Manchester United discussion 2

27 Apr 2024 14:50:05
ONE position and the ideal realistic player Utd should prioritise this summer?

I know we need many and it’s hard to gauge until players have left. Many feel had we had proper CB or LB options in the last few months we’d be much better off.

For me it’s a position that we probably haven’t filled adequately since Scholes retired. Hell, we even called him out of retirement. A CM to compliment Bruno and Mainoo. Quite a fan of Wieffer at Feyenoord. McKennie also suggested as a target. Two perhaps low key but realistic options.

27 Apr 2024 18:06:50
Weston McKennie was rubbish at Leeds.

Going back to your point though, Striker! A proper world class striker who’ll get us goals.

I like Hojlund, you can see he ‘gets’ playing for United but he’s not the answer for us in our current state. I’d happily have him as understudy to a decent striker.

27 Apr 2024 19:22:20
2toms you could put any centre forward in the world in this team, they’d struggle.

He’s being asked to be a target man and pin defenders. We never get him in behind or try to use his pace. We never cross the ball to him, his movement if you watch him in the box isn’t bad at all.

A young kid hung out to dry.

27 Apr 2024 19:58:07
Totally agree Caolan, how often does he get the ball other than when he has his back to goal 30 yards out!

It does not matter who we have if they never get the ball. We must have solid foundations before anything else. Name me a team who have consistently challenged, successfully, for highest honours without a holy trinity of goalkeeper, centre back, centre back. I feel nothing is more important. I do not want gold taps in the bathroom, if the house is built on quicksand!

On this issue, don't know if true, but a number of reports today we are in talks with representatives of Ronald Araujo to discuss a deal, really hope this is true as I think he is a fantastic centre back and would be a terrific addition.

27 Apr 2024 20:15:01
Honestly, Ruud wouldn’t get goals in this team.

There’s nothing thrown into the box for him to attack.

28 Apr 2024 01:04:25
Centre back or dominant defensive midfielder. Ideally both.

28 Apr 2024 10:35:58
Salford, those 2 positions change any team. They have to be the priority.

28 Apr 2024 12:53:51
I'd say 2 center midfielders are priority. A defensive minded one and a ball playing one.
After that a center back.
I'm not convinced by hojlund but like you say he's feeding on scraps. Which brings up why we signed a striker like that with how ten hag sets up the team.

28 Apr 2024 15:06:53
Goalkeeper.

28 Apr 2024 15:54:37
Salford, totally agree, imo centre back and dominant defensive midfielder are the priority, then another centre back.

Not sure on Onana, since world cup his actual keeping has improved significantly, but his distribution has been poor and the time he spends with the ball at his feet really annoys, but then again does he have those in front of him who can deal with the ball in those positions?

27 Apr 2024 12:26:09
Ten Haag now claiming that the best we can hope for next season is a third or fourth placed finish. At this point, I wonder whether he's trying to get sacked. Am sure Eneos will be keen to drop a few hundred million more on his godawful signings just to secure a fourth placed finish.

And before people point out the obvious; yes, we have been miles off the pace this season and are unlikely to mount a serious title challenge next season. The fact that he's publicly throwing in the towel before a ball has even being kicked is pathetic though. What kind of message does that send to the players? To potential signings? To the fans?

This man is a joke, and not the funny kind.

27 Apr 2024 13:43:37
But he’s absolutely correct. So why is he a joke?

A cup and 3/ 4th is a wonderful achievement and progress.

27 Apr 2024 14:53:09
He has the most expensive squad ever assembled at his disposal, with £400m spent during his tenure to date. If given his way, I’m sure he’ll spend another £100m+ in the summer. Leicester won the league with a squad that cost just a fraction of that, and, man for man, was far less talented.

It’s unlikely that we’ll win the league next season, but stranger things have happened. For him to throw in the towel before the season has even started shows just how weak his mentality is. It’s little wonder that we’re so prone to collapse under his leadership and the fact that he’s already making excuses for next season is as embarrassing as some of our recent performances.

There were a million ways to answer that question. He chose the very worst.

27 Apr 2024 16:04:48
It's pathetic the murmmering and ramblings of a dead man walking. If it wasn't for financial reasons he'd have been gone at Xmas.
Out the door and down the road with ya.

27 Apr 2024 18:05:58
@Eric79 so doing what we did last season is progress? Can you hear yourself? Wonderful?

27 Apr 2024 19:25:21
Yes. The club and squad ETH took on was a shambles, and still is. We’ve literally not sold a single player apart from Elanga. This team needs £1b worth of investment, not 300-400m.

