Manchester United banter 8

21 May 2026 22:19:00
I'm not Maguire's biggest fan and have been critical of him in the past but I really feel gutted for him missing out on England. Been good for us this season and has that big tournament experience so I’m surprised he’s been left at home. Few other shocks in there too if rumours are to be believed. Interesting choices for sure.

21 May 2026 23:37:41
Maguire won't get a US visa, will he?

21 May 2026 23:53:09
He's not good enough. Don't feel 1 bit sorry for him. He had his time, and it's long gone.

22 May 2026 00:09:48
Too slow, too old, too crap.

I am shocked that he is shocked!

22 May 2026 05:44:22
He is probably not good enough for England, which is really worrying, because he is our best CB, which is even more concerning, cos it shows how bad we are in that department.

Hopefully we address that department and we get rid of Martinez, de Ligt, Yoro, but in reality, de Ligt has no chance cos the selfish git waited till end of season to have the required op, so he stuck with us.

Martinez, no one in EPL would want him, so not sure who can buy him. Yoro is all about potential but has not kicked on at all, imo he has gone backwards, looks poor in a back 4 plus 2, weak physically and mentally. I would not miss any of them.

22 May 2026 06:16:41
His form has dipped dramatically these last few weeks. Decision justified. Take your form players.

22 May 2026 08:08:07
Jsu, Maguire most certainly is not our best CB. He doesn't start if De Ligt and Martinez are fit. That's our issue - fitness. And Heaven is likely to be ahead of Maguire in the pecking by next year.

I admire Maguire's resilience, but the only reason he'd have made England's WC squad is as a bench option to chase a late goal, and not as a CB starter. Same for us with everyone fit.

22 May 2026 08:32:35
Too old, too slow, too crap. The disrespect, particularly for one of our own who has played really well for us.

22 May 2026 09:09:36
Absolutely, angel. He's not that old!

22 May 2026 09:39:09
Shaw and Maguire both having a summer off, and back for the start of pre-season, from the club's perspective, is fantastic news.

22 May 2026 10:39:45
Always gave his all for his country. Can't say the same for all of the players in that squad. He could have done a job.

22 May 2026 10:43:14
Disrespect? Yes, I suppose it is. But just because a player plays for United does not mean they have to be liked.

I could list many players, but that subject would drag on forever!

22 May 2026 10:44:44
But yes, Angel. As Don said, he is not that old. Apologies.

22 May 2026 10:45:44
That's a positive for us DSG, especially where Shaw is concerned.

22 May 2026 10:49:22
Picking Stones, who hasn't played this season, is just bizarre, and I see he's picked the cheerleader Henderson again.

22 May 2026 12:34:59
Flabbergasted at Henderson being picked. He won't play or get any minutes, so what is the point? I don't care how bad Foden and Palmer have been this season, one of them should be going instead of Henderson.

22 May 2026 12:51:07
Agreed, if he's a cheerleader, take him as a member of staff, a non-playing squad member. He can come to do all the encouraging, or whatever else TT wants him to do, but he wouldn't take a place in the squad.

22 May 2026 12:51:26
Liked or not liked/disrespect are different things.

He may not be the best player, but I cannot fault him any time he has pulled on the jersey, and he has bailed us out a couple of times. If he's not a better option than a crocked Stones or Dan Burn, then I'm not sure what to say.

He has my respect for sure.

22 May 2026 13:58:19
Exactly, Angel, and I go as far as saying if we don't buy a new CB he will be our best next season too.
De Ligt is never fit and Martinez not often fit and is just not good enough anyway in the EPL. Martinez, in my view, is a very poor CB, would never ever get in any other top 4 team, not a chance.


De Ligt spent his whole career on the treatment table, so pointless putting him in the debate.
So, yep, as much as I don't rate Maguire good enough he is best we got.

22 May 2026 15:13:06
It has only been this season that de Ligt has had fitness issues for Utd.

22 May 2026 17:49:43
Henderson has had a really good season with Brentford.
He is an ideal understudy for Rice.
Foden and Palmer play a different position, so he was not picked at their expense.
Stones is, imo, a better player than Maguire; leaving him out can't surprise too many. He is right, imo, to stick with the guys that got them qualified.


