Manchester United banter 10

04 Mar 2026 19:38:50
Whilst it would be great to put in a fabulous performance tonight and win the match, ultimately I don't really care if it is a naff performance as long as we win. An own goal from a shot hitting the bar and going in off the back of their goalkeeper will do me nicely.

For the rest of the season it is not about style but substance. Nothing else matters but winning. This notion that a new manager should instantly create a side, 2/3rds of the way down the league table, into a attacking, winning side overnight is just a fantasy.

Creating a winning mentality is the absolute priority, once that has been achieved the quality of play can be worked upon, indeed the more you win the more the style will automatically improve through natural evolution.

For now it's WIN, WIN, WIN.

Let's keep it going tonight!

04 Mar 2026 21:11:43
Except we were 5th when Carrick took over.

04 Mar 2026 22:24:39
Well, that was an absolute farce. What a woeful performance by all. What got me most is how unfit they looked. They deserve to lose without doubt. A last season pathetic performance.

04 Mar 2026 22:33:02
Notice a lot of our poor performances have come when we've had to play a midweek game. It's just not the squad depth or quality, and nights like tonight show some players' age.

04 Mar 2026 22:41:44
Just like Villa, we have massively overachieved. I was dreaming of finishing in the top two, and a proper performance today would've put pressure on City. Not sure what's going on if these players, in their prime, can't play twice a week, yet they talk about CL football.

Newcastle should've been there for the taking in the second half - they should've been pinned back and their box should've been assaulted with balls to Sesko. Cunha, imo, needs to be rested - he's a great player, but the boy needs to pass the ball a lot sooner.

05 Mar 2026 05:04:01
Top 2 is a pipe dream, 3rd place is a push, I'd be happy with 4th.
Reality, this is not a great team. We have zero CBs who are anything above average, 2 full backs who are not that great, Sesko still has loads to learn, Cunha still needs to learn he is not playing for Wolves anymore and that his build-up play is still too slow.

Don't be surprised if Martinez comes in after the World Cup and Carrick goes to number 2. That way we can still plan and buy players Martinez wants.



We need an experienced CB along with 2 midfielders and still need an experienced striker and hopefully a full back or 2.

I don't buy this; we can't play 2 games a week. That's ridiculous, plus you need a few experienced players in a team. With our lack of defenders, you're always likely to have problems and get found out. I would not keep any of our CBs, maybe McGuire at a push, but that's about it.

05 Mar 2026 18:28:51
We lost, Maze is back. Trololol.

04 Mar 2026 09:46:42
St. James Park. Always a tough place to go, despite Newcastle not playing well recently, I'm sure that they will try and fly out in our faces and be as aggressive as usual.

But, there are some big players out for Newcastle at the minute and I do believe we will score 2/3 tonight. Big Ben to continue his good form. 2-1 win.

Really looking forward to it tonight.

How's everyone feeling? Any score predictions?

04 Mar 2026 10:05:53
I'm a bit nervous about tonight. Gordon, up against Dalot, worries me. I'm hoping we start fast and take the game away from Newcastle early on with a goal.

This will be controversial, I expect, but I think I'd take Mbuemo out and go Cunha - Fernandes - Diallo and Sesko up top.

I feel like Mbuemo needs a break, and Diallo, up against Burn, would have an uncomfortable night, imo.

I'm going for a hopeful 2-0.

04 Mar 2026 10:11:55
Not a bad shout, Ports. Amad could do well there. But I think he's going to drop out imo and be brought on with 20/25 mins to go. Fresh legs v Burn, even better.

04 Mar 2026 10:21:27
Torn between the players not being able to handle the atmosphere and Newcastle being so open that inevitably the likes of Bruno, Mbuemo and Cunha should be able to exploit the spaces on the counter.

Going to go for an entertaining 2-2 draw.

04 Mar 2026 19:01:41
4-2 to UTD. The Manchester one.

I think Newcastle have a virus running through the squad and a few are out.

04 Mar 2026 07:55:10
The players really need to get to the levels of the City and Arsenal games tonight, it needs big passion and work rate to win up there. They have to be at it right from the kick off.

04 Mar 2026 09:35:13
Redcon, I think that's it. I'd like to see us come out of the gates a bit quicker tonight. But I won't be panicking if we don't, because we have been able to get the results needed in the second halves of games.

But yes, straight out of the blocks would be lovely.

04 Mar 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - EHL2020 has posted a new article entitled, Rangers and the Youth Pathway Bottleneck

03 Mar 2026 23:06:13
oh boy that's a great win for wolves. Andre I would take in a heartbeat to replace cas

They are playing with all heart and passion now and fair play to them too.

