Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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25 million for a goal scorer when your biggest problem is defensive midfield. I guess the hope is to outscore the opposition-- Juve learned the hard way
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 3:20 pm
mcal wrote: Thu Aug 26, 2021 4:55 pm
...Van der Beck has not razzled nor dazzled in the few times he has played. Too much competition, even Varen may find it hard if Lindelof start playing well.
Key words - few times.
How can he dazzle when he doesn't get a good run in the first place.
...problem with some coaches, they don't have the luxury to wait when they have a proven player.
There is a match to be won, every hesitation could be a plus or minus.
Example, see what happened at their match vs Southampton, where Martial was played, a proven player like Greenwood was played out of position.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Quoting the Athletic paysite
When news filtered through on Thursday evening that, to Manchester United’s horror, Cristiano Ronaldo really had agreed to join Manchester City, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke with his inner circle and knew United had to act.

Solskjaer recognised that beyond the playing aspects for Pep Guardiola’s side across town, seeing Ronaldo pull on the blue shirt of City would have wider consequences for United. To allow a legendary United figure to turn out for their local rivals without a fight would damage the club in the eyes of current players, potential recruits, and supporters. Conversely, Solskjaer pictured the benefits re-signing Ronaldo could bring to his squad, one of the youngest in the Premier League, with his ultra-professionalism and elite pedigree.

Solskjaer placed a call to chief executive Ed Woodward with one aim — he wanted to know if United could do the deal instead. It was a quick conversation. Woodward agreed instantly and set about negotiating with Ronaldo’s Italian club, Juventus.

Meanwhile, the network of past United players and even their iconic former manager Sir Alex Ferguson went to work on Ronaldo himself. Ferguson is described by multiple sources as playing a “major role” over the 24 hours, phoning Ronaldo and using his good relationship with Jorge Mendes, the superagent, to aid United’s cause.

Rio Ferdinand is another who stepped in heavily, almost acting as a broker on behalf of United. Ferdinand had a passionate conversation with long-time United team-mate Ronaldo, who was genuinely inquisitive about the impact moving to City might have on his United legacy. Ferdinand was firm in counselling Ronaldo over the hurt seeing him joining City might cause, set against the joy that returning to Old Trafford would bring him and United fans.

Ferdinand is also close to Woodward and made sure United were informed over the financial details. He was still up at 1.30am, sending messages to get the deal moving.

In provocative social media updates on Friday afternoon, sunglasses shielded the bags under his eyes.

At the same time, Bruno Fernandes pressed his Portugal team-mate, Patrice Evra exchanged voice notes with him on WhatsApp, and Solskjaer, who was still a senior player at United when Ronaldo first joined the club as a teenager in 2003, personally intervened too. It was an avalanche of affection.

By 1.15pm on Friday, when Solskjaer performed his media duties ahead of this weekend’s game against Wolves, it was clear that United felt their charm offensive had worked.

It is believed Ronaldo had given his word he was signing up for a second spell by 10.30 that morning.

The Athletic had at that stage been informed United were making a late play and asked Solskjaer at his press conference about the prospect of beating City to the punch. His response was effusive: “Cristiano is a legend of this club. The greatest player of all time, if you ask me. I was fortunate enough to play with him. I coached him when I got my job (on the United staff).

“Let’s see what happens with Cristiano. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him. We’ve always had good communication. Bruno has been talking to him. He knows what we feel about him. If he was ever going to move away from Juventus, he knows we’re here.”

Solskjaer’s eyes danced as he spoke, a sign of anticipation.

United worked quickly. At 4.53pm, the announcement came that the sensational deal was done. It has come at a cost of an initial €15 million with €8 million in add-ons, with Ronaldo poised to sign a two-year contract.

For over a year now, Ronaldo has not been content with life at Juventus.

The Athletic reported earlier this year that he had in fact been offered to Paris Saint-Germain during last summer’s transfer window. PSG declined that approach, partly because much of their attention even then was focused on preparing a package to tempt Lionel Messi away from Barcelona, as the Argentinian briefly appeared to be available, but also because their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is not as close to Mendes as he had been in the early days of Qatari rule at the Parc des Princes.

This summer, Ronaldo’s future has appeared uncertain.

On the surface, it seemed he may remain in Turin. After Lyon eliminated Juventus in the Champions League last-16 just over a year ago, club chairman Andrea Agnelli described Ronaldo as a “pillar of Juventus” and suggested any links to PSG were “mischief” on the part of journalists. Then, on July 7 this year, Agnelli presented his new executive team and again insisted there had been no indication from Ronaldo that he wished to leave.

Agnelli said: “There hasn’t been any signal on his part or that of Juventus. We’re really happy with Cristiano and as soon as he’s finished his deserved (post-European Championship) rest he’ll join up with that team for pre-season.” Ronaldo did as Agnelli suggested he would, reporting for his pre-season medical on July 26, which led to cautious optimism he would remain.

However, following PSG’s free-agent signing of his great rival Messi on August 10, speculation intensified over Ronaldo’s future.

