EPL 2021 / 2022

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Good old football, it keeps on throwing up the story lines. Really not sure if Man U have any strategy as such but this signing is sure to appeal to the fans. Suspect Cavani and Ronaldo won't play together too often but they will try to have one of them on the pitch at all times. And Martial would leave if he wasn't being paid so much.

Their wage bill must be astronomical given it was allegedly 212m pounds per year without Ronaldo. And he was on over 26m pounds per year at Juventus and I would think United will have to match that.

That's a lot of shirts to sell

@kiwipie I read somewhere that Ronaldo has already signed the first part of his contract and he will be Man Utd's top earner. Relations between Juventus and Ronaldo broke down because they wanted him to take a pay cut.

Man Utd's share price went up 8% in the hours after the news broke so the deal will pay for itself.

Sounds like it was a phone call from Sir Alex Ferguson that swung it for United, but it looks like Solskajer was always going to bid for Ronaldo if he became available.

Ronaldo has been an absolutely fantastic player for the last 15 years but there are four question marks about his signing for me. At 36 (37 in February), how many games will Ronaldo play? What about the looming legal case concerning the 2009 Las Vegas incident? All his team mates from 2008 have retired, how will he fit into this United dressing room? What does this mean for United's other Centre Forwards?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Martial and/or Greenwood loaned out now.

@sparky said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@kiwipie I read somewhere that Ronaldo has already signed the first part of his contract and he will be Man Utd's top earner. Relations between Juventus and Ronaldo broke down because they wanted him to take a pay cut.

Didn't help with Allegri returning to Juve after he told the president to get rid of him when he left last time.

One of the mysteries of recent times is how Manchester United have managed to have such a long unbeaten run away from home in the EPL. They seemed to have done it despite the team that is chosen not really functioning and despite being dominated for long spells in the game. Their 1-0 win at Wolves today being a prime example of that.

Nothing in the first 3 games has changed the view that the same top 4 as last season will be the top 4 this season, Spurs, Leicester, West Ham should all be hanging around the fringes of the top 4, Everton should be joining them but will probably fall away and Arsenal will be battling to take 8th or 9th.

@sparky said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Martial and/or Greenwood loaned out now.

Martial maybe but Greenwood definitely not. He was far and away the most potent attacking threat today - Sancho and James were ineffectual

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

and Arsenal will be battling to take 8th or 9th.

I really hope you're right!!

@hooroo said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

and Arsenal will be battling to take 8th or 9th.

I really hope you're right!!

I didn't say they will get there - just that they will be battling to do it. Arteta has the haunted look of a manager about to be sacked.

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@hooroo said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

and Arsenal will be battling to take 8th or 9th.

I really hope you're right!!

I didn't say they will get there - just that they will be battling to do it. Arteta has the haunted look of a manager about to be sacked.

Well nothing like last after 3 or 4 rounds to give you the heebie jeebies. Not that there is anyone I am screaming for at the moment

Arsenal's squad has been pretty dire. They just seem to buy whoever they can without thinking about fit or need. That said, there's plenty of excuses for Arteta so far so I'm still hoping that they can bounce back. I think they really need to try and get leadership all on the same page and unless everyone above Arteta also goes a manager change won't fix that.

As I mentioned earlier there are a lot of Arsenal players that need to be moved on, who unfortunately are on big contracts, as they arrived on a free transfer (e.g. Willian, Kolašinac). Therefore no one wants them in the current covid financial world. Sending those players somewhere on loan (e.g. Torreira, Guendouzi at the moment) doesn't help the situation either unless there is an obligation to buy clause. Others like Bellerin want to leave and Arteta/Edu are happy to sell him but at the right price.

Arteta having his best players available to play would also help to be more competitive. More pain to come I'm afraid.

@hooroo said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@kiwipie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

and Arsenal will be battling to take 8th or 9th.

I really hope you're right!!

Ronaldo scored two late goals to pip the Irish and with those becomes the world record holder for international goals.

110 CRISTIANO RONALDO
109 Ali Daei
89 Mokhtar Dahari
84 Ferenc Puskas
79 Godfrey Chitalu
78 Hussein Saeed
77 Pele
76 Lionel Messi

@hooroo Somebody is going to need a long international career and to take all the penalties to break that record. Lukaku just got his 67th and age 28, Lewandowski just got his 72nd but is already 33.

Big day today! But it's not televised!

Bit annoying but I fully support the 3pm Blackout. Thin it's a great initiative to get people out to game - either playing or watching.

Who knew Man Yoo vs the Geordies would arguably be the most anticipated game of the year!!

Too easy for Ronaldo. Double on his return

@majorrage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Who knew Man Yoo vs the Geordies would arguably be the most anticipated game of the year!!

Kevin Keegan??

@majorrage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Big day today! But it's not televised!

Bit annoying but I fully support the 3pm Blackout. Thin it's a great initiative to get people out to game - either playing or watching.

Who knew Man Yoo vs the Geordies would arguably be the most anticipated game of the year!!

Here in NZ, all games can be watched live - at 2am.