₦airaland Forum

Botfuss:
Sancho has a lot of work to do. He’s used to bring the main man and the pretty football in Germany. Our pressing dropped drastically immediately he came on.

And it seems he is more comfortable on the left. Do we still need to get a rwf?

Seems it’ll be another season of vibes and Insha Allah with ole in charge. Lord help us.

TBH, the McTom sub in killed the game. We became toothless and utter rubbish after that substitution.

elrony:
Most of our players were dull and off today tbh, I no even know who to drag.

On to the next, at least no L today.

What about Ole? He was smart and on?

LMDyaya:
Omo,my input...


mancity are better than us ,yes


but we not far behind,yes


we still need like 5 more signings to be up there with mancity(squad depth wise) but that doesn't become an excuse for the fraud not to win something.we have seen teams with worse squad depth win trophies.(liverpool 19/20,leicester 15/16 etc comes to mind)

I talk am. We need 5 more world class signings before we can say we have a squad at City’s level. I saw it coming.

We just need to sell OT to get a ‘perfect’ squad.

We go dey alright las las

lekkie073:
Barcelona from 1974 to 1990 did not win a single LA Liga, despite making second position more than five times. They went on to win four straight seasons after that. Real Madrid has its own fair share of periods of hiatus. Ac Milan is also going though its own period. This is normal in football, and it is more difficult now that competition is improving as a result of fund availability. Gone are the days players will troop to one club simply because of club profile and popularity.

Interesting. I guess they spent up to 400m in today’s money in the same period, without winning a major trophy.

lekkie073:
is united the first club that will spend 400m in three seasons and not win the league?

Every big club goes through a hiatus, a period when they will find it difficult to get it right. It might be a result of increased competition, money, fatigue or any other factor. The fact remains, a big club cannot remain competitive for ever except when there is no competition from its rivals. Fergie kept Liverpool in hiatus for decades. That coincided with the emergence of new football powerhouses like Chelsea and Mancity.
Now manutd has been in a hiatus since Fergie left (this is normal) and you expect one manager to come and fill his vacuum perfectly.
Fergie, as a personality won United at least 10 points per season. That's why some rival fans ascribe him the position of epl influencer. That is gone with him, more clubs are grooming themselves to be more competitive. In the midst of these, some manutd fans still fantasize about overnight success. Hmmmmm

Would be good to provide examples of clubs that spent 400m in three years without a major trophy to show for it.

Real Madrid, Chelsea, City, Barca, PSG? I don’t know, please help.

CapitalCee:
They want Bruno 2X, so that when One Bruno gets injured or tired another Bruno comes in, they also want clones for all players same world class quality. 22 world class players.

chidexxy007:
Like Pogba haven't played that role before Abi?

Pogba played AM. Ole should just free both of them, let them swap/play different positions (wide, attacking, forward, whatever), and watch us decimate our opponents. Pep does this every time with his AMs.

chidexxy007:

If it was about that, Joe Hart would have been first choice(afterall, he was first choice for pre Pep city nd they won trophies too) while Bravo would have deputised for him.

So why do you think that Ederson is better than DDG and Henderson? I don’t understand. Clean sheet?

We should just sell Old Trafford and use the proceeds to buy another 5-6 world class players at 100m each. We borrow grounds every match day to play our games.

Maybe that’s when the fans will be satisfied. We need to ship in better forwards and midfielders.

The same thing happened at Chelsea when Lampard was there. They said there was no depth and quality. The same team won the UCL (beating City in the final).

Let us continue!

chidexxy007:
Square peg, round holes.
Na you go still come here come rant.

Not like it's something they haven't tried before though.

Bruno has a free role at Utd, forget the AM story. Pogba can also do very well if given the same role. No square peg in any round hole.

ChristineC:
true

Honestly, I am not doing Ole out or anything. I just want a trophy this season. No excuse. He has the tools, he’s built his team over the last three years. It’s now or never for him because the board will sack him if we don’t win a trophy.

patrickmuf:
At LWF, is Grealish, Sterling, Torres and Foden better than Rashford, Martial, Sancho and James? No way...

At RWF is Mahrez, Sterling, Silva and Foden better than Sancho, Greenwood, Rashford and James? No way...

At CF, is Jesus, Sterling and Torres better than Cavani, Greenwood or Martial? Hell no...

How then are City better in attack?

Exactly. City attackers are just there, they are not in any way better than our players. A good tactic/system ensures that their output makes sense vs Utd’s. Does not necessarily mean that they are better.

chidexxy007:
Lol

AWB to Dalot compared to Walker to Cancelo?

Shaw to Telles is worse that Zichenko to Mendy

We don't have Goalkeeper right now.

Mahrez to Silva is not much drop in quality compared to Rashford/Martial to James.
Maguire to Bailly = Dias to Ake

Whilst Greenwood is better, he is still young and quite inexperienced. Why is Pep hesitating to play Liam Delap more often?

