Do we react to the positive actions (winning trophies, transfer coups) of our traditional rivals?

[Fortitude]

In Spain, when either of the big 2 win big or make coveted signings, the other is implored to react - this has gone on since the '50's.

In Italy, before AC Milan imploded, it used to be a case of the big 3 constantly jostling for the best of everything and trying to outdo one another on every level

On a lesser scale, Bayern do everything in their power to maintain as firm a chokehold on the league as they can.

When Fergie was here, anytime anyone but us won the league, he'd come back firing and reinforce whenever necessary, he was also a strong advocate of taking advantage of the market from an obvious position of power. The lines obviously blurred when the club was loaded with debt and 'no value in the market' spiel became legion. Still, even then, he acted in accordance with what was going on around him the best he could.

I think there are a number of things happening over the last couple of years - and even now - where the question of whether we are interactive and responsive can be fielded. One 'thing' that could be on the horizon would actually put us in the shadow of a rival for as long as the tenure would be - in any case, do you think we try to keep up with the Joneses these days, or are we a different kind of club, focused more on our goal (CL qualification) than responses in kind to what goes on around us?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I think we still do, but not consistent nor proactive like Fergie.

We're busy with never-ending "squad building" projects to bother to react and snatch a "fight-back" properly. No good main driver ala Fergie suitable to lead the club to react well to the positive actions of rivals.

Post-SAF

1. City win 13/14 and next season, we had new "world class" manager albeit past his time.
2. We also brought in a proven "world class" player in the form of Di Maria, and other "world class" player such as Falcao.
3. After LVG prove to not be good enough, we get Mourinho. Another "world class" manager. They all won us trophies over our rivals, while Mou finished 2nd once. Good response I guess.
4. We beat Real to the re-signing back of Pogba. (Real is our traditional rival?)
5. We beat Chelsea to get Lukaku (if you count them as our traditional rivals, but probably not).
6. We beat City to get Sanchez. Poor transfer for the next season though, manager not being given new CB.
7. We get James over Leeds in 19/20.
8. Also beat City again for Maguire.

Other than those, the club mostly react poorly but seems to have slight obsession in getting ahead than City, our closest neighbor rival. Maybe marketing reasons.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I think there are a number of things happening over the last couple of years - and even now - where the question of whether we are interactive and responsive can be fielded. One 'thing' that could be on the horizon would actually put us in the shadow of a rival for as long as the tenure would be - in any case, do you think we try to keep up with the Joneses these days, or are we a different kind of club, focused more on our goal (CL qualification) than responses in kind to what goes on around us?

A mix of both, but definitely concerns more on maintaining CL qualification every season, for profit financial reasons I suppose, rather than responding to what our rivals did which is lesser priority yet we still do once in a while, mostly intentionally but a few not.

 

[Crustanoid]

What kind of reaction post-Glazers (and definitely post-SAF) can be compared to anything detailed above in the other European leagues? Finishing outside of the top four often? Being utter dross and glacial in the transfer market? Letting our biggest rivals go light years ahead of us? And in terms of keeping up with the Joneses, do you mean keeping Phil Jones to warm the treatment table for extortionate wages for longer than a decade?
We’re the most unreactive club out there

 

[Bastian]

I think we could merge all these threads under a banner of "United's sporting ambitions". There is no indication that the owners want to push for actual titles, but top 4 is pretty important.

Even with that briefed 3 year plan to be pushing for titles, which is now one year on, there's very little to suggest that we'll seriously improve in the meantime.

We're about to go into an absolutely savage season with a manager who refused to freshen up his first XI because he's got no faith in his squad, and he's about to have almost exactly the same squad. We'll probably see our players run into the ground, pick up injuries, replaced by untrusted squad players and drift out of the running fairly soon.

 

[Sandikan]

When you're run by business men, it would be weird if they reacted to certain teams winning trophies in a different way to other teams.
They'll have a certain amount they want to spend. They won't suddenly find another 100m because Liverpool won the league not, say Chelsea.

 

[Fortitude]

Do the higher ups even feel there is pressure to do something in the tide of the transfer activity around not only our traditional rivals, but also those who are contesting for CL places?

Have to say this window feels different to what's gone before given its not solely about us in our own bubble.