I think if we win the title before we play Arsenal we should play our U21s against them just to rub it in that we already beat them.
I couldn’t blame them for that - not how I would want it but could understand. As long as they remember to return for September I will be happy
I am no spurs fan but that would be hilarious Plus I quite like Ange Sadly I fear that losing the title to us in the manner they have, will push Arsenal to CL glory
One game a week feels like waiting ages between games but Sunday to Sunday, somehow feels much longer than Saturday to Saturday. Or is it just me?
Amorim: "It's Manchester United, every player wants to play for Manchester United". There was a time when this was more or less true, but after more than a decade in the doldrums the shine can begin to wear off. He needs to turn things round pretty quickly and show some real progress - can't rest on the reputations of others forever.
He's had 4.5 months with a squad he didn't want and is still in with a chance of a European trophy. Regardless of that though, he's right when he talks about the pull of the club on players. We are one of the biggist names in football and players do WANT to play for us. We have been piss poor by our standards for 13 years now but are still one of the top trophy winners in England during that time which say's a lot about our standards when (as i said) we have been piss poor.
Don't kid yourself. Everyone wanted to play for Liverpool in the period of dominance in the 70's and 80's. How long did that last into the 90's? We've never finished lower than 8th since coming back into the first division in '62, how long do you think you can be a bottom half club and still attract the best players? It's where you are, not where you were, that counts in the end. You're still riding the wave of the Fergie years, it won't last forever.
"Every player wants to play for Man Utd" Are you seriously trying to argue that that is true? Even at your absolute pinnacle of success, that statement wouldn't have been true.
It's not all about a "period of dominance" with us though. We have been an iconic name for decades (helped by a tragedy but carried on through success and entertainment) and remain so. It would take a whole generation of mediocrity for that to fade
This is tragic - but I'm going to (partly) agree with Diego. There are three clubs in England that are huge worldwide, and, although the order can move around within those three, they are United, Liverpool, and Arsenal. I travelled to NZ and Oz 20 years ago when we were the ones in United's and Arsenal's shade, but nonetheless, we were still the 3rd best supported EPL team down there despite not winning the league for over a decade. I think it was the same year that United snatched Ronaldo from under our noses with the promise of CL football and a realistic chance of winning the Prem (though they didn't for a few seasons after that iirc) after Houllier had thought he had an agreement to buy. And then there's Vidic for United and Sanchez to Arsenal when we thought we had deals. And after that, there's Mane to us, turning down a United he knew was on the decline (and Jurgen himself, of course). Should United not get CL football this season (that seems a remote possibility considering what's left in the Europy now) they will struggle to get any players that Villa and Newcastle want, let alone us, City, and Arsenal, but they'll still attract the likes of Delap and Cuhna based on their status, unless, as said, any of the big teams want them.
No-one is questioning their global popularity, we maintained a world-wide fanbase throughout our years of relative mediocrity, and attracted some fine players into the bargain. It's just the idea that all they have to do is whistle and the world's best players will be falling over themselves to join in the fight for 14th that I find unrealistic. Amorim will have to start showing that the club can fulfil the ambitions of top players first. Unless they're just going to use the tried and tested technique of chucking vast amounts of money at all and sundry and hoping it somehow comes together.
