[KjaAnd]

A ghost. Completely useless. Weak, slow, no fight in him. Get rid ASAP.

 

[ElDiabloRojo]

Should never start a game for us again, regardless of injuries.

He is well past the standard.

 

[AndyMUFC]

Just doesn't have the legs for the league like with Casemiro. Is absolutely incapable of winning a 50-50 ball.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Don't know why he is here. Also the rumours he is moaning about playing time, he's clearly deluded and clearly has zero self awareness.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Just doesn't have the legs for the league like with Casemiro. Is absolutely incapable of winning a 50-50 ball.

80-20 ball.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

Completely useless.

I don’t get the need to slack him off like that. We all know he hasn’t got the physicality to play for us, at least not DM and CM, but he was still the best passer on the pitch. By far.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

Don't know why he is here. Also the rumours he is moaning about playing time, he's clearly deluded and clearly has zero self awareness.

Yeah, so weird that a player would like to play. Very classy to call him deluded

 

[Unam333]

Now we know why Ten Hag rarely used him the last couple of months.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Yeah, so weird that a player would like to play. Very classy to call him deluded

He should look at his performances, that will hold the answer why the guy doesn't play more.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

He should look at his performances, that will hold the answer why the guy doesn't play more.

You’re slating him based on rumors about something every player in the world would feel - that they should play. Unless he’s creating a bad environment it’s perfectly fine that he’s not satisfied with being benched. That’s what I’d expect from every one of our players. But you feel the need to have a personal go at a guy who’s been through a lot. Hope you’re more likable in real life

 

[Bondi77]

We have done our bit for oldies that have had good careers elsewhere for the past two seasons and at the end of the season we should get rid.

 

[ElDiabloRojo]

This guy is finished, here for the payday only now. No point playing him or even having him as a bench option.

 

[Mike Smalling]

You’re slating him based on rumors about something every player in the world would feel - that they should play. Unless he’s creating a bad environment it’s perfectly fine that he’s not satisfied with being benched. That’s what I’d expect from every one of our players. But you feel the need to have a personal go at a guy who’s been through a lot. Hope you’re more likable in real life

Also, these rumours were started after he gave the least controversial interview ever, which was turned into some sensationalist headlines. Eriksen is a model pro - I really doubt he creates any issues for ETH or in the dressing room. It's his body letting him down.

 

[Patchbeard]

Should've gone back to Ajax rather than Henderson going there. His legs were almost gone last season, completely gone now.

Shame we didnt get him a decade ago, hope he doesn't have another year on his contract at this stage.

 

[AndySmith1990]

Fit for the scrapheap

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

You’re slating him based on rumors about something every player in the world would feel - that they should play. Unless he’s creating a bad environment it’s perfectly fine that he’s not satisfied with being benched. That’s what I’d expect from every one of our players. But you feel the need to have a personal go at a guy who’s been through a lot. Hope you’re more likable in real life

Feel free to see his conduct at Spurs when he wanted to leave for Inter.

Sorry I said bad things about your brother.

 

[cj_sparky]

His performances have been really poor since he returned from that Andy Carroll "tackle" that injured him last season, even before that I never really expected him to see matches out from a fitness perspective. But he truly looks like his legs have gone.

 

[Rockets Redglare]

His performances have been really poor since he returned from that Andy Carroll "tackle" that injured him last season, even before that I never really expected him to see matches out from a fitness perspective. But he truly looks like his legs have gone.

Yeah he’s never looked particularly fit but at least before that Neanderthal snapped him he looked quality for an hour before the drop off.
Now he looks dreadful from minute one until he’s hooked off.

 

[Andycoleno9]

For me he is in the same bracket as Zlatan, Varane, Casemiro or Falcao. World class players who are bought too late. Other teams got the best from them and we got leftovers.

And it angers me. We had some top players bought too late.

 

[D. Grayson]

Instrumental in our good run of form last season, it's a damn shame his physical attributes have taken such a sharp dip.

 

[Marcelinho87]

Is it really possible that all these players are dropping off a cliff on or around 30? Or is it something else, systemic in the club?

