qwertyell

From Mirror article: - "He gets a bit of stick sometimes because he is not the best player tactically and not always the most disciplined." Sounds like he ticks all of Ross Wilson's boxes... Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

They might be crap but at least their bodies aren't held together by gaffer tape and string. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

I imagine that transfer's dead in the water now, with the on-going development of Valery. We're not spending £10m-plus that we don't have on a back up full back - and he wouldn't join to sit on the bench in any case. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

To be fair, last season was pretty much a write off for Sims as he missed about eight months with a knee injury. Can't really blame Saints for setting back his development on that count. You can kind of understand them giving him a Championship loan for half a season to get some regular football under his belt. Unfortunately, Reading were total crap and mismanaged by an absolute fraud (who also couldn't do a damn thing with Renato Sanches or Tammy Abraham last season), and things didn't work out. I still can't understand, though, why Puel barely gave him a look in again after his MOTM debut (and semi-final winning cameo). That was weird. Not sure he's going to be a world beater, but he's got good feet, technical ability, a bit of speed, and clever movement - there's definitely something to work with. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Shaw and Chilwell are England's left backs going forwards. If they're both fit, Bertrand won't be anywhere near the squad. Redmond has made big strides this season, but he's not getting in ahead of Sterling, Rashford or Sancho. Gunn's got a chance. Mainly because there are only three English keepers starting PL games (assuming Ben Foster remains retired from internationals). Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

WTF!!!!!!!!!!???? Amazing turnaround. We were so bad in that first half it was unreal. Football - bloody hell! Where's Josh Sims been hiding while we've been wasting time on that useless nomark Elyounoussi? Did more in five minutes than our major signing has managed in nine months. Wow! Can't believe it. Credit to the manager for changing things at h/t, but it shouldn't have come to that in the first place. White knuckle stuff. Valery was a disaster in possession all day, but hey, a poaching full back - we've invented a new position. "Set piece expert" Prowse is actually getting quite good at them now... F-ing hell, that was VITAL. We can hopefully enjoy the next three weeks relatively stress free - until the next time. We're not doing it easy. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

That was a 1-0 massacre. Genuinely one of the worst defensive displays I've ever seen - Spurs had 4 on 3 counters all half long. It wasn't men against boys, more like men against headless chickens. It's extraordinary that we've got two holding midfielder, but neither of them are within 40 yards of the defence in transition. We didn't press, we didn't hustle, we didn't put Spurs under any pressure at all - we looked appalling. Tactically, technically, individually and collectively it's been a horror show. Yet we're only a goal down. With any other team you might think that's cause for optimism, but I can't see any way we can come back. We can't even complete three passes in a row. Where's the energy? I mean, Jesus, give us something... Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

This is a joke. We haven't had an attack in 30 minutes and the defence look like they're going to concede at every turnover. I didn't expect us to be amazing, but relatively competent isn't a high bar to clear as a bare minimum. No game here. All over already. Cardiff will get more "surprise" points than we will between now and the end of the season. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

That's a boost - for them. He's been utter dog dirt this season. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Shouldn't imagine it'll make much difference. Seems harsh for a manager with an otherwise exemplary record - he must be one of the most level-headed, respectful managers in the game. I guess Mike Dean can provoke even the coolest customers. Thought a slap on the wrists was on the cards. Would've been for Klopp... Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

And we replaced him with Elyounoussi for £15m. So we lost money on the deal and gained a make-a-wish tragic case. That's some cracking wheeling and dealing... Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

I think we have a shot on two counts. Firstly, they're physically spent right now and we can surely out work them. Secondly, even at their best they tend to struggle against the high press - they like passing slowly and sideways along the backline and in midfield. We can hustle them into mistakes. Obviously they're super strong up front, so it'll be hard to keep them quiet, but I feel like we've got a much better chance of getting a positive result from this game than we ever had going to United. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Weak defending. I reckon his knee was offside. We could go under here, United all over us. Need to show some character here, take the game deep, see if they get nervy trying to see out the 2-1. Austin off, Armstrong on. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

