Tomo

I won't name the person as innocent until proven guilty but from what I'm hearing it isn't a player for the Manchester clubs.

The period I was referring too was not when they were a title challenging side. It was his early spell (also pre Robertson and Trent too) where his team were conceding goals like no tomorow and despite that he still resisted relentless calls to sign any Tom, Dick or Harry to "fix" it. And unlike us in the forward department those players didn't really have the scope to improve.

Then doesn't that bring the argument that we should simply do a Klopp/us in 2020 and wait it out if genuine upgrades aren't attainable? For example, if we can't get Haaland is any of our realistic striker options at present less of a risk than playing Broja let alone Havertz? Who knows who will have a breakthrough in the next 12 months, the former himself could be one. Likewise since Hakimi has gone my preference has shifted to promote Livramento.

Because he suits Tuchel's system a lot better and most importantly, Tuchel doesn't rate Tammy (by comparison there's been smoke for months that he wants Broja in the squad). If we can't find a new home for Tammy he will likely play a similar role to what he has done so far under Tuchel.

I think Broja will be above Tammy in the pecking order.

Thing is though The Glazers don't care about winning stuff. Aslong as Ole is keeping them in the top 4 reasonably comfortably I think/hope he's as safe as houses.

United under Ole have repeatedly bottled it when the medals are on the line, and that's in the second rate competitions. They're like Spurs under Pochettino, they have enough quality to keep getting top 4 but have a massive mentality issue when it really matters. If they get Conte in THEN all bets will be off but Ole's United have a massive trophy mental block.

But their manager isn't, so until they upgrade on him they're out of the equation.

Long overdue, if anything it should be even more.

I don't think it's as one sided as you think, it's probably close to 50/50. Regarding Conte, his spell was the easiest to spot which players were board signing vs which one were his, his selection patterns was one step below announcing it in the presser. The board signings were largely ignored bar when we played scratch Xl's (Michy, Drinkwater, Barkley) whereas signings he wanted got chance after chance despite underwhelming (Baka, Morata, Zappacosta, Alonso in season 2).

Yep, while we absolutely should not fall into the trap of thinking Tuchel can work miracles with any and every player he's given we've appointed an elite coach who should be able to fit some players into his system. Klopp is a good example, how many of this UCL/PL winning squad would we have had a meltdown about had we signed them?

I don't know why all this "other teams fucking up has helped us" is considered ground-breaking. Further down the league you go the more you rely on it. Infact unless you get 109 or more points you're technically at the mercy of other teams not doing their job.

I'm fairly confident Kai's numbers will go up. Last season he moved in a pandemic, caught the thing (and unlike most footballers not aysmptomatically) and then returned in the middle of the Lampard meltdown period (who to add insult to injury didn't know what the hell to do with him). He only really had two months fully fit and under Tuchel and he produced his best football. I think it's next to impossible for him not to improve without all those above obstacles. He will have a (close to) full pre season, will (hopefully) not be struck down by Covid and will have a full season under a manager who clearly knows how to utilise him, I'm not exactly sure how anyone can look at those factors and come to the conclusion he won't have a better season this time round. Werner is a bit more complex, while I'm not under any illusion he will suddenly become cool as ice infront of goal the sheer law of averages should mean a healthier tally next season. Although not to the same extent as Havertz, Lampard's use of him was a problem. If we can get a close to sure bet forward fine, but there's not many of them out there, especially as we will likely have to break up a hugely promising system to accommodate said striker (the type of short termism Mou was slated for). For example, two years ago almost everyone on here was adamant Luka Jovic was the striker we needed. Infact (I've asked this a few times now but no one has yet given me an answer) did any of our even slightly realistic options outside of Haaland score more last season than Werner and Havertz do the year before they signed for us?

Sorry I meant to say inferior.

City don't appear to be any closer to making signings than we do,unless you've seen something I've missed, likewise United bar one signing they should have got 12 months ago. If we signed Ramsdale, Neves and Ben White this place would be in absolute meltdown so why on earth are they being considered potential game changers for Arsenal? Also this 6 point thing is ridiculously misleading, the gap became that "close" because we had half on an eye on a CL final while they as usual strung a few wins together when there was no pressure. Also if they will improve based on signing players fighting relegation last season shouldn't the same logic apply to us having a full season of TT and our big investments being more settled? Also if the title was won in the window, why didn't we walk the league last season?

If we finish 6th that would basically mean Tuchel is no better than Lampard (who achieved 4th with a much superior squad to this).

Isn't he on loan from Fiorentina?

All of them delivered in clutch moments in the second biggest competition in football (possibly biggest if you factor the decline or international football). Havertz especially moved in the middle of a pandemic, caught the thing (badly) and spent half the season under a manager who didn't know how to utilize him. And out of interest who is your ideal striker option if (as is looking likely) we can't sign Haaland? And did they score more than Kai and Timo the year before they joined us?

Funny thing is I remember at the end of Mourinho and Conte's title winning season's when we were playing poorly but getting results due to Hazard coming clutch you were at pains to tell us all that our luck would eventually run out and ofcourse you were right. So why (in your opinion) can't that work in reverse?

So losing finals doesn't make you shit then? Make your mind up!

That reminds me of when Klopp was a bad manager because he lost a few finals. Good times!

Top 4 maybe, but there's enough sample size already to see he'll bottle it if they somehow get into the title picture. I'm not really saying it out of blind hope, I wrote off the title before a ball was kicked last three season's, this is the first time I've believed there to be a chance since 2017. With our players settled into the league and the confidence of not only getting their first trophy (as a new team) but the biggest one of all I feel if we will at worst be comfortable top 4. It doesn't always work out so simple but Lampard achieved it with a vastly inferior team and Kepa in goal, hard to forsee TT failing. Also apart from Haaland who would even be a guaranteed goal scorer out there? I'd be willing to bet most if not all (bar Haaland) even semi realistic options scored less than Kai and Werner the year before they came here.

I'd say we've recovered relitevely well all things considered. Liverpool took 7 years and a genius manager to fully recover from Dalglish's hatchet job, United are still feeling the effects of the Moyes era and Arsenal likely won't recover from the final years of Wenger for a decade minimum.

I'm relaxed purely because I believe we have a good enough squad and more importantly an elite coach. The factors that had us down in 4th last season were almost as unique as the factors that has us down 10th in 2016. Our CL run shown the true quality of this squad and coach, very very few teams win it without relying on some luck at some point (even 2011 Barca were a better Bentdner touch away from going out). United on the other hand can sign whoever they like, Ole won't be outsmarting all of Klopp, Tuchel and Pep over 38 games.

Shittest thing is it could happen again on matchday 2 as they have most of their players back early while a lot of ours at the Euro's so will come back late.