04 Mar 2026 06:50:28
Look at their run-in. The great escape is upon us!

04 Mar 2026 07:58:48
Might not be the great escape, but they won't finish bottom. I think that's Burnley's spot.

04 Mar 2026 09:11:47
Fair play to Wolves, back-to-back Premier League wins are a fantastic achievement, and something that is not easy to do at this level, as we have found out.

04 Mar 2026 19:03:01
I have wagered they beat the drop, Everton make top 6, and Spurs go down. Unable to get in a multi though. ?

03 Mar 2026 11:02:12
So 6 weeks ago (16th Jan), pretty much all of the supporters were happy for Carrick to take over as interim and under no circumstances take over full time, we needed a big name, a proven winner with hopefully prem league experience.6 weeks pass and people are clambering over themselves to give Carrick the job.

I'm pretty sure this has happened before at this club hasn't it?!?!?

Football supporters are a baffling breed, no wonder owners can take so many liberties with clubs. Distract people with a couple of wins or a big signing and the owners can continue to put their hands in your pockets.

03 Mar 2026 11:41:25
Who is clamberimg? No, not many on here, and I've not seen a groundswell anywhere else either. Most seem to want to see how the season pans out.

03 Mar 2026 13:32:37
No idea where you get that info from, Rewz.
I don't see many saying Carrick should get the job yet.

03 Mar 2026 13:34:52
Agreed, AJH. Carrick had a blazing start but, while results have been great, performances have clearly dipped. We need to see him over an extended period to see if his methods work.

It's clear he can set the team up, it's not clear if his coaching methods are. He's in many ways showing himself to be the inverse of Amorim, and what we need is a mix of the better parts of both.

03 Mar 2026 15:36:05
The clambering point has been addressed above; it's clearly ridiculous, and I assume OP has been spending too much time on X/Twitter.

I will say, though, don't underestimate "winning games" in the PL; it's not easy, as many managers, including Amorim, made it look, and winning 6/7, including City and Arsenal, is impressive.



If Carrick is to get the job, it will most likely be due to the elite managers we were hoping to target (Tuchel, Carlo and Enrique) being unavailable, and Carrick showing himself to be as likely to get a tune out of these players as the good tier of managers (Glasner, Silva, Howe, Di Zerbi).

03 Mar 2026 15:51:06
If we get Champions League and finish strong, I'm saying I'd give Carrick the job. Why not? We've been through everyone else, and they've been utter crap. None of the previously mentioned managers, like Tuchel, want the job, and Carrick has got these guys firing. Why shouldn't he get the job? Would you, plums, give it to Southgate or the Palace manager?

03 Mar 2026 16:20:28
AJH is a plum. I'm an apple.
Pspence, considering you have no idea what you're talking about, your recommendation is worthless.
If they see Carrick as the Manc man, I've no arguments. If you think Carrick is a better or more proven manager than Southgate, then you are an orange.


I would not like Southgate, but he is a far better coach career-wise than Carrick at this point today, otherwise it makes you look like a pineapple.

03 Mar 2026 16:40:18
Of course, he's going to get the job because he's going to be cheap.
No get-out clause to pay, and Carrick is Man United through and through, so he will do it for peanuts.
Keeps Radcliffe and the Glazers happy. Everyone's a winner!

03 Mar 2026 16:45:04
When the seagulls follow the trawler.

03 Mar 2026 16:52:24
Based on current performances and pattern of play, Carrick should not be considered. Our performances in the last 3 have been terrible. Mainoo is showing why he was benched.
We were playing better in intensity and pattern of play under Amorim. At least with him, you could see where we were trying to get to.
We are back to the Ole era, relying on counter-attacking football.

03 Mar 2026 17:37:59
Agree, Twenty.

03 Mar 2026 18:16:33
I really don't care about our performances for the rest of the season.
Just grind out results if need be, and see we are at the end of the season.
Why are we concerned about performances all of a sudden, when at the start of the season, none of us really thought we'd be anywhere near the ECL spots?
It's that time of the season.

No-one is really playing pretty football.

03 Mar 2026 18:34:06
Eth 2.0
New manager bounce has dissipated, I don't blame Carrick.
We are back to where we always get to, it is the players!
We were, and still are, in the midst of our biggest ever squad churn. Failure to complete this results in the same old crap, week in, week out.


Results great, the football is not.
The excitement has again been removed, to the point I didn't even switch on the Palace game (for context, I am in Australia, so it was 1am; however, I've been getting up to watch the other games until now).

