Anyone else feeling disconnected from this current Man United?

VP

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I think we have a squad full of two types of player:

1. Talented footballers with poor/inconsistent attitudes (Martial, Pogba, Sanchez etc)
2. Footballers of limited talent with good attitudes (Lingard, Young, Herrera etc)

We have very few who have both the talent and mentality to be a consistent player at the top level.
Agree to an extent but great managers can do something about 1.
 

M Bison

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It wouldn't all be okay, because we still wouldn't be winning, but if you felt this team actually gave a damn about the support it'd change the whole mood around the club.

As it is it just feels like they don't care enough about the fans to try. They'd rather prioritise their on-going battle of wills with the manager than play for the pride of the shirt and the fans. Down tools, damn our season, just so long as they get Mou fired.

If they actually went out there and made us much effort as they're capable of we'd be able to see it.
Absolutely spot on, anyone can take losing (hard as it is sometimes) but players not giving absolutely everything just isnt acceptable.
 

GiddyUp

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Everyone is to blame at the club. Woodward is a fecking shambles of a CEO. I'm sorry if Perisic's face isn't going to sell Swiss chocolate or weatherproofing for sheds but he would have made a positive difference to our play. We need to forget about sell on value and age and start getting some experienced heads in to this team. This club hasn't got value for money out of our players for years. And outside of De Gea none have improved.
Martial just doesn't have it, neither does Rashford. Both are shockingly inconsistent for professional footballers and their decision making is amateurish at best. Lingard is basically just our David Bentley. Pogba will play for himself as does Sanchez. Our defense is a fecking disgrace with half of them brought under Ferguson and the rest just average.
Jose has not got any cohesion or it seems doesn't coach any attacking play. I cant remember a match were we have imposed ourselves and dominated. Every player takes an extra 5/6 seconds to do anything because they don't look at the runs or their teammates dont bother creating options. We are a sorry team right now and I can honestly say that I watch MLS teams who play better football than United right now.
I don't know how this gets fixed as it has been this way for 5 years now under three different managers. If I was given the reigns though the first thing i would look for is the common denominator. Ed is one, he has to go. The long term players are next. They have not instilled in new recruits what it means to play for the club. Smalling/Jones/Valencia should be gone. Of course we can't do a squad clear out but we can certainly allow Mourinho to get that starting 11 purring. I would give him what he wants under the conditions of attacking football. The manager or next managers future should be decided on goals scored.
Mourinho has failed on the pitch but can't always be held solely responsible when the players are so bad at the basics. The bar must be set and the club should sell a player or two with poor performances being the reason. If Mourinho continues with this shite I would be happy to see him leave also around xmas. But I would guarantee him a huge summer next year with free reign on who gets bought or sold if he can put an emphasis on attacking football this season and at least have a plan. Outside of silly errors and our gk being player of the season 4 out of 5 years, which is another huge issue, we are solid enough for top 4. The next four months should be about goals goals and more goals. It should dominate training.
Yesterday's result was not surprising because this is the normal performance of this team. We are very predictable, very slow and no invention. I do fear that it won't change under Mourinho but he shouldn't be the only one held responsible for this mess.
If we can't set a marker against Spurs this weekend and try and get this shite out of our system we will be in for a lot of turmoil in the near future. We are hurtling towards rock bottom with our football. It's depressing and fills me with anger but it seems everyone associated with the club are too stubborn to change. Outside of Lukaku and Pogba(penalties) no one looks like getting more then 10 goals this season. Ed won't sign a player the manager believes will help us but would gladly stump serious cash on a vanity signing. Nobody on this team plays for each other and dont suffer the consequences of amateur performances. Mourinho looks lost and is failing in the preparations. He wants to contain and control the opposition instead of concentrating on our own game.
I just don't know where we turn a corner guys. Sad start to a new season.
 

