₦airaland Forum

DDG - AWB Lindelof MaG Young - Fred Pogb McT - James Martial Lingard should be the starting 11 v Arsenal.

I see Lingard is ready for Arsenal.

elampiro:
Looking at things since Ferguson retired, it beginning to look like we made a mistake on sacking Louis Van Gaal.

He played the best football since Ferguson and some youths shone under him. At one point we had little known boys like C.Jackson, Verela, Rashford, etc giving promising performance.

But LVG didn't like sticking to a formula that works

I agree.

We really gave Mata a 3 year extension.

8-0 with 11 men still on the pitch. Na wa.

Oasis007:
Marco Silva Days are numbered. This is an Opportunity for Mou to get back on the Touchline - if he would not mind though.

The real Madrid job might be available soon.

You lot need to calm down and temper your expectations. This season is still about fixing the issues and balance within the team. We were never going to solve all the issues in one window. I believe Ole is going in the right direction. It will be slow and painful but from what I see its the right direction. Not saying he will ultimately bring us titles but he's putting in the foundations for years to come for the club to build on. We're in a hurry for success because we've enjoyed it so much in the last 20 odd years but we need to calm ourselves down and actually allow a rebuild to take place. There will be more results like Palace beating us but there will also be better results but slowly the club will know who they need for the future. Only thing I'm worried about is Woodward still leading the football side of the club. Ole has his flaws like every other manager but he isn't the main issue at man utd so lay off him.

chrisley024:
I don't see the use of Mata anymore.
Garner should've come on

Agreed. He can barely move.

That's a very nice finish from Greenwood. Finally some quality in what has been a poor quality match.

TFM is not a RB. I don't know his best position but I believe he needs to leave the club to restart his career.

Oasis007:
Manchester United have not been put off by Jadon Sancho signing a new contract at Dortmund and expect Leicester to value James Maddison at £70m-£80m. Solskjær also likes Callum Wilson (Bournemouth), Sean Longstaff (Newcastle) and Nathan Collins (Stoke).

- ESPN

We want to become Brexit FC.

Chrisus:
I didn't say Barca don't sell their products at all. What I meant is they make sure they use them as much as possible before selling.

Fabregas played close to a 100 matches before leaving and Thiago had to leave cos he wasn't getting game time(I don't blame him though, Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta were at the peak of their powers. There was a certain Fabregas too).

Na wa.

timay:
This one na lie

Infact there are tonnes of player that Barca sold from there. Fabregas is one example. This Ajax goalkeeper is also there product . Thiago of bayern Nko?

Even Messi at one point was supposed to be sold, but a lot of clubs rejected him because of his Small size . Arsene Wenger was one of the coaches that rejected Messi

All in all , saying that Barca doesn't sell there product is a big lie

Na real wa.

Looking forward to our MMM midfield of Matic, McT amd Mata guiding us to victory over Leicester tomorrow.

Rio was a far better player and athlete but Vidic was a slightly better defender.

spillo1:
If you consider the fact that Martial and to some extent rash have played little games as CF it's not that bad. Not world class by any standard but it's still a good ratio. I mean look at Son,he has 67 in 190games for Tottenham. For wingers I think martial ratio is not bad.

Its not terrible but its not good enough either. And it highlights why the club is where it is.

Lana1:
Iss like you have malaria. Which lesser opponents did James play? Like say Chelsea, Wolves and Southampton are easy teams to play against.

James scored when he came off the bench against Chelsea. Pepeye came off the bench against Burnley and was dancing soapy all over the pitch.

Inside life.

Long but good read. I feel like we need to accept that we have to go through some pain to get back to the level we desire. We cannot take a shortcut unless we want to go through the City route. We shouldn't expect anything from this team for the next 2 years. No guarantees it is Ole that will get us back to the top but we need to see this rebuild through and suffer now so the future can be better for the club.

Times article from Henry Winter:



Those trying to rush Solskjaer towards the exit door should understand that he is calmly attempting a revolution

No manager in the Premier League exists in such a crucible of extreme expectation as the man charged with bringing success to Manchester United. The club believe that they have more than 600 million fans around the world, and rising. They demand glory, and soon. Sir Alex Ferguson, and his gilded, cherished epoch, casts an ever-lengthening shadow.

Even established coaches such as Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho, Champions League winners, found the spotlight brutally harsh, and ultimately blinding in recent years. Being United manager is close to becoming the impossible job.

Pressure particulaly intensifies in an era when impatience is the default setting for many, and social media platforms sluice raw sewage from the toxic imaginations of many straight into mainstream debate. People don’t talk about United any more; they shout. Fans suffer at their beloved team’s travails, rivals revel in them, equally loudly. Little reasoned discourse is heard around United, just the commotion of emotions.

So the man in the middle has to be unbelievably strong and determined. That is why there can be only supreme respect and admiration for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, an honest, ego-free, hard-working man trying to right the wrongs of six years of drift at United, trying his hardest to rebuild the squad and the culture. What he lacks in experience, the former Cardiff City and Molde coach certainly makes up for in passion to turn United around.

The club’s celebrated former striker is doing what he has always done at United, giving everything for the cause, and he knows the scale of the task he inherited from Mourinho, Van Gaal, David Moyes and Ferguson. The 46-year-old Norwegian possesses a self-deprecating streak, a humility, but that should not be taken for a lack of ambition. Those of us privileged to meet Solskjaer at the Cliff, United’s former training ground, when he arrived in 1996 were advised quietly but firmly by club officials not to confuse politeness for a lack of ruthlessness.

