Man Utd Thread:

[gallsman]

If United get rid of a manager that, despite the style of play, has them sitting 3 points off the lead of the premier league, it would be like something Real Madrid would do. That is not a compliment.

As usual one of the few sensible non United fans.

He'd only be sacked if he didn't finish top 4 although if that happened I reckon he'd quit. If the football didn't improve and our points total was similar to last seasons I'd probably want rid of him.

You've been very smug since seanie gave you the aul pat on the back.

You think Carrick was what was needed last night? I've said he's crucial to them for years but that wasn't the problem last night. Schweinsteiger was overrun by younger, faster, fitter players at will last night. Adding the notoriously immobile Carrick to that would have been a recipe for disaster.

There were quite a few good performances from united players, particularly Martial and Lingard. As has been said many times though, the damage was long since done. I think LVG is safe for a good while yet but some of his signings and the money he's spent do not look good at this stage. Memphis has been shockingly poor (perhaps another Eredivisie standout like Kezman who can't cut it?) and Schweinsteiger looks a shadow of the player he was. Blind and Rojo also poor. Was good in long run for United to play a youthful team last night but realistically, they shouldn't be in the position where they have to give full debuts to lads in such a crucial fixture.

[magpie seanie]

The usual histrionics by mostly non-United supporters on here, AZ as per usual a notable exception.

I only disagree with MM on Mata - I accept he doesn't have the quickness of Herrera but he's a very good player in my book. Taking him off for Powell last night was sheer madness. And Schweinsteiger, who had improved recently, was complete crap last night. Lost balls and left the back 4 exposed on numerous occasions.

United were sloppy in this group, most notably the two PSV games but last night also. They attacked a bit quicker and created some good chances last night which was encouraging (Martial is really going to be great, Depay looked better). Even though it's most unlikely United would have managed to go any further it is annoying to go out at this stage. It wasn't as easy as say Chelsea's group but even a transitioning United should have got through.

Gallsman - not sure what your point is? I think MM's analysis is spot on so I'm going to say so. Sorry if this offends you.

[Jeepers Creepers]

If United get rid of a manager that, despite the style of play, has them sitting 3 points off the lead of the premier league, it would be like something Real Madrid would do. That is not a compliment.

As usual one of the few sensible non United fans.

He'd only be sacked if he didn't finish top 4 although if that happened I reckon he'd quit. If the football didn't improve and our points total was similar to last seasons I'd probably want rid of him.

You've been very smug since seanie gave you the aul pat on the back.

You think Carrick was what was needed last night? I've said he's crucial to them for years but that wasn't the problem last night. Schweinsteiger was overrun by younger, faster, fitter players at will last night. Adding the notoriously immobile Carrick to that would have been a recipe for disaster.

There were quite a few good performances from united players, particularly Martial and Lingard. As has been said many times though, the damage was long since done. I think LVG is safe for a good while yet but some of his signings and the money he's spent do not look good at this stage. Memphis has been shockingly poor (perhaps another Eredivisie standout like Kezman who can't cut it?) and Schweinsteiger looks a shadow of the player he was. Blind and Rojo also poor. Was good in long run for United to play a youthful team last night but realistically, they shouldn't be in the position where they have to give full debuts to lads in such a crucial fixture.

Would diasgree regarding Lingards performance last night. Didn't think it was good enough. Depay looked decent at stages but needs to be doing it over and over again. I do think he will come good. Utd need that swashbuckling midfield to compliment their fwds and protect their back 4.

[deiseach]

AZ is always reasonable. That doesn't mean he is always right.

[Boycey]

AZ is always reasonable. That doesn't mean he is always right.

nobody is always right... except Mrs B..

[deiseach]

AZ is always reasonable. That doesn't mean he is always right.

nobody is always right... except Mrs B..

You were pleased when you found Miss Right. Pity no one told you her first name was Always.

[laoislad]

I'd only want a change if I don't see any progress from last season.

