[Isotope]

Don't think you are wrong. It will have opened a few peoples eyes. Except Gary Neville's of course. If it stops us signing players well past their sell by date it will be something.

Well, Gary Neville is a well-known stubborn biased man and failed manager that has opinion on anything.

I'm ok with signing these past date players, as long as they're adding to an establish core players. Cavani should be let go when we knew Ronaldo was coming.

We'll see, mate, whether Murtough is just Ed Mk II or a man with better vision.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Well, Gary Neville is a well-known stubborn biased man and failed manager that has opinion on anything.

I'm ok with signing these past date players, as long as they're adding to an establish core players. Cavani should be let go when we knew Ronaldo was coming.

Yeah to have two of them was overkill. Cavani has just taken up a squad place and has been constantly injured.

 

[UTD_Since_1978]

Can we just pick some youth players for these last 8 games & be done with it, see if they can hack it in the Prem or not? 4th is looking a miracle right now!

 

[InspiRED]

Easier to just stop watching us, as I did a couple of months ago now.

Only watched the Spurs game as I trusted Spurs to cock it up more than any belief in this United vintage. Rest has been more a case of catching halves or monitoring progress.

I checked out with Greenwood, really. Sort of, "feck this shit, see you next season, what can I do with the next six months? => quit smoking, no hope, no run-in, now's the time!".

Delighted I did it.

Ah fair play to you, quitting smoking definitely beats watching a different flavour of shite week in week out.

 

[kouroux]

Promote a youth player. Dont get why Ralf is not doing that. Im sure they would try harder

More importantly, he'd be better suited for the role, however young he is. Bruno/Pogba vs a youth striker up front ? I'd play a youth striker all the time.
Wtf does Ralf think ?

 

[UTD_Since_1978]

More importantly, he'd be better suited for the role, however young he is. Bruno/Pogba vs a youth striker up front ? I'd play a youth striker all the time.
Wtf does Ralf think ?

I think Ralf still thinks that his first teamers are capable of getting 4th place so (apart from Elanga) he won't give youth the chance.

 

[The Brown Bull]

I'm tired of this as an excuse. We've spent 1.2 billion pounds since SAF retired (only city have spent more) and we have 4 of the top 5 best paid players in the PL. Can we stop saying the owners are cheap and greedy and recognize they are just incompetent.

They are greedy. They are cheap .

 

[redmanx]

While we failed to be successful under Ole, apart from that first flush of hope after his appointment, I really cannot see where things have improved significantly since Ole went. We still give the ball away far too often, we still have players who look as though they'd rather be mowing the lawn, or washing the car rather than be on the pitch. We still have defenders who dont appear to have grasped the rudiments of tackling, marking and other basic defensive duties. We still have players where some run around like headless chickens, to no effect, while others stroll around as if theyre doing their weekly shop. We still dont appear to have a cohesive, structured game plan and today we didnt even have a single specialist striker on the pitch or on the bench. Progress? We're going backwards and downhill....fast.

 

[Oldtraffordboy]

I'm tired of this as an excuse. We've spent 1.2 billion pounds since SAF retired (only city have spent more) and we have 4 of the top 5 best paid players in the PL. Can we stop saying the owners are cheap and greedy and recognize they are just incompetent.

If taking £1.1 billion out of Manchester United to service your own debt isn't considered greedy, I'm not sure what your values are.

That could have been spent on a new stadium, state of the art training facilities, a world class academy, the best scouting network on the planet, community projects, investment in the local area and development of the derelict land around OT which has huge potential

All of this would have helped create a culture of excellence in the organisation from top to bottom, making it more appealing to the brightest, most ambitious and hungry staff.

Build a great organisation and strategy with the best staff and facilities, and the £1billiom we have spent on players would have been less likely to have been squandered.

 

[sirAlexsglasses]

Many of this lot checked out weeks ago, honestly I would drop all that have one eye on the exit door and take a look at some of the youth that are banging in the door. With a World Cup on the horizon I would freeze players out as a lesson on what is expected. Will we do it though…….of course not as their social media clicks would take a hit, I’ve followed United for 43 years, and I’ve seen some dire football. But at least I saw effort, this lot wouldn’t know effort if it smacked them in the face, I don’t recognise this United at all.

 

[redmanx]

Many of this lot checked out weeks ago, honestly I would drop all that have one eye on the exit door and take a look at some of the youth that are banging in the door. With a World Cup on the horizon I would freeze players out as a lesson on what is expected. Will we do it though…….of course not as their social media clicks would take a hit, I’ve followed United for 43 years, and I’ve seen some dire football. But at least I saw effort, this lot wouldn’t know effort if it smacked them in the face, I don’t recognise this United at all.

