Stylistically and quality wise there’s no comparison between De Jong and say Neves/Tielemans. We don’t know what the first choice midfield is going to look like, it could be Eriksen or Bruno with Fred and De Jong in Ten Hag’s mind.
Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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I stick the name Ornstein in the title and the place erupts. He’s just a journo, maybe right, maybe wrong. Seeing it through
Nah, not even comparable. After their trip they basically agreed a fee with Barcelona, something we were unable to do with Fabregas.
Anyone saying that is an idiot. That would get ETH rightly sacked.
I’m blaming everybody but we do seem to have alternatives lined up to the clubs (kind of) credit.
The fact we are even in for de Jong lies squarely at Ten Hags feet. Hanging on for so long at his insistence lays there as well.
Yes we’ve wasted our time seemingly. What’s wrong with that statement
@CM10
@CM10
A bit different though. That was his national team manager warning him how important gametime was in the lead up the world cup.Players. I don't think it was all that great how easily Timber was swayed by Van Gaal either
Quite reasonable actually
I’m willing to bet he doesn't sign for Chelsea
It's not his fault, it's the club's fault. He may very well be a great manager but being one does not necessarily mean you're a great scout. Sure it is okay to give a manager one to three picks in signings every once in awhile, even the best managed clubs like Bayern, City, Barcelona at its prime do that. However, the overall management of the squad lies at the hands of the club, the DOF and his staff. We are not just giving him picks in players, we're allowing him to handle the entire squad building process. It's his players or nothing. Seriously, how many clubs at the top level actually do this? None. At Ajax Ten Hag didn't have control of the transfers, it was Overmars that had complete control. And yet at United, at supposedly a "bigger stage" in football, it's his way or the highway? Look at Campos in PSG, first summer at PSG and midfield has been his one and only focus because that's where their biggest weakness lies.
Yet here we are with one of the worst midfields in the top 10 and we've signed Eriksen on a free transfer to fix it. It's incompetence at the highest level from the club.
The best players are always the hardest to sign.
Still time for this to go United’s way. To the bitter end gentlemen to the bitter end!
Still time for this to go United’s way. To the bitter end gentlemen to the bitter end!
Don't think he has been wrong with anything his entire life. But he is yet to say that FdJ will chose Chelsea if both clubs can agree a fee with Barcelona and therein lies the hope still.
Shit anyway, never wanted him...
Oh is that my ball over there? Going home and taking it
Oh is that my ball over there? Going home and taking it
This thread should be a case study. I'm seeing a lot of people in the denial stage at the moment, "He's not going Chelsea."
Soo, it’s on the club then? You just said it - if a random guy on a football forum can see that he doesn’t want to come (time will tell, but likely that’s the case), then how the feck can the club allow anyone to waste 3 months on this, nevermind not working on a plan B.
He also did not say FDJ wants to join Chelsea
It was me
. But as you say, I’m happy to stick to it. I don’t want to be here and be called embarrassingOrnstein just quoted the athletics opinion on that.
Nothing more.
Don't see the fuss.
They're well covered in that position, can't see the point in piling players in the cm department.
Nothing more.
Don't see the fuss.
They're well covered in that position, can't see the point in piling players in the cm department.
Aye yeah maybe, but I'm still disappointed Ten Hag couldn't convince him. He'd have played loads here. I think we'll sign him next summer anyway.
2000 posts in this thread, there's no way you're giving up that easy.
Nah I wouldn't worry about that. Hardly a surprise between Chelsea and current United really, can't blame Frankie. We should've seen it earlier though.
That was our MO but I wonder that may have changed with the new structure.
The problem is we've all been working with not very much information throughout this saga, so naturally have been filling in the gaps.
What I find hard to believe in all of this is that if Ten Hag/Utd and De Jong have been in contact that he wouldn't have stated reservations about the lack of CL. If he did, well the club should have known this was a possibility. If he didn't, probably shouldn't have been that naive anyway.
Yup. He's let the club down, hopefully this experience humbles him and he doesn't overstep his mark from now on (that's if he makes the next summer window)
OK, now I believe the Chelsea link.
They will definitely be in for him as Kante replacement who isn’t signing a new deal. He won’t join them though
You're probably right. BUT there is the potential that the deferred wages issue almost or fully sorted and that's why Chelsea have stepped in now.
Get out, you people aren't welcome in here
Exactly
He's usually pretty spot on though.
Unfortunately the time scale is missing here.This thread should be a case study. I'm seeing a lot of people in the denial stage at the moment, "He's not going Chelsea."
I'd think 20 years? The last decade has been quite tough.
Not a bad shout for the optimists out there, logic to it.
When he says Chelsea are confident he means of striking a fee with Barcelona. Not the player side. Nobody knows what’s going on there.
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That isn't what you said at all.You said it serves us right for fecking around. And you've now accepted it wouldn't serve us right, and we didn't feck around. The meltdown in here this morning is incredible.
Its not 50/50 with Ornstein
Imagine this place if we signed Neves and a month later Frankie goes to Chelsea. Half of the Caf thinks ETH would convince fdj to come to United, despite clear signs he doesn't want Manchester for various reasons.
Shock. Chelsea might face the same problems we've had for months?
Considering London and CL factor, FDJ will choose Chelsea over United.
This is so on.
Agree with quite a bit of that but it seems to be ingrained in the club. Too often we get fixated on one player, one manager. Everything has a binary answer. “There’s no one else who can do what he does” etc. This isn’t how recruitment works at most big or well run clubs.
I genuinely feel that if we identified FDJ as the primary target and then had to ask ourselves who the next best option was and came up with Neves and Tielemans, then it is evidence of nothing more than a failure of scouting. They’re not the same type of players or of anything like the same ability. It would feel like Van de Beek again. Doing a deal because you can get it done.
Ok, I feel miles better now. Welcome to the game, Chelsea.
It'll be hard to pip Chelsea given they have CL footy. They also have tons of cash having lost out of a few deals they were willing to spend on. Not positive about this one given we've spent so long not getting it done but let's see.
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