Is this window the one that brings us back to our identity?

[shabz]

With the signing of Maguire today, it is the only the fourth time we have signed a British outfield player since SAF retired. In this window we have signed three of those four British players alone with the last one being Luke Shaw in the 14/15 season.

Over the years we have been blessed with some of the best British players in recent memory and, once upon a time we were the only destination for top British players to sign for or at least we made them a priority. This influx of top homegrown talent has been non existent in recent years and the dressing room has been questioned on more than one occasion.

The drive, determination and passion that homegrown players show in a league they have grown up watching and playing in can't usually be matched by your equally talented overseas counterpart and it has shown throughout the history of this league. If you have players at a club who are giving their all week in and week out it is infectious, it is expected that you perform to these levels and, if you don't there will be someone who will tell you exactly how poorly you are performing. I don't believe it is solely a British player who has to have this mentality, but in terms of a squad makeup the more top quality homegrown players you have the better you tend to perform.

James put everyone's fitness to shame at the start of preseason, Wan-Bissaka has been arguably the top performer since he arrived and with the addition of a proven top centre back like Maguire, I have no doubts that he will become a leader and example in no time. Of course all of our future signings will not be British, but in order to keep setting examples for the squad and all future signings, I believe this trend needs to continue.

We are still lacking in other areas but if we can get the personnel we already have firing on all cylinders and actually build an environment where there is a battle for places again then that's something I'm sure all of our fans will appreciate.

 

[Steven-UK]

No, we will still finish around 6th, because we do not yet have strikers capable of producing the goals we need; and as the game goes on, and as has happened for a few years now, when the likes of Lukaku, Rashord and Martial are missing sitters, we lose the momentum, and end up defending for the last third of every game.

It's predicable now.

We are of course optimistic because it is the start to a new season that is coming up, and we have fresh thoughts about our ability; but defense aside, we are just lacking far too much up front to produce, I feel.

I predict that we will start well, and continue to 'look' effective around the box of the opponent, like we always have done for the last 5 years, but when we don't put the ball in the net as often as is required, we could very well turn back into the royal mess we were at the end of last season.

 

[Green_Red]

feckin hell, wait til we play at least one competitive game.

 

[Cypriot]

Defence is good. Midfield arguably the worst in a decade. Attack's alright. I'm not optimistic this season, I can't lie. Would be happy to be pleasantly surprised though!

 

[FerociousCorgis]

think backline looks good. Goalkeeper should be back to his normal level. Attack i think with martial getting to focus on playing centrally it could be huge for him. Love greenwood think he will be something special.

Midfield is scary bad overall. Id rate Pogba and mctominay, and that is about it at this point.

 

[U-N-I-T-E-D]

No, we will still finish around 6th, because we do not yet have strikers capable of producing the goals we need

We scored 2 more than Chelsea in 3rd and only 2 less than Spurs in 4th last season. The main difference was that we leaked 15 more goals than both of those teams.

We’ve got the best back 4 we’ve had in an age with players that play in that actual position, I would expect to concede far few than last season.

We’re going to play a more attacking style of football under OGS which comfortably would have meant more goals than both of them.

 

[Fooza]

Not with an inconsistent attack force, I've said it for a few years now. Rashford, lingard and martial are too inconsistent and won't bag enough goals to get us to the top. Another transfer window wasted in my opinion. Midfield also bag on average too. Very dissapointed.

 

[izzydiggler]

Defence is good. Midfield arguably the worst in a decade. Attack's alright. I'm not optimistic this season, I can't lie. Would be happy to be pleasantly surprised though!

Try 3 decades. I know I’ll be labelled as a doom merchant or whatever but it’s like people haven’t been watching the past 6 seasons. Threads like this just show the desperation/hope/delusion that next season going to be somehow better with essentially the same players, that Pogba, Martial and Rashford will become consistent, McTominay will grow into a proper player, De Gea will get back to his best, Maguire will lead and get the best out of Lindelof, Gomes, Greenwood and Chong will be second coming of the trinity...I could go on but it’s the same naive ‘head in the clouds’ all the time - with the word “hopefully” written about 10 times every post.

