Lets Talk Football

Apart from the usual suspects, I would also keep an eye on Senegal. They have a decent mix of players, which includes a strong spine.


Portugal are dark horses for me. Some really good technically strong players.


Didn't qualify.

Nope, they didn't qualify for the second time in a row. They are not happy and they were whooped 3-0 in the inter-continental champions cup (or whatever it's called. I'm English so I have never experienced it) but Argentina.

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I feel Portugal just haven't worked out how to blend their players together. On the odd occasion I see them (I don't really care about international football) it looks like they take each others space and/or haven't worked out how to be a team. Of course, if they do/have sorted that out, then they're a real later stage threat.

I didn't watch the ANC this year (like I said, I don't care about international football) so while I know they won, I've not seen them and don't know much about them. Historically, African nations don't succeed at world cups though, so later stages is the best I'd expect for them. They could create history and prove me wrong though. I'd like them to.

Yes, you are & you even made it into The New York Times crossword puzzle yesterday.

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Chelsea and Manchester United both interested in Michael Edwards. I would be annoyed if he goes to either one of those clubs.
The man wanted a break after leaving the club, and was expected to go to Madrid eventually. He was amazing for us.

I think it'd be a good start at United but, like everything else there, he has to be allowed to work and his advice, more often that not, taken. A huge amount of money has been spent at United but, unfortunately, so much was stripped out from the club before we even got to that point, IMO, that when the Glazer's finally realised the Golden Goose was dying they didn't know or have the people around who knew how to stop it, so they just spent money on whatever seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately everything around the team had been taken apart and/or parred back too much that we were now lagging behind those we were trying to keep pace with and since the money which should be being spent on rebuilding and improving it all has been spent on players with, often it appears to me, no idea who they are or how they'll play/fit into the team. You can get away with that on FM or FIFA, but this is the real world. If it was that easy the queue to manage United (and every other team) would be massive and most of us would be incredibly successful because we've got the saves to prove it.

It's been a bad summer for United so far, not because we haven't bought anyone but because of who we haven't bought. I'd have had Darwin Núñez as my #1 target. Our need is greater than Liverpool's and we can spend more. Now, it's possible that the player just didn't want to or we knew he'd rather go to Liverpool, but otherwise it's baffling that we didn't try.

Kalvin Phillips is another one. Now again, it's entirely possible that coming through at Leeds and playing for them he'd have never come but he's gone to City for, what I think, is a very reasonable price (remember to factor in the 'he's English' bonus payment) who, again, would've been a great fit for United and a lot cheaper than De Jong will be (should he actually come. He doesn't want to, which is a big worry for me) or Rice who'll cost even more should De Jong fail to arrive. Bissouma has gone to Spurs and, while not a top name, I think he'd have done a really good job in the United midfield. Again, at a very reasonable price too, IMO.

Obviously we didn't have a chance with Haarland, but he's another gone and Tchouameni has gone to Real for about £70m. Some have looked at the price, but if he and Camavinga work out as you'd expect, that's the midfield for Real replaced for the next 10 years as Kroos and Modric are put out to pasture in the next season or two.

United get connected with pretty much anyone, such is our name, finances and need. Assuming ETH gets things on the right road we should still be looking at top 4, but if United want to 'make sure' of that then I think we need a forward (Martial is a bust and Rashford looks shot and uninterested.) Hopefully ETH's arrival will spark something in him but even if it does, he doesn't look to be developing into the goal machine we hoped 4 or 5 years ago. Obviously we can't go with Greenwood (maybe never will be able to) so a prolific forward is needed unless we're really going to rely on Ronaldo to play every game up front on his own. My solution? Victor Osimhen. He'll cost a lot, but he's young and improving. He has the size and strength to play alone up front and with Ronaldo if ETH plays two up top. If not, you play him alone with Ronaldo in a free role or just behind. With Fernandes and a, hopefully, much improved Sancho, maybe van de Beek (as I'd assume the coach will know how to use him effectively) and possibly De Jong around him to put him in, he'd score well. Should Rashford find form, he's another to work with. I think he's the one we should be looking at. At some point someone is going to pull the trigger and buy him from Napoli, our need is great right now, so let's take the risk.

Unless ETH doesn't want him or he won't fit with what he's going to do, the only reason I can see for not buying him is because we've been burnt so many times in the last 10 years or so, we're afraid of it hapenning again.

The problem is in United's system. And until they create a structure, the same mistakes will be repeated.


Losing out on Nunez was understandable, once a Champions League team came in, but not going for smart buys like Bissouma, Eriksen, Philips, etc early and/or sealing deals quickly shows a massive lack of a good setup.


Early signs for ETH are bad. He might have to seal with the same issues as the previous managers.

With both Arsenal and Spurs making good buys, United risk losing a lot of ground.

Melissa is quite reliable. If she says so, then finally some movement for United.



