The Footie Thread

[Lord Tyrion]

Im sure they would too!

Spurs and United are that type of game - should win, especially home v spurs...

United away never goes well for us, and they'll be gagging for a win against us last game of the season. Good finish though and one Ill be at for sure!

High press, and you have the players with pace to do that, game over. I'm not sure that Utd team have the stomach for any match other than against Liverpool this season. Half are already on the beach, last game of the season, some will be playing in flip flops.

It's the Fulham and Bournemouth games that will be more awkward for you. Those types of teams.

 

[Bdill93]

High press, and you have the players with pace to do that, game over. I'm not sure that Utd team have the stomach for any match other than against Liverpool this season. Half are already on the beach, last game of the season, some will be playing in flip flops.

It's the Fulham and Bournemouth games that will be more awkward for you. Those types of teams.

Yeah, our current run is also pretty good and has to end somewhere not lost in like 8 domestic games or something. PSG the only mark against us recently.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

High press, and you have the players with pace to do that, game over. I'm not sure that Utd team have the stomach for any match other than against Liverpool this season. Half are already on the beach, last game of the season, some will be playing in flip flops.

It's the Fulham and Bournemouth games that will be more awkward for you. Those types of teams.

Sure we will go missing again. Seems to be the way at the moment. Play well and then a poor performance

 

[4LEX]

But surely that is down to Amorin to motivate and get the best for each match. You could argue by almost downing tools now they are doing all the other sides a disservice. I think the bottom 3 is sorted so it won't have an impact on relegation but what about the teams playing for Europe? Surely if you think/know you are on the way out yo want to put yourself in the shop window and put a shift in

The reality is Man Utd are a mess and are putting all their eggs into the EL basket, which is probably the best thing to do given the league position. As long as Bruno is in top form, they've got a good chance as the level of sides left in isn't great. The worry would be there's very little signs the new manager or system is working or will work going forward.

If you take a step back and look at the good things Man Utd stand for it's youth products and playing attacking football with wingers. They're now in a position due to a decade of terrible transfer activity that they'll have to sell their youth products to free up money for signings. The football they play is negative and dull, in one of the most defensive formations possible and they have no wingers.

I saw an incredible stat that sums things up. In the recent defeat at Forest, Harry Maguire had a higher xG in injury time than Hojlund had in his previous 15 games (at the time).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Definitely a slow news day for the BBC football team https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy87wxl33j5o

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Not if the card was in a domestic game as far as I’m aware.

He only got a 1 game ban

 

[Tashyboy]

No way are Forest nailed on any longer. The pack has nearly caught them, Newcastle may pass them on Wednesday. I hope they do stay the course but it's suddenly become tough.

3-7 could be any of those teams currently in the mix. I can see Chelsea missing out, too fragile, so that leaves 4 teams fighting for 3 places. Great stuff, could be any of them.

I did say that the pack could
close in on Forest. At the moment Newcastle look in a very strong position with Liverpool And Arsenal. 4th and 5th could go down to the wire. With a “ big” club like City or Chelsea being upset at not being in the top five.

 

[Tashyboy]

The reality is Man Utd are a mess and are putting all their eggs into the EL basket, which is probably the best thing to do given the league position. As long as Bruno is in top form, they've got a good chance as the level of sides left in isn't great. The worry would be there's very little signs the new manager or system is working or will work going forward.

If you take a step back and look at the good things Man Utd stand for it's youth products and playing attacking football with wingers. They're now in a position due to a decade of terrible transfer activity that they'll have to sell their youth products to free up money for signings. The football they play is negative and dull, in one of the most defensive formations possible and they have no wingers.

I saw an incredible stat that sums things up. In the recent defeat at Forest, Harry Maguire had a higher xG in injury time than Hojlund had in his previous 15 games (at the time).

To compare City and Utd. If City get rid of KDB, Silva and Grealish at the end of the season they will save £1 million a week in wages. KDB is £400,000 a week and he is deffo gone. Others will go. That will go a long way to cut the wage bill to allow others to come in.
But what about Utd. Rashford and Casimero going would massively cut the bill. But to get players to take them to the next level. And at the moment the next level is mid table. Who would you be looking at. Amorin needs his players and unfortunately a lack of champions league football could be a struggle in helping to recruit.

 

[Swango1980]

To compare City and Utd. If City get rid of KDB, Silva and Grealish at the end of the season they will save £1 million a week in wages. KDB is £400,000 a week and he is deffo gone. Others will go. That will go a long way to cut the wage bill to allow others to come in.
But what about Utd. Rashford and Casimero going would massively cut the bill. But to get players to take them to the next level. And at the moment the next level is mid table. Who would you be looking at. Amorin needs his players and unfortunately a lack of champions league football could be a struggle in helping to recruit.

Football can change quickly though.

Last year Forest were 17th, at the moment they are 3rd. Last year City won their 4th PL in a row and looked almost unstoppable, whereas this season they are currently 5th and 21 points behind Liverpool.

