283: Amorim EXPOSED! Shock MIDFIELD Bid?

0:00Forget whatever plans you have this weekend because you're staying at home and playing on SpinQuest. And there's never been a better time to sign up than right now. New users get$30 coin packs for just$10. All the table games you love with hundreds of slot games and real cash prizes. That's at SpinQuest.com. S-P-I-N-Q-U-E-S-T dot com. SpinQuest is a free-to-play social casino. Void where prohibited. Visit SpinQuest.com for more details. Treat Dad this Father's Day with great gifts from Menards. From levels, nailers, and drills to complete any project to tool chests, recliners, and grills, we've got the perfect gifts to make this Father's Day one to remember.

0:45Stop by your local Menards today and save big money on gifts for Dad. Plus, check out our weekly flyer on Menards.com for all the great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards. What's going on, everyone? It's Bluff here, and we're driving through the States in the Bluffmobile, and the best thing that we can do is play our favorite casino-style games on SpinQuest. They have over 1 ,000 games, including Live Dealer, Blackjack, and Craps, with tons of slots and unlimited options. You can get a$30 coin pack for just$10 for new users. Sign up today. Go to SpinQuest.com right now. SpinQuest is a free-to-play social casino.

1:26Avoid where prohibited. Visit SpinQuest.com for more details.

1:32Hello everybody, good morning. Welcome to the United Stands. I'm Mark Goldbridge and this is your latest Manchester United news and transfer news as Man United move in on two new shock midfield targets. We'll talk about that. Also, has Ruben Amrim been exposed despite a very satisfying and welcoming and gratifying win for Manchester United last night? Put a smile on your face, we're winning. And look, I've got a big day for you on That's Football if you're interested in other football today. But we're here to talk about Man United. And look, just picking up on a few things. We will start off about Ameren before we talk about James Garner and the other midfielder that we've been linked to quite strongly overnight.

2:11What are your thoughts on that? I think it feeds in perfectly with what I was talking about after the, no, before the Villa game. I think it was after the Bournemouth game when we drew 4-4. I said if you put James Garner and Palinha in our midfield and play midfield two with discipline and composure, we'll be a better team. Did we not see that in the first half yesterday with Agathe and Casemiro? So, you know, I mean, we're almost like it's almost like Amrim's having to back down. And I think this is the problem. You know, Shahin says in the chat, sorry, Nimish in the chat says Ruben's body language during post-match looked defeated.

2:45Same as Grimsby. He's lost his philosophy to the owners and the players, which I think is an interesting take from Nimish. Frank also saying there, what's to get excited about? We've seen what we want, but as soon as he gets Bruno and the other players back, he'll go back to a 3-4-3. These are interesting conversations. I didn't want to talk about it too much last night because, you know, I don't... Well, I do want to talk about it now. You've got to move on. But I think, you know, last night you've got to talk about the win. It was a very important win, deserved win. Look, I don't get when it's not deserved.

3:17I mean, did Newcastle, you know, Newcastle hit the bar. They had some chances, but that's their problem. You don't put the ball in the back of the net. You don't win games of football, do you? So I think that, you know, very, very positive. But I think in relation to Amrim, I've seen a lot of criticism. I've even seen people saying the back four in the first half worked so well. He tried to sabotage it for a draw in the second half to try and, you know, sort of like go, look, you know. But that's preposterous. The reality is I quite liked the first half. He did speak about how he took, why he took Casemiro off.

3:50But look, this is what Amrim had to say after the game yesterday, straight after the game. And I just want to get the direct quote. Here it is. So this is what he said after the game yesterday. Back four, clean sheet, Manu is injured. I don't need a press conference. We covered all the subjects, so can all go away and enjoy Boxing Day. And it may have been said in jest. It may have been a bit of banter, but actually I think it was, you know, actions speak louder than words. And I think that there was an element of frustration in those words as well. Almost he's mad about that because that is not, last night is not what he's been doing for the last year.

4:39It's not what he was doing at Sporting. It's not what he was doing at Braga. that first half was not Amrim and it worked. You know why it worked? Because the crowd were happy, because it was familiar. The players were happy because they were playing on instinct. They were going back to what they used to. They're not having to overthink it. And it worked really well. Now in the second half, we still named... I've watched a lot of the first half this morning. I woke up early. Second half, I fast forwarded through a lot of it, to be honest. But I kept pausing it and having a quick look. Basically, I had about 45 minutes where I had to get through the whole game just to have a look at patterns and stuff.

5:16First half, predominantly back four, very different to what we've been doing under Amrim for the last year. Second half, sometimes a back four, sometimes a back six, you know, sort of a mishmash of different things. And now Amrim could go, right, we're going to play a back four sometimes and then we're going to play a back five and he could do that. But it's a little bit like a porn star halfway through a porno stopping to go and get the coffees. Everyone wants a coffee and it's nice, but really we want to watch the rest of the film. And I feel like if Amorim is going to go, well, we'll be a back four sometimes and then we'll go back to my system.

5:51It's like that. Can we get on with the film, please? The coffee's nice, but can we just stick to the film? Also, I don't think we are. I don't think we're intelligent enough. I don't think our players are intelligent enough to do the whole let's run before we can walk thing. You know, it's I think football is sometimes sometimes very simplistic. That's why some teams are launching long throw ins. That's why some teams are going for corners at the moment. Football can be really simplistic and it goes through phases. And I think in the first half, it was really simple. And in the second half, it became very confused.

