Crimbo

The Irish Boys Podcast discusses recent games of Manchester United, including a poor performance against West Ham and a better showing against Aston Villa. They criticize the lack of goals from Arsenal's strikers and analyze the defensive issues in the Villa game. They praise the performance of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnaccio, suggesting they should be part of the starting lineup. They also express doubts about Anthony's inclusion and discuss the need for better cohesion in the forward line. What's the craic? Welcome back to the Irish Boys Podcast. We are back again after the Christmas period. Christmas period halfway by sickness, I would say. Just to discuss everything that's come up in the last two games for Manchester United and then a look ahead to see what is coming up for Manchester United. I'm here with my mum. How are you? All good. Still feeling sick? The dregs of it. Different symptoms. I don't know what I got. Some virus of some sort, but it won't be the worst of it, thank God. I'm in the heat of it at the minute. It's pretty rough. And do you know what? I was slagging off professional footballers and stuff, named Magnussen, that actually succumbed to sickness over that Christmas period, but now I have total symptoms even, because it's stability. Any more to shake? It really is. In terms of Manchester United and the two games that you watched? One good, one bad. One good, one bad. But we'll give them that. So, as usual in family therapy, we usually cover four topics, so what we're going to go over today is just a write-up of the last two games, our thoughts and feelings. We're going to talk about the latest transfer news, plaguing the social media trends. Then we're going to have a look ahead to the next few weeks to come, and then to wrap us up, we're just going to go through some tentative expectations for 2024. Very tentative. So yes, let's kick it off. The West Ham game. What do you think? It was poor, but I watched the game last night between West Ham and Arsenal, and it didn't buy me, in a way, but West Ham, Arsenal had so many chances in that game, but they never took the chances, and I keep saying, to you especially, to win a match you need to score goals. That's exactly it. I think I said this to you over the Christmas period, Arsenal's fight force does not give me any confidence that they can win anything. I don't like Eddie Nketiah. I don't see the hype around that lad. I think he's a good striker and that's it. I think it's because they're English to hype them. Yeah, and Gabriel Azouz as well, I think he's good. Adrian Yoke. Yeah, I mean, Gabriel Azouz reminds me a bit of Roberto Firmino, where they make a living off being a productive outlet for other players around them, but when those other players around them can't score, and you don't have a goal scoring forward, you're kind of fucked in that sense. It just doesn't work. But yeah, the West Ham game, we talk all the time in this podcast about excuses, and I always try and hover back and say, but we have a legitimate excuse for that one, in the fact that all of our centre-backs were out, and we're dragging Jonny Evans up to play with one of the youth players that he was meant to be coaching, essentially, this year. Exactly, a little bit of a drag in that match. Crazy. But same old story again with our forward line. And I just watched it, I'll go back to the Arsenal match last night, they had chance after chance, and just couldn't put it in the back of the net, and that's what counts. Yeah, and you know, it's a funny one, because this is the first time I think we've sat, and we haven't done pre- and post-game analysis, so we're talking about everything in hindsight, and I probably would have went off and won in the West Ham game when I'd seen Scott McConnell in it. Well, if memory serves, you did go off and won. I just don't like the way he integrates Kobe Manning into the team, who has the potential to be a world star, and I mean that, a world star. He's a fantastically gifted footballer. And he leaves him in the lone six, and plays him Scott McConnell, and he drifts. Do you know what I mean? In the heel of the West Ham game, I probably wouldn't be as nice, as we're dirt-bagged as I am now, and give him those excuses. Yes, he is missing his two centre-backs, but that bothers me a bit. The Villa game? Oh, totally different. What a tale of two halves. I think that's because Villa held that high line, and re-exploited those runs in behind, with Marcus Rashford, who I was impressed with, because he's been shocking this season. But that game suited Marcus Rashford, and Giornaccio. Yes, you know, the Villa game was one of those games where you watch it, and you watch it back, right? And I was completely annoyed when I'd seen the two goals going, and I was like, this is it again. The goalkeeper should have done better with the first. The second one is an absolute cluster-fuck of errors from those centre-backs. It definitely wasn't on brand. Yes. It definitely wasn't on brand. Lack of cohesion, I think. Yes. Lack of... Like, we always talk about the balance, and partnerships, and whatnot. It really shined through in the Villa goal. You know, when your backs are against the wall, Villa put a nonsense ball into the box, and it comes straight to the back post, and we just let it go. Yes. It's stupid. Is it because of this owner, Martin, do you think? I'm a big fan of man, Martin. I don't like this owner, Martin. I... It could be. It could be. I'm more inclined to think that it's the chaplain changing of the defence personnel. Oh, that is well done. And there's no reason if the game is a collective... I mean, if the ball comes into the box, right, and somebody knocks the ball out to the man at the back post, then you'll turn around and you'll blame the individual. If the collective four has no awareness of that man at the back post, and they haven't spoke to each other, there's zero communication and there's zero cohesion in the back lane, and then you have to point to... And this is me making excuses for him, but you have to point to, right, well, is that really his fault? These four have been shifted, rotated, in and out with sickness, injuries, whatever, you know. You give him that lapse. Now, in the heat of the moment, I was disgusted, and I thought, here we go again. But Patrice Evers spoke really well. I don't think that was a brilliant showing from Aston Villa. I thought Villa were a lot better than what I'd seen when they fled Manchester United. In fact, even in the first half, I mean, Villa had chances, but United again, masters of their own downfall, and giving the ball away high off the pitch and allowing Villa to come on. I'm absolutely in our jack-of-all-trades goalkeeper, because he's culpable for some goals, and then he keeps us in the match with some of the saves that he makes. I mean, watch his back. It's smart from Villa. It is. Villa knows that he's a goalkeeper under pressure. Bailey's in and knowing him from behind. I don't think that made a massive influence on it, but we've seen it with another goal this season, where Andrew Onana gets confused when players run across his face in the box. He looks like a deer caught in a headlight, and Villa exposed that. Ball gets whipped in. Two players run towards the ball. Ultimately, nobody touches it, but Onana is so indecisive that he doesn't come and collect the ball. You know, he doesn't have a stature from crosses into the box, Andrew Onana. He doesn't have a commanding presence, I think, as the phrase on the suit suggests. No, not yet, and that needs to desperately improve. But you take what I thought was a prayer shown from Aston Villa, you get into the changing room at Old Trafford, and you need to respond, and my God, did they. Like, I think that puts to bed any notion that they're not, and even my notions, that they're not playing for this moment. They definitely are playing for it. They are. And you've seen the reactions after the match. There's all high fives and all togetherness and congratulating each other. And even with Eric Ten Hag. So I don't think they're down to it. I don't think that... I think Eric Ten Hag, his big problem is he's trying to implement a style that they're not used to playing. I think he led it with a bye last year because he needed results. Yeah. And he played counter-attacking football. But, having said that, that's the way to exploit a team playing that high line. Because we were caught off-side so much in the first half and it was so frustrating to watch. And then they got it right the second half. They did. They did get it right. I'll tell you what was really interesting to see. Marcus Rashford on the left and Alejandro Garnaccio on the right. Every week for me. Every week. It was so much more productive. There were phases of playing, and I think I said this to you during and after the game, that really annoyed me. Where both Rashford and Garnaccio are very, very good at getting themselves in the right positions themselves. And then when it comes to playing that cohesive football with each other, they were playing passes and crosses that I just thought, well that's not the common of a player at your standard. And then it clicks and they get it right. Twice. One that was offside and one that was eventually onside. Marcus Rashford's cross, that goes brilliant. Yeah, but Marcus Rashford, our forward line has to do that more. Instead of playing for themselves, they have to get their heads up, be aware of who is around them and play that pass. And do you think that is the start of a cohesive three for Manchester United? Do you think that should be the starting three? Because the interesting thing here is, you're not a fan of Rashford. No. And I don't think that Garnaccio should start week in, week out because I think he's still very raw and I think his decision making at times is poor. And he's selfish. And he is, he's selfish. Very, very selfish. But do you think that's the starting three? Because I would have to admit it's the best three that I've seen. At present, definitely yes. Do you think Anthony walks back in? No. No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't have Anthony in the other first team now at the minute. I'll tell you, there's a brilliant training clip coming out of today. If anyone is following any Manchester United social page, go and watch it. It's on Instagram, it's on Twitter. It's them doing one-on-one training. Have a look at it after this one. Watch Ahmed Diallo in his one-on-one when he is going up against Willy Kwambla and watch Anthony when Anthony goes up against Dan Gore. Now, I'm going to go out and say Kwambla is better defender than Dan Gore. Diallo looked 100 times better than Anthony. It was quick, it was decisive, he got round and he scored. End of story. Anthony beats the man, takes the ball back, tries to beat him again and you just get fed up watching it. You think, what is he doing? Sometimes I look at Anthony and I think, is he bored? As if he's got itty-hitty. Because you beat the man and then you hit the ball back and then you try and beat him again. Aye, 100% agree. And that is the most frustrating thing to watch. He has got pace. Beat the man, run the by-line, whip the ball in. That's all you have to do. I sat and watched the coaches watching him and I thought, is somebody going to pull that lad afterwards and turn around and say you shouldn't be doing that? Watch him, round him, just go. Now is the time to use your pace. You've done the feint, you've done the dummy, you've done the skill move. Use your pace and take off there lad. But it's like a, I don't know, it's a confidence thing but that's just his style of play. Is he still wallowing? But yeah, I mean, another brilliant thing in the Aston Villa game and he came on at the end of the game, I thought he was going to come on. The Scotman comedy drop for Christian Ericsson. In the first half, it really irked me because it was the same tactics. Christian Ericsson came in and Christian Ericsson did the Scotman comedy roll essentially for the first half. He was