03 Mar 2026 20:04:37
I am in Oz and stayed up for the game. Result-wise, I am happy I did. As a spectacle, it wasn't worth the rollicking off the wife for waking her up at 3am when I eventually crawled into my pit.

03 Mar 2026 21:43:48
You keep your wife in a pit?

03 Mar 2026 22:46:50
I'm so lost, Jimbo. Have we not won 6 out of 7 games and sit 3rd?

Have any of you actually watched the league this year? Performances overall have been pretty poor for nearly all teams. I mean, Arsenal are top but are playing some turgid football.

I think we have been compact, have not given away many chances, and taken our own chances, be it counter attacking or not. It's been a breath of fresh air. The excitement has been removed? I mean, what? We are winning games and scoring some good goals.

I am so excited for each game at the moment, it's a fantastic time, imo.

Twenty "We were playing better in intensity and pattern of play under Amorim. At least with him, you could see where we were trying to get to." Where was that? Last year it was near relegation. ?

On Carrick being the next permanent manager, well we have to see how the season pans out and what other options are really available come the end of the season. But he has definitely put himself into contention.

04 Mar 2026 00:10:13
There are enough opposition fans waiting to have a go at Utd. But a lot of them would trade their team's position for ours.

Be grateful we are third. Far better than 16th. Yes, I agree a lot of our football is poor, but until we get the right midfielders it will be.

04 Mar 2026 00:22:40
As I said, Angel. The results are great. The football is awful to watch. Barring the City and Arsenal games, which were amazing to watch. The rest have been dreadfully hard. Everton was one of the worst games I've seen.

We will never agree on this, but at least with Amorim's football, I could see what they were trying to achieve. Yes, players out of position and all that, I understand, but I could still see through to the end game.

I currently don't have that clear vision with what is being churned out.

The point is this, Carrick is not the first, and won't be the last, to find it difficult with some of the players at his disposal to find a particular way of playing.

Again, happy with results. But it makes for a difficult watch.

04 Mar 2026 08:39:18
You speak much sense, Jimbo, and I admire your commitment, albeit a waste of your time, but Mr % isn't going to change his blinkered view. He will not see something he prefers not to.

04 Mar 2026 09:29:11
Fizz, the results spoke for themselves, mate, the percentages and the stats back up my view on Amorim. But you have to give up the ghost. It just did not work out, and that is okay.

It seems to be working out at the moment, and that is all that matters. Long may it continue, and it will hopefully see us in the top 4, competing in the Champions League and hopefully attracting the right calibre of player and manager to move forward.

Jimbo, I hear you, we both hold opposing views on what Amorim brought to the table. Unfortunately, the results are what mattered the most, and his were extremely poor, aside from some incredibly poor football played during the duration. That Europa League final has to be the worst match I have ever watched.

Football, as a whole, has been poor. The quality of the Premier League this year, in recent memory, has been one of the worst.

Matches have been incredibly tight, and results have not been very wide in many games. I mean, the most recent weekend, on Sunday, we had 4 x 2-1 wins.

I have not really been blown away by our football in the last few games, but they have also been different kinds of games, where teams have sat in, saturated the midfield, and tried to stop our creators playing. But we are still getting the results, and we have mixed in some great goals too. Fourteen have come since Carrick took over. I do not believe any other Premier League team has scored as many in the same period. We also are only behind Inter Milan in unbeaten streaks. I would say it trumps some poor displays against some tricky teams in recent matches.

Anyway, let us try and get another 3 points tonight!!

04 Mar 2026 11:42:51
Pit = bed.

02 Mar 2026 19:05:34
Tough fixture on Thursday imo a ground we have done really poorly at in recent years. if we can get a result i think we can pretty much wrap it up with beating villa at home. villa playing chelsea and one will drop more points. ^ points would be awesome but will take 4 and be very happy with that.

02 Mar 2026 19:57:16
Well, I hope we win on Wednesday ?, but just as importantly, I hope we play well. We've been a bit off colour lately.

02 Mar 2026 23:15:50
Tony, I'll be honest. At this stage of the season, I couldn't care less if we play rubbish, and win with a 90 minute deflection off Bryan's big bum.
The aesthetics can wait. For now, anyway.

03 Mar 2026 08:31:32
3 points are all that matter for now. Whilst I would love to be entertained with a 5-goal battering as we play attractive, fast-flowing footy, just give us 3 points and move on.

