Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 26.09.24

PARlance

International Breaks suck: here's that Stretford Paddock pod with Carl Anka if anyone wants to kill an hour or so.

Some fairly good insights on Mainoo and Lammens. There was an interesting piece about Mainoo against Grimsby where Anka reckons Mainoo was going against Amorim's plans during the game... Maybe Mainoo was the main reason for Amorim's post match comments…

https://youtu.be/z79WXn_-bRg?si=a2f7XWYCoqCzc7Pk

Iseedeadpixels

Genuinely have no luck!

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787602#Comment_123787602

I would have liked Carl to say more about Mainoo because I think what he said is dangerous.

It could be Carl heard from Amorim or people around the club that Mainoo defied instructions and caused problems.

It could be as simple as Carl believes Amorim wants the midfield to do one thing, but in reality when Mainoo is playing he asks Mainoo to do something else. We HAVE seen bruno and mainoo play (showing for the ball and dropping for it) before.

It could be simply his opinion, which he is entitled to. But when he says it, because he says it with an air of authority given his job/role - people will do as you have done and take it as insight based on something said to him after the game which makes it 'factual' that Mainoo is going agaisnt instruction, is the source of ire for the manager.

IMO such commentary is dangerous if it is just his opinion of what he thinks is wanted vs what he saw. He said he thought it was Mainoo going agaisnt instruction but didn't say WHY he thinks that.

I really like Carl as a pundit, but I thought that was poor from him.

Hodors Appletart

it's not bad luck though, there's no such thing

it's bad finishing

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787744#Comment_123787744

While I mentioned insights on Mainoo and Lammens, that was in relation to how they might fit into the team / Amorim's plans.

I didn't take Anka's words about Mainoo defying instructions as factual.... "Anka reckons".

But I get your overall point, he is in a position of power etc and his words carry more weight than others. He is also fairly considered in what he says so if I was to be forced to make a call, I would say there might be something behind it.

Iseedeadpixels

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787746#Comment_123787746

And keepers playing out of their skin.

Zeek12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123787788#Comment_123787788

When I think back on the Fulham game, it was mostly poor execution from us on the big chances.

Bruno blazes his penalty over in first half. Cunha did brilliantly to take down the long ball from Bayindir, but then didn't finish very convincingly, it wasn't a difficult save for Leno.

Vs Arsenal, Raya made one excellent save from Cunha, but otherwise he was pretty comfortable.

We still need to get much better with our finishing.

What is encouraging however is that we are now creating more chances and are looking much more threatening

PARlance

Very fine margins between us potentially sitting in 3rd on 7 points or sitting just above the relegation spots on 2 points.

Unfortunately that seems to be the issue with this team, you don't know which way it will go.

The stats are encouraging but they are nothing without goals. I think most of us are past the stage of getting excited by these stats and are just desperate to see actual results / goals.

It's too early to be calling anything but there's huge pressure on Sesko to deliver. If he doesn't, playing well but not scoring, isn't going to cut it. Unless Cunha and Mbeumo really explode in terms of scoring I suppose. We're a bit better off than last year in that sense but it's still nuts that we've only one striker at the club.

As an aside - I watched the u21 highlights last night and while he scored a goal, Obi-Martin looked a million miles off being a PL player anytime soon, his general play was shocking.

El Gato De Negocios

Personally I think (hope) that once the forwards click, we'd be winning games like the Fulham and Arsenal ones in the main. There is huge improvement in our build up and attacking play which was probably our biggest issue last season. There will be bumpy patches and dodgy results / performances but overall i think we are a much stronger team (despite the obvious gaps) than last season.

bucketybuck

Wasn't Bruno Fernandes top of the chances created league last season?

Hearing today that we are better about creating chances is a very cold comfort, if they don't start converting then nothing really has changed.

Which is why people are concerned about Sesko, we started the window knowing we needed a striker to come in and make an impact and he most certainly hasn't done that.

Last season was defined by not scoring goals, keepers making mistakes and midfield being too open. If we get to October with the same problems then all that we have done is rearrange the deckchairs.

mcburns07

Honestly can't get over people moaning about Sesko, the man has hardly played for us, he's 22 and new to the league, give him a chance FFS. Our supporters are pretty toxic at times.

Hodors Appletart

no, he's done. put him in the bin, waste of money

y0ssar1an22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788367#Comment_123788367

That's going a bit far. I presume he starts vs city due to injuries.

The question is....would amorim start him if everyone is fit, or will he be forced into starting him?

I suppose it don't really matter. If he does get the nod, he'll need to take any good chance dropping to him.

Miley Byrne

I agree with you about Sesko. I know we have been burned in the past but Jesus give the man a chance. How many minutes has he actually played? At least let him look like a flop after 10-20 games before writing him off

scottser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788442#Comment_123788442

Ah no, the United way is to heap a load of unrealistic expectations onto the lad straight from the start. That way we can lose the maximum amount of money on his inevitable transfer at the end of the season.

DataDude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788353#Comment_123788353

I think United fans are among the most tolerant in football, especially for young and homegrown players.

Rashford was tolerated for far too long. Hojlund had, right up until his final days, a very loyal support who wanted to see him kept despite 2 years of abject performances. Madrid fans may actually have murdered him if he played like that for them for two years.

Seattle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788589#Comment_123788589

He wouldn't have even made it into the 2nd season at Madrid. No chance.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788340#Comment_123788340

If we still have the same goal scoring problems after signing Sesko, Cunha and Mbeumo, then it is not the players that are the issue. imo.

StringerBell

Hojlund? Course he would his first season was actually encouraging.

DataDude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788609#Comment_123788609

It really wasn’t. He had a 6 game purple patch in the league where he got 7 goals. He had multiple crazy barren spells outside that where he was exactly the same player as last season (barely any touches, no shots generated etc.).

He scored something like 3 goals in the last 25 games of the season.

Miley Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788589#Comment_123788589

Possibly very tolerant at times. Especially if that underperforming player is seen to be made of the right stuff and works hard for the team and doesn't spout manure on social media. But with regards to Sesko in particular, he has yet to play a full half in the league and lads on here are seriously questioning him. I mean ffs have a bit of patience and let him settle in. If in a few months time he is stinking the place out then fair enough but until then can ye not chill out and have a bit of optimism that maybe, just maybe he could actually be a decent striker for us who goes on to hit the net regularly what with all the creativity that has been added in the 10 roles this summer.

StringerBell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788757#Comment_123788757

Encouraging - kid came to the league to spearhead a dysfunctional attack and carried the can alone. Showed flashes and encouraging signs that there may be a player there. Thank god you can still watch matches and not just look at spreadsheets or that kind of thing can be missed

Mitch Connor

I think the problem sesko will have is he was seen as Hojlund mkII before we even signed him.

There is a sizable number of people whose patience with Sesko was already used up by Hojlund - and when we have reached the first international window and yet to see him do anything really promising, that will feed into the PTSD. Yes I know he has only played like 60mins in the PL but they will just lead the same people to side eye his inability to yet get into the team.

DataDude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788797#Comment_123788797

Surely, given what transpired over the subsequent 12 months any encouragement people took watching matches were false positives?

paulbok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123788803#Comment_123788803

Imagine what social media would have been like during the months after Andy Cole signed?

DrPhilG

I think the other thing that went against Hojlund is that he always played. There was no real plan B. Zirkzee was close to outing him at one stage I think but then got injured.

So we all got pretty sick of Hojlund because it was like playing with 10 men.

Weve shown so far that we have other options than Sesko, Cunha & Mbeumo could both do a turn up top. Mount has been used in a false 9 so far.

So as much as I hope Sesko is the real deal, we have alternatives this year to freshen things up that we didn't last year.

y0ssar1an22

from a couple of accounts, but all crediting graeme bailey. just wish they had the realisation earlier on in the summer.

Man United Forever:

Andre Onana has been told he can leave Man Utd.

He’s already fallen behind Bayındır and could soon be 3rd choice. Loan most likely, but club open to a sale.

Galatasaray interested — Saudi clubs also circling. #MUFC [@ ]

The United Stand:

🚨 #mufc have informed Andre Onana that he can find a new club, with a loan the most likely, but United are open to a sale if possible. The Saudi Pro League are showing an interest.

As it stands, Onana could very well be facing up to the prospect of being United’s No 3. [@ ]

Nalz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123789041#Comment_123789041

I always remember my dad and brother telling me this after hearing it on the car radio. I didn't believe them for ages!

Great memory you just gave me. Both of them are passed now and I had forgotten that funny moment. Thanks! :-)

caviardreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123789211#Comment_123789211

Exactly. Hard to believe his agent asked if he needed to find a new club just before Fulham game and was told he is still firmly in our plans! If so, it comes across as indecision tbh

y0ssar1an22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123789242#Comment_123789242

lets see how it plays out. will say that i'm disappointed with how the brains trust handled him this summer vs rasmas. with rasmus they bought a replacement and forced him out.

why not do the same with onana (i'm not counting a deadline day possibly #1 keeper)? wilcox was a very good footballer so he would have known how limited onana is.

maybe lemmens was the compromise. we can swallow his cost if onana wont leave, but we cant go any higher in case he wont go.

whatever happens with onana, i hope lemmens is ready to go into the 1st team for city.