United has a bright future, we have a quality coach backed up by high level staff in Berrada, Wilcox, Vivell etc. that will develop a quality squad.
Going against the grain
- Thread starter NicolaSacco
- Start date
Amorim will turn things around next season if he can survive until the summer window
Selling McTominay was stupidity. He’d probably be our top scorer if he played as one of the 10s. I think he’d likely be better at 9 than either Zirkzee or Hojlund too.
Amorims 343 will never work unless we buy about 4/5 new starters.
Amorims 343 will never work unless we buy about 4/5 new starters.
Also don't see us spending significant money on a striker this summer, it will be spent in other areas trying to get us functioning better with the ball.
Maguire is our best CB (although more are starting to see it).
Our first XI is bottom half standard (regardless of manager) thanks to woeful recruitment in the last 3 years in particular.
Ole's top 4 finishes were underrated.
Our first XI is bottom half standard (regardless of manager) thanks to woeful recruitment in the last 3 years in particular.
Ole's top 4 finishes were underrated.
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I did clarify this. Mainoo isn't our only young player, and when I made the second comment, I was more referring to keeping the rest together.
I'm becoming concerned with Mainoos injury record, his lack of mobility and the fact our midfield is a porous as ever when we pair him with basically anyone available. To make it here I think he'll have to play as a 10, and I don't think that'll be the case anytime soon unfortunately (he's probably my favourite player at the club, so I'd love to be wrong)
1. For all his mistakes, Onana, everything considered, is still a top 10 keeper in the world. We surely can’t find someone better than him in the next two years at least, so replacing him shouldn’t even be a discussion.
2. Bruno is a bad influence on the team. His personality and antics do not fit a club aspiring for greatness. He has always been a problem for any structured playing style, thriving only in the occassional chaos football. It will be eye-opening once we remove him from the team and see how much smoother things run without his constant complaining and reckless decision-making.
3. Rashford would have contributed far more this season if he had stayed and played regularly than either Højlund or Zirkzee. However, in the grand scheme of things, letting him go to Villa was the right decision.
4. Højlund is a decent striker, but he can’t and never will operate well as a lone striker. He lacks the ability to hold up play on his own and thrives when he has someone to play off. Pair him with someone like Rooney or Zlatan, and he’d easily score 25+ goals a season.
5. We would have been in a better position now if we never sacked Ole but instead brought in Rangnick as a sporting director rather than a coach. The team had a solid foundation back then and was beginning to take shape, but it suffered a major setback when Ronaldo signed. That move disrupted everything. Also whatever remained of Sir Alex’s United spirit vanished completely when Ole left, to never return ever again. Its not the same club anymore
6. Murtough’s reign was far more damaging to the club than Woodward’s. He wreaked havoc on the club’s finances, overpaid for average players, and every major decision he made turned out to be a failure—which we are still suffering from today. His mismanagement more than Woodward's has left us in a worse position than ever, and undoing the damage will take years.
Agree with everything except the bit about Hojlund. Did you know we paid more for Hojlund than City paid for Marmoush? And the latter had a better scoring record when bought. Transfers like this are why we suck.
Moyes did nothing wrong.
I've just seen 2 people say that Onana is a top 10 keeper in the world. I get this thread is going against the grain but it's just baffling. He's made at least 20 big blunders since he's come.
Bruno is our best player 
Agree with all these.
We should have kept Rashford for the rest of the season and revisit his future in the summer
Garnacho is vastly overrated by the most United fans. He's a terrible finisher, has no pace and he's so predictable. He has the worst conversion of the big chances in EPL (2 goals out of 14 big chances). If the right price comes in, we should sell him. I don't think he's good enough for Man Utd.
Cost-cutting that impacts staff lunches really taints the club’s legacy
He`s still developing, with the coaches now he should improve. His attitude worries me more - that drama queen exit down the tunnel when substituted and going off home says a lot about his attitude regardless of whether it was a once off. From somebody who has no reason.
I don`t mind Amorim at times breaking the unsaid rule of the manager not speaking publicly about players` bad attitudes. It`s gone too much the other way and problematic attitudes don`t need to be covered up so long as the manager isn`t saying too much.
None of our players will be integral to our team when we next win the PL. Not Amad, not Mainoo. They won't reach the needed level.
He's regressing this season. Mainoo is also regressing but he was brilliant last season and he was the integral part of England's EURO squad. Garnacho is still living from that Everton goal. You need to see at least something outstanding about a young player.
When Ronaldo came to UTD, he was brilliant in FA Cup final, he destroyed Arsenal Invicibles and had 2 goals and 2 assissts at EURO 2004. Obviously, I am not comparing him to Cristiano, but Mainoo had something outstanding about him last year. Even Rashford and Martial did.
We need to either loan Garnacho and Hojlund to develop more, or to sell them for good money. We should be sentimental only about very good players.
True, United fans have a special place for young lads coming through, not saying other teams don`t but it does tend to cloud judgement sometimes. His skill set isn`t anything to get excited about although I am still interested in seeing what he can do under the Amorim regime. What do you think about his antics after he was subbed? That can be put down to youth but I don`t like the attitude problem it could indicate. Would he have done that if Amorim wasn`t new to the job?