Sure as LVG said himself last night,ye got further in the Capital One Cup this year.
That's progress right there.
FACT!

[Maroon Manc]

The usual histrionics by mostly non-United supporters on here, AZ as per usual a notable exception.

I only disagree with MM on Mata - I accept he doesn't have the quickness of Herrera but he's a very good player in my book. Taking him off for Powell last night was sheer madness. And Schweinsteiger, who had improved recently, was complete crap last night. Lost balls and left the back 4 exposed on numerous occasions.

United were sloppy in this group, most notably the two PSV games but last night also. They attacked a bit quicker and created some good chances last night which was encouraging (Martial is really going to be great, Depay looked better). Even though it's most unlikely United would have managed to go any further it is annoying to go out at this stage. It wasn't as easy as say Chelsea's group but even a transitioning United should have got through.

Gallsman - not sure what your point is? I think MM's analysis is spot on so I'm going to say so. Sorry if this offends you.

I'm desperate for Mata to do well but he's been very disappointing the last few months. That sort of game last night was perfect for him last night and he didn't do enough against a team who haven't a hope of winning the CL. I would like to see a midfield 3 of Schneiderlin, Herrera & Mata  given a run of a few games before writing him completely off. Agreed on our German, he was poor last night and got caught out several times, the suspension will do him good.

Fergie made plenty of bad signings down the year which appears to be forgotten and signing world class players is a lot more difficult then it ever has been as there are now more clubs than ever with huge money to spend and most of the worlds best players are already at the top clubs; So naturally LVG has gone down to the route of buying younger players like Martial, Depay & Shaw mixed in with players in the mid 20's who will hopefully improve at OT.

[AZOffaly]

Mata put a lovely ball in for Martial's goal though. That's what he can do. Maybe he doesn't do enough of it, but he's probably better than anyone else there at it.

[Milltown Row2]

I'd only want a change if I don't see any progress from last season.

Sure as LVG said himself last night,ye got further in the Capital One Cup this year.
That's progress right there.
FACT!

If you keep repeating it, it loses it's comic value..... it's a bit like saying Liverpool would have won the league only for Steve slipping up, it's not funny anymore

[Bingo]

The usual histrionics by mostly non-United supporters on here, AZ as per usual a notable exception.

I only disagree with MM on Mata - I accept he doesn't have the quickness of Herrera but he's a very good player in my book. Taking him off for Powell last night was sheer madness. And Schweinsteiger, who had improved recently, was complete crap last night. Lost balls and left the back 4 exposed on numerous occasions.

United were sloppy in this group, most notably the two PSV games but last night also. They attacked a bit quicker and created some good chances last night which was encouraging (Martial is really going to be great, Depay looked better). Even though it's most unlikely United would have managed to go any further it is annoying to go out at this stage. It wasn't as easy as say Chelsea's group but even a transitioning United should have got through.

Gallsman - not sure what your point is? I think MM's analysis is spot on so I'm going to say so. Sorry if this offends you.

I'm desperate for Mata to do well but he's been very disappointing the last few months. That sort of game last night was perfect for him last night and he didn't do enough against a team who haven't a hope of winning the CL. I would like to see a midfield 3 of Schneiderlin, Herrera & Mata  given a run of a few games before writing him completely off. Agreed on our German, he was poor last night and got caught out several times, the suspension will do him good.

Fergie made plenty of bad signings down the year which appears to be forgotten and signing world class players is a lot more difficult then it ever has been as there are now more clubs than ever with huge money to spend and most of the worlds best players are already at the top clubs; So naturally LVG has gone down to the route of buying younger players like Martial, Depay & Shaw mixed in with players in the mid 20's who will hopefully improve at OT.

Truth be told, Mata was playing well at start of the season, so much so that I put him in my FF team. Since then he has been poor to average, likely because I have him in my team. Its just the way things are.

And for the record, I'm keeping him there no matter how bad he is 

[gallsman]

Gallsman - not sure what your point is? I think MM's analysis is spot on so I'm going to say so. Sorry if this offends you.

