Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by benteke »

kajifu wrote:@Benteke what your take on top 4?Do you see Manu sneak into top 4?This mid week game will tell a lot as the table for top 4 might change..Hope Liverpool don't allow Chelsea to win tomorrow.
As we speak it's open season, but Manchester United just has to win on Wednesday and on Sunday, period.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by wiseone »

Right now Man Utd has only one DM in the squad who can sprint (Andrew Smith). The rest (Carras, Schweini, Danny Blind's son) are not exactly Usain Bolt when it comes to pace.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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The door has been left open after yesterday's games, arise sir Pogba, we need Carrick or Bastian. We need top 4 now now.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by kajifu »

benteke wrote:The door has been left open after yesterday's games, arise sir Pogba, we need Carrick or Bastian. We need top 4 now now.
Top 4 has been open and weekend game just blow it open with Chelsea vs Arsenal
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by wiseone »

Ah yes. You have reminded me of the vintage injury crises of the LVG era where Man Utd spent most of last season with 15-17 players injured simultaneously. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=269390&hilit=injury&start=0

They had more players injured than they had in the first team. It got so bad that the reserve and youth team players called up as replacements would themselves end up injured. Who can forget the sight of a Man Utd "back 4" of Varela-Blind-Carrick-Young. Wingers playing at FB, CMs playing at CD, LBs playing at CD. Ah the joy of it.

I recall when they played FC Midtjylland (Rashford's debut - 11 months ago), Man Utd had 14 players injured (as usual). They started that game with their FIFTH choice left back (Joe Riley - who is actually a midfielder, but never mind) and fourth choice right back! (Varela) :shock: In fact, they had seven injured defenders alone (not counting the other seven injured players): Smalling, Jones, Darmian, Valencia, Shaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Young.

They had six players aged 23 or under: Guillermo Varela (aged 22), Regan Poole (17), Joe Riley (19), Andreas Pereira (20), Rashford (18), Depay (21). 23 year old Jesse Lingard looked like an "old man" alongside them!

That kind of season long injury madness needs explanation/investigation. I wonder whether LVG ordered the team to conduct training sessions while carrying swords and spears. The only silver lining to that injury crisis was that it opened the first team door to Rashford.
YemiBrazil wrote: I won't read too much into the fitness record of any of United's players under LVG. That man took United as a retirement job and was simply too laid back.
Mourinho has been working on this and the results are showing. Look at Jones and Rojo especially.

United had suffered 15 muscular injuries by this point last season - this term it is just 12. And on average, by the end of January in the last five seasons, United had lost players for 377.2 days to muscular complaints while this time around it is just 175. (The Daily Mail)

Mourinho quietly made changes to United's training complex and methods. he has softened training pitches while tailoring rest, recovery and practices to individual players. Michael Carrick and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have a combined age of 70 but their fitness records have been good so far, helped in no small part by their extended periods focused purely on recovery.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

:boo:

Week 23
Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Pool all drop points
City win

United draw 0-0 to bottom of the table Hull

AFCON 2024 L-O-S-E-R-S

They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

Week 1 - 1st
Week 2 - 2nd
Week 3 - 3rd
Week 4 - 4th
Week 5 - 7th
Week 6 - 6th
Week 7 - 6th
Week 8 - 7th
Week 9 - 8th
Week 10 - 8th
Week 11 - 6th
Week 12 - 6th
Week 13 - 6th
Week 14 - 6th
Week 15 - 6th
Week 16 - 6th
Week 17 - 6th
Week 18 - 6th
Week 19 - 6th
Week 20 - 6th
Week 21 - 6th
Week 22 - 6th
Week 23 - 6th.

AFCON 2024 L-O-S-E-R-S

They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by kajifu »

tfco wrote:Week 1 - 1st
Week 2 - 2nd
Week 3 - 3rd
Week 4 - 4th
Week 5 - 7th
Week 6 - 6th
Week 7 - 6th
Week 8 - 7th
Week 9 - 8th
Week 10 - 8th
Week 11 - 6th
Week 12 - 6th
Week 13 - 6th
Week 14 - 6th
Week 15 - 6th
Week 16 - 6th
Week 17 - 6th
Week 18 - 6th
Week 19 - 6th
Week 20 - 6th
Week 21 - 6th
Week 22 - 6th
Week 23 - 6th.
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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My goodness that was a shockingly bad performance. Big missed opportunity after Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, and Liverpool dropped points. Even playing a poor toothless team doomed for relegation (who just sold their best player), Man Utd still could not win. A few other things:

1) Do Pogba and Zlatan have clauses in their contracts saying they can never be subbed off - no matter how badly they play?

2) Zlatan is strong and still has a world class finish in him - even at age 35. However he has the off the ball mobility of a statue. Man Utd badly need a striker with pace and off the ball movement. Zlatan also has an infuriating habit of trying the most difficult thing in every situation. He does not pressurise defenders or try to win back possession either. There was a comical moment where he lost possession (again) and instead of chasing the Hull player to try and win the ball back, he turned his back on the play and headed in the opposite direction. As if to say "nah - regaining possession ain't my job".

