United Thread - 2023/24

[Prestwich_Blue]

Their revenues are still huge.

Yes but their problem is that so are their outgoings, which means they're cash negative even after player sales. Hence them having to dip into their credit facilities and transfer debt accumulating.

 

[SWPISHOME]

If the Rags are struggling for a striker maybe they could sign David Goodwillie. He certainly fits their criteria.

I think they'll be looking more down the lines of Danny Shittu or Rod Fanni.

 

[heslops barnet]

This new keeper Onana has a dodgy past….ten bob likes him because he played in the Dutch league….what I’ve seen of him he looks shite……all good then

 

[Metal Biker]

Imagine being a Rag, saying City fans are obsessed about United, and posting it on a Manchester City football forum whilst being a signed up member with almost 300 posts.

The lack of awareness is staggeringly funny.

 

[mattcity5]

Delusional?

I'm not the one making up fanciful yarns about the Glazers infiltrating Uefa, the PL, Der Spiegel, The British Judicial system, The entire worldwide media, Nasa and the pentagon, just to stop City.

The fooking Glazers!!! The same people who got fined this week for falling foul of FFP. Yeah, that thing that they orchestrated to stop City, and then fined themselves for being in breach of it. Run that one by me again. The greatest masterminds the world has ever seen. Controlling everything behind the scenes, like the wizard of Oz. The Glazers ha ha ha.

Just to correct you on one technicality there, the Glazers didn't fall foul of FFP, they didn't breach it, they didn't get fined - that was all united.

I know you want to think of them as separate (understandably as they are undoubtedly a horrific stain on football club ownership), but it was the club who broke the rules. Maybe add it to your list of things to dislike about them by all means.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Their fans saying things like "pieces falling into place" which is easy enough to think when you make new signings, optimistic feel good factor most fans get at this time of year. However, they seem to be forgetting how shit the existing squad is, fernandez, rashford, Shaw, mctominay, martial, Antony and so on whilst on their day can be good to sometimes very good are actually over the course of a season not so good, too many times they play dog shit as individuals that is why consistency is not there. They are blind to the over hyping the media give to their players when they do something half decent, it makes them forgot rashfords previous 100 runs into blind alleys, fernandez giving the ball away previous 10 times, Shaw not seeing runners behind for the 10th time, Antony provide the team with the square root of fuck all and so on.
What they don't realise is if they want to return to the glory days then there "big players" in their squad who are not up to it will have to go. But now way that will happen so we will sit back and watch the spunk more money to catch up.

They don’t have enough depth in their squad, their first 11 is enough to have them punching around 3rd/4th in the league. You look at their front line, only Rashford looked like producing the goods last year, Antony and Sancho were dire are their fortunes suddenly going to change? They lacked goals last term with the likes of Brighton, Spurs, Newcastle scoring more than them.

Midfield has a bit more depth in now Mount is there, a change of club might drag a bit more out of him. I however wouldn’t be happy if City signed him, United need to be aspiring to our level and they ain’t going after the players to get there.

Onana looks good with his feet from what I saw of him in Istanbul. Condensing the pitch with a keeper playing out from the back, could that lose them space higher up the pitch which Rashford likes to run into?

Centre backs of what will be Lindlehop, Bailly and Evans. Is that an insurance policy when the first two choices seem to be made of glass? The bedrock of City’s treble were four very good centre backs doing their bit in different parts of the season. Would you have any of there’s over Stones, Dias, Ake and Akanji? I doubt it.

They may have a half decent first eleven, however Arsenal and Liverpool look like they have made some good acquisitions. Liverpool have got legs back in their midfield which will enable them to get back to the high press they couldn’t do last year. I see these two teams as the ones to worry about, Chelsea may get their act together. Which for United supporters should have then worried about where they will be in the mix of things. Champions League will cause them problems as well, they just don’t have the quality to rotate when they are playing every 3 days from September onwards.