What do you mean we don’t have a keeper? Geez! De Gea and Henderson nko? Who is Emerson? Because he’s won trophies under a manager that is very good?

Nawa o!

ChristineC:
it's always a two way street when you make blanket conclusions like this.
like someone already pointed out, every debate here ends up on an Ole baseline which becomes boring.
conclusion can also be made from the other angle, which is you are trying to overrate the squad quality, should in case they win something then you can say the quality was responsible and OGS didn't do anything

Because Ole is the weak link, and I will def praise Ole, if we win trophies. Let’s win first, this season is our chance, the team looks really good. The Glazers have done the needful (re: player acquisitions and ‘structure’). It’s Ole’s turn to do the needful.

CapitalCee:
That doesn't render the fact that UTD squad is star studded untrue. Why do you keep hammering on a single position as if games are solely won on who has the better DM, you guys make it sound as if Fred and Mctoms are Sunday league standards. It is very ridiculous that you will quickly rush to downplay the quality of the team so as to shield the manager from upping his game. No team in the EPL has the quality of players utd have in defence. Utd attack is better than everyone else, Bruno is literally the best AM in the league with no question and a generational talent Sancho has just been added. What's with all these back and forth?

Absolutely ridiculous. Just watch them come out later to say that they don’t care if Ole is the manager or not, acting like saints and neutrals, when infact (deep within themselves) they have no faith in the manager to the needful.

Just doesn’t make sense.

GloryIsaac:
Lmaooooo... mentioned earlier that this was the real root of all these claim about United and City being on par.

Didn’t take long to spout it.

If Afrodoc didn’t halt the claim of McTom being on par with Rodri, you guys would have ridden on that too. Continue twisting stuff to fit.

Of course, we will definitely talk bout the manager. Everything is on him, if we win trophies this season, I will def praise the manager first before the players.

We can’t take away the manager’s input in all of this, which means even if the squad looks good, the manager must get the best out of the players to win trophies.

benji93:
Interesting! Are you ever out of these kinds of ideas?

That’s the fact. Jesus, Gundogan, Rodri, Silva, etc are not world class players. You guys should just stop abeg.

Some City players are average players, pep’s system makes those players look world class. We have bought more ready-made players in the last few years, yet, our fans/supporters are saying that City’s quality is higher. Also, we’ve signed lots of players in the last few years with most of them still around. Squad depth and quality are there, you guys are just trying to find an excuse for OGS, in case he doesn’t win anything.

It’s not fair on the owners and scouts spending and working respectively round the clock to bring in the players.

patrickmuf:
Una dey praise Ole for beating Pep, Klopp, Mourinho and other tip coaches but una no want give the players props...If you think Ole is a top coach for beating the aforementioned world class managers, why then do you think his players are inferior to those of the other teams?

Lol. Ole is a tactical genius. The players are sh1t!

afrodoc2:
Rodri's career average which includes his time at lowly Villareal and bus parking Atletico is 64 passes per game and 91% pass accuracy.

Career average 91% pass accuracy.

He is not a good passer because he plays at City, he plays at City because he is a good passer.

And i never said we won't be fine. You like answering questions that were not asked.

Are you saying Fred is a better DM than Rodri or are you saying McTom is a better DM than Rodri?

I said I was not sure if Rodri is really far from McTom or Fred.

nitrogen:
Reason I suggested Rodri vs Fred is that both are almost the same. There are other stats that can be considered (for the sake of the argument) which shows that Fred is also not a bad player.

Tbh, City’s style makes Rodri a better passer of the ball, if we dominate play every darn time, even McTom will have high number of passes and high accuracy.

We can have Varane at the back plus Fred or McTom as DM. We will be fine.

Other metrics to be considered include key passes per game, progressive passes, interceptions, etc.

afrodoc2:
What about them?

Rodri 2.1 tackles per game
Fred 2.7 tackles per game

Rodri 81 passes per game with 91% pass accuracy
Fred 60 passes per game with 87.7% pass accuracy

And we all know that Fred struggles with receiving the ball from the defense and under pressure from a press.

Of all the points you guys can make about our squad vs City's squad Rodri is not better than McTominay (or even Fred) as a DM should not be one of them.

Rodri posted very good stats as DM at Villareal, Atletico, City which led to his meteoric rise in such a short time but somehow McTom and Fred who are always sharing duties (unsatisfactorily) are better than him?

Reason I suggested Rodri vs Fred is that both are almost the same. There are other stats that can be considered (for the sake of the argument) which shows that Fred is also not a bad player.

Tbh, City’s style makes Rodri a better passer of the ball, if we dominate play every darn time, even McTom will have high number of passes and high accuracy.

We can have Varane at the back plus Fred or McTom as DM. We will be fine.

afrodoc2:
Last season in the EPL:

Rodri 2.1 tackles per game
McTominay 1.6 tackles per game

Meanwhile Whoscored rated both of them as strong in tackling.


Last season in the EPL:

Rodri 81 passes a game with 91% pass accuracy
McTominay 37 passes per game with 81% pass accuracy.

