I did their first game in the EFL, thrashed by Crewe, and Barry Fry took one look at the huge media throng and said "the circus was in town today and we were the clowns". Rob Jones was set upon by his own gk for a mistake and within a few months was in the England squad. Bizarre day.
Great character Baz! I remember Rob Jones serving his apprenticeship in the now League Two, shame his knees didn't stand up to more football 😔 keep an eye out tonight Henry 😉
I will maybe watch this? Thanks for the heads up! My local team played Barnet in the cup about 15-20 years ago. Drew 2-2 at your place and lost replay at home.
Stalybridge Celtic. We’re based in Greater Manchester. We were in a lower league and got a credible result at yours for a small team like us. I think we missed a penalty at the replay, I was there. Maybe you can find out.
Quality Monday post as usual Henry. Excellent points made although I don’t share your faith in Amorim. That system won’t work. He doesn’t have the players and it doesn’t work in the Premier League. 90% of teams play with a back four and it’s one players like. He has to adapt. How Man Utd can have a front two of Hojlund and Zirkzee really is embarrassing. He won’t be able to sign all the players he wants either in summer. The style of football is so boring.
Hamstring injuries are a concern but they seem to be keeping players out longer. Players are not playing more games and minutes. In fact they played more in the past. 60-70 game seasons were very common. Pitches maybe an issue as they are harder. Intensity of sprints has probably increased to but players are just not as durable and sport science teams convince players they are not fit so they are not risked as much. Havertz injury was just bad luck. Blocking shot in training.
Marmoush does look like he will be a good signing. A good replacement for Alcaraz in he can play a couple of positions and fill in for Haaland up top. He can certainly finish.
But Nico looks a really signing to although not a direct Rodri replacement. He is different.
It’s the high speed minutes in the game. Not necessarily the number of games according to physios. A player like Havertz seems at risk because he’s starting and finishing games
That’s very interesting about Havertz and the prevalence of hamstring injuries. I had suspected players operating too far into their red zones amidst ridiculous fixture lists was to blame and had not considered playing surfaces and the 5 subs factor. I wonder if this has parallels with women’s football and the problems there with knee injuries? And yes, Arsenal are paying a penalty for holding off on rebuilding their frontline until the summer. More importantly, commiserations to all the injured players.
The acl epidemic amongst women is, according to a top PL physio, down to a lack of conditioning in the gym growing up. Girls tend to go to gym later than boys.
I think the recruitment piece over simplifies the predicament at United. The club have signed a lot of sought after players who excelled at their previous clubs. There appears to be an underlying acceptance that this issue can be spent out of.
Under Ten Hag & Amorim (albeit a shorter period) I can’t point to any players improved by either coach. They need to improve the players they have.
He cannot replace the whole first 11 this summer. He won’t have the funds to do that.
Amorim is supposed to be a modern data driven elite coach. He is making assumptions that he wouldn’t get better outcomes between now and the rest of the season without testing a 433 derived system. I don’t see it as weak if he changed, it’s merely an acknowledgment that he doesn’t have the players for this system yet. Once he has those he can make a more controlled and progressive transition.
The club is sleep walking into a relegation battle.
Morning Henry. Workload and intensity on players is something that Clubs should be more aware of. Saka played 71 mins in a League Cup tie in September which Arsenal won 5-1 at home to Bolton. And then he came ON as a sub in the 62 min of a League Cup tie at Preston which Arsenal won 3-0. 21 December he breaks down at Palace. Arteta is never asked to justify these minutes. Is it time for FIFA / UEFA to have a max mins per season for a player (excluding the expanded World Cup and ridiculous World Club Championship of course!)
I have always thought that a good manager is a flexible manager who picks his tactics to suit the players at his disposal. Amorim, and others, are trying to fit the players to his favourite tactics. It will not end well unless they give him a massive budget in the summer and what are the chances of Ratcliffe doing that?
He keeps getting asked this, Ratcliffe. The formation doesn’t suit this gaggle of players. If he goes back to 433 he’ll look weak and there’s no guarantee it will work anyway. He may have to compromise in short term to get them out of this nose dive but he seems committed to 3421. Fans and club have seen players underperform for too many managers. Amorim got a lot of support imho.
Hi Henry, have you any hunches or heard word about Tuchel's thoughts on his first squad selection, with just around a month until the first qualifier – especially outside bets for a call up? Has to be at least a couple of uncapped players in strong contention with Lewis-Skelly and Delap leading the pack?
Lewis-Skelly surely will be in, Samuel. Cover for midfield too. Delap deserves to be especially with other centre forwards injured. He surely will be if Tuchel talks to the under 21 staff about the quality coming through. I’ve covered three of their last four games and Delap stood out.
Great to see a little Barnet mention, big National League game tomorrow night, 1st vs 2nd at The Hive, big crowd under the lights!
I did their first game in the EFL, thrashed by Crewe, and Barry Fry took one look at the huge media throng and said "the circus was in town today and we were the clowns". Rob Jones was set upon by his own gk for a mistake and within a few months was in the England squad. Bizarre day.
