Are we ready for the start of the season?

Escobar said:
The season starts 5 days later. There is not much time left and I doubt we will be able to make huge progress in between
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We definitely won’t make any progress per se between City and Fulham but it seems likely we’ll field a weaker against City, get bitchslapped, then field a stronger side against Fulham and maybe snake three points. If we have the run of the green on the day.
 
People who think ETH is not backed up in this market, should look at his last 2 seasons and he is lot responsible for blowing budget on a 3/4 players instead of focussing on squad building first, with 200M spent on Antony/Casemiro/Mount, we could have got proper 4/5 first team players.

I appreciate that we are trying to get good deals by playing tough but I would have liked INEOS sorting out a couple of transfers like CD/CM a bit earlier, it could have given us more time to integrate them into the first team and have a good platform for start of the season instead of looking at starting Casemiro/McTominay/Evans.

We have challenges shipping out players on bloated salaries but I hope we cut loose our loses by agreeing compensation and make sure we dont repeat these mistakes in future.
 
Really thought that first transfer window INEOS would really make a statement of intent, but It's all gone very flat and disappointing.
So many areas of our squad need desperately fixing, both incoming and outgoing, but hardly anything has been achieved.
ETH is basically fighting with the same squad again, and yet the demand will be that he delivers top 4 at least.

I think he has been hugely let down and will likely be sacked by Christmas unless a minor miracle occurs., and then we start the whole process again, of everyone being given a fresh start and another chance...
 
Few more new signings immediately needing operations and potential signings getting arrested and we’re all good.
 
lex talionis said:
We definitely won’t make any progress per se between City and Fulham but it seems likely we’ll field a weaker against City, get bitchslapped, then field a stronger side against Fulham and maybe snake three points. If we have the run of the green on the day.
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City will most likely start a relatively weak eleven, however their weak eleven is likely on par with our best.
 
A-man said:
City will most likely start a relatively weak eleven, however their weak eleven is likely on par with our best.
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It's better, because even their bench warmers are tactically well-drilled, not to mention highly technically gifted players.

They basically have two full elevens that could challenge for the title.
 
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ifightdragons said:
It's better, because even their bench warmers are tactically well-drilled, not to mention highly technically gifted players.

They basically have two full elevens that could challenge for the title.
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Agree! And what annoys me the most, even in weaker teams, every bench player seems to have a full understanding of their role meaning the team can always play to a well known plan.
 
I think we want to sign more players, but we can't. We were banking on clubs throwing money at us for our deadwood and it hasn't happened.
 
What ever happened with Amrabat??

Last i heard we were not going to sign him, but hes part of the new kit shoot and still included on the official team list on the website?
 
A-man said:
City will most likely start a relatively weak eleven, however their weak eleven is likely on par with our best.
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Whoever City field against us, it’s a certainty that we’ll be crushed. I wouldn’t put kids up against City, but we may have to. Either way I expect Shaw, Martinez, Bruno and Garnacho to start against Fulham but not against City.
 
A-man said:
Agree! And what annoys me the most, even in weaker teams, every bench player seems to have a full understanding of their role meaning the team can always play to a well known plan.
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Absolutely, it's something we haven't had since Fergie.
 
EireRed_GS said:
What ever happened with Amrabat??

Last i heard we were not going to sign him, but hes part of the new kit shoot and still included on the official team list on the website?
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Probably some intern messing up cause that. Dont read too much into that.
 
lex talionis said:
Whoever City field against us, it’s a certainty that we’ll be crushed. I wouldn’t put kids up against City, but we may have to. Either way I expect Shaw, Martinez, Bruno and Garnacho to start against Fulham but not against City.
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I'm tempted to agree with you, but it's not a certainty. We won the last game against them. And we've beaten them a few times before in the last 5 years.

Even though City are a much, much better team than us, they just happen to be vulnerable on the break, because they play such a high line in possession. And by sheer coincidence, that is literally the only type of football we can play somewhat decently. So City aren't tactically our worst type of opponents to play against, although they are technically a nightmare for us in most matches unless we press them relentlessly, like we did in the FA Cup final.

So we could very well win. But probably not, I would also bet on a City win, like you.

What is a certainty, is that over a 38-game season, City will batter us points wise, no matter if we happen to take points off them.

And that is really all that matters in the end when the league medals are handed out.
If we won 36 of our league games, we could lose both our games to City 100-0, and we'd still be the champions.

We should never judge United based on one-off games or cup runs. Anyone can beat anyone in single games, or knock-out games. And United are often hard-working and put in a shift in the cups, or in single big matches in the Prem. The only way to truly judge United, is by their points tally in the league. That's what shows true progress, because you can't fluke or counterattack your way through 38 games and win the league, like you can in a cup or in single games here and there.
 
