The general attitude of our players

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Ali Dia

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The coaching was too British last month. Now it’s too late. Goldilocks eat your heart out

These players make it impossible to like them. As I keep saying. I only like the aggressive hard working players. It’s not like the “classy” players are doing anything special apart from cashing huge cheques and letting the fans down again and again. Basically that side of the team is a mirror of our shit owners approach over the last 10 years. It’s mediocre and money over substance personified.
 
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roonster09

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Its amazing how every negative articles are taken as truth and positive articles are "PR stunts".
 

ExoduS

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Fans should bring a big sign to the next home game "Effort or Eff Off!"
Yeah but it's hard to put effort when you don't know what your role is and when you don't have faith that players around you know what their role is. For players to fight and show effort, the team needs chemistry. Chemistry is not something that just happens. It is extremely hard and it requires a bit of luck and once you have it with the right players you might end up with a dynasty. These players that we have right now are all meek. Not a single true leader.
 

devilish

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This is good news.

The current problem isn't just about Ole. Or Ole's coaches. Or even the quality of the players.

The current problem is the culture that has developed in the dressing room in the last few weeks/months.

I'm sure we've all been in workplaces where everything feels a little bit off. Where all your colleagues look down in the dumps. Where every business system and business processes don't quite work. Where there's a casualness rather than professionalism to the way people work. Where everybody seems to be avoiding personal responsibility because if they did, that would be like admitting overall responsibility.

This feels to me like the dressing room needs a shock to the system. We had that shock for about 30 minutes in the Crystal Palace game so it isn't beyond the ability of the squad. But Rangnick's job is to bring them out of their funk. No matter what it takes.

Making them unhappy about finishing in the dark is good start. Breaking up cliques would also be helpful. Possibly even flipping training sessions upside down to make them the complete opposite of what they've been used to.

Basically, Manchester United's players need slap in the face to wake them up and bring them out of their malaise. And it needs to be done through fair means or foul. Drill sergeant Rangnick is doing the right thing.
Who brought these players in and allowed them to do whatever they want? At one point Ole even apologised to 'Rashy' for saying the bloody obvious. Can you imagine SAF doing that? Of course not.
 

AbusementPark

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It’s the basics this team keep messing up time and time again. You see some of them pressing and others not, needs to be a joint effort. Simple passes not being completed, basic defending mistakes and not tracking back. Sancho came on in the 2nd half and was fresh, think he was dispossessed, I watched to see what he would do and he done nothing, no effort to recapture the ball. He ran back towards his goal but was still 10 yards the wrong side of the ball. If the workrate of the team increased it would at least show desire and fight to be at the club.
 

Dante

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Who brought these players in and allowed them to do whatever they want? At one point Ole even apologised to 'Rashy' for saying the bloody obvious. Can you imagine SAF doing that? Of course not.
Even title winning teams can go off the rails sometimes. It's a potential hazard that exists in every single dressing room. Personalities clash, cliques form, focus gets lost, etc.

The players are man-for-man much better than Newcastle. And yet they underperformed. They've also had Rangnick's coaches for several weeks. And yet they looked disjointed. This is about something deeper than that.

Ferguson would absolutely defend his players from invented media controversy. It's something he did time and again during his reign. You might have missed it.
 

devilish

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Even title winning teams can go off the rails sometimes. It's a potential hazard that exists in every single dressing room. Personalities clash, cliques form, focus gets lost, etc.

The players are man-for-man much better than Newcastle. And yet they underperformed. They've also had Rangnick's coaches for several weeks. And yet they looked disjointed. This is about something deeper than that.

Ferguson would absolutely defend his players from invented media controversy. It's something he did time and again during his reign. You might have missed it.
This is not a title winning team though but a team of spoiled bottlers. Their salary is at the roof and that despite we lag behind in most work rate stats and having won anything for the past 3 years. Most of the players care more about their hair, their social media presence, their brand and their non football social commitments rather then football. There's a culture that no matter what you do there's always a contract extension waiting at the corner as the club wants to protect its assets (even if that asset is Jones). That removes the fear factor of failing at such top club. It didn't help the fact that the previous manager kept hiring mates on (Ronaldo, Heaton and even feckin McShane) and off the pitch (Cleggy, Carricky, Perty, Phelany) and was terrified of letting players go (even if those players happened to be Grant, Mata and Matic whose been finished for a long time). We don't even know what the feck coach Phelan does as he's probably the only coach who coach without even going on the training pitch. But hey reconnecting with old mates was the highlight of Ole's managerial career.

