Manchester United

[danperkins]

I wouldn't say the team is relying on Jones and Elliot though. They're in it because they've been deemed good enough and neither is a nailed on starter.

When managing young talent, you have to make space for them and I genuinely think that is also why they haven't felt the need to get midfielder so much and a factor in why they ultimately let gini go.

United signing Ronaldo doesn't bother me. They had a good enough squad to win the league before they did and he doesn't strengthen their weaknesses.

You can have Ronaldo all day but if you still have to have Fred back there in the centre of the park, then you can be got at. Shaw and Maguire too.

It'll be interesting, because Ronaldo's arrival may indirectly push them to play Pogba deeper at the base of midfield rather than higher up on the left and he's a liability back there because he's not got the discipline or right decision making for it.

Our midfielders are fine, the odds that they all got I jured at once are slim and we have 3 forwards who can play as advanced midfielders if anything gets desperate. Jota, Firmino, Minamino.

In klopps system, they're there to, press, break up counters and move the ball on quick as possible to a fullback or a forward, not to bomb on and score goals.

Alison, Trent, Robbo, VVD, Fabinho, Mane, Salah. Those are the world class players in the squad and those are the ones that if they stay fit most of the season, we're in for a real shot.

He gives them winning experience and a massive boost as he is one of the greatest of all time. Varane strengthens them defensively, considered a world class defender and is also used to winning and competing for the biggest and best. Sancho I'm not sure about, definitely a serious talent and can learn from Ronaldo. Their first 11 and their squad is 100% strengthened. They didn't have what it takes to win the league imo, Ole has another year under his belt and now has signed some winners which is good for any side. Could they implode with too many egos? Hopefully, we will see but on paper it is some attacking line up. The peno and free kick situation will be interesting.

City for me are still favorites to win the league, we also have a great chance but United and Chelsea will be there and there abouts for me. We have a great first 11 no doubts. Keita, Ox, Minamino is a drop off in quality & we do have some crocks in that midfield. I'm not knocking the young lads, as I said both a clearly talented but will be a bit part role for them. It's a long season and it would be nice to compete on all fronts, for that you need a deep squad full of quality. I am still hoping for another midfield addition to replace Gini who was a massive player for us but not sure if it will happen.

[Kenneth]

He’s a pretty amazing ‘icing on the cake’ signing. How baked the cake is is another matter. But I thought they’d finish above us before this signing and it obviously doesn’t change that view.

[Exiled_red]

He's not that good though. He just takes loads of them.

"Between 2009 and 2018, the Portuguese star scored 33 free-kick goals in 444 attempts for Los Blancos – which equates to a conversion record of 7.3%.

For Juventus, his record of one goal from 72 attempts equates to a 1.4% conversion rate.

According to The Athletic, the rolling average conversion rate for free-kick takers in the English Premier League is 9.2%."

https://www.insider.com/cristiano-ro...eammate-2021-3

That won't stop the pundits getting excited when he scores one, you know the word's 'Ronaldo special' will be used when he scores one before we are forced to watch it from 12 different angles. And well be forced to hear how it's good for the league that he's back etc.

[BobTheCharmer]

I don't see City as favourites. They don't have enough finishers in the squad. They'll have more of the ball than everyone but will not score enough in the games that matter.

Utd beat them last season as they were more clinical. Chelsea did likewise.

Who do they have as a recognised striker? Jesus? That's light. Very light.

Going back to Utd they are 27 games unbeaten away from home. That's very impressive. But the counter is the lack of fans, so it will be interesting to see if that continues.

I don't think anyone has actually said they want Utd to win the league or have said they will? A few of us have said they think they might. That's hardly laughable. It might not happen and we'll all be happy, but some seem to seek solice in burying their heads in the sand and not entertaining the idea at all. Now that's laughable.

Exilered made a good point about Ronny taking away some of the goals Fernández would score ie pens. That's a very good point.

I think Ronaldo is a big game player and that's where he could be the big difference between a loss or draw turning to a win.

Time will tell. I'm hoping for an injury to **** him up but the guy rarely gets injured.

[Exiled_red]

I don't see City as favourites. They don't have enough finishers in the squad. They'll have more of the ball than everyone but will not score enough in the games that matter.

Utd beat them last season as they were more clinical. Chelsea did likewise.

