Ball, Ball, Ball - Footy, Footy, Footy: 2018/2019

[Utter Shit]

Is Levy going to dip his unfeasibly large balls into the transfer market now that Spurs are in a genuine INJURY CRISIS? They're still getting top 4 regardless so probably not ey.

Son usually deputises well in Kane's absence but he's off swanning about in the Orient so are they gonna have to play old man Llorente?

Probably a mix of Lamela, Moura and Llorente depending on the opposition I would guess. Troy Parrott was called up from the youth team for a game before Christmas so I suppose there's an outside chance he might make the bench at some point, probably not though as he's only 16.

Re. Sunday - at what point does "Haha United are going to end up having to give Solskjaer the job" become "actually he might be the right man"? United were maybe fortunate to get the win - as good as De Gea was, I wouldn't expect Alli and Kane to waste that many chances again - but that first half was about as clear-cut a tactical victory over us as I can remember seeing against us in the Pochettino era. Playing with wide attackers pushed right up, with Lingard dropping back beyond what you could even reasonably call a false nine position to hassle our midfield, meant we couldn't really get our rhythm and nullified our full backs to an extent, with Sissoko and someone (Eriksen) having to cover them constantly.

I've no idea if Solskjaer is actually a fantastic manager or is just riding a wave of positivity, but at the moment he looks the real deal. A lot of Spurs fans are making this point in a jokey, "hands off Poch" sort of way, and obviously I hope Solskjaer gets it instead of Pochettino, but I have been so impressed so far and increasingly he seems like a proper manager rather than a gesture.

That said, I'm not sure why there is so much discussion of whether he should get the job or not - everyone knows it's too early to judge, and there's no rush for United to make a decision, so it's a pointless thing to argue.

[DrGreggles]

at what point does "Haha United are going to end up having to give Solskjaer the job" become "actually he might be the right man"?

Man U have benefited from a handy run of fixtures and playing without any pressure.
The former is the reason they got rid of Mourinho when they did (as he could easily have won those games since, at which point sacking a manager becomes impossible), and the latter is a result of their collective shitness in the first half of the season. Even under Jose they were 6th and unlikely to go any lower.
The real tests for Solskjaer will be when they do have a pressure game, but the good results and performances will breed confidence ahead of the CL and challenging for the top 4.
The dark cloud has definitely lifted though since the wicked witch died.

[lankyguy95]

Solksjaer's riding the wave that other temporary managers ride when they take over from a more tactical coach - he's taken them off the leash in the same way that Sherwood did with Spurs after Villas Boas and at Villa after Lambert. Players who felt restricted and had lost confidence are suddenly given freedom to play their natural game and the team feels liberated by that. After a while, that feeling goes away, other teams get wise to it and it becomes about the coach's actual ideas and how he can communicate them. Spurs realised that with Sherwood and pressed on with getting Pochettino in. Villa didn't and suffered the consequences. A similar thing happened with Liverpool when Dalglish took over from Hodgson - there was an injection of energy and freedom for the last part of that season which then dissipated in his full season afterwards.

Solksjaer might be a good coach - although by all accounts, he certainly didn't show that at Cardiff - but appointing him permanently with these results in mind is a huge risk. It would also be another short term decision from United who have made far too many of them since Ferguson left.

[DrGreggles]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/jan/15/david-squires-on-football-spying-and-neil-warnock-brexit-thoughts

[Chollis]

Cech announces his retirement!

[The Culture Bunker]

The former is the reason they got rid of Mourinho when they did (as he could easily have won those games since, at which point sacking a manager becomes impossible),

Didn't see much of United in 2018, I take it?

[DrGreggles]

Newcastle scored in the 3rd minute of injury time at the end of the first half of extra time, then again in the first minute after the restart.
This confused BT Sport, whose notifications showed that they scored their 3rd goal (108 minutes) after their 4th (106 minutes).

