FA Cup Semi Final Draw

First topic message reminder :

Crystal Palace vs Watford
Everton vs Man Utd or West Ham

I am not sold on Lingard, and there isnt much to suggest Memphis will have a better season, although I too think he is likely to improve. How much would be the question. Martial is the star, Rashford I hope remains on this course, but I would expect United to invest heavily in the attacking third. Rooney in midfield is something I can really get behind

Lingard is for the weakest of the quartet and probably the one most likely to make way long term for a new investment. Memphis has had glimpses of quality but obviously never maintained them, think he needs to get his head sorted for the demands of the Premier League so it'd be a make or break year for him next season.
Between Martial and Rashford there seems to be a great understanding on the pitch with the trickery and movement they have.

Lingard could be a potentially very good player but his finishing on the whole is awful, the slashed left foot strike today being a prime example of that.

Lingard's ceiling feels like west brom to me

It doesn't matter cos they're gonna bring in mourinho and he'll ruin half the youngsters

Lingard has no end product. Looks the type to me who needs to realise that somewhere lower down the table first

Lingard really isn't anything special. Heavily suspect he's the next Cleverley/Gibson.

The end for Martinez at Everton. His teams seem to verge into style over substance

Depay left out of squad for cup final.

Writings on the wall for him.

This is essentially, Angel Di Maria - Part 2. LVG has just killed the players who need the freedom to express themselves. There is no question, this boy has huge talent. Depay will leave & will be shining next season somewhere else, as Di Maria has done at PSG.

Dunno about that, in contrast to di Maria lvg knew delay well from his time as Dutch manager.

A lot of questions about his attitude on and off the pitch.

That he should have known or been able to manage.

Maybe, maybe not. Wouldn't be the first player to always be on good behaviour and give it all for his country whilst phoning it in for his club.

Can't see this ending well for him. On a football level he has a lot of developing to do, he's just a bit flashy without regular end product and some limitations ie ability to take someone on the outside. Don't know if he has the will to improve.

Palace should fancy their chances against that United defense.

Rojo and mata playing?

Lvg has lost the plot.

Not sure he had much choice. Of all the things to say he's lost the plot over...

Going to leave us very vulnerable in palaces main area of strength imo.

What the hell is this?

Meander United 0-0 Crystal Pardew HT

Terrible game this.

United side set up terribly.

United don't deserve to win this.

Young down the middle?

Just flicked threw the channels.
Bad keeping from De Gea.

Pardew, quality celebration.

Palace deserve this, United are absolutely pathetic in every way.

westisbest wrote:Just flicked threw the channels.
Bad keeping from De Gea.

Pardew, quality celebration.

Bad keeping?

Christ what a lucky goal, thank god for that.

Stella wrote:

westisbest wrote:Just flicked threw the channels.
Bad keeping from De Gea.

Pardew, quality celebration.

Bad keeping?

Should have saved it

Lingard doesnt score enough, but blow me thats a beauty

Happy for LVG. Congrats Man U.

And we're in Europe now

Clearly any success Mourinho has with United will be invalidated as he inherited a FA Cup winning side

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:And we're in Europe now

Knew there was a downside.

Would've thought LVG would've had more than 10 minutes to enjoy the win before United leaked confirmation of Mourinho.

GSC wrote:Clearly any success Mourinho has with United will be invalidated as he inherited a FA Cup winning side

Low blow, James, low blow.

Pardew reckoned Palace deserved to win. Was he at a different match?

Delighted for Louis van Gaal to win the FA cup with Manchester United. He's not everyone's cup of tea per se, but he is one of the great managers in football. His record speaks for itself.

The timing of his sacking is a bit of a low blow mind you. Yes he failed to gain Champions League football, but he should've been allowed this night to savior his victory.

He knew it was coming, he failed to complete the primary objective.

As for Woodward, at least he's grown some balls & not been fooled into prolonging this mess at United under LVG. Mourinho will be an action packed 24 months or so, but at least the Manchester United name won't be a laughing stock on the pitch anymore. Keeping LVG, United were in a rut, Mourinho will fast track them back into the fold of the major players in European football. I expect Mata will be first out the door, followed by Schweinsteiger to the MLS.

Van gaal may have won the game cup but he did it with;

A winger at right back
A right back at left back
A midfielder at centre back
A forward in midfield
A no 10 on the right wing
A striker on the left wing
A winger up front
A Fellaini wherever he was playing.

Now some like martial can play well across the forward line but is it any wonder we lack cohesion.

Weak wings and Rooney (gave the ball away 9 times in the first half) in cm against a team set up to counter with pace on the flanks? Crazy.

Thought he was doing alright but since November it has been a nightmare and he can't complain too much about being shown the door.

I dont think anyone disagrees about why he was sacked, more it was a bit low to leak confirmation of it, 10 minutes after he won a trophy in his last game. Let him have a day at least.

Was mendes - mourinhos agent.

Clubs position is still no comment.

If the deals done no way of keeping it quiet. Debate that all you want but with a summer tournament coming up club needs next seasons manager in place now.

It was certainly poor timing whoever leaked it, everyone knew it was coming but give LVG his moment of glory at least.

Clubs official position is no comment.

The unofficial one was sent to a few journos at the same time.

It was all just a bit disrespectful and clearly done to immediately knock down the achievement of the cup.

LVG has been treated like sh!t by the media and press since he got here. He's better off out of it.

Better get used to this kind of circus, Mendes and Mourinho are coming to town and they play things as low and slimy as they can

FreekShow wrote:LVG has been treated like sh!t by the media and press since he got here. He's better off out of it.

Eh, he played up to it more than a bit.

United had to go get Mourinho I think. Giggs sharing a city with Pep must've kept the Glazers up at night.

And yet Ed Woodward seems safe. That's twice hes swung and missed now. He wants to watch his back, Joses picked fights with far more accomplished execs.

Aren't Jose and LVG old friends from Barca anyway? Granted I guess Pep was also around and they're unlikely to send each other Christmas carda

GSC wrote:

FreekShow wrote:LVG has been treated like sh!t by the media and press since he got here. He's better off out of it.

Eh, he played up to it more than a bit.

He called them out on their bollox when they needed it. The press conference at Christmas being a prime example of how scummy the hacks are in this country. Cower like rabbits in the headlights and go running to their typewriters like told-off little bitches.

I've grown to like and respect the man even more in the last 12 months. Good luck to him in whatever he does next. I'm sure Utd's entitled fans will thoroughly enjoy Mourinho's Brazilian-esque brand of football for the next few years

If you talk a big game as he did on arrival, you have to back it up with substance. Nobody called Jose out when he was winning titles. When you big yourself up as LVG, delivering a 4th place finish and a FA cup in 2 seasons with a mega budget is going to have comebacks.