0-1 h/t. We've played well, in the main, although defensively we've ridden our luck. Can we hold out? Will Lukaku keep missing? Unlikely. Referee's been as bent as I've seen in a long time. Perhaps replace Bertrand at h/t before he gets himself sent off? Seems to be in a niggly mood today - and his challenge that got a yellow card was almost a martial art, so ridiculous was it. Credit to Valery for a belting strike, but also because he's owned the right side so far. I'd still be happy with a point. No way United won't get a soft penalty from this ref. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Holy smokes! Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Maybe Ward-Prowse has 20 loyalty and 1 ambition. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Park the bus, there's no way we're winning this. United can be poor at breaking down compact, deep lying, hard working teams. If we can escape with a 0-0, it'll be a sensational result. 5-4-1. Gunn; Valery, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Romeu, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong; Redmond. That's pretty much how we lined up at Arsenal, and things didn't exactly go well, so I wouldn't hold out too much hope... I think Spurs at home is a better chance of an upset. They've been on the absolute limit all season, with multiple players having no rest since the World Cup and injuries piling up - the last few games they've looked out on their feet. I never thought they could maintain their "title challenge" as it was inevitable that they'd hit the wall at some point. It feels like that point has arrived. They've obviously got some match winners up their sleeves, so it won't be easy, but with a fair wind and a bit of luck I can see us getting something. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

He's not a wing back (which Hasenhuttl seems to have settled on as our immediate tactical future) in a million years. If Valery can't play, Ward-Prowse is his most likely replacement. Not ideal, to put it mildly, but not much about our squad is. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

It means Ings can come back against Spurs, come off injured again, and still be in contention for the next match. It might be the only way we can get him playing in consecutive games. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

I think there's only 12 points maximum for us available, realistically. I doubt we'll manage that - and it won't take us over 40 points in any case. Hope to be proven wrong, but I think we're in deep merde. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Five at the back, a midfield who pass backwards and sideways, Austin leading the line, Elyounoussi still making the bench... Optimism abounds. Jesus, we're a mess. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Or someone who wasn't very impressed with his laboured performance against Cardiff and thinks he needs to up his game if he wants to start. I'd play him over Targett all day long, but let's not rewrite history: Bertrand looked way off the pace against Cardiff. We're carrying enough passengers as it is. Hopefully he's getting sharper with every training session. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Babel's speed and strength, and Mitrovic's aerial power will be too much for our useless defenders, whether we play four, five or six at the back. We just have to go for broke, try and get the minimum three goals we'll need to win. There's no way we're grinding out a 1-0. Bring Yoshida and Bertrand back - get some experience in that defence. Sims had a storming game for the u23s the other day (2 goals, 2 assists) so should be feeling confident. Get him involved. We can't keep wasting time on Elyounoussi - he's got nothing we want. We need someone who can run quicker than walking pace, who isn't Shane Long. (4-2-2-2) Keeper; Valery, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Romeu, Hojbjerg; Armstrong, Sims; Redmond, random striker tombola winner. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

He's a good manager, I think, destined for better things than trying to get a tune out of this rabble. His hands are tied. He wants to play a back four, but we don't have two competent centre backs so he needs a five. He wants to play a high energy press, but he's got a squad that lacks physical conditioning. He wants to attack with pace, but almost all his options are plodders. He definitely expected the board to strengthen in January. Some of his decisions have been questionable, sure, but that's what you'd expect from a manager desperate to find a workable formula with these losers. I can't understand his treatment of Gunn, though. A young keeper who has never played in the PL before, yet rather than easing him in at home, or letting him have a decent run in the side, he's been dropped into the deep end for two one-off outings away to Chelsea and Arsenal - two of the hardest games on the fixture list. I fully expect McCarthy to return against Fulham. It's not a big thing, but it is weird. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Well, at least our goal difference hasn't been annihilated. And that's the end of the positives. If we don't win on Wednesday, that'll be it for us. The lack of quality in our hugely expensively assembled squad is beyond belief. Let's not pretend that we were going to Arsenal with any great expectations, but there's a feeling that our long malaise has finally caught up with us and there's no turning this mess around. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk