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

[BatmanBeyond]

If LvG had this squad, he'd win the title.

Haha, we'd be challenging for it, at least. And would also have a plan and structure/tactical approach in-place.

I miss his antics and bullish attitude in pressers too.

The myth of McFred... is it dead? Do we seriously believe DvB couldn't do better overall?

Donny is such a weird one for me...like, why did Ole even sign him?

I'm wondering what some of the quality players we signed this summer, like Varane and Sancho, think of this mess too.

 

[HarveyHarris]

If LvG had this squad, he'd win the title.

LVG at least had spirit in his squad and a plan.

Has it ever actually leaked out why DVB and Sancho can't get game time?

 

[Zantera]

Thing is for all the glaring 'holes' in our team that Ole defenders will tell us need to be fixed before we can challenge. We got 40m signing VDB on the bench and 80m signing Sancho on the bench. If Ole doesn't think either is an upgrade on our starting lineup then why didn't we get someone who was? We're starting Fred and Mctominay for crying out loud.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

LVG at least had spirit in his squad

And technical understanding.

 

[HarveyHarris]

And technical understanding.

Very true, even if it wasn't what you wanted you could at least see what the plan was. What were the tactics today? Genuinely I can't see how Ole has set them up today, no understanding of how to stop Liverpool.

 

[HarveyHarris]

Thing is for all the glaring 'holes' in our team that Ole defenders will tell us need to be fixed before we can challenge. We got 40m signing VDB on the bench and 80m signing Sancho on the bench. If Ole doesn't think either is an upgrade on our starting lineup then why didn't we get someone who was? We're starting Fred and Mctominay for crying out loud.

I said Midweek he was able to bring Pogba, Sancho and Cavani off the bench, Liverpool don't have that bloody depth.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Very true, even if it wasn't what you wanted you could at least see what the plan was. What were the tactics today? Genuinely I can't see how Ole has set them up today, no understanding of how to stop Liverpool.

He seemed to be setting up like he usually does in big games - McFred to be safe in the middle and then vibes upfront to hopefully nick something on the counter. It almost worked too, with Bruno having the very first big chance of the game. Still wouldn't have been confident in our chances against this Liverpool side, even if we would've scored that one, though.

Also, can we stop pretending Maguire is a top-class CB and captain-material too? He's a top-class fridge, for sure, and a decent central defender, can put his head to a ball, but...that's about it.

 

[HarveyHarris]

He seemed to be setting up like he usually does in big games - McFred to be safe in the middle and then vibes upfront to hopefully nick something on the counter. It almost worked too, with Bruno having the very first big chance of the game. Still wouldn't have been confident in our chances against this Liverpool side, even if we would've scored that one, though.

Also, can we stop pretending Maguire is a top-class CB and captain-material too? He's a top-class fridge, for sure, and a decent central defender, can put his head to a ball, but...that's about it.

So score early and hope you can contain a free scoring side even though you yourself are incapable of keeping a clean sheet? Good work Ole!

Maguire got the Pickford bug now, looks good for England but pants at club level.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

The number of people online still backing the **** up is amazing, the pundits are a damn joke

if he had any self respect ole would resign but nah he spews bs about the process and he’s happy with where the club is going.

 

[Iceman]

The number of people online still backing the **** up is amazing, the pundits are a damn joke

if he had any self respect ole would resign but nah he spews bs about the process and he’s happy with where the club is going.

Crazy, I can’t really understand it. Ole has shown no evidence of the ability required to take a big club forward.

 

[Iceman]

It's unreal how much certain pundits divert the blame from Ole.
It's downright embarrassing at this point.


I surely hope so. If he goes now MU may still salvage something from this season.

Feels like it’s needed for 4th.

 

[Iceman]

The myth of McFred... is it dead? Do we seriously believe DvB couldn't do better overall?

At least Ole should want to find out after spending the money. The guy never even got a chance and his career is getting totally F’d up.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Oh happy days....

 

[Iceman]

Yeh this isn't Friends United and if they can't have some level of impartiality then they are playing a disservice to the club and the fans. Then again who am i to judge. I'm sure the MU fans will know better.

It devalues their commentary. I like hearing top ex-players but they will all have other high profile teammates and ex-managers who they need to be able to offer unbiased views on.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Oh happy days....

Congrats. Your side was class. You deserved it.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Congrats. Your side was class. You deserved it.

Thank you.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

The number of people online still backing the **** up is amazing, the pundits are a damn joke

if he had any self respect ole would resign but nah he spews bs about the process and he’s happy with where the club is going.

I don't want to believe Ole is also delusional, besides incompetent, but is this what he spewed during his presser after the game today?