so far away from the other midfield players. He was up where Bruno was and he was trying to push high off the pitch and it was the two advanced hands and stuff again to follow off. I thought, there's a lot of catches here and you could see it in the first half. I think you said it, you nailed it. Manchester United couldn't find the killer pass in the final third and when you give the ball away like that, you invite teams onto you. And Ericsson was almost too far out of the midfield to provide effective cover and the young fella gets caught in the zone again. It was just brilliant to see Ericsson back even though he played that role in the first half. In the second, you've seen everything that Christian Ericsson can do. He's also a good keeper. He's a quality player. He is. Christian Ericsson can't do that line-breaking pass. Scott Dottoni cannot. I mean, he's not the calibre of player that's going to get you to a title. No, not now. No. I agree with you. I also don't think he's top-four material, Christian Ericsson, not in the advanced league that we're seeing, but as an option when you're playing the likes of... But I still would like to see Mason Mount integrate it back. But anyway, look, I said we'd lose both games. They lost 1-1-1. Aston Villa's second half really buoyed me that Manchester United could actually do something this season. I just don't know if he continues with the tactics we've seen in the first half or the second. To not enforce, the next game tomorrow is going to be totally different. Because not enforcing will sit deep and a loss tomorrow will just overshadow that good win against Villa. He has to keep this... The teams have to be more consistent in winning matches. Now, all the teams around us are dropping points, which, in my opinion, our position in the league is a bit inflated because the teams around us are dropping points. This league is... Madness. Madness. Now, I think we were talking about Tottenham game last night and they said, yeah, I'm expecting Spurs to get thumped. No team's going to survive if we let two full-backs in with centre-backs. But that is the necessity that has befallen a couple of teams this season. Newcastle have gone through a bout of it. Manchester United are dragging in youth players and 35-year-old players who weren't meant to get near the team to play centre-back. That's the position a couple of us are finding ourselves in. So, it's going to be interesting to see who has seen the right thing I think this season so far. You're certainly hearing from big believers of the injuries playing a massive factor in things, of him not being able to play his first team. And I've argued back and said, no, I don't think football's good enough. I think we're going to see it come up soon. Yeah, and especially the end of January when a lot of players will be back. Casemiro will be back. Martínez will be back. Mount will be back. Yeah. Then he's going to have his pick and choice. He's going to have a much better selection. Excuse me. There's no quality players on our bench. You look at our bench, was it against Villa? Yes. At the amount of academy players, I think in that match, somebody said there were eight academy players that played that match. You take those players that were sitting on the bench are going to go out and loan next month. Probably. Dan Gore is... Breezy Dortmund is looking at... I think Breezy Dortmund is looking to buy Dan Gore. Memory. Memory was an interesting one. Yeah. Not only is the first team stretched, the bench is stretched as well. Yeah, and I think you've segwayed into our look at the next couple of weeks with Manchester United, what's going to come up. Not in first. Massive now. See you in a second. Because not in first then defines whether Manchester United are going to go on a run, whether they turn the corner, whether the second half performance against Baston Villa is through. Sorry, excuse me, Rory. Not in first is massive because not in first has the momentum now with going to Newcastle and beating Newcastle in their backyards. Yeah, I think it's bigger for us. Oh, it is? Because you have the doom and gloom, it's like me, who are looking at results like Baston Villa and celebrated as a Manchester United fan and then instantly thought, I don't believe that's a true reflection of Manchester United. I think that was a reaction to going 2-0 down in Old Trafford and that is what is going to happen when you have superstars like we do. And I don't think Manchester United will sustain the charge up the table but I could be wrong. I think it's down to individual brilliant quality that Manchester United have on their team that we see these sort of wins and reactions and all that but the testament to a good football team is whether you can go from start to finish, control the game and put teams away. Still yet to see it although the Villa performance was brilliant. The second half was brilliant but I think that was reactional instead of being tactical. I think the football was good and I have to disagree. The football was brilliant but I think you said it earlier it was a bit counter-attacking wasn't it? Villas led a high line and we let Villa come on and then we conquer it. That's the way to beat that high line is counter-attacking football. Totally. He's going to have to be more pragmatic in his in-game plan. But what happens tomorrow and I'm interested, I'm not asking you this question I'm asking the universe this question. What happens tomorrow when you come up against a deep knot in Forrest and we're back to some hard balls with slow, prodding football around the back line in the midfield and trying to find ways beyond the team that doesn't really want to play football just wants to get out with the result and that's going to be the interest we want to watch? Well I think the thing that encouraged me about the Villa match as well is that Christian Eriksen in the middle of the park progressed the ball a lot quicker. He did. It was quicker. It was quicker. It really did. So over the next couple of weeks United play a