Summer 2021 Plane Tracking Thread

[Mellberg]

Grealish being touted as done when City haven't made a bid and he's in talks for a new contract :harold:

Might happen, might not. But he has four years on his deal and the ball's in our court.

[phonics]

Listening to some podcast I thought it was common knowledge that Grealish was off to City? I'd heard mention that it was basically done weeks before the Euro started.

[Gray Fox]

It's going to be even worse when McGinn comes to join his captain, too.

[Mellberg]

That's 150m+ for the pair. No drama.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

At least you'll still have Mings.

[Don]

As Lewis says really, I'm his biggest fan but Grealish parked in the final third against a low block is not the life he's about and it's a waste of his talent. Stay at Villa, lad, so the neutral can enjoy your full talents.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought £100m sounded pretty cheap, to be honest. Villa have no reason to sell until the point at which the money would let them replace him and/or make the team better overall, which I'm not convinced is possible.

[Don]

If you can't improve on this (https://understat.com/player/675) with £100m that's purely on you and your failings as a club.

He's a good player for a comfortably mid-table side, £100m is bite their arm territory.

[randomlegend]

United about to GAZUMP Ajax for a Ghanaian 19 year old winger called Sulemana from some Danish club, according to one of their reliable reporters.

:drool:

[phonics]

This whole thing is so lol at Spurs for saying that 25 million was too much for him 3 years ago.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Join us Taz.

[Don]

I'm afraid you've got the wrong end of the stick if you think getting midget African attackers is the solution. See Watford for guidance on what sort of BLMs you need.

[Mellberg]

At least you'll still have Mings.

City are going to have to double their record transfer. We'll ask for obscene money and the number isn't 100m.

[randomlegend]

Bouhafsi (who is extremely reliable for French teams) saying United are in hard for Camavinga. He's said to have had quite a poor season but clearly extremely talented. Would be a really interesting signing.

He reckons Camavinga wants to stay in France and go to PSG though.

[Gray Fox]

Heavy suggestion Liverpool have bid somewhere in the region of £30m for Kingsley Coman and that Bayern have said no, they want £40m+

[randomlegend]

Coman wants retarded wages and is pretty injury prone. I think he's an accident waiting to happen for someone

Although he does come with his "win the league" guarantee

[Lewis]

https://i.imgur.com/CTwZSQ3.png

When the Glazers spend two-hundred million quid on top, top players to shut the fans up, but let Ole Gunnar Binman waste them for another three seasons.

[randomlegend]

We're gonna win the league mate.

Sancho deal is done

[Waffdon]

Top 4 again and no trophies is probably the safe bet.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What are his plane details?

[Don]

Coman would be something special :drool:

[niko_cee]

Could probably do without being mugged off by Bayern again.

[Don]

Palace about to appoint Vieira. Big Sam in by xmas :happycry:

[Shindig]

For reals? Man, I wish him all the best. Fulham's available. He'd have lower expectations there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Palace is a right hospital pass of a job, they're going down unless they find a couple of horses out of nowhere.

[Spikey M]

They should be bringing Pardew home or looking at someone like that. Survival can be the only objective.

Fuck knows what Vieria is thinking. Carry on pissing about in America (or France) lad, this isn't the one.

[Waffdon]

Rashford just pretty much confirmed the Sancho signing.

[Mellberg]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/06/29/aston-villa-hopeful-manchester-city-target-jack-grealish-will/

And there it is. Like clockwork every summer.

You can bypass the Telegraph paywall by just pressing stop at the right time btw lads :thbup:

[Baz]

Naturally Grealish wants to play Champions League football and another year with Villa – on a bigger salary package - would give him and the club the opportunity to see how far they might go together.

Good luck with that one, Jack. :harold:

[randomlegend]

Rashford just pretty much confirmed the Sancho signing.

"Hacked" apparently. Not sure who goes to the effort of hacking a footballer to reply to one tweet....

[randomlegend]

Good luck with that one, Jack. :harold:

Grealish is going to stay out of some misplaced loyalty and then surprised Pikachu face when he does decide to leave and Villa price him out of a move and he's stuck there on some five year contract. Same as Kane.

[Mellberg]

He signed the five year deal last summer when MAN UNITED were interested and it cost you 10 English pounds :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/976/cpsprodpb/10563/production/_119151966_gettyimages-1326285064.jpg

It's official.

[niko_cee]

What could possibly go wrong?

Elsewhere I see Leicester have signed Daka. Looked decent against us in a friendly last summer, but then, Brewster also scored two in that game . . .

Reckon he'll be a decent signing for them.

[Manc]

It's an odd choice from Rafa. He should have gone back to Italy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nice visual gag there with him standing in front of 'optimum'.

[niko_cee]

Going to be quite funny when he sets up to grift 0-0s in the derby.

[Raoul Duke]

I reckon he's a great hire. Spurs should have gone for him but they have ideas above their station

[Baz]

I mean, would they have even considered him if he didn’t already live there?

[randomlegend]

1410300472204926977?s=21

At last my watch had ended.

Onto Varane.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1410301825945948164

SSN has it too.

[randomlegend]

Everyone has it. Ornstein, Kajumba (who is surprisingly good for United despite writing for the DM), BILD.

It's done.

