This. It's also one of our big problems, and the directors need to sort it. The manager has no power unless he's winning, yet this is one of the big obstacles to winning. So what to do? The directors have to be the ones to sort it out, or allow the players to keep getting managers sacked whilst the club pays their ridiculous salaries and also the huge amounts of pay offs for the sacked managers and their staff. It isn't cost effective, and you would think one of the nerds sitting on our board would realise this.
Castles: Mourinho believes Man Utd squad's broken. Will take at least two transfer windows to repair
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Yeah that is the key thing. You do not hire Mourinho, sign Zlatan or break the transfer record if you were expecting a slow rebuild. They were expecting a title challenge this season and are now retconning it as a rebuilding project because of a disappointing start.
That stems from the directors having no plan.
I had a thread saying what do we expect from this season in the summer. There was maybe one reply that said they didn't expect top four. The clear idea was we would get a title challenge.
I think that was a fair target. Top four is a MUST.
These threads really do separate the people that understand football and those that don't. If you think the squad is full of average players and shouldn't get top 4 your frankly clueless. We have a better squad than most of our rivals or at least on a par and the difference is how much we can get out of the team as a unit not out the individuals. Mentally and tactically we just haven't got it right now but it will click, likely as soon as Christmas I reckon.
Agree. But the question is what to do if we don't achieve even top 4? Sack another manager or back him for improving us in the long run when, as you said, he hasn't demonstrated in the past that he can necessarily do it. For the sake of avoiding this scenario, I sincerely hope we achieve top 4 this season...
It's been said many times, but United always has to aspire to the title. Otherwise you end up like Moyes.
That statement would ring more true for Pep ironically.
I don't disagree much but we only had one less game than planned for preseason. Being in a European competition should not not stop the team from having a clarity to game play. That did not deter Poch from doing what he did in his first season. Yes, there is still a long way to go in the season and Chelsea might yet falter, who knows, but there is clarity. It was clear what Conte was going to do with Chelsea formation wise and even I could tell you that but that he could do that with this bunch of players in less time is the concern I have.
We are nearing December and while I hope Jose turns it around, it is not clear what he wants to do, all I have heard is how he needs more money to turn this around and he needs to get rid of half of the players. It just looks like he wants the best or most expensive player in each position to be able to do his job. If the plan was to spend £300m every year then why didn't just let Giggs take over?
I see no reason why we wouldn't continue to improve. It's been a pretty steady slope, just not going upwards at the speed we'd like.
Well you said arguably the best midfield didn't you so you must know it's open to debate.
Ozil, Muller, Kroos, Gundogan, Gotze, Reus, Draxler, Bender, Bellerabi...not a bad bunch is it?
His first cap is a few minutes in a friendly it doesn't really mean he's broken into the team.
I first said he was average and then after discussing it I said so far he has been average. It amounts to the same thing. I changed to so far to give him the benefit of the doubt...you never know he might be given the chance to come good . Seems to be he's getting a run now and looking better. He needs to put in a lot of top quality performances to turn the tide in my mind. Because as of right now I rate him an average midfielder.
I agree with you here, personally I believe that many of these players are more than good enough to compete for the title or be in the races at least. With the exception of Fellaini and Rojo, I believe that every signing we have made in the last couple of seasons would have interested and more than likely have been picked up by the top clubs where it not for money talking on our behalf. to now say that they are all terrible is just ridiculous, this is not a world XI assemble!
Yeah well he's going to have to get us CL with this 'broken squad', or we'll be struggling to attract, and pay for the right players next summer.
Not saying he's wrong, but he was talking about the winning the title with this lot only a few weeks ago, seems a few excuses are creeping in already.
Not saying he's wrong, but he was talking about the winning the title with this lot only a few weeks ago, seems a few excuses are creeping in already.
Maybe he is hinting that previous managers bought some right rubbish. Of his buys you can only worry about Mikhi. Bailly is a great buy, Pogba will come good and is young and Ibra will do enough to earn his corn. Only Mata and Herrera seem to be really trusted by him and maybe Blind. Memphis is a waste of space. Shaw needs a cuddle all the time as does Martial. Rojo is doing better now he is getting played at CB but that could change at any moment. Morgan has been a non event and Fellaini is just there to be thrown on in a crisis.
Its pretty straight forward point. Hazard and Co were poor last year, but are playing good again so Chelsea near the top. Martial and Rashford played well for 2016 season, thus if they returned to that form, we would be better off. Martial LW, Rashford played like he did up top and an effective RW. surely we would won more games
Latterly Fergie rose to the challenge of winning with fairly average players, and he did it, not his job to make it easy for the next guy.
You could also argue that his saving in the transfer market left the next managers with a huge amount of cash to build their own team, again nothing to with him that Moyes, and more so LvG made a complete mess of it.
Yes, Germany has a midfield close to as good as Spain’s, although I wouldn’t include Müller in that bunch, since he’s mainly a forward. Most players’ 1st cap is ”a few minutes in a friendly”. Herrera got 34 minutes. The fact that he got called up to the Spain squad the last two international breaks tells me he’s very much in the plans of Lopetegui. So at least he probably rates Ander a bit higher than an average midfielder.
Thiago has been really underwhelming and Alonso must be coming towards the end. Maybe it is one Basque liking another Basque.
one step at a time. we aren't gonna just buy an elite level team. Many elite players have flopped at United in the past, and I don't think we'll get the ones we need. we'll end up overspending on more Di Maria's and James Rodriguezs'. Lets be honest here, we aren't getting a Bale. our best bet is like what Chelsea did with Hazard, buy them before they are fully established and develop them.
If and I say If, we went and won the next 5 games on the bounce we could be back in the top 4, and the doom and gloom would be replaced with can we now go on and win it, and what a great coach he is etc etc etc. Lets wait until the end of the season at least before we hang him out to dry, and I would go for 2 seasons providing were not halfway down the league at the end of this season. At the end of the day he isnt a novice manager at this level like Moyes was, and I reckon with another 2 transfer windows he could transform the whole club. We have got too many average players, and not enough stand out players. If he leaves after 2-3 seasons and he has got us back to the top, with half a dozen top class players and another half a dozen really good ones, then the next manager can be the one to build the dynasty.
Sure he is, and I agree that we have some bad players, but he is going to have to get this bunch going as they are all we have for this season, and there is more than enough there to get us into the top 4, which would be job done this season imo, missing out will be a disaster though, and I fear the rot will really set in then.
I just want him to get this lot playing as well as they can, which right now they're not.
Don’t know what Alonso has to do with this, no-one’s mentioned him. Yeah, that’s probably it, makes more sense than him actually rating Herrera.
Exactly. All this rubbish about Bale and god help us, Messi.
Manchester United have become lazy in recruiting players recently, as though they couldn't be bothered scouting. Hopefully the overhaul of the club will change that and we will sign players who are hungry and have something to prove, without being so called prospect of 18/19.
We need 23-25year olds who have good experience, but want to improve. Not past it players who just want a payday or unfortunately ones like Memphis, who I had high hopes for, who think they have made it and that's enough.
I'm fine with some of that too. The key is both I think. At the moment we have too much supposed potential though and not enough here and now. I'd prefer a scattering of potential, and more in their prime (plus a dash of experience). I think we could certainly have something like that in one or two summer transfer windows.
He has got them playing a lot better, if only someone could put the ball in the net. Think his midfield is looking good, despite what a couple say. If Ibra had been available on Saturday I think we would have had more goals, but alas. People are moaning about subs, but they can go either way. He would not have been expecting that. He is a winner and it will be annoying him greatly that the team are not doing that.
Well, yeah. Young players in tricky second season shocker. Not exactly treading new ground, are they?
I'm not at a point where I'm blaming him at all to be honest, other than our first half against City in the league I feel his tactical decisions have been perfectly acceptable, his line-ups have been pretty logical, his transfers have made sense. The results are depressing though, it might be an indication of something being wrong, but at the very same time I think if we continue this way there's a pretty good chance we're going to put in a very good run of wins.
Oh and I forgot Iniesta for Spain.
You heathen.
Mkhitaryan isn't even his buy apparently which only adds to your argument.