We have become what we mocked Liverpool/Arsenal for...’next year is our year’. Whilst City and Liverpool are winning CL’s and...well everything, we’re fighting for 4th to 6th with zero chance of a title challenge on the horizon. 2 top 4 finishes in 6 years...The evidence is that United are finished as an elite club in footballing sense...when will people wake up?

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

Defence is good. Midfield arguably the worst in a decade. Attack's alright. I'm not optimistic this season, I can't lie. Would be happy to be pleasantly surprised though!

This pretty much sums up how I feel at the moment...I”ve never felt this pessimistic going into a PL season...

 

[U-N-I-T-E-D]

This pretty much sums up how I feel at the moment...I”ve never felt this pessimistic going into a PL season...

I feel better about this season than I did last season!

 

[SirAF]

Defence is good. Midfield arguably the worst in a decade. Attack's alright. I'm not optimistic this season, I can't lie. Would be happy to be pleasantly surprised though!

Agreed.

 

[Keefy18]

No, we will still finish around 6th, because we do not yet have strikers capable of producing the goals we need; and as the game goes on, and as has happened for a few years now, when the likes of Lukaku, Rashord and Martial are missing sitters, we lose the momentum, and end up defending for the last third of every game.

It's predicable now.

We are of course optimistic because it is the start to a new season that is coming up, and we have fresh thoughts about our ability; but defense aside, we are just lacking far too much up front to produce, I feel.

I predict that we will start well, and continue to 'look' effective around the box of the opponent, like we always have done for the last 5 years, but when we don't put the ball in the net as often as is required, we could very well turn back into the royal mess we were at the end of last season.

Optimistic???

Are you having a laugh????



This place would drive the most patient of people to self harm!

If this is positive I'd absolutely hate to negative.

The cafe is absolute misery, its every bit as bad or worse than twitter at this point.

 

[el3mel]

If buying British players is what we needed to restore our identity it would have been too easy then.

 

[wolvored]

feckin hell, wait til we play at least one competitive game.

You have to laugh anybody would think we are one game away from being relegated the way some are on here

 

[King7Eric]

The moaners on here are quite incredible. We pay 80 million for Maguire, they say we are getting fleeced and should have have bought someone else. We refuse to pay exorbitant amount of wages for someone, they say owners are penny pinching.

They want youth players given a chance, but when we don't sign big name players (which would logically imply more opportunities for youngsters), again they moan. Half the people in the Lingard thread after his decent performance against Milan were acting like he was some opposing player who had played well and there were sad to reluctantly praise him. I genuinely struggle to understand what people on here want?

I, for one, am looking forward to the season. Barring Pogba (assuming Lukaku will be sold), we have a group of players who genuinely want to stay and succeed at this club. With no knew signings it looks like the likes of Gomes and Greenwood will get chances in the first team. It appears Martial will play through the middle which he is much better suited to doing. On paper, we appear to have a solid defense. Our style of play looks like will be one that'll one trying to be on the front foot and force the issue at all times. We have a manager who's priority is the club and not his own personal accomplishments. It appears its going to be an enjoying experience watching Utd again and that's all I ask for. The moaners can go feck themselves.

 

[Keefy18]

The moaners on here are quite incredible. We pay 80 million for Maguire, they say we are getting fleeced and should have have bought someone else. We refuse to pay exorbitant amount of wages for someone, they say owners are penny pinching.

They want youth players given a chance, but when we don't sign big name players (which would logically imply more opportunities for youngsters), again they moan. Half the people in the Lingard thread after his decent performance against Milan were acting like he was some opposing player who had played well and there were sad to reluctantly praise him. I genuinely struggle to understand what people on here want?

I, for one, am looking forward to the season. Barring Pogba (assuming Lukaku will be sold), we have a group of players who genuinely want to stay and succeed at this club. With no knew signings it looks like the likes of Gomes and Greenwood will get chances in the first team. It appears Martial will play through the middle which he is much better suited to doing. On paper, we appear to have a solid defense. Our style of play looks like will be one that'll one trying to be on the front foot and force the issue at all times. We have a manager who's priority is the club and not his own personal accomplishments. It appears its going to be an enjoying experience watching Utd again and that's all I ask for. The moaners can go feck themselves.

Thank god someone gets it!

Completely agree with this and on the Woodward post I said exactly the same.

They expect every single personal demand of theirs to be met, even if it directly means their previous demand isn't met.

