So what exactly is the 'United Way'?

[Irish Jet]

There's a very mythical perception of Ferguson's era.

He was an attacking coach for sure but he was never an idealist. Hilariously the one fanbase who seem to get this are Arsenal fans, even more than our own, because they fully remember Ferguson's pragmatism (or what they'd call anti-football) in a lot of the games we'd play them. Ferguson could shut up shop with the best of them and admitted himself that it was what was needed in Europe particularly. I would argue all day that Mourinho is far more similar to Ferguson -from personality to playing style - than Pep Guardiola.

The latter part of his reign (Post Ronaldo) was marked by individual brilliance and relentless width/crossing getting us over the line as well as a solid defence. Anyone thinking otherwise has serious short memory issues and should think of how often we complained about a lack of midfield and how often pundits praised us for winning ugly. It was not always the swashbuckling total football some believe. I assure you.

 

[RooneyLegend]

There's a very mythical perception of Ferguson's era.

He was an attacking coach for sure but he was never an idealist. Hilariously the one fanbase who seem to get this are Arsenal fans, even more than our own, because they fully remember Ferguson's pragmatism (or what they'd call anti-football) in a lot of the games we'd play them. Ferguson could shut up shop with the best of them and admitted himself that it was what was needed in Europe particularly. I would argue all day that Mourinho is far more similar to Ferguson -from personality to playing style - than Pep Guardiola.

The latter part of his reign (Post Ronaldo) was marked by individual brilliance and relentless width/crossing getting us over the line as well as a solid defence. Anyone thinking otherwise has serious short memory issues and should think of how often we complained about a lack of midfield and how often pundits praised us for winning ugly. It was not always the swashbuckling total football some believe. I assure you.

Mourinho isn't an attacking coach so that throws your comparison out of the way.

 

[DRM]

The United way? Watch Liverpools game v west ham last week, that will give you a good idea. Ironic, I know.

 

[MoskvaRed]

I don’t like the term “United Way” - it seems to have emerged in the last few years as Fergie’s homegrown players moved into punditry and apoears to be shorthand for “United don’t do things like they did under Fergie”. It cannot be linked to any particular style of play as United need to keep up with evolutions in football tactics. If it means anything, then I think back to Matt Busby pointing to the factories in Trafford Park and telling his players that tbey need to entertain the workers coming on Saturday afternoon. Not many of us on here work in a factory but the point still stands that watching football is ultimately supposed to be enjoyable and entertaining. I can put up with short-term pragmatism but, at tbe end of the day, we have many other options for spending our leisure time and I don’t want to watch games where De Gea is consistently our best player.

 

[Red_Ramirez]

The United way during Fergie's reign was to win.

And to score as many goals in the process.

 

[cyril C]

There's a very mythical perception of Ferguson's era.

He was an attacking coach for sure but he was never an idealist. Hilariously the one fanbase who seem to get this are Arsenal fans, even more than our own, because they fully remember Ferguson's pragmatism (or what they'd call anti-football) in a lot of the games we'd play them. Ferguson could shut up shop with the best of them and admitted himself that it was what was needed in Europe particularly. I would argue all day that Mourinho is far more similar to Ferguson -from personality to playing style - than Pep Guardiola.

The latter part of his reign (Post Ronaldo) was marked by individual brilliance and relentless width/crossing getting us over the line as well as a solid defence. Anyone thinking otherwise has serious short memory issues and should think of how often we complained about a lack of midfield and how often pundits praised us for winning ugly. It was not always the swashbuckling total football some believe. I assure you.

Some people here simply has his agenda with Mourinho, nothing that you can do. I still remember Fergi's so called 442, with Fletcher on the right wing, if you still call that 442. It was clearly a modified 433 with Fletcher initially covering for ageing Roy Keane and then later for ageing Scholes, but press and fan still called that 442.

 

[SER19]

If folk can spare 90 minutes away from the city documentary I’d recommend watching all of this. This was the season I really really fell in love with united and still think it represents ‘united way’ as good as any, though I dislike the phrase

 

[Bestietom]

They score 4, you score 5. It's what Fergie drove into his players, and have carried on from there. "The United way" came from this era.

 

[cyril C]

They score 4, you score 5. It's what Fergie drove into his players, and have carried on from there. "The United way" came from this era.

Well, if you still remember the 1-0 win against Barca, I saw Rooney dropping back as right back, leaving CR upfront alone. Funny that nobody shouting Attack Attack Attack...

 

[SER19]

Well, if you still remember the 1-0 win against Barca, I saw Rooney dropping back as right back, leaving CR upfront alone. Funny that nobody shouting Attack Attack Attack...

