Gary Neville - Pundit

Neville is spot on, United are not a better squad / starting 11 than say City.

United as we know are missing a solid or world class CDM still
 
Dominos said:
Neville asked Jimmy if he thought United would win the league and he said "I don't know". This is the thing with the pundits trying to heap pressure onto United because of the signings when they're confronted with the question "so do you think United have the best team in the league and therefore should be favourites?" their response seems to be "ermmmmmmmmm, I.... I'm not..." - none of them actually believe we've got the best squad outright.

Neville is the one brave enough to actually give an opinion. He said United can win the league and should challenge, but gun to the head he'd favour City or Chelsea to win the league because they're also 2 very good sides who are as good if not better than United. It's a perfectly respectable opinion.

In my personal opinion, Ole will only win the league if he has by far the best squad of players. Just having one of many good teams or being one of the contenders won't be enough when you're competing with teams of similar level who are managed by Klopp, Tuchel and Pep.
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How is that not different to Pep and Tuchel? Pep was struggling for Top 4 until he got his £250m FBs and £40m keeper.

Likewise Tuchel over a stacked Chelsea side which had depth in literally every position. Their matchday squad at Arsenal last week was worth £950m, FFS!

Other than Klopp no manager in this league has shown they can challenge without complete XIs with world class players throughout.

EDIT - Even Klopp's Liverpool were capped at c.75 points and 4th until he spent c.£200m on VVD, Fabinho, and Alisson. Not to mention £40m on Salah and £37m on Mane before that.
 
cyberman said:
Lukaku and Kane are 28! There isn’t much forward planning there
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Everyone including Fergie thought RVP was a short term solution and we signed him at 29!

By the time Ronnie is finished at United Lukaku will be 30 years old. Chelsea will be looking at bringing in a new striker.
 
rotherham_red said:
How is that not different to Pep and Tuchel? Pep was struggling for Top 4 until he got his £250m FBs and £40m keeper.

Likewise Tuchel over a stacked Chelsea side which had depth in literally every position. Their matchday squad at Arsenal last week was worth £950m, FFS!

Other than Klopp no manager in this league has shown they can challenge without complete XIs with world class players throughout.

EDIT - Even Klopp's Liverpool were capped at c.75 points and 4th until he spent c.£200m on VVD, Fabinho, and Alisson. Not to mention £40m on Salah and £37m on Mane before that.
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Well Tuchel has just won the champions league without being anywhere near favourites and Klopp has won the league in multiple countries without being favourites. Pep you may have a point in that his wins have come with favoured teams but he has the points record, style of play and consistency in winning trophies that gets him credit.

The point was if all 4 teams had equally good squads, I wouldn't really fancy our chances.
 
cyberman said:
Lukaku and Kane are 28! There isn’t much forward planning there
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Ronaldo is 36. Lukaku Kane Haaland are 5+ year options to have in your team (in theory). Ronaldo isn't. That's all he's saying.
 
Dominos said:
Well Tuchel has just won the champions league without being anywhere near favourites and Klopp has won the league in multiple countries without being favourites. Pep you may have a point in that his wins have come with favoured teams but he has the points record, style of play and consistency in winning trophies that gets him credit.

The point was if all 4 teams had equally good squads, I wouldn't really fancy our chances.
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Exactly and this is the problem with Ole as manager, only major difference between our team and the rest of the top 4 is in the managers department and unfortunately until Ole wins something there's always going to be question marks over this United team. Last week Neville was saying on the overlap if we signed a 20-30 goal a season striker he can confidently say we'll win the league or should be winning the league. At that time he meant Harry Kane, now we've got Ronaldo which tbh is exactly what Neville was talking about in a 20-30 goal a season striker. Yet, even now he still can't say it because he knows at the back of his mind we've got Ole who let's be perfectly honest has nowhere near the experience of winning as the managers he's up against. So instead of him outright saying It's because of Ole there's always going to be a hole that needs filling, now you're gonna see him talking about needing a DM then it's gonna be a rb etc... etc...
 
hobbers said:
He always comes across as a bit deranged whenever the concept of Ole being the limiting factor to our potential success is brought up in any form.

Because he knows it probably is the limiting factor.
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Anyone putting United above Chelsea and City as league favourites is soft in the head.
 
Gary Neville is a horrible pundit. When Ronaldo comes to United (doesn't matter that he is 36, he is in the form of his life) - OBVIOUSLY he is coming to win everything that is there to win. Same for Varane. And with Ronaldo in the club he will demand the same from everybody else. So, yes - Ronaldo in the squad doesn't guarantee winning anything, but HELLS YES him coming and considering the rest of the squad we have, we are absolutely expected to fight for everything including EPL and UCL, no doubt about it.

Using "oh but Ole is a bad manager" as an excuse is bullshit. He is more than capable of winning any game. He has won games against Pep, against Tuchel (at star-filled PSG nonetheless) and everything in-between. Sure, he hasn't won any trophies but he didn't have a squad for trophies before. He does now, imperfect maybe because of missing DMF but still capable. If Ole doesn't win EPL or UCL in the next couple years - he should be fired, because you can't get a much better squad than what we have now. Pressure is on.
 
VP89 said:
He means in the context of forward planning, Ronaldo isn't a longer term solution to the extent Lukaku, Kane or Haaland might be. He's arguably not even a medium term one, at 36.
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Yeah, I've had a chance to watch the video now, he's saying we couldn't get them this summer so Ronaldo made sense, if we get 2 good seasons from him I'd be pleased.
 
He’s right tbf. We won’t win the title this season. This is going to be the hardest season for any team to win the league but I think it’s between Chelsea and Liverpool.
 
NewGlory said:
Gary Neville is a horrible pundit. When Ronaldo comes to United (doesn't matter that he is 36, he is in the form of his life) - OBVIOUSLY he is coming to win everything that is there to win. Same for Varane. And with Ronaldo in the club he will demand the same from everybody else. So, yes - Ronaldo in the squad doesn't guarantee winning anything, but HELLS YES him coming and considering the rest of the squad we have, we are absolutely expected to fight for everything including EPL and UCL, no doubt about it.

Using "oh but Ole is a bad manager" as an excuse is bullshit. He is more than capable of winning any game. He has won games against Pep, against Tuchel (at star-filled PSG nonetheless) and everything in-between. Sure, he hasn't won any trophies but he didn't have a squad for trophies before. He does now, imperfect maybe because of missing DMF but still capable. If Ole doesn't win EPL or UCL in the next couple years - he should be fired, because you can't get a much better squad than what we have now. Pressure is on.
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I don't understand this post. Neville literally said signing Ronaldo gives us a chance at a title challenge, which is the same as you are saying here.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
Anyone putting United above Chelsea and City as league favourites is soft in the head.
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Never get this. City fair enough but why the sudden fawning over Chelsea from all corners? We finished miles ahead of them and have added three absolute world class players. They've added a £100m cart horse.

We should finish ahead of them again if Ole is worth anything as manager.
 
He's being ridiculed because he only just said United need a Kane and then Ole will get the team to 90-95 points (which he said was needed for a serious title challenge throughout the season). We got Ronaldo, and he's backtracking. If we were being managed by anyone else he'd show some bravado and expect us to be equally in with a shout as our rivals.

On Chelsea: I think there's been a lot of hype about them in the early stages and I do not expect them to have a +90 point season at all. I don't think they have a better first XI, they have more depth in midfield for sure, but that's also a problem we have failed to address (and maybe failed to acknowledge exists). They do have a better manager, that is pretty clear.

On City: Obviously a better squad, but still without striker options and Guardiola's recent admission that he's off in 2 years will hardly be great for morale and just heaps more expectation on them to deliver.

I genuinely think people should be expecting a title challenge from us. And I can't imagine the club is not trying to shift Jesse and maybe another one or two, in order to make room for a midfielder with so many good options at low prices this summer.
 
11101 said:
Never get this. City fair enough but why the sudden fawning over Chelsea from all corners? We finished miles ahead of them and have added three absolute world class players. They've added a £100m cart horse.

