04 Mar 2024
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Manchester United Player Sightings page entitled, Maybe a tiny little tactical/coaching issue?

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1.) 04 Mar 2024
04 Mar 2024 21:10:42
That’s embarassing.

2.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 08:31:52
Not exactly a surprise with the lack of control we have in games and needs to be majorly addressed next year. It is embarassing.
To add some balance however we have conceded the 6th least number of goals so whilst we are conceing a lot of shots those shots are not being converted.
Is Onana having a better season than his errors suggest? Are the last line of defence actually doing better at making the shots not clinical ones, are the shooters actually making poor shots!
All of the above maybe.

3.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 11:35:36
Hardly surprising, our defence have been injured for the majority of the season.

How many games have we conceded 16+ shots when we have had a back four of Dalot, Varane, Martinez and Shaw?

This is exasperated by issues in midfield with Casemiro being injured and seeing a drop off in form when he does play. We have no other natural defensively minded midfielders to come in and replace him.
McTominay doesn't have the reading of the game to play as a CDM.
Eriksen has spent most of his career as an offensive midfielder, he's also been injured for periods this season.
Donny just hasn't been good enough, isn't a defensive midfielder and has also been injured.
Mount isn't a CDM and has been injured.
Bruno isn't a CDM, and doesn't have the discipline to play that role.
Hannibal likewise as Bruno, not a CDM and lacks discipline.
Amrabat has not stepped up and proven himself in the EPL. To be fair he's been injured and hasn't been able to get a run of games, yet when he has played he looks well off the pace for the EPL.

That leaves Mainoo who's been our best and most consistent midfielder. He has also been injured for the majority of the season and has only been able to play for the last two months. He's an 18 year old kid with limited senior experience. There is some debate about what his best role in midfield is, is he a No.6 holding player, is he a No.8 box to box player, he can even play as a No.10. personally I think he's probably best suited to being the box to box No.8 at this stage in his career, then I could see him dropping into being a holding No.6 later in his career.

The fact remains the only midfielder we have had who can play as a shielding player for our defence who has been in any sort of form this season is an 18 year old kid with less than 20 games under his belt who has also been injured for the majority of the season.

Meaning we have a defence that is a shambles due to injuries and a lack of consistency. A defence in need of more protection than it would normally expect. Yet due to a lack of options and quality in midfield they have had less protection than they would normally receive.

Is it any wonder that in those circumstances we have been conceding more shots than we would normally expect.

Arsenal have the best defence in the league, they have also had the most consistent team selection in defence, along with one of if not the best defensive midfielders in Declan Rice operating in front of them giving them loads of protection.

If White, Saliba, Gabriel and Zinchenko missed as many games as Dalot, Varane, Martinez and Shaw this season do you think they would still have the best defence in the league?

While if on top of that they had both Rice and Partey out injured for pretty much the entire season as well, would that not massively effect their performances?

People have been quick to write off Onana, but look at what sort of protection his goal has had this season? The number of shots he has faced, and the fact that he actually ranks in the top three keepers in the league for save percentage, clean sheets, and has the best post shot xG rate in the league.

If Raya and Onana swapped places this season United would have conceded more goals and Arsenal less based on the performances of the goalkeepers this season.

No manager could have come up with a way to have improved this. If we played with a deeper defensive line, looked towards a low block and invited that pressure onto us then we would have been asking a weakened defence with no defensive midfielders to deal with more pressure and that would almost certainly have lead to more goals conceded.

We've tried to play a higher line, defend from the front and press high. Limit the pressure on our weakened defence by keeping the ball away from them. The problem is that our forwards line are inconsistent in their ability and motivation to press, making the high press inconsistent and ineffective. They also lack the technical skills to hold onto the ball once they get it. Meaning that even when we successfully press high and win the ball we lose it quickly to a miss control, a poor decision, a bad pass or an off target shot.

