⚽ Football (Soccer)

[B]

Good performance & result on Thursday, then back to normal on Sunday.

Bilbao was a good game because they're a good side, the red card obviously helped however it did come after we'd scored & we were starting to ask more questions going forward. The only negative was that we only scored 3 which, sadly, for this Manchester United team isn't enough to act like we're already through. We've been battered 3-0 at home more times than I care to remember these last 10 odd years post-SAF reign.

Brentford was dreadful, those goals in the last 10 minutes restored a vague level of respect to the result, but in reality the game wasn't close & Brentford could have scored 1 or 2 more. We did field a weaker team with some U21 players, the best thing about the game was getting them the game time & getting Amad & Mount minutes also.

The only thing that can vaguely save our season is the EL at this point, everything else has been a disaster.

 

[Zantera]

Winning EL is a real possibility now and would certainly be a good achievement. However I'm getting flashbacks to Ten Hag winning the FA Cup and then crapping the bed next season in the league. Our league performances this season have not been good and while a potential EL win would be a good feeling, I don't have a lot of faith that we'd build off that success with a strong PL campaign next year. Especially if we might have CL football as well.

 

[BlackFox]

Inter made it to the CL final after another crazy 4-3 game last night, been dark horses throughout as I expected to Barca to win the thing, now just either PSG or Arsenal to meet them in the final, been an odd CL season, not sure many predicted any of the potential finalists now at the start.

 

[BlackFox]

PSG see off Arsenal in the end to make it a Inter v PSG final. Makes for a potentially good final as it seems like a fairly even match up and could be a close one. Inter slight favourites perhaps.

 

[BlackFox]

United v Spurs is a thing then in the Europa final, both carried out the jobs as needed last night with not many scares in the end.

Makes for a fun and interesting final again as its going to be emotional and also close as Spurs have won every game against us this season but we seem to save our best performances for this competition this season.

bring it on...

 

[Hunter Rider]

For an hour last night we tickled Bilbao's taint with the possibility of a comeback, no team gives an opponent confidence like United, the technical quality and passing level on display from us for 60 minutes was criminal. Fortunately Ruben acted and as soon as Amad and Mount came on we turned the tide, Amad had them pushed back almost immediately, and Mount scored a couple of excellent goals.

So United vs Spurs final, they've beaten us 3 times already this season, but they tend to be bottle jobs in really big games, so who knows, it's a 50/50 game.

If all goes through, Cunha is a nice signing in theory. The best word I've heard to describe him is maverick, from the outside looking in he seems to have a big personality both on & off the pitch which could go one of a few ways. If things go well, he could end up like Cantona, if things go south, he could end up like Balotelli.
I do like him though, he's played well the last few times he's played against us, rapid change of pace, unpredictable & seems to know where the goal is which is something we desperately need.

Yeah, there are question marks about his tempremant, but he has explosive pace and power, and he's steadily increased his goal output, both things our forward line lacks, and he's PL proven, so worth a shot imo. We've also been linked with Mbeuno recently, those 2 in the inside forward roles behind a new striker would reinvigorate our attack.

I really want us to get Sverre Nypan, there was talk about Villa being in for him for as little as £11m, which I think is at bare minimum worth a punt if we could get him. I think I've read as well that he grew up a Manchester United fan.

I like the look of Nypan as well, and as you say he's very reasonably priced, we've also been linked to other promising young talents like Rigg and Mastantuono, but we also need some experienced players in their prime.

I don't mind Delap, £30m is his reported fee/release clause, I don't think he's a million miles, if at all, ahead of Hojlund's development.. they're arguably similar just with different strengths/weaknesses. He's not got the best touch which is something I know you weren't too keen on with Lukaku so Delap's likely someone who'll give you heartburn unless he manages to score enough goals to offset that deficiency.

Dibling, again don't mind him but Southampton have pretty much totally priced him out of a move with talk of £100m.

The fact there's not a big difference between him and Hojlund is my big issue with signing Delap, fans are hard on Hojlund and he has really struggled this season, but Delap has never played under the scrutiny and pressure of the spotlight that United are under. With Hojlund and Obi we already have developmental strikers, we need to win the EL and go for Gyokeres.

