Reasons for positivity

amolbhatia100 said:
It would be a transitional season either way. His ways are very different to what ours have been. It would however have been a much easier transition without the Moyes debacle of course.
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I feel that it would have been difficult at times but that he would've at least got us near to top 4 IMO and put in some decent performances.
 
Drummer said:
For me, nothing has changed . . I still think LVG will get this squad of players playing above their ability, but the question I always had was "are we taking a gamble in not getting top 4" by not adding to the squad . .

I am not panicking and actually think yesterdays result may prove to be the catalyst to speed up the pursuit of our targets. I don't think anything has changed for LVG, but I would imagine that there was a chance Woody felt a bit of a nudge to speed up things on his end . .
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It's so nice to hear this, been a lot of negativity and it's good to hear some positive thoughts. I agree we will see what happens from now.
 
I think LVG needs time, just like Brendan Rogers at Liverpool. Initially they didn't get the results he wanted, but slowly and eventually he had got Liverpool to the top 4
 
Some of you are fecking knee jerkers. Swansea scored with like their only two shots of the game. We've got Rafael, RVP, Welbeck, Evans, Shaw, Carrick to come back in, that's 3 of our first choice back 4/5 and a world class striker. Herrera looked good, Januzaj had his full back on toast. Lots of positives there, once we get some defenders back we should hopefully do better. LvG showed more some tactical versatility and balls unlike Moyes's "chuck a striker for a midfielder and lose control of the game" gambles.
 
There are lots of positives:

- LvG is a great manager with a great vision and he will get it right and be successful here in time. He will have us playing good, attractive, winning football and we will all love it.

- Things will undoubtedly get better once the players who are currently unavailable return. I'm not sure I can stress this point enough. People seem to be underestimating how much of a difference it'll make to have RvP, Evans, Rafael, Shaw, Valencia, Welbeck a fully fit Januzaj and even Cleverley to add legs and tempo when Fletcher is flagging.

- The young players are showing a lot of promise and whilst it'd be preferable if they weren't first choice and we could ease them in, the likes of Blackett's emergence is nothing but positive. I trust LvG to nurture them over the season and even if they are just good squad options it's a benefit for sure as they love the club and will give 100%.

- Januzaj. My favourite plus point right now. He's such an exciting player. Totally fearless and confident in his ability. They only player not scarred from the Moyes era. Just hope he continues to develop.

We just need patience. I remember how gutted everyone was when we lost to Everton on the opening day two seasons ago. We turned it around. LvG is making big changes in the way we play and they'll take time but things will improve.
 
Feed Me said:
If I'm being honest, I think a couple of the younger lads are being over promoted - their presence is more indicative of how we're really poor in a couple of areas, rather than how good they are.
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Believe me you haven't seen the best U21s youngsters we have.There're more to come.
 
Drummer said:
For me, nothing has changed . . I still think LVG will get this squad of players playing above their ability, but the question I always had was "are we taking a gamble in not getting top 4" by not adding to the squad . .

I am not panicking and actually think yesterdays result may prove to be the catalyst to speed up the pursuit of our targets. I don't think anything has changed for LVG, but I would imagine that there was a chance Woody felt a bit of a nudge to speed up things on his end . .
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That's also my main concern. The current squad, managed by Van Gaal, is capable of getting top 4 if most of them are available most of the time. But a few serious injuries to key players and we're fecked. It's a masive risk and we should do everything in our power to make sure we don't miss out on CL football again. I don't feel we're doing that at the moment, but there's still time.
 
Things to be positive about: Van Gaal ditched the 5 at the back in the 2nd half.
 
Well if we don't get anybody in by the end of the summer, not much apart from LVG will do a better job than Moyes and we have some exciting players to look forward to, Januzaj, Shaw and Mata who'll be playing an entire season for us, hopefully Herrera can bring something to our midfield that we haven't had in a long time. But will that all be enough to get us back in the top 4, let alone compete for the title, I don't know and the performance against Valencia and Swansea made me very worried. We clearly lack any sort of decent defense and we still have major quality issues in the midfield and on the wings. If those areas would be sorted with signings than I'd say we have plenty to be positive about and the reality is we still have 2 weeks to make signings, don't nesc have to be Vidal or Benatia to be good signings either, alot can still happen and we know we have the money, does that mean we'll definitley get them, no, but until September 1st we can still hope and pray that we'll get some good players in.

So my stance is going to be patience until September 1st and I'll keep hoping on 2 or 3 good signings for defense, midfield and wings. If we manage to get those than I'll be very positive about this season, if we don't than I'll significantly lower my expecations for this season, and will try to just enjoy the team as it is and hope that players like Shaw, Januzaj etc can bring some excitment back, other than that I'll be very disappointed about the way we handled this summer again and that we clearly didn't learn anything about the fiasco last year. I'll be in full support of any protests big or small that want to see a change in the way we do transfer business and hope that the club will get the message, not much more to do than that.
 