6:23And that's why the second half was very poor. He has a huge problem now. He has been exposed. It's not a bad thing. It's not a bad thing. I don't feel in a bad mood this morning. I don't feel in an angry mood. I don't feel frustrated. I feel really, really happy. We've got loads of football and that's football today. I can't wait. It's still Christmas. And Man United have won a game of football. And, you know, I've not felt this good in a long time about Manchester United. But he has been exposed yesterday because I thought I'd mention it on the match reaction. I want to know your thoughts as well.

6:54But I think he's got to... I want to see Man United playing with a back four. I don't want to see a fusion of anything. I don't want to see it sometimes being a back five. I don't want to see it sometimes being a back three. I just want to see... I think our players are quite simple. And I think if we just play a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, we'll be a better team. Look at the first half, right? A lot of people said it was because Mason Mount went off that we played worse in the second half. He subbed Casemiro in 60 minutes. Like, there was a few reasons why we didn't play as well in the first half. Also, we're 1-0 up and he wants to protect that.

7:30I think some people misprofiled the game in the second half and when it was Mason Mount that changed the game. We did miss Mason Mount's pressing, but I don't think we were going to press anyway. I think as soon as he gets 1-0, he goes defensive. We've seen it countless times, away to Forest, away to Spurs, home to West Ham, against Bournemouth. As soon as we get a goal lead, he goes defensive. So the second half wasn't the first half. But when you look at the first half, We worked really well because the fullbacks had a player in front of them, Dorgue and Kunja. The number 10 just pressed with the attacker.

8:05And the midfielders just basically supported the press, but as a two and sat in as a two. And it worked really well. Now, you confuse that with a 3-4-3. The wingers are on their own. You've got too many centre-backs. You've got a midfield two that has to be part of the press as well. You've got two number 10s who sort of get lost in each other's role. And the striker who sort of gets lost because there's two number 10s dropping where he wants to go. I think the system in the first half worked really well. You've got two wide attackers who can tuck in if they want. You've got two holding midfielders who can push forward if they want.

8:40You've got one number 10 supporting one striker. And the fullbacks have support and they can overlap. And it worked really, really well. It worked really well in the first half. In the second half, not so much. But I think Amirim has made a rod for his own back. I really do. And I want to get into the comments on this this morning. We're going to go to the bit of the transfer news in a minute and then we'll come back to this. But I want to just say this. I have to say that everybody who's been saying we need to play a back four, we need to play a back four, you are right, but you're not right for the reason I said we shouldn't do it.

9:13You know, I mean, Jamie Carragher probably thinks he's solely responsible for Amirim playing a back four because he did it in white trainers on Monday night football. You lot have been talking about it for bloody nearly a year. I think that Amrim going to a back four is ultimately, in a strange way, going to cause him more problems than losing because we've seen something we like. The majority of us like what we saw in the first half. And then in the second half, he stopped doing it and we didn't like it. But we still won the game. Imagine if we'd drawn that game or lost the game because of the second half performance.

9:49It'd be an absolute shit, basically. So what's he going to do against Wolves? Surely you play the back four. It's Wolves. Then what are you going to do away to lead? So you're going to go to a back five again. Then what are you going to do when the players come back from AFCON and Bruno comes back? What are you going to do then? And people are going to be demanding the back four. And he's not a back four manager. So what I was always saying is he's not a back four manager. He was brought in because of what he did at Sporting, which wasn't a back four. Ineos have completely misprofiled him and not supported him.

10:23I feel sorry for Amrim because a year in, he is now basically having to copy Ten Hag and Oli to keep his job. But because he's and he shouldn't have done it. He should have stuck to what he was all about. He should have stuck to his principles. The Pope's not going to change me and all that. But he's changed it. and he can say he's changing it because it's the month of the AFCON and then he's going to go back to it. That's the worst thing you can do in a world. That's the worst thing. It's like your mum changing Christmas dinner for one Christmas and it's better than every other year. And then she goes back.

10:51Everyone's like, fucking hell, last year was, you know. So I think that he can't get away with, I'm only playing a back four for a month because we're all going to want it. And that's why I was very against him going to a back four because I was like, I know what'll happen when he does it. And even I've fallen victim to it. I've seen it yesterday in the first half, and I don't want to go back to your system anymore. I don't like it. I want to see a back four week in, week out at Man United. I want to see full backs and wingers. I want to see two midfielders. I want to see one number 10 supporting a striker.

11:22I want to see two centre backs. I mean, Martinez and Heaven put in the best defensive performance of the season with two centre backs, and that gets missed as well. So I want to see Man United play like we did in the first half for the rest of the season. If he does that, he's completely ripped up what he's all about. If he doesn't do that, people are going to say, well, we want to go back to that. So he's made a rod for his own back. But on a positive, I just think we've got to stick with a back four now and be a back four team. It's who we are. It's what we've always been. And we're more suitable to it.

12:04And either Amriem is going to have to change and become a back four manager, which is a bit odd, or we're going to have to change him. But we've got to get to the summer with a back four because I think we will get European football. And then, you know, if Amriem doesn't like it, he can go. I mean, look, there are there's multiple there's multiple solutions here. But the main thing is to get European football, whether it's Europa League or hopefully the Champions League. and if Ruben Amrim gets to the end of the season and says, I don't like playing a back four, it's not who I am and leaves, but we've got European football.