[Lewis]

All they all got scooped by the woman running Marcus Rashford Inc. going rogue the losers. lol as well at all the Evertonians SEETHING about their good new manager.

'EVER'ON AREN'T WE?!'

[Shindig]

We've signed Big Dunc's son. I wish him all the best.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1410316079105122304

They've done it.

[Shindig]

I'll give you short odds on his first signing being Portuguese.

[randomlegend]

Reports are Sancho fee is £73m with no add-ons. If that's true Dortmund have been rinsed.

[Shindig]

It goes further in Germany. Their league is bankrolled on failed British children and they cost nowt.

[Lewis]

Ed Woodward finally getting good just as he leaves.

[randomlegend]

Ed Woodward finally getting good just as he leaves.

The rumours are Murtough has basically taken over all the transfer stuff and doesn't want the dicking around til August that we normally have.

Matt Judge is the one who used to do all the transfer negotiations anyway (Ed just gets final sign-off) and he is a fucking clown. I'm not sure the name was ever leaked but he reportedly sat down with a player we were trying to sign to discuss contract terms and asked them what position they play

[Lofty]

I'll give you short odds on his first signing being Portuguese.

Wasn't that a Jorge Mendes thing?

Unsubstantiated rumours on Whatsapp that Maitland Niles crashed his car on the M25 and it was full of booze and nitrous balloons.

[Spikey M]

Messi is a free agent. :drool:

Bet he bottles it and signs a new deal anyway.

[Ian]

He should do what he did on my FM2015 save and go to Newcastle. :nodd:

[Yevrah]

Eibar is the way forward for him. :cool:

[Don]

Reports are Sancho fee is £73m with no add-ons. If that's true Dortmund have been rinsed.

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Dortmund have never once been rinsed as long as they've lived. They'll get £150 million for Haaland next year and feast for a lifetime on schweinhaxen and posh BBQ sauce.

[Kikó]

£73m for a player that could play for the club for 10 years is pretty decent imho.

[Raoul Duke]

Dortmund have never once been rinsed as long as they've lived. They'll get £150 million for Haaland next year and feast for a lifetime on schweinhaxen and posh BBQ sauce.

I thought he has a release clause that's much lower, meaning they'll need to sell sooner than that?

[Waffdon]

Yeah, half that from next year

[randomlegend]

Sancho had 38 goals and 45 assists in 82 games for Dortmund. He's one of only 4 players to average more than 1 goal/assist per game over the last three years (Mbappe, Lewandowski and Messi being the others).

He's one of the 3 best players in his age group in the world. We paid £1m less than Arsenal paid for Nicolas Pepe. The Dortmund fans are fuming.

[randomlegend]

I thought he has a release clause that's much lower, meaning they'll need to sell sooner than that?

They won't sell this summer unless someone makes at utterly outrageous bid. They'll do everything not to let Sancho and Haaland go in the same window.

[Ian]

1 goal/assist per game

It's 'goal contributions', mate.

[randomlegend]

It's 'goal contributions', mate.

https://i.redd.it/xel7x7rusi871.jpg

Shot-creating actions are where it's at, mate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I fear you and similarly minded United fans are in for a rude awakening when he is inevitably a hot and cold inconsistent bastard like the rest of them. German football is very, very weak.

[randomlegend]

He's obviously not going to come in and immediately put up the same numbers in the Premier League, but he's the real deal. You'll see.

[Ian]

Shot-creating actions. :drool:


I fear you and similarly minded United fans are in for a rude awakening when he is inevitably a hot and cold inconsistent bastard like the rest of them. German football is very, very weak.

What you're saying is he'll fit right in with the rest of the team.

[Manc]

He's obviously not going to come in and immediately put up the same numbers in the Premier League, but he's the real deal. You'll see.

OGS is banking on it.

[Waffdon]

I fear you and similarly minded United fans are in for a rude awakening when he is inevitably a hot and cold inconsistent bastard like the rest of them. German football is very, very weak.

Havertz is going to win a Balon D’or or two :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I doubt it. He's good but not that good. That said, I have long since lost track of what it takes to win one of those in non-Messi/Cristiano times.

Sterling on track this year :cool:

[Lewis]

Jadons Ancho is like two signings because it (hopefully) stops Rashford from stinking up the right side ever again.

[Lewis]

I doubt it. He's good but not that good. That said, I have long since lost track of what it takes to win one of those in non-Messi/Cristiano times.

Sterling on track this year :cool:

It always used to be heavily-weighted towards international tournaments didn't it (Fat Ronaldo, Fabio Cannavaro); but we're in the Goals, Skills & Assists era now, so rattling fifty past Bayer Holocaust probably counts for more.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Jack Grealish scores six goals in each of the next three games to win England the euro, will he win it? I'd say probably not, you have to play for certain clubs.

[Ian]

He could have scored a hat trick every time he played this year and they're still not giving the award to an Aston Villa player.

Almost worse than being a defender.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They wouldn't be able to garner anywhere near enough social media impressions.

[Gray Fox]

Not one of you has even put up a YouTube highlights video. Poor effort all round.

[Ian]

We didn't want Dortmund to up the price at the last minute with the extra 3 hits posting a JADON SANCHO BEST SKILLZ GOALS AND SHOT-CREATING ACTIONZ video might cause.

