Manchester United banter 7

22 Feb 2026 16:42:07
Looks like Onana could be on the way back.
Last three games he's been woeful, three shots on goal from Fenerbahce in his last game, and he let in all three. Trabsonspor thus lost at home and the manager has called him in for 'crisis talks'.

22 Feb 2026 17:50:02
Give him away, he's absolutely useless. He couldn't catch a cold.

22 Feb 2026 18:53:01
Useless keeper. An eth matter, stroke that one.

22 Feb 2026 19:37:32
Has easily surpassed Taibi as the worst gk in the club's history. Definitely an eth thing, same management company and all that. Hopefully he'll fumble his Carrington key card and can't get in the gate. ?

23 Feb 2026 13:26:29
Tim, Paddy Roache was clearly before your time. As to Onana, utterly shambolic and a waste of money when we were desperate for strengthening elsewhere. What a shambles this club has been.

23 Feb 2026 14:33:40
Paddy Roche, we used to cheer when he controlled a back pass.

23 Feb 2026 14:39:54
Paddy Roache. Nightmare on Elm Street. ?

23 Feb 2026 15:33:40
Can't comment on his overall form with Trabzonspor, but I saw the three goals. The second was probably the only questionable one, but I'd put money on no other PL keeper saving the other two. Not that I want him back at the club.

23 Feb 2026 16:21:27
Paddy Roche, we used to cheer when he controlled a back pass. ? Paddy Roache. Nightmare on Elm Street. ? Too funny. Total disaster.

23 Feb 2026 16:55:52
You youngsters have no idea the cr4p we had to endure for years before SAF.

23 Feb 2026 20:13:26
With you, Ajh.

23 Feb 2026 22:00:41
Sorry lads, before my time as you say. Onana top 3 though, surely?

22 Feb 2026 09:17:03
What are your unpopular opinions? An opinion that you know would get most on here all fired up. I'm not looking to start an argument, just interested in some opinions. For example. I think Garnacho should have started the Europe final and was right to be annoyed about it and Harry Maguire has been a fantastic signing and our team is always better when he plays.

22 Feb 2026 11:39:49
Disagree strongly on both fronts.

22 Feb 2026 12:18:31
Disagree on both fronts.

22 Feb 2026 12:21:10
Thanks for playing, Don. Here's mine. We should never have sold McTominay, Maguire should sign a new contract, and we would have won more European Cups if SAF was more tactically astute.

22 Feb 2026 12:33:48
Indeed, right to call me out on not playing properly. Good shout on SAF. He had issues in Europe at times. I'll give mine: Pogba was a much better player for us than he is given credit for.

The true confirmation of our demise came when Rooney signed that mega contract. And Neville wouldn't be on my top United XIs in the EPL era (I'd have Irwin and Evra as FBs).

22 Feb 2026 12:49:53
Crazy talk, DonRed. Picking Irwin at right back is clearly cheating. GNev for me, underrated player.

22 Feb 2026 12:57:10
Patrice Evra is the best LB. VDS is a better keeper than Big Pete. Rio is better than Vidic. Scholes is better than Gerrard and Lampard. Rooney is better for us than Ronaldo. Rooney is a United legend and was world class. ?

22 Feb 2026 13:10:32
Irwin played a lot at right back. Maybe not as much for us, but at Oldham and Wolves that was his usual position. Definitely not a cheat to have him there.

22 Feb 2026 13:22:48
We should have stuck with Moyes and we'd have won bundles of trophies.

22 Feb 2026 13:57:16
No Fizz. In my near 60 years of support, the Moyes period was one of the worst, bar Sexton. I have said many times on here that SAF lost us the Barca finals and some of the earlier 90s Euro Cup chances as well. I watched Rio describe how, after getting a run around in the first half against Barca, in which Rooney equalised just before half-time, SAF did not change anything tactically. Rio said he thought the boss felt he had to play a certain way, and that was it. It was pretty obvious we needed three in CM, with one in front of the LB and CB to combat Messi. SAF said he had learned after the first loss, but he hadn't, so yes, I agree with the tactical comment from AJH, and I said so over a decade ago.

As to Garnacho, I liked him initially and gave him support on here, yet when I saw his attitude change to a stinking one, and he believed he was far better than he was showing, I changed my opinion on him. I actually think RA did really well to get him gone, and it was a big plus that we received the fee. My unpopular opinion is well known. We should have taken the £100m last summer for Bruno. But that has been argued for months, so next one. Appoint Diego Simeone as the next manager.

