Man Utd Thread:

[magpie seanie]

Good analysis. Carrick has to be in that team more often than not. It defies belief that Carrick is being under-utilised like this. Carrick and Herrera give you a decent foundation. Pogba is going to be hit and miss....hasn't the concentration or instincts to be a fully rounded midfielder so best to push him up, a freer role. He has the tools to do damage farther up the pitch. A replacement for Carrick will be hard to find.  I've often criticised him but no one else in this squad can do the things he does.

Ibrahimovic is brilliant but needs players around him and has too often been isolated in recent times (when you play 6 at the back this happens).

It was a much needed win.

[under the bar]

As brilliant as Carrick has been - easily the best in England in his position over the past 6-7 years- he is now 35 and his legs are seriously gone.    Therefore if he is being touted by one and all as the solution,  the problem must be a pretty dire one.

[trileacman]

Supposed to be a very good interview with Mourinho on Sky this evening as part of the build up to the League Cup match.

From the excerpts below, he sounds fairly miserable, but that might not be the full picture. He is staying at the Lowry Hotel in the centre of Manchester with his wife and two children still living in their London home. And he is unable to leave the hotel without the paparazzi following:


"Buy a house? I do not know... I do not know.

"But the reality is that my daughter (Matilde) will be 20 next week. My son (Jose Jr) will be 17 in a couple of months. They are very stable... university in London, football in London, friends.

"So, they are at an age where they can't chase me like they did before. So, for the first time, the family lives in a different way. We try to feel it, we try to see the evolution of our feelings and see how we cope with the situation.

"But maybe, if I can get a good apartment... not these giant houses that the press says I'm going to buy. I will never buy that. But if I find a nice apartment with a good connection from the garage to the apartment, maybe I do it - but I can't cook!

"You know the history of the paparazzi.

"For me, it's a bit of a disaster because I want sometimes to walk a little bit and I can't. I just want to cross the bridge and go to a restaurant. I can't, so it is really bad.

"But I have my apps and I can ask for food to also be delivered, which I do sometimes."

doesnt sound good for his mental health

Jesus I actually do pity him after that.

[magpie seanie]

First world problems. I'm sure he can afford a driver to take him to a restaurant and back. I'd also be fairly sure the grub at the training ground is better than your average canteen.

He's a f**king con man.

[magpie seanie]

Of all people to be complaining about the media!!!!

[trileacman]

First world problems. I'm sure he can afford a driver to take him to a restaurant and back. I'd also be fairly sure the grub at the training ground is better than your average canteen.

He's a f**king con man.

Still pity him. What you mean to say is that if he wants to leave the house he needs a guardian like he's a 8 year old. That's not a first world problem, a first world problem is when your Iphone dies halfway through the day.

f**k I wouldn't like to live in a world for I couldn't just fcuk off when I wanted for a bag of chips.

[seafoid]

First world problems. I'm sure he can afford a driver to take him to a restaurant and back. I'd also be fairly sure the grub at the training ground is better than your average canteen.

He's a f**king con man.

If he is a prisoner in the hotel and he can't even get out for a walk without being hounded by the paps it is not a good situation.
The image he cultivates is like what Dunphy does. It's part of the circus. He has rights as a human to good health.

[Aaron Boone]

Jose should move to Wilmslow or those posh suburbs all the players live in. Crazy he still in a hotel months later.

[tiempo]

Jose should move to Wilmslow or those posh suburbs all the players live in. Crazy he still in a hotel months later.

He's not being forced to live in the hotel, he could move to a quiet gated apartment setup in 24/48hrs any time of his choosing. He is maintaining the status quo in case of a poor run of results where he needs to put out a soundbite to deflect the attention from the on field selection and performances. He has used the excuse now and can't use it again, expect him to be moving pad any time soon. Very calculated and utterly odious individual.

[seafoid]

Princess Diana died during a paparazzi chase. It's not my little pony. Pictures of Mourinho lashing out would be very lucrative.

[Maroon Manc]

All very well timed from Mourinho to deflect attention from the team after a shocking performance, it appears to have worked.

As for Carrick I want to see him saved for certain games, I hope we don't see him until Swansea away a week on Sunday.

[under the bar]

I can't believe we are still talking about wrapping Carrick in cotton wool until big games.  We were doing that in Fergie's last year ffs.

[BenDover]

These fellas are looked after by the very best if he can't manage 1-2 games a week even at the age of 35 Utd should be looking at someone else. I'm a big fan of Carrick's and there's no doubt Utd are a better side with him in it but the team needs to start winning games and for that I believe he needs to be playing regardless of the opposition.

[magpie seanie]

All very well timed from Mourinho to deflect attention from the team after a shocking performance, it appears to have worked.

As for Carrick I want to see him saved for certain games, I hope we don't see him until Swansea away a week on Sunday.

Nail on the head MM in both instances. Jose is a total con artist, a master of playing the media and people. Seems many have bought this ludicrous sob story.

It might be worrying that Carrick is so important at this late stage of his career but it's a fact. Replacing him is priority number 1.

In good news did I hear Koenan spoke about a possible return to Goodison for "once a blue"? Hopefully it happens before he gets 3. More goals.

[Milltown Row2]

Fair play Burnley they dig in really well and Utd did everything but score.. enjoyable game bar the result!