If we don’t sign anyone this window it shows the club lacks ambition

Theo88

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I don't think the club is showing (just) a lack of ambition. In the past 6 or 7 years they've spent a bucket load of monies on transfers that made no sense.

Di Maria, Falcao, sanchez, mikhi, bastian. These are guys that were bought and brought in and paid for and literally offered nothing long term. It's not just exhibiting lack of ambition it's more about exhibiting lack of professionalism and good footballing understanding. Basically we have been piss poor in the market investing in declining players and reserving capital on individuals that then had no major role in the squad.

It seems like they are now saying enough is enough and they're willing to go a season or two with the absolute basics. Unfortunately our squad is now so poor the results won't be coming in. Is there a group of key players we can take forward? Maybe. Mctominay martial rashford, bissaka maguire are guys who can be part of that team looking forward. At the moment though it seems like they're willing to drag this process in the hopes of helping the young ones grow and it seems they're not overly concerned that we have first 11 players that would struggle to start for a relegating Burnley.

It's not just about ambition. It's coupled with the fact that we are managed by a group that feels like they would flourish playing football manager and shouldn't be near any professional team
 

::sonny::

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They will not give to ole a dollar

Like Raiola said he would ruin even maradona, pelè and maldini
 

VivaObertan

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I don't think the club is showing (just) a lack of ambition. In the past 6 or 7 years they've spent a bucket load of monies on transfers that made no sense.

Di Maria, Falcao, sanchez, mikhi, bastian. These are guys that were bought and brought in and paid for and literally offered nothing long term. It's not just exhibiting lack of ambition it's more about exhibiting lack of professionalism and good footballing understanding. Basically we have been piss poor in the market investing in declining players and reserving capital on individuals that then had no major role in the squad.

It seems like they are now saying enough is enough and they're willing to go a season or two with the absolute basics. Unfortunately our squad is now so poor the results won't be coming in. Is there a group of key players we can take forward? Maybe. Mctominay martial rashford, bissaka maguire are guys who can be part of that team looking forward. At the moment though it seems like they're willing to drag this process in the hopes of helping the young ones grow and it seems they're not overly concerned that we have first 11 players that would struggle to start for a relegating Burnley.

It's not just about ambition. It's coupled with the fact that we are managed by a group that feels like they would flourish playing football manager and shouldn't be near any professional team
Di Maria, Falcao, Sanchez, Mkhitaryan, Schweinsteiger cost a combined £100m, which is peanuts in the current market for anyone, nevermind 5 World Class players
 

DLE

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Seems like we won’t get rid of Pogba. If we don’t, I’ll be massively disappointed and might lose my faith in Ole.
 

Theo88

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Di Maria, Falcao, Sanchez, Mkhitaryan, Schweinsteiger cost a combined £100m, which is peanuts in the current market for anyone, nevermind 5 World Class players
I'm not defending the team mate. I'm just saying even when they try to spend (Di Marias contract and sanchez contract for example) they do so without taking a step back to assess what they're investing in.
 

M16Red

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Club need not sign anyone this window to show lack of ambition.

Have been showing that plenty way before this, with Ed at the helm. So left to manager to pull the strings. Ole need to be more ambitious and push for transfers behind the scene.
He flew to meet one of his old players and woody tried to save money by cutting out is agent - player went somewhere else... He would have been handy in the last match Vs wolves
 

Hawks2008

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I mean, it might almost be prefferable to sign no one if we're targeting poor players like Longstaff. No point bringing down the quality of the squad further, but we're so desperate I can see this happening because Ole is seemingly fixated on him.
 

Swearing Budgie

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You know how the current market is crazy with inflated transfer fees and how Utd never see any value and don't want to get ripped off?

Well maybe we should set a self-imposed cap of say 5 million for a player and 10k wages. Then we can get a hungry (not very talented) squad of players that can compete in League 1 or 2. The fans will still pack Old Trafford and buy shirts etc so win/win!
 

Grylte

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They will not give to ole a dollar

Like Raiola said he would ruin even maradona, pelè and maldini
I understand that many on here hates Ole, but atleast get the quote right...
He said United would, not Ole.
 

Stadjer

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Seems like we won’t get rid of Pogba. If we don’t, I’ll be massively disappointed and might lose my faith in Ole.
Strange. The results have been terrible, negative records have been broken, since he became permanent manager Ole has a below 40% rate (someone posted that, didnt check it but it was lower than his Cardiff winrate according to that poster), our tactics are just to play on the counter and Ole seems to have an obsession with playing Lingard.

All of that and you still have faith in Ole BUT when Ole wont get rid of his best and most talented player in the squad you might lose faith in Ole?
 

Tony247

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Clubs don't get top talent in jan window, neither they sell top talents when they need the most. No point in keeping any hope.
 

crossy1686

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We just need a midfielder please god won't someone think of the midfielders!
Agreed. If we don't sign anyone this window, and I'm talking anyone, sign a Russian drug cheat for 6 months for all I care, we'll be looking at more starts for Lingard or Matic. That's how threadbare we are.
 

