The only thing I’m interested in seeing is new players settling in and hopefully no one gets injured. Obviously it’s nice to see your team play well and win games vs play bad and lose games but that ultimately means nothing.
Do you read anything into pre-season results?
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Tactically not results-wise.
And so does Erik Ten Hag. That's why he was so annoyed by the final 30 minutes of team play. He wants to see his ideas being implemented.
And so does Erik Ten Hag. That's why he was so annoyed by the final 30 minutes of team play. He wants to see his ideas being implemented.
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A clean bill of health for the first game of the season is all that really matters to me
If the forwards can get some goals and any new signings get some minutes that won't do any harm going into that first game.
I doubt any wins/losses bother the players beyond 5 mins of a pre season game ending.
If the forwards can get some goals and any new signings get some minutes that won't do any harm going into that first game.
I doubt any wins/losses bother the players beyond 5 mins of a pre season game ending.
No otherwise i would watch the games. Total meaningless and just a tool to get the players fit and make money.
Not for me. Make sure we’re ready for the start fitness wise and avoid any key injuries is all I really ask.
City just lost a preseason game as well.
Thats the league wide open lads.
Thats the league wide open lads.
Hard to ever measure. I’ve seen us lose to Birmingham City (Old Division 1) and win the treble. I’ve seen us lose every pre season game under David Moyes and go on to have the worse season I’ve ever seen.
So it’s totally up in the air.
So it’s totally up in the air.
No. Don’t they have training sessions before the game as well? It’s just public training sessions that pay United 25m odd per tour
Last preseason Rashy looked fired up because people were cussing him and talking shit about his poor form and his charitable ventures.
He needs to find that fire again, seems to be dampened so far this season. Excellence is a continuous process, blowing hot and cold is being a flash in a pan.
He needs to find that fire again, seems to be dampened so far this season. Excellence is a continuous process, blowing hot and cold is being a flash in a pan.
I don't even watch pre-season games anymore. I have absolutely no interest in them. The last time I watched one was, I think, in 2015, when I was in an Amsterdam pub when we played Barcelona and it was on the TV so we watched it because why the feck not.
Yep. Individual performances can be somewhat interesting to look at, but team results in pre-season mean absolutely nothing.
Results, no. Performances, a qualified amount.
Obviously it's mostly about building fitness but ideally you'd rather see the team looking sharp and organised in advance of the season than not.
Also a bad vibe around the camp would be a bad sign. For example I seem to remember the pre-season before Mourinho's car crash season being ill-omened in terms of how unhappy he seemed.
Obviously it's mostly about building fitness but ideally you'd rather see the team looking sharp and organised in advance of the season than not.
Also a bad vibe around the camp would be a bad sign. For example I seem to remember the pre-season before Mourinho's car crash season being ill-omened in terms of how unhappy he seemed.
Results, no. Performances - partially. For example I completely ignore Sancho as false 9, but I am interested to see the role Mainoo has taken and performed very well, and how things are shaping up for Martinez to take playmaker role. I am also worried about midfield setup with two advanced midfielders.
Not really.
It is all about building fitness and intensity.
I have seen too many players doing well in games with no intensity and then shit their pants when the season proper starts.
It is all about building fitness and intensity.
I have seen too many players doing well in games with no intensity and then shit their pants when the season proper starts.
I think it's about fitness, implementing managers training drills. Not too bothered about results, do think the mistakes at the back and lack of edge up front is a slight concern. It's about getting the 11 against wolves playing together now. All about being ready for gameweek 1.
They mean nothing, that’s why it’s a bit strange that a young players future could be decided on what happens in these few meaningless games. I know it also gives the manager to see them closer in training but I reckon the reputations/futures of the likes of Amad and Hannibal etc should be based more on what they did when playing proper football rather than these glorified run arounds.
Too many fans have short memories. If you look back there has been 0 correlation between pre season results and how the season went. Why is this still a debate when most on here have been United fans for so many years?
No preseasons is worst indicator for performances. I remember last summer our star of the show was Iqbal. And the outcome is that we sold him for 1m this summer, after getting no chances at all throughout the season.
Preseasons is merely for regaining fitness.
Preseasons is merely for regaining fitness.