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EireRed_GS said:
What ever happened with Amrabat??

Last i heard we were not going to sign him, but hes part of the new kit shoot and still included on the official team list on the website?
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That photo shoot was done before the FA Cup Final, last season.

Probably some intern messed up the squad info. It's happened before.
 
not even f*cking close. spurs lash out for solanke, chelsea have now spent more than £200m and we're still farting around. nothing has change, Ineos as useful as the last clowns
 
lex talionis said:
Whoever City field against us, it’s a certainty that we’ll be crushed. I wouldn’t put kids up against City, but we may have to. Either way I expect Shaw, Martinez, Bruno and Garnacho to start against Fulham but not against City.
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No it could be a really bad experience for the kids. I personally think that any starter against Fulham must get at least some minutes against City first.
 
EireRed_GS said:
What ever happened with Amrabat??

Last i heard we were not going to sign him, but hes part of the new kit shoot and still included on the official team list on the website?
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Maybe we’re hoping that if we just keep really quiet about him then Fiorentina will just forget that we have him. Like when you borrow your neighbour’s hedge trimmer
 
Ohhhhh God, not again, I feel like the players are already coming back injured and tired and we’ll be in for another season of dreadful performances.

I’ve never been less excited for the start of a season before.
 
A-man said:
No it could be a really bad experience for the kids. I personally think that any starter against Fulham must get at least some minutes against City first.
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All starters who are fit will play. They may not start and they may not play 90 minutes but they will definitely play. None of them have gotten minutes and its five days to game 1 of the season.
 
ifightdragons said:
I'm tempted to agree with you, but it's not a certainty. We won the last game against them. And we've beaten them a few times before in the last 5 years.

Even though City are a much, much better team than us, they just happen to be vulnerable on the break, because they play such a high line in possession. And by sheer coincidence, that is literally the only type of football we can play somewhat decently. So City aren't tactically our worst type of opponents to play against, although they are technically a nightmare for us in most matches unless we press them relentlessly, like we did in the FA Cup final.

So we could very well win. But probably not, I would also bet on a City win, like you.

What is a certainty, is that over a 38-game season, City will batter us points wise, no matter if we happen to take points off them.

And that is really all that matters in the end when the league medals are handed out.
If we won 36 of our league games, we could lose both our games to City 100-0, and we'd still be the champions.

We should never judge United based on one-off games or cup runs. Anyone can beat anyone in single games, or knock-out games. And United are often hard-working and put in a shift in the cups, or in single big matches in the Prem. The only way to truly judge United, is by their points tally in the league. That's what shows true progress, because you can't fluke or counterattack your way through 38 games and win the league, like you can in a cup or in single games here and there.
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On any given day Bambi can beat Godzilla, but it's a good bet Pep will be out for blood and it's a certainty that whoever they start will be highly motivated whether it's to impress the boss or to seek revenge. You never know but I don't anticipate Gviardiol making another bonehead mistake, nor do I expect City to miss chance after chance. But this is what I expect. What actually will happen remains to be seen.

As for the rest of your point, complete agreement. Whether it's a cold, windy night at Stoke or wherever in the land we need to scrape points against squads that are inferior to ours and only drop points where we're just outgunned to have a realistic shot at fourth place. For me this season is less about beautiful "transitional" football and more about knowing how to win. We played several opponents off the park and still dropped points last season, and we got played off the park by sides we should have beaten. That has to stop. And then there were matches where we lost to the better side going into the match and there can be complaints about that as it will take several years to cycle out the deadwood and develop the players we have or have brought up from the academy into a highly functional, cohesive squad. We're nowhere near having such a squad right now.
 
GDaly95 said:
Morale among the fans seems to be extremely low. Understandably.

We haven't been able to sell anyone. We can't seem to get anyone else in as a result.

I just saw that Rob Dawson tweet about Evans, Martinez and Dalot potentially being our only fit defenders. That is fecking dire.

A few bad results to begin with and all of that anger will be channeled towards EtH, rightly or wrongly.
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Nah, it'll be, wait until he's a fit 1st 11 then judge
 
Blood Mage said:
I think we want to sign more players, but we can't. We were banking on clubs throwing money at us for our deadwood and it hasn't happened.
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Why would they? The arrival of INEOS and the new guys behind the scenes doesn't make our players more valuable. It would have been naive to think that these players we've been trying to shift for ages would suddenly become hot property. If we wanted money then we should have sold them for less and/or sold somebody like Rashford to fund other purchases.
 