Also, this should be fun. I enjoyed the one on Juventus. It was much more interesting than the one made on City and Spurs, because the team at Amazon showed that they are learning.

Yes there's been some mention of him today, @WrinkledMind, though for a couple of million more than that price. I've not seen him, but again, if ETH wants he, they should be doing all they can to get him. Not just because that's what I expect every club to do for their manager, but because you'd assume that ETH has seen him up close a few times and knows what he can do.

I agree with you about the structure at United, too. All managers since Fergie have been doomed to failure thanks to those steering the ship. Even before Fergie we knew things were on the downward slope.

Ronaldo asking to leave, apparently. Thoughts @honeykid ?


Personally, I thought he was one of the few bright spots for United last season, and received unnecessary criticism from some sections.
But his departure frees up massive wages and allows the new manager to build a proper pressing team.


On a side note, who will buy him now apart from Munich, PSG and Chelsea?

I'm OK with him leaving, @WrinkledMind. I thought he was an unhelpful signing at the time, (as pleased as I was to see him return) and put a block on whatever OGS had planned for last season (we can be fairly sure he wanted 4-3-3 and develop a pressing game as he'd mentioned it in interviews) though in no way am I defending OGS as being chosen as manager of United and I think he's unhelpful for ETH (though I doubt many managers would be unhappy with a talent like that in their team) as he limits what he wants to do and how to play. Plus he'd have to constantly take questions about where, when and how he was played when there was any deviation from 'the norm'. His leaving will free up wage budget (hugely) remove all those problems with playing him and, possibly, allow others to be responsible for themselves and the team, taking on responsibility rather than looking for Ronaldo. He's a great player, but he's not the future for United who need to rebuld and, like Messi at Barcelona (who I also thought should've been sold 3 or 4 seasons ago) if it's not about him, then he's a problem and one which only grows bigger, as it did at Barca.

What I'm not happy with is him asking now. I do understand he's had (and continues to have) a terrible time with the death of his son and can understand if he'd want to move away for that reason, but this is about Champions League which he knew, like the rest of us, we weren't in weeks ago. I go back to all the deals already done and being done which, had United known this weeks ago, they might've pushed to make their presence known. I'm not saying that someone like Nunez would've chosen United over Liverpool if they had, but at least the opportunity would've been there and we could've gone in early. If United know he's going, then plans can be made. Pre-season training/friendlies start next week and we're already in trouble.

The talk this morning is of Antony (someone who wants to come and was already rumoured to come) and that'll be easier now, but buying from the Dutch league is always a gamble. Sometimes you get van Nistelrooy and sometimes you get Kezman. It feels like the Kezman's happen more often.

Early observations, but fairly excited about Fabio Carvalho. Lad looks special.


As for Nunez, Klopp and Ward obviously know more than me, but the only good thing so far seems his tireless attitude and ability to make runs to stretch defences. Otherwise seems like he might not fit the fluid style of our play.


On a side note, how the hell Barca are signing players despite not having any cash?
Reckon they will end up with the same situation like last season, where they will find it difficult to register all players, prompting a big sale.

@honeykid, have you seen “Sunderland Til I Die” on Netflix? Seems interesting.

Both seasons are really good.


It's far better than all seasons of Amazon's All or Nothing or the series on Leeds.

No, I've not seen it. I don't have netflix but I've heard it's really good. Arguably the best of all these fly on the wall football docs.

Pleased to see we're making some signings and in positions we need, but still worried that if we get de Jong he won't really want to be there and will be looking to leave asap. That's what happened with Di Maria and, sure enough, the year after he was gone. Hopefully that won't be the case if he does make the move.

Do you follow women’s soccer at all? Can’t say I do, but I’m glad there are many fans male & female.

Not really, but I do catch the odd game now and then and have watched quite a few of the Women's Euro's which are on atm. I'll probably watch more now the knockout rounds are starting.

The first two quarter finals of the Women's Euro's have been interesting and slightly worrying from an England pov and, had Alexia Putellas been there, we'd have been gone. Luckily for us she wasn't and, luckily for us, we have (arguably) the best manger in women's international football. Spain caned us for the first half and much of the second wasn't much better until they made subs and a tactical change. We reacted and, after that and from the moment we scored, we looked like we'd get that goal. A bit nervy at the end, but it did feel like job done from the moment the second went in.

Germany were dominant, but with better finishing Austria could've pulled off the upset. I have to admit that I turned the game off the moment the second goal went in, so I've just had to check to make sure it finished that way. Germany deserved it, but they made it more difficult than it needed to be.

Sweden v Belgium tonight and I think England play the winner. I'll be cheering for Belgium tonight because Sweden look good and we'll probably need home field advantage to beat them.

God bless Belgium they really did try and they nearly took them to extra time, but not quite enough on the night. France v Netherlands was a good game thanks mainly to their keeper and one of the Dutch defenders (whose name I don't know, I'm sorry) who played above and beyond themselves.

Should be good Semi Finals this week.