I think there was another game on Sunday too, not Leicester Brentford............Oh yeah Utd Pool.
Scholesy deserves credit for predicting that. On Wednesday night he said if Utd play like that against Liverpool it will be 3 or 4 at HT. They did, and it was four.
It could, and should have been more, Pool took their foot off the gas massively in the second half. I agreed with Jamie Carragher when he said he was disappointed in that, you won't get another chance to really hammer your biggest rivals in their own back yard.
Not much to say on the game, at times it wasn't even men against boys, it was men against little girls. The Utd defending for that second goal summed them up. Two seasoned internationals who run into each other rather than talking (mainly Shaw as he was behind Fat Maguire) and taking control.
As I have said on here for a long time Utd under OGS have no real identity or style of play. It's 'pick your best 11 and hope'. Now Utd have some very very good players and a lot of the time those great players have bailed Utd out. But against a good side, they got found out and picked off.
It could have been worse for Utd as well, I thought the Ronaldo booting of Jones was one of those where a yellow is not really enough, but a red is too much. His first swing of the boot is waist high and he then has two more boots while Jones is on the ground. Had that been roles reversed Roanldo would still be rolling about screaming as we speak.
Now, it wasn't a red, but it was very very petulant.
Then there is the Fred boot to Keita's head, Greasyfella got a red for that in midweek. Mane got a red against City a few years ago. Fred gets a yellow. As I said when Mane got his red, I don't mind if that is the new law, but most of the time it is only a yellow. Fred was a case in point. There is no intent and Keita was ok after a minute or two, but......it was a raised boot that hit someone else in the head. Is that not a red?
That's not me wanting more Utd players sent off, or to really grind Utd into the dirt, it's more a rant at the inconsistencies of the referees. Either decide it's a red, or decide it's a yellow, but it can't be one, one week and another the next.
Not sure anyone think OGS is the man to take Utd forward now
As for where Utd go now. A sensibly run club would sack OGS. They would have sacked him last night. In fact they would never have given him the job after his interim stint, but sure.
Utd are not a sensibly run club. They have just given OGS new contract. Why, I do not know. No one else would want to pinch him, Utd is his dream job and if you think he is doing a great job why not wait until the end of the season when he have given him loads of money to spend. As it stands now Utd have to fork out a lot more to sack him. And his "coaching" staff, who all also got new deals. What clubs would want to come in and poach Darren Fletcher or Michael Carrick? None. So why give them new deals? They have FA experience and are learning on the job, that doesn't scream "give them a new deal." Especially if you look at the structure of Utd's play. Their 'wing it' style is glaringly obvious. For most of PL clubs you know how they will try and play, Utd....**** knows.
If the Utd Board have any sense they will be desperately looking for a replacement NOW. Sensible clubs keep a short list of managers who they would approach if theirs quit, gets poached, falls under a bus. Utd are obviously not a sensible club so they will sack OGS at some point and THEN sit down and start to think who could place him.
Conte would be a bad choice. He is like Jose in that after 2 years he storms off and leaves a huge ****ing mess. Utd REALLY don't need that.
Zidane is very meh for me. Great record in CL, but a mediocre domestic record in what was a 2 and a half team league. Plus would he really want the Utd job?
Graham Potter at Brighton is doing well ATM, and has them playing good football, but they have been bottom 6 the last 2 years, I suspect it's too early for him.
Ten Hag at Ajax, would be the sensible choice, so we can rule him out. He plays good football, he builds and rebuilds squads (cos Ajax get pilfered every other year by Europe's 'bigger'/richer clubs) and has won titles.
Steve Bruce, is a dreadful manager with a woeful track record, but he is available, is a Utd legend and would never challenge the Utd Board. My money would be on him. And I'm not even joking. Utd's Board really are THAT dumb.
I'd say that is the death of the "big 4" that has been talked about this year. Three sides who can win the title, and Utd in with the also rans, fighting for the final CL spot. Their next few league games are Spurs, City, Watford and Chelsea. I would be surprised if they win 2 of those.
