30 Aug 2026 10:42:13
Losing to Hull was unacceptable. If we lose today then Carrick has to go. We've been handed the easiest start to a season ever and made hash of the first game. Do that again today and we should sack him tonight, no excuses.
30 Aug 2026 11:16:31
Bit of a snap judgement, that is; it's the EPL. Every team is more than capable of beating all the others.
We should win today, but we tend to struggle more against the "smaller" teams that tend to sit deep and play in a low block. Of which we will play several in this early season run.
On paper it should be an easier run of games, but in reality it's a run of games against teams that we typically struggle against.
As a team, we are trying to find our new identity, and that will take a little time, and probably a little more time to play ourselves into form and really get to grips with it.
We are a work in progress, not the finished article. We have a forward line that is a little disjointed compared to last season due to injury, lack of minutes in pre-season, and a team behind them that isn't yet comfortable with our evolving identity.
The midfield is entirely new, only Mainoo really remains from last season, our big new signing isn't fit, and Tielemans and Santos are still trying to find their balance within the team.
The defence will continue to have issues all season as we probably need to replace 3 of the starting back four, and almost certainly won't do that until next summer.
30 Aug 2026 11:34:42
What is the identity, though, Shappy? Until Carrick creates one, I don't think we are going to find it.
30 Aug 2026 11:37:07
? Bingo.
30 Aug 2026 11:48:13
Dead right AJH. ?
30 Aug 2026 11:51:40
Rumours are that Spurs and Liverpool are watching developments, and could pounce for Carrick if we don't win today.
I think Spurs see him as the ideal midfielder to play beside Tonali and Fernandes.
Iraola at Liverpool wants to play the 2nd best midfielder in the league last year, Slobazli, at rb, so sees Carrick as a solid option to sit alongside Wirtz to get the best out of him.
30 Aug 2026 12:17:09
I'm surprised I hooked Shappy.
30 Aug 2026 13:37:53
Tbf, I had a chuckle, AJH, that one had warning signs all over it. ?
30 Aug 2026 14:37:28
Shouldn't be in the job to begin with. Let's get back to the top with errr Carrick!
Shambles of a window, how the mighty have fallen.
30 Aug 2026 13:22:48
AJH, if it were to happen then that is exactly what this site would be like.