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shawthing's rumours posts with other poster's replies to shawthing's rumours posts

 

15 Dec 2022 17:24:24
"Asked for an update on the sale of United, he (Glazer) told the outlet, "It's not necessarily a sale, it's a process and we're going forward with the process, so we'll see what happens. "

When he was pushed for further updates about how many interested parties had made themselves known already, he added: "I'm here to really watch the World Cup but I appreciate your interest. That's the update, it's the process and the process is proceeding. "

Loose lips sink ships, eh? Or, no offers yet?

shawthing

1.) 15 Dec 2022 19:03:26
Shawthing,

The cynic in me think he’s was over there in business. He doesn’t give a damn about football, he wouldn’t be able to tell you the United players left.


2.) 15 Dec 2022 20:31:51
The Glazers have been to something like 6 United games in 17 years. No chance he was in Qatar to watch the world cup. He was there on business.


3.) 18 Dec 2022 08:37:42
They were there to watch Man Utd in the Soccerball World Cup Superbowl Finals.


 

 

29 Jan 2019 22:38:42
Frustrating game in many ways, which could have been so different had Rashford scored as he should have done in the first 10 minutes. He did not have a great game and nor did Pereira who looked completely out of his depth against a very aggressive midfield. I really don't think he's good enough for United, or indeed the type of player who will do very well in the EPL.

In this new system Sanchez looks like he could contribute significantly. A forward line of Rashford, Martial and Sanchez seems like it ought to pay dividends.

shawthing

1.) 30 Jan 2019 05:23:42
Agreed, the interplay of Lukaku near the penalty box is not fluid as between Rash, Martial and Lingard.


2.) 30 Jan 2019 09:31:55
I was sat in the East end at OT. We should have had another penalty.


3.) 30 Jan 2019 14:28:00
To be honest I think Pereira didn't have his best game ever, but Jones throw him a brick, and then he got completely confused in the one-one defending.

I believe Pereira could be better but in an attacking position and no asan "herreras" replacement.

This is the first Ole´s game we start losing and that does not goes as planned, but the squad show commitment and desire. If Rashford scores that 10m goal the game would have been completely different with space and time for counters but rubbish happens. Let's focus on the next games and let's hope we have a great february.

i think it is better for Ole and the team to have lost the winning streak now and no in a game against PSG or Chelsea.

GGMU.


 

 

26 Dec 2018 22:43:47
Very good to see United score 8 goals in 2 games even if it was against teams near the bottom against whom we've been having all sorts of trouble. The tempo and the pressing seem to be what's needed. Perhaps Sanchez and Lukaku will benefit from it when they come back into the reckoning. But suffice it to say we have now scored 37 goals this season. If we can double it in the second half it will be our best haul since SAF's last year. If we're going to come 6th then the United way is surely that it's more entertaining to do it with 75 goals for and 55 goals against than with 50 goals for and 30 goals against.

I must say I've been unimpressed by Dalot defensively. He doesn't look like he has the pace and his positioning appears very suspect. I know he's young and there's an adjustment time - Evra didn't settle immediately - but nevertheless he's going to have to improve dramatically to cement that right back position. The other new player who doesn't they seem to have what it takes is Fred. It's hard to believe we were persuaded to spend £52m for him - or perhaps not, given some of our purchases recently. We would have done better spending it on a top center half. Many United fans criticized Liverpool for spending so much on Van Dijk but he seems like a bargain at this juncture.

shawthing

1.) 26 Dec 2018 23:26:42
Shawthing, speed can be deceptive. Dalot was clocked as being the fastest player on the pitch today. But if the timing of that speed is not right it can be wasted.
He is a raw talent no doubt. We don’t have great options right now.


2.) 26 Dec 2018 23:44:01
Give the young lad Dalot a break. A couple of weeks ago against Fulham he couldn't get enough praise. That he was the answer to our right wing back problem for the next 10 years. Then a weaker game today and you're not sure is he going to make it. Inconsistency is a given for a teenager. Support your own.


3.) 27 Dec 2018 07:15:15
In fairness, that was one of Huddersfield’s tactics, mbenza is very quick, and Anytine they could they tried releasing him. Dalot was on the back foot very quickly after an attack broke down. Great lesson for the Lad.


4.) 27 Dec 2018 07:29:16
Dalot is young, 19 years old and playing only his third game in the EPL. His last performance won him man of the match so I see no reason to be worried about him. He is young and he will be inconsistent, he will make mistakes that is all part of learning. He has the qualities to become a world class full back, we need to give him the time and the chances for him to fulfill that potential.


5.) 27 Dec 2018 10:20:15
Dalot is certainly my Pick over an aging TonyV and Young (who is doing ok too) .
He is our future at right back, so let him play I say.


6.) 27 Dec 2018 11:25:22
He looks more like a future winger to me. He doesn't seem interested in defending.


7.) 27 Dec 2018 15:25:05
We've been defending whole season and still conceding goals. I don't even care whether Dalot comes back to defend or not. It was just nice to see our right back in the opposition box getting a cross from our striker and almost scoring a goal.


8.) 27 Dec 2018 18:07:46
Centre back and we are sorted Imo. we have options everywhere else. I'm really excited by dalot him, Shaw and lindelof could be together for a while along time and build a good understanding.


9.) 27 Dec 2018 19:03:50
Also how he plays will depend a lot on who is managing him. He did well defensively in Mourinho's defensive set up.

Ole has said publicly he wants our full backs to push up high and overlap our wingers. So if that is what is being asked of Dalot then it's good to see him following the managers commands.


 

 

02 Dec 2018 17:46:30
Assuming the rumours are true, if you believe your £90m transfer is playing with inadequate effort and/ or a poor mentality, a dressing down in the changing room in front of team mates is perfectly reasonable. I bet every one of us who have played sports have at some time or other have heard it from a coach or a colleague. Grow up and knuckle down. Most of the kids who watch you would kill for a chance at 1/ 10th of the benefits your innate talent has brought you.

The fact is Pogba is a disappointment. While he covers a fair amount of ground within a team that consistently covers the least in the EPL, he rarely sprints, neither in offence or defence. This characteristic was visible when he first stepped on the field in a United jersey before he went to Juventus. He looks lackadaisical, and it's probably one of the reasons why Ferguson was not inclined to fight to keep him. The problem is that, while he has talent, he is way to into himself to be a true leader, and that's the key role we need him to fill. A player who leads by example.

We are 5 years into the post-Fergie era and we are worse than ever. We do have some good players to build a team around but it's hard to see anything positive coming from them in the current climate. Given the amount of money we've spent, the only conclusion we can draw is that we are infected by a virus. Whether the source is Pogba, Mourinho or the general club mentality itself is a matter of conjecture. My own sense is that Woodward, Mourinho and Pogba are all symptoms of a deeper problem.

shawthing

1.) 02 Dec 2018 21:07:06
All 3 of them should go at the end of the season.

