Manchester United Teamtalk/Transfer Rumours/Gossip 2020/21- Mod Notes OP [06/11/20]

Drumpot

Deleted User wrote: »

Sacking Ole and hiring a better manager makes a difference to immediate tactics and results.
So you are wrong and I'm not going down a rabbit whole of nonsense about it.

What am I wrong about? I never said sacking Ole and hiring a better manager wouldn’t make a difference.

sky88

MattS1 wrote: »

What evidence is there that Poch definitely do better and take us to another league? He got to a CL final with a fair amount of luck.

what evidence do we have that ole can take us to the top again

poch punched above his weight with spurs team he had that even with the inconsistency amongst most of our players we have better squad then he had at spurs

does he guarantee success absolutely not but there's still more chance of success than sticking with ole

El Gato De Negocios

MattS1 wrote: »

What evidence is there that Poch definitely do better and take us to another league? He got to a CL final with a fair amount of luck.

Below is a post I made in September re Poch.

Poch I feel would be an excellent fit for United. He is young, he has learned and done better at each club he has been at than the one he was with previously.

Spurs finishes previous 5 finishes before Poch.

6th
5th
4th
5th
4th

Spurs finishes after he joined.

5th
3rd
2nd
3rd
4th

They moved to the next level under him but as happens with alot of coaches, he brought that squad of players as far as he could, there were also rumblings of disquiet among the playing squad due to personal life shenanigans. All that while guiding them to their first CL finish and highest ever league finish as well as having budgetary constraints due to the new stadium build.

We have some really exciting players in our ranks and the guts of a very good team but we also have a clueless manager in place. Would we win one of the big trophies under Poch? Who knows, I do however firmly believe that he would get more out of the squad than Ole can or ever will.

0gac3yjefb5sv7

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Because he's a better manager than Ole
So is Allegri
So are so many others

It is not rocket science

So was Mourinho, Moyes and Van Gaal? And yet, the football under Ole is miles better than all 3 of them

MattS1

MattS1 wrote: »

So was Mourinho, Moyes and Van Gaal? And yet, the football under Ole is miles better than all 3 of them

No it isn't. What games are you watching the league?

Drumpot

Mitch Connor wrote: »

No evidence, really, but I'd also say MP has proven himself a better manager, over his PL career, than Ole has.

The final season melt down would be a worry though - i understand it was essentially down to him not being backed to reinvigorate the squad where he felt a number of players needed to be cycled out and replaced.

That is, in all liklihood, the reality of his third, if not second, season at United.

Allegri is probably the only other possibility - as he is available. I don't see United looking to take an employed manager (Rodgers, for example)

One of the reasons I would champion Poch is that I think his Spurs side in terms of formation template, the general makeup of the squad and supposed invisioned style of play match up. I don't think going from Ole to Poch means starting all over. (As Moyes to LVG did, as LVG to Jose did, as Jose to Ole did).

Pogba did well under Allegri.... so he's clearly the guy to go for!

I have wondered about this in terms of how Poch might do with this squad. One concern my spurs friends pointed out was that Poch wouldn’t be crazy about big ego players. That rules Pogba out but I wonder are there other players who he may struggle to manage. I guess the squad is a better fit now then when it was when Ole took over in this regards, that’s why there was a part of me hoping that Oles job was as much about purging the squad for a better manager as anything else. Prob wishful thinking on my part.

Backstreet Moyes

MattS1 wrote: »

So was Mourinho, Moyes and Van Gaal? And yet, the football under Ole is miles better than all 3 of them

Yes it can be great when teams come at us and we can play good counter attack football

Watching him set teams up to play counter attacking football against teams who sit back has lead to some of the worst football I have ever seen at the club

DM_7

At risk of giving Woodward and colleagues too much credit, Ole could well be a in a bit of a reset or nighwatchman role. There to keep things ticking over and help with some of the improvements needed overall and within limitations of spend.

