Dusic

Salisu surely has to play if he is fit, Bednarek needs a rest. Also thought JWP and Bertrand looked tired today but there isnt anyone to cover for either of them. Even if Armstrong is fit I would leave him for the league game. But if he has a muscle injury he will probably miss both. Could we even see the return of the back 3/5 that Ralph went to at HT today?

Redmond wasn't very good but he wasn't the reason we lost the game. The biggest factor was the McCarthy mistake when we had got back into the game. He is sometimes too careless. That was a big moment. Tactics when they went to nine were questionable, but we aren't a team setup to just bang balls into the box, that isnt how we score goals. At the start of the game our passing out of defence was awful, Vestergaard and Romeu were off the pace and Stephens got targetted playing at RB. If you concede 3 away from home you aren't going to get points very often. We are clearly in a bad moment, but it will turn.

In the era where Walcott came through he was attracting attention from fans from about aged 14. It was obvious Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Chambers were going to be successful from aged 16 or so. When you see the threads on here, reports from the U18s and views of people who watch them there aren't one or two names that keep cropping up as being ones to watch. Previously players like Best, Blackstock and Dyer were being spoken of in glowing terms when they played for the U18s and people were excited sbout them because they were excelling at that level. Just like none of the English players ever get picked for the Eng age group sides. Re ignoring those in the first team squad, I mean the likes of Diallo and Salisu who are clearly players we have signed rather than developed.

When you look through the U21 list and ignore those who are part of the first team squad there are very few that there is any real hype or expectation of.

Hearing that the FA have brought in Mike Dean and Leonard Mason to oversee this week's disciplinary appeals process.

I guess the appeal will rest on whether or not Bednarek is deemed to have made a foul as appears from the laws that if he did then a red card is justified. Of course, it wasn't a foul, but this is the key point. I see Arsenal are also appealing Luiz's red. I think this will remain a red as even though it was not intentional he did bring a player down when he was through on goal. From the FA's perspective its probably less hassle to just reject both appeals rather than have to explain why one is different to the other.

If they overturn it then its essentially admitting that VAR was wrong. Which is why they won't overturn it.

Obviously not nice to lose 9-0 but this feels totally different to the Leicester game. Then we were a poor team. Now we are just in a poor moment and had a game where pretty much everything that could go wrong did. No blame on Ralph, he was hamstrung in terms of what he could do. We were always going to struggle even with 11 due to the injury situation and Utd targetted Ramsay who clearly isn't up to this level. Once the red happened it was obvious it would be a very tough night, and as soon as the first goal went in you kind of feared the worst. Officiating was awful, and that certainly impacted the fact it ended 9-0 instead of maybe 5-1 or 6-1, after which the game would be quickly forgotten. PGMOL should have to come out and explain what the lines on the Adams goal are actually measuring, but we know they won't. But the main difference this time is that we know why we lost badly, and it was more specific circumstances which will improve rather than because we are rubbish. Get some players back fit and a regular lineup again and we can still finish top half - and thats a major achievement for a club that doesn't spend money. We got 0pts from the game, its not the end of the world.

Off the top of my head, these are the main Academy trained players who have been given a debut and then some form of gametime during Ralph's tenure or relatively shortly beforehand. Sure there are some missing, but it is interesting: - He has given a chance to lots of players but as yet I wouldn't say a single one has taken it and most have probably regressed, certainly those who were given the most chances have aside from Smallbone. - None that have left the club have really played consistently or been successful and are being linked with teams at a higher level. - Many of those now playing at L1 or below we kept until they were at least 20 - perhaps we need to make quicker decisions, how many players who show nothing aged 20 are suddenly PL quality at 21 or 22? - None have generated any income. Reed, Gallagher and Targett from the previous group have been notable sales but they were from the academy 8 years ago or thereabouts. - Overall, the output since the Shaw, JWP, Chambers, Reed, Targett group has been woeful. - Hopefully Matt Crocker will make a difference because, whilst its not possible to develop a constant stream of PL players, something has broken. Note - having 7 or 8 Academy players on the bench for games when we have literally no other choice should not be heralded at some kind of success. -----‐--------------- GK: Lewis - he is awful and will do well to have a long term pro career DEF: Ramsay - ironically might start tonight but binned off by Ralph after one appearance Jones - hyped but let go for virtually nothing after loan spells. Now playing L1 Valery - started well and has clearly tailed off to the stage where Ralph has seen him as unselectable. Now playing Champ. Vokins - physically looks miles from being a PL defender but clearly has something. Now playing L1 MID: Slattery - highly rated but bombed out by Ralph after a few sub apps. Now playing L1 Smallbone - the pick of the bunch. Unfortunate injury Johnson - loaned to US, now playing L1. Sims - at one stage a squad regular but failed loan spells have seen him drift to L1. Will leave on a free Tella - hard to really judge and a shame he is currently injured. But with players in his positions now mostly fit he will probably not get much more game time. Jankowitz - signed for a decent fee aged 16 and recently made an official transfer request as he didnt see a pathway to the first team. Will probably start tonight...hopefully he can build bridges with the club. Hesketh - at one stage looked a prospect. Now playing L2 and will leave on a free Watts & Chauke - look promising but not had enough time to really assess FWD: Obafemi - given lots of chances, done ok but injuries have held him back. Was about to be loaned to Champ. N'Lundulu - promising, but hard to really tell if he has what it takes. Olomola - now playing L2 Barnes - now playing L2 Seager - prolific youth scorer. Now playing National League South

If that is the line up (and there is a fair chance it will be), I would have said Armstrong at RB makes more sense that Djenepo.