On the other hand we had a blinder against Swansea in our opening game last season and it happened to be one of the biggest false dawns.

Let's hope for the exact opposite this time around. LVG is the polar opposite of Moyes so I still trust that he can turn this mess around.
 
a positive would be that LGV saw first hand how average some of our players are and how competitive the premiership is.

he will now have to respond to that.
 
We have bumper long term sponsorship deals that even without CL will allow us to be competitive even without CL football.

That is one of the biggest obstacles for clubs falling out of the CL getting back in.

Just need to spend it properly and given LVG a couple of seasons to make it work.
 
Reasons to be Cheerful, 1,2,3:

1. LVG's recent club history demonstrates that it takes 2-3 months for players to implement his system

2. There are no rational reasons to believe the squad requires no strengthening

3. Interest payments as a share of EBITDA are small, leaving plenty of money for transfers/ wages.

We'll see.
 
I hate stats tbh but against Swansea every stat was in United's favor bar the actual one that matters. :lol:

But take away the 2 sloppy goals and add one of Evans/Welbeck/RVP and the result would have been a Win!

Last season the squad performed better away from Old Trafford so lets see how the players react against Sunderland.
 
We have already moved up 6 positions having played no more games, win next week and we will be just outside the top 4:D

This next week is transfer week. Two players we knew about sign, 2 we wished for do not sign, but 2 we didn't know about sign.

The charge for top 4 starts.

Start of the season and few teams at the top have performed as expected. Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs struggle to win (Yes, they got the points) but they aren't clicking yet. Everton, also not quite at the races yesterday. From the texts I am seeing about City, again, they will probably win but not walking it.

LVG will sort out the confidence issue and kick the problem players into the right frame of mind.
 
The positives are few if none at all. United are lacking depth at the back, lacking quality and depth in midfield, no quality wingers, and just lacking speed in attack, adding the 2 number 10's we have got in mata and kagwa who do not fit into this united squad, because of the way the squad is shaped. The only way to fit mata, is to play 4231, that means the club need a better engine room and defence, and a set of wingers who can cause chaos. The most annoying thing is? 3 signings will do it, 1 CB, 1 CM, 1 winger will reshape this squad, and get us playing 4231.

This combination is a perfect storm and its only going to get worse, if signings are not made. The squad state has been 5 years in the making, and everyone is paying the price, while the glazers still think they can make a top 4 without heavy investment, and if they think they have spent enough money since summer 2013, they are in for another long season ahead.
 
Sparky Rhiwabon said:
The trouble with Januzaj is that he's all fart and no poo

When Sterling, who is the same age, farts he tends to follow through
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Sterling has played 56 games for Liverpool, Januzaj has only played 28. Give Januzaj a few more months and the experience will start to show an improvement in his end product, which even now ain't bad
 
RuudTom83 said:
I hate stats tbh but against Swansea every stat was in United's favor bar the actual one that matters. :lol:

But take away the 2 sloppy goals and add one of Evans/Welbeck/RVP and the result would have been a Win!

Last season the squad performed better away from Old Trafford so lets see how the players react against Sunderland.
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I like the way you think.
 
Antisocial said:
These are about all I can come up with.

I do fear for how long LVG will what to stick around with the club being as it is, but I'm more fearful of the likes of De Gea, Mata and RVP wanting out soon as a footballers' career is so short.
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I think LVG will have had assurances about cash being available, as much as he's into giving youth a chance he's not niave enough to think that the club can win the EPL and challenge in Europe in the future on youth alone. It's down to LVG and the club to sort the squad out, at the moment it feels like nobody is taking responsibility for this squad.
 
entropy said:
Why are fans being so fecking impatient. It is irksome to see fans lose their shit and targeting everyone under the sun for our failure to lure players. We have had far worse before under fergie and his famous " no quality in the market" transfer windows.Chill the feck out and stop clamoring for big name signings.I rather see youngsters given a chance than spunking 40mill over a player and regretting it.
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And those transfer windows got us into this position we're currently in so why is it a surprise that we want the club to finally DO something about it? We see the results of poor performance in the transfer market and wanting the club to avoid the same mistakes makes us impatient? I don't think so.
 
Siorac said:
And those transfer windows got us into this position we're currently in so why is it a surprise that we want the club to finally DO something about it? We see the results of poor performance in the transfer market and wanting the club to avoid the same mistakes makes us impatient? I don't think so.
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It totally depends on the manager and his tactics though.LvG has the option to get rid off one of the no 10's and recruit a midfielder. He can happily play 4-4-2 like united have always have. The difference is, LvG is trying to make most of what he has, which is pretty much what fergie did.Also, I thought the narrative was that fergie did not splurge so that the next manager would have the financial support to bring in whoever he wants to build his team.
 
