[b20times]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

When he was at Dortmund, it was goal and assist, but that was at Dortmund in their system. Don't expect our club to have thought that through.

 

[NinjaZombie]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

Can't judge a new signing playing in a dysfunctional team coached by a bunch of trainee on-job-training coaches.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

Can't judge a new signing playing in a dysfunctional team coached by a bunch of trainee on-job-training coaches.

He was the same at the beginning of last season.

 

[TMDaines]

Just realised that the only two wins in the last seven were only gained by a last minute penalty save and a last minute goal. We haven’t won a game without stumbling over the line for a while…

 

[bonothom]

We do not have a world class squad. We lack world class central midfielders. If you play Pogba, Matic and Ronaldo any team in the PL will out run you.

Yep we're only a couple of players short of a title challenging team just like Gary Neville spouts. Even if we bought 5 world class midfielders we'd still be a couple of players short according to the Gary Nevilles of this world. Sooner or later the bucks gotta stop at the ineptitude of the coaching staff and the massively under qualified manager.

 

[RazorOz]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

He's just a victim of our completely dysfunctional attack. He's come from a fluid attacking system. There is no system at Utd, it's just put a bunch of good individuals out there, and hope they deliver. Sometimes they will of course as there's a lot of very good players in the squad capable of individual brilliance, but there is no evidence of any attacking system whatsoever when you watch Utd play.

 

[::sonny::]

Has he said, after the game, we created big chances?

 

[Sultan]

Just back from the game. The away fans who have been generally very supportive are losing patience fast. Everyone around me saying he should go.

 

[48 hours]

Has he said, after the game, we created big chances?

for the opposition

 

[Coops73]

Funny, I am NOT a Pogba-in guy, but I don't think he was the main problem today. He was lights out for France in the international break too, so.... He certainly doesn't fit well in this squad, but at this point, he is who he is. It's our fault that we still, in year 5, haven't found the right midfield partnership for him.

To be fair I’ve only watched MOTD but for the last few years I’ve always thought that he has been the millstone around our neck, not just because of his cnut agent but his lack of will and application.

saying that, we either build around him and commit to that or stop indulging him because he really doesn’t fit and unfortunately Ole is doing the later.

In my opinion he’s never been committed to our club and him going and taking his fat cnut with him would really be a blessing for us.

 

[EtH]

Just back from the game. The away fans who have been generally very supportive are losing patience fast. Everyone around me saying he should go.

I hate it because it’s Olly Legend. But this is good news. He’ll be going nowhere while the fans are still supporting him in the stadium.

 

[Kinky Melinky]

Just back from the game. The away fans who have been generally very supportive are losing patience fast. Everyone around me saying he should go.

Seems to be the general feeling online too. I've noticed a huge shift after today particularly from posters who are generally patient and level headed

 

[JB7]

If he genuinely said De Gea was our best player today then he should’ve been sacked before leaving the ground. Almost every problem we have defensively stems from him.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Seems to be the general feeling online too. I've noticed a huge shift after today particularly from posters who are generally patient and level headed

First few games I think you just never know but we’re 8 in now and we’ve conceded double figures, we’ve had late goals in bad performances and keeper heroics already against some very midtable teams. Patience really has gone now barring those who’ll stick with him regardless.

 

[Mike Oxard]

Not sure what the latest is on the fitness of Phil Jones, but he would be a serious improvement on todays pairing. He takes some stick and he has the occasional brain fart, but he’s an absolute warrior and when we’re under the kosh he’s just what we need. If fit, I’d get him in for the Liverpool game.

 

[jesperjaap]

Well for me there are four main problems, we have seen them week in week out:

1) Our failure to strengthen the midfield this summer.

People talking about lack of finances are talking hogwash for me in our failure there. Behind a centre back it was our most need area of strengthening, in fact I would argue our niggest concern as we needed TWO central midfielders this summer.

