2018/19 Premier League Thread - Jose’s Difficult Third Year

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

And we start off with news Conte has been sacked by Chelsea, with Sarri and Jorginho's arrivals imminent

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Think that undersells how much better Spurs have been than this awful United. United made one chance, Spurs kept them under wraps and scored 3, whilst it could have been 6 or 7.

[GSC]

End might be coming sooner than later. They've tuned Jose out

[Atila]

Terrible result for Mourinho and United, but I didn't think United played that bad that they deserved to lose by 6 or 7. I just hope that whatever the United board decide, that's it's not a knee jerk reaction.

[Duty281]

Easy to forget, but United dominated the first thirty minutes, and really should have been at least a goal to the good.

At various points, Lukaku missed an open goal, scuffed an effort when free in the box, missed a free header, and was denied by a fantastic save. Lingard, too, was denied at the last, and an effort from Fred was only narrowly wide at 0-0.

I don’t think United were that bad. On another day, they win that game and their defensive shortcomings live to be exposed another day.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

They had a few half chances and a good chance. They were playing well without being fantastic against a really out of sorts Spurs

And then that Spurs side dismantled them, and not even playing their best. Noting the clear penalty they should have had, Kane missing a six yard header, Alli basically rounding De Gea but having no left foot and another one or two - they were destroyed

[dyrewolfe]

So both sides missed a few easy chances and all things being equal Spurs would still have won by 3 or 4 goals?

Jose sounded like he's totally lost the plot in that interview...almost the rantings of a madman. Think if I were on the United board I would be starting to look at potential replacements.

Aside from the negative effect he seems to be having on the dressing room, he's spent a shedload of money, yet been comprehensively beaten by a club that didn't spend a penny over the summer.

[Duty281]

So both sides missed a few easy chances and all things being equal Spurs would still have won by 3 or 4 goals?

Unlikely, had Lukaku buried the 9/10 chance he had in the 15th minute. United deserved at least a point.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Not even nearly

[Duty281]

Oh, come now. I dearly wanted Tottenham to win, having backed them at 11/10 on the 'draw no bet' market, but by half-time I was relieved that they weren't at least a goal down.

They snatched a cheap goal from a corner, after Kane got a free header (first shot on target, I believe), but then needed Lloris to pull off a fantastic save to preserve that lead. Tottenham made it two on the counter, after which it was plain sailing.

But if Lukaku could finish, an entirely different story. 23 shots to 9 in United's favour - one of those games where the final score obscured the reality of the contest (a very good contest).

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Not really. 23 shots from poor positions. That “great save” was one you’d be livid if your keeper didn’t stop. The one chance they had, real clear chance, was Lukaku on his weak foot. Tottenham has that chance themselves and Alli did even worse.

23 shots to 9 tells a story of amount of shots. They won on xpg too, but with 23 shots totalling to 1.6 expected goals, that shows the quality of the chances.

Further, when they had control, they showed no incisiveness, whereas Spurs put in the kind of performance top teams do against mid table sides, working through the gears and punishing teams by having more consistent quality.

As everyone here will be well aware, I detest Spurs. But they pissed over United without playing that well.

And imagine they’d have got the stonewall pen in the first half too.

[gazzyD]

United at the minute are rotten from top to bottom

Glazers no interest in challenging for league titles so long as they get top four but based on what we've seen that could be an ask this year

Woodward pre season called Alderweireld Spurs 5th choice CB which shows his football intellect (basically not marketable for him)

Jose saw his arse with the board and his frustrations are boiling over into his interviews and presser

Far too many average players still in this squad. Gave some new contracts (fellaini) and for some reason have refused to move others on

Pogba.....the man just doesn't want to be there

Jose won't walk, but I think we could be so far adrift in a month or two that we see him paid off and try and salvage a top 4 finish by some miracle (depending on the damage by then could be asking too much)

It's alright though because we have 80+ sponsorship deals and the stock price has never been higher

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Arnie out of the Wolves game. Looks like our season starts in October

[BamBam]

There's conflicting reports on Arnie, I'm interested for fantasy purposes!