3) Is Hull's Oumar Niasse part of a special government amnesty programme giving him immunity from red cards. While already on a yellow, he should have been sent off for a shocking studs up horror "challenge" where he stamped on Carrick's knee. That was in the first half! Then to compound matters, he escaped a red card again after another terrifying studs up knee high assault on Blind in the 2nd half. The Hull manager subbed him off after that one to save him from himself before he did something serious enough to land in prison. He could have been sent off 3 times in one match!
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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wiseone wrote:Ah yes. You have reminded me of the vintage injury crises of the LVG era where Man Utd spent most of last season with 15-17 players injured simultaneously. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=269390&hilit=injury&start=0

They had more players injured than they had in the first team. It got so bad that the reserve and youth team players called up as replacements would themselves end up injured. Who can forget the sight of a Man Utd "back 4" of Varela-Blind-Carrick-Young. Wingers playing at FB, CMs playing at CD, LBs playing at CD. Ah the joy of it.

I recall when they played FC Midtjylland (Rashford's debut - 11 months ago), Man Utd had 14 players injured (as usual). They started that game with their FIFTH choice left back (Joe Riley - who is actually a midfielder, but never mind) and fourth choice right back! (Varela) :shock: In fact, they had seven injured defenders alone (not counting the other seven injured players): Smalling, Jones, Darmian, Valencia, Shaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Young.

They had six players aged 23 or under: Guillermo Varela (aged 22), Regan Poole (17), Joe Riley (19), Andreas Pereira (20), Rashford (18), Depay (21). 23 year old Jesse Lingard looked like an "old man" alongside them!

That kind of season long injury madness needs explanation/investigation. I wonder whether LVG ordered the team to conduct training sessions while carrying swords and spears. The only silver lining to that injury crisis was that it opened the first team door to Rashford.
YemiBrazil wrote: I won't read too much into the fitness record of any of United's players under LVG. That man took United as a retirement job and was simply too laid back.
Mourinho has been working on this and the results are showing. Look at Jones and Rojo especially.

United had suffered 15 muscular injuries by this point last season - this term it is just 12. And on average, by the end of January in the last five seasons, United had lost players for 377.2 days to muscular complaints while this time around it is just 175. (The Daily Mail)

Mourinho quietly made changes to United's training complex and methods. he has softened training pitches while tailoring rest, recovery and practices to individual players. Michael Carrick and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have a combined age of 70 but their fitness records have been good so far, helped in no small part by their extended periods focused purely on recovery.

And then you will hear the argument/excuse that top 4 is harder to attain this season because the league is tougher.
But this season Manchester United squad is at its strongest and fittest since Fergie retired, almost all the players are always available, unlike last season.

Then you have the top teams all dropping points on a day like Tuesday leaving the door wide open for Manchester United to cut the points deficit by winning a straightforward home game, it doesnt get easier than this, and they blow the chance.
But well, it will have to be done the hard way or via Europa Cup :biggrin:

indeed LVG is to blame for the injuries last season, but for his team to end the season on level points with City after that extraordinary injury list was not a bad effort.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

:shock: :shock:
..and in that same vein i am sure we and Chelsea share the record for longest stretch being stuck at the same league position

AFCON 2024 L-O-S-E-R-S

They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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tfco wrote::shock: :shock:
..and in that same vein i am sure we and Chelsea share the record for longest stretch being stuck at the same league position
imagine if we were not drawing at home to small teams

*wow, Mourinho's Man United already has 9 draws after 23 League games. Thats joint highest draws this season
Last season it was 9 draws over 38 league games.

Draws are what is killing Mourinho's progress and also keeping the team at no.6
All due to not finishing chances.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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IMHO the draws against big(ger) teams (Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton) did more damage. Man Utd dominated those games and conceded a last minute goal against Everton and a goal 2 minutes from time against Arsenal.

That should have been 6 more invaluable points.

Another issue is the lack of goals by anyone not called Zlatan. After him the next top EPL scorer is Mata on 4 goals. That is awful.

benteke wrote:
imagine if we were not drawing at home to small teams

*wow, Mourinho's Man United already has 9 draws after 23 League games. Thats joint highest draws this season
Last season it was 9 draws over 38 league games.

Draws are what is killing Mourinho's progress and also keeping the team at no.6
All due to not finishing chances.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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...small teams always rise to the occasion vs big boys.
Underrate them at your own peril.
Watch how this small team, Hull, will get demolished by another small team.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Griezmann has allegedly agreed to join Man Utd for 85 million (according to the Guardian) or 100 million (according to Canal+). I do not believe it. Why would he leave a club that has played in 2 champions league finals in 3 years to join a team that is stuck in 6th and that has not even qualified for the CL in 2 of the last 3 seasons? Even if he joins, no guarantee he would not go the Di Maria or Pogba route.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... d-transfer
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

this fallacy of players not going to a non-CL team.

Is it ever backed with facts.

Did it stop Chelsea or Pool from attracting players last summer?

