Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2018/2019

S.M.B. · 06-03-2019 09:23AM

How many games has Ole used the diamond and played 2 up top? Feels like at least 4/5 at this stage. I'd be more than happy with Rashford, Martial and Lukaku competing for game time with not obvious first choice XI.

Trigger · 06-03-2019 09:37AM

S.M.B. wrote: »

How many games has Ole used the diamond and played 2 up top? Feels like at least 4/5 at this stage. I'd be more than happy with Rashford, Martial and Lukaku competing for game time with not obvious first choice XI.

It looks as if Ole tailors his formation to suit the players available though instead of squeezing square pegs into round holes, even when Mata comes into the team it's the diamond with him at the point instead of out wide, basically playing to the players strengths.

Nalz · 06-03-2019 09:42AM

astradave wrote: »

It looks as if Ole tailors his formation to suit the players available though instead of squeezing square pegs into round holes, even when Mata comes into the team it's the diamond with him at the point instead of out wide, basically playing to the players strengths.

Dalot and Lukaku have played right midfield/wing, but apart from that yes.

Mantis Toboggan · 06-03-2019 09:47AM

DM_7 wrote: »

Tadic is proof of the quality available without spending stupid money. Guy is 30 now, playing great and leading.

United need astute signings, people that suit what the manager needs from the team so the team as a whole whole will function well.

It is not just about spending massive money. Club need to start getting it right.

Agreed but Woodward will be looking for the high profile signing to get his name up in lights.

areu4real? · 06-03-2019 10:01AM

What would people think of trying to prise Son from spurs? Wonder how much Levy would milk us for if we tried. I'm a big fan of his, he can play multiple positions, super fit and rarely injured, equally good with either foot. At 26 he's a at peak now, would be an option. Would happily see them drop 50m for him. Doubt we could get him at that price but I reckon he'd fit in well with the current system. Also has the commercial benefit of keeping our Asian market kicking which would appeal to the business side of things too

06-03-2019 10:02AM

Tielamns is interesting a little, has provided 2 really nice assists in his last 2 games haven't seen much of him outside that. though, and only thing I know of him is he was highly rated at one time.

I read MrNiceGuy doesn't like his attitude I think (apologies if im misquoting you there)

Seeing how he gets on in the league at Lecister is an interesting road test

paulbok · 06-03-2019 10:15AM

areu4real? wrote: »

What would people think of trying to prise Son from spurs? Wonder how much Levy would milk us for if we tried. I'm a big fan of his, he can play multiple positions, super fit and rarely injured, equally good with either foot. At 26 he's a at peak now, would be an option. Would happily see them drop 50m for him. Doubt we could get him at that price but I reckon he'd fit in well with the current system. Also has the commercial benefit of keeping our Asian market kicking which would appeal to the business side of things too

2016 called and asked for their transfer values back.

Necro · 06-03-2019 10:20AM

Son would cost about 90 mill minimum and that's before the Daniel Levy... levy kicks in :P

markc91 · 06-03-2019 10:22AM

https://www.reddit.com/r/reddevils/comments/axo5f5/translation_of_ole_gunnar_solskjaer_on_the/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share great interview here with Norwegian TV from ole

areu4real? · 06-03-2019 10:52AM

markc91 wrote: »

https://www.reddit.com/r/reddevils/comments/axo5f5/translation_of_ole_gunnar_solskjaer_on_the/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share great interview here with Norwegian TV from ole

"Player-logistics wise, how much of your day is spent with that?

In january, it was none, as we weren't going to sign any players. Now the club is working on the players they want to bring in in the summer, and I've been a part of a couple of those. There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process. As a manager now, I say where I think we should progress, what positions I think we need new players in, and what positions I think we will have great academy players in."

This part is promising

clubberlang12 · 06-03-2019 10:54AM

I would like to see the next wide forward player we sign to also be creative, in the form of a Bernardo Silva......or a Mata with pace!! We have pace, with suits Ole's style, in the form of Martial, Rash, Lingard, Lukaku........but bar Pogba, we don't really have that creative attacking figure.

bucketybuck · 06-03-2019 11:17AM

areu4real? wrote: »

"Player-logistics wise, how much of your day is spent with that?

In january, it was none, as we weren't going to sign any players. Now the club is working on the players they want to bring in in the summer, and I've been a part of a couple of those. There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process. As a manager now, I say where I think we should progress, what positions I think we need new players in, and what positions I think we will have great academy players in."