Great character Baz! I remember Rob Jones serving his apprenticeship in the now League Two, shame his knees didn't stand up to more football 😔 keep an eye out tonight Henry 😉
will do, it's my birthday so being taken out for a meal but will have scores alerts. no candles allowed on the cake because it would be a fire hazard
Many happy returns Henry, have a fantastic day and evening 🎂🥳
Very kind, Trevor.
I will maybe watch this? Thanks for the heads up! My local team played Barnet in the cup about 15-20 years ago. Drew 2-2 at your place and lost replay at home.
Can find it live on DAZN Ben! Whose your local team?
Stalybridge Celtic. We’re based in Greater Manchester. We were in a lower league and got a credible result at yours for a small team like us. I think we missed a penalty at the replay, I was there. Maybe you can find out.
If I remember rightly I was at both games, we won the replay 2-0 with 2 Grazioli goals
I hope you liked our ground!
From what I remember, good for the level 👌
Quality Monday post as usual Henry. Excellent points made although I don’t share your faith in Amorim. That system won’t work. He doesn’t have the players and it doesn’t work in the Premier League. 90% of teams play with a back four and it’s one players like. He has to adapt. How Man Utd can have a front two of Hojlund and Zirkzee really is embarrassing. He won’t be able to sign all the players he wants either in summer. The style of football is so boring.
Hamstring injuries are a concern but they seem to be keeping players out longer. Players are not playing more games and minutes. In fact they played more in the past. 60-70 game seasons were very common. Pitches maybe an issue as they are harder. Intensity of sprints has probably increased to but players are just not as durable and sport science teams convince players they are not fit so they are not risked as much. Havertz injury was just bad luck. Blocking shot in training.
Marmoush does look like he will be a good signing. A good replacement for Alcaraz in he can play a couple of positions and fill in for Haaland up top. He can certainly finish.
But Nico looks a really signing to although not a direct Rodri replacement. He is different.
Hope AFC Wimbledon come up as you said.
It’s the high speed minutes in the game. Not necessarily the number of games according to physios. A player like Havertz seems at risk because he’s starting and finishing games
That’s very interesting about Havertz and the prevalence of hamstring injuries. I had suspected players operating too far into their red zones amidst ridiculous fixture lists was to blame and had not considered playing surfaces and the 5 subs factor. I wonder if this has parallels with women’s football and the problems there with knee injuries? And yes, Arsenal are paying a penalty for holding off on rebuilding their frontline until the summer. More importantly, commiserations to all the injured players.
The acl epidemic amongst women is, according to a top PL physio, down to a lack of conditioning in the gym growing up. Girls tend to go to gym later than boys.
I think the recruitment piece over simplifies the predicament at United. The club have signed a lot of sought after players who excelled at their previous clubs. There appears to be an underlying acceptance that this issue can be spent out of.
Under Ten Hag & Amorim (albeit a shorter period) I can’t point to any players improved by either coach. They need to improve the players they have.
He cannot replace the whole first 11 this summer. He won’t have the funds to do that.
Amorim is supposed to be a modern data driven elite coach. He is making assumptions that he wouldn’t get better outcomes between now and the rest of the season without testing a 433 derived system. I don’t see it as weak if he changed, it’s merely an acknowledgment that he doesn’t have the players for this system yet. Once he has those he can make a more controlled and progressive transition.
The club is sleep walking into a relegation battle.
Morning Henry. Workload and intensity on players is something that Clubs should be more aware of. Saka played 71 mins in a League Cup tie in September which Arsenal won 5-1 at home to Bolton. And then he came ON as a sub in the 62 min of a League Cup tie at Preston which Arsenal won 3-0. 21 December he breaks down at Palace. Arteta is never asked to justify these minutes. Is it time for FIFA / UEFA to have a max mins per season for a player (excluding the expanded World Cup and ridiculous World Club Championship of course!)
PFA campaigning on that atm.
I have always thought that a good manager is a flexible manager who picks his tactics to suit the players at his disposal. Amorim, and others, are trying to fit the players to his favourite tactics. It will not end well unless they give him a massive budget in the summer and what are the chances of Ratcliffe doing that?
He keeps getting asked this, Ratcliffe. The formation doesn’t suit this gaggle of players. If he goes back to 433 he’ll look weak and there’s no guarantee it will work anyway. He may have to compromise in short term to get them out of this nose dive but he seems committed to 3421. Fans and club have seen players underperform for too many managers. Amorim got a lot of support imho.
Hi Henry, have you any hunches or heard word about Tuchel's thoughts on his first squad selection, with just around a month until the first qualifier – especially outside bets for a call up? Has to be at least a couple of uncapped players in strong contention with Lewis-Skelly and Delap leading the pack?
Lewis-Skelly surely will be in, Samuel. Cover for midfield too. Delap deserves to be especially with other centre forwards injured. He surely will be if Tuchel talks to the under 21 staff about the quality coming through. I’ve covered three of their last four games and Delap stood out.