Ed Woodward 2019 - Until all Arctic ice melts edition

So, the thread is mainly about the rucat Ce of Woody to support t manager and to get signings done quickly. This has certainly not been the experince while he has been the CEO.

In fact he is getting rose as seen by the actions this transfer window as he dithers and low balls as usual.

The surprise is the defence mounted by the Keefys and Johan, mainly using the tactic of there could be worse owners or the so called lynch mob doesn't understand financials.

What the majority of posters want, is swift action, relative to the needs of strengthening the club and a recognition of the financial resources and the need to compete at the top end of the EPL.

Yes sure, the have been past mistakes, but why should this continue. A club like Man Utd should be able to offer real competition with ManCity and Liverpool, certainly outspend those outside the top 4, that's independent of past signings, and move players on once past their use by date.

This is not occurring and that is the real level of concern, that the biggest club in the EPL is faltering and looking second rate. Until the targets for this summer progress beyond a Championship Winger and a Palace RB, the defence of of Woody is far from satisfactory and his actions are pretty underwhelming.
 
So, the thread is mainly about the rucat Ce of Woody to support t manager and to get signings done quickly. This has certainly not been the experince while he has been the CEO.

In fact he is getting rose as seen by the actions this transfer window as he dithers and low balls as usual.

The surprise is the defence mounted by the Keefys and Johan, mainly using the tactic of there could be worse owners or the so called lynch mob doesn't understand financials.

What the majority of posters want, is swift action, relative to the needs of strengthening the club and a recognition of the financial resources and the need to compete at the top end of the EPL.

Yes sure, the have been past mistakes, but why should this continue. A club like Man Utd should be able to offer real competition with ManCity and Liverpool, certainly outspend those outside the top 4, that's independent of past signings, and move players on once past their use by date.

This is not occurring and that is the real level of concern, that the biggest club in the EPL is faltering and looking second rate. Until the targets for this summer progress beyond a Championship Winger and a Palace RB, the defence of of Woody is far from satisfactory and his actions are pretty underwhelming.
Whats with the deragatory terms of two signings that has looked great so far? Both look like extremely good signings.
That said: if that would be all for this window it would be extremely underwhelming.
Thats not happening though. We will have Maguire, Fernandes and maybe Longstaff in before the window closes.
Thats my guess at least and it would constitute a decent window IMO.
Especially considering that we secured Rashford (and most likely) De Gea on long term contracts as well. And with Pogba staying; neither of those things are something that should be underestimated either when one judges the clubs transfer window.
What the feck is with all the negativity on the Caf nowadays? We have looked good in pre-season so far. Have some fecking faith.
 
Last edited:
Whats with the deragatory terms of two signings that has looked great so far? Both look like extremely good signings.
That said: if that would be all for this window it would be extremely underwhelming.
Thats not happening though. We will have Maguire, Fernandes and maybe Longstaff in before the window closes.
Thats my guess at least and it would constitute a decent window IMO.
Especially considering that we secured Rashford (and most likely) De Gea on long term contracts as well. And with Pogba staying; neither of those things are something that should be underestimated either when one judges the clubs transfer window.
What the feck is with all the negativity on the Caf nowadays? We have looked good in pre-season so far. Have some fecking faith.
It's only pre season maybe? Maybe because we finished 6th last season while our rivals conquered Europe and the league? Maybe because a rebuild was promised and we still have useless players like Darmian, Rojo at the club? Pick one it is enough.
 
It's only pre season maybe? Maybe because we finished 6th last season while our rivals conquered Europe and the league? Maybe because a rebuild was promised and we still have useless players like Darmian, Rojo at the club? Pick one it is enough.
Who promised you this? You made that up. We have one of the youngest squads in the top-6. Rebuild should be the last thing on our list.
Darmian and Rojo will be gone after the PL-window closes and the other European windows stays open.
 
Remember about two years ago when we signed a load of players and people were making memes of Woodwood with shittycaptions like “you’re next”.
 
If we don't do sod all in what's left of the transfer window, I want an explanation from that greasy cnut Woodward.
 
If we don't do sod all in what's left of the transfer window, I want an explanation from that greasy cnut Woodward.
The briefs will be flying out with bullshit like "We will not overpay/be held to ransom" and spin it as leaving room for youth.
 
Who promised you this? You made that up. We have one of the youngest squads in the top-6. Rebuild should be the last thing on our list.
Darmian and Rojo will be gone after the PL-window closes and the other European windows stays open.
Ed called the other day. Is that good enough for you?

