United Hour - Blissaka

Stobzilla

Official Team Perv
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Messages
21,900
Location
Grove Street, home.

Nik @Rood is joined by Mark @Stobzilla and Ashwin @AR87 to do a podcast about our 2 new signings, we also talk us some #GlazerOut, Woodward, the transfer strategy, along with some Women's World Cup
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,075
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Done. Started listening before I refreshed the page after about five minutes to see if the banner was up, losing my podcast progress...

Definitely agreed with Nik about being relaxed about the progress of things with various tournaments going on and the AWB deal.
Mark spot on about needing competition for places and shouldn't shy away from it, and saying that AWB had actually been playing at his level for longer than one season.
Liking how to the point Ashwin is as well, though possibly a tad too sweary.

Good job.
 

VP89

Pogba's biggest fan
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Messages
31,123
15 mins in, nice podcast good to hear. Well done to all involved, good discussion!
 

Roosney

Full Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Messages
3,679
Location
Finland
Yeah agree about Rashford and Mata deals. Young upcoming guy and a seasoned positive senior player, we need both.
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Done. Started listening before I refreshed the page after about five minutes to see if the banner was up, losing my podcast progress...

Definitely agreed with Nik about being relaxed about the progress of things with various tournaments going on and the AWB deal.
Mark spot on about needing competition for places and shouldn't shy away from it, and saying that AWB had actually been playing at his level for longer than one season.
Liking how to the point Ashwin is as well, though possibly a tad too sweary.

Good job.
Yes the 'f' count has gone through the roof since @Stobzilla came back and its obviously contagious for @AR87 as well!
 

Snafu17

Full Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
1,869
I'd like to point out that Valencia wasn't great the moment he gave up the number 7 shirt. That was Moyes' seasons and he was atrocious. It took LVG giving him a run at RB to regain his form. Which is to say he was so bad as a 7 he had to switch positions to get his shit together.

But I'd still argue Di Maria was by far the worst one.
 

Vault Dweller

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
6,553
Location
Vault 88, The Commonwealth
Great pod as usual guys, glad to see youse are back recording! Here's my two cents:

- I think it has been a decent start to the window, but I feel a bit worried that there may not be another signing completed before our first pre-season game in 10 days or so. Ideally, if we end the window with a couple more midfield signings and a defender, and a replacement for Lukaku I think we will have done well.
- I see the AWB signing as a chance for Dalot to push on and improve, less pressure and more pressure at the same time if that makes sense. Either way, I don't see his signing as a negative thing for Dalot specifically. I think AWB is a mint signing too, buzzing to see an actual RB signed.
- British transfers thing; I don't see it as being a specifically British type signings we are going for. I agree with Mark, it's more looking at youth and potential regardless of nationality. We are looking at who can seriously help us to improve on last season and who legitimately wants to join the club. I would have no complaints if we sign AWB, James, Fernandes, Ben Yedder, Longstaff and a centre-half, that would be a brilliant summer.
- Pogba & DDG; should be absolutely kept at all costs in my opinion. Just wish Pogba would keep quiet like DDG, annoys the Hell out of me players chatting in public about their futures but that's the way it is now I suppose.
- Lukaku can feck off.
- Contracts; Glad Rashford has re-signed but he has to improve moving forward now. Glad Mata has re-signed too, valuable experience and if utilized correctly he can still have a lot of worth in the squad.
- Excited about Dean Henderson, and also about how the youth players take chances this year.
- Sanchez is finished.
- No Saudi ownership please.
- Green and Gold FTW.
- The Scotland woman's game was insane, literally the worst officiating I've seen in a match for a long time.

Keep it up guys, really enjoyed it! I'll keep an eye out for when you are next recording as I will get some questions in for you to answer.
 

Alex99

Rehab's Pete Doherty
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
15,545
Pod cuts out halfway through on spotify lads

Edit: never mind, you're fully aware
 

That'sHernandez

Ominously close to getting banned
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
24,545
Pod cuts out halfway through on spotify lads

Edit: never mind, you're fully aware
I'm currently trying to resolve the issue but I haven't heard back from Podomatic support yet unfortunately.
 

