Disrespectful and Selfish (updated: Oops)

[Sterling Archer]

If we had no mid week game against spurs and another on the weekend against fecking city of all teams a bunch of us would get your point. But risking fatigue and injury even on scrubs like Matic for a dead rubber would be stupid. We lost Pogba for three months after choosing to risk him on a carabao cup game against Rochdale let's not repeat the same mistakes. Priorities.

If this were the Champions League and the scenario were very much the same needing us to fly out far east, I think more people would raise an eyebrow at the team selection, especially with top spot still on the line. And if that's the case then doesn't that show a devaluing or disrespect for the Europa League? As a couple other posters have noted, we are far from good enough to be pointing our noses up at this tournament. We weren't exactly dominant when we won if for the first time and we're far from it now.

And in the end, I'm talking about mixing it up more. Not having our starting 11 fly out. Part of the point of this holy Grail of bedding in youngsters to taste first team action means actually traveling and playing with first team members. This exercise was so beneath us apparently that even Carrick and co didn't travel. It's not a training exercise. Its a professional match. The whole thing just stinks to me.

 

[Volumiza]

My big gripe is that we didn't strengthen the squad more in the summer preempting all this nonsense to begin with.

While I don’t disagree there’s been a fair amount of ‘nonsense’ surrounding our club of late I would say even if we had strengthened in the summer, tonight would have been a perfect chance to play the exact same team in the circumstances.

 

[SER19]

Genuinely think there should be a new thread ban for two hours post match apart from the post match thread

 

[Sterling Archer]

While I don’t disagree there’s been a fair amount of ‘nonsense’ surrounding our club of late I would say even if we had strengthened in the summer, tonight would have been a perfect chance to play the exact same team in the circumstances.

It's just off to me. We didn't even take all of the first team coaching staff. That seems very much like taking things for granted.

 

[Strats]

What the hell is this

 

[Volumiza]

It's just off to me. We didn't even take all of the first team coaching staff. That seems very much like taking things for granted.

You couldn’t actually be more wrong dude. Ole got to give a lot of young guys a much needed game and also a European experience in a match that ultimately didn’t matter and do you know what? They did ok.

By resting all of our main squad and leaving coaching staff at home to work with them shows Ole isn’t taking anything for granted. It was a win / win scenario (yes I know we lost) and the correct choice.

 

[Volumiza]

What the hell is this

 

[TheReligion]

It's funny how the thread title describes the OP

 

[The_Midfielder]

We are about to enter the busiest period of the season with a thin squad but they should have traveled to pointless game which is closer to Beijing.

This..

 

[Enigma_87]

It was a meaningless game, which was highlighted later on with AZ drawing at home.

Same dross is served week in and week out by the seniors as well. Hardly a difference.

 

[Member 119614]

How is it selfish? He knows a loss with this side will bring criticism. I'd say it's daring and adventurous. The opponent could see it as disrespectful but I see it more along the lines of showing respect to the people working day in day out with the kids because he trusts them. Throw them in the deep, show Ole and safe what you got. No harm done if the result isn't satisfying because winning the group is still in Utd's hands. Ole and co have learned a lot here.

 

[Artorias]

You couldn’t actually be more wrong dude. Ole got to give a lot of young guys a much needed game and also a European experience in a match that ultimately didn’t matter and do you know what? They did ok.

By resting all of our main squad and leaving coaching staff at home to work with them shows Ole isn’t taking anything for granted. It was a win / win scenario (yes I know we lost) and the correct choice.

I agree. Good call from Ole.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

+

=

?

I missed the part where they were driving to Kazakhstan.

 

[Ramshock]

What on Earth was Ole thinking? We haven't sealed top spot in the group. We have a miserable record as a whole and duly in need of thrashing a side to get some confidence. We have senior players that are still with us direly needing minutes and freshness. Heck, we need just a solid all around competent performance for 90 minutes. And he decides to leave the team at home and play the academy side.