The Dibling price is ludicrous, he's worth a 3rd of that, maximum.

 

[wedreamoflions]

Is anyone going to watch any of the Club World Cup hosted in the US this year?

 

[PepS]

Arteta is such a ****ing embarrassment to our club in more ways than one. Hopefully, Berta is fixing to bring the hammer down on him sooner rather than later. I can't stand the man.

 

[BlackFox]

Arteta is such a ****ing embarrassment to our club in more ways than one. Hopefully, Berta is fixing to bring the hammer down on him sooner rather than later. I can't stand the man.

Been a lot of promise and trusting of the process but seems to have led to close but not quite in most instances, when it really matters he cant seem to deliver. I thought maybe beating Madrid might have got them over the line but it didnt happen again, frustrating for the fans.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Arteta is such a ****ing embarrassment to our club in more ways than one. Hopefully, Berta is fixing to bring the hammer down on him sooner rather than later. I can't stand the man.

I'm guessing this is an Arteta signing, quality midfielder but a top striker will surely be next on the agenda.

 

[B]

Brutal again today, we are closer to being a relegation contender than we are even a top half team. Again same as all season, give away cheap goals & can't convert our own opportunities.

If by some miracle we do win the Europa League, it won't cover up how disastrous a season this has been, from start to finish.

Yeah, there are question marks about his tempremant, but he has explosive pace and power, and he's steadily increased his goal output, both things our forward line lacks, and he's PL proven, so worth a shot imo. We've also been linked with Mbeuno recently, those 2 in the inside forward roles behind a new striker would reinvigorate our attack.

Being able to cope in the PL is the main selling point. Our forward line this season has largely been putrid, lack of cohesion/teamwork at times but the worst of all has been our finishing. We need at least one player who knows where the net is & how to put the ball there. At the minute it seems like unless Fernandes scores, nobody will.

Garnacho for example, he's scored probably 10 goals all season for us, he should be our top scorer with the amount of chances he wastes. If that switch clicks in his head the way it did for Ronaldo all those years ago, he could be a 20+ goal a season player.

Amad will be interesting to see because he's by far been the brightest spark among our offense players but didn't feature at the start of the year under EtH & had that injury not long after Amorim joined, but again, when he has played he looks capable of being at worst case a 10 goal a season player which is definitely good enough, he needs to avoid injury though.

I like the look of Nypan as well, and as you say he's very reasonably priced, we've also been linked to other promising young talents like Rigg and Mastantuono, but we also need some experienced players in their prime.

He's a glider, reminds me a lot of the likes of Silva/Iniesta & Mata to an extent. Obviously a long way off all of those guys but the way he moves about the pitch looks so soft & effortless. If we could get him for £11m, it would be worth the punt IMO but as you say, we definitely need a few players that are ready now not in 2-4 years.. we could be in the Championship by that point.

The fact there's not a big difference between him and Hojlund is my big issue with signing Delap, fans are hard on Hojlund and he has really struggled this season, but Delap has never played under the scrutiny and pressure of the spotlight that United are under. With Hojlund and Obi we already have developmental strikers, we need to win the EL and go for Gyokeres.

The Dibling price is ludicrous, he's worth a 3rd of that, maximum.

I'd say unless we manage to beat Spurs & win the EL, Gyokeres will be a no go.. but he definitely is hitting his peak years & has proved himself a goalscorer in these last run of years.

You can't be part of one of the worst teams in PL history & be worth £100m. I know they probably said that to scare teams off & maybe even tongue in cheek, but realistically they'll probably get £40m odd for him if Chelsea or another club comes in for him, I imagine he'd be well out of our price range with our other needs.

 

[BlackFox]

Spurs and United 17th and 16th in the league both heading off to a European final, this season has been an odd one to say the least.

 

[Christopher11]

Spurs and United 17th and 16th in the league both heading off to a European final, this season has been an odd one to say the least.

WOW, nobody would've predicted this at the start of the season but they can still finish the season as high as 13.

 

[PepS]

Been a lot of promise and trusting of the process but seems to have led to close but not quite in most instances, when it really matters he cant seem to deliver. I thought maybe beating Madrid might have got them over the line but it didnt happen again, frustrating for the fans.

