MUFC news 29 September 2019

[E.S.]

ole

"It's not like the situation we had last year," "There's no lack of desire there. For us it's about building a new culture, building a new team, bringing everybody together. Is it the job I expected? Yes. I never said this was going to be a quick-fix job. It's step after step after step."

"Of course, we've hit a few bumps in the road, I never said this was going to be a quick-fix job. Rome wasn't built in a day. We need time, and the attitude of the boys has been great. [We must] keep working on improving the understanding and relationships between all players, and the style we want to play."

[E.S.]

Ole

"I think hard work is important, but you have to do the right work. I think we've got further in our shape work when we haven't got the ball than when we do have the ball. To create is more difficult than to stop. If you look at Aaron and Dan, 21-year-olds, they're coming in and doing a good job. We're not expecting them to be leaders, but they'll have longevity, and they'll stay in the club and the team for many, many years.




"Harry is a different player; he was the one centre-back we wanted, and the one we felt was the missing jigsaw in that defence. He was for now and the future, because he's only 26. I'm delighted with those three, both for now, and for the future. It's not just signing players for the sake of it, you have to sign the right ones. The injuries we've had have mostly been to forward players, so it has been more difficult to settle that front four or five."

[E.S.]

Ole on losing rage


"Why wouldn't you be angry when you lose a game? Of course you're angry within. That's one thing; you put pressure on yourself, and you're competitive. I want to win every single training session. I wanted to beat Roy in cards on the team coach! But I don't show it to everyone.







"Maybe the ones who know me the best will see how I feel. I can't go out [like that], I manage my way, and lead the players my way, and I lead these players the way I deem to be right, and what's said in the dressing room is said in there, and it stays there."

[E.S.]

Ole on arsenal game


"I think it will be an open game, two teams that want to attack, and the next game is always the perfect occasion to prove yourselves. Every game here is a game you want to win, and have to win. We are looking forward to it. I've watched Unai Emery over many years, and system-wise he can come with any shape, he knows it all."

[E.S.]

Ole backs himself


"We have a saying in Norway. You trust yourself, back yourself, you do it your way. As a player, was I good enough? Someone else has to say.




"As a manager, will I be good enough? I trust myself to keep doing it the way I'm doing it."

[E.S.]

Mata on the new signings




“He’s very, very good in defensive duties, very good in tackling,”




“I’ve never seen any player like him, he’s unbelievable. Even in training you think you’re past him and then he comes and takes the ball straight.




“He has very long legs! I can only see him improving. Like Anthony, he’s a shy, reserved guy but confident on the pitch.”




“He [Maguire] has experience, his physical presence is important, centre back is a good position to be a commanding personality in the team and he has international experience.




“He’s come to a big club, really having a chance to make that next step towards to even more. Daniel [James] also has [made] a very good start of the campaign, and everyone can see how quick he is.”

[E.S.]

Darren fletcher talks about James Garner


“I think the history of the club says they demand and they want young players in the team and they support that,”

“It does give your more time when you give youngsters a chance because people see it as refreshing and see it as building for the future.



“I think that they are more than ready to play, it’s just that, can you have too many at once?

“People talk about the leaders and who is going to help them, which is an important side, so it’s a difficult one but I’m sure as the season goes on you’re going to see more of James Garner because he’s top class.

“I’m surprised he’s not featured so far but by the end of the season I’m sure that people will know who he is without a doubt, if you don’t by now.”

[E.S.]

MUFC issue statement in response to LFC complaints that MUFC fans sang about Hillsborough at the MUFC v LFC ladies game



“We have consulted supporters groups and it does not refer to Hillsborough but every other time you Scouse twats try to blame someone else”

Statement ends

[E.S.]

Mata on the feelings that football can give a player, before launching an outrageously unnecessary attack on the use of stats in football ... and people call this guy a nice guy.


“There is no better feeling in a football game than scoring a goal. Period. For a goalkeeper, saving a penalty might come close, but the feeling in that split second in which the ball crosses the line is unrepeatable. It is the orgasm of football, especially when it’s an important goal.

”Many times I’ve been asked if providing an assist feels as good. No chance. Like a penalty for the keeper, the feeling of laying on an assist is great, but it is never the same as scoring.

“Playing that final pass is a brilliant feeling, particularly when all your team-mate needs to do is to push the ball into an empty net. Knowing that you’ve made a key contribution to a match gives you a real buzz, of course. And then there is the assist before the assist. In a football world fed by millions of stats, this is the one that can be missed. The pass before the final pass.

“Sometimes, that ‘pre’ pass is the most important one, although it does not count as an assist. Well, for me, it should, or at least people should acknowledge how important that action is. I will try to explain what I mean with one example.

”The number ten in a team sees the left-back running and making a movement in behind the opponents’ defence line, and places the perfect ball for him/ her where nobody can defend. Then the left-back squares the ball to the striker, who reads the movement and is alone. Goal.

“Who would claim the assist? Obviously the left-back. Which was the most important pass of the move to break the defence? The one from the number ten. Why does nobody count it? Stats are facts. Are real. Sure. But they don’t show everything that happens on a football pitch. Or at least not all the important things

“The pass before the assist can be the pass. Another important aspect of an assist is that you rely completely on your team-mates. You can make a fantastic pass and leave the striker alone against the goalkeeper, but if it doesn’t end up being a goal, there is no assist to claim.

“Other times, you make an easy two yard pass in the middle of the pitch to a team-mate, he/she takes the ball and dribbles past three players and finishes with a goal and, as crazy as it sounds, you can claim that assist.

“That’s the risk of only analysing a game (or a season) from the stats. For that matter, and if we are talking here about judging a player’s performance, the best way to do it for me is not only based on stats, but through the eyes, watching him or her play.

[E.S.]

Ivan Perisic on Mourinho wanting him at MUFC


“It was an amazing thing for me when Jose called me.

“It was difficult to say no to him.

“In fact, I really, really wanted to join him and play for United.

“It was a dream of mine to play in all the big leagues. But it didn’t happen.

“It was painful for me. But I don’t want to go into the details.

“I only found out myself the real reasons two years later.”

[E.S.]

Maguire wants goals

'I see myself as a threat,'

'I've had a couple of headers this year up to now and I'm sure to get on the end of many more crosses and create chances in the box. It's something I take pride in as I work on it on the training pitch.

'I like to say I'll chip in with some goals to help the team out in terms of getting some good results.'

[E.S.]

Maguire on being a leader

'It's something I still want to improve on, my leadership qualities on the pitch and especially my talking,'

'I want to demand more from the players, demand standards, but I'm obviously not concentrating on that at the moment.

'I am fully focused on improving the team and getting this club back to where it should be.'

[E.S.]

Maguire sees the centre backs as part of the United attack


'I definitely feel like it's the modern game, bringing it out from the back and it's something I do thrive on,'

'I want to step in and help the team going forward by starting attacks well and threading balls through the lines, to try and get people on the half-turn to play forward.

'I think it's a big part of the game now, for centre-backs not just to defend, but to have a big part in keeping the ball, controlling the game and starting attacks.

[E.S.]

Maguire on building relationships

'My game will improve the more I know my team-mates and the more I experience I have of playing with them, the position they take up, the way they want to receive the ball and the areas in which I receive the ball so I know where my team-mates will be without having to look and try to find them.

'It will improve and I'm sure I'll improve throughout the season, playing with my team-mates more and improving my relationship with Vic (Victor Lindelof). We will improve as a team as well and we've got to improve.'