How United's coaching staff as a whole, have made their mark. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-solskjaer-phelan-carrick-15679710
I was actually rooting for Spurs to win the title over City and Pool but I guess City winning is better than Pool.
You almost have to feel bad for Spurs and the massive hits they've taken on lately, with their midfield and attack in pretty bad shape right now: - Kane sidelined for a month. - Son on international duty at the Asian Cup. - Dier and Wanyama injured. - Dembele sold to China. That is alot to deal with all at once tbh and they need to somehow ride this period, with their title hopes, but also top 4 ones on the line (although them falling out might be to our advantage in a couple of fronts). Honestly though, there is a possible solution available to them at Carrington atm and it's Rossi. According to everyone who has seen him train, he looks to be pretty sharp. Even if he can't carry Tottenham's attack, he does not really need if Llorente, Alli, Lucas Moura, Lamela at least do their part. But it is an option Poch and Levy should jump on. It's right there for them: wouldn't be the worst thing imo. Plus he could be the option Spurs have been looking as a viable backup to Kane once he returns. Finally. Available for nothing too btw...
Current Standings for Top 4 race after 22 games Code: PTs GD Spurs 48 +24 Chelsea 47 +23 Arsenal 41 +14 Man Utd 41 +12 Prem games thru February: Code: Man Utd Arsenal Chelsea Spurs 19/20-Jan Brighton H Chelsea H Arse A Fulham A 20/30-Jan Burnley H Cardiff H Bournemouth A Watford H 2/3-Feb Leicester A ManCity A Huddersfield H Newcastle H 9/10-Feb Fulham A Hudderfield A ManCity A Leicester H 23/24-Feb Liverpool H Southampton H Brighton H Burnley A 27-Feb Palace A Bournemouth H Spurs H Chelsea A
We have to watch for Leicester and Pool but every game is winnable. We need Bailly back Smalling to get healthy.
Not sure who posted the original piece but I followed a link on an article posted and supposedly though he can't buy any players OGS wants to send McT on loan and sell Fellani as he can't work them into his rotation.
I'm not so sure. I'd put money on us scoring more goals against teams outside the top six than Chelsea. Just a matter of whether or not our defense decides to get its shit together. Things change if Chelsea acquires a competent striker though. Jan/Feb will be a key period for us to make up ground before a stretch of difficult games.
Truth is at this juncture, if we are gunning for Chelsea, we also have Spurs (who are just one point ahead of them) in our sights as well. The fact is that Spurs are in trouble, unless they make a move for a striker, just like Chelsea. It's not going to be easy and knock on wood, we'll be spared any bad luck in the months ahead, but I like our position better than Chelsea, Spurs (and Arsenal), teams that all look to be trending downwards, with us going the other way and gathering more momentum. The key, first and foremost, is to handle our business in the next 4 league games: they're not gimmes, but they are all winnable all the same. If we can do that, get our fringe players going as well, that will be the perfect springboard going into the very difficult games coming in March. By then though, the look of the table could be completely different. We can realistically look at 3rd place and I think we'll give ourselves a chance, based on what we've seen from the team and coaching staff in recent weeks. Ole said that after our win vs Spurs, there is a real sense of belief in the squad now and I think they'll keep pushing on.
The possibility of United land in the top three by season's end no longer can be ruled out. Incredible. Imagine if we had sacked Jose and brought in Ole a month earlier.
We are going to donnish ahead of arsenal regardless. They're wildly outperforming their data this year. Results are now starting to tend towards data. I'm not sure what the hell is wrong with Emery but not playing Ozil is costing them. They create just 12 shots a game. That's halfway down the table and with their defence, they are lucky not to be 9 points worse than they are around the Watfords and West Hams of the league. They had no depth before. They are absolutely teetering in the edge. Data also says they've been fortunate - out shooting their xG by 50%. With Son, Kane, Moura and Sissokho out, I'm not sure they can avoid playing Llorente who is the anti Kane. Loads of pressure on Delli and Ericksen and I guess Lamela.
Goal difference is deceptive. The simplest way totgain 6 points on them, we need to win two matches in rounds they lose. That's minimum -2 for them, +2 for us. Realistically, catching up 6 points should be worth 5 to 7 in goal difference and could be worth more given our form.
Ole has brought back a feeling of entitlement at United. www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/soccer/terrace-talk-man-united--a-strange-sense-of-entitlement-returns-898912.html Not a huge fan of a sense of entitlement, but there's a swagger that has returned for the first time in quite a while. And it feels good.
