Manchester United 2016/2017 Premier League Season (+ CC & FA Cup)

The new fixture list came out. So the thing is I dont know how you guys do it or did it in the past. Create a separate thread for that specifically or put it in the League thread. Decided to put it in the new league thread itself. I know there is plenty of time to go for the new season to commence. But its okay I guess ?
We can begin the discussions early that way

Yep, they were mine and RED's threads (Busby Babe's also) in the beginning and I used to post a photo with the fixtures list in them, also the ones with UCL, but in my absence I am glad that you liked the idea and that you continue the same manner of organising threads in our subforum.

Especially it's nice that you kept the old format of the title.

On-topic: First thing that I want to see is that our players are motivated and dedicated 100% for the team, which didn't happen under LvG and Moyes. It doesn't matter any more for me who plays and when, because if you fight until the last second and you play with your heart and mind all-in, then you are going to win and that's what the fresh air of Mourinho and Ibra seem to bring to the club. And we don't even need names or numbers (like Mou or Ibra), we need fighters because that's what we missed.

We have to see the pre-season, have some talks here on the forum, they have to grow the team chemistry etc. Then we shall talk about EPL. Right?

Agreed with everything. Thanks man.

I hope Mourinho will help the players reach their prime, because individually speaking, we have great players that before coming to United or in the Fergie era were amazing.

It was Moyes and van Gaal who couldn't manage to build a system in which the players could cope and fight for trophies.

Hard work, creativity and consistency not only in practice, but in all the official games during the season. This is what we need. In the past three years we didn't have creativity and also we couldn't keep more than 3 or 4 good games in a row.

Pogba #6

Yeah, and Matuidi will be #2.

Vlad the Impaler wrote:Yeah, and Matuidi will be #2.

or 13

our next Ji Sung Park

good to see Rashford got a # upgrade to, hopefully he becomes better then Welbeck was in that 19

Rashford already has a better start than Welbeck had, hasn't he?

Vlad the Impaler wrote:Rashford already has a better start than Welbeck had, hasn't he?

yes I just mean hopefully Rashford continues to grow

I understand. However, I thought for a few seconds and actually Welbeck wasn't so bad under Sir Alex. It was hard for him to shine with Chicharito (meh ), Berbatov, Rooney, RvP near him.

When I say shine, I mean over >25 goals in a season (all competitions). Rashford will probably have the same faith now with Ibra. But I could imagine him scoring at least 25 if he plays regularly.

I would go with the more physical players in the away game at Bournemouth.

Let's remember that we've had a very good season at home even with van Gaal. The away games are always the trickiest. Hopefully we will have more luck. However, it isn't only about luck. We need a different approach and personally I would use the strongest and the fastest players in the away games because the opposition tends to attack more and to be more aggressive, so we need to resist them.

Something like this:


Mata usually plays very well away from home. Rooney is crap in away games. He can only score at Old Trafford.

some things worry me about the upcoming season

1) how long will it be until Mou has the balls to drop Rooney, i fully expect Rooney to score a few goals in a few games and then secure his spot for the rest of the season while playing shite

2) his seeming insistence to use Valencia as his starting RB, shades of Ivanovic there

First signs of Pogba arriving to Man United have been seen: THE RETURN OF FIRENZE IN THE MAN UNITED SECTION

Firenze wrote:some things worry me about the upcoming season

1) how long will it be until Mou has the balls to drop Rooney, i fully expect Rooney to score a few goals in a few games and then secure his spot for the rest of the season while playing shite

2) his seeming insistence to use Valencia as his starting RB, shades of Ivanovic there

First point, you are right to be worried.

2nd one, so far it proves you are wrong (meh, too early to say). Hopefully, Valencia will be at least this good for the rest of the season. It's only one game so it isn't conclusive. Anyway, he will obviously rotate with Darmian and maybe the Italian will start to play better because of the competition Valencia gives him.

This is a good scenario, I don't want to think right now of another scenario, we won the FA Community Shield and the morale is up while we're heading to the EPL debut at Bournemouth. Every game from now on will be a must-win!

Valencia has looked decent in pre-season tbh yeah

our opening fixtures look good, hoping for a strong start, failing to win games against scrubs under LVG killed us

Yeah, well said. I always thought about this. We were at the top of a table regarding games between top 6 teams. And we had some decent distance. Still, we didn't manage to finish in top 4.

So, was LvG a big match winner?

Guys, pls, the season begins in 3 days from now on. We should be hyped as fk.

I'm excited and optimistic. I'm confident we'll either win the title or challenge for it.

We have the manager, we've had our best transfer window in years, possibly ever (imo), and I still think we'll bring in an experienced defender once we sell players not in Mou's plans. So we'll be primed to challenge.

There's this glow around the club, not seen since the season we last won the title. It's great

Cant wait either.
Regarding the team I think barring Schweini and Adnan(on loan) noone will leave. May be Periera and CBJ too towards the end. But not the Fellaini's and Rojo's as being touted. Mou is clever. He knows for us to successfully put up a challenge he needs to keep our first 11 as fresh as possible. So in the Thursday night fixtures he might put an entirely set of players, the likes of Fellaini and Rojo. If it was any other season even with CL these guys would have left. But with Europa League strain, he is keeping a large team this year.

I saw an interview with Mourinho and he was talking about our midfield players. The only one that he didn't even mention was Schweinsteiger. Now, it is obvious for me too that Mou doesn't have Bastian in his future plans. Such a shame!

This is the first decision of Mourinho with which I don't agree with in a strong manner.

Bournemouth hasnt really tested us so far. So cant say for sure how well we are faring. Relieved to see a goal coming tho albeit in a fluke way.
Bailly and Blind is looking decent. And Herrera is showing more adventure in his passing than he did in the entirety of last season. Pluses I guess.

Zlataaaan has arrived boys!! What a boss performance despite Whooney blocking his path for the major part of the game. Whooni barring the well taken goal has once again been a mare. Cant wait for him to get finally benched.

Plus Fellaini, Bailly,Blind, Herrera and Valencia did pretty well i think. Bailly deservedly got the MoTM. Looks a good player the lad. Hope he wont fall off like Darmian did last season who too as a matter of fact had made a bright start to his United career.

Poor first half,  we were too deep, lacked pace and penetration and we're fortunate to go ahead.

2nd half we were much better. Came out the blocks, passed quicker and had players making runs. We also held possession well and defended as a unit rather impressively.

Ibra was great, scored a top notch daisey cutter. Pure finesse. Bailly is looking a cracking defender, very physically imposing and can also play too. Great to have Shaw back.I also thought fellaini gave a fine performance in the holding role.

Overall, a solid start to the league under mourinho. Room for improvement for sure. Last season  we would have drawn or lost that much, so this win in that respect is a definite positive.

Of course rooney hindered the team again, but he scored, so that'll buy him a guaranteed spot in the team for the next few months irrespective of his dour performances.