Let's all laugh at Man Utd: Istanbald

[A_G]

@UnitedBeard

 

[Macho]

@UnitedBeard

Me and my friends say this all the time.

They are so f*cked up, they think Bruno's inital impact was normal and they kinda expected it they literally don't have a clue.

 

[Garrincha]

they are really not taking it all that well

 

[Riou]

Ten Hag is gonna be the crap manager, everyone thinks Arteta is.

Calling it now.

 

[UnitedBeard]

@UnitedBeard

You seem to have personal issue with me

 

[grange]

Ten Hag is gonna be the crap manager, everyone thinks Arteta is.

Calling it now.

Agree. Well, I don't think he's a crap manager but I don't think he's going to fix that backed up toilet they have running at United. He's going to regret throwing his career away for a couple of years.

 

[14Henry]

Agree. Well, I don't think he's a crap manager but I don't think he's going to fix that backed up toilet they have running at United. He's going to regret throwing his career away for a couple of years.

Hes not going to regret going to the bank every day though.

 

[grange]

Hes not going to regret going to the bank every day though.

Having that much money is nice, sure, but being bald in a city that hates you is tough.

 

[Garrincha]

Richard Arnold seems to be pretty realistic & grounded... even if a bit naive round phones

 

[Flying Okapis]

 

[14Henry]

View attachment 7344

To be fair thats a disgrace to post it looking retweets

 

[Flying Okapis]

To be fair thats a disgrace to post it looking retweets

Its ****ing dark, it either hits or misses depending on the person.

 

[14Henry]

Its ****ing dark, it either hits or misses depending on the person.

From where I am from (Belfast) one of the most sectarian, segregated cities in the world its a disgrace. I'm an argumentive bastid here on this forum if I think I have a point but that above is never right.

Those players with Haaland are sons, daughters, grandchildren etc. Horrible.

 

[Paperino]

Those players with Haaland are sons, daughters, grandchildren etc.

Most people are tbf.

 

[lamby22]

Beautiful stuff. Van Gaal must really hate them.

 

[Wiggins]

To be fair to United fans, they seem to have finally accepted that their squad is total shyte in the last month or so, and it was in fact not better than ours. They're really thick for the most part but credit to them, it finally did dawn on those dim bulbs how screwed they are, and they even went through a bit of a denial phase fairly quickly.

No way they finish above us next season.

 

[<<reed>>]

 

[Macho]

Evaluating every Manchester United transfer in the post-Fergie era

Manchester United have spent a lot of money since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as manager - there have been a lot of expensive mistakes...

theathletic.com

Spoiler: https://theathletic.com/3340439/2022/06/19/manchester-united-transfers/

Maram AlBaharna
Jun 19, 2022

Manchester United have been doing some serious soul searching for nearly a decade.

David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were all charged with restoring the club to where it belongs, to the glory days. They all failed, leaving a “graveyard” of signings behind them, as Gary Neville described it.

“There is no faith in how Manchester United grow and develop players they signed,” the former United right-back added.

Once again, United find themselves needing another reset after the latest one failed. They will back Erik ten Hag in the transfer market but that is no guarantee of success.

Looking at the transfers the club have made since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013 paints a bleak picture. A lot of the moves made sense at the time, only to fall short when they stepped onto the pitch.

The big question is: can they learn from the mistakes of their past?

Here is The Athletic’s ranking of every United transfer since 2013…

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The right move, wrong time players​

Alexis Sanchez (£35 million)

One of the best forwards in the Premier League became a shadow of his former self — and was on astronomical wages of £500,000 per week. But the worst thing was that he wasn’t used properly at United after signing from Arsenal in January 2018.

More often than not, Mourinho used him as a true winger rather than in the inside-forward role he had excelled in at the Emirates. The spaces he found himself changed — and so did the footballer. He was shackled.

Just look at his shot map from his final season at Arsenal compared to his first at United…

It appeared as though Sanchez was signed without a clear plan as to where he would play, and he ended up taking Anthony Martial’s place in the team, who was United’s best player at the time.

He was a very expensive mistake before he departed for Inter Milan in August 2019.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (£6.5 million)

He signed a three-year contract at the age of 31, made 18 appearances in the Premier League and failed to show more than a few glimpses of the quality that made him a cult hero at Bayern Munich.

He spoke of his excitement of working under Van Gaal again but Old Trafford did not see the levels expected from a player who had won more than 100 caps for Germany.