I really tried to focus on the positive around fielding all those academy boys and indeed a few of them played quite well. But the fact is that traveling team, that lineup were incredibly disrespectful of Manchester United, the traveling fans, the Europa League and Astana.

So mission accomplished:
Ole gets his name in the books - most academy debuts in a European game in a single outing. And great excuse for losing another game. Woo hoo.

I can't credit any of the good play today to anyone but Butt. The senior players showed themselves to be more poorly coached. And the manager must think running this club is like some video game where you can skip and Sim games moving on to the important ones you actually want to play.

Thanks for outing yourself

 

[bosnian_red]

We were in first place before this game in a different continent, and are still in first place with progress assured regardless of result. He made the right call.

 

[mariachi-19]

I missed the part where they were driving to Kazakhstan.

Ole's at the wheel mate figuratively and literally.

In all seriousness, not a thing wrong he did today. Big fish to fry next week and its great experience for our younger players to get european game time.

 

[Winrar]

It made me wonder how he would pronounce Ole's name.

Oh-Ellie?

 

[USREDEVIL]

Banworthy thread. Terrible op.

 

[Red00012]

+

=

?

End of discussion

Close thread

 

[ColvaleGoa]

I am still looking for white text!

 

[Sterling Archer]

Thanks for outing yourself

I've been very openly wanting Ole gone for quite some time mate.

 

[lysglimt]

I've been very openly wanting Ole gone for quite some time mate.

And I hope this wasn't your best effort

 

[GGT]

We used to compete with Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern. and regularly beat them.
Can anyone imagine any of those clubs, sending out a team not capable of Beating Astana?
To me it more than anything shows Ole is not the man we need.

 

[Grande]

What on Earth was Ole thinking? We haven't sealed top spot in the group. We have a miserable record as a whole and duly in need of thrashing a side to get some confidence. We have senior players that are still with us direly needing minutes and freshness. Heck, we need just a solid all around competent performance for 90 minutes. And he decides to leave the team at home and play the academy side.

I really tried to focus on the positive around fielding all those academy boys and indeed a few of them played quite well. But the fact is that traveling team, that lineup were incredibly disrespectful of Manchester United, the traveling fans, the Europa League and Astana.

So mission accomplished:
Ole gets his name in the books - most academy debuts in a European game in a single outing. And great excuse for losing another game. Woo hoo.

I can't credit any of the good play today to anyone but Butt. The senior players showed themselves to be more poorly coached. And the manager must think running this club is like some video game where you can skip and Sim games moving on to the important ones you actually want to play.

You really do have a mission, don’t you? It’s boring though.

 

[Sterling Archer]

And I hope this wasn't your best effort

So full disclosure - I have no personal agenda against Ole. I want him gone for being on the level of David Moyes as Manchester United manager. The distinction being his history with the club.

But I will most gladly flip flop and grovel asking for forgiveness if he somehow turns into an amazing manager and results start going the right way. Because my end game is what I personally feel (my opinion as a United fan for the last thirty plus years) is best for the club. That's all I want. What's good for United. So when I'm of the opinion something is wrong then I'm blinded by my emotion and love for the club. It's different than what others feel but that's ok. And it's what I call supporting a football club the right way. Not just doing what the sheep do because it gets you less flak. I may well be patently wrong come the end of the season. But for now I'm doubling down because I want what's best for United. And the same way I am over the top against Ed Woodward I'm nearing ropes end tolerating Solskjaer the manager for the decisions he's making. They're not to the standard I want to see from my club.

 

[WR10]

Given that this exact situation was played over 100 times again - most of us would have sent the academy + obese Shaw + lingard 98 times.
It’s really that simple

 

[Snow]

They do, at least the key players like Rashford, James and few others with few playing every game, few coming back from injury and then playing every game. This was a pointless game to risk them considering the travelling time and thin squad.

There is a middle ground between resting a few players and leaving behind 20 players in the first team squad but the game didn't matter that much really but however, you can't underestimate how good it does for a team to win games.