Instead we spent on wages and transfers fees around £120m on Sancho and ROnaldo for this season when we have Rashford, Greenwood, Diallo, Elanga, Pellestri on thw wings and Greenwood, Martial and Cavani up front. Not saying these werent excellent signings or that is even as the problem as we STILL have Henderson, Williams, Dalot, Pogba, VDB, Lingard, Pereira, Chong, Matic, Bailly, jones, Tuanzabe, Mata, Fred, Martial.......are you seriously telling me there were not potential sales amongst that group of players to fund a new central midfield partnership?

2) Pogba

We are paying him around £15m to be here this season....where we then may lost him for free....or... not only that, we have a contract of around £80-100m on the table to keep him here for the majority of the rest of the career.

Now I am not going in to a whole Pogba debate. He is talented, he is one of the better players here, but the inconsistencies within a game and his inability to play in central midfield. e doesnt justify the salary he is on now, let alone a new one. If we sold him for £20m in the summer we would havesaved outselves £35m....again that goes back to the strengthening our midfield argument above

3) Our staff

The last couple fo seasons our poor pressing, shape and just the look on the faces of some of the coaching staff....leads to the opinion they simply are not good enough. SOlkjear hasnt reacted to this. He should have been replacing them with a Quiroz, Meaulensteen, McClaren and he hasnt.

4) Ole

I think SOlkjear hasnt actually done a bad job in his time here......but he has gone as far as he can go now, we are seeing this and the fact he has failed to move players on, address our biggest problems....sorry it is now time to go

ANother thing bothers me is all these pundits talking about all the quality playes we have, personally I dont buy in to that. We dont have a quality side. We are two central midfielder short without a doubt. We do of course have some quality attacking players....but Lindelof, Maguire, McTominay, VDB, Pogba, Rashford, Martial for example are some of our considered talented and quality players in there respective positions....how many of these would have got in Fergusons top Utd sides....none would have been anywhere near the first choice eleven, that is the truth of the matter....and time to get slaughtered.....great effort, moments of magic, breath of fresh air here....all true, I still think despite the stats and obviously being a good player....Bruno Fernandes is also over rated. We often slate Pogba for his inconsistent form and often giving the ball away. Fernandes was really poor the end of last season and constantly gives the ball away. DOnt get me wrong, I like Fernandes but the compsrisons to the likes of Cantona are simply not deserved

 

[DSG]

To be fair I’ve only watched MOTD but for the last few years I’ve always thought that he has been the millstone around our neck, not just because of his cnut agent but his lack of will and application.

saying that, we either build around him and commit to that or stop indulging him because he really doesn’t fit and unfortunately Ole is doing the later.

In my opinion he’s never been committed to our club and him going and taking his fat cnut with him would really be a blessing for us.

Don’t disagree. He’s driven me insane periodically since he joined us. Moments of absolute brilliance interspersed with “I don’t care” performances. He’s leaving anyway.

I have a good buddy who is French, so I watch a lot of France… He tends to play better for France. There was a moment against Spain recently where he laid into Pavard for not showing properly when playing through the press. Pogba was furious, it was a Keane-like moment. Why doesn’t he do that for us? I would welcome him being a bit more vocal and demanding.

Anyhow, I get it if you are tired of Pogba. I’m fine if he leaves tbf.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I agree the coaching and management needs to change but also our midfield...no other top side would swap us their midfield options for Pogba/Matic/Fred/McTominay. Whatever combination we put out is going to get steamrolled by any decent side.

Doesn't even need to be a top side, taking Leicester's midfield would be a vast improvement.

 

[DSG]

Well for me there are four main problems, we have seen them week in week out:

1) Our failure to strengthen the midfield this summer.

People talking about lack of finances are talking hogwash for me in our failure there. Behind a centre back it was our most need area of strengthening, in fact I would argue our niggest concern as we needed TWO central midfielders this summer.

