like Eriksen and Mctominay.

Martinez and Varane in defence together with Dalot and Sergio/Shaw.

Keeper is so much more active than before. The team is stronger than ever before in Ole's time.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

Weekends used to revolve around manutd. Always look forward to new kits and interviews. Shopped for the merchandises like a true muppet. Now i see scoreline by the memes in troll channels and whatsapp groups. Manutd for me has become so stale, not because we are nobody now, because the club just stopped trying. Its really sad. They made us feel stupid to be the only people who cares for the club. Every humiliating defeats hurts but its hurting lesser now.
Accepted the fact that we are going the Nottingham Forests way down.

 

[justboy68]

Not so much apathetic but I'm trying to look forward to individual games (at least in the league) for what they are, rather than considering the grander picture of the league table. Focussing on league position is just a recipe for depression, we clearly aren't going where we want to. Instead I'll just hope for an entertaining game and for a win in the match itself. The comeback against Forest was quite a good watch in that context.

 

[Sky1981]

I find none of the squad are likeable post Moyes. Lazy primadona, overpaid wash out players, Pogba, Greenwood, Mercenaries that dont even pretend like he cares Di Maria, Rashford, Bruno, Maguire. 250k Martial not giving a rat's arse, Jones staying for 10 years and outlived all managers past Fergie and now becoming coach. All very dislikeable and we're lowering the standards so far this is not the United i support back then. I cant find myself rooting or caring.

I'm just following the news at the moment. Not even trying to have a debate about United, just chirped in one or two opinion on general matter these days.

Maybe one day we get so bad we start from scratch with likeable players with heart and attitude a plenty. Give me a midtable finish but with players and teams i can cheer on and support whole heartedly.

 

[Yagami]

TBF we haven't been killed by a press at all this season. Been different issues such as not being able to properly use the new players, off the pitch distractions, injuries and absences, or just a shit system this weekend which was the main problem. Also Mount for all his issues and critics is probably our most press resistant midfielder... well until we see Amrabat here.

Give them time. Amrabat and Mount will make a big difference to our midfield in terms of balance. As will Hojlund of course compared to last season. Things take time though and we need to get our overall mood up.

I think a lot of people have a different interpretation of "press resistant" than me. I'm not talking about a player with superior vision that, before receiving the ball, has a clear view of where everyone is on the pitch so he can play the right first time pass before an opposition player gets near him. I think - on here - that's what the majority think of when hearing that term.

I'm talking about players who are comfortable holding onto the ball knowing that, if pressed, they have the strength to hold onto the ball (& this is mainly to do with body positioning rather than physical size which is why someone like Muniain excels in this department), the agility to turn away and leave the opponent off balance, and the technical ability to manipulate the ball. I don't think we have one player of this ilk, and certainly not Mount who's very lightweight.

Lacking this type of player has been costing ten Hag for me. People have been complaining about how we're too reluctant to pass forwards like against Arsenal, or how we can never pin an actual good team back, and that's due to not having these players. When your midfield and attack is full of lightweights who, 9 times out of 10, is going to lose the ball in a physical duel, it prevents you from playing the ball into the channels and through the lines whether due to tactical reasons or the deep players knowing in their heads that, if they play those passes, we're more than likely going to concede possession. And when we do make those passes, we do usually lose out.

You say "give them time" but I've always said that I'm not going to conveniently forget the players they were before joining us. I've been told this so many times when I've criticised a transfer and it ends up the same every time because they don't magically change. I've watched Mount for many years and I've always said he was rubbish. That isn't going to change now unless he proves me wrong with his performances.

The other two, sure. Hojlund I have no clue on but I've been a fan of Amrabat's before anyone on here even knew him. During his one season at Verona he was probably my favourite player to watch that year. I'm definitely excited to see him for us, but, as I've said before, he had his game changed after leaving Verona for Fiorentina, and it was for the worse, so there is some hesitancy on my part, too. I'm hoping he can get back to his Verona levels under ten Hag after having years of coaching messing with what made him so good in the first place; trying to turn him into a bog standard central midfielder.

 

[Get In Scholesy]

I don't care if it has, or if it hasn't.

This poster apathy’s

 

[Tincanalley]

The last few years have been awful.

The Greenwood saga. Ronaldo. Seven nil losses. Fergie nearly dying. Giggs being revealed for what he is. Just a few. All terrible.

Nothing is worse than becoming Qatar's thing, though. It is the lasting legacy of the Glazers. Our support, who mobilised against the likes of Murdoch, demanding we sell out to a hard right, autocratic dictatorship out of nothing but brow-beaten pride and entitlement.

Literally feel ashamed of the club and of myself for
continuing to support it. Dirty. Cheap. I can't stop thinking about us and yet cannot celebrate a goal, or get excited about us anymore.

So no, not apathy, just something far worse.

I agree with you about Quatar. I would not lump the other issues together, except for the ownership travails. Fergie dirtied his bib there; for me, his fall from grace was a big disappointment. Still a great character and an amazing manager, but flawed too.

I am not ashamed of the club, though I dislike the Glazers intensely. They need to go. All the same, all is not gloom. I think there are some bright lights. The supporters are generally a sound lot (The rump of plastics in here are not to be confused with real supporters).