What a truly bizarre choice of game to contradict the poster with

 

[Jinn]

We only lose because we run out of time...that's the UTD way.
Fairly simple concept that some forget.

 

[KW2006]

There is a certain DNA in every big club, the factors that make people love them, and make them different.

For United, I think these are:

1. Kids
2. Attacking football

From this perspective, Mourinho is completely anti-United, hence the hatred on him here. But people should not blame him, he is always the same, responsibility is on the board for hiring him.

 

[Offside]

Only Barcelona have a greater reputation throughout history for attacking football I think.

 

[Roboc7]

The United way how is to be scared of the opposition and let them play, home or away. Been like this for 5 years now and won’t be changing for a while.

 

[Minimalist]

United Way or not, you're a bloody masochist if you enjoy this shite currently being served up.

 

[Kag]

1 shot on target away to Brighton, allegedly.

Lindelof's fault, I heard.

 

[VeevaVee]

Inspiring, confident football was the United way for me. And full confidence in the club.

Not so much anymore.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

The current "United Way" is £££$$$$.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Our way is being a brand first, footballing club second.

 

[crossy1686]

I don't even know what the 'United Way' is but I think I've realised what isn't the United way.

 

[gulli_G]

It's not the crap on a stick that was on show today.

 

[Honest John]

Wingers

 

[cyril C]

The current "United Way" is £££$$$$.

You can repeat this to City, Liverpool. Ironically both Arsenal and Spurs were the United way, just the opposite of it. Al $$$ spent on stadium, no money for players.

 

[Stookie]

I always thought an essential part of the United way was always two speedy wingers. That’s always been my take on it

 

[Green_Red]

The United Way is a marketing ploy designed to make you believe that there is some sort of reason why United are successful. Something that has remained constant since the clubs beginnings. Its a load of bollox really. But if there are some ingredients that you would pick out of the clubs approach over the years that has contributed to that success I would say, flair, pace, determination, hard work, youth and homegrown players.

 

[iKeano]

We need to face facts, the "Utd way" is turn your back on football and turn the club into a commercial entity. We're rapidly becoming a merger of Arsenal and Liverpool - Glazers happy to take the CL qualification windfall and fans harking back to how good we used to be.
We've completely accepted footballing mediocrity across the board. Below average squad, below average dinosaur of a manager, below average signings (and re-signings!) idiotic Board and Woodward edging more deals in than a Blackjack table in Vegas.

Yes the club was second last year, Europa League blah blah. We used to change "Thursday nights Channel 5" to the bin dippers - they're the only team in contention to challenge City for the league and we were second by a country mile, a country mile that Liverpool and Chelsea will fill in this season.
Giving up points against Brighton was us completley and publically accepting that we are not only not going to win the league, but we aren't even going to contend for it.

The Utd way used to be attacking football, outscoring your opponent with width and pace going 4-4-2. Now it's parking up a sub-standard bus, driven by a has-been who's more akin to throw players under it than drive it forward.
Don't even know how we'll get out of this quagmire, but José is not the man to do it. We've tried that, it isn't working, ship him out and let someone else roll the dice. It wouldn't be so bad if we were going down swinging, but we're so meek it's embarassing.

Asking fans what the Utd way is is one thing, but when you have a manager that doesn't know his best XI after 3 years and is still lamenting his squad after 6 transfer windows... it's clear that there is no Utd way.

Money - Global Partnerships - Advertising - Sponsorships - Football. In that order.

 

[diarm]

I'm fully with @#07 here. That Bolton goal sits alongside the Ronaldo counter away to Arsenal in the CL semis as my favourite ever United goal.

I understand what some have said about the counter attack being Fergies way rather than Uniteds but at 32, all I've ever known is Fergies way and if you're going to pick a style there are far worse bases to work from. Tika Taka wasn't Barcelonas style before Cruyff took over in 80's.


I love everything about this style of football. The pace, the movement, the intelligence, the economy and efficiency of touch and pass, the players from midfield and fullback busting a gut to join the attack. It's impossible to defend against because it overwhelms defences who don't know where the next pass is going or the next attacker is coming from. Everyone from the keeper through the centre backs to the striker knows their role because it's simple - if you don't have the ball find space as far forward as you can manage to receive it and if you do have the ball, get it to the other end as quickly as humanly possible.

Compare that to our current style of deliberating on the ball, overthinking our positioning and complicating slow, laborious build up play. No wonder we make so many mistakes and are so easy for defences to read. I don't know if it's undercoaching or overcoaching but it's so far removed from how I think a Manchester United team should play football it feels like I'm watching a different club.