 

[Chairman Steve]

I’m hopeful that the likes of Rashford and Martial can have a breakthrough season. They’re at roughly the same ages as Rooney and Ronaldo were back in 2006, when they had experienced inconsistent seasons with bright sparks in between and even one of them was thought to have been leaving. Rooney and Ronaldo really stepped up for 06/07 after the goal machine himself RVN was shoved out the door and noone had a clue who was going to grab the goals.

So I’m using that example as a way of staying positive.

 

[Lee565]

Identity, you mean conceding the majority of possession in most games, sitting deep and having to rely on playing on the break like a mid-table side with Solskjear masking it as the "United way" of counter attacking football.

 

[Chillosophy]

I’m hopeful that the likes of Rashford and Martial can have a breakthrough season. They’re at roughly the same ages as Rooney and Ronaldo were back in 2006, when they had experienced inconsistent seasons with bright sparks in between and even one of them was thought to have been leaving. Rooney and Ronaldo really stepped up for 06/07 after the goal machine himself RVN was shoved out the door and nooone had a clue who was going to grab the goals.

So I’m using that example as a way of staying positive.

Fair enough but their ages is indeed the only thing they have in common with Cristiano and Wayne at that time

 

[iHicksy]

Identity, you mean conceding the majority of possession in most games, sitting deep and having to rely on playing on the break like a mid-table side with Solskjear masking it as the "United way" of counter attacking football.

Have you actually watched any of our pre-season games or do you just enjoy spouting absolute tripe? "Solskjear" as you call him has spent the summer trying to get the players fitness up and implementing a high press from the front, the very opposite of counter attacking, sitting deep football. Yes, we may have to counter attack as a basis on occasion, but that's because the players aren't yet used to this system and some time will be required for adaptation, so mistakes will be made. Maybe come back when you can spell the manager's name and have actually watched us play.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Fair enough but their ages is indeed the only thing they have in common with Cristiano and Wayne at that time

People keep trying to find mirrors of the past.

Solskjaer isn’t Sir Alex Ferguson. None of the current players have any hope of matching Ronaldo. Rooney was the best English player of his generation. The class of 92 were probably a once in a lifetime crop of youth players for the club. It has to be hope rather than expectation. If it is expectation I genuinely worry for these fans this season. Maybe our defence will be more solid but there isn’t a midfield to match and if we get any form of injury in defence, Smalling, Jones and Young will be straight back into the team.

 

[Wolff]

And i thought Cardiff supporters was depressing and dumb... Fecking hell.. How much do you guys know about football and building a team anyway? Tielamans said today he rejected UTD because he wanted to join a positive club. I can see what he mean. And i can understand why Pogs want out. What a wanker support this club has..

 

[Lee565]

Have you actually watched any of our pre-season games or do you just enjoy spouting absolute tripe? "Solskjear" as you call him has spent the summer trying to get the players fitness up and implementing a high press from the front, the very opposite of counter attacking, sitting deep football. Yes, we may have to counter attack as a basis on occasion, but that's because the players aren't yet used to this system and some time will be required for adaptation, so mistakes will be made. Maybe come back when you can spell the manager's name and have actually watched us play.

I'm basing it on the dross that was on display last season and not pre-season matches which can tell a very different story to when the season starts as seen in the past, I dont think having extra fitness is going to make much difference to the lack of quality we have out on the pitch in midfield and attack, plus a manager I dont believe is nowhere near top quality.

 

[King7Eric]

I'm basing it on the dross that was on display last season and not pre-season matches which can tell a very different story to when the season starts as seen in the past, I dont think having extra fitness is going to make much difference to the lack of quality we have out on the pitch in midfield and attack, plus a manager I dont believe is nowhere near top quality.

Well then perhaps you can save yourself the bother and not watch us play at all this season. It would bother you much less and you in turn will bother people on here even lesser.

 

[Greck]

Let's not shoot our load prematurely. Smalling, Jones, Young were British buys and we still failed. Cleverley, Welbeck were also supposedly part of a British core of our future dynasty. A lack of British players has nothing to do with our struggles. Buying British isn't a surefire solution.

 

[iHicksy]

I'm basing it on the dross that was on display last season and not pre-season matches which can tell a very different story to when the season starts as seen in the past, I dont think having extra fitness is going to make much difference to the lack of quality we have out on the pitch in midfield and attack, plus a manager I dont believe is nowhere near top quality.