We should say thanks Jose but uts not worked ta-ra. Says Pogba but you want to go to Spain so here's the asking price. And Woodward should have the decency to say "it was my decision to appoint Jose so I'll step down. "


2.) 03 Dec 2018 06:49:20
Fergie did want to keep Pogba, it was out of his hands. and while you might think Pogba has been disappointing his season, so has Lukaku, Rashford, Martial (most of the time), Bailly, Fred, Matic. who hasn't been disappointing? People might point to Shaw, but he hasn't gotten back to the 2-way beast he was looking like before his injury either.

I think when that many players aren't performing you have to look at the manager. And it's not like Mourinho's faults have been hard to see. Bizarre team selections and subs, consistently embarrassing behaviour, publicly sledging players all the time and bemoaning a lack of signings.

He's got to go. He's not one of us and he never will be.


 

 

13 Jan 2018 13:49:56
Sanchez has a bit of the Tevez about him. Very emotional. He obviously has all the skills, and when he's motivated his intensity and purpose adds a dimension to his game that any team would covet. So what is it that motivates him.

Clearly it's the thought of winning honours, and conversely looking at he seems to be demotivated by his team's mediocrity. So my guess is that:

1) he would only come to United if he thought he would win the EPL and/ or the Champions League in the next couple of years, and

2) if he did come, and it looked like those objectives were not going to be fulfilled, then it would be a disastrous transfer because his negative emotionality would end up leeching into and upsetting the dressing room.

Like for most supporters winning is ultimately more important than style. Arsenal play with style but they don't win the important trophies any more, which doesn't please their supporters and is clearly a demotivation to top players.

shawthing

1.) 13 Jan 2018 15:39:18
Agreed for sure!

Lucas Moura maybe?

On another note, I mentioned a defender Jorge Mere who was at Espanyol and now at Koln and NOW Barça are after him!

We should have got this guy! Well disappointed!


2.) 13 Jan 2018 16:06:08
Well Ronnie don't mean to be rude but you might have named atleast 200 players by now. It might be difficult for United hierarchy to properly understand which one you want.


3.) 13 Jan 2018 16:34:44
I deserved that! 😂.


4.) 13 Jan 2018 21:09:56
For Sanchez's supposed attitude you can see the same thing happening at Spurs in the next 18 months if they win nothing -Ali, Erikson etc have no real affinity to Spurs as many players don't to their clubs. Sanchez probably looks around and sees nothing there but the odd FA CUp. maybe views us the same . time will tell.


 

 

 

shawthing's banter posts with other poster's replies to shawthing's banter posts

 

04 Mar 2024 14:46:37
Yesterday's tactics were pretty much spot on. We're not gong to beat City playing their game. Our only chance was to soak up pressure and then break quickly. We did that superbly for Rashford's first goal. In the first half Rashford had two more opportunities. He mis-controlled when through and then fell over in the penalty area when given a sharp chance from a fairly acute angle.

The first half was a win and it was a win with McTominay and Evans starting, with no recognized left back, an out of form Rashford, a slow Casemiro, two teenagers who are being overplayed, no recognized CF. Given the gulf in quality, and the extremely limited squad available to him, I don't think it's fair to criticize ETH at all.

Sure, be annoyed that our club has become a mid table team, but there's a whole lot of history behind the decline preceding ETH. As Ratcliffe pointed out, if a whole slew of good managers have failed to change the dynamic then maybe the reason for the decline is not the managers. Makes sense to me. Managing MUFC is a poison chalice. Do any of you recall Mourinho, LVG or Rangnick's post managerial assessments of the club itself?

I'm on the fence with ETH. He did have a very decent first season. He has been unlucky this one with not just injuries to key players and disciplinary issues, but also ownership distractions leading to an absence of corporate strategy and support both in the short and long terms. The club is in abeyance. and that's before FFP problems.

Even when SJR's managerial team is in place it will still take a couple of years at least to really see if they are up to the job of bringing United back to the top table, whoever they decide is the right manager for the club at this time. If it's not ETH, so be it. One thing to bear in mind is that City did not become what they are overnight. The end goal may have been to recreate a Barcelona type dynasty under Pep, but there were steps on the way. For a while they had to settle on just being the noisy neighbors.

shawthing

1.) 04 Mar 2024 15:39:29
Good post shawthing.


2.) 04 Mar 2024 15:51:45
For the players that we had available and the current state of the club I think the game was as good as we could have hoped for result wise and that is a sad view of where we are compared to the current top 3 clubs.
We made a decent effort of the first half but never really felt like we were in with a chance of getting a result, City had lots of chances and could have had many more. I think Dalot, Onana and Evans can hold there head high.
Rashford is an enigma that I am not sure will ever recover the desire, with his statement this week I think the celebration was as much to stick it to our fans for doubting him as celebrating the goal.
I have wanted to stick by EtH but I think we need route and branch changes over the next couple of years. We are evolving the ownership and senior leadership group and the next stage of that will be the manager once the season ends. After that it will be a cull of the players. We may have an up and down period but for th long term success it is needed.


3.) 04 Mar 2024 16:26:56
Don't forget about Onana who, despite his howlers this season, has pulled off some saves so far that a certain Spaniard would be proud of.
He probably feels his defence is like Trigger's broom.

Ultimately, all-in-all, we're currently in the highest position we could really argue being worthy of.


4.) 04 Mar 2024 16:50:28
Spot on Shawthing.

I honestly don't know what these pundits expected yesterday.
you go toe to toe with City you get hammered. ETH got his tactics correct. Try and soak up the pressure and hit them on the counter attack with what we had available.
I haven't heard one pundit on TV or on Radio mention anything about our injury crises.
Never mind that we had 2 if not 3 of our first 11 defenders out injured who would of probably played yesterday in Shaw, Martinez and possibly Wan Bissaka.
We had no focal point up front to hold the ball up because our top scorer was out injured in Hoijland.
When Liverpool, Arsenal or Newcastle get 1 injury it's all over the tv and radio.
that performance was as good as i expected yesterday, we were never going to go there out pass and score them.


5.) 04 Mar 2024 17:43:57
Shawthing

Good post. A bit tribal atm and drama queens are out in full force today, so its good to read something that is balanced. We have 11 games to go plus cup ties. Personally that's what i care for the most atm. Fingers crossed reports saying Hoiland, Martinez coming back which will be a great boost.

If anyone cares to share any real news on malacia, mount, awb that would be highly appreciated.

Finally if anyone is going to the CUP tie vs Liverpool or in the Area it would be good to meet some of the keyboard warriors on the site. I have my tickets and looking forward to it.


6.) 04 Mar 2024 19:15:09
Shawthing, your post was a breath of fresh air, offering a balanced and realistic perspective on ETH's situation. I'm over the constant negative takes from certain individuals. ETH is a competent coach who's being undermined by the club's ongoing issues, a scenario too familiar for his predecessors.