3/ 4th and a cup is an astounding achievement right now given the state of play where we are at.

28 Apr 2024 02:24:55
The squad he took over finished second the season before he came in. Now, after adding £400m+ worth of “talent” (and, if he has it his way, another £100m+ this summer), they’re incapable of finishing in the top two? Make it make sense.

Beating Coventry on penalties and then getting thumped by City in the final is not an achievement, nor is finishing outside the top six.

28 Apr 2024 10:40:10
Yes come on, let's have Southgate or Potter!

Honestly, some of the fans on here. The man is in at a club that is so disfunctional. He deserves to be properly judged once he has the correct structure and players of a decent caliber in the correct positions.

He still plays with players from a mixmash of 3 previous managers. We are in a 3rd cup final in 2 years and people want him sacked.

Fergie finished 13th, 13th and 12th in 3 of his first 4 seasons. I'm glad forums like this weren't around back then, I can't imagine the abuse that would've been thrown around.

Get around ETH, build a structure, give him the players and then judge him. The club has time on their hands now to do the right things. It's either that or get Southgate, let's see how long lasts on here 😂.

26 Apr 2024 14:19:09
Didn’t think our injury problems could get any worse, just seen now that Martial is expected to return before the end of the season! 😩.

26 Apr 2024 14:49:06
He’ll probably get injured on the lap of honour at the last home game ❤️.

26 Apr 2024 15:10:19
Still, you won't see him cupping his ears - they might fall off.

26 Apr 2024 17:45:20
Ports

Allegedly a favourite of one of the Glazers and Martial will now look to a new 5 year contract extension on double his wages. Old Trafford will be knocked down to provide a suitably sized treatment room for him.

26 Apr 2024 18:58:24
😂😩 oh no. Antony Martial Stand is happening 😂 I like it when fans can agree on something! Martial needs to go!

26 Apr 2024 14:02:37
Facts such as this below need to be examined, not taken at face value:

"If you'd have told me 3 cup finals (1, maybe 2 trophies) and top 3 finish within his first 2 seasons. Under the constraints and absolute shambles he has had to work with, I would have bitten your hand off. ”

1. FA Cup 2022/ 23: Everton, Reading, West Ham and Fulham all at home. Brighton, won on pens. Lose final to City.

2. League cup 2022/ 23: Villa, Burnley, Charlton at home. Forest over 2-legs. Fortunate win in final against Newcastle.

3. FA Cup 2023/ 24 so far: Wigan away, Newport away, Forrest away, Liverpool home.

Let’s be honest. Very few tough draws. Add to that finishing bottom of the easiest ECL group in the 2023/ 24 draw. 4 points from six games is shameful. No excuses, it was pathetic. Outside of being lucky domestically with cup draws, I fail to see what he has shown to deserve any semblance of trust.

Yes, by all means take the trophies. But, and he’s the big but, there’s no progress with playing style or likelihood of challenging for the big honours. We pick up the scraps - well, one scrap. The Carabao Cup!

So why the top-3 finish last season? Well, Liverpool imploded. Spurs were, well, Spurs. Villa weren’t quite at it yet. Add Rashford’s stellar season and ETH surfed a freak wave to 3rd place. It was an outlier conclusion based on many factors beyond his control. Now Liverpool are back, Villa and Spurs have improved and we haven’t. The facts are the facts. Sentiment and hope aside, there’s absolutely no sign of improvement.

More broadly I see people lauding his use of the academy. So what? He’s had no choice thanks to injuries, many of which are allegedly the result of an incompetent training regime. Either way, with a fully-fit first team many of those academy appearances would not have happened. I don’t remember many in 2022/ 23. One of our best academy players this year is (ahem) Elanga. Ditch him and throw £80million at Antony. Way to go Eric. I wouldn’t trust you with the change from a round yet alone a transfer policy and budget.

Add to the pot of doom numerous bad-performance records broken seemingly every week now, with our shameful shots-conceded record worsening every match. It’s good though, Eric says this stat does not matter. Really Eric, really? United concede 14 shots at home (one less than every 7 minutes) against Sheffield United this week, winning 4-2. Arsenal won at Sheff United only a few weeks ago 6-0. They concede four shots. One every 22 and a half minutes.

What do people expect? A better structure above will change him. Mr. Stubborn. Mr. I want to control transfers. Mr. I’m crap at subs. Mr. Who needs a midfield? We will be having the same debate this time next year. And the year after. Miles away from City. Some distance Arsenal, and Spurs and Villa who have managers in post no longer than ETH but who have made rapid progress by their own standards and play good football.