JoaquinJoaquin

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Everyone is to blame at the club. Woodward is a fecking shambles of a CEO. I'm sorry if Perisic's face isn't going to sell Swiss chocolate or weatherproofing for sheds but he would have made a positive difference to our play. We need to forget about sell on value and age and start getting some experienced heads in to this team. This club hasn't got value for money out of our players for years. And outside of De Gea none have improved.
Martial just doesn't have it, neither does Rashford. Both are shockingly inconsistent for professional footballers and their decision making is amateurish at best. Lingard is basically just our David Bentley. Pogba will play for himself as does Sanchez. Our defense is a fecking disgrace with half of them brought under Ferguson and the rest just average.
Jose has not got any cohesion or it seems doesn't coach any attacking play. I cant remember a match were we have imposed ourselves and dominated. Every player takes an extra 5/6 seconds to do anything because they don't look at the runs or their teammates dont bother creating options. We are a sorry team right now and I can honestly say that I watch MLS teams who play better football than United right now.
I don't know how this gets fixed as it has been this way for 5 years now under three different managers. If I was given the reigns though the first thing i would look for is the common denominator. Ed is one, he has to go. The long term players are next. They have not instilled in new recruits what it means to play for the club. Smalling/Jones/Valencia should be gone. Of course we can't do a squad clear out but we can certainly allow Mourinho to get that starting 11 purring. I would give him what he wants under the conditions of attacking football. The manager or next managers future should be decided on goals scored.
Mourinho has failed on the pitch but can't always be held solely responsible when the players are so bad at the basics. The bar must be set and the club should sell a player or two with poor performances being the reason. If Mourinho continues with this shite I would be happy to see him leave also around xmas. But I would guarantee him a huge summer next year with free reign on who gets bought or sold if he can put an emphasis on attacking football this season and at least have a plan. Outside of silly errors and our gk being player of the season 4 out of 5 years, which is another huge issue, we are solid enough for top 4. The next four months should be about goals goals and more goals. It should dominate training.
Yesterday's result was not surprising because this is the normal performance of this team. We are very predictable, very slow and no invention. I do fear that it won't change under Mourinho but he shouldn't be the only one held responsible for this mess.
If we can't set a marker against Spurs this weekend and try and get this shite out of our system we will be in for a lot of turmoil in the near future. We are hurtling towards rock bottom with our football. It's depressing and fills me with anger but it seems everyone associated with the club are too stubborn to change. Outside of Lukaku and Pogba(penalties) no one looks like getting more then 10 goals this season. Ed won't sign a player the manager believes will help us but would gladly stump serious cash on a vanity signing. Nobody on this team plays for each other and dont suffer the consequences of amateur performances. Mourinho looks lost and is failing in the preparations. He wants to contain and control the opposition instead of concentrating on our own game.
I just don't know where we turn a corner guys. Sad start to a new season.
Good post, and sums up alot of my feelings aswell. Only thing i'd add is the social media thing which annoys me alot aswell.

The sad part is, Ed will never be sacked as he is the Glazer scrooge. While I think Jose maybe now has to be moved on, I fear for the next appointment if they aren't going to be backed by the horrible Glazers \ Woodward. It's a horrible feeling right now.
 

Red Rick

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Once upon a time teams changed their tactics and game plan because they feared us, now we have Jose who changes the team/game plan for every game. Its no wonder the players are scared to play when we are scared of every opposition and no wonder we have lost our identity and the fans are feeling disconnected. I can't help fearing that in 20 years time we still havent won another prem and hearing Utd fans saying 'this is our year'!

On the plus side we have fantastic players in midfield, in attack and we have DDG, just sort the defence out and play our game and not the other teams and we will be winning again because the talent is there.
 

lysglimt

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Martial was anything but inconsistent under LvG - the same with Rashford. They were both consistent. But then we actually kept the ball and didn't spend the majority of our game defending our own area. They were allowed to use their skills going forward.

Yes we can keep Mourinho until the season is more or less over - but the fact is, the quicker we replace him with an attack-minded manager the better. We ended second last season and I still could hardly be bothered to Watch the games, and I said all the time that once the results stop coming - Mourinho will have to go. Well the football is still crap - and there is absolutely NOTHING to indicate it will turn around. Sure we will win quite a few matches because our players are good enough when they can be bothered - but they can't be bothered. You can blame the players sure - but a good manager gets his players to perform. Mourinho doesn't.

If we get in a manager who can lift the spirit - and actually show the players a game-plan - we will perform again. It wont happen under Mourinho -it's too late.
 

Canagel

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This season there's definitely a disconnect.

The board effectively made Mourinho dead man walking despite him coming second last season.
Is this really the same club?
SAF made it his motto that the manager is always in control.
Manager power over player power.
And we prided ourselves in that.
We used to laugh at Real, Chelsea and Liverpool at their manager turnovers, falling prey to player power.
I can understand sacking Moyes and LVG after failing but hanging Mourinho out to dry after coming 2nd?
Does this really still feel like Manchester United to you?
Or are we just Real / Chelsea in a red shirt?