VivaObertan

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You have to add the wages to that
I actually felt a little sheepish after writing my comment yday but actually, feck the wages and feck the transfer fees. I have 'literally' invested tens of thousands of pounds on this club in my lifetime and for the past 10 years I have watched it be stripped of its assets and what's left is the mess that a club legend is having to death with.

Our squad isn't good enough for a team that should be competing to win the Premier league therefore investment is required. Whether that costs our cnut owners £100m or £500m, I couldn't care less.

If you don't want to do it, sell the club.
 

DLE

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Strange. The results have been terrible, negative records have been broken, since he became permanent manager Ole has a below 40% rate (someone posted that, didnt check it but it was lower than his Cardiff winrate according to that poster), our tactics are just to play on the counter and Ole seems to have an obsession with playing Lingard.

All of that and you still have faith in Ole BUT when Ole wont get rid of his best and most talented player in the squad you might lose faith in Ole?
I study more than the games you watch on telly once a week. If you pay attention to details you understand.
 

Reiver

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Having Ole as our manager shows our lack of ambition more clearly than whether we sign anybody or not this January.
 

christinaa

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No matter who the manager is if the Glazers/Ed don't buy him the players we're stuck as a mediocre team.
 

dannyrhinos89

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We arent signing anyone so dont get your Hope's up.

In the off chance we do it'll be somebody crap no decent player would realistically want to play for Ole?
 

LuckyScout78

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Then they have a excuse for doing poor. Because after 1.February we have a young and thin squad. Unlucky with injuries and rebuilding need times.

There are realistic targets out there that can improve United weakest positions. A nr.8, a free nr.10 and RW& Winger.

Kristoffer Olsson. A nr.8 and nr.6 in need. A regular starter for Sweden nation team. Key player that helped Sweden to get Euro this summer. Behind Spain. Even with big star Zlatan. Olsson has made his big part. The controlling abd creative cm player.

Bruno Fernandes . A determination and sharp attacking player. A nr.8 and nr.10 player.

Then you have the explosive and determination winger and attacking player in Federico Chiesa.

All good in both counter attack and open up tight parking bus defend.

So my feeling is saying the board and Woodward time until summer or maybe another season. But showing the whole world that you are a struggling team. Don’t win consistently and don’t get result. It will be chance you will not attract the best players and talent out there. Right player don’t want to play for United. Like Eriksen and Haaland maybe. Eriksen wanted a step up and Haaland picked a better and more consistent team and teammates. Better con service, to help him got chances and scoring goals.

United have to strength this January window.
 

Dr. Dwayne

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Clubs don't get top talent in jan window, neither they sell top talents when they need the most. No point in keeping any hope.
Saha, Vidic, Evra, and van Dijk all moved in the January window. I'm sure there are more, too.

Christ, we signed Evra within seven days of the rumours appearing. These days this club can't even decide if they want a player in a window.
 

Chairman Steve

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Surely the club are smart enough to know we need players, regardless of injuries... At this point, I’m starting to believe the theory that if were not spending in January then OGS isn’t going to manager next season, because a) board don’t trust him with money and b) board are saving up the money for the new guy to spunk in the summer, and new guy doesnt want the club to buy players he doesn’t want
 

mattsville

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I don't think it shows a lack of ambition if we don't sign anybody, it is extremely important we don't sign players for the sake of it as has been shown in previous years and you are having to deal with that down the line, Ole has demonstrated he will not operate like that so no concerns there. However, looking at the squad now at the moment, there are things we could do that could really push us on a level in this window, I think we lack a CF with instinct to take up goal scoring positions consistently, link up play better etc, we look great at times on the counter, city away we were brilliant, but so many times James in particular has been away like lightning and there is nothing in the box, CM get on the ball and you have 3 wing forwards running into the wrong positions etc. Our interest in haaland shows this is recognised within the club. The other situation is we are now very light in midfield, McT has been our best midfielder and he is out for 3 months, Pogba looks like he is just not at the club any more, how you fix it without damaging development of young players is difficult, particularly in January, loan deals perhaps, older signings that would be useful to have around anyway regardless of the focus on youth, but getting the right players is not easy now, everybody is fighting for something at this time of season and don't want to sell.
 

AneRu

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The problem with putting bean counters like Woodward in charge of a football club is that he just doesn't have the appreciation or the instinct to make the right calls. This is why we always sack managers a few months too late, there is a threshold that managers cross you know they are beyond redemption and you pull the plug.

As for signing players the same applies. Ole might be struggling but even in that struggle we find ourselves five points off top four but with glaring issues. Someone with the right instincts would know just as any fan knows that we badly need a couple of midfielders and if we get that we could get top 4 or win the Europa. Instead Woodward would moan that it's just too difficult to sign one player in the summer, let alone three so its downright impossible to do business in January. There are just excuses because players will move, some have moved and more are moving. He is just out of his depth.
 

Woeisme

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They are here to stay!

