Apparently United are looking for a reserve keeper to replace Henderson. Clearly the new manager doesn’t fancy Heaton as No2. Perhaps this is holding up any deal but it’s not holding up signing a centre half!!!!
I get the feeling from articles I have read that behind the scenes ManU is a bit of shambles at the moment. I mean it's not that great on the pitch either, but it may explain us being left in the lurch not entirely being the fault of our leadership.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Man Utd’s new manager will want to see what he’s already got in house when it comes to goalkeepers. Especially so, given that DDG has been so inconsistent and Henderson was quite clearly rummaged by the way he was treated.
So why were we suggesting that it was all in hand?
Then you’ve got the centre back situation. That’s less embarrassing, but still poor.
We had 1 fit centre half (who is comfortable playing in a 2) at the club - Tafazolli. The other one was injured and hasn’t featured enough in men’s football to prove we can rely on him for an entire season. You might think he was a strong performer last season, but he’s now had two major injuries. One before breaking into the first team (6+ month recovery wasn’t it?) and another this season where fans have no idea of a return date.
It’s all well and good saying “we do our business late and we do it well” but it’s clearly disrupted our pre season. How can we possibly train effectively with only Tafa as a sensible centre half and no first team goalkeeper.
We had a real opportunity to push for promotion this season and I really hope we haven’t left it too late. We were at a real crossroads - do we cut back our playing staff to save money or do we push that extra 10-15% on squad budget to try and crack promotion?
We’re landing in the middle as it stands, which is poor management.
We’ve got time, but time is running out - and so are the number of points to play for.
Two. The best result we could realistically have expected against Bolton was a draw. I see they slaughtered Salford yesterday. As far as I know, Salford have decent financial backing.
To answer directly, it's unquantifiable, but you know that anyway...
We haven't been able to train properly without a first team goalkeeper and only one fit 'true' centre half in a squad of 20+. Tyla was all over the place with his positioning for the second goal against Bolton. The third goal was a calamity all over the pitch - perhaps solved with a proper centre half coming in:
1) We'd have a fit right sided centre half
2) Grimmer could then play right back, perhaps preventing Grimmer & Wheeler's shocking positioning for the third goal
I'm being harsh on the players there, but I'm quite surprised at how many people seem okay with the fact we are three games into the season but haven't replaced Stewart or Stockdale? Especially given our injury situation.
It's unquantifiable. But that's irrelevant. We shouldn't be three games into a season having not replaced Stewart or Stockdale when we have nobody suitable in house already if we are confidently socialising promotion hopes.
But he has - see the second Bolton goal for starters. Which is to be expected for a goalkeeper not up to the level, but it's unacceptable that we're in this situation.
I was hugely impressed with Dickinson last night - if that had been a Stockdale performance none of us would question it at all. His distribution was his only weak point, but even there he played a sublime pass out to Mellor (I think) late in the second half. The decision to start the season with him looks like much less of a gamble then it did two weeks ago.
Sorry @StrongestTeam, you misunderstand. No way was Dickinson at fault with any of the goals. As I said on the day, they were all scored on the break as a result of sloppy loss of possession, with everyone pushed forward in our preferred early game gung ho approach. Even Jack Grimmer, our right sided centre back, had been pushing forward centrally (and indeed could easily have received a red card - he actually got a yellow - for a reckless challenge near the centre circle).
I was one of a dozen people who, without knowing what the lineup at Bolton would be, predicted a draw. 2-2 (my own prediction) was the favourite scoreline and, if we’d taken one of the good chances we had in the first half and Lewis Wing’s shot hadn’t hit the post (but gone in!), the outcome might easily have been a draw.
So experienced keeper like Stockdale, Allsop etc never made any mistakes. I assume you didn't see the "experienced" West Brom keeper being beaten from 60 yards by Sarr!
Comments
Apparently United are looking for a reserve keeper to replace Henderson. Clearly the new manager doesn’t fancy Heaton as No2. Perhaps this is holding up any deal but it’s not holding up signing a centre half!!!!
By the time we sign Bishop, he'll have almost Max Muller levels of hype about him
I keep finding myself agreeing with @DevC lately. It's disconcerting.
This too shall pass
I get the feeling from articles I have read that behind the scenes ManU is a bit of shambles at the moment. I mean it's not that great on the pitch either, but it may explain us being left in the lurch not entirely being the fault of our leadership.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Man Utd’s new manager will want to see what he’s already got in house when it comes to goalkeepers. Especially so, given that DDG has been so inconsistent and Henderson was quite clearly rummaged by the way he was treated.