Well then you're not the sharpest tool in the box are you? He can't implement a new style of play mid bloody season when the style requires improved fitness levels to maintain a pressing game when the previous manager was all about the opponent having the ball and we ran the least in the league. So why bother watching us at all? You're basically saying "lalala can't hear you, i just want to whine about last season and refuse to base my opinion on anything relevant and even acknowledge that we're trying to change our style of play". You seem to just want to have a good fecking moan for the sake of it. I'd suggest this isn't really the forum for you tbh.

 

[POF]

There are definitely positive signs in the style of play and Ole developing an identity on the pitch in pre season. But the transfer window impacting that identity?

The only identity they have gained this transfer window is being viewed by the rest of world football as a laughing stock and being utterly incompetent at building a squad.

 

[Steven-UK]

Optimistic???

Are you having a laugh????



This place would drive the most patient of people to self harm!

If this is positive I'd absolutely hate to negative.

The cafe is absolute misery, its every bit as bad or worse than twitter at this point.

This place oh yeah.

ST holders have to have some optimism. New season and all that, otherwise we'd struggle to sleep at the money spent

 

[SCJY]

Maybe we get a certain amount of our identity back but we aren't getting the true success back for a lot longer because the noisy neighbours have owners who have spent wisely over a large number of seasons, will continue to spend over a large number of seasons, and are prepared to incur a large cost/loss to establish their team as number 1 for a long time ahead. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see United regaining the pinnacle spot for over a decade unless the club is sold.

 

[Foxbatt]

It is not the strikers for me that is the biggest issue but the midfield. The midfield is weaker than it has ever been. You can criticise Fellaini for all of it but he is useful in some games and when properly used. The same with Herrrera. Now we have lost both and did not replace them. I have no issues of both of them being sold but ffs get better players than them to replace them. We have not done so and still kept Matic which is our biggest problem and has been since the first 4 months he has been here.

 

[Luke1995]

I think that having two long term managers in Busby and Ferguson really left all the other guys who got the job with impossible task. If they don't create as much sucess as those two, the fans will never be happy.

They not only had a strong mentality being the authority in the dressing room and were great tacticians, but they also were fantastic scouts! It doesn't help that nowadays whether it's Van Gaal, Mourinho or Ole, the manager has to report everything to the man above (Woodward)

So, the only way a identity would be created or ''gotten back'' would be if the manager had full control over players,tactics and transfers, while also being actually a world class coach.

 

[Lee565]

Well then perhaps you can save yourself the bother and not watch us play at all this season. It would bother you much less and you in turn will bother people on here even lesser.

So in other words nobody is allowed a different in opinions on here in your view, it doesn't bother me of you think we are going to have an amazing season or terrible season, it's just a difference in opinions.

And tbh I have cancelled my sports channels on TV.

The signings of Maguire and Bissaka are good but I still live in hope that we can have good season because i just cant see how this is going to be anything but a terribly average season, whilst I'm sure solskjear has the best intentions for the club and first manager to truly do so since fergie retired, I think he is going to get outwitted by far too many managers over the course of the whole season and throw in the state of our midfield and attack and we are long way away from getting back to club we use to be, throwing a bunch of youngsters in doesn't solve that either thinking it's going be 92 all over again when they are playing with average midfielders and 1 quality one that doesn't care about the club and wants to go to Madrid, then there is the attack which has another want away player in lukaku who has diarespected the club over the summer, you got Sanchez who picks up ridiculous wages at the club but has barely made a meaningful contribution to the side all the time he's been here, then there's martial and rashford who are both very inconsistent and young themselves, then there is lingard who is woefully average but thinks he has made it, a player that ideally you wouldn't want the likes of Greenwood around and what makes it worse is that fans are throwing a heap of pressure on the youngsters to be our saviour when it should be the senior players stepping up.

 

[Lee565]

Well then you're not the sharpest tool in the box are you? He can't implement a new style of play mid bloody season when the style requires improved fitness levels to maintain a pressing game when the previous manager was all about the opponent having the ball and we ran the least in the league. So why bother watching us at all? You're basically saying "lalala can't hear you, i just want to whine about last season and refuse to base my opinion on anything relevant and even acknowledge that we're trying to change our style of play". You seem to just want to have a good fecking moan for the sake of it. I'd suggest this isn't really the forum for you tbh.