Assuming Jankowitz starts, IMO he has to play alongside JWP rather than adding Armstrong in there, especially seeing as its a strong area for Utd. I wouldnt be suprised to see Armstrong on the bench as Ralph is always very cautious with him playing every 3 days and he played last midweek too. That would mean Djenepo and Redmond in the #10s behind Ings and Adams. So RB...would only leave one of the Academy lads like Ramsay. Tough ask against either Martial or Rashford.

Will doubtless be positioned as full back cover being of lesser need with KWP injury not too bad and CBs getting close to fitness. Reality is if you are reliant on other clubs letting players go, for little benefit to them, then you are liable to be left with nothing. To have loaned out Vokins, and frozen out Valery it also suggests it was a mistake in the summer to think that they were sufficient back up. We have been extremely fortunate that Bertrand and KWP have generally been durable despite our playing style and the impact of a condensed season. Such a shame to be left with a weakness in a position where it surely wouldn't cost the earth to have something better. Agree no point in getting someone for the sake of it, but with months to plan for this window and being in a comfortable league position, its just a bit disappointing and I'm sure Ralph agrees. I can't think of any other PL club who just have one RB and one LB.

Ornstein says "good chance" AMN will choose to stay at Arsenal if he can't join Leicester. The King/Long deal interesting as King could play any of the front four positions but if I were him I would wait and see what is available in the summer as a free agent. Full back cover is what is essential today, as it has been since the summer.

DM linking us with loan move for Billy Gilmour. Good player, but full back cover surely more of a need, unless Diallo and Romeu are out for a while in which case CM is arguably more of a need.

Quite possibly. Failure to sign back up in the full back area after failing to do so in the summer would be a big disappointment, especially as on the face of it there is no reason why we couldn't find someone who we can afford to do the job. Its not like we are searching for a starting striker. Just a competent run of the mill full back. To just have one selectable RB and one selectable LB is insufficient in a normal season, let alone this covid congested one.

If we do sign someone, presumably they come straight in to start at RB as am guessing KWP will be out. JWP has to play midfield with presumably Jankowitz as Romeu pulled up injured. Valery clearly not trusted.

Ralph: "Good players cost money and we have no money".

Pretty clear from the second half of Ralph's presser that Romeu, JWP and Diallo will all start with presumably Diallo or JWP moved to RB. Talked about how when you have players of quality you must find them a space in the team, even if it isnt their perfect position.

Mitchell seems to have been a disappointment, certainly in terms of goals, considering the fee we paid for him at 16yo.

Maitland-Niles is right footed. We don't need a #10 as its probably our best stocked position, especially with Djenepo and Redmond now back. We need a competent full back cover, preferably someone for whom that is their actual position and they would like to play there not in midfield. Tricky bit is unless the KWP injury is bad, they are going to be a squad player, covering occassionally. Maitland-Niles wouldn't be a first choice full back, midfielder or no10 for us, but he is probably a better third choice goalkeeper than Harry Lewis.

He is a midfielder who was used at full back by Arsenal when they had nobody else and then picked by England at LB when there was an injury crisis and he had recently played well there for Arsenal in a big game. As he says himself, he is not a defender. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/im-not-a-defender-maitland-niles-makes-arsenal-admission/shn3rdw2ybb11b9zfy0ubthtj

Unlikely unless we felt we could sign him permanently and IMO he is a central midfielder, not really a full back. Anyone else wonder if maybe KWP injury is not a minor one and RH hasn't disclosed that for fear of putting prices/loan terms up? Seemed strange that he said he didn't know how bad it was after the Arsenal game, I don't believe that considering how on top of the medical side they are and Ralph personally is usually very honest.

If an injury to one first XI player causes a key player from another position to move and cover there instead of picking the backup player whose job it is to play in that position then it juat shows the composition of the squad is wrong. If we have multiple injuries in a position then that is different, but at full back that is not the case. If Valery and Vokins are not considered good enough to cover a short term absence then neither should be in the first team squad in a role that is essentially to do the above. Diallo deserves to stay in the team for now, Romeu gives a great option from the bench.

https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-man-united-put-block-on-in-demand-star-leaving-this-month/#Echobox=1611746133 Don't recall us being linked with any other full backs this window.

Simple summary: the PL is ruthless and players who are not good enough will be exposed. This is what happened tonight. We are a good team when our best players in each position are available and fresh, but we don't have the depth to handle 4 or 5 starters missing at the same time. No disgrace but its probably what sets our ceiling as being a top half finish rather than potential to perhaps do a little better.