12:35I mean, at the end of the day, thank you very much, off you go. If he gets to the end of the season with a back four and says, I actually quite like the back four, I'm going to abandon it, then you keep him. But I think we've got to do what's best for the team. And what struck me a little bit with Amrim's comments after the game, talking about there's no press conference, you've got your back four, you've got your clean sheet, you can't talk about Maynou. it felt a little bit like he was frustrated, even though that's probably the most. That first 45 minutes is probably the best vision I've seen of Amrum in a year.

13:09The best version of Amrum I've seen in a year, but I don't think he likes it. I think we like it and I don't think he does. As for Bruno Fernandes, a lot of people are talking about Bruno. I want to talk about Bruno in a little bit as to whether, like, some people think we're a better team without Bruno based on 90 minutes against Newcastle. you're basically judging it on 45 minutes because only the first half was decent the second half was crap you know with or without Bruno it's crap so the first half it's too much of a small profile but there's pros and cons about that let me get into a bit of news and get into some of your comments I'm going to do some of your comments first but we've got to talk about James Garner and this other midfielder very exciting news overnight Sam Brock's guitar says if he actually gets the players to play 3-4-3 in his way he did at sporting, I don't think people would be pining for the back four.

13:57Yeah, but you know what, Sam? I don't know whether anyone else is with me. This was like an epiphany, a Christmas epiphany watching that first half. I've heard everyone going on about the back four and I've been very comfortable that Amram is not a back four manager, he's a 3-4-3 and he must do it. But seeing that back four yesterday, two centre-backs, wingers supporting full backs, one number 10, two midfielders who actually know what they're doing. I want that. I want that. And look, you know, you'll get this in life. You might be in a relationship and you might meet someone else and go, I like this person, but that's what I want.

14:38You know, I like Amarim. I was excited about bringing him into the club, but I want a back four. I saw it yesterday and it's like, you know, that's what I want. I have to be honest, that's what I want. And it's going to cause problems because we're not about to go on a 10-game winning streak with a 3-4-3. And if he gets it, he could do a 10-game winning streak with a back four, but he'll never do it with a 3-4-3. So we're going to have this bump. Lots of people this morning are probably like me. Brilliant result against Newcastle, feel very optimistic. But the bigger question is, what are we now?

15:14Are we a back four team? Are we a 3-4-3 team? Is he going to try and do both, which will cause chaos? I want to see Man United play in a back four. So Amram either gets on board with that or he gets out. You know, it's as simple as that. We're Manchester United. I like the back four. I didn't think it mattered that much. But seeing it last night, I want to see that, you know. And if it's until the AFCON, says Savage, maybe it is. But, you know, I think it's going to be very interesting. You could argue Conte and Alonso changed to be better, says Robert McCormack. Last day says the second half, the continual long balls from the keeper and defence was criminal.

15:53How nobody's talking about that baffles me. We needed to maintain possession better and show tactics. Look, the second half wasn't good. Like I watched it very quickly this morning, last day. the result was really good the first half I liked the setup the second half was terrible the question really is that you could spend a lot of time talking about the second half but we won the game let's see what happens over the next few games he made some mistakes his explanation of Casemiro we'll talk about in a few minutes but ultimately the second half I think again was just a problem of a manager that when he's in front of it in a game can't kill a game off doesn't know what to do, especially at Old Trafford.

16:32Countless times he gets in front and he parks the bus and he invites... I mean, look at West Ham. People moan about the Everton game against 10 men or the Bournemouth game for all. The West Ham game was the worst. We were struggling against West Ham, but we were in control. We get the goal and then we sit back and invite pressure. And it's like, we sort of did that again. When we're in front in a game, he panics and tries to defend what we've got, but it gives the opposition momentum, possession and chance creation. Bruno's not a problem. Play him as a cam and Cunyre as left wing, says Ian. Patrick Lynch, Merry Christmas pal.

17:07He says, has Amrim been exposed or have the players and board been exposed? Amrim is known for his system previously, but hasn't been given the tools. If anything, this worries me. We won't ever be getting them for him. Patrick, you're absolutely spot on. The voice of reason. I think Like fundamentally, Amrim is exposed because he has not been given what he needs to play his system. And he probably is pissed off and he probably is frustrated because what will annoy him is that everybody's really happy with what they saw in the first half and the players were happy. But that's not who he is. And the board haven't supported him to be what he needs to be.

17:48And the players haven't supported him to be what he wants to be. They've been reluctant. They've been inconsistent. And then you go back to Ten Hogs or Oli's or Mourinho's back four or whatever. And suddenly they look happy. They look like they know what they're doing. So he's having to abandon what he's all about to please everybody. And yet again, you've got another manager, potentially Patrick, who isn't actually doing what we brought them to be, is doing what is needed to survive. And Ten Hog never replicated Ajax at Man United. and Amrim is not replicating sporting. I spoke about it on the watch-along last night.

18:29A few people had commented about it. That second half performance, I mean, look, I was looking at the Dorghu goal. Brilliant. Ramsdale gets a hand on that. It's a bloody good goal, but Ramsdale could have saved that and he didn't. And if we hadn't scored that goal, where were we going to score from? You know, it was an amazing goal and it's three brilliant points, but let's not kid ourselves. That result could have been anything last night. So there's a lot of work still to be done in this strangest of strangest seasons. But I've got to say, I'm quite enthusiastic about Wolves because I'm interested to see how he's going to approach that game.

