[Nike19]

Jim,

it’s a crying shame Milner’s on the wrong side of whatever he is now age-wise, because as far as his skill-set goes, he can play right-wing and put crosses in, he obviously showed he can drop to left-back and as far as the midfield goes, he can play either offensively or defensively.

I’m slightly lost in what’s happening with the Ox and why we shelled out that type of money – is he bought to replace Henderson?

Henderson is at his richest playing those short-passes and gradually working his way up to support the attack. He is strong when he’s zoned himself out. What he struggles a lot of the time with is tracking back in the central part of the pitch in front of our box and protect it. He’s more suited just behind the centre-circle and occasionally down the flanks as a second person to win the challenges.

Milner on the other hand just naturally has that a little bit more extra awareness, experience and slightly more willingness to be a soldier to us.

He must start for me Jim.

Wijn I’m afraid for the fee paid towards him has only shown me traces of any effectiveness.

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[Nike19]

Mane would have been ideal against United in a fold which could have allowed Klopp 2 possibilities:

1) Play Mane in the middle like a Beardsley Role just behind the front man

2) Play Mane on the left (as they have done), and move Phillipe back in the centre.

It is a big loss, there’s no arguments there because with his attacking flair and bluster, you’re likely to easily open up their defence.

As long as we set up the way we should in the middle of the park with James Milner and Can playing slightly deeper, Jordan Henderson can solely focus on supporting the front 3 and in fairness to him, he’s kopped a lot of slack than praise because the mixture of his performances.

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[Nike19]

Chucky,

I totally get that as a top team can hurt us outright with their level of quality as we found against Man City, and although I don’t want to take the fact that it was a wonderful performance from them, there is still that point of us being reduced to 10 men and goals largely (if not all) scored in and around the 6 yard area.

This is why we need somebody commanding like a Van Dijk, but anyway, this discussion has fallen off the wagon in what essentially is about the Mane injury.

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[Nike19]

We genuinely played better than many credit us for re the Leicester game as we passed the ball better, had greater possession and were in control of the game.

The scoreline didn’t reflect that and anyone that didn’t watch the game fully would go by that and think of us as some kind of a mediocre outfit. Salah was top draw.

I’d assert the point of some similarity re versus Newcastle as they are a rebuilding outfit from the Championship, but have a good defensive coach in Rafa that basically nullified us. Maybe some might argue 1-1 was a fair result, but I don’t agree with that vehemently because we’re not being outplayed by these type of teams, but instead, being exposed and hurt from our defensive weaknesses.

We’re not as low I feel as some people are making us out to be, whether it be our fans, other fans, or the media.

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[Nike19]

We do look a more balanced Bofa since Salah have joined us and Coutinho is playing on the left for us.

As we have Man U this Saturday, we would have bolstered our attacking options and Mane could have played as a striker for us.

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[Nike19]

First of all a bow to Harry Kane as he’s been a true lion, and a leader setting a fine example.

Sure, it was boredom and we were limited to quality naturally because of the changes and the youngsters, but Southgate at least fielded 2 more experienced players in Henderson and Kane and individuals to support the rest of the reshuffled pack.

Bit of a depressing weekend overall as admittedly, I don’t like the disruption of International breaks, but I felt tonight, the opportunity of bringing in the kids were rightly introduced and that’s a big positive. I do hope this has not been treated as simply gap filling, but Southgate has noted everything presented to him and those kids are welcomed further opportunities in the future.

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[Nike19]

Jim, yes a perfect opportunity to try something else. It will be tricky away from home, but as we’ve both highlighted, qualification is already secured, so nothing to lose in essence, but some experimenting can be done.

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[Nike19]

I just hope Henderson doesn’t pick up any injuries. We need him for next Sat.

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[Nike19]

Well, Lithuania later today. Now that we have nailed qualification, I wonder what team will be put out. I would imagine some players out there will want some time out so that they can prepare for the next PL game which is understandable as they wouldn’t want to risk injury.