I don’t care if this post comes back to bite me. He’s not Fergie. The comparisons with SAF’s bad start are wide of the mark. We saw what he did at Aberdeen. We saw the scowl when they won the Scottish Cup on the back of a bad performance. I haven’t seen one thing at United or Ajax that warrants any blind faith in ETH and certainly nothing to use Fergie as a reason to suffer any more of this bile.

26 Apr 2024 14:46:25
Stopped reading after you wrote “fortunate win in final against Newcastle” as you clearly have an agenda
“Facts such as this below need to be examined, not taken at face value:” clean sheet, scored 2 goals, 10 shots on target compared to their 2. They had one more shot in total than us, same amount of corners. United’s xG 2.07 to Newcastle’s 1.68.

But hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your agenda.

26 Apr 2024 14:56:57
My 'agenda' (always like how people use this word to suggest something sinister) is motivated simply by ETH's incompetence. We all have agendas - call them beliefs. What is not in dispute is Newcastle dominated possession and had more shots on the day. Another example of how an 'agenda' doesn't let facts get in the way.

26 Apr 2024 15:33:58
Are the vast majority of those Cup fixtures not against Premier League opposition?

They knocked Brighton out of last seasons FA Cup semi who were having an excellent season, they beat Newcastle in the League Cup final who also had an excellent season last year.

This year they’ve knocked out Liverpool and if they beat City will have knocked out two of the best teams in the league this year.

I think this post is a touch disingenuous.

If you want EtH sacked that’s fine, but please understand Southgate is his likely successor. A lot of fans want to conveniently ignore this and pretend it not true or suggest it’s scaremongering by those that want to see EtH be given more time.

Yes, I fully accept there are other candidates, but he’s the bookies favourite and Ed002 has confirmed he’s very high on the list. If you’re comfortable with this then that's perfectly fine but you must accept the reality.

The majority of Utd fans believe Southgate would be a poor choice and certainly no upgrade! I certainly don’t want to take that chance.

I maintain I want Ineos to implement their new footballing strategy first and allow the experts time to assess the situation and make an informed decision.

I don’t want to see knee jerk reaction to a poor season plagued by injury and loss of form to key players.

I implore the Club to hold their nerve, put the necessary structure in place and allow the experts time to assess the situation and formulate a plan moving forward.

In my opinion this is the quickest route to success rather than dispensing with another manager when we all know a lot of these players have a lot to answer for as well.

Ps - Ask Newcastle if they’d rather win the possession stats or the Trophy?! I don’t need a reply.

26 Apr 2024 15:48:14
A nonsense post BRD.

26 Apr 2024 15:55:09
People wouldn’t use the word agenda if you stopped constantly revisiting the same subject and trying to use different angles to convince people of your opinion. Moaned the other week because he celebrated a 96th minute goal now trying to dismiss winning a cup and getting to cup finals.

26 Apr 2024 16:30:35
Preach on BRD!

26 Apr 2024 17:24:51
“Fortunate win in final” 😂
Absolute load of rubbish. Very poor post.

26 Apr 2024 19:20:03
It’s my opinion. I stand by it. Dreadful football. Dreadful tactics. Dreadful management. Dreadful purchases. Dreadful allegiance to players who should be dropped.

One Carabao Cup thanks to five victories against teams lower than us in the league. If these two seasons were straight after Fergie many would be calling for his sacking. I haven’t heard one argument for keeping ETH that relates to his skill set. A quality of his. All of you above. Give me one now. What is it. I bet nobody can name one unquestionable strength he brings to the job.

All I see are excuses for his failures based on those around him. In one respect I hope he stays. I hope he gets the perfect environment. Then all of our pro/ con arguments will be answered.

26 Apr 2024 19:26:50
Poor post BRD.

26 Apr 2024 19:29:33
So, basically, add caveats to any good that he has done, but don't do the same for the negatives. sound mate 👍🏻.

26 Apr 2024 20:07:22
Lol. What good has he done @JohnTheRed…?

26 Apr 2024 22:12:15
A cup and two cup finals. More than anyone else the previous 6 years?

“All I see are excuses for his failures based on those around him. In one respect I hope he stays. I hope he gets the perfect environment. Then all of our pro/ con arguments will be answered. ” You’ve made a statement here that all the fans backing ETH have asked for. You don’t want to allow him this.

