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

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926715#Comment_123926715

I guess United don't have too much leverage in this situation, but if Barca badly want to keep Rashford then maybe we ask again about Frenkie de Jong ?

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123924705#Comment_123924705

To be fair, kicking/passing it long to the likes of Hojlund, Garnacho or Zirkzee meant the ball coming straight back at you.

Sekso, Cunha and Mbeumo are much better at retaining the ball, or "winning duels" as it seems to be called now.

Hodors Appletart

but they weren't winning duels against pool, United were allowing VVD and Konate to win the first header, head it back to midfield and then trying to win the second ball - basically VVD wins too many aerial duels that it's pointless trying to compete with him in that space, so allow him to win the header, and use him as the "big man up top" for you, let him be the one knocking it down, and because you don't have someone competing with him, you have an extra man competing for the second ball.

The more I think about it, the more I like the tactic, using the man's main strength against him. And it's something they were not expecting, as evidenced by Slot's post game whinge about Sesko not starting.

The_Kew_Tour

Think Mbeumo had been our best player so far this season.

Even in the poor results he seems be one bright spark. Delighted with how he is settling in.

He also has bit of determination about him which we badly needed.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926904#Comment_123926904

similarly I thought Cunha was very good on Sunday. Still no goals or assist, but his ability to drag the ball forward under pressure and either retain the ball or win a foul in a lot of cases was superb. His positioning, work rate and security all great.

Really need him to start getting the goals and assists though!

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926860#Comment_123926860

Yeah, that's what we need. A player that didn't want to come to us in the first place being used as a make weight in a deal, what could go wrong.

El Gato De Negocios

If Bruno hadnt missed 2 penalties this season, we'd be at a minimum tied for second as we would have beaten Fulham. If he'd scored against Brentford we could have gotten a draw and we'd be outright second or even went on to win it and we'd be joint top. Fine margins.

ericzeking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926901#Comment_123926901

Sounds a bit like Tyrone in the Noughties!!!

Bleating Lamb

Had a good chat with a dyed in the wool Liverpool fan last night.He was saying he was worried straight away when he saw the front 3 for Sundays game.

As he said,Mount,Cunha and Mbuemo are all clever players who can operate in the hole behind the striker or on the shoulder of the last defender.

I have a theory that Utd took a chance and neglected the badly needed investment in midfield,simply because they heard that Cunha and Mbuemo would be available in the Summer Window and players of that quality with premier league experience may not come around again for a long time.

The Pool fan agreed and said he was pissed off when it became obvious both were heading to Old Trafford.As he said,Pool sold Luis Diaz (who he wasn’t convinced by) and brought in Wirtz for twice what Mbuemo or Cunha cost.

IMO Ratcliffe etc gambled that the added firepower of the 3 new front signings combined with a steady keeper would give enough of an uplift in performances to give a Top 6/7 spot a rattle,regardless of who was manager…….and then next Summer they can address the midfield and full back areas.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927147#Comment_123927147

It's mostly a reasonable theory, except we didn't have a steady keeper. Looks pretty sure that Ineos were happy to continue with Onana & Bayindir until both of them repeatedly shat the bed in the early games.

Lammens (who I really like BTW) was definitely a last minute adjustment rather than a planned deal.

BenK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927358#Comment_123927358

Lammens was definitely a last minute adjustment but at the same time does appear to have been well scouted. I think he was one they were keeping an eye on regardless but just had to bite the bullet on him sooner than they wanted. It's better than panic buying Martinez in my opinion which would have been a real kicking the can down the road solution. Early days for Lammens obviously but the signs are positive so far.

Anyway, massive game at the weekend now, really need to try and build up a bit of momentum from here.

Mitch Connor

Lammens was a planned signing, imo, but just not planned for this summer really. Unless a keeper was sold, and either no one came in for our two or we didn't offer them out well, i dont know.

similar to Baleba in a way - i think the plan was to go for him next summer, but we gave it a bit of a check this summer.

Players we want to sign, over a number of windows - and if we can do it sooner we will.

I do think its very clear they decided our current squad with good forward players should make top 6, and that is part of the long term gamble they have taken.

DARK-KNIGHT

Hi folks..

I work with people with intellectual disabilities

One of the lads I support wants me to bring him to a united game

Where's the cheapest or most straightforward way to go about it

Would be looking at going over in morning and coming home that night

Any and all advice would be really appreciated

stesaurus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927584#Comment_123927584

Call them directly and ask about companion tickets. There shouldn't be any charge for you as a companion.

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927026#Comment_123927026

Somewhat true but there’s moments from other games which could have led to points lost too. 13 points feels about right to me based on performances and isn’t too bad in light of the opposition faced. PL seems even more competitive this year.

I’m pretty apathetic on the Amorim situation at the minute but I think the players need to step up and show more consistency (including desire, work rate, etc) against “lesser” opposition.

Anything4883

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926860#Comment_123926860

He signed a new contract with Barca FYI !

The_Kew_Tour

We have played City and Liverpool away and Arsenal and Chelsea at home.