knot in Forrest tomorrow. Then we've got a reprieve until the Wigan game. And then we only play Spurs is it again in the Premier League? Yeah I think so. Spurs is the next one. That's a nice month for a team struggling with injuries. That's the month that we need. So I see Manchester United... And then there's no excuse at all. There's not. There's no excuse at all. I can see United going into the game tomorrow at the half five kick-off and losing. But then beating Spurs. I think that would just be very Manchester United-esque. I think Spurs are going to look for the reprieve as much as we are. But I don't know. I just think in the quick turnaround of games and the inconsistencies we're seeing across the league depending on the team we have tomorrow I don't see us beating Forrest. I think Forrest's momentum kind of takes them past us because we're away from home and I'm expecting to see the same United that I've seen for most of the season. I disagree with you. I don't think we'd be as complacent as we were against West Ham. I think we can't afford to be because it's a shocking start to the season. And I think every game from here on in is massive. Dude, it's cup finals time. It really is. To progress into the top four now he's going to have to ride the wave of inconsistency that we're seeing across the Premier League. Everybody's robbing points here, there everywhere. And capitalise now. Tomorrow should be a win. He should be approaching this game to decimate London Forrest and put himself in contention for top four now. He has a chance. But it remains to be seen whether he can do it. Then we just have not just half, but we've got Wigan in the FA Cup. That's a nice one for the kids, I think. Wigan aren't playing particularly well. I think he's football strengthened. That's the way he does it, isn't it? Yeah, it's not even that. He's out of that Carabao Cup is it? Carabao Cup League? Yeah, Carabao. And that's the only domestic cup he can go for. We're out of the Champions League. Yeah. So we have... I think he will go for the FA Cup. I think he'll go strong for the FA Cup. I think strong selection for the FA Cup. I would like to see him swim the FA Cup. I mean, for the first time in a long while he's got something like a full week between the London Forrest and Wigan game. And then he has six days more, I think, before he plays Spurs. And then after that, he gets two weeks off, more than two weeks off before he has fouls. That's a good break. That's a good break. Especially for teams in the Premier League who are really suffering from injuries. That's... I think, at present, that's what that team needs. Yeah. People coming back from long-term injury, not overusing them, and good rest, period, in between matches. It's one of those pieces that kind of segues into what we want to talk about, which is the transfer rumours and everything bad about who could be there and who couldn't. So there are rumours. Yes, there is. Two of the big ones. Two of the biggest ones for me. And we're talking about players coming back and using those easier restful weeks to get people back. Casemiro and Vernon. Now, I have been intentionally trying to stay away from the transfer news of Manchester United because a lot of it's negative over Christmas. But I know you're... whatever you get. Casemiro. If he's staying, going, what's the crack with Casemiro? Apparently, the rumour of him going is just that. Rumour. So he's staying. Until the summer. Perfect. There's no talk of him going. Well, this is Romano. He said there's no talk. He hasn't heard any talk of him going to Saudi Arabia. Yes, there's interest. But no concrete interest. And I think the only way that United will let Vernon or Casemiro leave in January, I can't see it personally myself, is if big money comes into them. Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with you. I don't want to see Rafael Vernon or Casemiro go because they are essential in my opinion now to any sort of a push for top four. Like, I think Ten Hag is going to be in charge until... It's going to be in charge until January. We'll see what way that plays out. But if you take the coach and the manager out of it, as a team, Casemiro and Varane are two of our potentially best players. You don't want to be losing them people. And then if you lose them, even for big money, you have to scramble about in January, which is a shitty transfer window to try and replace them. I can't see us buying anyone in January. I've seen that Sean Clarke-Taddevo is heavily linked to Totten. Do you think that happens? Now, I don't know the ins and outs of this transfer rumor, but from the limited stuff that I've read, Sean Clarke-Taddevo has a release clause of £50 million. So if you pay a £50 million release clause, you have the right to talk to the player. So I thought... One of my friends texted me across, Shane texted me across and said, what do you see Taddevo will go to? Totten now said no chance. You know, any of us isn't going to let an asset that they want to move to Manchester and move to any other football club. But if Totten pays £50 million, then they have the right to speak to him. And they've got £50 million and we don't. If you activate the release clause, yeah. That was the reason they were invented. Now, the original intention of a release clause was to set a fair price for a player that if the buying club wants to pay it, activate the release clause, then all clubs are happy. So Nice has obviously, if it's true that he has a £50 million release clause, that's how much Nice value he might have. It could be activated by Chorten, and Chorten would have the right to speak to Taddevo. I know what you're saying, the right to speak, but do the selling club have to sell? Yes. Right, OK. The selling club are essentially removed from the equation. It then becomes a negotiation between the player and the club that wants to buy him that is willing to pay the release clause. So when you put the money up and you say, right, £50 million down, we want to speak to Taddevo. And then Taddevo comes