Man United - the team that gets me excited? 2024-2026

[Petcha]

The whole thing doesn't seem to have been very well thought out. By both him and this new chap in charge, Jim whatever. I'm no expert but er, ten Hag had assembled an admittedly rag tag bunch of chancers and hand-me-downs but who had come from clubs who knew his system. This guy is attempting something which clearly isn't working. It's painful to observe, as a casual United fan.

He should revert back to ten Hag's system, survive this season, sell half the team, bring his galavanting Portuguese guys over and hey presto. Europa League next season.

 

[pbsmooth]

Yeah, I basically wonder how bad the owners are prepared to let it be without stepping in one way or another. I find it hard to believe in this day and age anyone would be unquestionably backed, and given more money to spend, for even 2 years if results are this bad.

 

[Petcha]

Yeah, I basically wonder how bad the owners are prepared to let it be without stepping in one way or another. I find it hard to believe in this day and age anyone would be unquestionably backed, and given more money to spend, for even 2 years if results are this bad.

Well if he's gotta offload players on £250k+ a week... that's gonna be a mission. He seems a decent sort. I do feel for him. But then I felt for ten Hag too.

 

[Petcha]

Harry Maguire is currently his best player... from what I've seen..

 

[Wilf]

I'm surprised they don't have sacking clauses in modern contracts. 'If you get less than 30 points in first 15 league games' to trigger a review with limited compo if sacked etc. There would be plenty of downsides with doing that, but it would cover the situation United are now in. In fact I have a vague memory of seeing similar contracts, perhaps overseas?

Fwiw, I don't think United should sack Amorim anytime soon. Equally, I'm not sure how they make the deeper changes needed to get the club into a winning machine as it was.

 

[Wilf]

Yeah, I basically wonder how bad the owners are prepared to let it be without stepping in one way or another. I find it hard to believe in this day and age anyone would be unquestionably backed, and given more money to spend, for even 2 years if results are this bad.

Ole aside, this has been a procession of successful managers. There's always been something wrong with the structures and management of the club itself post Ferguson. I deeply dislike what Radcliffe has done in terms of redundancies and the rest, but I suppose he also needs a bit more time. He and Amorim.

This may come down to Radcliffe choosing to sack Amorim if we end up with another fan revolt against the owners. Then equally, they might put a few wins together(comedy option if this was a poll).

 

[planetgeli]

Hasn't he been in the job about 7 minutes? You really want chop and change without a thought about getting it right, until it quickly (continues to) goes wrong?

Bring in Jose

 

[Wilf]

Hasn't he been in the job about 7 minutes? You really want chop and change without a thought about getting it right, until it quickly (continues to) goes wrong?

Bring in Jose

And the one thing that Ten Hag was accused of was not having a system..

 

[pbsmooth]

managerial contracts do seem ridiculous. "you're doing a terrible job, you're fired, here's 25 million for the rest of your contract".

 

[twistedAM]

He should revert back to ten Hag's system, survive this season, sell half the team, bring his galavanting Portuguese guys over and hey presto. Europa League next season.

Wolves wannabes.

 

[Wilf]

In the future, a traveller from am antique land will come across the shattered visage of a football club. On the pedestal these words will appear:

My name is Ozymandias, Radcliffe King of Kings 25% owner;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of staff working from home
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away in a series of ever diminishing 1% gains.”

 

[steeplejack]

Crazy biscuits to talk about sacking Amorim. I mean, just ludicrous. The guy is just in the door and clearly big changes will come in the summer with this trainwreck of a season written off.

He'll get it right given time. I really like the cut of his jib and he seems to have got his list of those he wants out one way or the other. But not too much business is done in Janaury unless it's been in the planning for a while. I feel Amorim has managed a few results maybe the austere and schoolmasterly ten Hag wouldn't have got.

We're talking a 3-5 year culture and personnel shift which is ambitious but not clear Amorim / Ratcliffe will have the power they need to see it through in full. Not clear how the American parasites are got rid of either.

 

[Lotte]

Amorim is trying to bail out the Titanic with a teaspoon.

 

[Wilf]

Crazy biscuits to talk about sacking Amorim. I mean, just ludicrous. The guy is just in the door and clearly big changes will come in the summer with this trainwreck of a season written off.

He'll get it right given time. I really like the cut of his jib and he seems to have got his list of those he wants out one way or the other. But not too much business is done in Janaury unless it's been in the planning for a while. I feel Amorim has managed a few results maybe the austere and schoolmasterly ten Hag wouldn't have got.

We're talking a 3-5 year culture and personnel shift which is ambitious but not clear Amorim / Ratcliffe will have the power they need to see it through in full. Not clear how the American parasites are got rid of either.

Yes to all of that. I'm even getting a bit more respect for Amorim in not changing his tactics. He's got a vision and will have a clear sense of working towards it, something that couldn't be said for too many of the post Ferguson managers.

As to the owners, I don't like Ratcliffe for his behaviour towards the non-playing staff. Billionaires eh, who'd have thought he'd be a cunt? And as for the Glazers, the gift that keeps on giving stealing. Scum, though as we saw with the non-sale of the club, they are able to execute a few body swerves Willy Morgan would have been proud of. But as for Ratcliffe, for all that I hate who/what he is, for all his fuck ups so far, he is at least trying to create a structure. That too needs time.

 

[Wilf]

In fact, despite the horrors of the next few weeks, it will be interesting watching Amorim building a team and creating a style. Even if he succeeds, it doesn't mean he'll get past City or Liverpool, or even the likes of Villa or Arsenal for that matter, but there would be a manager with his own style and players with a clear sense of what is expected of them. Revolutionary!