I'm not saying Man Utd will suddenly surge up the league, but all fans can live in hope at times. Amorim has had over half a season as a pre season, with the benefit of having a transfer window at the end of it. This window will be a major test for him and the board. perhaps they'll make a mess of it, but maybe they'll do a good job. If they could get 3 or 4 players (especially attacking players) who have character and are not injured 9 out of 10 games, sometimes that is all the spark you need to improve. Obviously players that fits his style as well.

Personally, I'd like them to focus on the attacking side of things. In an ideal world, you'd just go out and improve every single position if you could. But, as that is impossible, I'd happily live with a handful of Onana errors a year if it meant we could bring in players who could score the team an extra 20/30 goals per season.

 

[Tashyboy]

Football can change quickly though.

Last year Forest were 17th, at the moment they are 3rd. Last year City won their 4th PL in a row and looked almost unstoppable, whereas this season they are currently 5th and 21 points behind Liverpool.

I'm not saying Man Utd will suddenly surge up the league, but all fans can live in hope at times. Amorim has had over half a season as a pre season, with the benefit of having a transfer window at the end of it. This window will be a major test for him and the board. perhaps they'll make a mess of it, but maybe they'll do a good job. If they could get 3 or 4 players (especially attacking players) who have character and are not injured 9 out of 10 games, sometimes that is all the spark you need to improve. Obviously players that fits his style as well.

Personally, I'd like them to focus on the attacking side of things. In an ideal world, you'd just go out and improve every single position if you could. But, as that is impossible, I'd happily live with a handful of Onana errors a year if it meant we could bring in players who could score the team an extra 20/30 goals per season.

If Utd could get hold of a player like Amorim had at Sporting. ( Gyokores) that would be a massive step in the right direction.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

If Utd could get hold of a player like Amorim had at Sporting. ( Gyokores) that would be a massive step in the right direction.

They need a heck of a lot more than a striker

 

[Swango1980]

If Utd could get hold of a player like Amorim had at Sporting. ( Gyokores) that would be a massive step in the right direction.

They need a heck of a lot more than a striker

Agreed on both counts.

There is a lot of talk about Delap. I don't know lots about him, but I have been impressed when I have seen him. That being said, it scares me if he is to become their key target, as it feels like it is another learner driver in the squad. Will he hit the ground running, or will he struggle with the pressure at Utd, and people slating very quickly if the goals dry up for a bit? We need someone that will come in and already have that confidence about them, lift team mates and worry opponents. But, we need a few players with that confidence and ability to score goals from other positions, not just have all the eggs in one basket.

At the end of the day, there will likely be a lot of departures at the end of the season. Lindelof, Eriksen and Casemiro will almost certainly go, and you'd also think Rashford, Antony and Malacia will go. On top of this, a handful of other players may be sold if there are any takers, and Amorim doesn't think they are necessary for the way he wants to play. So, I can see there being 6-10 players leaving the squad, which I am guessing is quite unusual, unless you are promoted or relegated side? So, that means there will need to be quite a high number of incoming players to keep the squad size the same. I just hope they are able to shop effectively, and most of these incoming players are actually quality players

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Agreed on both counts.

There is a lot of talk about Delap. I don't know lots about him, but I have been impressed when I have seen him. That being said, it scares me if he is to become their key target, as it feels like it is another learner driver in the squad. Will he hit the ground running, or will he struggle with the pressure at Utd, and people slating very quickly if the goals dry up for a bit? We need someone that will come in and already have that confidence about them, lift team mates and worry opponents. But, we need a few players with that confidence and ability to score goals from other positions, not just have all the eggs in one basket.

At the end of the day, there will likely be a lot of departures at the end of the season. Lindelof, Eriksen and Casemiro will almost certainly go, and you'd also think Rashford, Antony and Malacia will go. On top of this, a handful of other players may be sold if there are any takers, and Amorim doesn't think they are necessary for the way he wants to play. So, I can see there being 6-10 players leaving the squad, which I am guessing is quite unusual, unless you are promoted or relegated side? So, that means there will need to be quite a high number of incoming players to keep the squad size the same. I just hope they are able to shop effectively, and most of these incoming players are actually quality players

Due to PSR and potentially a lack of CL it’s going to take some very clever recruiting

Who do they have that’s going to mastermind that

 

[Swango1980]

Due to PSR and potentially a lack of CL it’s going to take some very clever recruiting

Who do they have that’s going to mastermind that

This is where we'll see if the newish regime have what it takes. It is a team effort, involving the board and how they can work with Amorim and what he needs. Last summer was a bit of a mess anyway, as some of the staff hadn't even started, nor had they had the time to settle in to see what was really going on at the club.

Now, after a year of finishing just above the relegation zone, I'm hoping minds are focused and they are much clearer on the details of what needs to change.