[phantom_power]

Solksjaer's riding the wave that other temporary managers ride when they take over from a more tactical coach - he's taken them off the leash in the same way that Sherwood did with Spurs after Villas Boas and at Villa after Lambert.
[/quote

I think he is quite a tactical coach. The game against Spurs goes to prove that to a degree. He has certainly done more than just say "go out there and enjoy it lads". It is definitely true that it is too early to say if he would make good long term appointment but no-one is seriously suggesting that decision be made soon anyway

[DrGreggles]

Solksjaer's riding the wave that other temporary managers ride when they take over from a more tactical coach - he's taken them off the leash in the same way that Sherwood did with Spurs after Villas Boas and at Villa after Lambert.
[/quote

I think he is quite a tactical coach. The game against Spurs goes to prove that to a degree. He has certainly done more than just say "go out there and enjoy it lads". It is definitely true that it is too early to say if he would make good long term appointment but no-one is seriously suggesting that decision be made soon anyway

Not sure the win against Tottenham was the mark of a master tactician.
Unless the tactics were "let's hope Spurs keep shooting straight at the keeper".

[phantom_power]

Well Pochettino changed his tactics at half time and nullified the threat. In the first half United dominated the game. In the second it was a bit more even and both sides could have had a hatful. Even a master tactician couldn't overcome the limitations of the United defence at the moment and Spurs are a very good attacking team

[Blinder Data]

BIELSA GONE

[Ferris]

BIELSA GONE

...but why? Leeds are doing well

[The Culture Bunker]

Spurs are a very good attacking team

Possibly less so at the moment, with Son away and Kane having been done by Phil Jones - the big Cheat McTurncoat.

[BlodwynPig]

...but why? Leeds are doing well

Spy games?

[Blinder Data]

...but why? Leeds are doing well

I spoke too soon. It seems the impromptu press conference was just to tell journalists how spygate is just one small facet of crazy amount of work his guys do to prepare for games.

VIVA MARCELO

[phantom_power]

Possibly less so at the moment, with Son away and Kane having been done by Phil Jones - the big Cheat McTurncoat.

Maybe so, but I was talking about the game on Sunday

[The Culture Bunker]

Maybe so, but I was talking about the game on Sunday

I know. Was just using an excuse for a "Gangs of the EPL" reference. Though part of the reason I'm not keen on Pochettino being United's next manager is that he's failed to solve the chronic Spurs issue of bottling it in the big moment.

[finnquark]

Chapter 8 - FA Cup Magic? (Neil intones his voice in such a way at the end of the phrase as to make it obvious this is a question)

- Neil opens with an anecdote about how the coach taking his QPR team to Euston train station (for a trip to Lancashire) actually ended up at Kings Cross ('which was miles away'). This was how the 'ill-fated 2011 FA Cup campaign began'.

- 'I am old enough to remember when the FA Cup bestrode the fixture list like a colossus. It was just below birthdays and Christmas in our house. Friends and family would come round for the build up on final day, and we would munch fruit pancakes.'

- Neil never got past the fourth round as a player, which I found a bit surprising. Neil's recently exposed conservative attitudes get another airing, as he blames the miners' strike for having to play Newcastle at Scarborough in a replay on a midweek afternoon, and not under the lights. Scarborough lost 3-0.

- We are reminded of Graham Poll's assist for Arsenal's winner in the 2003 semi-final at Old Trafford.

- In 1985 Neil was managing Burton Albion in the NPL, and their cup run put our Neil on the map. Burton ended up winning four ties en route to facing Leicester, with the game moved to the Baseball Ground. 'The media descended upon us, especially me with my chiropody business.' The game was 1-1 when Burton's keeper got hit by a chunk of wood thrown by the away fans, but he played on and Burton lost 6-1. Neil demanded a replay which came after an FA inquiry, and ended in only a 1-0 loss.

- Neil had to bring some kids into the squad for the third round in 2011, including someone called Harriman. Neil amusingly thought his name was Harry Man, when in fact it was Michael Harriman.

- Jamie Mackie broke his leg in the third round tie at Ewood Park. Neil launches into a bizarre serious of comments, all of which denounce the inability of medical staff and physios to accurately diagnose serious injuries until after the player has been stretchered off. As Mackie was prone, El-Hadji Diouf was screaming at him, prompting Neil to tell the media afterwards 'he's lower than a sewer rat. 18 months later, I signed him at Leeds'.