For example as a club at one point due to the Jose years United owed 258million on transfer fees for players already bought and that is now down to 149million in the most recent accounts (excluding performance related fees).

LVG made a quote a long time ago about Martial:

United are routinely quoted £10m more for a player but I have not bought Martial for me. I have bought him for the next manager of Manchester United

At the time he was in on a three year deal and made no secret that his role was, in his view, a three year project to reset the club. That Giggs was working with him with a view as him taking over after the three or maybe 4 years LVG would be there.

Much of what happened under him gives evidence to back that up. Senior players on big money left, squad players were moved on. Young players like Shaw, Memphis, Martial arrived with players like Rashford given chances from the youth set up. Very adaptable players like Herrera, Blind, Darmian, Rojo arrived. He tried to bring a more possession focused game.

It was a good plan if poorly executed.

In retrospect, at that time United should have continued on with what LVGs role was rather than going for the instant success option. Perhaps gone for a manager more like LVG. But honesty, given it was too early for Giggs and that Jose was asking for the role it is hard to fault them for going for Jose and spending big to set up a team for him at the time.

They have since gone back to what was happening under LVG when perhaps a Conte type option was there. I think with Ole there United have made decisions that are to help today but also where certain signings and players developed will be a 'gift' for the next manager. Bruno, Donny, Rashford, AWB, Greenwood etc.

Is it now time to push ahead and get the next manager in to follow on with what was started under Ole? I think it probably is yet I am still glad that a lot of the things Ole has tried to do have been the choices taken, I just really hope the direction is one that they will continue to work towards so that it is a case of building upon his areas of good work.

dave_o_brien

Deleted User wrote: »

No it isn't. What games are you watching the league?

The first part of the OP is factual, though. Although I hated Jose, he was undoubtedly the most successful manager we've had since Fergie. Europa League and a 2nd place finish were the spoils of his war.

I suppose the view I would take is that it might be that Ole is out of his depth and needs to be changed. The thought of replacing him doesn't exactly inspire me to believe it will herald a return to the glory days though, because the entire system seems unfit for purpose.

No matter how good a manager our board undermines, the ceiling for our success has dropped as a result of the Glazers & Ed and the parameters which define success for them. Undermining Poch would only serve to end this conversation online.

Lord TSC

dave_o_brien wrote: »

I suppose the view I would take is that it might be that Ole is out of his depth and needs to be changed. The thought of replacing him doesn't exactly inspire me to believe it will herald a return to the glory days though, because the entire system seems unfit for purpose.

Tbh, I think the bar has been lowered so much now that those clamoring for a new manager do so to solidify top four, not to return to the glory days.

I don't know if Poch would get us up to a league winning side. I don't think we have the squad for it.

But I do think we have a squad who are comfortably the third or forth best squad in the league. That we struggled last year for top 4 (and needed the final day of the season to do it) was frustrating enough. That we're stuck in the bottom quarter of the table now is way below where we should be.

I think Poch would get us top 4 each year easily, even with this squad and minimal investment.

Your Airbag

MattS1 wrote: »

So was Mourinho, Moyes and Van Gaal? And yet, the football under Ole is miles better than all 3 of them

Deleted User wrote: »

No it isn't. What games are you watching the league?

It is and it isn't. Ole has us beating PSG and Leipzig with dynamic attacking football and looking like weve got a good run in us but then we struggle to break down teams at home in the league who don't open up as much.

Jose looked as clueless at what to change in the UCL when Sevilla were bossing us as Ole did yesterday. LVG was great against the top 6 sides, he always had a great tactical plan for each. Both Jose and LVG got bossed at home to lower table opposition and didn't have much response. Jose's plan B much of the time was to throw on Fellaini and lump the ball up to him, it got us out of jail on a few occasions and didn't make a difference at all sometimes.

Last season Ole seemed to do well against bigger teams but so far this season Chelsea and Arsenal have taken points off us. Its just very inconsistent.

loyatemu

Deleted User wrote: »

Woodward is generating record revenue.
He is going knowhere.

