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

This thing of having only one striker in the whole club isn't new.

Weren't Ighalo and Weghorst both emergency loans in January ? Them being both available and better than nothing.

Agree with this that we just need to try something different. Bruno and Casemiro so clearly does not work and both could be gone in summer anyways.

It couldn't be worse if we started Ugarte and Mainoo in midfield. We may as well find out.

It was so poor last night, the whole team so sloppy with the ball.

I mean I can't really argue against that too much but I do feel even if Bruno was being played further forward he would have been dropping out of position trying to take over either way, last night we would have been as well off playing him as one of the back 3 and telling mainoo to just sit in the middle and keep the ball ticking over.

bruno is a bit like the Simpson quite the cause of and solution to all our problems and it isn't that bad but he does cause a lot of issues.

I do understand people will think I'm singling him out and there was worse players out there for sure.

I think another issue is players are just happy to let him take the responsibility off them, giving Bruno the ball let's them off the hook for making mistakes with it.

And then (we don't see it much) the team looks fairly clueless when he doesn't play as they are so used to him doing all he does (both good and bad)

It's a really weird one and I know people love him but I do think when he leaves we will become a better team

It's an area that has had me pulling my hair out for years!

We've probably had the worst attacking/CF options in the PL for years now. Teams battling relegation generally have a back up striker... or two. We have a lad who looks like he should be playing astroturf on a Monday or Mason Mount as our CF backups.

I was too depressed to respond but someone mentioned that even if we had Kane last night we would have lost. Couldn't disagree with that more, a top quality CF (nevermind one as good as Kane) makes / demands that things happen just by their will to score and general movement. Kane would have been showing some on field leadership that was completely lacking last night, as it so often is.

Proper leadership starts from the top and we have had nothing there for years, Cavani was the last sticker to show any leadership and that from a guy at the end of his career.

CM is an issue but that issue won't be properly solved until Bruno leaves. CF is a position where there is no real reason for not having it addressed.

Agreed, every ‘rebuild’ starts with some optimism that this time it’s different, but as time is passing this new regime is looking more and more questionable across the board.

Yoro is trending towards being the most disappointing of all. Had such high hopes for him and at times he’s looked very capable on the ball. He’s deteriorated on that front and has been a defensive liability from day 1 without much sign of improvement. Damning we’re a much better outfit with Maguire starting…in 2025

That was me. Our open attacking play is so predictable. Either ball out wide, two three touches , lazy inswinging cross easily dealt with by opposition CHs , or else individual play to create a shot by one of our 10s or middle of the park players. Our strikers end up completely isolated with this system, especially when teams set up a low block against it. There is zero creativity or link up play for a CF to work off

I wouldn't argue with any of that, the build up play is pathetic... but I would say that a top CF, a proper experienced CF, would be playing a big part in sorting that out on the field.

We're going to the top of the pile here, but there's no way Kane would be watching on and doing nothing as Shaw and Dalot passes us into depression.

Kane probably wouldn't have scored based purely on the supply last night.... but Kane would have done a lot more effect that supply if you get me.

There's a monumental gap between Zirkzee and Kane, of course, but I think any decent experienced CF makes sure their teammates supply them with better ball.

My point is as much about the experience or leadership in a CF as it is about the actual quality. Hojlund never demanded that of his teammates, how could he when he was battling his own confidence issues... Sesko mightn't be as bad on the confidence front but a guy who openly admits he needs to get up to speed and get accustomed to the physicality of the PL isn't going to be demanding more of his teammates.

If we are to get anywhere this season there has to be investment in January. We had no width on the width or pace on our bench last night. Dorgu was appalling but there was no replacement there other than dalot. With AFCON weeks away I'd be very concerned

I think Semenyo has to be a top target. Aside from amad and mbuemo not one of our wide players were taking on defenders or running at them.

If Gomes is available he can't be any worse than what's there and is proven to the prem

I think last night summed up Zirkzee at united and he needs to be replaced. We cannot get anywhere with one recognised ST. Sorloth at Madrid seemingly wants out and would fit the experienced striker role. Maybe even as a loan to buy type deal. I can't really see what other Striker would be available aside from Toney in a similar deal

Never mind as back-up, but we seem to be in a state where the team could never ever contemplate having 2 strikers on the pitch at the same time (unless one of them is Harry Maguire).

Surely there will be times in a season when you're losing in a game and you want to throw on another striker.

He was the only player that came out of last night with any credit imo…..it looked like you could have left him back there by himself……ironically enough!!!!!

De Ligt asked could he go up front last night after 91 mins

The clip of Neville interviewing SAF popped into my feed this morning where he is talking about getting strikers on and piling into the box if you are one nil down with 15 minutes to go. But the key thing for him when you got the goal was not just the point or the three points, it was the intangibles of the atmosphere in the dressing room after, the good feeling it gave the fans, the dig it gave to the opposition.

It was so clear that there was so much more than just the structure and the points on the board, there was just something bigger, aura I suppose, is it?

We play like a team stifled by structure and rules and (bad) patterns and formations.