**Official** English Football Season 2023/24

[Skipper Pup]

I'm not sure Rashford fits into this category any more either. I've always liked him but I think he's now pretty much set as a player, he's going past the age where people talk about potential.

Worryingly, his best asset is still his pace which will inevitably drop off as he ages. I haven't seen any signs that he's developing his creativity, situational intelligence, passing and link-up play, or his work off the ball. It's not like Rooney where he can fall back into a deeper central role and rely on technical ability and dribbling, Ronaldo where he knows exactly where to be in the box and can poach, or Salah where he is racking up assists with his passing vision. He will always have that scoring instinct (yes he still misses alot) but I can't even see a converted Mane/Son-type #9 role for him because Rashford is ineffective when he plays centrally, especially off the ball.

He's locked down long term on a huge contract and seems to be the a guy that falls off quickly whenever there is an issue within the club (signing CR7, tools down for ETH etc).

Can definitely see a point in the future where he ends up being overtaken by another emerging talent but United are shackled to him because of his wages and non-performance. He's a fantastic role model off the field but I'm not too sure how many other English clubs would touch him given the overall baggage that comes with the player.

 

[wpdavid]

Worryingly, his best asset is still his pace which will inevitably drop off as he ages. I haven't seen any signs that he's developing his creativity, situational intelligence, passing and link-up play, or his work off the ball. It's not like Rooney where he can fall back into a deeper central role and rely on technical ability and dribbling, Ronaldo where he knows exactly where to be in the box and can poach, or Salah where he is racking up assists with his passing vision. He will always have that scoring instinct (yes he still misses alot) but I can't even see a converted Mane/Son-type #9 role for him because Rashford is ineffective when he plays centrally, especially off the ball.

He's locked down long term on a huge contract and seems to be the a guy that falls off quickly whenever there is an issue within the club (signing CR7, tools down for ETH etc).

Can definitely see a point in the future where he ends up being overtaken by another emerging talent but United are shackled to him because of his wages and non-performance. He's a fantastic role model off the field but I'm not too sure how many other English clubs would touch him given the overall baggage that comes with the player.

My lot would take him to Selhurst Park in a heartbeat.
But I know what you mean about the larger clubs.

 

[Uppercut]

Rashford has streaks where he looks like one of the best players in the league, but he also goes through long periods where he's poor. I agree with Furball that he's past the point where we can hope for a big permanent improvement, although that's not to say that his current very low level of play is where he'll be for the rest of his career.

We're such chronic wasters of potential. It's telling how often a new signing's best season for the club is his first. The longer someone is at United, the worse they get.

 

[Molehill]

We're such chronic wasters of potential. It's telling how often a new signing's best season for the club is his first. The longer someone is at United, the worse they get.

That's surely down to the quality of the manager and the coaches. Look how players improve under Pep by comparison.

If I were Utd, I'd be lining up De Zerbi before someone else gets in there first.

 

[Skipper Pup]

That's surely down to the quality of the manager and the coaches. Look how players improve under Pep by comparison.

If I were Utd, I'd be lining up De Zerbi before someone else gets in there first.

I'm not so sure about that; Mourinho, Van Gaal, Ten Hag were quality managers before they joined United and had track records of developing players. Pep's obviously an extreme comparison, even the average managers like Moyes, Howe, Pochettino, Potter (pre-CFC) etc tend to at least have a style of play and squad that is built around it.

I don't think De Zerbi would do any better personally, nor would it be a job that interests him given the wicket he's currently on. They desperately need a DoF and perhaps the biggest mistake ETH has made was not keeping Ragnick around to look after the incomings/outgoings.

Until they've got a clear strategy for what they're building both on and off the pitch (particularly squad management) it's almost doomed to fail.

It'll be interesting to see what they do next. Do they commit to a project and someone unknown like Spurs have done with Ange (De Zerbi or even an ex-player like Carrick); or do they go back for a big name and try again for an aura that can sort out the egos (Zidane, Lopetegui etc).

 

[andruid]

We may not piss the Championship, but at least we beat the team that is pissing the league on their own patch.

 

[Niall]

I'm not so sure about that; Mourinho, Van Gaal, Ten Hag were quality managers before they joined United and had track records of developing players. Pep's obviously an extreme comparison, even the average managers like Moyes, Howe, Pochettino, Potter (pre-CFC) etc tend to at least have a style of play and squad that is built around it.

I don't think De Zerbi would do any better personally, nor would it be a job that interests him given the wicket he's currently on. They desperately need a DoF and perhaps the biggest mistake ETH has made was not keeping Ragnick around to look after the incomings/outgoings.

Until they've got a clear strategy for what they're building both on and off the pitch (particularly squad management) it's almost doomed to fail.

