Well, it’s that time of year again! The football season is over and now we look forward to some World Cup qualifiers.
At least we won’t be whingeing and whining quite as much as we do when the “real” football is interrupted by these international fixtures. No, now we tend to grab at them, as a drowning man would grab at a lifebelt. We even watch the occasional friendly without so much as a murmur of complaint. (more…)
Now that Antoine Griezmann has shown his true colours by saying it would be a low move to leave a club who are being punished for even lower moves, and Romelu Lukaku is probably going to Chelsea to replace Diego Costa, which is fine by us, we look at who may actually turn up at Old Trafford and who won’t.
The number of publications we have waded through in order to find some transfer stories with real foundation as opposed to just simply being pure invention to be used as click-bait, is exhaustive but, as always dear readers, it was worth every hour just to bring you a measure of truth to your rumours. (more…)
Having been linked with nearly every player available to buy since the season finished and having been linked with a lot of players who aren’t and won’t be available to buy, Manchester United have until now bought, or more precisely, announced the purchase of,……………………nobody. (more…)
Antonio Valencia is a survivor if nothing else. He arrived, largely unannounced and with very little fanfare, from Wigan back in 2009 and has seen the “arrival” of four managers and the departure of four managers during his time at Old Trafford! In fairness, the manager experience has happened entirely within the last four years.
Many thought that Valencia would be surplus to requirements as, following the temporary employment of Ryan Giggs, first David Moyes and then Louis van Gaal came through the door, presumably with their own ideas of what they wanted from the team. Their problem was a simple one. It did not appear as though the team was either sure or convinced about what they wanted and, consequently, neither of them kept the chair warm for very long. (more…)
In all fairness, ANY manager at ANY club has the right to select whichever team he feels is appropriate for the game ahead.
Sure, there will be “first choice” elevens which, in the manager’s opinion is his “best” combination of players. This combination will not always be the right one for different opponents. Therefore, the manager has to have the right to make changes.
The question only becomes inflammatory when wholesale changes are made in order to “protect” some players for games further down the line which are deemed to be more important. (more…)
It is now Wednesday, 26th May. Manchester City are two points behind Liverpool with two games in hand and an inferior goal difference.
Manchester United are three points behind Liverpool with two games in hand and a vastly inferior goal difference.
The upshot of all this is the following: If Thursday’s derby game is a draw, both Manchester clubs gain a point on Liverpool and both will overtake Liverpool should they win their other game in hand. (more…)
As egos go, there are none much bigger than that of José Mourinho. Little is said of his time flirting with Inter Milan and Real Madrid even though he continued winning trophies with both clubs.
No, it is his two “marriages” to Chelsea for which, at present anyway, he is being remembered.
The second break-up was far more noteworthy than the first as it was brought about by a perceived breakdown in relationships with certain players and with the club outside the top ten for the first time in years. Mourinho was unceremoniously kicked out and Chelsea were soon to be in a new relationship with Antonio Conte. (more…)
Watching “The Sunday Supplement” on, believe it or not, Sunday, we here at WSA were dismayed, if not surprised, to hear that all of the journalists on the programme were going to vote for Antonio Conte as their “manager of the season“.
Now we have never thought that football journalists were ever recognised authorities on the machinations of the modern football club or it’s manager, but to vote for Conte shows a staggering lack of knowledge and totally flies in the face of the true definition of the award. Let’s look at the contenders as they were when the season started. This, in itself, got everything off on the wrong foot as the wrong managers were being scrutinised. (more…)
The game against Everton was the chance to put some pressure on Manchester City before their game with Chelsea. It was also a chance to show the Old Trafford faithful that they hadn’t completely forgotten how to win a game of football.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to add a goal threat up front and Ander Herrera returned to add a threat to the opposing midfieders. (more…)
He had taken Porto as far as he could so moved on to Chelsea. The only trophy to elude him at Stamford Bridge was the Champion’s League but, when he left, he was still young enough to be able to return one day to win it, (or so he probably thought).
Inter Milan proved to be a relatively easy challenge during which he even managed to come up with a way of beating Barcelona over two legs in the Champion’s League and go on to win it. This was when Barcelona were the best team in the world. (more…)
