Q&A for Manchester United website

[ChicagoLion]

1. What are your thoughts on Friday's game?

2. What team, formation and brand of football can we expect from Sherwood?

4. Is Sherwood the manager to take Villa forward?

5. What are your expectations for the 2015-16 season?

6. Who will fill the void left by Benteke?

7. Which of the new signings has most impressed so far?

8. Does Grealish have what it takes to reach the top of the game?

9. Tell us more about Andre Green?

What happened to Q3?

Phil Dowds Bank Account

[Witton Warrior]

Go away and keep off our fucking pitch

and our seats...

[paul_e]

1. What are your thoughts on Friday's game?
Think it will be closer than they often are when we play your lot, you don't look up to speed yet and If we can get balls in to Gestede I don't know how well Blind will cope with him.

2. What team, formation and brand of football can we expect from Sherwood?
Depends on a few things but I'd expect a back 4, 2 fairly deep midfielders and then some combination of 4 in front of them, Sherwood doesn't seem to have a settled formation.

3. What positions do you need to strengthen? Who would be the players you would want brought in?
I think we're close to the limit of how many players we can bring in, we need someone with pace and skill to play on the right so the links to Adama Traore are promising.  Other than that I think we're ok, maybe another central defender if Sherwood doesn't trust Senderos and Baker as backup.

4. Is Sherwood the manager to take Villa forward?
I think he the right man for us right now, we needed someone bold and positive who'd get the fans behind him after 4 years of largely shit football and dour management.

5. What are your expectations for the 2015-16 season?
8-12, strong enough to be safe in midtable but not ready to challenge for europe.

6. Who will fill the void left by Benteke?
I'm not sure we need to, as a squad we're much stronger now so as good as he is I think the £32.5m was probably more important to us than him this summer.  I'm surprised your lot didn't go for him though, I think he'd have been an excellent signing for you.

7. Which of the new signings has most impressed so far?
Amavi, as you may have realised already, has impressed a lot of fans very quickly, he's quick, 2 footed and plays on his toes so he reacts very quickly.  For the stattos he was the best left back in europe last season on whoscored.com and it's quickly becoming clear why that was the case.

8. Does Grealish have what it takes to reach the top of the game?
Yes, he has a lovely low centre of gravity which means he drifts away from defenders effortlessly, he needs to add more end product but that's not unusual for a young attacking midfielder.  On top of that he's more than happy to draw players in even if he ends up taking a few kicks.  He'll play centre mid long term and will be a very good one.

9. Tell us more about Andre Green?
We don't know much but he is apparently very quick and is highly thought of.  He made his first appearance for our U21s when he was 15 so he must have something about him.

[paul_e]

1 question in reply, given how often Man Utd fans have, in the past, criticised Chelsea and Man City for buying the title how do you feel about the ridiculous levels of spending you've completed in the last 2 summers?

[silhillvilla]

1. Great time to play Yanited,

2. Too early to say.

4. Yes he's rebuilding the club.

5. mid table and a league cup

6. Gestede Ayew

7. Amavi Richards and Gestede aswell as Gueye

8. Too soon to say

9. I wish I could

[ChicagoLion]

3. What positions do you need to strengthen? Who would be the players you would want brought in?

I am not convinced with either Right Back or Goalkeeper. Another Goal scorer would be nice and a commanding centre midfielder, this may change subject to how good the new players are.

We do need to move a few on.

[Drummond]

1. What are your thoughts on Friday's game?
It shouldn't be a Friday game.

2. What team, formation and brand of football can we expect from Sherwood?
Attack-minded. Team is anyone's guess.

4. Is Sherwood the manager to take Villa forward?
He couldn't really do much worse. But yes, he seems to be going for it.

5. What are your expectations for the 2015-16 season?
Mid-table, the surprise package. Hope.

6. Who will fill the void left by Benteke?
Anyone.

7. Which of the new signings has most impressed so far?
Amavi.

8. Does Grealish have what it takes to reach the top of the game?
Hes got time on the ball. So yes.

9. Tell us more about Andre Green?
He's amazing and worth at least £50m.

[Hookeysmith]

1 question in reply, given how often Man Utd fans have, in the past, criticised Chelsea and Man City for buying the title how do you feel about the ridiculous levels of spending you've completed in the last 2 summers?

A very good point - The Manx I work with say if they are United claim that City "buy" their way to success whilst United "restructure"

As is said you cannot have a reasonable football debate with these wankers

You could have a Gary Glitter  / Blues  / Baggies / Tony Blair combined team and I would not hate them any more than I do these fuckers

Every single thing that is wrong with modern football can be placed at the foot of their door - and they just cannot see why everyone despises them - they arrogantly think it due to their successes

[Villa in Denmark]

1. What are your thoughts on Friday's game?

a) It shouldn't be on a Friday
b) For the first time in ages no idea how it will play it out.  We could really stick it to you (crosses fingers) or be on the end of a right twatting.  Regardless of how tempting the odds look don't bet on 0-0, it's not Lambert in charge.

2. What team, formation and brand of football can we expect from Sherwood?

Team & Formation - see Q1.
Brand of football.  First fuck off with marketing speak. Style wise we'll definitely be going for it.  It will either be pretty direct with Gestede or Kozak as a focal point, or something more fluid , maybe with Ayew as the focal point.  Good depend on whether Gil or Grealish are fit.