Ten days ago, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti took the unusual step of writing on Twitter that he had not considered bringing the player back to the Bernabeu this summer. Ronaldo then wrote on his own social media, stating his unhappiness with the manner in which he felt his name was being “played around” in the media during this transfer window.

The Athletic has learned that, shortly before these two statements, Ancelotti was made aware that Ronaldo would be open to a return to Madrid, the club he left for Juventus in 2018, and the player’s entourage were eager for him to press club president Florentino Perez into agreeing a dramatic return.

Ronaldo’s biggest appreciation was the way his former manager chose him over fellow United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy following their training ground bust-up in 2005. His compassion after Ronaldo’s father died when the player was just 20 also left a lasting bond.

United’s first call to Ronaldo came late on Thursday night and Ferguson was a “decisive factor”. He has advocated United re-signing Ronaldo since he retired as manager after the 2012-13 season, with the most recent push coming two years ago. Ferguson pressed Solskjaer to make a move for Ronaldo, who was then having difficulties at Juventus under new manager Maurizio Sarri.

Ferguson has seen wishes for United to sign other players go unfulfilled but was not about to let this opportunity go by.

On Thursday he called members of United’s board and also Mendes, with whom he shared a healthy respect, to ensure United were doing everything possible. Sources say “all hell would have broken loose” if United had missed out again.

Former United players rallied round too, and word seeped out. It was no coincidence that Derby County manager Wayne Rooney spoke so strongly that evening against ex-strike partner Ronaldo joining crosstown rivals City.

Woodward negotiated with Agnelli, the pair having grown closer during the planning for the mooted Super League scrapped this spring, and they worked swiftly to a resolution. From a United perspective, the process was smooth and efficient, and Ronaldo will even be on lower wages than he was being paid in Turin.

The United squad are ecstatic at Ronaldo’s arrival. There is a belief he can change the dynamic of the dressing room with his fastidious approach and peerless trophy collection. “He will up the levels,” says a source close to the players. “He’s like Mr Miyagi in The Karate Kid — an expert of his craft. As a young lad, you will be in awe.”

An industry insider said United had to act to stop Ronaldo going to City. “The Glazers went and signed Tom Brady for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (last summer) and won the Super Bowl (in the legendary quarterback’s debut season). As Man United’s owners, you have to be shown to be putting respect on the club’s name — ‘We are competitive, we’re not letting him go there’.”

There may be collateral. Those with knowledge of the football business believe the relationship between Mendes and City will be impaired by this bruising episode.

Conversely, United were internally worried about Ronaldo going to the Etihad from a legacy perspective. They might have been forced to airbrush him from the club’s history in some ways were he to have made waves on the other side of Manchester.

United believe that even at 36, and turning 37 in February, Ronaldo can have a real impact for them on the pitch. There are doubts about Cavani’s availability this season due to his insistence on playing for Uruguay, who have World Cup qualifiers next month and in October and November, and the COVID-19 quarantine on returning to the UK that those trips to South America would currently entail, while Anthony Martial was once more an ineffective presence up front in last weekend’s draw with Southampton.

Ronaldo, with his phenomenal aerial ability, is viewed as providing Solskjaer with an asset in either box and United believe he has many more years at the top level despite his age.

It is a homecoming to cherish for United fans but club sources say this transfer is not about reliving the past.

They want to forge new memories.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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I hope it works well. Ole may have problems keeping his squad happy. Pogba will not like sharing the limelight with CR7!
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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wanaj0 wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:12 am I hope it works well. Ole may have problems keeping his squad happy. Pogba will not like sharing the limelight with CR7!
...I think he has learned his lesson from his bigmanism or shenanigan after Alexis arrived. Then Fenandes.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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theYemster wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:01 am Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.

I dont care much for Messi v Ronaldo, but going to PSG for the specific purpose of winning the CL for them is one of the greatest challenges in football this season.
"it is better to be excited now and disappointed later, than it is to be disappointed now and later." - Marcus Aurelius, 178AD
metalalloy wrote: Does the SE have Gray, Mahrez or Albrighton on our team or players of their caliber?
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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danfo driver wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:20 pm
theYemster wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:01 am Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.

I dont care much for Messi v Ronaldo, but going to PSG for the specific purpose of winning the CL for them is one of the greatest challenges in football this season.
Joining a consistent q/s final CL team loaded with Neymar, Mbappe, Ramos and DiMaria isn't a great challenge.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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theYemster wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:01 am Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.
He didn't join United for the challenge, if anything he ran away from the challenge at Juventus. He wanted PSG too, Mendes basically had to create a market for him in order for this transfer to happen.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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United bought Ronaldo due to commercial reasons, not footballing reasons, the only positives i can think of is he might make other players raise their game, united current issue is in central midfield and it seems Fred/ Mctom combo is not working, this means using Pogba in a double pivot taking away his ball playing abilities, assists and what not, Ronaldo will not solve that issue, we just have to keep on outscoring our opponents, then we have OGS who is useless as a coach, hope it really works out for us this season
So angry Nigeria got kicked out of the world cup once again, i nearly told my wife that i caught my girlfriend with another man today!

