Well it does feel good to cap the season with a big trophy.... but only if LVG is fired Lane Kiffin style and forced to take his own transportation home from Wembly
BBC and The Telegraph are reporting Mourinho will be named the new manager this week, adding to the AS and BeIN reports this morning.
So what's everyone's thoughts on it now that it's being confirmed? I suppose I dont mind. I'm definitely excited to see LVG's boring style gone though. I'm sure that by 2019 there will be the patented Mourinho Meltdown, and hopefully Giggsy will be ready by then to be the next Fergie.
Although I would have preferred a manager with a more attacking style, I'm ecstatic. Nothing can be more boring than this year, and Mourinho is a proven winner. I really hope Giggs stays on. Going to be interesting to see who he hangs on to out of Schniederlin, Herrera, Mata, Schweinsteiger, Carrick, and Fellaini. I assume the last 3 are gone. Also curious how he solves the Memphis/Martial pairing out wide and if Rashford gets loaned provided we bring in a top flight #9.
Curious to see the budget Mourinho is given without CL football money. Financial Fair Play will be looking after a certain amount of purchases.
Carrick and Fellaini are def gone. Really hope Rashford stays and isn't loaned out. Unless we bring in 2 strikers I can't see him being loaned out due to depth reasons with Europa League.
Mourinho could bring in 1 striker and then move Martial inside (where I think he should play) so Memphis can actually play next year.
As much as I want Mata to stay, I don't see why Mourinho's feelings towards him would suddenly change.
#mounited im so excited would rather have martial out wide than memphis. martial's been so lethal out there. we need to find someone on the right side really. or have rashford on the right and a new striker up front (ibra?)
Have we seen Rashford out wide? He's got the pace though. Martial cutting in from the left wing was my favorite development of the season outside of Rashford.
Mata to me is just like Rooney in that when their "2016 selves" are utilized properly, they're still very good. Rooney's "new role" was on display today and I thought he was very effective in it. I'll be shocked if Mata stays though. Mourinho sent him packing from Chelsea (to us) in 2013. Can't imagine that relationship has improved with age.
Saw it when he first came up and they looked great (I can't remember what game). I believe it was Memphis on the left, Martial up top, and Rashford on the right. I think he played on the outside for the U-21s too.
With a 4-2-3-1 that Mourinho likes to play we could see something like this I guess depending on where you see players best fitting. -----Martial/Rashford----- --Memphis/Martial-Rooney--?-- ---Schneiderlin--?--- --Shaw--Smalling--?--Darmian-- Basically have huge holes at CB, CDM, and RM. Probably gonna add a strong #9 too.
Could throw Schweini in next to Schneiderlin and have him play more centrally next to Rooney in 4-1-4-1. DM isn't his best position but I don't really see the club getting rid of him after one season. Will definitely still need to purchase another DM with Schweini's injury history tho. Could also slot Blind in as the other DM with his defense and passing ability.
The Guardian is starting to report all the internal problems at the club. utdreport @utdreport 4m4 minutes ago Ashley Young was 'bemused and mildly horrified' earlier this year when told he was being given a role as a back-up centre-forward [guardian] utdreport @utdreport 7m7 minutes ago De Gea had separate issues with Frans Hoek [guardian] Manchester United @ManUtdUpdates_ 5m5 minutes ago Various Manchester United players talked between themselves about openly defying Louis van Gaal's tactics. [Guardian] #MUFC utdreport @utdreport 3m3 minutes ago Bastian Schweinsteiger's tendency to fly in and out of Germany for #mufc matches did not go down well [guardian] utdreport @utdreport 11m11 minutes ago Photo: Extract from @DTguardian on #mufc players ignoring emails from Van Gaal [guardian] Explains why he probably got so much playing time: utdreport @utdreport 1m1 minute ago Van Gaal appreciated the way Fellaini listened to orders when it was obvious other players wanted to use their own initiative [guardian]
boss turning on read receipts with timers? wow thats petty. would be amazing if that stuff could be confirmed. I think Carrick has earned the right to leave/retire now (assuming he wants to) and not have to play at all under Mou. THere will be some Mid tier team that could really use a carrick type influencer. Look at WBA and Fletcher, he played in 38 league games this year I think. No need to sell Mata. Chelsea was overcrowded with CAMs when he was there. We are not. I could still see Mou selling him if they don't see eye to eye which would be a shame. He was our best player not named Martial, Smalling, Blind, or De Gea
I would love to see Carrick stay, it would add a lot of depth in the defensive midfield. That said, I don't see him getting re-signed. Mata is done. Mourinho didn't like his work rate at Chelsea, and I don't see that changing.
IT'S OFFICIAL!!! LOUIS VAN GAAL LEAVES MANCHESTER UNITED (NYSE: MANU) Louis van Gaal is to leave Manchester United, with immediate effect. Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said: "I would like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA Cup for the club (and securing him a title in four different countries). He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future." A decision on a successor as manager will be announced soon. http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...-louis-van-gaal-leaves-manchester-united.aspx
Also read that they waited to make the official announcement until it near the closing time of the stock market.
From ESPN: Top Story: Zlatan's contract details emerge Zlatan Ibrahimovic heads the talk in the English newspapers on Wednesday, with the Swede tipped for a move to Manchester United given Jose Mourinho's imminent move to take the reigns at Old Trafford. The Mail reports that the former PSG forward makes up part of Mourinho's shopping list in the market and will command an astonishing £8 million signing-on fee and wages that could climb over £200,000-per-week. There is an obvious mutual respect between the pair since their brief spell together at Inter Milan and with the former PSG star available on a free transfer, the timing could not be better for them to rekindle their relationship and kick-start a revolution at United
I don't even get what that article is trying to say. There's nothing astonishing about an £8 million signing bonus when the player would be coming on a free transfer and £200,000 per week isn't shit either. Rooney gets £250,000 a week for fucks sake.
I think its a bit of a gamble myself. The guy is going to be 35 within the first month of the season next year and I'd rather see Rashford at striker with Rooney playing behind him anyway.
Saw one article that said Mourinho really liked Sadio Mane, but he is more naturally a LW which we already have too many of.
Zlatan is a top striker tho. Yes he's going to be 35 years old, but he literally just set PSG's single season scoring record with 38 goals this year. The dude can play and his injury history is immaculate. Money is a non-issue in this also because he would be coming on a free. They can still try to sign another top striker, although it may be difficult without CL next season. If a player like Zlatan wants to come here then you don't pass that opportunity up. It's a no risk, high reward situation imo.
I just wonder when the decline is going to be, and when it happens it usually happens fast. The scoring record is meh, the french league is so bad in comparison to the depth in the EPL. I understand it will be hard to get a top striker, but when Lukaku is out there saying he wants to come to Man U, I would much rather spend the money on a good 23 year old with tons of upside.