The only place to be

There's been no greater proponent of bringing young players through than me, but you have to understand that there are TWO scenarios where throwing youth in is best done. One is when the chips are down and you can gamble. Last season was a prime example of that because Rafa had no real duty to achieve anything and had no money to spend, so why not throw in Ake against Norwich or Rubin? Rodgers had that last year at Liverpool as well so Stirling got games along with a couple of others - to his credit he's continued that this season, although he wasn't considered a serious title challenger this year. The other scenario is when you have a stable, settled side with an established core and you can slot young players in alongside experienced heads. We don't have that yet. It would've been hard to play someone like Chalobah alongside a Mikel or Ramires because they simply aren't good enough or mentally strong enough to hold a youngster's hand for 60-70 minutes, but you could imagine something like that working with Matic. Ake and Kalas were unfortunate that our defence became so important to our side, to the point that even established internationals like Ashley Cole or David Luiz couldn't be trusted to get any minutes there. Kalas was also unfortunate to break a bone in his leg as well. I hope that once we have a settled side with 7-9 players who are playing almost every game that you'll see greater rotation and integration of youth, but it simply wasn't going to happen this year. We aren't a good enough team to look to do that as well and the margins by which we win games are simply to narrow to sacrifice the extra 1% that an older head brings to the equation.

A very good, articulate post for you. But yes, full-back, midfielder and striker is what I think everyone here expects us to be in for as well as a stripping of the dead wood.

The guy has undoubted talent and was key for us earlier in the season. He's just in a rough patch of form and deserves next season to get back to his best. The cunts can fuck off and give him that at least?

Mourinho also took Essien to Real Madrid with him and brought him back here too. Not saying he's leaving but Mourinho's best quality is his pragmatism....although his worst might be his stubbornness. Wouldn't like to guess which one will win out, although Ramires could well have a spot as a squad player if Lamps and Mikel leave.

Um, no. Ogden broke it over an hour ago....about twenty minute before you were asking 'source?'. And the Telegraph isn't generally considered a 'shitty one'. Anyway, shame this is happening. Thought United might actually stick with him through summer and let him blow the money on more Matas and Fellainis. Bit disappointed that they've done the right thing and might actually get in someone competent.

I think the problem is that Ramires is the only choice at the moment. Luiz lacks the stamina to play too often in midfield, Van Ginkel isn't quite fit yet, Mikel doesn't offer anything when Matic is playing and the only surprise was Lamps not starting (although he may well start in Madrid too).

Him and Jose are both bad losers and neither would make any apologies about it. I'm not saying I liked seeing him lose it like that but I can understand where that passion comes from and that it can be very constructive when channelled appropriately. It doesn't help that Mike Dean is a smarmy cunt who needs his face caving in.

Actually it's coming from Mark Ogden who was the guy who broke the Fergie retiring story, so maybe check before going on an uninformed 'all newspapers are the same' rant.

It was used. He asked to leave and we sold him for a profit.

A few people thought Mikel was great and would continually state his importance. SeB was the main proponent of his, but he hasn't uttered a single word since Matic was signed. The rest of Mikel's defenders have shut up too and picked other 'favourite players' now.

Really wish I hadn't looked at some of the comments on Twitter. You always get cunts on there but some of the stuff is just disgusting. Some people really need a good kicking.

You talk a lot of shit to people over the internet don't you? Apparently you've been slagging me off too - how about you stick to talking about football rather than being a little keyboard warrior you cowardly little turd.

At home? Because away from home we've scored 2 goals against the 'big' teams, and one of those came from a right-back. But the question was are they good enough to win the league because I don't think they are? Are you able to answer this question? It's not simply about them scoring goals either. It's about them making the right runs to create space for the players behind them. Do any of our strikers do that either?

But we also shipped goals. Sure we could give someone like Mata the freedom of the pitch but it makes us very fragile at the back and that was under both Robbie and Rafa. We still create a lot of chances under Jose, but simply fail to take them.

I was honestly asking. When Mikel was in the pivot then Ramires seemed necessary for his athleticism, to basically do the running Mikel couldn't. Matic seems a lot more mobile so what exactly does Ramires offer? Personally I'd get shot of him and go with a combo of Lamps, Van Ginkel, Chalobah and maybe even Loftus-Cheek. Ramires is approaching 200 appearances for this club and when we've needed him most he's got himself a three-match ban in the Villa match, a ban in the CL and another deserved 3 match ban yesterday. Can you name another player in our squad over the age of 25 that you wouldn't trust with the captain's armband?

Are our strikers good enough to win the league? Simple question because I'm fairly certain they aren't which is why they'll all probably leave in the summer.

No I wasn't. I just don't get how you can think he's clueless about something, yet want him to stick around. Either you're comfortable with setting low standards for us or you simply don't have the courage to stick by your views. Personally I think we've actually got direction for the first time in a while and Jose has my full backing - something I wouldn't give him if I thought he was clueless.

So Mourinho is clueless but you don't want him to leave? Why would you want someone clueless to stick around? Company? You say he can't coach players to attack but you're too cowardly to come out and say you want him out.

Why don't you remind us why he should be in the team alongside Matic then?

Cavani and Falcao both went for twice what we what looking to spend on Rooney and ultimately spent on Willian.

So do you want Jose to go? Personally I think we have good tactics but simply lack the personnel (it's boring to keep saying it, but we need a striker) to make the most of them. As for Rodgers, there were plenty of scousers who weren't convinced by him or the football they were playing. Fair play they stuck with him but their football wasn't much more consistent than our's is.

And whom we need to shed.

Let's not forget that Rodgers is in his second season. He's had time to mould this squad in a way that Jose simply hasn't yet.

They're just playing with more belief at the moment and have a striker who makes runs constantly, whereas we have some old bloke who stands like a fucking statue. Suarez drags that team forward, which is why you end up with players like Flanaghan bombing into the box despite being a rather average right-back playing out of position.

There's a way to do that though. Needle them, do it subtly if you want to be a cunt. Rake their ankles, elbow them (the Costa special)....there are ways to get at an opponent that don't include blatant stamps and slapping a player five metres away from the ref. It's idiotic.