Jaysus it doesn't offend me in the slightest. I rather enjoy the self congratulatory "we're the football intelligentsia" attitude actually. I do find it a bit odd that you sit around and dismiss the opinions (on a discussion board no less) of others as "histrionics" and such just because someone disagrees with them though.

I'm desperate for Mata to do well but he's been very disappointing the last few months. That sort of game last night was perfect for him last night and he didn't do enough against a team who haven't a hope of winning the CL. I would like to see a midfield 3 of Schneiderlin, Herrera & Mata  given a run of a few games before writing him completely off. Agreed on our German, he was poor last night and got caught out several times, the suspension will do him good.

This is part of the issue. You're benchmarking United against teams who should be winning the champions league because of their history, not because of the performance of the current squad. The fact Wolfsburg are unlikely to win the CL is irrelevant. They've hammered Bayern in the recent past. They were a significantly better outfit over the two games against United. Where does this expectation come from?! "Because we're Manchester United" isn't enough.

[Boycey]

Irony?

[STREET FIGHTER]

Careful now don't feed the chimps......

At least LVG only spent £140m lol.........

[stew]

Last night was no surprise, damage was done in the games against PSV. LVG deserves to be criticised but BT were way over the top mainly that little runt Owen who is clueless, claiming we've got rid of better players. Evra & Hernandez are the only 2 players who've left the club and are playing really well, Hernandez had to go but we should have tried harder to keep Evra although his wife was the reason he wanted to move on and he made that very clear. Kagawa perhaps too but he played under 3 different managers and he was never first choice under any of them.

He got the selection wrong last night, Carrick should have started which along with Basti would have given the back 4 more protection, far too often it was too easy to get at our back 4. Varela after struggling the 1st half he had a brilliant 2nd half. Darmian has been poor at left back, making too many mistakes and should not be player there again. I've been moaning about Blind for a while, he gets drawn to the ball too easily in and around our box and chances and goals are coming off the back of it. Mata was poor given the amount of space out there, it was perfect for him and all he produced was one good ball. Fellaini is not good enough to start in that position. I don't get not starting Young at fullback either.

As usual the size of the job is under estimated, 20 players have and gone in just over 12 months and people need to be patient. The problem is he had very little to start with in terms of players in the their prime, probably only DeGea although he's turned Smalling into a brilliant defender. Fergie might have won the league but he still had Rio, Evra, Vidic, Scholes, RVP & Rooney contributing. All those players were finished or gone by the time LVG took over and think about the money that was spent on them when they were bought. Rio was 30 million over 13 years ago, its like spending £60 million on a player now. The signings he's made are not as bad as made out. I still think DI Maria was a vanity signing from Woodward and there was an element of panic about signing Rojo as we approached deadline day and he couldn't buy whom he wanted. Shaw, Herrera, Schniderlin, Depay & Martial will all turn out to be very good buys. Blind is a good utility player as will Rojo if he could stay fit.

If the Glazers had allowed Fergie to invest in the squad and buy top players from 2009 to 2012 we wouldn't be in this position, apart from RVP no top player was bought in that period.

LVG has made mistakes mainly by leaving the squad to thin but we're still in the title race and any talk of getting rid of him is ridiculous. Pressure will mount over the next few weeks if results are bad but alternatively a few wins and the pressure is off. I'd only want a change if I don't see any progress from last season.

Good enough points however I think it is tough to play Bastion S and M Carrrick together because neither have the pace required at times when they are stretched, the problem is now you have games on Thursdays in the Europa Cup and you have plenty of injuries in a squad that is carrying their Captain and one that has a 19 year old striker and Hernandez and Wilson out on loan, this makes no sense, Hernandez scores goals and takes up incredibly well timed positions in and around the box and Wilson I believe is going to be a clinker, he has bags of pace and just needs a run of games and he will be all right, come to think of it Januzai is out there to offs, ach well, at least the cubs are getting seasoning at other clubs, and Wilson can be called back any time.