My thoughts exactly, we have to get rid of the wasters and prima donnas, even if it hurts us financially in the short term. To hell with them and their "brands" and social media interests.

 

[justsomebloke]

Who didn't deserve that? They were all terrible.

We got outplayed at home by the team with the worst away record bar the relegation zone teams.

I'd recommend Specsavers but the problem goes way beyond that.

Maybe you should consider Specsavers yourself, replace those shit-tinted glasses you must have watched that game through if you thought that was being "outplayed at home".

We weren't outplayed and we weren't terrible. We were just depressingly mediocre, like Wolves or Villa on an uninspired night. Which is more than bad enough and doesn't require embellishment. This is where we are now. Not a seriously difficult opponent for the top teams, pretty much even odds for mid-table opponents, not beyond realistically doable for bottom teams to beat.

Anyway, not that ratings at the caf are terribly important, but for me, the 3s and 4s are what you use if a player has had a really bad game - ripe with dangerous and costly mistakes, practically no positive input, less than 60% passing accuracy, that kind of thing. I don't think we were seeing that much against Leicester. But good it certainly was not.

 

[Revaulx]

Maybe you should consider Specsavers yourself, replace those shit-tinted glasses you must have watched that game through if you thought that was being "outplayed at home".

We weren't outplayed and we weren't terrible. We were just depressingly mediocre, like Wolves or Villa on an uninspired night. Which is more than bad enough and doesn't require embellishment. This is where we are now. Not a seriously difficult opponent for the top teams, pretty much even odds for mid-table opponents, not beyond realistically doable for bottom teams to beat.

Agreed. Though looking at the midfield in isolation, I don’t think outplayed is an exaggeration.

Anyway, not that ratings at the caf are terribly important, but for me, the 3s and 4s are what you use if a player has had a really bad game - ripe with dangerous and costly mistakes, practically no positive input, less than 60% passing accuracy, that kind of thing. I don't think we were seeing that much against Leicester. But good it certainly was not.

So what would you use the 1s and 2s for?

 

[Maticmaker]

We're going backwards and downhill....fast.

Perhaps that is our new target (its certainly our trajectory !) i.e. NOT to finish in any of the
European qualification places, so that we can concentrate on re-building for a PL challenge next season... up to the WC break, then hit the ground running after the WC.... well its a thought!!!

 

[Hughes35]

We were awful. There is nothing to defend anymore.

Fred tries his best so I will give him credit. He's been decent this season in the main.

De Gea - Made a great save, not to blame for the goal

The rest of the team were awful. Offered nothing at all. Anybody who won't be here next season should now be dropped from the squad (Not just the 11) and we should promote youth.

Team for Everton i'd like:

---------------------------------------------------De Gea------------------------------------------------
Dalot-------------------------------Maguire--------------Varane-------------------------Shaw
----------------------------------------------Fred-------------Savage---------------------------
Elanga-----------------------------------------Hannibal---------------------------------Sancho
------------------------------------------------Ronaldo (If he's staying)----------------------------

Fed up of seeing Bruno, Mctom, Rashford & Pogba wandering around like they don't want to be there.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Sad thing is that these players don't have to worry about their place in the NT because for some fecking reason they tend to do well there.

 

[Gordon Godot]

We were awful. There is nothing to defend anymore.

Fred tries his best so I will give him credit. He's been decent this season in the main.

De Gea - Made a great save, not to blame for the goal

The rest of the team were awful. Offered nothing at all. Anybody who won't be here next season should now be dropped from the squad (Not just the 11) and we should promote youth.

Team for Everton i'd like:

---------------------------------------------------De Gea------------------------------------------------
Dalot-------------------------------Maguire--------------Varane-------------------------Shaw
----------------------------------------------Fred-------------Savage---------------------------
Elanga-----------------------------------------Hannibal---------------------------------Sancho
------------------------------------------------Ronaldo (If he's staying)----------------------------

Fed up of seeing Bruno, Mctom, Rashford & Pogba wandering around like they don't want to be there.

Timing of renewing Bruno was interesting. I know press tend to exaggerate but all new contracts should lower base salaries and contain huge performance related upsides. If the figure are quoted are true he does not deserve that much. Noone else would pay him that.

 

[croadyman]

They’ve checked out weeks ago. Really poor effort from many.

