WSL 23/24 | United v Arsenal - Fri 6 Oct at 7:30

jojojo

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Welcome to Manchester reception committee
From a tough away start to a tough home start. We worked hard for our 3 points in front of Villa women's biggest ever crowd of 12553. Meanwhile Arsenal were losing to Liverpool at the Emirates in front of WSLs biggest ever crowd, 54155.

We beat them twice last season. Memorably with a late winner from Russo to win 3-2 away and we won 1-0 at home (another Russo goal).

Win this and we'll be flying and we'll have put a massive dent in Arsenal's title hopes.

Tickets for LSV have sold out. Match is live on Sky.
 

Lightbringer

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BOOOOOOOOOOO BIRDS FOR RUSSO!
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On a serious note:

My own opinion we should greet her with silence, act like she dont exist! And dont give her any extra fuel to perform well. I dont think booing will do United any good.
 

Demon Barber

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In my opinion she should get a warm reception. She was an exceptional player for us and at heart she is a red. The contract negotiations were a typical United shambles (same with Earps) and are indicative of the way the owners/club see the women's team - an afterthought, a possible marketing bonus, a trend.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona, Lyon, even City ... they are serious about their women's teams - they have ambition and pay accordingly. Arsenal had 54000 v Liverpool, Barca v Real Madrid attracted 90000 - those are serious figures. We might sell 40000 for the first (first!) derby v City at OT but it ought to be sold out. The fact that we have lost a good manager and several of our best players over the past five years is down to the club and the owners. The ambition is not there, the seriousness is not there, the marketing is shit.

So, Russo is not to blame here. She should be applauded as a thank you for all the years she has given to the club, but I hope Maya takes her out in the opening ten minutes!
 

Rood

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Didn't even realise this was a Friday nighter - would have got a ticket if I'd known, good to see it's sold out

We have Natalie Burrell from MU Women's Supporters Club on the podcast this week
 

Ubik

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Demon Barber said:
In my opinion she should get a warm reception. She was an exceptional player for us and at heart she is a red. The contract negotiations were a typical United shambles (same with Earps) and are indicative of the way the owners/club see the women's team - an afterthought, a possible marketing bonus, a trend.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona, Lyon, even City ... they are serious about their women's teams - they have ambition and pay accordingly. Arsenal had 54000 v Liverpool, Barca v Real Madrid attracted 90000 - those are serious figures. We might sell 40000 for the first (first!) derby v City at OT but it ought to be sold out. The fact that we have lost a good manager and several of our best players over the past five years is down to the club and the owners. The ambition is not there, the seriousness is not there, the marketing is shit.

So, Russo is not to blame here. She should be applauded as a thank you for all the years she has given to the club, but I hope Maya takes her out in the opening ten minutes!
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She was here for three years and played 59 games, not exactly testimonial worthy.

Anyway she's guaranteed to score here so fingers crossed we limit it to 1 and are firing up front. They'll be well up for it having lost to Liverpool, I imagine.
 

Grande

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Demon Barber said:
In my opinion she should get a warm reception. She was an exceptional player for us and at heart she is a red. The contract negotiations were a typical United shambles (same with Earps) and are indicative of the way the owners/club see the women's team - an afterthought, a possible marketing bonus, a trend.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona, Lyon, even City ... they are serious about their women's teams - they have ambition and pay accordingly. Arsenal had 54000 v Liverpool, Barca v Real Madrid attracted 90000 - those are serious figures. We might sell 40000 for the first (first!) derby v City at OT but it ought to be sold out. The fact that we have lost a good manager and several of our best players over the past five years is down to the club and the owners. The ambition is not there, the seriousness is not there, the marketing is shit.

So, Russo is not to blame here. She should be applauded as a thank you for all the years she has given to the club, but I hope Maya takes her out in the opening ten minutes!
Click to expand...
Tbh I really hope we get fired up for this one. Alessia and Mary Earps were instrumental in beating them last year, and they look like they are targeting us to nudge us out of the CL spots. I’d luv’ it if we beat them, to whip up a classical herostratic phrase in an anti-jinx fashion.