We aren't ready, but if we're to have a decent start we need:
  1. No more injuries
  2. Underperforming players from last season to step up. The likes of Rashford and Cas really need to do better.
  3. Some good surprises with young players. Maino and Garnacho were the only shining light in an otherwise horrid last season, so it'd be great if Amad can do the same.
Obviously there's still time to add players to the team, but even if we sign the players we're linked with, it doesn't look like we're closing the gap on anyone.
 
We need 5 more signings to compete for top 4 imo.

Two Bayern lads
Ugarte
Rabiot
Toney

Out -
McT
AwB
Lindelof
Sancho

I know it sounds crazy, but if we can sell these players, we should have the resources to get the 5 in.
 
No is the simple answer; we are starting the season with a weaker squad than last season. Another year or despair I fear
 
Nope....we have zero goals in this side at this point.....Bruno will probably get a few early on, Garnacho will get some since he shoots every time he touches the ball, same with Antony except he doesn't score. Rashford is a lost cause. After this upcoming subpar season, his value will go down. Dick did say it's going to take five or so transfer windows to get where we want to be. We will just have to make do with what we have. We can't sell players in turn we can't buy anymore. Was really looking forward to a solid defense with Yoro but that is up shite creek without a paddle. This injury he has is concerning. I can see him coming back in they say three but watch it turn into six months, but reaggrevating that same injury. We still don't have a second out and out stirker. ETH has until Christmas to personally show me soemthing otherwise I'm turning against and will want a new manager.
 
From the other side of the world it’s difficult to understand the nuances in FFP. So Chelsea who spent over £1 billion last season, are now just signing players for huge amounts and no questions. Does it make sense that the club with the biggest revenues in the EPL has to limit the transfer signings , I know that it’s to keep the smaller clubs from basically bankrupting themselves, but is it due to the Glazernomics and their funding model . Seems strange .
 
oz insomniac said:
From the other side of the world it’s difficult to understand the nuances in FFP. So Chelsea who spent over £1 billion last season, are now just signing players for huge amounts and no questions. Does it make sense that the club with the biggest revenues in the EPL has to limit the transfer signings , I know that it’s to keep the smaller clubs from basically bankrupting themselves, but is it due to the Glazernomics and their funding model . Seems strange .
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Because they are great at selling, while we are horrible at it. It's that simple
 
Sanchez7 said:
We need 5 more signings to compete for top 4 imo.

Two Bayern lads
Ugarte
Rabiot
Toney

Out -
McT
AwB
Lindelof
Sancho

I know it sounds crazy, but if we can sell these players, we should have the resources to get the 5 in.
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Lindelof is not going anywhere. Unfortunately, seems like neither are Sancho or McT

At best, AWB goes for peanuts, and we will end up paying off his salary

Our players are insanely overpaid and mostly average, so we would need to take some losses to move them on and INEOS doesn't want to do it, even though they will leave next Summer for free so it is stupid to keep them
 
It looked so promising with our early summer moves for Yoro and Zirkzee. Ugarte and de Ligt seemed imminent also but it‘s completely petered out since then.

We needed five players for the start of the season really - I include the Community Shield in that - but as it is, we’ve got a decimated back line, no one in midfield and a mediocre frontline.

By all intents and purposes, we’ve regressed since the FA Cup final. We are so, so far being ready. Need some business done quickly - and more fortune on the injury front.
 
I'd worry if we don't bring in anymore players but it's likely we do bring in at least 2 more, ideally we bring in 4 and get rid of at least 4.
If we bring in De Legt do we play 3 CHs? Both De Legt and Yoro play as RHs, it would work but I haven't seen ETH playing that system. My biggest concern is legs in midfield, we have lacked energy in midfield since Herrera.
 
Sanchez7 said:
We need 5 more signings to compete for top 4 imo.

Two Bayern lads
Ugarte
Rabiot
Toney

Out -
McT
AwB
Lindelof
Sancho

I know it sounds crazy, but if we can sell these players, we should have the resources to get the 5 in.
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Rabiot isn't coming free, he's looking for a big sign on bonus.
 
You should consider that only Ipswitch town and WestHam had more net spent on transfers than Man Utd this window so far.

Transfermarkt in and out pl clubs

I just dont see Man Utd outspending Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal by an even larger margin. No Championsleague is definitly a pain for the budget.
 
I don't know much about how are Ineos operating and negotiating, but I can guarantee that any DM we're chasing will be more and more expensive with our each next game.
 
I am probably the only person not impressed by the window. It's been ok, but we've signed more or less mid-table players who've got the potential to be good. Some aren't that young and probably aren't going to get much better. Potential isn't a guarantee as we've seen with many players in the past. We are light when it comes to quality up front and depth in midfield. After a fast start we've slowed right down and it's City today.
 
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