along and they either turn around and say, you know, I don't want to go to Tottenham, or they'll say I want to go to Tottenham if you pay me £150 a week. And then Tottenham then can say yes, and he moves. You don't really get a whole lot. You don't need a whole player's walk. Yeah. Exactly. Essentially, yes. Although I did see in the gossip columns now this morning, they're also looking, United are also looking at a young defender from Atalanta. Atalanta. Same club as Gallo. Yeah. So there'd be a relationship there. I don't know. It's one of many. There's also that lad from Sporting. Yeah, the lad from Sporting is heavily linked. He is a quality player. He's linked with everyone as well, isn't he? He's linked with a few. This is Ignacio. Yes. Yeah, and then there is a guy from Monaco is also linked to a handful of teams. So you just don't know. But I thought we were, you know, very, very interested in Taddevo, and then Taddevo was linked to Spurs, so it just felt like another hit when I read that. And I'm just being, you know, positive about Tottenham's business in January yesterday. He said, you know, we will be looking to do deals early and we will be pursuing our cards. And you're like, this feels like another one getting away. But you don't know how interested Ten Hag is. You don't know what budget any of us have set. Yeah. So, and if there is speculation over Ten Hag, would you give him a transfer budget? Yes, and I'll tell you why. Because Manchester United need to get top four above all else, and he needs to have an experienced striker to come in, he needs Anthony Martial to go, and he needs a defender to come in. And not a young defender, not a chance defender, he needs an established defender. So I think they will give him some sort of budget to play with. Or would it be Salzabai? If we can get rid of players next month? Yeah. Now I know that there's not a whole lot of interest in our players, isn't there? They're struggling to find a buyer for Anthony Martial, they're struggling to find a buyer for Jadon Sancho. Who's related? Donnie's going on loan. Yeah. Giving a small loan fee for Donnie, he's going out, can't sell in. Hannibal Nebry is skipping AFCON to negotiate a loan deal. Dan Gore? Bruce Adortman? That's a loan. No, apparently not. Apparently Bruce Adortman has seen something in Dan Gore and they want to do the Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham thing. I don't know enough about Dan Gore to be... He's a good wee player. Is he first team quality? Not yet. Not in my opinion. I've seen a lot of people crack up recently over this Alvaro Fernandez, the lad playing for Granada. People are losing their minds saying that this lad is the replacement for Luke Shaw and a man who could establish himself as Manchester United's left back for years to come. I've now watched him play a couple of times. What the fuck are you talking about? Very good player in the under 21s or 23s, whatever they are. He'd be a brilliant wing-back but as a defender he's got a long way to go. He's spotted Diogo Dalot. Diogo Dalot's not bad. Defend. True. Alvaro Fernandez would be a great player if you're playing the back three. Yeah, which we don't. Which we don't. Alvaro Fernandez is excellent at going forward. Now I'm talking excellent at going forward. But as a defender he's got enough work to do. Enough development. Yeah. I'm just going to say apologies at this stage. You can hear a bit of rattling in the background. That's me trying to stop myself from coughing up a lung. The most I've had to cough I think all Christmas. Which has been glorious. I'm sure you've enjoyed that one. Yeah. I couldn't even voice my opinions to people off the podcast. It was glorious. Did you enjoy that, yeah? Yeah, I did. This is like a thorny experience every time you get on. You just get so much off your chest. But yeah, another sponsor we were asking was Joshua Sherksey. He's playing for Bologna now. He used to play for Bayern Munich. He's a forward player. They were talking about him potentially coming in. But I don't know. Like you asked me once and I get it. Oh, sorry Rory. It's a big one this morning. Go for it. Joshua Kimmich apparently has fallen out. Seriously. Apparently has fallen out with Tommy. And it's been linked. It's been linked to everybody. It's also been linked to us. Joshua Kimmich, the United. If any United fan has any hopes of that, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Joshua Kimmich is never in a million years going to trade Bayern Munich for Manchester United. Do you know where Kimmich will go? City. Yeah. Benzinga in the city, alright. Yeah. Is there a replacement for Kovacic? He didn't replace Gondouin properly. Bringing in Kovacic for Gondouin was a mistake. And one that's costing him points this season. But that would be the stellar sort of signing that Pat Gordial would want. Gordial has a dealings with Kimmich in the past. I can see that. But not a United. No, I don't think so. I mean. If anyone's one of the flags to wait. They could nearly bet for him. But I don't think it's ever going to happen. I can't see Joshua Kimmich in the out shirt. Can you? I would love to see Kimmich in the United shirt. Remove the hopium. Talk to me realistically. Do you think that's foul? No. No, I don't think so. I'll tell you who it would be. And I was reading a few reports on it. There are a few people from the Saudi Arabian football clubs who can move on loan. Oh, from Enio you're talking about? I would take him. I mean, I don't think he'd do it to Liverpool, but I would take him. No, he wouldn't do it to Liverpool. Why do we not like to Ciarán Bandema? Because he's finished work. Oh, God, Mum, no. Oh, yes, yes, yes, he is. No. He's finished. I have to disagree, no. I don't think Ciarán Bandema fits in at all, really. No. No, I'm going to disagree with you. Again. I had a Bandema. I had a Bandema. I was. You're looking for an experienced baker to come in when you're very low budget. And you just need someone to come in and do a job. Starting that first quarter. Absolutely