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Abra Dubravka

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Everything posted by Abra Dubravka

  1. For a good while they were a Eufa Cup/Europa League side under Ramos, Jol, AVB etc. then, like I say Poch gelled a group of players to hit career peaks (Walker aside...), and they still only finished 3rd in a two horse title challenge. By the time they got the CL final, that group were on the wane - the side that finished 3rd I think was better than the team that lost to Liverpool in the CL. Kane hitting 30+, Alli scoring, Walker/Rose bombing on, Vert/Toby being best CB partnership in league for good two year, an un-tackleable Dembele.... Levy's hanging is hat on achievements that are really isolated, what Poch gave him when everything worked - real 110% stuff, but still their glass ceiling was CL qualification. If you take a step back - someone has to finish 6th, that's Spurs. Levy's running that club into the ground through his maniacal-Napolean-syndrome attack at Spurs' natural glass ceiling by trying to continue to attack said ceiling with tooth picks made from pound notes. Don't think he's daft enough to run it into the ground ala Leeds - but there is something rotten to the core there. Heard the term culture used a lot lately, but whatever 'culture' Poch instilled when he was there turned sour before he left, and is festering. Could see that dressing room was too fucked/stupid/not arsed to by into what Mourinho wanted - and who ever is signing players there, what have Fernandes, Bergweijn done - highly doubt they were top of Mourinho's list of improvements needed for that side. Conte is going to be the same as Mourinho, probably even more brutal and to the point. Jose obviously tried to implement change, and can imagine Levy took exception to how the running of the club is being dealt. Trouble for Levy is now, Spurs need Conte more than Conte needs Spurs - balance of power, and energy in that club is fucked as soon as they booted Jose.
  2. Disrespectful through the wording of whatever that muppet was trying to ask. Would have loved to see roll extended there and Shelvey properly put him in his place. Don't know the lad, but strikes me as type of character that sort of would worry about shit said on social media, and probably has/does affect him. Whatever interview I've ever seen him do is when he's at start of his next 'redemption cycle', out to prove critics wrong etc. Does seem a pretty reserved, decent enough lad though - remember somewhere reading years and years ago that the shit he got from his alopecia when he was younger was tough for him. End of the day, there must be some reason why he's never responded to the carrot or stick when he's been given both by every manager he's ever played under since leaving Chalton at 17.
  3. Levy, and whoever else has been running Spurs has royally fucked the platform Poch and that group of players elevated the club too since leaving WHL. In football, as we've seen past 13 years, shit flows back to the top. Levy and Spurs hit their glass ceiling under Poch - their sporting cycle, that generational team of players (Lloris, Rose, Walker, Toby, Dembele, Alli, Kane) peaked to become a fantastic side, but even at their best they were never best in class. Something proper broken in that Spurs' dressing room/squad/group. Could see it throughout that Amazon documentary - seemed like Mourinho was talking to a brick wall half the time. In-fighting, even Dier marching into stands (appreciate circumstance), but just hard to imagine that in Guardiola/Klopp dressing rooms - the two teams Tottenham have to finish above to ever win anything anytime soon. Conte's top tier, but it's a dream to think he can 'achieve' anything there; I say 'achieve', as now I feel, because of aforementioned level Poch elevated them to, media and now a large portion of Spurs fans now believe they should be challenging at the top of the table, and going into every game winning it. No signing that Levy has made for a long, long while has come into that side and been a flying success, or really elevated that side. Son is only name I can think off going back as far as when Poch first came in there, going back further your looking at Eriksen/Lamela/Dembele/Vertonghen/Lloris which is years ago now. Around Spurs now, there is an air of expectancy - something that was often levelled at our fanbase - but whilst we never actually expected CL football, a good majority along with London based media do expect that from Spurs now. It baffles me, as I think that mentality and levels of expectancy are built on sand. Strip back their incredible stadium, A list appointments in Jose/Conte, they've a CL final and coming 3rd in a two horse title race to Leicester since winning the league cup in 2009 - before that 1991. Someone has to finish 6th in the table. Delusions of gradure. Love to see it though, that odious gremlin Levy! Enjoyed Lampard's quip with Neville - "Favourite ground to play at? - '3 point Lane"
