22 Oct 2020 08:47:32
Been reading a lot of posts about how good our squad is, which is strange because only a few week ago it was all about how poor it it was and we needed 5 players to compete.

So has woodward and co done a good job after all building a squad?

1.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 10:02:55
Jred - a couple of decent results does not absolve the board of a disastrous transfer window and if we lose to Chelsea at the weekend we'll be plunged straight back into crisis mode once again.

As I've said on countless occasions Utd are always one game away from a crisis.

The big question for me is can Ole find a system that can bring some consistency and authority to our performances or will we spend another season jumping from one crisis to the next until he eventually finishes 4th or gets the sack.

2.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 10:09:32
Peoples opinions change with the wind. The end of November will show whether or not Utd are back and competing.

There was an noticeable improvement on Tuesday. The team played as a team. They looked comfortable. However I fully expect OGS to recall Maguire and revert to 4231.

3.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 10:15:12
I think this squad has potential. Many of our key players are still many years away from their peak.

Players like Henderson, AWB, Tuanzebe, Shaw, DvdB, McTominay, James, Martial and Rashford. Are all 23/ 24 or younger and at least 2-4 years away from their peak.

While we have some fantastic players in the next age bracket down in Mengi, Laird, Williams, Garner, Levitt, Mejbri, Pellistri, Chong, Traore and of course Greenwood. All of whom are 6-8 years away from their peaks.

If your looking at players in their peak years we have DDG, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles, Fred, Pogba and Fernandes. All of whom are 26-29.

While players like Mata, Matic and Cavani offer experience.

So we have some great young players who are a few years away. What we are maybe missing in one or two more players in their peak years. So it still feel like a team that is going to be great rather than one that is great right now. I think the good thing is that actually how many players we might need to bring in will depend on how many of those players from the youngest age group steps up and become top players.

While the club needs to move on players like Grant, Romero, Jones, Rojo, Bailly, Lingard, Andreas Pereira etc. All of whom are just blocking the youngest group of players.

It's a decent squad on paper, and one with huge potential. It's all about moving those on that aren't required, and getting the most out of the young player, helping them fulfill their potential.

I'm quite positive moving forward, our club has only ever been successful when there has been a large proportion of academy graduates in the first team. So I look at the likes of Henderson, Laird, Williams, Tuanzebe, Mengi, McTominay, Garner, Levitt, Rashford and Greenwood and I see ten players who if they all reach their potential could be key players in our team for the next decade.

While the club has spent a fortune in bringing in new players to our academy over the past couple of summers. Meaning that there is a hot bed of young talent just a few years younger who could match or surpass those youngster.

I think there is a lot to look forward to with this squad, and if managed correctly we could have the seeds already sown for the next dynasty.

{Ed025's Note - you make some good points there ken....i mean shappy.. :)

4.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 10:52:01
Its almost like we are building a squad. Which takes time and patience.

DlIB
Is there an argument that we have been fairly consistent for a number of months now?
I think we have done well since the turn of the year really .

5.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 12:46:43
All we need now Jred is a manager that knows what to do with it.

6.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 13:07:12
Jred - Results definitely improved once Fernandes signed but we can't ignore that we fell short in both the FA and Europa Cup semi finals.

We needed a big summer to kick on and improve but we didn't strengthen in the right areas. I think it can be argued that we didn't sign a single player that significantly improves the starting 11. Whether Telles starts over Shaw remains to be seen and there doesn't appear to be a plan for VdB other than deputy to Fernandes. The two youngsters obviously aren't ready and Cavani doesn't strike me as a player that significantly improves our starting 11 due to his age and injury record. Other teams have invested which makes the window even more frustrating and our position precarious and uncertain.

That being said we still have some very good players and if Ole can find a system that is able to get the best out of them then maybe he can still make the most out of an underwhelming situation.

I think Ole must find the balance between defensive solidarity and attacking intent. Fred and Mctominay have added energy, mobility and industry to the midfield which has stiffened the defence and given a platform for our attacking players to perform. How long Ole can resist picking Pogba remains to be seen but he clearly doesn't work as an holding midfielder.

I like the look of a midfield diamond which I think could be used for the majority of the games which gives us both defensive security and enables us to get most of our best midfielders on the pitch at the same time which is our strength in my opinion.

In the bigger games I think we could revert to a back three and look to play on the counter which has proven to be really effective.

Ole clearly has plenty of options and if he can choose the correct one for the right games we could even surprise ourselves. Let's wait and see it's been a fantastic start to a really challenging period and if you had asked me during the international break I'd have said Ole was under real pressure. The last two games have given us some much needed confidence and Ole has made the correct decisions let's hope it lasts!

7.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 13:31:24
Spot on manc man.

8.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 13:40:45
Dlib
2 semi finals is still only 2 games. The Chelsea game was poor but I though we played well against sevilla just one of them nights . That's cup football .
Do we need to significantly improve the first 11? I'm not sure, I think our first 11 can beat anyone but we have looked a bit light on the bench . I think we needed to improve the squad more than the first 11 imo.

9.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 14:11:18
Jred - it's two very important games though and games you need to win if you want to win trophies.

I think we're talking at cross purposes pal because if we want to compete with the likes of Liverpool, City dare I say Bayern then yes we really do need to improve the starting 11.

If we are content on finishing in the top 4 every season then we might just be ok but I certainly wouldn't bet my mortgage on it.

Anyway I've really enjoyed the last couple of games and long may it continue. Let's see where we are after this very tough run of fixtures mate.

10.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 14:29:42
Dlib get on the script. We ignore losses completely and we ignore boring play and we ignore recent league losses and pick a time frame where stats can back up our thought process.

11.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 14:59:34
Ken
Lol it was 2 games I would argue that the Leicester game which confirmed our CL status was a bigger game than either of the semi finals .
But again that is just one game so we should maybe look at the season as a whole. We finished 3rd and reached 2 semi finals .

DLIB
Good look closing the gap and passing the scouse in one transfer window during thd C.V. C.V.
I personally think you need to build a squad and it takes time.
And as you havd said built up the squad.

12.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 17:37:47
This was a great squad last year. Now we need to build 😂.

13.) 22 Oct 2020
22 Oct 2020 18:21:44
Angle its a decent squad last season i'm not sure I would of said great . But each to their own.

14.) 23 Oct 2020
23 Oct 2020 09:30:27
We still need x1 CB (at least), x1 CDM, x1 RW, x1 striker, perhaps the nippers Pellistri and Amad will surprise us as may Cavani (but that's short term) but we are a few positions away from really kicking on. We can beat anyone on our day but we can also get thrashed by anyone on our day, its that inconsistency that is an issue, at present I don't see us finishing higher than 3rd again nor do I see we have strengthened sufficiently yet. Some maybe happy with 3rd and semi final losses, maybe I'm spoilt because I've come from the 80's to see us develop under Fergie but I'm not accepting mediocrity, however, I'll say what I've said a thousand times, people can think Ole is the man or not, until we address our club structure it really doesn't matter as we will continue to be also rans until that is dealt with. While I back Ole and the team I know in my heart he is not the man to take us up the level we need even if we had strengthened correctly, yes he's a club legend, he's doing his best and yes a nice guy and I love him for all of that but we as a club are in need of restructure, proper strengthening in key areas and a manager that can propel us towards challenging for titles, until such times I just enjoy the ride but I can't pretend that I am happy that we get thrashed by Spurs and Palace at OT and think we are doing OK, we have some long roads ahead that will remain long until we as a club address a few issues.