logical. But he's finished. He's finished. I'm not always saying that, lad. But you're talking about the back end of this season. Ciarán Bandema finished two strikers. He's got phenomenal wages. Phenomenal. Yeah, but the City clubs are going to have to eat a portion of those wages to let. I mean, the City clubs have essentially got a Manchester United scenario on their hands now. Them lads are either going to be doing nothing for the months that they're off, or they could be playing for European football clubs who will take a portion of their salary. Because when they're off, they're still getting paid full salary. Of course, yeah. So there's not going to be more sense if we turn around and say, look, we'll pay a bansman 150 grand a week. You guys pay the rest, and then come play in the United shirt. I'm a cheap bansman, aren't I? Really, really good. I've seen the list of people who are playing over there. And, well, I mean, Ruben Neves is the one, isn't he? Yeah. Everyone will want Ruben Neves. Isn't he playing for Newcastle? He is, happily, yeah. He is. I think there's a controlling stake at play there. I think the owners in Newcastle own the club that he's at and all that Saudi crap. So, yeah, I can see that one happening. But if you're offering me anybody from Saudi League... Benzema would be the one. I'd say Ronaldo back, but he doesn't get on with that. He doesn't get on with that. He's scoring goals for fun over there. He's indicative of that league. Very true, very true. So, yeah, I mean, transfer-wise, there's nothing concrete there, is what you're saying? There's nothing really concrete. Romano has... Romano. I mean, our club has come out a few times in the past couple of weeks. Our manager, our new standing CEO, somebody else, the CFO or marketing manager, whatever it was, and said, look, don't expect anything. You know, financials for our play is still at stake here. We haven't ratified any odd deal. There's no cash injection. Don't expect anything. Yep. We're poor. We're poor. So it could be loan deals. Interesting to see how that develops now over the next couple of weeks. But I think the segment I was most excited for is we're essentially halfway through the season. We have seen Eriksen Hyde's vision kind of for Manchester United. Has it all gone according to plan? Have you got high hopes for the back end of 2024, or are you nervous to see what happens? You're asking an optimist if I have high hopes. Yeah, well, I mean, it's been a couple of weeks now, and we've seen, I think we've seen a couple of our points that we've made have been proven right. I was wrong on the fill-out one. I didn't expect that reaction from Manchester United. It blew me away. It was such a positive experience to watch Garnaccio and Quaivelin and these lads fight for each other. And, you know, it just, it showed me that there is individual brilliance within Manchester United. There is a core of a team there that could be special. Coach them to be a collective, and we have a winning formula. What was that word? Collective. Coach? That is still my second point. I don't think this is the man to get the best from those collective players. I haven't changed my mind. I don't think he's a good enough coach to get the best out of the current crop of Manchester United players, and I don't think spending time, money and effort on this man will get him there. But, talk to me. What do you see happening in 2024, realistically? What do you think United will finish? Is there hopes for the FA Cup? I think there's hopes for the FA Cup and there's hopes for top four. Okay. I definitely do. I think, I've always said give everything a hug, at least until the end of the season. Yep, you have. However, I will jump onto your boat when all those players are back and the football is still patchy. Yeah. I see a pattern of play and consistency and those players playing for each other instead of individuals. Yeah, I have hope for next year. I have hope for, I think once we get the main players, and for me the main players, Casemiro and Martins, once they're back, I think you will see a much better fluidity in that team. I would agree with that. I mean, that's not hoping, that's chance. I mean, Christian Irish can change Manchester United when he comes back, can't he? Following these players. Yeah, totally. But, I still would go back to the first half against Aston Villa in the West Ham game. You know, it's a funny old game because so many people have told me, You're so negative on that podcast and you're totally tin-hag out and so negative about Manchester United. And I had a few people text me then, a few Hopium experts text me in the West Ham game and go, Maybe you're right. Oh my god, you're right. And do you know what? The West Ham game was the first game where I thought, No, no, no, no, he's got excuses this game. He's playing Willie Clombly, you know, he can't get on his back to this one. The West Ham game I actually backed down and thought, No, he has an excuse this week, guys. And then we go out and we beat Aston Villa out. And it's tin-hag and Blazers out all over again. You know what I mean? Most fans of any club are flip-floppers. You know, you get beat and you go, right, sack the manager. You win and you go, oh, maybe he's the right man for the job. And I hope to come round to your side at some point. Like, I was yet to go into every football game hoping this man would lose. That's not me, I guess that counts not. I know. But, I read on forums because I would read our own forums and stuff, but I read other fan forums as well. And, see, loud noises coming from the Newcastle fans about Eddie Howe. And rightfully so. Eddie Howe is underachieved. Arteta, that's results of last night. Oh, my God. Do you know what? In Eddie Howe's defence, right, Newcastle have an injury crisis this season. The same as a couple of other teams around them. And look at the Tottenham result last night. Tottenham were decimated by Brighton because they have an injury crisis. The entire spine of their team is gone. Eddie Howe is holding