[Walters_19_MuFc]

Probably won't happen, but I'd like to see him in the false 9 role like how Firmino plays for Lpool.

A front three of:

Martial Mkhitaryan Mata

That said, we've got to get him on the pitch first.

 

[ravi2]

Why is lingard starting ahead of Mikki?
Why bring on Depay, Rooney and Fellaini instead of Mikki, why isn't Mikki even making the bench when Jose said he was fit?

There must be more to this story... Someone like Mikki is exactly what he need in games like these.

 

[togg]

I never bought the argument that we bought him as a sweetener for the Pogba deal, but it's odd really.

Why even buy him if you won't play him?

I understand that Mourinho says he does have faith and likes him? I'm sure there are reasons..we aren't party to the day in day out goings on between the coaches and the players. Maybe something isn't quite right for him at the moment. People say 'put him in...if he has a stinker then fine..at least we've tried' Trouble is...that can set back a player disastrously in terms of confidence. I'm sure this is all discussed in the very detailed and data analytical meetings Mourinho has with his coaches and staff.....

 

[NYAS]

Remember when he came on at Hull and the impact he had? In the pouring rain at a small away ground where the fans are so close to the pitch and the opponent was aggressive and digging their heels deep. Yes, this guy isn't ready for the competitiveness of the league yet.

We could have had that impact today. Remember what we actually got?
Rooney and Fellaini. I don't need to explain what they proceeded to do.

It's just unbelievable whatever way you look at it. When these kinds of decisions are made we really do deserve all the shit we've been getting.

Basically, feck off Mourinho.

 

[donkeyfish]

According to this board, finishing is not his best trait. I hope we get to see more of him soon, but surely we weren't lacking creativity in this game. We lacked clinical finishing.

 

[Scholesy]

Remember when he came on at Hull and the impact he had? In the pouring rain at a small away ground where the fans are so close to the pitch and the opponent was aggressive and digging their heels deep. Yes, this guy isn't ready for the competitiveness of the league yet.

We could have had that impact today. Remember what we actually got?
Rooney and Fellaini. I don't need to explain what they proceeded to do.

It's just unbelievable whatever way you look at it. When these kinds of decisions are made we really do deserve all the shit we've been getting.

Basically, feck off Mourinho.

100% great post.
Outstanding vs Hull.
Mourinho is clueless so far. I would say our performances are better than Moyes/LVG. But his team selections, probably worse.

 

[Jacky Quacky]

Hayrapetyan said, as reported by Goal: “I cannot know what the Manchester [United] manager is thinking about. I have talked with Mkhitaryan, he also doesn’t know what Jose Mourinho is thinking. Mkhitaryan trains and is in good shape but no one knows the reason [why he is not playing].”

What the feck is going on.

 

[NYAS]

Hayrapetyan said, as reported by Goal: “I cannot know what the Manchester [United] manager is thinking about. I have talked with Mkhitaryan, he also doesn’t know what Jose Mourinho is thinking. Mkhitaryan trains and is in good shape but no one knows the reason [why he is not playing].”

What the feck is going on.

What's going on is ego and politics.

Mourinho's marginalization of Schweinsteiger probably because he was an LvG favorite, and the playing incarnation of the previous manager on the pitch. Drop him to the reserves, stamp my authority, puff my chest out.

Mourinho's quote last month about him being "different than other managers, I don't have to select a player just because he's newly purchased". Flex my muscles, show the fans I select players based on merit.

Now we can see he's gone too far on both and his pride isn't letting him rectify the situations. And he's looking like an idiot because of it.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Remember when he came on at Hull and the impact he had? In the pouring rain at a small away ground where the fans are so close to the pitch and the opponent was aggressive and digging their heels deep. Yes, this guy isn't ready for the competitiveness of the league yet.

We could have had that impact today. Remember what we actually got?
Rooney and Fellaini. I don't need to explain what they proceeded to do.

It's just unbelievable whatever way you look at it. When these kinds of decisions are made we really do deserve all the shit we've been getting.

Basically, feck off Mourinho.

