The 'Let's be Positive Thread'

Falcow

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That's the side that was blowing teams out of the water after the restart. The problem with it at the moment is that neither Martial or Pogba look anywhere near fit. And Matic hasn't got the legs to do 2 players running.

We'll come back sharper after the internationals no doubt and can hopefully kick start our season.

There isn't a top 6 side that hasn't lost a game yet so we're only 1 result behind as long as we win that game in hand.
Yes that is a huge positive in fairness and it's all to play for yet. Sunday proved that liverpool are as shit as the rest if missing one of their core group. I have said numerous times on here in other threads that they would struggle if VVD got injured, seems the same applies to Alison.

As for blowing teams out of the water after the restart.....hmm, not so sure, we certainly blew Bournemouth, Brighton, Villa out of the water and maybe one or two other relegation sides but the last 6 or 7 matches we struggled, performances were poor and I feel that maybe there were signs there which worries me.

Some players now look way off the pace, Pogba and Maguire in particular but if that's the case, why is Ole picking them? Pogba in particular, just play Fred who I bet is as fit as a fiddle. Martial played for France recently and looked very sharp so why does he now look unfit.

Anyway, all to play for but we need to get our shit together asap.
 

FatherWolff

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I wanted Sancho as much as anyone. But when the dust has settled, I’m happy we didn’t pay 50 millions over the bar for him. I’m actually excited seeing what our new signings can do! Football is crazy this year. We might even go on and win the league. Or we can have a car crash. It is impossible to read anything about anything at the moment.
 

Castia

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Bottom line for me is the squad is stronger.

Cavani is better than Ighalo, VDB is better than Andreas and Telles is better than Shaw (or at the very least a competitor for LB). We’ve added 2 young talents who won’t play every game but they’re hyped up to be 2 future stars which is pretty exciting watching them develop.

The Sancho stuff is disappointing, the board have fecked up big time but we have to move on. Imagine if these 2 youngsters start tearing it up alongside Greenwood and Rashford? I for one will be buzzing.
 

Cloud7

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I look forward to Telles attacking an extra dimension going forward rather than the nothing useful we currently get.

I think VDB will be a big player as the season goes along. I suspect that once he gets a chance to start a proper match, he won’t be losing that spot anytime soon.

Another season of progression for Greenwood, who is probably the most exciting thing at United right now.

I’m very, very excited to see what our two new wingers can do, although that seems like a while away.
 

Stacks

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I'm excited to see the young lads play. I know its unlikely but I always got annoyed when teams like Dortmund would find the Dembele's and Sancho's etc then sell them to everyone for 100m. I always wondered why we could not just get them beforehand?
 

devilish

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My positive post

GK: We finally have a true competitor for DDG. Someone who can fill the GK position for the next decade

RB: Williams is finally playing on his preferred foot + Laird is one year older. We need some solid competition for AWB.

DC: Finally everyone is seeing my POV regarding Maguire

DL: Telles is an excellent attacking full back. We finally have a modern full back.

DM: Fred and McT will have another 12 months to prove themselves that they can fill the role

MC: We've got 3 top creative CM at last

RW: In Greenwood, Traore and Pellistri we probably have the most promising trio in RW

LW: James can finally move in his natural role. Rashford will be 1 year older and wiser.

STK: We've signed a very promising kid upfront
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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We had this type of period last year and we end up finished 3rd. It’s still early and we can still turn it around like last season.
 

Bestietom

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We had this type of period last year and we end up finished 3rd. It’s still early and we can still turn it around like last season.
I agree. Ole needs to show his authority and drop the ones who are not performing and replace them with ones that will play for the badge.
 

Gambit

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We are finally beginning to look fit for the season. We have some real alternatives in attack now in our squad depth.
 

VanGaalEra

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We are finally beginning to look fit for the season. We have some real alternatives in attack now in our squad depth.
Truly believe those first few games were down to fitness levels and everyone else just being sharper than us.

Actually ridiculous we had to start the season with 80% of our team having no pre season.

Still have to add Martial, Greenwood, Cavani and Telles into that side today.

