- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
¿
May 17, 2024 01:24
|
|
- sebzilla
- Mar 17, 2009
-
Kid's blasting everything in sight with that new-fangled musket.
|
OK fuckin  about United post incoming so strap in or get scrolling.
So part of me is wondering if this season started out with low expectations of Ole and the league finishing position. The squad was worryingly thin when the season started even before all the injuries started happening, something I remember Adam McKola from FTD arguing with Gary Neville about (Adam has proven to be right in hindsight about not replacing the players that were shipped out, Neville at the time didn't seem to feel it necessary because the players that left "weren't good enough").
If I treat this as a mid season review, not much has changed from my usual complaints. Woodward too slow in the transfer window again, now and in the summer. However, a big difference from windows prior to this summer is Ole got rid of players that weren't in his plans and the 3 signings that did come in have all been decent. I haven't any complaints on Maguire, AWB or James, other than it's a shame they had to hit the ground running and in Maguire's case, into it.
It's clear that the plan going forward under Ole is to mix academy product with good young signings. It's frustrating with the squad as thin as it is that no one has been signed. I do also realise however that any older players that don't fit the mould, unless we manage a loan deal, are going to come expecting one last payday which is something the club are clearly no longer interested in entertaining. Everyone else knows we need players and it's hard to get first choice signings out of clubs in January.
There's no quick fix though. United are very much reaping what they sowed when the Glazers under invested and rode the sheer will of Ferguson to further success, with no plan of succession for either Ferguson or Gill. There isn't going to be any manager that comes into this squad as it stands and Next Season We're Challenging Again, not with Woodward having consistently failed in what is now 12 transfer windows.
United have squad players on guaranteed starter wages, are offloading starters and squad players without replacing them and currently have players starting week in week out that should be squad players at best or out on loan somewhere. It is reliably rumoured that the transfer process has changed to an incredibly cautious one given how much has been completely wasted over those 12 windows.
If I am wrong, then Ole is being expected to secure top 4 at least, with a squad neither deep enough or good enough. I like the style of football he clearly wants to play, I am frustrated that he doesn't seem to try to change things up more to suit the personnel he has at his disposal but then he wouldn't be the first manager to have a style of play he wants to play and that's that while recruitment catches up. Then again, what system can he play right now that gets around only having two fit-ish central midfielders, neither of which are particularly creative? Playing from the wings is difficult when there isn't a target man in the squad.
For me, so long as players like Rashford, Martial, Fred, Maguire, McTominay and the youth players coming through are playing for the manager he should be given time while Woodward unfucks the gently caress he's responsible for
|
#
¿
Jan 9, 2020 18:43
|
|
- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
¿
May 17, 2024 01:24
|
|
#
¿
Dec 29, 2019 16:13
