The Positive Thread (warning - no reactionary posts here)

[united_99]

We had a bad night, then lost on penalities, some people need to get over it. It happens in football. Our squad does lack depth, by not making subs Ole was sending a message to the Glazers that we need more players, and we do.

I would prefer if he sent the message to the Glazers in person, per email or on the phone instead of making extremely late subs against Sevilla and Villarreal!

But I agree with the overall point. It’s not just about yesterday’s game. If we had quality options (not teenagers) on the bench for most of our games, Rashford and Bruno especially might not be completely tired by now.

Of course it didn’t help when Ole plays them in games he didn’t need to (Real Sociedad 2nd leg), but in the first half of the season Martial was bad/suspended, Cavani got his fitness late, Pogba was injured and had covid and Greenwood was out of form. In that period we literally relied on Rashford and Bruno to carry us and play 90 mins every 3 days. This should not happen again.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Positives:
- Greenwood will be even better next year and another year under Cavanis wing will be invaluable
- The players who started yesterday have played A LOT of football and are obviously exhausted. They are not half as bad as they looked yesterday
- Both the squad and the "average starting XI" is the youngest in the league, meanwhile both City and Liverpool have a pretty aging group of players and are due a transition very soon. For example Salah, Mane and Van Dijk are getting dangerously close to 30 and regarding the latter its no guarantee hes going to be as good as he was considering the nature of his injury. Chelsea spent an absolute fortune last summer and i cant imagine they can spend big this summer without breaking the rules
- Not going to claim that losing a final is better than winning it, but its still an important experience and if you manage to channel all those emotions into something productive you can come back stronger
- Sancho and/or Grealish is going to completely change us.

All good points.

 

[always_hoping]

Got over the habit of losing semi finals. Comfortably qualified for the Champions league for only the 2nd time in 8 years.

 

[cyril C]

It's a game of chicken though isn't it. You can't just stand still for them all.

As they say, a broken clock is right twice in a day. As long as I can stomach the shot, I can block 2 shots. A professional keeper won't do that of course, which is all about guessing game, left, right, or middle.

I suspect the goal-line ref has an impact on PK, as keeper can't jump out and pre-start the blocking sequent, I notice both keepers, while guessing right, failed to block OFF any. We should see more of this during Euro, perhaps PK taking strategy has been changed - accurate is more important than power, even if keeper make the right guess.

 

[Augustus Gloop]

I think we’ve taken a significant step forward this season and I’m buzzing for next.

The progress we made after the most shocking start imaginable is immeasurable - unbeaten away, finishing in the top two by some distance (I’m gonna forget the collapse at the end), some really scintillating walloping of teams.

I think the real negatives this season have been isolated incidents (the start of the season aside). The cup exit to Leicester, Leipzig away and the euro final. I’d probably shove the home defeat to Sheffield United in there as well.

But these cracks can be addressed. Surely we won’t make as bad a start next season? (I’ll refrain from saying we “won’t” as to no jinx us) And I think there will be a huge desire from the core group of players to right some wrongs. None of the players, or us for that matter, want to endure the feeling of that euro loss again next season.

While I’m excited for a few of the youngsters to emerge next season (Hannibal looks class) we do need probably two new first eleven players minimum.

Im not that hyped on Sancho but that’s because I don’t watch England or Dortmund. But if we can get a top class CB, and one of McGinn or Grealish, I think we’d be well on our way. Aye, perhaps Sancho is just what we need but I’m not gonna rave about someone I’m not that familiar with.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

But these cracks can be addressed.

Hopefully, yes.

My biggest concern is that we keep seeing "cracks" that were there two years ago.

Is that a question of personnel or a question of coaching?

Might be a bit of both - but at any rate, it has to be fixed.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We’ve got some really exciting young players who could be knocking on the door for first team minutes next season. Amad & Hannibal in particular.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

The kids, yes - absolutely.

We might have something there with several of 'em.

(Pessimistic mode): I've said that before.

But - feck pessimistic mode. I really like the look of Amad, for one thing. He's raw but doesn't look too far off.

 

[Al Capone]

And thats a positive how ?

Has proven he's capable of winning titles in England and abroad, tactically not inept like ole either. Objectively, he would have not failed where ole has (psg and villareal)

 

[Al Capone]

Give over, he’d last a season at most at United. He quits when he doesn’t get the resources

I'm not contes biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination but given Oles blunders, namely psg and villareal, I think conte would fair better in both those games. Objectively, given the same team/resources I feel conte would have gotten us further in champs league and also ran city closer than we did. But that's how bad I'm. Feeling that even though contes no long term replacement, right now I'd trust him to take us to the next level rather than conte :-(