22 Feb 2026 14:09:45
RVP worked out well for SAF's last year, but as far as the long-term health of the club was concerned, he was a terrible signing, symptomatic of the short-term, aging Galacticos thinking that became the norm.

22 Feb 2026 14:37:37
I think it was Ken who said a single player doesn't win titles, or something like that. Whilst true, RVP is as close to doing that as I've seen; he single-handedly dragged us to a title in 2013. I'm not saying others didn't contribute, but without him, we wouldn't have won it.

22 Feb 2026 14:39:45
Lol, Red Man. Surely you realised my post wasn't serious? I agree re Sexton. ?

22 Feb 2026 15:31:16
Ha, Fizz. Lot of distractions atm and fell for that.

22 Feb 2026 16:16:05
Nice post. McT not sold, and Diogo Dalot to be kept.

22 Feb 2026 18:49:57
Probably will go down like the Titanic, but for me Chris Smalling has been the best centre back the club had after Vidic and Ferdinand.

22 Feb 2026 18:51:29
Sesko will score 20 league goals next season. We will sell Martinez in the summer.

22 Feb 2026 18:20:44
Wilf McGuiness and Frank O'Farrell weren't too cool!

22 Feb 2026 19:43:43
Edwin van der Sar was a better goalkeeper than Big Pete. I love Big Pete, and his personality was exactly what we needed when he joined. However, especially for the modern game, I feel that VDS was far more complete and he elevated those around him far more than Big Pete ever did.

22 Feb 2026 20:38:31
I liked Mike Smalling, but he always appeared on the cusp of being a really great player without quite getting there. Another player who did better having left United; he was a star in Italy.

22 Feb 2026 21:54:36
His fitness improved a hell of a lot in Italy, Ajh. I always felt if he and Jonny Evans had stayed fully fit, they were a really good partnership, but that's just my opinion.

22 Feb 2026 22:17:41
I was a fan of Mike and Evans, but neither could stay fit. Add Jones into the mix; all were good players that got injured early in their careers and never reached the heights they could or should have. Shaw, to a lesser extent.

23 Feb 2026 00:31:15
Great post. Carrick will take us to third this season, sign as permanent manager, and get us within ten points of the PL winner next season.

23 Feb 2026 01:29:24
We will win the title this year.

{Ed025's Note - and im dating Emilia Fox Jimbo.. :)

23 Feb 2026 15:15:26
It was Sydney sweeney last time Ed, you get around a bit ? I also don't know who your new fling is.showing my age perhaps

{Ed025's Note - you need to watch Silent Witness Jimbo, although i do have 2 back ups mate in Carol Vorderman and Carol Kirkwood.. :)

23 Feb 2026 18:56:35
I was then mixing up Silent Witness with Prime Suspect, maybe that's another for your bank in Miss Mirren.

{Ed025's Note - Helen would work for me Jimbo..

23 Feb 2026 19:04:09
I don't think Mainoo will succeed at United. Martial had more talent than Rashford. Garnacho was one of the worst youth players to play that amount of games for United. Rooney is United's best ever player. But my favourite one that gets a good debate is Edwin, who cost us the Champions League final by conceding a near-post goal from 20/25 yards out.

23 Feb 2026 22:49:13
Carol Kirkwood. ❤️

23 Feb 2026 23:22:54
Beckham wasn't as good as people think, but his brand made him global.

21 Feb 2026 18:00:58
Dare I say it? With both Chelsea and Villa dropping points today, we have a great chance to go fourth on Monday and within touching distance with Villa. It won't be an easy game. Everton are decent and can defend well. We criticized our players and manager for tying with Wolves, but then Arsenal could manage no better. Can't take anything for granted.

21 Feb 2026 18:56:13
Every time we had this sort of chance under Amorim, we fumbled. Fingers crossed we can find a way to win and keep the momentum. It feels different to our other chances. We are playing better and are more confident. Fingers crossed.

21 Feb 2026 21:37:04
Not to point out the obvious, but we were 4th before this set of rounds. Chelsea's draw put them 4th until we play.

22 Feb 2026 04:04:31
Yes DonRed, but we could be 3 points ahead instead of 1 point. We've had a long time off, and now an evening match on a Monday, where it feels we have underperformed this season. We simply have to get a win. No time for the meek now. A good performance and 3 points is the only acceptable result.

22 Feb 2026 19:49:01
I think the biggest mistake managers and teams make is when they focus too much on what the other clubs around them are doing. It doesn't matter when, where or how we pick up the points to reach our aims; it just matters that, by the final whistle in our final match, we have finished as high as we possibly could. We should have the exact same focus and desire to beat Everton tomorrow, regardless of what happens with our rivals.