I think Stones is fit. He just has not been picked by Pep since coming back to fitness.
No matter who he picks, people will be arguing for others.
Hopefully England do well and go deep in the tournament and reach their level of 1/4final or semi final. Pretty easy group, so there should be no drama getting out of it.

22 May 2026 22:25:24
Not a good enough team to be leaving out players like Trent and Palmer, imo.

Burns and Spence are 2 mad inclusions too.

23 May 2026 07:16:11
You say he has played really well for us. I will concede that this year he has had a bit of a good spell. But what we paid for him, what he earns, and what he has given us are light years apart.

Bang average at best.

I shall not lose any sleep.

Oh, by the way, I never said I didn't respect him. I just think he is crap as a football player.

23 May 2026 07:23:39
On the same subject, I genuinely think it's admirable that he wears his heart on his sleeve and clearly plays for the badge. That cannot be denied.

23 May 2026 10:13:07
Still crap though. ??

21 May 2026 16:41:51
How galling is it that Sancho has now won 3 European trophies while out on loan from us, having played little part in the last 2 of them at least. Do you think looking at his own trophy cabinet convinces him that he's actually not a waste of space?

21 May 2026 17:42:58
What, you mean he is no good! But, what with all his intricate pass & move football that was going to knit everything together for us... No, surely you don't mean that player!

21 May 2026 17:58:17
Speaking of a waste of space!

21 May 2026 20:06:10
Not galling at all for me. I'm glad for Villa. Sancho is irrelevant to me.

21 May 2026 22:10:06
Focus on our own house, not ones we are releasing. Use it as the basis for our own learning on how not to repeat mistakes of the past.

21 May 2026 23:38:29
He'll end up at a decent club in Italy. And he'll do well there.

23 May 2026 07:19:08
Aren't there clauses in the contract that we get more money if they win trophies?

21 May 2026 15:48:58
ED001,

What's your thoughts on Stiller as a player, do you think he would be a good signing for Utd?

I've only really seen YouTube clips of him play. He reminds me of Carrick, calm, composed on the ball and can pick out a pass. In some ways, he is quite similar to Mainoo.

I've always like Baleba, but his performances this season haven't been up to to scratch, I think Anderson will join City.

{Ed001's Note - I really like Stiller and would love to see him in the Premier League. He would be a different kind of replacement for Casemiro, he does have a bit of the ball winning attributes, but he is also a bit of a playmaker too. I think he would be excellent.}

21 May 2026 16:59:38
Only seen Ltd clips of him, but he looks a bit in the mould of Kroos or Scholes in his style. If he can reach their levels, then that would be exceptional. I'm not convinced that league is the strongest. Lits have come with big reputations and flopped. But you think class would tell over time if he has it.

21 May 2026 18:54:40
ED001,

Thank, I don't think he would cost too much either, circa £40-£50 million.

What are your thoughts on Mainoo this season?

{Ed001's Note - he is a very good player, he just needed someone to show faith in him and throw him in and leave him in. Experience was the biggest thing he lacked and now he is starting to get it.}

21 May 2026 20:40:24
ED001,

Who do you think would be good alongside Mainoo?

{Ed001's Note - I actually think Stiller would be good alongside him.}

22 May 2026 08:05:15
ED001,

Thanks, hope your all good.

{Ed001's Note - all good thanks mate, looking forward to the season being over! How about you? Everything good there?}

22 May 2026 13:45:43
ED001,

All good thanks. It has been a strange season. I bet your hoping Slot is gone in the summer. I do think the club will get Iraola in. I think he woukd have been the perfect choice for Utd. Carrick 3rd place finish, has made it harder for him to be replaced. Had he just scraped a CL place, then it might have been easier to replace him.

If Carrick is our manager, I will be back him. He deserves a chance, and the club needs to buy him players to give him a chance to succeed.

{Ed001's Note - sometimes a manager just suits a club, Carrick might just suit United, you never know.}

21 May 2026 09:26:03.
Delighted to see Southampton speak had been thrown out and they he
Got thrown out of the play offs. Their admired spying on 3 different teams. Absolute tramps.
The EPL and the referees could take a leaf out of the football leagues book.
EPL on city and refs on cheating players.
Imo any deliberate fouls even pull backs on the half way line to stop a breakaway should be an automatic red card.

