Football 2024-25. Pep’s last season?

I’d agree if they’d done it all game; they didn’t. For 45(+6) they went toe to toe and were 2:1 up. It was City who were whining about the refereeing, Pep was taking drop kicks at the furniture, and it was shaping up to a great game.

To carry on the same after the sending off would have been suicidal. For sure there was epic shithousery and time wasting but that becomes necessity away at Man City defending a lead for 45 mins with ten men.

talking of shithousery

Haaland launching the ball into the back of Gabriel’s head after the equaliser. According to the LOAF that’s minimum a booking (for unsporting conduct) or if considered violent is a red card. VAR can’t intervene for a yellow but as it was quite intentional, reasonable force, from behind and at the back of his head without chance for the player to avoid or have any warning it was about to happen I wouldn’t be surprised if that was reviewed.

https://talksport.com/football/2075739/unseen-footage-erling-haaland-gabriel-throw-ball-arsenal-man-city/

Jérémy Doku also booted the ball away much the same as Trossard and wasn’t penalised.

MOTD bods suggesting that Doku was passing the ball back to where the free kick should have been placed, not hoofing in anger.

Looks like a reasonable interpretation.

Also, Haaland has to be punished for that.

That’s just being a dick.

Of the injuries….Raya’s was quite obviously a tactical sit down, but Martinelli, Calafiori and Timber were all replaced almost immediately after going down.  And I don’t think Arteta would have willingly chosen to use a 17 year old debutant in the back line away at City.  Fouls…?   Looked a pretty average count for 52 minutes defending.

The ref had a bit of a mare – if you call a player over, it’s only right you let them get back in position before re-starting play.
Despite all the advances in VAR etc – we are still talking about the ref after a top of the table clash.

Yeah, hope Haaland gets done for that, he can be very petulant at times. Realised Foden has hardly played this season – is Pep just resting him? Makes me think he’ll rotate him and Haaland a bit later this season.

Great entertainment that was, loved it :0)

Jérémy Doku also booted the ball away much the same as Trossard and wasn’t penalised.

They went into that a bit, the ref told arsenal to take the freekick further back where it occurred, and Doku knocked it back to an arsenal player 10 yards away, so not really the same thing, Trossard was getting away with the barge rightly enough, then hoofed the ball and the ref went to his pocket instantly.

As stated above, i think the ref knew he messed up with the first arsenal goal, and lost the game a bit after that, the one in the second half where he waived away the arsenal player falling down with cramp, but then blew the whistle when city knocked the ball up for an attack just meant he lost that battle as well, neither team made it easy on him though, but big games like this i think they need more cohesive officiating, the assistants didn’t help much.

Realised Foden has hardly played this season – is Pep just resting him?

He’s been ill apparently.

Big night in our house tonight. No, not United against…erm… someone-or-other in the Europa League but Bolton against Arsenal reserves.

I was thinking of returning the favour with Mrs Binners always supporting anyone we play, but cheering for Arsenal would probably be a step too far :D

Well there were some bonkers results yesterday. I did love the Cole Palmer interview on MOTD when he was compared to Denis Bergkamp and he basically said ‘thanks, thats very nice but he’s a bit before my time so I don’t really know what that means’

We’re got Spuds this afternoon, so given both our present useless defences and hopelessly mis-firing forward lines I’m predicting 179 shots and it’ll finish nil nil. I wouldn’t fancy being sat in Row Z. You’ll have to watch your head :D

I think the big story has to be why did it take Allison 3 weeks to shave that beard off. Hardly an injury.

Good result for the R’s yesterday and a decent protest too – it won’t get the coverage that the pitch invasion and abandonment did but equally won’t get the points deduction.

And I enjoyed BDB vs Haaland part 2 – fair play to Haaland, Burn absolutely whacked him several times and he took it, makes last week’s petulance so dumb because he is usually better than that, gives it and takes it old school. And then left with a big gash in his heel and Dan’s shirt, and a great photo with Miggy Almiron (I didn’t realise quite how short he was / how big Haaland is)

Currently biting my nails and waiting for the whistle to blow at Portman Road. We need a win soon, but a draw will do today.

For some reason Burn always seems to keep Haaland quiet?

I don’t think he’s ever scored at St James Park?

At least Newcastle looked at a lot better.

^That Miggy picture is class!

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this over recent years, but in a very competitive area I think this is the worst United performance I have ever watched. Absolutely ****ing dire!

We could easily be 4 or 5 down already and now we’re down to ten men. I’m not sure I want to endure this second half. How can it be possible to spend the amount of money that’s been spent to put together a squad that is this shit? It’s a staggering achievement!