Nobody made that up, Woodward briefs media regularly and 5 additions were mentioned since Ole was confirmed as permanent. Yeah we have one of the youngest squad in the PL but maybe one of the worst planned and unbalanced one in the top 10. Year after year we don't have RW and it's appalling. If Lukaku leaves we are with Rashford as the sole striker. This team needs at least a CDM and another starting midfielder potentially. And we are not getting into the CB problem. Darmian and Rojo should have left by now and youngsters taken their places on tour. What are they still doing here is baffling.
 
Ed called the other day. Is that good enough for you?

Nobody made that up, Woodward briefs media regularly and 5 additions were mentioned since Ole was confirmed as permanent. Yeah we have one of the youngest squad in the PL but maybe one of the worst planned and unbalanced one in the top 10. Year after year we don't have RW and it's appalling. If Lukaku leaves we are with Rashford as the sole striker. This team needs at least a CDM and another starting midfielder potentially. And we are not getting into the CB problem. Darmian and Rojo should have left by now and youngsters taken their places on tour. What are they still doing here is baffling.
He really does not and the 5 additions thing "were mentioned"?. I mean, seriously? What does that even mean?
You made both things up. Good for you I guess,.
 
He really does not and the 5 additions thing "were mentioned"?. I mean, seriously? What does that even mean?
You made both things up. Good for you I guess,.
Yeah I did, I confess. You were expecting a direct message with Ed Woodward stamp on in as a proof I can't provide that at this moment of time, maybe next year?
 
Ed called the other day. Is that good enough for you?

Nobody made that up, Woodward briefs media regularly and 5 additions were mentioned since Ole was confirmed as permanent. Yeah we have one of the youngest squad in the PL but maybe one of the worst planned and unbalanced one in the top 10. Year after year we don't have RW and it's appalling. If Lukaku leaves we are with Rashford as the sole striker. This team needs at least a CDM and another starting midfielder potentially. And we are not getting into the CB problem. Darmian and Rojo should have left by now and youngsters taken their places on tour. What are they still doing here is baffling.
Simon Stone just wrote this piece for the Beeb: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49144693
Its a very good story from a journo that actually has some insight in the club.
You should read it instead of relying on whatever crap the Sun or Luckhurst posts.
 
Simon Stone just wrote this piece for the Beeb: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49144693
Its a very good story from a journo that actually has some insight in the club.
You should read it instead of relying on whatever crap the Sun or Luckhurst posts.
Simon Stone wrote a month ago when we completed AWB that Ole is looking to " to reshape a squad that tailed off badly last season" and mentioned we are looking to add a CB and a CDM (specifying Longstaff and Maguire). I'm sure that same Stone was writing about "up to 5 summer additions" back in April/March, but I can't be bothered to look for that article.
 
The 2 young players that we brought in though very good prospects are not going to win us an extra 10/15 points to get into top 4 position.
We need drive from midfield (2players) as well as a top CB and goalscoring RW.
 
Simon Stone wrote a month ago when we completed AWB that Ole is looking to " to reshape a squad that tailed off badly last season" and mentioned we are looking to add a CB and a CDM (specifying Longstaff and Maguire). I'm sure that same Stone was writing about "up to 5 summer additions" back in April/March, but I can't be bothered to look for that article.
And if I would hazard a guess we will end up with at least two of three of Maguire, Fernandes and Longstaff. That would make 4 signings. The window is not closed yet. Watch this space....
 
And if I would hazard a guess we will end up with at least two of three of Maguire, Fernandes and Longstaff. That would make 4 signings. The window is not closed yet. Watch this space....
I don't share your optimism really. And if you remember Ole mentioned he would like the arriving transfer early, we are less then 2 weeks till deadline. Let's hope it turns out the case otherwise we are in for another difficult season.
 
This clown must be fecking tone deaf if he is still dithering over signings ahead of such a crucial season. If the season goes off the rails, his head is going to be on the block before Ole's.
 
If we don't do sod all in what's left of the transfer window, I want an explanation from that greasy cnut Woodward.

Priced out of most of our transfer targets. In the market where £50m buys you Wan-Bissaka and Maguire is quoted at £80m+ you cannot really expect to rebuild your team in one transfer window. Previously we would have just signed Bale for £80m and pretend it's a good move for the next 6 months.
 
Also the stupidity of Premier League closing its transfer window in early August is just baffling.
 
Also just remembered the email he sent out that staff should expect more signings.
He better deliver.
 