Absolutely. It also doesn't help matters that he's an insufferable, arrogant *******, with no humility at all. The hate for us from rivals has increased tenfold since he took charge and his cult infested our fanbase.

 

[PepS]

I'm guessing this is an Arteta signing, quality midfielder but a top striker will surely be next on the agenda.

Absolutely. I'm not keen on the signing, tbh. He's a good player, but he's just another slow, possession based player who I feel will be exposed on the transition and for his lack of physicality. I would much rather he'd have gone to Real, as Alonso really wanted him and then we try and get one of Tchouaméni, or Camavinga. We need a more dynamic player in the middle.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Absolutely. I'm not keen on the signing, tbh. He's a good player, but he's just another slow, possession based player who I feel will be exposed on the transition and for his lack of physicality. I would much rather he'd have gone to Real, as Alonso really wanted him and then we try and get one of Tchouaméni, or Camavinga. We need a more dynamic player in the middle.

I get what you mean, is the plan for him to play deeper and Rice operate more as a #8? it sounds like you're looking for a player like Ederson from Atalanta or Gomez from Wolves.

 

[PepS]

I get what you mean, is the plan for him to play deeper and Rice operate more as a #8? it sounds like you're looking for a player like Ederson from Atalanta or Gomez from Wolves.

Yep, that's the plan. Someone to replace the role of Jorginho and Partey. Rice is now the permanent left 8. Tbh, I'd take anyone that fits that type of mould at the moment. Is Casemiro available?

 

[blueharvest]

 

[BlackFox]

Palace beat City 1-0 in the FA Cup final to make it an upset in the final. Crazy!

 

[B]

Great to see Palace winning the FA Cup, which I only heard yesterday, is the clubs first ever major honour & as such will now end up in Europe presumably for the first time if I'm not mistaken.

I will say though, Palace's hero of the day Henderson should have been sent off, that was as open & shut a red card as you'll ever get for a goalkeeper. All these nonsense excuses they came out with during/after the game about denying a goal or obvious goalscoring chance.. complete & utter rubbish.

I can't actually think of an occasion from memory when a goalkeeper was actually seen to have handled the ball outside of his area, regardless of the circumstances & didn't get an instant red card. Having such a spectacle of a game with VAR getting a major decision wrong isn't a good advert for it's use.

 

[blueharvest]

 

[blueharvest]

 

[BlackFox]

Big one tonight then, the cream of Europe, er United and Spurs in the Battle of Bilbao. Both trying to rescue something out of an otherwise mess of a season but it would make a big difference to either side going forward. Spurs have won every game in the matchups this season but feels like it could be really close this one, bound to be a bit of nerves with so much riding on it. Cant wait to see the outcome though.

 

[BlackFox]

Spurs 1-0 at HT. Pretty nervy game so far of few chances but Spurs are probably deservedly in the lead just.

 

[B]

That was absolutely dire to watch, the lack of quality from both sides, that game summed up perfectly both teams season & why both teams find themselves where they are.

We can have no complaints, I'd argue we were slightly the better side over the 90, but my God we were poor. No urgency or speed & intensity in our passing, the pattern of play was side to side until Leny Yoro got sick of the faffing from our attacking players & decided to carry the ball forward into Spurs territory.

Another issue was Fernandes being so deep, that sort of thing has a time & a place, for me it was evident from the first half it was no good having him touching the ball so deep as Spurs were happy to see him try to carve a defense splitting pass from the half way line as opposed to at the edge of their box. We needed him touching the ball more in Spurs final third, which he did start to do maybe the last 10 minutes or so & it did start to cause minor issues for Spurs.

Spurs, were just as poor, barely remember them posing any problems toward our goal, even the goal was scrappy & had some good fortune, think it looked like it actually was an OG coming off Shaw.

Really poor final overall, I can't actually remember a final I've ever seen the play be such low quality. It wasn't nerves low quality either, it was just, poor fluidity & disjointed pressing schemes from both teams.

We should refuse to play Villa next week & take the 0-3 forfeit result just so we can close the book on this season.. I mean the only thing that can get worse than this is relegation, but surely we can't get relegated.. right?