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Post by matt on Jan 24, 2016 8:48:52 GMT
8 goals in 16 for Di Maria at PSG this season. Outstanding again by all accounts tonight. I know, easier league and all that but if only he was here with a different manager, would have been very interesting to see how he turned out. Not only Di Maria, but Chicharito is having an excellent season. It just goes to show that sometimes a manager doesn't know what he is doing with his players and how to get the best out of them. I believe LVG is an excellent tactitian, but he is a terrible, terrible manager. He doesn't look like the type to motivate his players, or generate commitment and desire. Our players are like robots, programmed to accomplish tasks and duties, but with little liberty to actually play football. SAF was a master at managing a team, probably the very best in all fairness, and that's why he was so successful. I miss the way SAF lived the game with his players, and how he kept things simple and yet so effective.
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Post by matt on Jan 24, 2016 8:43:25 GMT
Yeah, I like Butland too. Would be the one I'd pick to replace DDG when he joins Madrid
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 22:44:41 GMT
We must at least try to salvage the spirit. What happens when: - we don't have a quality manager because Pep joins City for instance? Doomed - the spirit is gone and we're stuck in mid-table with no passion. Doomed I say - our quality players want to leave because the football is dull and boring and unchallenging? Doomed for eternity But do you think we're that far off from what I mentioned?
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 22:41:42 GMT
Yeah sure, I am not saying Liverpool were good. I am saying they at least showed the spirit and desire to get things done.
We would never have won at Norwich if we had to climb back two goals. That's the harsh truth: this team has no bite anymore and it's not because we lack quality.
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 21:37:33 GMT
It's not appalling. It's just ridiculous. I hate clubs who are changing managers every year, and I hate the fact we're doing it, but the board have failed miserably in preparing for SAF's transition. Moyes was a failure, LVG gave us some hope in the second part of last season, but this year has been a massive collapse largely due to his stubborness.
Didn't Einstein say something along the lines of: "insanity is repeating a process every time and hoping the results will be different"? Now Louis, you should trust Einstein about that, surely?
We have nothing to lose in giving Giggs the job, at least until the end of the season if we want to wait for Pep for instance (or someone else).
But in all fairness, I am starting to really like the idea of appointing Mourinho. It's not any shorter a fix than Guardiola, he is a proven winner, he knows the league inside out and he knows how to get the best out of his players. Everyone says he creates issues in the dressing room, etc. I disagree: he only has problems with divas, big-egoed stars who don't want to work their socks off and die for him and the team. But I believe that many players we have are perfect for Mourinho's style and would get on well with him. It's just that he demands a greater commitment than other managers, and that many players nowadays don't like to make sacrifices for the team because they're selfish. But we don't have many of them.
Mourinho's has also built fantastic relationships with many players, his "soldiers" so to speak. And that tells a lot about him too. He is not necessarily the image he gives to the media.
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 21:14:19 GMT
Me Niether, but it's a massive mistake. LVG isn't going to reach top-4. It's becoming more obvious every week as our play deteriorates.
We must at least try to salvage the spirit. What happens when: - we don't have a quality manager because Pep joins City for instance? - the spirit is gone and we're stuck in mid-table with no passion - our quality players want to leave because the football is dull and boring and unchallenging?
At least try to recreate a positive vibe, try to bring excitement back, some passion, some desire so that players and fans can enjoy themselves and this club remains attractive.
What happens when Manchester United becomes synonym of "boring"? of "old-fashioned"? of "poor"? Because that's where we're heading. We have gone as far as we could under LVG. We must change things to stabilize the ship and take a better course. Results may not follow, but they're not going to follow under LVG either anyway.
Give it to Giggs till the end, bring back the old staff and try to recreate that old philosophy that had us win so many title. It's a simple philosophy, really, summed up in 3 points: - attack, attack, attack - work hard - never give up
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 21:01:37 GMT
We can all laugh at Liverpool all we want, they have several times this season showed a spirit and an attacking intent we will never produce under LVG.
As much as I like to see them sink as a club, we're just sinking as fast right now. Except their fans still get to be entertained from time to time, like when they win at the Ethiad, at the Bridge, when they draw against Arsenal in the last minute, when they scored 5 because they conceded 4.