Ironically, Rooney was us that game with his moment of brilliance.

 

[NYAS]

Ironically, Rooney was us that game with his moment of brilliance.

The Rooney of that game could control a ball and his first touch wasn't automatically a give-away to the opponent. I would have loved that Rooney compared to what we got today.

 

[kouroux]

Who sanctioned his purchase? cause it doesn't look like Mourinho wanted him in the first place

 

[Devil81]

The game was crying out for a player of his influence today.

 

[izec]

Mourinho is fecking him and us over big time. Ridiculous decision by him to buy him and then not use him. I dont know if he is just playing with Micky or playing with us, but stop the games and play your best players.

Subbing Mata off today was another puzzling decision by the grand maestro Mourinho.

 

[liamp]

Who sanctioned his purchase? cause it doesn't look like Mourinho wanted him in the first place

Mourinho did.

 

[kouroux]

Mourinho did.

(Rhetorical question)

 

[liamp]

(Rhetorical question)

Ah.

There are people legitimately questioning this, so I wasn't sure.

 

[peridigm]

100% great post.
Outstanding vs Hull.
Mourinho is clueless so far. I would say our performances are better than Moyes/LVG. But his team selections, probably worse.

Nah. Jose hasn't played Young at CF.

 

[Varun]

I hope whatever it is gets sorted out quickly because a 6 of Herrera - Pogba - Mata - Mkhi - Martial - Ibra can be absolutely tasty.

 

[FreeMkhi]

Don't worry. Mkhi really got that intensity and match rhythm today from the stands. A couple more games watching Lingard and Fellaini putting on an embarassing display and he'll be ready.

The worst part about this is that Jose has been lying about this situation for months and I knew it was over as soon as he wasn't on the squad against fenerbahce.

It will be a big loss especially if Mkhi goes to a rival like Arsenal which I think is the most likely scenario. Trio of Sanchez, Mkhi, and Ozil would be terrifying.

And as harsh as it sounds, maybe we deserve mediocrity right now if management is too incompetent to play the best players and make sure they are integrated into the team.

 

[Bobcat]

Getting a bit sick of Mouhrinos excuses at this point tbh.

Not being match fit? Fine
Needing time to adjust? Fine

But a game like yesterday was a perfect chance for him to play Miki and let him show what hes got in his locker. If we were to judge everyone in the squad based on that first half vs City then we would not field any players.

 

[kouroux]

Something else is clearly going as it is obvious Mourinho didn't reveal the real reasons as to why he isn't playing at all. If you're giving a player time to adjust, you'd play him here and there, in cup games or late in matches. Mourinho does none of this so either it must be something else he isn't happy with. Maybe Henrikh is lazy during training? Maybe Mourinho didn't wanna buy him at all?

 

[Donut]

For journos reading the Caf: ask Mourinho if he's going to play Mikhi in the Europa league, since he already knows the intensity of that league well.

Mourinho, you game playing lying bastard.

 

[Zoo]

 

[izec]

He shouldt have posted that. Another 2 weeks in the stands as punishment.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Good man! Think he's been told he'll be involved against Fener on Thursday.

 

[marjen]

His situation is bizarre.

Why do you pick Fellaini, Carrick and Schneiderlin on the bench but find no room for Mikhi? Couldn't he have found a winner for us yesterday? Better bet than Memphis/Rooney/Fellaini for sure.

Something must be up with him and José. Which unfortunately means no Mikhi for us, I guess.

 

[red4ever 79]

This guy hasnt even been given any time playing for the U23 to get some match sharpness. Completely frozen out

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Probably won't happen, but I'd like to see him in the false 9 role like how Firmino plays for Lpool.

A front three of:

Martial Mkhitaryan Mata

That said, we've got to get him on the pitch first.

Personally I'd swap mata and miki round but that looks decent.

 

[pocco]

All the 'feck off Mourinho' type posts are ridiculous. The supporters need to get behind the manager instead of making excuses for players whilst they fail to perform when given a chance. That's been the common theme these last few years and it needs to change.