26 Apr 2024 23:18:18
Bad reddevil

I would argue RM last 6 cl they got lucky in 3 of them to be playing in the final and winnning it. move on mate. grow up.

Do you think we were the better team in 99 vs Bayern and deserved that win. I was there btw.

So silly now this site and revisionist bs looking to discredit everything this manager has done.

27 Apr 2024 07:46:38
And the bolloxology trophy for April goes to BRD!

27 Apr 2024 08:16:00
Thanks @Fizz. Seems I’ll win more than ETH this year then. I’ll do what all the lemmings in this thread are doing then. Apply blind faith without any supporting evidence that I’ll improve my posts next year.

One final question for you all though. When ETH is sacked, as he surely will be, will you throw the same vitriol at them? They won’t publish their reasoning, but it will run along similar views as mine.

27 Apr 2024 08:38:55
You literally listed them all in your post and then you discounted them because you don't like him.

27 Apr 2024 10:18:08
XG - biggest load of rubbish stat ever devised.

27 Apr 2024 13:26:52
So is possession stats Keefy when you only use it with no context. In fact all stats are rubbish with no context behind them.

26 Apr 2024 09:50:35
Rashford calling out 'abuse' that he's received and that it's been going on for months and that enough is enough. I'm not sure what to say to that, if he's receiving hateful comments on social media etc then that's fair enough for him to speak out as some of the stuff on there can be vile! but if he's referring to match going fans and pundits who have criticised him then simply GROW UP! Rather than look at himself it's the usual pity party and trying to become the victim. Fans have the right to criticise him as he's a high earner who looks disinterested and his performances have been awful. I think the OT faithful have been good to him so I'm not sure what his end game is. Maybe he wants out and if so then I hope the club get a fee and get rid. His attitude is poor and it's showing again here.

26 Apr 2024 10:40:48
It's pretty clear to me that Rashford needs to leave and go elsewhere. He can't expect zero criticism when his perfromances are that bad. If his performances were crap but he was putting in the work then it wouldn't be so bad. It's the complete lack of effort and the look of disinterest every game which is getting the fans back up.
Surely he can seee that.

26 Apr 2024 11:12:13
Let me just clarify that if he’s receding personal abuse, racist abuse then he’s right to call it out and it’s not acceptable…. if he’s referring to criticism of his performances then that’s a different story. It’s appears to be the latter that he’s referring to though.

26 Apr 2024 11:20:38
Personal and racist abuse is disgusting and shouldn't be tolerated and he has every right to call it out.
I am just referring to his displays on the pitch.

26 Apr 2024 11:33:33
If he is getting comments he doesn't like then stop reading them it's not rocket science.

26 Apr 2024 12:02:00
Do u think it’s a pr ploy Ken, try to quieten down the criticism and make him out as the victim?

26 Apr 2024 12:30:04
I just want him gone and put the money to good use.

26 Apr 2024 13:01:00
He and others are focusing a little on Goldbridge, which tells it's own story.

Goldbridge has an agenda - quite clearly, but is that abuse?

The problem with Precious (Is that abuse or an observation? ) is that after giving it large being a SJW, talking about the need for more focused and in depth work to tackle the blight of poverty in the UK, chatting about his interpretation of the hardships faced by his mother who worked her botty off to put food on the table, he clearly doesn't respect the significance of the word 'Work' in all of that.

If Precious was a reader of this site, I'd like him to take this away with him.

I'm a Manchester United fan of over 40 years Marcus.
I have seen this club sink and rise through many troughs and peaks, and I'm still there at OT as often as I can be - I've shown commitment and earned my fkn stripes Marcus.

Throughout my adult life, I've got nothing I've not grafted for - irrespective of what I've achieved, I expect people to respect the values of employment by putting in the fair amount of effort Marcus.

Now here's the crux you're missing Marcus - when I pay to sit in the stadium to watch you and the others play football, there's a percentage of your weekly wage being paid for by me. Therefore, because the outlay for me is so high, my understanding of value is rather different to yours.
My understanding comes from the real world Marcus, where plenty of people like your mother are slogging away for scant reward. I don't live my life with my head stuck up my rear end thinking I should be 'respected' because Mummy struggled - you know fk all about struggle, absolutely fk all pal.

So, after these few years of your grifting the SJW bandwagon, collecting your badges thinking they make ickle Marcus a good egg, it irks me when I see you stroll around with your hands on your hips after losing the ball because you can't be bothered to work.

The fans Marcus, we pay your fkn wages you arrogant tool - you owe us the effort you're dodging.