I like this manager. He’s putting together a nice group of players. So no knee jerk here; I am looking forward to seeing the team click into gear at some point. As regards issues around particular players and player egos, it’s unwise, in my view, to lump them all together.

 

[kafta]

I will always enjoy watching united play. even the bad matches where im losing my mind. I like the manager, and some of the players. i hate the owners and how the club is run.

One day, the owners will change, and it would've been all worth it. If there are to be highs after all these lows, they are going to be worth it.

 

[Redstain]

Almost impossible to take this club seriously an absolute joke on every level.

If it takes 10 years of what cannot be described as anything but a disaster then it's all worth it if the Glazers are gone by the end of 2024.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

Mourinho really did a number on me. He's not the sole reason for my apathy or anything like that, but I hated the man before he came, hated him even more when he was here, and after watching that European final last season, realized I still hate him.

Probably the most miserable time to be a United fan for me.

Never liked Mourinho before he came to us, but could not be indifferent to the man's skills. Once we won the LC and EL I was sure we were going to shithouse our way to a proper trophy, not pretty but I wouldn't have complained. Well that didn't turn out as I hoped.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Yeah you get used to losing I guess. It becomes something that you expect and when you expect it, that leaves you numb to it in a weird way. I still feel sad when we lose, but it would have ruined my whole weekend a decade ago if we lost on the Saturday. These days I just feel pissed off for a bit, but it doesn't affect anything else.

 

[fallengt]

Not exactly apathetic but I feel excited about anything related to United.
Until Glaziers gone, new owner set a clear structure in place, it is not worth invest emotion onto this

 

[henrysquire]

When we sign the likes of Mount and Reguilon it's pretty hard to get excited. Or signings have been Poundland quality with Waitrose pricing.

 

[United Hobbit]

We all laughed at Liverpool in their barren spell

Feels like we are now them, I think even our top 4 "trophy" looks in serious doubt, we are already 7 points off Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal, not even including City

We are getting injuries it feels like every day, is this not being looked at? Is it the culmination of a ridiculously busy season last year including the stupid winter world cup or are there deeper issues?

The whole club is absolutely rotten from top to bottom and needs a complete overhaul. The money we do spend is on c**p it seems of this summer's signings only Hojlund looks good so far. But then if he gets injured we are even more royally fecked as we are down to Tony who will either be injured or immediately get injured. Our strength in depth in some positions is shocking

I think the kicker of it all is we were all so excited about ETH, thought we'd finally got a really strong manager but he's not helping himself. The bad apples he's having to deal with is probably unprecedented and no doubt causing division

Brighton seem to be the epitome of a well run club and look how they've progressed due to it. When was the last time we signed a diamond in the rough like Mitoma who I believe cost £2m?

The whole club needs gutting from top to bottom, with the first port of call being appointing a PROPER DOF with PROPER credentials and a proven track record. Stop with the jobs for the boys, Evans is the latest example and look what happened

Usually I'd be disappointed if I can't watch a game Saturday I wasn't too bothered as we always struggle with them. Guess I was right

Just want the season to be over doesn't help both our biggest rivals in Liverpool and City are the ones doing well.

We should be excited by a game against Bayern but I'm sure we crumble as soon as they score and it could get ugly. It doesn't help going into big games, which should be especially exciting, expecting a close loss at best.

The club is rotten from top to bottom and if the owners don't care, and the majority of the players don't care (since they still get their massive wages every week) why should we care. Wish we'd do what Tottenham did after that hammering last season and make them repay the fans who've paid to see them after any hammering that might induce some effort seeing as their pockets seem to be the only way of having any impact on some of them.

 

[Acquire Me]

I enjoy watching Utd games. Is this the right forum?

I do too. I get upset when we don’t get the results also.

Obviously I would love for us to challenge for the title, but we are most likely not going to be able to do that just yet.

I hope the club is sold soon. I think we are before next year.

 

[Zlatans Knee]

I just wish all the nonsense around the club, Greenwood, Antony, Maguire, Glazers would stop so that we could only talk about the players we have that are eligible to play. I was really enjoying the first 15 minutes of the match v Brighton, we were playing fast, quality football. With a little bit better decision making we could/should have been a goal up. They they scored and the entire match changed. We just seem to be so fragile. The balance is definitely wrong without a decent winger, it is a real shame that Amad is injured because this could have been his big chance to shine.
I made the mistake of watching a Paul Scholes compilation on YouTube yesterday, I felt like crying afterwards, that guy was so unbelievably good and unfortunately highlighted that we have recruited badly in that area of the pitch. I really hope that Amrabat can make a difference.

 

[Patchbeard]

To be honest even without the current shambles I don't think I would be as invested by now anyway. It's hard to find inspiration anymore in footballers who are younger than me and seem like spanners, but we seem to have fostered a particularly uninspiring squad in recent years!

Probably doesn't help the current lot that I was brought up as a Utd fan in the 90s when there were so many iconic players wearing the shirt that it was hard to choose who's name have on the back. Whereas if I was a kid now I've no idea who you'd choose to get on a shirt from this current lot.