SAF especially in his prime would never have allowed that. The guy wouldn't allow Van Der Gouw keep his pony tail, he'll certainly won't issue a public apology for hurting Rashy's feelings and he would have kicked Lingard out the moment he's videoed humping pillows.

Honestly this squad reminds me of the United the old man inherited from Atkinson. The talent might be there but they lacked the attitude and the commitment to win. The fans has the same mindset as well. We are too quick to make excuses for players and we're just happy to enjoy the ride even though it leads us to nowhere. The solution is pretty much the same btw ie shock the system, show a ridiculous number of players the door and start from new. Hopefully that would raise standards and scare the crap out of the rest who will now have to fight for their job.
 
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MalaysianRed7

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Left in the dark at 5pm according to Chris Wheeler? I’m disappointed in Ralf’s mismanagement…should have made them run until 10pm instead. After all, they didn’t do any of the pressing Ralf instructed them to do in the game itself.

I hope they realise that this time, fans won’t turn on Ralf like we did with Mourinho and Ole. We’ve learned our lesson. A truly awful bunch of players aside from a select few, starting from the worst captain we’ve ever had the misfortune of employing. Using a lack of match fitness as an excuse for drawing against Newcastle, absolutely embarrassing. Ronaldo and Bruno running off and hiding from the away fans doesn’t impress me either, especially with regards to Bruno. His last form of communication with the fans was remonstrating with someone who had a go at Ole after paying his hard earned money and telling us to blame it on the lot of them. Since then, he’s been nothing more than useless, including in the Arsenal game aside from the goal.
 

maximus419

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When Alex Ferguson arrived he had to deal with a drinking culture at the club and get rid of a few individuals in order to get control of the dressing room.

Rangnick has a far tougher job as he needs to deal with an entitlement attitude that seems to have infected the majority of the dressing room.

These players act as though they are the best in the world, no surprise, given they are earning huge money and playing for a big club. There is zero humility in any of them, they are all trading on past glories, none of them accept they are only as good as their last game.

I've said it before but this team needs a harsh reality check, a relegation battle for example. It would suddenly make them realise how far they've fallen and that nobody is safe. As they've finished 2nd a few times and reached a final in the cup, they seem to think success is just around the corner, when in truth, they've over achieved and are miles away from landing a league or CL title.

Never seen such a bunch of deluded self entitled players in football. They remind me of the spice boys Liverpool side, when they traded on past glories, of previous Liverpool teams.

With the money in football now, I think this club is in dire straits. There doesn't seem to be a way to fix a mindset, that the club itself creates, amongst the people who work there. Manchester Utd calls itself the biggest club in the world, that doesn't help rectify the reality, they are just a football club on the way down.
 
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Wolf1992

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This has to be satire , they're millionaires not kids for gods sake

For all the shit keane and souness get for their in my time boomer commentary (everyone does it no matter the generation) they speak a lot of sense, players have really become like petulant kids

Its just sad or maybe I've became too jaded and cynical :(
Easy times create weak men, it's a fact.

Not even a boomer thing, but as life gets easier people get weaker when it comes to facing hardship.
 

Daengophile

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This problem had been developing for a long long time. It started by giving jobs to SAF's friends and family, then it crept in the first team (ex keeping legends way past their expiry date) and now every Tom, dick and harry seem to have an excuse not to leave. Mata is a nice guy, Jones is injury prone (as if that's some badge of honour or something), Rashford feeds the poor, Lingard is popular, Pogba won the WC and Martial sometimes turns up and delivers. It didn't help having Ole around who seem to be all about strengthening old connections and built new ones rather then actually win.

What United needs at this point is a massive clear out, one that doesn't look at anyone's face/reputation. If 7-8 players leave at one go then the rest would be scared shit as they might be next. Meanwhile those who would remain would probably stir in line as they know they might be next. Rangnick needs not to be scared showing the big guns the door and that include those who should be guiding the squad rather then making excuses/blaming the rest.
I think you are pretty much right.

What do these players dread more - being dropped or being put up for sale?

Dropping the captain from the match day squad would be a start.

Playing the 2 oldies up front would make another point
 

Daengophile

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This is pretty obvious, but the real question is what is the reason underneath? Why?


I think that I can perhaps answer this. In his autobiography ( not everything here will be verbatim so please allow some artistic lisence as I no longer have the book) he announced in 2001 and he says that the players basically downed tools. Despite who he was , and what he had achieved he says the majority of players knowing he wasn't there for much longer simply stopped playing for him. Then over the Christmas break he has a chat with Mrs. Ferguson and comes back and tells them "I'm not retiring." I think he then says something like, we didn't lose another league game that season and won the the league.