Top level achievements in Football are irrelevant lads to the owners. Top 4 is the only requirements depending on what year the books balance.

In the short term maybe, in the longer term it will damage the club's global appeal if they never win any trophies.

Lord TSC

loyatemu wrote: »

In the short term maybe, in the longer term it will damage the club's global appeal if they never win any trophies.

I mean, it hasn't so far....

Drumpot

Your Airbag wrote: »

It is and it isn't. Ole has us beating PSG and Leipzig with dynamic attacking football and looking like weve got a good run in us but then we struggle to break down teams at home in the league who don't open up as much.

Jose looked as clueless at what to change in the UCL when Sevilla were bossing us as Ole did yesterday. LVG was great against the top 6 sides, he always had a great tactical plan for each. Both Jose and LVG got bossed at home to lower table opposition and didn't have much response. Jose's plan B much of the time was to throw on Fellaini and lump the ball up to him, it got us out of jail on a few occasions and didn't make a difference at all sometimes.

Last season Ole seemed to do well against bigger teams but so far this season Chelsea and Arsenal have taken points off us. Its just very inconsistent.

How bad do you feel it has to get in the league for Ole to be sacked ?

I am not trying to set you up for anything, but I honestly don't know because I do not know the clubs plan. Part of the reason I do not want him sacked is that I am very concerned that it might signal that there is no real plan at the club and they just react and change things every couple of years when things get bad.

As I have said, another part of me is hoping he is a sort of holding manager to get the club ready for a better manager. I mean his job was initially "to make players happy" when he was signed. If we look at the signings made during his term they do appear to be signings that appear to have more character then the ones moved on. Even Ighalo offered something in the absence of significant quality.

In an alternative universe one could look at the signings and outgoings during Oles tenure and think that maybe there has been a shift in recruitment that puts more focus on a long term plan thats trying to get the squad strong regardless of manager. For all the stuff about Maguire, hes not a prima donna. Fernandes has been an obvious revelation but VDB, Telles and Cavani all look like solid signings. Greenwood, Williams and Tuanzabe look like solid young players to bed in. You could look at the players who have left and I wouldn't be shedding any tears for any of them to be fair. It would not be so much that players are being identified by Ole, but that the recruitment strategy has changed.

This would be very encouraging regardless of whether or not they sack Ole IMO.

Zeek12

Mitch Connor wrote: »

No evidence, really, but I'd also say MP has proven himself a better manager, over his PL career, than Ole has.

The final season melt down would be a worry though - i understand it was essentially down to him not being backed to reinvigorate the squad where he felt a number of players needed to be cycled out and replaced.

That is, in all liklihood, the reality of his third, if not second, season at United.

Allegri is probably the only other possibility - as he is available. I don't see United looking to take an employed manager (Rodgers, for example)

One of the reasons I would champion Poch is that I think his Spurs side in terms of formation template, the general makeup of the squad and supposed invisioned style of play match up. I don't think going from Ole to Poch means starting all over. (As Moyes to LVG did, as LVG to Jose did, as Jose to Ole did).

Pogba did well under Allegri.... so he's clearly the guy to go for!

This in essence is where I think a lot of fans are concerned. I'm not necessarily against the idea of Poch.
But there's little point pretending (and that's even IF he would want the job) he won't have to contend with the type of lame window we just witnessed this summer. It will likely happen in his season #2.

It disintegrated badly for him at Spurs during those last few months. And there's no doubt lack of recruitment was a significant factor.

The boom & bust cycle at Utd is so predictable. New manager/short term improvements/quickly followed by poor recruitment & mismanaged transfer windows/ back to square one.
That's the cycle we're stuck in. And I guess it's here to stay.

When it all implodes on Poch (or whoever). Where to next?

Drumpot

Zeek12 wrote: »

This in essence is where I think a lot of fans are concerned. I'm not necessarily against the idea of Poch.
But there's little point pretending (and that's even IF he would want the job) he won't have to contend with the type of lame window we just witnessed this summer. It will likely happen in his season #2.