I said after the City game that Mkhitaryans performance was worrying. He wasn't just bad but he looked like he'd given up mentally and that he didn't want to be on the pitch anymore. I reckon that Mourinho has seen this too. It goes beyond form and is a far bigger concern. How you build up a player that is so mentally weak is something that Mourinho knows better than me, so i don't know how it should be handled. Perhaps you can't. Perhaps he'll play well when the pressure is off but fall to bits again at the first hurdle, which is completely unacceptable at this level.

 

[Scholesy]

All the 'feck off Mourinho' type posts are ridiculous. The supporters need to get behind the manager

I disagree, I am happy to criticise Mourinho if he is making bad decisions. And he is making many bad decisions right now.

 

[Bobcat]

All the 'feck off Mourinho' type posts are ridiculous. The supporters need to get behind the manager instead of making excuses for players whilst they fail to perform when given a chance. That's been the common theme these last few years and it needs to change.

I said after the City game that Mkhitaryans performance was worrying. He wasn't just bad but he looked like he'd given up mentally and that he didn't want to be on the pitch anymore. I reckon that Mourinho has seen this too. It goes beyond form and is a far bigger concern. How you build up a player that is so mentally weak is something that Mourinho knows better than me, so i don't know how it should be handled. Perhaps you can't. Perhaps he'll play well when the pressure is off but fall to bits again at the first hurdle, which is completely unacceptable at this level.

Hes hasn't gotten a chance though. One short cameo vs Hull where he looked very good and that unfortunate first half vs City, but its daft to single him out for that since everything went to shit that half.

Not saying hes some Messiah who is going to save our season, but buying a player just to have him in the stands makes no sense what so ever. Besides, Rashford/Lingaard has hardly been amazing of late so its high time that Miki gets a chance.

 

[pocco]

I disagree, I am happy to criticise Mourinho if he is making bad decisions. And he is making many bad decisions right now.

But you don't know the facts behind what is obviously a peculiar situation. What we do know is that Mkhitaryan has form for not settling well though. We also know that Mkhitaryan wilted big time in the derby.

I think we need to just trust Mourinho and see what happens. If I'm right and Mkhitaryan mentally collapsed during the City game then this situation is completely understandable. He didn't just have a bad game like Lingard, he looked like he wanted out of the whole situation.

 

[El Jefe]

I'm really hoping this isn't a repeat of situations Mourinho has had with Felipe Luis, Baba, De Bruyne and Salah. All top players except for Baba and Mourinho got rid within a season. Serious question marks will be raised if this continues to carry on.

Mourinho used Willian and di Maria as examples but the press should have called him out on his bs because his situation is more like the 4 I mentioned. Willian and di Maria were pretty much starters and di Maria was outstanding in his first season from the very beginning.

 

[Stacks]

All the 'feck off Mourinho' type posts are ridiculous. The supporters need to get behind the manager instead of making excuses for players whilst they fail to perform when given a chance. That's been the common theme these last few years and it needs to change.

I said after the City game that Mkhitaryans performance was worrying. He wasn't just bad but he looked like he'd given up mentally and that he didn't want to be on the pitch anymore. I reckon that Mourinho has seen this too. It goes beyond form and is a far bigger concern. How you build up a player that is so mentally weak is something that Mourinho knows better than me, so i don't know how it should be handled. Perhaps you can't. Perhaps he'll play well when the pressure is off but fall to bits again at the first hurdle, which is completely unacceptable at this level.

writing someone off after 1 half of football is worse in my opinion. How did Pogba and Zlatan play against Chelsea, Liverpool? This is them fully fit and not coming back from an injury lay off. Pogba has looked shocked/shot in games I have seen this season and almost like he can't be bothered. either way it is insane to write someone off based on 1 half of football. I say 1 half, since he helped us change the game vs Hull and the other appearances were like 5 mins. Jose is and always will be a little bit, childish, petulant, insane and put himself above the club. This was a fear before he came, that he makes it all about Jose where as Man Utd football club are at another level to Jose Mourinho, who us just another employee. Obviously Miki isn't Jesus, I am just unsatisfied with the incompetence of spending our transfer budget on a player to sit in the stands and we continue playing average players he was bought in to replace. If he hasn't the stomach for it then it is incompetence on Jose's transfer strategy yet again, as there were other players we could have gone for to strengthen our flailing team

 

[Stacks]

But you don't know the facts behind what is obviously a peculiar situation. What we do know is that Mkhitaryan has form for not settling well though. We also know that Mkhitaryan wilted big time in the derby.

