Keep your mails coming over the weekend to theeditor@football365.com…
Worst reasons for missing a game
On Saturday night me and my brother will be missing the Champions League family as we are on a family holiday to Yorkshire, and my mum has booked us in to an art house cinema for a 19:45 showing of a film about a mid 1800’s fossil hunter who embarks upon a slow burning lesbian affair.
She’s paid for the tickets (and we’re staying up there for free) and is really looking forward to it, so I wouldn’t even be able to enjoy the game because of the guilt anyway.
If any of your other readers are missing the game due to similarly terrible reasons, please cheer me up with them.
Thanks
Chris (it’s called Ammonite btw) Bodych
Bullying Ole
So I’ve been a long time reader and have to say I used to enjoy reading the articles on this site. I would be drawn back day after day by the quality writing and features (Mediawatch in particular was a favourite). I’m still a daily visitor but unfortunately for entirely different reasons that sum to the same thing: in essence I’m morbidly interested in seeing how much further some of the articles on here can sink.
It’s obvious that F365 has it’s favourite characters in world football, those who it will champion no matter what. That’s fine, no big deal but the flip side of it is. Those who F365 seem to actively despise and I’ll give you OGS as an example. Pretty much since he was appointed, this site has targeted him. It seems not a week goes by where an article appears that doesn’t belittle him or flat out call him incompetent. There was even one this season that called him the worst manager in the league. For the past couple of weeks it’s gone into hyperdrive, I mean look at today article “Five Man Utd players an elite coach would improve”. Speculative nonsense of the highest order. Apparently Zidane would get the best out of VDB because he’s had the privilege of managing some of the best midfielders of the past 10 years? Is this really reasoned analysis or is it just another unnecessary dig at Ole? Don’t answer that as I already know the answer.
It’s not just Ole who gets this, for example Lampard faced similar treatment and it STILL hasn’t let up even though he was sacked months ago. It seems F365 won’t be happy until OGS gets sacked and if we sit back and think about it, that’s a despicable position for the site to take. It’s so relentless and objectively baseless (E.g. Fords article today) that it’s just online bullying. If Ole were to read that article today, I bet he’d agree, considering he actually hold the job you so desperately want him to lose.
Whether you publish this or not ( I won’t hold my breath) the bottom line is that F365 should be doing better than this. Remember when you highlighted Luke Chadwick’s plight, Sterling’s issues or went dark on social media? A bit of consistency and common decency wouldn’t go amiss lads here lads.
Thank you
Anon
F365 Features: Five Man Utd players an elite coach would improve
Add Pogba to the list
Reading you article ‘Five Man Utd players an elite coach would improve’ by Will Ford, I’d add a sixth player to that – Paul Pogba. Look at his stats for this season in the Premier League – he has scored eight goals but five of them against opposition who ended up in the bottom ten of the table. Four of them were against Burnley, Brighton and Fulham. Yes, he scored in the 2-1 win against Spurs but a Fiesta isn’t a Ferrari because it can do 70 on the motorway. Against Liverpool in the 2-4 defeat he consistently lost possession – often feebly so – to players we are led to believe are his inferior.
There is a whiff of indulgence about Solskjaer’s treatment of Pogba – that he’s in the shop window, not to sell, but to prove to Mino Riola and friends that Manchester United is still A Big Club. The fact that such displays of extravagance are thought necessary speaks volumes about the mindset of the club in recent years. Remember David De Gea’s mammoth 2019 contract, gifted when it was clear he was at the top of the slide.
Perhaps he’s beyond improving. But Pogba brings Likes and multi-million pound hashtags, which seems to be the only stats worth bothering about under the Ed Woodward regime. And I write as a Man Utd supporter.
Regards
Mark
…So now it seems Ole hasn’t improved players. Well that’s the impression given by Will Ford’s recent article. I wonder, would this have been written if the penalty shootout had gone the other way? Of course not.
VDB hasn’t played enough. But he’s young and only in england one season. I can see him playing as one of the two CMs if we get a specialist DM in beside him. And that is not Fred, who has 2 good games for every 1 bad game. It’s not the managers fault he sometimes cannot hit a 10 yard pass or he has a tendency to give the ball to the other team. I can only assume this is not being coached into him – “today Fred we’re going to work on you kicking the ball out of play”.
Will wants us to play AWB at CB. Just after having his best season in terms of attacking output and looks to be improving in his actual position. Presumably he’s coaching himself how to cross a ball or attack with purpose? He’s not exactly known for his ability in the air either, which is surely a prerequisite for a centre half? While on the topic of full backs, let’s not mention the improvement in Luke Shaw. It doesn’t suit the narrative.
