28 Dec 2017 13:47:35
Mourinho is voicing exactly what United fans believe, which is that City are now way ahead of us in terms of everything we have come to expect and desire in football, and that all our spending and high wage bill, is not enough, so much of it having been misspent.

Let's face it though, it didn't happen in one year. It's the culmination of a strategy begun by City a decade ago. All this talk about noisy neighbours may have been clever for a while, but the writing has been on the wall since they poached Tevez. The fact is they have been on the up, prepared to do what it takes with a largely unlimited budget, and we've only had one direction to go.

People talk of SAF's masterstroke buying RVP, but as far as I'm concerned it was a piece of extreme short-termism. One injury ridden aging striker's great year and an absence of quality in the league that season might have brought us a championship, but it papered over a decade of neglect where "no value" was in the market. That deflection may have come from SAF or it may have been imposed upon him by a club saddled with enormous debt servicing requirements, but either way the result is plain for all to see. In terms of what we care about - not revenues, not crowds etc but football - we are now #2 in Manchester. No amount of braggadocio can change the fact that City seem to be playing on a different planet, threatening to re-create a Barcelona like dynasty in England.

The big question is whether Mourinho, given what he inherited, his abilities and style, and operating in this market within our club structure, can take the next step from what has been a clear EPL improvement, to becoming realistic challengers for the European Cup. It will not be easy. Teams like City and PSG are clearly already ahead of us. They seem to have unlimited funds and can thus match us in future buying power. The Spanish clubs may always be more attractive for top South American talent than rainy old Manchester. Bayern and Juventus do not have the same quality of domestic competition.

My question then is this: if you're not happy about the state of affairs, which most of you clearly aren't, then why on earth should our extremely competitive manager be? Why would you expect him to smile about being #2 in Manchester, let alone England or Europe. For the time being Mourinho is merely reflecting the frustrations we all feel. Frustrations that are compounded by the sense that there may not be a manager we could actually hire that could do any better.

1.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 14:06:01
Shaw, I agree with pretty much all your post apart form the final bit. Jose is unhappy, but he is one of the world’s best coaches so surely he has the ability to improve what we have. Our League position is better but too many players are not playing to their potential (as WRD points out further down), I’m also pretty frustrated about that.

2.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 14:20:01
I have always said judge the man after 3 windows. i don't believe we will win CL after next summer but firmly believe we will have the nucleus off a great team that will need minor adjustments. We were in 6th/ 7th place last year this time and miles off. we have come a long way and the fact that we expect to win every game says a lot which was not the case 12 months ago.

We had 23 shots and 73% possession the other night. we dug ourselves a hole by conceding early. our defense is a makeshift outfit week in week out at the moment and we are conceding a lot more compared to first 10 games. I still think we will finish second and that is a big step in the right direction given where we have been last few years.

3.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 14:44:34
I agree with you post but at the end of the day he’s the one in charge, he’s spent big money and he’s supposed to be one of the best managers ever? His complaining looks like a desperate attempt to blame others, it’s childlike and desperate. I think if he’s sacked by Manchester United he’ll struggle to find much more work, I think footballs outgrowing him slowly. From Mourinho a signing who is flourishing? Who looks good? Who would make it into another top aide? Your best players are ones who were there before him. Rashford, mata, De Gea. if he received no backing i'd understand his loaning but he has squandered fortunes.

4.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 15:08:32
Very good post Shaw.

5.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 15:17:31
As far as I'm concerned Pogba was a great signing. Our results when he's in the team are far better than when he's not. When he plays our attack always looks better, and our chances and goal scored stats will bear that out. His long range passing is fantastic. Had he not even playing against Burnley I'm convinced we would have lost. His one failing is that he doesn't score enough. Improve on that aspect - maybe some Coutinhoesque outside shooting - and it will become more obvious what a great player he is. Matic was also a great signing given what we had. Lukaku has been okay - jury's still out. Mhkitaryan and Lindelhof don't look very good but the latter may well grow into the position. Bailly was an excellent signing but has suffered from too many injuries. Ibrahimovic was a free and filled the bill for a season. Overall Mourinho has done a decent job with transfers, especially when taking into account who might have been available for us, the nature of the squad he inherited, and the debacle that preceded him under Moyes and LVG.

Despite all that we are still in 2nd place, which for most teams is as good as they can expect given their history over the last 25 years. So they may see that as success. But United fan are spoilt, and they can't deal with it. Of course the buck stops with Mourinho, but he like us will never be happy with not winning it all.

6.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 15:49:40
Jose having this squad in 2nd place is hugely over achieving. Great job by the manager. This squad is not good enough for 2nd and no other manager could do better with these players in terms of position. A lot of the players are top 6 players that's where they have been finishing to be 2nd with this bunch is a massive over achievement.
Most of them have ever done better than where they are now in any league.

7.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 16:02:33
Jose is a winner he knows what is needed and has come here for the challenge of getting us back to the top . # Bornwinner.

8.) 28 Dec 2017
28 Dec 2017 17:34:57
Great posts Shaw, have to agree with all of what you said.

The only thing I'd say is that Jose, even if unhappy, should mask it better. When he is seen to be so unhappy and whingey, it becomes a knock on effect, the players will suffer. It's the same in any job, starts from the top down, workers usually reflect their manager. So on that front, even if unhappy, he needs to mask that better. Let your problems be known upstairs, let journalists who might be close to you put it in the paper. But don't go moping, whinging and deflecting when infront of the cameras or players. Be better.