Firstly, before anything else, am I the only one who doesn't think it's brilliant that Scholes has returned? Embarrassing, that's what I call it. I know Fergie says there's no value in the market, especially in January, but is there really not one midfielder available for, say Ł5m-Ł7m and upto Ł40k a week, who isn't better than a 37 year old Paul Scholes who looked poor for most of the last two seasons, hasn't played football since the last 15 minutes at the end of the CL final and retired in the summer? No one? Is our scouting network so focused on young potential 15 year olds that we can't find one who could do a job? Even if he comes back in, plays and scores in every game until the end of the season, it's still embarrassing that United have done this. I'm now leaning even more towards the "Fergie's trying to keep Morrison and Pogba underwraps to lessen interest in them" theory of mine. Of course, it could be that he doesn't trust them (yet) but thinks they'll play next season, season after but, surely they're a better bet than Scholes, otherwise why are they still at United and why are we trying to extent their contracts?
I was also depressed by how obvious it is that almost half of the first team now, would've only been squad players2 or 3 years ago. Of course, that's the way things go sometimes, players age and/or don't recover from injury, but it indicates either how little money we have or how blind/bias Fergie has become. Whilst the latter is believable, surely it's the former.
Another "was I the only one" (sorry about this) but wasn't it obvious that United would sit back, get sloppy and allow City back in the game? The only surprise for me was that it happened so quickly. If you only thought about football through the medium of 'pundit' you'd have thought City were in for a reversal of the 6-1. I'd also suggest that these guys
should play Football Manager, as it might open their thinking a little bit. At the very least, Gareth Southgate might've been aware that, if you have the players and are a man down, a 5-2-2 with wingbacks, playing on the counter is a very good option. Maybe it's the lack of use of wingbacks in English football (and the prominence of 4-4-2 during his time playing and managing) that's the reason he's not aware of something so obvious?
Rio has become especially guilty of slack play over the last season or two, and I liked Phil Jones giving as good as he got when Rio tried to blame him for
his blind pass which gave the ball away... Again..., but the midfield were playing balls that made it look as if they were training City players to intercept. Lots of telegraphed, floated passes/crosses, flicks and backheels. I can only think that the reason Fergie chews so hard is because otherwise he'd have no teeth left from grinding them. Training this week should concentrate on controling the ball. That's it. Next week maybe they can move onto passing.
BTW, for those who don't know, we won.
I'm afraid I know nothing about Michael O'Neill, other than it's the name of one of my friends uncles.
But as he's not phoned me telling me his uncle is the new manager of Norn Iron, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's not him. Though why you've gone for him when Steve Bruce has just become available I'll never know.
BTW, Steve Bruce to QPR? Unless they've got someone else in mind, I can only think of Mark Hughes as the highest profile, but willing to take QPR with money, manager available.
As far as employed PL managers go, I can only see Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert as options and I think both would rather stay where they are (both geographically and table position) than risk QPR. That said, I think both, especially Paul Lambert, would be excellent choices for that club.