This part is promising

Really?

I would have thought that the manager saying what positions he thinks he needs new players in, where he thinks they should progress, and what academy players he likes should have been at the start of the recruitment process, not at the very end.

Lord TSC · 06-03-2019 11:25AM

bucketybuck wrote: »

Really?

I would have thought that the manager saying what positions he thinks he needs new players in, where he thinks they should progress, and what academy players he likes should have been at the start of the recruitment process, not at the very end.

I'd be sure he was asked initially, but the fact is his opinion will hold a lot more weight now than when he was initially brought on. I can't imagine Woody ever thought Ole would work out as well as he has. That's also discounting the benefit Ole now has of having spent a few weeks with the squad, seeing who bounced back post-Jose and who didn't.

When he joined, I'd imagine the plan was for him to be purely temporary, and so they would have been more focused on what, say, Poch would have seen as transfer targets, as opposed to Ole.

bucketybuck · 06-03-2019 11:31AM

Lord TSC wrote: »

I'd be sure he was asked initially, but the fact is his opinion will hold a lot more weight now than when he was initially brought on.

Its interesting phrasing though, "There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process."

And thats this week, not December when he was appointed.

It really does beg the question. If the club is working on certain players for the summer and Solskjaer was not involved at all in identifying those players...

...then who was?

Are these Mourinhos targets? Woodwards?

06-03-2019 11:45AM

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its interesting phrasing though, "There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process."

And thats this week, not December when he was appointed.

It really does beg the question. If the club is working on certain players for the summer and Solskjaer was not involved at all in identifying those players...

...then who was?

Are these Mourinhos targets? Woodwards?

I'd more lean towards the bold.

I really like the idea of giving Ole the job. I just have no faith he will get the full support with the transfers he requires however.

DM_7 · 06-03-2019 11:45AM

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its interesting phrasing though, "There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process."

And thats this week, not December when he was appointed.

It really does beg the question. If the club is working on certain players for the summer and Solskjaer was not involved at all in identifying those players...

...then who was?

Are these Mourinhos targets? Woodwards?

Who is not clear but I recall Ole said weeks ago that the club have people working on transfers, scouting etc.

If the club is clear on the types of quality needed from players in each position, I assume they must be, then they would be working on players for every position. Then it should be able to present any manager with good options at any time.

A very basic example was Moyes at Everton, they had a list of players in every position under differant categories that they worked on. That way they could respond to needs quickly, player leaves, injured, loses form etc. Not all changes can be planned in advance so they have to scout for all positions.

Within that the managers like LVG or Jose would have players they simply want as they know about them already like Bastian, Zlatan or Matic.

0gac3yjefb5sv7 · 06-03-2019 11:49AM

Why would even Woodward want to be in charge of transfers? Surely he would prefer to just focus on the commercial side. Especially if the manager likely knows best what his side needs.

bucketybuck · 06-03-2019 11:49AM

DM_7 wrote: »

Who is not clear but I recall Ole said weeks ago that the club have people working on transfers, scouting etc.

But last summer contradicts all of that, otherwise we would have seen some pressing issues addressed regardless of the uncertainty surrounding Mourinho.

06-03-2019 11:51AM

Pheonix10 wrote: »

Why would even Woodward want to be in charge of transfers? Surely he would prefer to just focus on the commercial side. Especially if the manager likely knows best what his side needs.

Out of interest why are you segregating these?
Buying a player now is just as much or even more a commercial move as an actual footballing decision when player marketing is involved.
Here in lies the problem with Woodward.

Lord TSC · 06-03-2019 11:57AM

bucketybuck wrote: »

It really does beg the question. If the club is working on certain players for the summer and Solskjaer was not involved at all in identifying those players...

...then who was?

Are these Mourinhos targets? Woodwards?

I'd imagine it's Woodward, coupled with the scouting department, such as it is.

Which would be normal enough imo, given we have a temporary manager. We know that there were clashes last summer between Jose and Woodward over who targets were. Jose wasn't getting his targets when he was there, so I'd imagine his list was dumped out the window when he was sacked. That doesn't mean the lists already generated by the scouting departments are ALL thrown out though. You'd imagine the ground work would already be laid for someone like Alderwield, for instance.

Woody is, currently, the defacto director of football, so probably is the one aiming the scouting department. We can probably guess his desired targets too; young, high marketability, attack-orientated players. With no full time manager in place, we need someone making those decisions.

