Which player is under the most pressure to deliver next season?

FrankWhite

Not Frank White
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My first thread all! So please, go easy :).
After our poor showings over the past few seasons, with last season being by far the worst, I started thinking, there're so many players at a crossroad re their careers here or in football in general. One could even argue that they're all in the same boat. however, I just don't think that's true. Also, where's the fun in that?

For me, the top three players would be Donny, Rashford and Maguire. Of these, I'd probably pick Donny because I believe the conditions are now so stacked in his favour, he's all out of excuses. We are pretty much copy pasting the previous environment he considered a success in. He must know this too and with the opportunity comes pressure to deliver.
Who would yours be?

Please this is not a thread to shite on our players so let's not make it that. It's more looking at their individual stories and making a case for who this will be the biggest make or break season for.
 
Yeh think your three are the biggest question marks personally too. Maguire has everything to prove as he’s enemy number 1 right now, Personally I think he will prove some doubters wrong and do well.

Rashford has come off two really poor seasons but again I feel he can show more under ETH. If he gets it right he’s still a top player, if he doesn’t improve he will be sold next summer.

DVB is a weird one. I think it’s clear he’s a talented player but not sure what role he’s best suited too here. Personally I’ve long said he’s only got a chance as a deeper midfielder or number 8. He’s simply not dynamic enough to play number 10 for us and even still I don’t see him displacing Bruno/Erikson.

Oversll I have high hopes they will all improve and play a significant role in our revival.
 
It is a team sport. Ignoring that for a second, the players with the highest salaries have most to prove.
 
Agreed with Rashford and Donny. Particularly Donny. Think its just completely expected that he will automatically improve when he has been in the league a few years, will have his manager, his system, and should have a former midfield partner next to him.
 
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I’d say Maguire due to the level of public criticism he gets and the fact it’s a World Cup year.
 
Rashford. Due to form, age and declining reputation within our fan base. Although you could argue that Sancho can’t afford to have another season like last year given the price tag (I don’t think he will).

I’m not sure it matters so much for Maguire. He’s a cert for the England team and at 29, his next move is going to be downwards regardless.
 
Probably

1 = Rashford/ Maguire
2. Sancho
3. Bruno
4. Shaw

I have a feeling that they all will too.
 
I think all of them will be under the spot light after last seasons showing. Maybe Dave and Ronnie hit some kind of heights but the remainder were sub-par for the whole season.
 
Everyone is under huge amounts of pressure after last season but the players below need to show more.

1. Sancho
2. Rashford
3. Donny
 
Maguires got to be top of that list. An inform Maguire will keep us plenty of clean sheets. Rashford definitely has to show more this season… he’s going to be getting the coaching he desperately needs, hopefully ten Hag stops him from running into defenders. I’m gonna say sancho needs to step up a little aswell, not gonna be to harsh on him though as it was his first season and he came into a very broken dressing room and bad environment.
 
Maguire
Rashford
Sancho
Bruno

These guys need a massive season next season if we’re going to do anything at all. They got to step up.
 
I think many are looking at this from the perspective of who needs a good season to convince that they are worth the shirt.

But another angle is who is under pressure to perform if we are to have any hope whatsoever of being a decent side?

At this stage, Ronaldo. I don't see what we do without him. We have no cover. In most positions we have a few options but for Ronaldo we don't have any depth or quality available.
 
De Jong should be in the conversation given he is supposed to make the team tick and he is the big summer signing.
 
All players who are going to be starters are under equal pressure.
 
10/10 pressure
Rashford - another season of poor form, he will be sold for sure. People are already getting tired of all his PR bullshite and poor performance on pitch. Right now I don't think he is even good enough for our bench, I'd even say the likes of Elanga and Garnacho is ahead of him.
Maguire - have received most criticism last season. There are also doubts he may not suit ETH high line defence play. Another season of poor form, his United career will be at stake. Its also very clear ETH wants to sign new CB this summer.

8/10 pressure
Bruno - Disappointed last season. There are also doubts he may not suit ETH possession football. It also seems that Eriksen/VDB may be ETH preferred AM choice, as they both fit seamless into ETH system. He may need to convince new manager he is capable of doing something which he has never shown he is good at doing (possession football/build up play)
Shaw - If he can't get back to his top form soon, he may loss his first team spot to Malacia, and may even spend the rest of his career as our 2nd choice left back behind Malacia, whom ETH highly admired.

7/10 pressure
Sancho - He hasn't been performing up to expected level ever since his big move to us, with very underwhelming numbers as well. Also, he is very likely to loss his WC spot this year, if there is no major improvements in next couple of months. But on the other hand, he will mostly likely be our first choice WF.
VDB - This will be his last chance at United. He now has a manager who knows fully how to use him, and will play in a style he is most familiar with. He has to deliver, there will no more excuse for him. But on the other hand, I could see ETH giving him fair bit of game time.
 