We should finish ahead of them again if Ole is worth anything as manager.
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Think you've answered your own question.
 
Adisa said:
They are trolling him.
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So City are favorites because they finished 12 points ahead - understood.

Why are we not 2nd favorites when we finished 2nd last season, 7 pts ahead of Chelsea and have added serious quality in our squad?
 
11101 said:
Never get this. City fair enough but why the sudden fawning over Chelsea from all corners? We finished miles ahead of them and have added three absolute world class players. They've added a £100m cart horse.

We should finish ahead of them again if Ole is worth anything as manager.
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Chelsea finished behind us because they had a misfiring Werner. Lukaku will be worth an extra glut of points. They bought what they needed.

Their defence is a worry admittedly. But they’ve got the best team and squad in the league along with City. Liverpool are above us too.
 
I used to really enjoy listening to him when he started, but nowadays, his bias towards anyone he has worked with, be it at England or United, make him impossible to listen to on some of the largest issues in the game. He just isn’t impartial and it ruins him as a pundit.

His recent takes on Kane, and now this, almost make him a figure of fun and the clips shows it. His Kane take was hilarious. A model pro who ended up fined by his club for ridiculous behavior. This new one is just full blown hypocrisy.

If a Harry Kane would have had us in the mix, one of the best players to have ever lived, even at 36, certainly does.

If we are not in and around the title, it will be a failure on the managers part. No way of escaping that no matter your relationship or devotion to him.
 
hobbers said:
The only reason to put Chelsea ahead is the quality of their manager.

They have Christensen and Rudiger as CBs for feck sake.
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Yes. They have a better manager, team, and squad. As do Liverpool and City. It’s a tough league.

We have no consistently functional midfield. At all. You can play Kante and Jorginho to help Christensen and Rudiger. Varane and Maguire won’t fix the void in front of them.
 
hobbers said:
The only positions they have over us are right back and central midfield. Their squad certainly isn't stronger either.

They spent £100m on a striker Ronaldo outscored in Serie A last season. Mount and Ziyech aren't even a shade on Bruno and Pogba. Pulisic and Werner or Sancho, Rashford and Greenwood?

Splitting hairs because the quality of our first elevens are very even. What isn't even is that they have a top coach and we don't.
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It’s close. But they have a better squad and team. They don’t have a problem that they can’t fix. We do. We have no central midfield to speak of. It’s a glaring problem.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
Yes. They have a better manager, team, and squad. As do Liverpool and City. It’s a tough league.

We have no consistently functional midfield. At all. You can play Kante and Jorginho to help Christensen and Rudiger. Varane and Maguire won’t fix the void in front of them.
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I'll give you the first one, but nobody thought that about their team until he arrived and showed what they could do if set up properly. That's all we needed! Now we have a ridiculous squad anyway and will compete even if we have Stevie Wonder in the dugout.
 
pocco said:
I'll give you the first one, but nobody thought that about their team until he arrived and showed what they could do if set up properly. That's all we needed! Note we have a ridiculous squad anyway and will compete even if we have Stevie Wonder in the dugout.
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if you have Kante and Jorginho, your centre halves are there to match up with centre forwards, cover space and defend set pieces. Their team is close to perfect for what their manager wants.

It’s not a crime to objectively judge Chelsea. They’re really good.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
if you have Kante and Jorginho, your centre halves are there to match up with centre forwards, cover space and defend set pieces. Their team is close to perfect for what their manager wants.

It’s not a crime to objectively judge Chelsea. They’re really good.
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I bet Tuchel could make our midfield look good. That's all I'll say.
 
pocco said:
It's actually embarrassing what has happened to our fanbase. If Fergie was still in charge we'd be expecting yet either title this season, yet here we are trying to wrap them all in cotton wool. At least our new man (Ronaldo) won't see it this way, I can guarantee that.
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Yeah. Just about making sure the manager isn't burdened with expectation. Incredible really.
 
11101 said:
Never get this. City fair enough but why the sudden fawning over Chelsea from all corners? We finished miles ahead of them and have added three absolute world class players. They've added a £100m cart horse.

