The Footie Thread

[Orikoru]

I grew up knowing united to just go out and buy the biggest and best players. Never held on to dead wood.

The current united is the polar opposite. They need a massive revamp, but I think the owners are whats holding them back. Well, them and Ed Woodward - that guy just doesnt understand football.

Yeah, Owen Hargreaves said it last night and I think he was right - they need three top players to compete. A centre back, a central midfielder, and a right winger (assuming Greenwood will be used more as a striker). Top players who will actually start. Not throwing money at someone like Van de Beek and then he can't even get in the side.

 

[IanM]

Sports Direct report a big spike in on-line sales of Man City shirts in the south of England last night around 11pm. Marketing team are investigating.

 

[ColchesterFC]

If you add Varane, Sancho and Kane/Haaland to that United team then you've got, or are very close to getting, a team that can challenge for the title and the CL. Having said that you're probably looking at £250 million to get those three in and possibly still needing a centre mid on top.

I have very deliberately put challenge rather than win because with Liverpool seemingly getting Konate to partner a hopefully fit again Van Dijk they should be back in the mix next year with Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago back in midfield. I guess a lot will depend on Salah and Mane staying and if not who comes in to replace them.

Man City will always be up there so I think depending on who United buy this summer then it will hopefully be a much closer title race next year.

 

[fundy]

If you add Varane, Sancho and Kane/Haaland to that United team then you've got, or are very close to getting, a team that can challenge for the title and the CL. Having said that you're probably looking at £250 million to get those three in and possibly still needing a centre mid on top.

I have very deliberately put challenge rather than win because with Liverpool seemingly getting Konate to partner a hopefully fit again Van Dijk they should be back in the mix next year with Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago back in midfield. I guess a lot will depend on Salah and Mane staying and if not who comes in to replace them.

Man City will always be up there so I think depending on who United buy this summer then it will hopefully be a much closer title race next year.

add those 3 to most top half sides and they wont be too far away!

 

[theoneandonly]

Spurs fans, I see a lot of noise around a possible return of Pochettino. How woud you feel about that?

 

[fundy]

Spurs fans, I see a lot of noise around a possible return of Pochettino. How woud you feel about that?

how can this be anything other than a bored journo needing a column?

So Pochettino is going to resign after less than 6 mths at PSG
Levy is then going to apologise for sacking him and put his ego aside and offer him his job back (even after Poch didnt take a new job straight after being fired to ensure he got the full pay out)
Pochettino is then going to return despite knowing that Kane is leaving

if theres even a thread of truth in this football crazier than i thought lol

 

[ColchesterFC]

add those 3 to most top half sides and they wont be too far away!

Yeah, very good point. Not sure how many other top half teams could go out and spend £250m + in a single transfer window though. Man City are probably the only other one that could and they don't really need to.

 

[fundy]

Yeah, very good point. Not sure how many other top half teams could go out and spend £250m + in a single transfer window though. Man City are probably the only other one that could and they don't really need to.

Pretty sure Chelsea could do if they catch Roman on a good day, again Putting those 3 in at Chelsea may be a better side than doing so at United too

 

[ColchesterFC]

Pretty sure Chelsea could do if they catch Roman on a good day, again Putting those 3 in at Chelsea may be a better side than doing so at United too

Can't believe that I totally forgot Chelsea when talking about teams with money. And would agree that Chelsea plus those three would be better than Man U plus those three.

 

[Orikoru]

If you add Varane, Sancho and Kane/Haaland to that United team then you've got, or are very close to getting, a team that can challenge for the title and the CL. Having said that you're probably looking at £250 million to get those three in and possibly still needing a centre mid on top.

A lot more than that!

Spurs fans, I see a lot of noise around a possible return of Pochettino. How woud you feel about that?

I think it would be great, but it all depends on Levy. Reappointing him would be tantamount to admitting he didn't back him properly the last time, so would require a bit of humble pie and actually bring in some proper players for him to work with this time.

how can this be anything other than a bored journo needing a column?

So Pochettino is going to resign after less than 6 mths at PSG
Levy is then going to apologise for sacking him and put his ego aside and offer him his job back (even after Poch didnt take a new job straight after being fired to ensure he got the full pay out)
Pochettino is then going to return despite knowing that Kane is leaving

if theres even a thread of truth in this football crazier than i thought lol

I follow an in-the-know Spurs journo named Alasdair Gold, and he reckons there is some truth here. Pochettino isn't delighted with PSG as 'too much politics' there and wants to get back to pure coaching of the team - they wouldn't dig their heels in since he failed to win the league - and we'd be open to Poch returning and have spoken to him about the possibility apparently. Poch coming back would be a huge factor in possibly convincing Kane to stay another year as they are extremely close - and in all honesty I think that might be the number one reason to appoint him. But as I say, he's not going to rejoin without proper assurances that he'll be able to bring in a couple of top defenders to strengthen the team, at the very minimum.

 

[fundy]

A lot more than that!


I think it would be great, but it all depends on Levy. Reappointing him would be tantamount to admitting he didn't back him properly the last time, so would require a bit of humble pie and actually bring in some proper players for him to work with this time.


I follow an in-the-know Spurs journo named Alasdair Gold, and he reckons there is some truth here. Pochettino isn't delighted with PSG as 'too much politics' there and wants to get back to pure coaching of the team - they wouldn't dig their heels in since he failed to win the league - and we'd be open to Poch returning and have spoken to him about the possibility apparently. Poch coming back would be a huge factor in possibly convincing Kane to stay another year as they are extremely close - and in all honesty I think that might be the number one reason to appoint him. But as I say, he's not going to rejoin without proper assurances that he'll be able to bring in a couple of top defenders to strengthen the team, at the very minimum.

that or next weeks season ticket sales deadline and the numbers are a bit low and Levy needed a decent story

would bring new meaning to "spursy" i guess

 

[Blue in Munich]

Pretty sure Chelsea could do if they catch Roman on a good day, again Putting those 3 in at Chelsea may be a better side than doing so at United too

Putting in someone like Mata or Fabregas who can see runs & release the ball instead of Slow-ginho would make Chelsea a much better team.