Congrats. Your side was class. You deserved it.

I second this. Interesting to see Keita score today, I remember him being dismissed as a flop after his first couple of seasons at the club, but leave it to Klopp to make a player out of him in spite of that.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Thank you.

So, do you think last year, the way your front line looked. Was that down to the seasons kind of being back to back? Salah looks like he found new pair of legs. He's never been better.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

So on that guy I don't like to talk about. I know he has scored some goals. But he has the entire front line disjointed. He can't press, has Bruno out of sorts, and keeps Sancho off the pitch.

Give me:

----------Greenwood/Cavani
Pogba----Bruno---------Sancho

Before line up with that other guy.

 

[HarveyHarris]

Oh happy days....

Yeah I do apologise if it seems we're not acknowledging the other side, you guys are one of the finest teams of the Premier League era, but I watched that match laid on my sofa and felt that I had worked as hard as Salah had to for those goals today

 

[Zantera]

I'd be happy not ever seeing Pogba in our shirt again honestly. Yeah I wouldn't be happy coming in at 4-0 either but him intentionally getting sent off and then smiling after he broke Keita's leg, and he obviously doesn't want to stay here or otherwise he would have extended ages ago. Was equally annoyed with Ronaldo in first half when he should have been sent off for kicking a player who was down.

Frustrating with these divas who think they are top of the world and they can't even put in a decent performance for us.

 

[B]

Absolutely shambolic performance, obviously the players have to share some culpability as some of the decision making & individual errors contributed to the score being run up against a Liverpool team who found themselves 4-0 up at half time & it honestly didn't even look like they were anywhere close to their best as they actually gave us a couple of decent sniffs of goal early on. Had they been at their best, this could very well have been double digits.

The majority of the blame falls though on OGS. Started with the same team & formation that quickly found itself 2-0 against Atalanta mid-week, with the team looking just as lost as to what exactly they're supposed to be doing either in or out of possession as they did then. I was at the very least expecting the team that ended the Atalanta game, to start this game, but realistically I expected us to go to 5 or 3 at the back depending on your perspective, 2 wingbacks just to try & slap some duct tape of the defensive insecurities to at least keep us solid & try to catch them on the break in the space TAA & Robertson would leave.

But instead we made a half assed attempt to press them & by half assed I mean some of the players thought we were pressing & some thought we were standing off & retreating into our own territory to defend. You can get away with this sort of **** if you're playing Norwich or someone of the like, but against the good sides.. well you'll get thumped 5-0 at home.

We aren't a good pressing unit anyways & have never been under OGS regardless of who plays because we always get such disjointed (& presumably poorly coached/organised) pressing schemes, you'll see 1 player bust an absolute gut to close the ball down only to have them dump the ball off to someone who has time to take a touch & look up because the next player has switched off or hasn't got the memo that he needs to be closer to his man.

This has been coming though, I think the majority of us have been quite realistic about what we've seen in around 90% of the games this season, even the wins have been laboured, hard fought or plain fortunate. I don't think there is anyway back for OGS, that was probably the most embarrassing & demoralising lose/performance we've had since SAF retired.. and there have been several bad ones under previous managers, but that takes the cake. I'd even be harsher on OGS simply because he's got a far more talented team than his predecessors had & is doing an even worse job of getting the best out of them.

 

[Iceman]

I second this. Interesting to see Keita score today, I remember him being dismissed as a flop after his first couple of seasons at the club, but leave it to Klopp to make a player out of him in spite of that.

That’s one of the advantages of many top coaches. They can make the best of the players available. I don’t think Utd would be a whole lot different right now if one of us were the manager.

 

[Iceman]

So, do you think last year, the way your front line looked. Was that down to the seasons kind of being back to back? Salah looks like he found new pair of legs. He's never been better.

He looks as good as anyone in the world at the moment. If he keeps this form up all season then Liverpool can challenge for the title alongside Chelsea and City.

 

[Iceman]

So on that guy I don't like to talk about. I know he has scored some goals. But he has the entire front line disjointed. He can't press, has Bruno out of sorts, and keeps Sancho off the pitch.

Give me:

----------Greenwood/Cavani
Pogba----Bruno---------Sancho

Before line up with that other guy.

Teams always have to play through him which was fine when he was at his peak and worth building a team around long term. Now it comes with disadvantages like stunting the development and opportunities of all your young attackers, even if they might be inspired by his dedication/determination/professionalism. Sancho’s arrival has almost been forgotten as a result. One of the most promising young players. If he had been used as a super sub I think the long term development of the team would have been good while still taking advantage of his skills. But he’s probably too obsessed with career stats at this point to ever allow that (and it feels like it’s more up to him than it is Ole).