Football – 2023/24 Season

United have boxed themselves into a corner again with Sancho. Given him a long contract on crazy money (which hardly any other club can afford) and now he’s just sat there, going nowhere (literally and metaphorically) same as Martial, Van De Beek, Maguire, etc…

We’ve a squad full of benchwarmers that we can’t offload. The whole transfer policy has been insane for years now. The pinnacle of the absurdity was Phil Jones who was given a 5 year contract on £120,000 a week, never played and just saw out his contract picking up millions in the process. It just became a running joke with all United fans. Constant reminders that another week has passed where Phil Jones has picked up another 120 grand for sitting with his feet up at home. I’m not knocking Phil Jones… who wouldn’t take that gig? But who the hell negotiated that contract?

Absolutely crazy!!!

In more dysfunctional United bonkersness, the rumours are that 33 year old Chris Smalling will be coming back to Old Trafford to shore up the threadbare defence 😳

Rashford is also on a massive contract now. He’s Sancho’s mate isn’t he? So maybe he’s in a bit of a sulk about his treatment. Good point by MSP in that other managers deal with things in private, castigating Sancho in public was doomed to backfire. Rumours Casemiro is sulking now as well.

Klopp and Pep have called out players publicly as well on occasion, but it always seams to also include a path back to being a starter. Ten Hag just seems to have lashed out at Sancho, then spat his dummy out when he got the equal treatment back. To me it now also brings into doubt the perceived narrative of the Ronaldo showdown.

Mourinho has over the years used the technique of isolating a player, making them a scapegoat and turning his clique against them to externalise the main groups problems, however the cycle of success that creates is short lived, and players are wiser to it now.

Everton unlikely to avoid the drop this season then.

They’ve actually looked ok recently. But that would be really tough, if granted. When do City get theirs? 😜

Everton can’t afford the same lawyers as City. Mind you, City look like they’ve been surviving on a shoestring budget compared to Chelsea’s spending over the last 2 seasons. Surely their summons for the same has to be in the post?

In more dysfunctional United bonkersness, the rumours are that 33 year old Chris Smalling will be coming back to Old Trafford to shore up the threadbare defence

was Steve Bruce busy for once?

Some assist by Darwin Nunez that 🤣

By virtue of playing Friday night spurs are 5 points clear!

By virtue of next playing Monday night,  we could be 4th before we kick a ball again.

Spurs have a record of 8-2-0 after 10 games, a lovely tribute to Antonio Conte’s favourite formation

Was a tough game to watch last night, Palace were set up to just not allow any space to the opposition, these are the games Spurs need to win to stay in the top 4, will be interesting to see how they cope with any injuries, watching Ben Davies showed they struggle to replace first teamers, Udogie has made that position his own, especially with his movement.

Keen to see the emerging Chelsea team today but sadly I’m being forced to go out on a push bike.

Big Ange is doing the impossible, I’m sure I saw Richarlison smile last night.

I agree that,  for now at least, Ben Davies is a step down from Destiny.  Then again,  on current form, there are very few fbs about in the prem that aren’t a step behind Destiny!

The spurs squad is thin though yes, second choice cbs are probably even worse than fbs….. if… when we end up with Dier on the pitch instead of van de ven we have a problem.  Bentancur had a cameo last night so we are up to 3 quality (and skipp) choices for the 2 holding mids, we’ve lost Solomon for the season but I’m excited by Johnson so we’ve choices for attacking players but without madders and son we are far weaker.  We need to stay lucky with few injuries,  1 game a week is a huge huge advantage there though.  We also need some of the youngsters like Veliz to step up. If that happens and we can strengthen in January then we could be in a good position for a CL spot, however I am not thinking we will go higher than that.

We’ve a tougher run of games now,  Chelsea, villa, Newcastle,  City in the next 5 or 6, plus wet spam who always frustrate us.  I’m feeling confident though based on form, looking forward to it. 6 of our next 4 are home games too as we’ve played 6 away already.