It disintegrated badly for him at Spurs during those last few months. And there's no doubt lack of recruitment was a significant factor.

The boom & bust cycle at Utd is so predictable. New manager/short term improvements/quickly followed by poor recruitment & mismanaged transfer windows/ back to square one.
That's the cycle we're stuck in. And I guess it's here to stay.

When it all implodes on Poch (or whoever). Where to next?

Woodwards wet dream :pac:

Zeek12

Drumpot wrote: »

Woodwards wet dream :pac:

God almighty, that's terrifying.

And completely BELIEVABLE! :pac:

0gac3yjefb5sv7

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No it isn't. What games are you watching the league?

Did you watch any of the previous managers. For the most part it was horrendously boring.

pjohnson

MattS1 wrote: »

Did you watch any of the previous managers. For the most part it was horrendously boring.

I guess the Arsenal fans would have enjoyed yesterday.

Man with broke phone

Poch will being the same as Ole.

The board need to change, we had Pogba McTominay and Fred all trying to do what Roy Keane or a young Kante or young Matic could do on their own.

Covering the defence and getting the ball quickly to attack when we get the ball. Bruno was covering Shaw half the time as well, again Keane or young Matic or young Kante could do this alone. We need 3 players to do this. The reason fir this is because we have bought whatevers available for a acceptable price when the accountants crunch the numbers for years now.

Fred was never a first choice for anyone, neither was old Matic, Dan James a pile of squad fillers.

That needs to change more than Ole. They need a plan, a shakeup, its like some sort of agent and accountant pool party where the managers arnt invited.

billyhead

If Poch got the job he would be backed initially in the window and than it would be back to square one with penny pinching. Ancellotti would have been ideal. We need a director of football asap.

Kenny Famous Teammate

Kenny Famous Teammate wrote: »

United dont need root and branch upheaval so IF Poch got job he'd make do with penny pinching as he did with Spurs until his final months imo. I think its vastly overstated especially by ex players in the media how many players United need tbh.

It's another defence mechanism for Ole by his colleagues and m8s on Sky

DM_7

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Poch will being the same as Ole.

The board need to change, we had Pogba McTominay and Fred all trying to do what Roy Keane or a young Kante or young Matic could do on their own.

Covering the defence and getting the ball quickly to attack when we get the ball. Bruno was covering Shaw half the time as well, again Keane or young Matic or young Kante could do this alone. We need 3 players to do this. The reason fir this is because we have bought whatevers available for a acceptable price when the accountants crunch the numbers for years now.

Fred was never a first choice for anyone, neither was old Matic, Dan James a pile of squad fillers.

That needs to change more than Ole. They need a plan, a shakeup, its like some sort of agent and accountant pool party where the managers arnt invited.

While I agree the midfield do not work at the weekend the club needs a full functioning midfield, no a single player on his own doing the heavy lifting/defending. That is exactly what caused the mess v Palace, Brighton and Spurs.

Even to limit the conversation to the more 'defensive' players. A young Kante, Keane (another Generation altogether) or Matic did not play on their own.

Kante played a more advanced role and with Drinkwater and then Matic at Chelsea. A week and a bit ago Kante was playing with Jorginho (i.e not on his own) against United.

Keane played a large part of his career with players like Butt, Neville, Fortune. Veron and Scholes in there also. David Beckham was one of the greatest midfield players in the world as he took on many of a CMs roles in a wide position in addition to his insane delivery. Giggs always got back to cover his full back.

Scholes over time played a much deeper role and often had two guys with him, from Fletcher, Carrick, Hargreaves and Giggs (as he became a CM).

Yesterday United also had players on the bench like Tuanzebe (move to back 3), Matic (play at base of midfield with Fred into number 8), Van de Beek into midfield (technical quality to play in tight spaces), Mata (see Donny) to offer variety to the play that another manager may have utilised.