that team together, and Newcastle are still standing around at half four to beat. They're in the same position as us, they've got a lot of work to do, but they're still in the rallies. You take the full strength Newcastle team, write it out on a piece of paper, right, and hold it up against the teams they're competing with, and realise that Eddie Howe is consistently punching above his weight. Well, it's him. His team is nowhere near the standard of the rest of us. He shouldn't even be in the debate of Manchester United, Liverpool, Man City. I think you can make an argument for Chelsea, but Chelsea have a better squad. But he's there. And that's what you need to realise. Oh yeah, I agree with you. But that's the point I was trying to make, right. The only difference between Kent Hag and Eddie Howe is Eddie Howe lost last year's Carabao Cup. True. How many points away ahead of Newcastle? One or two. One? You know what I mean? Newcastle and Manchester United are in the same position. I don't think Eddie Howe deserves the flak that he's getting if Ervin Hag is not going to be getting the same flak from any Manchester United fan. No, but from a fan in our own fan base, as a Manchester United fan, don't be shitting on Eddie Howe, guys. Eddie Howe's doing the exact same as our monitors are doing. And in my opinion, he's coming from a much worse place in the sense that he's taken over the new Newcastle project that is brand new and in its infancy, and has suffered the same injury crisis as ourselves, and he's still in the same squad. Or the fact that he pulled us out of the Carabao Cup and had a harder Champions League group, in my opinion. But I think this back half of the season, if Manchester United stick with Ervin Hag, he's going to be a close-cut, tight race for top four where we marginally miss out. Because I don't think we're better than Arsenal, City, Liverpool or Tottenham. I don't think we're better than Spurs. Well, I think it'd be a close-cut, marginal get in our top four. It'd be brilliant to see. It'd be interesting to see if that's the standard that Brailsford and... Do you know what I'm really excited for in the back half of this? DnL's takeover. So many people are giving this a negative spin now and saying it's not fair. I think it's positive. Absolutely. Get footballing people into those positions and run the show properly. I mean, is this not what we wanted? Yes. There's no more over, you know, sketchy ethics. There's no more over, oh, you're... Buying players because they're commercial buying. Yeah, we are a Middle Eastern club. We're taking in a man who wants to invest £300 million in our infrastructure. Tech, we wanted that. He's looking at a new stadium structure in terms of, do we renovate Old Trafford? Is Old Trafford undoable? Do we take a new stadium in? They're talking about this new £2 billion venture to make it the greatest experience in football. Tech. And they're talking about rebuilding the football club as a whole in terms of football operations. And David Brailsford's philosophy is marginal gain. Tech. Yeah, but you're taking business... You're taking a very successful businessman in who could draw other successful businessmen in with capital. Yeah, bang on. We all know that the Glaciers don't spend any money, right? But it's Jim Ratcliffe and his little black book of billionaires and they want to finance a stadium. Well, there you go. Did I read somewhere that Jim Ratcliffe in his statement to the Manchester United fans said we won't be taking dividends for two years? Yes. We've talked to him 24 months. We're here to get it right first. Yep. And if we get it right, then... Are we not entitled to something? Give him a chance. I think all those ones that were in the guitar camp, right, were bitterly disappointed because the billions and billions of guitar we're going to spend. Fuck you. I think he's going to do it from a fan perspective. Yeah. Maybe he brings in... That's the big one, isn't it? Yeah, if he brings in... Is it Jean-Claude Blanc? Jean-Claude Blanc. Big fan of that appointment. Apparently the whole... Who was it? Paul Mitchell. Does not want director of football. He wants header recruitment. Now, this is coming from the Telegraph. And apparently they want... Is it Ashworth from Newcastle? But he will not be on board until the summertime. I think there's no unsanctical John Murdoch quote. And it was him trying to defend himself, I think, in terms of football operations. And when he was talking about his lack of experience in the footballing world in that transfer segment, and he turned around and said, you know, that he had so much success in terms of financial background and the years that he spent in different capacities in Manchester United, and he said, so it really comes down to what you consider experience. And I thought I'd consider experience. Fucking experience. You know, I've been a shit show this past 10 years. You're literally telling me that you have one of the top seats at one of the top clubs in the world, and you're taking previous skill sets, meshing it together and going, I do deserve this. No, I want Blanc. I want someone who has experience of building huge commercial footballing projects alongside solid footballing routes. Two ideologies running in total cohesion towards a Manchester United goal of winning trophies again. The football and the commercialism. And that's where I think Blanc has the perfect skill set and experience of other footballing clubs to come in and get this right. I'm a massive fan of that. I like it so much. John Murdoch has worked under two accountants for this last X number of years. Exactly. With no accountability, because the Glazers own the club. And as long as Man United was making money for that family, they couldn't give a shit about the club, the fans, who they brought in. Oh yes, who they brought in for commercial reasons. But now you have footballing people coming in that know what they're all about. That's what makes me say of 2024, the one sort of positive shining light that I have, not