Dman

With every passing week, the more this lad looks to be slipping away. I cant say I’m surprised. From the second he stepped onto the pitch, it was obvious this lad was going to be a super star. My only hope is that I can’t see Chelsea selling to a European rival and if they sell, will almost certainly want to include a buy back clause.

Or it is someone at another club who were tracking and in all likelihood will want to move on in a few years, like Ralph (perhaps explains his comments about retirement in a few years). That being said, I’d be surprised if we’re balls deep in 1 candidate, we’re no doubt tracking a number of people and will continue to do so. A Mountain will be made out of a mole hill on this one, imo.

So the answer to Turkish question is after 17 games and they do not in fact mean the same thing 👍🏻

No they don’t. We’re on game/match week 25 and Burnley have played 21 games.

I was speaking in general terms, rather than specific this season, using the greatest goal scorer of all time as an example of the same opportunity being better for 1 player than another. CR may be having a bad season (aren’t all at United), however, he clearly is one of the best finishers in the world and has been for about 10 years. I've never heard a football ‘expert’ say that.

See this is where stats need to be relative which this sort of stuff doesn’t factor in. 1/20 chance is the average of all opportunities in that area, I’m guessing? If someone like CR had an opportunity in the same area as Armstrong did, in reality, that 1/20 chance is probably more like 1/10, where as someone like Redmond is probably 1/30? I’d consider Armstrong a pretty decent finisher and usually strikes the ball pretty well, so I’d back him to shoot from these chances 9/10 (if you don’t shoot you don’t score, as they say). Still, his all round he had a pretty decent game Saturday and is one player, with Romeu and Salisu (all key players in each area of the field), I don’t think we can leave out at all, especially not for a RB, it’s a laughable shout to be honest.

What was Armstrong’s XG Saturday? Surely that will be an indication of if it was a good opportunity or not. As a side note, I still don’t get that though, as what is expected from someone, such as CR would be much higher than Armstrong, even if in the same position. I’m still not sure why anyone, other than someone trying to be Uber smart ‘oh look at me’ type, would want to play a RB ahead of a key player in the ‘10’.

They were on the road to recovery anyway. Wasn’t the main issue with Howe that he spent a fortune at Bournemouth, and went down (after 5 seasons). seems many have an agenda against Howe on here. Firstly he’s crap because he’s rubbish at spending money. Now he’s crap and they’re only playing well because he’s spent money 🤷🏻‍♂️

I saw online that he was watched by a load of clubs but he isn’t vaccinated so not many would take a punt on him. I wonder if that landscape would change in 6 months or so? Certainly looks a decent player.

He’s probably already kept them up with his 2 free kicks in the last 2 games, they’re now 4 points clear and I can’t see any of the bottom teams coming close to catching them. Howe has done a decent job there.

I think Walcott issues is that technically he just was never any good. Quick, very quick, but not a huge amount of ability. That being said, he still had a decent enough career at the top level for club and country. I think the biggest thing to hold him back was being played as a winger. For me, he’d have been better deployed as a striker, like Henry. Completely agree with the second point though. Us, Brighton, Palace would be ideal for him for the next year or 2. Well ran (which I’d include us in now with new ownership) and unlikely to go down but don’t have unrealistic expectations such as Villa, Everton, West Ham. That being said, I do think he’s got the ability to go into these, probably better sides, and excel. He’s that good. Regarding his agent, pretty sure he’s with the same bloke who is with Siemu and a few other young Chelsea players, so seems to be fairly switched on and has a relationship with the club.

I tend to agree with this to be honest, whilst Adams was never much cop in front of goal, still arguably isn’t (nice finish yesterday though, that being said), he was fairly effective with his hold up play and playing as a target man. Ive not seen anything from Armstrong to suggest he’s got the brain to play at this level, most of his shots are blocked because he’s not quick enough to get them away. Anyway; let’s hope he somehow finds it from somewhere.

It’s also click bait as well, a headline that favours / mentions United, is far more likely to get traction than one that mentions us.