Schweinsteiger failed to make a positive impact at United (Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Nemanja Matic (£40.2 million)

The Serbia midfielder had an impressive start to his United career and it was hoped he would be the one to help “unlock” Paul Pogba. That, unfortunately, wouldn’t last — Mourinho had had the best of him at Chelsea.

Towards the end of his time at United, he remained the only midfielder that could operate well out of possession and break lines in build-up play. Using data from Smarterscout, which gives players a series of ratings out of 99 based on advanced analytics, you can see the value he provided on and off the ball, ranking well at carrying the ball, link-up play, ball recoveries and intensity.

Matic would have been perfect for United had he been signed five years earlier.

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The forgotten ones​

Guillermo Varela (£2.3 million), Victor Valdes (free), Lee Grant (£1.5 million), Tom Heaton (free)

They were there, that’s it.

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The ‘what were you thinking?’ players​

Alex Telles (£15.4 million)

Telles was brought in to provide cover at left-back by Solskjaer in the summer of 2020. His entire purpose was a contingency plan. It all went downhill when Luke Shaw was side-lined for a significant period last season with COVID-19 and injuries that handed Telles a chance to stake his claim. His defensive frailties and struggles to move the ball efficiently were exposed.

His position as deputy to Shaw appears to be beyond the Brazil international.

Matteo Darmian (£12.7 million)

Signed by Van Gaal in July 2015, Darmian’s four years at the club were forgettable. He had a decent start, playing as a full-back on either side, but was uninspiring going forward and ended up being used only sporadically when Shaw suffered injuries.

Morgan Schneiderlin (£24 million)

Schneiderlin was never going to be good enough, especially in Van Gaal’s rigid system, but in their desperate search for a defensive midfielder, they bought him anyway.

A knee injury before even starting a game did not make matters better and he failed to make an impression across his 47 appearances in all competitions across two seasons before he was shipped out to Everton.

Schneiderlin (left) and Darmian (right) were among Van Gaal’s failed signings (Photo: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Marcos Rojo (£16 million)

The 2014 signing by Van Gaal was seen as a coup given he was 24 and an established Argentina international. The only memory that remains from his seven seasons in England is that the versatile defender somehow managed to never get sent off.

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The good at non-United clubs players​

Angel Di Maria (£60 million)

The name leaves a sour taste for most, if not all, United fans. The Argentina forward was their most expensive transfer at the time but lasted only one season, for reasons on and off the pitch.

It was a mismatch. Van Gaal wanted a winger whose style focused on possession and patience but Di Maria is direct and creative, a player who looks to take on defenders. He never had the chance to establish himself in one position, having started off in central midfield, then to the left wing in a 4-3-3 system, and was used as an attacking No 10 and a central striker.

It just wasn’t the right fit.

Memphis Depay (£25 million)

Depay arrived at Old Trafford having been one of the best players in the Eredivisie, scoring 22 goals as PSV won the league title in 2014-15.

Van Gaal had spoken glowingly of his talent but by the midpoint of his first season at United, he was already out of the starting line-up.

The problem wasn’t his lack of talent or potential — he didn’t have the acceleration or strength yet against Premier League defenders and wasn’t suited to the amount of defensive work asked of him. He was often isolated in wide areas in duels he couldn’t win.

He struggled to adapt and scored only two Premier League goals in 33 games. That he went on to star with Lyon to earn a move to Barcelona makes his time at Old Trafford all the sadder.

Depay has been back to his best since leaving United (Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£26 million)

The Europa League specialist did not specialise in Premier League football at United. Signed by Mourinho after starring at Borussia Dortmund, the Armenia international lasted two seasons before being moved to Arsenal, where he showed of his talent. Now at Roma, where he has scored 29 goals across three seasons.

 

[Macho]

Spoiler: Part 2

The good for the job that they were bought for, then the situation changed players​

This is the longest section because the landscape has never stayed the same for long at United.

Jadon Sancho (£73 million)

United spent the better part of two years chasing the England international to solve the gaping hole on the right wing. He was meant to be the missing piece of the puzzle of Solskjaer’s attack, bringing width and stopping opposition teams from packing the left-hand side, a tactic that was leaving right-back Aaron Wan-Bisssaka under constant pressure.

The sucker punch is that Sancho spent the better part of his first season at United playing on the left, not the right. He needed an overlapping full-back to flourish and Wan-Bissaka… well, he is not that. As a result, Sancho was receiving the ball much deeper than he was used to, which made it harder for him to threaten in attack.