03 Mar 2026 10:41:09
Think it's fair to say our performances have dipped since the euphoric Arsenal/City wins, but to be honest I'm getting more Fergie vibes from these later games - where we can win without playing great.

That's a good indicator of where we're at. I think we'd have lost a couple of this run had the change not been made.
Fingers crossed for a win and that Livramento passes his audition. :p

03 Mar 2026 14:00:05
Winning all that matters for the next few games.

02 Mar 2026 08:26:14
Think since the big wins against Arsenal and City, we have been slowly getting more casual in our general play. The intensity shown in those games is required in every game, players have no excuses now getting lots of rest, fewer games than ever.

Carrick needs to get the work rate and tempo back up again for all remaining games, few bad results and we could drop 3 /4 places very quickly. Players need to drive in now, 3rd should be the goal.

02 Mar 2026 09:34:54
Sherlock, is it yerself?

02 Mar 2026 20:33:16
Whilst we are getting results, we aren't playing well at all. There is no clear pattern of play.

03 Mar 2026 01:19:31
Can say that for nearly all the teams in the league this season, Twenty.

03 Mar 2026 13:30:26
Our work rate and application is back to how it used to be prior to Amorim.

03 Mar 2026 14:01:01
Reports the players are doing shorter sessions with less running, so that will keep a few of them happy.

03 Mar 2026 16:47:56
When we are playing just once a week, training longer and intensely makes more sense than cutting back. Maybe that is showing in our performances.
It does feel very Ole era at the moment. The results are papering over the performances.

01 Mar 2026 23:06:00
anyone at the game today have an opinion about how good or bad Wharton was.

02 Mar 2026 06:22:53
He didn't have a good game, imo, hooked early, and tbh, I've never seen too much in him personally.
Good player, but vastly overrated and massively overpriced, imo.
Mind you, he was better than Mainoo yester who had a below average game.

02 Mar 2026 07:06:42
Tbf most of Utds players in the first half were miles off it, especially Dalot, who had a shocker.
Thought Palace's number 7 (Sarr, I think) was brilliant, rather buy him at half the price.

02 Mar 2026 08:02:22
I'm not a fan of Wharton. Mainoo winds me up the way he strolls about the park.
A bad day at the office, especially the first half, which was shockingly awful. But three points are massive, and I'll take them every day.

02 Mar 2026 10:16:59
Poor from him, but I've seen some of his games where he has been very impressive. Hard to tell with these lads how they would do. I like both him and Anderson. But Wharton is a high price, and it will be interesting to see, if we go for him, how much we may get him for.



A lot of our team today weren't at it, barring maybe one or two, cough, cough, Bruno. ?? But they seem to be finding a way regardless. Big game on Wednesday, would be fantastic if another 3 points went on the board.

02 Mar 2026 10:38:04
Wharton is an excellent passer of the ball, but he cannot tackle and has no real pace. Surely we have Kobbie, who fills that place in the squad!

This summer, we need to be looking for more dynamic midfielders. We certainly need to be buying 2. We most certainly will also be bringing in a new 2nd keeper, as Onana and Bayindir will be moving on.

That's going to take a fair chunk of the summer budget. I would also like to see an attacking full back (right or left side) come in.

What else we can achieve may well be influenced by departures. It's going to be an interesting time.

02 Mar 2026 11:04:58
Iwotb, I completely agree. Wharton is no better than Mainoo.
I definitely think we need 2 midfielders in the summer transfer window, as I can't see Ugarte staying, and Casemiro won't be there.
My picks would be Anderson from Forest, and I like Stiller from VfB Stuttgart.
70-80 pounds million for Anderson, and 40-50 EUR for Stiller.

02 Mar 2026 12:12:39
Scholesy rates Wharton above the usual names being linked to us (Baleba, Wharton, Anderson). But I got to agree, he doesn't seem a player we should be blowing a budget on.

02 Mar 2026 12:58:55
Baleba will happen. And it'll be one more from the names above.

Wharton could do the Casemiro role, though I think he is better than Anderson.

02 Mar 2026 16:27:51
I would have had Baleba as pretty much nailed on had R.A. still been with us. Seemingly, he was the prime driver for him; he thought he was the perfect midfielder and ticked every box.

We shall have to see whether the current incumbents retain that belief.

Have to say, I like Anderson; he is succeeding in the Premier League, in a struggling side. Buying EPL players worked for us last summer, so maybe it is a good idea to continue. There is much talk that we are looking at Guimaraes and Tonali at Newcastle; both are playing very well. But would the Geordies sell? Maybe so if there is no European football next summer.