Sure, some players will prefer to go elsewhere, and some players will demand too much. But, there are a lot of decent players in the world, and only a limited amount of Champions League top clubs they can go to (and many of those clubs wouldn't be an option anyway, as they have certain positions already covered). So, if you are a quality player, believe in yourself and feel like you can help move a big club forward (and still get paid very well), then Man Utd is not a terrible option. But, yes, I've no idea how successful the board will be at identifying such players or negotiating decent prices for them

 

[clubchamp98]

This is where we'll see if the newish regime have what it takes. It is a team effort, involving the board and how they can work with Amorim and what he needs. Last summer was a bit of a mess anyway, as some of the staff hadn't even started, nor had they had the time to settle in to see what was really going on at the club.

Now, after a year of finishing just above the relegation zone, I'm hoping minds are focused and they are much clearer on the details of what needs to change.

Sure, some players will prefer to go elsewhere, and some players will demand too much. But, there are a lot of decent players in the world, and only a limited amount of Champions League top clubs they can go to (and many of those clubs wouldn't be an option anyway, as they have certain positions already covered). So, if you are a quality player, believe in yourself and feel like you can help move a big club forward (and still get paid very well), then Man Utd is not a terrible option. But, yes, I've no idea how successful the board will be at identifying such players or negotiating decent prices for them

This just seems very strange to me.
Why employ a manager who only employs one rigid way of playing when the club dosnt have the players to play that way.

UTD are over a barrel now buying players to fit his system and the prices are going to be silly.
With players on generous contracts may refuse to leave.

One of the biggest clubs in the world should not have got to this .
It’s more than the players it’s the top guys who need to go before you improve imo.

 

[Swango1980]

This just seems very strange to me.
Why employ a manager who only employs one rigid way of playing when the club dosnt have the players to play that way.

UTD are over a barrel now buying players to fit his system and the prices are going to be silly.
With players on generous contracts may refuse to leave.

One of the biggest clubs in the world should not have got to this .
It’s more than the players it’s the top guys who need to go before you improve imo.

Cast your mind back to the day they hired Amorim. The feeling was pretty much universal that it was a great move by Utd. I don't think anyone in here was even being critical of it. Decisions are not made in hindsight, so it is very easy to see why they went for Amorim at the time

Did they feel that Utd would suddenly be much much better once he walked in the door? Probably not, but maybe hoped it. Did they think they would be this bad? Probably not.

What would be the alternative? Keep ETH as coach, or bring in Southgate. Start hiring players not suited to those managers, but suitable for Amorim. And then after a year or two, phone Amorim and say "right mate, we bought all these players that fit your system, fancy coming to manage them?"

We all know that it will take time to turnover the squad, and the January transfer window was never going to be the best time to start the process in anger. You could really question the board if they sacked Amorim before next season, because they clearly never gave him a chance. But, if they stick by him and expect that it will take several transfer windows to build into a much better, more reliable side, then that would seem like a sensible approach to me.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

This is where we'll see if the newish regime have what it takes. It is a team effort, involving the board and how they can work with Amorim and what he needs. Last summer was a bit of a mess anyway, as some of the staff hadn't even started, nor had they had the time to settle in to see what was really going on at the club.

Now, after a year of finishing just above the relegation zone, I'm hoping minds are focused and they are much clearer on the details of what needs to change.

Sure, some players will prefer to go elsewhere, and some players will demand too much. But, there are a lot of decent players in the world, and only a limited amount of Champions League top clubs they can go to (and many of those clubs wouldn't be an option anyway, as they have certain positions already covered). So, if you are a quality player, believe in yourself and feel like you can help move a big club forward (and still get paid very well), then Man Utd is not a terrible option. But, yes, I've no idea how successful the board will be at identifying such players or negotiating decent prices for them

But who is the DoF at the moment , the one that’s going to try and persuade the players and sort the fee out

We had Edwards and Ward do that

And yep there will be players out there that will be looking for the next step

Many scoffed when we got Mane from Southampton, Gini from Newcastle , Robbo from Hull , Shaqiri from Stoke but that window then Salah was massive for us

 

[Swango1980]

But who is the DoF at the moment , the one that’s going to try and persuade the players and sort the fee out

We had Edwards and Ward do that

And yep there will be players out there that will be looking for the next step

Many scoffed when we got Mane from Southampton, Gini from Newcastle , Robbo from Hull , Shaqiri from Stoke but that window then Salah was massive for us

I don't care who does what, as long as whatever structure they have in place works over the next few seasons.

I'd only concern myself with those details if it was my responsibility to employ the staff.

In terms of persuading players, I doubt that will fall too heavily on a DoF. The DoF will certainly try and get a good deal, and work with all the cogs in the machine. If a player needs persuaded, a lot of that will probably come down to Amorim and the belief he shows in that player and how important he thinks they'll be.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We all know Amorin and the board have players that are going to be gone. What he and the club does next will be pivotal into how quickly they rebound and become top 4 contenders. I am not sure next season will be long enough but if they give Amorin time (funny how clubs who have stuck with a manager for a few seasons are now reaping some benefit) and two summer windows then he'll have his own squad (not sure there will be FFP room to do it all in the summer) and his own playing style ingrained

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Another cracking start by Fulham - NOT. Why are we brilliant one week and defensively inept the next