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The Footie Thread

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4LEX said:
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.
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Ten years since Utd won a prem title, at this rate it will be another 10.
 
4LEX said:
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.
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To be fair to Neville, if you saw his latest interview pitch side at Spurs on Sunday he hit the nail squarely on the head.

Manager after manager has been allowed in and given free rein to sign whoever they wanted, without a sporting director or head of recruitment above them to manage that side of things properly. United are the only club claiming to be an elite football club which has a total absence of such a structure sitting above the manager.

Ten Hag is not a chief scout, head of recruitment or sporting director, any more than Solskjaer was, or Mourinho before him. There is absolutely no structure in place, hence the abysmal transfer dealings, both incoming and outgoing, for the last decade.

Until United get that right it is utterly pointless continuing to sack managers, because each successive one will simply have the same problems. And for that the buck stops right at the very top. Until the Glazers are history, or someone comes in with half a clue what it takes to run a football club, this rinse and repeat cycle will continue unabated.

Jim Ratcliffe is the one glimmer of hope, if for no other reason than the fact he cannot be as incompetent as the Glazers.
 
BrianM said:
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 😀
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Maybe so - but they don't look as good as they did last year to me in midfield and some of that is down to the drop off in ability between Gundo and Kovacic IMO.
 
Bdill93 said:
Maybe so - but they don't look as good as they did last year to me in midfield and some of that is down to the drop off in ability between Gundo and Kovacic IMOIMO
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They won the treble last year, and Gundogan was one of their best players. Even if Gundogan stayed, it would be tricky to maintain that level.

Marcus Rashford was on fire last season. The chap they got in to replace him was a huge drop off in ability....ohh it's still Rashford :)
 
Swango1980 said:
They won the treble last year, and Gundogan was one of their best players. Even if Gundogan stayed, it would be tricky to maintain that level.

Marcus Rashford was on fire last season. The chap they got in to replace him was a huge drop off in ability....ohh it's still Rashford :)
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Again, I agree, but a drop off is a drop off and could they have signed better?

Rashford's a joker. The highest paid mid table talented player I've ever seen.
 
Bdill93 said:
Again, I agree, but a drop off is a drop off and could they have signed better?

Rashford's a joker. The highest paid mid table talented player I've ever seen.
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With so many footballers in the world who may be available, it is unlikely that when signing a player, a club will just so happen to find the absolute top person for the job. Even when they think they have, it can often not turn out that way.

But then who would have been a better signing, and would that allow City to play exactly as they did last year (even though there are other different players on the pitch)? If City aimed to play exactly the same way, would other teams now be better equipped at dealing with them after a whole year or so of footage to review? Would the players be equally as motivated to play that way? Would it work with a Doku on the left, who seems to offer something very different De Bruyne's injury hasn't helped. Would that be a bigger reason for City's drop off than Gundogan? He played 32 times in the PL last year, scored 7 and set up 18. And even when he wasn't getting assists and goals, I bet he was creating so many more opportunities and absolutely terrifying the opposition.

City fans would have a much better idea on this. But if I was asked the question "why are City's midfield less effective this season than last", perhaps Gundogan would be part of that. But I'd probably assume the biggest factor is they miss De Bruyne (as do I, as he was my first pick in my draft Fantasy Football team)
 
City really are a team in transition and if they are to be got at, this is the year. Most new City players with the exception of KDB and Dias have struggled in there first season. Predominately it is the style of play. David Silva was a classic example, a few City fans wanted him gone because he was lightweight. KDB being injured is a blessing in a sense of City have to prepare for when he is gone. He may have a couple of seasons left In him. Personally I would like to see him drop alongside Rodri and feed from there. His box to box legs are not what they used to be. Again Gundoghan, City bought him for £22 million ish. He came on the back of major knee surgery and again he was doubted. He didn’t do bad. How do you replace them. Well in a sense of style of play, you can’t. Pep is always tinkering and bringing in Doku reminds us City fans of the days of Sterling and Sane with pace on the wings when we tore teams apart. Talking of Sane there’s rumours he may return.
replacing players is an odd way of putting it. When Aguero went it was always the thought that Jesus would fill them boots, but he is nowhere near Agueros natural ability. Aguero was replaced by Haaland and as they say the next season was historic.
A player that has gone and has also been massively missed yet not mentioned is Mahrez, his first touch was as good as I have seen any player have. It made Sterling look like he was trying to control a space hopper.
 
Tashyboy said:
City really are a team in transition and if they are to be got at, this is the year. Most new City players with the exception of KDB and Dias have struggled in there first season. Predominately it is the style of play. David Silva was a classic example, a few City fans wanted him gone because he was lightweight. KDB being injured is a blessing in a sense of City have to prepare for when he is gone. He may have a couple of seasons left In him. Personally I would like to see him drop alongside Rodri and feed from there. His box to box legs are not what they used to be. Again Gundoghan, City bought him for £22 million ish. He came on the back of major knee surgery and again he was doubted. He didn’t do bad. How do you replace them. Well in a sense of style of play, you can’t. Pep is always tinkering and bringing in Doku reminds us City fans of the days of Sterling and Sane with pace on the wings when we tore teams apart. Talking of Sane there’s rumours he may return.
replacing players is an odd way of putting it. When Aguero went it was always the thought that Jesus would fill them boots, but he is nowhere near Agueros natural ability. Aguero was replaced by Haaland and as they say the next season was historic.
A player that has gone and has also been massively missed yet not mentioned is Mahrez, his first touch was as good as I have seen any player have. It made Sterling look like he was trying to control a space hopper.
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To be fair if not for the unfounded betting claims paquata was basically off to city in the summer

Would be a step up in quality to the midfield with kdb out
 
pauljames87 said:
To be fair if not for the unfounded betting claims paquata was basically off to city in the summer

Would be a step up in quality to the midfield with kdb out
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Again the Paquata deal was an odd un, I saw him play last season and he was outstanding. Rumours the deal is still on but has his price gone up was a price agreed. 🤔 who knows
 
Tashyboy said:
Again the Paquata deal was an odd un, I saw him play last season and he was outstanding. Rumours the deal is still on but has his price gone up was a price agreed. 🤔 who knows
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His release clause activates in the summer for 85 million

The price will be say 90 or wait until then
 
Just noticed that Scarborough are replaying their FA Cup tie with Forest Green tonight, after FG were found to have fielded an ineligible player in the original tie.

Is this not the same offence Barnsley were recently kicked out the cup for? How come FG get to have another go?
 
rudebhoy said:
Just noticed that Scarborough are replaying their FA Cup tie with Forest Green tonight, after FG were found to have fielded an ineligible player in the original tie.

Is this not the same offence Barnsley were recently kicked out the cup for? How come FG get to have another go?
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I thought this was brought up on this thread before?
 
Swango1980 said:
I thought this was brought up on this thread before?
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There was a debate about the inconsistency with Liverpool beng fined last season for fielding an ineligible player, while Barnsley were kicked out for the same thing.

I never saw any discussion of Scarborough / Forest Green, but I'm not a frequent visitor to this thread, so may have missed it.
 
rudebhoy said:
Just noticed that Scarborough are replaying their FA Cup tie with Forest Green tonight, after FG were found to have fielded an ineligible player in the original tie.

Is this not the same offence Barnsley were recently kicked out the cup for? How come FG get to have another go?
Click to expand...
He was an unused sub, he didn’t play. The rules consider it a lesser offence so a replay instead of being kicked out.
 
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