Are you dead sure or dead wrong


So their recent tackling stats are similar (with Rodri edging it) and in terms of passing Rodri flogs McTominay and all his generations. Rodri is a better DM than McTominay, you need to drop this erroneous point of view that the facts don't back up.

Doc, what about Rodri vs Fred?

patrickmuf:
Okay, I'll do...

Goal Keepers...

Manchester United - De Gea, Henderson, Heaton

City - Ederson, Steffen

Verdict - I think it's a par, although we have better quality sub...

Defense...

Right back options
Manchester United - Wan-Bissaka, Dalot

City - Walker, Cancelo...

Verdict - City is clearly better here...

RCB -

Manchester United - Varane, Lindelof

City - Stones, Dias

Verdict - Manchester United edges them out as Dias plays mostly from the left and Stones is not better than Varane...

LCB;

Manchester United - Maguire, Bailly

City - Dias, Laporte

Verdict - Nothing to choose from here, Maguire is always available and his solid much like Dias...Laporte is better option from the bench though.

Left back;

Manchester United - Shaw, Telles

City - Zichenko, Mendy

Verdict - Manchester United are clearly better here...

Defensive Midfield;

Manchester United - Matic, McTominay

City - Fernandinho, Rdodri

Verdict - City arguably edges things out here, Matic cancels out Fernandinho whilst Rodri and McTominay are good in their own ways depending on the style of play of each team...As I said, it's arguable but let's give it to City...

Center Midfield;

Manchester United - Pogba, Fred, VDB

City - Gundogan, Rodri, KDB

Verdict - Manchester United edges it here as they have the players better suited to the role...

AMF

Manchester United - Bruno, Pogba, VDB, Mata

Manchester City - KDB, Grealish, B. Silva, Gundogan, Foden

Verdict - Availability plays a crucial role here, Bruno is almost always available compared to KDB and his numbers speaks so, I'd look at the other options and think it's a par, Pogba is more than capable of slotting into the role too just as City have Grealish...

LWF

Manchester United - Rashford, Martial, Sancho, James

City - Sterling, Torres, Grealish, Foden

Verdict - Both sides have the quality and numbers thus it is difficult to choose which is superior...

RWF

Manchester United - Sancho, Greenwood, Rashford, James...

Manchester City - Mahrez, Silva, Sterling, Foden

Verdict - Again, both sides are loaded with quality and numbers here, difficult to choose...

CF

Manchester United - Cavani, Greenwood, Martial, Rashford

City - Jesus, Torres, Sterling

Verdict - Manchester United edges it here...

Combined team...

Goal keeper - De Gea/Ederson

LB - Wallker/Cancelo

RCB - Varane

LCB - Maguire/Dias

LB - Shaw

DM - Rodri

CM - Pogba

AM - Bruno/KDB

LWF - Rashford/Grealish

CF - Cavani

RWF - Sancho/Mahrez

Both teams are loaded with quality players, in my opinion, the difference swill come down to the ingenuity of the respective managers and how lucky they are with injuries...

If you think otherwise, let's read your take...

Cc: Afrodoc2 CapitalCee GloryIsaac melodyogonna nitrogen and others...

This makes sense. Both teams are on the same level bar the coaching team.

There is no excuse this season.

GloryIsaac:
This isn’t about holding the fort. This is about winning the league.

Holding the Fort is doing what Bruno does. He should not be playing every game sef. Meanwhile winning the league is a function of the manager right now, we have a very good squad.

afrodoc2:
He was okay in the defensive bus parking system of Cholo and has been okay in the diametrically opposed possession based highline of Pep.

He might not be world class but apart from Matic we don't have anybody of that level at DM.

We both agree that he is not world class. Depending on system adopted by the manager and the confidence we have in our defenders (now that Varane is here), we can have McTom or Fred play the DM role. We don’t need a world class player for that position, in fact, there is no top DM in the market right now. Maybe Ndidi, but he is not available.

GloryIsaac:
An injury to Bruno, and all these arrogance will fall.

Continue

This is not true. We have a very squad and players that can hold the Fort. Let’s stop this thing abeg.

patrickmuf:
Rodri is not even better than McTom as a DM...He is better at recycling possession but at other aspects, he isn't but no, let's trash our own options to push an agenda...

Exactly. I am not sure he is a fantastic player like that.

GloryIsaac:
Fernandinho swaps with Rodri. Matic swaps with McFred.

Which means when Matic doesn’t play, United loses an extra man

Not sure Rodri is a perfect DM though. Until he plays in a different system before we can make that conclusion. We all know Pep’s system makes an average player look world class.

melodyogonna:
Madrid and Chelsea have good player acquisition policies, no matter the manager they'd be getting players that'll improve the squad. Until recently we had no structure to support such method of getting players. Even if Ole left now the structure we have established now will ensure we keep investing in the right players

Loooollll, structure and progress FC

One of the contractors that handled repairs in 2018.

You guys should calm down abeg.