Bruno goes, Eriksen, Mainoo struggling, Casemiro on way out. Ugarte unfancied(?) Collyer only other option.

We’d need at least a pair!

Stiller - why chose us?

Hackney at Boro? Can he do a Wharton?

Baleba? - he’d be megabucks.

Who else is a proven performer that could hit the ground running?

Other positions:
Mbuemo- like Cunha significantly over-performed his xG this season. Clearly decent but surely Newcastle bound.

We need one-on-one ballers too. Much like, erm, Garna.

Xavi Simmons - my one to watch. I have a feeling we’re in for him.

We also need midfielders. Prob two of them.

There’s no way on earth you can trust this current regime to reinvest well. They could do a great job, but what’s the depth of evidence given INEOS’s poor performance so far?

As with Delap, I’d seriously question the judgement of any player willing to join us now!

Summary: don’t sell.

Against:

He’s our best player.

His numbers are out of this world, considering he’s been playing on such a poor side.

His leadership and attitude have dug us out on numerous occasions.

Did I mention he’s our best player?

We’d be relegated without him.

I mean, he is our best player!

Objectively, does he fully fit an Amorim system? He’s our best player, but he’s also been problematic on occasion with his possession stats.

A decent fee would allow us to replenish across the team, as many positions need strengthening.

Here you go. Full analysis is here too: img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/a1...

He’s squandered all the credit fans bestowed upon him. To succeed at United, he must be backed by the club with strong recruitment. Now, he has to hit the ground running in August. Anything else is not worth considering. After all, he was literally the top candidate.

So here we are now. The top manager from the analytical point of view. Yet, look at the state of us. You have to say the environment and culture don’t allow success to flourish at United. He’s all been naïve and struggled in a far tougher league. Failing to be more pragmatic when it was required.

At the time, I felt Tuchel to be the compelling option. Available. Experience of managing in the PL. Adaptable. Yes - a risk given his short tenure at past clubs - but all things considered, the best fit. We all know what happened. Frank was my second choice, despite ranking low in the data.

I both want to ignore anything MUFC-related for as long as possible, countered by wanting to fast forward to 16 August 2025 and start all over again, perhaps with new personel, perhaps with a new sense of hope. Strange isn't it.

Bluntly, the INEOS era could not have gone worse. Massive balls up last summer with EtH. Hugely costly error with the Ashworth debacle. Hiring a tactically rigid manager mid-season was a massive risk - one that hasn’t paid off and now plunged the club into the financial doldrums. And we’re 17th.

Put it this way. Had we won, plan A would have seen the increased revenue used to back a ‘winning’ manager. A loss? Well, suddenly you have less money to back a manager who has made a frankly miserable impact. Do you spend bad money after good? Is he the right guy? Genuinely don’t know.

The longer their injury list has grown, the more nervous I’ve become!