the one positive shining light, the one positive shining light that overshines all, I think is the fact that the hierarchy at the football club is going to change for the better. Because you think about the people that were picking the people, right? You're talking about a family based in America with no experience of soccer, choosing these people from a position of complete weakness, because they're not aware of the market, and appointing them. What gave you the right to choose the people in George Ward Football Club? You had no experience in it and you chose wrong consistently. Then that falls down. Then the people underneath the Glazers, the Woodwards, the Murders, the Arnolds, they go out and they start selecting managers and picking players to come in and play for us. What gave you the right or the experience to pick these people? Because the British government let them. The British government let that family find that club undead. One of the biggest institutions in the sporting world and they've run it nearly into the ground. Yeah, that's never... We can't... The positive side of this is we can't change that. But what we can do is we can build something for the future. Absolutely. I honestly believe that Jim Ratcliffe coming in and appointing Sean Claude Blanc alongside Paul Mitchell, alongside apparently someone else that is going to work on... I think Mitchell's coming in for a scout and stuff and transfer negotiations and have their hand in everything. Maldini was mentioned, Dan Osborne's name is out there. That's brilliant. That's pedigree. That's people with experience in sports. Yeah. People with experience in running football clubs. And relationships and experience of dealing with conflict and experience of dealing with high-pressured scenarios and building a network of scouts and building a funnel of youth players to come in that supports the overall squad so that you can focus on first-team sayings. I think it's a really positive move and if Eric Tinhag can't get it right under this one then I think everyone will have to defeat him. If they are going to stick with Tinhag fair enough. I'll swallow that and I'll stop talking with Tinhag out. But I honestly believe that one of the discussions at a directorate level when this all comes down is going to be whether Eric Tinhag's the man. If he gets to the end of the season fair enough. If he doesn't get to the end of the season I won't be shocked. But that's my thoughts on 2024. One thing I wanted to ask you. Last final parting shot. Tomorrow if Manchester United were to get beat by Nottingham Forest after what you've seen and I know I consistently ask this but I'm just interested to see what the breaking point is because West Ham was a breaking point for some people I think I said that earlier. If they're beat tomorrow by Nottingham Forest are you still likely to not hit the eject button? I will be bitterly disappointed if Nottingham Forest beat them but no, I won't hit the eject button. For the simple reason and I said it in previous podcasts I will wait until he has a full strength squad. If I was Jim Ratcliffe and I was the in-laws of that board I would assess him until the end of the season. And then after that it depends on where we finish in the league. If he wins the FA Cup and loses second top four that to me would be very damning. That to me would have to be big question marks over his head. But I think and I'm buoyed by the fact that there will be footballing people with experience in the hierarchy at that stage. I'll tell you my biggest worry and I don't think it's going to come to fruition I can see us beating Nottingham Forest tomorrow. I really really can't. But if a doomsday scenario occurred if they got beat by Forest and then I think they'll get it really tough against Spurs if they please God no but if they got two losses there there would essentially be potentially 11 points behind Tottenham? Tottenham or Fiss? Yeah. Do you know what I mean? I know. Now Man City if they win their game in hand can put Tottenham three points off the top four. So you're talking about 14 points to top four in the middle of January. And that's I think where my scenario played in and we talked about in previous podcasts. But that's what we said even in this podcast every game from here on in is massive. Yeah, huge. I mean you're talking about him saving his Manchester United career in two games the next two games I mean it was brilliant to beat Philip but the league is in such a precarious position the minute the Manchester United fans need to be really realistic. If he can't beat Forrest tomorrow it's mega because Tottenham are going to be a hard proposition in two weeks. Tottenham will have a few players back by that stage but then so will we. And then all of a sudden we're up against Tottenham. Are we up against Tottenham? Almost certainly are. We are, yeah. We're going up to Tottenham, yeah. Second guess myself. But anyway it has been nice to get back at it even though I feel absolutely grim and will probably take a nap after this one's done. That's a good man. That's a pure man. That's pure man flu. Isn't it? It's not man flu. It's a horrible I hope our listeners I hope you don't get it because it is very hard to shake. No, it isn't. It's awful horrendous. I love it. It's man flu. It's man flu. I tell you how I know it's man flu. You see, every time that I wake up I invent a new symptom in my head and then I start to believe that I actually have that symptom. So it's like an evolving virus. Even though yeah, even though the doctor says it's just chest infection and I know you're wrong so much more. Oh yeah? So the doctor can diagnose you properly over the phone? Oh yeah, the phone is dropping my slides in a minute. So it is definitely man flu. So I'll be allowed to get man flu. I know there's a virus coming round. But anyway, we'll be back for the usual game analysis tomorrow for Not In The Forest. Check us on Insta, Twitter and give us a wee like whether you're listening on Apple Music or Spotify. Bye everyone. Bye everyone.