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They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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tfco wrote:this fallacy of players not going to a non-CL team.

Is it ever backed with facts.

Did it stop Chelsea or Pool from attracting players last summer?
KPOM CL appearance is desirable but impact on a huge team like Man United is overrated. They can always get any player they really want, outside of certain players from other superpower teams in Europe, but they are not known to be typically reckless with spendings because they always plan player succession well ahead of time. They do make emphatic statement in the transfer market once in a while.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

Week 1 - 1st
Week 2 - 2nd
Week 3 - 3rd
Week 4 - 4th
Week 5 - 7th
Week 6 - 6th
Week 7 - 6th
Week 8 - 7th
Week 9 - 8th
Week 10 - 8th
Week 11 - 6th
Week 12 - 6th
Week 13 - 6th
Week 14 - 6th
Week 15 - 6th
Week 16 - 6th
Week 17 - 6th
Week 18 - 6th
Week 19 - 6th
Week 20 - 6th
Week 21 - 6th [4 points from 4th; 5 points from 2nd]
Week 22 - 6th [4 points from 4th; 6 points from 2nd]
Week 23 - 6th [4 points from 4th; 5 points from 2nd]
Week 24 - 6th [2 points from 4th; 5 points from 2nd].
Last edited by tfco on Sun Feb 05, 2017 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

Post by tfco »

next weekend

Pool v Spurs
United v Watford

WE have to win, we have to win.

AFCON 2024 L-O-S-E-R-S

They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Let's actually look at the players that Liverpool and Chelsea "attracted".

Liverpool's signings were from Red Star Belgrade, Schalke, Mainz, Southampton, Augbsurg, Newcastle, and unattached.

Chelsea's players were signed from FCB Escola Varsovia, Ipswich, Dinamo Zagreb, Ajax, Marseille, Leicester, Fiorentina, PSG.

Ah yes, players (including the unemployed ones) signed for Liverpool and Chelsea because they knew they would not miss the Champions League football they enjoyed with Augsburg, Ipswich, and Newcastle.

Signings from 14 clubs: only 3 of whom are CL regulars. Particularly bad example.

Strangely enough, when CR7 left Man Utd, he did not express a desire to play his trade for Augsburg (since the lack of CL football would not have bothered him).
tfco wrote:this fallacy of players not going to a non-CL team.

Is it ever backed with facts.

Did it stop Chelsea or Pool from attracting players last summer?
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Yes they can get anyone they want apart from Renato Sanches, Kroos, Neymar, Hummels, Mueller, Vidal, Mane, Gundogan, Bale, CR7, Sergio Ramos and a host of other players that Man Utd tried and failed to sign in the last 2 years.

Instead they ended up with players like Fellaini, Depay, Rojo, Schneiderlin, and the 35 yo version of Zlatan.

Man Utd used to be prudent in the transfer market. The post-Ferguson era has seen an utter absence of transfer restraint, and little forward planning other than throwing money around to see what happens. Man Utd have broken the club's transfer record 3 times in the last 2 years (including a world record transfer fee, and a British record transfer fee).

...and it was my claims that were not "ever backed by facts".

YemiBrazil wrote:
KPOM CL appearance is desirable but impact on a huge team like Man United is overrated. They can always get any player they really want, outside of certain players from other superpower teams in Europe, but they are not known to be typically reckless with spendings because they always plan player succession well ahead of time. They do make emphatic statement in the transfer market once in a while.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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wiseone wrote:Yes they can get anyone they want apart from Renato Sanches, Kroos, Neymar, Hummels, Mueller, Vidal, Mane, Gundogan, Bale, CR7, Sergio Ramos and a host of other players that Man Utd tried and failed to sign in the last 2 years.

Instead they ended up with players like Fellaini, Depay, Rojo, Schneiderlin, and the 35 yo version of Zlatan.

Man Utd used to be prudent in the transfer market. The post-Ferguson era has seen an utter absence of transfer restraint, and little forward planning other than throwing money around to see what happens. Man Utd have broken the club's transfer record 3 times in the last 2 years (including a world record transfer fee, and a British record transfer fee).

...and it was my claims that were not "ever backed by facts".

YemiBrazil wrote:
KPOM CL appearance is desirable but impact on a huge team like Man United is overrated. They can always get any player they really want, outside of certain players from other superpower teams in Europe, but they are not known to be typically reckless with spendings because they always plan player succession well ahead of time. They do make emphatic statement in the transfer market once in a while.
You missed the key word 'typically' and you somehow found a way to forget names like Pogba, Mata, Mikhi, Bailly and Di Maria on your list.
CRon example is irrelevant. Real Madrid was his childhood dream which he made clear from Day 1 and that's why he left a highly successful United at that point.
Again, this is business - if United had truly wanted some of those names it would have happened. There is a difference between media speculations planted by agents and actual transfer enquiry and negotiations. Mourinho identified 4 targets and got them all, it was not an accident.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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tfco wrote:next weekend

Pool v Spurs
United v Watford

WE have to win, we have to win.
The top 4 door has been left ajar.
We must sneak in unnoticed.

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