[Baz]

Leicester got Daka and it seemed like a missed opportunity.
United got Sancho and it seemed like Liverpool could have used him.
There’s only one thing for it.
#AnnounceMbappe

[Gray Fox]

It's all gone quite quiet on the Liverpool front to be fair. Journos linking us with any available CM in Europe.

Not that we'll get either but the likes of Goretzka and Mbappe both down inside their final year of their contracts is interesting.

[randomlegend]

1410623493239099394?s=20

Ramos to PSG done.

Varane to United rumours heating up with the mid-tier journalists quite a bit. The Real fans seem pretty convinced it's not a ploy for a contract and he genuinely wants to leave.

Sancho + Varane would already be the best window we've had in probably forever.

[Manc]

Sabitzer available for €17m. Woof.

[randomlegend]

We didn't want Dortmund to up the price at the last minute with the extra 3 hits posting a JADON SANCHO BEST SKILLZ GOALS AND SHOT-CREATING ACTIONZ video might cause.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fJebQIySik&

United have announced it so I think we're safe.

[Bernanke]

Isak extended with Sociedad and upped the release clause from 70 to 90 million euro.

Honestly a very sensible decision at this stage for him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Isak extended with Sociedad and upped the release clause from 70 to 90 million euro.

Honestly a very sensible decision at this stage for him.

Apparently they've also made a deal with Dortmund.

They're paying them £5m to cancel the £26m buyback clause.

If true Dortmund are fucking idiots.

[Danny]

I think Isak came out and said he would refuse to go back to Dortmund so they wouldnt be able to buy him back even if the intention was to sell him on. This way they get something

[randomlegend]

The big boy sources are saying we're in for Varane now (Stone, Bouhafsi). Think it's ON.

[Waffdon]

He’s peaked too soon. Far too injury prone now. Looked a mess at the Euros

[Lewis]

2001 was the best transfer window until Jaap Stam went and then it wasn't, so 2007 walks it.

[Shindig]

Ours is either 1995's (Ferdinand, Barton, Hislop, Ginola, Tino, Batty) or 2013 when we bought every French player Carr had his eye on.

[Bernanke]

I think Isak came out and said he would refuse to go back to Dortmund so they wouldnt be able to buy him back even if the intention was to sell him on. This way they get something

Kimmich did sort of a proxy transfer where the release clause was used without him ever going to the club triggering it, but I guess Isak doesn't feel like doing Dortmund any favors at all.

[phonics]

I know it’s completely irrational but we’ve been linked to that Locatelli chap and I want nothing to do with it. Italian central midfielders in England is just a recipe for disaster.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, it's not a distinguished list.

Sam Dalla Bona?

Always thought it was weird how much he dropped off the face of the planet.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The qualities required to play the position in England (running and tackling) and those required to play it in Italy (standing still and passing) are a bit ne'er the twain shall meet.

[randomlegend]

Shot-creating actions. :drool:



What you're saying is he'll fit right in with the rest of the team.

https://i.redd.it/nlj5fkvbdn871.jpg

Shot-creating actions are so six hours ago.

Penalty box entries are where it's at.

[Kikó]

Fucking hell random.

[Shindig]

The most exciting part of any signing: Graphs!

[randomlegend]

#toprightsancho

[phonics]

I find these stats fascinating because they're so fucking useless.


Based on these results, it is suggested that teams should enter the opposing team's penalty area but should not allow their opponents to do the same.

Thanks bud.

Meanwhile,


Teams with fewer players on the pitch received significantly more entries into the penalty area per minute than teams with more (mean=0.22, s=0.07) or the same number (mean=0.14, s=0.05) of players.

So the plan is to get a player sent off and then put Sancho on.

[Lewis]

He plays on the left
He's in the top right
That Jadon Sancho
Makes phonics look shite

[phonics]

Lewis Betts, wo-o-o-oh,
Lewis Betts wo-o-o-oh.
He used to post from Hull,
Posts were good now they’re dull.

[Lewis]

Definitely white with them rhymes.

[Shindig]

Nice to see he's putting his notice period to some use.

[phonics]

Definitely white with them rhymes.

My album would be called ‘Clapping on the ones’

[Don]

RL on his Pellistri hype again. 3 best players in his age-group, you'll see :happycry:

[Spikey M]

HIV with H I Me,
wearing moonboots like a fanny,
my clothes are swish, my cheese is Swiss,
I'll post a local restaurants menu yo, pick me a dish.

[Shindig]

My name's phonics and I used to be down with big oil,
Now my notice is in and I'm back on home soil,
It didn't take much for my life to unravel,
Let me state my prime directive: Have trainers, will travel.

[Baz]

He’s thinner than Baz
He’s thinner than Baz
That lad phonics
Is thinner than Baz

[randomlegend]

RL on his Pellistri hype again. 3 best players in his age-group, you'll see :happycry:

You were the one hyping Pellistri.

[randomlegend]

In more important news, Heaton to United announced!

And Varane to United really looks like it might happen for about €50m.

[Waffdon]

As much as Man Utd might have got Sancho on the cheap, they’ve wasted it spunking that on someone out of contract in less than a year

[Yevrah]

Given we now live in a world where Gareth Southgate has the only word, Sancho surely can't be that good or else he'd be playing for England.