Success is a must in his role, and while it might look like he's not living up to expectations following a promising first year, I believe he's exactly where he should be. Last season was a pleasant surprise for many of us, and it seems we're now seeing our true level. Like Arteta and Klopp, ETH deserves time to prove himself within a properly structured club. If, even then, improvements aren't seen, it'll be fair to discuss his departure. However, looking at the alternatives Ed mentioned, I'm not convinced many are a better fit.

Just taking a look at our bench from yesterday's game gives a clear picture of where the club stands. We're significantly behind, and it's apparent ETH is trying to achieve something substantial with limited resources. The conversation around spending £400m often misses the mark; it's not just about the amount spent but understanding the inflated football economy where even that sum doesn't stretch far enough to bring in multiple world-class players due to the high transfer fees demanded by clubs today.


7.) 04 Mar 2024 19:15:36
Good post Shawthing. The reality is that we'd struggle to beat City even with all our best players fit and available. The reality of us doing so with so many key players out was a fanciful dream at best.

It's just not a game that we should read too much into.


8.) 04 Mar 2024 19:36:32
Perhaps we should just read into the 28 loses in 100 games and forget the city one, Jose lost 29 in 144 games to put some perspective on it.


9.) 04 Mar 2024 21:02:25
we finished 6th in jose first season in a league that was easier and a better squad.

Jose win percentage is 62% eth is 61%. IMO a much tougher league at the top end evident by what we seeing atm and just a very different league. ETH will finish the season as the best united manager since fergie.

We can always get potter who has a 29% win percentage in the pl. 142 matches won 41 and lost 50.

Its a bit toxic with stupid stuff being posted over and over. going to stay away from this place for while. enjoy the rest of the season folks.


10.) 04 Mar 2024 21:55:05
Couldn’t just let this one slide could you Strangeways ?

Good post Shaw.


11.) 05 Mar 2024 05:24:19
With a better squad…LoL. What 400 mil spent and the squad is worse? Do me a favour, you forgetting Martial and Pogba were in those teams!


12.) 05 Mar 2024 09:32:16
Easier league. ???.


13.) 05 Mar 2024 11:47:53
The season Jose finished 2nd was a much easier league than this season.

Arsenal and Chelsea were at the start of rebuilding their sides.

Liverpool were in their 3rd season with Klopp and only just started to look like a side that could click and become a good side. They still conceded a lot of shots and would often run out of legs in the last 20 minutes of games, conceding a lot of late goals. This was before VvD and Alisson joined.

Behind us was Spurs, and the only side to really challenge is for a top four place. When Spurs are the 3rd best team in the league (without playing amazing or great football) then that tells you there wasn't much competition. We might have got 2nd place with 81 points, but we still finished 19 points behind City who were the only team playing consistently well that season.

Fast forward to this season and we have a genuine three way fight for the title, something that might have only happened once or twice before in history of the EPL.

Three teams playing at pretty much the same level that only City were able to achieve in 2017/ 18. That makes it a much stronger league.

Add to that Spurs and Villa as they are currently playing would have almost certainly have finished above United if they played in the 2017/ 18 season.

We also have a much stronger Newcastle side, due to their recent ownership change. Although injuries are also causing them big issues this season.

I'd say there are at least 4 maybe 5 sides playing this season that are playing better and more consistent football than the United 2017/ 18 team.

Meaning the league (especially the top of the league) is much stronger this season than it was in 2017/ 18.


14.) 05 Mar 2024 13:55:35
All the league fergie won were easy.
Easy peezy.


15.) 05 Mar 2024 15:16:38
LOL… some just come up with any old dross to try fight a losing battle, silly argument because all relative to the same time for all, whatever year/ season it was. so going by that Jose titles with Chelsea are worthless because easier then and SAF titles all worthless and everyone else in the history books…. LOL.


16.) 05 Mar 2024 16:21:10
Here they are the two class clowns like flies round the proverbial….


 

 

26 Feb 2024 15:59:52
We simply do not have the sort of players with the skills to control the ball for long periods of time. Too many of our squad have a poor first touch, their passing is often inaccurate, under or over- weighted. It's hard enough to break down a team set out to defend deeply even with quality players. So, we tend to rely on the fast break, which sometimes works, but often results in the ball being given away very quickly, as was the case all too frequently against Fulham. Bruno is particularly guilty in this respect. Much was said about our loss of control against Luton, but we had plenty of chances to put that game to bed had we not been so profligate on the break. It wasn't tactics that was the issue, it was lack of cohesive attacking quality and poor decision making.

There is no doubt in my mind that the loss of Shaw and Martinez has been an enormous blow, which has had the effect of aggravating Rashford's slump. It's no coincidence that we were doing better with one or both of them in the team.

A lot of complaints about ETH's tactics, but he's not even blessed with a solid starting XI at the moment, let alone a plethora of potential impact substitutes. I'm not advocating for or against ETH. The primary goal of the new team running the football operations will be to change the structure and culture. Only then will the manager's fate will be decided and it too will depend on whether the outside world of football sees the job as no longer a poison chalice.

shawthing

1.) 26 Feb 2024 16:30:42
On Saturday it was our 34th starting line up of the season, 23rd different back 4 combination, 13th different forward combination. This is why we aren’t getting any consistency and cohesion within the team.


2.) 26 Feb 2024 16:35:23
shawthing my argument, does fulham have a better squad?
Did they not have injuries?
Dis they replace their really good striker in Mitrovic?
Were we playing away?
This is not a one-off.

Why does he keep starting Rashford?
Why is our midfield always so exposed, there were instances they were more fulham guys running against us.

Why is Forson being started? Is it because he's better or is it because he wants him to sign a new contract?


3.) 26 Feb 2024 16:51:06
Yes we may be suited to transition. But why are teams consistently running through the centre of the pitch week after week.

My concern for ten hag is, I don’t think the players have downed tools. I genuinely don’t think his system that we are seeing will work even with everyone back. It didn’t against wolves or spurs at the start of the season. Or wolves away for that matter.


4.) 26 Feb 2024 18:58:49
It did work against wolves away caolin. It was only after martinez and cassemiro went off that wolves started to come back into the game. It is the same answer to everyone's questions. When we have the players fit in key positions to play with the ball and on the front foot, we do it. When we lose key players for that system (martinez, shaw, cassemiro, hoyland) we struggle. And when you add in that our two so called stars, rashford and Fernandes, are playing terrible this is causing us to struggle against strong mid table teams. Fulham and wolves are no mugs.


5.) 26 Feb 2024 19:06:30
Quite simply we don't have 11 players all suited to playing the same style of play.

10 years of our recruitment swinging this way then that, of muddled thinking and unclear direction. Of no plan or vision.

We have players like Shaw, Dalot and Martinez who have the technical skills to play out from the back. The rest of the defence can't really do that.

We have players like Maguire, Lindelof and AWB who are suited to playing a deep defence as they either lack the pace or mobility to get back into space, the tactical intelligence to defend over larger areas or are limited in technical quality to play higher up the pitch.

That's half a defence who needs to play a low block and half that are suited to playing possession football.

