23 Jun 2022 05:45:11
Gentlemen (and ladies), how are you all?
I've tried to give up football but after 50 years it isn't easy, it's in my blood but a break has certainly done me good. I've still been reading as a lurker and it's interesting to see the different views without actually posting or commenting.
There's a few things that are on my mind right now.
1. For some, the desperation to sign someone, anybody is baffling. Our transfer business has been poor for years so making signings just to tick a box seems silly. We have been linked with so many players meaning the majority of press rumours are nonsense. We do seem to take forever to get anything across the line but if we can't get the players we want then let's not settle for 3rd or 4th choices. Other than FDJ, I am finding the other targets less than inspiring but what do I know?
2. The biggest impact this coming season will be 2 fold. We have shipped some players out, hopefully a few more to follow, and hopefully they were the disruptive ones, which will improve the dressing room; never underestimate the impact of culture. Second, and most importantly, we have a Manager who appears to know what he is doing, who will have a plan, who will coach and improve players. We have some good players who have massively underperformed last year. Leadership, direction, and coaching may change that.
3. The negativity to some of our players is staggering. Phil Jones should do the decent thing, Rashford needs to be sold, Maguire is the worst defender in the world, all nonsense. Jones was given a contract, he is entitled to do what is right for him and his family. 18 months ago Rashford was carrying the team, he has had a lot of injuries and an awful dip in form and needs to step up, hopefully the new Manager can unlock his talent again. Maguire is not the world class CB we all crave, but neither is he useless. I'm not saying we can't improve on him, but it seems he has become a scapegoat and yesterday, I saw a post saying Jones was a better CB.
Hey ho, it's all about opinions I guess.
23 Jun 2022 08:07:51
Morning AJH. Welcome back.
While Rashford might discover his form under ETH, he has performed abysmally for two years. What particularly annoyed most fans, is the little or no effort he puts in. I watched him in several games last year and he looked totally disinterested. Not acceptable.
Phil Jones has been stealing a living for 5 years, he should do the right thing and leave. But if the club are stupid enough to give him a contract, then they deserve what they get.
Re transfers, unfortunately, by dithering over Nunez (should have been bought in January when we made approaches to benfica) we're going to settle for 3rd and 4th. And you can see this pattern repeating itself. We delayed over van dijk and Liverpool jumped in. I'm not saying that we should just buy anyone, but this lack of discisiveness is the wrong way to go about any business.
ETH is a good manager, but he's not a magician. If the club don't back him with transfers and with sorting players, then he'll be gone in 2 years.
23 Jun 2022 09:43:17
If there is one phrase that grinds my gears, it’s “stealing a living” and it’s made so flippantly with no regard to the facts, the situation of the individual involved (Phil Jones in this case) and the daily work he puts in the desperately represent the club on the pitch.
Not a single person on this sight would turn money money down ever.
I like Jones - he was a decent defender - and I feel sorry that his career has been blighted by injury after injury. The club signed him up again, and he’s well within his rights to collect and fight to get fit and earn a place. If only we could say the same about 4-5 other individuals where attitude is a real issue.
23 Jun 2022 09:43:17
If there is one phrase that grinds my gears, it’s “stealing a living” and it’s made so flippantly with no regard to the facts, the situation of the individual involved (Phil Jones in this case) and the daily work he puts in the desperately represent the club on the pitch.
Not a single person on this sight would turn money money down ever.
I like Jones - he was a decent defender - and I feel sorry that his career has been blighted by injury after injury. The club signed him up again, and he’s well within his rights to collect and fight to get fit and earn a place. If only we could say the same about 4-5 other individuals where attitude is a real issue.
23 Jun 2022 11:02:00
Stealing a living was that fella who was at city whos contract expired a few years back and he wasn’t even training or anything. Just sat at home waiting for payments to stop.
23 Jun 2022 11:02:12
Phil is a nice guy and no way he should walk away from the money.
If he could keep fit he imo is twice the player maguire is.