United need a manager to push this side on and expecting no change by moving from a manager with little track record to one who has a stronger record due to the boards role in the team fielded yesterday seems like an overstatement of the boards failures.

Zeek12

Poch is on MNF now.

For sure the question about his next job will be asked

Rock77

Kenny Famous Teammate wrote: »

A new manager doesnt mean a rebuild! The current best 11 + 3/4 subs are good enough to get 3rd at least with a good manager.

So are you saying Ole is a good manager? Because he got 3rd last year..

I noticed someone said something similar earlier, that we have probably the 3rd best squad in the league... so we finished exactly where we should have last season. After a dreadful start to this season if we win our game in hand we are 3 points off that 3rd spot..

Is there something behind all this chat, is it a realistic prospect? Given how bad things have gotten over the last two seasons or so I've no expectation of a change, it should be made though imo.

Man with broke phone

Talon Long Penicillin wrote: »

Is there something behind all this chat, is it a realistic prospect? Given how bad things have gotten over the last two seasons or so I've no expectation of a change, it should be made though imo.

No chance, not until 4th place is mathematically impossible.

Nalz

Paul Pogba was challenged on the ball 13 times vs Arsenal. He kept possession just twice. He challenged for the ball five times. He won the ball just once.

Poor.

El Gato De Negocios

Man with broke phone wrote: »

No chance, not until 4th place is mathematically impossible.

When JM was sacked top 4 wasnt mathematically impossible was it?

A loss to Everton will put serious pressure on him, 7 points from 7 games is relegation places form.

xtal191

Talon Long Penicillin wrote: »

Is there something behind all this chat, is it a realistic prospect? Given how bad things have gotten over the last two seasons or so I've no expectation of a change, it should be made though imo.

Nah Ole is here for another while, those results against PSG and Leipzig should see him be manager for the knockouts.

Woodward wont be in any rush to sack Ole either, not a good look for him if he's hired another failure of a manager.

Man with broke phone

Man with broke phone wrote: »

No chance, not until 4th place is mathematically impossible.

Yeah I agree. I'd see either top 4 or a new manager as a positive outcome.

NITRO95

I'm absolutely baffled by the continuing defence of Ole stumbling into third last season somehow justifying his position as manager. As has been pointed out any halfway competent manager would have this Utd squad in with a shout of winning the league this season because Liverpool and City will not be matching their previous standards

Instead we will have fans justifying Ole having us in 15th because by golly if we just win 2 games and everybody else in the league loses we might have a chance of being in third again

Drumpot

Zeek12 wrote: »

Poch is on MNF now.

For sure the question about his next job will be asked

Was he asked ?

Been in bed for awhile with a migraine so couldn’t watch.

Man with broke phone

NITRO95 wrote: »

I'm absolutely baffled by the continuing defence of Ole stumbling into third last season somehow justifying his position as manager. As has been pointed out any halfway competent manager would have this Utd squad in with a shout of winning the league this season because Liverpool and City will not be matching their previous standards

Instead we will have fans justifying Ole having us in 15th because by golly if we just win 2 games and everybody else in the league loses we might have a chance of being in third again

Who is buying the players, the ire should be directed at them. Why do we have a defence with one absolute top quality defender on the right, two lads in the middle who cant work together and a left back who likes watching opposition wingers cross the ball.

Why do we need 2 dms and a pogba to protect this backline with bruno having to fall back too once our left back gets a bit tired.


If we dont do this we get cut in half on nearly every counter attack.

That leaves us with 3 attacking players, who cant get the ball from midfield without pogba or fred needing a pile of touches or swarmed because they cant get into decent space on a turn.

One of these attacking players is a kid, one is a playmaker who can be man marked because we have so few attackers.

That leaves Rashford farting about some games chasing lost causes.

We got a few good results in the last two weeks and a crap one where we conceded to a penalty.

We need some sort of recruitment policy that doesnt involve hanging about the marketplace and seeing whats for sale at a price where jealous poor clubs wont slag us.


