Manchester United 17/18: Reigning Europa League Champions, EFL Cup and Community Shield Holders!!!
- Thread starter chilango
- Start date
Fez909
toilet expert
Changed your mind yet?
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
early days. let's give it a few more games.
The onus is on you to explain what it is you don't like about him. It's hardly if he's an unknown quantity.
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
What is interesting about the Swansea match is the similarities to W.Ham. Both competitive up to 40 mins. Both then succumbed just before half time. On resumption of play much as before. Then about 3/4 way through both began to visibly fray at the edges. They teetered on the edge for a minute or two, and finally toppled over, utterly spent.
So once UTD went two up it could have easily been five. If the game had gone on for 5 minutes longer, a sixth would not have been out of the question. Across the two games Utd have actually scored 5 goals in six minutes.
What does this tells us?
The effort put in to competing with the likes of Bailly, Matic, Pogba, and Lukaku through the middle, eventually takes its toll. Physically, this is a powerful side. Add in the greater industry of Herrera on the right of midfield and the pace of Shaw on the left, and you will have a very speedy, forceful and nicely balanced attack (three natural left-footers plus Pogba who is two footed more or less) aligned to what already looks like a dogged defence.
In other words although it looked like 50/50 for much of the two opening matches the opposing sides were forced to exhaust far more resources in keeping it looking respectable for the first 70 mins. Expect this pattern to repeat itself against similar sides.
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Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
(Yes, I know he plays for someone else now, but I retain the right to gripe about him...). Rooney retires from England after Southgate rings him to recall him:
Wayne Rooney retires from England duty after rejecting recall from Southgate
I understand his logic and he says all the right things. He obviously doesn't see himself actually being in the starting line up next year. But still... after saying how important England is to him, it seems a bit off. Dunno really, I can see why he's done it, just seems like 'I'll join the squad and always help out when needed' would have been the better answer.
Wayne Rooney retires from England duty after rejecting recall from Southgate
I understand his logic and he says all the right things. He obviously doesn't see himself actually being in the starting line up next year. But still... after saying how important England is to him, it seems a bit off. Dunno really, I can see why he's done it, just seems like 'I'll join the squad and always help out when needed' would have been the better answer.
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
Rooney was the talisman/scapegoat for England since 2006. Yet, even now fans (with ABU sentiments prominent) still complain about his record for England (73 goals and assists) because of the country's failure to set the world alight in tournaments. 'You can stick your fucking England up your arse' (the UTD riposte to Beckam being booed all over the country after WC in 1998). Certainly, that might have been 'a bit off' by way of a response when Gareth came calling.
But even if that wasn't what he was thinking when he quit on his own terms, who could really blame him if it was. But as the ultimate team player he was probably thinking something nearer the opposite.
And now all the others have the chance to show how better they can be without him. Good luck with that.
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Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
Zlatan back, one year contract:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejoins Manchester United and signs a one-year contract
Doing his rehab with united made this likely, but even with the idea of a coaching/mentoring role it's intriguing to think how he sees the Lukaku situation. Neither of them will be happy missing the big games. Injuries mean it might work of course. Rashford might be feeling the pinch a bit, particularly as Martial is coming back into favour.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejoins Manchester United and signs a one-year contract
Doing his rehab with united made this likely, but even with the idea of a coaching/mentoring role it's intriguing to think how he sees the Lukaku situation. Neither of them will be happy missing the big games. Injuries mean it might work of course. Rashford might be feeling the pinch a bit, particularly as Martial is coming back into favour.
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
Any good work Zlatan's does on the pitch (not underestimating his influence off it) will likely be from the bench. Truth is the current side is a totally different proposition without him in it.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
Indeed, but I wouldn't have thought he saw himself as a bench guy.
And yet he is happily back.
He knows exactly what the situation is yet he chooses, to his credit, to come back to complete his unfinished business. Fair play to him.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
Yep. He's an arrogant twat, but it does show a degree of loyalty, probably because he did all his rehab at united. Also, to be fair to him, since he's been at united I've only heard good things about his relationship with other players. People like Rashford might have been very pissed off at his arrival, seeing himself going back one step in the pecking order, but seems to have been happy to learn from Ibra (think I've heard that anyway, or have I heard Mourhino spinning it that way?
). Regardless, Rashford's a class act in the way he's handled things not quite kicking on from the success of his first few months.
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
No, was he having a moan?
No. It just came out that Rashford (who grew an inch in the last 12 months) had fairly severe back/growing pains all through last season.
Mourinho kept a tight lid on it and tended not play him in games against some of the more 'robust' teams. Basically he protected him, for long term benefit. Many a lesser man might have buckled and played him for short term gain.
Maybe Rashford's fortitude was what JM was refering to when he questioned it in some others, like Luke Shaw?
Mourinho kept a tight lid on it and tended not play him in games against some of the more 'robust' teams. Basically he protected him, for long term benefit. Many a lesser man might have buckled and played him for short term gain.
Maybe Rashford's fortitude was what JM was refering to when he questioned it in some others, like Luke Shaw?
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
Ah, cheers. Though whilst I don't the details of what was going on when he was questioning Shaw's willingness to come back from injury early, I thought that was a mind game too far. His own medical staff had given Shaw and Smalling specific return dates.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Final piece in the jigsaw
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
What is his unfinished business?
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
UTD have now scored 9 of their 16 goals after the 80th min.
RD2003
Got a really fucking shitty attitude
Nearly as good as 5-0 and 6-0 wins.Three 4-0wins already
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
There were a couple of things that Matic did that were instructive. On one occasion, it was Mikhi I think, who jabbed a ball toward and slightly behind him from too close range while he was heavily marked. For almost any other player it would have guaranteed loss of possession and a potential launch pad for the opposition.
Instead Matic telescoped out his left leg and with the softest of touches gathered it in and re-cycled.
Later on there was a genuine 50-50 with an Everton player (Schneiderlin I think). Matic did not hesitate in employing all of his 6.4 frame in am emphatic winning of the ball well inside Everton's half, then immediately sparking another attack.
Schneiderlin is a like for like player, operationally. And yet there is simply no comparison. What's more, UTD got £20 million plus for the former. Which means that in recruiting Matic to replace him (who only turned 29 in August incidentally) the UTD outlay was actually as little as £15 million.
A remarkable bit of business. In terms of sheer value and his galvanising effect on those around him, it is he and not Zlatan, who could inherit Cantona mantle.
PS: judging from their respective performances so far, former partner Kante, is missing him already. Most pundits assumed it would be the other way round.
Instead Matic telescoped out his left leg and with the softest of touches gathered it in and re-cycled.
Later on there was a genuine 50-50 with an Everton player (Schneiderlin I think). Matic did not hesitate in employing all of his 6.4 frame in am emphatic winning of the ball well inside Everton's half, then immediately sparking another attack.
Schneiderlin is a like for like player, operationally. And yet there is simply no comparison. What's more, UTD got £20 million plus for the former. Which means that in recruiting Matic to replace him (who only turned 29 in August incidentally) the UTD outlay was actually as little as £15 million.
A remarkable bit of business. In terms of sheer value and his galvanising effect on those around him, it is he and not Zlatan, who could inherit Cantona mantle.
PS: judging from their respective performances so far, former partner Kante, is missing him already. Most pundits assumed it would be the other way round.
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nuffsaid
But this goes up to 11
Anyone here know the words to this...?
Manchester United urged to stop their fans singing song about Romelu Lukaku
Manchester United urged to stop their fans singing song about Romelu Lukaku