So if SAF with all his greatness loses the dressing room when they know he is no longer there for the long run, how hard must it be for a manager who is announced as the interim manager to get the players to commit for him ? I suspect that he has many different ways of doing things from the previous regime, tactics, training, video analysis, fitness, psychology and many of them may be thinking, " I can't be arsed with this and he's gone in May, and maybe I will ask for a transfer as the club's going nowhere anyway"

Some will be thinking well if those 5 aren't trying in training or on the pitch I can't be bothered either so let's just wander around and see not the summer brings.

I think announcing an interim manager was setting him up for failure.

I found this paragraph to be the most illuminating in the whole book. When they thought he was leaving they simply stopped trying and when he said," I'm staying" they went on a run and won the league.
There's a lot of truth in that post

Basically, RR needs to show them who is boss
 

Ogaranya

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The problem is from the management, rewarding average players with huge contracts, what do you expect?

Not forgetting Ole's inability to instill discipline for the 3years , he massaged their dramatic ego,
Look at the likes of Rashford, he behaves as if he is "undroppable" irrespective of his crap performances lately, look at his body language when he looses the ball.
Where went fergie's hairdryer

Ralf got a lot to do , not just in tactics area but also in man-management aspect
Not trying to whine but Conte would have enforced passion , discipline and energy into this squad.
Ralf looks soft
 

Red the Bear

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Easy times create weak men, it's a fact.

Not even a boomer thing, but as life gets easier people get weaker when it comes to facing hardship.
Its just getting sad at this point especially seeing how harder life is for the super majority of the fans that support this club and this lot and they can't even bother to put in a shift at times
 

AneRu

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My moneys on Rangnick doing all the right things and these players that have had their own way under Ole have had a wake up call.

If they wanted a manager that let them play how they want then they should've played better under Ole.

But they played shit and it led to us sacking the pashun manager for an actual coach. They need to suck it up and try playing well and winning matches.

That's their job after all.
Agreed they sank the one manager who gave them freedom and who had accepted they couldn't play the way he liked. When Ole started we were pressing like mad and it worked but the players couldn't keep up so he adjusted in his second season. Too bad they couldn't play for him because it was unforced errors from them that eventually sunk Ole.

I remember Keano remarking that these players will throw Ole under the bus the same way they did Mourinho and its clear that they have started early with RR. If he wants to succeed here and do more beyond this interim stint he has to throw the kitchen sink at them, especially the most prominent ones the ones who were diabolical under Ole and have started to down tools on him early on.
 
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Ralf is very experienced and has a clear idea of playing so if it isn’t implemented then I think the players attitude is partly too blame and we need to replace them as quickly as possible. They all have enough talent to be able to press and play in the style he wants. Even Brighton can play with a clear style

So many posters have mentioned it but we need industrious players like Cavani, Fred, Bruno etc. These are the players that give their all for the team and do the dirty work. Although there are also some players like Ronaldo, Pogba and Mctomminay who IMO simply don’t have the physicality to press and play this style.

As the poster Ogaranya said, Ole has unfortunately installed a bad mentality in the squad (not a dig at Ole as I think he did a good job overall). There are no standards and players feel undroppable. It’s not easy for Ralf to suddenly install high standards and work ethic, don’t forget we were last in the league for distance covered when Ole was sacked.

I have faith in Ralf to weed out the players who are not prepared to or cannot physically put the work in to play their role in the team.
 

Deery

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What ? No idea what you are talking about ?
After the Watford game Ole went over to the fans and got booed Fernandes then defended Ole pointing at a small group of players leaving the pitch and mouthed what seemed to be its them. After he gave and interview saying it’s everyone’s fault not just Ole..
 

Monkey bus

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Not purposefully sticking up for the players here as there were some serious displays of petulance against Newcastle that really wound me up, but I think we need to give them more time to judge their attitudes.

Ole coming as an interim Manager was very different to where we are now as their were clear divisions in the group and morale was the lowest it could get. His arrival lifted the place and players were given far more autonomy and freedom which was very easy to adapt to and the players loved it.

Ralf’s arrival is totally different and under very different circumstances. He’s effectively tipping everything they’ve been doing on its head and instilling far more discipline. This surely can’t be as easy to adapt to and will take time. Add to that a Covid outbreak and the hassle that will have caused and I can understand why they maybe aren’t firing at the moment.

