Its been clear for while We must add a striker and another competitive right side attacker to our squad. This was the case even before Cr7 decided to jump ship and Ten hag arrived. We don't do that even the best form of our attackers (plus or minus cr7) and Ten hag's coaching wont save us from the consequences. Period. No way in hell we will score enough to get as far in the season as we need to without that depth
Our Forwards - Do we have enough goals?
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
Wow!
Main reason is not the same as strictly down to. Our team became worse as soon as we started adapting to starting games with Ronaldo up top. That is not up for discussion, it is only stating a fact. Every single midfielder and attacker became less productive with the arrival of Ronaldo (just stating facts here), and the same happened at Juve 3 years before (again just stating facts).
A lot of our players had bad seasons, yes, but the main reason we changed our playing style, created fewer chances, conceded more chances etc. was because we tried to adapt to and start with and feed a non-pressing 36 year old superstar up top. Good goalscorer, but horrible for the team.
We have Sancho and Elanga on the right, plus jailbird Greenwood and academy Garner, how many more right side player do you want?
Few seasons ago we had 3 seasoned left side players on top of Pogba, now you want 4 on the right? Striker is what we need.
We're at least 1 player short in attack to say for sure but if we're lucky with injuries and form then yes.
Rashford/Elanga - Martial/Sesko - Sancho/Ziyech?
I know it'd be a big call, but I'd get rid of Ronaldo. He's already trying his BS with ten Hag and thankfully, it looks as though he's not having any of it.
I know it'd be a big call, but I'd get rid of Ronaldo. He's already trying his BS with ten Hag and thankfully, it looks as though he's not having any of it.
To win the title? No, but it should be good enough to qualify for cl if everything clicks and both Rashford and martial reach a resemblance of their best selves.
I'm assuming Ronaldo won't be playing a big part as it all seemed to have gone down the drain with him.
I'm assuming Ronaldo won't be playing a big part as it all seemed to have gone down the drain with him.
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First Elanga is like Rashford. Superior on the left. Second, Garner? He is a center midfielder. Greenwood? Forget about him. Even if he clears his name he won't be up to speed until post world cup at the earliest. Even after that his future is at center forward not right winger.
I fail to see the relevance of this statement. I have never called for United to add left sided players when we were laden with them for close to 5 seasons. In comparison I've been calling for 7 seasons for United to have a competitive right side. Both at right back and right side attacker. Not just people 'doing a job' like an Elanga would be.
That isn't true at all
Thank you for the fruitful argument. You win!That isn't true at all
Ronaldo and the use of him had little to nothing to do with our play and results getting worse last season. It was strickly because all the other players downed their tools....
Seriously though:
Do you really think we can compete for trophies with non-pressing forward in the lineup?
I like this, get Ziyech and Sesko in, let Ronaldo go. We also have Garnacho who could potentially play a part this year. If we were to do this as well as getting de Jong we'd be in a decent spot.
We will probably score what we did last season. I am hoping that the defense holds up and we win some 1-0's along the way. Get in to the top 4. Get whatever players ETH wants next season and kick off Martial, Ronaldo, Mctominay, Shaw.
Martial has scored 1 league goal in the last 18 months. Sevilla deemed him not good enough to be worth keeping. He's already injured.
We don't have enough goals in this team to finish 4th, never mind win anything.
Simple and short answer is "No".
Been obvious that we don't have depth for ages and it's our most desperate position. Pure incompetence going into the season with Elanga having the role that he has. Say what you want about our midfield, but it's miles better with depth than our attack.
Importantly, the premier league has 5 subs allowed this season. That's absolutely huge for squad rotation, changing the games with subs, keeping players fresh. You need a group of players who can compete with starters and be a regular sub. Its absolutely vital to sign a winger to compete with Rashford and Sancho, as a sub or rotate with them every game. Not doing that is ridiculous.
Importantly, the premier league has 5 subs allowed this season. That's absolutely huge for squad rotation, changing the games with subs, keeping players fresh. You need a group of players who can compete with starters and be a regular sub. Its absolutely vital to sign a winger to compete with Rashford and Sancho, as a sub or rotate with them every game. Not doing that is ridiculous.
Ziyech/Sesko ?
That's why I said assuming he finds back his best form.
What are you asking me?
I'm not a big fan of it, but it's extra bodies, I suppose. One is very inexperienced and a massive risk, whilst the other one, despite playing under ten Hag, hasn't seemed to adjust to EPL football.
Hoping the fact that Ziyech has played under ten Hag will reignite his Ajax form. As for Sesko, God know's how he'd get on.
I didn't know they were signed. Specially Ziyech
win what? Its you arguing that CR7 "was mostly responsible" for our plummet. Meaning he was the reason in chief that caused our attack, midfield and defence to all get worse. In your eyes inexplicable loss of form of players and poor attitudes of the majority of the entire squad played a "minuscule role". Yet at the SAME TIME you want someone to believe you are not pinning the blame of the systemic and player failure on himYou can deny it all you want. It's the reality!
