comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
Is it possible that Dalot wasn't played because Solskjaer foresaw bringing him on in attacking role? That Young shows greater leadership and professionalism than anyone else in the squad?

JSPC calls this right. In the absence of Shaw and Valencia (and with the squad inherited from Mourinho), the defence was always going to have a patched-up quality. Young wasn't a primary reason we were beaten last night. But let's indulge an extended moan because he's high on the current hate-list.

I really don't get the downbeat mood. Six months ago at the twilight of Jose's United career everyone knew that getting back to where we need to be would be a slow process. When Ole was appointed, the consensus was that Top 4 was unattainable, PSG would sweep us embarrassingly aside and that generally results wouldn't matter as long as the football took a step in the right direction.

How things have changed. Against Barcelona we pressed gamely over the two legs and for spells pinned them back. We tried to attack them. They didn't carve us open that often (by their standards) and it took the genius of arguably the greatest player of all time + an freak own goal + a dreadful error from DDG to make the end result look so decisive.

The highs of Ole's first couple of months were never going to be sustainable. The creeping doubts (some implicit, some explicit) about OGS and the general mood of pessimism suggest that many of us didn't really mean what we said in December-January when we made those declarations of sensibly muted expectations.

The path to the top is going to be hard work. There could be hard work and more failure (particularly if Woodward fails to reform the club structure and bring in the right DoF, and - crucially - empower him).

For me, the thing is this. If United not being as amazing as we'd like them to be makes you ever so sad, if you don't get some pleasure from identifying with the players (including the players who are failing) and from hope about the next match, the next season, if not for that - what's the point?
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As always, Red Russion

*Russian!

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

He was a revelation at LB. He was past it completely and then gave his career a mini revival... that is a revelation. Now, he's dropped back to being past it.

He was a revelation at LB.

..............

No he wasn't.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Young was re-invented as a defender, deployed as a left-sided full back or wing back. WhoScored's Martin Laurence stated in 2018 that "Luke Shaw can’t get a kick at Manchester United and that is down to the form of Ashley Young, who has adapted to another new role superbly. Young is now proving to be an aggressive and intelligent defender, all while still offering a threat going forwards with his delivery into the box."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Young#Style_of_play

comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 1 minute ago
Vidicschin (U3584)

I honestly have no idea how Young was a revelation. Where were we when he was?
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Go and write another article

comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 1 minute ago
Vidicschin (U3584)

I honestly have no idea how Young was a revelation. Where were we when he was?
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The book of revelations

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Young needs to go.

He hasn't been good enough in every position he has played for us. Be it on the wing when he first signed (mediocre the majority of the time). And at full back when he started off as average and has moved towards diabolical/liability now.

Also, why on earth has he been deployed as an RCB in a back 3. Beyond belief.

How does this prove your point? Shaw was struggling at that point and the team was playing badly. An average player stepped up and played average. He wasn't playing like Alba, marcelo etc.

..............

Exactly. I remember commenting at the time that his attacking output from the LB position was only marginally better than Shaws. And he wasn't and still isn't very good at defending.

comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 3 minutes ago
How does this prove your point? Shaw was struggling at that point and the team was playing badly. An average player stepped up and played average. He wasn't playing like Alba, marcelo etc.
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I didn't see he suddenly turned into 2010 Ashley Cole. He was a revelation to us at the time.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

omment by United we win (U19958)
posted 6 minutes ago

I give up, fair enough, you see him as a revelation. I don't agree.

..................

This is the idiot Nobben you are talking to here. The name change doesn't make him any less moronic.

His hands are tied. I wonder sometimes whether some of you understand football. It is not like he has the second coming of G Force Nev on the bench

The creeping doubts (some implicit, some explicit) about OGS and the general mood of pessimism suggest that many of us didn't really mean what we said in December-January when we made those declarations of sensibly muted expectations.
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Amazing how fast a lot of the fans defaulted to misery!

A combination of injuries and lack of fitness have led to a slump in form that was to be expected.

I've seen enough from Ole to suggest he will get more things right than wrong in the coming season/s. He's shipped out Fellaini and Valencia and seems to have a distinct idea of what he thinks is required. He is obviously smart enough to be well aware that the wholesale changes that some fans dream of would end in utter disaster though.

comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - Ole's joy squids (U2958)
posted 1 minute ago
The creeping doubts (some implicit, some explicit) about OGS and the general mood of pessimism suggest that many of us didn't really mean what we said in December-January when we made those declarations of sensibly muted expectations.
-----------------------
Amazing how fast a lot of the fans defaulted to misery!

A combination of injuries and lack of fitness have led to a slump in form that was to be expected.

I've seen enough from Ole to suggest he will get more things right than wrong in the coming season/s. He's shipped out Fellaini and Valencia and seems to have a distinct idea of what he thinks is required. He is obviously smart enough to be well aware that the wholesale changes that some fans dream of would end in utter disaster though.
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Just shows you that all the ones crying about just seeing a plan was enough for them were full of it.

I honestly wonder what goes on in some of the brains on here.

I am more than happy for Ole to bring in his players and enjoy the ride

I've seen enough from Ole to suggest he will get more things right than wrong in the coming season/s. He's shipped out Fellaini and Valencia and seems to have a distinct idea of what he thinks is required.

..............

I agree with this. My one worry is that he sees Pogba playing deeper and we all know that is not where Pogba should be.

Rosso's article last week was bang on with this.

Just shows you that all the ones crying about just seeing a plan was enough for them were full of it.

I honestly wonder what goes on in some of the brains on here.

...................

The match threads are an even more comical read than they used to be.

It was Barcelona who beat you lads.

They are in the top 2-3 sides in Europe ffs.

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 47 seconds ago
I've seen enough from Ole to suggest he will get more things right than wrong in the coming season/s. He's shipped out Fellaini and Valencia and seems to have a distinct idea of what he thinks is required.

..............

I agree with this. My one worry is that he sees Pogba playing deeper and we all know that is not where Pogba should be.
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Unless we throw £100m at Chelsea for Kante!

comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - Ole's joy squids (U2958)
posted 43 minutes ago
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 47 seconds ago
I've seen enough from Ole to suggest he will get more things right than wrong in the coming season/s. He's shipped out Fellaini and Valencia and seems to have a distinct idea of what he thinks is required.

..............

I agree with this. My one worry is that he sees Pogba playing deeper and we all know that is not where Pogba should be.
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Unless we throw £100m at Chelsea for Kante!
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Much simpler to f@ck right off

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 49 minutes ago
Just shows you that all the ones crying about just seeing a plan was enough for them were full of it.

I honestly wonder what goes on in some of the brains on here.

...................

The match threads are an even more comical read than they used to be.
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I do not even go on them anymore. It's just like gorillas throwing excrement at each other

comment by Irishred (U2539)
posted 49 minutes ago
It was Barcelona who beat you lads.

They are in the top 2-3 sides in Europe ffs.
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Some here grew up in the Fergie years, so are not used to difficult times