This squad while dealing with these injuries are forced to play the game like a basketball match. End to end with no control. This has meant that when our players do well scoring or defending we tend to win games, but if they aren't in form or the other team are better at defending them we lose.

I've said many times to those who feel we play the wrong tactics to come up with an effective alternative yet still no one has been able to think of a solution to get this group of players playing an effective brand of football.

This is the same manager who with his players fit massively improved us last season, won a cup and comfortably got top four.

The only difference this season is that he hasn't been able to play his team at any point this season. Always having to make changes due to injuries, massively affecting the teams ability to play an effective style of play to any level of consistency.

When a first choice player is unavailable and the back up player cannot play the same style or to the same level then you will see a drop off in the teams ability to function. When that happens to 4, 5 or 6 of your players then you have no hope of being able to play effectively.

Take 3 or 4 cogs out of your watch and replace them with differently sized cogs made of different materials and see if you can tell the time accurately.

Teams that can manage injuries and not see a big drop off in performance and results have players who can play the same way as the players they are replacing, even if at a lower level. Teams that win major honours have back up players who can play the same way and to or almost to the same level.

We don't have that, and we won't for 2-3 years. So to expect to see a consistent style of play with little drop off in performance when players are missing is just unrealistic.

The only real question here is why are so many people surprised to see a side without a defence and with no midfield to shield it's patched up defence concede a lot of shots.

Is that surprising? Is it shocking?

4.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 13:52:09
Liverpool have played 60% of their games without their 1st choice lb and are playing a cb at lb.
Taa been out for 27% of their games replaced by a kid with less games than mainoo.
Allison been out for 27% of their games
Salah for 28%, jota the same.
Did you not post the other day how all clubs have had injuries this season. But that was for an argument to cover eth for our injuries.
I'm not shocked we are not winning the league. I'm shocked we are 11 points of 4th place and losing ground still.
Eth is a goner and that's good news.
Excuses don't cut it. He talks like ole completely delusional.
It was eth that chose mount over a cdm.
It was eth that chose Antony and still picks him.
No more time for excuses. Lack of goals over 2 years lack of attacking football. No improvement in any of our players.
Garnacho is getting worse and might end up like Antony has after 4 years of eth non coaching.
Rashford making same mistakes with final ball.
Shappy for every positive stat you can give for eth I'll give an equally compelling negative one.
You were like this with ole.
The club has more ambition than anything eth will deliver.
Yes he seems like a good guy and had done some bits well. But not nearly enough.
Everybody has injuries our have been worse than others but that does not excuse the way we play.
Nobody wants to follow the leader.

5.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 14:32:22
What are you talking about tumble? Garnacho has been excellent this year. Are you criticizing a kid for have a couple of of games against Fulham and city? He has won his place as a first team regular and doing very well. Eth doing a great job of developing him, after also sorting his attitude last summer.

Mainoo has emerged as a fantastic talent, a player who ten hag was looking to bring into the first team this season- but injury meant that he was not available in the first half of the season.

The club has been totally mismanaged. What other club jn tge top 8 is struggling to afford a loan deal for a back up striker? Or sending a loanee leftback away to save pennies in loan fee and wages. We are broke. That is not eth's fault, that is mismanagement above him. I don't care if EtH sanctioned 150m for anthony, you cannot blame the financial situation on him.

People don't like excuses, but injuries are real. And they are a key reason why we have been poor this year. Until we rip out the remaining huts of this squad and properly rebuild, we will not be successful. Regardless of manager, we have to accept where we are and act accordingly. My worry is that the players who should go will see out another manager. We are already hearing that the likes of rash, bruno, maguire, lindelof, mctominay will not be going. Instead we will sell varane, cassemiro and the players out of our squad. So expect more if the same next season. But probably leaking more goals!

6.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 14:51:18
Ken the other day you said you didn’t dislike ETH now that’s changed ?.

7.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:12:12
I like Garnacho but I don't think he would be starting every game for most other teams in the top half of the league. I don't think ETH expected to be starting him so much either. But we have no one else to take the pressure off.