You then have Varane and Evans who are defensively intelligent, and can play in several different systems. But either lack the passing range or pace to excel in either a high line or possession based system.

Moving into midfield we have a similar miss mash of players. We don't have any player who you would call a deep lying playmaker. Someone who is an expert at taking the ball under pressure, dropping a shoulder and picking out a progressive pass forward.

So when we don't have Martinez and Shaw on the pitch we have literally no one in the defensive or middle thirds who can consistently progress the ball forward.

Leaving us to either lumping the ball forward and hoping a forward can get on to it. Or trying to press teams high to win the ball back already in the attacking third.

Beyond those two methods we have absolutely no way to progress the ball from back to front without Shaw and Martinez.

In the forward line we have players who are more interested in scoring than creating goals. There is also limited work rate, and a lack of tactical intelligence to effectively press the opposition high. We have Bruno charging around but not pressing as a team, Rashford not tracking back, and Antony not taking his man on and just cutting in on his left to shoot and put the fear of god into Doris sitting happily in row Z.

I know lots of people keep wanting to see Rashford and Bruno dropped.

That leaves Højlund, Garnacho, Antony, Amad, Shoretire, and Forson as the only other options. So from them who would be your front four?

Antony isn't good enough, Højlund and Amad have had injury issues and probably shouldn't play every week. The other three are all 19 or younger.

We have zero depth up front, so dropping Rashford and Bruno just isn't a viable option.

So we have a defence that will always have at least one or two players not playing in a way that plays to their strengths. Making our defence have a tendency to drop a little deeper to try and cover themselves.

We then have a forward line that is inconsistent with their work rate a s overly focused on trying to shoot rather than create. They have a tendency to play slightly higher.

With the forwards tending to stay high, and the defence dropping deep we have a massive space in midfield for our midfielders to cover. Do they play higher and support the attack and leave the defence utterly exposed, or do they drop deeper to cover the defence and leave our attack totally isolated.

All I hear and read is United fans b****ing about the team having no clear style, or way of playing. I'm yet to hear or read from a single one of them a viable solution.

How would you play, who would you pick, and what would be your tactics to get the best out of all 11 players on the pitch?

There quite simply isn't a way to get this incoherent squad of misfits and blaggers to play in a cohesive way that gets the best out of all the players on the pitch.

You will always have 3, 4 or even 5 players having to compromise and play in a way that isn't suited to their skill set.

This is exasperated when the team has extensive injuries meaning a constant chopping and changing and no way of even getting 5 players who all suit the same style of play on the pitch at the same time.

So rather than cry and whinge like a petulant child, be a man and come up with a solution.


6.) 26 Feb 2024 20:27:49
3 of our best four players are currently injured. It was no surprise that our form improved when Shaw, Martinez and Hojlund started.

Our problem is the replacements for those guys, are so poor and a total drop-off in quality.

ETH may not last after the summer. Personally, I think he's been handed a sh1t sandwich, and deserves a bit more time. Trophy last season, crap first half of this season, but unbeaten this year until the weekend.

That one result won't change my view on him, but I appreciate those higher up may well have their ideas for change, and I'll support their decision either way. And maybe he is just out of his depth. Never like to see someone lose their job, mind.


7.) 26 Feb 2024 20:01:25
But he bought or loaned quite a few of them, everyone does have injuries Liverpool won a cup with all there best players missing but still they play the way of the manager. No one got any idea of the Ten way, is it a press is it not, is it pass and move is it hit and hope is it on the break and that’s just layman’s terms nothing technical, we are a mess and you can’t seriously tell me we are looking any better then 2 years ago and that’s 400 million later.
Total shambles, it’s quite clear Ten going at end of season I have no concerns over that, I just hope all the coaches go too, because they seriously have to be questioned….


8.) 26 Feb 2024 20:40:05
I think that’s a fair assessment Shappy!

Some of us have argued for a long time that in many ways getting rid of players has been just as important as buying them. Those that don’t fit the system must be moved on and cannot be allowed to linger around the squad and block the pathway for more suitable players in the future.

If we sack EtH now the next manager will only inherit an even more unbalanced squad. At some point you have to trust the process and believe you have the right man.

I think there is evidence EtH can build an existing team. Martinez makes a huge difference, as does Shaw. If you could add a really good deep lying playmaker in addition to the likes of Mainoo, Garnacho and Hojlund the ingredients of a really good team are there. Squad depth is a huge issue, having the right type of players to step in and cover.

It takes take to build a squad. It’s hard to stay patient, especially after results like Saturday but panic now and the whole process starts again.

Personally I would like INEOS to build the structure first, appointing a new DoF and recruitment team. Set the philosophy and identity for the team moving forward and then make a decision about the manager.

Find a really good partner for Martinez, a deep lying play maker to progress the ball through midfield and another CF to ease the burden on Hojlund and I think we’ll see a much better team moving forward. Small steps rather than giant leaps. The caveat being keeping key players free from long term injuries.


9.) 26 Feb 2024 20:59:29
Klopp has been at liverpool for 8 years. His whole club is geared towards playing his style.

Eth has been at utd for 18 months, the whole club was geared towards playing a completely different style of football. And he's has a crazy number of injuries to boot.

You are providing examples of why sticking with a manager and building throughout the club is a good idea. Because the whole youth setup can be built to be consistent with the clubs vision.

Staring to think this fan base doesn't deserve success again. At some point you have to realise where you are and stop sticking a plaster over the wound. We aren't the middle of a total rebuild - and no, it shouldn't be better than this while we do it. Rash and Fernandes are probably playing bad because they know they won't be around much longer. The rot must go before we cN heal. Eth is not the rot.


10.) 26 Feb 2024 21:29:43
Strangeways the argument about klopp and Liverpool injuries is so delusional!
Everyone at Liverpool is there because kloppy has spent 8 years building that squad! We have injuries and replace players with Jose or ole players! Do you actually understand that? It’s not going to be pretty, or work fantastically well is it, how can it!


11.) 27 Feb 2024 06:42:20
Not quite true though is it Chris, 2 years in and zero pattern of play some awful awful buys and loans, seriously poor in game management poor team selections, not improved one single player, purchased or loaned half a squad and the football is dire, caused so many rifts rightly or wrongly its poor management, rifts need to be dealt with in an unharmful way to the process not public spats, that’s poor management that’s before we even get to some of his stupid statements.


12.) 27 Feb 2024 07:16:00
Good post Dodgy ?.


13.) 27 Feb 2024 08:26:33
ETH Atm has 4 players he bought at his disposal. Ericksen, Cas, Antony, Onana.

This 400 mill constantly talked about is nonsense. 7 of 11 week in week out are players who have been here or from the academy.

Malacia, Martinez, Hoiland, Mount all injured. 3 have hardly played this year. Martinez has played a total of 4 games, Malacia has not played since last April, Mount I think 4/ 5. Its not his team Folks. Its a mish mash of players that go back to 3 previous managers and him trying to put a line up out papering the cracks.

