Manchester United Banter

24 Apr 2024 07:39:11
{Ed's Note - Lets Be Rational has posted a new article entitled, Has PGMOL turned into an impossible to overthrow dictatorship?

24 Apr 2024 09:26:41
Great read. Completely agree with all you say!
Something really has to be done for the benefit of our game as we will lose it otherwise. Need everyone to challenge it correctly and with intent ie clubs, supporters pundits and broadcasters. then something may change.

23 Apr 2024 21:31:38
Odegaard is some player. wow. he's everything some united fans think Bruno is! He reminds me on a mix of pires and bergkamp! Just think arteta nearly got the boot and arsenal were 8th 2 years ago. Having a plan, proper people in place and removing the dross has clearly worked for them, let's hope it's a blueprint we can follow.

23 Apr 2024 21:24:17
The standard of refereeing in the premier league is atrocious. Take arsenals 3rd tonight, granted it probably wouldn't have made any difference but there was a clear foul on Jackson in the build up. The ref didn't give it and the VAR said it was fine. Seriously? honestly I watch games and don't have a clue what's a foul or handball anymore.

23 Apr 2024 23:13:37
Jackson shouldn’t have still been on the pitch anyway, should have been sent off in the first half for a horror tackle that VAR also missed. Cucurella screamed in the linesman’s face and jumped up and down as well and just received a talking to, Dalot got 2 yellow cards for the same thing. The inconsistency is crazy.

24 Apr 2024 00:52:06
Nor do the refs. it's mostly subjective, as are yellow cards. Hence the problem. Many a close game is determined by the exercise of that subjectivity. However, it's pretty much always been that way and were it not there'd be a whole lot less to talk about. VAR hasn't helped except of offside calls, which take too long. Add time outs and football could be come as antiseptic as most American sports.

24 Apr 2024 05:26:33
Jackson would probably be more effective if he had been sent off.

24 Apr 2024 08:14:22
Exactly GtS you can have the same incidents across games all with different outcomes. Hows that possible. Shambles. I don’t agree with forests outburst but you can understand the frustration from all teams with the poor officiating.

22 Apr 2024 21:46:06
Just wondering.

I know Ruben Amorim has apparently made his way to London for talks with West Ham, I wonder if there's any chance he'll have talks with anyone else planned?

22 Apr 2024 23:20:17
It seems a strange one or perhaps he and Liverpool member spoke or saw eye to eye and Liverpool backed off.
It's impossible to know.
I don't watch sporting at all but he is highly regarded by many.
It could be an inspired move by west ham if they can pull it off.
It will be interesting to see if he does move to the epl how he gets on. Some guys just have it and if he is one of them West ham will see great benefits.
I know he likes to play 3 cbs and they don't really have 1 good one so he'll have plenty of shopping to do. ☺.

23 Apr 2024 07:19:46
Could be a good move and one that helps us long run if/ when ETH goes. A couple seasons at West Ham getting to understand the Premier League, developing his reputation (although West Ham fans have very high standards) then may come a point we look at him. Easier to get him from West Ham than Liverpool I’d imagine.

23 Apr 2024 09:17:31
Not sure we want him ports. We can't afford to wait we will have no manager come July.

23 Apr 2024 09:40:07
I was thinking more longer term Ken. They way football works now there seems to be a 3/ 4 year turn around with managers. If ETH goes, I can see Tuchel for 2/ 3 years maybe then perhaps we'd look at Amorim. I don't know enough about him apart from he's rate, just feel Premier League is a different beast so to get him in now would be a risk for United I feel. Be interesting to know what happened with Liverpool and him.

23 Apr 2024 10:47:11
Yeah it will be interesting to see ports if they stick or twist. I'm hoping twist as you know.
I'm not sure if he is totally out of the picture with Liverpool. It's so hard to know.
If they have decided they are not for each other it could be down to a load of reasons.
I know he implemented 3 at the back perhaps Liverpool don't see their squad and future that way.
Can't wait till 31st Aug but will enjoy the ensuing carnage between now and then.

23 Apr 2024 12:30:24
I'm not really sure it's such a good idea to bin off a manager because he hasn't done it in the PL.

I mean, Klopp hadn't done a thing in the PL before his arrival and was hardly coming from a team dominating their league for years.

Come season's end, Amorim will have likely picked up his second Primeira Liga title which makes him, on paper, a better candidate for an ambitious club than Klopp was.

Furthermore, ten Hag had a far better 'on paper' record than both before he came to United, but we all know the dynasty that delivered him his success at Ajax was developed at academy level which wasn't really his achievement alone.

Where ten Hag has seemingly failed with what he's brought to United's table, Klopp oversaw a structure refinement with a feelgood fluffiness to Liverpool.
That was part of Liverpool's plan, or perhaps just that of John W Henry. Klopp wasn't the first choice for most Liverpool fans, but they warmed quickly to the enigma they saw before them.

The point is, at Liverpool they had a co-owner who wanted to establish principles that fit his blueprint for success - he just needed the right coach. Klopp was that man.

Whatever the choice of SJR, whether that be stick or twist with anyone from Southgate to Amorim, we need to perhaps commit faith in a plan. Yes, a plan which is, so far, putting pegs in the correct holes.

I know Amorim likes 3 at the back, but we're apparently looking at Joao Neves. He arguably plays best as part of a double-pivot, which wouldn't work at United with the current setup.
We're apparently looking at Frimpong again, he'd be a poor option imo for a back 4.

As it stands, we only know what we know. The media can throw out whatever names they want, but they won't know anything concrete either.

I've seen my beloved club become a shambles because of an ownership and management structure full of yes men who think only about commercial status.
Now I am seeing the arrival of a sporting structure and a plan - a blueprint for success introduced by a committee of winners, both in business and in sport, headed by a lifelong fan.

I don't think ten Hag is the answer, imo Southgate would be an appalling choice, I think Potter and Amorim would each be decent options for different reasons, but I don't know the finer details of the INEOS plan so my opinions are of no value.
Whatever the decision, whoever we start next season with, SJR and the INEOS blueprint will have my support because, well, it could be worse.

23 Apr 2024 14:18:41
Joao Neves? We’ll get three decent players for his price, let’s steer away from the marquee signings for a few windows I say.

23 Apr 2024 14:21:06
My thoughts exactly ork.
I said earlier they are not only our best hope for the foreseeable future they are or only hope.
Subject matter experts in place or being recruited.
It will not be plain sailing but we should see continous improvement.

23 Apr 2024 18:40:22
Spenno,

I'm with you there mate, I was simply referencing a type of player we're apparently looking at.
Maybe Rabiot would be a better idea for now, but that would also be for a double-pivot simply because Mainoo's talent would be wasted as a sole DM.

22 Apr 2024 20:09:48
Hopefully if EtH leaves at the end of the season, he leaves having won the FA Cup.

No fan should want any less for him.

I'm must admit I'm very frustrated like you all. I can't wait to see what happens in the summer.

This has been a season to forget.

22 Apr 2024 23:29:46
100% agree to that.
He has failed in certain aspects of his job but done well in others.
If he were to leave I don't think many would regard him as a disaster or failure.
He at worst will leave with a 3rd place at least 1 cup and 3 finals
2nd league season and both European campaigns were total flops.
But with all he has had to deal with he would and imo should be respected for his time here if not overly fondly remembered. He came into a nuthouse to be fair and I think tainted himself and has been tainted badly enough to want to start a new era with a new man at the helm.
Nice guy but too many ingredients missing to be the man imo.