The Footie Thread

[srixon 1]

I have absolutely no clue how to call City v United in this weekend’s Super 6. None whatsoever.

The way they are both performing at the moment it’s a hard one to call. Something has definitely gone seriously wrong at City though.

 

[Swango1980]

When you buy someone new he's got to be better than what is already there or the potential to be.
Is Onana any better than de Gea or looking likely to? I personally think not.

Perhaps, but De Gea had many critics as well. I think the biggest risk there was offering him another big contract, being stuck with him for 3-5 years and then regretting it. It's a mistake Utd have made numerous times.

What puzzled me was that once he was a free agent, he spent an entire season without a club. Did he not have offers, did he not want to play, was he demanding huge money?

 

[Red devil]

Perhaps, but De Gea had many critics as well. I think the biggest risk there was offering him another big contract, being stuck with him for 3-5 years and then regretting it. It's a mistake Utd have made numerous times.

What puzzled me was that once he was a free agent, he spent an entire season without a club. Did he not have offers, did he not want to play, was he demanding huge money?

Not sure regarding de Gea not wanting to play think he didn't receive credible offers. He won't be on big money at Fiorentina, Serie A isn't what it once was cash wise

 

[Rlburnside]

Glenn Hoddle is a dreadful co-commentator. Dreadful. Given the inane drivel he comes out with, it’s nothing short of astonishing that he ever managed at international level.

Funny that your man Rio rated him the best coach he ever had

 

[Junior]

Been meaning to ask this since the weekend - Man U fans, what are your thoughts on Andre Onana overall? How is he viewed by the fanbase?

As an outsider looking in, he seems like a bit of a calamity - especially when you consider his price tag. Against Forest he gifted us the second goal and arguably could have done much better on the other two. Then at the end he farcically wasted an entire Fergie Minute by trying to S-house an extra few yards of ground on a free-kick, which he ended up making a complete pig's ear of.

However, I'm aware that was just a single performance and I don't watch him week in, week out. Any player can have a mare of a game. What are your views on him? Is he worth the £43 million you paid for him?

Have watched most of the Man U games this season , imo , along with Amad, he’s been our best player (yes that says a lot).

He had a shocking start last season and made a couple of shockers against forest last week, but before that he’s played really well. Considering what’s infront of him he’s had a tone of work to do.

If you look at FPL where they award points for saves and clean sheets he sit on top of that as the highest points scorer for a GK in the prem.

 

[PJ87]

Have watched most of the Man U games this season , imo , along with Amad, he’s been our best player (yes that says a lot).

He had a shocking start last season and made a couple of shockers against forest last week, but before that he’s played really well. Considering what’s infront of him he’s had a tone of work to do.

If you look at FPL where they award points for saves and clean sheets he sit on top of that as the highest points scorer for a GK in the prem.

The only thing with onana is he any better than DDG? if it's a yes is he 44 millions worth of better? I mean DDG is 34 now so could easily have 4-6 years left as a keeper. Seemed a lot of money to replace the part of the team that needed replacing the least?

But that's just an outsider view

 

[Swango1980]

The only thing with onana is he any better than DDG? if it's a yes is he 44 millions worth of better? I mean DDG is 34 now so could easily have 4-6 years left as a keeper. Seemed a lot of money to replace the part of the team that needed replacing the least?

But that's just an outsider view

Best to remember that Onana was a highly rated keeper when Utd signed him. De Gea was good, but also faced much criticism. Lost his position for Spain, and few were surprised.

De Gea was on £375,000 a week. Utd decided to not renew his contract, signed a keeper 6 years younger and pay him £120,000 a week I believe. So, saving over £13 million a year in wages as well.

Had De Gea stayed, I've no confidence Utd would have become a competitive force. They'd still get embarrassing losses, and De Gea would have still faced critics.

You are correct, the keeper wasn't the most critical area in the team to replace. But, it was a decision that needed to be made at that point due to De Gea's contract situation. Utd did offer him a lower contract, he refused. They then decided to go for Onana instead. At last minute, De Gea decided to accept the lower offer, but it was too late then, as Utd had already taken the alternative route.

