Man U's 'super striker' signings, Mbeumo and Cunha, were the ones who missed from the spot (Mbeumo 2nd time around)
As an aside, the biblical rainfall during the game resulted from the wetest, loudest and most spectacular thunderstorm that I've seen since I moved to N E Lincolnshire nearly 20 years ago
As I said on the Carabao thread, the longer Man U and other ‘bigger’ teams are in decline, the longer Palace will prosper.
Not sure I agree with that.
As far as I'm concerned, as someone who lived thru the Ferguson years and had to suffer a whole load of insufferable united fans (some of whom living in London had never even been to Manchester, let alone a game - it was just fashionable to say you were a united fan) constantly crowing about their teams greatness I am thoroughly enjoying United's current predicament.
I've got a lot of respect for Utd as a club. If it wasn't for them, the Goons would have won a lot more league titles so can only be grateful. Utmost respect for Sir Alex and his ability to build team after team in his long stint at the club but lets be honest, as the richest club in the world at that point, he had it easy really. Same for Pep now, apart from Sir Alex used to turn Spurs over again and again, unlike the billion pound spending bald fraud. Since Sir Alex left, they've been on the slide. They are proper shit. Their stadium is falling apart and their big headed fans are living off past glories. Its been a joy to watch their demise.
Amorin, for me, is a strange one. Set in his ways, a bit like Ange was. This instance on playing 3-4-3. Every game they play, and not enough has been made of this in the press/media, they get outnumbered in midfield. No matter if they face a 4-3-3, a 4-2-3-1 or a 5-3-2, the opposition have an overload in the middle. Bruno Fernandes is not a no. 6 or 8, he's a 10. Casemiro's legs went the season before last. They sold McTominay who had the legs to play in a midfield 2. The CBs are not good enough. Their wing backs aren't good enough. The goalkeepers are just laughable. And why the hell if their new £70m centre forward 10th in line to take a penalty in the shoot out, absolutely bonkers!
For the love of god, a poor Spurs team turned them over 4 times last season. Four. Let that sink in. Spurs were shocking last year.
Amorin's had almost a full calendar year at the club and they haven't improved. Contrast that with Frank at Spurs and Spurs have improved massively all over the pitch in 2 league games. How much more time does Amorin need to turn things around? He'll probably tread water until October then they'll pull the plug. Bring someone else in and start the transfer merry-go-round again. Their transfer strategy is an absolute disaster.
Burnley on Saturday is an absolutely massive game for them now!
I have a serious dislike for United which was probably ingrained in me because of 20+ years of them winning under Ferguson, so i'm delighted they stumble from one mess to another, but i do kind of feel a bit sorry for Amorim.
When the owners hired him they knew what formation and system he played and you'd assume he told them he wouldn't change that. In his system probably the three most important players are the wing backs and the DM. Yet in two transfer windows since he joined United have bought a young LWB from a struggling Italian team and they haven't bought a RWB or DM. So he hasn't been helped at all there.
They badly need a new goalkeeper, haven't bought one, badly need a world class DM, haven't bought one, badly need a RWB, haven't bought one. They had a perfectly capable number 10 in Bruno, but they're now having to play him deeper where he's ineffective because they've signed Cunha and Mbeumo. One of them signing would've been enough, they didn't need both. Mbuemo (to me anyway) was an unnecessary signing as he's generally a wide attacker and now needs to play inside a lot..........where they already had Bruno.
They should've signed Donnarumma, 2 world class wing backs, a world class DM and Cunha. 5 players required and they've got 1. Their entire transfer plan has been a total mess.
I’d like to know what really good sides have won anything playing 5 at the back . Discounting league one play off finals
Conte won the league with a 343 at Chelsea but he had the players for it, Amorim doesn't.
Luiz stepped up from defence a lot to join the two in the middle, none of United's defence can do that.
They had Kante and Matic as the 2 who offered good protection for the wingbacks to push on, and Kante was prime Kante. United are trying to play Bruno Fernandes in the two leaving Casemiro or Ugarte basically on their own. Casemiro is past it, Ugarte looks awful.
They had Diego Costa holding up the ball and being a nuisance to centre backs to give room to Hazard etc, United have no one up top who can hold up a ball.
I don't know what the answer is, but at the very least they need to be playing 2 behind Bruno Fernandes, not 1 and him.
And signing a new vaguely competent goalkeeper for a start, they'd have been poor but probably won that but for Onana.
What manager in their right mind doesn’t watch all the penalties? In fact I’m pretty sure he didn’t watch the corners in their last game as well? I know Curbs had his head down a few times at Wembley but that was a one off game with a huge outcome. I would not want someone like that managing my team tbf.