Holding someone at a corner is premeditated cheating so straight red. Any deliberate attempt to cheater needs stamping out. Its destroying the game imo but on and off the pitch.
You should be held accountable for deliberate premeditated cheating.
So. E think its on to cheat a d just pay a fine. No wonder there is practically zero integrity on the pitch when fans have none off it.

21 May 2026 10:00:54
Be interesting to see what happens with City, because if watching another team train is seen as acting in bad faith, and therefore warrants expulsion from a competition and a 4-point deduction next season, then God knows what's in store for a club that breaches 115 financial rules over 9 years.

21 May 2026 10:08:37
Southampton were only caught 3 times, Ken. One of those incidents was against Oxford, who were relegated. If they were spying on Oxford, they were spying on everyone.

The Bielsa defense with Leeds was that everyone done it. I agree wholeheartedly that the swift punishment is exactly what you do to stamp out this sort of behavior.

If another team is thinking or doing something similar, they'll soon think twice.

I have a feeling the City verdict is coming this summer. Havnt the foggiest what the outcome will be, but I think the Premier League will be happy theyre not punishing the champions of England.

21 May 2026 10:16:41
It's not seen as acting in bad faith; it's seen as cheating and breaking the rules to gain an advantage. It's a 200m prize. I don't think the punishment is harsh; I think it's appropriate.
The EFL have shown the EPL how to deal with cheaters.
Now, let's see the refs and the EPL do the same.


Throw the book at them.
It's cheating, it's sticking 2 fingers up and saying the rules don't apply to them. Disgusting behaviour.
Off-pitch cheating is much more premeditated than on-pitch, when you usually only have a second or 2 to think before you do it. So there should be much stiffer penalties.

21 May 2026 10:19:02
Also, instant yellow for mouthing off at the referee.

Another one that really irks me is picking the ball up if you are pinged for a foul and walking away with it. Instant yellow.

21 May 2026 10:44:58
It's one of the charges - failing to act in good faith. My point is, if that's seen as bad, something every team did up until the early 2000s, then hopefully the City punishment is even more excessive.

21 May 2026 11:14:07
Let's hope so, Sepp.

21 May 2026 11:57:25
Keefy, some refs deserve more than a mouthing off!

21 May 2026 15:11:04
Too harsh for me, spying is well over the top. Let's be fair, though, no one needs to spy on us; we do the same every week...

21 May 2026 16:39:05
Entirely appropriate punishment. Sends a clear message. If they didn't expel Soton from the playoffs, other teams might consider that the trade off is worth the risk of getting caught.

21 May 2026 17:02:21
It's a big punishment, but not a minor offence.
As Angel said, they should have had the consequences for breaking the rule clearly laid out. So there would be no ambiguity, but they didn't have to. It would have been much easier if they had that in place.

21 May 2026 19:32:18
So because one man, namely the manager, wants to send someone out on a mission to learn what exactly is anybody's guess, every player at the club, every supporter at the club, and the club itself all have to take the punishment. It's not right on any level. Nothing can convince me it's the correct step to punish everyone else.
Then, if that's the case, why Middlesbrough in the final? What about the game before, or the game before that, or even the league? Are the standings even correct if you're taking that stance of punishing the whole team? Where does it stop.


Yes, it's cheating, no one denies that. But come on, all you do Gooders who are saying it's the right punishment, look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, if it was Fergie to win the league or cup, would you be saying it's the correct punishment?
There have been loads of cheating going on over the years, it even happens every game, so where are the riotous drawing the line to cheating? A player dives, it's cheating, he can get sent off, so why don't all the team get sent off if it's now collective punishment? It's ridiculous.

21 May 2026 20:06:02
Will the Premier League be as strict as the EFL? I highly doubt it. City also have endless funds to drag this out for years. Huge difference, sadly.

21 May 2026 21:26:29
I think a red card for any player is a punishment for the whole team, as the team suffers.
There are redline rules for clubs to adhere to and follow. They all sign up to them. They chose to try and break this one. The fans are the innocent party, and will feel hard done by, no doubt, but so will City's if they get a big punishment. The fans didn't cheat the financials, nor did most of the players.
He was acting on instruction; it was not a one-off, so they cheated to get where they got.
I agree it's a soft pass for Middlesbrough.
As for if it was United, I would feel the same way.
Like I said above, any premeditated cheating act / foul should be a straight red. I wouldn't be happy if we won a cl final if we had cheated and broken the competition's redline rules to get there.
On the pitch, cheating is getting worse. There are at least 4 or 5 fouls at every corner.

