Football Thread 2021/22: pre-seasons in the abyss

[DrGreggles]

McTominay is pretty limited.
Does a job, but you're surprised that Man U don't have anyone better.

That said, they've had Butt/Djemba/Fletcher in that role over the last 25 years, so maybe it's a club work experience policy.

[The Culture Bunker]

McTominay is pretty limited.
Does a job, but you're surprised that Man U don't have anyone better.

That said, they've had Butt/Djemba/Fletcher in that role over the last 25 years, so maybe it's a club work experience policy.

From about 2009-11, when he got ill, Fletcher was regularly putting in outstanding performances. Djemba-Djemba played made 13 league starts, so not really an apt comparison.

McTominay might be limited - but he's a player I'd trust in a big match. If we'd manage to win the EL final last year, it would have been pretty much down to him, as everyone else (bar Cavani) came down with stage fright.

[Kankurette]

Did anyone watch Birmingham v Derby and if so, did it turn into a Troy Deeney wankfest?

If you were banking on Steve Bruce getting a result at Old Trafford, then you needn't have bothered making the plan in the first place.

I still think United are still short of a decent midfielder to go alongside McTominay if they want to push for the title (Matic was awful, Pogba not much better) but with players like Ronaldo, Cavani and Fernandes, there's always a chance in the cups if you get the right luck. Sancho not really impressing so far, and indeed was overshadowed by Lingard.

You can take the boy out of Manchester etc.

Was not expecting Lingard to score, but I guess West Ham did him good.

[badaids]

From about 2009-11, when he got ill, Fletcher was regularly putting in outstanding performances. Djemba-Djemba played made 13 league starts, so not really an apt comparison.

McTominay might be limited - but he's a player I'd trust in a big match. If we'd manage to win the EL final last year, it would have been pretty much down to him, as everyone else (bar Cavani) came down with stage fright.

And Butt was massively underrated for Man Utd, really consistent and put in a load of amazing performances despite never seeming to be a regular season after season. There was a period when he shone for England. I don't know shit about McTominay though.

[chveik]

Lemar 90+9'. that's another title in the bag for atletico this year

[king_tubby]

Did anyone watch Birmingham v Derby and if so, did it turn into a Troy Deeney wankfest?

Yes. We totally out played them for most of the match, did fuck all in front of goal and looked the other way for theirs.

A good mate of mine is a Watford fan and he really dislikes Deeney for being an incredibly disruptive influence there.

[bgmnts]

Elliot's career ruined at 16 lol

[Wonderful Butternut]

Elliot's career ruined at 16 lol

18.

Some material for Chedney's fap bank though.

[Kankurette]

Women's football is so depressing. Sometimes I wonder why teams who aren't Arsenal, City or Chelsea even bother. First we get thrashed by City, now it's Chelsea's turn.

Yes. We totally out played them for most of the match, did fuck all in front of goal and looked the other way for theirs.

A good mate of mine is a Watford fan and he really dislikes Deeney for being an incredibly disruptive influence there.

Deeney was disruptive? What he do? I know he hates Silva. Because it's not like Watford would have sacked him anyway even if Everton hadn't stolen him.

[Holmesy]

Elliot's career ruined at 16 lol

You really are a cunt's cunt.

[Kankurette]

What happened to Elliott? Apparently Mo Salah was really upset by it.

ETA: and no, singing 'always the victims' is not OK but neither is 'Chelsea rent boys' and Liverpool fans who sing that do deserve to be called out and I am saying this as a bisexual football fan, not as an Everton fan.

I mention this cos it's in the comments on James Stewart's tweet.

[Indomitable Spirit]

What happened to Elliott? Apparently Mo Salah was really upset by it.

Struijk tackle from behind. Won the ball but Elliott's leg got caught under him and snapped. Salah ran about 30yards in the opposite direction with his head in his hands so instantly knew it was a season ender

I have absolutely zero stomach for bad injuries so haven't seen any pictures. Have had to turn off the game tbh.

[Gurke and Hare]

I think McTominay is a very good midfield player - he's not going to run a game the way Carrick could at his peak, but he's very mobile, strong and can score goals (he had a season playing up front for the U23s years ago). From the current squad, he'd be in my first XI every week and ideally, we'd have brought in someone to play the more defensive role in midfield to allow McTominay to get forward more.

Yeah. McTominay + as yet unknown is what they should be going for in midfield. Especially if McTominay is as good as Fletcher or Butt at their peak.

Sancho has, in fact played extensively, and scored most of his goals playing on the left. His versatility is key to the team - he can play on the left with Greenwood on the right, he can play on the right with Rashford or Pogba on the left or even as a 10 if Fernandes isn't available. He not setthe world on fire in his first two starts, but I thought he was significantly better yesterday than against Wolves.

[Kankurette]

Struijk tackle from behind. Won the ball but Elliott's leg got caught under him and snapped. Salah ran about 30yards in the opposite direction with his head in his hands so instantly knew it was a season ender

I have absolutely zero stomach for bad injuries so haven't seen any pictures. Have had to turn off the game tbh.