Grimsby players, outworked out run the more technical Man Utd players. They kept themselves in the game when Utd equalised with sheer hard work and bloody mindness. Great result for Grimsby.
Thomas Frank was the manager they should’ve appointed. I thought that was obvious when they were looking for a new boss and hired Amorim.
I'm glad they didn't, Frank is still relatively up and coming in managerial terms and definitely doesn't need to be tied to the baggage of Utd right now.
Spurs was a good move for him to prove himself at a "big" club and probably eventually go on to even bigger and better.
I have a serious dislike for United which was probably ingrained in me because of 20+ years of them winning under Ferguson, so i'm delighted they stumble from one mess to another, but i do kind of feel a bit sorry for Amorim.
When the owners hired him they knew what formation and system he played and you'd assume he told them he wouldn't change that. In his system probably the three most important players are the wing backs and the DM. Yet in two transfer windows since he joined United have bought a young LWB from a struggling Italian team and they haven't bought a RWB or DM. So he hasn't been helped at all there.
They badly need a new goalkeeper, haven't bought one, badly need a world class DM, haven't bought one, badly need a RWB, haven't bought one. They had a perfectly capable number 10 in Bruno, but they're now having to play him deeper where he's ineffective because they've signed Cunha and Mbeumo. One of them signing would've been enough, they didn't need both. Mbuemo (to me anyway) was an unnecessary signing as he's generally a wide attacker and now needs to play inside a lot..........where they already had Bruno.
They should've signed Donnarumma, 2 world class wing backs, a world class DM and Cunha. 5 players required and they've got 1. Their entire transfer plan has been a total mess.
Can you really be considered a top manager if you can only play one system, and require the team to be completely rebuilt for you to achieve any results?
Man U's 'super striker' signings, Mbeumo and Cunha, were the ones who missed from the spot (Mbeumo 2nd time around)
As an aside, the biblical rainfall during the game resulted from the wetest, loudest and most spectacular thunderstorm that I've seen since I moved to N E Lincolnshire nearly 20 years ago
And the third one making it £200m for the three, is such a confident striker that he took their 10th penalty with only the keeper left not to take one. I do appreciate that some strikers don't want to be the team's penalty taker but what message does it send that every single other outfielder is better than you are at taking them?
I actually don’t have a hatred for Utd, I do think they are by far the biggest club in the UK but they are in a desperate state as nothing is working for them, not big signings and not respected managers. The sight of Amorim with that magnetic board, sitting in the dugout during the penalties and his bizarre interview on Sky indicates he’s lost it. I think the pressure weighs very heavy at that club. I have no idea what they do next and that is a recurring problem for them.
The job has looked too big for Ruben Amorim since just a few months into his tenure. He Joined in November 24 but was reported in the main media he wanted to join in the summer of 25 after a big window with players he wanted and jettison many he didn't want. Amorim body language is so poor and he spends more time looking at the ground waiting for it to swollen him up. He did a great job at Sporting but it always helps to have a finisher like Gyokeres and lower expectations than at the Global brand of Man united.
So much wrong at Utd. They desperately needed a decent holding midfielder far more than they needed Cunha or Mbeumo. Also think Bruno is massively over rated & certainly not a captain or leader.
Just feels like an absolute malaise that's bigger than any managerial appointment will ever be able to fix.
I'd have sold Bruno this summer to Saudi as rumoured and pocketed the cash to sign a proper dominant holder , go test Newcastles resolve for Bruno Guimares for example.
Cunha is just going to be another addition to the list of attacking players they've signed that don't work out. Other United managers wouldn't have even considered signing him with the baggage he brings attitude wise.
I found it particularly satisfying to see my former next door neighbour—that I coached when he was a wee lad—come on for Grimsby and score during the shootout.
I've got a lot of respect for Utd as a club. If it wasn't for them, the Goons would have won a lot more league titles so can only be grateful. Utmost respect for Sir Alex and his ability to build team after team in his long stint at the club but lets be honest, as the richest club in the world at that point, he had it easy really. Same for Pep now, apart from Sir Alex used to turn Spurs over again and again, unlike the billion pound spending bald fraud. Since Sir Alex left, they've been on the slide. They are proper shit. Their stadium is falling apart and their big headed fans are living off past glories. Its been a joy to watch their demise.
Amorin, for me, is a strange one. Set in his ways, a bit like Ange was. This instance on playing 3-4-3. Every game they play, and not enough has been made of this in the press/media, they get outnumbered in midfield. No matter if they face a 4-3-3, a 4-2-3-1 or a 5-3-2, the opposition have an overload in the middle. Bruno Fernandes is not a no. 6 or 8, he's a 10. Casemiro's legs went the season before last. They sold McTominay who had the legs to play in a midfield 2. The CBs are not good enough. Their wing backs aren't good enough. The goalkeepers are just laughable. And why the hell if their new £70m centre forward 10th in line to take a penalty in the shoot out, absolutely bonkers!
