Sad. I recorded the game. Thought I accidentally saw that we had 3-0 lead flipping through social media. Got home. Saw the first goal. Was confused. Then realized i read the score wrong. Deleted game. Likely cancelling all ManU recordings. Thankfully football starts soon and I need to find a new soccer team to support.

There's a lot of teams I support with a wide range of owner types and all of caused more pain than joy. All.

I don't disagree that it's uncommon. It takes an owner or ownership group willing to do it. It takes a more than competent sports executive to manage the player process with very smart people behind the scenes feeding the sports exec data they can do something with. It takes an on field manager on the same page as the sports exec and it takes some measure of luck to have the players on the same page.

I have been following the Astros for 45 plus years. They have lucked into various willing windows but I think only the Crane/Lunhow/Hinch period had it all. Right now I don't think the executive and manager are on the same page and it's frustrating.

Dre_00 said:

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And then you feel this nonsensical, ridiculous feeing of stoic, honorable devotion. That you're supposed to endure this misery for years if necessary as that's the only honorable response. If you don't, then you're not allowed to experience joy at some point in the future.

Seriously there is nothing worse than sports and yet…here I am. Rationally aware that it's so ****ing stupid and yet unable to stop. I'm not going to deny my kids an interest in sports but I'm definitely not going to actively stoke it either.

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Damn, you absolutely nailed it there.

ten Hag cancelled today's day off. He appears to think it's as much a discipline/morale issue as a tactical issue. And his almost certainly at least partially right. I don't think he can/should spend much time correcting that within a given player. If they don't show signs of responding and improving immediately on both fronts, then bench and/or get rid of them. Play the u-23 team. I bet Garner, Hannibal and Zidane will be a hell of a lot more teachable. Yes you run the risk of throwing them to the wolves that is the 24/7 football media which will gladly write 15 articles a day to get the clicks. But I don't see any other way he can start to shift the mindset/culture of the club given the incompetence above him. It's a small chance of success but if he could cobble together a team from the first team and U-23s that has the right mentality even at the expense of individual skill…and if that team actually had some success (or at least was capable of improving relatively quickly and performing better than 4-0 to Brentford which let's face it…is a low bar to clear) then maybe he can say to players and the incompetence above him "See, this **** works. Now just imagine if I actually had players with more skill and/or a higher ceiling".

A lot to ask of ETH and a lot of ifs, but I don't see any other more likely path to something that resembles success.

I think that is the right approach. The older players on the team have largely peaked in talent and seem to no longer care. Bring in youth and mix with a few first team guys. Might be holding breath for relegation but seems that is in the cards regardless.

Yeah it's risky and I do believe that ETH deserves time but he's not going to get as much as he deserves after those last two performances. I don't think he has the luxury of giving players time. I'm not sure how short is too short but by the end of the transfer window seems about right. For players that he's seen since late June/early July, that would be the entirety of pre-season plus 5 league games to make an assessment on a player's ability, mentality, and growth potential. Weigh the three together and pick the best team even if it comes at more short term pain.

Harry McGuire should never see the field again, and if he does it damn well better not be as captain. You want your captain to show the most effort on the pitch, not be the worst player with least effort.

If we hadn't loaned Henderson I'd agree with De Gea. But he can't be recalled and I have no desire to see Tom Heaton play 40+ games this season. Don't think there's anything at the U-23 level in that position either.

I'm not saying they should start every game but no reason why Hannibal, Garner, Garnacho, etc. shouldn't be getting 1st team minutes in September if the roster stays the same. And it likely will for the most part. Hell…play Bailly at this point.

Aston94 said:

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De Gea
McGuire
Shaw
McTominay
Rashford
Ronaldo

Should all be sold over next two weeks, blow it up and play younger players who want to be there and give a damn.

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I have not watched them this year....has Shaw been that bad?

The rest I am on board with....I would add Fred and Wan Bissaka

AWB for sure. Fred can be above average. He can also be abhorrent. If ETH thinks he can work with him, then keep him. We can't realistically dump everyone. I only really saw the opening game against Brighton where Shaw was average at best. I wouldn't be in a hurry to dump him but I wouldn't object if he left. In any case, he's not going anywhere with Telles out on loan.

In other news, Garner is apparently for sale for between 15-20 million. I legitimately don't understand why you would sell a 21 year old playing in a position of obvious need. Item number 3,134,107 of things this club has done that I don't understand.

Dre_00 said:

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AWB for sure. Fred can be above average. He can also be abhorrent. If ETH thinks he can work with him, then keep him. We can't realistically dump everyone. I only really saw the opening game against Brighton where Shaw was average at best. I wouldn't be in a hurry to dump him but I wouldn't object if he left. In any case, he's not going anywhere with Telles out on loan.

In other news, Garner is apparently for sale for between 15-20 million. I legitimately don't understand why you would sell a 21 year old playing in a position of obvious need. Item number 3,134,107 of things this club has done that I don't understand.