 

[jderbyshire]

Wingers

This x100000000

 

[Honest John]

I'm fully with @#07 here. That Bolton goal sits alongside the Ronaldo counter away to Arsenal in the CL semis as my favourite ever United goal.

I understand what some have said about the counter attack being Fergies way rather than Uniteds but at 32, all I've ever known is Fergies way and if you're going to pick a style there are far worse bases to work from. Tika Taka wasn't Barcelonas style before Cruyff took over in 80's.


I love everything about this style of football. The pace, the movement, the intelligence, the economy and efficiency of touch and pass, the players from midfield and fullback busting a gut to join the attack. It's impossible to defend against because it overwhelms defences who don't know where the next pass is going or the next attacker is coming from. Everyone from the keeper through the centre backs to the striker knows their role because it's simple - if you don't have the ball find space as far forward as you can manage to receive it and if you do have the ball, get it to the other end as quickly as humanly possible.

Compare that to our current style of deliberating on the ball, overthinking our positioning and complicating slow, laborious build up play. No wonder we make so many mistakes and are so easy for defences to read. I don't know if it's undercoaching or overcoaching but it's so far removed from how I think a Manchester United team should play football it feels like I'm watching a different club.

Totally agree with this. That video footage is heartbreakingly good.

 

[Sarni]

They score 4, you score 5. It's what Fergie drove into his players, and have carried on from there. "The United way" came from this era.

It wasn’t really like that. Fergie was very often happy enough to go defensive and try to grind out a 1-0. I remember how after 6-1 loss to City this was basically a main theme of the next three months, ditto in one of the seasons when we broke the record for the longest run without conceding.

It’s quite amusing how so many people seem to rewrite history now and portray the entire Ferguson era as high scoring offensive end-to-end football.

He was very flexible in his approach which is part of all the reasons which made him the best.

 

[Miscemayl]

The United way was that the manager was king, and had all the control.

We've had plenty of seasons, even under SAF, where the football was shite.
We've had plenty of times where youth never got a chance (see Pogba)
We've had plenty of seasons where we won nothing

We've never had players powering over the manager.
We've never had players not giving a shit because they know the manager is toothless

This is sadly the new United way.
Players over manager
Business over football

 

[Libano]

Different times require different game philosophies. You cannot expect them to copy the style of the successful years and hope for equal results.

The OP's question is a very good one. What is the United way in 2018? It feels as though nobody in a leadership role has a clue.

If I had it my way, domination should be part of the club's philosophy. And a willingness to die on the pitch. Every game.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

You can repeat this to City, Liverpool. Ironically both Arsenal and Spurs were the United way, just the opposite of it. Al $$$ spent on stadium, no money for players.

City is not a corporation governed to earn £££ to the owners, neither are Liverpool at the moment. They are governed to earn trophies. We are, without any doubt, governed to make money for the owners. Eventhough, with our revenue and potential earnings the club should be able to do both.

 

[MancunianAngels]

It stopped being the United way (whatever that really means) in Europe after Milan in 2007. It was hardly great post Madrid 03 at times.

Overall the football became more methodical post Ronaldo leaving but as I said in the other thread, Fergie got more out of what he had.

 

[Morpheus 7]

Taking the game to an opponent at Old Trafford. Playing with a fast tempo and freedom. Using the width of the pitch and intimidating the opponent. Not overly focusing on the opponents strengths but exploiting there weaknesses. Most importantly never giving up, even if we get beat all the players give it a go. After getting beat, a proper response the following match. Them comebacks from the Fergie days weren't a fluke, it demanded courage and belief. Putting a team to the sword to build confidence. Not scoring against a lower table side and sitting in, we done that at 2 or 3 up. When is the last time United slapped a side by 5 or 6. It's all about protecting a lead now. I have no problem protecting a lead away in Europe or to the top 4 but not to crap. Giving the younger players the confidence to play there game and develop without public criticism.
In summary playing without fear and instead creating it, get the fans up for it. The last few season it's so removed. I know we have been spoiled but nothing wrong with wanting attacking football and a bit of passion. The current manager and these players show none of that, it's just going through the motions. The standards at Man United has slowly dropped since Fergie left. If Sir Matt or Alex's sides performed like that yesterday, we wouldn't see them in the next game.

 

[Jcrossley94]

I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m not ashamed to say that I look at what pep is doing at city and what klopp is doing at Liverpool... and I’m so jealous. They have such a tangible identity.

I grew up being proud that I supported a team that had an identity. That would attack relentlessly, the SAF United played with courage and heart.

I watched the players on Sunday, and not one of them had the heart to go out on that pitch and play... what’s the issue? Players with no courage ? Or a manager who has strangled the freedom from their feet ?

