The Footie Thread

[Swango1980]

Basically every transfer they’ve done there is over priced even on going rates. It’s superb to see them getting fleeced but then this money is nothing to them. But now they’re paying the price (pun not intended) for not being better with their mass wealth. Sadly it’s to the detriment of some of their players (Lascelles a prime example of someone who clearly isn’t fit enough) but then they choose to play for these lowlifes.

Your not a bitter Sunderland fan by any chance?

Patiently wait for your moment for the last couple of years whilst everyone was praising how Newcastle were building the club, and watching them qualify for the Champions League. Then they go through a bad spell of injuries, get a couple of bad PL results, and suddenly you have your chance to come out and ridicule what they've done in the transfer market?

 

[BrianM]

He's not better than what he's replaced though - significantly worse IMO.

Gundogan was ridiculous last season.

He's nowhere near that level I just mean he's done what's been asked off him well

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Mudryk - 89m....

I was going to give you Antony but in the game of Top Trumps, he is only £82m wasted so Mudryk still wins

 

[Lord Tyrion]

He's not better than what he's replaced though - significantly worse IMO.

Gundogan was ridiculous last season.

I don't think City had a say in that, he wanted to go to Barcelona. He was superb last year, not sure there is anyone out there to replace his form from last year.

City have lost both him and, effectively so far, De Bruyne, so they are two massive gaps for them. 2 seriously top creative players missing. I'm not playing violins for them but it is not surprising they are down a little bit.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

He's not better than what he's replaced though - significantly worse IMO.

Gundogan was ridiculous last season.

One player was available who would have improved them. Rice. However he only ever wanted to go to arsenal. He is very attached to London. I did think when mount went united it might temp rice to follow us best mate

 

[Bdill93]

I don't think City had a say in that, he wanted to go to Barcelona. He was superb last year, not sure there is anyone out there to replace his form from last year.

City have lost both him and, effectively so far, De Bruyne, so they are two massive gaps for them. 2 seriously top creative players missing. I'm not playing violins for them but it is not surprising they are down a little bit.

They didn't you're right! But they were in charge of sorting their replacements and deemed Kovacic enough to replace him when he's nowhere near the level.

I agree its not surprising and you cannot control injuries. But you can control squad depth better and you can control who you sign.

 

[TimShady]

Your not a bitter Sunderland fan by any chance?

Patiently wait for your moment for the last couple of years whilst everyone was praising how Newcastle were building the club, and watching them qualify for the Champions League. Then they go through a bad spell of injuries, get a couple of bad PL results, and suddenly you have your chance to come out and ridicule what they've done in the transfer market?

Haha no not at all.

 

[Swango1980]

They didn't you're right! But they were in charge of sorting their replacements and deemed Kovacic enough to replace him when he's nowhere near the level.

I agree its not surprising and you cannot control injuries. But you can control squad depth better and you can control who you sign.

I'm sure it isn't easy to replace a player like Gundogan. He was sone of the players of the season in a team that won the treble. If he goes, players like that don't just grow on trees. You could argue how would City replace De Bruyne, Rodri or Haaland, Liverpool Salah or Spurs Kane?

I think if you look to replace a really good player with an absolute direct replacement, you'll almost always be disappointed. I think it is better to sometimes find a player who may generally tick some of the attributes for the missing player, but accept that they'll have their own strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the coach may have to make some small adjustments to the tactics to get the absolute best out of the players they have in their team. Perhaps Spurs are a good example. Clearly not even replaced Harry Kane, but find other ways to get the best out of the players that they do have and the ones they brought in.

 

[Bdill93]

I'm sure it isn't easy to replace a player like Gundogan. He was sone of the players of the season in a team that won the treble. If he goes, players like that don't just grow on trees. You could argue how would City replace De Bruyne, Rodri or Haaland, Liverpool Salah or Spurs Kane?

I think if you look to replace a really good player with an absolute direct replacement, you'll almost always be disappointed. I think it is better to sometimes find a player who may generally tick some of the attributes for the missing player, but accept that they'll have their own strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the coach may have to make some small adjustments to the tactics to get the absolute best out of the players they have in their team. Perhaps Spurs are a good example. Clearly not even replaced Harry Kane, but find other ways to get the best out of the players that they do have and the ones they brought in.

Whilst I agree, Id have tried to get better than Kovacic if I was making the decision. Who knows, Pep might turn him in to something brilliant but he's never shown the same levels IMO.

City have always had replacements ready to just slide in and take over too, David Silva left but Foden was next in line, doesn't feel like that this time around!

 

[Swango1980]

Whilst I agree, Id have tried to get better than Kovacic if I was making the decision. Who knows, Pep might turn him in to something brilliant but he's never shown the same levels IMO.

City have always had replacements ready to just slide in and take over too, David Silva left but Foden was next in line, doesn't feel like that this time around!

I don't exactly watch City with the same eagle eye that I watch my own team. But my perception of Kovacic has been that he looks pretty decent for City. That being said, he isn't a regular starter like Gundogan.

Did Foden really step in for David Silva? I seem to remember he was still a bit of a squad player last season, and when Gundogan left a lot of people were saying it would be a chance for Foden to step up into a more regular starter. I suspect that is true to some extent. But, Alvarez has played in pretty much every City game which I don't think he did last year. Doku another fresh face from last season.

So, was Kovacic really a direct replacement for Gundogan, or has Pep looked at what he already had in his squad, and looked to see how he can promote some of those players into positions that he wants, and then improve the squad by bringing in others like Kovacic? Although I guess Gundogan and Kovacic are both central midfielders who can do a job box to box, I always assumed Kovacic would be considered a bit more defensive and Gundogan a bit more attacking.