The tactical fouls to prevent breakaways are getting more common, and I really get annoyed when only yellows are given. Off the pitch, cheating is also more prevalent.
Jsu, if it was United doing what Arsenal do at corners, or our coach was always outside his tech area, would you be complaining? I'd like to think you would, because it's wrong and frustrates you. Would that make you a do gooder or just someone speaking up for your beliefs and morals or standards?
It's all about people's tolerance levels. I feel strongly on this one and agree with the EFL.
On the City one, I don't know how punishing they can or will go.
Depends on what they can prove guilt on. But expulsion from the EPL back to the EFL (a relegation), I'm sure, would have to get agreement from the EFL. It will be interesting to see what happens. What punishment do you think City deserve if guilty?

21 May 2026 21:34:45
I'm glad the EFL made the call, to be honest. Big one, but they have taken a stance.
Now every team knows the consequences of their actions.

22 May 2026 05:48:29
I watch every team in all football, and I am honest, unlike many on here. Even when it comes to United, I don't like any team if it plays anti-football, and wrestling at corners is certainly that. Cheating is too, but the punishment has to be proportionate, and this is not.



The whole team don't suffer anywhere near the level of one player being sent off either; how many times have we seen teams become more resilient.

22 May 2026 08:35:11
So are you a go gooder? What punishment do you think City should get?

21 May 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - MK Scouser has posted a new article entitled, Why I Think Liverpool’s Issues Start With Slot

20 May 2026 18:06:42
Usually, I don't have a problem with other teams winning the league, as over the course of 38 games, the best team usually wins. But I really don't think that's the case this season. Ignoring the fact that both Liverpool and City have been well below their usual standards this year (thus allowing Arsenal to stumble over the finish line despite their shaky form as of late), I can't help but feel like the league was handed to them.

In a season where VAR has repeatedly been criticized for a total lack of consistency, the one thing that has consistently happened is that Arsenal have got the rub of the green. They haven't got a single red card despite committing multiple stone-wall red card offenses (I can think of two in the last few weeks alone) and are seldom penalized in either box despite their players manhandling the opposition every chance they get. Without VAR intervention (or if the rules had been applied correctly in the first place), there's no what they win the league this year.

They have some great players (I'm a big fan of Rice and Reyna and am still sick to my stomach that we signed Onana and Mount for around the same price that summer), but their unique brand of anti-football football is horrible to watch and a terrible advertisement for the Premier League. Now that the FA has gifted them their title, we can only hope that they decide to take a look at the rules regarding set pieces ahead of next season.

Congrats to Arsenal, though, I guess. They all count, even the ones that are undeserved.

20 May 2026 21:55:34
Wow, lime flavored grapes much?

21 May 2026 03:17:09
I don't think so, no.

As I said above, beyond the initial disappointment of us not winning the title, I've never really had too much of an issue giving the winners their plaudits and recognizing that they deserve their trophy. This year feels different, though. It feels like a loss for football, rather than just a loss for Manchester United.

21 May 2026 04:39:20
I agree, seven, the football in this league this season has been dire 90% of the time, and Arsenal have contributed to that big time, along with the standard of refereeing and VAR. The EPL has become very poor, and they keep trying to shout best league in world... what they actually mean is most hyped overpaid league in the world, where athletes triumph over skill & talented footballers.



Arsenal have added to this medley of diabolical corner routines that resemble a wrestling match, but I blame the authorities just as much for allowing it to happen... managers get booked for being out of their box; Jose gets reds for being out of his box. Arteta gets the whole length of the pitch, but that's ok.

21 May 2026 07:09:27
The standard is so bad that three of our teams are in European finals. Villa comfortably won theirs last night; congratulations to them.

What is happening, and has been for a while, is that the traditional middle-of-the-table teams are becoming very good because of all the money in the game. There is no easy game in the Premier League.

Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford, and Sunderland have played some outstanding football this season.

