They’re shite. They have maybe three “world class” players in the side, and one of them is Ronaldo who is too close to 40 to be a serious concern.
Which is why I’m grateful for these shithouse wins they pick up, as it keeps Ole in the job a little longer. They’re winning fuck all.
3 Likes
I think it might be a bit premature to write them off much as I would like to.
Though most of their wins may be flukey, the longer they remain unbeaten (and come back from behind to win), the stronger their believe and mentality will be. Not to mention, unlike in previous years, they have at least two players in Ronaldo and Fernandes, who have a strong mentality and would not cave into pressure. Unfortunately, Ronaldo’s reputation as a deadly attacker also precedes him. This causes the opposition defenders to have self doubts when facing him. Half the battle is already lost mentally.
Hoping for a self implosion to happen, but just not seeing it coming as long as they squeeze out results like yesterday.
October November period will show if they really are contenders. They haven’t faced any decent side yet.
3 Likes
Correct, and they’ve struggled against every team they’ve played bar Leeds. Against Newcastle they got the goals but weren’t impressive, at 1-1 you felt the game could go either way.
Bruno has played way too many minutes since last season, at some point he’s going to burn out. Ole doesn’t have a choice though, they’re dogshit without him.
5 Likes
This is key.
They are a Bruno injury away from being genuinely mid-table, I reckon…Ronaldo or no Ronaldo.
He is, as much as I cannot stand him, an outstanding player.
4 Likes
And a twat, but unfortunately have to concur.
See, I get this, but they came from behind a number of times last year, too, so I would expect them to be mentally strong as it is. Additionally, when you win in such jammy fashion again and again, that mental strength is not built on a solid foundation; often it just takes one bad result to send a team into a tailspin (thinking how they won 11 of 14 when Ole came in and then lost to Arsenal and proceeded to lose 6 of their last 8). Eventually they’re going to get turned over in the League and the knives will be out. That’s not to say that they won’t be in and around the conversation for the title, I think they do have a talented squad even if their manager is playing Football Manager, but it’s been pointed out that they haven’t played anyone of significance yet. Hell, they even won the League in January last season, and we saw how that turned out!
In short, not writing them off, but also pretty sure that — given their performances and manager — they’re going to regress a bit at some point. They certainly don’t look stronger than Chelsea/City, and I’ll take our back five and midfield over theirs any day.
4 Likes
The other big point is the defense. Can’t concede goals like they are and expect to challenge for the title. Draws will happen when you concede. Like us last year.
2016/2017 is the last time a PL champion did not have the lowest (or the top 2 lowest in the case of 18/19 where we were the best defense by 1 goal, but obviously that season wins us the league in ANY other year) goals allowed statistic, and a large reason for that is because Spursy were so Spursy haha.
They concede too much and Ole hasn’t figured out how to stop that. They don’t press well enough as a team, and don’t have the discipline to operate in a lower block because they are so top heavy. 3rd is their ceiling this year. 4th more likely. Hopefully enough to keep Ole in a job.
4 Likes
I would be happy with 5th. It would be nice knowing that Ronaldo is going to finish career in the Europa league. The only downside is that Ole will probably be fired, but hopefully they will bring in another ex player, which would be unlikely, unfortunately.
1 Like
We need Ole in there for at least another season, so that Pogba/Ronaldo/Cavani all leave, then any new manager will have to “build his squad”, which for them will take several seasons. they need 2 new CBs, a RB, 2 new CMs, at least 1 striker, and probably a LW. Will take 3-4 windows to sort that lot out. I think Rashford retires soon, his body just isn’t up to it. I think Greenwood is a talent, and Sancho may yet come good, but outside of those two and Bruno, they don’t really have much going on up top.
2 Likes
A bit like their manager.
5 Likes
Maybe Ronaldo is thinking he will be offered Ole Gob Shites job in the next year or two
It’s intriguing that the other two signings don’t seem to have made much of an impact.
3 Likes
I’ve never rated Varane, and I think Sancho is a really poor fit for that team. Out of the two, I think Sancho is more likely to do better in the long run, but only if they replace Ole with a competent manager who can get the best out of him.
They’ve spent close to a billion pounds on that squad, and their entire game plan seems to be “get the ball to Bruno, who will then force the ball to Ronaldo.”
They’re shit, in other words.
1 Like
I reckon Ronaldo will be playing Europa League this season.
4 Likes
Amusingly, there is now less room and less need for Snacho since they bought Ronaldo. I argued against the conventional wisdom that they did actually NEED him when they bought him. If they were going to bring in Ronaldo though they’d have been much better served served spending that near 100 million quid on a quality CM midfielder like Saul.
They’re not good enough for top 3 (unless City implode) and no one else is remotely good enough to close the gap. 4th seems a near certainty
1 Like
Would I be too greedy in asking for both Messi and Ronaldo to play in Ropa? PSG probably a little more likely given their first result.
Edit:. Didn’t realise Leipzig are going so crap in the Bundesliga. So scrap that dream of PSG’s relegation. 
1 Like
That was all they were doing against West Ham. Mark Bruno out of the game and they’re fucked.
2 Likes
This poor fella, nice guy but blinded by the light. Met him whilst travelling Europe a decade ago. Longtime season ticket holder
More like “blinded by the shite”.
1 Like