We tended* to — with players like Lingard, James, Martial, and Rashford on the break. Ole’s tactic in the bigger games that brought him success in the last few seasons won’t work near the same with a front 3 of Ronaldo/Sancho/Greenwood
Has it become obvious now that we can’t challenge for the league?
- Thread starter Nikelesh Reddy
- Start date
You can’t win the league with Fred in your engine room and Ole as the manager. Ronaldo can mask some of our deficits, but that’s about it.
I actually feel we’re on the verge of things going very wrong and spiralling.
Sack Ole, sell Ronaldo
For some reason I really felt over the summer that Ole would come back refreshed, with new ideas on how mentally raise the level of individual performances and to set up a tactical plan against midtable sides like Villa and Everton. But I have been proven wrong about that. These last two performances have lifted the mask on United as it stands right now.
We're still good value for a top four finish -- not guaranteed, but we have a decent shot at it -- but there is no chance we're in the hunt for the PL trophy in early April.
We're still good value for a top four finish -- not guaranteed, but we have a decent shot at it -- but there is no chance we're in the hunt for the PL trophy in early April.
I'm an optimist but never believed that we can challenge PL or CL. You can add Rice or Bissouma and result will be the same. Just needs to be patient and wait until real coach will take over next year. For now we can enjoy occasional win (probably lucky win).
Completely ignores how much each player has improved under Klopp, and arguably due to Klopp. Most notably Salah and Henderson, even VVD, can the same be said about our players?
Sack Ronaldo and sell Ole?
Tht smiles of Ole during the ijury time... is he happy with these results? Did we draw at home with prime Barca?
I had the same delusion about Mourinho… ohh at United he’d be different because he’d get money and time, he’d give young players a chance, he’d play attacking football etc
With Ole as manager, that is a given.
I like Mctominay but Fred’s absolutely useless.Left to me he would never play for United again in any game of football…
No we won't. With Jose you knew that once they refused to get him Maguire he would lose the plot. The pressure was on him to win the PL and the CL. After two years. Why is there no pressure on Ole to win anything?
Hijack Ole, Infidel Ronaldo
Deep down I think even the staunch Ole fans think it's too big of an ask for him.
Shaw was the beat LB when he played for us last season.
I think it’s still obviously possible just unlikely. Ask yourself, if SAF had this squad you’d be expecting a league title and probably a very good swing at the champions league. There is a squad of players there with enough talent to win any game and put a huge run together. It’s unlikely but still possible.
The team has enough talents to challenge, it's up to the coaching to put a proper plan in place and that's where the doubts start to seep in. Regardless, it's too early for these sort of definitive statements, there's been crazier things that have happened in football that United finding a way to turn it around and put in a real challenge for the title. It's not as if they're left in the dust from this poor run of form.
Very good point. Klopp bought a lot of good players and transformed them into world class ones.
I never thought VVD and Mane would or could be as good as they are now.
I think this is a distinct possibility, alongside United doing just well enough to keep the wolves from the manager's door. Hovering around 4th and qualifying from the CL group.
Yes.
Posted from my BlackBerry Curve.
Posted from my BlackBerry Curve.
The squad is good enough. If we don't challenge, it's on the manager.
I hate that attitude. Delusion isn't supportive. It's indulgent.
If we finish fourth and/or way off the top, the club should look to change managers.
I can’t create a poll… but could we have one that says:
Do you genuinely, hand on heart, honestly, swear on your kids lives think…
“Will Ole ever win a trophy let alone the league”
The answer is No, so why are we wasting our time sadly!
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I'm not going to go deep down that rabbit hole, and I've touched it on before: I'm convinced there's a certain element on here that know this, but fanatically support him due to nationality bias, or to 'fit in' with a certain crowd on here.
I think the squad is good enough in almost every way but neither McTominay or Fred are at the level. I like both individually and have an awful lot of time for the perseverance both have shown to get here after iffy starts but neither should be starters at a club aspiring to win the league/CL. Their place should be as squad players.
The squad is good enough, big enough. If we do not challenge it's all down to the coaching and tactics, which is what I think will ultimately happen anyway. However, as long as Ole gets top 4, we go again next year.
Haha… sorry !
I’m a huge fan of the legend of Ole, such a decent guy but a terribly average manager.
It’s such a weird notion that some will swear blind he is Pep / Klopp / Fergie reborn. He just isn’t good enough and never will be. You can’t suddenly learn how to setup a team it’s a built in skill set. Next manager please !