If Arsenal do bottle the title, it won't be because they were focusing on themselves, but because they allowed all the outside chatter to get in their heads and affect how they play. I don't care if we play first or last on a weekend; what I care about is that the players have the right preparation, focus and attitude to get the job done.

21 Feb 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - PaghamWolf has posted a new article entitled, Wolves Player Ratings v Arsenal

20 Feb 2026 10:17:40
Thoughts on the all time Premier League CB debate.
What are the criteria used to determine who the best player was?
Does team success really count that much?
Longevity? Eras? Statistics and records?

Personally I think the likes of Vida, Rio and Terry played at a time when you lots of attacking talent in the Premier League. Almost every team had a striker or 2 that will physically dominate 95% of the current defenders. Former Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni alluded to this when he said he'll score more in this era of the Premier League.

That been said, does Van djik get points taken off because he played in a different era where the attacking talent isn't as good as the previous years.
At their peak, I think Vida was the best of them all, however, in terms of longevity he didn't play at that high level as consistently as the others. So for me, the it's a toss up between Rio and Terry, followed closely by Vida and the Van djik.
Stam, Adams, Campbell and Kompany all deserve definitely more than just a mention.

20 Feb 2026 12:21:31
What do you mean, does team come into it? Team is everything. No point in being a great player if the team is not winning. That's useless in a team sport. Team overrides everything. Also, it's impossible to judge players over different eras, especially over 10 years apart. Too many variables. But no player who does well while the team has not performed can lay claim to being a big success It's all about the team.

The new generation of supporters, Gen Zs, go on a lot about individual players and fans follow players now as much as teams. I don't get that personally, and I never will. I can't think of any individual who won a league title on their own.

20 Feb 2026 12:26:11
Vidic was incredible, but Rio had everything. They blended so well as a partnership that it's easy to think of Vidic as the grit, and Rio as the guile, but, just like the Keane and Scholes discussions, that isn't fair on either. I just think that Rio could do more things at a higher level than Vidic. I don't want to be too tribal about it, but I do think Terry is overrated. Makelele was such a protection for that Chelsea defence, and I always thought Carvalho was the best defender that Chelsea had.

Before anyone bites my head off, I do think he was a very good player, just that I don't think he warrants being in a best-ever conversation. Van Dijk has been a great player, and Stam was unbelievable - he only had 3 seasons in the EPL, so that's not enough to include - but the main rival to Rio, in my opinion, is Kompany.

20 Feb 2026 13:40:06
Schmeichel said Stam was the best he'd ever seen.

20 Feb 2026 18:21:55
Stam the best, no questions.

20 Feb 2026 18:45:57
I only posted the other day that Stam is in my top 5 fav players of all time at United. Awesome defender. Also one of my least fav Fergie decisions, and he has said himself it was one of his most regretful. Absolute beast.

When I look at players, I always ask myself if I was a teammate sitting in that dressing room, would I trust them? And, would I want to play with them? And, am I glad he's not in the other dressing room? Stam ticks all those boxes for me.

20 Feb 2026 19:37:44
Paul McGrath. Best I've ever seen.

21 Feb 2026 00:10:37
I too agree that Rio was better than Vida. I also agree that Terry was overrated. I wanted to give Virgil some credit. For me, it is about styles and roles too. We can't compare Virgil with Vidic; Vidic was a fighter, a soldier. Virgil, on the other hand, when he faces attackers, takes a step back. But Virgil is a defender of space. For about five years, when Liverpool were the best (or second best) team in the world under Klopp, he was absolutely vital for them.

Liverpool pressed a lot, with many players forward, and the opposition couldn't get over their own half because of Virgil winning every second ball like a magnet. He was always in the right place at the right time, making defending look effortless. I would definitely count him as one of the best I have seen.

21 Feb 2026 00:23:22
Think it's a bit dismissive to say Terry was only good due to having Makelele in front of him, when Makelele was only there for a 1/3rd of the time and during Terry's younger years, when he wasn't at his peak. Terry was great defensively and is the highest scoring CB in the PL.

VVD is a tough one. Clearly the best CB over the last 5 years, but I can't actually think of any within his age range that have been anything more than good, so there's a lack of contemporaries to compare him to imo.

21 Feb 2026 07:06:13
imo, it is sad to see people thinking Rio was better, when in fact they complemented each other and made the other one better. To me, Vidic was better. He would intimidate opponents.

He was a beast and a more passionate player, which would lead to him jumping from the ground just to make another block. In the end, it depends what you appreciate in a player.