 

[#07]

I'm fully with @#07 here. That Bolton goal sits alongside the Ronaldo counter away to Arsenal in the CL semis as my favourite ever United goal.

I understand what some have said about the counter attack being Fergies way rather than Uniteds but at 32, all I've ever known is Fergies way and if you're going to pick a style there are far worse bases to work from. Tika Taka wasn't Barcelonas style before Cruyff took over in 80's.


I love everything about this style of football. The pace, the movement, the intelligence, the economy and efficiency of touch and pass, the players from midfield and fullback busting a gut to join the attack. It's impossible to defend against because it overwhelms defences who don't know where the next pass is going or the next attacker is coming from. Everyone from the keeper through the centre backs to the striker knows their role because it's simple - if you don't have the ball find space as far forward as you can manage to receive it and if you do have the ball, get it to the other end as quickly as humanly possible.

Compare that to our current style of deliberating on the ball, overthinking our positioning and complicating slow, laborious build up play. No wonder we make so many mistakes and are so easy for defences to read. I don't know if it's undercoaching or overcoaching but it's so far removed from how I think a Manchester United team should play football it feels like I'm watching a different club.

How did I miss this last year? Just spent six minutes watching that vid you shared, having come to bump this thread after the Chelsea game to declare (a little giddily ) that we've got our United back.

Honestly, I can already think of more counter attacking goals that we've scored under Ole than we scored under Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho put together.

I had to laugh at the weekend when Mourinho, who I still have a lot of respect for, was saying it'll be different for us when we can't hit teams on the transition. As if we haven't been a transition team for decades!?

Of course there will always be those teams that defend deep and invite us on. That's not a new problem though. Fergie's United was the most feared team in Northern Europe, most teams played us hoping for a draw, and we still managed to score an avalanche of counter attacks under Sir Alex.

Mock all you like, tell me I'm getting off my head all you like but I really feel like Ole has brought back the United way. Whether its Rashford scoring at Spurs on the counter, Jesse making the Emirates a dancefloor, Pogba getting on the scoresheet at Chelsea etc. Fast, direct, end to end football has returned to Old Trafford. Long may it contiue.

 

[George The Best]

Developing talented youth players and bringing them through early. We’ve neglected this for a while whilst spending large in the transfer markets. Now got a crop of a few coming through. To me the ‘Manchester United Way’ was really about our cavalier approach to the game. Strong defences but the mantra was always attack, attack and attack. The philosophy back in the day was that if the opposition scored 4 we would score 5. We were once the football equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters, and entertaining stuff it was too.

 

[3KDré]

1. Winning
2. Good football
3. Youth

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Five Basic Principles:

1. Attack, Attack, Attack!!! ~ Not necessarily attacking football, counter-attacking football will do. Busby perhaps is more onto attacking football, while Fergie varies but more onto counter-attacking, then attacking, and tactical defensive.

2. Youth (including young players not from our youth) ~ Busby started this bold and brave decisions, and prove that idea can works. Fergie later on prove this again. "You win nothing with kids" are bs.

3. Entertainment ~ always try to play good football, entertain the fans. Have fun while winning.

4. Winning ~ Top effort, Top morale, give it your all, seriously give it everything you've got, until the final whistle. Fergie Time! Play for the shirt! Be responsible. Dare to challenge, and aim to win everything. You score one, we'll score two, five? then we'll hit six, etc. This also meant "quick revive" i.e. clawing back to the top when you're down eg. we know what happened to the Busby Babes, then after a few years, United get back to the top quickly. Similarly during SAF years, it doesn't take too many seasons for rebuild to win another championship and of course his famed comeback games.

5. Class ~ there are some sense of humbleness, eg. in terms of giving back and being in good relationship with the community of fans and people in general, part of why there are the many community philanthropic/charity projects, and how the club overall should behave eg. both Busby and SAF also emphasize on the players to not be over arrogance, too disrespectful to opponents eg. showboating during matches, over boast, making all kinds of excuses, or the club shouldn't act in arrogant manner like how Real tend to do, etc. Doesn't always work mind, but hey it's there. Fergie does have certain level of acceptable arrogance, which you need as it's useful if you want to win stuffs.


That's how I see and understand this "United Way". It isn't difficult.

When just one of those five is lacking, the whole United squad (and manager) felt off.

Fergie era does have certain seasons lacking some of those eg. in later seasons, 3 is questionably missing, the "zombie passing".
Moyes lacks 3, 4 and 5.
LVG lacks 3, 4 and 5.
Mou lacks 1, 3 and 5 (also 4 for final season). His first season 16/17 actually have all imo, no problem at all, fun season.
Ole lacks 4 hugely but then this is more on to the players, can Ole drill them well?​