Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be viewed as a villain by some, yet Man Utd supporters ought to appreciate that he is supposedly ‘rescuing’ the club.
Justifying the Ratcliffe reductions
I have never encountered John Nicholson and know little about his life, but from what I’ve read of his writing, we would mostly share the same views. Politics, indeed. Labor unions, indeed. Wishing for a more just and compassionate world, I stand with you, my friend. Even while perusing his recent tirade criticizing my club’s new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, I find myself nodding in agreement. Although it isn't especially enlightening, the idea that 'billionaire is a bad person' shouldn't surprise anyone; I simply can't tap into the anger that Johnny expresses.
Being in the UK and earning about 30,000 per month, I have faced redundancy, which is an awful experience, particularly when you have a young family and a mortgage to manage. I truly empathize with the United employees facing job losses, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone; however, the more I read about these harsh cost-cutting strategies, the more I find myself agreeing with many of them.
I don't think it's unreasonable to anticipate that your services team should take inventory and utilize what they have before placing new orders, and this applies to office supplies and stationery as well. Company credit cards are often misused by even the most principled employees, as it’s simply too tempting to think, ‘f*** it, I’m not footing the bill.’
The most recent announcement is the shutdown of the employee cafeteria. Another blow to workers' rights, yet I’m here in disbelief to find out they were receiving free dinners, and the terrible outcome is that now they’ll only receive free fruit and soup. It still seems like quite a decent offer compared to my dinner of an overly ripe banana and a bowl of porridge, which I obviously pay for, quickly consumed at my desk while responding to emails.
The truth for many workers is a manager who doesn’t care about you at all. It's effective for corporate organizations where you are seen as a number instead of an individual. It’s working hard in various positions for small enterprises where every cent is carefully tracked and re-checked. As a writer, Johnny may not have encountered the reality of the typical salaried worker, yet much of what transpires at United is merely conventional, including the truly harsh actions. Requiring employees to revolt and jeopardize their livelihoods is childish.
This doesn't mean it can't be criticized, and I commend Johnny for standing up against the system; we ought to express our dissent vocally. Nonetheless, the harsh reality is that United was close to complete collapse under the Glazers. Similar to mobsters, their habit of amassing greater and greater debt, loading themselves with ever-growing and unsustainable payments, signified that the club was destined for destruction.
We required assistance, and unfortunately, we inhabit a world where only someone like Jim Ratcliffe could provide it. As a fan, it’s a distressing scenario to witness your club being looted, realizing you have no option but to observe the ordeal, while also understanding it’s largely essential if you wish for your club to continue existing for your children to cheer for. Unyielding ethics are admirable until compromise becomes the only path ahead.
Dave, Manchester
The dystopian reality is here.
Are billionaires merely attempting to one-up each other now? R**cliffe truly embodying his name. Rat in title, rat in essence. And that’s quite unfair to rats.
Screw it, why not; they face no consequences. Hey Liverpool supporters eager for FSG's exit, recall those connections to M**k? Absolutely, I doubt E**n would rip the very essence from your club while grinning widely, mocking your foolishness for being so broke during the whole affair. Continue hoping for that lusher lawn.
Will (Football is ruined, we're just witnessing its demise)
Man Utd the harmful former partner
Aaron Wan Bissaka has once again shown that Manchester United is a harmful partner, as its former players often find much happier relationships afterward. That precise/Nani-Valencia-like cross he sent in for Bowen’s first goal was truly stunning.
P.S. Had Arsenal triumphed in that match, would there have been yet another awkward aftermath from MLS' red card? In the well-known statement by Kanye West during the Grammy’s, “I suppose we’ll never find out”.
Gaptoothfreak87, Dude. Utd., Somewhere on Earth (Why the hell wasn’t he delivering crosses like that for us?)
Freddie Sears, standing at just 5ft 7in, knows this to be a fact. Occasionally during a game, someone would take a risk and attempt a through ball for him to chase, resulting in actual shots on goal, much to the astonishment of our seasonal manager (like fairground goldfish, it’s wise not to become too attached).
A clear instance from the Premier League is John Terry during Andre Villas-Boas's tenure. I believe that the majority of football supporters would concur that John Terry was a 'decent player'. However, playing in a high line without a more defensive full-back alongside him was quite catastrophic and may (if the rumors are true) have caused him to support the 'Andre Out' movement initiated by certain senior players to protect his own position.
Alternatively, consider a skilled player with strong technique – Teddy Sheringham, for instance. Could you place him into the Arsenal counter-attacking squad of the early Wenger era instead of Henry and anticipate the same results?
It is certainly accurate that some players need to adjust more quickly to a new system, yet I don’t believe it's as simple as them being either good or not. If a player has played as a defensive full back from ages 6 to 26, should they really be expected to transform into a marauding wing back instantly?
Effective coaching will undoubtedly aid in this transition, but even with the necessary physical ability, some players will naturally adapt to positional flexibility better than others. Requesting one or two players to adjust during the season could be effective, but expecting the majority of your starting eleven to change simultaneously appears somewhat unrealistic. I, by the way, don’t disagree with your conclusion. Man U may as well proceed with it now, but criticizing the players for their inability to adjust simply because they lack skill is overly simplistic.
Jeremy (AVB is merely 47 and has transitioned from manager to club president) Aves
Demonstrate some respect for Man City.