I think we need to just trust Mourinho and see what happens. If I'm right and Mkhitaryan mentally collapsed during the City game then this situation is completely understandable. He didn't just have a bad game like Lingard, he looked like he wanted out of the whole situation.

We are not playing City every week though. Wouldn't he settle quicker with a run of games against say.....Fener, Burnley, Zorya, to build confidence back up? How on Earth is freezing someone out in the stands going to build up their confidence and help them adjust/settle? what was the point in this transfer and can I trust Mourinho in the transfer market going forward?

 

[TheReligion]

I think this will come to a head pretty soon if we continue to fluff our lines in front of goal given the fact Mkhitaryan not only creates but is a pretty ruthless finisher.

All the doom and gloom is much too early. He's not played 90 minutes for us yet, although I'm curious to know what's going on behind the scenes given he'd of been ideal to bring on yesterday to try and help with the break through.

 

[Dante]

Hes hasn't gotten a chance though. One short cameo vs Hull where he looked very good and that unfortunate first half vs City, but its daft to single him out for that since everything went to shit that half.

Not saying hes some Messiah who is going to save our season, but buying a player just to have him in the stands makes no sense what so ever. Besides, Rashford/Lingaard has hardly been amazing of late so its high time that Miki gets a chance.

He's had loads of chances to impress in training.

 

[Phil Osophy]

I could be wrong but I suspect that something happened after the first match against City. You don't play someone in such an important game if you don't trust him, and he was getting minutes before as a substitute. And I don't think it's something related with the level of that performance, because Lingard was awful and subbed at half-time too but he's been playing after that.

Mourinho said something after the game about some players being mentally weak, and maybe Mkhi didn't take it in a good way. It was his first start and he was carrying an injury, so he probably felt that he was being unfairly thrown under the bus. There you have the ingredients for a confrontation. Even in the press conference against Watford, Mourinho kept insisting on the fact that Mkhitaryan didn't press well in the first goal against City. Maybe players like Lingard, Shaw are more tolerant in that regard, and Mkhitaryan reacts differently to this kind of things.

I'm just guessing of course, but I can't buy the reasons about 'match fit', 'adapting to the league', because you improve with game time and he's not getting it. Yesterday it was the perfect chance to give him 20-30 minutes and he wasn't even on the bench. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts playing again at some point, but it looks like personal differences to me, more than a football thing.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I wonder if something happened at half time against city. Maybe he reacted badly to being subbed at HT? lingard was just as bad but he doesn't seem to have been effected.

I think it's clear he doesn't really fancy Memphis as a player, but he keeps getting a bench spot. If mkhi doesn't get a game in the next few weeks I seriously doubt he will remain.

 

[TheReligion]

I could be wrong but I suspect that something happened after the first match against City.

Mourinho said something after the game about some players being mentally weak, and maybe Mkhi didn't take it in a good way. It was his first start and he was carrying an injury, so he probably felt that he was being unfairly thrown under the bus. There you have the ingredients for a confrontation. Even in the press conference against Watford, Mourinho kept insisting on the fact that Mkhitaryan didn't press well in the first goal against City. Maybe players like Lingard, Shaw are more tolerant in that regard, and Mkhitaryan reacts differently to this kind of things.

I think you have made a great point with that and it is likely the case.

What's positive moving forward is that Jose has been quite complimentary about him recently and Mkhitaryan has made noise about fighting for his place and such.

Let's see what happens but I think we must trust Jose as this learning curve for Mkhitaryan will likely benefit us long term.