The Manchester United Club Thread **Sponsored by Comedy Central**

[Steedie]

If you go by the media, Mourinho is on course to being sacked, it's ridiculous. I'm not worried unless this is continuing by Christmas

Rooney has to go though, he's useless. I hope the rumours about him being dropped are true

 

[Newbfail]

we need to stop carrying crap, Rooney has to be dropped for the good of the club.

that's only half the problem, playing wingers at full back, playing midfielders at centre half....absolutely rubbish.

 

[BaZ87]

Firstly, why does it sound like it's Rooney? Have I missed something or is it a wild guess based on a rumour he might be dropped?

And this is Mourinho's own doing. I mentioned the public criticism yesterday not knowing how quickly it would escalate but it's Mourinho's ego and need to make sure everyone knows he wasn't to blame for the defeats, that's caused the problem. You knew his time was up at Chelsea when he turned on the players in his interviews and he's at it again already.

 

[NexusK]

Firstly, why does it sound like it's Rooney? Have I missed something or is it a wild guess based on a rumour he might be dropped?

And this is Mourinho's own doing. I mentioned the public criticism yesterday not knowing how quickly it would escalate but it's Mourinho's ego and need to make sure everyone knows he wasn't to blame for the defeats, that's caused the problem. You knew his time was up at Chelsea when he turned on the players in his interviews and he's at it again already.

Because he has history of mouthing off to the press when it sounds like he'll stop starting games. I mean of course we don't know it's him but it's funny that the second it's rumoured that he'll be starting the cup game as striker while Zlatan and Rashford are saved for the PL game vs Leicester there's suddenly a leak criticizing the manager, from someone who was around in the Fergie era.

 

[FrankJH]

Because he has history of mouthing off to the press when it sounds like he'll stop starting games. I mean of course we don't know it's him but it's funny that the second it's rumoured that he'll be starting the cup game as striker while Zlatan and Rashford are saved for the PL game vs Leicester there's suddenly a leak criticizing the manager, from someone who was around in the Fergie era.

Jones at a pinch - if the threats of him being for sale in Jan are true?

Admittedly there are only a few players left who would be able to (fairly) compare

Jones, Rooney, Valencia, Carrick, Smalling, De Gea and Young are the only ones I can think of (I suppose Pogba also)

 

[drunkenmaster]

You do realise leaks don't have to come from the playing staff. But a ball boy, a tea lady, a board member, physio, anyone. Gossip from around the club can end up leaked by anyone. If Mourinho is being a **** to people in the dressing room, people outside the dressing room but within the club will absolutely know about it. Hell, just someone who works there who happens to be outside a door when he lays into someone is enough to find out. But players will talk about it outside the dressing room, to each other, to other friends at the club, all of which could be overheard by anyone else at the club.

It's pretty hilarious that people try to be all detective and work out who it is... while completely overlooking everyone else who would know at the club.

Also, a player who is playing every week can also hate Mourinho, his style and talk to the press if he wants. There is also another glaringly obvious choice for who leaked it... no one. The press just makes up stuff all the time, all they need to do is put some stories out that people believe could be true.

It seems fairly clear Fabregas wasn't leading any mutiny against Mourinho and his public statements back that up but he wasn't playing well, a paper said he was causing problems and people believed it instantly.

 

[NexusK]

The leak is coming through Ducker, the same person Rooney used when he did it with Moyes.

I know it could be any number of people but he seems the most likely.

 

[cm1179]

we need to stop carrying crap, Rooney has to be dropped for the good of the club.

that's only half the problem, playing wingers at full back, playing midfielders at centre half....absolutely rubbish.

united only have themselves to blame on rooney. being held to ransome and bowing to his wage demands was a naive decision. you can't drop him now. the deluded US and chinese markets still think he's world class ( he was never world class imo ) and i would imagine there are certain advertising/sponsorship agreements which mean he makes x amount of appearances

there's a lot of crap at united if being brutally honest. depay, blind, herrera, fellaini, jones, valencia, carrick, lingard, rojo, darmian and smalling. none of those players would get into chelsea, city's probably even arsenal and spurs team.

i wouldn't say mata was crap but he is mismanaged. i wouldn't say rooney was crap he's just gotten too big for his boots and is now mismanaged. zlatan is world class, pogba - potentially. martial needs to show something this season. i don't believe DDG is any better than courtouis, lloris or cech.

your biggest worry should be not a great deal has changed since lvg in terms of shots on target. what was the latest stat? 9 shots on goal in previous 3 games. there's a problem there.

 

[Robert]

united only have themselves to blame on rooney. being held to ransome and bowing to his wage demands was a naive decision. you can't drop him now. the deluded US and chinese markets still think he's world class ( he was never world class imo ) and i would imagine there are certain advertising/sponsorship agreements which mean he makes x amount of appearances

there's a lot of crap at united if being brutally honest. depay, blind, herrera, fellaini, jones, valencia, carrick, lingard, rojo, darmian and smalling. none of those players would get into chelsea, city's probably even arsenal and spurs team.

i wouldn't say mata was crap but he is mismanaged. i wouldn't say rooney was crap he's just gotten too big for his boots and is now mismanaged. zlatan is world class, pogba - potentially. martial needs to show something this season. i don't believe DDG is any better than courtouis, lloris or cech.

your biggest worry should be not a great deal has changed since lvg in terms of shots on target. what was the latest stat? 9 shots on goal in previous 3 games. there's a problem there.

Brutally honest and not biased whatsoever?

 

[Robbo]

The reality is we don't know for certain who has leaked it - if anyone.

But putting aside the manager for a moment, there is clearly some sort of problem with some of the players, a culture of playing badly the last few years. This has to end, if we have to ship out half of the team and stand behind Mourinho, then so be it. I'm sick to death of looking at the same group of players who have been here for years and just aren't up to the job.

 

[BaZ87]

Because he has history of mouthing off to the press when it sounds like he'll stop starting games.

The leak is coming through Ducker, the same person Rooney used when he did it with Moyes.

I know it could be any number of people but he seems the most likely.

Is there anything to back this up or is based on random rumours and guess work.

Anyway, the source of the leak is the least of your problems. The fact that there's already disharmony should be more of a concern.

 

[dacads]

Anyway, the source of the leak is the least of your problems. The fact that there's already disharmony should be more of a concern.

Yeah usually what's going on in the dressing room is reflected on the pitch.

Let's hope the next two games are a turning point, otherwise uh oh.

 

[Robbo]

The actual article says this:

"Wayne Rooney has always been a vocal voice in the dressing room but the United captain is understood to feel under immense pressure after a disappointing start to the season and is worried about his place in the team against Leicester after a dismal showing at Watford, when he came in for severe criticism on social media from fans."

Poor Wayne.

--
Edit:

It's time the guns were turned on some of the players. It's clear that Rooney for example just isn't up to the job, the press are starting to turn on him, and ex players will need to as well.

I've suspected/hoped all along that Mourinho is setting Rooney up to fall, it will be clear to him he isn't good enough, and he's giving Rooney just enough rope to hang himself, and he's well within his rights to drop him without question now.

While Mourinho won't admit to being wrong in public much, I seriously doubt he's deliberately upsetting all of the players behind the scenes after a couple of bad games. There's no transfer window, why turn the squad against you? It makes no sense. He isn't stupid.

Interesting times ahead.

 

[shaf]

But putting aside the manager for a moment, there is clearly some sort of problem with some of the players, a culture of playing badly the last few years. This has to end, if we have to ship out half of the team and stand behind Mourinho, then so be it. I'm sick to death of looking at the same group of players who have been here for years and just aren't up to the job.

I agree. We can't just keep changing the manager. We have a good one. If the players are not playing then ship them out.

 

[FrankJH]

I agree. We can't just keep changing the manager. We have a good one. If the players are not playing then ship them out.

I agree with the sentiment, but the "business" also wont agree with shipping off the remaining (for instance) £20m of Fellaini's - overpriced- contract for £10m just to get him out the door.

There are also "cheaper" contracts like Schweini's where the business has effectively written off the cost of his transfer fee (if recent reports are to be believed), but the wages are far too expensive for any other club to consider. So he will probably sit on his tush for the remaining 2 seasons doing nothing and collecting 200K/week or whatever.

There are Im sure 1/2 dozen players maybe more that majority of fans would like to see the back of (and others of CM's suggestions are ludicrously stupid) and just maybe it will start with Jones in Jan (even letting him go on a free would be a step in the right direction at this point, not that the business will allow it of course) - but its going to be very difficult to convince anyone outside the EPL to take them because of Utd being overly generous with wages in recent years and very few clubs will be able to afford them.


Yes some leaks do come from other sources, but usually these kinds of ones come from the dressing room / coaching staff and majority of the latter have changed since Fergie so its most likely to be from a player

 

[BaZ87]

You know what the best part of Mourinho losing is? Duncan Castles goes very quiet

 

[cm1179]

Brutally honest and not biased whatsoever?

do you work for sky sports or the bbc?

 

[mmj_uk]

I'll be surprised if Rooney doesn't start tonight, resting him mid week obviously doesn't work and besides Northampton will make him look world class to justify his start against Leicester.

 

[FrankJH]

I'll be surprised if Rooney doesn't start tonight, resting him mid week obviously doesn't work and besides Northampton will make him look world class to justify his start against Leicester.

or as has been said elsewhere because he plays tonight, makes it "easier" to rest him on Saturday

Can go either way really

 

[Xordium]

I've been to a Man Utd few games this season with a friend and as a neutral I would say a few things. Firstly, Rooney is wasteful and slows this down he is also moving into other peoples' positions. Martial just doesn't seem there compared to what I saw him at the start of last season - almost like Di Maria was - has something happened in his personal life the lad just looks unhappy. Zlatan is great but he needs pace off him because he doesn't have that but he is being left far far too isolated. Pogba I think is a great player but he seems confused and doesn't seem to be in the best position for or being given license to do what he does best - in fairness Rooney keeps going where he should be. The defence is not so bad the new chap in the centre I like - strong on the ball and confident and he adds the presence Blind doesn't have. Not sure either of the fullbacks you are using are really Mourinho fullbacks.

Overall it is a team lack direction and confidence. I saw Schweinstiegers first game for Man Utd and he was barking orders and directing and being his usual self that soon stopped. And I am seeing that in the other players coming in now. It's either the pressure or a dressing room presence grinding them all down.

Like I said I'm a neutral (and a BCFC fan so probably don't know nowt about proper football) but I really think Blind should be playing DM to allow Pogba the chance to play his game. Martial should be dropped to get his head sorted. Rooney should be just dropped.

I rate Moyes as a manager still, I rate Van Gaal as a manager and I rate Mourinho as a manager - if all of them are having problems with the same group of players then the common denominators are either the actual players or the club ethos under the Glazers. Sometimes it's as simple as that. I remember when we had Barry Fry - yes we was still crap but we had fun the team player with joy and passion and we got the Autowindscreen Trophy! Man Utd don't seem to have the bond that used to scare other teams in the Ferguson Era.

PS Don't bugger up Rashford he's a really exciting player and I want him to do well for England.