Moyes tried the whole fitness bootcamp in his first pre-season and got the club nowhere, solskjaer may want to play pressing style but I'm sure there are also managers at clubs that will be in the bottom half of the league and want to play a pressing way, we have seen it over the years of bottom half teams trying to get in the face of fergie's United sides but that can only get a team so far without quality on the field and in my opinion a below average manager, plus i just dont see the likes of martial, matic and pogba becoming amazing at pressing on the pitch and these three will probably feature a whole lot of the time this season with little options to replace them?

 

[WR10]

We don’t sign them often because they’re usually insanely over priced and not as good pound for pound.

The approach we’re taking with Ole is one of last resort. A final hoorah in defeat. If we’re going down the shitter well go down shouting the ‘United way’.

It’s a load of bullshit and a very worrying attachment to sentimentalism and tribalism

 

[buckooo1978]

we've signed the players we have based on recommendations from Giggs, Phelan etc by the sounds of things

understand the sentiment in the OP but dont agree with it. Players like Evra, Park, Ruud, Ronaldo, Vidic, Solskjaer himself etc shared the same will to win as Scholes, Giggs, Beckham and Neville bros.... they got those shared values from playing under Fergie

the desire , determination etc is a cultural thing that isnt linked to nationality but to the players mentality and the leadership/management in the club

 

[RedRonaldo]

To be fair this season we could see the following players featuring or breaking through:

AWB
Maguire
James
Greenwood
Gomes

It’s a breathe of fresh air, at the very least.

 

[unitedsoldier]

With the signing of Maguire today, it is the only the fourth time we have signed a British outfield player since SAF retired. In this window we have signed three of those four British players alone with the last one being Luke Shaw in the 14/15 season.

Over the years we have been blessed with some of the best British players in recent memory and, once upon a time we were the only destination for top British players to sign for or at least we made them a priority. This influx of top homegrown talent has been non existent in recent years and the dressing room has been questioned on more than one occasion.

The drive, determination and passion that homegrown players show in a league they have grown up watching and playing in can't usually be matched by your equally talented overseas counterpart and it has shown throughout the history of this league. If you have players at a club who are giving their all week in and week out it is infectious, it is expected that you perform to these levels and, if you don't there will be someone who will tell you exactly how poorly you are performing. I don't believe it is solely a British player who has to have this mentality, but in terms of a squad makeup the more top quality homegrown players you have the better you tend to perform.

James put everyone's fitness to shame at the start of preseason, Wan-Bissaka has been arguably the top performer since he arrived and with the addition of a proven top centre back like Maguire, I have no doubts that he will become a leader and example in no time. Of course all of our future signings will not be British, but in order to keep setting examples for the squad and all future signings, I believe this trend needs to continue.

We are still lacking in other areas but if we can get the personnel we already have firing on all cylinders and actually build an environment where there is a battle for places again then that's something I'm sure all of our fans will appreciate.

Completely agree. So much to look forward to this season... can't wait

 

[King7Eric]

So in other words nobody is allowed a different in opinions on here in your view, it doesn't bother me of you think we are going to have an amazing season or terrible season, it's just a difference in opinions.

Have whatever opinion you want. But just tell me what good does it do to be negative about the team you support before even a ball has been kicked in the season?

 

[Blind pew]

Too early to tell as yet. There may be some new signs that might things are improving.

We have to be optimistic. It's a new season after all. I can share some fans' pessimism in that there is still too much deadwood around, that in days gone by would've been sold off. United are carrying about 6 blokes who wouldn't get into a top four team at the moment. If we were rid of them, people would feel better.

Keep faith and don't be in a rush to judge the new structure until around Halloween-ish. You can often tell how things are by then.

United fans mustn't put too pressure on the likes of the youth teams lads who are knocking on the door. If a club like Man United are desperately pinning their hopes on teenagers, it's an unrealistic pressure for them, mostly. It'll be a blend of youth and experience that will turn it around, and, crucially, keep it in the right direction.

 

[Casanova85]

We still lack a proper CF. Man Utd has had top CFs since the early '90s.

Sign a rising or established-reliable CF and then I'll agree with the thread's title.