The College Dropout

Aye.

If we have another European campaign next season, we need another first-choice CB option next season. Our 3rd CB option is a stop-gap. That's fine without European football but not at this level of competition.

If we play Liverpool in the final - we are 100% losing. If we are to go through, we must win at either Dortmund or Paris. To finish 3rd we probably need a point from one of those. The map I saw for our progression was draw in Milan or Dortmund, win all the home games. Now that's gone we need a big result on the road.

Sunday is still fairly bleak in the UK, even in London. There's so much more going on in Milan or Barcelona on a Sunday.

I think ETH should get more out of that squad tbw

They struggled with playing out from the back under a significant press at Madrid. Varane particularly. Madrid would drop Kroos at DM to build from deep frequently. Also RM are the most pragmatic elite team. They've been replaced at RM with technically superior players.

That would put us 3rd right? We got 6 points from Spurs. 4 from Man U. That was massive. We would do brilliantly to get 6 points from Spurs again. Any less and they overtake us in that comparison.

I agree with this. But also, they've bought the likes of Varane & Casemiro, who aren't ideally suited to that style. And then they can't keep the squad fit enough to give it a go. I don't think they've started a single game with their ideal back 5.

He did that Bruno at RW last season a few times too.

@Froggy he makes a lot of baffling decisions.

Wilson's hold-up play has been poor in recent weeks. But boy is he a fox in the box! Can't complain.

And not a big money transfer. The media would have to give him and Howe credit.

Burn's no longer 3rd choice CB and probably shouldn't be considered one. We need another genuine first choice CB. All top teams usually have at least 3. Lascelles as 4.

Lascelles isn't a clean tackler and generally doesn't move his feet well. Schar can anticipate a slide tackle 2 or 3 beats away from actually needing to do it so he's in the right position. Lascelles is forever trying to sort his legs out. They swapped sides towards the end too.

Pope Livra Lascelles Dummett Targett = pretty good Willock Someone Hall = not the worst Someone Someone Ritchie = throwing it Edit: I wouldn't even start Almiron either.

Aye. And I would throw the game.

We have such a thin sqaud atm. Any proper rotation is akin to throwing it. There's probably only 3 rotations we could make that gives us a proper chance of winning.

The kids. Any kids. The main boys need a rest. And it shouldn't come in the CL or PL.

I like how proactive ETH is sometimes tactically. But he’s shooting at 20%

He’s right. No football club owner worth their salt should sanction 80m for Antony. There’s zero excuses for that. No way did he look a £80m player or one with that potential. Yeh that’s ETH bad as well but he’s the head coach and shouldn’t be in charge of transfers. For all I question some of our managements strategies and decision making. They don’t panic. Our decisions are strategic that fit a long term vision. I might not agree with all of the choices but the decision making has decent logic. Man U don’t do that. If you told Eddie he needed to finish in the CL or EL Spot this season, no excuses and you can buy who you want. I don’t think he spends £70m on Libra and Hall. But we have a plan from the top and Eddie doesn’t dictate it.

With fitness and less injuries we probably win both. As a CL level team that comes with the territory. And we need to be better at defending leads with tired legs. IMO that means having a functional compact mid to low block. And/or being more comfortable keeping possession for possessions sake. Thats where having Bruno & Tonali would’ve been great.

I would rest Trips, Schar, Burn, Bruno, Longstaff, Almiron, Wilson, Gordon.

Our out of possession play - particularly away from home - is sketchy. There’s a lot of space behind the midfield and in wide areas.

ETH is a typical Dutchmen with no ability to galvanise a squad and a fanbase. Hes publicly fallen out with Cristiano, Maguire and Sancho. The squad doesn’t need that type of drama. Ole was not a coach or a tactician. But for a long time he managed to get (nearly) everyone at the club to pull in the same direction. That’s an under rated skill in management. Eddie has it.

Longstaff is always diving these days. When he doesn’t know where to go he’ll just fall down.