2020 and January Transfers

Is Ole the right man, yes or no? When push comes to shove, I am certain that many of you will answer that he is is absolutely NOT the right man for the job. Why? Because evidence supports the case. So, what's left other than pettifogging?

We keep bringing in frame of references to support the case of more time being needed. That it took Fergie taking 6 years to win a trophy. Even Ole pointed to Klopp being a mess in his first year without any context around the references to support his own lack. Moreover, the argument is not even about winning trophies. We simply need to focus on the fact that a club that spends endless amounts of money on players still drops 37 points from 25 games. This is an untenable case to make in my opinion. Regardless of who comes in as manager, a club this size (in wages, transfer muscles, etc) should maintain top 4. This is not a matter of entitlement, but simply pointing to what should be expected based on the investment made and relative to what others are archiving with far, far inferior budgets and resources. I mean, we are slugging it out week-in week-out like a newly promoted club.

Yes, we can argue about the structural problems at the club and I have many posts talking about that. But as for on-field match day events, albeit consequential of the wider structural problems, I expect the manager to bring the best out of whatever he has at his disposal. In that regard, Soljksaer has been a complete and abject failure.

Also, let's not forget that the wheels started falling off long before we sent all those players out on loan/sold, but it has sadly gradually got worse. Before Ole, it used to be called "players not playing for manager". But with Ole, we now call it "the players not good enough". Let's just wait until we have a brand new 11 under Ole to start performing which should take about 3 years. That, gentlemen, is a bs argument.

PS: For the record, I would love us to keep Ole and we end up winning FA Cup and UEFA Cup. But my guts tells me that I am simply being wishful like everyone else.

 

So Joao Felix is having a torrid time at Atletico and allegedly regretting moving to play for a negative manager who can't get the best out of him.

Not sure what's worse, the fact he chose the wrong club or the fact he turned down United because he thought he would do better there.

 

Nah. Gets in the way of £££££££££££££s

 

Critics should lay off. It's still so early in his career and hasn't had a full season at the club. He's what, 20? It's like Cristiano when he joined us.

We know Simeone sets up his team from defense, but so many forwards have also thrived under him. They still do.

How I wish he had joined though! Probably would have done better with more freedom to play football.

 

Fred is calling it what it is:
‘Vanity is also an issue and we need to stop this and just run on the pitch.’

United are currently eighth, six points behind Chelsea in fourth, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under pressure to secure Champions League football for next season.

Fred explained how he wants the team to come together in a bid to turn their season around.

‘We need to stick a goal inside our minds, focus on it and go forward,' he added.

- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...m-mates-claims-vanity-Old-Trafford-issue.html

As I've said numerous times, spending money is not the solution to our problems. We first need to cultivate leaders mentality and have a management team that will hold the players accountable. The likes of Pogba should have been weeded out during the transfer window. But I suspect no club is willing to pay the fee.

We'll see how we close out the season but change is certainly going to happen in the summer if we miss out on top 4.

 

Why not, we probably got a better chance of doing that than sticking it in the net atm

 

Well, I'm guessing that according to Fred, when there's no goal in the mind, it's hard to know where the net is. Lol

 

Here are the results since the that terrible 2-0 home loss to Burnley on Jan 22nd:

Tranmere Rovers 0 - 6 Manchester United - FA Cup
Manchester City 0 - 1 Manchester United - EFL Cup
Manchester United 0 - 0 Wolves - PL (Bruno's first match since joining)
Chelsea 0 - 2 Manchester United
Club Bruges 1 - 1 Manchester United (Bruno on the bench)
Manchester United 3 - 0 Watford
Manchester United 5 - 0 Club Bruges

Totalling 5 wins and 2 draws in 7 games.

That is probably the most consistent run of form that the team has shown all season. If we can get couple of away wins in the Premier League, this will bold very well for the team. And with Leicester losing today, we should be targeting third place.

Back to the manager;
It is easy to slate any manager when a team fails to challenge for anything meaningful as I have clearly done in this thread because in my opinion, the buck still stops with the manager. But equally, I must give credit where credit is due. Solskjaer has made magnificent tactical changes to the team, especially since Fernandes joined. Luke Shaw also looks lively against as Ole used Brandon to force Shaw to raise his game. Harry Maguire is starting to look the part and the 27 shots with 10 on target against Club Bruges has to be the most we have managed in a very long time.

If this type of consistency continues for the next 11 league games and in the process securing Champions League place, it is then going to be impossible to make a case to get rid of the manager.

However, winning few leagues games on a trot as we have done should not yet be seen as corner turned, we would need to win 7-8 out of the next 10 games to start that discussion.

AND FKIN GET RID OF POGBA!

 

Back to the manager:

His buys:

Harry Maguire
Wan Bissaka
Daniel James - inconsistent but early days
Bruno Fernandes

 

I will reserve judgement on James until he is played consistently on the left, playing on the right is just wasting whatever he brings to the team.

 

I don’t get the Ole hate. I agree that he’s taken on a job that he’s not ready for but I don’t think he’s the car crash some seem to think he is.

 

I don’t think it’s “hate”. Most opinions against Ole being in charge are solely because of the terrible performances. This is a “show-me” role. Let’s not shy from that fact. Even the most ardent supporter of Solskjaer will admit to this.

I’ll say that have by no means turned the corner, but there are great indications that we are certainly on the right track and Ole is showing signs that he is learning from mistakes and we can see that in how the team has been performing of late.

 

We’ve beaten City away (twice), Chelsea away (twice) and at home, Leicester at home, Spurs at home. We’re also the only team to take points off dem.

Yes we struggle to break down opposition at home but a squad with only one striker (who was 17 years old at the start of the season) and the utterly ****ing amazingly **** Pereira and Lingard as two of the three creative players was never going to set goal scoring records.

 

I bet you wouldn’t make the same argument to excuse any other manager’s performance.

Ole had full seven months to prepare for the season. Everything else that follows is simply us making excuses to justify the underwhelming results. Especially given the fact that the squad performed well against other top sides. With the names in the team, it should have never been that dire. The buck stops at the manager’s desk, unfortunately. For better and worse.

 

Yeah, I definitely give OGS a bit of extra slack as I love the guy. Proper United legend.

No offence but I think you spout entitled, plastic bollox.

 

How is it a spout of being entitled? When we have consistently had the highest wage bill in the league with very little to show for it?
Simply seeking consistency and accountability without being wishy washy.

 

How is it OGS’s fault that Pogba is a **** drawing a £15m annual salary while pretending he’s injured or that Sanchez is a **** on similar wages who has effectively retired?

OGS has made mistakes. Repeatedly selecting Lingard and Pereira is baffling but some of the **** he gets is ridiculous.

Again, I admit that I am biased as I love the guy. He’s one of a handful of footballers who I respect.

 

I wouldn’t blame Ole for Pogba‘s mess. That’s all on Woodward. As a matter of fact, I’m not blaming Ole for any of the transfer issues with Lukaku and Sanchez. My argument has always been that the squad largely underperformed even without Bruno.

 

All of Ole's signings have been sound.

Including Ighalo. I've no idea why people were pissing their pants over this, who exactly was going to be available on loan during January that was 'world class' enough?

****ing no one, that's who.

He's a centre forward who will score goals, that's what we needed.

If we sign the right wing and centre half we need in summer and get rid of Pogba then that's another good window.

The fact that the squad Solskjaer inherited was largely ****e and/or disinterested was not his fault and it still isn't.

Don't know how many times i actually have to say that but there you go