3. What positions do you need to strengthen? Who would be the players you would want brought in?

A right back to match Amavi would really be the cherry on the top of a the most exciting & promising summer transfer period since Ron Atkinson in 1991.
If we could find a better back up to Ciaran Clark and dispense with Senderos that would be a bonus.

4. Is Sherwood the manager to take Villa forward?

From where were Mike Bassett could have taken us forward.  Long term who knows, he could prove to be an inspired appointment or someone who hits a wall, without progressing much from the level he's already achieved (which mirrors his time at Spurs - some really good results with some shocking performances and results  thrown in.) When he was appointed I said he'd keep us up and be in the shit by November.  I change that to he'll do alright this year, but by the end of next season (2016/17) we'll have stopped making progress at 8-10th and the murmurings of discontent will have started.  That will definitely represent progress

5. What are your expectations for the 2015-16 season?

Inconsistency, ending up 10-14th, as we'll start comparatively poorly with the odd good performance, with it swinging to the opposite the season progresses. We'll finish the season as one of the form teams.
2 good cup runs. Finally win the Holy Grail of Villa fans.

6. Who will fill the void left by Benteke?

No one.  The team's style will alter and the goals he scored will be covered by being more spread out across the team. Scott Sinclair to surprise a few people.

7. Which of the new signings has most impressed so far?

Amavi & Gueye.

8. Does Grealish have what it takes to reach the top of the game?

If he wants to and is prepared to invest the time / discipline required,  yes.

9. Tell us more about Andre Green?

No. Not going to help your lot or either of your neighbours/Chelsea/ Arsenal recruit a youngster and ruin his career by putting him in a position where his head is turned by the ego massage & money of joining one of the money teams and never playing for 3-4 years to be spat out at 20ish to find his level is now Nottingham Forest or Blackburn as they stand today, because he missed out on first team football at suitably high level during his most important development years

[The Laughing Policeman]

I seem to remember that when the Glazers bought your club  part of the £800 million was a loan of about £300 million from RBS.
Seeing as RBS is now majority owned by the British taxpayer we demand our money back.
There, that's another reason to hate you glory hunting tourist twats.

[Damo70]

1. Not our favourite home fixture for various reasons. Apologies if you are actually from Manchester and do actually sit in the away seating.

2. More attacking than McLeish and less suicidal defending than Lambert hopefully.

3. Yes I was there on Boxing Day 1989 when you wanted Fergie out.

4. From what we have seen so far yes because make no mistake we were going down before he arrived.

5. Hopefully avoid yet another relegation battle. They are very draining on the soul.

6. I think Sherwood has been clever by bringing in more than one option, especially as he was our only striker who could actually score goals.

7. All of them because we won!

8. The jury is still out for me.

9. I can't, sorry.

[olaftab]

1. What are your thoughts on Friday's game? Game on a Friday> do not like. Match v Manu always hate it  becuse you win and the Brummies reds. There is nothing more in life I dislike (on trivia basis) than the Brummie RED scum. FFS WHY DO YOU SUPPORT A TEAM FROM ANOTHER TOWN. This is football it's supposed to be "tribal". Us against them...(so you can see I am getting madder as I write this)
2. What team, formation and brand of football can we expect from Sherwood?
I actually don't know. Have not figured out Sherwood yet. I was at Bmounth last saturday and very surprised by his hold back first half. I didn't think he was capable of that.4. Is Sherwood the manager to take Villa forward?
For me no. I think we should have Gary Monk but lets  give him a full season to see.

5. What are your expectations for the 2015-16 season?
Safe from any threat of relagation and a boring mid table finish. League Cup final amd may be FA cup again!
6. Who will fill the void left by Benteke?
It can not be filled in the short term and I am very surprised your man didn't sign him. He would have suited his pragmatict approach  very well.
7. Which of the new signings has most impressed so far?
Amavi the left back is very very good (hands off) and Gestede did well.8. Does Grealish have what it takes to reach the top of the game?
Yes he has talent however he is capable of pissing it down the drain with his off field activities. He could be as good as Brian Little. (if you know who that is?)
9. Tell us more about Andre Green?
Super boy leave him alone he will be a star.

[Drummond]

Some of the replies on here are a little embarrassing.

[robbo1874]

They are a bit, in fairness. But let's not kid ourselves as to the reason why. The most supported and most detested club in equal measure, bar none. And everybody who's been going to the football for 20 years or so and isn't a Man U supporter is fully aware of the reasons why.

Fair play to the guy who came on asking the questions and also to the people who responded in good spirit in the most part, but make no mistake, Utd are hated by many and rightly so.

[Hookeysmith]

Any other fans, the born again Chelsea, the cocky Arsenals, the pretentious Spurs fans I can stomach and even discuss footballing matter

not those fuckers

The last home game a very good friend of mine had a couple of northern friends come down to watch the game (a man and wife who in fairness do go everywhere with Utd) and were stopping over. He asked if I met them after the game could I give them a lift to their hotel. Of course I would. Soon as we were in the car with a guy they had never met I got the "You must be happy with a point from United, a little club like yours"
If he had not been built like a brick shithouse I would have smacked him one but I did have a rant at them both to which he was not best pleased, neither was my friend. They are stopping at the same hotel this time - I have not been asked