Instead we spent on wages and transfers fees around £120m on Sancho and ROnaldo for this season when we have Rashford, Greenwood, Diallo, Elanga, Pellestri on thw wings and Greenwood, Martial and Cavani up front. Not saying these werent excellent signings or that is even as the problem as we STILL have Henderson, Williams, Dalot, Pogba, VDB, Lingard, Pereira, Chong, Matic, Bailly, jones, Tuanzabe, Mata, Fred, Martial.......are you seriously telling me there were not potential sales amongst that group of players to fund a new central midfield partnership?

2) Pogba

We are paying him around £15m to be here this season....where we then may lost him for free....or... not only that, we have a contract of around £80-100m on the table to keep him here for the majority of the rest of the career.

Now I am not going in to a whole Pogba debate. He is talented, he is one of the better players here, but the inconsistencies within a game and his inability to play in central midfield. e doesnt justify the salary he is on now, let alone a new one. If we sold him for £20m in the summer we would havesaved outselves £35m....again that goes back to the strengthening our midfield argument above

3) Our staff

The last couple fo seasons our poor pressing, shape and just the look on the faces of some of the coaching staff....leads to the opinion they simply are not good enough. SOlkjear hasnt reacted to this. He should have been replacing them with a Quiroz, Meaulensteen, McClaren and he hasnt.

4) Ole

I think SOlkjear hasnt actually done a bad job in his time here......but he has gone as far as he can go now, we are seeing this and the fact he has failed to move players on, address our biggest problems....sorry it is now time to go

ANother thing bothers me is all these pundits talking about all the quality playes we have, personally I dont buy in to that. We dont have a quality side. We are two central midfielder short without a doubt. We do of course have some quality attacking players....but Lindelof, Maguire, McTominay, VDB, Pogba, Rashford, Martial for example are some of our considered talented and quality players in there respective positions....how many of these would have got in Fergusons top Utd sides....none would have been anywhere near the first choice eleven, that is the truth of the matter....and time to get slaughtered.....great effort, moments of magic, breath of fresh air here....all true, I still think despite the stats and obviously being a good player....Bruno Fernandes is also over rated. We often slate Pogba for his inconsistent form and often giving the ball away. Fernandes was really poor the end of last season and constantly gives the ball away. DOnt get me wrong, I like Fernandes but the compsrisons to the likes of Cantona are simply not deserved

Good post. A lot to unpack.

I think you hit the high points. It’s interesting, because Pep’s instinct to improve is always to buy another midfielder. I would say his midfield squad building has been spot-on for the most part, whereas he struggles a bit with defenders and attackers. We’ve done poorly in the midfield.

Regarding Ole, I agree that he hasn’t done badly. Unfortunately, we live in an internet culture that doesn’t allow nuanced opinions. I think it is fine to have an opinion where Ole was good for us for awhile, but maybe isn’t the answer now.

I DO think we have a starting 11 that should challenge for the title. Bruno, Maguire, Rashford, Varane, Ronaldo, Greenwood, Shaw, Sancho…. That’s a title winning side in SAF’s era.

 

[Litch]

What no McFred? If they played, it would have been all on them and Harry and Shaw would have got 'let off the hook', despite being poor all season so far. But that does not fit the it's Scott and Fred's fault narrative, despite today's pairing was most people's preference still amounted to being outplayed by their midfield. Would any of the top teams swap what they have with Pogs or Matic either? Anyone reckon Villa, Leicester or Everton?

What I'm finding hilarious is if he hadn't played McFred as shite as they may be, we would probably have seen more of these results away from home. It's funny how 'all they do is run around' may actually allow those in front to have the freedom to take the plaudits scoring and assisting goals. The irony is that's part of our problem, if you don't play McFred, those very same 'better players' are gonna have to do their own running around. Now we have poor Matic and Pogs, Bruno is chasing goals and not doing his share of 'running around in midfield ....' Like said, oh the irony.

I hope we don't see McFred again for the rest of the season.....want to see who the new scapegoat will be, where is your tin hat Harry? Wonder how long before people start talking about Pogs hair and dancing on social media or Shaw looking overweight again?