[Ian]

Thankfully that sort of thing (the Sancho fee, oot the way Yev) is impossible to care about.

Yeah everybody likes a bit of bants about a club they don't like spaffing a load of money up the wall on whoever but unless your team is at risk of going to the wall who could possibly give a shit?

[Ian]

Given we now live in a world where Gareth Southgate has the only word, Sancho surely can't be that good or else he'd be playing for England.

Ah but come the next tournament he'll have the crucial added experience of league cup games and grim 0-0 home draws with Southampton so he'll be ready for international competitions by then.

[randomlegend]

As much as Man Utd might have got Sancho on the cheap, they’ve wasted it spunking that on someone out of contract in less than a year

Varane is a world class centre back and getting him for 50m even with only a year left would be a fantastic signing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Are you the PR department or what?

[Waffdon]

Varane is a world class centre back and getting him for 50m even with only a year left would be a fantastic signing.

No centre half that gets molested by Seferovic is worth 50m Euros

[Lewis]

United should be more worried about their wage bill than transfer fees. Brandon Williams can't really be on sixty-five grand a week can he? Were Real Madrid in for him or something after those ten decent performances he put together?

[randomlegend]

United should be more worried about their wage bill than transfer fees. Brandon Williams can't really be on sixty-five grand a week can he? Were Real Madrid in for him or something after those ten decent performances he put together?

Isn't our wage bill pretty reasonable by top 6 standards? Lower than Chelsea's and even Liverpool's IIRC.

[Lewis]

They win things.

[Ian]

The top google result has us second, but it also talks about 'defensemen' so fuck those guys.

[Waffdon]

Man City > Liverpool > Man Utd > Chelsea > Arsenal

According to the internet

[-james-]

I do like having a browse around the payrolls reported on Spotrac every now and then. Ninety grand Baba Rahman is pretty funny but I'm not sure it makes a difference to Chelsea. Arsenal's (https://www.spotrac.com/epl/arsenal-fc/payroll/) is just unbelievable.

[Ian]

The life of a backup goalie really is the dream.

Do I remember rightly that there was a time when Adam Bogdan was fourth choice for Liverpool and still on five figures a week?

Lee Grant must be pulling in a tidy amount as well.

[Lewis]

I thought Lee Grant had gone/retired; but no, new contract. Maybe Dave Gayer is leaving.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Billy Gilmour going on loan to Norfolk is a bit disappointing. I'd have thought Tuchel could have given him 30-40 games this year.

[Gray Fox]

The life of a backup goalie really is the dream.

Do I remember rightly that there was a time when Adam Bogdan was fourth choice for Liverpool and still on five figures a week?

Lee Grant must be pulling in a tidy amount as well.

He was on about 20k a week for us from 2015 - 2019. Played about 5 games for us and before being binned off to Scotland.

[Max Power]

Soumaré and Daka look like good buys, not that I’ve seen much of them personally ofc.

[randomlegend]

I thought Lee Grant had gone/retired; but no, new contract. Maybe Dave Gayer is leaving.

He's a coach who's on a playing contract so he can help with the home grown quota.

[randomlegend]

Arsenal signing a full back from Benfica who by all accounts has far better technique french kissing his dogs than he does playing football.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arsenal signing a full back from Benfica who by all accounts has far better technique french kissing his dogs than he does playing football.

I've seen evidence, it's weird as fuck.

[Lewis]

He's a coach who's on a playing contract so he can help with the home grown quota.

So what have they signed Tom Heaton for?

[randomlegend]

So what have they signed Tom Heaton for?

As the actual third goalkeeper presumably (although you'd have thought we could manage with Grant given how often a third keeper is actually needed). I can't see them binning Henderson and nobody's taking on De Gea's wages.

[randomlegend]

So what have they signed Tom Heaton for?

1411008660944338946?s=09

As if by magic

[phonics]

David De Gea is on a 4 year contract at 300k a week and Henderson is on a 5 year at 100k+.

Who would take them?

[randomlegend]

I doubt we'd have much trouble selling Henderson if we wanted to. I strongly hope and suspect we'd rather get rid of De Gea but fuck knows who'd take him.

The only hope is if he's willing to take a big pay cut to go back to Spain to be with his family.

[phonics]

You live in a bizarro world. Everyone’s broke. Who’s paying 30 million for Dean Henderson.

[randomlegend]

Mate Arsenal have been making £50m bids for Ben White.

[phonics]

Mate Arsenal have been making £50m bids for Ben White.

The team that was famous for having over 100m in cash on hand that finished in mid table the year prior. Loads of them about.

[randomlegend]

There's plenty of rich owners and TV money in the Premier League. There'll be untold 30 millions bunged away by clubs as always, especially with FFP being relaxed.

Fans will be back in the stadiums soon as well. It's not like most clubs are financially responsible anyway

[phonics]

Whatever makes you feel better.

[Lewis]

This is what I mean. Why was Dean Henderson given a hundred grand a week when the ball there was very much in United's court? Where do these numbers come from? Why are Chelsea paying Kai Havertz three-hundred a week straight off his first big move when he would have been earning ten per cent of that in Germany?

[phonics]

FOMO (fear of missing out). Didn’t David Alaba get his wages tripled by Madrid despite no one else being in for him?