  4. Some sort of Intertoto/Europa League love child.
  5. Agreed, arm round the shoulder was used more turn of phrase on my part there. Howe will no doubt, like you say demanding performances and application from him. Hopefully it does click for him, not many players in the league have the technique in passing range he does, but just think it's come 3/4 years too late for him. He looked finally what we always thought under Rafa 17/18, playing in a two, but he let himself slide again. Years on now, he's physically gone I think, and has never in his career had any sense positionally in defensive transition. Any side in league should be looking at isolating that space behind him, and be running at our defence. Countless goals have come that route under Bruce, that will always be a weakness even under Howe He's better than what we ever saw him with Bruce and Bruceball, but it does speak to him and many other players they have it within themselves to be that consistently shit for over 3 season.
  6. Happy to be proven wrong, but I'm dubious to think he's a reformed character or should have a future here beyond this season. Fantastic performance last out, and hope it continues but... Howe is not the first to throw an arm round his shoulder and publicly tell him how talented he is. Monk, Laudrup, Rodgers, and even Rafa all offered him the world, before he eventually let down by him. Bournemouth's last season up, remember Howe constantly playing Phil Billing, and whenever I watched them he was just treading water, immobile and being run ragged in midfield. Shelvey has always had ability, if we can get him focused that will raise performances, but he's physically and defensivly always going to let us down.
  7. Highlighted has become the definition of success for those that own Man United - and, rightfully fans hate it. Signing Ronaldo did more for Glazer's share price, and shirt sales than it did for OGS' dressing room, let alone plan of how to play. Man City, in the last 10 years have been a football club built to win on the pitch first, and the rest comes second. Chelsea, Liverpool have found right balance in last 5 years. All the while Man United blow everyone into the dirt commercially, but fail time and time again when it comes to the sporting aspect of running a football club. Ashley wasn't arsed if we finished 17th or 13th - Glazer's aren't arsed if Man United finish 2nd or 7th as long as it doesn't hurt their bottom line. Principally I can see they are of the same mould Ashley was of. Manchester United are an advertising/brand vehicle now rather than being best of class. That's why I say, they are the first club of their size to give up on sporting venture. No longer being best on pitch is the driving factor. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter, Milan, Liverpool - historically European football's giants; not own of those clubs, through whatever strife has ever given up the pursuit of being the best they can be on the pitch. Man United letting this season slide, interim - loaning OGS as an interim those years ago - tells me people who really run MU don't give a shit what happens on pitch as long as the club is making them money. Like I say, Mike Ashley's wet dream.
  8. Undr The Cosh Podcast worth a listen this week - Ben Turner - from 10mins on.... Michael McIndoe running a pyramid schemes.
  9. Glazer's situation with Man U is Ashley's wet dream. As long as sponsors role in, and fluff up the 'value' of Manchester United, finishing 2nd or 7th no longer matters. Lifting trophies, winning no longer matters. Winning and being a 'champion' can now be defined by a VAR decision; Glazer's see beyond that, just money. It's the same principles Ashley drained the life out of us on.
  10. I get the impression that he couldn't give a toss if a manager tries to reign him in. Loves football, and enjoys playing his game too much to be reigned in by donkeys like Bruce; that being said I think Bruce realised the ASM situation and milked it like fuck. Him now with Howe reminds me Conte 15/16 with Hazard, and I hope it's this situation - not just with ASM, but with whole squad - ASM, don't care what you do with the ball going forward, but without the ball, eat grass and be part of a team defending.
  11. I think you're the one making it weird. I think it's quite clear the comparison, Ashley drained us for 15 years. Can understand MU fans voicing complaints that Glazer's are killing their club; Ronaldo signs in summer, they sell shares - when they drop too low, they finally sack OGS. Man U fans will always cry back to their culture, SAF; but it's never coming back. Man United won't win the league for another 10 years, but Glazer's will continue to drain money. It doesn't matter anymore if MU win the league, or finish 7th - as long as Glazer's protect their share price; that's principally Ashley's view point with us - as long as we stay up mentality. Owners having that approach to any club rips the soul from what truly means to support a club, and eventually destroys that 'football club' - don't care if it's us, Man United, Blackpool, Wimbledon, Bury, Charlton, list is endless... It's arrogant now to say; but I'm so pleased we've got the takeover, and now have 'fuck you money'. *sigh of relief* Interim manager is totally tin pot, let's not forget...
  12. All very tin-pot this 'interim' notion. Got OGS on a loan from Molde to begin with, fuck sake - who gets a manager in on loan. Richest club in world, aye well done. Hate to sight Simon Jordan as a spectrum of sense; Manchester United are being run as a business, and solely that - no sporting adventure at all - principally the same with Ashley and us. Man United's share price was so low going into Watford game, coming out off it with that result without sacking OGS would have cost MU hundreds of millions. OGS needed to be sacked to stabilise the market price of 'Manchester United'. If he wasn't sacked, when market opened Monday 'Manchester United' would have seen their value drop by hundreds of millions. It would have cost Glazer's money. As funny as it is to see Man U be fucking awful, and long may it continue; it's fare to say they are the first in football club in history that winning games, winning trophies actually doesn't matter; success for Manchester United is now defined at the boardroom level, not on the pitch. For that above reasoning I can feel for fans of that club; we had our soul ripped out by Ashley. It's no wonder those fans got a game stopped not ago. All I can say is, thank fuck we're now inside the tent pissing out...
  13. Aye, and like we all know with Ashley, Charnley and public relations - even if it did suit Ashley's interests he'd screw it up. Awful idea to to start with, but when you think about it, it's laughable how badly it was carried through... National media never actually caught on to it, probably was never even released to 'London media' types to even have a laugh at - Adrian Talk Sport Wanker - so never returned the attention/money that Ashley/Charnley/Bishop thought it would have. Because offices of social media under Ashley we're covered in dust, no social media hype could be achieved from it either. Probably Mike being pissed up with an idea that mini-me Charnley had to follow through with. Some poor kid has born the brunt of human trafficking, and spent last 18 months freezing his arse off kicking a ball round with the U23's.
  14. Always have the mental image of him never really overlapping, but instead just hustling back and forth - progressively more and more anxious the closer he got towards oppositions goal, but just swinging deep crosses to far post for likes of Ferguson/Campbell/McBride/Radzinski/Cahill to thunder home a header from. Fundamental, peak Moyes-ball for a good ten years, until Mikel Arteta came along and twisted Moyes' melon - probably the defining point in that creatures career, Arteta coming into that Everton side and forcing Moyes to redefining it. All jokes aside, he had a great career - understudy to Steve Watson for five years.
  15. OGS was never a Premier League manager, and was never being linked with jobs since whimpering back to Molde after relegating Cardiff. Similarly, Bruce was never a Premier League manager. He was finished at PL by time Ashley throw him a bone, he was finished at PL by time he took Villa job, let alone failing there and pitching up at Sheff Wed. We can all see that; fans off all above clubs mentioned can see and appreciate this - but it's far too candid of an opinion for media to be pushing, especially considering the best-buds nature between Bruce and seemingly everyone aside from Stan Collymore. End of the day, Bruce will never be interim at Man United. That being said, it's hilarious seeing the levels of Emperor's New Clothes with him even being linked by the loon Sol Campbell - everyone knows he's a bag of shit as a manager, and always has been; but you can't go round saying it unless he's had the misfortune of managing your club - especially if he's a media darling, and club legend.
  16. It's from last week - video title says 'first week training'...
  17. Aye, that was the place! Out of interest where would you rank them?
  18. Can quite easily do that with midfield as well, comes out just as depressing.
  19. Can see Man U faffing around for a few weeks and just giving it to Carrick/McKenna until end of season. Bit tin-pot to to just write off a season less than 1/3 of a way through going down the interim route. Still numerically in hunt for Top 4 and still in CL. Looking round Man U forum seems to be good consensus that there is a unfounded investment bordering on fetish into the Carrick McKenna duo, and that they are just to blame as OGS ever was; also that the football and results fell off a cliff under Mourinho when Rui Faria left and Carrick was forced onto Mourinho. Thread going round on their forum rating their post Fergie managers - Mourinho seems to come out best, and most having OGS bottom, even below Moyes! Mainly based on sheer amount of money spent against lack of winning anything at all. Video going round on Sky Sports News YT that goes through some 'highlights' of OGS - hilarious they included first back-to-back 'top 3' finishes since SAF left.
  20. Yeah, I've not brought the 'steadying the ship' line, or the fact he's changed the 'culture' of the club as something vaguely important. Any perceived achievements, progress or steadying that OGS has made is only is valid when put against how much Neville and the Man U media totally hated Mourinho. Their in no better place than when Mourinho left really - aye, miles away from title this season, no real hope of getting to later stages of CL. Difference is that OGS has been given everything transfer wise he could ever want, yet Man U still giving us crap that they couldn't do all the business in one window and couldn't get a CM. In my opinion Mourinho would be getting far more out of this squad - Varane, Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo, even McTominay looked better under Jose in his first season in first team!
  21. Think Zidane is the real deal as a manager to be honest, personally think he'd be best appointment Man U could make - superior to Poch, Ten Haag in my opinion. However cliche and cringeworthy Neville bleating on about 'culture', end of the day he is right. There is a certain fabric that clubs like Madrid, Barcelona, Man U have that can't be removed, and will always dictate how a manager fares. Zidane seems like he'd be a good fit for me. Exactly what's highlighted for me - not everyone has to be a Pep; and by his own admission he's nothing without top players. Video on YT of Zidane's talk at half time in their CL final against Juventus. Can tell he has an authority that the players respect - just seems to have it. Outlines some simple instructions to them, but it's obvious he's set up the team correctly, can motivate them, tactically sound enough - coupled with having great players he's successful. Polar opposite to what you saw Mourinho in the Spurs doc where that was never a right fit. Can't really describe more than saying certain manager-club dynamics just seem right - Klopp at Liverpool, even from start, Pep at City, Mourinho and Chelsea, Zidane Real Madrid, Robson with us; same token some seem totally wrong fit - Nuno Spurs, Mourinho Spurs, Moyes/Van Gaal/Mourinho at Man U, Benitez at Everton
  22. No doubt about it; having Toney, Armstrong and Mbabu in the squad this year and last would improve us no doubt, but you can't think they'd be the same players they are now even if they were afforded a chance. They've all left the club, and made something out of their careers and pushed on. Especially forwards like Toney and Armstrong progressed and developed by being their sides main men from the off. Neither were at the level to be starting ahead of Gayle, Mitro, Perez or Murphy in Championship, let alone starting in PL. Rafa had to make do with Joselu, but even he was more fitting in Rafa's eyes to be trusted with minutes. Coming off the bench, and being fed to the wolves would have never made Toney or Armstrong the players they are now. Turning it up a notch, Chelsea can have the same gripe about KDB, Salah, Lukaku and even Cuardrado leaving the club; but all needed to leave, play games to progress their careers and develop into the players they became. Remember Mourinho talking about KDB coming to him saying he wants to play, and forced himself a move to Wolfsburg.
  23. Watching City Everton game back, Neville and Redknapp can't stop themselves from giving Rafa and Newcastle by extension shit for not going toe-to-toe with one of best footballing sides in the world. Before games even kicked off the commentator is saying about Rafa's game against City that we lost 1-0, Neville piping up 'anti-football' - all conveniently forgetting the time when we actually beat them! Half time Redknapp's moaning on that Newcastle fans might accept sitting off City, but Everton fans won't; totally ignoring the pittance and lack of quality Rafa had to work with us, and fact that Everton have a £50M striker up front, £30M odd winger brought off the bench and god knows however £100s of millions spent on the squad.
  24. Bored of hearing the term 'culture' today.
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