I agree.
Just what the hell has happened this season?
- Thread starter charlenefan
- Start date
I agree.
The club should have given away food and drink for free in my opinion if it was simply a case of credit card machines not working. Or was the power out so that nothing could be cooked? They could have still given out crisps and chocolate and cold drinks for free.
It felt like we carried the dross of much of May and April straight into the new season. I was positive about Sancho and Varanasi, not really Ronaldo, but overall it felt like the 'sort the midfield next season message was basically us settling for top four push again from the off.
We don’t have a fear factor anymore, and that has a knock on effect on the confidence of teams playing us. Its basically a win-win for lesser sides to play Manchester United at the moment. It’s still a great scalp to beat us, so they raise their game (as they’ve alwasy done) but they now aren’t even nervous of the possibility we could embarrass them, as we almost certainly won’t, so most teams now play us without any fear and a lot of confidence, especially at OT.
It’s only one of many factors, and not why we’re ultimately shit, but it’s a contributive one to why it seems to pour when it rains. It’ll likely only take winning something significant to overturn that.
It’s only one of many factors, and not why we’re ultimately shit, but it’s a contributive one to why it seems to pour when it rains. It’ll likely only take winning something significant to overturn that.
We were second but 12 points behind and City had coasted for a while. Obviously Liverpool had an odd year and Chelsea were a mess, but the midfield issue meant we'd tread water.
I did think comfortable 2-4th though, obviously not this perfect storm of shite.
Bad recruitment. I didn't think we'd be near the title personally.
Murphy's law happened
Everything was cooked and ready to go, the card reader was down so they couldn't take payment. They pulled the shutters down at every serving counter. It was carnage.
Very mediocre players being able to get away with whatever for multiple seasons in a row instead of being replaced by quality
This is just the reality of how good we are.
It's not as bad as it seems, the biggest issue is we're somewhat aimless at the moment, there's so much off the field distraction and so little on the field to play for we're stuck in some awful middle ground where nothing matters
The right coach can make a world of difference. We simply have to get it right in the summer.oI hope RR is a better spotter of coaching talent than he is a coach himself because we're a non entity style wise under him so far
The right coach can make a world of difference. We simply have to get it right in the summer.oI hope RR is a better spotter of coaching talent than he is a coach himself because we're a non entity style wise under him so far
It really isn't much more complicated than this. Add to that, we didn't strengthen midfield in January despite the top 4 race being wide open. Decision-making both on and off the pitch is seriously lacking.
We keep neglecting the midfield and that causes us to lose control of matches we really should not be losing control of.
Bad managerial appointments and then sticking with them is the main thing. Think about it at which successful club would Ole have survived so long.
City/Liverpool/Chelsea/Bayern would have fired him way before Bruno was brought in. The club accepts mediocrity, the players have accepted it too.
City/Liverpool/Chelsea/Bayern would have fired him way before Bruno was brought in. The club accepts mediocrity, the players have accepted it too.
Great points. I keep saying how are the players supposed to have a winners mentality when the board clearly is over the moon with top 4? The players must feel hopeless when we loose 5 0 to Liverpool and their bosses don’t even bat an eye lid. The board has shown no ruthless intervention, no matter how much we get embarrassed or destroyed by opposition.The low standards are now set in stone.
any United fan that thought we should or would challenge for the title is an idiot!!
we were, and remain, so far from being anywhere near title challengers, it is almost laughable.
We then sacked a manager who had done his job and got us as far as he was ever going to take us and replaced him with a manager who is the polar opposite of what Ole was trying to instil.
Couple all of that with the fact that all of our players bar one or two are not good enough and a number of the players just don’t give a shit and there was only ever one result.
Add in an equally laughable transfer policy and I’m not quite sure how any sane person would come to the conclusion that we would, or deserve to, challenge for the title this season.
Bingo
Agree and I think it is clear that it will take minimum 2-3 years of rebuilding under a world class manager before we can even begin to challenge for a major trophy (PL or CL) and I am not sure that a player like Rice will commit himself and his career to such a risky project. We might be in a situation where we are unable to attract the best players because they don’t believe in the club and those we can attract are overpaid mercenaries motivated only by the large salaries we pay.
Had us down for 4th at best this season and we can still do that.
Not only did Pool bounce back when they had their defenders available, we saw Chelsea under Tuchel become one of the top form teams, they were down in 11th under Lampard but shot up the table with Tuchel. We finished second but really we were the 4th best at the end, it was only going to continue in the new season.
I remember saying how I hope Ronaldo doesn't come here thinking we're a top 2 team and wants to jump out of the Juve mess as we'll be in a top 4 battle like Juve, low and behold we're just like them last season trying to claw back into 4th.