The footage is not as gruesome as I thought but still, ouch. Looked nasty.

[bgmnts]

You really are a cunt's cunt.

I'm genuinely realy happy he hurt himself badly. It's made my week.

[Chollis]

Gutted for him tbh. He was looking so promising this year. Just hope it's closer to 6 months out rather than full season .

[Kankurette]

I know I'll get slaughtered for saying this but I do feel sad for him. He's pretty young and if it was a leg break he'll be out for a while. Hopefully it's not a career ender but some players are never the same after a leg break. Bolasie's leg break ruined him.

[bgmnts]

I know I'll get slaughtered for saying this but I do feel sad for him. He's pretty young and if it was a leg break he'll be out for a while. Hopefully it's not a career ender but some players are never the same after a leg break. Bolasie's leg break ruined him.

Why would you get slaughtered for feeling sad about someone who's broken their leg?

[Kankurette]

Because I'm an Everton fan and he plays for Liverpool?

[badaids]

I know I'll get slaughtered for saying this but I do feel sad for him. He's pretty young and if it was a leg break he'll be out for a while. Hopefully it's not a career ender but some players are never the same after a leg break. Bolasie's leg break ruined him.

Hopefully it'll be like Andre Gomes where it wasnt as bad as it looked or everyone feared. I'm a toffee too, but would never want to see a horrible injury on anyone let alone a liverpool player. Except maybe Souness.

[phantom_power]

they buy players because they can, not according to tactical coherence

He was bought because United have a lack of right-sided attacking players. It was a perfectly sound purchase. I am not sure why he isn't being played there at the moment

As for the midfield, in order to shoehorn Pogba into the team United really need a dynamic box-to-box midfielder who can shield the back four and then start attacks. Cammavinga would have been ideal if a bit inexperienced. Ndidi would probably also have done, or Saul that went to Chelsea. I don't think McTominay is that player unless he really levels up so I think they will not challenge for any major honours until that area is sorted, either by fucking off Pogba or building the midfield around him properly

[Kankurette]

Hopefully it'll be like Andre Gomes where it wasnt as bad as it looked or everyone feared. I'm a toffee too, but would never want to see a horrible injury on anyone let alone a liverpool player. Except maybe Souness.

I remember when Coleman got loads of abuse off our lovely fans for checking on Son to see if he was OK. Because the Dogs of War would NEVER, they'd have beaten Son up, even though Kevin Ratcliffe said Coleman was right to do what he did.

I hope it's not going to be a career ender for Elliott, he's not even out of his teens yet.

[Ted-Maul]

I remember when James McCarthy was playing for Everton and someone went to kick the ball and accidentally kicked and broke McCarthy's leg instead (just looked it up and it was Salomon Rondon!!) and the camera changed to show a besuited Seamus Coleman in the Directors box or wherever because he was still sidelined after breaking his own leg whilst playing for Ireland. After staring intently for a few moments he just stood up and fucked off down the tunnel. Apparently he went straight to the changing rooms or medical area to see if he could be of any comfort to McCarthy and his family. Always loved him after that... well I already loved him anyway but you know what I mean.

[Kankurette]

Coleman and McCarthy were always close when McCarthy played for us, so I'm not surprised. Ireland team mates and that. I was at that game and it was fucking shite, and when McCarthy's leg broke (and yeah, it was Rondon and tbf to him it was an accident, he was crying about it) I walked out. I'd had enough. A mate who was sat in the Park End heard the snap.

As an aside, I hated fans singing about Seamus Coleman's leg break and it's that sort of thing that makes me wonder if football really is the game for me.

[finnquark]

101st minute penalty condemned us to a 1-0 defeat yesterday, but basically irrelevant as the additional time came after our midfielder Kirby suffered a double compound fracture of his left leg. Awful injury, hopefully he can recover and still have a career.

About 10 years ago I played a match during which the goalkeeper ad the same injury. We waited for over 90 minutes for the ambulance, with him laid flat out in the freezing turf in total agony. Absolutely disgusting and he didn't play again.

[finnquark]

Been reminiscing about the antics during that relegation season, and recalled that we also signed a guy from Love Island and lost a centre half to a 3 year stretch for dealing.

[holyzombiejesus]

Been reminiscing about the antics during that relegation season, and recalled that we also signed a guy from Love Island and lost a centre half to a 3 year stretch for dealing.

Is that Stuart 'Tank' Tomlinson? Vale had him for a while. Bizarre bloke. Used to brag he could kick the upright whilst standing underneath it (not sure why that's useful for a goalkeeper) but seemed to be unable to smother a ball as it would always bounce off his chest. A one-time Mens Health cover star, he also moonlighted as an "exotic" model under the name of Rupert Paddington Gomez. After we released him, he joined Burton and upon his return to Vale Park, he conceded 7 (seven).

[imitationleather]

.

[Kankurette]

He sounds batshit insane even by goalie standards.

We have Burnley tomorrow. It's going to be a contest to see who can kick the most shit out of the other side.

[Blinder Data]

I'm genuinely realy happy he hurt himself badly. It's made my week.

What's wrong with you?