19:09Now, will he go back four or will he go three at the back? Ineos made a mistake bringing an owner and room and room as coach, says John. I don't care about the system at this point, says Sam. we need to play a way where we can get results and give him time. I think Ruben has realised this, says Sam. Well, I disagree with that, Sam. I mean, I don't disagree with what you're saying and I understand what you're saying, but I disagree with that personally. I think after a year of being in charge at Man United, you can't just be about results. You know, we are Manchester United and much the same as Liverpool.

19:42Liverpool fans, if they're winning games, OK, you're always happy to win, but we are football clubs that are slightly bigger than just results. We have to do things the right way. We have to be proud of what we're doing. We have to see a pathway to what we're going to do. We have to see vision and performance. So, yeah, he is surviving on results. We're definitely in results mode. But I think, you know, we do need to see what we're going to be. And I think there is a bit this morning where you're sort of like, ooh, it could be really exciting. Or is he going to go back to what we were doing before?

20:16Maliki says Amrim's too conservative with his tactics. Kiel says he would have to be an absolute tart to not embrace the back four. I've not heard anyone be called a tart for a while, but respect that he did it. It just makes sense. It's about how long he's going to do it for Kiel, isn't he? Is he going to stick with this, which I think he has to, or is he going to go back to what he was before? Southgate ball and it stinks as Josh and robotics says, hi, Goldbridge. What do you think that the transfer window is going to bring? Do you think it's going to bring excitement or is it going to be the same?

20:44Well, what a lovely segue into some news this morning around James Garner and also Manu Kone. We'll talk about him in a minute. But the mail overnight talking about Man United looking at James Garner. Now, would you bring James Garner to Manchester United? We will do a quick poll on that one whilst I'll give you the news. Would you... And please do smash the like on the video and share it because we've got nearly 10 ,000 watching, which is fantastic this Saturday morning, isn't it? Would you sign James Garner? So we've been linked to James Garner from Everton this morning by the mail. He is a new name that Man United have added to their list, potentially for the summer.

21:27He's out of contract in the summer, but he has got a plus one by Everton, which they're definitely going to activate, of course. So, you know, it wouldn't be a free transfer. First and foremost, let's get the news right. He's not available on a free transfer unless Everton don't extend, which they clearly will. However, it doesn't make him not an option for Manchester United. I think, look, Agathe's performance last night, let's not polish a turd. It was, and it wasn't a turd performance last night. That's not what I'm saying. But his performances this season have been crap. Last night, I think it was probably his best performance of the season.

22:01Now, again, is that because he's next to Casemiro, which has worked in the past? I seem to recall, it's a long time, but I think that's the midfield too that many of us wanted last season. So you put two midfielders in a 4-3-3 and it works. You put two midfielders with three centre-backs and two wing-backs and it doesn't work. So figure that one out. Is it just Bruno or is it the system? Either way, they worked better in a back four behind them in the first half and they worked better together because I think they're both midfielders. now whether it's the January transfer window or the summer transfer window the biggest growth and most urgent growth area in that team that needs attention is the midfield we need more Agates and more Casamiros desperately Bruno Fernandes we'll talk about Bruno in a few minutes if Bruno Fernandes had played last night in the midfield I think we lose the game if Bruno Fernandez is playing next to Casemiro in that 4-3-3, I think we lose the game.

23:08He's too indisciplined, he'd be running after Mason Mount, he'd be here, there and everywhere, and he'd leave holes and we'd get absolutely exposed. Agarte basically tracked Bruno Gomez yesterday. If you watch it back or you watched it in real time and you noticed it, he didn't quite do a Herrera on Hazard all those years ago, but it wasn't far off. If you watch the game, he's tracking Bruno G a lot in that game. Well, you can't do that if that's Bruno. And he would have played Bruno instead of Agate. So I think we probably would have lost the game because Agate did a very decent job in that midfield next to Casemiro.

23:46And if you put Bruno there, you're in trouble. So if we're going to play a 4-3-3, Bruno's got to play where Mount was. But then what do you do with Cunha and Mount? you know so this is something for in a minute but talking about James Garner the growth area for United has got to be midfielders who can play in a midfield too well James Garner can do it obviously Wharton can do it Anderson can do it Stiller can do it Belaba can do it but that's the growth area for Manchester United and it can't just be the summer you know you look at that league table for Manchester United and obviously it's going to change a lot today because everybody else is going to play but you look at our next few games and they could be, you know, we shouldn't be going anywhere.

24:31Let's put it that way. We should be maintaining at least where we are. You're in the race for Champions League football. Now it's going to be very difficult because so are Liverpool, Chelsea, Villa and Man City. But we're in that race. And obviously we've got Arsenal and Man City coming up. But with Leeds, Burnley and Wolves coming up, we should be able to put ourselves in a good position by mid-January. and then it's going to be about what we do in the window and what we do when everyone comes back, like Bruno and the AFCON, because we could put ourselves into fourth or third and then lose to Arsenal and Man City and drop down again and then be back in the shit again.