Something isn’t quite right behind the scenes at Old Trafford, you can see that from who they bought in January to who they are going after now. Obviously there is the takeover happening but they don’t have the resources to throw at player recruitment like they used to.

 

[jacko74]

Their revenues are still huge. The money flowing into football is huge from digital and broadcast platforms. It is truly globalised now. The PL and CL are watched everywhere. New markets like the US are booming. Football at lower levels is also booming. It is unprecedented, like a new global religion. I think digitisation is fuelling it. All clubs are benefiting. The rivalry between City and United helps both clubs. It is great for the Greater Manchester economy,

I suppose it's a slightly irritating consequence of City's success... that the "Manchester" connection is probably throwing some of the limelight on them and keeping them more commercially relevant than they otherwise would be.

 

[Betterdeedthan red]

Is everybody geared up for another day of red hot MAN YOO chat?

It really is quite a relief that despite all of your clubs fortunes, that there is still a thriving group of people who dedicate so much of their lives to the United thread. It really is the number one place for all things United.

Get well soon Edwin Van Der Sar.

Why are you on here.
Apart from the funniest thing I've heard all year.
Pieces falling into place .
Quite simply genius

 

[havefaith]

Imagine being a Rag, saying City fans are obsessed about United, and posting it on a Manchester City football forum whilst being a signed up member with almost 300 posts.

The lack of awareness is staggeringly funny.

Anyone think this could be Goldbridge, certainly displaying the same levels of delusion(not MB by the way)

 

[Onholiday(somemightsay)]

From how that is coming across…
You’re Mr Stephen Howsen and I claim my £5 prize.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

This new keeper Onana has a dodgy past….ten bob likes him because he played in the Dutch league….what I’ve seen of him he looks shite……all good then

He wants the rags to be an expensive Ajax, who crumpled to Spurs when they were down and out in a Champions league semi.

 

[Metal Biker]

Anyone think this could be Goldbridge, certainly displaying the same levels of delusion(not MB by the way)

I'm starting to think it's a post-season bored Blue, yeah.

edit: oop, never mind, he gone!

 

[HumbledGooner]

One thing that I haven't seen with United is an ability to retain and recycle possession. They also lack structure when progressing the ball forward from the back. I remember in the FA Cup final, United looked dangerous if they released the ball quickly and rushed the City goal, but on each occasion where City snuffed out the counter, United would aimlessly pass it around before whipping in a cross.

They scored 58 league goals last season with Rashford having a great season individually, this is because they played to his strengths by playing direct and using him as the outlet. However problem with counter attack football is you only get one use of the ball before its turned over. United cannot recycle the ball over and over and over and probe the opposition defence on a constant basis.

Binning De Gea for Onana will help, but for me they still possess too many technically deficient players, whilst their best players are all suited to a counter attacking game. There has been little progression of their football even from when Ole left. They cant dominant possession, so wont be able to dominate games. This will result in not winning enough games over the course of 38 games.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Anyone think this could be Goldbridge, certainly displaying the same levels of delusion(not MB by the way)

Busted.

 

[mattcity5]

One thing that I haven't seen with United is an ability to retain and recycle possession. They also lack structure when progressing the ball forward from the back. I remember in the FA Cup final, United looked dangerous if they released the ball quickly and rushed the City goal, but on each occasion where City snuffed out the counter, United would aimlessly pass it around before whipping in a cross.

They scored 58 league goals last season with Rashford having a great season individually, this is because they played to his strengths by playing direct and using him as the outlet. However problem with counter attack football is you only get one use of the ball before its turned over. United cannot recycle the ball over and over and over and probe the opposition defence on a constant basis.

Binning De Gea for Onana will help, but for me they still possess too many technically deficient players, whilst their best players are all suited to a counter attacking game. There has been little progression of their football even from when Ole left. They cant dominant possession, so wont be able to dominate games. This will result in not winning enough games over the course of 38 games.

