robsblubot

Friendlies are helpful for the manager to make experiments and get the team closer to match fitness.... nothing else really. I'm glad to see the players running better and looking ready for the real thing. Competitive matches test both temperament and physicality of players, while that's not tested at all in friendlies. This is especially important for younger players as their weaknesses lie in the mental area, which means they tend to look a lot better in friendlies. Frankly, if you ever kicked a ball and also played a remotely competitive match, it is really hard to compare. And evidently I can only extrapolate at how competitive a PL match can be.

Agreed on both counts. I'd not mind a run of good form from Sterling at some point tho. 😅

Like I wrote before, I'm a big fan. Fantastic player who is aggressive, hard working, and an excellent rounded footballer. He can play in tight spaces, slow down tempo, which means a player we were missing esp for the new system. He reminds me of Pool's Luis Diaz. Just stay fit....

Only option would be to remain paying % of his wages, and in such scenario I’d actually keep him. He hasn’t been good enough, but aside from being a poor footballer I just can’t see how Mudryk would work in this system given all he’s got is pace.

Agree with the rest, but not the creative part. I think Noni's quite direct and does not have a whole lot of range to his game. He operates better with more space esp in counter situations, which is going to be harder to find in the new system with higher lines.

I'm a big fan of Pedro Neto and brought his name up last season when Wolves beat us. Yes, the injury proneness is a concern evidently. I don't think he's that direct; yes, he can beat players with pace, but he can also slow down tempo and linkup in tight spaces. He's got aggression too, so a perfect fit for the positional game Maresca is trying to implement. Pedro is super skillful and would really like to see him and Cole play together. Pedro is quite a bit better than Madueke as a footballer, esp when operating in tight spaces. Noni is also not a great fit for Maresca's system IMO. Given that he can play LW, the less Mudryk the better. I want to see Filip more before passing judgment, so CBs look like the main weakness left, especially given the lack of a good ball-playing CB. I remember telling folks here that the team that ended last season wasn't going to be the same one starting this season. 😅 the team last season wasn't good enough.

The Liverpool match? ah maybe I'm mistaken -- always thought Liverpool were the better side despite missing most of their attack. BYW, I do remember our bench options being dismal when playing them... like not really better than "Liverpool kids."

Agreed concerning the City match even with the caveat that they were tired (once again tired does not only mean less running) and missing Haaland. But not the Liverpool match; we just did not look like winning that one not even in OT.

That's what I'm afraid of: the success rate (of developing potential) and conditions needed in a free-flowing contact sport like football can be drastically different. Knowing where to move, how to move, is often more important than being able to run faster or longer. THat's esp true in certain positions where knowing the "shortcuts" like Thiago Silva did can be invaluable esp in tough matches where a mistake will send you home.

I wonder that perhaps the issue isn't such much as identifying potential, but understanding what potential means *in football* vs other sports. Perhaps the execution part is slightly misunderstood? Referring to the actions and conditions required to develop potential, regardless of the outcome.

Smart buy for them; that has been their main weakness for a while.

Fair enough. 👍 BTW, I don't rate Saka that highly. He's an excellent winger, but Salah is a tier above, and Cole is posed to get there.

Understood. However, Jackson is the striker, a player whose focus is mainly to score goals. Of all players on the pitch he’s got the freer role and plays centralized: there are fewer opposition players between him and the goal. Those wingers would have to do a lot more aside from scoring, so their focus is split… as is their work. so, basically I’m suggesting based on the data you shared is that aside from haaland, there isn’t a striker in the league firing in all cylinders considering that the top wingers lead in goals scored. i also hope Kai does not carry his end of the season form over to this one.

Yup remember that as well; Lukaku was never good enough in his overall technique. The PL has a history of overvaluing physicality esp power. That has changed over time, but old habits die hard. Wonder if the owners have a bias towards that as well. I think City was the club that changed all that having skill on the ball above all else.

yup and on top of that he's a good player; as in he's not clueless with the football at his feet. Not sure comparisons with wingers help his case tho, esp Salah and Cole, who are pretty dominant players scoring or not. I'm not a fan of Isaak; while he can finish, he's just so freaking slow. Now in tight games, esp when we are chasing a goal, we may need a physical player who can attack headers in tight spaces and under pressure (from the opposition CBs), and Jackson isn't that player.

yup hence the "in different times" bit.

Heh suppose Alvarez would’ve been tailor-made for Barcelona in different times.

Which prob meant any “convincing”, if at all possible, would require a significant wage increase. Something we have not been doing lately.

Plausible yeah. There was a mention about warmer climate.

Sure, I agree. I'd call some things I've read here a bit on the naive side. Like mentions to the UN, or this fabled world order which some people seem to see. Hollywood in particular has been culpable in creating division IMO. There are some crazy shit coming from both sides, but I still think the right wins it via the sheer number of stupid conspiracy theories. Another thing that does not gel with me is he (Trump) either wins, or he's been robbed. Sounds like a manager whining after a loss. 😃 So, the very same decentralized (electoral) system that elected Donald Trump became irredeemably corrupt just after 4 years under Trump's presidency. I mean that's the shit Trump and his peers were saying all the fucking time prior to 2020's election.

Don't really know what you are talking about. I don't have a presence in social media nor do I watch a lot of news.... liberal or conservative (don't like to be lied to). Don't hold a whole lot of liberal views tbh, esp the fringe left, which is likely what you refer to. My opinion of Trump is only about what I personally saw him say and do. Jan 6 events alone would've been enough, but there is a lot more... so much more.

It was a joke. 🙂 Trump has so many flaws as a human being that it's all fair game. After all, he's got a narcissistic personality disorder according to numerous sources, including people who know him well. I think the big question is how bad will his slurring get in the next couple of months?

I think they should play anyway to get that important PL seal of approval, "Can they do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?"

He did improve a lot from his early games, in which he was pretty much a liability costing us points. You take the whole season tho, and for me, he wasn't that great; certainly not the player people claimed he was at Brighton. I expect him to resume playing at a good level (not his early season form), but I wouldn't project his end of the season form towards this season. Way too many variables esp around fitness levels and other sides losing interest. We were one of the few clubs still playing for something in the end. We also need to take into account the new manager and system.

I can get why maybe the Manager would like someone else and not Alvarez. He may think Alvarez is too much Cole esp when he drops back into CAM/RW position, and his movement might interfere with Cole's. He may also prefer a more physical presence up front vs a shorter skillful player like Alvarez, given that he's already going for more skill everywhere else. In the end though, we still need a player who can contribute right away if we want to fare better esp in Cups this season. IMO we lacked options in those moments above all else: the matches were up for the taking and our bench was (very) thin. I do expect United to be a bit more competitive this season; not sure about Spurs much less Newcastle (they needed a lot more to get there). Like folks said, hope Samu at least brings some aerial game for the moments we need it; though wasn't Guiu suppose to be good in the air?