Now, a moron might suggest I've been abusive there, but no, I'm being as harsh in my criticism of someone who quite literally takes the p*** out of me and every other matchgoing fan as I should.

Every bit of personal and/ or bigoted abuse is wholly unacceptable, nobody with a modicum of class would argue that, but this prick needs to find his spine and simply accept the criticism drawn only by himself and his ego or do one - go away and play in a country that will accept an arrogant af d***head thinking the world owes him it's tongue.

For me, it's very much a case of sell this guy ASAP. I don't want him at the club anymore because, beyond his academy relevance, he embodies none of the values that I, a fan who probably pays too much for the value returned, fully expect.

Ultimately, it sounds as though he's had enough of fans who expect earnest effort anyway, he wants to be King and have everyone making excuses for him.

Bye then Precious, please just go.

26 Apr 2024 13:06:21
Criticism regarding his performances is not abuse. We all want Rashford to play well! We all accept that sometimes players go through bad periods or suffer poor form but in those moments at least work hard, be a team player, do your job!

I think the bigger picture we need to discuss is what does Rashford playing well even look like?

His game is based on explosive pace, running in behind or cutting inside and shooting. He’s not very creative, he doesn’t generally retain the possession very well, he’s not a good presser and doesn’t generally like to track back. Even when he does he’s not great in defensive duals and doesn’t track runners!

I think we need to decide that even when he’s playing well, is that the kind of profile forward we need in the team and our highest paid player?

He’s always really struggled against teams that play a low block, don’t leave space in begging and look to double up. He’s normally more effective against the better teams that leave space in behind or trust their defenders in 1v1 situations. He can be a weapon, but I personally don’t think he has enough in his game to be lauded as our star player and highest earner. I think he’s fine as a very good rotation option and a potent weapon in some games, but his brand and ego seem to believe he’s something he’s not.

Putting all emotion aside if we could get a decent offer and get him off the wage bill I’d sell him this summer. In my opinion, I think he’s one dimensional and he hasn’t refined his game over the years to give him more strings to his bow.

26 Apr 2024 13:09:55
I don't think he has done himself any favours. His performances have been poor a d he was booked off the pitch against Coventry as the fans have had enough.

It is time that he moved on. He clearly can't handle the pressure of playing for Utd. Rashford isn't alone at being poor this season.

26 Apr 2024 13:21:55
Great post Ork.

26 Apr 2024 13:41:00
Sad thing is, I can't see a team that would offer United a fee they'd want and they won't accept less than £50M? Then who would pay his wage unless he drops £100+k a week and finally, he won't put in a transfer request because of how he probably thinks he would be perceived by the fans and also, I'm sure an Ed or someone can confirm or correct, if he puts in a transfer request he loses out on a payment from the club when he leaves? (Sure that used to be a thing?! )

So at the end of all this, he's going to p*#s away his career when he could have gone on and become another club legend. Sadly, players would rather obsecene amounts of money than that status.

I also think he is having some sort of breakdown, replying to a post just after midnight, looks down all the time, a move would, hopefully revive his football career and perhaps mentally be the best thing for him.

26 Apr 2024 14:04:16
Well said ork.

26 Apr 2024 16:20:28
I feel bad for him and even worry a little for him. I know he's a professional and has responsibilities to that but I was a 26 year old fool and done much worse than go drinking in Belfast, and I wouldn't have been able to deal with criticism he gets. The criticism is warranted on a professional level but some of it is unfair on a human level. I think a move would be best for him and the club at this point.

26 Apr 2024 17:29:07
He should consider how he treats those closest to him before complaining that he himself is being treated unfairly. He’s delusional.

26 Apr 2024 22:18:10
Rashford in my opinion is poorly advised. Said before, get family involved is a mistake. Having his brother as his agent just fuels Rashford with an unrealistic and false perception of himself.

25 Apr 2024 19:45:08
Question for the Eds.
Is Kieren McKenna on the radar as an alternative to the commonly touted names?
I've followed Ipswich as my childhood was predominantly in Suffolk, and they have been dire for ages. He has somehow got them within striking distance of promotion. Also knows United inside out, is young etc etc.

Another is how likely is a return of the special one? With the right support, he would do wonders for us, I stand by that.

To be clear, my preference is for another year of EtH as stated a few times 😁.

