Louis van Gaal's fate as Manchester United manager will be decided by their crunch run of games over the next month.
Van Gaal is under increasing pressure following United's FA Cup exit at home to Arsenal on Monday night, which has left a top-four place - and the Champions League return that goes with it - their only remaining target this season.
The Red Devils currently hold that fourth place, but face a huge test of their ability to remain there with a run of upcoming games pitting them against direct rivals Tottenham and Liverpool, improving Aston Villa and the top two of Manchester City and Chelsea.
While the Old Trafford board retain faith in Van Gaal to fulfil his remit of securing a top-four spot, the Dutchman's position will come under scrutiny if United fall away over those crucial games.
United are planning to spend another £150million this summer to further strengthen their squad, but it remains to be seen if Dutchman Van Gaal will be the manager to oversee that outlay.
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Issues with CL qualification failure:
> United could afford to miss out on the Champions League for one season, but a second successive year away from it, at another potential cost of around £50m, is an unthinkable prospect.
> British-record £59.7m signing Angel Di Maria, who has failed to live up to his exorbitant fee, was sent off against Arsenal and could be on his way after just one season in English football.
> United must also secure Champions League football for next season if they are to have any hope of holding on to goalkeeper David De Gea, who has been their best player this season. De Gea is set to be out of contract in the summer and has yet to commit to a new deal, with Real Madrid keen to sign the £50m-rated Spain international.
LvG: 5 Games to save his job...
posted on 11/3/15
comment by Robbing_Hoody - I taught Markovic to play wing back. (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
Missed out on a few though. Was Berbatov that bad a signing? Flat track bully yes but not the worst signing and was excellent at Spurs. I seem to remember Young starting well enough and he was a fair price. I wanted Liverpool to sign Jones because I hoped he would learn where to stand.
Anyway I guess the point I'm making is that having a new chief exec, and completely new to the role, is not good when going into negotiations.
I can't understand why Utd don't put out a statement saying they're not going to spend big. £60m on Shaw and Herrera who at the time had one cap between them is nuts.
Utd are shopping in a different window now though but they have missed out on various players in the past.
They must keep ADM because I cannot see another player of that quality signing without CL football again. I'm not saying LFC will make it by the way I just think one of Spurs of us or even Southampton will get better results in the last ten games.
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I think Berbatov at £31m 8 years ago - ie a c. £40m fee in today's money - and selling him 4 years later for £4m was pretty bad. Not a disaster by any means, but hardly a roaring success.
And that was more my point, it's not that all those signings were terrible, just that it is difficult, with the sole exception of De Gea, to point to any other genuine successes. 1 great signing in 8 years is appalling, by anyone's standards.
Shaw and Herrera were stupidly overpriced I agree, they were £15-20m players, not £30m.
Good point on ADM in fact, I would personally ship him out if PSG will offer anywhere near £50m (though with the euro collapsing that makes it harder for foreign buyers of British-based players), but that is on the assumption that they can bring in some sort of replacement (Reus/Bale etc).
But 5th place or below and neither of those will be desperate to come, Reus could be tempted by cash (german players are generally poorly paid), but as rich as they are United can't carry on like a drunken sailor on shore leave forever.
posted on 11/3/15
Good players want to play with other good players. Losing ADM regardless of fee would not be a good thing.
posted on 11/3/15
Have you seen that we've lost out on Danillo to Madrid, and PSG have slapped a 50mEuro price tag on our other reported target, Matuidi?
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Would prefer Clyne and probably Nainggolan respectively.
posted on 11/3/15
comment by The Red Side™ (U11275)
posted 6 minutes ago
Have you seen that we've lost out on Danillo to Madrid, and PSG have slapped a 50mEuro price tag on our other reported target, Matuidi?
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Would prefer Clyne and probably Nainggolan respectively.
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Same to be honest, but haven't seen us linked to either!
posted on 11/3/15
What I find even more annoying is that like last season, we seem to be playing worse as the season progresses?
Where is this BS philosophy that LVG said will take time to implement? All I see is an amateur implementation of a system not suited to the PL.
posted on 11/3/15
He said he needed 3 months... that passed a long time ago. Like you say, we're getting worse.
Gone are the days of finishing the season strongly.
posted on 11/3/15
comment by 🔥💩He's French, He's Flash... LvGogh and his drawings (U9335)
posted 14 minutes ago
He said he needed 3 months... that passed a long time ago. Like you say, we're getting worse.
Gone are the days of finishing the season strongly.
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Amazing isn't it, United used to have the reputation for moving up the gears from January onwards, but with a tough set of fixtures to play they could easily end up being the 8th to 10th best team over the January to May period (as it is they are currently 6th at best).
posted on 11/3/15
comment by 🔥💩He's French, He's Flash... LvGogh and his drawings (U9335)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 16 seconds ago
comment by 🔥💩He's French, He's Flash... LvGogh and his drawings (U9335)
posted 42 seconds ago
In a fantasy world:
---------Strootman---Blind
----------------Herrera
--Reus-----------------------Di Maria
----------------Rooney
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I know something, I won't tell, I won't tell. I know something I won't tell
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Not this again
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I was right the last time.
posted on 11/3/15
What is the source for this? Because I've got the Telegraph and ESPN telling me different, he's safe even if we fail to make top 4.
posted on 11/3/15
comment by Di Maria's Left Foot - Margot Robbie (U11781)
posted 24 seconds ago
What is the source for this? Because I've got the Telegraph and ESPN telling me different, he's safe even if we fail to make top 4.
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With all due respect they know about as much as the guy on the street.
If we don't get top 4 with the obscene amount we've spent he will probably get sacked. If he stays it will be a very very depressing time for all concerned.