Recent content by erinoco

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Sometimes, I wonder if Foden's current problem is that English football, even at Pep's City, is bad at creating world-class trequartistas through coaching. That, to me, is his natural role.

Whatever happens now, this is where it gets more difficult for Edu. Even with a title, there is a decent chance we will find ourselves losing at least one of our crucial core to another club over the next season. That shouldn't be fatal in itself, as long as we invest the proceeds wisely. A...

Yes. In Inner South London, with its huge and growing black population, 'traditional' support was divided between Chelsea and Millwall. While some black supporters followed this trend (Ian Wright was a Millwall fan back in the day),, for most of the 80s and early 90s, the foul reputation of both...

Latin America is probably the most likely breeding ground, I agree. The next really great player will have to have some exceptional physical and mental characteristics, but will be most likely to hone them in a situation where, from a very young age, he intensively plays "street football" to...

If the next phenomenal player emerges, they will be someone who will be tailor-made to break down that regimentation. I see the next really big player as someone who can shift between being an 8, 10, false 9 and 9 as the circumstances demand. Man-mark him, and he drags his opponents out of...

Solve your midfield issue, and you will improve the contribution (and the sell on value) of every other player in the squad. It really shouldn't be that hard for Man Utd to find someone capable of winning the ball, breaking up the opposition press, and promoting build up play. At the moment, Rice...

Just about securing 4th seems to me to be the sweet spot if the Kroenkes are to shell out for the summer. If we do finish 5th, then the club will be extremely reluctant to spend unless they believe Arteta can make something of it (and, if 4th is lost from here, his stock would fall accordingly)...

I've written off Arteta twice during his reign: both times, he has managed to come back. Next season ought to be the moment when he really demonstrates results from his project. I'm currently confident that he can show some sort of progress - a trophy of some kind. But I also have reservations...

That's the real route out this cycle. Concentrate on getting a good flow of academy players going, all imbued with a decent culture. Work on supplementing these players with loans from the established PL or good Continental sides, balanced with two or three experienced players who have shown...

The Arsenal XI playing yesterday would probably be, no doubt. But Arsenal are not going to set out with that midfield in crucial matches unless they have to. The midfield is crucial to Arteta's project, and the failure to achieve a balanced midfield has been a big part of United's dismal season...

In my view, it's quite clear that the Kroenke vision has been quite consistent. They want what they paid for: a club which consistently gets Top 4, but nothing more than that (or, to be fair, nothing more than that without breaking the financials that govern the family investment). They backed...

One lesson for United: don't make a confidence player a captain.

It was van Gaal who let Welbeck leave, and it did take a lot off the pitch for Ferguson to finally lose patience with Morrison.

The danger for me is them consistently trying to set up a diamond where Veratti gets through Rice/Phillips, Insigne & Chiesa get behind our wingers, and Immobile picks up the ball.