This is the crux of the problem right here.
The owners have an asset that is worth billions. The share prices are going up and up. They don't give a toss about a shiny piece of metal in a display cabinet, they only care about profit. The model they have at the moment works perfectly for them, why would they change it?
How does spending 70 million of their money on a player make any since to them when they already have loads of players?
We are 30 odd points off of a title challenge, we are unlikely to make champions league yet again. We have sold big name players without replacing them, we sacked a recognised accomplished (expensive manager) and replaced him with a nice smile, we are regularly beaten by mid to bottom half premier league teams and despite all that...our share price has gone up.

This is our lot. We are not signing anyone
 

iKeano

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This is the crux of the problem right here.
The owners have an asset that is worth billions. The share prices are going up and up. They don't give a toss about a shiny piece of metal in a display cabinet, they only care about profit. The model they have at the moment works perfectly for them, why would they change it?
How does spending 70 million of their money on a player make any since to them when they already have loads of players?
We are 30 odd points off of a title challenge, we are unlikely to make champions league yet again. We have sold big name players without replacing them, we sacked a recognised accomplished (expensive manager) and replaced him with a nice smile, we are regularly beaten by mid to bottom half premier league teams and despite all that...our share price has gone up.

This is our lot. We are not signing anyone
Great post. 100% accurate.
We are no longer a football club, but a business.
The decaying Old Trafford is a poignant symbol of the club's fall from grace - that it's not being repaired is reflective of our ever-weakening squad.
Stick a tactically naive Manager in there that keeps the owners happy, a squad that are happy to collect a wage instead of trophies and you have MUFC. Man Utd Finance Corporation.

£45m and Lingard for Maddison is just scraps for the seagulls following the trawler, anyone witha brain knows it's not a serious offer.

Not. Signing. Anyone.
 

Rozay

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The notion that we must sign the players we want, in the January window no less, or we ‘lack ambition’ is ridiculous, and one that anybody who trots out is probably more than aware is not true when they lie in their beds at night.
 

croadyman

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I saw Woody (Toy Story) on camera tonight and just doesn't seem like he gives a shit about the club. How much more humiliation do we have to take before the board spend some money.

Doesn't help that there is no focus on buying experience to help the younger players either. They don't seem to realise that any team needs a mix of both youth and experience.
 
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MikeKing

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The notion that we must sign the players we want, in the January window no less, or we ‘lack ambition’ is ridiculous, and one that anybody who trots out is probably more than aware is not true when they lie in their beds at night.
If you take "January window no less" out of your post, and it is extremely far from ridiculous. The notion is that we lack ambition because... We're already like.. 3 windows behind. Our issues was there to see for everyone 2-3 years ago or so. We knew we needed a rebuild, again, yet they didn't want to give that job to Mourinho, but still kept him in the job while withholding funds, ignoring the opportunity to do business in the transfer windows. We've been prolonging the inevitable and giving contracts to the likes of Lingard, Mata, Jones etc. haven't solved anything. We still need to "replace" Fellaini, Lukaku, Herrera etc. including upgrading on useless players. Maybe even have to prepare ourselves for life without Pogba even. Point is... We need to make use of every window of opportunity to do business in the transfer-market. If we don't buy players now we can't sell others just because of how thin our squad is. We can't do everything in one window, so with every window we do nothing, it just means less business will happen the next window. If we continue to let this happen we do lack ambition.
 

Roboc7

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Of course we’re not buying anyone, have to take this club for what it is now. A commercial powerhouse but a club devoid of ambition happy to sell fans an idiotic and pathetic three year plan. Still baffles me how anyone is stupid enough to lap it up but each to their own.
 

devilish

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They will not give to ole a dollar

Like Raiola said he would ruin even maradona, pelè and maldini
They are all foreigners or players that he never previously coached so I doubt Ole would even be interested in them. He'll probably prefer Terry Butcher, Emile Heskey and Des Walker to them.
 

Ikon

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I don't think the club is showing (just) a lack of ambition. In the past 6 or 7 years they've spent a bucket load of monies on transfers that made no sense.
This club is utterly incompetent in every level of recruitment.
We have an army of scouts, but when was the last time they unearthed a Maddison, Grealish or Robertson before they reached the Premier league and gained an £80m price tag?
Howcome we never seem to spot a Kante, Mahrez, Koulibaly or Salah before they are superstars?

Why did we overlook or reject players such as Bernardo, Mahrez, Fabinho, Van Dijk or Mane, instead preferring Matic, Fred, Lindelof and Mkhitaryan.

Why are other clubs working behind the scenes to sign new players throughout the year, but we only seem to act when the transfer windows are actually open.

Since SAF retired, United have spent approaching a BILLION to assemble the squad that we have today, let that sum sink in, because the whole club are responsible for this fiasco.
 

Annihilate Now!

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I actually find it kind of pathetic that we haven't signed someone already.

Yes the window has only been open 8 days... but that hasn't stopped other clubs, and we're in dire feckin' straits in midfield.