This is not controversial, it is obvious, because we are not winning PL next 30 years and current players will be long retired by then
I think we'll get it together before then, next 15 years. I can see us maybe winning a one off in the next decade too. I don't know what I'm basing this on though tbh. Blind hope. Do look at how quickly things can change in football though. Thirty years is ages.
Anyway I guess my main point was that I saw a lot of people get a bit overexcited about some of our young players and talked about building a team around them for the next decade, whereas I don't feel that should be our approach. It's natural to get excited though, it's a big thrill of football for me too to see young players evolve under us so carry on people.
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The quality of posts in this thread is at least 200 % better than the performance threads.
My two cents is this: The integrity of the game and proper behaviour in general is more important than us winning. Ie. I’d rather get rid of players who hurt the game by diving or acting too often and players who are idiots or abusers than keeping them even if they’re world class generational talents.
Mikkel Damsgaard
My two cents is this: The integrity of the game and proper behaviour in general is more important than us winning. Ie. I’d rather get rid of players who hurt the game by diving or acting too often and players who are idiots or abusers than keeping them even if they’re world class generational talents.
Mikkel Damsgaard
Garnacho and Mainoo have the potential to be world class. It's weird that United fans would be OK with them being sold.
Also worth saying that a lot of United fans would have happily sold Ronaldo in the summer of 2006. He was routinely criticised for being inconsistent at that point. This is where a good manager comes in. Fergie helped Ronaldo become the best ever. Can Amorim mentor the talent of players who are still very young and help them become world class?
I'd also add that academy players being sold to make up for the hundreds of millions wasted elsewhere is one of the worst aspects of modern football.
Also worth saying that a lot of United fans would have happily sold Ronaldo in the summer of 2006. He was routinely criticised for being inconsistent at that point. This is where a good manager comes in. Fergie helped Ronaldo become the best ever. Can Amorim mentor the talent of players who are still very young and help them become world class?
I'd also add that academy players being sold to make up for the hundreds of millions wasted elsewhere is one of the worst aspects of modern football.
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everyone hyped players up like Varane saying he was "a rolls royce", Martinez a "world class player", de ligt "world class" etc
The centre-back at the club who has out-performed them the past 18 months has been Harry Maguire.
shout out to johnny evans too. whenever called upon always gave a good account of himself.
The centre-back at the club who has out-performed them the past 18 months has been Harry Maguire.
shout out to johnny evans too. whenever called upon always gave a good account of himself.
Mainoo looks a central midfielder. He's not been as bad this season as is made out, he's not as immobile or poor out of possession as is made out, he can fit in a midfield two, he can fit in an 'Amorim system'. If I had to use him other than as the centre mid, I would move him back into the holding role rather than forward into one of the no.10 positions.
Fernandes is now better in centre midfield than in one of the advanced roles. He is more mature and reasonable in his decision-making, it settles him and he gets less frustrated with... well, everything. He is an asset in that position.
That position - centre midfield - is one of the strongest in the squad, relatively speaking. The majority seem to think that role should be high on the list of transfer priorities, yet I'm not sure we have two options of the quality of Mainoo and Fernandes anywhere else.
Fernandes is now better in centre midfield than in one of the advanced roles. He is more mature and reasonable in his decision-making, it settles him and he gets less frustrated with... well, everything. He is an asset in that position.
That position - centre midfield - is one of the strongest in the squad, relatively speaking. The majority seem to think that role should be high on the list of transfer priorities, yet I'm not sure we have two options of the quality of Mainoo and Fernandes anywhere else.
Against the grain or against common decency?
No way is midfield one of the strongest. Our midfield is usually second best versus almost any PL club. Bruno is better as a CDM, but he is too slow to help much in defense.
In a recent match we started Casemiro SLOW, Bruno SLOW Zirkzee SLOW and Ugarte somewhat quick.
We should have kept Ole and give him more time
Top 10 in the PL could be a discussion either way but in the world ?!
Hitching the success of the rebuild to Wilcox is questionable imo
Top 10 in the PL would still be delusion to be very honest.
He's maybe in with a shout for top 10 in Manchester. Maybe.
Welbeck would be one of our best players and it was always a bad decision to let him go.
I really really like Arne Slot.
Truth be told, the amount I care whether he does well is decreasing rapidlyMan this shtick of yours got real old real quick
I hope he becomes Oranje's coach after a year at Pool (no way).
Truth be told, the amount I care whether he does well is decreasing rapidly
I hope he becomes Oranje's coach after a year at Pool (no way).
I'm just annoyed that our Oranje contingent have mostly flopped while Liverpool's have flourished
De Ligt isn't horrible is he? Though both him and Zirkzee havent even made the squad this time.
Oh yeah and I forgot to add a
to my last post so it was clear I'm being lighthearted! MDL is alright with me and I don't mind Zirkzee either tbf. Ten Hag though...Oh I didnt take it as anything elseOh yeah and I forgot to add a
Ten million would be fair for him. I honestly have no idea how anyone could earn Garnacho and think a hundred million. No end product can't dribble and dodgy attitude
In normal times Utd would have kept McTominay and still bought Ugarte which were led to believe he was sold to buy. No money and recruitment should be better, i think Amorin would have liked McTominay in there plus he was available for most games, unlike Mount.