There's been a few things that have rekindled the fire since SAF, Januzaj vs Sunderland, Evra's goal vs Bayern (that was very short-lived..), Ole vs PSG, the excitement about Greenwood But they were all so short-lived or ended in such misery that I should've known to not get my hopes up too much when we seemed to be improving under Ten Hag.

Splurging a good chunk of our budget on completely the wrong type of midfielder didn't help with the enthusiasm for this season, let alone one who we could have signed on a free next summer. Then the whole Greenwood, Maguire, Antony, Sancho, and Glazers sagas. Says it all about the rest of the team that the players I was most excited about for this season were Amad and Mainoo, and then they both get injured in preseason

My hopes were so low that I've not made any effort to watch any of our games when they've been on TV (the Spurs and Arse games we had other plans booked in ahead of the fixtures coming out which could potentially overrun onto them, but I still would have made an effort in previous years to get back in time for the 2nd half. As it was I'm glad I didn't!).

Currently debating whether to try and find a monthly subscription to watch the CL or if it's really worth it?

 

[dubplate warrior]

Yes. I find myself not watching social media vloggers that I like, and didn't go out of my way to watch us against Brighton because I knew how it would end. Kind of bored of the same cycle and feel like I'm wasting too much time on football.

 

[Rednotdead]

I would be apathetic but I just can’t be bothered.

 

[Castia]

We’re shite and there’s not much we can argue about. We’ve spent more money than anybody (Chelsea’s 12 months aside…) and have problems not just on the field but massive issues off them also.

I see us lose and just shrug it off these days, the club has completely made me lose hope that anything good is around the corner.

 

[GBBQ]

Winning the league was always unlikely but to be out of the title chase after 5 games is a new low. We can still get our shit together and be the best of the rest by the end of the season but there are multiple teams above us who are looking way more convincing so we’d need to see a huge improvement to get there.

Still it’s not apathy because I’ll at least wait to see how we look with Amrabat Mount and Hojlund bedded in and the return of our defence.

 

[Roboc7]

If the ownership doesn’t change by next season I can see myself watching the games a lot less. The club is so soulless and it’s so blatant that there is no accountability or ambition. Combine that with gross incompetence and the business model and the slow, painful death of everything about the club gets harder to stomach every year.

I have a lot of sympathy/respect for season ticket holders and all the away fans who commit so much time and money. I don’t know how so many of them do it when the club has so much apathy for everything other than making money.

 

[Jeffthered]

Yes it has, a shame really but it's how it is. ETH needs to get a real grip of things (and he has to be open and humble enough to accept assistance and change some of his tactical methods); and the Glazer's need to resolve the corporate direction of the club.

These requirements are both immediate and critical. So, I watch and hope, and in fact, somehow, I do feel things will get better as the season progressess... things will bottom out, ETH will get better, players will sort themselves out, we'll see some pleasant surprises on the pitch, and things will settle, even a little.

 

[Vault Dweller]

What’s the sudden obsession with SAF on here?
It’s been 10 miserable years. Move the feck on people. He is the past, he is gone, he is a retired octogenarian. Leave the man in peace for goodness sake.

Indeed. He's an 80 year old man who had a serious health condition a few years ago, who dedicated a huge portion of his life elevating this club to unbelievable heights. Let the man enjoy his retirement for goodness sake.

 

[ManRed]

Cant be bothered not because of the results but also the way club is handling things off the pitch. We are a mess

 

[Ronaldo's Love Child]

We’re five games into the season, and I must say I’m already feeling apathetic. Of course, I still want us to win and I’ll support the team for the rest of the season, but what I mean is, I feel pretty numb when we do lose. Basically, how I’ve felt for most of the last decade or so. With stuff off the field as well, it all feels a bit hopeless.

I get angry in the moment, but that dissipates very quickly. It’s probably the worst feeling as a fan.

Every game is now loseable for us.

In years gone by, I would see Burnley as the next fixture and think "ok-let's get a morale boosting win in this fixture..". Now, it has become irrelevant who we play-we're capable of losing against anyone.

 

[Doracle]

It’s harsh but as soon as we paid £50m+ for Mount and it was clear we weren’t in for Kane (or equivalent) my enthusiasm for this season largely died, as I felt that meant we’d be back into a battle for no more than top 4.

It’s going worse than I thought, as I at least expected us to look like we had some sort of structure on the pitch, and we’ve had very little luck in recent games. Still, at least it’s now got so bad that hopefully it can only get better.

 

[Godfather]

Yes. Started with the huge delays for our club sale and got worse after that shambles of a transfer period. These results came to no surprise and honestly I'm not even too bothered anymore. As long as these American cnuts own us nothing will change.

 

[Ikon]

These results came to no surprise and honestly I'm not even too bothered anymore. As long as these American cnuts own us nothing will change.

Just maybe, a miserable season, without even qualifying for Europe, would see them finally accept it's time to take the money and fcuk off...

 

[The Urban Goose]

Nothing will change until the Glazers' are out. It's not even worth getting on at ETH, he's not being given a fair crack. I bet even Pep/de Zerbi/other flavour of the month would look like a muppet under the current regime.