And if I would hazard a guess we will end up with at least two of three of Maguire, Fernandes and Longstaff. That would make 4 signings. The window is not closed yet. Watch this space....

You have been saying watch this space the entire transfer window. Where does it say we are interested in Bruno?

I don't share your optimism really. And if you remember Ole mentioned he would like the arriving transfer early, we are less then 2 weeks till deadline. Let's hope it turns out the case otherwise we are in for another difficult season.

Neither do I, Ole was crystal clear that he wanted signings before the pre season, we have finished pre season now. I think we will get a CB but I wouldnt put any money on it by judging how this window has gone.
 
Priced out of most of our transfer targets. In the market where £50m buys you Wan-Bissaka and Maguire is quoted at £80m+ you cannot really expect to rebuild your team in one transfer window. Previously we would have just signed Bale for £80m and pretend it's a good move for the next 6 months.

Other clubs have done it.

Sell Lukaku for £75m but ofcourse you will say we wont get that much for him in this "inflated market" only applies to players you buy not sell.

We have spent £75m sell Lukaku and that will offset that cost, so you trying to say the club cannot afford 2 more signings?
 
You have been saying watch this space the entire transfer window. Where does it say we are interested in Bruno?



Neither do I, Ole was crystal clear that he wanted signings before the pre season, we have finished pre season now. I think we will get a CB but I wouldnt put any money on it by judging how this window has gone.
Doesnt all managers though? How many clubs do you see having finished their transfer business by now anywhere in Europe?
None is the answer.
Its just not a possible thing to manage and that what OGS said is giving the type of proportions it is by posters like you is just weird.
 
Doesnt all managers though? How many clubs do you see having finished their transfer business by now anywhere in Europe?
None is the answer.
Its just not a possible thing to manage and that what OGS said is giving the type of proportions it is by posters like you is just weird.
The big clubs like Real have done a lot of their business already.
 
Doesnt all managers though? How many clubs do you see having finished their transfer business by now anywhere in Europe?
None is the answer.
Its just not a possible thing to manage and that what OGS said is giving the type of proportions it is by posters like you is just weird.

How many clubs required the rebuild we needed? Real Madrid - they have finished their business.
Juventus have finished their business
Barca have finished their business
City have finished their business
Atheletico have finished their business

We need a CB since last year. We know how much Leicester want, it isn't going to change, you either pay it get it done or move on.
 
How many clubs required the rebuild we needed? Real Madrid - they have finished their business.
Juventus have finished their business
Barca have finished their business
City have finished their business
Atheletico have finished their business

We need a CB since last year. We know how much Leicester want, it isn't going to change, you either pay it get it done or move on.
I dont think that any of those clubs are nearly close to be done. Both outwards and inwards transfers. But we will see I guess.
 
People who are relentlessly defending this idiot, I want to know your opinions on

- Why were new contracts handed to Rojo and Jones, two players who just cannot stand on both feet
Rojo was 27 when signed 3 year deal. Jones was also 27 when he signed a 4+1 deal. In both cases we don't know what salaries were agreed, but both were off the back of injuries so would hopefully be at sensible rates. The principle here is very likely to protect value and either sell or have backup that is cheaper than buying a new backup.

- Why did we pay way over the odds for Sanchez, a player we never needed because Martial was really shining in that LW spot at that time?. Why do you think Manchester city who courted him for two summers backed out? Is spending huge part of your wage bill on one declining player who best plays in a position which was already sorted justified?
Sanchez looked a once in a generation talent guaranteeing goals and assists. There were many excited by him. The commercial value will also have been considered high.

Rashford and Martial were inconsistent at times and one good run might not have been deemed enough. Or they were viewed as striker options.

Also we needed to shift Mhki as wasn't working for us. Getting Sanchez for him seems like we should have got the better end of the deal. A £100m player for the value of a £30-40m player. It hasn't worked out because the lack of performance in the last year at Arsenal was blamed on his head dropping, but reality was its his pace dropping. Stats should have identified this.


- Last season clearly showed that the CB position needed strengthening. How can Woodward expect OGS to work with the dross bought by other managers? He didn't ask for useless Rojo, a forever injured and technically limited Bailly. Darmian is non existent. On the contrary the other team in Manchester let go of the shit players other managers bought so why are we awarding new contracts instead of being a little ruthless?
City have oil money, no comparison. Contracts point noted above...!

