2021/22 European Football Thread

VAR is a f***ing joke.

 

This might be the most frustrating team I've ever been a fan of. To have this much talent and not be able to score more than 1 goal or hold off inferior opponents is just annoying as hell. There was no sense in bringing in Ragnick. Should've just let Carrick finish the season. We actually got results under him. This constant tying 1-1 against bad teams (Southampton isn't a bad team but they shouldn't be in the same class) or just not getting a result against bottom half clubs in general has got to stop.

I keep hearing the same names being mentioned for manager but there's one that seems like an obvious choice and, yet, no one is talking about him. How is Wayne Rooney not the top choice right now? Betfair has Erik ten Hag as the favorite at 6/4, with Poch next at 5/2. Ragnick is third...but that has got to start dropping. They have Rooney last at 25/1 behind Diego Simeone (he's never leaving Atletico), Deschamps (huh?), Conte (uh, he's already employed and I can't imagine Spurs moving on from him that quickly), and others. Rooney has done an amazing thing at Derby under the worst circumstances. Starting the season at -21 points and having them nearly out of the relegation zone is a masterclass in managing. They'd be 15 points clear without those penalties. I think he should be the leading candidate. You get the sense that his players would die for him and that he'd get the best out of all of them. I don't think he'd be hesitant to bench underperforming players regardless of their status (Maguire, CR7 to name a couple). Ragnick is not cut out for the EPL it would appear. Allowing him to choose the next manager could keep us in this nearly decade long malaise for another 5 years.

 

Ronaldo looked more himself yesterday. His movement on and off the ball was better than it has been in quite a while. Not sure if he was dealing with something or not but he had been way too stagnant for the type of game he plays. If we get last night's Ronaldo more for the rest of the season, I think things will open up. You could tell that the Brighton players were aware as other spaces opened up. United just has to do better in the offensive 1/3. Too many chances missed by guys who don't normally miss chances like that. Bruno really could've had a hat trick. Sancho should've had one or 2. Elanga as well.

The defense is still concerning to me even in a shutout. Too many chances given up and too much a reliance on De Gea saving their asses.

A win is a win is a win. I was honestly just glad we didn't get f***ed by the ref and VAR on that obvious red card for Dunk. Seems like a lot of those calls have been going the other way this season, despite the constant whining from other teams and their whiny ass managers who wear clear frame glasses.

 

By "more himself" I definitely meant more of the last couple of years. Definitely not vintage CR7. He just looked fresher than he has in a couple of months.