Sky reporting he's out, Evening Standard amongst others quoting Pellegrini as him being available

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Interestingly, the West Ham site I saw it on has changed it to “a doubt” and quotes saying he has trained all week.

I know he’s due a test before the game, so I’d guess it’s all smoke and mirrortill then

Which also means maybe I don’t have to rush transferring Richarlison out!

[Northender]

Pererya at Watford seems to be the pick at the moment for fantasy points. I'd always back a Bournemouth full back to pick up a point or two in terms of assists. Its just a shame they leak goals.

[Guest]

Was only a matter of time before that happened to Allison

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Manuel de Pellegrini looking at Frank’s spell at Palace and taking a leap.

38 games a season away from home.

[Lowlandbrit]

I think we can firmly pencil in West Ham to break the glass on the end of year emergency managerial shortlist.

[Guest]

Man City 2-1 Newcastle FT

City are way off the level of last year, from what I’ve seen of them at Molineaux, and today. De Bruyne a significant miss, but they also need to sort out this issue with Sane.

[Duty281]

Tottenham follow up smashing Man United by losing to Watford.

Bit Spursy.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Spurs got lucky against United. Lukaku missing an open goal. Spurs are a side without a backbone. Poch is wasting his time there.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Burnley 0-2 Manchester United - Lukaku x2, Pogba missed pen and Rashford straight red.

Cardiff 2-3 Arsenal - Camarasa and Ward for Cardiff. Mustafi, Aubameyang and late winner by Lacazette

[gazzyD]

Burnley were very poor today, a far cry from we've come to expect from them. Their brief stint in the Europa league obviously shown early on. Hopefully for them after the international they've rested up enough and can get their campaign going

We looked decent without ever needing to get out of third gear which was a relief considering we've been second best in our 3 other PL games.

Rashford very naive in his sending off, interesting to see if Bardsley got his booking for the aftermath as the commentators said or the kick out on Rashford, if the former then Bardsely should probably face dome kind of fine or ban.

The banner that flew over the stadium before the game was pure cringe. Woodward I'd practically a Glazer he's so untouchable

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Good to see Harry Winks back in for Spurs today, think he’s got to be a candidate to push for an England midfield place

[Guest]

Good to see Harry Winks back in for Spurs today, think he’s got to be a candidate to push for an England midfield place

He’s bang average, and should be nowhere near the England side.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He’s a 22 year old who earned his way into the Tottenham team often before his injury who brings good energy and passing ability in s deeper midfield role. England’s midfield is a weak point and he can definitely push into that area.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We’ve won a game!

[Guest]

We haven’t

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

He’s a 22 year old who earned his way into the Tottenham team often before his injury who brings good energy and passing ability in s deeper midfield role. England’s midfield is a weak point and he can definitely push into that area.

All good energy means is that Winks runs around like a headless chicken all game. Nothing to be proud of and actually it's embarrassing

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He’s a 22 year old who earned his way into the Tottenham team often before his injury who brings good energy and passing ability in s deeper midfield role. England’s midfield is a weak point and he can definitely push into that area.

All good energy means is that Winks runs around like a headless chicken all game. Nothing to be proud of and actually it's embarrassing

Hahaha you’re an entertainer, god bless you.

6 minutes of competitive football since February before starting on Saturday. As Dier starts to prove more and more that he isn’t a midfielder, Winks could be key to getting more than just functionality in Spurs’s midfield

[Fernando]

We haven’t

When you are conceding free kicks to Granit Xhaka you know you're relegation fodder

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Found this a damning piece of statistical evidence in the Pogba vs Jose
argument:

Why would Mourinho be annoyed at Pogba giving the ball away in the lead-up to Wolves’ equaliser? Because after six Premier League games no central midfielder in any team has been dispossessed more often than Pogba or taken more unsuccessful touches.

Pogba is yet to make a single interception. Sixty-eight midfielders have made more tackles per 90 minutes, including Fulham’s Tom Cairney, who is a throwback to the strolling-playmaker golden age of the 1960s, and Bernardo Silva, whose manager’s best quote so far in England is “what is tackles?”