He became the collateral damage of United’s problems and his numbers suffered accordingly, scoring fewer goals and becoming less creative.

Another signing where you have to ask: was he properly scouted with a clear tactical idea of how to use him once he arrived?

Edinson Cavani (free)​

Cavani was an extremely logical transfer in October 2020 — he provided a stop-gap option to score the scruffy goals that United’s other forwards at the time (Marcus Rashford, Daniel James, Martial) couldn’t get, allowing United to pursue a long-term option in the next transfer window.

He did that job well, offering a focal point and exceptional movement off the ball alongside his 10 goals.

That was always the plan, especially when United extended his contract. But then, United signed Cristiano Ronaldo and Cavani’s role no longer made as much sense. As a result, he barely made half as many appearances in the 2021-22 campaign as in his first season (20 games vs 39 games in all competitions).

Harry Maguire (£80 million)

Whether or not United overpaid for the centre-back (they did), he undeniably shored up the sinking ship that was United’s defence. He played an important role in taking United’s goals-conceded tally from 10th best (54 goals conceded) to third best (36 goals conceded) across the league and brought a skill set they lacked (aerially dominant, progressive on the ball) from their back line.

Maguire’s form has fluctuated at United (Photo: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The problems began when Maguire was asked to play in a higher line, which forced him at times to step out and close down players, leaving him exposed due to a lack of agility. Had he had a better defensive structure around him, his poor performances would not be so disastrous, but the same can be said for many United players.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£50 million)

Wan-Bissaka can put in a mean slide tackle.

In his first season at Manchester United, that was good enough. The club, once again, was starved of defensive solidity, and the acquisition of a player who had completed the most tackles in the league at Crystal Palace seemed to suffice. He disrupted the opposition, recovered the ball and kick-started United’s counter-attacks, as seen from those red spikes in his smarterscout profile below.

However, the situation changed. More was demanded of him as United began to slowly dominate possession, and he could not answer, as seen by how poorly he ranks in expected goals from shot creation (39 out of 99) and ball progression (43 out of 99). He has struggled to carry the ball forwards, penetrate lines with passes or even overlap.

Bruno Fernandes (£47 million)

In Fernandes, United wanted a winner — and they got one. Before him, they struggled to create chances in volume and quality and to have a focal point. No matter how many times the system has changed since he joined, he has remained the focal point of United’s attack. If United have a goalscoring chance, Fernandes was probably involved somewhere along the way, as seen from the graphic below.

Fernandes’ maverick nature to regularly take risks once gave United’s attack an edge. But now, it has manifested into a weakness. With the addition of Ronaldo, it has become a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Suddenly, it could be argued he has become a liability. Ten Hag needs to get him back to his best.

Daniel James (£25 million)

The Wales forward offered Solskjaer an attacking option from the bench with his speed and movement off the ball to take advantage of the opposition’s tired legs. Again, that was useful in his first season, when United thrived (and almost depended on) counter-attacks, but less so when they began to control the ball.

Romelu Lukaku (£75 million)

Lukaku was said to never look like a Manchester United player, even after scoring 27 goals in his first season at Old Trafford and netting a total of 42 goals in 96 appearances.

With the muscle he accumulated, Lukaku looked like a target man but did not play like one. When he was often reaching for the ball, his altered physique prevented him from changing momentum the way he used to, which changed his performances.

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The mixed bag players ​

Cristiano Ronaldo (£13 million)

To say Ronaldo was merely a nostalgia signing is doing him an injustice. He ended his first season back with 24 goals across all competitions, often bailing out United.

But those goals came at a cost beyond his transfer fee and wages. Fitting Ronaldo, whose demands for the ball took it away from creators such as Fernandes, into the side messed with United’s dynamic attacking structure. Then, around March — when United needed points to keep up their chase for the top four — he experienced one of his worst finishing slumps for years.

​

Diogo Dalot (£19 million)

It remains to be seen if United can reap the potential seen in him or whether he has a future at the club. The Portugal full-back arrived in 2018 but he had his first regular run in the team last season, making 24 appearances in the Premier League.

Marouane Fellaini (£27.5 million)

The frustrating nature of his protracted transfer under Moyes set the tone for his time at Old Trafford. Fellaini had an unusual skill set (a tall player who wasn’t great at headers) and entered a dysfunctional team that didn’t understand him at first. His best time came when used as a panic battering ram to chase results.