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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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...there will be a lot of teeth gnashing if things don't go well.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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danfo driver wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 4:31 pm 25 million for a goal scorer when your biggest problem is defensive midfield. I guess the hope is to outscore the opposition-- Juve learned the hard way

Is defensive midfield the real problem, or just the tactics and the set up in some key games.

What exactly is the problem with defensive midfield.
Fred is not actually as bad a player as many seem to suggest now.

Thing is this United under Ole is an enigma to me, and most of the times i think it has to do with Ole himself and his team of assistants
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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theYemster wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:01 am Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.
CR7 is better than Messi. Messi collects those personal accolades because I suspect he has a more likable personality. Out those Messi's awards one should have gone to Xavi and one to Iniesta. The higher the challenge the taller CR7 stands.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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joplass wrote: Tue Sep 07, 2021 6:31 pm
theYemster wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:01 am Yet another reason why I feel Ronaldo is greater than Messi. He welcomes challenges while Messi prefers comfort. Had Messi gone to the EPL he likely would've joined City.
CR7 is better than Messi. Messi collects those personal accolades because I suspect he has a more likable personality. Out those Messi's awards one should have gone to Xavi and one to Iniesta. The higher the challenge the taller CR7 stands.
Where are all the Man U fans???
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:02 pm
danfo driver wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 4:31 pm 25 million for a goal scorer when your biggest problem is defensive midfield. I guess the hope is to outscore the opposition-- Juve learned the hard way

Is defensive midfield the real problem, or just the tactics and the set up in some key games.

What exactly is the problem with defensive midfield.
Fred is not actually as bad a player as many seem to suggest now.

Thing is this United under Ole is an enigma to me, and most of the times i think it has to do with Ole himself and his team of assistants

Fred is NOT a defensive midfielder. Has never been. He is being forced to do work that he has no clue about.
"it is better to be excited now and disappointed later, than it is to be disappointed now and later." - Marcus Aurelius, 178AD
metalalloy wrote: Does the SE have Gray, Mahrez or Albrighton on our team or players of their caliber?
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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mcal wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:39 am
benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.
Don't mind him, they only come out whenever it's time to point fingers. I'm surprised Marko hasn't rushed here to gun down the coach.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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mcal wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:39 am
benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.

I'm talking about general sentiment amongst the United fans, it's not only about those two individual errors, there's a lot more that fans are blaming him for last night.
There is a good reason why many here are still not confident even when the team has produced some big wins so far this season, they know something like that is always around the corner :laugh:
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 11:06 am
mcal wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:39 am
benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.

I'm talking about general sentiment amongst the United fans, it's not only about those two individual errors, there's a lot more that fans are blaming him for last night.
There is a good reason why many here are still not confident even when the team has produced some big wins so far this season, they know something like that is always around the corner :laugh:
...well 'general sentiment' has always been around for him or any coach (including our SE Rohr :) ), win, lose or draw.
The yesterday match was specific in that blame lay on the players.
A star studded team like that don't collapse because they were playing a man down.
YB smell blood and pounced, playing them half field the rest of the game.
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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danfo driver wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 4:31 pm 25 million for a goal scorer when your biggest problem is defensive midfield. I guess the hope is to outscore the opposition-- Juve learned the hard way

You guys still want a defensive midfielder? Or you are still hanging your hat on a 37 year old scoring 80 goals this season?
"it is better to be excited now and disappointed later, than it is to be disappointed now and later." - Marcus Aurelius, 178AD
metalalloy wrote: Does the SE have Gray, Mahrez or Albrighton on our team or players of their caliber?
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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mcal wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:39 am
benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.
Did Chelsea go to Liverpool, get a red card and leave Anfield unscathed? Ordinar Young Boys and you are blaming a red card :rotf: :rotf:

Most of you are the problem with your club's woes. Continue to tolerate mediocrity, na your kpalanga be that. :oops:
"it is better to be excited now and disappointed later, than it is to be disappointed now and later." - Marcus Aurelius, 178AD
metalalloy wrote: Does the SE have Gray, Mahrez or Albrighton on our team or players of their caliber?
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Re: Manchester United - News, Developments & Season

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benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 11:06 am
mcal wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:39 am
benteke wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:23 am I think Ole might have lost himself a whole lot of United fans yesterday, it will take a lot for him to win back support.
...so you blaming the coach for Wan Basaka's red card, and Lingard's no look back pass.

I'm talking about general sentiment amongst the United fans, it's not only about those two individual errors, there's a lot more that fans are blaming him for last night.
There is a good reason why many here are still not confident even when the team has produced some big wins so far this season, they know something like that is always around the corner :laugh:

Bro, stop making excuses! YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT! Dont let losers make you feel bad for wanting to win! Can you imagine?? Do NOT explain sh111t to them! Chelsea went to Anfield, got a red card and they fought Liverpool. These ones want to blame a red card when they have spend half a billion and cannot even draw against a bunch of young boys. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: fooking loser mentality!
"it is better to be excited now and disappointed later, than it is to be disappointed now and later." - Marcus Aurelius, 178AD
metalalloy wrote: Does the SE have Gray, Mahrez or Albrighton on our team or players of their caliber?

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