From 8 games to be on 13 points is decent return.

I would have taken that at start of season.

Could easily have few less but just as easy we could have 4 or 5 more only for in particular awful goalkeeping displays.

Consistency of the performances would be my worry and up to Sunday I was quiet negative but the Attacking display on Sunday was something that has me encouraged after a few poor displays going forward.

A win on Saturday now you would really help the managers position.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927810#Comment_123927810

Its the consistency that is my issue.
The reality is likely that if we had beaten Brentford with a good performance and lost to Liverpool (with a good performance) I would probably feel more confident and hopeful!
The performanes at Fulham and Brentford, afer encouraging performances vs Arsenal and Chelsea, I just can't get over. Same problems as last season, same weaknesses, same players costing us points failing to perform in positions we worried about.

I enjoyed the liverpool win, but I have lost so much faith in this side that I expect us to immediately follow it up with a loss at home to Brighton.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123925585#Comment_123925585

With a bit of luck Forest get relegated and Anderson becomes available at a cheaper fee than what's being quoted.

Seattle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927835#Comment_123927835

Yeah but do you attach any weighting to the fact that every team in the league (bar Arsenal and maybe City now) has performance consistency issues?

Everyone has their own problems but I think sometimes we forget that the league is by far and away the strongest and most demanding in Europe so maybe our expectations around consistency have to be tempered.

Caustic

On top of missing 2 penalties we have also hit the woodwork 6 times this season the most on the legaue. We definitely could have squeezed a few more points out of this season.

The Brentford game is annoying like our two Cbs make two horrendous errors, Maguire being 10 yards behind his other 2 cbs for the first and deligt letting the ball bounce were just very basic errors that led to goals. Confidence was rocked for most of the game as a result but even then a peno miss from a draw and they should of had a man sent off

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123928133#Comment_123928133

To me its not so much that we drew with Fulham for example. it is the manner in which we did. Even a loss away to Brentford in general is not a disgrace - but getting played off the park would remain inexcusible to me.

and yes there can be an element of the league being much tougher and more physical than it used to be - but the wieght i will attach is going to be what we saw last season.

Last season was a disaster, and we were told that we needed to 'suffer' as the players learned where to be and when to run in this system, to set us up for this season. As bad as things then got, imo we needed to start this seson well and show that last season was worth it.

Arsenal was fine - an annoying loss but promising performance.

Fulham, being as disjointed and sketchy as it was, was then a worry as it harked backed to last season, not a step forward. We then lost to Grimsby in one of the worst performances I have ever seen (I blame the players). Burney was then fine (good performance, imo, but needing a last minute penalty to win still shows issues), Chelsea was promising - we may be on to something… and then BAM, Brentford. If Grimsby wasn't the worst, then maybe this was. An utterly unacceptable performance. Beaten in the same ways we worried about last season, and the summer, not looking like we have learned a thing since Novmber 2024.

Our 'inconsistency' is an issue because it is consistent with the crap we saw for much of last season.

Zeek12

It's not unreasonable to say we should have put back to back league wins together far sooner than after 11 months.

Yes, the PL is very competitive and you will always see some surprising results in this league. But United's level of inconsistency and under-achievement is on a whole other level.

These next three fixtures are going to be interesting. There are no European distractions to get in our way. And the squad is virtually injury free now.

Brighton are sort of a bogey team….but end of the day it's a home fixture against the side in 10th place. Should be very much winnable.

And then Forest in the following game, with the turmoil they are in, it absolutely has to be 3 points.

Win those two games and we could finally see some momentum building. And maybe Amorim might start to win more of us over.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927912#Comment_123927912

I think Dyche will keep them up. One thing abouthe new signings is their attitude compared to the players we got rid off.

ngunners

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926860#Comment_123926860

De Jong who didn't want to leave Barca before and just signed a contract until 2029?

Jofspring

You still wouldn't put it past Barca to send Rashford back at the end of the season. Barca are the type of club to send him back, wait until the transfer window is nearly over and then offer half of what united want for him. Wouldn't trust them at all.

paulbok

De Jong has his moment to join United a few years ago. I know he had money issues with Barca, but if I remember correctly he wasn't overly enthusiastic about joining United. Need to move on there. And Barca would likely to look for massive money for him, Rashford & 80m+ type money.

I'd expect at least two midfielders brought in (if Mainoo stays) with 1 if not both from Premier League teams. Baleba, Wharton, Anderson all mentioned.

2/3 midfielders, at least one wing back top priorities. With a backup striker and an experienced back up keeper after that.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929558#Comment_123929558

that is what I am expecting tbh - they will try to get him on loan again next summer imo. and they will succeed.

y0ssar1an22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929945#Comment_123929945

and thats where we need to take a stand. make it clear to rashford the only way you end up at barce is if they pay the agreed below market value price.

else, you can stay here, earn good money but never play. or go someplace else that will pay a below market value price.

GolfPar

According to reports yesterday Barcelona have to pay £121 million in outstanding transfer fees by the end of the season just to stay solvent. We'll see where they stand after that in terms of transfers including Rashford.