25:09So I think the January transfer window is absolutely huge and what he's going to do with the formation is really, really huge. But I'm not against United buying three midfielders, like whether it's James Garner, Carla Gallagher, Ruben Neves we do need a player like that alongside hopefully a Stilla and an Anderson or a Baleba and a Wharton we need three midfielders Casemiro is not going to be around for much longer Agarte, I don't know whether we can trust Agarte I think he's a bench player at best Maynou we don't know what's going to happen and Bruno, well I don't think Bruno can play that role so I think we need to bring some midfielders I mean look, 53 % of you wouldn't bring James Garner in now it's time for a little word from today's podcast sponsor and as a preview they have a great discount for you it's been a long season so far and after a year of grinding you've earned a little something special for yourself this upcoming festive season is all about taking a break recharging and actually enjoying the things you want and that's where air up comes in air up lets you drink plain water that tastes full of flavor through scents alone no sugar no additives just simple hydration made better and for someone who spends as much time talking football as I do it's been a great addition to the routine.

26:27If you want to try it for yourself hit the link in the show notes or visit airup.link slash the united stand and of course you can use the code gold and you get an amazing 10 % off at checkout. So what are you waiting for smash the link in the show notes or visit airup.link slash the united stand and elevate your hydration game today. The other player we've been linked to is Manu Kone. Now, Manu Kone at Roma is a player that we have been linked to before. This came out last night from Italy. It's not news, but it's a fairly credible rumour. I've been told by multiple sources that he'll leave Roma in June and join Manchester United.

27:09I don't know if this has anything to do with Xerxes' deal. He might have been included as some sort of counterpart. This remains to be seen. But what's certain is that Kone is very keen on the destination. and it looks like he could be joining Manchester United in June. So that's coming in from Italy from a journalist called Francesco Teodori. I mentioned this last summer from our source that there was a midfielder that we were very close to moving for. And I mentioned it and then I told you the name in October that it was Manu Kone. So I know for a fact that we're very in, Manu Kone is a name we've been mentioning on this channel for about 12 months, not 12 months, eight months.

27:49So I know the club like him. It's just not a popular name to throw about there because everyone talks about the Labour and Wharton. So these sort of, I'm not bothered about being linked with James Garner or Manu Kone. I don't mind because everybody's going to go, but I want Anderson. I want the Labour. I want Anderson. But we probably need two or three midfielders. So look, bottom line is, I said it a couple of weeks ago, if we put James Garner and Polina in our midfield or James Garner and Sander Berg in our midfield, we'd be better than we have been for the last three months. We saw it last night.

28:27Casemiro and Agate ain't world beaters, but they are two midfielders that are quite disciplined and do their job. If we can get better players than Agate and Casemiro, we're going to become be a better team and people like James Garner would make us a better team at the moment. They would because our midfield is really crap. So I don't know who we're going to get in the midfield, but I'm still absolutely adamant, especially last night proved it even more. Casemiro comes off. We haven't really got anybody and I'm not buying the whole Bruno Mainu injury thing. Casemiro comes off. You put Bruno or Mainu in that role.

29:04They're not really that type of a midfielder, where you're digging in and you need to be composed and structured. We are massively short. Agate and Casemiro, the only two we've got that can protect a back four, they're the only two we've got that can be disciplined and do their job in a defensive way. And if you play a 4-3-3, you do need a midfield two that can support your defence. We can't do that with Bruno. We can't play a back four with Bruno as a midfield two. So we need to be buying midfielders ASAP because I want to see us playing a back four and we haven't got enough midfielders to do that.

29:42So look, if it's James Scarner, if it's Manu Kone, I don't really care. We need to get some midfielders in and we need to do something in January. And I'm not going to be fooled by that and probably being maybe fourth or third, maybe not third, but maybe fourth in a week or two because we've got Leeds, Burnley and Wolves. We still need midfielders. So that's where we need to go. Because if we don't, I think that, you know, we're going to be back down to 7th or 8th by mid-February again. Because we can't move away from the fact that Newcastle dominated as in the second half. And we had 33 % possession at home.

30:21You know, I've left that late in the show purposely because I'm upbeat and I feel good. But 33 % possession at home is shocking. It's absolutely shocking. We won that game with a worldie and 33 % possession at home. So let's not pretend we can take a lot from last night. There's a lot that a lot of people are saying, I'm not taking from last night. I'm taking the three points. I'm taking the back four. It's going to be very interesting to see what we do from here. But you know what? Let me just talk about this. This is why he took Casemiro off. Tell me what your thoughts are on this. he basically said that I don't want to take off Cunha because he's the only one who allows us to breathe Fletcher had only just come on and Agate was fresher than Casemiro they were making a lot of runs and I felt that he was going to struggle so that's why he took Casemiro off because he'd only just brought Fletcher on he felt Agate was going to struggle and they were making a lot of runs and he didn't want to take Cunha off Look, I think he's sort of glazing over the point there.

31:34Who did he take Casemiro off for? I can't remember. Did you need to take Casemiro off? And I think that is... Heige says you're hammering him out, mate. I'm sorry, mate. You're just going to get blocked. It's Saturday morning, rather, and really good conversation. I feel really upbeat and nobody's talking about hammering him out. So I don't know. Just go off and go and eat your selection box. In fact, shove it up your arse, you negative twat. I can't be arsed for that. At what point in the last half an hour have we not been upbeat and, you know, hoping that we're going to start playing a back four?

32:08You know, strange. Yeah, I can't remember who he brought. Casimiro was for Yoro, apparently. Look, I thought the Casimiro substitution was strange because he likes Casimiro, and I didn't feel that Casimiro was having any problems. But you know what I think it was? I think he wanted to go back to the back five. I don't think it was about taking Kunia off or Agate off or Fletcher. I think he wanted to go back to the back five out of possession. And to do that, he needed to bring another defender on because at that point, his only defenders was a back four. So I think he wanted to get another defender on.

