But what you are missing is that the marketing gurus at the club need players with high profile and high social media reach, so they can extract even more value from our sponsorship deals.I dunno I think the players we need aren’t necessarily high profile ones.
Exactly. Just highlights the stupidity in hiring a gegenpress manager when Ronaldo, Pogba and Sancho cannot press for more than 45-60 minutes. McFred and Rashford can press but lack the technical ability to be top players. Ralf is stuck with a squad built by too many inept managers.They weren't misleading but they were built on different principles. This is a squad better suited to Simeone than Ten Hag. Our players are best low blocking and relying on freestyling up front. To be a team that plays the gegenpress we need to basically sell half the squad and start fresh.
The big test is going to be Man City, Spurs and Liverpool, all one after another. If we don’t improve come March we are in for another shock.
Maybe we should move to La Liga.Exactly. Just highlights the stupidity in hiring a gegenpress manager when Ronaldo, Pogba and Sancho cannot press for more than 45-60 minutes. McFred and Rashford can press but lack the technical ability to be top players. Ralf is stuck with a squad built by too many inept managers.
Hassenhutl comes in with the facts. We can maintain Rangnick's style for 45 minutes max. If we can't put the game to bed in that time the likelihood is we won't win. We will run out of gas and we will get suckered. It's that simple.
Exactly. Up to now it has been sitting back, hoping the other team don't score and hitting them on the break. We try to move into the modern game and they are struggling.And here we have people thinking Ralf is the issue.
He is the issue in the way that he did not prepare to cover up his team shortcomings effectively.And here we have people thinking Ralf is the issue.
Good points raised. Just doesnt make sense and while I can see progress, we could really use DVB and even MartialThe problem I have with RR is only his team selection. Players like Rashford couldn't be arsed yet he plays always. Ronaldo is over the hill but he does try hard.
We simply are not a team who can pass. The loan of Martial and the Greenwood disaster and Cavani not able to play is going to bite us. I don't understand why Maguire is playing instead of Lindelof? DVB is playing well for Everton.
Lots of big issues with the club. Knowing United they will get Poch and he is not going to make any difference.
And here we have people thinking Ralf is the issue.
I do think there is (and has been, for years) interference from the board and owners.I am starting to question how much our manager has control over things. I struggle to believe he would pick all the players we play.
The pressing is not just a pre season, we just don't have the right type of players for it, Sancho and Rashford use all their energy running forward, have little interest going back, Pogba is too big and bulky to do it consistently over 90 mins, McT probably the same. From our front 6 options maybe only Fred, Bruno, Elanga and Lingard are natural pressers.
What do you mean? Today or loaning out players and not replacing them? That was more likely just wanted to free up some wages. He wasn't here when Ole made signings at the start of the season. The formation? Matic and Fred are out. Cavani is out injured. Less said about Mason the better. That leaves CB's , Jones who until recently everybody thought was a joke and Lindelof who until recently everybody said was weak.He is the issue in the way that he did not prepare to cover up his team shortcomings effectively.
How exactly? He wasn't supported in Jan. Looks like Ronaldo has to start everytime he is fit. Mason is gone and Cavani is injured all the time. Now you tell me, what exactly is he supposed to do ?He is the issue in the way that he did not prepare to cover up his team shortcomings effectively.
We signed those players with huge contracts and wages due because we were desperate and not doing well on the pitch. That was my point.
We do need to do decently on the pitch to attract any type of players that we need. Not being in CL would make it a tiny bit harder.
Why should the team get to decide what style of play we use? It’s the managers job to decide that and to drill it into the players. Like ralf once said… Mane and Salah was never pressing players before they joined Liverpool but klopp turned them into the way he wants. There is no reason why ralf can’t make these players play whatever style he wants to.If the team cant sustain the style of play he wants, why is he making them play it?
That being said, our attackers have completely stopped scoring goals. There is no excuse for dropping points left and right regardless of who sits in the dugout.
Do you agree that if we are in CL, it would look better for us to recruit even if we start doing it reasonably?We signed them because we have no fecking clue, what we need is to get hungry players, that we can mold under top manager/coaches and not merc cnuts. Somehow being in the CL or not has no impact on us offering same amount of mental money. We always offer them either 2/3/4x of their current wages like its a rule.
Why should the team get to decide what style of play we use? It’s the managers job to decide that and to drill it into the players. Like ralf once said… Mane and Salah was never pressing players before they joined Liverpool but klopp turned them into the way he wants. There is no reason why ralf can’t make these players play whatever style he wants to.
Yeah. It didn’t happen.Remember when Ole said Man United should be the fittest team in the league? What did he do about it in 3 years
He is not exceeding any expectations. Not even close to me with the reputation and hype that people like you giving off for him.How exactly? He wasn't supported in Jan. Looks like Ronaldo has to start everytime he is fit. Mason is gone and Cavani is injured all the time. Now you tell me, what exactly is he supposed to do ?
He is exceeding the expectations, given the state we are in.
That comment from RH tells what's wrong with us. We start very brightly but we can't sustain it over 90 mins. We don't have bench options either. You press hard , then we make lot of tactical fouls and yellow card could happen. Once you get a yellow card (like today) , the intensity can't be matched because that yellow could turn out to be red.
Our fixtures in March are really bad. That could kill the season. It's why we can't afford to drop these points now. There is a very real chance that we go through March and lose every game.The big test is going to be Man City, Spurs and Liverpool, all one after another. If we don’t improve come March we are in for another shock.