Yeah hard to care about games until the end of the season, even the trips to Anfield and Emirates look underwhelming too

 

[justsomebloke]

Agreed. Though looking at the midfield in isolation, I don’t think outplayed is an exaggeration.


So what would you use the 1s and 2s for?

In practice more or less never I guess. Except maybe for the sort of performances that gets remembered for years, or define a career. "1" make sense as a sort of "worst conceivable", largely theoretical point of reference. Sets a standard that is hard to live up to in practice. But everyone has their own way of understanding such scales. The point in this case is really just that the ratings are so low compared to normal that they probably indicate that a lot of people are piling it on, a bit. I know, what else is new.

 

[gerdm07]

If taking £1.1 billion out of Manchester United to service your own debt isn't considered greedy, I'm not sure what your values are.

That could have been spent on a new stadium, state of the art training facilities, a world class academy, the best scouting network on the planet, community projects, investment in the local area and development of the derelict land around OT which has huge potential

All of this would have helped create a culture of excellence in the organisation from top to bottom, making it more appealing to the brightest, most ambitious and hungry staff.

Build a great organisation and strategy with the best staff and facilities, and the £1billiom we have spent on players would have been less likely to have been squandered.

You make it sound like our training facilities are second class and our academy is in shambles. I know nothing about the training facility but I would bet it is one of the best in the world. Our academy has been producing good young players lately which is an improvement over 2010 to 2016. Our academy is probably one of the best in the PL, can you prove otherwise?

I live in the US so I do not know about the land and community projects that the club could help with.

I would bet our scouting network has plenty of money and personnel and would rank high in the world. The problem is the personnel that our hired, they can't seem to find good young talent and find proven players ready for the PL. I doubt it's a money problem.

Please tell me more about the 1.1 billion pounds to service debt. I've heard about this and don't know much.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

1st time in ages it really is hard for me to care about the next match after that woeful performance. I truly hope some of the youth plays more and I will enjoy watching Ronaldo in red. I am sure not planning my day to make sure I see these jokers play a match. Dark days indeed.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

More importantly, he'd be better suited for the role, however young he is. Bruno/Pogba vs a youth striker up front ? I'd play a youth striker all the time.
Wtf does Ralf think ?

That would be great.

I would not play Pogba again. Just sit him on the bench please. He's a joke.

 

[Revaulx]

In practice more or less never I guess. Except maybe for the sort of performances that gets remembered for years, or define a career. "1" make sense as a sort of "worst conceivable", largely theoretical point of reference. Sets a standard that is hard to live up to in practice. But everyone has their own way of understanding such scales. The point in this case is really just that the ratings are so low compared to normal that they probably indicate that a lot of people are piling it on, a bit. I know, what else is new.

Fair enough

 

[Utd heap]

Spent the 20th to the 65th minute in the concourse drinking. Highly recommend it.

 

[mancan92]

Maybe you should consider Specsavers yourself, replace those shit-tinted glasses you must have watched that game through if you thought that was being "outplayed at home".

We weren't outplayed and we weren't terrible. We were just depressingly mediocre, like Wolves or Villa on an uninspired night. Which is more than bad enough and doesn't require embellishment. This is where we are now. Not a seriously difficult opponent for the top teams, pretty much even odds for mid-table opponents, not beyond realistically doable for bottom teams to beat.

Anyway, not that ratings at the caf are terribly important, but for me, the 3s and 4s are what you use if a player has had a really bad game - ripe with dangerous and costly mistakes, practically no positive input, less than 60% passing accuracy, that kind of thing. I don't think we were seeing that much against Leicester. But good it certainly was not.

So genuinely for you what would cause a 1 or 2?

Also our players should not be held to the same standards as those teams. They are better players.

 

[Sea-Cow]

And I disagree, he’s had a poor season but he actually showed when he was on, that he’s a better option, clearly than Elanga. Elanga who for the most part, has looked like a kid thrown in way above his current level.

As I say, Elanga had the worst pass completion on the pitch, Rashford among the best, and Rashford would likely have got a winner if not for a braindead move by his teammate. So tell me, what did Rashford do SO wrong today for you to need to come in and post this?

I agree with this. It hurts to say and I hope that I'm wrong, but he looks to have pace and nothing else. And I hate saying it because its the whole "ohh writing a young player off after half of a season" thing. And maybe its dumb when so many players are clearly not performing up to their expected standards. So maybe he deserves the same understanding. But I just don't see it from him right now. He looks like a child.

And of course that isn't blaming him for the dropped points. Just one observation

 

[Sea-Cow]

It looked like exactly what it was - a boring puff fest from two mid table sides.