If the standard was so bad, there are 19 other teams who could have taken advantage of it, but didn't, so no sour grapes or bitterness, congrats to the team who found a way to win.

21 May 2026 09:32:41
I think that's harsh, Arsenal struggled over the line, but they have been the best team. They got nervous, so reverted to a pretty basic approach, but they're worthy winners. The grappling happens with many teams. It needs sorting out.



Arteta's antics also need addressing, the running on the touchline and the s***housery we see, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve the title. I expect them to win it again, likely playing with more freedom.

21 May 2026 09:34:31
Unfortunately, if you wanted to win the league over the last 7 or 8 years, you needed City to be off their game. Taking the aesthetics of "decent" football out of it, winning the league with mid 80 points used to be the norm, City, and for a couple of years Liverpool who chased them, raised the bar to aim for somewhere in the high 90 point region to win a league. Something United only managed a handful of times (90 plus points). Not saying we couldn't/wouldn't have been able to reach those targets with competition pushing us, just that most of the time we never needed to.

You'll see a few teams winning the league with 85 points over the next while as the competition evens out.

As for Arsenal, they found a way for their team to be effective. They've won the league and are in a European final. One thing I've noticed over the years reading football fans' opinions online is that the winners are often belittled.

If you were to read about United in the 90s/00s, we bribed refs, cheated, Fergie timed our way to titles whilst Arsenal revolutionised football.

The facts were that Arsene got Arsenal to be champions with a technically and physically impressive team, but United were simply better and could match and beat them toe to toe.

Arsenal fans shape the narrative that "we play the best football" as a coping mechanism for losing. Every team to finish 2nd has a sob story or takes the moral high ground or creates a comfort blanket to explain the external circumstances to why they can't get over the line. Fact is, every winning team has their detractors. People say City are boring, Liverpool's title wins have a narrative that they had no one challenging them and failed miserably to retain them, etc.

Arsenal have had the rub of the green and next year, if they sort out the corner fiascos, they might struggle, but this year they've amassed more points than anyone, have answered questions under pressure, and deserve to lift the league title.

Someone has to win the league every season.

21 May 2026 09:39:14
Really good post, Mumbles. Good team Arsenal. Only scored a couple more from corners more than United. ?

21 May 2026 14:56:06
Whoever finishes top of the pile deserves to be champions. It's no fluke. Arsenal deserve it. At times they played attrition football to get to the title, but they also played some really good stuff too when they built the lead that ultimately led to their triumph.



No sour grapes from me.

We need to learn to take defeat gracefully and admit without rancour when a team is better.

21 May 2026 15:15:06
Yeah, Salford, they played some good stuff too, no doubt about it.
It's no fluke. They were the best team this season.

20 May 2026 13:12:32
Hi Ed

Welcome your thoughts on Iraola
1) His ability, is his potential going to take him to the elite level?
2) Where you think he will go next?
3) Have United missed the boat by ignoring him from the process?

{Ed001's Note - 1. He is already an elite coach imo.

2. Looks like Palace as they want the kids to be educated in Spanish and there are private schools in London that Palace will enrol them in.

3. Not for the long term.}

20 May 2026 15:01:27
As i understand the situation, it was mainly between Carrick and Iraola. We went for the safest choice, and i mean what our people think its safest, or Iraola rejected us because he wanted London. Ed maybe can help us with this.


As things stands, and if he goes at Palace and not to one of our rivals, that's perfect. Because if Carrick doent work then in 1-2 years we can go for Iraola, if his wife allows it :P

20 May 2026 18:08:39
There are some excellent Spanish schools also in Manchester.

I'm not convinced we stretched our net very wide at all with Carrick on his winning run.

I also don't buy this "no top coaches/managers out there".

Ineos put themselves in an impossible situation, which seems to be the norm with them, unfortunately.

20 May 2026 17:52:54
Thanks Ed

Given what he has done at Bournemouth, I don't think Palace is that big a step up.

Out of interest who do think would have been the best choice for United?

{Ed001's Note - Iraola would have been I think. I love Iraola, I think he is vastly underappreciated in England.}

20 May 2026 19:24:35
Amen Ed. And he ays a decent brand of football ?

20 May 2026 20:44:14
Ed

Thanks, he was well above Carrick in my list and someone I thought should definitely be considered.