We should finish ahead of them again if Ole is worth anything as manager.
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Their league position is a bit meaningless given the difference in results after they changed managers.

They've got 44 points (2.1ppg) since then, behind only City (48, 2.3), and ahead of United (38, 1.9) and Liverpool (39, 1.9). They also happened to beat City thrice and win the CL in that period. They're - correctly - in the conversation.

2.1 points per game is an 80 point season - not title winning, but not that far off. Especially given the defending champions haven't strengthened that much.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
if you have Kante and Jorginho, your centre halves are there to match up with centre forwards, cover space and defend set pieces. Their team is close to perfect for what their manager wants.

It’s not a crime to objectively judge Chelsea. They’re really good.
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Fergie won leagues without a midfield. Its the manager
 
Kag said:
I don’t necessarily believe that high profile managers will all fail. But I agree with Neville that the ones we employed did fail. I’m also saying that his isn’t a controversial viewpoint, in addition to the other bullet points listed which are also non-controversial.

Neville talks a lot of shite, at times, but Monday wasn’t really an example of this.
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This is exactly why I don't want us to sign a midfielder. We have gone that route before with Fred and Matic and it doesn't work. No point doing it again.
 
Pretty impressive how Celsea and Liverpool with absolutely no depth suddenly have s better squad. The goal posts well and truly keep moving.
Ole has to challenge for the title or leave. No amount of gymnastics should change that.
 
Bastian said:
He's being ridiculed because he only just said United need a Kane and then Ole will get the team to 90-95 points (which he said was needed for a serious title challenge throughout the season). We got Ronaldo, and he's backtracking. If we were being managed by anyone else he'd show some bravado and expect us to be equally in with a shout as our rivals.

On Chelsea: I think there's been a lot of hype about them in the early stages and I do not expect them to have a +90 point season at all. I don't think they have a better first XI, they have more depth in midfield for sure, but that's also a problem we have failed to address (and maybe failed to acknowledge exists). They do have a better manager, that is pretty clear.

On City: Obviously a better squad, but still without striker options and Guardiola's recent admission that he's off in 2 years will hardly be great for morale and just heaps more expectation on them to deliver.

I genuinely think people should be expecting a title challenge from us. And I can't imagine the club is not trying to shift Jesse and maybe another one or two, in order to make room for a midfielder with so many good options at low prices this summer.
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Yeah, I was going to say this. I was watching that show he did the other day and he said if we got Kane he would fancy us to win it (or words to that effect). At the end of the day, I don't think anything is going to be enough for him. The thing is with this mindset, is that there is always something you can improve on (in terms of personnel), so you can always go "well if they get THIS guy in". You can just keep going because you're never going to have the perfect squad.

I don't like our midfield options, personally, but we should absolutely be up there winning it. You can't sign one of the best players who has played the game and act all coy about it. Signing such a player brings expectations with it. That's the game.
 
esmufc07 said:
I just thought he was referring to a younger and more longer term signing for the forward position.
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Agreed. I thought Neville was spot on with all of that, and made Hasselbaink look a bit of a tit as well.
 
Adisa said:
Pretty impressive how Celsea and Liverpool with absolutely no depth suddenly have s better squad. The goal posts well and truly keep moving.
Ole has to challenge for the title or leave. No amount of gymnastics should change that.
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We have literally signed Cristiano Ronaldo and still the excuses are there.

Unbelievable.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
Anyone putting United above Chelsea and City as league favourites is soft in the head.
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'If' we sign the elusive defensive midfielder and attacking right back, we'll certainly be a serious challenge. But as it stands right now, we're challenging for third in my opinion.
 
I don’t think Lukaku’s a better player than Varane, Sancho or Ronaldo in general but he’s a more important signing for Chelsea than any of those for United purely because they won’t have to rely on Werner. It was their biggest weakness by far and they solved it. United still haven’t solved theirs, without solving the midfield I think you’ll finish third at best.

Even though you improved you might finish below where you finished last season because Chelsea and Liverpool will also be significantly better
 
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