On the whole I agree with your main point, we lost several years and several key characters due to disambition trickling down from above. And for women in today’s thin ice of football-as-profession, there is no such luxury as being a one-club player. You need to go where you can make footballing your carreer, not your past-time.

That said, United for me do show ambition to build, just very slowly (and top three in the country in five years of modern existence is not really slow). Skinner knows what he’s doing, and this years aquisitions are no slouches. We could do more, but I think we are going in the right direction.

Man Utd - Arsenal 3-1 (Zelem, Geyse, Toone - Russo).
 

TMS

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Demon Barber said:
In my opinion she should get a warm reception. She was an exceptional player for us and at heart she is a red. The contract negotiations were a typical United shambles (same with Earps) and are indicative of the way the owners/club see the women's team - an afterthought, a possible marketing bonus, a trend.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona, Lyon, even City ... they are serious about their women's teams - they have ambition and pay accordingly. Arsenal had 54000 v Liverpool, Barca v Real Madrid attracted 90000 - those are serious figures. We might sell 40000 for the first (first!) derby v City at OT but it ought to be sold out. The fact that we have lost a good manager and several of our best players over the past five years is down to the club and the owners. The ambition is not there, the seriousness is not there, the marketing is shit.

So, Russo is not to blame here. She should be applauded as a thank you for all the years she has given to the club, but I hope Maya takes her out in the opening ten minutes!
Click to expand...
As much as I think the club is a shambles in all aspects expecially when it comes to negotiations for things such as contract extensions, I still don't think Russo has earned a warm reception. She wasn't here that long in the grand scheme of things and the fact it seemed destined she was leaving for so long didn't make it seem like it was all that hard of a decision.

Also this is football and she's just left us for one of our biggest rivals, there is no way she should get a warm reception based on that alone. I'm not saying she should get huge abuse, but I think boos are more than fair game for her in her first trip back.
 

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Demon Barber said:
In my opinion she should get a warm reception. She was an exceptional player for us and at heart she is a red. The contract negotiations were a typical United shambles (same with Earps) and are indicative of the way the owners/club see the women's team - an afterthought, a possible marketing bonus, a trend.
Click to expand...
Nah this is football... if someone leaves you for your rivals, you boo them.
 

Lightbringer

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Tomorrow - The DUO that both wanted OUT facing off - who will WIN?

 

Demon Barber

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Sad that so few tickets have been sold, but understandable - school night, late KO, LSV being out of the way etc.

Anyway, I am now unable to make the game, so have a ticket going spare - Adult, South Stand. FREE to anyone who can make use of it. I am assuming there is a message function here.
 

redshaw

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jojojo said:
Tickets for LSV have sold out. Match is live on Sky.
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Demon Barber said:
Sad that so few tickets have been sold, but understandable - school night, late KO, LSV being out of the way etc.

Anyway, I am now unable to make the game, so have a ticket going spare - Adult, South Stand. FREE to anyone who can make use of it. I am assuming there is a message function here.
Click to expand...
Which is it?
 

Annihilate Now!

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I hope we smash them and as Ella Toone rockets in the 5th goal, she does a full on knee slide towards the Arsenal bench (as Russo has obvioulsy been taken off after an hour) while shouting feck off back to London.
 

Ubik

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Unchanged side, good to see Malard on the bench.
 

Rood

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6 changes for Arsenal is pretty crazy, but I suppose they did lose
 

RedDevilQuebecois

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Jeez, that was needlessly dangerous for us. Lucky for Earps that the ball went straight at her
 

Jazz

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Am here. Let's do this.
 

Rood

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Sad to see so many empty seats in what's supposed to be a sell out - I would have gone!

Seems to happen a lot at Women's matches, I assume due to the cheap prices
 

DickDastardly

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Rood said:
Sad to see so many empty seats in what's supposed to be a sell out - I would have gone!

Seems to happen a lot at Women's matches, I assume due to the cheap prices
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Probably.

Buy the tickets for peanuts and then realize, "I've got better things to do then watch women's football".
 

Jazz

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Feck
 

RedDevilQuebecois

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What the hell was that?

Needless to say how much I hate Blackstenius as an opponent. Only Sam Kerr can get under my skin more than she does.
 
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