I will personally pass Judgment on him post this summer and if we have actually made any significant changes to this squad. Building something is not an elevator ride straight upwards and there are setbacks along the way.



Liverpool bought 4 mids last year and 4 front line players the year before. They have a lot of debt in that squad and options. All proper players and proper money spend and no funky loan deals and scrapping the bottom of the market.


14.) 27 Feb 2024 09:05:10
For me, when attaching our rest defence get sloppy, 90% of the time they are in the right position but because the defends drop off so much leaving huge amount of space behind the 2 in midfield teams exploit the issue. The midfield gets left with two decisions drop back or attack the man. For me, the defence drops off due to a lack of pace and confidence.


15.) 27 Feb 2024 09:40:13
Liverpool fan here and just wanted to jump in because there was a mention on Klopp. What DodgyBanter said is right. Klopp has been with us for 8 years. All the current players are his and the youth team is coached with his ethos and style of play. The only player left from the Rodgers' era now is Gomez and even then, he himself was still relatively new when Klopp first came in.

I would also like to add that Klopp had the ability to get rid of the players that did not fit his playstyle. In the first two years of his tenure, Klopp had already sold Benteke, Balotelli, Skrtel, Ibe, Lucas, Sakho, and Allen among all the other fringe players. So, Klopp already was able to form his own team in that time. Compare this to the players ETH who still has to deal with players LvG bought that is still at the club, much less those from Mourinho and Ole.

It remains to be seen if ETH is the man to lead you guys forward, but context is important and the hand he has been dealt with is atrocious.


16.) 27 Feb 2024 09:45:08
Rewz

Spot on. Our defenders are petrified of players getting behind them. they drop off.


17.) 27 Feb 2024 10:22:45
We can go over it again and again and again but the fact is that this is the worse brand of football since Fergie retired.
They are absolutely horrible to watch!
I always have been a fan of ETH but some of the absolute crap he's spouting at the moment is just embarrassing. How can he stand in front of a camera and keep saying we are on the right path, we are improving when clearly we are not improving. The fans are not stupid, we do watch every game Eric and the results don't lie.


18.) 27 Feb 2024 10:41:56
If we don’t have the players suited to play a certain way, then don’t play it.


19.) 27 Feb 2024 11:02:47
Caolan, we don't have the players to play ANY specific way to the standard and at the consistency needed.

Like I've said, lots of people complaining about the style of play or the tactics, but no one prepared to put their neck out and actually suggest a solution.

How would you set this squad up to play? Who would you pick in your starting 11, what would be the tactics and how does that get the best out of those 11 players, or at least mitigate their weaknesses.

Still no one can give a suggestion despite shooting down a guy for not coming up with this impossible solution.


20.) 27 Feb 2024 12:22:43
Thanks Dracred, good to have some intelligent contribution rather than the normal nonsense about style of play, too much space in midfield or "it should better than this".

The best managers are supported by their club, players are removed and new players brought in. Many managers need time to make the changes required. And it often doesn't look good while that process is underway.


21.) 27 Feb 2024 12:36:20
Shappy
You could put forward 10 solutions but they are all irrelevant.
It's up to the coach to sort it out.
You can watch 10 movies and decide they are all no good but are you going to start suggesting to the director/ producer how to make a movie? I'd say no because you don't know how to direct a movie no more than you know how to manage or set up a professional football team. No more than any of us do.
We can only comment on what we see not how to do it imo.
Eth has to find solutions. Same way as every other manager that has problems.
No doubt he is doing his best under difficult circumstances.
I question whether his best will be good enough under any circumstances.
I've seen no evidence that he could.
For me it's not a question of 'is eth the problem' I don't think anybody believes he is the sole problem. I think the question is if eth is the solution even under a better set up. I don't think he will be our solution under any set up. I come to that conclusion based on a lot of his personality traits that I've seen over the last 2 years.
But let's wait and see there maybe a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that is not evident to me. But the experts will soon make their call based on seeing things at close quarters.


22.) 27 Feb 2024 13:26:33
Dodgy
Should moyes have been sacked?
Should lvg have been sacked?
Should ole have been sacked?
Should ole have been sacked?
Should Potter have been sacked
Should Hodgesdon have been sacked for Klopp?
Should Atkinson have been sacked for fergie?
Should pelligrini been sacked for pep?
Should touchel be sacked by bayern?
On and on the list goes.


23.) 27 Feb 2024 13:29:52
If we don't have players to control the ball for long periods of time. First off they shouldn't be pro footballers and secondly they shouldn't be playing for Manchester United.


24.) 27 Feb 2024 13:31:27
Tumble/ Ken, if your opinion is always going to be that all other opinions are irrelevant as it's not up to us, then I suppose there's no point in any forum in the world existing? Shall we all go home?


25.) 27 Feb 2024 13:45:26
Shappy, that’s rubbish that players can’t play any style.

The man is paid millions of pounds a year. He’s brought in a load of players. Last year was 10x better than this. We all said if we had a centre forward to finish the missed chances we could be going somewhere.

Why the major shift? Look at carragher’s analysis of the gaps in the team. The confusion in instruction from kick off.

We had one of the best defensive records this season and have now conceded half the shots city have all season in our last 5 games. I like Ten Hag, but this is utter dross and he does not deserve to be in the job next season, and I’d say if we didn’t have the off field things going on, he’d have been sacked pre Christmas.


26.) 27 Feb 2024 14:13:18
Tumbleweed, you are just being impatient. But you are not listening or open to what anyone says. You have made up your mind.

Just some food for thought:
Ten hag has our highest ever win ratio for a manager. HIGHEST EVER.

Last year in his first season he finished 3rd and won a trophy.

This season he has has terrible injury crises throughout the whole season, the club has been up for sale with the CEO sacked, his two star players have terrible form, one player went on strike, two players have been in the news for domestic abuse allegations, he has changed his GK (who has taken some time to settle) he has a new captain, financial fair play has dictated that we cannot bring in any players we need desperately to cover positions. His back up striker has decided that rather than be sold, he will have an operation and run down his contract now - meaning we can't afford cover for Hoyland. Added to all that, the media clearly have an agenda against him and some toxic fans have already decided after less than two years that they want to bring in someone else.

We will not get any better until we take some time to sort this out. It takes patience, perseverance and backing of the manager.

Media and fans are blowing up about sacking him. But we are one of the form teams in the EPL (4 wins from last 5). In the last game, we had Lindelof at LB and cassemiro went off injured, yet if mcguire scores that header we probably win. Crazy game, ain't it!


27.) 27 Feb 2024 14:37:57
Yeah yeah db you said all that about ole too.
Your right I've made my own mine up on eth.
Let's see what the experts do in the summer.
There is no reason you need to listen to me nor I you. I have my pinyin you have yours. Neither are important to the club. K etc see what the folk that are experts do next. Then you have a go at them if you don't agree. What I think has no importance. Make your points and I'll make mine.
Spenno
All opinions on here are irrelevant to the decision makers. Do you dispute that? Paying inflated relevance or importance to our opinions is daft as they are totally irrelevant to the people who make the decisions.