It'll be interesting to see what they do next. Do they commit to a project and someone unknown like Spurs have done with Ange (De Zerbi or even an ex-player like Carrick); or do they go back for a big name and try again for an aura that can sort out the egos (Zidane, Lopetegui etc).

Yes not keeping Rangnick as DOF looks a monumental own goal, they desperately needed someone to say to ETH

"Antony, he's not worth this money, I can find someone else" and would he or any sensible DOF sanctioned Casemiro or Mount? Doubtful.

He'd likely be a temporary hire, no clue who would get the job in the summer 2024, I'd like them to go for Simeone and the banter that would bring would be the icing on the cake.

However with Jimmy Brexit doing a takeover they need him to implement a proper structure because no matter the manager as you say its pretty much mission impossible.

Looking at the betting, Potter seems to figure prominently, supposedly Ratcliffe loves him and seems an easy hire if they bin ETH before 2024.

 

[Furball]

God I miss Calvin Bassey.

 

[Furball]

Had to be that prick didn't it.

What the **** were Fulham doing.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Maupay goal klaxon!

 

[Tangles]

Yes not keeping Rangnick as DOF looks a monumental own goal, they desperately needed someone to say to ETH

"Antony, he's not worth this money, I can find someone else" and would he or any sensible DOF sanctioned Casemiro or Mount? Doubtful.

He'd likely be a temporary hire, no clue who would get the job in the summer 2024, I'd like them to go for Simeone and the banter that would bring would be the icing on the cake.

However with Jimmy Brexit doing a takeover they need him to implement a proper structure because no matter the manager as you say its pretty much mission impossible.

Looking at the betting, Potter seems to figure prominently, supposedly Ratcliffe loves him and seems an easy hire if they bin ETH before 2024.

Moyes, LVG, Jose, Ole and now ETH. A plethora of different players. It’s not the managers in control. The marketing arm runs the club. Wanting a British player for the 7 shirt then hearing the board wants him playing more this week is emblematic of the rot in the club. I don’t expect some guy giving funds to get the Glazers out of a cash hole is going to help. I don’t expect him to have control. Not with 25%. Nothing changes until the Glazers go.

ETH, if he goes will be when they miss 4th and CL cash. Just like they have done before.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Most bizarre VAR episode ever that one.

Offside surely? No foul and pot luck over ball out of play or not.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

arsenal players stop sticking your arms out in thin air challenge

 

[Pothas]

Maupay goal klaxon!

I was there for it as well. ****ing great

 

[grecian]

I try not to be too cynical about Wrexham because I actually like the owners and it annoys Gimh, but the James McClean signing does look like a signing for a controversial storyline, yet ho-hum, way things are going we won't be part of their "story" next year.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Yes not keeping Rangnick as DOF looks a monumental own goal, they desperately needed someone to say to ETH

"Antony, he's not worth this money, I can find someone else" and would he or any sensible DOF sanctioned Casemiro or Mount? Doubtful.

He'd likely be a temporary hire, no clue who would get the job in the summer 2024, I'd like them to go for Simeone and the banter that would bring would be the icing on the cake.

However with Jimmy Brexit doing a takeover they need him to implement a proper structure because no matter the manager as you say its pretty much mission impossible.

Looking at the betting, Potter seems to figure prominently, supposedly Ratcliffe loves him and seems an easy hire if they bin ETH before 2024.

To be fair, I think Casemiro was a good signing. Although on the decline, they needed an experienced winner in the team and he performed pretty well last season. The problem was they never sorted out a solid enough back-up or put the right players around him. Amrabat will get there but right now he's adjusting to life in England and Mount was never going to replicate the job that Fred did. Erikson is obviously past it too.

As an Atleti fan I can assure you that Cholo at Man Utd would be a train wreck. The guy is the very definition of pragmatism and dogmatic football, think Jose/Allardyce x10. Their fans would hate the negative football and he would genuinely have bust ups every second week with that dressing room.

It would be comedy gold but I'd rather they didn't have an elite manager.

 

[GIMH]

I try not to be too cynical about Wrexham because I actually like the owners and it annoys Gimh, but the James McClean signing does look like a signing for a controversial storyline, yet ho-hum, way things are going we won't be part of their "story" next year.

Tbf I thought he looked a class above when they played us

 

[Furball]

The VAR controversy will obscure how pathetic Ben White was at the goal.

 

[MW1304]

The VAR controversy will obscure how pathetic Ben White was at the goal.

Generally crap performance that Arteta is managing to overshadow Alex Ferguson style with his antics. Perhaps 0-0 would have been a fair reflection, but they allowed us to turn it into a scrap-fest which massively evened the odds for us.

 

[Uppercut]

There’s no consistent point to their build up when Odegaard doesn’t play.