Man Utd 1-0 Wolves: Verdict thread

[Donegal Wolf]

I was the copy-editor. Delighted it's proving so popular. I worked on similar exposés of Philip Green and Neil Woodford this year too. There are some absolute shitehawks in this world.

Congratulations sir, managing to make a book about football administration interesting, definitely one of the best football books have ever read.

 

[b3h]

Word of the week = craft

 

[Tom Hark]

Congratulations sir, managing to make a book about football administration interesting, definitely one of the best football books have ever read.

Thanks, although it's the authors who do all the hard graft. I can polish it up a bit before it's sent out into the world, but you can't polish a turd, as they say. The goings on at FAI definitely fall into the 'you couldn't make it up' category.

 

[lemonjelly]

After thinking a lot about last nights game i can't be anything other than optimistic about the future. Obviously there's lots to work on imo such as we need players for the here and now just to help us pick up points and Nuno needs to find a way of getting the best out of the players we have in an attacking sense but we have some serious talent ready to bloom and i want to see more of them.

Personally if we play as we have done recently and possibly improve as i think we will i'm happy with where we are this season taking all things into account. This wouldn't have been the case in the last 2 seasons as i was sure we had a squad capable of finishing in the top 6/7 and had we not done so i think i would have classed that as failure. I would say i wanted that again this season and had everything gone to plan we could have been right up there and possibly still will be come the end but i'm ok with top 10 and improvements as the season goes on. Obviously if that doesn't happen i'll revisit what happened come the end.

Usually i would be fuming after we have lost, sometimes i think about it far longer than i should and had Rashford scored that goal in last seasons fixture no doubt i would have been seriously pissed off coming out of Old Trafford but last night felt different, it felt like the future and the next chapter was just beginning in a strange way with KJH and RAN both looking excellent, Vitinha slotting in well and several others showing that they have bright futures, hopefully here.

Obviously we need to pick up points now and a striker is a must in January, we possibly would have won a few more games recently with a more seasoned striker but the future of the club and the players looks quite bright if you ask me, yes that takes looking at the long game and football fans definitely aren't good at that but imo with players coming back, others maturing and hopefully better players being signed next season and beyond could be very interesting.

so much here that fits my beliefs.
I was more upset/annoyed after the burnley game to be honest (and I didn't think we were as bad as some on here looking at other opinions...)
I can't help but feel we've had 2 games of playing well, and also seeing squad players performing really well.
There were also in both occasions spells of us playing some really good passing football, especially through teams (and this is something we've been working on for a bit I think - mentioned it on another thread recently, but we did it even better the past 2 games).

It probably helps us to try out new things without fans there tbh - it avoids especially the younger players bearing the brunt of the potential criticism that can happen in the heat of the moment.

Brighton will be a different test, and despite their league position will be a close game I feel. But I am looking forward to it.

 

[lemonjelly]

Let’s sign him and we can continue this in 6 months then.

let's sign a player and spend a ridiculous sum of money on his wages to settle an argument on a football forum?

 

[Throbber3]

let's sign a player and spend a ridiculous sum of money on his wages to settle an argument on a football forum?

I do think that neither point can be proved until Costa comes here and either sinks or swims. He is certainly on the way down but a short term deal could give him and us a win/win scenario? Does he improve the current squad is the question I asked myself and the answer for me is probably yes.

 

[Johnny75]

5 goals and 5 assists in 30 games last season and 2 goals in 7 this season.

3 months out with a herniated disc last season and 3 weeks out twice with muscle/ leg injuries since lockdown.

Too much of a chance for me on a player who is barely fit now.

 

[Paul]

Darren Bent has said sign him up so that's all the proof I need

 

[Premier Quality]

5 goals and 5 assists in 30 games last season and 2 goals in 7 this season.

3 months out with a herniated disc last season and 3 weeks out twice with muscle/ leg injuries since lockdown.

Too much of a chance for me on a player who is barely fit now.

To be fair - his two goals this season are in 200 minutes, and his 5 last year in 1,349 minutes - that’s a goal about every 2 1/2 games...

im not saying it’s not a risk, it is because of the injures, but they’re not bad goalscoring stats

 

[redvictor]

For me he has more than just goalscoring. He bullies defenders. You can put him up there on his own and he can hold the ball up. The only thing i'm not sure about is if he works as hard as Raul winning the ball back. Of all the names we've been in the frame with Costa ticks more boxes for me. I really hope we get him, as teams would immediately have to change their strategy against us. He's a dynamic all on it's own.

 

[Johnny75]

When was the last time you saw him play @redvictor ?

 

[redvictor]

When was the last time you saw him play @redvictor ?

I've seen plenty of him from his Chelsea days, and from his recent Athletico days. I know he hasn't played much recently, but as i've said before you don't lose your craft and guile. Leg speed yes, but not ability. All imo of course.

 

[redvictor]

Another thing to consider. Athletico put a monetary clause on anyone buying him so that he wouldn't not sign for any rival in La Liga, or any UCL rival. Why would they do that if they thought he was washed up.

 

[Johnny75]

I'm no expert on contract law but I'm not sure you can compel any club who signs him to pay for him.

He may well come with tag and drag rights tied to a contract but that would be between player and club I would have thought as non-compete clauses are quite common.

And just for the sake of sanity could you call the club Atletico Madrid please as it is their name.

 

[redvictor]

No, it's if you have him and you are a certain club in a certain championship or league there will be a tax to pay for him. If you have the Athletic there is an article on it, and on other ones out in the media. It's to stop him signing for a rival, which tells me he has something to offer still.

 

[Kenny]

Fair play to this Costa rumour having more legs than the one that lasted for 3 days after someone made up stuff and claimed Jorge had said them

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

They just want La Liga rivals to pay for a spent asset.

 

[Kenny]

They just want La Liga rivals to pay for a spent asset.

Or Cyber is on the Atletico board and wants to avoid an explayer scoring against them

 

[redvictor]

They just want La Liga rivals to pay for a spent asset.

If he was spent then surely they wouldn't give a toss?

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Athletico must feel he has nothing to offer them and are trying to deter him from going to other clubs "just in case". If he hadn't been so injury prone for last three seasons I suspect AM would have wanted a fee but by freeing him they are guaranteed to get his wages (or some of them as he's probably had a decent pay-off) off the book and parting on good terms. By giving him a free they give him the option to get a pay day that may well not happen for him if a club had to pay a fee - I just hope we aren't the ones giving it him.