United finished with 74 points as well. We've never been in shape to challenge for a title and 74 points would leave you 5th not that long ago. We relied on comeback after comeback playing terrible football for 80mins with bursts of counters. We'd start the games so poorly every time and concede. We were and still are so far from challenging.
Also couldn't see Ole lasting long with the expectations of Ronaldo and Varane. You need a strong coach and we've capsized under the weight, some players have not liked the arrivals and didn't want to work hard around Ronaldo.
Not only did Pool bounce back when they had their defenders available, we saw Chelsea under Tuchel become one of the top form teams, they were down in 11th under Lampard but shot up the table with Tuchel. We finished second but really we were the 4th best at the end, it was only going to continue in the new season.
I remember saying how I hope Ronaldo doesn't come here thinking we're a top 2 team and wants to jump out of the Juve mess as we'll be in a top 4 battle like Juve, low and behold we're just like them last season trying to claw back into 4th.
United finished with 74 points as well. We've never been in shape to challenge for a title and 74 points would leave you 5th not that long ago. We relied on comeback after comeback playing terrible football for 80mins with bursts of counters. We'd start the games so poorly every time and concede. We were and still are so far from challenging.
Also couldn't see Ole lasting long with the expectations of Ronaldo and Varane. You need a strong coach and we've capsized under the weight, some players have not liked the arrivals and didn't want to work hard around Ronaldo.
What was it he was trying to instil?
Is this our worst season since Fergie left?
In hindsight, I actually don't think Moyes' season is the worst, all things being relative. He achieved to his managerial standard, and at least we had a somewhat exciting CL run.
The only one that comes close to this is Jose's last/Ole's first, but even then we were playing entertaining football once Jose was out.
I fully expect us to crash out of the CL next round and slip out of top 4 contention with things as they are.
Add to this the various off-field events and some earth-shattering results, and I imagine you're having to go back to the 70s/80s for a worse season.
In hindsight, I actually don't think Moyes' season is the worst, all things being relative. He achieved to his managerial standard, and at least we had a somewhat exciting CL run.
The only one that comes close to this is Jose's last/Ole's first, but even then we were playing entertaining football once Jose was out.
I fully expect us to crash out of the CL next round and slip out of top 4 contention with things as they are.
Add to this the various off-field events and some earth-shattering results, and I imagine you're having to go back to the 70s/80s for a worse season.
A mixture of everything. Signings not working, players not working hard enough, friction in the squad, contracts running down, bad luck with some decisions, bad performances mixed in with some bad luck in games at key moments like last night. We weren't bad last night - we were good. If we play like that every game we would be fine. But we absolutely haven't played like that every game. Fred was awful when he came on again and a reminder how low our standards are now if he's starting for us.
This might be the worst I’ve felt since Sir Alex retired. Just because of the level of expectation at the start of the season to how bad it’s actually panned out. Absolute garbage. It’s a never ending nightmare full of false dawns. We’re stuck in our very own boom bust cycle and it’s fecking terrible.
This is what many people religiously backing Ole failed to understand. Allowing a manager that clearly isn't working or good enough to stay long past his failures is ridiculously damaging. Why do people think Chelsea have still been winning titles despite their managerial merry-go-round. They are decisive and waste little time if it isn't working.
And this is what people with Chelsea as their second team don't understand. Chopping and changing managers is part of the reason why we're completely directionless as a club. If we'd stuck with LVG and then followed the plan instead of selling our souls to lure Jose over, then Ole wouldn't even have been in the picture in the first place.
Clearly the problem is the owners and the structure. Not making the tough decisions at the right time. Delaying the sacking of managers until it’s get to the point of no return. Buying the players based on advertising revenues over the consideration of benefiting the team, and how they fit into a manager’s system. Allowing the manager to control all aspect of transfers so when they get sacked there is no continuity in the squad. A ‘rebuild’ being require every 3 years because of this. Consistency appointing inept people with no experience in their roles. The latest being Darren Fletcher. Appointed for a strategic role, now sitting on the bench as a coach. Woodward overstaying his welcome, only for him to be replaced with his best mate. Prioritising Ronaldo over a much needed CM. Offering contract extensions to undeserving players. Offer above market rate salaries so we can’t get rid of players. Not selling players at the right time. Letting players go on holiday midway through the season.
I could on and on. This all goes back to board level. If the owners actually bothered being involved with the club’s day to day running something might change. They don’t care. They live in the US. They inherited the club from their father. Providing the asset value of the club is maintained the Glazers won’t put the correct people or investment in place for things to change. They need ousting out of the club but it’s need a large proportion of fans to revolt. We got it last season in part due to the super league decision. Suddenly Ronaldo arrives and that’s all forgotten about.