If, and it’s a big if with our tough fixtures coming up, we can go on the sort of run we had after Bruno joined us last season and with the league looking quite open, we can have a chance at putting together something quite positive in the first half of the season.
 
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Positive:
From round 25 last year, Feb 1, - This round, Oct 18, we've been the best team in PL, picking up 38 points. Liverpool has 39, but one more game, so our average is better. City with 37 points.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Positive:
From round 25 last year, Feb 1, - This round, Oct 18, we've been the best team in PL, picking up 38 points. Liverpool has 39, but one more game, so our average is better. City with 37 points.
To be fair technically after we beat City 2-0, the league was over and Liverpool started to drop points since then as they didn’t bother to win anymore and city also didn’t bother to take it seriously post lockdown. I wouldn’t try to make comparison between us and those two in those period.
 

hungrywing

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Positive: Ole made an adjustment. Well, two.

He dropped Pogba, and he made substitutions before the 86th minute. And he also seemed to do so in order to maximize Pogba.

If he does it again, this is not nothing.
 
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To be fair technically after we beat City 2-0, the league was over and Liverpool started to drop points since then as they didn’t bother to win anymore and city also didn’t bother to take it seriously post lockdown. I wouldn’t try to make comparison between us and those two in those period.
But we can all agree it's decent, and not a sackable run of form over the last 8 months?
 

Foxbatt

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Good positive result that we absolutely needed. I was always expecting us to beat newcastle.
Now we need this for the next month or so at least.
 

Crashoutcassius

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We need a good run of form fairly desperately. there is a cohort of fans that will never be happy but can't worry too much about that i guess. if we put together a genuinely good run of form into christmas then things could look up again - our squad is approaching competitive even if quality is lacking in 3-4 positions still, ddg form has shown signs of coming back, hopefully media reach saturation with the hysterics around maguire and pogba etc. possible that if traore is a success we have the 2 most promising attackers in the league playing regularly for us, learning from one of europes all time greats (cavani, not ole).
 

Web of Bissaka

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1. Captain Bruno :devil: finally!

2. Pogba rightly used as impact sub.. well only one game, hopefully more to come.
It's his best role as long as we're insisting on using 4231 and decided his only position is CDM.
 

Bestietom

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We are finally beginning to look fit for the season. We have some real alternatives in attack now in our squad depth.
With Maguire and Bailly injured, it shows how short we are of a CB. This should be priority in January.
 

Maticmaker

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Yes of course we need to be positive, especially after the Newcastle game. The worry I have is we are still not addressing the 'spine' of the team (other than keeper), we still need WC players at CB, DM and CF. Maybe we have some youngsters who will come through? Greenwood is a natural for CF as long as he behaves himself, but how long will we wait? Matic is holding on for us at DM, we always look vulnerable when he's not there, but he's running out of time himself. At CB, well anyone's guess before that gets settled, individually Maguire and Lindelof represent one half of a potential good CB pairing, but together they don't make a solid pairing, would still give Maguire the edge over Lindelof .

In terms of PL performances, overall possibly Liverpool (without VVD) may stutter, City still have some incredible players, but haven't replaced Kompany or David Silva. Spurs looked good after thumping us, but then let a 3-0 lead slip, Everton and Villa both doing well, but will it last,? Wolves lost some of their best players, Arsenal perhaps looking the most likely. We could and should be in that mix, so lets be positive!
 

Flexdegea

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Get close to our 2nd half form of last season we could challenge for the league. Honestly think 7 clubs could be with a shout.


Early days but defending and no crowds really seems to be firing up more freak results.
 

TheDoc

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Hurray! My first post and I get to be positive. Okay let's give this a try:

1) Our keeper has returned. Well the last couple of games at least, DeGea has been the match winner he used to be and even if he slips back into clumsiness and insecurity we'll still have Henderson to fall back on.

2) We have some actual depth. Compared to the team our current regime inherited, this team looks like a contender. When several of our key players are benched or out completely and we can still outclass PSG then that's definite progress.

