The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 55

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Look, I won't stand here and complain about a comeback + late goal like the one yesterday - but I also won't pretend that the glory days are back and that "this is what Manchester United Football Club is all about" :whatever:.

That first half performance was dreadful, we were absolutely listless and it still boggles my mind that we always need to go at least a goal down in order to start 'playing'.

Just to keep things in perspective, Leicester City have been in shambolic form so far this season by their own standards in recent years & we turn up today, make them look like Brazil & kick start their season.

Say what you will about LvG & Jose, but at least the pair of them seemed to have a plan & a playstyle that they tried to adhere to, both of which ended up compromising because of the imbalanced squad they'd to deal with. Under OGS, he's been given the most time, the squad he wants & we're a mess. We seem to rely far too much on brilliance from individual players to win us games as opposed to being well organised & well drilled.

Our next 6 games in the league are horrendously difficult -

Liverpool (H)
Tottenham (A)
City (H)
Watford (A)
Chelsea (A)
Arsenal (H)


If we have aspirations to actually challenge for the league & not be out of the title race by Christmas, we need about 12 points from a possible 18 from those games at bare minimum. With the way we've played so far this season bar maybe 1 or 2 games, we'll be lucky to get 6 points from that run.

Given how much time OGS has had & the fact that he's the first manager IMO since SAF to actually be given a squad he wants, questions need to be asked why they aren't performing, because on paper, with the exception of being a top CM short, this squad should be doing a lot better than it is.

I maintain to this day that back when LvG was at the helm, we were best positioned in terms of transitioning to a modern, possession-oriented game and tactical style, which all the successful teams nowadays implement a variant of. I wasn't feeling particularly keen on Giggs back then as his successor, but I think if we would've gotten someone like Poch, Tuchel or Luis Enrique to follow Louis, we would've been in much better shape nowadays.

I think United's seeming aversion to tactics-oriented managers is not a coincidence, though, it obviously goes back to Fergie and how he ran the show. I'm not saying he was tactics-lite and full-on 'vibes', but the aura he created during his time at the helm and the cavalier nature that was a staple of the team's performances have understandably permeated our fanbase; ask most of our fans what the "United Way" is and they'll mention something about playing fast, attractive football, down the wings - a coherent tactical plan this does not make. I remember this was fans' solution when things were not going well under the previous managers.

If we're to go back to winning things and being successful, I think the attitude at club-level needs to shift from "We are Man Utd FC, best club in the world" to "We need to prove that we are a top club every season". Which, ironically, is something LvG touched upon way back during one of his first pressers.

Coincidentally, this is one of the reasons I don't give OGS that much credit for the 'cultural reset' he's brought about - to me, he's making us look into the past too much, instead of to the future. Still think his biggest merit is managing to keep the players on his side for so long - this is the only area where he's been better than his post-Fergie predecessors. And it might be too little in the end. But I digress.

You'd think Atalanta were a literal pub team listening to Scholes.

Ah, I remember not being able to stand Scholes back when LvG was at the helm and he would moan after each match just because we were trying to implement a playing style which was foreign to the adepts of Fergie. So this doesn't surprise me. Atalanta are a very good side and they've proven it consistently over the past few seasons with their performances in the CL. They scored a couple of good goals yesterday, but did fall off worryingly at the start of the second half. Koopmeiners, who assisted one of their goals, is a midfielder sort of in the Carrick mold, which I would've liked us to take a look at.

I can't really stand listening to the Class of '92 nowadays anymore, they've basically become caricatures. I enjoyed listening to Neville previously, but he's reached that stage as well imo. Roy Keane will probably always be entertaining, though. :D
 
They literally bought a centre back and a number 9 this summer?
They need more.

Maguire’s performances are as irregular as it gets and for a club of MU’s magnitude you need someone that offers confidence at the back and doesn’t goes as noticed for the wrong reasons all the time.

A forward because CR, at this point of his career, cannot be looked upon like as the only big provider inside the box. They need more firepower/presence inside the box, for the most part CR plays better when someone else is there to attract the defense away from him…
 
Fonseca being linked for Newcastle job. Eddie Howe and Lucien Favre too.
 
Eddie Howe is a weird one. Feels like Newcastle need someone more experienced who can take them up a step. No offense to Eddie Howe but if he's the Newcastle manager I don't think anyone is feeling worried about them.
 
I would have thought Conte would be the 'top target' given he's unattached (zero payout to get him) and the oodles of cash he'd demand for a re-build.
 
I would have thought Conte would be the 'top target' given he's unattached (zero payout to get him) and the oodles of cash he'd demand for a re-build.
Conte doesn't do legit rebuilds. He is more of a, "need a few expensive pieces" kind of guy. Why he doesn't last anywhere too long.
 
Spurs make 11 changes for the ECL match tonight! (against Vitesse)
 
Spurs beaten 1-0.
 
West Ham 1-0 up against Genk, right near the end of the first half.
 
West Ham win 3-0 in the end. Great start to their European campaign.
 
Jose's Roma beaten 6-1 in the ECL by Bodo/Glimt.
:hehe: What the **** happened there? When you put that scoreline down I was sure there had to be a red card or something. Even getting beaten 6-1 by a top team isn’t great, but this should be a serious shock in any circumstances. Would love to see Mourinho’s reactions/interviews/comments. :D
 
:hehe: What the **** happened there? When you put that scoreline down I was sure there had to be a red card or something. Even getting beaten 6-1 by a top team isn’t great, but this should be a serious shock in any circumstances. Would love to see Mourinho’s reactions/interviews/comments. :D

I think I read the game was played on astroturf and also in really cold conditions (since Norway) so I think a combination of that and Roma having a bit of a B-team. It's kinda fun seeing an unknown Norwegian team get 6 goals on a Mourinho team though. :D
 
I think I read the game was played on astroturf and also in really cold conditions (since Norway) so I think a combination of that and Roma having a bit of a B-team. It's kinda fun seeing an unknown Norwegian team get 6 goals on a Mourinho team though. :D

It's nice seeing ANY team get 6 goals against that a-hole.
 
Arsenal beat Villa 3-1 to start closing the gap to the euro places.
 
Chelsea 5-0 up against Norwich already (Norwich have a red card too).
 
Chelsea 5-0 up against Norwich already (Norwich have a red card too).

Wow, Norwich really are pants this season, aren't they? I'd wager and say they're even worse than the first season they were back under Farke.

Wonder how much they'll persist with the latter, admirable though it was that they did so after they were relegated the first time.
 
Wow, Norwich really are pants this season, aren't they? I'd wager and say they're even worse than the first season they were back under Farke.

Wonder how much they'll persist with the latter, admirable though it was that they did so after they were relegated the first time.
6-0 now lol. Last time they came up they were inventive going forward but rubbish at the back. Really need to be able to defend for a relegation dogfight or you’ll get outscored even when you play well going forward.
 
7-0 final score with a hat-trick for Mount. Chelsea will stay top after this round of games then whatever happens.
 
Palace beating Newcastle 1-0. I nearly went to this match but got busy. Probably best that I didn’t. Could be a while for the new owners to get their first point lol.
 
Newcastle get an equaliser, Watford beating Everton away and Wolves beating Leeds away.
 
Leeds get an equaliser and Watford make it 5-2 (King hattrick). Terrible home result for Everton and Watford making a statement that they can stay up. Newcastle get a point which is as much as they can expect away.
 
City look like they’re trying to match Chelsea, already 3-0 up at Brighton!
 
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