Furlock Bones said:

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I continue to dislike Onana.

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Because he only stopped one pk?

Didnt even watch the PKs. So no. You can see my same comments in last years thread. He is an average goal keeper. Poor footwork and instincts. Makes regular saves look harder than they are.

Furlock Bones said:

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Didnt even watch the PKs. So no. You can see my same comments in last years thread. He is an average goal keeper. Poor footwork and instincts. Makes regular saves look harder than they are.

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Cool. I continue to dislike your takes.

He isn't my favorite keeper but he did nothing wrong today.

Ok.

Aston94 said:

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AWB doesn't make roster for today's game so must be close to done.

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Gave him a ride to London and then told him to go find a new job and don't come back. Rough.

I couldn't catch the game but sounds like it wasn't a fantastic performance by either team (understandable) but United had some spells and some good perfumes of play. I'm fine with a loss on PKs if that's actually accurate.

Dre_00 said:

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I couldn't catch the game but sounds like it wasn't a fantastic performance by either team (understandable) but United had some spells and some good perfumes of play. I'm fine with a loss on PKs if that's actually accurate.

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First half was dull, City controlled. Second half United looked much better and should have won, but moment of brilliance sent it to pks.

Losing a match because Johnny Evans misses a pk is never going to bother me too much.

Onana is bang average

So that's...

Zirkzee, Yoro, De Ligt, and Mazraoui in

Varane, Martial, Greenwood, Kambwala, Alvaro Fernandez, Van de Beek, Forson, Brandon Williams out.

That's not too shabby really. I liked Kambwala but Yoro is a sizable improvement in skill/ability right now with a much higher ceiling. De Ligt has had his struggles but still an improvement on Varane if only because he's 7 years younger and not made of glass. None of the other departures had a future at the club, Zirkzee is unlikely to be worse than Martial and Mazraoui is an improvement (at least offensively) at right back and provides some better cover at RB when Shaw and Malacia inevitably pick up season ending injuries.

Let's see if there's any additional work to be done but that seems a decent summer.

Thunder18 said:

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Onana is bang average

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I would say he's an average shot stopper who unfortunately has high peaks and low valleys when it comes to making saves. I'm anxious to see how he does this year in contributing to play and the build-up. I don't think his greatest asset was given a good platform last year due to the combination of defenders who are uncomfortable with the ball or playing too far from their goal and a light midfield. If players are healthy, there should be more players with the right profile to maximize his best skill. We shall see.

Dre_00 said:

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Aston94 said:

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AWB doesn't make roster for today's game so must be close to done.

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Gave him a ride to London and then told him to go find a new job and don't come back. Rough.

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Not sad to see him go. Dude is a great on ball defender, and made some memorable plays locking specific guys up on occasion, but his spatial defending was routinely prone to completely losing his man which lead to several goals I can think of at the top of my head. To say nothing of his ineptitude creating chances on the other end of the pitch. Mazraoui should be an upgrade offensively for sure and also in his spatial defending and awareness. Just my $.02

Just so we are clear, this is the goal Onana should have evidently saved:

Onana has to move to the near post because Bobb has the ball near the touchline. Bobb passes it to a frankly almost perfect location to pretty much center edge of the goal area, and Silva heads it towards the far post.

And I know you didn't watch the game, but if we are ignoring penalties, this was evidently the big mistake from Onana. I don't see it, personally. I guess he could have not done anything, but then when Bobb cuts back and scores near post, we would (rightfully imo) be complaining that Onana was asleep and not doing anything to try to stop an imminent goal threat.

Now, this was also the only shot on target (I think), but essentially Onana was a non-entity today; there wasn't anything to do until PKs (where he and Ederson both saved 1 each).

And just to have some positivity, Casemiro had a rough start to the game and was losing the ball quite a lot. But he had a quite good final 2/3 of the match. The Garnacho goal was also really good; threads it in.

Actually, here were the highlights from YouTube; when I said Casemiro's start was bad… I wasn't kidding. He got better I promise!

Don't disagree...was just trying to make a joke.

Watched some extended highlights and indeed there were some very good passages of play. Even neutral writers commenting that it was a good performance by United and they can consider the Community Shield a success (good performance, no injuries). A few United beat writers discussing Casemiro positively.

Romano is writing this morning that United still prefer Ugarte but won't pay PSG's price unless they move McTominay or Casemiro (which sounds like the valuation isn't the issue but rather PSR or not having the money is). Claims Berge and Amrabat are Plan B options if Ugarte doesn't work. All else being equal, I'd personally prefer Amrabat as he started to play well towards the end of the season when he got fit and a run of games. Also shouldn't take long for him to get up to speed relative to Berge.

lol Shaw is out till at least the 1st international break with a calf strain.

Honestly, just sell him and get a LB who can run without pulling something. All the talent in the world does nothing if you can't stay healthy and he clearly is incapable of staying healthy.

