But I agree it will be interesting to see what the club does in the next week. How they act might just tell us what faith they have in Jose

comment by Nobb 🇦🇺🇪🇸 (U21234)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 11 seconds ago
Leicester will be tough without Martial then looking at those lineups
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They are missing plenty too. We should rightly be favourites
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I think we're over rating them a bit anyway... Ndidi is a good player, okazaki tricky. They're fairly solid defensively but they aren't really that good

Puel will set them up for a draw... We should be capable of beating them even with a slightly weakened team

Spurs at home in game 3.

Hope we have everyone back and firing. Be nice to see Toby line up against his old club

I'm not as excited as previous years going into the new season, but I'm not writing it off either.

I see us as favourites in every game other than the 'top 4' clashes, that hasn't changed from last year.

Our big game record wasn't bad either, so hopefully (even with shiyte football) we can pick up those points again.

The fact we lost to 3 newly promoted sides, and dropped silly points in games weren't down to having poor full backs imo.

It's clear we need to improve those positions, well it seems to be to everyone apart from Jose, but I think we can still improve our performances with the current ones.

The likes of Sanchez, Pogba, Lukaku, stepping up another level could be huge for us if they do. With Rashford hopefully maturing again and Lingard continuing his late development too. Fred is going to be a hit imo, and something we've missed in the CM, he will help us counter attack with a much quicker transition from defence to attack just watch.

comment by Mike (U1170)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (U11781)
posted 19 seconds ago
Tbf I prefer Herrera to him in that role anyway Mike
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I do in the games at OT where we should be able to control the game.
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Perhaps with a (seemingly) all action CM like Fred alongside him, it could even be an option for the bigger games

If Sanchez plays to his potential and Pogba comes back in form then of course we have a chance

Mike - It's the small games that concern me. We were unable to break teams down last season with the static and defensive approach.

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 13 seconds ago
Mike - It's the small games that concern me. We were unable to break teams down last season with the static and defensive approach.
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Me too, but small changes could make a big difference. Maybe one tweek from his new coaching set up, or something just clicks with Sanchez/Lukaku and you never know. Maybe even Perriera/Fred being more mobile and our CM being much more dynamic can help to pull teams out of position more.

To be fair to Jose we have a better record against the crap teams than LVG/Moyes did.

Still we look dire in some games, like WBA at OT.

Yeah, I'd like to see us moving the ball quicker, a bit like Herreras goal yesterday.

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 9 seconds ago
Yeah, I'd like to see us moving the ball quicker, a bit like Herreras goal yesterday.
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The one that started with an aimless hoof from Darmian?

comment by _Viva_Vida (U6044)
posted 1 minute ago
To be fair to Jose we have a better record against the crap teams than LVG/Moyes did.

Still we look dire in some games, like WBA at OT.
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I think post-City we didn’t really have much to play for and with the World Cup coming up I think the players switched off for a lot of the end of last season. Not just a Jose problem, happens at a lot of clubs.

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 52 seconds ago
Yeah, I'd like to see us moving the ball quicker, a bit like Herreras goal yesterday.
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Brilliant little header from Sanchez which I wanna see this season. Not only goals but gets a few assists too

Mike's right about small margins being decisive. A slightly more dynamic and quick-thinking midfield thanks to Fred (and who knows, Pereira) interpreting the same basic tactical plan could give us a very different looking team. Sanchez feeling fresh and integrated into the side rather than stinking out the place would be a potentially significant shift in our favour. The way Lukaku progressed as a footballer during the season and the confidence he showed at the WC suggest he could deliver more on a decent first season. Rashford and Lingard start a new season with more experience but still with the hunger and fresh legs of youth.

Organic improvement and small tweaks to the squad preceded some of Fergie's best seasons. I'd be far more encouraged if we had strengthened the squad with another three players and if Mourinho hadn't set such a negative tone throughout the summer but much of the wailing and gnashing of teeth on this forum gets a bit self-indulgent.

comment by _Viva_Vida (U6044)
posted 1 minute ago
To be fair to Jose we have a better record against the crap teams than LVG/Moyes did.

Still we look dire in some games, like WBA at OT.
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Burnley, Huddersfield, Brighton (cup & PL), Bournemouth, Southampton, WBA were all dreadful home games.

Stoke, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Chelsea, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs were all dreadful away games.

That's just from memory, there shouldn't be that many crap games to watch as a Utd fan.

i dont really get the hate for the fullbacks either... i thought young was decent last season.

offensively valencia isnt great, but defensively both were solid.

last season wasnt down to having poor fullbacks, it was down to our tempo being far too slow and not getting enough players forward.

if we increased the tempo and got players in the box things will improve, and thats not down to young or valencia playing

comment by Mike (U1170)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 9 seconds ago
Yeah, I'd like to see us moving the ball quicker, a bit like Herreras goal yesterday.
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The one that started with an aimless hoof from Darmian?


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Getting the ball forward quickly to the likes of Lukaku, Sanchez, Martial and Rashford is the only way to get the most out of them.

They're mostly useless with their back to goal and 8 men to attack against.

I still doubt we'll see that much of Pereira sadly

Matic is Joses pet... So its Fred/Herrera/Pereira and even Fellaini for the one spot, assuming Pogbas nailed on for the left of the 3.

And ive a horrible feeling we'll see more of Fellaini than we want otherwise why beg the board to break wage renewal policy to keep him

He may get games wide... But if Willian comes in, then even Jesse will be back to the bench... And then Mata is ahead of him too

With McTominay... I'd try and get him a loan... I don't see him developing given the numbers in front of him... Does the loan window end at the same time as the transfer window (championship clubs previously had an extra period for loans i think)

Finally fixed the midfield issue though!

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by _Viva_Vida (U6044)
posted 1 minute ago
To be fair to Jose we have a better record against the crap teams than LVG/Moyes did.

Still we look dire in some games, like WBA at OT.
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Burnley, Huddersfield, Brighton (cup & PL), Bournemouth, Southampton, WBA were all dreadful home games.

Stoke, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Chelsea, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs were all dreadful away games.

That's just from memory, there shouldn't be that many crap games to watch as a Utd fan.
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No, there shouldn't be that many crap games. But our win % against the bottom 14 is higher under Jose's tenure.

i dont really get the hate for the fullbacks either... i thought young was decent last season.

He's a year older, and having a right footer at LB isn't balanced. We lack width badly, so we need to rely on the fullbacks to offer us service for the strikers. How many times did Lukaku have to drift wide last season just so a good cross can come into the box?

Look at Pep when he first came to City, got rid of Zab/Clichy/Kolarov and bought a batch of new fullbacks that enabled them to walk the league with ease.

And ive a horrible feeling we'll see more of Fellaini than we want otherwise why beg the board to break wage renewal policy to keep him
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we didnt break a wage renewal for Fellaini... in fact ive read a few different reports he is on less... its the 1 year structure we broke.

comment by Nostraduncus (U11713)
posted 1 minute ago
i dont really get the hate for the fullbacks either... i thought young was decent last season.

offensively valencia isnt great, but defensively both were solid.

last season wasnt down to having poor fullbacks, it was down to our tempo being far too slow and not getting enough players forward.

if we increased the tempo and got players in the box things will improve, and thats not down to young or valencia playing
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Kind of agree, it depends whether their reluctance to get forward is down to Jose or themselves.

With Lukaku in the box, being poor offensively isn't an option. He thrives of balls to attack.

I do think Perriera will get game time Shugs, so will disagree on this one.

Hopefully I'm right, and he takes his chance if it does come.

I think people really understate the importance of a good attacking fullback in the modern game.