Guardian: Mourinho reportedly signs pre contract

Originally Posted by jem

sure, but..... against villa, palace and everton?

Well what? Try Tofu with smallers? Still need another good un even if that works if we're going to compete over 60+ games.

Jones and Rojo are dogs hit btw

You can't separate off aspects of ability and downplay them as though they are not important. All players at this level need to be, at the very least, good at their main function and competant at their peripheral functions, otherwise their weaknesses will always hold them, and the team, back.

Take Mata for example. Technically very good, eye for goal, creative, and in the right team he would be devastating. However he is also slow, weak and can't pressure the possession. That will always hurt us, and is why Lingard, who is technically inferior can be more effective. Valencia also; strong, quick and disciplined, his technical lopsidedness will always hold him back. Players can only ever be as good as their weakest link, unless they are in a team that totally mitigates it.

No one needs Smalling to be Glenn Hoddle, but teams play all over the park these days, it's not get it and hoof it anymore. Why do you think everyone rates Stones, is it because of his defending prowess? No it's because they see him developing into a complete footballer who can also defend. Smalling has improved, but align his horrible technique on the ball with his perpensity towards the odd wtf moment, and he falls short of the standard we should be aspiring to.

Originally Posted by utd99

You can't separate off aspects of ability and downplay them as though they are not important. All players at this level need to be, at the very least, good at their main function and competant at their peripheral functions, otherwise their weaknesses will always hold them, and the team, back.

Take Mata for example. Technically very good, eye for goal, creative, and in the right team he would be devastating. However he is also slow, weak and can't pressure the possession. That will always hurt us, and is why Lingard, who is technically inferior can be more effective. Valencia also; strong, quick and disciplined, his technical lopsidedness will always hold him back. Players can only ever be as good as their weakest link, unless they are in a team that totally mitigates it.

No one needs Smalling to be Glenn Hoddle, but teams play all over the park these days, it's not get it and hoof it anymore. Why do you think everyone rates Stones, is it because of his defending prowess? No it's because they see him developing into a complete footballer who can also defend. Smalling has improved, but align his horrible technique on the ball with his perpensity towards the odd wtf moment, and he falls short of the standard we should be aspiring to.

Eileen Drewery disagrees

If we don't beat this Villa team by MINIMUM two clear goals the club should clear the decks and liquidate.

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

I think the club and pretty much everyone else bought into van gaal and a new approach when moyes went. It's just that when it isn't working, and it hasn't yet, then everyone should re-evaluate. Siders point, I think is that it doesn't matter how long it takes to work, it's worth sticking with whereas others are saying it doesn't need to be as bad as it is at this point.

But this 'approach' or 'plan' that van gaal supposedly has and people are desperate to protect that mou will rip up - what exactly is it? A bit more possession? Very few goal attempts, fragile when pressed? Interchangeable roles ie ash young up top?

I can see the small squad thing, which had been fairly disastrous and the promotion of young players but what other evidence of this plan is there?

No, not at all and I think I've explained it fairly clearly. I'll spare you another one, though

Originally Posted by Jammy Dodger

Yet we were one goal short of winning the league, without Cantona.

of course. we closed the gap without him that had opened up with him.

it's a nice way to look at the season to say we would have won the double 3 times in a row and the league 5 times on the trot but for his suspension...

doesn't change the fact that we were bang average at times and very erratic in the 1st half of that season, hence why blackburn were ahead of us with 2 games in hand at the end of january and had easily out-scored us.

we nearly pulled it back because blackburn's arses went. no doubt that would have happened with eric in the side, but it's also true that with him available we had a good run of 6 league wins in october/november and apart from that only won 2 league games on the trot once.

Originally Posted by Jammy Dodger

Yet we were one goal short of winning the league, without Cantona.

And got 88 points, wasn't it? We would have also won the league with the old two points for a win