20 May 2026 23:07:20
Do we know he wasn't considered?
Do we know if he said he wasn't interested?
I too think we should have tried for him but we don't know.
We can all make assumptions but simply don't know.
I don't believe for one second that there were no discussions about other coaches and other names considered.
The only thing we do know is that they have the job to Carrick.
We also know he out performed iraola a lot of our fans would take half the Bournemouth team. So we can't say iraola has worse players in his team. So why has he not done even as well as Carrick this season.
Keepers are pretty equal.
They have a better lb and cbs than ours you could argue. Can't think of their rb but he must be better than dalot
Very good forwards and midfielders that we covet.
But yet he's not done as well as Carrick and was behind us when amorim was in charge too.
Its not a dig at him I too would think he could step up and become a top manager.
But he's not done any better than they guy we've chosen. So that is probably part of their rationale and they must believe that Carrick has as good a chance of stepping up at united as iraola has. The difference Between the 2 as they might see it is that Carrick has proven he can get results.

He's proven he can get them with a poor squad he's proven it at united.
Ill caveat that with its only over half a season but he took over at a time when there was a cloud over the club and he has turned it around.
Redman i'd suggest that this in charge know a lot more about the work Carrick has done around the club than you or I.
He has also turned the press around and TV reports. He has handled everything so impressively off the pitch also which no incumbent since fergie has done.
Ole and eth lvg moyes Jose amorim ranick were all a disaster in that regard. In the case of eth amorim and ole imo they were buffoon with the press. When that happens your done for.
You won't consider any positive about Carrick and generally fail to recognise any positive aspects of his appointment.
Give the guy a chance to prove he can answer the questions going forward and he will find it tough its a steep curve he is on. He has answered pretty much every question asked of him so far.
Just give the guy a chance. i'd say the odds were stacked against him. But i'd say the odds are stacked against any coach coming in and none of them will have proven they can do it at united except for one.

21 May 2026 04:43:42
Not done any better than Carrick. He steered a small club with 15,000 supporters to within a point or two of Europe. He lost his best players last season, and bought in virtually unknowns. Their wage bill is minuscule compared to ours, their size is minuscule compared to ours, their football is more pleasing on the eye, much, much more than ours.

But, oh yeah, he has done no better than our manager. That's delusion given what's available to him and what's available to Carrick.

21 May 2026 06:20:16
Bournemouth have only lost 7 games all season the only reason there not exactly where we are is because they drew 17 games iraola is head and shoulders above Carrick had he of had a bit better depth in his team a lot of them 17 could of easily been wins.


I'd also argue bournmouths centre backs are quite poor I know ed001 really doesn't rate senesi

21 May 2026 07:04:13
Tw

I have made my points over Carrick, no point in going over it. Iraola has more to offer, a progressive, exciting style for a start. As per one of our other posts, I have little excitement about next season given the choice the club have made. Whatever will be. Que Sera.

21 May 2026 08:45:48
What I wonder is, why is he choosing Palace over staying in Bournemouth?

It seems to me that his current club is in a better position at the moment, and both will probably play EL (if Palace win the final).

21 May 2026 09:15:48
Wow, the 15000 fans play, do they? Is it players that play or their wages?
It's not delusion to say Carrick won more points than him, it's factual.
Remember calling people delusional when we said United will qualify for CL.
When we said Liverpool would finish below United, you called me delusional.
When we said EPL teams would dominate European comps, I was delusional.
I think you're delusional for thinking otherwise.


One of us proven right on those three, so who is the delusional one?
Carrick has done better than Iraola in the same competition. That's just a simple fact.
Drawing 17 games, so what? If he had won them all he would have won the league, but he didn't. If Wolves won more games they wouldn't be relegated
Im sure if he goes to Palace he will do no better, or win no more than Glasner has. Maybe that's delusional too. ??

21 May 2026 09:33:50
I have 1 question about Iraola. Where is the queue of clubs for him?

21 May 2026 10:37:58
Given that Bournemouth only holds 11,000, he did a good job getting the other 4000 in. The guy is a genius!

21 May 2026 11:16:33
Ajh, you know, if we had appointed Iraola, the same people would be telling you his cv has gaps.

21 May 2026 13:46:19
Ajh,
Fair question, but I suspect he already knows where he is going, sorted a while ago. I seem to recall he wanted utter secrecy and no distraction until after the last Bournemouth game and has had that. That's impressive secrecy in today's world, where, for example, the Pep info got out.