We now have a manager that needs to bend over backwards to please players that have won next to feck all for the club, and then get "rewarded" with the most half arsed display we've witnessed for 3 decades.
What's the fecking point?
Is Pogba, Martial and whoever the feck else worth losing the identity of our club?

We used to pride ourselves in doing things the right way.
Now we're just another fecking club in a red shirt.
So definitely a disconnect this season, and I very much doubt we'll get back to where we once were anytime soon.
We don't have the finance to compete with the oil clubs, and we no longer have the culture in place to support the manager.
It makes zero difference who we bring in.
We decided to prioritize players that care more about their ego than the shirt, and we'll suffer for it.
Real and Chelsea have had more success than us in recent times. If that ruthless model is what we need to get us back to the top then I have no problem with it. SAF is one of a kind. You can't expect us to just keep underperforming managers on. It's quite ironic because players at Real Madrid and Chelsea turned on our current manger and when he left they didn't collapse.
 

whatwha

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It’s just been a slow and steady decline in the “identity” of the club. Too much infighting, too much drama and players being thrown under a bus. There’s no sense of community.

My mate works as a lifeguard and United occasionally use him. He said when they’re training you’ve got your Pogba, Lukaku, Lingard and Rashford who are together and then the rest of the squad is just a load of individuals.
Why would United need an (external) lifeguard?
 

Andersons Dietician

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Agree to an extent but great managers can do something about 1.
Great managers can do stuff with 2 as well considering some of the diamonds Fergie managed to forge out of players who weren’t say as talented. Personally wouldn’t say Fletcher for example is technically better than Herrera or that Park Ji is better than Young, yet Fergie just somehow managed to make it work and get a balance between useful worker and exceptionally talented individual.

As for the OP this hasn’t felt like United since about 3 months in to Jose’s reign, I feel like i’m just passing time till he leaves and we can hopefully get back to buisness of being feared by teams again and have people looking forward to games.
 
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Devil81

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The title of this thread pretty much sums up how I feel about Manchester United at the moment, three managers have taken charge since Sir Alex and all three have offered up the most dire negative football we've seen at Old Trafford since as long as I can remember.

This horrid character we have now has the charisma of an underpaid, overworked, maths teacher. It's not just him either, the man charged with bringing in players is an odious little toad of a man, I wouldn't trust Woodward with my week's wages.

All in all the games changed, we're moving in the wrong direction, we're using early 2000's tactics in the modern footballing era. Fans want to be entertained, we're paying enough to watch the fecking match so why make it less entertaining for us. Defensive play, lack of freedom to express themselves and a lack of direction in where we're going.

It's a mess, a complete mess. I'm struggling to get up for games, I never miss a match, whether I'm there or at home or the pub, yesterday was the first time I can ever remember where I've actually gone out before the end. I went to the gym with my missus I was that disgusted in what I was seeing.
 

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A lot of folk overthinking it, players on a level are mostly thick (even good ones) and need to be told precisely what to do on the pitch unless they’re really experienced (Jose loves them for a reason as he isn’t asked to do much with them).

Unfortunately, we simply have hired 3 clueless defensive managers on the bounce to which players have failed to respond to for a variety of obvious reasons.

Until I gonna see a person in charge with a proven track record of building fluid attackig sides fail here I refuse to judge our side on the whole.

Is it really a coincidence that almost every player without an exception looks a world beater right after joining us (Pogba, Adm, Darmian, Herrera, Martial, Sanchez Rashford even etc.) only to a handful of weeks/months later don’t resemble that player anymore?
 
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Cantonagotmehere

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I don't think I'm disconnected, just finally starting to get depressed about the state of things. I'm a glass half full person for sure, and we are only 2 games in, but this feels really bad.
 

Red Dreams

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a lot of us long time Reds have been disconnected for some time.
The club we grew up following and was huge part of our lives has long gone.

for many of us it does not matter anymore.

The name is there but the club is not.
It is just a marketing tool now.
 

TMDaines

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This happens with every generation. There is always people who grow out of or lose interest in things as they age. Football is no different. We had the same discussion five years ago, and before that when the Glazers came on board, when the PL started, when United failed in the 80s.