32:43So that's why he took Kazimier off. I don't think it was anything to do with Kunia or Fletcher or Agate. I think he wanted to go to the back five. I hope Bruno is a write-off and gone this year, says John. 4-3-3 has always been Man United's genetics I like Cunha and Mount our future cam bring more wingers and needs left back look the Bruno conversation we'll probably get more into at 8 o 'clock tonight on the 8 o 'clock show what I would say is what an amazing achievement to win a game without somebody that Amarim's been can't shut up about you know all week without Bruno without Bruno without Bruno that was getting on my nerves like he's one fucking player and he isn't Roy Keane so you know Bruno is our best player but it was getting a bit nauseating how every bloody interview he was talking about it we won a game of football against a decent side 1-0 kept a clean sheet and we did it without Bruno and we didn't play particularly well in the second half but we showed character and we showed determination which is apparently what your captain's there for So I don't think we missed Bruno yesterday.

33:54I really don't. In fact, you could argue that we might have lost with Bruno in the midfield because he wouldn't have been able to do what Agathe did. But it's not the end for Bruno. I don't think going to a back four would be the end for Bruno. You'd just have to play him as the 10, where Mount played in the first half. But you cannot play a back four. And I think even Amrim knows this. You cannot, when Bruno comes back in the midfield, put Bruno next to Casemiro and play a back four. That can't happen. because the reason you can play Bruno in the midfield, and I don't think you can really, but the reason he does it is because he's got three centre-backs behind him.

34:28And his theory is I've got an extra defender to support the fact that Bruno is not very good defensively. If you go to a back four, Martinez and Heaven are going to get absolutely overrun with Bruno as one of the protectors. So you can't play Bruno as a midfielder in a four back four. So if we're going to, and this is probably why we won't stick with the back four, because if you're not going to play Bruno in the midfield in a back four, you've got to play him as the 10. But then that means you've got to drop Cunha or Mount because you're going to be playing Ahmad and Embermo as your wingers. So Bruno can play in a back four.

35:05If you look at the first half, Bruno has to play where Mount is and he's very, very good at it. But that means you've probably got to drop Mount or Cunha and also you can't play Bruno in the midfield. So we could have beaten Newcastle with Bruno in the first half. He would have just had to play where Mount is, which is not necessarily a problem because Mason Mount, I don't know whether he's injured or not. But I want to see Kunja playing there. I actually think there's a lot of things from last night that people didn't really maybe grasp in the win. I think Kunja looks a lot better in a team without Bruno and Mbermo in it because he becomes the focal point.

35:46And I think when you've got Bruno and Embermo in there, you're sharing the load a little bit. And I thought Embermo was the... Mason Mount presses well, gets the ball and gives it to better players. And Kunja's the focal point in that team when you haven't got Bruno and Embermo in it. And it suits him. The goal sort of comes from him because he wins the throw-in, doesn't he? Mason Mount works really well as a 10 because he presses really well. but he hasn't got the body for it which is a shame uh it's so frustrating i don't know i don't know what the um i don't know what the issue is with mason mount but it's very very frustrating because i actually i actually liked his performance in the first half he leads the press really well he's intelligent he gets the ball and he plays the pass he's exactly what you want in that role but i just don't think we can count on him which is such a shame and i've not heard anything on the injury.

36:41I wish it was tactical, but I don't think it was. I don't think Sesco was as bad as people think. I mean, look, hands on heart. Amorim wanted an experienced striker. You can understand why. We've got a prospect up front who's having to learn on the go in a club where you can't learn. But I like Dorgu on the right-hand side. I know it's a stopgap, but he can do the role. I mentioned Cunha. I thought Casemiro and Agate were steady. I thought Martinez and Heaven were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I thought Luke Shaw and Deleuze were reasonable. They weren't terrible. And Lemens was good. But that's all first half.

37:25Second half was chaotic. I mean, it's really difficult to... You're watching two games of football. The first half, you can find so many positives. and mainly it's the back four and having a midfield that's disciplined. The second half, it's really difficult. It's so chaotic. I was having an argument with somebody that we've gone back to a back five, but then you look at it, it was a back six. At times it was a back six. So the second half was really confusing, but the first half was good. But I don't think he was trying to sabotage the first half on purpose like some people are saying, but that's incredible.

38:01Did you ever think that the goals and chances created will stop now with different formation. Club haven't supported him. Very sad, says Sticky Sausage. I think you'll be massively pissed off that the team got a clean sheet with a back four. You know, look, we're all, well, no, we're not all like this, but, you know, when you have your principles and you have to abandon them and then you get proved right, it's not a nice feeling, even though winning that game, he should be very proud of it because he was the manager. I think you could detect that in his press conference afterwards that he felt there was an element of pissed off because what he's all about has been exposed by the fact that that's not what he's all about.

38:42And we got a clean sheet and we won. Delo seems like a netball player, better with the ball in hands than at his feet. Bloody useless, honest to God, he must go in the summer, says Lee. Brett has gifted a membership. You're a legend, mate. Thank you very much. And Rajaf says, I can't lie, this Yaro versus heaven competition for who's better is tantalising. Starboys pushing each other to new levels is what United is all about. Well, I don't like doing that, Rajaf, because I like Yoro. But right now, heaven is ahead. If I'm picking a team, heaven's in it and Yoro's not. So competition for places, I agree, is good.

