Manchester United

[Tribute]

Some players just keep going -

Ronaldo
Milner
Ibrahimovic
Totti
Silva

Great players that remain top class close to their 40s!

...and Lucas Leiva

[Doc_Piptorious]

Of course we have weaknesses but the point really is that with the midfield they have they will struggle against the fellow top 6 and with Ole even more so.

Up top they'll score a load this season I think and Ronaldo will get a fair share of goals against sides this season, we all know he's going to score for them.

I think the favourites for the title should probably Chelsea with the squad they have followed by City then us and the Mancs.

It'll be an interesting season tbh especially with fans back, a few players that stood out in empty stadiums might well go back the other way with the fans back (Shaw)

But will they? Last season out of the ten games against the rest of the top six, they lost two (against Leicester and us in the final weeks of the season) won three and drew five.

So 14 points against the other five in the top six.


Man city against the top six last season reads three losses, three draws and four wins so 15 points.


Chelsea against the top six reads three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points.

Us against the tops six was three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points just like Chelsea.

So the red Mancs were not quite as good but not exactly struggling against the top six when compared to their peers.


And I never suggested they would win the title or that I thought they would be one of the main favourites. What I said was that last season I think their squad was good enough to win the title had they a manager of real quality like Klopp instead of the manager they have. For me their main weakness as a team is their manager and that their results are pretty good given the "calibre" of their manager and current coaching room staff.


I think the red Manc team gets underrated at times because of who their manager is and well because we want them to be shyte. On paper their team reads like it is weak in certain areas, like in midfield as on paper their midfield is very underwhelming and as individual players their midfidlers look very very average players, but as a unit they seem to work as a very dull or functional but effective unit.

For me they are only a good manager away from being able to hang with a fully fit us, Man City and Chelsea. Plus with us, City and Chelsea all likely to nick points from the other, what the red mancs need to do is what they usually do fairly well and that is mop up the weaker teams in the league.

I don't see Man U finishing higher than fourth this season, hopefully lower, but there is a decent team there and the weaker sections of their team are really more functional than outright weak imo.

[Tribute]

But will they? Last season out of the ten games against the rest of the top six, they lost two (against Leicester and us in the final weeks of the season) won three and drew five.

So 14 points against the other five in the top six.


Man city against the top six last season reads three losses, three draws and four wins so 15 points.


Chelsea against the top six reads three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points.

Us against the tops six was three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points just like Chelsea.

So the red Mancs were not quite as good but not exactly struggling against the top six when compared to their peers.


And I never suggested they would win the title or that I thought they would be one of the main favourites. What I said was that last season I think their squad was good enough to win the title had they a manager of real quality like Klopp instead of the manager they have. For me their main weakness as a team is their manager and that their results are pretty good given the "calibre" of their manager and current coaching room staff.


I think the red Manc team gets underrated at times because of who their manager is and well because we want them to be shyte. On paper their team reads like it is weak in certain areas, like in midfield as on paper their midfield is very underwhelming and as individual players their midfidlers look very very average players, but as a unit they seem to work as a very dull or functional but effective unit.

For me they are only a good manager away from being able to hang with a fully fit us, Man City and Chelsea. Plus with us, City and Chelsea all likely to nick points from the other, what the red mancs need to do is what they usually do fairly well and that is mop up the weaker teams in the league.

I don't see Man U finishing higher than fourth this season, hopefully lower, but there is a decent team there and the weaker sections of their team are really more functional than outright weak imo.

Some good points Jaco... For me, it's about their consistency. If they can put a good run of wins together, it doesn't matter how **** we all think Ole is, the team/squad could carry the momentum through the season.

That's my worry... that Ole isn't needed and the team gather sufficient momentum, confidence and results to just steamroller the dross and hold their own against the top six.

They could finish higher than fourth, they could be contenders with Ronaldo's return and the euphoria around the place. It might not fade...

Chavs and Citeh are definitely in the mix but on our day, on song and playing to our abilities, we can easily go toe to toe with all of them.

Crowds could be the turning point this season as Citeh don't have any and United have the green and gold/Glazers out/Glazers in/Neville is a hero/Neville is a pantomime villain/Fergietime/PE Teacher set of fans who change with the wind, but they do actually turn up for the team...

[Fosterbloke]

these guys just keep themselves in such good condition physically and mentality that it prolongs their career. Elite athletes.