[randomlegend]

Wages have just shot up like transfer fees have. £100,000 is the new £30,000 just like £100m is the new £30m

[Lewis]

Transfer fees have gone up because clubs are in a position to hold out. Was Henderson really in a position to have turned down, say, seventy grand a week? Would Havertz have stayed put if Chelsea had offered him two-hundred?

[Lofty]

The best bit about the United circle jerk over Sancho is the complete disregard for the fact he isn't going to sort Ole's tactical ineptitude out.

[randomlegend]

Solskjaer is better than he's given credit for; it's bloody hard to.have an attack which functionally breaks down low blocks when you can only attack on one side of the pitch.

And even if I'm wrong, he'd be leaving a dramatically better squad for the next manager, which he deserves credit for.

[Lewis]

He is rubbish.

[randomlegend]

I don't think he is, but this will be the season to really judge him on. If we don't win anything and/or genuinely challenge for the league this year then yeah he has to go.

[Baz]

It seems like he doesn’t know what he’s doing, which is quite spectacular considering he found fame under arguably the greatest manager of all time.

[Kikó]

He's finished third then second in the league. Made multiple semi finals and a final. Not bad for someone who doesn't have a clue.

[Shindig]

At the same time, I can't see him finding the same success elsewhere. Could say the same about plenty of managers, though.

[randomlegend]

He's finished third then second in the league. Made multiple semi finals and a final. Not bad for someone who doesn't have a clue.

Yeah and as someone who watches every single game, there has been clear and consistent progress.

Won't deny he fucked the EL final, but even the mighty Pep flubbed the Champions League final.

[Lewis]

Sixty-six and seventy-four points are shit to meh, and he bombed each of his major cup ties in exactly the same fashion. I think he has the right ideas, and he has brought the right players in, but he isn't good enough to actually implement them.

[Ian]

I'm also still not convinced he has any sort of plan for attack beyond choosing a tactic and plugging in better players FM-style and then "lol you guys work it out I guess?"

If he does it's incredibly well concealed.

[randomlegend]

I still think people underestimate how big a problem the right side of our attack has been for absolutely forever. If you look at where we attack from it is laughably lopsided.

It's incredibly difficult to break down a well drilled defensive side when you've only got one route of attack.

Greenwood has done decently on the right but he's clearly a striker and his tendency is always to come inside and sit in/around the box. Wan Bissaka has improved going forward but he's never going to be prime Cafu. Feel free to laugh at me if I'm wrong but I think Sancho will make a surprisingly big difference.

[Kikó]

United had zero clue how to attack under mourinho. OGS has changed that and while it doesn't always work, it generally has. I don't think he's going to be good enough longer term but I've generally enjoyed his time. The players have improved under him.

[Lewis]

The wonky attack doesn't explain why they regularly get out-run and over-run by any team with a plan, and concede the same shit goal[s] every week, unless he just expects to win every game 4-2.

[Manc]

Regardless of what Joe Public thinks of OGS, the players are definitely behind him.

[Baz]

Jesus is that really the bar. “At least he’s doing better than Mourinho.”

[Kikó]

The bar is his team's play generally good football and for the first time in about ten years, it's been enjoyable.

[Shindig]

He needs to figure out how to start games on the front foot.

[randomlegend]

they regularly get out-run and over-run by any team with a plan

I mean I just don't think that's true. You can't finish second, even if the points total was relatively modest, if you get over-run by "every team with a plan" (which in the Premier League is pretty much everyone apart from the shittest relegation fodder).

The dodgy defence definitely improved as the season went on. A lot of it was individual mistakes - many from Maguire, who was excellent by the end of the year.

Tactics, mate, clearly matter, but you also do actually need good players. Hence Pep spending about a billion quid on defenders. The squad was absolutely rife with overpaid shite when Solskjaer came in and he has drastically improved it. The midfield probably still isn't good enough to win the league because Pogba will never work properly in the two unless they get a Kante regen beside him and the rest of the midfielders are all a load of meh.

[Baz]

The bar is his team's play generally good football and for the first time in about ten years, it's been enjoyable.

I honestly don’t believe that. I truly believe it’s “better than wot we ad” mentality, cos a neutral wouldn’t go out of their way to watch United under Solskjaer. They’re dreadful. Teams like Leicester, Spurs, Villa, probably even Everton (and of course City, Chelsea and Liverpool) play far more entertaining [generally good] football.

Edit: Leeds

[Pepe]

I'm also still not convinced he has any sort of plan for attack beyond choosing a tactic and plugging in better players FM-style and then "lol you guys work it out I guess?"

If he does it's incredibly well concealed.

Set forward runs to often and call it a day.

[Lewis]

I mean I just don't think that's true. You can't finish second, even if the points total was relatively modest, if you get over-run by "every team with a plan" (which in the Premier League is pretty much everyone apart from the shittest relegation fodder).

The dodgy defence definitely improved as the season went on. A lot of it was individual mistakes - many from Maguire, who was excellent by the end of the year.

Tactics, mate, clearly matter, but you also do actually need good players. Hence Pep spending about a billion quid on defenders. The squad was absolutely rife with overpaid shite when Solskjaer came in and he has drastically improved it. The midfield probably still isn't good enough to win the league because Pogba will never work properly in the two unless they get a Kante regen beside him and the rest of the midfielders are all a load of meh.