I am not kidding myself: we are unable to do that under a manager who is making us weak, slow, soft, unimaginative and unproductive. The spirit is gone, but only because of LVG, because we have many players who are waiting to show their bite and release their anger. We just need a manager who will allow them to, because old Louis is too stubborn to take advantage of our players' strength.
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 20:55:19 GMT
I used to be against Giggs as a manager, and I still am in a way if we're to close the gap with the super powers out there (Barca, Madrid, Bayern, ...). But we have come to a point where we're so bad that we need to recreate a spirit, to recreate a desire to play and fight for the club, to attack, attack, and attack for 90min, to never give up and make life unbearable for the opposition.
Giggs was that type of player, and perhaps he could let that real philosophy sink in everyone's head.
I think we won't make the top-4. But is it the most important part? Financially, on the short-term, yes, perhaps. But on the long-term, we need to recreate that identity we have lost with Moyes and LVG, that attacking spirit and never-say-die attitude I described above.
Give Giggs a try, let Scholes, Rene and Phelan come in as well, and let's at least have those players move their ass and show some bite. That's the best we can hope for to salvage this season imo.
But it's clear t me: LVG must go now. No way around it. Wait for Pep all you want, but get rid of a man who is making us soft, desireless, uncreative and unfighting.
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Post by matt on Jan 23, 2016 17:01:54 GMT
I've just one thing left to say about that LVG's team: we're a bunch of losers. That's all we are.
The performances have been absolutely shit for like 4 months now, there is no excuse left.
The season is over for me, good if we can get results and reach top-4 (although I am sure we won't under LVG), but this team is making me feel digusted about football.
Even a win today wouldn't have made me happy. The way we play is unforgivable.
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Post by matt on Jan 22, 2016 17:55:00 GMT
Still think we should target a forward thinking RB, Darmian and BJ can then rotate on the left for the meanwhile. Shaw will be back next season and a lefty will be playing second fiddle, righty can compete with Darmian. Young/Valencia are a mixed bag and aren't getting any younger. Yeah I completely agree. The best would be to get someone able to cover up at RB, but who would then move to CB, like Marquinhos for instance. Sort of killing two birds with one stone.
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Post by matt on Jan 19, 2016 21:54:35 GMT
Problem is we have other holes to fill to see the best out of this team and out of everyone, youngsters included.
Martial on that left flank is working, but we lack a player of that quality on our other flank to really balance our play properly. That's what we should be looking to add this January imo. Just that one signing, I am sure, would make a big difference.
If Rojo and Jones weren't so injury prone, I believe our defence woudl be rock solid and the best in the league by far. Our midfield is fine, even more so if you add Blind to that lot.
It's upfront we're lacking, to score goals quickly, sharply and destroy opponents before they can even think of having a go at us.
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Post by matt on Jan 19, 2016 20:14:58 GMT
On Fellaini, I am not against selling him obviously, but not unless we buy another quality CM who will fit this system. As much as I never quite thought he would make it at United, Fellaini has been very useful at times in the past, sometimes even decisive, and with Basti and Carrick's doubtful fitness (they're not young anymore), it's imperative we have at least 3 proven and reliable CM, and Fellaini is one of them at the moment.
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Post by matt on Jan 19, 2016 20:05:23 GMT
Not to keen on Rabiot. My guess is that he is way too slow and way too weak for this league. He is not the type of CM we need imo. We need either a second Schneiderlin who would play more like a box-to-box (Nainggolan or Xhaka for instance) or a more advanced, almost n°10 CAM (More like an Iniesta type of player to deliver those final balls and assists we're lacking so badly)
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Post by matt on Jan 18, 2016 20:21:21 GMT
Apart from the Arsenal match he's done very well against the top sides. Yeah I agree. I would never deny that, it is one of the reason why we can still get something this season. But our play was sloppy at best, and the win yesterday doesn't reflect how poor we really are at the moment. It doesn't take away the fact that we won at Anfield, certainly not, but there is an underlying issue in our team and I am getting angry at the lack of response from our managerial staff.
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Post by matt on Jan 18, 2016 19:10:18 GMT
Yeah I agree, so far he has been an excellent signing. I can't believe he is still so young. He is going to be an amazing player for sure.
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