21 Feb 2026 09:18:05
Van D is, or was, a very good CD, but he wasn't the best. I don't think Vidic was the best either. I didn't think he handled pace well. He was very good with the attacker in front of him, very powerful and dominant, yet Torres ran him a bit ragged a couple of times.

Terry was brilliant positionally, not the quickest, but tough as a centre half. Not the best though. Rio, a Rolls Royce of a footballer, had what the other candidates didn't have: the football ability to step forward with the ball. Definitely, as a pair, Rio and Vidic were the best of all time, but what Rio had in style he lacked in Vidic's toughness, for want of a better word.

Now, Stam, wow. SAF's worst decision. I remember hearing he was being sold over the radio and thought SAF had lost the plot. It doesn't matter how long he played in the PL; he was superb for Utd. As a pure CD, he had the toughness of Vidic, coped with pace superbly, and was almost never beaten one-on-one or in the air. No one got past him. Pace never caused him an issue. Individually, Stam was the best, given all-round attributes.

21 Feb 2026 11:45:26
Fuser, I didn't say that. I was quite clear in saying I thought he was a very good player. Maybe in future, you should try digesting the whole post before responding to it.

21 Feb 2026 15:38:51
Vidic was excellent, but one player who often took him apart was Fernando Torres. I can't think of anyone who consistently outplayed Rio.

21 Feb 2026 15:52:05
When Torres was running over Vidic, where was Rio?

21 Feb 2026 16:55:33
Liverpool fan here. Great debate. Always thought Rio was the best, then maybe Terry and then Virgil. One thing Rio and Terry did have was great partners in defence.

21 Feb 2026 17:11:40
Agree, madmax, it is a position that requires a good partnership to look good and be comfortable individually more often than not.

22 Feb 2026 16:17:24
Takes 2 to tango in those positions, as Ken said. If the partnership is strong, both come out looking better. Bruce and Pallister, albeit good defenders, were better together.

22 Feb 2026 20:02:04
It depends entirely on how you want to slice the cake. Are you asking who is the best ever CB to play in the EPL, or are you asking who had the best EPL career? Because you can interpret your question either way, and depending on how you interpret it, that will affect your answer. In terms of the best ever CB to have played in the EPL, you could have good arguments for Stam or Van Dijk. Both had a peak level that was just unreal. However, given that Stam didn't stay in the league all that long, and Van Dijk didn't consistently win enough (along with some dodgy spells of form), I think neither could be considered the CB who had the best EPL career. If it's the best career, then you are looking at players like Rio, Vidic, and Terry. Despite there being many times when Terry wasn't even the best CB at Chelsea, the longevity of his career, what he won, and the fact that he was a key player in Chelsea's most successful period mean he has to be in with a shout.

But when he broke into the Chelsea team, Gallas was a better CB. When Carvalho was alongside him, the Portuguese was the better player. Rio and Vidic, for everything they won, along with the length of time they were in the EPL, mean both have to be considered. Rio had the longer EPL career, but Vidic is the only CB to win the EPL Player of the Year twice. It could be either of them, and it probably comes down to personal choice. I'd probably say Rio, as he was the more complete player, but I'd understand anyone going for Vidic and his warrior style.

23 Feb 2026 17:54:42
Rio. Every time. Had it all. Was smooth and silky on the ball, but he had grit as well, and read the game brilliantly.Just a well-oiled machine.

19 Feb 2026 14:54:04
Multiple updates implemented today:
1. Updated Reply Form

2. Updated Create New Post form

3. Updated Thumbs up

4. My Profile Page - Ignore posters function added

5. My Profile page - Status of posts [last 72 hours] - (Waiting, Waiting for Ed, Deleted, Approved. )

6. Updated Member Posts page to see Posters' previous posts/replies.

19 Feb 2026 16:39:13
Yet more good work, thanks, Ed!

{Ed033's Note - Thanks.

19 Feb 2026 17:34:24
If you're still visiting mobile.manchesterunitedrumours.co.uk, then that's the wrong site to be on. manchesterunitedrumours.co.uk, without mobile in it, is the correct updated site to be visiting.

19 Feb 2026 21:37:05
Can you ignore a poster and all 37 of his previous aliases? Asking for a friend.

19 Feb 2026 22:56:35
You can, but you don't, which is the irrational thing. ?

20 Feb 2026 09:54:17
Great work, Ed033. No doubt that took a lot of time and effort to implement. Thanks to all the Ed's for the time and effort they put into running the sites.

{Ed033's Note - Thanks.