Haha sums it up nicely

 

[Hammondo]

Maybe you should consider Specsavers yourself, replace those shit-tinted glasses you must have watched that game through if you thought that was being "outplayed at home".

We weren't outplayed and we weren't terrible. We were just depressingly mediocre, like Wolves or Villa on an uninspired night. Which is more than bad enough and doesn't require embellishment. This is where we are now. Not a seriously difficult opponent for the top teams, pretty much even odds for mid-table opponents, not beyond realistically doable for bottom teams to beat.

Anyway, not that ratings at the caf are terribly important, but for me, the 3s and 4s are what you use if a player has had a really bad game - ripe with dangerous and costly mistakes, practically no positive input, less than 60% passing accuracy, that kind of thing. I don't think we were seeing that much against Leicester. But good it certainly was not.

Your standards are very low.

 

[sunama]

Maybe the World cup being in November, will benefit new guy, as he should get a pre season plus a better chance of transfers than the world cup being in the summer. And wishfully by the Autumn Utd and the new guy should have an identity. ?

It won't help because our board will somehow screw that up.

We are a business and the club's aim is to make more revenue and profit.
For football fans, next season is a write-off, but for business fans, next season will probably see us make more money than we ever have.

The next manager will likely be fired 2-3 years from now and we'll continue to write off seasons.
We have now essentially wrote off every single season since Jose's last season with us.
...and the worst part of this is that I don't see us winning a single trophy anytime soon. Not even the Carabao Cup or the Conference League (or whatever it's called).

 

[sunama]

Your standards are very low.

Agreed. These days, fans think that as long as we tried, we've done very well. I remember when we got spanked by Liverpool 0-5. There were fans on this board who were claiming that we actually did well!
The board, manager, backroom staff, coaches, players, fans - from top to bottom everybody's standards have fallen.

 

[Hughie77]

It won't help because our board will somehow screw that up.

We are a business and the club's aim is to make more revenue and profit.
For football fans, next season is a write-off, but for business fans, next season will probably see us make more money than we ever have.

The next manager will likely be fired 2-3 years from now and we'll continue to write off seasons.
We have now essentially wrote off every single season since Jose's last season with us.
...and the worst part of this is that I don't see us winning a single trophy anytime soon. Not even the Carabao Cup or the Conference League (or whatever it's called).

Well that's confidence for you , I'm hoping for a better season than last I can't see us winning anything , as long as the new guy puts a stamp and a clear identity on how to play, and get the players he needs to do it. It's big big changes next season, and I sincerely think the UTD board do to. Players going out and let's be fair it's quite a few, so there will be money to spend. If they don't get at least 4 quality players in . It could well be another load of dross

 

[justsomebloke]

Your standards are very low.

"Standards". Really? Does "standards" make "being outplayed" mean something different for Man Utd than for other teams? And, to address another post above who absurdly argues in the context of ratings that there is a different standard for Utd players, does it mean that Daniel Amartey gets a 6 for a performance that would earn Raphael Varane a 4, because Varane's a better player? If so, good luck trying to figure out what a rating reflects.

We're a mediocre team, whose results are worse still than our performances. We're not a shit team. Shit teams lose most of their games, we don't. You don't have higher standards just because you want to be even more unhappy than you have cause for. Mediocre is more than bad enough to drop us below the standards we expect.

 

[Jonesno.8]

Hardest game to watch under Ragnick so far for me. No apparent tactic, no creativity, no desire, lads looked lost.

Feel lost myself to even hazard a guess to a solution. Top 4 must be gone at this stage. New manager and a slower rebuild with a clear identity maybe. Can't keep buying badly or gambling.

 

[redmanx]

"Standards". Really? Does "standards" make "being outplayed" mean something different for Man Utd than for other teams? And, to address another post above who absurdly argues in the context of ratings that there is a different standard for Utd players, does it mean that Daniel Amartey gets a 6 for a performance that would earn Raphael Varane a 4, because Varane's a better player? If so, good luck trying to figure out what a rating reflects.

We're a mediocre team, whose results are worse still than our performances. We're not a shit team. Shit teams lose most of their games, we don't. You don't have higher standards just because you want to be even more unhappy than you have cause for. Mediocre is more than bad enough to drop us below the standards we expect.

Sir Matt Busby always insisted in players achieving the highest standards possible, just as did regarding all Uniteds standards. Players like Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, George Best, Pat Crerand et al always tried to play to the level of the standards he expected and off the pitch too, in most cases. High standards are something we have come to expect from our players, on and off the pitch, and long may this continue.