Agree with you on all of this. On their best day they'll be able to give anyone a game, but doing it across the course of a season is a different thing entirely. I think if everything clicks for them they could get up to maybe 82 points or so. If it doesn't... Well the low end may be something like 70 points.

You need a team capable of over 90 points to win the league these days.

Even when making good signings it's tough, because other teams don't just stand still and let you overtake them. Chelsea will have an easy season without Europe, so will get extra time between matches to work on things. They will be much better as a result. Newcastle will improve. Arsenal have obviously strengthened and Liverpool have made a few decent signings.

united could improve this season but end up outside the top 4 still.

 

[Kippax77]

One thing that I haven't seen with United is an ability to retain and recycle possession. They also lack structure when progressing the ball forward from the back. I remember in the FA Cup final, United looked dangerous if they released the ball quickly and rushed the City goal, but on each occasion where City snuffed out the counter, United would aimlessly pass it around before whipping in a cross.

They scored 58 league goals last season with Rashford having a great season individually, this is because they played to his strengths by playing direct and using him as the outlet. However problem with counter attack football is you only get one use of the ball before its turned over. United cannot recycle the ball over and over and over and probe the opposition defence on a constant basis.

Binning De Gea for Onana will help, but for me they still possess too many technically deficient players, whilst their best players are all suited to a counter attacking game. There has been little progression of their football even from when Ole left. They cant dominant possession, so wont be able to dominate games. This will result in not winning enough games over the course of 38 games.

You missed out 2 little words in your assessment..... The Officials

 

[Maly]

Did you know that the highest attendance in all European competitions last season was in the Europa league. Can you guess the game?

Did you know that the most watch game in club football last season was in the Champions League?

Can you guess the game?

 

[KentBlue]

united could improve this season but end up outside the top 4 still.

As they should have done this season, but good old pgmol saved the day for them...again!

It doesn't really matter about the quality of the players in your side, it doesn't matter who the coach is, it doesn't matter about tactics, either: because if you're getting help from those corrupt çunts at pgmol you'll win way more than you will lose.

 

[Mr Edward's shoe mirror]

Agree with you on all of this. On their best day they'll be able to give anyone a game, but doing it across the course of a season is a different thing entirely. I think if everything clicks for them they could get up to maybe 82 points or so. If it doesn't... Well the low end may be something like 70 points.

You need a team capable of over 90 points to win the league these days.

Even when making good signings it's tough, because other teams don't just stand still and let you overtake them. Chelsea will have an easy season without Europe, so will get extra time between matches to work on things. They will be much better as a result. Newcastle will improve. Arsenal have obviously strengthened and Liverpool have made a few decent signings.

united could improve this season but end up outside the top 4 still.

Everyone said that last season, though. Ten Hag wouldn't get a tune out of these lot, who downed tools for Ole and Rangnick.

He got them to 2 finals, and won a trophy. And finished 3rd.

One of his biggest achievements was recreating a fortress at OT, because visiting teams were coming and having an easy time of it. Some big wins against Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Spurs, Chelsea, Barcelona. Ten Hag orchestrated that. He has also managed to improve the bond between players and fans. The season prior, players like Pogba were being booed off the pitch, and the atmosphere was toxic.

The fans love these players again, and you have to credit TH for that.

He is making some big changes all over the squad, and the shape will look very different with Onana in goal. They'll play much further forward and create overloads in the oppositions half. They couldn't do that with De Gea, they were playing with the handbrake on.

From where we were, to where are heading, Ten Hag is the man with a plan, and I have faith in him. City fans don't want to hear that United fans enjoyed last season, but on reflection we did. And we can see progress on the pitch and down the line.

 

[horlock_was_super]

Amended for accuracy.

And your kids are learning by playing alongside Tom Huddlestone. Another masterstroke, how old is he again?

I wonder if Tom would consider growing his hair again for charity like he did once before.

Grow his hair until UMS sell up