28.) 27 Feb 2024 14:46:56
I'm not disputing those things at all Tumble. But it's fun (or at least meant to be! ) debating them, so why not?


29.) 27 Feb 2024 15:10:52
Spenno exactly no issue discussing them but our opinions are totally irrelevant to those that make decisions. But you seem to have an issue with me saying that.
Let's face it you know just about as much on doing open heart surgery or directing a movie as you do about running a football team.
It's fun to discuss but I wouldn't pay any attention to a bunch of folk talking about solutions to a problem they have no idea how to fix.
I asked yesterday what we think the new Co owner will do not what you want to happen. Because its really the only thing that matters.


30.) 27 Feb 2024 15:58:02
I read that the new minority shareholder made some comments about errors, basically errors happen but keep making the same error or making it more than once is unacceptable. Has ETH repeated errors? Has he continued with tactics that leave us wide open? Has he played Rashford, Antony beyond reason when it was clearly an error? If buying Antony was an error, does the new minority shareholder see Onana, Mount as errors?

Dracred commented about Klopp and his first two years. Could Liverpool fans see what he was trying to do? Was the future pattern clear? It’s a key question, because when I see United passing the ball slowly around aimlessly at the back with Onana slowing it down, our style not defined, press, drop uncoordinated after 2 years, I wonder what our future is, a pattern just isn’t clear and it should be. ETH should sell the vision, Liverpool knew what Klopp would do, we haven’t a clue where we are going.

We are allowed to debate the future of ETH, personally I think he is toast now. That was a watershed at the weekend and Champions League football is now going to be tough. Spending £1.2Bn putting top end directors in says the aim is high. Is ETH that high end manager? I don’t think he is and to start a new era I strongly suspect there will be a change. ETH may be here until summer but I expect discussions on his successor have already taken place.

The who will be interesting, it needs some tough action but a lot should fall on the DOF. I would still look at Simeone because he will not stand for nonsense. I like De Zerbi and heard many positives about Amorim. Ultimately it’s time we had a head coach not an all powerful manager, with a defined style of football that if isn’t delivered results in a change without the acrimony and demand for every manager to be given 5 years, when it isn’t clear they can deliver.

The new minority shareholder will do things differently and that is very likely to be good news.


31.) 27 Feb 2024 16:12:20
Our new co owner and major shareholder sjr and his team will decide the fate of eth.
Nobody on here knows, we are all entitled to air our views. None of our views will be relevant to their decision.
Eth is not the major problem but that's not to say he can deliver even if the problems around him are solved.
Ajh said they did due diligence on him but let's face it due diligence and an extensive interview process is no good if the decision makers are not subject matter experts. I think we all agree that our previous management are not subject matter experts.


32.) 27 Feb 2024 17:14:50
Understand that tumble, I just don't like the pile on that is happening. We lost a game after winning 4. Newcastle and chelsea are performing worse, yet they get a free pass. Where is all the media attention on them? This in turn makes this page light up with ten hag out debates. I enjoy the debate of it, and totally agree about club experts deciding. One of my concerns is that those club experts are not in place yet. So I partly want to wait until they are. Fully in board with top down alignment of the full club, it is the only way will get back to where we need to.


33.) 27 Feb 2024 17:19:12
Our views may or may not make any difference to the minority shareholder but it’s a banter and discussion website, that’s its purpose so no one should feel they can’t have an opinion.
Due diligence on ETH was done by the previous failed regime, so is unlikely to be as thorough as it should have been.
The minority shareholder is looking to make changes, I suspect he will want a manager that plays football in a style he expects. Slow Dutch possession doesn’t seem likely to be it so unless there is a meeting of minds on that, ETH is likely to be in trouble.


34.) 27 Feb 2024 17:52:24
Db your view laid out above is that anybody that wants a change of manager is toxic.
I hope you don't think that about our new co owner and major shareholder and ceo and dof if they think that's the way forward.
But you won't you'll change your tune and back pedal just as you did when ole was fired.
If its a case of them wanting to keep eth I will have to do the same. I've no issue with that I've been wrong before just like your good self.


35.) 27 Feb 2024 18:42:31
No tumble, but our new leadership team is not in place, so who is making that decision?

I backed Ole far longer than everyone on here. I have not backtracked on that. I backed him, because I knew that if ut failed with him it meant that we were entering into a complete squad rebuild and that this would take years.

For some reason others don't seem to have come to terms with that, and think we should be a solid top 4 team even when we need to rip the guts out of it.

As everyone keeps saying. We will see what comes.


36.) 27 Feb 2024 19:13:48
The new team. Will make the decision DB when the time is right.
If you regard them as toxic if they make the decision to remove him then its going to be a long hard few years for you???.


 

 

25 Feb 2024 20:25:02
Ratcliffe was quite clear. If every manager is failing, including some quite good ones, then the problem most likely lies somewhere other than the manager.

ETH may or may not survive, but whether he does so will not be based on what's happening now but on whether the new administration considers him the best available manager to take the club forward.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The players we have now are simply not good enough. None of them would make it at Liverpool, Arsenal or City. Klopp and Pep would not win a title with them. So why would anyone expect ETH to do so? Every team has injuries, true, but Pep and Klopp have been at their respective clubs for a while now and have solid deep squads all versed in playing to a particular style. ETH does not have that luxury: not even close to it. We need all our best players fit and healthy to be in with a chance. Injuries to key players affect all clubs but because our squad is so shallow on quality, it affects us more, particular in relation to the expectations of our fan base, which are completely unrealistic.

There are a few positive signs for the future, but that's it.

shawthing

1.) 25 Feb 2024 23:29:21
I agree in oart Shaw.
I don't think there is an eth out campaign.
If the new management have faith in eth and trust him to bring the team forward and are seeing something I'm not then ill be 100% behind that decision.
I'd genuinely thought we would be seeing some more signs of improvement.


2.) 26 Feb 2024 06:44:33
Spot on Shaw. The ETH out bandwagon is rolling, but given how many Managers have failed, the Manager is not the issue.


3.) 26 Feb 2024 06:59:51
I would agree with that sentiment Shawthing if we saw just a glimmer of what Ten Hag is trying to do with this team. The problem is, we don’t see any style of play. His in game management is poor too. I am not calling for his head because as others have said, 10 or more players need to go before him but if I was the new hierarchy I’d be concerned about giving him more money to spend on duds.


4.) 26 Feb 2024 08:18:46
EtH has proved that he is a good manager with Ajax, it is hard to know whether this was in part due to the structure of how the players come through from the youth team but he was a success. He has also had some relative success since coming in.
My issue at the minute is how other teams, and those lesser in players and standing are dominating us from a skill and desire level. This is something that EtH could control from the time that he has been here, yes we have had injuries but I would still expect the squad to have had more about it.
I am torn between giving him time and a proper structure and starting from scratch with another manager. A lot will depend on what the new structure decides and I can't help but think they will want a clean break.