I totally agree, but that one again falls back on the manager, who has had nearly 3-years to rectify the situation. Our squad isn't perfect, but none of the other title rivals are either. I believe this squad is expected to challenge for the title. The problem is, we have a manager who is just about getting the bare minimum out of it, and even that is subjective.
Learner behind the wheel of a Ferrari comes to mind.
That's very negative.
I'm more optimistic that the return of Rashford is going to take things to the next level...
There are no more dead rubbers in football.
I agree with the first bit, albeit he obviously has to work with certain constraints. As for our rivals, I stand to be corrected but I’m not sure any of our rivals are quite as compromised in one particular position, especially one as important as midfield. I hope I’m wrong.
I hate to admit it but yeah it probably is.
However I don't think there is a manager alive who wins the PL this season with the midfielders we have. None of the combinations are good enough even if they agreed Mctomminay and Fred isn't the best option to use. Matic and Pogba or Matic and Donny or whatever you want to try isn't good enough is it? The other top teams have better midfields.
However I don't think there is a manager alive who wins the PL this season with the midfielders we have. None of the combinations are good enough even if they agreed Mctomminay and Fred isn't the best option to use. Matic and Pogba or Matic and Donny or whatever you want to try isn't good enough is it? The other top teams have better midfields.
It’s lack of ideas that I find most unforgivable to be honest. He should be buzzing with energy trying to implement his tactical vision but it’s either that he can’t be bothered or he doesn’t have one.
Even if he was trying something and it wasn’t coming off it would be tolerable but he’s clearly not even trying anything. It’s just…nothingness
Yeah with the fixtures coming up it's already on a knife edge.
If we'd got 6 points from Everton and Villa as demanded, and put in a better performance against Villarreal (i.e. not deserved to lose by 4 goals) then there'd be a bit less pressure on these massive games coming one after the other. Now we're already at a point where a loss to Leicester will be a disaster. Then a game against Atalanta no one can really predict. And then another loss to Liverpool would probably send us into oblivion.
Well City don't really have a number 9, bar Jesus. I think that is going to hurt them. I'm not a huge fan of Liverpool's midfield, especially that they've lost their best midfielder, and Chelsea's defence isn't great imo. I agree that none are as glaringly obvious as ours though.
I think a better manager than Ole would get the best out of our good defence and attacking options, which wouldn't highlight our midfield imbalance so much. The problem is, Ole isn't getting anywhere near the best out of our either our defence, or attack, which is exasperating our midfield weakess. Don't forget, plenty praised our midfield last season and especially Ole getting the best out of it. If he's praised for when it goes right, he equally has to burden the blame when it looks this inadequate.
I honestly believe this squad is capable of a title push. All my early season posts were filled with positivity regarding the same. My expectations have totally waned, and it's purely because of Ole. I didn't think we would win the league, but I expected a challenge.
Agreed. The consensus was that they overpaid for VDD, yet not only has he maintained his level his unarguably gone up several levels.
Mane has also maintained and improved.
Same for the the players Klopp inherited, bought in from the academy or signed for low transfer fees. Eg Trent when he broke through he was raw attacking and his weak spot was his defending, yet now people are no longer complaining about the defensive side of his game. Clearly that’s because he’s been coached.
Now let’s look at some of our very good players who have obvious limitations in some aspects of their game.
AWB, great defensive but limited going forward, after two seasons has their been any improvement in his attacking game? Remember G Neville was originally a CB, moved RB, his attacking game was clearly coached but effective.
Markus Rashford, great player but like all forwards who can play across the front three poor decision making at times eg sometimes runs into a dead end, doesn’t pass soon enough etc has their been any improvement to that side of his game in almost 3 years? No, obviously he has naturally improved in the things that he is naturally good at, but there appears to have been no attempt to coach out the wrinkles in his game.
I’ll give the perfect example, imagine CR7 at 18, under some managers by the age of 24 he’d just become a world class version of the tricky winger that he was at 18 with the same frustrating flaws in his game. Under a great manager he becomes one of the best players of all time who scores 30-40 goals a season, similar with Henry under Wenger.
Our squad looks good on paper until you try create a balanced 11 from it to actually play the games. Then you realise you need to leave half of the highly rated players on the bench in order to play some of the lower rated in the squad.
They've been reading the Cafe 
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...724542745&utm_medium=post&utm_source=facebook
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...724542745&utm_medium=post&utm_source=facebook
When you have him then you do not need anyone else.