20 Feb 2026 11:29:55
Hahaha Ken!

20 Feb 2026 13:31:35
Over the years a few of us would end up in an individual journalling board if we ignore members every time we fall out with them. ?

20 Feb 2026 16:49:57
Well, that ignore posters option isn't working for me, I can still see everything from them, unless it's new posts only.

{Ed033's Note - You haven't submitted and usernames to 'ignore'. You type the username into the appropriate textarea and tap submit.

20 Feb 2026 18:21:20
Do you have defaulted usernames included in there Eds, there's a distinct lack of trolling on the site since the introduction..

{Ed033's Note - No, no defaulted usernames. If there are 'trolls' the Eds see to it.

if a poster ('ignorer') submits a username ('ignoree') to 'ignore', the 'ignoree's post text comes up as ['ignoree']'s text hidden. But that only appears on the 'ignoror's page they're viewing.

Maybe that isn't explained that well.

19 Feb 2026 13:53:55
Mourinho, what a clown. Apparently Vinicius brings all this racist abuse on himself. Seriously, I know he can be erratic but this is a new low, unless he's suggesting he makes it all up.

On a completely separate subject, Alonso hasn't come up in our discussions yet, views?

19 Feb 2026 14:21:39
Jose is doing standard Jose stuff. It's what the Spanish media has done to Vinicius for years. I'm not a fan of trolling celebrations, but he gets abuse because of his skin colour. It's what Ian Wright was saying about Bellingham: if you're black and not completely humble, you're seen as fair game.

As for Alonso, given his ties to Liverpool and his preferred system, I don't see him as an option. Tbh, I suspect that he's waiting for Slot to be sacked.

19 Feb 2026 22:57:24
His mitigation was nothing short of disgusting, and a new low for him.

20 Feb 2026 10:19:16
I hope it was something he said in the moment without fully thinking it through and that he now regrets saying it. The fact that it even crossed his mind and that he thought it was an acceptable thing to say though brings his character into question.

As for Alonso, I think he's a great young manager who achieved phenomenal success with Bayer Leverkusen. However, like all young managers he is far from the finished article and he will make mistakes over the next few years, how successful he becomes will depend on how well he learns from those errors.

I fully understand why he took the Real Madrid job, but most clued in football fans/pundits all thought it could be a mistake when he first took the job. Much like Amorim his success at Leverkusen was built around having the right players who all bought into his system/style of play.
The question at the time was whether he chose the system because that was his preference or whether he chose a system that he thought would get the best out of the players he had available.

He was forced to use a different system at Real Madrid, and while he was effective with how he had them playing, he seemed to struggle with the egos and with getting the best out of their biggest players.

In essence he went from a club where it was team first, players second at Leverkusen to a club like Real Madrid where it's players first, team second.

Which just caused tension and ultimately led to his sacking. His next club has to be chosen very carefully. There will be obvious questions in the media as to whether he goes back to the system he used at Leverkusen or whether he adapts to something new. No doubt he'll have that question in his own head. Ultimately whatever he chooses to do has to be the right path otherwise he'll face the media backlash.

Personally I think at his next club he has to play a system that gets the best out of the players he has available as he needs success more than he needs his philosophy to be proven right. I would say that is the same for Amorim.

However, if he feels strongly about returning to the philosophy/style/system that brought him success at Leverkusen then the best solution is to find a club where the players suit his preferred way of playing. Marrying up both his preferred style with what is best for the players he has.

For that reason I don't think he's the right fit for Manchester United in a post Amorim landscape. He won't be able to use a three at the back system without heavy skepticism from fans and pundits, and would need instant success with it. Likewise if he chose to use a different style and wasn't instantly successful with it then people would question his decision not to go back to what made him successful in the first place. He would also need quick success as his Liverpool affiliation would mean he probably won't be given much slack by the majority of fans.

I still really rate him as a manager, and I would support his appointment if he was given the job (as I would whoever gets it even if it's not my preferred option). However, given how the last 18 months have gone for him and that he is on a slight downturn rather than an upward trajectory, the pressure and expectations at Manchester United, and the limited grace he would be given due to his past with Liverpool, he does represent a risk.

However, history does have a habit of repeating itself within football, Sir Matt was a former Liverpool player and he was a pretty successful Manchester United manager.

20 Feb 2026 12:23:47
Jeez Shaps, it must be school holidays. ?

20 Feb 2026 12:34:03
I don't want to defend Mourinho, but when I heard what he said, I assumed he was saying that Vini Jr was lying about it being racist abuse, and that, in his opinion, Vini Jr is jeered because he's just dislikable rather than it being anything to do with his race. Just because Mourinho can be a prat, I don't think this approach of saying he is condoning racism is fair, or indeed is the correct interpretation of what he was saying.