A realistic article by fanatical Spuds fan Nihal Arthanayake…

Why I’m keeping shtum on Tottenham winning the Premier League

Fans dare to dream what Big Ange and his band of brothers can achieve… but always remember Arsenal

I was contemplating going out on my bike tomorrow when the Derby is on, or a long walk over the moors wile leaving my phone at home, but I’ve been informed by my mates that I won’t be allowed to do that

Oh, the indignity of it

I don’t see Spurs as title contenders, basically due to the same reason as Arsenal last year, it’s just how they handle the pressure going towards the finish, and i don’t see them being able to hold their own against ManC or Liverpool.

It’s all about top 4 for Spurs, as Ange says, let them dream, but the actual goal is being made easier with the start they’re having, the team they’re building and so on, to be fair Spurs have adapted the fastest, they seem to have a solid starting 11, and players now coming back like Johnson, Bentancur, etc, it should help them even more keep up the pace, but some big games are coming up!

Exactly.  As a spurs fan the thing that puts a smile on me face is seeing the club move forward and doing it playing good football.  After nuno, morinho and conte it’s wonderful.

Great to see Spurs doing so well – long may it last. watching Bayern Munich play the most boring football I’ve seen this season, HK must be gutted he jumped ship when he did. Agree about the lack of squad depth – the fact Richarlison keeps getting a game sums it up for me. He plays well for about 90 seconds per game, imho obvs.

I’m prepared to give Richy a while yet.  Although I’m starting to fear he just isn’t working for us.  He does bring physical presence and aerial threat that son completely lacks so he can make a useful change as he did against Sheffield for example. I’d rather see Johnson start on the wing though,  and bring richy off the bench with 25 mins to go. 

Perhaps I am too tolerant of struggling players though….. despite my comments above I’d like to see dier regain hours form from 4-6 years ago and still think it could happen…. yes I’m too hopeful. 

Great win for Brentford. The second last-minute Brentford goal was comedy gold from Sanchez 😂

Chelsea booed off at the end. Oh dear.

See Bellingham scored a double in el classico to turn the game around, with the winner in injury time, he’s having a hell of a season!

Yeah, he seams quite good at this football lark.

Looks like Harry Kane hasn’t had a bad day at the office either. He did a ‘Beckham’ from inside his own half

Just saw that, some goal.

Watched the highlights, did the referee lose his yellow card, 3 straight sending offs in the first half, then an absolute collapse with 8 goals in 35 minutes i think, Kane’s second was lovely, but where was the goalie going, think that goalie might be getting a rest next weekend 🤣

It was mentioned on Football Focus at lunchtime, but funny how Kane and Spurs seem to be doing great without each other.

but where was the goalie going, think that goalie might be getting a rest next weekend 🤣

I take it you haven’t seen the second Brentford goal today? Comedy goalkeeper behaviour of the highest order from Sanchez. I think he might be getting a breather for a week or two as well

Can’t blame the keeper for that, he was up for the final corner, i was amazed at how slow Maupay is, Sanchez caught him with a 25 yard start!

Cracking goal from Kane in Bundesliga!

Comedy goalkeeper behaviour of the highest order from Sanchez.

That wasn’t his decision to go up for that corner.

Surely only the manager makes that call.

Seems like a bonkers decision, whoever made it.

It’s not like it’s a Champions League final. To leave yourself absolutely wide open at the back with no keeper is insane

Still… it made me laugh and it could have been worse. You can see that Sanchez checked himself to stop a straight red, a penalty and a suspension

The Chuckle Brothers – Evans and Maguire starting as our central defence. What could possibly go wrong?

If that’s a pen, then every single corner kick taken in every single game from now until the end of the season will result in a pen.

Come on binners, can’t you do something?!

That first half was embarrassingly one sided. 

The first half clearly wasn’t bad enough, so a bunch of totally inexplicable substitutions have made things far, far worse

A total ****ing shambles

It’s like an FA cup tie against a club from the conference, except the conference side aren’t even having a go. 

Someone get Gary Neville’s shoelaces off him!

Embarrassing

Satisfying. But at least utd can point at Chelsea outspending them and being even worse.

My darling ABU wife is just doing a little smug dance, but has said she’ll take me out this week with her winnings

Every cloud…