A calf strain from what? The only Euro he played in was the final and he only played in like half of that match.

Occurred when he returned to United for pre-season.

No realistic chance they sell him. But they need to go get his long term replacement next summer at the latest. He's 29 and his injury problems aren't going to go away. Let him run-out his contract as a spot starter if the stars align and he manages to stay fit once in a while. But time to start planning your starting 11 with someone else at LB.

Those Marcos Alonso rumors make more sense now. United looking for some cheap LB options. Wondering what ETH does on Friday. Doubt he'll start with Amass. I'm guessing he'll hope Mazraoui remembers the Ajax plan and thow him in at RB with a few days notice and then move Dalot to LB.

De Ligt signing is official

Noussair official now as well.

Dre_00 said:

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lol Shaw is out till at least the 1st international break with a calf strain.

Honestly, just sell him and get a LB who can run without pulling something. All the talent in the world does nothing if you can't stay healthy and he clearly is incapable of staying healthy.

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Big part of capability is the ability to actually play

https://www.football365.com/news/man-utd-sancho-wants-to-join-psg-huge-salary-offer-ratcliffe-sets-silly-asking-price

Supposedly PSG are offering a 14.5m GBP salary to Sancho and United are now asking for a 51m GBP transfer fee...likely not a coincidence that's what PSG are demanding for Ugarte.

If Sancho has legitimately come to terms with potentially staying at United, then I see no reason for United to not play hard ball with PSG. Sure, it might all blowup in United's face on Sept 2nd if Sancho gets pissed about not playing, or whatever. But I'd take that risk over letting him move for cheap to PSG. Basically this seems like a situation in which neither team really wants the player they have, but also don't want to give up that player on the cheap to the other. They should just agree to a Sancho for Ugarte "swap" but who knows.

My guess is that Sancho is probably about as excited about staying at United as Ugarte is about staying at PSG.

Call your lineup for tomorrow night's game. I'll go with...


Rashford-----Bruno---Mount-----Amad

---------Mainoo-------Casemiro-----------

Dalot--Lisandro--Maguire--Mazraoui--

----------------Onana-------------------------

Zirkzee and Garnacho come on as subs on at the 60th minute mark or so.

Ugarte was left at home for PSG's 1st game. Romano claims his top priority is United and PSG claims others are interested...but haven't heard even a rumor that named an interested team other than United.

Feel like this coupled with United apparently telling Eriksen he's free to leave this summer means there's a reasonable chance Ugarte makes the move over to United...but it might be right at the deadline. Still not entirely sure how his profile fits into the squad. Runs around a lot, presses, and tackles but pretty horrible at passing and ball progression. Ball progression is going to rest solely on Mainoo and the defenders.

21 starts today! LFG!

There's no perfect answer, but I think Garnacho and Amad have to start. I'd put Marcus at 9, Bruno at 10, Mazraoui left, Dalot right, Mount bench. Rest same.

I know Marcus doesn't like playing 9. He likes being on the bench even less. Until he starts producing again, thems the breaks.

Edit: I also have de Ligt over Maguire. Could very well be wrong on that since he's had about 3 days of training.

Game day!

New year. Hoping this is the year we make a huge leap in mentality. Toughen and smarten up.

Showstopper said:

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There's no perfect answer, but I think Garnacho and Amad have to start. I'd put Marcus at 9, Bruno at 10, Mazraoui left, Dalot right, Mount bench. Rest same.

I know Marcus doesn't like playing 9. He likes being on the bench even less. Until he starts producing again, thems the breaks.

Edit: I also have de Ligt over Maguire. Could very well be wrong on that since he's had about 3 days of training.

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It's my opinion (and I know EtH is reading it) but if Rashford is loafing around not joining in to help his team I would pull him early in the second half. set the tone for the season.

Lineup:
Onana
Dalot-Maguire-Martinez-Masraoui
Casemiro-Mainoo-Mount
Amad-Bruno-Rashford

Bench
Bayindir
Evans
De Ligt
Mctominay
Collyer
Eriksen
Garnacho
Antony
Zirzee

Showstopper said:

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Lineup:
Onana
Dalot-Maguire-Martinez-Masraoui
Casemiro-Mainoo-Mount
Amad-Bruno-Rashford

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was just coming to post.

it's certainly a lineup. why is Garnacho on the bench?

Furlock Bones said:

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Showstopper said:

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Lineup:
Onana
Dalot-Maguire-Martinez-Masraoui
Casemiro-Mainoo-Mount
Amad-Bruno-Rashford

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was just coming to post.

it's certainly a lineup. why is Garnacho on the bench?

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ETH may just think Garnacho is still getting back from break and he has options at that position. Rashford and Amad didn't play internationally.

he didn't even put Sancho in the lineup. i guess they are doing a deal to move him.