Not really, I've seen too many wins against Madrid, Barca etc turn to nothing and poor preseasons turn into good seasons.
If a pre-season result or performance supports my existing beliefs about a player, then yes, it is significant. Very significant indeed. But if it contradicts my existing belief about a player, then it's obviously just a pre-season friendly and doesn't matter at all.... 
Results, no absolutely not. They don’t matter. Actual performances, yeah somewhat. Obviously players aren’t up to speed yet but it’s good to see some of what’s being worked on by the coaches.
ETH knows his starting 11 and who he can rely on, he's trying different players to know who to loan and who to push out the door IMO.
The rest is about fitness.
The rest is about fitness.
No, we haven't played a single game with a sensible starting 11 and not switched everyone or 2/3 of them out at the same time. Preseason games are about fitness and team cohesion.
I seem to remember an awful preseason under SAF, if I remember correctly it was the 12/13 one where the team went to South Africa. It was followed by one of the most enjoyable first half of a season I have seen, we were suspect defensively but the attack was glorious.
Yeah that was the classic bad preseason/great season combo. The wailing and gnashing of teeth on here when we lost to the Kaiser Chiefs (I think?) was hilarious.
I read absolutely nothing into neither results nor performances and I'm glad for it, otherwise I'd have set myself up for extreme disappointments over the years.
It really is no more than an exercise. Results in football can be determined by fine margins in decisions throughout the game. If avoiding injury is a priority throughout pre-season then you'd imagine players would pull out rather than commit to challenges, knowing there's no consequences to conceding. It's why pre-season games are usually high-scoring matches (though not as much this season), because goals are easier to come by for all when a team doesn't give everything to averting them.
It really is no more than an exercise. Results in football can be determined by fine margins in decisions throughout the game. If avoiding injury is a priority throughout pre-season then you'd imagine players would pull out rather than commit to challenges, knowing there's no consequences to conceding. It's why pre-season games are usually high-scoring matches (though not as much this season), because goals are easier to come by for all when a team doesn't give everything to averting them.
I think the preseason serves to help get players back towards competitive match fitness but that’s about it.
I also recon that most clubs put their first team squads through too many preseason games in a big effort to get them super fit before the season starts and then wonder why they’re all goosed by February.
I’ve noticed that man city (but it could perhaps apply equally elsewhere), only do a short preseason, start the league season undercooked, struggle in their first few competitive games, but then reap the benefits at the pointy end of the season when the squads of clubs who’d done big preseasons are completely gassed.
I also recon that most clubs put their first team squads through too many preseason games in a big effort to get them super fit before the season starts and then wonder why they’re all goosed by February.
I’ve noticed that man city (but it could perhaps apply equally elsewhere), only do a short preseason, start the league season undercooked, struggle in their first few competitive games, but then reap the benefits at the pointy end of the season when the squads of clubs who’d done big preseasons are completely gassed.
Not as much as whoever writes the match reports for news outlets. Even the BBC and the Guardian have gone rage bait heavy with their headlines after the game with Dortmund.
I find it kind of weird that they report on friendly results at all to be honest.
I find it kind of weird that they report on friendly results at all to be honest.
I do, since we beat Benfica yesterday. They made the CL quarters last year so I now expect us to get to at least the semi's.
Not even seen one clip of preseason, means nothing. I’ll wait until I go to OT for the first game of the season.
nope.. not bothered at all.. its just a chance to get the lad's fitness levels back up and getting the players a bit of sharpness back before PL kick off..
It does worry me that they do way too much travelling on these tours..
I dont read too much into form on these though, as in previous ones we always had players like Andreas Periera and Martial play out their skin on these , then be rubbish when the PL comes around. Going by the past, its not really an indication of how someone's season is going to go.
It does worry me that they do way too much travelling on these tours..
I dont read too much into form on these though, as in previous ones we always had players like Andreas Periera and Martial play out their skin on these , then be rubbish when the PL comes around. Going by the past, its not really an indication of how someone's season is going to go.
I think consistency is key.
If you’re going to disregard the negatives because it’s preseason, then the positives should be disregarded too and vice versa.
Too many times users here will say it’s preseason to disregard a negative, but then also use preseason to state that a player is ready for the first team. You can’t have both imo, either it matters or it doesn’t.