Playing Dan James at wingback might have some merits, except he plays notably better on the left so we’d have to buy someone to fill that role. Then we can play Dan James on the left, move Luke Shaw to CB and train Alex Telles to play the middle of a 3, given Maguire’s lack of pace – may as well complete the set. The 3 amigos will have us air tight at the back. Pure catenaccio baby.
Then finally we come to Rashford. Admittedly had a less productive season in the league (although 11 goals and 9 assists isn’t to be sniffed at). If only Pep could get hold of him and turn him into Raheem Sterling, you know the guy who scored um 10 goals and 7 assists this season – during which his team won the title. One can only dream that Marcus will hit that output some day. In the CL Sterling scored 1 goal in 10 games. Rashford scored 6 in 6. Please Pep, let us know how you perform this mystical coaching so we can get Marcus banging in the goals at a lower rate.
Rashford has been carrying a niggling injury all season. The euros have come at a bad time because he needs a summer off and possibly an operation. The season before last he scored 17 in the league, I believe Ole was at the wheel then too, so it’s hardly much of a push to score 3 more to reach Will’s required 20.
The reaction to a cup final defeat is ridiculous. Admittedly it was frustrating and disappointing, but that’s football and the season as a whole has been decent. There’s still work to be done and some players to be bought and sold, yet we moved forward in the league and that is the main measure of a season. This one coming up is the pivotal one, no excuses we need to be challenging for the title. Ole knows that as much as anyone.
Garey Vance, MUFC
United and the wrong Liverpool
There seem to be many United fans clinging onto comparisons between Ole and Klopp. I also see a comparison but it ain’t between Liverpool/Utd 2016 but unfortunately for them Liverpool/Utd 1996.
Strong experienced GK – for David De Gea see David James.
Decent but limited CB – Harry Maguire/Mark Wright
Inspiration player – Bruno Fernandes/John Barnes
Exceptional forward – Edinson Cavani/Robbie Fowler
Fan base – still remembering the glory days and thinking they’re way better than they actually are.
Eight years will soon become 10, will 10 become 30, who knows? Maybe next year will be their year, eh!
Jo (still laughing – scoring goals isn’t for all keepers) Kent
Friday morning Mailbox: Fergie wouldn’t stand for distracted Rashford’s split priorities…
Get real
From Ashwin: “Man Utd are only 3 players away from seriously challenging for all the trophies on offer”
United fans, never EVER change 
Happy Bank Holiday all
Pali, Berkshire
Reliant on managers
So many armchair pundits seem to know exactly what manager will do what job for what team, as far as I can see, there’s two elite managers in the world and the rest – horses for courses. If the stars align they can be great but equally like in life, they’re not miracle workers. Mourinho serial winner – flopped at Spurs. Ancelotti – 10th place Everton. Zidane – flopped. Tuchel at PSG – spent more money than God, flopped in the champions league, Bielsa – massively mixed CV and the way Leeds lost to United at old Trafford was about as tactically inept as you get.
Theres Pep and Jurgen then there’s the rest.
My point is, be careful what you wish for and think hard about where your team really belongs because 80% of a teams success is down to who you sign which appears to be above most managers pay grade these days. Do spurs really think theres a dozen managers out there that could turn Dier, Aurier and Davies into a top 4 team. Is there really an obvious candidate to turn a united side into prem league winners above a side managed by Pep with billions to bank roll them. Sir Alex couldn’t beat Pep ffs!! Second is absolutely the best they can do right now with that squad. Enjoy it. Or get Louis back for turgid football, dross signings but an FA Cup. No thanks.
Worth thinking about the next time someone writes in with blood vessels bursting from their head cos Ole only finished 2nd. Patience is a virtue, ask Sir Alex.
Keith
Chelsea demotivated
The fact that Chelsea were gifted 4th place and a CL qualifying match for next season, could backfire on them.
The CL final with Man City is no longer a do-or-die match for Chelsea, as they do not need to win it to qualify for the CL next season. The fiery edge to win born of desperation could have dissipated.
A wounded Stamford Lion would have been most dangerous. Too bad, Chelsea has no wounds to nurse.
So Saith Sovereign King Darren
Infinity War
Can’t help but feel that Pep going for the CL feels like Thanos going for the mind stone. The bald headed ruthless war lord who always had the edge due to bloodshed and now seems unstoppable.
The protagonists are beaten;
The likeable closest challenger was strapped off their main weapon of defense (VVD) and had to fight the minnows before getting beaten by the bald maniac.
The rich red brat was trapped on another planet (competition) and got beaten by spanish Burnley.
The only challenger left is a wounded financially juiced plastic entity who got beaten by a decent side on the last day.
All the rest of us can do is watch as the mad bald titan takes everything and hope for a fight back in the future.
Mihir. Mumbai. LFC. (The other two London clubs were as good as black widow throwing a stick at the mad Titan)
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