{Ed002's Note - I wold not worry.}

26 Apr 2024 00:25:16
I'm not worried. all three of those options are better than, Southgate, potter and Zidane.

25 Apr 2024 15:12:15
If you remember back to pre season Sancho was deployed/ trialled as a false 9 in some games and he actually looked pretty sharp. Now I'm not suggesting Sancho should have played in that position permanently, but if I remember correctly Hoijlund and Marital were both injured at the start of the season and Rashford was deployed up front instead! He didn't look happy from the start, his form never recovered and Sancho started the season on the bench. The rest is history.

Whilst I like Hoijlund and think he has potential I'm not convinced he's an obvious fit and we don't really play to his strengths. He gets very little service and is often left feeding off scraps.

I have speculated for a while that this team might be more cohesive with a false 9. Someone that can drop into midfield, help link the play, keep possession, play on the half turn, beat players and look to feed the likes of Rashford and Garnacho.

I know EtH had some success with Tadic playing that role at Ajax, he was converted from a winger or wide forward.

I just wonder with the lack of options at the start of the season, if Sancho had of been afforded that chance how things might have been different?! Would Rashford have started the season better, playing in his more natural position, with another player looking to create chances for him rather than the other way around? Would Sancho have felt more valued and less inclined to challenge the manager's decisions? We'll never know!

We will no doubt target another striker in the summer and if we are going to keep the likes of Rashford and Antony I just wonder if we might benefit from another type of CF?

I also really like the look of Amad. He's looks so stylish on the ball and takes up good positions. He's evasive, can wriggle out of trouble and looks to pass and move. I think he could be a decent option playing off the front. I'm surprised and a touch frustrated he hasn't been given more chances!

I suppose if EtH is sacked this conversation is redundant and the new manager with have his own ideas, but they'll still have the problem of Rashford being a goal scorer rather than a creator and how that can work with a CF that thrives on service?

25 Apr 2024 16:51:19
For me, if we were to go with a false 9, Fernandes would work well.

25 Apr 2024 17:26:57
Amad could do that role too with some training - or quite frankly McTominay would be a good shout too. Keeps him away from our midfield.

25 Apr 2024 21:04:57
I don't think Amad will make it unfortunately.

25 Apr 2024 10:08:31
So Barcelona a team not unlike ourselves has decided to keep their manager for next season. Xavi had announced he would leave but now that's not the case. Any chance we do the same? Tbf the options aren't great with nagelsmann staying, tuchels temperament, potter maybe off to Ajax and then there's Southgate! But surely we can't just keep a man because there nothing better, that's hardly good for him or the players. It's a tough one and I'm just glad I'm not the one making the decisions.

{Ed002's Note - It is a completely different situation. Barcelona have persuaded Xavi to stay another season, whilst Manchester United already have ten Hag contracted for net season and are looking to moving him on.}

25 Apr 2024 10:47:17
It's interesting that Liverpool and Munich both looking for managers appear to have opted for mangers that, I don't know if anyone ever considered or were considered available, Liverpool and Slot and Munich and Ragnick. De Zerbie, Amorim, Tuchel, Potter all seem to be available but perhaps not considered by these 2 teams? Obviously nothing has been signed yet so could all change but they would be two surprising appointments for me if they happen. Not saying they are wrong either by the way, just not expected. And Xavi staying, suddenly that's 3 big teams who the 4 above named won't be going to. I do think Newcastle will be looking for a manager to in the summer.

25 Apr 2024 11:27:08
Sorry ed when I said Barcelona were like ourselves I meant in terms of stature, finances and in performance over recent years (although Barcelona have done better than us) . Basically 2 clubs who were at the pinnacle but have dropped off due to poor leadership and planning.

24 Apr 2024 22:55:27
I genuinely believe if we give the job to southgate we are finished.

25 Apr 2024 00:42:57
It won't be Southgate. 0 chance.

25 Apr 2024 16:36:03
Its already been mooted- howe-england
southgate to us
mourinho to newcastle.
The only one to benefit would be newcastle in that round robin as he would probably park the bus and win a trophy.

23 Apr 2024 18:18:57
ED002,

With you knowing SJR, do you expect that INEOS will give the next manager time to implement their style etc.

Given SJR recent London Marathon interview, he stressed that it will take time, especially when it comes to waiting for thsoenon gardening leave to join the club and implement their ideas.

{Ed002's Note - It is not Ineos per se, but recognition from Jim Ratcliffe and Brailsford that they know much needs doing and it won't happen overnight.}

24 Apr 2024 11:57:18
Mad hatter- for me it seems like the club will be working off a plan for the first time. Hopefully it bears fruit.

25 Apr 2024 07:33:09
Caolan_2

Hopefully it does. We as the fans have to patient aswell and back whoever the managers is next season.