Last week we would have won if we had a decent ref. I wonder what next weeks "we would have won if" will be.Today, if Pogba and Rashford had played on par, we’d have won by a landslide.
Last week we would have won if we had a decent ref. I wonder what next weeks "we would have won if" will be.Today, if Pogba and Rashford had played on par, we’d have won by a landslide.
Yup I was never all-in on Ole's opening months (not that I didn't love it though and I have to admit I really want him to succeed) as it seemed to me the only thing looking better was the team's enthusiasm - and as the end of that season proved being enthused is not enough so if that's all you have to lean on then you're only one or two bitchslaps away from disaster. I loved the results but felt unconvinced by the performance - but this season I have an almost opposite feeling. I'm impressed with two-thirds of our game but hate the results. Hopefully that means this campaign will be the opposite of that one - starting with frustration then ending in an unparalleled win streakI kind of agree that we ‘look’ better than the results have shown. Last season we we got results in the early part of Ole’s reign due to some good luck and some good goalkeeping.
This year we seem to have largely deserved to win all four games but haven’t had the luck and wasted our chances. Had Pogba scored the penalty vs Wolves and we come away with 6/6 pts I’m convinced the confidence boost would have seen us stroll past Palace.
That being said I do think we are trying to play the right way for the first time post Ferguson but the quality in key positions is showing us up. Daniel James signed from the championship is our best player! I mean wtf!
Ultimately though we’ve been in relegation form results wise for about 15 games now. If results don’t pick up it won’t matter how much we are doing right.
For what it’s worth, I agree with you.Or maybe I'm just a realist who understands the process of what we're currently undergoing. Eye of the beholder and all that
Can't say I disagree with anything you say -except maybe McTominay. But it's not so much a disagreement as to where he's currently at - it's just that I think it'll prove a worthwhile investment giving him this chance as I'm quite confident he'll grow into his groove if he gets enough playtime. What we need is a third option alongside him and Pogba -that's good enough to compensate for his lack of experience. Some skillful hardworking authoritarian with his head screwed on right. Attack too I think people are too harsh on Rashford he's still young and learning his ropes - and it can easily prove fruitful investing in him. But there too we need that third someone capable of providing the vision, maturity and innovation currently lacking. I believe if we get some good candidates in those two areas then we actually have a real solid starting eleven - and then we just need to worry about the depth of our squad.According to the expected point statically, we should have won 4 games out of 4 games. Last season, we usually had a low expected goal, outnumbered by opposition's expected goal when we win or even lost. I think it is safe to say we improved ourselves in the style of play with many quality holes we need to improve.
Our defense looks much better.
Our midfield is not suitable, we are missing two midfielders away from top midfield. As much as I'm a big fan of Mctominay and want to see him doing so well for us but he can't start for us at the size of the club. Mctominay can defend so well, desire to win the ball back but his ability on the ball is poor which mean Pogba will have to dictate the game on his own, he plays a lot back to CB and looking for pass available options, and surrounded by at least 2 opposition players who mark him and pressed him so hard which can lead to dangerous attack for them to start counter-attack against us.
Mctominay needs to take burdon off Pogba and take responsibility to play alongside with Pogba to control the game. There was a time when Southampton completely dominating us, Mctominay finally won the ball and released the ball quickly over the top of their defence when we should slow tempo and keep possession. This is not first time it has happened, he did attempt a couple of times, it was frustrating, he's no scholes or pogba level of long passing.
Out of all available obtainable midfielder player in the market, I think Aouer or Fabian Ruiz would be a good signing for us, their strongest key is short pass, good in tight space and can create chances. they looked like midfielder who can control the games and could take most of burdon off Pogba with creativity and passing. We should play 3 midfield with two creative players, one of them to control the game with DM sitting deeper.
In attack, we feel like we need to improve attack. Martial is the only player I can say have better decision making, we need first two wingers on both flank who can take on players and know when to slow tempo or play the first touch fast instead of dwelling on the ball longer and has high IQ in decision making. Rashford, Periera, and Lingard don't have that.
Sir Alex Ferguson and an RVP would probably get us into the top 4.We are a SAF away from the top.
It’s really tough though to know what we have because we’ve been so dysfunctional for so long.Take the name ‘Manchester United’ out of this team for a second. Think about our most talented players minus Pogba. Every single one of them is a bang average mid table player that operates like this: 90% average skills and low success rate with anything they try and then 10% moments of quality. That kind of split - if you watch other average teams - mimics every single mediocre player at the top leagues. For whatever reason, you reintroduce the name Manchester United and people elevate the teams quality purely based on the players’ 10% display of skill.
In simpler terms - we are an average/below average team full of average operating players.
We will finish 9th/10th and then coast into nothingness like AC Milan.
Shit hasn’t even hit the ceiling yet. In a couple months injuries will hit and I think this forum will hit record lows for attendance. It will be the forecasting of the drop in Ed’s leverage of ‘viewers’.
Some of our fans are still in the denial phase. "We are just 1 or 2 players away from the top." Has been the mantra of a certain portion of our fan base for the last 6 years.OP has lost the plot.
I’m not sure why you’re quoting me, as I wasn’t trying to make a list of excuses why we didn’t win.Last week we would have won if we had a decent ref. I wonder what next weeks "we would have won if" will be.
Wouldn’t mind a Rio and Scholes with a touch of SAF on top. (In addition).Peak Keane, Cantona and Beckham, and we'd be a force
Another shooting tragedy in the us. But why on this thread not somewhere in general?
Well maybe having a few of our youngsters grow beards would be a start - until the real deal pops up over the horizon I mean.Because the next Roy Keane and Eric Cantona are so easy to find and come around every day.
As I said in Another post - if Pogba had played to the normal of his ability, we would have won all our 4 games. I am not saying we have been great - of course not. But we should have won all 4 games. And if Pogba had been playing like he did at times last year - we would have.Today, if Pogba and Rashford had played on par, we’d have won by a landslide.
I posted it in here by accident.Another shooting tragedy in the us. But why on this thread not somewhere in general?
Point wasn't that we should buy anyone - was just curious to see how many agreed that these qualities in those positions are key to what's missing - and that we're not so far off being a good side again as many will have it. Opinions seems divided so farBringing in one or two world class players will only exacerbate the problems we are having. We need the entire squad to step up their game, not have a couple more Pogbas running around wondering what in the heck their teammates are doing half the time.