Sibierski

Benfica and PSV results highlight how fortunate we are to have them at home. If we beat Barcelona, we should be looking at 12 points from home games.

BFG was Mertsacker so we can avoid that.

Catch 22 though. 2027 contract ends and he's playing the best football he's ever played still at 30 going on 31. He's in an absolute prime position to cash in on a 3 or 4 year deal somewhere on solid wages for his final contract. Do we give him that? Or do we take a final transfer value and accept we've had the best out of him, where year he could be good for one more season but then the following 2/3 it's a big drop off and you've got the wages saddled. We're still in a percarious postion where we can't afford to write off high wages unlike the cartel 6.

GK situation will be a big call. Pope has started the season as the Pope we all want, commanding, reassuring and we know his limitations with kicking. But he will be 34 end of the season and if he keeps this form up going into new year, will be wanting to use it as leverage to get that last big prem deal. Which would be solid wages on 2 year deal (minimum). Do we then give him that bearing in mind he could be number 2? Give him that and keep him as defacto number 1? Then with Ramsdale, if he's barely played, do we then spend £20m+ on making him permanent? Again, on solid wages and as a number 2? Think if Pope doesn't get injured, we will give him a new deal and keep our options open for a long term GK. Not convinced we will drop £20m+ on Ramsdale if he's not been able to dislodge Pope by end of season. Quite a few big calls next summer on players. Trippier, Schar, Murphy and Barnes all for different reasons (age, depth, last peak transfer value).

Also (famous last words) the stadium wouldn’t be a generic bowl either, would be something unique with a silly amount of executive boxes and surrounding infrastructure, all which Tom Dick Stadium doesn’t has.

Wouldn’t have a clue who they go for next as it depends who is calling the shots. If Amorim goes, Berrada should follow with him as it was his go and his decision. Wilcox get a say, you assume it will be prem based. Glasner and Iraola will be the guys as both have one year deals left. Think for Iraola though, he could and should be next Man City manager, so it depends if Man City have sourced him out already. You only get one shot at the top club in Prem, so Iraola would be wise to stay away from Man Utd. Ratcliffe gets to pick the manager, could be another named guy. Tuchel would be a strong contender with an interim up to end of season.

The man has been gagging for the sack for many months now. Keeps goading the board into “I’m not changing my tactics, if the club want too they need to sack me”. Mentioned it before, but they’ve spent a lot (and taken losses) on getting rid of a supposedly toxic culture, but longer Amorim stays a new one will be developed. You don’t develop a happy culture when after 30+ prem games you have a 25% win percentage. Probably could if you was taking over a club that was on a 10% win, but he was taking over a club that was top 6 and expected to be pushing for UCL.

He could start against PSG. All of PSG attacks will be looking for the pace behind, and Thaiw is quickest CB.

With Moyes, they appointed him and didn’t back him. Expected to still be pushing top 3 with an aging squad on back of an all time manager. Jose was the choice they should’ve went at that point. They then signed a bunch of established stars after Moyes, went LVG who wanted to play possession football which they wasn’t ready for. Sacked him then went Jose, but then at that point, started to move away from established stars which made little sense and then that ended. OGS then in, and guess what, back to established stars That ends badly and it’s ETH and move away to passing. Goes poorly, so then get the next in thing in Europe but then in summer target prem based players without a prem based focus manager. Way they go, they’ll sack Amorim, get a premier league based manager then flop to signing players from Europe that are not cut out for Prem like the Ugartes etc.

He’s still their best and most influential player (when not played deep), so couldn’t really afford too especially when more of the leaders in Maguire/Casemiro/Shaw will all be off in 2026. Their shit signings year on year costing them in that sense.

Mbeumo is good. Hopefully he wants to get out of Man Utd in summer if they don’t get Europe and a top European side is interested. Can’t be wasting prime years on this shit like Fernandes has done.

Classic Haaland that.

Taking a loss on Hojlund just to spend £75m on Sesko sums Man Utd up. Hope the money issues finally catches them up.

DNA of club. Nah, fucking rank shit.

Fully confident we’ll do a job on them, with Gordon and Elanga direct with runs behind exploiting their high line. Whether we cash in and score those is a concern for me. Our biggest issue will be Barcelona getting space behind our CM and in front of our defence if we sit off, that’s always our weakness. Lively atmosphere, get ahead and win 3-1.

Oh yea, damage is done. Just was laying out what we could be looking at wise. Hopefully we can get through the period and he’s back firing at the buisness end which we didn’t have last season.

Willock and Elanga were non existent by large as we were just sitting deep and had little intention of wanting to keep boring possession last 15, but then when it went to Osula, he never held it up. Was it also him that had the ball when we did break in final 10 and it was like 4 on 3? And he just ran into the defender in front of him / passed it straight to the defender? Couldn’t properly who had the ball on that attack as was down opposite end.

6 Weeks would take him to Fulham game on 27th October at best. And then his fitness could be way off, and need increasing to avoid any muscle injuries. Which you could argue is reduced game play over the 4 games up to the November internationals. We then hopefully get 7 strong games from him up to he goes to ACON after the Derby, and in new year when it’s all done, he’s fully firing and rest if history.

Hopefully they’ve realised his groin is fucked and needs surgery

We should get Josh Murphy for LW. Be unstoppable.

ACON. He’ll be back for a few games before this, then he’s off there. Unless DRC bomb out in groups, he’s probably then not back until Wolves away on 17th Jan.

Strange he didn’t get 30 today, as both full backs were done physicality wise. We do miss him in our build up from back as Trippier is not the same level anymore, so more of our balls are going long or it has to be through Bruno / Tonali. Guess with it being a more serious injury then we was told at the start, and him being young, it’s the longer term picture being taken here with his reintroduction.

Come on David, prime sponsorship space here being missed behind Nick. Get some on the ceiling.

Wissa potentially missing like 15 matches up to mid January means we’ve got to watch this guy up front He was poor yesterday. Just doesn’t hold ball up and gives fouls away that’s not needed. Tolerable out wide, but not central. Think Gordon will always be ahead of him down the middle.

Will take any ‘knee injury’ and weeks with a massive pinch of salt until I see him back on the pitch.