We could get fourth if an awful lot goes our way - two or three youngsters setting the place alight, Chelsea and Arsenal struggling etc. Realistically, sixth is about right and by no means a given.
Four games in and we've looked decent for an hour in total. A second-half flurry against Chelsea, a dominant first half against Wolves and a spell after James' goal in the first half today. Otherwise we have been mediocre.
Four positives:
WAN-BISSAKA - Looks a great signing. Very hard to beat and gets forward a bit as well. Delighted we've got him.
JAMES - Fine goals aside, how refreshing it is to have a United winger who stretches the play and runs past players with ease! Great to watch and I think he will score a few this season as well as creating some.
McTOMINAY - Struggled after the break today but no problem with him having that role in our team. Sensible on the ball (usually) and doesn't get pushed around. Hope to see him in the team for a good while now. He just needs one or two capable midfield partners...
MATA - He faded a lot, but I saw enough in about 20 first-half minutes to say I'd start him at no. 10 for the time being. The difference between him and Lingard was night and day. Our attacking play against Palace was very cumbersome but in the first half Mata looked silky and alive. That deft touch to Wan-Bissaka in their box was sublime. As someone said on the match-thread, if you have quick/mobile players around and behind him, there is a place for Mata.
Four negatives:
RASHFORD - Very poor today, as against Palace and Wolves. If Martial were available, I'm afraid I'd be benching Rashford for a while. Martial may or may not be a no. 9 but he's the best no. 9 we've got on the evidence I've seen. I'd like to see them in a genuine front two but it's difficult in terms of formation. Our strongest XI right now looks like it has Martial at 9 and James left. I'm not sure where I'd play Rashford if he can't play right. Still hope to see him come good again because he's a decent player. Perhaps we have had to ask too much of him too early.
POGBA - Woeful for most of today. I know he's better further up the field but this isn't really the issue for me. He dwells on the ball, makes poor decisions and doesn't look interested. And he is still probably our best outfield player on his day. Says it all really.
LINDELOF - The Iceman? He panics too much. We couldn't get out of our box for a few minutes early on and he struggled the most with their pressing. Beaten in the air for the equaliser as well. I'm afraid we've just shipped out a far more reliable CB.
PEREIRA - It's a damning indictment of his performance that I was relieved to see Lingard warming up. Pereira just doesn't seem to offer anything. I really feel for people like him as younger players will benefit from coming into better, more coherent sides, but he just doesn't show enough conviction when he gets the chance. Seems to go through the motions without really influencing games.
I don't blame Solskjaer; he's doing the best he can, with some good decisions and some not so good, which is to be expected. We're paying for a few seasons of mismanagement and signings that, for whatever reason, haven't worked.
I hope to see the likes of James and someone like Greenwood or Gomes provide some memorable moments this season, and some real hope for the future, and for Maguire and McTominay to start to form a spine of genuine character; but we look a very mediocre side based on the four games played so far.
Just an average side now
posted on 31/8/19
comment by Clockwork Red (U4892)
posted 49 minutes ago
comment by TheWhiteWall (U17633)
posted 6 minutes ago
just watching Chelsea struggle right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
See my answer to Robb - I didn't say Chelsea or Arsenal WERE struggling. I said IF.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Told you they’d struggle
posted on 31/8/19
comment by Tu Meke Mesut - Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 7 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke Mesut- Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 3 hours, 28 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 7 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke Mesut- Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 42 minutes ago
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 3 hours, 28 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 7 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke Mesut- Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If United had appointed a manager from the Norwegian League whose only top flight managerial experience was getting routinely destroyed as Cardiff manager. Who then went on to win his first few months before going on a longer stretch of abysmal performances people wouldn't call for him to be sacked?
Horsesheite.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 42 minutes ago
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 3 hours, 28 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 7 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke Mesut- Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If United had appointed a manager from the Norwegian League whose only top flight managerial experience was getting routinely destroyed as Cardiff manager. Who then went on to win his first few months before going on a longer stretch of abysmal performances people wouldn't call for him to be sacked?
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And given Ole’s time spent coaching at United, given his knowledge of the club, your example is clearly s steaming pile of crap.
Hope this helps.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 42 minutes ago
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 3 hours, 28 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 7 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke Mesut- Better Call Raul (U3732)
posted 3 hours ago
I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If United had appointed a manager from the Norwegian League whose only top flight managerial experience was getting routinely destroyed as Cardiff manager. Who then went on to win his first few months before going on a longer stretch of abysmal performances people wouldn't call for him to be sacked?
Horsesheite.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And given Ole’s time spent coaching at United, given his knowledge of the club, your example is clearly s steaming pile of crap.
Hope this helps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It doesn't. Where did this knowledge come from? Being a United legend rather than an outsider. That's all we're talking about here. It gives him more time, I fully understand why and why fans would want to persist (give him more of a chance than someone without previous links).
posted on 1/9/19
His legendary status with fans is irrelevant.
He’s clearly more qualified than the hypothetical person in your previous post.
If you can’t work that out then more fool you.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 14 minutes ago
His legendary status with fans is irrelevant.
He’s clearly more qualified than the hypothetical person in your previous post.
If you can’t work that out then more fool you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now."
We were talking specifically about this though
Fair enough you disagree with the statement but to me it's completely valid. Without being a club legend he's just a manager who struggled once in the Prem, did well in Norway and is now struggling after an initial purple patch in the Prem.
posted on 1/9/19
comment by Scruttocks (U19684)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 14 minutes ago
His legendary status with fans is irrelevant.
He’s clearly more qualified than the hypothetical person in your previous post.
If you can’t work that out then more fool you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sorry but if your manager wasn't a club legend you'd all be calling for his head right now."
We were talking specifically about this though
Fair enough you disagree with the statement but to me it's completely valid. Without being a club legend he's just a manager who struggled once in the Prem, did well in Norway and is now struggling after an initial purple patch in the Prem.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, he’s those things but he’s also a guy who spent years at the club in a playing and coaching capacity.
It’s not his legendary status that makes me inclined to give him more time - it’s his knowledge of the club and the fact that he has a background in coaching with the club, as well as his likely approach to the job and the position we find ourselves in.
Frankly, what you’re saying is patronising.