8.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:30:22
Really db excellent?
2 assists all season.
Final ball after final ball going nowhere.
His shortish work is good no doubting his effort but he has not been making goals.
I don't think he has improved 1 iota this season.
Won his place in the team?? you keep trekking me at have no players fit so had he won it or is he in because we have no option.
Great prospect but imo will stagnate without better coaching.

9.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:33:14
Again db who has blamed the financial situation on eth?
Who is blaming him for that.

10.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:35:54
I don't dislike him but I don't want him to be manager any longer than the end of the season.
I don't think he is doing g a good job and don't think he will ever do much better than he did last season regardless of who is above him or playing for him.

11.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:40:02
I also like Garnacho but I don’t think he is anywhere near as good as he thinks he is in his own head, which is bit of a concern, but I still think he better on the right than the left but got lots of learning to do, hopefully he gets a proper coaching team to bring him to frutition.

I always have concerns when you see so many photos and outside life from the football pitch of youngsters modelling etc, I know it’s 2024 but maybe concentrate first on your game, Garnacho guilty of it, Mount all the time and he not even playing, took the number 7 shirt for same reason, Onana even guilty of it, actually win something first or get your game in order first then do the rest… appears to be other way round nowadays.

12.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 15:30:22
Really db excellent?
2 assists all season.
Final ball after final ball going nowhere.
His shortish work is good no doubting his effort but he has not been making goals.
I don't think he has improved 1 iota this season.
Won his place in the team?? you keep trekking me at have no players fit so had he won it or is he in because we have no option.
Great prospect but imo will stagnate without better coaching.

13.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 16:35:34
Always maintain the most worrying game of the season was the first Monday Night Football when we played wolves and conceded 25+ shots on goal.

We had our full team out and ETH went with his first choice midfield of Casemiro, Bruno and Mount and Wolves walked right through us.

Throughout all the injuries which have been a lot granted we have always looked too easy to play against.

Shappys lengthy points don't hold much water imo.

14.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 16:51:30
DSG for every ying there is a yang.

15.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 18:40:01
Maybe someone needs to write 5,000 words to Peter schemieichel because he is confused too, like some of us are! maybe he needs to be put right in line, how dare he criticise! Cheek of it….

16.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 19:14:02
Shappy

You said “We have no other natural defensively minded midfielders to come in and replace him. (Cas) ” McT, Eriksen, Donny, Mount, Bruno, Hannibal and Amrabat, all not CDM or well off the pace.

So last summer tell us how ETH saw what was needed, assessed our priorities at CDM? His answer, Buy Mount, get Amrabat on loan. What do you think of that decision making?

How are we left with no left back at all in March? Why is there no real update on Malacia? Why did we not look for another loan or why not give the youth left back a chance? Better than zero left backs.

For all the essay, it looks to me like ETH didn’t understand what he had, what he needed or the standard of English football. Plus struggles to coach a strategy that makes a team cohesive as a unit. How many times do you start with make it difficult to beat and start from there? 15 losses, that’s embarrassing.

ETH also keeps trying to big up Antony, that looks like desperation, the desperation of a manager who knows he has made a right mess, spent the money poorly in directions that were wrong.

If ETH had set a structure, youth players could drop in, like at Liverpool, knowing what was needed, it’s a befuddled mess now and that is poor leadership and coaching. Care to defend that?

17.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 19:28:57
Shappy made every excuse under the sun for ole too.
Told me over lunch it was all Jose's fault that the players were great.
The penny will drop eventually. It usually does.
Anybody that knows anything about leadership can see that eth is leading but nobody wants to follow him.