 

[PJ87]

Best to remember that Onana was a highly rated keeper when Utd signed him. De Gea was good, but also faced much criticism. Lost his position for Spain, and few were surprised.

De Gea was on £375,000 a week. Utd decided to not renew his contract, signed a keeper 6 years younger and pay him £120,000 a week I believe. So, saving over £13 million a year in wages as well.

Had De Gea stayed, I've no confidence Utd would have become a competitive force. They'd still get embarrassing losses, and De Gea would have still faced critics.

You are correct, the keeper wasn't the most critical area in the team to replace. But, it was a decision that needed to be made at that point due to De Gea's contract situation. Utd did offer him a lower contract, he refused. They then decided to go for Onana instead. At last minute, De Gea decided to accept the lower offer, but it was too late then, as Utd had already taken the alternative route.

Problem is whilst it could be seen as good business to save that wage in reality you just moved the funds into Antony indeed who has to be up there as one of the worst signings in your history (because of his fee)

Where as if you hadn't bought those 2, kept DDG and used the money to get kane in on a freebie and rice in for big bucks I think that would have transformed your team.

Appreciate Antony is 2022 signing , however he is still bad value
Holand was a future signing but another strange one when you needed performance now which kane would get

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Best to remember that Onana was a highly rated keeper when Utd signed him. De Gea was good, but also faced much criticism. Lost his position for Spain, and few were surprised.

De Gea was on £375,000 a week. Utd decided to not renew his contract, signed a keeper 6 years younger and pay him £120,000 a week I believe. So, saving over £13 million a year in wages as well.

Had De Gea stayed, I've no confidence Utd would have become a competitive force. They'd still get embarrassing losses, and De Gea would have still faced critics.

You are correct, the keeper wasn't the most critical area in the team to replace. But, it was a decision that needed to be made at that point due to De Gea's contract situation. Utd did offer him a lower contract, he refused. They then decided to go for Onana instead. At last minute, De Gea decided to accept the lower offer, but it was too late then, as Utd had already taken the alternative route.

Not sure that makes much difference these days

Plenty of players have been highly rated and it’s not turned out that way


Onana isn’t a bad keeper , he isn’t better than De Gea but the contract situation forced a lot of the transfer and getting a GK that the incoming manager worked with always seems the way to go

With all the issues within the team I don’t expect he is near the top to sort out

Maybe in the future if he hasn’t improved then it maybe an area to look at but he is certainly better than most in the Prem

 

[Billysboots]

Funny that your man Rio rated him the best coach he ever had

Perhaps, but that doesn’t alter the fact he is an abysmal co-commentator.

 

[Billysboots]

All keepers make mistakes. All of them. And yet when Onana makes one he becomes a topic of conversation here.

I wonder why.

 

[PaulMdj]

All keepers make mistakes. All of them. And yet when Onana makes one he becomes a topic of conversation here.

I wonder why.

Come on Billy, you maybe being a little over-sensitive here, this is nothing to the stick Pickford gets!

 

[AmandaJR]

@AmandaJR @Tashyboy Do you rate Doku?
Obviously anyone else free to comment.
Personally I think he’s .
Decent at beating his man,but then

I think he's improved his end product this season - not that it would take much to improve. He scares defenders witless with his pace, tricks and strength but too often the final product is lacking. Thing is though - he takes that chance. I'd rather that then cut back inside and give an easy square pass. I think he could really become something with a bit more polish.

 

[Swango1980]

Problem is whilst it could be seen as good business to save that wage in reality you just moved the funds into Antony indeed who has to be up there as one of the worst signings in your history (because of his fee)

Where as if you hadn't bought those 2, kept DDG and used the money to get kane in on a freebie and rice in for big bucks I think that would have transformed your team.

Appreciate Antony is 2022 signing , however he is still bad value
Holand was a future signing but another strange one when you needed performance now which kane would get

There is no point in judging the Onana signing by then blaming other bad signings because of it. As you pointed out at the end, Antony was signed a year before Onana, so Utd didn't sign Onana simply to free up funds for Antony.

We all know Utd have made many bad signings. Most big clubs with a lot of money to spend, who then play poorly, are going to have flops. And most agree that Antony is right up there at the top of the pile.