For the love of god, a poor Spurs team turned them over 4 times last season. Four. Let that sink in. Spurs were shocking last year.
Amorin's had almost a full calendar year at the club and they haven't improved. Contrast that with Frank at Spurs and Spurs have improved massively all over the pitch in 2 league games. How much more time does Amorin need to turn things around? He'll probably tread water until October then they'll pull the plug. Bring someone else in and start the transfer merry-go-round again. Their transfer strategy is an absolute disaster.
Burnley on Saturday is an absolutely massive game for them now!
Great post ...Since Fergie Time, Man U have been in freefall, problem is the Glaziers and that Fergie ruled the gaff with a rod of iron and its been rudderless ever since. Radcliffe has made a total balls of it since he bought 25%, managing to destroy moral with penny pinching with Man U back room and office staff, to make savings when he has overseen millions on poor recruitement. Amorin P45 is written up and its just a matter of time before he's given the brown envelope. Thomas Frank is a class act and they passed on him? To cap it all the design for their new stadium is a laughing stock a big pinky red circus top, pathetic compared to White Hart Lane & Everton's new stadiums. Man U fans lorded around during Fergie's reign now they are having to live with a very average team, not bad enough to be relegated but another bumpy unforgettable season ahead. The Theatre of Dreams more like Nightmares!
Lots of friends growing up were Utd fans so I have always had a bit of affinity for them and don’t take any pleasure from seeing them in their current position.
Ratcliffe is clearly a very successful businessman so who I am to question his judgement. However at the time he bought into the club I couldn’t help but feel he had been absolutely rinsed by the Glazers and nothing I have seen since changes my mind. He has spent fortunes yet owns less than half the club, and whilst it is said he runs the sporting side surely if he owns less than half the club the Glazers hold an effective veto against anything he proposes if they don’t like the sound of it?
As far as I can see the Glazers have pocketed a few billion from him, been able to hand over the sporting side of the business (one they had/have no interest in anyway) and continue to pocket money year after year. Even better they now have a human shield who is copping most of the criticism that used to go their way. From their side it looks like one of the deals of the century.
Amorim comes across as a genuinely decent guy who I suspect is blown away by the absolute apathy and lack of standards throughout the club. Very few businesses perform very well when the owners clearly couldn’t care less about anything other than skimming money year on year so why should any of the players care? You could argue there are staff within the club who understand the culture and what it means to represent Man Utd, except most of them have apparently been laid off so the club could pay for the training ground upgrade.
There were some horror stories coming out of the club on how staff were laid off. Some being laid off by email, employees of thirty years being stiffed on bonuses etc all of which sends an appalling message to those who have remained with the club. You could argue that there is no good way of letting employees go but there are certainly better ways of doing it than Ratcliffe and co pushed through. It costs very little to treat people with a bit of respect, especially those who had given years of service to the club.
Whenever you listen to ex players who played under Fergie etc you always hear about how standards were set throughout the club. Not just in the dressing room, but in all areas of the club whether it was the kit man, tea lady, grounds staff etc.
The canteen issue was perhaps blown out of proportion but removing free meals from staff is absolutely terrible optics. Why on earth would anyone within the club want to go the extra mile when they see other colleagues laid off by email and perks which cost buttons in comparison to the costs of running a football club being stripped away?
Utd are paying the price for years of decline which isn’t just on Ratcliffe, but every time I hear him speak I am reminded of the old adage about businessmen who know the cost of everything but the value of nothing. I don’t see things getting any better any time soon regardless of who the manager is.
Comments
As an aside, the biblical rainfall during the game resulted from the wetest, loudest and most spectacular thunderstorm that I've seen since I moved to N E Lincolnshire nearly 20 years ago
As far as I'm concerned, as someone who lived thru the Ferguson years and had to suffer a whole load of insufferable united fans (some of whom living in London had never even been to Manchester, let alone a game - it was just fashionable to say you were a united fan) constantly crowing about their teams greatness I am thoroughly enjoying United's current predicament.
And long may it continue!
Amorin, for me, is a strange one. Set in his ways, a bit like Ange was. This instance on playing 3-4-3. Every game they play, and not enough has been made of this in the press/media, they get outnumbered in midfield. No matter if they face a 4-3-3, a 4-2-3-1 or a 5-3-2, the opposition have an overload in the middle. Bruno Fernandes is not a no. 6 or 8, he's a 10. Casemiro's legs went the season before last. They sold McTominay who had the legs to play in a midfield 2. The CBs are not good enough. Their wing backs aren't good enough. The goalkeepers are just laughable. And why the hell if their new £70m centre forward 10th in line to take a penalty in the shoot out, absolutely bonkers!