18.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 19:43:24
For me, if you thought last season was good or not, ETH dropped a right Bo***** in the way he handled DeGea situation, if you wanted him or not after 10 years it was clear he would have close friends in the changing room, it was not the way to treat someone, then he moved on to Ronaldo, again if you like him or not or think he should come back or not, you don’t send Ronaldo or Messi on the pitch with a minute to go, that’s disrespectful the way he handled the Sancho situation was schoolboy…again he will have friends in that dressing room, the McGuire and McT situation trying to push them out the door then have to rely on them, it’s really just all round poor management at that level, he seems to stumble from one catastrophe to another, I just think the job was/ is too big for him and his never seems to learn either, he can’t be stupid, so it must be just the stubbornness, but I doubt there is one player in that dressing room who would shed a tear when he is gone certainly not one would run through any walls for him.

19.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 20:09:28
Almost 100% convinced that tumbleweed and Strangeways are the same person after this.

20.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 20:25:29
There is far more to leadership than kicking everyone up the backside. You have to make people believe in the direction you re going in, implement changes, even simple ones, that make a positive difference early but can be seen to make a positive long term one, communicate well so everyone buys the direction. You do that it gives you the chance to make tough decisions. I don’t see that looking in from the outside with ETH.

21.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 21:02:58
Player power. Players don't want to follow. He is making them run too hard in training - yet we get out run in every game we lose.

We have the wrong players. Our players suit a bottom half team that want to sit back, absorb pressure and play on the counter.

Now if you want to change that, it might take more than 5 mins. Especially when some of the problems are bigger than the club. Some players cannot be dropped. Some players won't leave, even when we strip the captaincy and say they need to go.

Arteta was allowed to finish 8th twice and sell all the so called arsenal stars. Their wage bill probably came down. Did it benefit them? Are they a better team? Are they following his leadership?

The club are in a huge mess and the players have learned that they don't have to follow what the managers says. They use their agents, the media and friends who have national reach as pundits to get their way. We will not get better until we realise our leg is gangrenous and we cut off our rotting leg. Window dressing the same old same old will not get us back. That is the painful lesson we need to learn.

22.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 21:08:20
You don’t half talk a load of guff Strangeways. He didn’t want McTominay or Maguire, that’s football. You’d probably flog Fernandes on day 1 if you went in with no thought for him. The club refused any offers so he was stuck with them. They’re both back in the squad and don’t cause problems. De Gea wasn’t in his plans but the club offered him a contract extension. They then removed the offer because it was probably clear he was not in ETH’s plans. You reckon we should have just let him have the contract though? Who is he playing for now anyway? He gave Sancho 3 months off to get his head sorted and eased him back into the team. How about a little respect from Sancho? Ronaldo needed to move on to move the team forward. He refused to come on v Tottenham, he did a childish tv interview with Morgan. You need a player like that in your squad.


Bottom line is this, if Ten Hag was at Ajax now, you’d be crying out for him to come in and work under SJR and Ineos’s structure. SJR is looking to recruit 4 positions on the football side? That’s 4 important positions that have not been there since ETH came in or any of the other managers. Might be best you and others stop comparing ETH’s 18 months to Klopps 9 years or Guardiola’s unprecedented backing from the his club.

23.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 21:50:17
Ports

Would we be screaming out for ETH if he was at Ajax?

Perhaps that is the issue, City got Pep, Liverpool Klopp, would the manager of a club like Ajax, really be at that level? Given the list of managers that Ed kindly posted recently, do you really believe ETH would be on that list?

24.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 21:24:36
Wazza once again your 100% conviction is wrong.

25.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 22:10:57
Red Man. As fans I can’t see why we wouldn’t? We were 18 months ago (cue everyone claiming they didn’t want ETH then) from that list the likely candidates from my interpretation would be Potter, De Zerbi and the Lisbon boy. Why wouldn’t the Ajax manager be of their calibre?

26.) 05 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 22:35:30
Ports

I am not sure we were all convinced at the time that he was the very top level, that doesn’t mean many didn’t want him.

Said before, we need to get away from the all powerful manager who must be given 5 years.