39:19I don't like it when it becomes like Bruno versus Pogba, because I liked both players. I think when they play for Manchester United, I don't like, and it does happen, it's a modern phenomenon. them. I've seen it at Arsenal. I've seen it at Liverpool. It can become quite toxic. There's plenty of examples at Manchester United where it's two players pitted against each other and you feel like you've got a... Delo Juan Bissaka was one, wasn't it? There's plenty of others. I like the fact that we've got two players fighting each other for places. Healthy competition. I don't want to be like, if he picks Yaro, why is heaven not playing or anything like that?

39:57We'd be insane to go to 4-4-2 and not have Bruno at 10, says Sam. Well, look, what we saw in the first half yesterday was a glimpse of what Man United can be. Full stop. I don't need to say without Amorim, without Bruno, whatever. That first half performance filled me with more joy than I've had in 12 months. It was, it was, it wasn't perfect. Newcastle actually had us on the ropes for 20 minutes but it was competitive it caused Newcastle's problems at times it was a very equal game the first half by the way and we scored a worldie it wasn't dominant but I respect Newcastle as a good team and to be fair that's the first time we've played that system competitively so it can only get better I wouldn't expect it to be perfect but you're playing a decent team and it was competitive I liked it so you look at that first half and you go well this is a world where you don't need Maguire anymore you know there's a world where we don't need Casemiro anymore Bruno wasn't there either I mean is that not what this is what I thought was going to happen in the summer I thought that first 45 minutes against Newcastle yesterday was what we were going to get in the summer a new Man United.

41:19I felt that first 45 minutes yesterday is the most optimistic I've felt in 12 months. I actually felt like this could be the start of something. You know, Mason Mount as the 10, Kunja left, Dorgue right, Sesko up front, two midfielders that know what they're doing, you know, a back four. Obviously, I don't want Deleu at right back. I don't want Agate in the midfield. I'm not really wanting Dorgue on the wing. there's still a lot of work. But when you buy players, I like to buy players knowing I've got a plan. I think at the moment we buy players and we don't have a plan. That first half to me was sort of like, that's who we are.

41:59Let's bring the players in for that. The problem we've got and why I don't think he's going to stick with it, and this is going to be the debate, I don't think he's going to stick with it because how does he stick with it? He's got too many number 10s. he's got way too many number 10s for that system he hasn't got enough wingers and he's got too many centre-backs for the for a back two so and he hasn't got enough midfielders so to play a 4-2-3-1 or whatever it is he hasn't got enough wingers he hasn't got enough midfielders he's got too many number 10s and too many centre-backs so this squad is sort of halfway to being built for hammer him and halfway towards a back four.

42:42I think we need to put the handbrake on and be a back four club. Some clubs have a DNA and you could sense it from the crowd. You can sense it from our live chat yesterday. That first 45 minutes, everybody sort of like took a deep breath like a dog when it's about to go to sleep and went, you know, it was something to build upon, but I'm not convinced we're going to keep it. I'm not convinced we're going to keep it. Andy Atherton says I'm confused I'm frustrated one game then happy the next it's 3-4-3 4-3-3 6-3-1 5-3-2 then it's Martinez as a midfielder or the low left wing back or right wing back false nines Brun out of position and I find myself Amram in again says Andy well you'll probably find yourself Amram out again in about two weeks when he goes back to the 3-4-3 and yeah um yeah uh but look I can't all I can say is I felt optimistic about the first half and confused by the second half.

43:37I don't know. Ruben Amrum is probably the most conflicted person around our fan base at the moment because he's probably thinking, I've got to abandon who I am to please the fans and the players. Do I want to do that? Or do I go back to what is frustrating the players and me? And it's going to be really interesting the next few weeks. But if he wins games, it buys him time. because if Newcastle had scored in the second half, the conversation this morning would be, why did you change what was working in the first half? So look, as with United, it's always box office, isn't it? But look, overarchingly, we need to buy midfielder in January.

44:21Absolutely. Absolutely. Oliver, welcome to the Members Club. Thank you very much. Love that. Thank you for getting your badge in. jpath says mixed emotions ecstatic with the win but uncertainty about the future if amram stays back four when injuries are an afcon come back what will we do heaven over the lit amad left out i want back four but do we have too many cams and center backs um thanks for your super chat super chat i think that's absolutely you could you know that that sentence is is brilliant it's absolutely how i feel i think it will resonate with a lot of people really happy with the win really enthusiastic about the back four, but very concerned that he's not going to stick with it.

45:03He's not going to stick with it. He hasn't got the players for it. And it's not what he's all about. So it's intriguing. But, you know, I don't know. I don't know what he's going to do. It's amazing that you can win a game of football and not, you know, normally, you know, you think about Solskjaer, Ten Hag, Mourinho, when they're under pressure and they win, it's almost like, well, they're okay for a week. Amram's won a game and somehow he's won a game against, it's one of our best wins of the season, let's be honest. Newcastle are a good side. I know they're struggling, but I think they're a good side.

45:44He's had one of his best wins of the season and then, but he's created more questions than if we'd drawn the game. It's weird. John says, I like the back four as well, but how do we give playing time to all our centre-backs? I know we've got too many centre-backs to go to a centre-backs. Look, I would play Martinez and De Ligt, but then you've got Yoro, Heaven, Shaw, Maguire. Where are they going to get minutes? We're not in Europe. And look, I haven't even spoken about this. I don't think Luke Shaw can play left-back. I think he can, but I don't think his body can. I think he was blowing out of his ass second half again.