And now, as Ole switches from temporary to full time, he'll be given more power in identifying targets. And I'd imagine part of Ole's appeal (and I think Poch would be similar) is that his vision will line up with Woodwards. Young and attack-orientated. I'd imagine the club has quite a list of such players, and will hope Ole is a manager who will get the best out of such players.

0gac3yjefb5sv7 · 06-03-2019 12:01PM

Fred The Red wrote: »

Out of interest why are you segregating these?
Buying a player now is just as much or even more a commercial move as an actual footballing decision when player marketing is involved.
Here in lies the problem with Woodward.

But in fairness, why would Woodward want to get big star names like Bale etc if they won't progress us long term. The team will decline and then less commercial deals will be possible?

Surely by supporting the success of the team, he will be able to even do better commercially. E.G if we won the league. He would be able to sell the crap out of everything.

bucketybuck · 06-03-2019 12:06PM

Lord TSC wrote: »

And now, as Ole switches from temporary to full time, he'll be given more power in identifying targets.

More power, perhaps. But start as you mean to go on, and if Ole is content now to state that his role is at the end of the recruitment process then perhaps his role is always going to be at the end of the recruitment process. He is the Molde manager trying to get the Manchester United job, he could very well accept that scenario as just part of the deal.

Its not uncommon to have coaches/managers separate from recruitment and working with the players they are given, but again and again we come back to the old chestnut, just exactly who is making these decisions behind the scenes. And who should be answering for them.

06-03-2019 12:12PM

Pheonix10 wrote: »

But in fairness, why would Woodward want to get big star names like Bale etc if they won't progress us long term. The team will decline and then less commercial deals will be possible?

Surely by supporting the success of the team, he will be able to even do better commercially. E.G if we won the league. He would be able to sell the crap out of everything.

Signing Bale for example is a terrible footballing decision on so many levels.
It's a mighty scoop for a marketing decision however.

From witnessing everything since Fergie left I've seen nothing from Woodward thus far that fills me with any long term confidance.

Lord TSC · 06-03-2019 12:15PM

Fred The Red wrote: »

Signing Bale for example is a terrible footballing decision on so many levels.
It's a mighty scoop for a marketing decision however.

Depends on how much we'd get him for tbh.

His agent is working hard on making his position untenable at Real now. Can't see anyone paying 100m for him, but Real have sometimes jettisoned players cheap to get rid of them.

Would Woody be tempted if he could get him for 40m and get Real paying some of his wage? Could he be got on a season long loan deal? A fit Bale for 70% of games would probably be a great weapon to have, and the right deal could let them invest heavily elsewhere.

Cookiemunster · 06-03-2019 12:21PM

Lord TSC wrote: »

Depends on how much we'd get him for tbh.

His agent is working hard on making his position untenable at Real now. Can't see anyone paying 100m for him, but Real have sometimes jettisoned players cheap to get rid of them.

Would Woody be tempted if he could get him for 40m and get Real paying some of his wage? Could he be got on a season long loan deal? A fit Bale for 70% of games would probably be a great weapon to have, and the right deal could let them invest heavily elsewhere.

That's your problem. He's a perma crock. He's been injured nearly 50% of the time he been at Real with over 20 injuries (and another one last night). And that's in the relatively slow paced La Liga.

bangkok · 06-03-2019 12:40PM

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its interesting phrasing though, "There is a lot of work that goes into this, and then I come in at the end of the process."

And thats this week, not December when he was appointed.

It really does beg the question. If the club is working on certain players for the summer and Solskjaer was not involved at all in identifying those players...

...then who was?

Are these Mourinhos targets? Woodwards?

I would say its more than likely Marcel Bout as he is the chief scout of man utd

pjohnson · 06-03-2019 12:41PM

Bale would be akin to Owen Hargreaves. Probably be great when he plays but as strong as a €2 baloon meaning he barely actually plays.

bangkok · 06-03-2019 12:42PM

''Jose approached by Real''

http://www.skysports.com/share/11656553

Knew he would end up there

Lord TSC · 06-03-2019 12:50PM

Be an interesting one. He'll probably be given a hefty warchest and let do whatever he wants.

Be interesting to see if he's properly burned out. Thought they might have waited for Poch too.

06-03-2019 12:52PM

I do remember Ole being asked about the January transfer window at a presser early in his tenure. He basically said that no matter who the manager is, the club will have its transfer targets and will be working away in the background on them.

For good and bad, I guess.

Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2018/2019

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