more than likely!
Is this the best starting 11 we've had post Ferguson?
- Thread starter jamesjimmybyrondean
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Moyes had a pretty good starting lineup to work with.
It's just he didn't like Nani, Fletcher got sick, Mata arrived in January. A better manager could have done a lot better in the transfer window (cough Toni Kroos cough) and made a lot more of that squad that he had to work with.
De Gea
Valencia-Rio-Vidic-Evra
Nani-Fletcher-Carrick-Giggs
van Persie-Rooney
Valencia-Rio-Vidic-Evra
Nani-Fletcher-Carrick-Giggs
van Persie-Rooney
It's just he didn't like Nani, Fletcher got sick, Mata arrived in January. A better manager could have done a lot better in the transfer window (cough Toni Kroos cough) and made a lot more of that squad that he had to work with.
Great on paper. However, Rio and Vidic were past it by this point and Giggs couldn't play a full 38 games season. RVP spent a long portion of the season injured as well.
Not saying excuses for Moyes or anything, but it was a squad that needed a massive rebuild. They made one final push for the last league title under Fergie but that's about it.
Alcantara and Kroos would have been massive for us. They'd still be starters. Or if we'd just managed to get Klopp instead of Moyes in the first place. Ed and his disneyland pitch...
Giggs should basically be Kagawa. Don't think Rio and Vidic were really past it. I think that Moyes progressed their retirement. The team conceded as many goals as they did the previous season. Moyes didn't add a winger or a midfielder (unless you want to count Fellaini) and alienated Nani and Hernandez to make our options even worse.
The best 11 we had post saf was probably the one he left us with
De Gea; Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Jones; Giggs, Carrick, Cleverley, Valencia; Welbeck, Van Persie
On paper mous first season looked strong but there's a lot of reputation in it rather than what they actually produced (quality wise - they were effective though)
There's plenty of potential in the current side, but most of all it's definitely the most optimistic I've felt since saf
De Gea; Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Jones; Giggs, Carrick, Cleverley, Valencia; Welbeck, Van Persie
On paper mous first season looked strong but there's a lot of reputation in it rather than what they actually produced (quality wise - they were effective though)
There's plenty of potential in the current side, but most of all it's definitely the most optimistic I've felt since saf
The defense wasn't really on of the best things about the team even during Fergie last few years. There always complaints about it imo. Of course Moyes was a crap manager and did many things wrong, there's no doubt about it, but imo a lot of players were on their last legs when Fergie left and we fecked up the rebuild project, thinking it'll go alright with just the same team and a PL proven manager. We got the wrong manager and put on the wrong project.
Dare I say it, thats a better team (on paper at least) than quite a few of Fergies later sides. Best midfield arguably since Keane left.
I'd say yes it is. With maybe the exception of the line-ups under Moyes as that was mostly the defending champions. They obviously didn't perform though, while this team looks like it is starting to. Excited about this line up right now.
What’s really starting to impress me is the quality of our back up players, McTominay and Fred have been absolutely superb this year at times but aren’t down as starters, Ighalo as well has been excellent when he’s played, as has Williams. Really starting to see a squad coming together.
Would he play Pogba and Fernandes?
Without a doubt this is the best team we’ve had since Fergie. It’s testament to the signings that Ole has made, brought in amazing RB, quality Centre back and outstanding potentially world class attacking midfielder. He’s now got 3 young strikers playing well and brought in a good back up striker but most importantly cleared out a lot of dead wood. I think next season is one step too far but a couple of players and we’ll push and should at least challenge. I think second is more realistic. This season has been a tail of two half’s, we seen for the last 30 minutes what happens when you swap Bruno and Pogba for the likes of Andres P. and that’s the 1st team we had for the first half of the season.
We need one more central midfielder with creativity to keep Pogba and Fernandes on their toes and in case of injury. Fred, Matic and McT are all decent but none of them can play that role.
i dont think Ole was going to either. as i said above bruno was only signed in January because pogba was injured for the rest of the season and was most likely leaving this summer. He was Pogbas replacement. if it wasn't for covid and us panic buying bruno in January I dont think they'd have played together before Pogba left. That being said I do think Ole always hoped to persuade Pogba to stay either way. If bruno hadn't come in and turned things around so much I reckon Pogba would have certainly left.