 

[The39thStep]

Next seven league games



Fulham well organised work hard but dont score enough, Palace have improved but arent great on the road , Spurs game could be anything 4-0 either way , Everton difficult to beat but again not enough goals , Ipswich have great attitude but after the first goal goes in ..., Arsenal youve done em in the cup, Liecester 3pts just waiting to be collected .

 

[pbsmooth]

we managed to beat (hammer!) Everton in Amorim's first game. unfortunately he's really stamped his authority on the team since...

 

[Wilf]

The irony is, if there was another European super league breakaway, United would still be offered one of the 'franchises'.

 

[pbsmooth]

and another thing... it seems such a limitation to HAVE to use this formation. look at Forest. do we really think those players are all better than Uniteds? they are motivated, well coached, playing out of their skins. while we're pissing around waiting to spend 100s million more on the exact players for some fabled formation... anyway

 

[Wilf]

and another thing... it seems such a limitation to HAVE to use this formation. look at Forest. do we really think those players are all better than Uniteds? they are motivated, well coached, playing out of their skins. while we're pissing around waiting to spend 100s million more on the exact players for some fabled formation... anyway

United are so shit and demoralised at the moment that I'd have thought a bit of certainty would be a starting point. Then adding the flexibility in perhaps. I've no idea how the best way to do it is, what do I know about football management. However I do have a suspicion there's a bit of hesitancy/lack of 'buy in' from the players. Maybe insisting on this formation is part of the power battle. Ditto the way he's been so public about Rashford's behaviour and attitude.

 

[pbsmooth]

ominous. we shall see. thank fuck I grew up and had a season ticket when we won everything for 20 years!

 

[Wilf]

I wonder how the conversations between Radcliffe and the Glazers will go when it comes to Summer transfers?
'Will you lads be able to throw in a few quid...'
- Let me stop you there Jimbo, you wanted control of the [heads off to check which sport it is] soccerball side of things.

 

[Numbers]

I like Amorim and hope he’s a success (to a degree).

When Thomas Frank took the Brentford job the first 10 games were lost 8 drew 2 and there was mad calls for him to go, but his football philosophy married with the clubs ambitions. Now we’re a solid Prem team.

 

[tommers]

I like Amorim and hope he’s a success (to a degree).

When Thomas Frank took the Brentford job the first 10 games were lost 8 drew 2 and there was mad calls for him to go, but his football philosophy married with the clubs ambitions. Now we’re a solid Prem team.

Maybe one day United will be too.

 

[twistedAM]

and another thing... it seems such a limitation to HAVE to use this formation. look at Forest. do we really think those players are all better than Uniteds? they are motivated, well coached, playing out of their skins. while we're pissing around waiting to spend 100s million more on the exact players for some fabled formation... anyway

Are they that much worse than United's players or for that matter City's or Arsenal's? We've now had a couple of decades of professional well-run academies producing thousands of top class footballers. Some get hyped and soon boast a high transfer fee after a handful of first team games. Other don't and get released and find a new club elsewhere. Highest profile example being Cole Palmer.
Anyway this is why the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Forest are doing well as there's such a vast pool of talent to chose from out there.

 

[newme]

Get Rooney in soon as possible.

As what goalkeeper?

 

[newme]

managerial contracts do seem ridiculous. "you're doing a terrible job, you're fired, here's 25 million for the rest of your contract".

Just any standard contract, if someone breaks a lease they are on the hook for the rest of it as it's written in. Who would sign a 4 year deal with no break clause and then say yes no worries about my pay when they decide they don't fancy it any more?

Amorim is trying to bail out the Titanic with a teaspoon.

Then getting blamed for only having a teaspoon provided.

 

[pbsmooth]

Are they that much worse than United's players or for that matter City's or Arsenal's? We've now had a couple of decades of professional well-run academies producing thousands of top class footballers. Some get hyped and soon boast a high transfer fee after a handful of first team games. Other don't and get released and find a new club elsewhere. Highest profile example being Cole Palmer.
Anyway this is why the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Forest are doing well as there's such a vast pool of talent to chose from out there.

I agree with that point generally - all these players who have made it to the PL level are extremely talented. So what’s the difference? I think of course some are that touch better, and crucially some are able to be consistent, and then the mental side. But I think a huge amount is the fact it’s a team game and everything that that entails. So we come back to what’s this manager doing… I think the idea that “this squad is shit” is a bit silly. Full of players who have played well at the highest level. You just have to get them doing it together and consistently.

 

[newme]

I agree with that point generally - all these players who have made it to the PL level are extremely talented. So what’s the difference? I think of course some are that touch better, and crucially some are able to be consistent, and then the mental side. But I think a huge amount is the fact it’s a team game and everything that that entails. So we come back to what’s this manager doing… I think the idea that “this squad is shit” is a bit silly. Full of players who have played well at the highest level. You just have to get them doing it together and consistently.

It's hardly a strong team. Regardless of formation or tactics there's not a good one that fits. Let alone one that actually allows for a single injury.

 

[Wilf]

I agree with that point generally - all these players who have made it to the PL level are extremely talented. So what’s the difference? I think of course some are that touch better, and crucially some are able to be consistent, and then the mental side. But I think a huge amount is the fact it’s a team game and everything that that entails. So we come back to what’s this manager doing… I think the idea that “this squad is shit” is a bit silly. Full of players who have played well at the highest level. You just have to get them doing it together and consistently.

Some very good players have come through the academy route at United (or were early career buys such as Amad). The real problem are some awful buys such as Antony and, to a lesser extent Hojlund and Zirkzee. Then there's Casemiro and Erikson who should have been eased out by now, quite a while back in the case of the former. All of which takes us back to recruitment and lack of structure and strategy at the club. In fact, could have made all of those comments at just about any point in the last 10 years.