 

[fundy]

Putting in someone like Mata or Fabregas who can see runs & release the ball instead of Slow-ginho would make Chelsea a much better team.

got a Xhaka you can have cheap, if you think Jorginho is slow..........

 

[Blue in Munich]

got a Xhaka you can have cheap, if you think Jorginho is slow..........

Jorginho's slow but he does move...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

If you add Varane, Sancho and Kane/Haaland to that United team then you've got, or are very close to getting, a team that can challenge for the title and the CL. Having said that you're probably looking at £250 million to get those three in and possibly still needing a centre mid on top.

I have very deliberately put challenge rather than win because with Liverpool seemingly getting Konate to partner a hopefully fit again Van Dijk they should be back in the mix next year with Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago back in midfield. I guess a lot will depend on Salah and Mane staying and if not who comes in to replace them.

Man City will always be up there so I think depending on who United buy this summer then it will hopefully be a much closer title race next year.

I think even adding in some top quality players I don’t think UTD have the managing and coaching structure to get the best out of them - if you bring in some big names then crucial is the right manager to mould them and imo OGS is not the manager to do that

And the rumblings about Pochettino to Spurs seem to be growing

https://www.skysports.com/football/...n-talks-with-tottenham-over-return-to-club?TT

 

[Bdill93]

If you add Varane, Sancho and Kane/Haaland to that United team then you've got, or are very close to getting, a team that can challenge for the title and the CL. Having said that you're probably looking at £250 million to get those three in and possibly still needing a centre mid on top.

I have very deliberately put challenge rather than win because with Liverpool seemingly getting Konate to partner a hopefully fit again Van Dijk they should be back in the mix next year with Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago back in midfield. I guess a lot will depend on Salah and Mane staying and if not who comes in to replace them.

Man City will always be up there so I think depending on who United buy this summer then it will hopefully be a much closer title race next year.

A cool 300 million quid window at least!

 

[Billysboots]

I grew up knowing united to just go out and buy the biggest and best players. Never held on to dead wood.

The current united is the polar opposite. They need a massive revamp, but I think the owners are whats holding them back. Well, them and Ed Woodward - that guy just doesnt understand football.

Getting rid of the deadwood has been an issue for years. The squad has long remained bloated with unused players on huge wages, and those in charge of transfers seem totally incapable of moving them on, preferring instead to tie them up on long term deals. The fact Phil Jones is still there, for example, is utterly baffling.

Last night was a disappointment but, I’m afraid, no surprise. The squad lacks depth, and we arrived at the business end of the season with players horribly out of form, some having been poor for months with no viable options to replace them.

The classic example is Rashford. Sorry, I don’t care what the stats say, he is way short of being world class and has been poor for way too long. He would not get a sniff at City, Liverpool or a host of other clubs. I accept he can be capable of the extraordinary, but he too often makes the ordinary look beyond him, and his tendency to run directly into trouble and lose possession is infuriating. I may be a voice in the wilderness but if any club is mad enough to make a big money offer I’d offload him tomorrow. The club needs a quality forward in his position for the long term - he is not it.

Elsewhere, central defence has been a mess for years. How Victor Lindelöf is still getting a game at this level remains a mystery. A quality centre half is a must. A right winger is needed, and also another central midfielder to replace the appalling Fred, who appears to have forgotten he is Brazilian.

So a huge outlay is required, make no mistake. Is Solskjaer the man to take this forward? I still think he needs a transfer window during which he is allowed to bring in his own players. It is abundantly clear that Van de Beek was not a player the manager wanted, and leaving him on the bench week after week sends a clear message to the owners - buy expensive players by all means, but if I don’t want them, they won’t play.

So, a huge summer (again) for United. If they get the right players in, and we are in a similar position this time next year, then Ole’s race may well be run. But not quite yet.

 

[fundy]

Pochettino to spurs gone odds on with the bookies

This might be expensive if im wrong lol

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Pochettino to spurs gone odds on with the bookies

This might be expensive if im wrong lol

Well it’s all over social media now that he is talking to Spurs about a return

Allegri going back to Juve

Conte going to Madrid apparently

Rijkaard back to Barce

Some big managerial changes

 

[Orikoru]

Last night was a disappointment but, I’m afraid, no surprise. The squad lacks depth, and we arrived at the business end of the season with players horribly out of form, some having been poor for months with no viable options to replace them.

The classic example is Rashford. Sorry, I don’t care what the stats say, he is way short of being world class and has been poor for way too long. He would not get a sniff at City, Liverpool or a host of other clubs. I accept he can be capable of the extraordinary, but he too often makes the ordinary look beyond him, and his tendency to run directly into trouble and lose possession is infuriating. I may be a voice in the wilderness but if any club is mad enough to make a big money offer I’d offload him tomorrow. The club needs a quality forward in his position for the long term - he is not it.

I'm with you on Rashford. He's got an impressive bag of tricks and skills, but his finishing is poor. That's why he's ended up a left winger rather than a striker. He can pull something magical out of nowhere, but all the simple stuff, like finishing a one-on-one for example, he really struggles with. One of those players who's good on instinct, but give him time to think and he fluffs it. I wouldn't say you need to get rid because he is still young and can improve. But you need more options and competition there, I don't think him being an automatic starter is helping him necessarily.