That’s your opinion, not based on any evidence or fact. Ole has been saying he expects and wants Pogba to stay all along.
what else could he say? you can only base it on what the player, his agent and his family have said in the past. no point in getting precious about it! Bruno was always touted as Pogbas replacement. I think its a bit of a fluke the way things have worked out but Im happy things are improving again on the pitch.
Sorry, didn’t mean to sound snippy, but why is their opinion more worth than the manager’s? The manager who represents the club he’s contracted to? It’s just that your choice is to lend more weight to what they say.
he’s only got a little while left on his contract and I doubt the club would risk losing him on a free and the circus that would entail as the contract ran down. You are right though. The public don’t know oles preference but you would have to imagine he’d prefer the money to reinvest rather than keep an unhappy player for a year to lose him for free. It just really feels to me like it’s an accident the lads are in the team together at all but we also deserve some luck at this stage. I hope Pogba stays. He’s immense when he’s on form and he seems like he just wants to be in a winning team. There’s nothing wrong with that especially as he enters his prime.
I thought Fred played deeper than Bruno and even played alongside him during our good run from the end of January to March, where Fred was doing very well? Or am I inventing memories?
Yes it is.
Next question.
Next question.
On that we’re in total agreement! On your first point, there is a third option besides sold now or leave for free, he might once again be convinced this is the place to be, with a nice fat bumper contract to boot. A lot can happen in two seasons worth of fotball.
It’s the first time we’ve had a sure fire starting eleven for about 12 years.
100% if we can keep adding quality I dont see why we cant keep ambitious players happy.
Yeah I agree, time to cut our losses on Andreas and Lingard and bring someone in who can step in for Bruno/Pogba as you say. Only place in the starting xi I think needs upgrading as of now is a better partner for Maguire.
It’s really the only logical way forward, if we want to challenge for major honours again. We can’t keep playing this zero-sum game where we buy a good player and lose a good player.
Definitely, were 3-4 players away from being serious title contenders, and some of our youngsters are seriously starting to become very exciting players, Greenwood especially, that kid is going straight to the top and 18 
With the addition of a right winger, a number 10, a Matic replacement and new CB we would become a force, potentially a LB also but i think we just have enough there, but it could be improved.
With the addition of a right winger, a number 10, a Matic replacement and new CB we would become a force, potentially a LB also but i think we just have enough there, but it could be improved.
Mourinho's squad on the first two seasons was better IMO. This one is quite good too.
Hard disagree here. Lingard, Pereirra, Mata and (I know this will upset people) Daniel James are huge drop offs in terms of quality. Think the squad needs serious improvements. Players you've mentioned are okay but look who City have coming off the bench in comparison and it's night and day.
Agreed on those names you mentioned, really only Mata because of his experience and James with his potential deserve to be part of the squad at all out of those four.
Still plenty to be done but compare where we are now to early in the season when we relied on Lingard and Andreas week in week out.
----------------------------SAF--------------------------
Ole-------------Mou-------------Ole------------LvG
-----------------Mou--------------Mou------------------
Ole-----------------------Ole--------------------LvG
----------------------------LvG--------------------------
I was hoping that doing the above would lead to some profound revelation. I don't think it did.
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Imagine still not being convinced that Martial can “lead the line”. Christ people wouldn’t be convinced with fecking R9 himself leading the line.
“Still need to see him show more consistency” Christ.
“Still need to see him show more consistency” Christ.
No it didn't
Is this even a question? We have a leader in every part of the pitch for the first time in years.
Maguire in defence. Bruno in midfield. Rashford in attack.
Rashy hasn't kicked on as well as he would have wanted but he's got assists and before the break he was our only real leader.
Maguire in defence. Bruno in midfield. Rashford in attack.
Rashy hasn't kicked on as well as he would have wanted but he's got assists and before the break he was our only real leader.