I'm pleased we have a manager that is willing to change things and act within a football match. Early subs and formation changes are good to see.
 
The worry is that we actually are not really stronger as as team than last year. Herrera will come good but may need a whole season to get used to the pace of the league...Shaw will be wonderful but is still young and maybe not so much better yet than Evra was last year.

Welbeck and RVP will make a huge difference to our attack and without either of them we have no pace in attack and that was evident again against Swansea..

We need Mata to start showing that he is a Man Utd player or else our season will be very flat, unless Kagawa can stake his claim instead also

We need a big name signing before the window shuts to give the club a boost like Ozil gave Arsenal a huge boost when he signed for them at the last second last summer....I don't think we are going to get that player to make us dream again as I can't see Di Maria or Vidal coming
 
Van Gaal said things would be tricky for 3 months. That's the way things have gone for him in the past.

So, there will probably be another signing or two in the next 2 weeks. And in 3 months time all new signings will be well adjusted, the squad fitness will be better, the formation will be well understood, and VG will absolutely know his squad inside out.

So, 3 months bumpy ride, then some good times. Possibly those 3 months cost us top 4. But at least the football should be much much better...
 
Ok, here's my attempt...

Despite it all, I think we do still have the core of a good young squad. De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Shaw, Rafael, Herrera, Januzaj, Mata and Welbeck can form the basis of a strong squad for the next 5-8 years, if we strengthen the midfield.
 
Even if we do get three or four players in, of reasonble quality, it's going to take them time to bed down and also for LVG to get the players to trust and play with confidence his system. However...really please LVG is the man employed to change our direction and although I think this season is going to be hell of a bumpy ride...we should just brace ourselves and reaslie that obviously we won't win the title, but perhaps...with a bit of luck and gradual continuity, we might make 4th. I reckon that would be a hell of an achievement this season.
 
this place is pretty despressing, pre season everyone's on saying Lvg has saved us, then we lose first competitive game and everyone is doom and gloom. Van Gaal said himself he always starts slowly with teams for first few months. Give it a bit of time
 
WyoManU said:
It really depends on your perspective. If the only way for you to feel positive is to be the dominant side in the game and have every chance of winning the title, then I fear you will be disappointed. The oil money that Chelsea and then City brought into the league has completely transformed the dynamics. Simply put, they have spent exorbitant sums of money to field full 25 man squads of proven international players that are at or near the highest level. In the meantime, we have done things "The United Way" and tried to find value for our money and look to promote our youth players. It hasn't worked well for us. Our squad has been in decline since the core of our class of 92 has retired. The recent departures of Vidic, Evra and Rio have left us with a group of players, other than Rooney, who really haven't been the core of a winning side. LVG said it himself when he first assessed the players we had on the books by stating the squad was "broken". There is no easy fix. Management either tries to buy a new squad with all of our marketing income, or we trudge along scrapping it out with the likes of Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham, our closest rivals in terms of quality, for the vaunted 4th CL spot.

I don't know what the answer is. I personally would like us to continually have some of our youth players come through. It feels better, more organic, more satisfying as a club. However, I am also in the camp that we need a few more buys this summer to try and get us on a trajectory for CL football. Ultimately, in the modern game, so much depends on how much money you have, and the proceeds from the CL, both from the tourney itself and from the added Adidas money, is too big to pass up. Might as well spend that money now because as long as we get 4th, we will get it all back and then some.

Don't be too negative. You are a fan at the greatest club in the world. I don't want an oil sheikh to take us over and turn us into Chelsea and City. Be proud of our history and what we mean to the game. We have a stature and romanticism that these oil clubs simply cannot buy.
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Good post. For me the most important thing now is successfully implementing a new modern philosophy and play, and turn our back on the outdated 442 while coping with having lost a very experienced core of players. I think LVG is the best man for the job, and I'm sure he'll stick around for a long time. After all, where would he go at ~65 years old? He's been to Barça twice and Bayern Munich. This is his last big project and I have absolute faith he will be successfull when given time. He strickes me as a man who doesn't retire early either. I think his fallouts with former clubs won't be a problem, as the owners recognise him as the best solution going forward, and will back him in what he wants. After all, he's not known for splashing cash on superstars so I guess that suits the owners well.
That being said I was pretty distraught yesterday, and otherwise every time I enter the Vidal thread only to find nothing has happened. Hopefully we'll win a couple of matches and get some of our first team players back soon, and all will look better again. Heck, maybe we'll even sign someone before the window closes.;)
 
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