27.) 06 Mar 2024
05 Mar 2024 23:23:00
EtH is the manager and the books stops with him.

Plenty of teams have injuries but good managers adapt and motivate.

EtH has done neither since the League Cup win.

28.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 04:16:38
I never wanted him from day 1 I never ever see what credentials he had, winning in the Dutch league with Ajax is nothing special, they tanked a good lead in the champs league under ETH, all this rubbish he leads with iron fist may work at Ajax with kids was never ever going to work in epl at club size of United, Carlo, Pep, Klopp, don’t take crap but they don’t earn that respect by putting people on the naughty step like our school teacher does!
Yes ok he never wanted DeGea no problem but do it the right way.
ETH lacks man management skills required at the top level, he will never ever be considered for any top level club, would he be at Barca, Real, city, Liverpool, Bayern…not a chance.

29.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 07:11:04
*Almost 100% Ken. There has to be some sort of relation, maybe a love child of yourself and Danny Murphy? ?.

30.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 07:32:00
Bayern wanted him, Barcelona wanted him to replace Koeman but yeah ok ? unbelievable United are even considering Ashworth and co when a Strangeways is out there.

31.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 10:07:18
Really ports. When did eth turn down the bayern and Barcelona jobs.
There is no public record of them ever offering him a job as 1st team coach.
I don't think that's true at all.

32.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 10:41:01
Great banter wazza. That one made me laugh.

33.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 10:45:49
Ken, I've seen houses that I like in the past and wanted them, never put in an offer in for 1 reason or another, doesn't mean I didn't want them. As we like to jump on any little thing though, let's say he was on their list of coaches. Bayern had him, apparently as fall back if their approach for Naglesmann didn't work, and Laporta, apparently identified him to replace Koeman. But then again this is all media hear say so you can choose to or not to believe that. However, most of people's criticisms of ETH are from what they read in the media. Sancho, Maguire, McTominay, Ronaldo, De Gea, no one really knows the discussions etc that took place regarding any of them but when you have an agenda you can't see the woods for the trees.

People can absolutely criticise team selections, game management decisions, signings but let's not use internal situations that we aren't privy of to criticise and also choose to ignore the incompetency of the club hierarchy as a stick to beat the manager.

34.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 11:10:45
I get a bit of a sinking feeling Tuchel might be a serious contender. Available at the end of the season at a time when Utd are trying to save big money (as opposed to a £10m+ for some of the names being mentioned) and fair play vastly experienced. Just not overly keen on the character and a fair few players at recent clubs haven't taken to him. I know there's a suggestion that that's tough, and players have to get do as the manager asks, but look at the dividends of having that great relationship that Klopp and Pep have with their squads.

35.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 13:41:17
The only major criticism I have is that he is not improving our players imo and the football offered up is poor.
You can't believe most of what's written in the media so I go on what I see and what conclusions I come to after seeing and listening to him.
If bayern wanted him he would have taken the job i'm sure. If Barcelona wanted him he would also have taken that job I'm sure. But they didn't want him or the would have offered him a job but they never.
If you wanted a house but never made an offer you didn't want it badly enough.
I'm sure he will pick up a job really easily and I hope he does well.
Just like when most players leave I hope they do well in their next job.
The United job is difficult playing for or managing. There is no shame in not being a huge success it's not for everybody.

36.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 14:13:13
Have we had injuries this year? Only I’m not quite sure.

37.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 14:57:57
So Ken. 3 players you think he should have improved and why? Bearing in mind you’ve been very vocal about these players having been coached poorly for 2 years and being on a holiday camp under Solskjaer.

38.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 16:00:39
Ports I think he should have improved all the players. That's his job as coach.
I think he should have improved us all individually and as a team. That's what the best coaches do.
I only see significant disimprovement both individually and as a team.
We have not attacked effectively for his whole time here. Very few goals scored and very little exciting football and players at most other clubs look happier than our players in their job.