So why were we suggesting that it was all in hand?
Then you’ve got the centre back situation. That’s less embarrassing, but still poor.
We had 1 fit centre half (who is comfortable playing in a 2) at the club - Tafazolli. The other one was injured and hasn’t featured enough in men’s football to prove we can rely on him for an entire season. You might think he was a strong performer last season, but he’s now had two major injuries. One before breaking into the first team (6+ month recovery wasn’t it?) and another this season where fans have no idea of a return date.
It’s all well and good saying “we do our business late and we do it well” but it’s clearly disrupted our pre season. How can we possibly train effectively with only Tafa as a sensible centre half and no first team goalkeeper.
We had a real opportunity to push for promotion this season and I really hope we haven’t left it too late. We were at a real crossroads - do we cut back our playing staff to save money or do we push that extra 10-15% on squad budget to try and crack promotion?
We’re landing in the middle as it stands, which is poor management.
We’ve got time, but time is running out - and so are the number of points to play for.
'We’ve got time, but time is running out - and so are the number of points to play for.'
This after two games...one of which we won.
I think I'm going to draw a veil for a bit. I'll be back in ten games or so.
Hear hear
Never thought I'd see this place turn into Facebook.
Thing is, it's not a decision that GA will be making on his own. It's a collective decision from GA, Dobbo, Pete, Andrew Howard (?) and others too.
We have no choice but to trust the collective wisdom is correct, but it doesn't stop me wondering ...
hoping having dickinson in goal tonight is.a sign a GK is on its way ...
(21) Blackmailing the Bishop | Blackadder II | BBC Comedy Greats - YouTube
It appears the delay may be due to Bishop being blackmailed
BEND OVER, BLACKADDER
A goalkeeper is on its way. I was rather hoping we might be signing a human being.
Wonder if GA has been in Manchester this evening.
How many years can Dickinson play before he's considered to be experienced btw? Is there a cut off?
Five appearances, I think.
Yes, only 132 points left to play for now.
That's not my point. Last season we scraped playoffs on goal difference. Every single potential point is crucial.
How many points have we lost so far as a result of having an inexperienced keeper!
Two. The best result we could realistically have expected against Bolton was a draw. I see they slaughtered Salford yesterday. As far as I know, Salford have decent financial backing.
To answer directly, it's unquantifiable, but you know that anyway...
We haven't been able to train properly without a first team goalkeeper and only one fit 'true' centre half in a squad of 20+. Tyla was all over the place with his positioning for the second goal against Bolton. The third goal was a calamity all over the pitch - perhaps solved with a proper centre half coming in:
1) We'd have a fit right sided centre half
2) Grimmer could then play right back, perhaps preventing Grimmer & Wheeler's shocking positioning for the third goal
I'm being harsh on the players there, but I'm quite surprised at how many people seem okay with the fact we are three games into the season but haven't replaced Stewart or Stockdale? Especially given our injury situation.
Nope, We didn't lose to Bolton because of Dickinson. If you put that down to the lack of another decent centre back you might be closer.
It's unquantifiable. But that's irrelevant. We shouldn't be three games into a season having not replaced Stewart or Stockdale when we have nobody suitable in house already if we are confidently socialising promotion hopes.
Tyla has done nothing wrong to date and until he does so he shouldn't be dropped.
But he has - see the second Bolton goal for starters. Which is to be expected for a goalkeeper not up to the level, but it's unacceptable that we're in this situation.
I was hugely impressed with Dickinson last night - if that had been a Stockdale performance none of us would question it at all. His distribution was his only weak point, but even there he played a sublime pass out to Mellor (I think) late in the second half. The decision to start the season with him looks like much less of a gamble then it did two weeks ago.
Sorry @StrongestTeam, you misunderstand. No way was Dickinson at fault with any of the goals. As I said on the day, they were all scored on the break as a result of sloppy loss of possession, with everyone pushed forward in our preferred early game gung ho approach. Even Jack Grimmer, our right sided centre back, had been pushing forward centrally (and indeed could easily have received a red card - he actually got a yellow - for a reckless challenge near the centre circle).
I was one of a dozen people who, without knowing what the lineup at Bolton would be, predicted a draw. 2-2 (my own prediction) was the favourite scoreline and, if we’d taken one of the good chances we had in the first half and Lewis Wing’s shot hadn’t hit the post (but gone in!), the outcome might easily have been a draw.
Two points lost.
So experienced keeper like Stockdale, Allsop etc never made any mistakes. I assume you didn't see the "experienced" West Brom keeper being beaten from 60 yards by Sarr!
You're saying that was a mistake by Button?