My interpretation is probably wrong, but I do think everyone should cool their jets. As for Prestianni, Mbappe is verifying what Vini Jr has said. I think he should face a very serious ban. Banning him for the rest of the season would show people that - finally - people are taking racist abuse seriously (that is assuming the allegation stands up, which I expect it will).

21 Feb 2026 07:19:26
Is he only racist towards Vinicius, or towards his ~10 teammates and other Real players as well? Is he racist every day, or just in that one minute where he said SOMETHING (and we do not really know what). I mean, it gets thrown out there so easily these days. To me, it is starting to have the opposite effect. What is racism and what is an insult? If he called him a "monkey", is that racism? What if he called him a "donkey"? Would that be too? What would you call it if he told him he was a little girl? I personally dislike Vinicius, but it has nothing to do with his skin color; it has everything to do with his behavior on and off the pitch.

Mbappe is probably lying; he could not hear what was said. I also would not trust Prestianni or Vinicius, just as Mourinho said.

21 Feb 2026 11:28:32
Can you be a racist if you're not racist to everyone around you, every moment of your life?

Or can you only be racist when you cover your face to say something to a black man, who then says you racially abused him?

If he called him a long established racial slur with the clear historical connotation that black people are less evolved that everyone else, is that racism?

What if he called him an insult without racial connotations, would that be racism?

Who's to say in this crazy world.

Anyway, I think the black people are lying, but that's nothing to do with racial bias.

21 Feb 2026 11:48:50
Trololo, if he called him a monkey that is absolutely racism. It is not the same as calling someone a donkey. That's a shocker of a comment fella

21 Feb 2026 12:32:06
Trololo, go and educate yourself, you donkey.

22 Feb 2026 22:37:22
Tumble, I know its hard for you not to be a horse ass, but try it for once, it just might feel good.

DonRed, it actually is not such a shocker, as you put it.

Where I am from (and I believe where you are from as well), when we joke around or want to trigger a person, or just plain insult him, we use those name callings all the time, especially "monkey", but because we are white, it is not racist?

What I mean is, it can't always be racism, it sometimes is "just" an insult. Especially in football, where you want to trigger someone.

Also, when people insult someone, they often use the first word that comes to their mind, in the heat of the moment.

Im not saying there is no racism in the world, but we really need to make a difference between an insult and racial slur.

23 Feb 2026 14:54:21
Trololo, I get what you are saying, but nobody can live in a vacuum. Calling a black man a monkey is undoubtedly racism. And I do think it's right not to label someone a racist so easily, but let's suppose next week you call a black man a monkey; then that would make you a racist, as it has been pointed out to you. Everybody should be given the benefit of the doubt, and everyone should be given the opportunity to adjust.

But the reason I called your comment a shocker is because it seemed, from reading your post, that you were saying that, even if people continue to engage in this type of behaviour, they should continually get this benefit of the doubt, and that is most certainly wrong.

23 Feb 2026 17:57:29
The guy at the BAFTAs says, Jose, hold my beer. ?

24 Feb 2026 10:18:27
Don, to me, it isn't that simple, it depends on the culture you come from, education you had and what not.

As I said, we use the "monkey" insult to people who behave certain way. So, if a black person comes to our society, and acts in that way, and someone calls him a "monkey" it isn't racism automatically. He still might feel like it, but the insult wasn't meant in that way. The point is, it does depend on your background.

Also, do you expect a 20 year old boy, who probably barely finished high school, and focused more on practice, to have the same education as you?

Not to mention that nothing was (is) proven, but everyone jumped to conclusion. For example, Thierry Henry called him out and told him to man up, although he himself didn't man up when he handballed against Ireland. Yes, it is not the same type of incident, but I hate people giving lectures, when they aren't great themself.

Im sorry, I don't think I wrote anything about condoning repetitive racism, especially since this is Prestiannis "first time" (which still isn't proven).

25 Feb 2026 10:37:29
Trololo, there are multiple campaigns to kick racism out. That is UEFA-wide. You are talking about this as if it is happening in a vacuum, when it isn't. If his claim is ignorance, and he comes out and apologises, and says that he now has learnt his actions were poor, then I'd have sympathy for him. I think we all should allow for people to learn and adapt.

But this isn't what you're saying. I grew up in a very rural area, and plenty of people who didn't progress far beyond primary school. But if any of them called a black person a "monkey", I know full well they'd be called out for it. And that they'd know they were saying something racist.