I'm not sure how we could have got Kane on a freebie, when he signed for Bayern for £100 million. Unless it has been confirmed he would have waited at Spurs until the end of his contract if Utd confirmed they wanted him, and because they didn't he went to Bayern?

 

[Billysboots]

Come on Billy, you maybe being a little over-sensitive here, this is nothing to the stick Pickford gets!

Can’t recall Pickford getting too much here, despite his occasional blunder.

I’m not being over sensitive, I was making a point. This season especially, Onana hasn’t done a great deal wrong. He has been one of United’s more reliable performers, pulling off some top class saves. And yet one, possibly two errors at the weekend, and all of a sudden the De Gea debate ignites again on these pages, primarily amongst those who only watch the edited highlights. He had a bad game. It happens.

Interestingly, one of the issues he has been criticised for is his positioning, especially an apparent reluctance to leave his line and narrow angles. On MOTD after the Forest game, Shay Given commented that many keepers in the modern game are trained to do that, to give them more time to react. I’m not sure I would agree that’s necessarily the way to go, but if that is a product of coaching, then it seems rather unfair to single Onana out for it.

De Gea has long gone. The debate surrounding whether United should have got rid of him for Onana has long been done to death. But I don’t doubt it will rear its head again here if and when he drops another clanger. Which, being a keeper, he absolutely will. Even the best do it.

 

[Neilds]

Not sure if Man City have been tipped off about a big points deduction and ban from Europe but I reckon even Rotherham Utd could beat them at the moment

 

[Swango1980]

Not sure that makes much difference these days

Plenty of players have been highly rated and it’s not turned out that way


Onana isn’t a bad keeper , he isn’t better than De Gea but the contract situation forced a lot of the transfer and getting a GK that the incoming manager worked with always seems the way to go

With all the issues within the team I don’t expect he is near the top to sort out

Maybe in the future if he hasn’t improved then it maybe an area to look at but he is certainly better than most in the Prem

I didn't mean that because he was a highly rated keeper back then, that he would automatically become a Premier League great. Simply that, as De Gea's contract was running out (highest paid player at the club), then there was a lot of sense in looking at other keepers out there. No point in replacing De Gea with a poorly rated keeper, Onana looked a good choice. And, in all honesty, I currently believe he was a good choice. He has had plenty of good games behind an inconsistent defence, and it probably hasn't helped him that the defenders in front of him have consisted of 87 different players since he arrived over a year ago

I also like his attitude, he seems a strong character when I've heard him speak. I definitely like a keeper with a thick skin, because it is inevitable mistakes will happen and for some keepers, it can almost destroy their careers if they completely lose faith after the criticism.

But, I'm along the lines of your thinking as you summed up at the end there. Utd need to improve in other areas. By the time Onana's contract starts to run out, we will be in a better position to see if he is worth keeping, or if another keeper would be better.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

All keepers make mistakes. All of them. And yet when Onana makes one he becomes a topic of conversation here.

I wonder why.

Suspect any player of any top team when they make a mistake or mess up or play poorly will be subject of discussion

The recent topic was Nunez poor run , before that was Man City poor run , when Alisson makes a mistake that costs the game I suspect it will be talked about

Man Utd are a big club -they are going to be talked about when they arent doing so well - other clubs had 20 plus years of United winning year after year - there is no doubt that if forums were around through the 90’s Man Utd fans would be pointing and laughing at how bad Liverpool were doing - it’s part and parcel of the sport and a rivalry

 

[Swango1980]

Suspect any player of any top team when they make a mistake or mess up or play poorly will be subject of discussion

The recent topic was Nunez poor run , before that was Man City poor run , when Alisson makes a mistake that costs the game I suspect it will be talked about

Man Utd are a big club -they are going to be talked about when they are doing so well - other clubs had 20 plus years of United winning year after year - there is no doubt that if forums were around through the 90’s Man Utd fans would be pointing and laughing at how bad Liverpool were doing - it’s part and parcel of the sport and a rivalry

Na, I can't ever think fans would stoop that low. Otherwise Liverpool keepers would get nicknames such as "Calamity James"

 

[Red devil]

I have absolutely no clue how to call City v United in this weekend’s Super 6. None whatsoever.

Utd will marmalize them..................or not