5.) 26 Feb 2024 10:45:52
Brad that last paragraph sums up my feelings exactly over past 2 months.
I have since come down on the side of eth is not up to the job and is in fact bringing us backwards.


 

 

20 Feb 2024 16:01:09
Maybe the question we should ask ourselves about whether ETH is the man for the job, is whether, given a structure that attracts and delivers the quality of players that Liverpool and City seem to keep getting, would we be competitive with them?

Of course, we simply do not know the answer. but given the depth of the structural deficits at the club: overpriced legacy players with poor skills and attitudes, a moribund scouting and recruitment department, FFP issues, and the serious possibility of no Champions League football next season, it seems likely that whoever is the manager, will not be on an equal quality footing come next August.

I, for one, think that ETH should be given another season, or at least get to start next season. Quite frankly, given the problems in the squad this year between injuries, low quality, and spoiled brattish player behavior, he's done about as well as we might have expected. and there are signs of improvement. With all the other changes afoot, changing the manager should be on the back burner.

shawthing

1.) 20 Feb 2024 18:15:58
I agree shaw
I look at our squad compared to other so called big clubs and ours by far is a complete mish mash of quality and style! The best example is he’s only been allowed to sign 1/ 2 defenders who suit his style, Martinez and malacia, to build up play from the back which is what he wants he’s relying on Evans ( loan ) Maguire ( ole ) varane ( ole ) lindelof (Jose ) and none of the above fit his style whatsoever! It’s just one example of what he’s up against and years of mismanagement above!

Last year I saw promise but this year he’s back to relying on previous regimes poor players as I’d have been injured and we’ve stuttered!

I’m not an ETH must stay at all costs fan, but I’m sensible enough to think back to last year, to understand issues he’s had this year and to understand the problems he’s had, and this is without taking into account the fact for the first 18 months he’s been working in a circus if you listen to ineos findings!


2.) 20 Feb 2024 18:52:37
Oh yeah because he really shown to be competent in transfer market, Malacia is not even good enough anyway, Onana is a joke, even his kicking is suspect. Antony total waste of space (and he knew him years) Mount we have no idea why he wanted him, Amrabat another waste of space (OK Loan but ETH still picked him to loan) along with the others, Probably the best out of loans was Sabitzer and he sent him packing when available for 15mil, then there’s the Turkish keeper he wanted, the one they call invincible

Why give him another year what’s the point, lots of the problems are of his own making anyway that’s before we even get in to how poor his man management is his stubbornness his falling out with all and sundry then let’s say about his demeanour… oh yeah he finished 3rd ole finished 2nd Jose finished 2nd, ETH spent 400 million finished 3rd well done let’s give him 2 years more.


3.) 20 Feb 2024 20:08:35
Maze,

Do you like the manager? I’m unsure. Give me a list of 10 things you don’t like about him please.


4.) 21 Feb 2024 17:25:54
When we play with Shaw, Martinez, Varane, Dalot and Cassemiro in midfield we look a much better team. We have played most of the season without any of those players.

Playing amrabat at left back, Lindelof at rightback and McGuire and Evan's in the middle is not going to work. Style of play comes with playing your best players together to develop understanding and cohesiveness.

We are in a process of open heart surgery. It takes time to rip everything up and start again. We will get there, but we won't if we have no patience to stay the course.


5.) 21 Feb 2024 20:53:09
Ornstein says his sources at united Brailsford and Ineos like eth and want they have seen and plan to get behind him and support him come this summer and potentially also extend his contract. Will disappoint some here but personally glad to hear.


6.) 22 Feb 2024 10:06:53
I don't think anybody apart from the strangeways is calling for eth to be fired.
I don't think he will align with the Co owners.
It will be a very interesting few years ahead.


7.) 22 Feb 2024 10:51:49
Time will tell and interesting 3 months ahead of us. More pressing issues is winning matches to worry about. Unfortunately we have lost our entire left side defensively again.

Read a few weeks ago that Brandon Williams has been injured and recouping at united, I wonder if he would be a sensible option if he is close to being ready.

Anyone know if there was a option to buy with Ipswich and if we can recall him.


8.) 22 Feb 2024 16:16:20
No we can't play Williams this season he is not registered as a united player and can't be until his deal with Ipswich expires.


 

 

12 Feb 2024 13:42:09
The change in tactics towards the end yesterday where we passed the ball about slowly rather than trying to play quickly on the break, frustrated Villa and was what won us the game. Boring, maybe. But it was exactly what was required to slow down a team that had just equalized, likes to play quickly, and was threatening to score again.

shawthing

1.) 12 Feb 2024 13:58:44
Agreed Shaw. i'd like to see us do that more often, in fact, I thought it was an ETH tactic, ball retention. But I guess he is trying to match two styles to give us the best chance at winning games.

I think we can also put to bed the question of, whether or not the players are playing for him. They clearly are.

I really hope he is given the chance to continue beyond the summer. I have great hope that, with the correct structure, ETH would thrive.


2.) 12 Feb 2024 14:17:47
Angel I agree. If he did secure cl football this season i hope it will be enough for them to give him another year but even that may not be enough I feel.
I think he is having to tinker a lot and go against his own principles sure to what he has available to him so it's hard to see any real patterns of consistency.
There are a lot of people that should leave the club before eth imo including some of our toxic anti fans. All will become clear over the next 6 months but I'm hopeful more than expectant that we can have a decent end to the season and get the cl spot we covet.


3.) 12 Feb 2024 16:12:23
His issue is the number of players that are not secure on the ball. He's asking them to release the ball quickly but mostly they are just lumping the ball upfield and giving the ball back. A good example was Lindelof doing just that at the start of the second half. Dalot, while generally very good yesterday, also did that, and is guilty of doing it a lot. We have a lot of players that are just extremely careless in possession and that means we give away a huge number of chances. The difference when Mainoo, Shaw and Martinez are all in there is incredibly stark.


4.) 12 Feb 2024 17:03:50
Spot on Don.
Technically we are all looking at mainoo and thinking he is standout. Which he is in our squad. So comfortable taking the ball on the half turn or under pressure no matter what the scenario he manages to be able to manipulate the ball and his body and make the correct decision.
But realistically if you look at the top 3 teams they have a dozen players in their squads who can do the same things as mainoo technically.
Our players are miles behind both technically and with their decision making.
Our youth players are showing our experienced pros up with their tekkers.
I remember grealish telling how Shaw commented to him how comfortable he foden and all the city and arsenal players are on the ball.
If you've not seen it on YouTube look up foden and grealish playing 2 touch keeps uppies 30yards apart then try and imagine mctom and Anthony doing the same. ?
Our players don't manipulate the ball well and don't run off the ball well and when they do the guy in possession doesn't see the runs or ignores them and cuts in and shoots.
Eth said he could not implement his ajax style at united. Its bloody obvious why. The players are miles behind technically imo.