Ander Herrera (£29 million)

Herrera was brought in as a playmaker but was converted to a defensive midfielder by Mourinho, and successfully at that. Although his energy and intensity made him a great ball winner, through no fault of his own, he was simply not good enough to close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City.

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​

 

[Macho]

Spoiler: 3

The what would have been had it not been for injuries players ​

Eric Bailly (£30 million)

One of the few players who had a brilliant start to his time at Old Trafford but injuries have got the best of him too often. The 28-year-old Ivory Coast international has been at Old Trafford for six seasons but has only made 70 appearances in the Premier League.

Bailly has struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford (Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Luke Shaw (£30 million)

Shaw joined United as the most expensive teenager in football in 2014.

The 26-year-old has been through a series of ups and downs (the worst parts including a horrible injury and a brittle relationship with Mourinho) that leave question marks in his career. The talent and potential were always there, recently shown in the 2020-21 season, but it is up to him now to remain consistent.

Radamel Falcao (loan)

Falcao looked a shadow of the spectacular striker United thought they signed from Monaco in 2014. He only scored four Premier League goals during his time at Old Trafford but the move had the feeling of being a failure before it even began, considering he had barely played since returning from his serious knee injury.

Alarm bells should have been ringing but United thought he was worth the risk. History now tells us he wasn’t.

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The good but not used properly players​

Paul Pogba (£89 million), Fred (£52 million) and Donny van de Beek (£39 million)

These three midfielders can be brought under the same umbrella. They displayed great talent in systems and roles that catered to their strengths — United bought them for everything they were good at then proceeded to abandon that. Pogba is not a lone defensive midfielder. Fred and Van de Beek were shackled behind the halfway line in a double pivot. Can Ten Hag get Fred and Van de Beek back to their best, now that Pogba has left?

Anthony Martial (£36 million)

Martial is one of the best examples of United’s failure to develop talented players. He joined the English club with the world at his feet in 2015 and was hailed as one of the best upcoming young talents in football.

His first touch was sleek, he could dribble past players before they would take notice. But he was mismanaged. If United had focused on improving his movement off the ball and tactical understanding, he might not have become a forward who could only perform in streaks.

Daley Blind (£14 million)

Blind was a master at breaking lines from deep. He worked at United when the rest of the team didn’t — allowing them to build out and exit their own half consistently. Unfortunately, Mourinho rolled around and his excellent traits in possession weren’t as important.

Juan Mata (£37 million)

Mata joined United aged 25, at the peak of his career, under Moyes in January 2014. The left-footed creative forward works best as a roaming No 10, but needed short, sharp combinations with a striker or winger to excel.

Throughout the multiple iterations of United’s rebuild, he was never given that.

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The sensible transfers​

Raphael Varane (£41 million)

A centre-half wasn’t the highest priority, but you do not say no to a four-time Champions League winner that brings experience and, more importantly, recovery pace to put out fires in United’s back line. Injuries ruined his first season, so Ten Hag must hope he sees more of him than Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick did.

Victor Lindelof (£31 million)

Lindelof is probably the most “un-Mourinho” signing ever, given his lack of physicality and aerial dominance, but he is a good option to have in the squad when paired with a proactive centre-half, especially given his long-range passing and ability to delay tricky wingers well.

Sergio Romero (free)

Served United well as one of the best No 2 goalkeepers in the Premier League.

Amad Diallo (£37 million) and Facundo Pellistri (£9 million)

It remains to be seen what rewards these two youngsters reap for United, but they represent two rare occasions where the club has looked (and invested) towards the future instead of reactionary stop-gaps.

Odion Ighalo (loan)

As a player best known for mixed performances at Watford, fans weren’t excited the moment Ighalo joined. His addition appeared to be the epitome of applying a plaster to a broken leg, but that thought didn’t last long. Ighalo was decent. He brought the option United didn’t have — a striker from the bench, decent hold-up play, two-footed finishing, athleticism and goals (five in 23 games). But most positively, he showed a love for the badge that offered a pleasant surprise.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (free)

In a season Ibrahimovic turned 35, he still managed to score 28 goals across all competitions in 2016-17. Everything about him, especially the leadership he brought to the dressing room, meant that he was a good fit.

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Many of the transfers United completed fall under a general theme of misuse and lack of clear planning.

Whatever it may be, there needs to be a better approach to identifying 1) the specific roles (not just positions) United need and 2) the players who fit those roles and can operate in United’s tactical structure.

It will be only then that United’s transfer record can improve.

*all figures taken from Transfermarkt