- Woodward talked about getting a DOF but boom nothing happened. Why is an investment banker making football decisions in a club of this stature? If we had proper football people making decisions we wouldn't have signed Sanchez because of his demands(just like city backed away) and made other mistakes
As above, we wanted to shift Mhki, so it was seen as an option. Also we have more commercial value to make out of Sanchez as we are a bigger club than City. Also, we needed a star more than them as they have a better squad. The fact it hasn't worked is as much down to the gamble on a return to peak performance

- Why do we offer salaries higher than market value? So many shit players are on huge wages and now we are unable to sell them. If not Woodward then who is responsible for this?
This is a very good question. It's one thing to buy or keep certain players it's another thing to overpay them. I suspect it's partly down to the DDG principles, e.g. to keep the player at high cost is still cheaper than a replacement and a lower salary due to the inflated transfer fees. We just happen to have hit a point where for the same reason it's now hard to shift the players.

- Do you think it was a good idea to hand OGS the permanent role before the end of the season? I mean he wasn't going anywhere and proper evaluation could have been done. I don't think it can be termed as mistake but more like premature.
Agreed premature, but again a gamble. It was after two losses and that might have been coincidence on timing, but it was an opportunity to bring some good news to keep up the momentum. It didn't work! I suspect there is a money piece where enough was seen to suggest Ole has potential even if some patience will be needed.

- Why wasn't Jose backed last season? He need new CBs and hindsight says yes we did. It was not his mistake that Bailly, Rojo and Jones were always injured. Now, we are seemingly after the same players with the same situation and again, nothing has been done. Who is responsible for it? If we are priced out of Maguire deal than what are the fallback options?
Jose got Bailly and Lindelof to stack of other CB's. It sounded like we had no interest adding old CB's and not many options at value for younger CB'S.

Also hard to keep adding if you can't sell.

In summary, Woodward's team have probably taken too many gambles. Rather, than take a small hit, we've invested in the hope for a return rather than a loss, but when it's not worked the small hit becomes big!

That plus the market for buying and selling has drastically changed. £80m for Maguire says it all...crazy price!
 
Other clubs have done it.

Sell Lukaku for £75m but ofcourse you will say we wont get that much for him in this "inflated market" only applies to players you buy not sell.

We have spent £75m sell Lukaku and that will offset that cost, so you trying to say the club cannot afford 2 more signings?

We cannot sell Lukaku for £75m because no it seems only Italian clubs are interested and they cannot afford the fees English clubs are paying. Probably closer to £50m which will be a good deal anyway.

Other clubs haven’t really done that much business either. Spurs have signed 1 first team player in two years, Arsenal and City have bought 1 player each and Liverpool haven’t brought in anyone who will have an impact next year. Everyone is struggling with the exact same thing.
 
Remember about two years ago when we signed a load of players and people were making memes of Woodwood with shittycaptions like “you’re next”.

Seriously question. You said a month ago not to panic over new signings as preseason had not started. Are you starting to worry now?
 
The 2 young players that we brought in though very good prospects are not going to win us an extra 10/15 points to get into top 4 position.
We need drive from midfield (2players) as well as a top CB and goalscoring RW.
Would be good to get in the players you said to kick the rebuild off properly but now we are in danger of falling further behind the top sides. The way we've been moving I think we will be very lucky to see any more transfers between now and end of window. I've said several times that I believed that this was going to be one of our most important windows for a long time and has gone badly so far in my opinion, we still a week and a half left, so I am hoping for something big. Hoping for a nice surprise from Woody but don't think it's going to happen.
 
I dont think that any of those clubs are nearly close to be done. Both outwards and inwards transfers. But we will see I guess.

Most the clubs also have till end of August to get players in. We dont.
 
We cannot sell Lukaku for £75m because no it seems only Italian clubs are interested and they cannot afford the fees English clubs are paying. Probably closer to £50m which will be a good deal anyway.

Other clubs haven’t really done that much business either. Spurs have signed 1 first team player in two years, Arsenal and City have bought 1 player each and Liverpool haven’t brought in anyone who will have an impact next year. Everyone is struggling with the exact same thing.

I get that Lukaku might not get us £75m but I was responding to the message earlier about we are not signing anyone because the market is too inflated. But it is okay for us to sell a striker for a mere £50m

Also, the other clubs you mention is very infuriating because we are no way near that level. What fans are failing to grasp is that those teams either finished in a CL final or won the league, they dont need much.

City got 5/6 players in Pep's 2nd season
Liverpool got 5/6 players last season as well. VVD, Fabinho, Keita, Shaqiri, Roberston, Allison.

What those clubs are struggling with is finding the right player to improve their teams. It is a major difference to our team.