**Official** English Football Season 2023/24

[andruid]

I'm not Ten Hag out yet, but the signing of this absolute mug Onana hasn't done him any favors.

Ten Haag must have lost some kind of bet to sign Onana.

Man United's Claudio Bravo?

 

[Uppercut]

Tbh Man Utd's "midfield rebuild" has become a bit of a meme. It's been an ongoing joke thing for literally ten years or so now. Pretty much every year since Fergie jacked it in it's been a case of "Man Utd just need to add the right midfielder(s) to crack it".

Each time a new player is signed, they are heralded as the "final piece in the puzzle" or whatever. But it's pretty much been one disastrous/underwhelming signing after another.

Fellaini, Schneiderlin, Pogba, Schweinsteiger, Fred, Casemiro, probably others I am forgetting. None of them have set the world alight, and some of them were complete failures. The only one who really sticks in mind as being quite good was Herrera, and he wasn't exactly amazing either.

Casemiro was genuinely excellent last season tbf. I think that’ll have been worth it even if he is completely done because we absolutely weren’t getting top 4 without him. I say this as someone who hated the signing at the time precisely because his form was likely to fall off a cliff a year or two into his contract.

 

[Furball]

With a player like Casemiro, I always feel that it's a pretty big red flag that his club are willing to sell him in the first place. Particularly with someone in their early 30s, it should probably be a sign that he's not as good as he was.

I thought similar when City sold Sterling to Chelsea.

 

[Uppercut]

With a player like Casemiro, I always feel that it's a pretty big red flag that his club are willing to sell him in the first place. Particularly with someone in their early 30s, it should probably be a sign that he's not as good as he was.

I thought similar when City sold Sterling to Chelsea.

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I was surprised that Casemiro was so good last season. I don’t think RM were thrilled to let him go but they had good replacements already at the club and United were willing to pay a ridiculous fee.

Sterling was also just obviously past his peak. Chelsea must have not watched many City games for a couple of years before signing him.

 

[sledger]

Casemiro was genuinely excellent last season tbf. I think that’ll have been worth it even if he is completely done because we absolutely weren’t getting top 4 without him. I say this as someone who hated the signing at the time precisely because his form was likely to fall off a cliff a year or two into his contract.

Yeah fair enough. And I'm with you on this one really. As I think we've discussed before, there's nothing wrong with lumping a load of money on one player who can really make the difference between finishing 4th and 5th, or 1st and 2nd or whatever, even if said player only has a year or two of good performances left in the tank. Basically what happened with Van Persie.

What's really criminal and dire though, is not recognising how taking this approach will necessarily and inevitably only provide short/limited-term successes, and failing to factor this into future squad planning/recruitment plans etc.

 

[Molehill]

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I was surprised that Casemiro was so good last season. I don’t think RM were thrilled to let him go but they had good replacements already at the club and United were willing to pay a ridiculous fee.

Sterling was also just obviously past his peak. Chelsea must have not watched many City games for a couple of years before signing him.

And yet ironically, Sterling has been one of Chelsea's better players.

What I don't get with Utd is why they keep on signing old, has beens. I assume they did try for Rice, the obvious target? Seems like their ability to pick up the hottest English talent is gone, which suggests everyone knows the club is rotten and you steer well clear.

 

[BoyBrumby]

And yet ironically, Sterling has been one of Chelsea's better players.

What I don't get with Utd is why they keep on signing old, has beens. I assume they did try for Rice, the obvious target? Seems like their ability to pick up the hottest English talent is gone, which suggests everyone knows the club is rotten and you steer well clear.

Well they did sign Sancho relatively recently, but...

I think not having a keeper who looks as if he should be playing in face paint and a shiny red nose would probably be a start for them.

 

[sledger]

The issue with players like Sterling (i.e., small and to no small extent reliant on speed) is that they are basically on borrowed time once they reach their late twenties. Once their pace drops off they're no longer going to be any good in a wide position, and unless their technical ability is good enough to play centrally they aren't going to be any good there either.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Chelsea must have not watched many City games for a couple of years before signing him.

Not many do from the "analysis" I see floating about.

 

[Himannv]

I assume they did try for Rice, the obvious target? Seems like their ability to pick up the hottest English talent is gone, which suggests everyone knows the club is rotten and you steer well clear.

I don't think United really had the funds to go after him as they also had a few other positions to address.

 

[Niall]

[/QUOTE]

I don't think United really had the funds to go after him as they also had a few other positions to address.

Arsenal were simply a more tempting alternative and they could not afford him anyway.

United not having a solid structure behind the scenes clearly coming back to haunt them now, they focused exclusively on FDJ to resolve their midfield issues last year even when it was obvious he was not interested and they punted for casemiro relatively last minute. His trajectory looks similar to matic, solid first season and then his legs say "enough".

Then of course Antony, surely their was an alternative winger they could have signed for less money? Ten Hag should not have such a key role in transfers IMO.

 

[Socerer 01]

they’ve never had a solid transfer strategy since arguably David Gill left

 

[Molehill]

Well they did sign Sancho relatively recently, but...

But not from an English club. The last big signing was probably Maguire!!

 

[Molehill]

And back to Liverpool, Klopp now asking for a replay!! Just **** off you **** and remember if there was no VAR it still wouldn't have been a goal.

 

[GIMH]

And back to Liverpool, Klopp now asking for a replay!! Just **** off you **** and remember if there was no VAR it still wouldn't have been a goal.

Not sure that argument really works in the context of a game where they've had someone sent off by VAR just before the disallowed goal though?

The replay chatter is laughable mind.

 

[Molehill]

Not sure that argument really works in the context of a game where they've had someone sent off by VAR just before the disallowed goal though?

The replay chatter is laughable mind.

Well it does, because it shows he wants some VAR decisions but not all of them......you know, just the ones which favour his team....sporting integrity my arse.

 

[sledger]

A replay will never happen, but I don't think it would necessarily be unfair if it did.

 

[Molehill]

A replay will never happen, but I don't think it would necessarily be unfair if it did.

The only people it would be unfair on are all those who have been shafted by VAR up till now who didn't get one - like Arsenal against Brentford.

 

[sledger]

Well, two (or more) wrongs don't make a right, and all that.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

If every football match was replayed if there was a wrong decision made, you'd need to set aside two years per season to get through all the fixtures.