How many games do they ever win comfortably? They go behind because he can't set a team up properly, then somebody does something against the run of play/because they retreat into their own box, he brings another attacker on, and they win. It's good enough with an expensive squad to get seventy-odd points, but no chance he ever wins a big trophy with them.

[Ian]

I don't THINK I'm just a contrarian old miserytwat when it comes to United but I honestly can't relate to the idea that watching our games is generally enjoyable.

And I agree with Lewis that we're not winning anything anybody cares about under OGB.

[Jimmy Floyd]

A few weeks with no games on is long enough for any club's partisan forum/reddit echo chamber to convince itself that they're on the brink of greatness.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

There have been moments in some games which have been enjoyable.

It's not enough though.

He should have been fired for losing the Europa League too.

[Lewis]

It might be better than the slop served up previously, but yeah, 'enjoyable' is a stretch.

[niko_cee]

Soumaré and Daka look like good buys, not that I’ve seen much of them personally ofc.

Yeah, they'll be getting touted for £50m+ in a year after a decent season in the league.

I've also obviously seen nothing of either.

Everyone was all over Soumaré a few years ago (in the press at least) so £17m seems a good price for him.

[Kikó]

I mean the previous bar was the misery of the end of Mourinho, the dread ball from LvG and the crossing from Moyes. Solskjaer has got the team scoring 4 goals in games for the first time in ages.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's a great manager but it has been enjoyable at times. Towards the end of last season it was more shit the bed TBF.

[Don]

The delusion :D

[niko_cee]

Isn't our wage bill pretty reasonable by top 6 standards? Lower than Chelsea's and even Liverpool's IIRC.

I never really get (1) how wage bills are ever compared [I mean, isn't that highly sensitive/confidential information or do clubs report it?] and (2) how United aren't leagues ahead of everyone as virtually everyone in their squad appears to be on multiple hundreds of thousands of pounds a week [if you believe what is reported, which I guess takes you back to point 1]. Doesn't fatman Shaw earn more than Mo Salah and Van Dijk?


Wages have just shot up like transfer fees have. £100,000 is the new £30,000 just like £100m is the new £30m

You probably need to have some sort of frame of reference for that, but, if anything, £100,000 p/w salaries are probably a lot more common than transfer fees of that size.

[SincereTheRebel]

Did Ole also lose a final to Arteta in the fizzy drink cup?

[Lofty]

That was Fat Frank in the FA Cup.

[randomlegend]

I never really get (1) how wage bills are ever compared [I mean, isn't that highly sensitive/confidential information or do clubs report it?] and (2) how United aren't leagues ahead of everyone as virtually everyone in their squad appears to be on multiple hundreds of thousands of pounds a week [if you believe what is reported, which I guess takes you back to point 1]. Doesn't fatman Shaw earn more than Mo Salah and Van Dijk?



You probably need to have some sort of frame of reference for that, but, if anything, £100,000 p/w salaries are probably a lot more common than transfer fees of that size.

You're probably right. £100,000 is the new £30,000 like £30m is the new £10m would probably be better

[Lewis]

I still say, given the resources at his disposal, 'LvG' did the best job out of any of them. His transfers were very (very) hit and miss, but he had to oversee a proper clear-out and couldn't just buy two top, top players a year. He got Ole Gunnar Binman-level points (and an FA Cup) with Morgan Schneiderlin and Wayne Rooney in midfield (the less said about the rest of the side the better).

[Kikó]

Varane - Not far off agreeing personal terms, wants to come to United. United want one more at CB after his.

Trippier - in doubt especially with Diego's new found form.

Additional CM/CF dependent on player sales.

Sancho apparently 'a bad trainer, distracted off the pitch, arrogant, rude... ". Good at football though.

[Lewis]

Distracted by what? He must have worked with every black man in Dortmund.

[Manc]

Sancho apparently 'a bad trainer, distracted off the pitch, arrogant, rude... ". Good at football though.

Would explain the England shun.

[Mellberg]

Going in with a third bid for Smith-Rowe of just over 30m. Must be something to this. Is he any good?

[randomlegend]

There's about as much chance of Arsenal accepting that bid as there is of Villa accepting one of £50m for Grealish.

[niko_cee]

Should have offered £30,000,001.

[Mellberg]

Only difference being actual bids are going in. Might not happen, and I'm not too fussed either way, but repeat bids must mean either he or Arsenal have sounded us out.

[randomlegend]

He's after leverage for his new contract.

[Mellberg]

Sounds to me like you're selling your opinions as fact again there.

We'll see how it plays out.

[Don]

He's the closest thing to Grealish out there and I don't just mean the sexy calfs. Proper player.

[randomlegend]

Sounds to me like you're selling your opinions as fact again there.

We'll see how it plays out.

No I'm not. Multiple reliable Arsenal journalists have said he's expected to sign a new contract and that it would take a bid at least double what Villa are currently offering for Arsenal to even come to the table.

[Mellberg]

Not just one RELIABLE JOURNO, but several?!

[randomlegend]

Exactly, yes.

[Waffdon]

Who?

[Lewis]

Barold Hishop, Cyril the Somalian, the Internet Ombudsman...