39.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 16:27:57
I'm still utterly mystified by the dummies on here who can't quite seem to fathom the clear an obvious link between having all you best defensive players out of the team for 90% of the season and a down turn in the quality of defending during that time.

I mean really? Really?

I suppose they are the reason they put the "may contain nuts" warning on a packet of nuts??‍♂️?‍♂️.

40.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 17:16:21
Your childish snipes at EtH just highlight the kind of person you are. It's one thing to think a manager isn't good enough, or not the right man for the job. Yet you feel the need to make it personal and take swipes at his personality despite not knowing the man, the situation he is in or anything other than the outside perspective

I wonder who posted that a few hours before calling others dummies.
Must have been a dummy.
???.

41.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 17:18:25
Shappy I’m with you.

I discuss things on here, sometimes wondering if one or two posters lack just a little intelligence to understand we’ve fielded 21 different back 4 combinations so far, have more injuries than any other top 6 club, and substantial off the field issues.

But people still expect us to be challenging and think the manager should be doing more ?.

{Ed025's Note - i think Liverpool may have had more injuries Wassa..

42.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 17:38:52
Ed025
Good to see you back. Hope all is well.
No Liverpool have had no injuries its a media conspiracy theory.
?.

{Ed025's Note - yeah im good thanks Tumbleweed, they have got some decent kids there mate to cover injuries, but as we all know...you win nothing with kids.. :)

43.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 18:31:12
Think this is the issue Ken, you continue to compare 9 years of Klopp with 18 months of ETH. It’s unrealistic and unfair to judge ETH with this group of players because they are simply not good enough to play his system. Dann’s is 18, he would have started the process of playing Klopps way at 9 years old which is why he can come in and not look out of place. Liverpool have scouted academy players who can come in and play his system. You want ETH to have a system of play and then expect Maguire to play like Martinez. He’s simply not good enough and it’s clear when United try to play out that back when Martinez is out it looks uncomfortable. The majority of this team are conditioned to play counter attacking football not possession based but that’s not his system. So should he abandon his system to suit the players or stick to his system and sell the players who aren’t good enough and get players in who are?! Like the other top managers who you hold in higher regard. Shouldn’t have Guardiola made Phillips, Palmer, Porro, Zinchenko, Jesus better?

We got Pellistri and Diallo in because they were talented but was there a thought process behind how they played?

Managers are dealing with Millionaire’s now, Mourinho said it himself, they are a different beast to 10/ 15 years ago and when they get challenged they sulk, they know they can outlast the manager and that’s what happens. Until that cycle changes, things will continue. Best thing SJR could do is back the manager and set the standard for the players, get on board or get out. If it happens to 1 manager you can question them but 3,4, 5 managers?!

44.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 18:38:21
Wazza

I thought with the money spent we should see a challenge but didn’t think we would be challenging and said that from before the start of the season, I didn’t think we bought well and there were large gaps. I had us finishing in fifth this season.

Are our high priced defenders, even second choice ones not able to coordinate or be coached to coordinate with midfielders and defend as a unit? Can none of them be coached to play as a team, to follow instructions? Coaches are supposed to be able to coach players into units, get them playing as a team. ETH has not done that, we haven’t played as a unit, no great football, not one game. However, ETH thought we played well against City.

I am just not seeing it. Whilst I don’t call for the sack, he has to prove very quickly he knows what he is doing, show signs of a coordinated team playing football.

Alonso joined BL in October 22, were they second from bottom? ETH joined us in April 22. How long do you need to implement a style, a pattern? ,

45.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 19:06:41
No other clubs had any injuries, no other club gets constantly picked on by the media, no other club had all the problems to deal with like ETH got/ had/ coming…. maybe just maybe the other clubs deal with all those things much much better, but it’s ok let’s follow the conspiracy theories we are so hard done by.

