07 Apr 2024 19:22:45
Well today was never about us getting Champions league really, we just wanted to stop them getting 3 points. I thought the young lad at CB was topclass and definitely one for next season with Martinez, fast aggressive and passion. I can see the points being made by pundits, Bruno runs everywhere leaving lots of space for the opposition and Maguire is just slow and has no position sence.
Our back line play so deep because of him there are huge gaps when try to press. Again ETH has to decide what he wants, to press or not, if the team can't do it why persist, if everyone isn't pressing together it doesn't work. Today Liverpool could have been out of sight at half time.
08 Apr 2024 05:39:42
Maybe this is me being stupid, but the lad had a very good performance against a very good attacking liverpool side.
Luis Diaz and Nunez are not easy to play against.
He should be rewarded with another start and maybe even more.
Guys like Kobbie who are a class above, and Kambwala are what will save us money in the transfer window.
I was mighty impressed with his performance. He looked very confident.
08 Apr 2024 06:12:53
I was saying that a few days ago. cb's play too deep and our mids are out of position quite often and gap between lines is sizable and easy for team to break on us.
Cas needs replacing as he does not have the pace to cover but even a faster more athletic 6 will struggle as there is too much space for any one player to cover. Was watching city do their thing against palace and their cb's are on the 40 yard line of the opposition half and they seem comfortable playing that way.
Our cb's main contribution is going long where their's are part of the attack and comfortable passing through the lines sitting in the opposition half. It might help if we had better ball possession but everyone in our team loses possession and why every team gets these breaks on us.
IMO we need to buy and spend on a couple of cb's and guys like maguire are good squad players and needed given how you are going to have injuries in this league. Not sure where to find the stats but I would think Bruno loses possession more most players in the league.
Finally. I think onana is a mint keeper and if we sort out the back 4 and some shape to our midfield and give him some protection, he will be great success at the club. enjoyed the game and watching klop moan afterwards made me laugh, shame we could not see it out for a win.
08 Apr 2024 07:00:03
I’ve been waiting to see if Kambwala had a performance like that in him, and there it was! The tackle he got booked for was a proper derby challenge, cleanly won the ball and got the crowd on our feet. He’s got into the crowd the past couple of fixtures too. The lad has personality and potential, but we need to remember he’s a decade away from his peak, so we have to be patient.
Mainoo again, wow. Asking for the ball, and then putting it in the top corner, in front of the stretford in that fixture. Leadership qualities. Some player he is going to be.
08 Apr 2024 09:42:14
Imo onana won us the point yesterday. Couple of key saves at nil all and 1 nil down.
I have been critical but he has won us some points recently. Fair play to him and the coaches he has really stepped up his form.
Mainoo will get the headings but the game could and should have been it of sight but onana saved us.
Big willy was great too he could well playing himself into the squad and save us a fortune. I'd play him over lindelof evans and maguire everyday of the week.
Mcallister is a class act best player in the pitch by a mile.
Nice to get a point and gives us a little momentum heading towards the cup semi and it keeps us a point ahead of West ham in the race for 6th and that europa league place.
08 Apr 2024 09:51:28
A couple of saves from onana today were as important as kobe's goal.
I've been fairly critical of him but he has been much improved and is clawing back his points deficit from early in the season by gaining us points at the moment. Full credit to him and coaches. His head seems to be clearer since the afcon and he is earning his stripes.
I think our 2nd half performance warranted a draw and Liverpool will feel hard done by for not converting their dominance into goals. Really sloppy in the final 3rd no where near as fluid as arsenal or City at the moment imo.
McAllister is a class act a really top player.
Big willy was excellent and may well play his way into the squad next year and save us a fortune. He is brave, very quick and comfortable on the ball I really like what I saw from him today. He played every minute like a fan expects.
Good result pity we couldn't hang on for the win but it was a rash tackle and he won the penalty well.
We have to keep some sort of momentum going into the semi final and a draw today is a good start to that.
08 Apr 2024 10:54:16
Tumble I think you're right, Kwambala could well be one of the two mooted CBs we'll be looking for. Probably Branthwaite or Todibo as the other. Guess it all depends who leaves, difficult to say but I think um big Willy has definitely elevated himself into contention to start any game.
08 Apr 2024 11:18:03
Big willy is on the rise spenno.
08 Apr 2024 11:33:08
Delighted for Big Willy. Love how he gets involved with the fans too, real confidence for a young lad. I’ve seen a couple of suggestions about his development and think worth exploring. If we could get Todibo in and loan Big Willy for the season to Nice, he would get the game time and experience he needs. We will sign a CB in the summer and you hope Martinez would be fit so game time will be limited, if we can avoid the amount of injuries. Appreciate there are lots of games to be played but a loan to Marseille really helped Saliba. Evans will go in summer I assume and Lindelof or Maguire but can’t see Evans, Maguire, Lindelof and Varane all leaving so you’d assume we’d have Martinez/ NEW CB/ Varane, Maguire or Lindelof. Which would make Big Willy 4th choice so even less game opportunity. But certainly would not be disappointed if he was one of 4 CB’s for us next season.
08 Apr 2024 12:31:00
Varane is out of contract in the summer ports
Evans is done I'd say was useful for this season I doubt he'll get another year.
Lindelof has 1 year left he might see it out or we may get an offer from somewhere for him.
Maguire likewise entering his last year but we have an option for a further year.
A loan would be great for willy but agree on saliba. Time will tell.
08 Apr 2024 14:04:55
We have a few young players who have stepped up this season and potentially have saved us millions on new players for those positions this summer.
Mainoo has been phenomenal and has been our brightest spark this season. He continues to impress and show what he's capable of. While he had a quieter game over all yesterday, the way he demanded the ball, turned and smashed it into the top corner to give us the lead shows his elite mentality at just 18 years old. Maybe it hyperbole, but I think if he steers clear of injury he will go down as one of our greatest midfielders.
Garnacho has also shown that actually, at least for the next year or two that the RW might be his best position. It has opened up his game and made him less focused on cutting in to shoot. Which has made him a far more dangerous and creative player for us. I feel that as a LW player he is still very much an impact player like last season, too one dimensional but very effective off the bench against tiring legs. But on the right he offers a treat both by going wide or by cutting in, and he plays with his head up much more, looking to create for his teammates. Yet he also sees shooting opportunities by having his head up, rather than just driving for the same part of the pitch to unleash a right footed shot towards the far post.
I actually think we could do without a RW signing this summer due to Garnacho's break out this season in that position. I'd rather look for a forward who can play across the frontline who could be a back up/ competition for Hojlund, as well as able to play wide when needed.
Finally in the short amount of time Kambwala has had he has been impressive every time. He doesn't make many mistakes, is strong, quick, has good technique. As it stands Martinez is the only CB who we can be sure will be here next season. Varane is out of contract, Evans is looking to retire, while Lindelof and Maguire could and probably should both look to leave. With neither being good enough or well suited to how we are looking to play.
With that in mind it seems like we will make at least two maybe even three CB signings this summer. Given Martinez's injury issues this season even if one of Maguire or Lindelof stay one CB signing will not be enough.
I'd be inclined to sign two CB's to compete with Martinez and keep Kambwala as the 4th choice option. I could see us signing both Branthwaite and Todibo who are the two most linked players to us. Four CB's of Brantwaite, Todibo, Martinez and Kambwala for next season look like a well balanced and progressive bunch capable of playing the style of football we ant to see at Old Trafford.