I haven't seen a lot of Stiller, but whenever I have, he looks very impressive.

Also, I think Ederson at Atalanta would be a good shout. He has been delivering strong performances for quite some time.

I am really glad we did not go for Conor Gallagher in January. He did not inspire then, and certainly has not done much at Villa.

On a slightly separate issue, I am very happy to see that Sesko is seeming to be settling in. 7 goals in his last 9 appearances (mainly as a sub) is a very impressive return; he certainly is beginning to look the part. I think next season, when fully settled and with a new quality midfield, he will be a 25+ goals a season man.

02 Mar 2026 17:14:03
Iwotb, I'm not surprised you haven't been impressed by Gallagher at Villa.

02 Mar 2026 19:02:26
Eric,

I agree, Baleba will happen, plus one more. Baleba is the best out of all the names being mentioned imo.

02 Mar 2026 19:15:17
Baleba is my 1st choice too, ideally paired with Tonali or Anderson. But I'd be happy with Gomes or Andre if Anderson is a bit rich.
Can a new coach make an lb out of Dorgu?
We desperately need an rb and an lb, along with a pair of midfielders.


de Ligt, as predicted, is on the sidelines too much.
Yoro and Heaven will have a season behind them, so should improve, but a top cb that stays fit would be ideal.

{Ed025's Note - Yoro and Heaven are poor for me Ken, i forecast they will be working for McDonalds within 2 years mate.. :)

02 Mar 2026 20:13:56
Ed025 I don't think they are poor.
They are 19 and 20 and are learning on the job. There are very few cb their age with that amount of games and experience under their belt.
Its a position like no other in terms of strength and positioning and very few ecel until 23 and beyond. I think both will improve a lot over time they have not filled out physically yet.
It takes time to mature in that position particularly you know that. How good did Branthwaite look at 19? Raw weak and a bit gangly and needed time to mature same as rio and pallister for example. Will they become as good? I don't know but I doubt very much either will be in the scapheap in 2 years time.


They are too young to be 1st choice pair at cb imo.
Ill bet you now that less than 10% of starting cbs will be 20 or younger in the world cup. Because at that age they are not mature or experienced enough to play in that position.
Its way too early to judge a cb. Its no wonder the 1st thing Carrick did was to take them out of the firing line. Even fergie didn't put kids in at cb. Who were the cbs in the class of 92?
Lots of cbs who start too young suffer injury after injury.

{Ed025's Note - it was a bit tongue in cheek Ken...hence the .. :) they are very young and it will take time with them thats for sure, they are very green though mate and i think at this stage their time should be limited as much as possible..

03 Mar 2026 10:43:44
I'm not getting the Baleba love at all atm. Don't get me wrong, last season he was fantastic. But this season, I don't think he's pushed on at all or done anything to suggest he's ready for a big move. Maybe I'm massively wrong.

01 Mar 2026 16:07:39
Jimbo mate if the league were 5 games longer then your prediction might be right ???.

01 Mar 2026 18:06:39
Funny Tim here, watching the Arsenal Chelsea match, conflicted about who is gonna win.

01 Mar 2026 19:07:56
Watched it too, not a great game tbf, but Arsenal won't care. 3 points closer to the title for them. As for us, that's a 6-point gap to Chelsea now, and they have Villa next. Got to just keep getting the points, and things will take care of themselves.

01 Mar 2026 19:41:40
Masters of our own destinies now, Tim. We just need to keep getting positive results. Villa and Chelsea next. If we can beat Newcastle, we will put distance between at least one of them, or maybe both.

01 Mar 2026 23:01:19
I still believe until it is mathematically impossible!

02 Mar 2026 05:28:34
If RA would have been sacked when he should have been, we may have been 6-10 points better off, because we lost some shockers under Mr Naivety, RA.

Talk of Martinez for manager now. Could be a worry, but hey ho, it is what it is, much better than the Southgate concern anyway.

02 Mar 2026 12:15:26
Stunned by the amount of grappling, pushing, holding, and shoving on all set pieces and corners now. Not just from Arsenal, although they are the worst at it. We're talking both arms around an opposition player, even in the build up to the kick, let alone for a split second.

But until teams are punished for it, then it won't be a problem and will just get worse.

02 Mar 2026 16:26:35
They are far from the worst at it, spenno.

02 Mar 2026 17:37:22
Rice gave away 2 penalties, one for grabbing and pushing down, one for handball with his arm. Maybe 1 wiped out the other?

03 Mar 2026 10:44:43
I doubt they are 'far from the worst' lol. It's like Wrestlemania.