26 Feb 2026 16:43:49
I do agree with the first part, although we still don't really know what he said, and what I hate most is jumping to conclusions. We suddenly believe Vinicious just because he said it was racism. I can't agree with the second part, perhaps you didn't understand what I was saying. If you come to a totally different culture, which hasn't enslaved black people, and doesn't use "monkey" as a racial slur, but it is still a regular insult in that society, then you can't expect them to just "uninstall" that insult from their vocabulary just because a black person came along.

Doesn't really matter tho, UEFA made their bs decision without any proof and that's that.

{Ed001's Note - Argentina has a culture rife with racism, so not sure you can use that as any way to claim he was innocent.}

27 Feb 2026 09:56:59
I was talking in general, Ed. But even in his case, we don't know if he does or does not understand it, and more than that, we don't even know what he actually said.

{Ed001's Note - it doesn't matter, it just means your defence makes no sense. Any racial slur used would not be out of context, like you are suggesting, as Argentina has a long history (as does 99% of the world) of using those slurs in a racial context. Also, you seem to think that being ignorant of the law would be a defence, which is quite clearly utter bollox. It doesn't matter what culture someone came from, it is the culture they are residing within that decides what it right and wrong. If they are ignorant of the norms of that society, then that is on them.}

19 Feb 2026 11:47:15
I know they only have ten points but the few games i have watched Wolves play this season, they haven't looked half bad tbh.

Mane especially looks like a talent, would not be surprised if we were in for him in the summer when they go down.

19 Feb 2026 12:01:37
DSG, funny you should mention this, I was watching last night and thinking to myself they have a few players you wouldn’t mind taking. I’d take the GK as back up (if he was up for it obvs) J Gomes, Mane and the big fella who came on up front as back up striker.

Think they’ll have their work cut out to keep a lot of their players next season.

19 Feb 2026 14:48:51
Are they really good enough? We need players that are going to go straight into the first 11 and take us to the next level to challenge Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Liverpool.No doubt, Wolves will also want north of 50 million pounds for each of the players that you have mentioned above.They are nowhere near worth that kind of money.

19 Feb 2026 23:22:56
I think Andre is the player we need badly even Ed001 said he would be the better of the 2 Wolves players and I totally agree. He always makes himself available for the defence to play out, and he keeps it simple. Better than Gones in my op.

20 Feb 2026 10:39:18
Wolves will go down this season, and when they do there are a plethora of great players that will be hoovered up by other EPL teams.

Jorgen Strand Larsen has already been snapped up by Palace.

You then have the likes of Jose Sa, Mosquera, Hugo Bueno, André, João Gomes, and Mateus Mané.

While Tom Edozie coming on and grabbing a goal against Arsenal on his debut will mean the hipsters will be keeping a close eye on him over the remaining games this season.

For us there are a few players there we could look at in the summer.

Jose Sa at 33 could be a great back up keeper for Lammens, someone with experience who could help the young Belgian though those inevitable sticky patches that will come.

Hugo Bueno is someone I've been quietly impressed with since Aït-Nouri left for City. He's stepped and in while he hasn't got the kind of assists that Aït-Nouri managed he does create some really good chances that just haven't been put away this season. Not the strongest in the air but generally good defensive positioning. However, that is mostly playing as a wingback, personally I'd like to see how he adapts to playing at fullback before making a move for him.

João Gomes could also be an excellent pick up for us, especially as that second/third midfielder we sign. He is basically everything we hoped Ugarte would be. Aggressive, athletic, covers ground and makes generally good decisions when on the ball. He'd pair well with Mainoo, with both of them bringing things the other lacks.

However, Mateus Mané is the one I'd prioritise from Wolves. He really impressed me when they played us. For an 18 year old in his debut season he is stronger than he has any right to be, so hard to knock off the ball. He also has that scrappy nature where he doesn't shy away from rough treatment, in fact he seems to thrive on it. His ball carrying ability and how tough he is to disposses draws opposition players to him as one Vs one he'll have them on toast. That ability to not only force the opposition to double up on you, and still come out with the ball or finding a way to get it to a teammate really opens teams up and creates space for teammates. He's exactly the kind of player you want/need to breakdown low blocks. Young and homegrown, along with him spending a lot of his youth in and around Manchester just further sweetens the deal. He has also shown great tactical flexibility for Wolves this season playing on the left, the right, up front and in midfield. Wherever he has played he has also been impactful, highlighting a real tactical intelligence.