Agreed, which why playing with someone of broja’s quality he is fine. Partnered with someone like Armstrong, where we’d need him to be more clinical, I’d worry. The impact Broja has had on us is vastly underrated. His pace to run I behind and directness on the ball causes so much space in that gap between the midfield and strikers. It’s no surprise to me, Elyounssi and Adams (and us as a whole) have both looked drastically better since he’s had a consistent run of games.

I’d compare him to a modern day Emily Heskey. His strengths come In getting the best out of a striking partner, rather than having great ability himself. In a 2, he should be starting without a doubt based on our options, if / when we revert back to a lone striker, it has to be broja.

So because of a couple of rash decisions to shoot, you’d drop him for a RB?…. Why anyone would even consider dropping Armstrong (one of our most important players in this system) is beyond belief, let alone for a RB ffs.

Funny enough, I was going to comment on this. Nope, wasn’t trolling. His finishing was (and questionably still is) poor. At the time, I didn’t rate him, I didn’t think he was of the level required. He’s changed my mind somewhat and I think playing with someone like Broja he’s more than useful in a 2. I still don’t think he’s good enough to play as a lone striker however, but fair play to him, confidence seems to have picked up a bit and hes certainly improved. Regarding the above post, my opinion hasn’t changed there. Although clearly he’s way more of a better option than Armstrong is. Hes gone from championship to good back up.

You’re one of those who gets in a fit of rage when a 2 Bob pundit dares to say anything negative about the club, aren’t you. No doubt tomorrow be in some sort of rage posting because Crooks hasn’t put X, Y or Z in his pointless team of the week.

We’ve got a weird set of supporters that follow us or at least the most vocal ones on the internet. Get so worked up over the smallest of things. Who gives a f**k what the MOTD pundits say. Watch the game / highlights and make your own decision on things. I tend to agree that perhaps Ralph shouldn’t have comment on United. I don’t think he meant it in poor taste, but it’s not really his squad to dig out (even if he was sticking up for his mate).

I think it’s a combination of a few things. United are a very average team at the minute, let’s get that straight. But; Romeu is quietly going about a really fantastic run of form. He’s the one player we cannot afford to lose. Armstrong and Moi are playing very well and are perfectly suited to that ‘10’ role. Without them, we cannot play this formation. We’re collectively playing with a load of confidence. A loss or 2 and we could easily go back into our shell and this system cannot afford to have 1 cog out of Sync. My view; it’s high reward but also very high risk. We can either be very good or very poor, there doesn’t seem to be much of an in between. Each game needs to be assessed on its due and we need to learn to play 2/3 formations (sometimes in 1 game, as shown today). That being said, Ralph has clearly learned to become more adaptive and it’s paying off. Fair play to him.

Pretty sure Dan Sheldon said something along these lines on the TSP earlier in the season.

Will they be exhausted though? As we were told they would be before today’s game. As I said; it’s a myth trotted out by the big clubs when things don’t go their way. When you’re winning or getting good results, you don’t feel the fatigue. so yes, same team please.

We’re starting to look like the side who came out of lockdown and went on that ridiculous run of form. It’s strange, Ralph’s time here has been littered with runs of form where we’re either brilliant or absolutely diabolical. There seems to be no in between. Let’s keep this up and an FA cup could well be on the cards this season. I’d fancy us to beat anyone.

A record defeat, it’s not going to be forgotten is it. As much as this place likes to try and brush under the carpet, it’s a terrible, terrible result for this club. One that’ll never be forgotten (until beaten, which won’t be for a long time).

Give me the best training and recovery facilities in the world, a personal chef and 90k a week for the privilege, and I’ll easily play 3 games in a week (especially so soon after a 2 week break where is just been sunning it up in the Maldives or wherever). As I said, happens in non league pretty much every other week. I done that for many years and was up at 5 the next morning for work 👍🏻 I would just caveat that there are some circumstances where it might be a bit much, coming back from injury or injury prone etc.