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Sell Garner? Hell, let's play him, like a lot.

Fred has a good motor, and really works hard. I am more for cutting out the malaise that has taken over the team rather than being concerned about talent at this point. The drop off in talent isn't so severe that players who constantly look like they are playing half ass shouldn't be sold just because they are technically more talented.

Cut out the cancer, finish 10-12 for a couple seasons and rebuild the thing.

Exactly. He's 21 and while I'm sure he's a little "WTF is going on at this club", he's been at United since he was 8. I would bet that he's itching to prove himself and that he actually gives a **** about the club. Throw in the fact he can still improve (maybe) and that's 2 of the 3 things we need most…growth potential and mentality.

He played very well for a Championship club that got promoted last season and who wanted him back on loan this season. Rumors are 2-3 teams are interested in buying him and while I have no idea who those 2-3 teams are, I can almost guarantee that those teams are at worst, United's peers. Because there aren't more than 2-3 teams that I would label as below United's ability at the moment. OK so his natural position in midfield is more advanced than our most pressing need but my goodness I'm certain he could at least push his peers, give them some competition and get a decent amount of minutes.

Selling him would be absurd. So I'm sure they will.

Apparently we are getting ready to loan out Hannibal. Why? Play him. What the hell else are we going to do?

Fantastic thread about the horribleness of the Glazers.

After Manchester United’s awful start to the season, the focus has once again turned to the Glazers. This thread will look at some of the reasons why the club’s fans might be unhappy with their owners – from a financial perspective #MUFC

— Swiss Ramble (@SwissRamble) August 16, 2022

Matheus Cunha (Atetlico) has apparently said No to United's transfer. I mean why would he leave a team that goes deep in the Champions League year for this crap?

Y'all take it easy on us this coming Monday, okay?

Our objective is to get your players to head butt us and get sent off. Maybe if we can get it to 11v7 we will have a chance. Maybe.

The problem is that our player most susceptible to this strategy is already banned from the match. I guess maybe the headbutting could be contagious, but that seems pretty risky.

Our best central midfield pairing is McFred. We are clearly not averse to high risk strategies with low probability of success.

Y'all's prayers have been answered. He should start by firing Lord Maguire.

Also, I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 17, 2022

Don't give me hope

Elon shirposting about EPL results and causing United stocks to fluctuate wildly is some weird fever dream.

If he buys the team, do we get a free pass to root for someone else?

PatAg said:

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If he buys the team, do we get a free pass to root for someone else?

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If the devil spawn of Marge Schott and Bud Adams bought the team and allowed it to be run correctly I would root for them.

Mathguy64 said:

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PatAg said:

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If he buys the team, do we get a free pass to root for someone else?

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If the devil spawn of Marge Schott and Bud Adams bought the team and allowed it to be run correctly I would root for them.

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This is the correct opinion.
Gimme players I enjoy watching play, in a system that makes sense.

Rabiot deal is off as he wanted a salary comparable to Bruno's. I'm fine with that. No use overpaying for a guy that doesn't actually solve a need.

But we're in the last 2 weeks of this transfer window and United have been absolutely demolished and exposed in their first two games. Now, they are either going to get no one or they are going to have to pay through the nose for someone to convince them to come. And frankly, anyone who comes simply for the money is probably going to add to the cultural problem within the club/team not help fix it.

This is what happens when you **** up the first two months of your transfer window and it's so rage inducing that after so many years, we still haven't figured that out. The new decision makers are making the same elementary mistakes as the old ones and the owners are still making the wrong choices as to who should make these decisions. 15 years of this bull*****

I highly doubt these next two weeks are going to go well. I'm pretty sure they'll make signings because they are scared ****less of how it will look if they don't but they will absolutely be the wrong signings. There are probably like 3 people in all of soccer right now who are at the cross section of makes the team better, doesn't require a stupid salary to play for United, and actually values the club and there's no way that these people are going to find them.

United are looking at Pulisic on loan. Rumor is he "prefers" United even though Newcastle, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid are also interested. I usually doubt it when anyone says a player prefers United because...why in the hell would they...but United is the option that probably gets him the most playing time before Qatar with the least risk of not getting it, it's just a loan so he isn't committing himself to the **** show that is United, and if memory serves me correctly, he grew up as a Manchester United fan.

https://theathletic.com/3515717/2022/08/17/pulisic-manchester-united-transfer/

I'll allow this.

That's nice. But CP doesn't exactly fit a position of need.

The athletic is reporting it, so it's probably legit news, right?

Supposedly want Casemiro from RM since the FDJ saga's neverending.

Only took 2 games this time for the players to start kneecapping the new manager. Thinks a new record.

Some #mufc players feel Ten Hag's approach does not suit their skill set and they would favour a more pragmatic approach against Liverpool [@samuelluckhurst]

— United Zone (@ManUnitedZone_) August 17, 2022