Are they been used wrong, coached wrong?
You have older players in other clubs absolutely fine so I have my doubts and would question, yet again, EtHs role in this kind of drop off.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Is it really possible that all these players are dropping off a cliff on or around 30? Or is it something else, systemic in the club?

Are they been used wrong, coached wrong?
You have older players in other clubs absolutely fine so I have my doubts and would question, yet again, EtHs role in this kind of drop off.

I've thought often about this too. I look at players at other clubs, older than some of our players, and they are still performing to a good level. But players here seem to fall off a cliff over a certain age and very quickly too. We need a massive reset not just player-wise but also across the culture of the club and each department. Things have been really poor for a long time and it's also why ETH should go after the cup final to facilitate a full reset.

 

[Lyng]

Is it really possible that all these players are dropping off a cliff on or around 30? Or is it something else, systemic in the club?

Are they been used wrong, coached wrong?
You have older players in other clubs absolutely fine so I have my doubts and would question, yet again, EtHs role in this kind of drop off.

A lot has to do with our managers gung ho chaos ping pong tactic.
It forces players to essentially have 6 lungs and be at their prime fitness level, which is suicide with the amount of players we have in their early 30's .

 

[tomaldinho1]

A lot has to do with our managers gung ho chaos ping pong tactic.
It forces players to essentially have 6 lungs and be at their prime fitness level, which is suicide with the amount of players we have in their early 30's .

Why do we run and sprint less than half the other teams in the league? This is something that caught on here because we're very unstructured/play very direct but it's not true.
Eriksen literally had a heart attack, is 32 and was never a particularly physical player, his decline makes perfect sense.

 

[Lyng]

Why do we run and sprint less than half the other teams in the league? This is something that caught on here because we're very unstructured/play very direct but it's not true.
Eriksen literally had a heart attack, is 32 and was never a particularly physical player, his decline makes perfect sense.

Having to chase the ball is significantly harder than moving while in possession. At least mentally.
And I was talking about our players in general. Eriksen is natural decline sadly, though it has definitely been a more rapid decline after the horror tackle.
He was among the players who ran the most km per 90 on our team last season.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Having to chase the ball is significantly harder than moving while in possession. At least mentally.
And I was talking about our players in general. Eriksen is natural decline sadly, though it has definitely been a more rapid decline after the horror tackle.
He was among the players who ran the most km per 90 on our team last season.

Yeah Carroll's awful tackle really ended his career at the top level, he'd been very good prior to that.
A lot of teams chase possession and actively cede control in order to create space, that's not unique to United, as said if it were true we'd be much higher in all those stats. If you analyze what is unique to us compared to the teams around us, it's the lack of pace in the middle of the team ( I can't think of anyone in the league with such slow CBs, DM, CMs) and the age/inexperience of our starters.

Re possession you sprint less in possession but you cover more ground, City will rank low for pressing and sprints in total but they will 100% run further than us as a team.

 

[Mike Smalling]

For me he is in the same bracket as Zlatan, Varane, Casemiro or Falcao. World class players who are bought too late. Other teams got the best from them and we got leftovers.

And it angers me. We had some top players bought too late.

We have so many, that we could make a "United got them too late" XI:

van der Sar
Casemiro - Varane - Blanc
Schweinsteiger - Matic
Eriksen - Sanchez
Cavani - Ibrahimovic - Falcao

Van der Sar is a stretch, because he was obviously good for us, but we could have gotten him a lot earlier. There aren't so many defenders that spring to mind, so it's a rather dubious three CB set-up, and quite striker heavy up front.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

We have so many, that we could make a "United got them too late" XI:

van der Sar
Casemiro - Varane - Blanc
Schweinsteiger - Matic
Eriksen - Mata
Cavani - Ibrahimovic - Falcao

Van der Sar is a stretch, because he was obviously good for us, but we could have gotten him a lot earlier. There aren't so many defenders that spring to mind, so it's a rather dubious three CB set-up, and quite striker heavy up front.

Edit: Just realized Mata was actually quite young when he joined us. Damn.