I think you have to start looking past the managers when a problem persists for so long.Exactly. Just highlights the stupidity in hiring a gegenpress manager when Ronaldo, Pogba and Sancho cannot press for more than 45-60 minutes. McFred and Rashford can press but lack the technical ability to be top players. Ralf is stuck with a squad built by too many inept managers.
It defeats the whole point of going with a manager who has modern ideas , isn't it ? If you don't want to implement a high pressing quick transition game, why would you hire a German manager specialized in it ?If the team cant sustain the style of play he wants, why is he making them play it?
That being said, our attackers have completely stopped scoring goals. There is no excuse for dropping points left and right regardless of who sits in the dugout.
Well what are his options, what exactly is it you're expecting? Conserve energy by playing a compact and low block and try and hit teams on the counter? That'll go down well. It's not his fault he took over a complete shambles with lazy and unfit players. Honestly find it baffling to think of what people imagine is possible. As pointed out numerous times even elite managers took a substantial period to get their teams playing as they wanted.Let me rephrase: If the team cant sustain that type of play for the duration of the game, what is the plan when the engine runs dry? As long as Ralf is in charge, that is his responsibility.
Do you agree that if we are in CL, it would look better for us to recruit even if we start doing it reasonably?
I fully believe it, and if this is the case we are fecked.I do think there is (and has been, for years) interference from the board and owners.
Purely cherry-picking bits of press speculation with a dose of lazy personal supposition, I’m convinced that:
Managers have been overruled on purchases. Who but the manager should decide who or what is needed? Sack a manager if you don’t believe he knows more about football than the fecking board.
Players have been bought for commercial reasons ahead of football reasons.
There is pressure on managers to select marketable players.
Sale and loan of players had been dictated by board, not manager.
Generally the investment and recruitment policy seems to give managers insufficient freedom and insufficient certainty. They can’t have confidence about what changes they can make to the squad, they can’t plan properly.
Most managers of most clubs face these quite normal problems but if we want to win we’ve got to stop fecking around.
Why VDB? Pogba has been one of our best players over the last 3 games. VDB would have been on the bench and offered nothing as per usual. Martial may have gotten a chance. Depending on whether Ralf was willing to sub Ronaldo or not.Good points raised. Just doesnt make sense and while I can see progress, we could really use DVB and even Martial
Well then agree to disagree.Nope, because our recruitment way is a dogshit regardless of being in CL or not, we giving them huge wages regardless, huge majority of players that we bought with/out CL stagnated or their quality dropped gradually till they reach deadwood status.
Sancho actually does quite a decent job with pressing and tracks back well. Pogba was pressing decently today too. It's a full team thing though. You can't really do it effectively when you have one player providing absolutely 0 like Ronaldo does.The pressing is not just a pre season, we just don't have the right type of players for it, Sancho and Rashford use all their energy running forward, have little interest going back, Pogba is too big and bulky to do it consistently over 90 mins, McT probably the same. From our front 6 options maybe only Fred, Bruno, Elanga and Lingard are natural pressers.
The teams like City and Liverpool press all over the pitch. We have tried to implement this for a while and it is always half arsed. Some press, some don't. If we are going to go this way we need to build a side that all the players can do it.Sancho actually does quite a decent job with pressing and tracks back well. Pogba was pressing decently today too. It's a full team thing though. You can't really do it effectively when you have one player providing absolutely 0 like Ronaldo does.
You answered your own question. That's exactly why we are struggling. Glad, you agree .He is not exceeding any expectations. Not even close to me with the reputation and hype that people like you giving off for him.
Everyone knows that high intensity for a full game won't happen in a couple of months. He can take time with it.
Effective management would be like increasing time playing that way little by little in each week/month while having a plan B to counter when we drop off. We don't seem like we have an effective plan B. That's the issue he needs to fix and entirely on him.
You can't just ask someone who starts running to run 100m in 8 secs and say it is not the coaching issue because he could not do it and if he could, he would have broken the all-time record.
It defeats the whole point of going with a manager who has modern ideas , isn't it ? If you don't want to implement a high pressing quick transition game, why would you hire a German manager specialized in it ?
Like hiring Pep and telling him don't play possession game ?
Well what are his options, what exactly is it you're expecting? Conserve energy by playing a compact and low block and try and hit teams on the counter? That'll go down well. It's not his fault he took over a complete shambles with lazy and unfit players. Honestly find it baffling to think of what people imagine is possible. As pointed out numerous times even elite managers took a substantial period to get their teams playing as they wanted.
I did not know our agreement was about RR not being able to find a solution for playing a full game with an effective game plan.You answered your own question. That's exactly why we are struggling. Glad, you agree .
For the record, I know feck all about Ralf. I haven't hyped him at all. But it's common sense to give any manager some time before passing any armpit feedbacks like we know everything.
It's something that doesn't happen overnight. It's also something that doesn't happen with Ronaldo on the pitch. There's plenty of good signs there for us... But it's some pretty big teething issues, and also a lack of options issues being forced into playing a 37 year old up top (or a 35 year old if not the 37 year old).The teams like City and Liverpool press all over the pitch. We have tried to implement this for a while and it is always half arsed. Some press, some don't. If we are going to go this way we need to build a side that all the players can do it.