But so was smalling.
23 Jun 2022 11:05:59
AAA, Rashford had a poor season last year but I think abysmal for 2 is a bit OTT. Hopefully he can sort himself out, he has a bit of credit in the bank.
As for Jones, not sure what else he is supposed to do. Club haven't sold him, it's not his fault. The decent thing? I mean, that's all noble and all that, but he is under No moral or professional obligation to do that. We gave him contract after contract and that's on the club, not Phil Jones.
Re Nunez, let's get this right, whatever 'dithering' we did, it is clear, he wanted Champions League, football and he wanted Liverpool.
23 Jun 2022 11:06:32
Agreed Ken.
23 Jun 2022 11:06:59
Agreed Eric 100%, PJ has been really unlucky with injuries and to demean his character by saying he is stealing a living is scandalous.
And yes he is better than HM who frankly wouldn't get a game for Burnley.
23 Jun 2022 11:53:12
Rashford has always been up and down but he used to have regular flashes of brilliance and contribute well. I was at the game where he got injured, it was at OT against Wolves. Up to that point he was playing every minute of every game and had the team on his shoulders.
Lack of effort is not acceptable but his confidence looks shot, I'm guessing he hasn't had proper coaching in the last 3 years, and he's been switched wings.
If he has got his sh! t together and is up for it (which by all account he has and he is), then we may see the player we used to see.
As for Jones, stealing a living is harsh. Injuries have ruined his career, I guess he does need to decide if he wants to play, but if there are no takers when what does he do?
{Ed014's Note - so you couldn’t stay away then? ?
23 Jun 2022 12:12:31
With AJH making a very welcome return are we going to see an exciting new attacking line up under Ten Hag?
I’m going to go old school 442 with Fresh and Kloot up top with AJH and Sid on the wings.
23 Jun 2022 12:20:34
Regardless which players we get in we have a coach now who everyone has raved over as the next best thing and one who’ll play good attacking football, regardless the personnel. Clearly we have a squad that needs improving overall but have started the cull of players in essence draining resources from but not adding to the quality of that squad. We will only start attracting Champions League quality players when we are back in it. That’s football. Remember when we all laughed at Wenger’s annual Top 4 ‘trophy’? - not so much a laughing matter now is it.
Point is we will progress under Ten Hag given 3 things: time, patience and money.
I do think we could see a return to form for the likes of Rashford and see players such as Garner and Mejbri really kick on under his coaching.
4th and a good cup run next year - we’d all take that. I think we will be lower than that and have a more difficult first season, especially if Ten Hag doesn’t get who he wants. That said I think it will take 2 or 3 summer windows to assemble his team completely. Then we will be able to judge properly.
23 Jun 2022 14:27:31
Great to see you back AJH, you’ve been missed mate.
It does feel like over the summer the lunatics take over the asylum somewhat on here, as you say posters demanding we sign anybody. It’s even worse on social media, it’s literally just people complaining whenever a player we had zero interest in signs for another club, or moaning we haven’t signed this exact player people have seen play once and thought he was quite good.
The club have their targets and hopefully they will get them. If not then hopefully the players who left will mean the culture changes at the club. We have some top talent at the club who massively underperformed last season in what seemed like a toxic environment. If ETH can get them playing to their best it will be a totally different season and we might even have some fun. Fingers crossed.
23 Jun 2022 15:12:02
I stand by what I said. Jones can't stay fit and hasn't done so for 5 years. If he was your employee and called in sick for 340 days a year, then no one will grant him employment. But I did say that the fault lies with the club for giving him a new contract. Neither Jones or Mcguire are good centre backs, they're both average, but Mcguire stays fit.
Rashford is a strange one, on his day, he's brilliant, bit the last two seasons, he's been terrible. He needs to get his act together and hopefully ETH can do that.
23 Jun 2022 12:14:47
It's a burden I have to carry Ed.
{Ed014's Note - welcome back mate, hope the break did you some good.