I could on and on. This all goes back to board level. If the owners actually bothered being involved with the club’s day to day running something might change. They don’t care. They live in the US. They inherited the club from their father. Providing the asset value of the club is maintained the Glazers won’t put the correct people or investment in place for things to change. They need ousting out of the club but it’s need a large proportion of fans to revolt. We got it last season in part due to the super league decision. Suddenly Ronaldo arrives and that’s all forgotten about.
Should of invested in a midfielder, feel like Ronaldo at times limits how we can play, Mason, injuries etc.
It’s basically been a continual list of wrongs, probably the only positive has been Dave.
It’s basically been a continual list of wrongs, probably the only positive has been Dave.
Not sure what that's supposed to mean. Stating a fact doesn't mean one likes anything to do with a club. They have won more titles and trophies overall over the past decade despite changing managers constantly. Stuck by LVG are you having a laugh?
just because we've fecked up numerous appointments in a row doesn't mean we have to start rewriting history. If Klopp was here instead of Liverpool I'd guarantee you we'd be in their very position. We've not hired a single manager in his prime since SAF's retirement. They were either long past their best or simply not good enough to manage a club of this magnitude.I expected us to be comfortably top 4 with the signings we made. We had/have a much better squad than last season I think its a combination of terrible management from Ole injuries at wrong times especially Varane a real lack of team effort and of course our midfield is still garbage.
We sold Dan James. Big mistake.
Do people actually believe it's a coincidence our season went to hell after we sold him?
Do people actually believe it's a coincidence our season went to hell after we sold him?
We can either roll the dice and hope to win the lottery, or we should have stuck by someone with a solid philosophy, in this case LVG yes. Do you know why Chelsea are able to so quickly adapt to any top manager? 15 years ago a certain special one built the foundations for them, and carved an identity. They are a much more tactical, disciplined, and now we see a professional side than us. Jose was the wrong appointment, Ole was not even considered at all and was a YOLO decision from Woody. Guaranteed we'd be in a better position now if we stuck with LVG for another year before hiring someone modern with a similar philosophy, not the bitter one.Not sure what that's supposed to mean. Stating a fact doesn't mean one likes anything to do with a club. They have won more titles and trophies overall over the past decade despite changing managers constantly. Stuck by LVG are you having a laugh?
yes It could become a vicous cycle and leave us with another squad of mediocre mercenaries who jog about doing not a lot. Now seems as good a time as ever to get some youth heavily involved - the likes of Elanga and Mjebri have shown quality already and need some experience. With our key players in shocking form and us so non competitive that every game between now and may may as well be a friendly might be nice to see some players with desire on the pitch.
What happened this season? No, it should be what happened season before and season before that season and so on.
The same thing - brilliant accountants who think they are great at football running one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Ole, Ronaldo, AWB, DVB and so on. Bad signing after bad signing. Hundreds of millions waisted. That's what happened.
The same thing - brilliant accountants who think they are great at football running one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Ole, Ronaldo, AWB, DVB and so on. Bad signing after bad signing. Hundreds of millions waisted. That's what happened.
It's a head scratcher but one thing is for certain, it didn't start this season. The problems started around Jan 2021.
Ronaldo. Sad to say it.
What happened is the logical continuation of one of the biggest swindle jobs in football history.
Delusional people believing a few token gestures has let the Glazers off the hook and now we're set for a decade or so of pathetic football results and, at best, flat lining while they drain the club and sell it for a profit when we solidify a status as a mid-table club.
Delusional people believing a few token gestures has let the Glazers off the hook and now we're set for a decade or so of pathetic football results and, at best, flat lining while they drain the club and sell it for a profit when we solidify a status as a mid-table club.
Good post that will unfortunately gets lost amongst the chaos
People would have to stop focusing on Ronaldo's pecs to realize James is the real culprit.
We attempted to move away from our strength of counter attacking to trying to be dominant in games playing with a higher line taking more risks and it didn't work we conceded too many chances without making enough.
I still always felt at the start of the season that Liverpool and City were ahead of us and we were about the same as Chelsea in terms of talent and ability. Felt we would finish 3/4 still think we will finish 3/4.
Dont think you can read to much into the cup defeats. Last night was a classic cupset, should of rolled them over somehow missed a glut of chances and some bad luck with ther goal and than the lottery of the penalties. Many times we have been knocked out of the FA Cup in similar fashion its just happens in that competition for some reason. And going out to a decent PL side in the league cup with the second string isnt really much to get in a fuss about.