VanGaalyTime

Full Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2015
Messages
2,121
Nice work again on the Pod guys. Liked the integration of questions from Redcafe and mentions of the United's women's team. In terms of the Glazers, I have to say I think there's more to the Glazers out movement this time around though. Fans are slowly learning how to weaponise social media and impact brands associated with the club. I do worry that the atmosphere at the ground is going to be impacted in the coming months, as fans see the club fall further behind Liverpool and City, and maybe even Spurs.

We saw it in microcosm at the end of last season with the arguments between Pogba and the fans. It seems like there's a disconnect between what's expected by fans and what's expected by the board and owners. And the larger this disconnect grows, the greater the animosity will become. Worried but vaguely optimistic about next season. And hopefully there'll be more transfers to discuss on the Pod in the coming weeks.
 

Bastian

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
18,444
Supports
Mejbri
Really enjoyed that. Feels like the season is almost here now that the podcast is back in force.

Was it Nik who was less pissed off about Lukaku than Pogba wanting out. I wholly agree with that. Think today should further cement that.

Can't fault Lukaku for wanting out when he doesn't fit the style of the new manager and isn't really figuring in his plans much. If anything, I'm thankful that he seems to be facilitating a move with his love for Conte as it would be great to get him off the wage bill and recoup the money. However, the recent links with Napoli do make me Koulibaly-excited...

Pogba on the other hand is someone Ole has been creaming his pants about since before he became manager and wants to create a team around him. So him going public and now getting his agent to continue the narrative just really shows he's a wanker. A talented, inconsistent, wanker.
 

Alex99

Rehab's Pete Doherty
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
15,545
Finished the pod on podomatic lads. Good stuff.

My stance on the Lukaku/Pogba shite, especially with Raiola's bollocks this afternoon, is feck them both off.

I'm genuinely well up for (defo shouldn't be our target) an 8th/9th place finish this season if it means we've shown some sort of progress towards building a squad and playing a style of football that can lead to future success. We need to lay some foundations, and as you said on the podcast, we've currently got a squad built by five different managers, so it's about time we actually gave one of them the opportunity to put their mark on things. One of the biggest problems we've had, I think, is that from the fans right through to the board, have judged our managers on their ability to deliver instant success.

One thing I have been wondering, given that I don't think anyone, really, is fully convinced that Ole has what it takes long-term, do we think that maybe there's room for him in whatever version of a director of football role we concoct between now and whenever we actually get around to hire someone in that role?

Transfer-wise I'm not ecstatic. Wan-Bissaka should be a very good signing and well chuffed with that, and James is a decent punt, but we've so much deadwood and so many gaps that need plugging, that even in terms of rumours, I'm extremely underwhelmed. We've sold Fellaini, we've let Herrera go, and I'm more than happy to see the back of Pogba, which leaves our midfield options dreadfully thin on the ground, basically relying on McTominay because Matic is old and useless.

The policy is good. I'm liking the shift to younger players, but I do think there's an element of budgeting going on there (which links in to the ownership conversation), and I think Wan-Bissaka could well be our marquee signing, as it were.

Looking forward to the next episode.
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
8th/9th is too shit to be an acceptable target, the bare minimum target is 4th

We can do it - main issue at the moment is who will stay rather than new transfers
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Really enjoyed that. Feels like the season is almost here now that the podcast is back in force.

Was it Nik who was less pissed off about Lukaku than Pogba wanting out. I wholly agree with that. Think today should further cement that.

Can't fault Lukaku for wanting out when he doesn't fit the style of the new manager and isn't really figuring in his plans much. If anything, I'm thankful that he seems to be facilitating a move with his love for Conte as it would be great to get him off the wage bill and recoup the money. However, the recent links with Napoli do make me Koulibaly-excited...

Pogba on the other hand is someone Ole has been creaming his pants about since before he became manager and wants to create a team around him. So him going public and now getting his agent to continue the narrative just really shows he's a wanker. A talented, inconsistent, wanker.
Yep - but if they are going then they need to feck off ASAP. No negotiation, GT.FO so we can bring in new players.
 