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[Nike19]

Jim:

The heart of the matter is that we find ourselves with a Manager who doesn’t in fairness have a pedigree and good quality English players at a short supply.

It’s been a double-edge sword to find some form of balance and the reason why I made a point of Ferguson was because he was the mantle other clubs in top flight football aspired to try and take down.

The common theme was the hiring of foreign Managers/Coaches and bringing more foreign players into our game. And history shows in fairness, that’s been a good thing because United’s dominance eventually broke down and we have a more competitive Premier League.

However, as far as Management go, there haven’t been for one reason or another, an English Manager who’s been part in being highly successful. If this was the case, this person hypothetically would appear as a ‘good fit’ to lead our national team.

Coupled with that, nobody young stepped up once you take out of the equation the late Sir Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Glen Hoddle. We then chosen to take the route of Sven, and Fabio.

The FA then have reverted to only hiring an Englishman and we only have effectively Gareth Southgate. It’s a sad state of affairs when there’s several out there sitting in the studio analysing the game, but not for one reason or another aspiring to develop themselves with a view to managing our national team – something in which I must say as an England support am highly disappointed of.

Some form of encouragement at the very least since the end of the ‘golden generation’ is that we have a group of half-decent players that can get it together, though it still misses that ‘stand out’ player and leader.

Sometimes I wonder whether there’s any point to facilitating all these academies.

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[Nike19]

This is like a cliff-hanger or a ‘to be continued’.

If people can’t see or already see and dithering about in pretence and innocence, then the problem is starred upon.

It all falls back to breaking Ferguson’s dominance which in my point of view naturally was depressingly raw, hated Manchester United at the expense of Liverpool, and will loathe them greater than any football club at the expense of Liverpool.

What should essentially have taken place is those players ‘Goldstar’ of the 1990s’ should naturally have accelerated. Why don’t we have a Queue of Candidates for the England Position? No Prefixed Computer Portal?????

Quite simply because of the allowance of Foreign investment pointing in the direction of the Top Flight starting with The Glazers.

The attitude precedent to employ more and more Foreign Managers into the Top Flight and essentially put out any potential recruitment of English Managers.
Look at the Premier League: Count how many English Managers are in occupation, then calculate against our National Side, and here were are, ala Gareth Southgate.

Note, no England respected legendary from Mexico 86, ala Peter Beardsley, John Barnes, Bryan Robson, Peter Shilton even. 25-30 years in living this; what has gone wrong and why?????

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[Nike19]

The problem in the declarations and protestations is the carnage and destruction of infrastructure paying the price.

I think some years down the line once Britain is totally independent, we may start to see more constituencies form across the country. Maybe Cons, Labour and LD will be a thing of the past!

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[Nike19]

If Southgate remains as Manager, then we have very little chance of getting past the group stages, that’s my reckoning. Otherwise, the guys overall have done well easy group or not and deserve a bit of gratitude. We qualified after all.

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[Nike19]

Yep, we got there in the end even though we made hard work of it.

Sorted – June 2018 here we come!

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[Nike19]

That was written in the script 🙂

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[Nike19]

Well, we nearly went 1 up. It wasn’t a bad decision as such by Rashford to go for the chip, but a little too delicate and easy-peasy at the end of the day for the keeper to get hold of.

Sterling comes close as I type, so things are finally starting to hot up!

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[Nike19]

Half-time and same old same old. The studio pundits seem as though they feel embarrassed!

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[Nike19]

Brian Blue, sorry, just seen your reply now.

Against the other clubs mentioned, they realistically would have a better chance of signing him than us. It would be very flattering if he did chose us and I’d welcome Kane with open arms.

We are devoid now of a striker and the goals are drying up!

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[Nike19]

Kane’s really going out of his way these early stages to make things happen and is commendable. Other’s out there not quite on board so far and Lallana’s creativity and presence is missed as with his club.

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[Nike19]

Had my Birthday a couple of weeks ago and always great to share and put on a couple of these great icons from The Stone Roses: Purely Magical and for one for my Dad – gotta jog his memory a bit 🙂 🙂

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