Di Maria was late'ish and would be good in that role.

 

[Mike Smalling]

Di Maria was late'ish and would be good in that role.

Nah, he was 26 years old. Similar to Mata. Really it should be Sanchez - can't believe I forgot about him.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Nah, he was 26 years old. Similar to Mata. Really it should be Sanchez - can't believe I forgot about him.

I think he was 28?

 

[BorisManUtd]

He's surely leaving this summer so great to end it with a trophy. Andy Carroll injured him last season and don't think even a foul was given.

 

[MadMike]

He's surely leaving this summer so great to end it with a trophy. Andy Carroll injured him last season and don't think even a foul was given.

You never know. He's 32, his legs are gone, but he is on £150k pw and has another year on his contract.

We might be able to loan him out to some club that pays about a 3rd of his salary at best. I don't really see any other options. Is he high profile enough for the Saudis to want him?

 

[Devil81]

To be honest if he's got 12 month left on his deal I'd be inclined to keep him for some of Europa games and League Cup games.

We're forever running our main players into the ground in games where some like Erkisen can do a job.

Against Liverpool, City or any other top side though, he has no place on the field.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

You never know. He's 32, his legs are gone, but he is on £150k pw and has another year on his contract.

We might be able to loan him out to some club that pays about a 3rd of his salary at best. I don't really see any other options. Is he high profile enough for the Saudis to want him?

He wants to play football and won’t stay here just for the money. I also don’t see him going to Saudi at any point though they would love to buy him, no doubt - there are plenty of lesser players there. Maybe back to Brentford?

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

If we’re keeping ETH let’s keep Eriksen and Antony as well. I think the Ajax connection will be invaluable next season and that we should buy some of their players whatever the price. Make us the English Ajax. They were very good in the 90s

 

[daveskimufc]

Maybe one of the promoted teams will take a punt, for the experience and managing a game, coming on with 20mins remaining

 

[Chairman Steve]

His vision is still good but his body is letting him down, and I’m not sure whether I’m being too harsh on someone who has been technically dead for a few minutes and plays with a pacemaker.

It’s a miracle he’s been playing at the highest level.

 

[Mike Smalling]

His vision is still good but his body is letting him down, and I’m not sure whether I’m being too harsh on someone who has been technically dead for a few minutes and plays with a pacemaker.

It’s a miracle he’s been playing at the highest level.

I don't think the pacemaker has anything to do with it really - his legs are just gone. I've posted similar before, but he's one of those players that started playing regular top flight football at age 18 and hasn't really had any breaks besides after his heart issue. At 32 years old now, he has around 740 games for club and country, so it's no wonder that he's a bit worn.

I'd be on board with keeping him for next season and letting him go after that with the logic that we aren't getting any real transfer fee for him anyway, and I don't think he's on huge salary. Now that we have Europa League to look forward to, he could potentially cover some of these games as well as domestic cup games. If we get a defensive minded midfielder with high mobility he won't look as bad in the deep-lying role, and he could also fill in for Bruno against lesser opposition.

 

[ROFLUTION]

We have so many, that we could make a "United got them too late" XI:

van der Sar
Casemiro - Varane - Blanc
Schweinsteiger - Matic
Eriksen - Sanchez
Cavani - Ibrahimovic - Falcao

Van der Sar is a stretch, because he was obviously good for us, but we could have gotten him a lot earlier. There aren't so many defenders that spring to mind, so it's a rather dubious three CB set-up, and quite striker heavy up front.

The main think to observe here is that except for Van der Sar and Blanc, they're all after Fergie retire.

Modus operandi under Fergie was to sign hungry players on the way up. It boggles my mind to see our transfer-department completely missing to analyse what made Fergie succesful and instead going for big past-it players. Basically all english succesful teams since has done what Fergie did. City, Liverpool and Arsenal have really understood this.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

If we’re keeping ETH let’s keep Eriksen and Antony as well. I think the Ajax connection will be invaluable next season and that we should buy some of their players whatever the price. Make us the English Ajax. They were very good in the 90s

Just want to make it clear that I was joking…