22 Aug 2023 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Shappy has posted a new article entitled, Manchester United will Improve as the Season goes on

1.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 08:58:17
Shappy - Thanks for writing this article, it was an interesting read.
While not a complete dumpster fire, Man Utd are a mess in 2023. Your squad is full of weak, indisciplined characters, some ethically and morally so, who don’t have the slightest clue what it means to play for Man Utd, the most prestigious club in England alongside my own. Until that changes, you won’t even sniff another league title or European cup.
You mentioned Ten Hag overachieved last season - err, no he didn’t. United scraped into the top 4 because Liverpool took the season off, and though I congratulate you on winning the league cup, that should never be called overachievement for Man Utd. Factor into the mix that this squad has been put together at a cost of over a billion pounds, half of that spent by Ten Hag, and you have an even lesser argument that Ten Hag has overachieved.
Just a final thought from me - though Man Utd will always be a great club, and are still a pain in the backside as a rival, I’m just not concerned about them anymore - I don’t dread games against them like I did for years when they were under Ferguson. They might get better this throughout the season but I don’t think it’ll matter, they’ll still get a good number of pummelings from teams both technically and mentally superior. Though United are in a better place than Chelsea, who really are a rudderless ship, the most either are getting from this season is 5th and 6th.

2.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:05:31
I like your enthusiasm shappy, your posts are always a good read even for an LFC fan such as me. But to say Nani had ability you lost me. He was one of utds worst signings under SAF.

Anthony has been dreadful. All show no pony.

Good luck with the season be interesting to see how it pans out. I’m not as confident as you that Utd have improved but time will tell. For me you just seem to be shipping out players no longer good enough and replacing them with players who just aren’t good enough. But time will tell.

3.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:43:18
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Shappy

I was kinda optimistic but doubtful about Mason Mount to Man Utd, but I have no freaking idea what he's doing at Manchester United.

Eriksen, one of "your" better players has been benched for him and he's getting in Bruno's way. On top of that, you signed this kid who has 9 Serie A goals and less than 20 in his entire career.

The real feck up was the reams of money you dropped on the likes of Antony, etc., etc., in previous seasons.

What do you think of the coaching ETH is doing btw? It's insane how poor they looked in the past two games, but what's even more concerning is, I'm not seeing any developing patterns of play from United a season in. They made Wolves look like world-beaters.

Cometh Christmas, I can see pressure building up on ETH!

4.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:45:32
Good read and I rate the optimism, football is all about opinions anyway so you could well be right.

For me I can't see it though, last season from what all I saw it had all the hallmarks of the Ole false dawn in 2020/ 21. Some ok results covering up very average performances, and an inflated league position capitalising on a lot of top teams having terrible seasons. (Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs were worse last season than they were in 20/ 21).

I don't see any material improvement in your style of play under Ten Hag, his transfer business has been very poor and I think he's going to be found out big time this season. I honestly think you have a fight on for top 6.

5.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:52:21
Considering how poor they've been in the first couple of games it’s a given they will improve.
Can’t imagine they are going to have a good season though, the squad looks a mess and full of overpaid clowns.

6.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:55:56
You love to see it.

I remember United had a rare moment of sanity by asking Ralf Rangnick to help them review and redefine the football structure.

Instead they hired Ten Hag and kept the rest of the footballing operation as it was. The outcome was predictable. You should have listened to Ralf instead of turning him into a meme.

*I am more concerned about the direction our football structure is heading in with Klopp being given late-era Wenger levels of power at the club. I hope club nips this in the bud as the last few windows have been poor by LFC standards.

7.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 09:59:00
Ed001 posted a good opinion piece over on the Man Utd page as to why he thinks Man Utd have done poorly the past two games. But the main gist of it was because they committed the same mistake we did last season, by underbaking their pre-season and going on tour too early. So, most of the players are just not fit enough for the start of the season. It would be interesting to see if they manage to turn this around.

8.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 10:11:40
With regards to the Spurs game I think it was less about Utds fitness and more Spurs players gaining confidence after losing their captain, new tactics under a new manager with a couple of new players . Once Spurs settled they applied superior physicality, harassed and finished united off convincingly . Man United can on this evidence be bullied out of games, add that to a questionable team ethos and it could be a long and troubled season.