Bastian

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
18,444
Supports
Mejbri
Yep - but if they are going then they need to feck off ASAP. No negotiation, GT.FO so we can bring in new players.
I agree that deals should be sealed asap. But I also think it would put us in a slightly awkward position to have, say, 200m + publicly fresh in the pocket whilst going after new recruits. Think Neville made this point. A shrewd operation would be negotiating their exits quietly now whilst we openly wrap up deals for their replacements.

If they'd both fail to be picked up by new clubs before the deadline - which runs longer for continental clubs - it would be a mare but neither would lose market value I don't think.

Question is - as always - how competent are we and do we learn from our numerous mistakes.
 

Alex99

Rehab's Pete Doherty
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
15,545
8th/9th is too shit to be an acceptable target, the bare minimum target is 4th

We can do it - main issue at the moment is who will stay rather than new transfers
I'm not saying it should be the target, but if over the course of the season, in our attempts to win as many matches as possible with a young side full of players still bedding in, we drop a few more points than usual, I'm not necessarily against it. This of course, only works if we've been playing good football and actually look to be building towards it clicking into place for the following season.
 

Stobzilla

Official Team Perv
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Messages
21,900
Location
Grove Street, home.
I'm not saying it should be the target, but if over the course of the season, in our attempts to win as many matches as possible with a young side full of players still bedding in, we drop a few more points than usual, I'm not necessarily against it. This of course, only works if we've been playing good football and actually look to be building towards it clicking into place for the following season.
I am with you, the state our squad is in now, we aren't in a position to be able to rebuild the side as we go. We are going to have to suck up one season that would otherwise be seen as a travesty, but it would be for the greater good of the club to do so.

To me, a side that was made up of the following:



Isn't going to disgrace itself. It is absolutely light in midfield and this is where a signing like Fernandes could be helpful. I wouldn't be adverse to starting Jesse at CM either though with Greenwood on the right of that 3. McTominay could also quite easily be in that side rather than Matic also.

If there was a strict adherence to using the following players this year then I would be happy with anything other than 18th or below:

GK

de Gea
Henderson - Odd league game, Europe, FA Cup
Romero - League Cup

RB

Wan-Bissaka - Should start in all games other than bad fixture pile-ups
Dalot - Should push for a starting spot, first one in at RB and LB
Laird/O'Connor - In the event of injury/fatigue of AWB + Dalot
Young - If everyone else is injured

LB

Shaw - Same as Wan Bissaka minus League Cup
Dalot - As above with added League Cup
Brandon Williams - Checkatrade Trophy, in the event of bad injuries.

CB

Tuanzebe - Start wherever possible and persevere.
Lindelöf/Bailly - Should rotate and push each other for the other CB spot.
Smalling/Jones - Only in the event of injury.
Rojo - :lol:

DM

Matic - I know, but he can be useful if he is fit and used in a sensible squad rotation.
McTominay - League games to rest Matic, FA Cup and Europa
Garner - League Cup, Checkatrade

CM's

Fred - Our best central midfielder. Must start.
McTominay - Can start here when he needs too.
Lingard - Capable in CM, probably his best position given his general lack of end product
Pereira - New Contract has been given, now he needs to play up to it.
Gomes - FA and League Cups, Europa, Checkatrade starts. No question
Mata - Reckon he can be used as an LCM, if Pogba goes I reckon he stands to benefit the most. We will play with a definite double pivot more and he will occupy the 10 position.

RF

Greenwood - Start him wherever possible in the league, needs workload managed owing to some niggles.
Lingard - An option here in bigger games.
Chong - Play whenever Greenwood can't in the League, League Cup, Checkatrade, rotate Europa and Fa Cup games with Greenwood
Dalot - Another option for him to get game time

CF

Rashford - Just start him through the middle now and let him develop.
Martial - First reserve in if Rashford is injured
Greenwood - If neither are available to play upfront

LF

Martial - All league and Europa
James - First up if Martial isn't playing here for whatever reason, FA Cup and League cup also
Greenwood - Another way to get him minutes.

Now that is assuming the likes of Pogba and Lukaku are able to be shipped off and that we bring no one else in, which seems unlikely. As far as Sanchez goes, I am happy to send him home and pay him, I can't envision any way for him to be useful except the most extreme of injury crisis.
 