- Neil claims he is a master of 'pastoral care of injured players', citing as evidence the fact that he used to call Chris Morgan every couple of weeks when he was injured at Sheffield United.

- Going back to his career, Neil mysteriously says he 'took many injections you wouldn't have nowadays'.

- 'I also make sure to keep in touch with players who aren't in the team' Neil points out, making it sound as though he also sends them to the gulag.

- Moving on to the sad reality of letting players go, Neil says he usually softens the blow by telling players to prove him wrong and have successful careers. 'To be honest, I can't think of any who have.'

Chapter 9 next, entitled 'Where's Flavio?'

[mjwilson]

'munch fruit pancakes'

[bigfatheart]

- Moving on to the sad reality of letting players go, Neil says he usually softens the blow by telling players to prove him wrong and have successful careers. 'To be honest, I can't think of any who have.'

A few years back Warnock had a semi-regular column in the Football League Paper, and I remember him trying to take credit for Lewis Grabban having a good season by pointing out he gave him his debut for Palace, failing to point out that he only gave him a handful of games before selling him on. I can only assume in his own mind that doesn't count because something something.

His column was a lot less incendiary than you'd hope. He seemed to spend the whole thing trying to take vicarious praise for others' success - I remember him saying that Derby's run the play-off final in 2014 showed how good he was because he'd tried to sign a couple of our players a few years earlier.

[bgmnts]

Harry Man. Brilliant.

[phantom_power]

I know. Was just using an excuse for a "Gangs of the EPL" reference. Though part of the reason I'm not keen on Pochettino being United's next manager is that he's failed to solve the chronic Spurs issue of bottling it in the big moment.

I think he did a great job getting them an opportunity to have a big moment and the fact that people expected them to have a chance of winning shows how far he has taken them. I don't think they so much bottled it as ran out of steam. They one thing he hasn't solved is getting a good set of back-up players to support his core team

[The Culture Bunker]

I think he did a great job getting them an opportunity to have a big moment and the fact that people expected them to have a chance of winning shows how far he has taken them. I don't think they so much bottled it as ran out of steam. They one thing he hasn't solved is getting a good set of back-up players to support his core team

I think that's the issue. Good enough to take a team to the edge, not enough to make them fly (instead of flop to the ground) to the trophies. Though the fact he kept quiet after getting fuck all funds for new players will doubtless appeal to the Glazers.

[bigfatheart]

You're a goalkeeper. It's the final penalty of a shootout. If they score, you lose. Keep cool, keep calm, stay focused. And then, stepping up to the penalty spot...



Of course you'd shit yourself.

Our secret weapon.

[kalowski]

You're a goalkeeper. It's the final penalty of a shootout. If they score, you lose. Keep cool, keep calm, stay focused. And then, stepping up to the penalty spot...



Of course you'd shit yourself.

Our secret weapon.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What, Spurs don't have 175042046 available squad players like they usually do?

[phantom_power]

I think that's the issue. Good enough to take a team to the edge, not enough to make them fly (instead of flop to the ground) to the trophies.

I think Spurs are doing the best they can do with the players they have and not a huge budget to improve that. It is also really hard to get back-up players who are good enough to step in to the breach but prepared to spend a lot of time on the bench

[Squink]

It is also really hard to get back-up players who are good enough to step in to the breach but prepared to spend a lot of time on the bench

True, but that's not a problem unique to Spurs. If anything their decent form in the past few seasons, prior to the yearly bottling, would surely make them more appealing to potential bench warmers? Better to be a top 5 bench warmer than a lower-to-mid table one. Isn't at least part of the problem supposed to be that Levy is a bit of a cunt to deal with when it comes to transfers?

[im barry bethel]

Isn't at least part of the problem supposed to be that Levy is a bit of a cunt to deal with when it comes to transfers?

Should be interesting to see what plays out now that every selling club knows no matter how much bluff and poker face Levy has no choice but to buy

[boki]

Crouchy can always do a job.