Wow, nothing compares to a Liverpool supporter celebrating a league victory. As they are highly likely to do so now. De Bruyne (not good at all) City supporters (classless for sure) Arsenal (real bottle jobs) Pep Guardiola (clearly a fraud and incompetent). There’s no way they could simply relish their march toward a championship (in a rather typical season), without those anxiety-inducing moments they have learned to fear.
City has undoubtedly caused significant pain to Liverpool before, so it’s perhaps no surprise they are so affected by those past encounters that they turn to anger and bitterness at their time of victory. After all, they are fans of Liverpool. Surely, no one genuinely thinks De Bruyne isn't among the greatest of the PL era? Similarly, does anyone honestly believe Pep isn’t an exceptional manager? Come on, everyone, show some class.
It would be wonderful (though clearly unattainable) to witness Liverpool celebrate their accomplishments and exhibit the confidence of champions, rather than foolishly attempting to alter history in dimly lit rooms.
And naturally, there is the assertion that this marks the beginning of something huge. Sure, just like in 2020, everyone.
Considering the recent nature of your delusions, you may have overlooked that during that season, City suffered 9 losses while defending a title they had triumphantly secured the previous season. Teams become fatigued in their quest for the highest awards. Examine Arsenal this season and Liverpool from a few years ago when qualifying for the top four seemed unattainable. Clearly, it’s a period of transition for City, and I can readily envision 6 players departing in the Summer, requiring a couple of transfer windows.
I attended the match on Sunday and was also present at Anfield in December (just a reminder, everyone is welcome to attempt to attend matches too) and noticed some signs of improvement in our formation and performance, showcasing more energy and dedication than in the earlier encounter. I observed enough to lead me to believe Pep understands what is required of him.
But do you genuinely believe that a generational talent such as Pep Guardiola would leave the grand stage quietly? You merely wish for his departure, which conveys it all.
And let’s not forget the other major award this year. If City receives nothing more than a slap on the wrist next month, there’s a good possibility we could end this season riding a tide of opponents’ simmering anger into the Summer. That would definitely be enjoyable!
The Unseen Man, Manchester
De Bruyne has experienced a significant decline, however...
Sixteen conclusions is accurate; no player’s career has plummeted like this since Gary Neville retired mid-game. Have been perfecting it for Belgium and City for quite a few years now... KDB, your retirement is approaching.
Thom, Newport
Covid?
‘Liverpool gliding toward their 20th championship.’ Their key achievements under FSG largely resulted from Covid, FFP, and Spurs.
We were 25 points in the lead when COVID struck, mate. That's about 15-20 points above your IQ.
Sam, LFC (At least we now understand who influenced the “Have a word” podcast) Leeds
The upcoming Arsenal manager...
Before proceeding, I fully understand that Arsenal has not officially given up either the title or the Champions League, and that the subsequent message is primarily founded on the assumption that Arsenal will finish the season trophyless once again despite a 3rd season of fairly solid performances, along with a 2nd consecutive season that began with considerable expectations.
Yet, during a weekend spent hearing Arsenal fans growing impatient following a disappointing display, discussions about Arteta's shortcomings emerged prominently... in a weekend when Como quickly built on their notable win against Fiorentina by defeating title contenders Napoli, is Arsenal's potential successor poised to step in and supply the crucial element that Arteta has, until now, not managed to provide?
Fabregas undoubtedly holds Arsenal in high regard; he is a knowledgeable, well-educated, and highly esteemed student of the sport. With Como, he has achieved significant feats—despite their initial spending upon reaching Serie A and managing to escape Serie B with minimal investment—that are notably impressive, and he contributes real, practical first-team management experience.
This is not to imply that Arteta should be dismissed in my view (although I believe he’s approached a critical point this season if, as it seems, this is his first notable decline in final points and standing), and it’s certainly not to claim he’s performed poorly (even with substantial investment that aligns with his counterparts), but rather, when the manager fails to secure an essential home victory against West Ham when the pressure is on, it may be time to at least contemplate the succession plan, and, well, Arsenal could undoubtedly do much worse than consider another experienced midfielder – one even more accomplished than the previous and who brings with him real, substantial, first-team coaching experience.
It could really succeed, you know.
Harold Endeavor Hooler
P.S: I recognize that I may be biased towards Fabregas due to his truly outstanding punditry whenever he appears on camera.
Give officials a rest.
I can tell that officials are receiving a significant amount of criticism in their inbox. I understand this might not be well-received, but it's simply unjust.
I assist in coaching a boys' team for under-9s. Since the designated FA referee was unavailable for this weekend's match, I took on the role of referee for the game. This is the first time I've done it. Not ever again!!!! It’s dreadful. You receive constant harassment from onlookers (specifically, parents), continuous criticism from the coaches of the rival team, and I even faced pressure from my own team at one point. Everybody cheats like crazy. The number of occasions the ball went out, when I couldn’t quite see what took place, and both teams would shout that it was their throw-in, corner, or something else. There is completely no integrity in the game. And these are merely children who are eight years old…
I would dislike being a referee in the professional sport. It appears quite challenging due to the extent of acting, imitation, and overall poor sportsmanship displayed. I was nearly inclined to leave before our game concluded due to the dreadful atmosphere aimed at me. Anyone who complains about referees ought to be required to officiate a Sunday league match. It is only then that you are permitted to complain. And I wager that the majority wouldn’t following the encounter. Allow referees some time off.
Ted, LFC
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