Yup, I'd love to have their mindset for a year - I'd really sort myself out!

[rudedog]

But will they? Last season out of the ten games against the rest of the top six, they lost two (against Leicester and us in the final weeks of the season) won three and drew five.

So 14 points against the other five in the top six.


Man city against the top six last season reads three losses, three draws and four wins so 15 points.


Chelsea against the top six reads three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points.

Us against the tops six was three losses, two draws and five wins so 17 points just like Chelsea.

So the red Mancs were not quite as good but not exactly struggling against the top six when compared to their peers.

Last year was an anomaly though, not sure how relevant any comparison to this season would be.

[Exiled_red]

They clearly have the attacking players to get them goals the question is whether they have the defence and midfield to get them results in the tight games. The defence is seemingly settled so the remaining question is what they do in midfield. If they have a couple of guys in midfield like Matic and McTominay who are prepared to just do the donkey work in midfield and they can cover for Fernandes, Ronaldo and whoever else they play up top then I think they have a good chance of the league IMO the form of the guys in those roles will be key.

[danperkins]

Ole will be a bigger factor than egos IMO. Pogba was excellent LW first two games, but to get Sancho into the side, Pogba was dropped back into midfield and Wolves and Newcastle were able to get at them. With Ronaldo there, Pogba will definitely play CM more, unless Ole has the balls to start dropping him. Once Cavani, Rashford, Martial and everyone else is fit, be interesting to see how Ole sets up. Some will say it's a good problem to have, but that's if the manager is good enough to handle it.

it's going to be very interesting to see what happens when they hit a bit of adversity... which will happen at some point.

[danperkins]

Yup, I'd love to have their mindset for a year - I'd really sort myself out!

you and me both mate

[Doc_Piptorious]

Last year was an anomaly though, not sure how relevant any comparison to this season would be.

Maybe it was an anomaly or maybe that is where their bar is. Hard to know until we are further into this season.

Only thing I do know is that is the most recent form we have to go on and whilst we are only four games into this season they are maintaining that form.


My gut is that they are now a comfortable 72 to 80 point a season team and will grind out something like that regardless of whether the likes of us , City and Chelsea are having 90 point seasons or whether we are having 70 to 80 point seasons.

[Patricks_Berger]

That's why they have spent hundreds of millions and signed other players, nobody ever said one player does not make a team but when you have a Ronaldo or Messi in your team that are scoring 50 or 60 goals a season... it's hard to argue that one player does make one hell of a difference.

Ronaldo now is probably in better shape than most pro footballers and they still have signed one of the best in the world and one of the best of all time which seems to have set off some nostalgia too. Will his body give up at some point soon? Absolutely but until then you talk to any United fan, they are only delighted with this transfer window and so they should be. We are all just hoping egos kick in and **** hits the fan but not sure if I see it myself.

When was the last time he scored 50 or 60 goals in a season? It’s not 2012 anymore.

[vlahka]

Did vlahka write them all?

There is a possibility!

[Fosterbloke]

you and me both mate

[Mr Pink]

They will destroy alot of the fodder and will score lots of goals this season.

I’ve heard a lot of people saying this and don’t really get it tbh. They’ll destroy a lot of the teams they’re better than- yes, so will all the big teams. Out of the 4 contenders, we dropped points to chelsea, chelsea dropped points to us, city dropped points to spurs, and united dropped points to 14th place (would be 17th if united beat them) Southampton…

They’ve had an easy opening 4 games and the only game that I was impressed by them was Leeds 1st day. Such an undeserved win against 13th place wolves, and the game against 19th placed Newcastle was even enough until the keeper gave them a few gifts. When Newcastle equalized I really fancied them to get something from the game, even though there was plenty of time left. Fair enough all wins count as 3 points, but they’ve not been destroying fodder in my opinion.

[Kenneth]

4-1 and 5-1 counts imo. Dropping two points away vs at home against 10 men. I don’t know, it’s all too early to tell, but they were second last year and are improved this year on paper.

[rudedog]

4-1 and 5-1 counts imo. Dropping two points away vs at home against 10 men. I don’t know, it’s all too early to tell, but they were second last year and are improved this year on paper.

They finished second because Chelsea had Lampard managing them and we had the worst injury run ever.

They won’t get that kind of fortune again this season.