[Don]

RL rubs one out to pictures of Jack Sullivan, pass it on.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

lol at Barca trying to cancel the contracts of Umtiti and Pjanic (who was bought for 60m last summer).

[Manc]

Top five transfer nonces:


Jim White
Fab "here we go" Romano
RL
David Ornstein
dijeet

[Shindig]

Jim White's finished now. RL's moving up.

[randomlegend]

I'm number 1 and it's not close.

[randomlegend]

1411809536634204162?s=21

Trying not to get my hopes up.

[Lewis]

The new United shirt is honking. The red looks off, and the logo looks Sunday league. That 2012/13 picnic table was the last real shocker, but they won the league in it so who knows.

[SincereTheRebel]

lol at Barca trying to cancel the contracts of Umtiti and Pjanic (who was bought for 60m last summer).

Cancel it for cheap. They are all over the place.

[SincereTheRebel]

Wolves have loaned some barca winger who is probably shitm

[Shindig]

I got my hopes up it was Alex Collado.

[niko_cee]

I've obviously not being paying attention, but when did Sky Sports News transition to mega banter mode? Is it mainly hosted by reality TV folk now or something?

[Baz]

I've obviously not being paying attention, but when did Sky Sports News transition to mega banter mode? Is it mainly hosted by reality TV folk now or something?

The Saturday (Sunday?) Social thing isn't that bad but one of the blokes sticks out like a sore thumb as being far too old for Zoom bantz with the likes of Joe Thomlinson and Chunkz.

[Lofty]

Going in with a third bid for Smith-Rowe of just over 30m. Must be something to this. Is he any good?

He is a good prospect on the back of a good season but lol if we sell him when he was promoted to the first team to address the fact we had no creative playmakers, as that would mean we need to sign two creative playmakers instead of one (on top of the two keepers, full back, centre half etc).

[randomlegend]

Pogba potentially going to PSG has been breaking this evening with some of the best French sources.

I've been Pogba's biggest fangirl in his time here but he's not consistently worth the wage we'd have to pay him to get him to sign an extension and we're better off getting something for him now than nothing in a year.

Plus the only position we really seem to make him work in is the left wing now.

[phonics]

Going in with a third bid for Smith-Rowe of just over 30m. Must be something to this. Is he any good?

The only way this isn’t his agent trying to get money out of us is Grealish coming the other way and we know that’s not happening.

With what’s going out the door we will have 5 midfielders left (including smith-Rowe, Maitland Niles and Willock)

[Don]

If Pogba goes Utd are fackkkkked :drool:

[-james-]

It's at least the beginning of the end of the United banter era I reckon. With or without OGS they will probably contend in the next couple of years.

[Lewis]

Speaking of Banter Eras ending and beginning, I thought Barcelona were just trying to save money, but lol (https://twitter.com/ZachLowy/status/1412143891302780930) it's so much worse. They were in a similar position when Joan Laporta took over (there was a documentary about it and them scrabbling around for free transfers), but back then you could get Ronaldinho for thirty million and there was a home-grown super team waiting round the corner.

As for United, there is a Good Young Side in there over the coming years; but I'm still not having Ole Gunnar Binman winning anything.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Presumably this is why they and other panicked themselves into the Super League. I just can't work out why the English mongs went along with it.

[phonics]

Why is Barcelona football club needing to redude their wage bill by 200k a year a story?

[Luca]

Because the tweet is off by a few orders of magnitude. It’s more like €200M.

[Shindig]

I love it when stories come out about how much some of our players are on. I think Sean Longstaff was only on £13k a week. Surely Riqui Puig would take that deal.

[Gray Fox]

So they're so far gone that Messi going back is next to impossible and it'll even be tricky to get the players they've already "signed."

That Fernandes situation typifies them as a club. €10m on a player who makes 1 substitute appearance. They cancel his contract, presumably with a fee attached and then will be sued and from what I can see have no leg to stand on.

[Lewis]

Different sites have different numbers, but Antoine Griezmann seems to be on the thick end of half a million a week. Again, would he really not have signed for half that? See also: Frenkie de Jong on three-hundred plus straight from the third division.

[Don]

The agents broke the system. Just hope we see the lot of these clubs go to ruin and looking around at most of them, you can definitely see it happening.

[Mellberg]

Release Messi this summer and rebuild from here. They're not winning anything and he's 34.

Just Googled his age and found out he's 6 days older than me, which was pretty depressing to discover on a Tuesday morning.

[Kikó]

Surely there are a few bargains within that Barcelona squad worth stealing for a threepence?

[Shindig]

Martin Braithwaite.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I feel like Messi being a free agent has gone somewhat under the radar. Will he go back and play for a tenner an hour in exchange for all that tax they helped him dodge?

[Shindig]

I can only think of PSG putting up the wages for him.

[randomlegend]

Different sites have different numbers, but Antoine Griezmann seems to be on the thick end of half a million a week. Again, would he really not have signed for half that? See also: Frenkie de Jong on three-hundred plus straight from the third division.

He was already on nearly what Barca are paying him when he was at Atletico.

[niko_cee]

I'm sure I saw something where Griezmann was meant to be on something like £800k a week (was there a leak of Barca wages?). It's that sort of absolutely ruinous shit you have to stay away from [see also Gareth Bale].

