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Given that the players are a lot of young men with time and money I would expect some to use recreational drugs. Given the money and hence pressure to succeed, recover from injury, recover from having played 25 games in 15 weeks, one last night and the next tomorrow, and the advantage a bit more speed or stamina or strength gives, I expect performance drugs are in use. The very small number of positive tests across the prem says to me they aren't looking.
I'm then left thinking, what did pogba do to get caught!?
Let Henderson dig, it keeps the issue in the media. Whether that's his intention I don't know, i suspect the large salary is his prime motivation. However he has been a good advocate in the past and his being there, while 'digging' does make people think about the issue. The discussion is good and I'm not sure it would be as intense if he weren't there. So is his presence a good thing, at least partially, although probably unintended.
The very small number of positive tests across the prem says to me they aren’t looking.
Isn't the prem under the UK anti doping testing regime now, or do they still get preferential treatment compared to other sports. There used to be a problem, where they got advance notice of testing rather than random testing, not sure if that still is the case. I suspect perhaps the bigger problem with football at the highest level, is the money involved probably allows you (whether as a club or individual) to stay a step or 2 ahead of the testing agency.
I know it is a bit late but what is Gareth Southgate actual job? He mainly picks the same team to keep things consistent which I get, but what I dont get is persisting with players who rarely play for their club teams, who cant be match fit. What is he actually doing?
To be fair, he has done better than a multitude of previous managers, he seems to have got the team to support each other and bond better than anyone since Bobby Robson, but tactically he is way behind what is required to win a major tournament. The last few tournaments England have had easier paths to the semi's and finals, I wonder if he would have survived if that had been different.
It has been said a few times, he is a better person than he is a manager, I couldn't imagine anyone dealing with issues like "taking the knee" and the political racist flak that attracted better than he did. So I would like him to succeed, but I do think he needs to be a bit more courage in the way England play foir that to happen.
what I dont get is persisting with players who rarely play for their club teams
Particularly when he has many options available who are on form and playing every week
I’d comment further if I’d actually watched them, play but life’s too short for that
Steve Clarke has gotten excellent performances out of two players who have not been playing regularly for their clubs. Almost like some premier League managers are over rated and don't know what they're doing.
It is true that Gareth Southgate is a fine human being. think he just needs to rotate some players and take a few more risks.
I’m not sure if/where the game is being broadcasted tonight but I I will be at work trying to avoid the score updates etc.
Think its Channel 4, for some reason.
Because they have the rights for England matches.
I can’t imagine there was a massive bidding war for the rights to broadcast Engerland friendlies 😂
I won’t be wasting my time watching it, obviously, but I’ve stuck a few quid on a 1-1
Caught the beginning in the car - England fans booing the minute to remember Craig Brown. ****ing ignorant morons.
Harry **** Maquire, comes on at half time, slows the game down, makes England worse then scores an own goal.
What an introduction, he is our best chance of getting something out of this!
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Genuine megalolz at those last two posts.
Slow pace, backwards passing and own goals. He's having a mare and not being helped by Southgate who keeps putting him on the pitch. There's got to be a better alternative?
Lewis Dunk looked good last night, assured in defending, didn't dawdle on the ball just moved it on, and made a few decent passes that cut out the press. John Stones should be back soon, Levi Colwill, Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi are all better options than Maquire.
Maquire should have gone to West Ham to try and recapture some form, and then maybe he could have been considered an option
I’m sure any interest that West Ham or anyone else had in him is now long gone
He’ll sit on the bench on 200 grand a week while Ten Hag puts the kit man on before starting him
Careful now Binners - Southgate has called anyone who criticises him as bullies!
i do feel a little sorry for him - even 200k a week does not protect you for the pile on he must be going through.
Serious question… Can anyone actually remember any other footballer who is so catastrophically awful that when they come on to the pitch, all the opposition fans cheer?
When Ten Hag was forced to bring him on against Arsenal, as there really were no other alternatives, the crowd response reminded me of the ‘welease Weginald’ scene in the Life of Brian. I believe the Scottish fans were the same last night
Surely that’s a new low for anyone? Especially when you immediately provide a moment of inept hilarity to justify the laughter
It’s a bit rich for Southgate to complain about the grief Maguire gets when he’s picked a player so Rusty, completely out of form and totally undeserving of the place. By doing that, he’s put him right in the firing line, with results everyone else saw coming a mile off. Turning the ball past his own keeper has become his personal calling card. That and weirdly tackling his own players
That and weirdly tackling his own players
I don't think if it was highlighted in the commentary, and I didn't listen to the later analysis, but when Ukraine scored against England, he was busy running into the back of Marc Guehi.
Oh, that’s nothing
This is one of his best. He *ed up big time with an aimless back pass (standard) then in the process of trying to redeem it, hauls down Luke Shaw to the floor who would comfortably have it covered, allowing Spurs to score
Shaw appeals for an obvious foul as he assumed it was a spurs player who dragged him to the floor, but no, it was his own captain/clueless idiot.
It must grate with him even more that TH plays him out of position rather than start Maguire who can’t even compete for his central defensive place against effectively a left winger
Believe me, you get used to this shit. He does it all the time. He’s worse than useless. He’s an absolute *ing liability.
The worst, most ludicrous signing in the premier league. He wouldn’t make it in to most pub sides
https://youtube.com/shorts/do1waVko694?si=d8Tiod_GgkqO6k2I
I can only remember cyclist and cancer survivor Geoff Thomas elicited similar chuckles from the opposition when he came on. Seem to recall him hitting the corner flag with a shot just outside the box.
Oh dear maguire. While it's not right when a crowd's banter turns to abuse... its never going to end well when you get your mum to defend you!
' now now! You're all very naughty! Stop calling my Harry nasty names, he doesn't like it!'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-66805951
She’s not planning on going on hunger strike in the local church, is she?
To be fair to Maguire, much as I deride him for being completely crap, I have a certain amount of sympathy
When I heard the rumours we were signing him I thought… yeah 15-20 million or so as a stop gap to shore up the defence until we can get a proper world class central defender like Varane or Martinez in
But when they said they’d paid 80 million … seriously WTF?!!! Are they insane?!! YOU JUST BROKE THE TRANSFER RECORD FOR ****ING SLABHEAD?!!!
Then they made him club captain, cue double WTF?!!! I’m sure that went down like a bucket of cold sick in the dressing room
And since then the script has pretty much written itself
The worst signing ever made in football history and will stand as a testimony to the utter clowns in charge of transfers at Man Yoo
He’s a laughing stock and so are United for creating the ridiculous situation in the first place
The worst signing ever made in football history and will stand as a testimony to the utter clowns in charge of transfers at Man Yoo
Tbf there's stiff competition.
It’s a hotly contested mantle indeed, in which United have been at the top of the chart. Him and Pogba have to be the head and shoulders above the rest though?
In transfer fees and wages, Pogba cost us 350 million quid, so I reckon he might edge it over Maguire
Can you think of any worse?
Him and Pogba have to be the head and shoulders above the rest though?
Oh sure, but give it time and Sancho will be joining them.
Fair point. Then there’s Van de Beek. United seem to excel at wrecking promising careers by signing players without the remotest idea what to do with them
Sancho training with the kids as he’s refused to apologise. Antony’s future uncertain given serious allegations l. Maguire persona non grata. United spent £250m plus on those three!
The Sancho one is weird, he was a model player in Germany, but since going to ManU, he struggled as did all at ManU, and since Ten Hag has arrived, Sancho just hasn't been one of the managers picks. He definitely needs out of there, not sure i'm a fan of how Ten Hag operates either.
Harry is probably thinking about his retrial in Greece...
Nah, still think Tomas Brolin was the worst signing ever. He arrived ready to represent Leeds in sumo.
Harry is probably thinking about his retrial in Greece…
Probably one of the few places he would get a trial at the moment.
Looks like trouble is brewing with Utd's new keeper too...
They really are the gift that keeps giving.
@binners - Veron was awful for your lot and he cost a lot of money
Mind you Shevchenko at Chelsea was crap too
And Torres at Chelsea, best bit of business from Liverpool that!
Have you forgotten about Coutinho
Ha, true!!
And Torres at Chelsea, best bit of business from Liverpool that!
Well it would have been if they hadn’t immediately blown most of the transfer fee on Andy Carrol
Best sale ever - they bought Allison and Van Dijk off the back of it.