If you’re going to disregard the negatives because it’s preseason, then the positives should be disregarded too and vice versa.
Too many times users here will say it’s preseason to disregard a negative, but then also use preseason to state that a player is ready for the first team. You can’t have both imo, either it matters or it doesn’t.
The results are irrelevant, it’s all about fitness, trying new tactics out and bedding in new players, that is all. Van Gaal’s first pre season with us is a perfect example of why the results mean absolutely nothing. We destroyed every team that was put in front of us which included the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Inter Milan while playing this new 3-5-2 system. Then what happens? Season starts and we lose to Swansea on the opening weekend, pre season form deserted us and it looked like 11 individuals that have just met for the first time playing a formation they’ve never seen before. 
Man Utd 2-0 arsenal
Arsenal 5-3 Barcelona
Barcelona 3-0 Real Madrid
Man City 1-2 Athletico
All happened in last few days yet no team will be bothered come start of season.
Arsenal 5-3 Barcelona
Barcelona 3-0 Real Madrid
Man City 1-2 Athletico
All happened in last few days yet no team will be bothered come start of season.
No. The pre-season in 2014 broke me. Beating Inter, Roma, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Valencia in scintillating style for us to then start the league accumulating two points from 9 - having played fecking Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley. It was a piss take.
Back in the day SAF neither gave a toss - it was always about fitness and spreading the United brand - mostly to Asia/Africa. Look at the teams we played in our pre-season in 2008, after we'd just won the double: Aberdeen, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Portsmouth, Espanyol, Peterborough and Juventus. The thing with playing big, rival clubs is a thing mostly from the 2010's and it makes some people look at the results more rigorously, because on the surface it's the sort of team you will have to beat when the season starts, but really it's all just getting fit and experimenting.
Back in the day SAF neither gave a toss - it was always about fitness and spreading the United brand - mostly to Asia/Africa. Look at the teams we played in our pre-season in 2008, after we'd just won the double: Aberdeen, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Portsmouth, Espanyol, Peterborough and Juventus. The thing with playing big, rival clubs is a thing mostly from the 2010's and it makes some people look at the results more rigorously, because on the surface it's the sort of team you will have to beat when the season starts, but really it's all just getting fit and experimenting.
As I said on another thread, schedule needs looking at.
We've essentially only had 2 games of playing with anything close to our first choice team. Whilst there's a clear wider benefit to the tour, its a lot of travelling for not that many minutes on the pitch.
With next summer's pre season coming after the Euros, you need to either:
A) Start the tour earlier using all the players that haven't played international matches before having more UK/Europe based matches with the whole squad.
B) Not have a US/Asian tour with pre season focusing entirely on the UK and Europe
We've essentially only had 2 games of playing with anything close to our first choice team. Whilst there's a clear wider benefit to the tour, its a lot of travelling for not that many minutes on the pitch.
With next summer's pre season coming after the Euros, you need to either:
A) Start the tour earlier using all the players that haven't played international matches before having more UK/Europe based matches with the whole squad.
B) Not have a US/Asian tour with pre season focusing entirely on the UK and Europe
I haven’t seen the stats on this so I could be wrong, but it always seemed like in the Fergie years, whenever we had poor preseason results we’d do well that season, and whenever we had good preseason results we’d have a weaker season.
Winning games is never a bad thing, even if they are friendlies. But at the same time I’m not gonna pretend the sky is falling because we lost to Madrid and dortmund with disjointed, jet lagged elevens. As long as we beat Wolves in two weeks time I’d take 5 straight defeats.
Most definitely no one cares about results. Now how much are the coaching staff looking at the performances, I'm not sure. I'm sure they want to try and implement the training ground stuff in matches but beyond that I'm not sure they care.
It's hard also to read anything when you have such drastic changes.
It's hard also to read anything when you have such drastic changes.
It’s more about patterns of play than results imo.
If new players have been brought in who are playing in key positions and the patterns of play are completely ragged, it’s not great.
But I’d always say to not read too much into preseason generally.
If new players have been brought in who are playing in key positions and the patterns of play are completely ragged, it’s not great.
But I’d always say to not read too much into preseason generally.