Will Pochs magic coaching teach Fred after 20 odd years of life not to bash the ball off his ankles three times before he gets a square pass under control, will it get our bench full of centre backs fit? Will it make Fernandes invisible.

We got overrun a few weeks ago, ole completely changed tactics and made us solid, we had a few good results and a bad one where we lost to a penalty and suddenly Ole has no tactics, doesnt know what a football is, all his backroom staff are just barbers and Poch will sort it like he sorted , Kane Delle Alli, Son, Dier Erickson, Lloris, Walker et all.

Man with broke phone

Kenny Famous Teammate wrote: »

Errr you couldnt have picked any better players for spurs? Alli was one of the best players in the prem under Poch. Im not saying hes a messiah but hes a huge upgrade. Anyway its Man United (!) they have the pick of the bunch outside of pool/city bosses, poch isnt the only answer .

Id rather Rodgers than Poch but there is also 20 other options Id rather than Poch.

Whatsisname

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Id rather Rodgers than Poch but there is also 20 other options Id rather than Poch.

I’d be eager to hear these 20 other options.

Zeek12

Drumpot wrote: »

Was he asked ?

Been in bed for awhile with a migraine so couldn’t watch.

Not so far.

Weepsie

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Id rather Rodgers than Poch but there is also 20 other options Id rather than Poch.

I'd take Poch every time over Rodgers. Problem is, some of our players wouldn't. They've shown a few times that they don't like strict, discplined game plans (LvG, Jose) and would really need to work on fitness.

You go with Poch and you need a min of 3 years and a guarantee of 2-3 players a window should he need it. But that won't happen.

I think Pogbas head would explode if asked to play with the intensity Poch would like.


Rodgers had a great season at Liverpool carried by Suarez. Deserves credit for what he did at Swansea but he also was carrying on stellar work by his 2 predecessors and at leicester, a lot of that squad is the result of Claude Puel's youth oriented focus.

Rock77

NITRO95 wrote: »

I'm absolutely baffled by the continuing defence of Ole stumbling into third last season somehow justifying his position as manager. As has been pointed out any halfway competent manager would have this Utd squad in with a shout of winning the league this season because Liverpool and City will not be matching their previous standards

Instead we will have fans justifying Ole having us in 15th because by golly if we just win 2 games and everybody else in the league loses we might have a chance of being in third again

That’s not even close to what was pointed out though is it? What was pointed out by more than 1 poster was that we have the 3rd best squad in the league and that a good manager would get us 3rd..

I then pointed out we got 3rd last year, we are 6 points off 3rd with a game in hand this year. We are also only 6 games in.

Now I know how poor we are and how poor the players and manager can be but only a couple of weeks ago there were people in here telling me we would challenge Liverpool, a draw and a 1-0 loss later and it’s sack the manager before we get relegated!

Man with broke phone

Whatsisname wrote: »

I’d be eager to hear these 20 other options.

Ole, Moyes, Jose, Van Gaal, Raneiri, Rodgers, Simone, yer man at Wolves, Pelligrini Mancini, Unai Emery seems to do decent, arsenal might say otherwise, Sarri, Allegri, Conte, off the top of my head who might be attainable, (well maybe not Jose)

Yep I know I named the last 4 united managers who Id rather than Poch.

Lord TSC

Moyes better than Poch.

Sure, sure.....

Man with broke phone

Lord TSC wrote: »

Moyes better than Poch.

Sure, sure.....

Recently beat Leicester comprehensively, came back from 3 goals down against spurs with some smart subs, drew against Pep and would have been on the way to beating Liverpool only for a brainfart from his centre half. He did all this with west ham and missing his best player for some of it.

We could go back through his career apart from the time he was shat on by Woodward.

Backstreet Moyes

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Ole, Moyes, Jose, Van Gaal, Raneiri, Rodgers, Simone, yer man at Wolves, Pelligrini Mancini, Unai Emery seems to do decent, arsenal might say otherwise, Sarri, Allegri, Conte, off the top of my head who might be attainable, (well maybe not Jose)

Yep I know I named the last 4 united managers who Id rather than Poch.