9.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 11:04:58
Imagine we'd signed mount instead of sczo though, I think I'd never watch us again ?.

10.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 11:26:20
Good read that Shappy and I actually agree, in part with some of your points

I think, as Ed 1 stated, fitness is a real issues for your team. As you say, first half isn't bad, better finishing required yes but the second half you seem to just tail off

Personally, I disagree with you over Anthony and Nani. When Nani played direct and with pace he looked dangerous, but how often did he really play like that?

As for Mount, I actually really like him but him and Fernandes seem to just get in each others way a lot - look both new team mates so might take a while to figure each others game out I guess

Interestingly, your real problem is on the right side - Sancho and Anthony both look clueless there out there. Would a solution to this simply be to play Mount there? I mean, he used to play there for Chelsea, used to play very advanced for them and his best numbers came from those advanced positions - I mean, the 4-3-3 you guys try is just wrong, surely you would be better using a similar formation to Spurs in 4-2-3-1? I mean your back 4 with 2 sitting cdms, Rashford on the left, Bruno as the 10, Mount on the right and a proper centre forward? Surely an idea?

No harm Shappy though ETH has spent an absolute fortune and has he addressed the issues all of you were complaining about on the Utd page before his arrival?
- Quality centre forward required
- Right wing poor
- Centre back injury concerns
- Goalkeeper - to be fair this was a concern but far too early to judge Onana, though I do agree with you he is far better than De Gea at coming for crosses and is excellent with his feet - just looks to have a mistake in him but far too early to judge

I mean despite all the funds spent, you really need a cdm to help Casemiro - guy cannot do it all himself. Another cb is required, can Martinez and Varane stay fit all season?

I agree, Rashford is far better out on the left but you need a striker - rotten luck the one you bought got injured, fans will simply not know if he is the answer until he plays, he might well be

The fact though remains, fans are fickle let's face it, if results continue in the vein the first 2 games have went or even if the team continues to play as poorly yet scrape a few results, the truth is the fans will not accept that from Manchester United - ETH will face pressure.

11.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 11:29:13
they have an awesome net spend tho. they'll be fine.

12.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 12:18:30
I heard a utd fan calling for ETH to be sacked yesterday. The season is two games old that’s what your up against.

13.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 13:05:29
United have no goals in the team, Rashford from the day he made his debut has been a streaky player. When he's not in a purple patch they just look toothless.

14.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 13:55:52
For all the lavish kissing of ten Hag's bottom and the ridiculous overhyping by the press, the elephant in the room last season was the money spent on Antony. Barely anything has been written about it, either at the time or even now.

A spectacular waste of time and money. You desperately needed goalscorers other than Rashford and you used all the funds that FFP will allow on some clown who twizzles round in circles. I could say the same for Sancho even though it was a few years ago.

The money spent on the likes of Casemiro and Anthony has hamstrung you. Now you've spent 70 million AGAIN on some lad who scored 7 goals in Serie A last year. Any bets it will be the same story there?

Mount, Onana and Martinez make sense for what it's worth. The rest of it is a shambles. No depth and completely imbalanced. United desperately needed signings in the right areas and they haven't done any of that. I think it could be a tough season to be honest.

15.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 17:17:27
AW with you completely they are in trouble and after their sabor waving last season over absolutely nothing they deserve all that comes to them.

16.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 18:02:53
I can’t comment too much on Utd but I do agree it is hilarious the stick Nunez gets for being expensive and (unfairly) compared to Haaland and Anthony gets away Scot free when he’s done next to nothing since joining. If you’re judged on your signings and those signings leading to success, then despite getting top 4 last year I don’t think Utd are off to a good start with ETH. Each to their own though.

17.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 18:27:49
Nunez had a decent season last year for the minutes played and the numbers he churned out . Haaland is just a joke he really is I don’t know if he’s human it’s totaly unfair .
Like taking a knife to a gunfight

But I do think with nunez their is something their and patience and time will pay dividends with that lad.