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I think people are being hard on Sancho, this might be his second season, but he's still very young, last season was not ideal for any youngster in the squad for us to say that they gained experience. It wasn't good experience.

Personally I think Maguire obviously because he's the captain and he's got a massive ego, without the talent to back it up.
2nd would be Rashford, he's had 2 below par seasons and he's another one who does not take criticism well.
3rd would be Shaw for me, he's shown us what he's capable of, but is too inconsistent, and I don't know why I've formed this opinion, but for some reason I'm thinking he too does not take criticism well.

Having said that, I'm not sure how many players are going to play like they have something to prove, guessing it'll just be Ronaldo, Bruno, DeGea, Fred and Scott, some of them don't have anything to prove and some aren't good enough regardless of how much they try.
 
I think it’s Maguire and Rashford’s last chance season at a top club. Huge pressure for them.
 
Revaulx said:
His absence from the thread up to your mentioning him reflects the fact that most people have given up on him.
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As have I, but for his sake Sevilla was make or break, now he’s on borrowed time. The rest of the mentioned players have at least 6 months of credit to win people over again.
 
Every single one of them.

So many players hid behind the brunt of abuse certain players got for no other reason than it was popular to do so.
Within our fan base we have a tendency to create scapegoats which allows others to go through the entire season without judgement of responsibility. Even now are are selecting players who we feel need to step up. the reality is, they all do. Every single one of them. Those that managed to escape criticism last season by going into hiding will have no place to hide under the management of ten Hag.

We have so many cowards in our team. Here’s hoping this season they all stand up to be counted and prove us all wrong.
 
crossy1686 said:
As have I, but for his sake Sevilla was make or break, now he’s on borrowed time. The rest of the mentioned players have at least 6 months of credit to win people over again.
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There will be a weird few who will still be blaming everyone and everything else for his failure to perform long after even 6 months is up!

I’d still love it if he were to prove us all wrong. It’s clear that injuries have taken their toll on him now, and he couldn’t hack it consistently before, so there’s not much chance.
 
1. Rashford
2. Maguire
3. Bruno
4. Martial (assuming he stays)
5. Shaw
6. RB (unless we get a new one)
7. De Gea
8. I'd say our midfielders, but I doubt any of them are starters come the end of the transfer window.
 
Maguire. Always subject to intense scrutiny and criticism, and had a poor season. He can’t shake off that £80m price tag.
 
If you are given 5/6/7 plus chances, haven't won anything for 5 years, downed tools, was part of the worst embarrassing team last season and yet you are still at Old Trafford with sky high wages then I would think the pressure is 0. Null. Nothing. Doesn't matter what you do. You will get a new contract or you can chill till it runs out. Its not even a joke. Who has been made accountable? No one. So where is the pressure?
 
RacingClub said:
Probably

1 = Rashford/ Maguire
2. Sancho
3. Bruno
4. Shaw

I have a feeling that they all will too.
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The only one I'd swap if I had a list of 5 is Shaw for Donnie - only reason being Donnie knows ETH's system, trained with him for years and has had 2 years to "settle" into the PL now too. It's prove it season or you're simply not good enough

Shaw has been here for 8 years, is 26 years old and played under 6 managers (if you include caretakers Carrick and Rag) - I can see why you think he should be on the list as if he can't deliver under ETH for me the writing is on the wall (although given we've signed Malacia ((edit: about to)) and there's huge promise in Fernandez I think the writing is on the wall in a year or two anyway)
 
Most people have said the obvious ones, so am gonna say De Gea, he needs to prove he can be more than a shotstopper this year in ten Hag's system if he can't, I can't see him being here for the long term
 
Ronaldo because he always wants to shut up the critics

Cant be under pressure if you dont give a shit
 
Revaulx said:
There will be a weird few who will still be blaming everyone and everything else for his failure to perform long after even 6 months is up!

I’d still love it if he were to prove us all wrong. It’s clear that injuries have taken their toll on him now, and he couldn’t hack it consistently before, so there’s not much chance.
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Same, I'd love to be wrong on him but he's proven me right at every single opportunity during his time at United so far. If we had a buyer he would go this summer but due to his wages we either loan him out at our cost or keep him and see what happens. I think we all know what will happen with him, but the other names being mentioned in here (Rashford, Maguire etc) have another 6 months before they are firmly in the Martial pile for me.
 
I think Rashford has the most to gain and the most to lose this season.

By the end of the year he may be viewed as either a busted flush or a very good player which he was on track to be until last year which was terrible for everyone.

I have a sneaking feeling he will be very good.
 
pascell said:
The whole squad after last season.
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Totally agree with this, individuals can improve individually, but we need all of them on the same page, with the same approach to deliver together, anything else is just stuff to fill the sports pages with.... "who shall we rubbish next"?
 
crossy1686 said:
What?
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What I mean was Ronaldo always carries a big pressure simply because he wants to proof people wrong.
Where as if (hopefully not) some of the players that simply didnt care last season, still don't care, they wont be in any pressure aka living in their own bubble.
 
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