I don't think it matters whether someone sits or stands. It's all down to individual management styles and how he/she (let's not forget the ladies, #amirightlads) wants to communicate to players.

If I was a manager I'd probably spend my entire time shouting abuse at the team and the referee from the touchline, but that's how I watch every game at home anyway. It's not better or worse than the alternative.

Both are ridiculous criticisms. Different managers have different styles. The first paragraph is bizarre. You can drill the players all you want, when the game starts things can and do change and managers need to be able to adapt to different styles and tactics from the opposition during the game.

Well, yes, that's kinda what I said.

However, the Hillsborough thing is a different matter. Even Suarez or Gerrard wouldn't have got away with something like that. You don't disrespect Hillsborough in any way while at Liverpool. Mark Lawrenson got slaughtered for holding up a copy of The Sun. I think he's still on LFCTV, though, because he just made an honest mistake.

i am not against a manager going to the touchline to get an instruction across to the players regarding a change of tactics, but he doesn't have to be standing on the touchline for 90 minutes yelling and kicking every ball to be successful.

vicente del bosque mostly stays on the bench during games just like van gaal does, and i would say that del bosque has had a pretty good managerial career. 2 la liga titles, 2 cl titles plus a world cup and euro championship with spain would suggest that his lack of time spent on the touchline didn't hinder the teams he was managing.

certain managers get accused of being passive and lacking passion because they sit on the bench instead of being on the touchline, which is obviously nonsense. van gaal didn't fail in the job because he spent too much time sitting on the bench, yet in this very thread you have people getting giddy about the fact that mourinho spends more time on the touchline, ridiculous.

unlike many of the posters in this thread i will hold off on heaping praise upon mourinho until i see what he delivers on the pitch, they obviously haven't learned there lesson after heaping praise upon van gaal when he was appointed for irrelevant things like charisma in press conferences. its probably the same people who declared schweinsteiger a great signing and ignored the question marks who are now praising the ibrahimovic signing, another player who comes with big question marks and is some way past his prime, but i musn't dare point out the similarities or i will be accused of being a pessimist.

I'm not at all sold on Darmian.

I'd be delighted to be proven wrong, but I'm not convinced that he's the answer.

I think that there is a damn good player in him, LvG and his tactics didn't help many players, and he was one of them held back.
He is an Italian international, and to me that does show that there is a good bit of talent, just being held back.

Let's see how he does this season.

Did anyone watch the match? I wouldn't normally but Foxtell in Australia have lost the PL rights and as a way of "making up for it" have given everyone MUTV for free.

The game was alright, obviously pre-season and a very slow tempo. Mourinho's comments on Axel Tuanzebe (or whatever) were very interesting. He obviously loves the kid already comparing him to Varane.

Just posted this in the neutrals thread, but thought it might be of particular interest to regulars here.

The Football manager as celebrity. Radio 4 this morning (Monday 18th July) 9.00 am, focussing on Manchester City and United, now and in the past.

Full description here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07knmp7

The premise sounds OK, but looking at who's on the show, it's going to be very City opinionated. Hince went on to become the MEN's City correspondent for many years, and if I recall the sports editor as well. He won't say it, but he hates United with a vengeance. I may give it a go to see what they have to say.

We have a new number seven by the looks of things, bit old though I think!

https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/75...801330176?s=09

I'm not sure how the tactics can have too much of an impact on the full back positions underperforming. He was very disappointing after a promising start but that goes for most of the team so it does suggest that Van Gaal was having a negative impact one way or another.

Balotelli is an Italian international. Do you think that he'd be good enough for us?

I'm not saying that Darmian is rubbish and I want him bombed out of the club. I just haven't seen much evidence that he's up to the required standard.

You can't excuse everyone by blaming Van Gaal and his 'tactics'. Van Gaal was nowhere near the Italian side in the Euros, where Darmian looked decidedly average, to me.

He might come good, and if he does, then great. I'm just yet to be convinced.

I am willing to give most players a pass, and a fresh start under Jose, as LvG was very restrictive with his tactics, and that did harm the players, and what they could show as their abilities, hopefully we get to see them perform better this season.

Baloteii hasn't played for Italy in a while, and was not part of their recent European Championship squad like Darmian was (and indeed played in it), so that does show that he does have the quality to play at the top level.
Just for the record, I would never ever want Balotelli anywhere near our team.

I like darmian.....I do, but I don't think he is at the level that United want.
He could come good and I mean 1 of the best in the world but equally could not.

If we can get a decent sum for him then I'd sell.

I guess that's the same with any of our young players.
Rashford could have just been playing on the adrenilin of making his debut......I doubt that but it could be the case.
Memphis could turn out to be a world class player.....if he is played in the proper position. Would I sell him now because of last season???? Probably not. Give him another season.

And I get that darmian hasn't had that long to prove himself but if he has been playing his best football for us then it leaves me a bit cold.

Giaccherini was decent for Italy, at the Euros. Not good enough for Sunderland though, apparently.

In other news, The South Wales Post are claiming that Mourinho wants to bring Joe Allen in.

Probably best to file that one under 'unlikely'.

I don't think many people were playing their best football under LvG, hence why I am in favour of giving them a fresh start under our current manager, if they don't impress this seas, then it is obviously them that are the problem, rather than the tactics.

I can't remember the last time we did a deal for a first team player with Liverpool, so it is probably slightly more than unlikely, more down right crazy.

I cannot see them willing to sell us anyone of any decent level, and vice-versa (see Heinze for an example of this).

I believe it is repeated at 9.30pm tonight or on iPlayer Radio web page HERE.. Have just listened to it and found it very interesting to hear about the ups and downs of City and United over the years. I remember it well.......

A strange thing happened last season at United, apart from Smalling (who improved due to not being injured and playing lots of games), none of our defenders got any praise what so ever, we kept saying we needed to replace them all. Yet some how we ended up with one of the best defensive records in the league.

Darmian played his part in that, he looked very good upon arrival, but then got injured at which point he was switched positions and didn't look like the player that had started the season off. I'm not sure quite why that was, but for me he's got a little time to prove himself, we are quite short in terms of right back, unless we are happy to call Valencia a right back.

I listened to it too, whilst it was OK, it could have been a lot better. As I said before it aired it was always going to be very City orientated, which was a shame. I think had it been equal representation it would have vastly improved the show.

Its not that hard to explain. The team were so negative and hell bent on retaining possession that it was never going to concede many goals even without world class defensive performances. Its a similar explanation to why there were so few shots on goal too.

Joe Allen isn't really one of their first choice players. There would be no stigma for them in selling him, unless he turned into a world beater. It seems an extremely unlikely move though for all parties.

Hes a funny player though, everyone seems to love and rate him, even the Liverpool fans and manager, right up until it comes to the point of him being a first team regular then he doesn't seem to actually play.

Our defence did well last season no doubt about that, but we could do with someone else being our player of the season apart from De Gea.

There is always stigma between the two clubs, as that is what happens when you are rivals.

I personally would not want Allen, as where would he fit in?? We have plenty of central options in midfield as it is, nevermind bringing in one that Liverpool would be quite happy to sell for the right amount of money.