[Lewis]

He was already on nearly what Barca are paying him when he was at Atletico.

And he wanted to play for Barcelona. What's the point of being a big draw if you can't use it to squeeze wages? City don't pay lol wages to everybody and they do it in part by leveraging titles and playing for 'Pep' against greedy twats (they told de Jong to do one).

[randomlegend]

And he wanted to play for Barcelona. What's the point of being a big draw if you can't use it to squeeze wages? City don't pay lol wages to everybody and they do it in part by leveraging titles and playing for 'Pep' against greedy twats (they told de Jong to do one).

Well Barto is clearly an absolute retard, but I do expect Griezmann would have just stayed at Atletico. He did it before when he was about to leave for United and then they got their transfer ban. He's got an ego the size of a planet, he's not the type to be able to accept a paycut.

The rumour is his wage at Barca increases year on year of his contract up to 800k euros a week :happycry: Seems to be a Barca thing because Dembele's does the same.

United are getting much better with their wage structure after the mistakes of De Gea and Sanchez. We obviously pay well, but the base salaries are not insane. We offer very generous performance related bonuses (there's been a couple of United contracts leak which show this). When the media report our wages they work out the absolute maximum amount a player could get if they achieved every single bonus, divide it by 52 and say that's the weekly wage.

[Gray Fox]

Junior Firpo to Leeds in another Barcelona sale.

This is also Dembeles last year of his contract after his 120m move. Given their money situation I’d say he’s also going to leave for very little, or even free.

[Kikó]

And he wanted to play for Barcelona. What's the point of being a big draw if you can't use it to squeeze wages? City don't pay lol wages to everybody and they do it in part by leveraging titles and playing for 'Pep' against greedy twats (they told de Jong to do one).

Well, officially they don't pay lol wages...

[Lewis]

That's a point. The old wife earning fifty grand in the club shop Super League trick, but with human rights violations.

[Gray Fox]

And now add in that Dembele and Greasy were caught making racist gestures towards the Japanese in a visit there a while back. For some reason it's only coming out now, but their shirt sponsor is Japanese as is the guy who runs the company. I'm hoping he fucks them off for it. Send them even further into the shit.

[randomlegend]

And now add in that Dembele and Greasy were caught making racist gestures towards the Japanese in a visit there a while back. For some reason it's only coming out now, but their shirt sponsor is Japanese as is the guy who runs the company. I'm hoping he fucks them off for it. Send them even further into the shit.


The CEO of Rakuten, Hiroshi Mikitani, one of the main sponsors of FC Barcelona, after the controversial video of Griezmann and Dembelé: "They are unacceptable, we will ask for explanations"

https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2021/07/06/60e45222e2704e04688b46f6.html

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Griezmann has form.

[Lewis]

Two black guys harassing Asians. Typical.

[randomlegend]

Griezmann has been dropped from his Konami sponsorship. He's honestly one of the must unlikeable people on football.

[Don]

Palace signing Olise of Reading for peanuts. Maybe they got Vieira to retain the crucial BLM spine.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He is a lovely player, although not sure how he and Eze play in the same side in this era of managers needing 10 of the 11 to be hard running wotsits.

[Lewis]

The new United shirt is honking. The red looks off, and the logo looks Sunday league. That 2012/13 picnic table was the last real shocker, but they won the league in it so who knows.

1413057029439119366

I like the sleeves but fucking hell. It looks like one of them shit rip-off ones you used to see on holiday in the nineties with iron-on badges.

[Lewis]

There are generations of kids out there who have only known high-quality fake tricots and never been able to bully somebody for wearing a market stall carrier bag one. We really did grow up at the best time.

[Shindig]

I'm more worried by the sponsor. A remote desktop app? Is this the new era after Electronics -> Alcohol -> Bank -> Betting?

[Kikó]

The return of tricot :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

That United tricot just looks like a League Two side. Morecambe or something.

[Disco]

I thought Barnsley but much the same effect.

[randomlegend]

I quite like it :uhoh:

The teamviewer logo is a welcome change from the massive Chevrolet one.

[SvN]

Are long sleeves making a return? I can't remember seeing a player wearing them since about 2012.

[Waffdon]

Long sleeves look so much better. Most players just have an under armour and short sleeves though.

Keepers’ in short sleeves looks better though.

[Pepe]

We need keeper padded sweatpants back.

[Ian]

Appropriate sleeve length is based in player position clearly. Centre halves in long sleeves need dropped. Mercurial playmakers need the long sleeves to make up for all the running they're not doing.

[Don]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57782872

The Watford transfer committe is essentially a dulux colour chart now. That Etebo is the epitome of how you too can have a top-level footballing career with the right amount of melanin supplements and that Rangers kid looks like the exact same case but just in regen format.

[Baz]

Arsenal have signed a Portuguese left back called Nuno Tavares.

Now Liverpool just need to sign Nuno Mendes to come and threaten Robbo’s place.

[Don]

Shat myself for a second thinking they'd sorted their lives out and signed Nuno Mendes.

[randomlegend]

1414936398998638603?s=09


Jadon Sancho completes the mandatory medical check in Manchester. The execution of the change is getting closer. With the transfer, the personnel planning of the BVB will also pick up speed

Guys guys guys Sancho has had his medical.