The word “entitlement” is used here (by the author of the article) in a completely unrecognizable sense. No United supporter suddenly feels “entitled” or suffers from “entitlement” now. Expectations have been raised. There’s excitement in the air. United are “back”, so to speak. We have an uphill climb of course but it suddenly seems doable we can climb back into fourth or even third. And it’s fun watching the boys play again. But no one feels a sense of “entitlement” at Old Trafford.
United's recent improvement cannot detract fans from Pool and City's successes. www.espn.com/soccer/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/3756251/man-uniteds-win-streak-cant-distract-fans-from-liverpool-man-city-successes When it's all said and done, we are where are and there's nothing that can be done about it now. All we can do is look to the future and keep on working and doing what needs to be done to get us back to where we were. Pool and City are currently enjoying success and that ought to be enough of an incentive for United to get things right. It's also important for us fans to be patient. Granted given the last 5yrs, it may be a tall ask, but for the first time since SAF left, we finally appear to be headed in the right direction. And if we stay the course and keep on making the right moves, we'll probably get there sooner rather than later. Do hope that this is it for us (the light at the end of a long tunnel).
Our slate for the next 8wks: - 2/3 @ Leicester (EPL) - 2/9 @ Fulham (EPL) - 2/12 PSG (CL) - 2/15 @ Chelsea (FA) - 2/24 Pool (EPL) - 2/27 @ Crystal Palace (EPL) - 3/2 Soton (EPL) - 3/6 @ PSG (CL) - 3/9 @ Arsenal (EPL) - 3/16 City (EPL) - 3/30 Watford (EPL) Bring it on and let the fun continue, as Ole outlines his goals for the remainder of the season. www.bbc.com/sport/football/47035494
In terms of expectations, including today's game vs Burnley, there are 27pts on offer in the league until the end of March. If we can pick up 21 to 23 of them minimum, which is entirely reasonable, it will be a solid return and I believe should be more than enough to see us comfortably into the top 4. The FA Cup at the Bridge and our CL tie vs PSG are both winnable, but still hard to call at this juncture, CL tie particularly (I do expect us to go to the Bridge and beat them). We'll see how things are shaping up the closer we get to them, but anything literally is possible (which is more than we say a little while back, especially when the PSG tie was first announced). The key really will be for players in the periphery at the moment, to step up in the coming weeks, in order to provide Ole with some viable options. Lukaku and Sanchez have answered the call upfront vs Arsenal and the hope is that they can keep proving to be reliable. Guys like AP, Fred in midfield (plus Mata), and Smalling, Dalot, Darmian (and even Jones to a certain extent) at the back need to get themselves up to speed (or stay ready in some cases). Because with games coming thick and fast, rotation and keeping guys fresh will be absolutely key, if we have any hopes of a strong finish for the season and reaching the goals we have now set for ourselves. Which are: top 3-4 finish in the league, a significant and possible winning run in the FA Cup, anything in the CL if we get past PSG will be gravy.
Lyon show Ole and United how to go at PSG at Old Trafford. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...er-manchester-united-champions-league-ligue-1 As previously stated, there are some matchups you simply have to love for United. Notably our front 3 of Martial, Lingard and Rashford against PSG's backline. The midfield battle should be interesting as well, but with everyone playing up to their normal capabilities, we should be coming out on top as well. The obvious area where we're clearly overmatched is in defense against a still superb attack, even without Neymar. We still have more of a chance if Bailly and Lindelöf start at the heart of the defense, as opposed to Jones. But the back 5 will have to be at the top of their game in both legs, for us to have any real chance in this tie. Not going to be easy, but they can get it done.
It took 8 years? 📆 January 2011 ⏩ January 2019#FlashbackFriday #MUFC pic.twitter.com/VL4eR1BPqS— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 8, 2019
last winner with the manager from the same club. would have thought Robin van Persie would have won it at some point
Interestingly enough, since Berba won it in Jan 2011, we've had only 3 EPL Players of the Month: RvP (Dec 2012), Martial (September 2015) and now Rashford.
Who would have believed it ... - now top 4 now on merit, ahead of both Arse and Chelsea on same games played - superior goal-difference to Chelsea (who got spanked by City) - superior goal-difference to Arsenal (who could only beat bottom team Huddersfield by a goal) Great job by Ole, the staff and the players. Some difficult games ahead, but Is in our own hands now
in terms of form over the last 6/7 games we are unmatched in the league. again people will say it is only x or only y but we are #1 on the form guide for a reason. if the current pace is sustainable we may be able to get 3rd