You can't look at AWB, Maguire and Shaw all lose form together and shout 'CR7. Like United were a pressing team and his presence stripped them of protection from the front so their confidence and form plummeted. 2 players who were flying at the Euros before his arrival.
You can't claim he caused Bruno " to get worse." Yet Bruno alongside him had been thriving for Portugal for years. They should have easily translated that to United. Yet Bruno's drop in form in all truth actually started at the Euros.
You can't blame him for players downing their tools yet repeated leaks from the dressing room indicate he repeatedly tried to unite a fractured dressing room with the staff
You can't claim he caused Cavani and Pogba to dissappear with injury. Two nsne our two biggest crocks and personnel losses from the previous season.
You can't claim he made Rashford worse. A player whose form was already plummeting before his arrival and foolishly insisted on heading to the euros with an injury. Got operated after and messed up his own pre season as a result, just prolonging his plummet in form
Martial too had been fast sleep since before CR7s arrival. Yet y'all want us to believe its cr7 that made him that way.
Greenwood in fact got better post cr7 coming. Just the side got worse around him and then He caught a case.
One doesn't even have to LIKE CR7 to point out these flaws in the 'blame is his" narrative.
Yes. Once you understood pressing football fully you understand how. Pressing is mostly about positioning. Not just running power. Its tactical. No one can seriously believe a CR7 can't be tactically instructed to put himself in positions that make it harder for opponents to play around him whilst everyone else squeezes a pressing trap shut. People are acting like he just stands still and does not have more stamina and sprinting power than most of the cafe combined even aged 37.
If a team has 9 relentless pressers and one semi presser. The system will style work like a clock. As long as the tactical instruction is sound. If ten hag does get to keep CR7 for the season he WILL prove it with his coaching.
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If Ronaldo leaves no. Can’t see Martial & Rashford getting 15 plus goals each, one maybe but not both.
Utter nonsense. Ronaldo has a slopy patch goal wise the team being poor is blamed on him, totally dispelled once he starts scoring again...Nor ROnaldo wans to leave, its all his fault again. Ronaldo isnt the same player he was obviously, yes he has weaknesses now within his game and as a team player.
But come on, several players in the side we becoming awful towards the end of the season before, long before he arrived again. The signs were already there and it was obvious we needed to rebuild the midfield. The only way I think can indirectly blame ROnaldo for our shortcomingi last season is we went all in for him at the last minute when we shoul dhavebeen signing two central midfielders...we signed none.....ironically as things stand, the same mistake is being made again with talk of a striker needed as FDJ, he istn cocming.
But how do you blame ROnaldo for some of the abysmal performances individually throughout the season. Shaw was teriible, Bissaka went backwards, Lindelof was yet again average, Varane injured, Maguire a pure embarrassment. Not on player bar Matic from the bench was capable of playing in the pivot Pogba, McFred, VDB all failed in terms of any defensive intelligence, consistency or even responsibility....how do you link that to Ronaldo as these are all defensive areas of the game when we were an utter shambles.
The effort and attitude from the likes of Martial and Rashford was pretty much disgraceful last season and for me Fernandes even in his purple patch showed plenty of evidence of beign very wasteful during 90minutes of a game.
Did/does the effect of ROnaldo have an effect negatively as well as positively on individuals, the dressing room and team....for sure, there were moments of petulance and I agree with what Gary Neville said to a degree.
But sayng the main reason was down to ROnaldo is purely proposterous. There are loads of players in this squad who have let down several managers long before Ronaldo arrived and yet here we are seemingly unable to seel anybody only loan players or wait for there contacts to end. The negative effect of ROnaldo before this summer is miniscule in comparison to so many other problems with both the players, ownership, staff, coaching and management. Hopefully with what has happened in terms orf recruitment and changing of management and staff, that improves and yes now maybe th etime for Ronaldo to go.....but blaming players that have been piss poor for years here on a player that was one of only two to perform las season is blinkered at best
Amen
No. We need to get a couple of forwards in, but we can't afford not to sign at least one.
If Bruno, Rashford and Martial can turn back the clock and then Sancho and Eriksen chip in too we could manage yeah
They all need to stay fit and in form though which we all know won't happen
If ETH can somehow get a tune out of Ronaldo (and he's actually here in order to do so of course) then we'll be fine
In reality though we need at least one other 10+ goal forward
They all need to stay fit and in form though which we all know won't happen
If ETH can somehow get a tune out of Ronaldo (and he's actually here in order to do so of course) then we'll be fine
In reality though we need at least one other 10+ goal forward
My feelings as well.
I am a little concerned about our production now. I can't see who will score them.
We've scored 4 so far in 4 games,
We've scored 4 so far in 4 games,
No, this was a glaringly obvious problem at the end of last season and nothing has really been done to correct it.
We scored 57 goals in the league last season, which if I recall was our worst return ever. It was obvious that we needed to bring in a world-class scorer and we didn't do anything in that regard.
As it stands right now, if we don't bring in another proven striker I think we will probably wind up in the 50-55 range this season.
We scored 57 goals in the league last season, which if I recall was our worst return ever. It was obvious that we needed to bring in a world-class scorer and we didn't do anything in that regard.