20 Feb 2026 18:24:30
Yeah Shappy, Mane looks like a guy that will make it to me. Love his attitude, and he has very good ability. I think most of the players you mentioned above will leave. However, Mane will be on less than the average Championship wage. I'd imagine they will see the most expensive 1st and may look to hold on to Mane in order to bounce back up.

If they raise enough from others, I'd be holding on to him if I were Wolves for at least another season if they think he is the real deal. But money talks. Definitely one to watch.

19 Feb 2026 11:00:12
What do you guys make of the Mateus Mané links?

I'm actually pretty excited by them. He's the type of player I love to see us sign. Young, homegrown, strong, quick and exciting, clearly an intelligent player.

We talk a lot about the issues in midfield, and 100% that is where we need to focus our attention first this summer.

Yet if we include Bruno and Mount more as number 10's, that really leaves us with Mbeumo, Cunha, Amad, Sesko and Zirkzee for the two wide positions and up front. Of which Zirkzee might leave and is arguably better suited as a No.10 even if he does stay. We definitely lack som quality in depth in those wide positions.

Now Dorgu might come in and play some games as a winger, that might even be his best position. Yet we still feel slightly light up top, especially if we are going to play an extra 20-25 games next season with Europe and cup runs.

I really like what I've seen from Mané this season. He's powerful and difficult to knock off the ball, he definitely doesn't look like an 18 year old. He can play right across the front line and remains impactful wherever he plays, which suggests he's an intelligent and adaptable. The way he carries the ball and that teams need to double or even triple up on him to try and win it back also makes a lot of space for his teammates. If he was at a bigger club with better players around him then his impact would be greater.

I like the idea of Mané and Dorgu playing on the left, Mbeumo and Amad on the right, with Sesko and Cunha as the striker/false 9 giving you tactical flexibility depending on whether you want a focal point or a more free flowing attack.

That looks to have a lot of really good options, with some great young players who should only get better over time.

19 Feb 2026 14:59:32
Mount and Zirkzee need to be gone by the end of the next transfer window.
Also, we need fullbacks a long time before we reinforce the forward positions again.

19 Feb 2026 22:19:22
Zirkzee for sure needs to move on. Don't see where he fits in our team. As for Mount - time is ticking for him, for sure. Not reliable enough to persist with, as always injured. Technically a brilliant player - one that should consider a move to Italy or a similar league.

20 Feb 2026 10:50:44
Jimbo, if we got rid of both Mount and Zirkzee this summer then that would just leave Sesko, Mbeumo, Cunha, Amad and Bruno in the first team squad to cover the four forwards positions (LW, RW, ST and No.10). Five players for four starting positions isn't even enough for a league campaign, let alone playing in Europe and in two domestic cups. Even if we permanently moved Dorgu forward as a winger, that still only gives us 6 players for 4 positions. Personally, I think Zirkzee will leave, as he's the guy who doesn't have a natural starting position in the team and he's someone we could get money for. I doubt Mount will leave, as his wages and his injury record mean very few clubs will be interested. Also, if he can stay fit he is actually a real asset to the squad.

That would give us 7 players for 4 spots (Bruno, Sesko, Mbeumo, Cunha, Amad, Mount, and Dorgu). Common belief is that you need two players for each position to have the squad depth needed to compete in 4 competitions. This means we would still need one more forward player, especially as Mount will likely miss part of the season injured, Dorgu might be needed at LB, and Bruno's future is not certain. Someone like Mateus Mane would make a lot of sense, as he's tactically flexible enough to cover all four forwards positions, is young enough to be happy to be a rotation option and not start every game, and with Wolves being relegated shouldn't cost a ridiculous fee. Probably something between 30-40m, which should be around what we would get for Zirkzee.

20 Feb 2026 16:31:14
You're assuming we won't promote anyone.

20 Feb 2026 22:17:12
Or indeed, make some squad additions in the summer which are not only inevitable but critical.

21 Feb 2026 03:51:00
I've been piecing together positions for next year, trickle-feeding these front players in as on-topic. This assumes we are competing in 4 comps and go deep into them. If we exit FA and League Cups early, you can drop one of the 4 for each position. Wide Left Matheus Cunha Patrick Dorgu Shea Lacey James Scanlon Wide Right Bryan Mbeumo Amad Diallo Bendito Mantato Enzo Kana-Biyik Centre-Forwards Benjamin Sesko Chido Obi-Martin Gabriele Biancheri JJ Gabriel Immediately, though, I feel that to truly 'compete' the striker position possibly needs something more, but I am happy enough as both Mbeumo and Cunha can, and will, play in that position.

Assume that players who currently play in these positions and are not named should be sold.

19 Feb 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 26 - Quick Round Up