Who do they have as a recognised striker? Jesus? That's light. Very light.

Going back to Utd they are 27 games unbeaten away from home. That's very impressive. But the counter is the lack of fans, so it will be interesting to see if that continues.

I don't think anyone has actually said they want Utd to win the league or have said they will? A few of us have said they think they might. That's hardly laughable. It might not happen and we'll all be happy, but some seem to seek solice in burying their heads in the sand and not entertaining the idea at all. Now that's laughable.

Exilered made a good point about Ronny taking away some of the goals Fernández would score ie pens. That's a very good point.

I think Ronaldo is a big game player and that's where he could be the big difference between a loss or draw turning to a win.

Time will tell. I'm hoping for an injury to **** him up but the guy rarely gets injured.

It's an obvious thing to say but the key thing is where he adds the value (goals assists etc) Frankly if he turns a 3-0 win vs Norwich into a 5-0 win the difference is minimal. If as you say he turns defeats into draws or wins or draws into wins or ups their performance level in the big games that will be the worry for us and teams around them.

I'm still hoping that his desire for a free role with minimal defensive effort along with Pogba's similar work ethic will cause them problems in games and in team harmony because other people have to cover their yards

[fabinho]

:
The thing about the 20 goals or whatever people are talking about is at whose expense do some of them come? I don't think that they were obviously missing a striker last year, they had a number of players who were quite prolific in front of goal, it's not like they were missing chance after chance and you look at them and say if only they had a goal scorer... The questions are if you took one of their existing forwards out and put him in would they be better? I think the answer is yes. But then you say by how much? And personally I don't think the improvement is as much as some suggest...

I agree with that, however, with games coming thick and fast, it's a great option to have a 20 goal a season forward on the bench. Not many clubs can say that.

On an unrelated note, it appears that I've been walking around in work since 6:30 with a pair of my wife's black knickers hanging off the pocket of my work trousers...

[ChesterDave]

On an unrelated note, it appears that I've been walking around in work since 6:30 with a pair of my wife's black knickers hanging off the pocket of my work trousers...

[RedReet]

Talking positively about Utd on here is like trying to reason with a flat earther.

How much would it cost us, or anyone else for that matter, to bring in a 20 goal a season player? Probably more than the Ronaldo deal, before wages...

I'm still hoping that the pace of the game will be too much for him now, but I doubt it.

Still, they'll never win anything with OGS in charge so there's nothing to worry about ....

You are on a Liverpool forum ffs, why don't you try being positive for the team you are supposed to support for a change?

Here is your introduction to Est, the year we win the CL no less.

https://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=3512994&postcount=183

[Doc_Piptorious]

I don't see City as favourites. They don't have enough finishers in the squad. They'll have more of the ball than everyone but will not score enough in the games that matter.

Utd beat them last season as they were more clinical. Chelsea did likewise.

Who do they have as a recognised striker? Jesus? That's light. Very light.

Going back to Utd they are 27 games unbeaten away from home. That's very impressive. But the counter is the lack of fans, so it will be interesting to see if that continues.

I don't think anyone has actually said they want Utd to win the league or have said they will? A few of us have said they think they might. That's hardly laughable. It might not happen and we'll all be happy, but some seem to seek solice in burying their heads in the sand and not entertaining the idea at all. Now that's laughable.

Exilered made a good point about Ronny taking away some of the goals Fernández would score ie pens. That's a very good point.

I think Ronaldo is a big game player and that's where he could be the big difference between a loss or draw turning to a win.

Time will tell. I'm hoping for an injury to **** him up but the guy rarely gets injured.

Jesus is used out wide. 1 goal and 3 assists to his name so far this season.

City usually play with a false 9 instead of playing with an out and out striker, they did so for most of last season too.

This season Torres is the one being used in the false 9 position.

They also spread the goals around far better than any other team in the league and every season end up with no player getting a silly amount of goals but lots of players chipping in with a decent number of goals.


Take our title winning season. We only had three players who scored five or more goals in the league that season. Three!

Last season City had seven score five or more in the league.

The season they came second to us they had eight score five or more.

The title winning season before that they had eight again scoring five or more in the league.