I‘m interested to see who‘s up for it and who isn’t. It might not be pretty to watch over the next few weeks but I think it’ll give us a good idea who‘s got the right attitude for the long term as it looks like Ralf’s influence will be here to stay way beyond this season.
 

Ixion

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Left in the dark at 5pm according to Chris Wheeler? I’m disappointed in Ralf’s mismanagement…should have made them run until 10pm instead. After all, they didn’t do any of the pressing Ralf instructed them to do in the game itself.
They're complaining that by the time they finish "work" it's dark outside? Jesus Christ. Welcome to how the rest of us live every single year at this time. If any of you players that are bothered by that are lurking reading this go feck yourselves.

Also there was a similar report from the Liverpool camp after Klopp joined about later training sessions leaving players "depressed"

https://www.independent.ie/sport/so...-klopps-training-methods-report-35486597.html
 
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Glorio

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This leak doesn't read well does it? However, this could all be from one disgruntled player as this Wheeler fellow tends to be the guy we hear them from. It's also highly likely that it's one of the ones who are heading out the door - that's what I hope anyway.

I've been disappointed by the attitudes of these players on the pitch, but I'd be careful making assumptions of the whole team or even most of them. The benefit of RR and Fletch working this closely with the players and also having big influences upstairs is that they'll be able to identify and hopefully weed out the bad characters quickly and ruthlessly.

Regarding the bulk of the players, I think they're decent folks who have unfortunately been allowed to relax over a period of time and have developed bad habits. Rashford for instance, even on a bad day would always give you 100% in the past. Now it's as clear as day that he doesn't. I think it was Pep who said - the natural tendency of a human being is to relax (we all crave comfort), so it's his job to ensure that doesn't happen with his players. Incidentally, I reckon we've steadily encouraged the relaxation and this is the result.
 

VivaRonaldo85

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It’s the basics this team keep messing up time and time again. You see some of them pressing and others not, needs to be a joint effort. Simple passes not being completed, basic defending mistakes and not tracking back. Sancho came on in the 2nd half and was fresh, think he was dispossessed, I watched to see what he would do and he done nothing, no effort to recapture the ball. He ran back towards his goal but was still 10 yards the wrong side of the ball. If the workrate of the team increased it would at least show desire and fight to be at the club.
Reminds me of a similar incident with Milner against Leicester last night. Now I know he’s no world beater whatsoever but the way he put his head down and sprinted half the length of the pitch to recover and get back in position to make an important block stood out to me as being the right type of player you need at a successful club. Has the attitude that we are screaming out for to compliment quality technical footballers.
 

Ixion

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I am worried there is a task similar to Sir Alex stamping out the drinking culture when he joined but this one is weak mentality, poor workrate etc. This will not be a quick fix, we need to show a bunch of players the door and bring in 5-6 that have the right attitude.
 

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Reminds me of a similar incident with Milner against Leicester last night. Now I know he’s no world beater whatsoever but the way he put his head down and sprinted half the length of the pitch to recover and get back in position to make an important block stood out to me as being the right type of player you need at a successful club. Has the attitude that we are screaming out for to compliment quality technical footballers.
They all have that because Klopp demands that and has done so for years. The jury is still out on Rangnick but Ole didn't demand that, he gave the players too much freedom.
 

redmanx

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Who brought these players in and allowed them to do whatever they want? At one point Ole even apologised to 'Rashy' for saying the bloody obvious. Can you imagine SAF doing that? Of course not.
Nobody is a greater admirer and fan of SAF than me; he gave me back the Manchester United I had loved for decades and for that alone he will always be the GOAT to me; but times have changed since his day; players have changed too, with social media making them almost untouchable and beyond critiscism, in their eyes. I recently saw the United Pod Cast with SAF in which he admits he would have had a hard time accepting the power players have today. Sadly, this "player power" has taken hold in United more than other club as certain players believe they have the right to wear the shirt without applying effort and hard graft and that medals and silverware are theirs by right too, and when they dont get what they feel they deserve they whine and act like wounded prima donnas. This was never "the United way" but I have the horrible feeling it will be so for some time yet.
 

MrBest

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I think you are pretty much right.

What do these players dread more - being dropped or being put up for sale?

Dropping the captain from the match day squad would be a start.

Playing the 2 oldies up front would make another point
Hard to drop Maguire right now, i think Lindeloff has covid and Bailey is gping AFCON. I think that leaves us Jones and Mengi. Any other circumstance, i think would be a great idea.
 