5.) 12 Feb 2024 23:19:02
Exactly Tumbleweed. When I watch City I always think just how far ahead they are technically with regard to ball control and movement. It's the fundamentals we lack and it's been that way for a long time now. Football has moved on since the days SAF managed. People may disagree with this, but I'm not at all sure he would have been so successful if he was starting out today.


6.) 13 Feb 2024 11:58:41
Shaw that not necessarily true at all.
I hate these debates as they're us no way of proving anything and it's then a completely dumb argument.
Fergie never coached the players.
He was a problem solver and motivator.
He would surround himself with the best in class coaches now as he did back then.
He would have adapted.
You can't say with any certainty that he would or would not have been effective.
We do this all the time with players. You can't with any accuracy compare players from different eras.
Some were the best in their era who knows what they would do now. Its impossible to say.
Opinions are great and I get the idea of the comparisons but at the end of the day nothing can be proven so it's all a bit daft imo.
Greats were great in their day I think we should always leave it there.
It's a bit like saying Wellington was a war and battle expert. Not much he could do today if they dropped a nuke on him?? he'd have to employ different tactics and who is to say he could have adapted ?.


 

 

 

shawthing's rumour replies

 

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16 Mar 2024 03:02:30
If we can get £30m for him and his salary off the books, that's the equivalent of £60m to the bottom line over 2 years. I wouldn't offer him any compensation for loss of salary. Play hardball.

shawthing

 

 

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13 Mar 2024 18:56:41
We've been making the same mistake year after year, even when SAF was in charge. Remember how we had to have Owen Hargreaves? He hardly ever played. Weren't we after Sancho the year before he joined? But instead of being thankful for missing out, the club just went ahead and compounded the misjudgment. The Bundesliga is a different place, and Dortmund's style is not ours. The highly rated Kagawa was also one who did not thrive in the EPL. We've had at least a decade of buying players because they're available at a very high price and without any long term plan as to how to use them.

shawthing

 

 

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22 Dec 2023 07:58:00
The decision seems to have been based on the court ruling that Uefa and Fifa were abusing their power to prevent the clubs from exercising their right to free competition. This decision does not necessarily mean that a super league in the form originally proposed a couple of years ago will go ahead. There seems to be a lot of discussion regarding the method of qualification for the new tournament. Will it be based on performance or as of right, like in a US franchise system where even the crappiest teams are guaranteed a berth at the top table ad infinitum. It's great for the franchisees. Locked in profitability. League control over merchandising. Salary caps. Adaptation of the rules to allow for maximizing in game advertising. Who knows, maybe Todd Boehly will get his wish and have an exceedingly boring all star weekend with archaic concepts like cheerleaders in tight shorts while everyone fawns over these megastars.

Maybe younger folk and the global audience will be turned on by watching Europe's top clubs in constant action against each other, but for old traditionalists like me, the old English league rivalries are what the game is all about. But I'm not the future audience. Things change. Bah humbug.

shawthing

 

 

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18 Dec 2023 19:57:29
You can't just show someone the door. The damage has been done and the cost of getting out of all these excessively lucrative contracts will be an expense in the current year's accounts. How does that affect FFP?

Sancho reportedly costs us £18m a year in wages, plus £13m in amortization. So we're on the hook for £75m over the next 2 1/ 2 years. We can't get back the sunk money but nor can we afford to write off the whole lot in one year. We need a buyer who is going to take over a least £45m of our future obligations,

shawthing

 

 

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11 Nov 2023 08:42:24
Had the Glazers selected a person who actually knew how to run a football club as the CEO back in 2012, rather than Woodward, we would arguably not be in the mess we are today. In the last 11 years we have spent plenty money to be a top contender. While debt servicing and FFP (which won't be helped if we don't get back in the Champions League), are not gong to get resolved in the short term under what we know of Ratcliffe's plan, the primary problem of poor club management will at least be addressed. That's the starting point whoever is the owner.

The key to a resurgence is not the ownership per se but who the owners select to manage the club. The benefit of Jassim would reportedly be debt elimination and funds for investment in infrastructure. There is no guarantee that the club would be run any better if he took over. With no experience whatsoever, nor any clear indication of where the funds are coming from, Jassim's offer may be less attractive than one might initially think. Success on and off the field, including debt and FFP issues, will not be instantaneous, but if SJR provides the management nous we need then it will come again. And if it does I don't care if the Glazers still own a significant stake in the club, but remain in the background. Unfortunately it's taken them 18 years to realize the level of there incompetence when it comes to owning a successful football club, which requires as the #1 priority the hiring of a competent management team that can install and maintain a winning footballing structure.

shawthing

 

 

 

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15 Mar 2024 12:58:43
A manager has a limited knowledge of players and who may or may not be available. It is not the manager's responsibility to do the scouting, research, negotiations, etc. Nor is it the manager's responsibility for authorizing the expenditure of funds. Man Utd's back room has scarcely come up with a top quality purchase in more than a decade. The problems originate there.

I agree that it looks highly likely ETH has made an error in his assessment of Antony's potential, but you can't blame him for not snagging Kudus. or any other player who may or may not have been available, and may or may not have been interested in coming to Man Utd.

shawthing

 

 

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13 Mar 2024 19:10:02
The Glazers do/ did not run the club on a day to basis. They rely/ relied on the executives hired to do so. They don't know anything about football, and unfortunately the people they hired to run the club haven't known much either. Woodward, in particular, was a disaster from a football point of view. He even echoed the idea that winning the title wasn't important. After a decade of utter incompetence they've finally given the responsibility for gathering a competent team to run the club over to SJR. Let's hope he can make a difference.

shawthing

 

 

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02 Mar 2024 01:15:15
Haaland frequently doesn't get a lot of touches. There's much more to playing CF than waiting for a ball over the top and then trying to beat the defense for speed. #1. you have to fight for possession with your back to the goal #2 you have to hold the ball and bring other players into the game - who then they might be in a position to return a pass to you in scoring position #3 you have to anticipate where a pass/ cross is coming to, and then #4 you have to take your chances - In all 4 respects Rashford has been pretty abject this season. Add to that his moodiness, lack of discipline on and off the field, his public sympathetic response to Sancho, and on too many occasions, when playing on the wing, a failure to fulfill his defensive duties - I really don't see how anyone can defend him. The only thing I will say is that the left side of our team has been crippled by the virtual season loss of Martinez and Shaw, who together would surely improve Rashford's demeanor and effectiveness.

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29 Feb 2024 14:59:29
It seemed like every time he had the ball in the first 15 minutes he gave it away. The problem is, at the end of the day, the statistics will show he was our most creative player, getting an assist. He might have had another had Antony scores early. It's hard to see how the new administration will be interested in keeping him or Rashford.

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12 Feb 2024 23:19:02
Exactly Tumbleweed. When I watch City I always think just how far ahead they are technically with regard to ball control and movement. It's the fundamentals we lack and it's been that way for a long time now. Football has moved on since the days SAF managed. People may disagree with this, but I'm not at all sure he would have been so successful if he was starting out today.

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