They do not have to rely on one or even two guys who rack up big numbers every season as they get the goals from lots of different players. Makes them harder to stop over the course of a season vecause if one player goes through a barren patch there are still five or six other genuine regular goal threats in the team. They might come a cropper in the odd stand alone game, but generally they will grind out results where other teams may falter.


For me, United signing Ronaldo is not a sign that they are going to get a greater spread of goals throughout the team, but rather they have brought in a guy who will get a very healthy goal return but possibly at the expense of a few other players seeing their own goal tallies drop.

[Corndog]

He gives them winning experience and a massive boost as he is one of the greatest of all time. Varane strengthens them defensively, considered a world class defender and is also used to winning and competing for the biggest and best. Sancho I'm not sure about, definitely a serious talent and can learn from Ronaldo. Their first 11 and their squad is 100% strengthened. They didn't have what it takes to win the league imo, Ole has another year under his belt and now has signed some winners which is good for any side. Could they implode with too many egos? Hopefully, we will see but on paper it is some attacking line up. The peno and free kick situation will be interesting.

City for me are still favorites to win the league, we also have a great chance but United and Chelsea will be there and there abouts for me. We have a great first 11 no doubts. Keita, Ox, Minamino is a drop off in quality & we do have some crocks in that midfield. I'm not knocking the young lads, as I said both a clearly talented but will be a bit part role for them. It's a long season and it would be nice to compete on all fronts, for that you need a deep squad full of quality. I am still hoping for another midfield addition to replace Gini who was a massive player for us but not sure if it will happen.

I agree he improves the their team but he doesn't strengthen where they are weak. Varane does indeed.

Egos could be a problem as you say but I think there's a big question mark around balance in their midfield. Are Fred and mctominay good enough to win the league? Matic seems past it.

[fabinho]

Dupe

[fabinho]

You are on a Liverpool forum ffs, why don't you try being positive for the team you are supposed to support for a change?

Here is your introduction to Est, the year we win the CL no less.

https://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/sho...&postcount=183

What's your point? I'm sure if I had the inclination to go through your old posts I'd soon find something you got wrong, but I really can't be arsed

There's nothing even wrong with that anyway, we weren't playing well and we needed to sort things out, whicn we did!

[RichC]

Ronaldo I’m sure did wonders for the share price!

It’s a clever signing by the Mancs tbh a massive crowd pleaser that will appease the fans whilst he’ll also still contribute a fair bit on the pitch.

[vlahka]

I dont subscribe to the theory that Ronaldo's goals will come at the expense of someone else. Thats like saying Salah will score 10 instead of 20 because Mane is in the side and he'll score 10 too because he's taking some from Salah. If Martial isnt scoring too many, you play him slightly less, he goes from scoring 9 to maybe 5, and Ronaldo pops in about 15. Look at Fernandes. He had 8 goals, then the following season they got Cavani, he scored 18 goals and cavani did 10. 63 goals during 2019/20, and 73 during 20/21. It'll probably go higher this season. So saying goals will come at the expense of someone else and it'll just level off, doesnt make sense.

[Exiled_red]

I dont subscribe to the theory that Ronaldo's goals will come at the expense of someone else. Thats like saying Salah will score 10 instead of 20 because Mane is in the side and he'll score 10 too because he's taking some from Salah. If Martial isnt scoring too many, you play him slightly less, he goes from scoring 9 to maybe 5, and Ronaldo pops in about 15. Look at Fernandes. He had 8 goals, then the following season they got Cavani, he scored 18 goals and cavani did 10. 63 goals during 2019/20, and 73 during 20/21. It'll probably go higher this season. So saying goals will come at the expense of someone else and it'll just level off, doesnt make sense.

My point was that some of his goals come at the expense of some of the other players, the reason being he will be taking their minutes. I was reading yesterday/earlier today claims that he will get depending who I was reading 20/25/30 goals for them this season and this was supposedly in addition to the 20 or so Cavani and Rashford got, the 25 Fenandes got and the 10 or so that Greenwood and Martial got. If all or some of those players get fewer minutes it almost certainly follows that they will get fewer goals. And if he takes over freekick and penalty duty from Fenandes he won't be getting 25 goals as well as Ronaldo getting his 20/30. I have said that he will improve them so they will probably score more goals this year than last, but I would guess the figure will be by about 10 or so even if he personally finishes the season with 30 goals.