May well be Palace, but hard to understand that one. A conspiracy theorist may wonder why United haven't actually announced Carrick, and Iraola hasn't announced his next club. So Palace it is. Que sera as we sang in the 70s, or maybe always look on the bright side of life.

21 May 2026 14:12:32
I'm not inspired, but I understand the club's point of view when looking in from the outside on this one.

21 May 2026 15:18:58
Many points there, you're totally wrong about them. You were saying that we would be in CL when RA was in charge!
Secondly, you will see that teams roughly finish where their income and outgoings on wages stand them, so on that alone he did better than Carrick, plus you would also know that 75,000 fans behind you is much, much better than 15k, but of course, if it suits your narrative, then fine as usual.

On the point of where is the queue of clubs after him, I would say it's the same group of clubs that are chasing Carrick! Oh hang on, Carrick has not even got Crystal Palace chasing him, so that's 1 less.

21 May 2026 17:25:03
One place Iraola may go is Liverpool. That would be interesting.

21 May 2026 22:30:19
I have read some dribble, but the number of fans being a factor on whichever manager is better... classic gold, right there.

But, using your logic, they only get 11k, so he must be even better!

20 May 2026 10:27:58
Fair play to Arsenal, they stuck with Arteta when he struggled to get over the line but now they've made it. The first couple of years were tricky but they have been very competitive the last few so their confidence was not misplaced.

Liverpool and Chelsea look messy, and we don't know what impact Pep's departure will have, so it may be Arsenal dominate next year, especially if they sign a top striker.



That also gives us an opportunity to strengthen well and continue to grow. Carrick's points per game so far is title winning form albeit for half a season, but it's still encouraging. The extra games mean we need more depth, the transfer window is critical to us moving forwards.

I'm quite excited about what next season might bring.

20 May 2026 12:24:59
Yeah, congrats to Arsenal. Massive achievement for them.

Next season, for us, so much hinges on midfield recruitment. Casemiro was huge for us this season, and replacing him is the most important job. We need a player that can defend, dictate play from deep, and chip in with a few goals.

Anderson would be ideal, but I can see him ending up at City. Tonali is a maybe. My issue is that it always feels like he wants to go back to Italy. Tchouameni, I'd be happy with too, but not sure if he'd be willing to come here. Don't think Wharton is good enough, and Baleba isn't ready.

20 May 2026 12:54:09
Wharton is a very forward thinking and passing player, but I don't think he is really a deep lying midfielder.

20 May 2026 18:23:45
Ajh

I feel a little ambivalent about next season, not excited but not one of doom either. I guess a middle of the road feeling, with a lack of vibrancy expected. Watching the non-selection of Heaven made me wonder about commitment to younger players, especially on Sunday, where the result wasn't important.

Heaven came in and did really well when it mattered, yet was disregarded. I really didn't like that.
I don't have the excitement that the lift and buzz of an exciting coach would bring. Maybe an exciting signing or two may help, but the overall feeling I have is: right, let's see what happens. Bring on summer.

20 May 2026 19:02:37
I think a lot of us feel that way, Red Man.
I'm hopeful but not expectant.

20 May 2026 19:26:06
I will put the bet on that we will win the league, but I am more confident I'm throwing my money out the window.

20 May 2026 23:09:27
Give it to charity, Jim, and tell them you want it back if United win the league. ?

20 May 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Aston Villa v Liverpool - A Not So Quick Liverpool Perspective

19 May 2026 21:26:14
Well done to Arsenal, Mal will be happy. Not great football but whoever wins the league deserves it.

19 May 2026 21:45:41
Congrats, Mal.

20 May 2026 07:37:34
Meehh.

20 May 2026 13:49:26
Fizz
Stopped City winning.

20 May 2026 15:32:12
They don't give trophies out for beautiful football, only winning football. Congratulations to Arsenal, toughest league to win.

20 May 2026 19:04:15
Really pleased for them. Great win. Delighted for Arteta. Hope they go on to win the CL. PSG play great stuff, so they are up against it.
Hopefully Villa win the EL tonight and Palace the Conf League.