Still in the champions league, don't rule us out of that yet. Feel like we are due a lucky win in that competition after all the times we have been knocked out undeservadly over the years.
I still always felt at the start of the season that Liverpool and City were ahead of us and we were about the same as Chelsea in terms of talent and ability. Felt we would finish 3/4 still think we will finish 3/4.
Dont think you can read to much into the cup defeats. Last night was a classic cupset, should of rolled them over somehow missed a glut of chances and some bad luck with ther goal and than the lottery of the penalties. Many times we have been knocked out of the FA Cup in similar fashion its just happens in that competition for some reason. And going out to a decent PL side in the league cup with the second string isnt really much to get in a fuss about.
Still in the champions league, don't rule us out of that yet. Feel like we are due a lucky win in that competition after all the times we have been knocked out undeservadly over the years.
Lack of planning and structure once again caught up to us. A lot of the lads Ole signed have been poor, same as the managers before him, the squad has been ‘trimmed’ again by Rangnick and will probably be filled with more rubbish by whoever takes over next. A lot of our supposed best players simply aren’t nearly as good as we thought they were.
It's pretty simple really in my opinion.
- We have always been an effective counter-attacking team. Ole set us up to play very simple, basic counter-attacking football, for the most part. This was especially effective in away games, but we looked out of ideas against teams who sat deep.
- Ole knew we needed to be more 'progressive' and be able to dominate games to start putting away the weaker sides consistently enough to really threaten City
- Ole experimented with a higher line against Spurs last season, and we got absolutely humped 1-6 at OT, because Ole had zero clue how to implement this system or prepare the players for it.
- We quickly abandoned that one game experiment and ground out a decent season.
- This year, Ole signed Varane, and I believe thought that having a world-class partner for Maguire, with a bit of pace to boot, would suddenly solve all of our tactical woes, when it came to playing progressive football.
- This proved to be as ridiculously naive as it sounds, and we looked like the easiest side in the world to play against. Mid-table teams cut through us like a hot knife through butter, and predictably when we played the good sides, we got absolutely humped again.
- By now, confidence was at rock-bottom. The defenders were all at sea, having to play high but with no protection from the six players in-front of them. The attackers clearly had no clear instructions from Ole about pressing, how to press and what sort of runs/patterns they should be making when we have the ball.
- Ole has gone and RR has come in with completely different ideas, right in the middle of the busiest period of the season. It's clear RR has strong ideas about how to coach and organise a team, but we're not likely to see the fruits of his efforts/knowledge until the team have had time to adapt to a radical new style.
- Ronaldo is a problem, because even allowing for the odd worldie, he's about the most unsuitable striker possible to play in a RR/Jurgen Klopp-type system. This will hold us back from going to the next level under RR.
- My prediction is we will go through the rest of the season posting much-improved results, with some low-points along the way, probably just about scraping into 4th if we can keep key players fit.
- We have always been an effective counter-attacking team. Ole set us up to play very simple, basic counter-attacking football, for the most part. This was especially effective in away games, but we looked out of ideas against teams who sat deep.
- Ole knew we needed to be more 'progressive' and be able to dominate games to start putting away the weaker sides consistently enough to really threaten City
- Ole experimented with a higher line against Spurs last season, and we got absolutely humped 1-6 at OT, because Ole had zero clue how to implement this system or prepare the players for it.
- We quickly abandoned that one game experiment and ground out a decent season.
- This year, Ole signed Varane, and I believe thought that having a world-class partner for Maguire, with a bit of pace to boot, would suddenly solve all of our tactical woes, when it came to playing progressive football.
- This proved to be as ridiculously naive as it sounds, and we looked like the easiest side in the world to play against. Mid-table teams cut through us like a hot knife through butter, and predictably when we played the good sides, we got absolutely humped again.
- By now, confidence was at rock-bottom. The defenders were all at sea, having to play high but with no protection from the six players in-front of them. The attackers clearly had no clear instructions from Ole about pressing, how to press and what sort of runs/patterns they should be making when we have the ball.
- Ole has gone and RR has come in with completely different ideas, right in the middle of the busiest period of the season. It's clear RR has strong ideas about how to coach and organise a team, but we're not likely to see the fruits of his efforts/knowledge until the team have had time to adapt to a radical new style.
- Ronaldo is a problem, because even allowing for the odd worldie, he's about the most unsuitable striker possible to play in a RR/Jurgen Klopp-type system. This will hold us back from going to the next level under RR.
- My prediction is we will go through the rest of the season posting much-improved results, with some low-points along the way, probably just about scraping into 4th if we can keep key players fit.