The only other thing that doesn’t change is the narcissism of people losing interest, who tend to believe that it isn’t just a natural consequence of time and that their decision to drift away is an entirely rational one, with the club or other interest not being the same any longer. Nostalgia is a powerful drug.
 

Rajma

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This happens with every generation. There is always people who grow out of or lose interest in things as they age. Football is no different. We had the same discussion five years ago, and before that when the Glazers came on board, when the PL started, when United failed in the 80s.

The only other thing that doesn’t change is the narcissism of people losing interest, who tend to believe that it isn’t just a natural consequence of time and that their decision to drift away is an entirely rational one, with the club or other interest not being the same any longer. Nostalgia is a powerful drug.
Bingo, you can bet a chunk of Liverpool fans would have been saying similar things until Klopp has arrived. We just need to find a guy who’s right for us.
 

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Must admit I thiught Mourinho would've won a title in three years before moving on. He's a bit outdated, and that's the problem.
 

AbusementPark

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I feel totally disconnected from this team, I always get excited on match days and getting to watch them play. Whereas now I watch with one eye closed its that bad. Theres a reason why Rui Faria finally jumped ship, I think he seen this coming and the stubbornness from Mourinho to change his tactics to adapt them to the way the premier league has evolved over the years. We need a change sooner rather than later, I dont fancy waiting until we are in complete disarray and the bottom half of the league before we cut our losses. Hes had 2 seasons and there hasnt been any improvement in our game play at all, predictable and boring.
 

matherto

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Disconnected since SAF left to be honest.

Anything since has felt completely different and I don't feel anywhere near the same pull.

Mourinho can feck off, can't stand his persona at all.
 

clarkydaz

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a lot of us long time Reds have been disconnected for some time.
The club we grew up following and was huge part of our lives has long gone.

for many of us it does not matter anymore.

The name is there but the club is not.
It is just a marketing tool now.
it feels like Mcdonalds now, being sold on what it used to be
 

L1nk

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I planned to make a lengthy post about why it's turned out this way, may still do it after. But let's be honest, would people still be feeling like this right now if our team was being managed by say, Guardiola, Klopp, Pochettino etc. My guess is no...
 
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Totally disconnected. I switched off at half time yesterday, such is my disgust. That's something I very rarely do, but I couldn't watch any more of that piss take, and we're only in the second game of the season. Pogba, captain, didn't give a toss; Martial the same. Players having a really bad game (Bailly) is one thing; players who are taking £250,000 a week out of the club yet not even trying, is another. If they don't care, why the **** should we?

Something is badly wrong and the rumour mill is going berserk, but it's totally ******* unacceptable and must be sorted asap. Absolute shambles right now; I'm raging.
 

Garethw

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I downloaded the United IPhone app the other day and it asks you who your favourite player is. I went with DDG because I couldn’t think of one single outfield player that I show favouritism towards.

An unlikeable squad led by an unlikeable manager.
 

Solius

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I downloaded the United IPhone app the other day and it asks you who your favourite player is. I went with DDG because I couldn’t think of one single outfield player that I show favouritism towards.

An unlikeable squad led by an unlikeable manager.
Same.
 

Garethw

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Totally disconnected. I switched off at half time yesterday, such is my disgust. That's something I very rarely do, but I couldn't watch any more of that piss take, and we're only in the second game of the season. Pogba, captain, didn't give a toss; Martial the same. Players having a really bad game (Bailly) is one thing; players who are taking £250,000 a week out of the club yet not even trying, is another. If they don't care, why the **** should we?

Something is badly wrong and the rumour mill is going berserk, but it's totally ******* unacceptable and must be sorted asap. Absolute shambles right now; I'm raging.
It’s just horrendous at the moment. Hopefully Mourinho fecks off and takes half the squad with him.
 

Nico87

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Ive definitely lost that feeling of anything could happen (usually nothing happens of note during our games), we've employed managers notorious for dour football 3 times on the row so it's not entirely unexpected.
 

VP

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Great managers can do stuff with 2 as well considering some of the diamonds Fergie managed to forge out of players who weren’t say as talented. Personally wouldn’t say Fletcher for example is technically better than Herrera or that Park Ji is better than Young Fergie just somehow managed to make it work and get a balance between useful worker and exceptionally talented individual.