As it stands right now, if we don't bring in another proven striker I think we will probably wind up in the 50-55 range this season.
can we match liverpool 9 goals win ? 
If ETH can get them playing as a team and get a high pressure defense to work then I am not that worried who will score our goals as I think they will be split out on a large no. of players.
Maybe no one making above 20 goals. But a lot of players above 10 goals.
We will not be scoring the amount of goals like City and Pool this year but then again I am just hoping for the miracle of a top 4 finish.
Maybe no one making above 20 goals. But a lot of players above 10 goals.
We will not be scoring the amount of goals like City and Pool this year but then again I am just hoping for the miracle of a top 4 finish.
Assuming cr7 doesn't start which don't think he will do he still would score more than what we have already btw, we need a out n out goal scorer it's going to be difficult now with few days remaining, me personally would go for mitrovic ok not a star studded name but in uniteds attack now I'm sure he would bang in more than what we have good header on him and strong type we need could hold up play well let others into play creating n scoring more with this player in team, but just my opinion not too many out there n mitrovic has improved alot
Simple question: would you prefer it if Ronaldo started regularly and scored 20 goals but United got say 60 over the season and you finished 7th.
Or would you prefer it if he scored 10 (off the bench) and the team got 80 overall and finished 3rd?
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Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landside,
No escape from reality
Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see,
———————Martial/Zaha
Rashford/Garnacho————Sancho/Antony
—————————Bruno/Eriksen———————
Once we get rid of Ronaldo our fortunes will turn.
I’d love to sign Zaha for experience and next year sell Martial and sign a proper striker, right back and central midfielder with possibly Maguire leaving and being replaced.
Zaha has one year left, if hes available at £50 million its a no brainer.
Rashford/Garnacho————Sancho/Antony
—————————Bruno/Eriksen———————
Once we get rid of Ronaldo our fortunes will turn.
I’d love to sign Zaha for experience and next year sell Martial and sign a proper striker, right back and central midfielder with possibly Maguire leaving and being replaced.
Zaha has one year left, if hes available at £50 million its a no brainer.
50m for Zaha?? Not sure if wumming.
I think he will leave this window and cant see him going for less than £40 million.
In season 2020/21 Manchester United scored 73 goals, so to ask for 80 isn't that fantastical.
Man United just beat Liverpool and Liverpool then put 9 past Bournemouth (with only one player different at the kick-off) so that should indicate a degree of optimism that I don't see on your red cafe.
I have said it before on another thread: the most important 2 results this season for United were the first two. If you had scraped wins there you would have spent hardly any more money, but those defeats - plus anti-glazer coverage - caused some panic; luckily Casemiro and Anthony (not Arnautovitch and Rabiot) are the result.
Maybe the manager planned it all along! But I don't think he did, but perhaps he's a lucky manager and that is the best type of manager of all.
I read a couple of days ago some suggestion that Ronaldo might go on loan to Napoli - who are in the CL - but with United paying all his wages. Things seem to have gone quiet on that. But if that rumour was true, wow it shows just how much the manager wants him out of the dressing room, he's on what £380,000 a week!
I think he might actually stay now though, but we will see him mostly as a sub in the PL and starting in the Carabou Cup/Europa Cup. It is a bit sad really and I'd rather he retire gracefully (he can't need the money, he is possibly a billionaire now) than continue to flip and flop about gesturing all the time and looking grumpy. There was a moment in the Southampton game where he had a half-chance to get in on goal, but the pace had gone. I can't believe that you actually re-signed him last August on such a big wage - was a timed sprint not part of the medical?
It could also show that Ronaldo doesn't wanna stay here as a sub and playing the EL. I'm sure if he wanted to accept his new role, ETH wouldn't have an issue with keeping him.
A big player like that sulking all season long is a poison for the team
I'm a bit confused, you contradict yourself: "I'm sure if he wanted to accept his new role, ETH wouldn't have an issue with keeping him." vs "A big player like that sulking all season long is a poison for the team."
I think Ronaldo has behaved consistently poorly since returning to Manchester United and the label prima donna springs to mind. Even little things like getting the No. 7 shirt off Cavani. He said he was fine with that, but I don't think he was. Rather than speak out he accepted it, but at every opportunity, every little twinge or muscle strain, he made himself unavailable - possibly because he'd been persuaded to sign up to an extra year at United and then the club go and re-employ CR7 in his position.
There was all that kurfuffle pre-season - 'The King Plays' (and then the king fux off home, early) that sort of thing.... & I'm pretty certain that he had a chat with Bruno Fernandes as soon as he got to the club and told him whenever you get the ball the first thing you do is look to pass it to me. Bruno's game suffered as a result. There was definitely something going on - a power struggle of some sort - between himself and Maguire with the knock-on effect of a sort of Portuguese /English split in the dressing room. The manager seems to have solved that one for now by dropping them both! But its a long winter.
I don't actually know why he hasn't bought himself out of his contract, which he could easily afford to do, as a free agent he'd find a CL club no problem.