I hope this is some attempt at humour jesus Moyes and Ole

Ole wont get another premier league job once he is sacked he will be back to Norway

El Gato De Negocios

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Ole, Moyes, Jose, Van Gaal, Raneiri, Rodgers, Simone, yer man at Wolves, Pelligrini Mancini, Unai Emery seems to do decent, arsenal might say otherwise, Sarri, Allegri, Conte, off the top of my head who might be attainable, (well maybe not Jose)

Yep I know I named the last 4 united managers who Id rather than Poch.

Man with broke phone

Nuts102 wrote: »

I hope this is some attempt at humour jesus Moyes and Ole

Ole wont get another premier league job once he is sacked he will be back to Norway

Nobodies queing up to give Poch a job either, havnt you noticed?

El Gato De Negocios

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Nobodies queing up to give Poch a job either, havnt you noticed?

How do you know he hasn't been sounded out by clubs?

In any case, there hasn't been much managerial churn since he lost his job so the fact he hasn't taken/gotten a job is a pretty crappy stick to beat him with.

In other news, I see Fulham have gained some ground on us. Peachy.

Weepsie

Nuts102 wrote: »

I hope this is some attempt at humour jesus Moyes and Ole

Ole wont get another premier league job once he is sacked he will be back to Norway

I'd take Moyes over Ole personally, but not over poch.

Moyes left to his own devices can mould a team to do particular job and do it successfully.

The more that drips out, the more it's apparent that the likes of Giggs and some ex players (hoping he doesn't get considered) and a few seemed to do their best to undermine Moyes.

It was always an impossible task for him, or anyone really, but other than the wholesale change he made to the backroom team an awful lot out of his control just went tits up

Man with broke phone

El Gato De Negocios wrote: »

How do you know he hasn't been sounded out by clubs?

In any case, there hasn't been much managerial churn since he lost his job so the fact he hasn't taken/gotten a job is a pretty crappy stick to beat him with.

In other news, I see Fulham have gained some ground on us. Peachy.

Another great result from Rodgers too. Really has shown he can work miracles with what he has been given, exactly what we seem to need with woodward in charge.

El Gato De Negocios

Man with broke phone wrote: »

Another great result from Rodgers too. Really has shown he can work miracles with what he has been given, exactly what we seem to need with woodward in charge.

Leicester is Rodgers level.

When Suarez left lfc he was found out.

He did the minimum expected with Celtic.

Leicester were in pole position last year and they completely capitulated.

Thanks but no thanks, if it was him or Ole I'd leave ole where he is.

Sand

I'm not sure the squad is easily third best in the league. I'm not sure how people are making that judgement.

Its very imbalanced. There are no natural wingers, with the exception of Dan James who isnt good enough for the PL. There is just two attacking full backs, Telles (only 1 game played) and Dalot (apparently not wanted). The central midfield options are severely limited, being Matic (a backup only), Fred and McTominay who play better without the ball rather with it. The goalkeeper is broadly speaking excellent, and the defense is serviceable but gets cut to shreds if there isn't two midfielders sitting in front of them at all times.

The team is stacked in terms of forwards (Martial, Rashford, Cavani, Greenwood) and stacked in terms of central attacking midfielders (Fernandes, Pogba, VDB).

Taking all that into account, Ole and fans alike are tempted to try come up with formations that can work with 3-4 strikers and 2-3 attacking midfielders. Square pegs into round holes. Sometimes it comes off gloriously, other times it doesn't. I think its fair to say there is some excellent individual players, but you can only field 11 players at the end of the day. As a squad I don't think its great when it's Dan James and a 19 year old striker on each wing.

Ole may not be getting the best of out of the squad, but any manager who comes in is going to face the same lack of width and the same lack of a functioning midfield because the squad simply doesn't have those players. The failure to identify these gaps, and/or the failure to close them is institutional.