Struggling to understand how a new manager, who can't sign any new players, could be expected to do better than the bloke who got them promoted and has had made fairly competitive for most of the season. They are solid defensively and in with a chance of points in most games. They have Negredo and Gestede, so you'd think they have the potential to score goals.
Presumably their board has applied your last sentence to answer your first, Luke. If they have players that are capable of scoring goals, then why aren't they doing so? I suspect that whoever they put in will be more attack minded and profit from their current defensive stability. We've seen it benefit plenty of managers in the Premier League, like Hughes at Stoke and Martinez at Everton. They generally fail to maintain that solid base, though. I don't think that it's the goalscorers that are the issue, to be honest. They don't seem to create anywhere near enough chances, so their strikers are feeding off scraps. Selecting a more adventurous midfield could help, but it also risks conceding more goals.
Swansea's fortunes have changed by getting plenty of crosses in for Llorente. Negredo and Gestede are both physically strong and good in the air too. They could do worse than follow Swansea's lead - albeit they lack the quality of Swansea's midfield. I'm just surprised they didn't give Karanka the chance to change their fortunes - they backed him with a lot of money in the summer (£20M spent on players?) and a further £7M for Gestede in January.
I think that Swansea have a much better squad and Brad Bobbly was just a **** manager, honestly. Boro have a mediocre squad and Karanka did very well to get into the Premier League in the first place. I can't see teams lining up to sign up their players in the summer if they do go down, barring one or two. Gibson and Traore, maybe. The rest? Can't see it.
Karanka had also started falling out with players - criticising effort of players like Downing and Gestede. Maybe the players will react better to someone else.
Erohkin kicked in the head by his own player and stays down, motionless. Ref plays on, despite nothing of substance going on.
Funny how ineffective Gent were without that Portuguese ****nut with a whistle reminding Benfica fans why they sent him all those death threats...
Right... I was about to say the second half of A German Team/Schalke could be interesting, but then Dahoud put AGT 2-0 up and 3-1 on aggregate I was also going to say the same for Ajax/Copenhagen, but Dolberg put Ajax 2-0 up and 3-2 up on aggregate Have some bloody consideration, y'footballing bastards!
Man Utd 0-0 Rostov Posted at46 mins Big problems here for Paul Pogba. The £89m man has pulled up... Man Utd 0-0 Rostov Posted at47 mins Paul Pogba's night is over, he cannot continue, it looks like a hamstring injury. Did Jose Mourinho keep the receipt? Man Utd 0-0 Rostov Posted at48 mins Paul Pogba gives the Stretford End a clap and heads straight down the tunnel. I remember when Angel Di Maria got injured in a game against Hull and was never seen in a United shirt again. Just saying. This bloke is definitely jealous
Mourinho needs to earn his money, here. Rostov have been far more dangerous in this half, while Man Utd have offered very little. Didn't see this coming before the break. Not in the least.
I'd rather they went through. Keep them busy on the run in. On that front, it's a shame Citeh went out.
Robbie Savage very nearly eating his words, then. Of course he was going to shoot, you pillock. Job done by Utd. Wasn't pretty, but they went through and they got the win on the night, too. Mourinho knows how to grind out a result.