He scored goal after goal and fought back from knee injuries that would have broken lesser men. So it is dangerous to underestimate Solskjaer, even during this underwhelming start to the season. Perspective and calm need introducing into the frenzy around his position otherwise United risk simply falling into a self-defeating cycle of appoint, rinse, repeat. Solskjaer deserves backing.

For all the increasingly painful analysis of United’s initially promising start to the season, that uplifting 4-0 win over Chelsea followed by two draws and a defeat, Solskjaer remains the right man for the role because of his impressive conviction in confronting United’s problems. He eschews the temptations of sticking plasters over gaping wounds, preferring proper remedies.

Those trying to rush Solskjaer towards the exit should understand that he is coldly, calmly attempting a “revolution”, in the description of Marcus Rashford. He’s doing what the fans have been calling for, sorting out a squad that has acquired layer after layer of four managers’ signings, leaving it bloated and imbalanced.

Solskjaer’s response? Ander Herrera? Sold. Romelu Lukaku? Sold. Matteo Darmian? Sold. Antonio Valencia? Released. Alexis Sánchez? Loaned out. Chris Smalling? Loaned out. Solskjaer has not messed about.

In his first summer window, Solskjaer’s signings make sense, addressing vulnerabilities at right back, centre back and out wide, focusing on young, British and hungry. He buys good characters as well as good players, doing due diligence on personality, not being seduced by reputation. He is building for the future, and deserves to see that come to fruition.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has proved a hit with his athleticism and tackling. Harry Maguire makes the occasional mistake but has brought composure and authority and will only improve. Daniel James is almost the symbol of Solskjaer’s United, a winger who gets chalk on his boots, cuts in and scores. “He’s humble, works hard and knows he can improve,” Solskjaer says. Sounds a template for his desired team.

He is introducing more homegrown youth, which admirers of United’s ethos will surely warm to. As well as Rashford and Scott McTominay, Solskjaer has Mason Greenwood, Axel Tuanzebe, James Garner, Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes involved.

Of course, there are legitimate concerns. Solskjaer needs to show he can: change a game’s flow from the bench, as he could so spectacularly as a player; improve defending and attacking set pieces; instil better understanding of the new law that means goal kicks don’t have to leave the box, as David De Gea and the centre backs are being closed down quickly; make Paul Pogba do his risk-taking further from his own technical area; and sharpen Rashford’s finishing.

And has his desire to trim the squad left him short in attack? Probably yes, but Lukaku’s body language screamed “gone” and Sánchez’s expensive presence had just become embarrassing. Solskjaer was decisive. He is accused of being too nice, but he can be the baby-faced assassin again.

To the relief of all inside Old Trafford, Solskjaer doesn’t play mind games in public, bemoaning transfer troubles as Mourinho would. He behaves with the decorum a distinguished club deserves. He’s an ambassador as well as a manager, bringing some class to a position diminished by Mourinho. He has inherited issues such as the tense dynamic between supporters and the unpopular Glazers, the need for a director of football to co-ordinate long-term recruitment as Manchester City and Liverpool do, and conducting the infernal Operation Make Pogba Smile.

A voice of reason, restraint and perspective, can be heard. It was worth listening to one United fan, die-hard home and away of many years (mainly) standing. “I’m an Ole fan,” he texted yesterday. “He has to be given time to rebuild as there is not any quick fix. I don’t expect a top-four finish this season but some exciting football with some pace would be good to watch.

“City and Liverpool are so far ahead of us I don’t think we can immediately catch them whoever we had as manager. So give Ole some time and rebuild with youngsters who are happy to play for the shirt and do not have huge egos. It’s not the greatest of starts but if the two penalties were scored the points tally would be higher.” If Pogba had been successful against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Rashford against Crystal Palace, United might be third.

The styles of City and Liverpool did not materialise overnight. Liverpool’s pressing and fast raiding and City’s pressing and intricate possession took time on the training ground for Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola respectively.

Some fans lament whether Solskjaer and his coaching staff are improving the side. Again, time is required. Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Mike Phelan share 976 appearances under Ferguson. They experienced training under him, what he expected of those who pull on that red shirt and how he inspired them. Solskjaer and his staff deserve the chance to put United back on the right track, a track they know.

Yeye team.

I'm happy to take the humble pie on Daniel James. That's a fantastic goal. He didnt look like he had to quality of a high level player but he's done brilliantly so far.

Leyqute:
Group L....

Dem go use banter kill us

And now going to Kazakhstan. Real banter season for us.

I have no problem with Sanchez going. My only issue is he's leaving to Inter on loan we still pay more than half of his wages and they have no obligation to buy. Certainly Chong, Gomes and co can't do worse than he has done in 18 months at united so lets see.

diggz:
Wolves fc for life

Yes, you certainly can't be Chelsea FC for life anymore.

engrelvis:
We need to win wolves on Sunday. No excuse .

Monday night

adexeli:
But won't you agree that controversies are part of what makes Football really interesting

The controversy is still there though. VAR is even adding to the controversy.

City still look at cut above in attack and midfield. Can't believe they're about to 3peat. KDB showing his class.

Oasis007:
3rd Kit.

I need this kit. Beautiful.

topdogg2g@hotmail.com

Please send the classic league code. Thanks.

Looking forward to Sunday's match. Should be a good one.

Leyqute:
He probably didn’t watch the game.

I watched the last 10 mins of the first half and most of the second half.

eph12:
What's your definition of "mugged off"?

I said mugged off because I thought we would be held to a 0-0 draw despite all our possession and chances.

Are we really getting mugged off by a midtable Scandinavian team?

ChristineC:
I don't think that's a fair assessment. he still has a lot to learn, however, how do you rate his decision making and general use of the ball?

I honestly haven't seen any real genuine quality from him on the ball in preseason. I'm not writing him off but I have only seen his pace on show. That's it.