As for the OP this hasn’t felt like United since about 3 months in to Jose’s reign, I feel like i’m just passing time till he leaves and we can hopefully get back to buisness of being feared by teams again and have people looking forward to games.
Aye, and depressingly, Guardiola seems to be doing the same with his team.
 

artursk

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I feel totally disconnected to be honest. I'm still supporting my team but the football itself hasn't provided me with any excitement for a while now. Sure, I'm happy / relieved when we win. But rarely excited. Ultimately, I have always loved United because of the the football we have shown, the bragging rights that come with winning is always a bonus but of secondary importance. Currently we are in a state where we can totally forget about excitement and are also unlikely to win anything of significance.
 

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We need to flirt this moody, negative manager first and then get rid of any players who show less than 100% effort and attitude under a new attack minded manager. First out the door should be Martial if he continues the childish sulking and lack of effort quickly followed by Shaw if the weight and focus issues surface again. Pogba needs a kick up the arse and needs to start producing the performances he does for France more consistently. Mourinho likes players like Fellaini, Lukaku and Matic because they alway give 100%. We have too many 'soft lads' at the club at the moment who can't be bothered to put the effort in if things aren't going right or if the manager isn't saying nice and positive things about them. The club needs to get more ruthless on a number of levels, get rid of the poor performers be that the manager or players and bring in individuals who will for fight for the shirt.
 

antsmithmk

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Can't really argue with the OP in this thread and it was posted a while ago... things have not improved for me.

What really annoys me is the type of football we play and the seeming lack of a plan. If England, under Gareth fecking Southgate, can have a clear identity and style of play, why can't we?!
 

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I actually felt more connected to us under both LVG and Moyes. If I were to rank contentedness since SAF it would be:

1. LVG
2. Moyes
3. Mourinho

Weird because clearly we have won more under Mourinho than the other two combined (not difficult as Moyes brings nothing to the table trophy wise), however I had my issues with Jose personality which I've stated on this forum even before he was hired, since then the one thing a thought I wouldn't be complaining about is the tactical and footballing side yet here we are and I think the football we play is dire.

Moyes I can remember feeling was doomed towards the end but I was rooting for him right up until he was sacked.

If Mourinho left tomorrow I really don't think I'd lose any sleep over it.
 

artursk

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Can't really argue with the OP in this thread and it was posted a while ago... things have not improved for me.

What really annoys me is the type of football we play and the seeming lack of a plan. If England, under Gareth fecking Southgate, can have a clear identity and style of play, why can't we?!
It's because Mourinho is usually great at stopping the opposition, not so much at creating his own style that he would enforce on opposition. He is a destructor, not a creator like Klopp or Guardiola. There are some general patterns in every Jose's team but broadly speaking - any style is good for Jose as long as it gives you the result. As I said, it's terrible to watch and on the occasions where it does not succeed (e.g. Brighton), we have a meltdown (deservedly so). :)
 

m1tch

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I've not felt a strong connect with the club for a long time, thats down to a few reasons;
1. the club losing its 'identity' at least it's identity to me. All my life (born 1986) all I've really known is SAF as manager, and players like Giggs Scholes and Neville always being there. I kind of agree that appointing Giggs as manager or assistant might not have been a great idea, but what I'm saying is the current staff and so the club has no real connect to those glory days (bar Carrick).
2. I have no favourite players, maybe that's an age thing, maybe it's cause they're sh;t, I try to stick up for the ones that come through the academy, but they're no Scholes/Giggs.
3. The glazers and their ticket prices.

So I do feel disconnected but it's not necessarily come about because of Jose's moaning, Pogba's ego, Sanchez's 3% pass completion stats, or the fact we've 10 months of disappointment ahead (after waiting all summer for the league to season to start again, hoping for something better).
 
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ravi2

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a lot of us long time Reds have been disconnected for some time.
The club we grew up following and was huge part of our lives has long gone.

for many of us it does not matter anymore.

The name is there but the club is not.
It is just a marketing tool now.

I genuinely feel that the majority of the blame lies with the Glazers, Ed and the rest of the useless board.
3 managers in a row who have produced the most dire, boring useless football Ive ever seen a top tier team play
 
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Feeling disconnected also has wider implications of course: the massive money in the game, the rampant commercialism, the huge ticket prices. So many things have changed the relationship fans of the bigger clubs have. The EPL is a global machine now, which has consequences, even when things are going well. During the bad times, of course, this feeling is compounded.