DomesticTadpole

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It just baffles me the way footballers behave, it's not anything I've ever experienced in a professional working environment. You get paid to do a job to the best of your abilities, not bitch and moan and worry about fecking "cliques" like insecure children.

I'm pretty sure the mood has been very low at some point under every manager we've had, all for different reasons. I can only assume being a moody dickhead is one of the criteria our scouting team look for when creating their shortlists.
That is exactly what they are. They are pampered from an early age. They are spoilt whinging brats.
 

DomesticTadpole

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The problem with our players and to honest a lot of fans is that they cannot differentiate between a player being world class and just being plain famous. You just have to read on here if a player has one good game and all of a sudden he is world class, listen to the radio and how many times does world class get used. World class is the new average.
 

ForeverRed1

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they’re so weak mentally it’s crazy, these guys are top top athletes. A new manager has come in and they genuinely look like they don’t give a feck. Can’t see anyone killing themselves to impress him.

the younger lads are scared to shoot because Ronaldo waves his hands at them as if you say why didn’t you pass to me? Your telling me Rashford, Greenwood and sancho score as few as they have if he wasn’t there? I’m not so sure.

there was a point on Monday were rashford slightly over hit a pass and ronnie gave him a death stare, some people liked it.. but I can’t help but wonder if the younger players are slightly intimidated and scared to make mistakes.

would Rashford, sancho and Greenwood be firing more without him on the team or does he make us better? I’m not sure. The heads have dropped more so with him in the team. These guys are all 20/30 goals a season players and something is massively off the in the club.
 

Leftback99

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It seems more are realising that these players are more of a problem than any manager whether it be for Ralf or the next guy.
 

Ixion

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The problem with our players and to honest a lot of fans is that they cannot differentiate between a player being world class and just being plain famous. You just have to read on here if a player has one good game and all of a sudden he is world class, listen to the radio and how many times does world class get used. World class is the new average.
Surprises me when posters on here and elsewhere act incredulous if you suggest the squad isn't good enough to win the league. Haven't won a trophy in 3-4 years, haven't been in a title race, haven't gotten to the Semi-Finals of the CL...but its nothing to do with the quality of players.
 

Kwamilyfyer

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With the number of hours professional footballers spend doing rondos/boxes you'll think 5 yard passes are second nature to them right now, but we know that's farthest from the truth. Especially for our united boys. I think it's a mentality thing that this coach can eventually rid them off. With the little training videos available, they do the rondos in this happy care free ambience with no care for errors or 'physicallity'-that's straight from coachito's lingo manual. On matchday, when teams actually press them and are aggressive towards them, it takes them by surprise. The fancy, happy jolly attitude in training must give way to some seriousness
 

Deery

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they’re so weak mentally it’s crazy, these guys are top top athletes. A new manager has come in and they genuinely look like they don’t give a feck. Can’t see anyone killing themselves to impress him.

the younger lads are scared to shoot because Ronaldo waves his hands at them as if you say why didn’t you pass to me? Your telling me Rashford, Greenwood and sancho score as few as they have if he wasn’t there? I’m not so sure.

there was a point on Monday were rashford slightly over hit a pass and ronnie gave him a death stare, some people liked it.. but I can’t help but wonder if the younger players are slightly intimidated and scared to make mistakes.

would Rashford, sancho and Greenwood be firing more without him on the team or does he make us better? I’m not sure. The heads have dropped more so with him in the team. These guys are all 20/30 goals a season players and something is massively off the in the club.
Don’t think any of those guys have ever scored 30 goals a season, I think that’s part of the problem Rashford acts like a 40 goal a season guy but he’s levels below.
 

GlasgowCeltic

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they’re so weak mentally it’s crazy, these guys are top top athletes. A new manager has come in and they genuinely look like they don’t give a feck. Can’t see anyone killing themselves to impress him.

the younger lads are scared to shoot because Ronaldo waves his hands at them as if you say why didn’t you pass to me? Your telling me Rashford, Greenwood and sancho score as few as they have if he wasn’t there? I’m not so sure.

there was a point on Monday were rashford slightly over hit a pass and ronnie gave him a death stare, some people liked it.. but I can’t help but wonder if the younger players are slightly intimidated and scared to make mistakes.

would Rashford, sancho and Greenwood be firing more without him on the team or does he make us better? I’m not sure. The heads have dropped more so with him in the team. These guys are all 20/30 goals a season players and something is massively off the in the club.
Rashford and Greenwood play for themselves most games, they're certainly not afraid to shoot, they're often barely even taking part in the game unless there's a chance to get a shot off
 
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