It’s pretty dire really to be honest. More spursey than Spurs.  Like a group of individuals who’ve never played together.

That aside, it’s a good chuckle.

At least you’ll get the ten hag interview to cheer you up!

Listening on the bbc live reporting… seemed you were getting back in but,  no.

I’m very much enjoying Brennan Johnson having a purple patch.  He was getting very undeserved stick from some spurs fans.

Nice to see big Dom on the show m score sheet too.  Just wish Werner could find a finishing touch!

it’s a good chuckle.

it’s **** hilarious.

At least you’ll get the ten hag interview to cheer you up!

The one where he apparently comments on a completely different game than the one everyone else just watched and states that it was a pretty good performance and we were just unlucky?

They should just repeat the last one. Or the one before that. Or the one before that…

3 -0 flatters United. It could easily have been 7 or 8. Every single player in a red shirt was absolutely bloody awful today, but Rashford was spectacularly shite!

Its just a pity Keano isn’t on pundit duty. It would have been interesting to hear his opinion on that shambles

He’ll mention something about sticking together and trust the process.

Well that United result is a lovely glimmer of sunshine on a proper rainy and windy day

It was a bit of a beating, imagine if Son had been fully fit and Werner on the bench, Angeball was on full show, that first goal, VdV running the full length leaving ManU players flailing, then putting in a cross any winger would be proud off, ManU were chasing shadows a lot of the time, passing and moving just seemed hard for them, there’s a lot of good players in there, something isn’t quite right.

Thought it was harsh for Fernandes to be sent off, not sure if his huffing and puffing in the lead up might have made the ref think it was a petulant foul, one of the most talented players around, but when he isn’t up for a game you can tell in the first 10 minutes!

You can’t really be too harsh on Bruno as it was the only challenge any United player put in during the whole match

He’s been poor this season. No goals. The curse of the United bumper contract?

That was very funny tbh.

The only query i have is who does Mark Goldbridge blame all ManU’s woes on now that McTominay is in Italy ;o)

The curse of the United bumper contract

The agent tells them how much they want and they negotiate by offering double. When they brought Lindalof on in the 89th minute I remembered that he’s still actually a United player, probably getting paid 200 grand a week for never ever playing. I’d just assumed he was now playing in the Norwegian second division, or something.

Phil Jones managed that for the best part of a decade. Made countless millions for doing absolutely **** all, other than sitting on the bench once a season. Much like 80 million quid player Antony is doing now.

I love how well run this club is. Is it any wonder the onfield performances are as pitiful and shambolic as this afternoon

The whole thing is a total ****ing mess. God only knows what Dave Brailsford made of watching that utter shitshow today, other than ‘beam me up’?

Sir Jim is on about building a 2 billion quid stadium (which we all know will never happen). Here’s a mad revolutionary idea… do you want to sort out the utter farce taking place on the pitch first? Just a thought.

He’ll blame whoever he thinks will generate the most clicks for him.

Currently biting my nails and waiting for the whistle to blow at Portman Road. We need a win soon, but a draw will do today

Today was an excellent result against a very good Villa side. Really happy with our start and how things are gradually improving.

So do we think ETH will be sacked today?

Or will it take until next Monday?

Dave Brailsford looks to be another rich white man trading on past glories who has no idea about anything.

Bruno isn’t captain material for a club of United’s size. He’s tetchy not someone who’s a leader.

Long may it all continue.

Sacking seems inevitable now. Not sure who’s out there to replace him though? Tuchel?

Ineos openly admitting they were looking for a new manager in the summer before sticking with Ten Hag after one decent performance in the cup final – did they watch the semi??! – was bizarre.

Same questions will always be asked, if you sack him, who the hell do you get to replace him, same with Bruno as captain, who in that team is captain material, Bruno isn’t captain because of merit, he’s captain because of time in the team and he probably would love a proper replacement to take over, but they don’t even have a vice captain this season, that is more telling than anything about leaders in that squad.

Today was an excellent result against a very good Villa side. Really happy with our start and how things are gradually improving.

We’ve drawn against Brighton, Villa and Fulham, which were decent results. Had hoped to beat Southampton, but never mind.

I expected us to struggle this season and we will, but there’s a real chance 3 teams will finish below us, especially if points deductions come into play.

So do we think ETH will be sacked today?

They can’t. Not only did they give him a new contract and 600 million quid to spend (on yet more overpaid and overpriced mediocrity), all the backroom staff have been brought in by him too over the summer. They sacked everyone else.

It’s fair to say they’ve gone all in with Ten Hag after our glorious 8th place finish. More fantastic decision-making at OT

Well said @binners