 

[Swango1980]

Sigh, feeling all nostalgic. How I wish Man Utd had a captain like they did in the "good old days". This interview gives me more pride in Man Utd than probably any single game they've played over the last decade. Forget playing for the manager. Stick up for each other when the going gets tough.

 

[BrianM]

I don't exactly watch City with the same eagle eye that I watch my own team. But my perception of Kovacic has been that he looks pretty decent for City. That being said, he isn't a regular starter like Gundogan.

Did Foden really step in for David Silva? I seem to remember he was still a bit of a squad player last season, and when Gundogan left a lot of people were saying it would be a chance for Foden to step up into a more regular starter. I suspect that is true to some extent. But, Alvarez has played in pretty much every City game which I don't think he did last year. Doku another fresh face from last season.

So, was Kovacic really a direct replacement for Gundogan, or has Pep looked at what he already had in his squad, and looked to see how he can promote some of those players into positions that he wants, and then improve the squad by bringing in others like Kovacic? Although I guess Gundogan and Kovacic are both central midfielders who can do a job box to box, I always assumed Kovacic would be considered a bit more defensive and Gundogan a bit more attacking.

This is my thoughts as well, Kovacic isn’t in the same league as Gundogan but can do a different job to let others flourish

 

[Slime]

Sigh, feeling all nostalgic. How I wish Man Utd had a captain like they did in the "good old days". This interview gives me more pride in Man Utd than probably any single game they've played over the last decade. Forget playing for the manager. Stick up for each other when the going gets tough.

What would he be worth in today's game?

 

[Billysboots]

What would he be worth in today's game?

A proper leader. I will never forget his performance in the second leg of the Champion’s League semi against Juve in 1999, when he led from the front even though, following a booking, he knew he was missing the final. One of the best individual performances I have ever seen.

He may not be viewed as a role model by some, but as a leader there have been few better.

 

[Hobbit]

A proper leader. I will never forget his performance in the second leg of the Champion’s League semi against Juve in 1999, when he led from the front even though, following a booking, he knew he was missing the final. One of the best individual performances I have ever seen.

He may not be viewed as a role model by some, but as a leader there have been few better.

Footie isn’t ballet. He wasn’t my favourite player but I’d have Keane in a Boro shirt any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Very much underrated technically but wow, what a leader.

 

[Swango1980]

What would he be worth in today's game?

More than Antony.

 

[Tashyboy]

Uefa boss trying to change own rule to stay in power

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin is trying to change his own rule to remain in power until 2031.

www.bbc.co.uk

UEFA boss trying to change his own rules to stay in a job.Who would have thought it.

 

[4LEX]

A proper leader. I will never forget his performance in the second leg of the Champion’s League semi against Juve in 1999, when he led from the front even though, following a booking, he knew he was missing the final. One of the best individual performances I have ever seen.

He may not be viewed as a role model by some, but as a leader there have been few better.

Ferguson called that the greatest performance by any of his players and he was honoured to be associated with such a player. Keane actually dismissed that compliment as an 'insult' and he was just doing his job

 

[Yorkhacker]

Them Turks be crazy

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67688071

 

[4LEX]

The frustrating thing for me is that United seemed to have found an identity last season under ETH, and were even on the fringes of the title race for a very brief period. I remarked here a few times that the players were again playing with a smile on their faces, and everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction.

A few short months later we are in as big a mess as we have been at any time since Ferguson retired. The biggest concern of all is that we seem to have absolutely no identifiable style of play. None. Yesterday against Bournemouth we were breathtakingly open, with a trio of midfielders all of whom have absolutely no pace. I don’t know who was responsible for scouting Amrabat but having a good World Cup in no way means a player will have what it takes to be successful in the frenetically paced Premier League. He is leaden legged, and surely ETH can see that playing him alongside Fernandes and McTominay is a recipe for disaster.

Hojlund is great at holding the ball up, as strong as an ox and quick, but he is getting absolutely no service where it matters. Antony creates absolutely nothing for those around him, and with the exception of Fernandes there is currently no creativity at all behind a young player who is effectively playing as a lone striker. A team tally of 18 league goals tells its own story.

To hear the manager now saying that the players are not good enough to be consistent is deeply worrying. Many of these players are his players, not ones he inherited, so he is effectively saying that he is blowing the budget on average signings. I’ve said it times, but £85m for Antony is disgraceful business, and whoever signed off that deal should be sacked.

Much as it pains me to say it, but after a far more spirited performance midweek against an albeit distinctly average Chelsea side, yesterday was the most enormous backward step yet. Such defeats, and performances, sadly no longer come as any surprise.

As recently as last week I remained firmly in the ETH camp. Given his post match comments yesterday I am now nowhere near as convinced that he can turn this around.

That isn't true IMO. Man Utd were poor for most of last season. It was only the period between the restart after World Cup and the League Cup win where you looked decent. Casemiro made a big impact that papered over the cracks but it was more offensive, rather than defensive which should've set the alarm bells ringing to a degree about ETH being tactically clueless. The rest was De Gea and Rashford bailing the team out.

Man Utd would be best playing McTominay upfront at the moment, which says everything about the recruitment. He's better than Hojlund at everything, which is worrying as he looks like another £70m+ flop.

Gary Neville needs to shoulder some blame as he's a big presence in the media and keeps banging on about keeping faith with the managers. He said the same about Ole when it was clear to anyone with an IQ above a toilet brush he was useless. That wasted two years and set the club back another few. History is being repeated.