 

[DSG]

What exactly does Sancho bring to the table? He's a ghost and it's not even Halloween yet.

Kinda disagree. Thought he looked good. Made Ricardo look like a fool the first half. I don’t think we can blame this performance on him. Maguire was atrocious, Lindelof and AWB bad. That’s where the blame for this defeat came from.

 

[Bondi77]

I just watched the game and thought we were lucky to only lose by one goal.
We must be the slowest team in the league moving the ball from the defence/midfield and when the opposition put on a good press our boys shit themselves.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

in fact I would argue our niggest concern

Reported.

 

[Siorac]

Not sure what the latest is on the fitness of Phil Jones, but he would be a serious improvement on todays pairing. He takes some stick and he has the occasional brain fart, but he’s an absolute warrior and when we’re under the kosh he’s just what we need. If fit, I’d get him in for the Liverpool game.

Wow, we've hit rock bottom, it seems.

 

[redmanx]

To be fair I’ve only watched MOTD but for the last few years I’ve always thought that he has been the millstone around our neck, not just because of his cnut agent but his lack of will and application.

saying that, we either build around him and commit to that or stop indulging him because he really doesn’t fit and unfortunately Ole is doing the later.

In my opinion he’s never been committed to our club and him going and taking his fat cnut with him would really be a blessing for us.

I agree; Ole has fallen into the trap of trying to please everybody all the time and it isnt working. I love Ronaldo but to read that he has supposedly told the manager that he will say whether he plays or not is simply not on; SAF would have gone ballistic, but then it would never have happened to him, and thats Oles biggest problem, getting the respect a manager needs from his players. Right now hes playing all his "stars" and its simply not working. Ole has to take charge and not be afraid to piss players off; he is the manager.

 

[cyril C]

Just realised that the only two wins in the last seven were only gained by a last minute penalty save and a last minute goal. We haven’t won a game without stumbling over the line for a while…

The only convincing win, was the 1st game. The others was lucky, or at least lucky in Newcastle's 1st half, but not this time.

 

[ExoduS]

Don't judge Sancho, don't judge Sancho... Well Daniel James who we just sold had much more impact from the start than this lad. James was scoring, he was pressing, he was lighting fast and so dangerous on counter attacks. Sancho is lost out there.

I mean everyone is sh1t. The job of the manager is to get new players and adapt them to the "system". Hard to adapt players to the systems when we don't have one.

We don't have a single standout this season. Everyone sorta sucks. Everyone. Everyone sucks so badly that Matic's average performances are taken as "wow, we wish he was younger". All Matic does is his job, nothing special.

Why everyone else can't do the job!? Ole sucks and everyone around him sucks? Well let's fire everyone and start over... Again! I am not seeing anything so far... We are actually progressively getting worse by each game.

Ronaldo, Pogba and Fernandes can't play together. Pogba needs to go. he was sh1t ever since he jointed this team and people were making excuses for him as they are making for Ole. Put effing VdB for Pogba and let's go... Let's suffer through the growing pains until we find some legitimate midfield players.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Another Ole masterclass. Lost 4-2 our goalie was our best player. The two goals we scored again nothing to do with proper tactics. A waste of so much talent. Has to go ASAP.

 

[Marcus]

Another Ole masterclass. Lost 4-2 our goalie was our best player. The two goals we scored again nothing to do with proper tactics. A waste of so much talent. Has to go ASAP.

Yes, it was not just the scoreline, it's that it could have been a couple more but for De Gea being back in great form.

 

[Sviken]

When every single one of your players isn't playing well, bar the goalkeeper (who has close to zero tactical instructions besides keeping the ball out of the net), then the players aren't the problem. You can give Ole Pep's entire Barcelona team in their primes and we'd still struggle to finish in top 4.

 

[croadyman]

Huge respect to @Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell & @OrcaFat who are two of Ole's biggest supporters for fronting it up in this thread

 

[Redpimp]

Breaking news: Ole resigned after losing to Leicester!
Probably that would be the best scenario for him to keep his legacy. Win a like man, lose like a man Ole!