I know we're playing better, but the standards of the last three seasons have been so bad that it was never going to difficult, and whilst I agree that we have been unlucky, I don't really want to hear excuses at this point tbh.
Bailly and Pogba are great, but personally I don't like Ibra as our striker, and the Miki situation is bizzare, he likely had from January time to analyse our squad, and was given massive backing in the summer and chose these players, so I don't think as a minimum that getting us CL football is asking too much.
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I think when Ibra was bought in we were expecting more from Martial and Rashford and maybe, hope against hope that Rooney would contribute something. That hasn't materialised. Then all of a sudden the pressure has been put on Ibra. He started well, then went through a bit of a drought, the starts scoring, then gets banned, sods law with us.
The goal posts have moved though, the standard now being just that much better. Right now, the difference between title contender and top 4 is just absurdly small. Still, I think it's right that we should aim for top 4 as a minimum, but bearing in mind that finishing just outside may not be the total disaster it may seem. That said, I think whilst our squad and situation means a PL crown is likely out of reach, I think it's eminently good enough for a top 4 finish. We shall see!
In our 1st team, Zlatan, Pogba and Miki were supposed to be here and now. 3 of them cost 120m between them and haven't set the world alight consistently or at all. As I mentioned we went for Di Maria, Falcao, Zlatan and they were disappointing. Its a very difficult strategy to sign prime top class players who will do it here as well. The safest bet is probably in the striker position like Griezmann (similar to when we bough Van Persie). Everything else is scatter gun like and we won't get the ideal ones we need in each position. These Alaba links are a joke. My Liverpool mate said "Jose cannot develop a team and needs blank chequebook to buy the best in each position. He claimed that tactically he is out of date and needs the players to buy into him (more motivation) than his tactics, system or methods. If they don't buy him then you are screwed, irrespective of the quality of the players. If the players aren't top top level, he cannot make them perform at a higher level collectively with a "system." My friend could just be a hater though.....
You cannot forsee how well someone is going to settle at a club. Mikhi didn't start off well at Dortmund either did he? That Pogba had been here before, but actually he didn't have PL experience. Ibra has done reasonably well, but even he might need until Christmas to get used to the pace and physicality of our league.
Miki played and still contributed goals and assists. It wasn't a case that he could not hack even minutes on the pitch. Ibra has appeared mainly against the lowly sides in the league and for a main striker we need far more. could say the same for Pogs too
Zlatan's a winner, and his presence in the dressing room will be of enormous benefit to these other pretenders. He'll prove his worth many times over I'm sure of it.
I believe Jose should be given a season before he is judged look at Klopp for example he was garbage last season and came 8th and now he is competing for the title.
Also i believe Jose will clear out at least half the squad in his time here it is obvious the team is not good enough overall we are suppose to competing for every competition we are in.
Tbf, the Chelsea team Jose built during his first stint there is the same side that won the CL a few seasons later.
Even though we are broken that doesn't mean we don't have enough quality for a top 4 this season.
De Gea - best keeper in the league
Valencia - top 3 best right back in the league
Bailly - still needs time to show what he's capable
Smalling - he's been very good in previous two seasons so let's have a more faith in him at least
Shaw - has potential to be the best left back in the league
Carrick - old but still gold
Herrera - he's been good this season
Pogba - the £89m man
Mata - he's been great this season
Martial - he was very good last season so let's have more faith in him
Ibra - missing too many chances.
I reckon if Ibra doesn't waste his chances too many, Carrick can stay fit and Martial can find his last season form again, we should be guaranteed to get a top 4 this season easily.
De Gea - best keeper in the league
Valencia - top 3 best right back in the league
Bailly - still needs time to show what he's capable
Smalling - he's been very good in previous two seasons so let's have a more faith in him at least
Shaw - has potential to be the best left back in the league
Carrick - old but still gold
Herrera - he's been good this season
Pogba - the £89m man
Mata - he's been great this season
Martial - he was very good last season so let's have more faith in him
Ibra - missing too many chances.
I reckon if Ibra doesn't waste his chances too many, Carrick can stay fit and Martial can find his last season form again, we should be guaranteed to get a top 4 this season easily.