I refer the discerning reader to a thread I wrote after the Stoke game where I tongue-in-cheek suggested the meltdown would now commence and was lampooned by many who missed the point. But reading through this, I reckon I wasn't far wrong. We're ****e at the moment. Let's not pretend otherwise. Had one of those early chances pinged in against Villa we probably would have gone on to rack up a big score. But it would only have papered over the cracks, as the 6-1 win last season did. I've seen well run medium and large size businesses go down the pan and not because the managers/directors were no good. It was because key personnel left and were never adequately replaced so the under-fire managers were left trying the bricks without straw trick. So let's have a think. Does anyone on here seriously think we can't get the 20 points needed to avoid relegation? Assuming no-one wants to propose that, stick with the manager; don't panic buy and re-group. Our faith as supporters in the manager is irrelevant. The directors' faith is all that matters. If we are truly the modern football business model, as many claim, they'll know that there is no Messiah waiting round the corner. Ronald Koeman is all we thought he was - a straight talking manager for whom respect is based on his playing career and this honest trait we see. Sacking him is giving in to short-term ism - the death knell of business.
Far too much sense written there Lambo - what are you thinking? We should be top 4, we should be pushing Champions League because that's the next step. It's not acceptable that we've not progressed. #joking
People are saying that it is odds on the Man U manager is likely to be sacked before Ron! Surely in truth neither will be Sacked. We are crap at the moment no doubt. A lesson perhaps for the powers that be that buying cheap is not the way forward. (I refer to Rons jibe of spending more money) I wouldn't have thought anyone would disagree that not too many of our recent signings have hit the ground running. Can we afford to actually wait for them to get up to speed? The transfer market is a few weeks away it could be interesting.........
United have chosen the wrong man in Van Gaal....he is a man who wants to grind out results rather than play with flair...and even that's not working. He is also seriously annoying in interviews (and may even be slightly mad). He is also a crap man manager...let's face it he managed to rile our Ron (and he's pretty even tempered...having lost his cool with only one other manager so far). But....big 'but' coming....can they afford to sack him?
Time for some Dutch courage. I will make sure I have had a good few glasses of scotch prior to the Tottenham game.
Van Gaal's main issue is the fact he got rid of Van Persie, Welbeck, Hernandez and Wilson. He will be a muppet for eternity in my eyes after doing that. If he hadn't done that then things would most likely be very different for Van Gaal and Manchester United right now.
On Koeman, let's see where things stand after the next two games. Particularly after West Ham, if he makes it that far. If we lose the next three then the table isn't going to look good at all, we could be 16th or 17th. He is in danger of getting sacked if he loses the next two, or three. The next four are losable the way we're playing. I hope we win them all, but things don't look good at the moment. Perhaps games at home against two top five teams is what we need, people will expect us to lose the way we're playing. Maybe that will take the pressure off the players and they will play well. Sadly, that might only be the case for the attackers. Our defence tends to look like deer in the headlights in these type of games, hence why we have a very poor record against sides high in the table. I hope Gazzaniga's positive performance can rub off on the squad, hopefully he retains his place and has a stormer against Spurs.
Hashtag not required. Sorry, I came over all reasonable there for a moment. Obviously our inability to beat the worst Premier club I have seen for a very long time was down to ill fortune; ditto that almost-promising-but-ultimately-not-good-enough performance against a slightly mis-firing City, and the 6-1 against Liverpool was refereeing error. Do you think I'm getting the hang of this? Oh, and sack Koeman, of course, and do it this week.
So we can sign more players that need to adapt to the league? I am pretty fed up like everyone that Saints are going through a bad patch at the moment but I am amazed at all this talk of Ronald being sacked. I think that's crazy. If we need stability in the squad we certainly need it in the manager. I would say on the whole we've done pretty well buying cheap. I think Ronald will sort it out and find the players shooting boots, as scoring goals seems to be our main problem.......perhaps he's got them some for Christmas.
I think we realise that Ron isn't a miracle worker and can only work with what he has got, but (like you) I see his position as very safe. The main problem with the team is confidence and shooting accuracy...we are creating chances. If we weren't, I'd be really worried, but, as long as you lose by only the one goal, you will win games as well.
You're quite right regarding chances Fran. Those last two games could very well easily have been a win against Villa and a draw against Palace. Now that might have been papering over some cracks a little, but we wouldn't be here having these conversations now.
Agree completely. Not to mention that - though he is truly international - he would have a high chance of going to one of our rivals in the PL, which would be madness. The guy knows what he's doing - he's one of the games biggest winners.
Yes, should they be laughing and looking at an area south of your face, that's when you should be worried.
Last season we won our "mini-league" but we are far from having the financial clout to challenge for CL places presently. If we drop a few places this season, it's not the end of the world. How many seasons of continuous improvement can we produce? If you look at how few points we are behind 6th I don't understand how even considering ditching RK makes sense- and what short memories some have. No plan B? That was the constant refrain regarding Poch, who also disrespected the cup competitions. We are living within our means and will spend what we can as revenues increase, but in the meantime I don't see a dip in form as anything other than the regression to the mean.