 

[Siezard]

Chelsea also started badly last season when they brought in a lot of new players. But players started to gel and they got better towards the end and even win the CL.

 

[RedAlways78]

We scored some cracking goals and yes there are problems. For instance that muppet Maguire can’t clear a ball.

Have faith in Ole, we are not sitting too badly in the table. Let’s focus on Europe this week and we can win on Sunday.

 

[Coops73]

Post like these are the problem. Complete lack of football knowledge if you think Pogba is the thing causing our problems when we never put the players around him to do what he does best, except for those few short months in Ole's interim spell.

Hold tight everyone, Oles successor has been found.

 

[mitchmouse]

I have absolutely no idea why the club is so keen to offer huge amounts of money to Pogba - he did exactly nothing when we desperately needed strength in midfield. He disappears in too many games. But he was by no means the only culprit yesterday. We were crying out for some strength in that area and McT would have been a much better bet, although he's hardly the answer to the problems at the moment (I think he might become such in the years ahead).

AWB was praised in the matchday thread but he was - as usual - caught out of position so often, costing us at lest one goal. That said, I don't believe he fouled Vardy for their fourth.

Maguire was awful and was slow for their equaliser, but I thought DDG's pass was under-hit. How often do we need to prove that we can't play out from the back? We get caught time and time again. Just get the ball upfield, or buy defenders who can play it out. Not sure DDG was as great as some are saying, either. Going with his feet for their third goal caused havoc. I see no reason he couldn't have got down with his hands. Our keepers of the past would have.

Much of these failing is down to Ole. You can blame the players if you want, but clearly they are being told how to play - no press, play it out from the back etc. Finally, in his interview he says plans may need to change. I doubt they will, all that will happen is some people will be "rested".

One thing that I think will help (but won't happen) is to push Ronaldo wide and let Cavani or Greenwood play down the middle. Ronnie is better at getting the ball to people (he can actually pass). I'd go with Cavani right now just because of his experience... his runs and his movement are better than Mason's at the moment. He is harder to pick up and drifts away from his marker better. Let Edi start and if he tires - if - then bring on Mason. Or leave Sancho on the bench and play Greenwood.

We are likely to get hammered by Liverpool and by City. So for me the two games that should really be looked at are Spurs and Watford. We saw what Liverpool did to Ranieri's side - if we stutter against them or get heavily beaten by Spurs, Ole can have no excuses and even our "eyes closed wide shut" board will have to realise we aren't going anywhere. I saw nothing in the game against Leicester to suggest we've moved forward from Jose's days...

The two games against Atalanta will decide our CL fate - I said that right after we played like clowns in Switzerland. Failure here too should cost a United manager his job. If it doesn't, the board should hang their heads in shame...

 

[Ddannidom]

For real Ronaldo is not a centre forward.

At least I don't think he will be a great one in this setup of ours. I feel we need to allow him foray in the wings since our whole tactics is to get moments from our most talented players.

We want our most lethal player to get the ball often don't we?

So bad we can't build nothing from the back (except that one time) to feed our forwards. Our base is so much error prone its laughable. Simple 5 yard passes, running into space, even crossing a ball is such a herculian task.

Boggles my mind how a group of professionals could be so clueless across the field.

 

[GueRed]

Too open. Another poor performance.

How long will this continue?

 

[Hughie77]

Not sure what the latest is on the fitness of Phil Jones, but he would be a serious improvement on todays pairing. He takes some stick and he has the occasional brain fart, but he’s an absolute warrior and when we’re under the kosh he’s just what we need. If fit, I’d get him in for the Liverpool game.

I agree I would have played him as well, olly is playing it safe, Maguire tells him he's fit and plays him after 1 training session? No other manager would have done that while we had 2 CBs fit to go, Bially and Jones. Both were game time fitter than Maguire.