46:21He was absolutely knackered. So we haven't really got... We're all right at right back. You can play Masraoui. I mean, I actually think Masraoui suits right back better than... Here's a point for you. Who suits a 4-3-3 better than the 3-4-3? Le Mens doesn't matter. Masraoui and Deleu definitely suit a back four more than wing backs. So right-hand side, whatever you think of them, they definitely suit a back four better. I think all of our centre-backs are better in a centre-back pairing. De Ligt, Martinez, Yarrow, Heaven, Maguire. No, Maguire's better in a centre-back three. He struggles in a back four.

47:02Luke Shaw is our best left back, but I don't think he can do it anymore. Dorgou's a prospect. Midfield, there's only really Casemiro and Agate that can play a midfield two in a back four. 10 we've got arguably mainu bruno zerksy mount kunya and then wingers we've got amad and burmo and we've got one striker so we haven't got enough we haven't got enough players have we we haven't got enough players but we've this is why we need to be active in the window i don't think we've got enough players whatever system we play. Where do you expect us to end in the table today, says Thinking Cap? I think Liverpool will beat Wolves, obviously, which will put us to sixth.

47:52I think Villa-Chelsea doesn't really matter because we won't move up anyway. I think we'll be sixth, won't we? I've not really looked at it, but I'm not that bothered though because we've got Wolves next. So that's three points for us, whereas everybody else won't have Wolves. So I think Sunderland are playing tomorrow at home to Leeds.

48:15Palace have got Spurs. Brighton can't go above us anyway. But if you look at the Tuesday games, three points for us against Wolves. Villa play Arsenal. I mean, we could make some points on Villa. We could make six points on Villa if they lose to Chelsea today. And they lose to Villa, lose to Arsenal. Chelsea got Bournemouth on Tuesday. who else is playing who's in the top Liverpool play New Year's Day against Leeds

48:51look I've said this before in relation to the top top I think we've already got I think we've got six I think it's going to start to separate I think we've got six teams and I'm comfortable with that we desperately desperately need European football and I think we're going to see a breakaway of the top six. I don't know whether we can get in the top five. I mean, I don't know whether we can do that, but I'll be more comfortable if we can start to break away from seventh and eighth and ninth. That's really important because minimum, we've got to be your Aper League. There we go. Wolves to sack slot.

49:25You heard it here first, says John. It's a hell of a take. Do you think we start with a back four next match, says Oliver? I think we have to. I think we have to, but I don't know whether we will. I mean we're playing Wolves for fuck's sake we can't be playing a back 5 against Wolves I think he will play a back 4 against Wolves yes definitely are you doing the Forest City game I'm on that's football from quarter past 12 until half 7 tonight so I'm doing Forest City at half 12 then 3 o 'clock games like Liverpool and Arsenal's games and then half 5 Chelsea Villa so if you're all Christmas out and you feel like a little bit of a break Take yourself away somewhere.

50:06Get your laptop on, get your phone on and join us on that. Because I tell you what, I'm ready for some football today. I've enjoyed the Christmas break and I love the week between Christmas and New Year. And I'm looking forward to New Year. But football's now part. Football's on the menu, boys and girls. And that's on That's Football. So make sure you tune in there. I'll be with you in just over an hour. I would not take Conference League, Freddie. I think it's an absolute embarrassment. I'd rather not be in it than do Conference League. Conference League terrifies the shit out of me. I don't want to be in it.

50:35Sixth place will be Europa League one way or another. Anything lower than that, and you start to flirt with the Europa Conference League. So if we can start to see a separation between the top six and seventh, I'll start to breathe a little bit easier. Because I think we're going to lose games in the second half of the season. I think we're going to drop points, definitely. But the next three games is a buffer. If we can build a buffer on the Sunderlands and the Palace and the Brightons and the Everton's, I don't think they're consistent enough to go with us. So that's what I want to see over the next three games.

51:04Let's build a bit of a buffer and protect minimum Europa League. I'm happy with that. I'm happy with that. Villa want Watkins out. Should we sign him, says Rajah? I don't know. I don't know, Rajah, about Watkins. I don't know. I don't know. Anyway, thanks everybody for watching. Make sure you smash the like on the video. Ng says he's in the top 2 % of viewers. Yeah, hopefully everybody's had their YouTube wrapped now. we have got an 8 o 'clock show tonight I'm looking forward to it so tune in for that I'm going to watch some of the football and then I'm going to have a curry and then I'm going to be live at 8 o 'clock so thank you very much for watching and I've got my Martinez jumper on today bloody deserves it it was brilliant you can get one of these from United Stand Shopify by the way it's always been one of our best sellers take care everyone stay safe love the show this morning and what a nice feeling it is to be winning but talking about optimism around a back four.

52:05I'm going to be chanting this now. I just want a back four. I want a back four. Just play a back four every week. Abandon what you're all about. Play a back four or get out. Simple as that. Take care. Speak to you in a bit.

52:19What's going on, everyone? It's Bluff here. And you know what's more American than America's 250th birthday? Supporting American-owned companies like SpinQuest. America's number one social casino with over a thousand games like live dealer blackjack and craps. They're offering new users a$30 coin package for just$10. Go to spinquest.com and sign up today. SpinQuest is a free-to-play social casino. Void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.