Don't panic! I'm talking about United. I would have posted this on their board but if I did I'd only be called a WUM (amongst other things). Whilst watching the CL final I believe I saw United unravel as both a side and a squad. I don't believe that this was solely down to Barca. My mind returned to the end of our era of dominance and I saw loads of similarities: - poor squad over achieving - too many players coming to the end of their careers or past their best before date (VDS, Scholes, Giggs, Ferdinand) - a burnt out manager. - a general malaise of exhaustion. This coming season will be very interesting. If I am right then it will not matter who they bring in the whole atmosphere within the club will become depressive and the results will suffer. Now I am not saying that they will not be competititve. Last season their title was given them by their opponents as much as their own performances. I doubt that Chelsea and Arsenal will want to repeat their mistakes. City may improve their consistancy.(For visiting supporters - NO I am not predicting anything more from LFC than a more competitive challenge). I just truly believe that the tide has turned for Utd. Call me a fatalist if you will but I doubt that there is little that they can actually do about it. Well that's what I think. What are your thoughts? During that final it was clear that freguson had no answer - neither did his staff.
I think it really depends on who they can bring in over the summer to replace the players that have retired. They still have the "Man Utd" factor, as I like to call it, where teams walk onto the pitch expecting to lose and thus don't really put up much of a fight, even when leading 2-0 at HT they go into ultra defensive mode and let them right back into the game. If any of the big clubs actually show up this season then I think the League is theirs! Complete shambles from every club this season, United were just the best of the worst! I will say though that once whiskey nose leaves, I think they'll decline fairly sharpish!
You forget that while United won the league last season we did so not playing very well ( albeit unbeaten at home ) yet still won eventually at a canter from Chelsea, City and Arsenal. None of which are weak sides. I fully expect us to be a level above what we were last season next year and I cant see how anyone will come close to use. Chelsea and City cannot spend money if they fancy playing in Europe after next season and Arsenal just never click. Liverpool have some work to do. next year will be number 20, Im very very confident about it. We are great at rebuilding squads and this isnt the first time older players have moved on and we have recovered and come back stronger than ever.
Or do as Liverpool did under Shankly and the Paisley. Paisley had a fantastic dynasty to work with created by Shankly and i see many many similarities with Fergie and Shanks. We could easily get mourniho ( which is very likely ) and continue to dominate only with the added european element.
Before the final I never believed United could of won it, not only were Barcelona the best team in the world, but Manchester United's squad was clearly overachieving. Too many older players, past their peaks, too many 'average' players, not enough 'spark'. This isn't a attack on the club, I just think that they won the league because of the demise of their competitors, not despite them. However, I don't believe this is the end, they still have a fairly stable base squad, they are in need of strengthing, and they are spending money and seem more active in the transfer window. United supporter's may claim Fergie had the squad prepared for the season when the winter transfer window opened, but the truth was he was a bit more than a little lucky that Chelsea were going through a difficult time. He knew his team still had what it takes to at least finish the season with silverware. It was more like he took a gamble, had Arsenal not made the mistakes they did they could of easily finished above United, but they made the mistakes, and Ferguson was able to squeeze yet another year out of a squad in need of some attention. With the signings of De Gea, the goalkeeper issue is likely to be solved. However I think they need to look for replacements for the likes of Evra, Giggs, Park, Scholes and Berbatov. Even if they choose to promote a reserve/substitute player, but for me I think they should of introduced more younger talent rather than sticking with the veterans, sure your almost guaranteed to win the title this year, but next year you have to take an even bigger gamble when it comes to first team spots etc.
I fully expect you to be at the same level next season. What I doubt is that Chelsea, City and Arsenal will make the same mistakes as they did last season. If they do improve their squads then I believe that you will suffer. There comes a time for ALL clubs when the fates turn against them. It has happened to us and it has also happened to you. I have a gut feeling that 20 may be more than a few seasons off for you. I totally accept that we have some work to do but we have already started and we will improve. I doubt that you will see too many "this is our year" posts on this board but you will see a renewed sense of optimism about what is possible and how we are going about it.
bet this will have them reeling http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/54270-ashley-young-deal-hits-the-rocks?p=569013#post569013
There is a major difference here. Shankly and Paisley developed together. When Ferguson goes, there is no internal successor - no heir apparent - who truly understands the club. Mourinho would not be evolution, it would be revolution. Such a move could well lead to a Leeds-Clough situation.
U19R A dynasty is built and then secured and strengthened by carrying on in the same way with the same traits and procedures. imho that will only work for utd after the govan gob retires if one of his former players takes the helm. Mourhino's type of management is based on on all the opposites of fergies.
While other clubs have been erm......stagnated or in Citys case hilarious over the past few seasons we have been quietly building for the future.
U19R Would you really like to have Mourinho as manager? I know you can say that success is the most important thing but Utd had success with a fluid attacking style and proved it can be done. Mourinho's is very different. Yes, he wins trophies in the short term, but he's more interested in himself than the club and who knows what state he'll leave you in when he goes.
Ferguson has the right idea in signing Phil Jones,He'll be heir apparent to Ferdinand.The thing I don't understand is why he needs Ashley Young when he has Nani and Valencia and Park. Its obvious that he needs a new keeper and will sign one and not just any old keeper.However,I don't think they will have it all their own way unless Ferguson signs at least two central midfielders.This is where they are short..big time.Cleverley will do a good job as a squad player.I don't think he should be the main man however,they still need two experienced central midfielders to replace Hargreaves and Scholes.If need be,they should to accomodate this is sell one of Carrick or Anderson.Anderson with age on his side,could be the retained one.
I think people said exactly the same thing in 04/05, except then we weren't overachieving and it was Roy Keane who was coming to the end of his career. And similar things were said in 97/98 (after Cantona left) and 01/02 (when SAF planned to retire). You may be right, but I've seen enough people write Utd off over the last twenty years to be very skeptical about these things.
Thanks for the reply. If you note, I'm not writing United off. What I am doing is to identify that there are many similarities between the end of Liverpool's reign and the situation that United now find themselves in. I'm not gloating but then neither am I envious. Time will tell which one of us is right.
There are some similarities I agree, but imo the biggest factor that led to the end of Liverpool's reign was Souness trying (and failing) to remodel Liverpool in his own style rather than just tweaking the existing formula. I think the only thing that will truly stop United being relatively regular title challengers in the future is if we bring in similar flop as a manager after SAF retires. Remember that even when Dalglish was burnt out, as you put it, you were still challenging Arsenal for the title. It was only Moran and Souness that dropped you out of the race.
I'm sorry but we've been written off for years and continue to prove people wrong. Before last season people were saying we were finished and some were predicting we wouldn't even finish in the top 4. Losing to such a great Barcelona side means little, though clearly our squad does require strengthening. With Sir Alex in charge we will always continue to challenge for the title and other honours.
The last sentence of your comment is the reason utds dominance will end,as soon as hes gone utd are in sh*t street unless they promote from within,you have to take into account the length of time saf's been at the club and that it took saf the same amount of time to win his 1st trophy as mourinho stays at any one club. mourinho has no time for youth set-ups and wants immediate success based on spending,the structure the glasgow gob leaves for his successor would be best used by one(or two,with one as assistant)of his former players. every club that had a golden era saw it end and it either happens quickly or over a few seasons.
