I think that's it now

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Even though city got 100 points/goals last season?

You're quite right, RIC.

The only other manager who could come close is Mou. Shame we keep shitting on him on here.

Originally Posted by Buck

He won the league by 11 points with Cleverley, Evans, Anderson, 30+ year old Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, 40 year old Scholes and Giggs, half-arsed Rooney...

The season before when we bottled the league we still got 89 points

and got to a European Cup final with a midfield of Jason Park, Anderson and Darren Fletcher. It was only the roided up Spaniards that stopped us winning it that year

Originally Posted by Albert Tatlock

You have a point. Fergie could win the league with our current squad

I don’t think he would, but it doesn’t matter. Expecting our current or any future united manager to do what fergie might have isn’t going to get us very far. He was a one off and performing miracles with the shit he had after 2010. Good luck finding that again. 81 points with the glaring weaknesses in the squad last season is pretty £#%&!ing good. Van gaal would have had that team in the 60s.

If Fergie was relatively new to the club in 2013, that team wouldn’t have got close to winning the league.

Personally think the league was utterly, utterly shite last year and 81 points just proves it.

He's got a decent squad there. If he could coach them into playing in an attacking manner (or coach some form of attack plan that isn't hoof it to the big man) and stop them being so £#%&!ing passive all the time, they could do well.

One things for sure, first thing Fergie does with this squad is replace the back four.

Were players like Berg, Silvestre, O'Shea, Heinze, Evans, even Wes Brown significantly better than what Utd have now?

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Were players like Berg, Silvestre, O'Shea, Heinze, Evans, even Wes Brown significantly better than what Utd have now?

No, but they were playing with Stam, Rio, Vidic, Evra and Neville - who were.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

No, but they were playing with Stam, Rio, Vidic, Evra and Neville - who were.

Yep

The set of players we have at the moment are back up squad players at best

Bailey, Shaw, Dalot and Lindelof are young enough to potentially grow into first team regulars tbf.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

No, but they were playing with Stam, Rio, Vidic, Evra and Neville - who were.

99 team had one world class defender in Stam. Neville was a far better player in 2003 than he was in 99, to his credit he developed massively, especially as an attacker.

2008 is an anomaly, the best defensive unit Utd have ever had, by some distance, most groups will look poor compared to that selection.

Let us see how Bailly and Lindelof develop, Mourinho wanted them, now trust them and develop them into the players we need, if a world class defender is available who can lift the level of the rest then great, but Maguire and effing Toby are not that.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

99 team had one world class defender in Stam. Neville was a far better player in 2003 than he was in 99, to his credit he developed massively, especially as an attacker.

2008 is an anomaly, the best defensive unit Utd have ever had, by some distance, most groups will look poor compared to that selection.

Let us see how Bailly and Lindelof develop, Mourinho wanted them, now trust them and develop them into the players we need, if a world class defender is available who can lift the level of the rest then great, but Maguire and effing Toby are not that.

That’s my view exactly. They are both clearly good players but have their flaws; that said, he bought them both, trusted in them, scouted them - just give them the full season. Imperative Bailly stays fit otherwise think he will just go down as a dud.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

99 team had one world class defender in Stam. Neville was a far better player in 2003 than he was in 99, to his credit he developed massively, especially as an attacker.

2008 is an anomaly, the best defensive unit Utd have ever had, by some distance, most groups will look poor compared to that selection.

Let us see how Bailly and Lindelof develop, Mourinho wanted them, now trust them and develop them into the players we need, if a world class defender is available who can lift the level of the rest then great, but Maguire and effing Toby are not that.

Come on pal a defence of Neville, Stam, Berg/Johnson, Irwin is a hundred times better than what we have at the moment. It’s crazy to think otherwise

No way would Fergie have built his defence around Smalling and Jones, he’d have either shipped them out for better or kept them on as back ups by now.

Lindelof and Bailey could become first team quality, but not many sides build their defence around two 23 year old centre backs tbf.

Originally Posted by AK14

Come on pal a defence of Neville, Stam, Berg/Johnson, Irwin is a hundred times better than what we have at the moment. It’s crazy to think otherwise

No way would Fergie have built his defence around Smalling and Jones, he’d have either shipped them out for better or kept them on as back ups by now.

Lindelof and Bailey could become first team quality, but not many sides build their defence around two 23 year old centre backs tbf.

Irwin was winding down in the treble season, thus he and Pip alternating for much of the season, Gary was not at his peak yet, Berg had his moments for Utd but was disappointing overall while Johnsen was talented but wrecked by injuries. Schmeichel was poor by his standards that year as well. Didn't win the treble based on the defense.

Still better that what we have, just on having Stam who was a monster but the defenders now are far better than they are given credit for, yes even the pair of Smalling and Jones. Perhaps with perfect Cb's and full backs Sanchez will stop giving the ball away like a charity bus gives biscuits out on a Saturday night, Mata can start to run quickly and Rashford will develop some composure.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Irwin was winding down in the treble season, thus he and Pip alternating for much of the season, Gary was not at his peak yet, Berg had his moments for Utd but was disappointing overall while Johnsen was talented but wrecked by injuries. Schmeichel was poor by his standards that year as well. Didn't win the treble based on the defense.

Still better that what we have, just on having Stam who was a monster but the defenders now are far better than they are given credit for, yes even the pair of Smalling and Jones. Perhaps with perfect Cb's and full backs Sanchez will stop giving the ball away like a charity bus gives biscuits out on a Saturday night, Mata can start to run quickly and Rashford will develop some composure.

A fair assessment, but It was still miles better than what we have at this moment. Obviously having the midfield we had helped too...

But the fact is neither Smalling or Jones are good enough to have a defence built around them if we’re serious about consistently challenging for major honours any time soon. Fergie would have done something about it by now.

Originally Posted by AK14

A fair assessment, but It was still miles better than what we have at this moment. Obviously having the midfield we had helped too...

But the fact is neither Smalling or Jones are good enough to have a defence built around them if we’re serious about consistently challenging for major honours any time soon. Fergie would have done something about it by now.

Bailly Lidlehof need to start every game possible. No more £#%&!ing around.

Of course, Baiily will break something doing a Jones at some point.

Originally Posted by Cream

Bailly Lidlehof need to start every game possible. No more £#%&!ing around.

Of course, Baiily will break something doing a Jones at some point.

Or get a 3 game ban because of his penchant for crazy two footed tackles

Does Bailly ever look more than five minutes away from being subbed off?

Originally Posted by Cream

Bailly Lidlehof need to start every game possible. No more £#%&!ing around.

Of course, Baiily will break something doing a Jones at some point.

I would go with last night’s defence, sans Darmian (Dalot?) as first choice. Mistakes in them but need to play together and develop as a unit.

As others have pointed out, no-one we looked at is necessarily better so let’s put some confidence in what we’ve got.

Originally Posted by utd99

Does Bailly ever look more than five minutes away from being subbed off?

Or sent off.......

Still like him though.

Originally Posted by shenwen

I would go with last night’s defence, sans Darmian (Dalot?) as first choice. Mistakes in them but need to play together and develop as a unit.

As others have pointed out, no-one we looked at is necessarily better so let’s put some confidence in what we’ve got.

It's a defence with an average of of about 22 though.

Yes he's signed 3 of them. But he's not allowed to sign some experience to help guide them.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Oh, and I'm getting this out here now... United won't win 4 of those opening 10 games.