For the love of god, a poor Spurs team turned them over 4 times last season. Four. Let that sink in. Spurs were shocking last year.
Amorin's had almost a full calendar year at the club and they haven't improved. Contrast that with Frank at Spurs and Spurs have improved massively all over the pitch in 2 league games. How much more time does Amorin need to turn things around? He'll probably tread water until October then they'll pull the plug. Bring someone else in and start the transfer merry-go-round again. Their transfer strategy is an absolute disaster.
Burnley on Saturday is an absolutely massive game for them now!
Hopefully the loss of Eze will start to really damage them.
Luiz stepped up from defence a lot to join the two in the middle, none of United's defence can do that.
They had Kante and Matic as the 2 who offered good protection for the wingbacks to push on, and Kante was prime Kante. United are trying to play Bruno Fernandes in the two leaving Casemiro or Ugarte basically on their own. Casemiro is past it, Ugarte looks awful.
They had Diego Costa holding up the ball and being a nuisance to centre backs to give room to Hazard etc, United have no one up top who can hold up a ball.
I don't know what the answer is, but at the very least they need to be playing 2 behind Bruno Fernandes, not 1 and him.
And signing a new vaguely competent goalkeeper for a start, they'd have been poor but probably won that but for Onana.
Also another example of someone playing a 343 but not being terrible.
I know Curbs had his head down a few times at Wembley but that was a one off game with a huge outcome.
I would not want someone like that managing my team tbf.
Great result for Grimsby.
Spurs was a good move for him to prove himself at a "big" club and probably eventually go on to even bigger and better.
And the third one making it £200m for the three, is such a confident striker that he took their 10th penalty with only the keeper left not to take one. I do appreciate that some strikers don't want to be the team's penalty taker but what message does it send that every single other outfielder is better than you are at taking them?
The job has looked too big for Ruben Amorim since just a few months into his tenure. He Joined in November 24 but was reported in the main media he wanted to join in the summer of 25 after a big window with players he wanted and jettison many he didn't want.
Amorim body language is so poor and he spends more time looking at the ground waiting for it to swollen him up.
He did a great job at Sporting but it always helps to have a finisher like Gyokeres and lower expectations than at the Global brand of Man united.
Also think Bruno is massively over rated & certainly not a captain or leader.
I'd have sold Bruno this summer to Saudi as rumoured and pocketed the cash to sign a proper dominant holder , go test Newcastles resolve for Bruno Guimares for example.
Cunha is just going to be another addition to the list of attacking players they've signed that don't work out. Other United managers wouldn't have even considered signing him with the baggage he brings attitude wise.
Almost begging for the sack, isn’t he? The players don't want me, can I have the money and go away now please?
Steven Gerrard is the man to take them forward (sorry, down)
Man Utd is truly the gift that keeps giving.
Thomas Frank is a class act and they passed on him? To cap it all the design for their new stadium is a laughing stock a big pinky red circus top, pathetic compared to White Hart Lane & Everton's new stadiums. Man U fans lorded around during Fergie's reign now they are having to live with a very average team, not bad enough to be relegated but another bumpy unforgettable season ahead. The Theatre of Dreams more like Nightmares!
Grimsby combined weekly salary cost £44,500
It can't get any worse than this...and it would be funny
Ratcliffe is clearly a very successful businessman so who I am to question his judgement. However at the time he bought into the club I couldn’t help but feel he had been absolutely rinsed by the Glazers and nothing I have seen since changes my mind. He has spent fortunes yet owns less than half the club, and whilst it is said he runs the sporting side surely if he owns less than half the club the Glazers hold an effective veto against anything he proposes if they don’t like the sound of it?
As far as I can see the Glazers have pocketed a few billion from him, been able to hand over the sporting side of the business (one they had/have no interest in anyway) and continue to pocket money year after year. Even better they now have a human shield who is copping most of the criticism that used to go their way. From their side it looks like one of the deals of the century.
Whenever you listen to ex players who played under Fergie etc you always hear about how standards were set throughout the club. Not just in the dressing room, but in all areas of the club whether it was the kit man, tea lady, grounds staff etc.
The canteen issue was perhaps blown out of proportion but removing free meals from staff is absolutely terrible optics. Why on earth would anyone within the club want to go the extra mile when they see other colleagues laid off by email and perks which cost buttons in comparison to the costs of running a football club being stripped away?
Utd are paying the price for years of decline which isn’t just on Ratcliffe, but every time I hear him speak I am reminded of the old adage about businessmen who know the cost of everything but the value of nothing. I don’t see things getting any better any time soon regardless of who the manager is.