3) Our form ever since March really. A few slip-ups of course, preseason wasn't anything resembling normal and even further from ideal so I get it, but if we get back on track to where we were last spring then we'll be competing in the top for sure.

4) Our recruitment this window. I know a lot of people will roll their eyes at this, and yeah I respect that, but I'm actually excited about this. Was never a big fan of spending everything on Sancho, don't get me wrong he's a fantastic candidate but at that price also a huge gamble, and spreading our investment over several promising prospects instead made more sense to me considering what he'd cost us. We weren't really lacking quality, our main problem was depth, and also I think our main contributors will up their efforts too now that there's more competition among the ranks (and new teammates to impress).

5) Martial's goal in Paris. That header was pure class, not the kind of goal you see often from him so he's obviously improved in that area. Now if someone could just point him over to the opposite side of the field for the next one, I think we'll profit.
 

GueRed

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we are a good counter attacking team

we have depth and variation in midfield

we finally have a full back who can put in a decent cross
 

Falcow

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Huge positive for me is the squad now compared to the start of last season:

Bruno, Telles, Cavani, Henderson, DVB, Tuanzebe (ok might have been in squad start of last season but he has played now) and of course the two young fellas.

Out went Smalling, Young, Sanchez (yes he is gone!!) Andrea's and Dalot, Jones and Romero(still here but not in squad).

That to me is huge huge progress, the first 6 players listed above are all good enough to start with little or no notable drop off in quality.

7 unwanted players out of squad, 7 quality players in, what's not to be happy about.

My bold prediction - if we have a decent season with injuries, we will win the league.
 

Lentwood

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Let's give Ole massive credit for dropping Pogba. There still appears to be this lingering idea that Ole is soft and afraid to make tough decisions. I've never believed that to be true and surely now that argument has to disappear?

It seems to me like this team is picked on merit, which is fantastic
 

El Zoido

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To go from where we were, to where we want to be, is a LONG way. It was never a case of needing a Van Dijk to complete the puzzle, and it still isn’t. But we’re undoubtedly closer than we’ve been since the great man called it a day. Ole gets so much shit, it comes with the territory of being at the biggest club in the world I suppose, but surely we cannot deny the progress we’ve made under him. So I just want to be positive about Ole, because he wants to bring this positive mentality back to Manchester United, when it feels like so many people are trying to bring him and the club down. You expect it from the media, but there’s way too much of it from our own fans.
 

Grande

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With Maguire and Bailly injured, it shows how short we are of a CB. This should be priority in January.
1. Captain Bruno :devil: finally!

2. Pogba rightly used as impact sub.. well only one game, hopefully more to come.
It's his best role as long as we're insisting on using 4231 and decided his only position is CDM.
These two question marks in early Tuesday, echoed my thoughts, and was answered in the best possible way!

If we will see a diamond-like structure with two attackers work as well as that more often, we might not miss a Sancho that much this season.
 

VanGaalEra

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A team that can rotate, rest players, remain strong and play in multiple formations!

Hope we can get our first win at OT in the PL on Sunday.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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If we win our game in hand against West Brom, it puts us 5 points behind the leaders Leicester. We've no doubt had a slow start but if we can put a run of wins together, we could be right up there around January.
 

anant

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If we win our game in hand against West Brom, it puts us 5 points behind the leaders Leicester. We've no doubt had a slow start but if we can put a run of wins together, we could be right up there around January.
Exactly, it seems like one of those seasons where a team that can have even a run of 5-6 odd wins on the trot can just take the lead at the top of the table. Just need the players to show some sort of consistency and I believe we'll enter the title fray.
 

Volumiza

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If we win our game in hand against West Brom, it puts us 5 points behind the leaders Leicester. We've no doubt had a slow start but if we can put a run of wins together, we could be right up there around January.
Absolutely! We have a good young squad, as good as it’s been for years and we’ve seen how well they can play, Ole just has to get them doing it more often and we could be right up there.
 

Gabagoo

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I don't care about results or league positions at this point. If we're not title challengers, I'm not bothered. 4th, 6th, nth, whatever.

I'm more concerned with performances and getting excited by watching us play. It's getting better, slowly.