From another excellent Barney Ronay piece - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/24/whats-that-odd-feeling-its-sympathy-for-mourinho-amid-pogbas-malaise

[Guest]

Pogba v Mourinho got boring a long time ago.

Nothing exciting really happening in the PL this season, hence why the forum is like a morgue nowadays.

[Duty281]

Pogba v Mourinho got boring a long time ago.

Nothing exciting really happening in the PL this season, hence why the forum is like a morgue nowadays.

That, and the fact that most posters have left.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

You two being in sync aside, Pogba apparently removed as vice captain. Immediately had a good impact as United are knocked out of the League Cup by Derby

[Fernando]

In Pogba vs Maureen round 23895940

https://twitter.com/utdxtra/status/1044905480508919808

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

1-0 West Ham - Felipe Anderson. United looking clueless against a dreadful Hammers side

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

3-1 west Ham, surely Mourinho is cooked

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We walked that, but then we’ve been good since the Everton game, probably deserved a point against Arsenal and the Bournemouth and Wolves games were tight. Maybe we’re just not that bad, especially with having one of the best strikers I’ve seen at the place in my lifetime.

In other news, Cech off injures so time to see Jay Leno’s much vaunted footwork

[Atila]

3-1 west Ham, surely Mourinho is cooked

It wouldn't surprise me if he was sacked next week. Only problem is, is who do they replace him with? I keep hearing Zidane but I'm not so sure that he's the man they need. I also read stuff about them getting a Director of Football. That might not be a bad idea. United is too big a club and players cost too much for one man to decide everything regarding to players. It may have worked with Ferguson, but Fergusons are hard to find.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

When it goes wrong for Mourinho, and eventually it always does, the Portuguese tries to destroy everything that he built. Whilst Pogba is vastly overrated(was he ever really top tier? Pirlo and Marchisio where the engine at Juve) Mourinho has no clue how to get the best from his squad. Pogba £90m, Lindelof £30m, Lukaku £90m, Fred £55m these aren't exactly cheap buys yet he complains endlessly.

Zidane currently can't speak English so he might not fit the bill, unless the owners think the Frenchman could get them the CL

[Duty281]

It's early, but Zidane is a very short price to be the next United manager. Courtesy of Betfair:

6/5 Zidane
11/1 Conte
14/1 Pochettino
20/1 Blanc

Then the rest.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Zidane fits the bill for them, although they could really do with a Poch type, a real coach. Question over that with Zidane, but he’d have the aura and prestige, both for recruitment and for their best players.

[Atila]

I don't know much about Laurent Blanc, but he's got to be in with a chance and he ticks one of my boxes as I would like to see someone who had something to do with United given the job. Though I do know Blanc was only there for 2 seasons.


Shame really that neither Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince or Roy Keane all good United players didn't accomplish enough as managers to be considered for the United hot seat, because they probably wouldn't have done much worse than the managers since Fergie.

[Atila]

One thing that I have read about ZZ is that he doesn't speak a word of English. If he's was offered the United job I don't see this as being a problem. Most of the current squad speak English as a second language. Valencia, Rojo, Mata, Sanchez, Hererra, and De Gea all speak Spanish. Fred is from Brazil where many people speak Portuguese and Spanish, Pereira was born in Belgium where many speak French and he does play for Brazil where like I said, many speak Spanish. Lukaku and Fellaini are from Belgium, again probably speak French, if not a lot then a little, and Martial and Pogba are both French. ZZ shouldn't really have any problems as long as he hires a translator for the ones who only speak English.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Mourinho all but done at Manchester United. 0-2 at home to Newcastle whom are no more than a championship side. Newcastle could've been further ahead

[Atila]

I was expecting him to be gone early this week after last weeks defeat. Unless United turn this game around, Monday should be his last day. The only thing that I could see delaying his sacking if they were to lose today is finding a replacement.

[Lowlandbrit]

Does Jose come out for the second half or just head off home?

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Taking off Bailly after 19mins was savage and utter humiliation

[Atila]

Taking off Bailly after 19mins was savage and utter humiliation

I don't think trying to humiliate Bailly was what Jose was trying to do.

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