That'sHernandez

Ominously close to getting banned
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
24,545
The issue with only 30 mins of the pod on Spotify looks to be resolved now.
 

BazanjiRealNow

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
9
Supports
Tottenham Hotspur FC
Wan-Bissaka is such a good signing for you guys.

He is a massive talent and your club, to be fair, have always signed young, emerging British talent. I don’t think that should change and it seems to me that the club are starting to go back down that route.

The price was always going to be big because clubs are wise to it, you can’t pinch players off clubs for £6m or £7m anymore. They are wise to it and have the Premier League / TV money funding of £100-odd million so they don’t need to panic, they don’t need an extra £5m or £10m – they want £50m or £60m, which is understandable, even if it's frustrating as hell.

Leicester will be the same for Chilwell and Maguire or Maddison. All these kind of mid-tier clubs will not let players go for £5m, £6m, £8m, £10m now.

Aaron was phenomenal for Palace last season. He performed consistently like a seasoned pro already, not like a young lad who you might expect to be a little nervy here and there. Most impressive!

He’s been very good, there’s no doubt about the fact that he’s had a superb season,”

The kid has got all the attributes to be one of the best right-backs in Europe. No doubt about that. Once players think they've got past him, he gets his daddy long legs and he manages to win it back. If I'm honest, he’s one of the best young talents I’ve ever seen in a one-on-one defending situation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KM

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
@Alex99

I get the idea of giving youth a chance and am fully behind that kind of long term plan but 8/9th is still going to be unacceptable - you have to lose more games than our fanbase could handle to end up that low down, top6 is the bare minimum and even that may not be enough to keep Ole in a job
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Nice work again on the Pod guys. Liked the integration of questions from Redcafe and mentions of the United's women's team. In terms of the Glazers, I have to say I think there's more to the Glazers out movement this time around though. Fans are slowly learning how to weaponise social media and impact brands associated with the club. I do worry that the atmosphere at the ground is going to be impacted in the coming months, as fans see the club fall further behind Liverpool and City, and maybe even Spurs.

We saw it in microcosm at the end of last season with the arguments between Pogba and the fans. It seems like there's a disconnect between what's expected by fans and what's expected by the board and owners. And the larger this disconnect grows, the greater the animosity will become. Worried but vaguely optimistic about next season. And hopefully there'll be more transfers to discuss on the Pod in the coming weeks.
I dont and thats because at the moment this is just a Twitter thing and it already seems to be falling away anyway - just posted an article in the Glazer thread which sums up a lot of my feelings about it all.
I think its still worthwhile that the board gets the message that the fans are not happy so I have no issue with anyone joining in - however when people start talking about boycotts etc then its a different story

I do still find it quite impressive that this Twitter call to action actual grew that big so quickly but I also wonder if those brands that are getting protest messages actually have a problem with it - doesnt it give them more exposure? Like the say, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

There will be absolutely no impact on the atmosphere at OT from any of this at the start of the season - of course, if we start badly then this could all change.
 

Vault Dweller

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
6,553
Location
Vault 88, The Commonwealth
Will you guys be making an individual Fantasy League table again like last year? So there will be an official Redcafe league and then a United Hour league too?
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Will you guys be making an individual Fantasy League table again like last year? So there will be an official Redcafe league and then a United Hour league too?
Yes will do - forgot to update our table at the end of last season so well done to whoever won but I definitely finished the highest of the podcast crew, not much competition from these jokers though!
IIRC I finished above you as well :cool:
 

Vault Dweller

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
6,553
Location
Vault 88, The Commonwealth
Yes will do - forgot to update our table at the end of last season so well done to whoever won but I definitely finished the highest of the podcast crew, not much competition from these jokers though!
IIRC I finished above you as well :cool:
Nice one, I forget who won too. Haha fair play man, but is that a challenge for next season? :smirk:
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Nice one, I forget who won too. Haha fair play man, but is that a challenge for next season? :smirk:
Ye bring it on !

Like I said all that matter is that I finished above the rest of the United Hour crew proving Im obviously the most knowledgable member of the podcast :cool: