UEFA Champions & Europa League Football Thread ** spoilers ** [6th - 8th April 2021]

[adam cool dude]

If you watched the games in the CL over the past few days you will see the gulf in quality between us and those teams. Their movement, passing, pressing etc are all a country mile better than us.

PSG put to bed the best team in Europe. We put PSG to bed in their first game and were on top of them in the second till Ole made a fundamental mistake of leaving Fred on the pitch. We are not as far behind as you think.

Also all this other teams are poor is the only reason we are second. Can't Man Utd be also poor but doing less poorly than others? We have played more games this season than anyone outside of City and our cup games and Europe games have been the hardest out there.

We had RB and PSG in our group and had to play Real Sociedad and Milan in Europa. Westham, Leicester and Liverpool in the FA Cup, Brighton, Everton and Man City in the league cup.

 

[omnomnom]

The football hasn't been that great recently. Yes but it is building a solid foundation and the squad is very young. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that. Plus no matter what opposition you have. A quarter final of a European competition is never going to be easy.

People talk about Klopp and his fantastic football but Ole is on track to beat Klopps points total for his second full season on what would appear "dross" football. Get the right players and a good start to the season and we could be serious challengers.

Just need to see if Ole is backed in the summer and makes the right decisions of getting rid of players. Selling Lingard to Westham and offloading Martial would do wonders for securing the funds to get Haaland and a decent CDM.

You really cant compare the two seasons lol. Did you see the team Klopp took over??

Honestly i dont think you have a chance of signing Haaland. The money being rumoured for him is insane and screams City.

 

[adam cool dude]

You really cant compare the two seasons lol. Did you see the team Klopp took over??

Honestly i dont think you have a chance of signing Haaland. The money being rumoured for him is insane and screams City.

In Klopps first transfer window he got Gini, Mane and TTA from youth. In his second he got VVD, Salah, Robertson and Gomez stepped up. That season he ended up on 76 points and still trophy less at that time. Third summer transfer window he got the final pieces of the puzzle with Fab and Allison. That's 9 players of your strongest Eleven by the time your third season started.

Is it difficult to believe that another two or three players added right this summer could make our next season one where we can challenge?

 

[manic111]

Is it difficult to believe that another two or three players added right this summer could make our next season one where we can challenge?

Sorry, but yes, it is. United rarely look in control in matches. City and Liverpool (when they were playing well) play games where they never look like losing. Chelsea are starting to do that under Tuchel, last weekend notwithstanding. More often than not, United look poor, go behind, and then one of your top players does something magical. It's not a sustainable way to build wins week in, week out. This shows in United's poor record against the other top teams in the league, who will make fewer mistakes leading to goals, and have greater control over possession than the less strong teams, meaning that United's star players have less of a chance to create something. Despite being second, your record against the other top teams is terrible.

For me, that's at Ole's door - he's not a good enough tactician and is overly reliant on being bailed out of bad situations by his best players. I think United have the players to compete, but need a manager capable of pushing them forward.

 

[Calpol]

We are not playing Turgid football though constantly. We are inconsistent in our great performances. PSG away, RB at home, City away, Liverpool FA Cup have all been performances where we have played well against top team.

Also do not forget the total demolition of Leeds and Southampton even with ten men.

Our most dominant performance this season was against Everton but we ended up drawing that game 3-3.

I think that's correct. However the glimpses of better play are fleeting. Perhaps its fatigue and the COVID impact where the crowd can give you that boost - to be fair no-one is playing that well outside City who put together than incredible run. Where you can admit to progress from Ole is in the resilience of the team. We were brittle under Moyes, LvG and Mourinho. You never knew how the team would react to going behind and often they folded - that has improved and we can only really reflect on Spurs earlier in the season where we capitulated, partly due to Martial sending off. Teams aren't comprehensively outplaying United but the same is true of United vs anyone. I'm still unconvinced by the formation at times but it does seems to a stubborn shape that doesn't get overrun or easily countered. However the lack of creativity is a real issue and playing Dan James and AWB is not going to address that.

 

[Martynt74]

Honestly i dont think you have a chance of signing Haaland. The money being rumoured for him is insane and screams City.

I think United are the more likely of the 2 to throw huge sums at something to be honest.

Well, that's if spending the first 6 weeks trying to save £3m and ******* Dortmund off doesn't ruin it!

 

[fez]

I think United are the more likely of the 2 to throw huge sums at something to be honest.

Well, that's if spending the first 6 weeks trying to save £3m and ******* Dortmund off doesn't ruin it!

Naah, Haaland knows whats best for his career and has the **** master general Mino Raola as his agent. He ain't coming to United. He will end up at RM or City I reckon. Perhaps an outside shot at another season at Dortmund.

 

[Martynt74]

Naah, Haaland knows whats best for his career and has the **** master general Mino Raola as his agent. He ain't coming to United. He will end up at RM or City I reckon. Perhaps an outside shot at another season at Dortmund.

Oh agreed, i'm not saying i believed he'd come, more that a high cost wouldn't determine it one way or the other. A high price probably favours United and their lack of structure.

 

[bazzabear]

This season is a complete mess and I don't think you can take anything from it.

It's funny - because you're constantly using this explanation as an out for any other team playing badly. But you're utterly unable to give your own team the same benefit of the doubt.

 

[omnomnom]

Naah, Haaland knows whats best for his career and has the **** master general Mino Raola as his agent. He ain't coming to United. He will end up at RM or City I reckon. Perhaps an outside shot at another season at Dortmund.

Whats best for his career isn't moving anywhere in my opinion. Like i said, if the figures going around are remotely accurate, United should stay well away. Its ludicrous money for a player who hasnt done it for a sustained period.

 

[adam cool dude]

Whats best for his career isn't moving anywhere in my opinion. Like i said, if the figures going around are remotely accurate, United should stay well away. Its ludicrous money for a player who hasnt done it for a sustained period.

He has in 44 in 40 last season and 33 in 33 this season. It's a risk. If he has a third season his value will go through the roof.

 

[fez]

It's funny - because you're constantly using this explanation as an out for any other team playing badly. But you're utterly unable to give your own team the same benefit of the doubt.

Because Liverpool won the season with 99 points and play brilliant football, Chelsea fleetingly play really well and since Tuchel came in they look miles better, Spurs again play amazingly at times but are under Mourinho so are being forced to play a particular way, Arsenal have an OK squad and an OK manager and are playing as you would expect.

We aren’t playing any better or worse than last season, we are just exactly what we will be next season.

I’m happy to be proved wrong and suddenly we look like a team who has a clue what they are doing on the pitch but we all know that’s not happening. I’m sure you Ole fans will have an excuse for why we look the same next season and will wonder why we aren’t doing so well when all the teams underperforming rediscover some form.

 

[omnomnom]

He has in 44 in 40 last season and 33 in 33 this season. It's a risk. If he has a third season his value will go through the roof.

His 68 mil release clause kicks in next year which is why I think he will stay. Bigger pay packet for him.

Not only that but unless city come in for him then I'm not sure it would be wise going anywhere else. Who knows what's going to happen to the two in Spain and he would be daft to go to Paris.