So we agree last year we did not have all those injuries, so why was the football still dire, why could we not score many goals, in fact one of the lowest and in fact if you took the one person you all abuse now out, where would we have finished. But guess your come up with more excuses for that too…

Oh sorry forgot we got such a stronger squad than last season too, the mind boggles, but let’s get personal in the replies even though we are not allowed to get personal with ETH now by all accounts…it’s laughable.

46.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 19:44:22
Ports I completely disagree.
And I never mentioned klopp or eth comparison.
They have had loads of injuries and done great.
We have had more injuries and done badly.
I've not compared anything just 2 statements of fact.
It's not about comparisons.
I'm sure the multi billionaires SJR will appreciate the 'best thing he could do' tip from you. But I really do admire your effort at making dann a 9 year klopp veteran. Brilliant??
What sort of player do you think Anthony is after 4 year under eth? Because eth thinks he is unplayable at his best.
Eth has said on numerous occasions the difference between us and then is not that great.
These are ole like statements. He is finished here ports I see no way back for him.
I could well be wrong all we can do is wait and see.

47.) 06 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 22:21:51
So liverpools academy is running to a different tune to what the first team do then Ken? Fair enough, I always assumed first priority of an academy was to get players prepared for the first team, clearly you have a greater insight.

You literally refer to Liverpool in your first response on this thread is comparing our situations ?.

48.) 07 Mar 2024
06 Mar 2024 22:48:20
Ed025 it was a stat shown online on Monday. It showed Liverpool with less but in 2nd place. It was Sky or BBC, but they often get things wrong.

{Ed025's Note - stats dont always reflect the truth Wazza and may include fringe players mate, i think if its about players who effect the first team then Liverpool shade it i suspect..

49.) 07 Mar 2024
07 Mar 2024 12:41:20
Ports I have a little insight. I've been to 4 epl academies.
I can assure you that they do not prepare or look at tactics for 1st team below age of 16ish I'd guess.
The under 9 10 11 etc they don't even play 11 a side football don't play like the 1st team or prepare tactically like the 1st team.
Our u18s don't really set up like our 1st team at all either.
The closest I've seen kids being educated to a defined football principle / rigid philosophy is ajax and even there they play with 8, 9's 10 11 and 12s all on one team or training together with the older lads restricted to 2 touches and no tackling etc. If was brilliant to watch. Lots of kids think they are great until they are exposed to kids that really are great. The talent you see at those ages is unreal yet so few of them ever play professionally or at highest level. Leaves you scratching your head all the time and wondering why. Asking yourself how did they not make it.

50.) 07 Mar 2024
07 Mar 2024 14:54:05
Ken you take every statement and interpret to what you want for your point. I am fully aware U9’s don’t play 4-3-3 thanks ? but there is a link from academy to first team that makes the transition to first team easy and when you have longevity with a first team manager who influences the academy then pushing players through is easier. Chelsea have one of the best academies around but let’s be honest it’s to support the financial side of football as they sell a lot of youngsters rather then bring through so the purpose is different.

Klopp on creating a healthy environment for youngsters to thrive in.

We were not involved in the timing, to be honest, too much because we had to use them because we don't have other players. I would like to say we waited five years and I saw them first time when they were 13 and I said, 'In February 2024, we will bring them. ' We have a very, very good and a very close relationship with the Academy for the obvious reasons, you all know that – Vitor Matos. Alex [Inglethorpe], Barry [Lewtas], Marc [Bridge-Wilkinson], we have a really close relationship, we actually work in the same building, just on different sides.

The way Liverpool wants to play is clear as well. On a specific day a few years ago, it was probably set up by me but the club needs to agree on that. I cannot stand in the Academy every day on the training pitch and say we do that in training. Everybody bought into that. It's the best news because it's not about how you play, because there might be different styles, different ways, but you have to make sure that these exceptional talents understand that a football game starts with defending. They are all talented, otherwise they would not play for Liverpool. But in the youth department, it's a little bit like that you can really be much better than the opponent – that doesn't happen that often in adult football, to be honest, and you have to be ready for that.