 

[cyril C]

I don't have much problem with what happened today. Better than tiring the main team while we have a league to try and improve our diabolical position in it. Wasting effort and players against Astana after qualifying would have been foolish, and I think the travelling fans would have taken the idea of seeing some youngsters and talented prospects in a useless match.

Everyone know my stance on Ole but today isn't a day that I should moan in imo.

Just curious, did anyone travel FROM UK to watch the game? Fans from around Russia / Eastern Europe would welcome the game but do you seriously expect die-hard UK fans would accompany the team?

 

[Tom Cato]

This is such a clowncart of a thread, why does it exitst?

 

[Sterling Archer]

Given that this exact situation was played over 100 times again - most of us would have sent the academy + obese Shaw + lingard 98 times.
It’s really that simple

Having been alive and able to remember just about 25 or so seasons, I'll go ahead and guess we've had such a scenario in 10 or so of them. I don't recall us so blatantly nonchalant about a competition...even the league cup! We've always blended more experience than I saw tonight. That's part of why it's so jarring.

and if the retort is, "it's just the Europa League" I can't think of another statement so confirming of the disrespect I'm talking about.

 

[SteveW]

What on Earth was Ole thinking? We haven't sealed top spot in the group. We have a miserable record as a whole and duly in need of thrashing a side to get some confidence. We have senior players that are still with us direly needing minutes and freshness. Heck, we need just a solid all around competent performance for 90 minutes. And he decides to leave the team at home and play the academy side.

I really tried to focus on the positive around fielding all those academy boys and indeed a few of them played quite well. But the fact is that traveling team, that lineup were incredibly disrespectful of Manchester United, the traveling fans, the Europa League and Astana.

So mission accomplished:
Ole gets his name in the books - most academy debuts in a European game in a single outing. And great excuse for losing another game. Woo hoo.

I can't credit any of the good play today to anyone but Butt. The senior players showed themselves to be more poorly coached. And the manager must think running this club is like some video game where you can skip and Sim games moving on to the important ones you actually want to play.

Is the a serious post?

We've Villa, Spurs and City to play in the space of a week.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Is the a serious post?

We've Villa, Spurs and City to play in the space of a week.

See above.

 

[SteveW]

See above.

I don't know what to say. I thought it was a bad parody thread at first. Solskjaer derangement syndrome.

 

[Sterling Archer]

I don't know what to say. I thought it was a bad parody thread at first. Solskjaer derangement syndrome.

I'll admit there's a touch of overreacting but as a whole I think it was equally extreme to take the academy squad out there. You can't just skip competitive games because they're inconvenient dead rubbers. There's an entire thread dedicated to making fun at Klopp for threatening to do so. Here Ole has done so and it's mostly high praise for losing the match.

I'm embarrassed that it's ok for Manchester United to lose to FC Astana in the crunch period that is end of November. It's not pre season. Since when did this become okay?

 

[SteveW]

They didn't skip the game. If Chong scored the sitter we'd have won.

 

[sglowrider]

It's just off to me. We didn't even take all of the first team coaching staff. That seems very much like taking things for granted.

Another example of your confirmation bias that you are suffering from. You are making a fool out of yourself.

Maybe you need to buy yourself a decent mirror.

 

[Sterling Archer]

They didn't skip the game. If Chong scored the sitter we'd have won.

When you leave your first team players and coaching staff behind and take the academy as well as academy coach....that's skipping the game.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

And when we drop points in the next pl game had we used full strength squad, there would have been threads talking about how stupid Ole was to not rest players for a close to meaningless game

 

[SteveW]

When you leave your first team players and coaching staff behind and take the academy as well as academy coach....that's skipping the game.

Ive spent too much time in this thread. Enjoy the attention.

 

[Sterling Archer]

And when we drop points in the next pl game had we used full strength squad, there would have been threads talking about how stupid Ole was to force players to make that tiring trip

When was the last time a top manager did something like this? Just curious. Usually it's a much bigger mix of senior and youth.

If the rest of season is anything to go by, dropping points is a real concern either way.