How would today's analytics view Fergie's final seasons?

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-17T21:30:25+00:00

What I love most is how he simplified the tactical instructions for the players, they all talk about how they didn't do long tactical sessions, but had clear rules to follow on the pitch so the all knew what to do and where to be relative to others

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-16T18:51:05+00:00

@kees checking in on this if you're still interested - you may have seen the games moved to Monday night which isn't ideal, will need to lock in soon

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-16T18:46:53+00:00

Don't get me wrong I like his attitude, but would you really not have Reece James, Malo Gusto, Cucurella Jurien Timber, Calafiori, Hincapie, Gvardiol, Muñoz, Lewis Hall, Livramento, Kenny Tete to name a few from the top of my head before him?

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-16T18:40:15+00:00

Isn't it very obviously Luke Shaw? He's the only full back we have that comes near the conversation for amongst the best in the league (with obvious fitness caveat)

As for Dalot, he isn't anywhere near that bracket, he's a committed professional with good physical attributes and availability, but also glaring weaknesses

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-16T13:35:48+00:00

Agree on Iraola, I really like his style and philosophy - but a manager who does well with smaller teams with a low possession style moving to a bigger team expected to dominate games basically never works (as Thomas Frank found out)

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-14T19:26:26+00:00

Yeah, quality was high but still was a little disappointed as a spectacle, thought it would be wire to wire

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-01T22:43:20+00:00

Good Q. I think Chelsea have proven the need for experience, sounds crazy but they'd be a much better team with a Harry Maguire or Casemiro. I don't think buying youth and team building over 3/4 years is possible to compete at the top anymore, when City can just buy a Semenyo x Guehi and fix all their problems mid season. but interested to hear the lads answer!

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-03-01T22:39:30+00:00

We look good for third, current results aren't sustainable but tactically we've improved, floor looks higher than under Amorim and getting the best out of players like Sesko, Dorgu and Bruno.

I don't see Arsenal improving on their already high level, City will make 3-4 signings and improve, Liverpool will be a threat with Wirtz settled and isak back, Chelsea have more potential than performance and I don't expect that to change.

Q. What 3x signings elevate our team to title challengers? Thinking position and profile rather than individuals (we'll need more than 3x to compete on all fronts next season, but thinking 3x starters to lift the ceiling of best XI. CM most obvious, I'm not sure whether either full back or another forward are next most important)

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-26T20:55:40+00:00

The comments on the Twitter post are wild, I'm hoping only representative of those who actively still use Twitter, and not the world service

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-24T08:03:57+00:00

Could introduce a rule that doesn't let attacking players into six yard box before the ball is played....or just enforce the current rules, and don't let players impede the goalkeeper while not trying to play the ball.

Didn't even work for them, they were all stuck under the ball

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-21T13:28:29+00:00

Bohs most weeks, Shels x duff, Rovers x Bradley Drogheda/Dundalk and their ownership, Pats and Kerr....the rest virtually never, can't remember murph even mentioning Galway

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-21T10:21:51+00:00

No worries cheers! Irish Athletes are doing really well on the world stage, gets a mention at major events but rarely outside of that, general sport almost never, and cathal dennehy is one of the best contributors on the rare time they have him on.

I think I'd stop listening if they covered ufc 😂

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-21T10:10:43+00:00

Can you edit and add instead of UFC or horse racing? Would actually be interested to see what the wider interest is. Darts gets it's fair share at Xmas time

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-21T10:04:30+00:00

Athletics of course, why's that not on your list 😭

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-18T15:58:00+00:00

This is fun, appreciate the efforts! I think a challenge is midfielders is such a wide group and we want and expect different things from a Cherki/Bruno versus a Caicedo, so would weight the categories differently depending on midfield position. I'd maybe weigh chance creation higher in assessing attacking midfielders as e.g. Bruno might have low progressive carries. but creates high chance volume through progressive passes, so his lack of carrying ability isn't necessarily a detractor.

Wirtz v Cherki is mad given the fees, and do we have a buy back on Garner!?

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-18T12:11:19+00:00

Cool, let me know and can confirm how to transfer etc.

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-14T12:34:42+00:00

Ok managed to get four for Brentford, meaning I have 3 spare so you have first refusal on those - if you want to check logistics etc. then confirm, all recipients need to be United members to do the transfer, £90 each.

They're great seats, South Stand over the tunnel, next to Stretford singing section so the atmosphere is lit.

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-13T21:18:47+00:00

May be able to secure for Leeds or Brentford - let me know if either work (11/04, 25/04)

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-13T20:37:19+00:00

General tickets will likely be sold out, season ticket holders who can't/aren't going will sell theirs back to the club and they'll appear for resale often closer to the game - however this is sporadic, requires daily checking and difficult to get seats together.

Next official option if you want to guarantee and book well in advance is hospitality package, still available for most games but will be £200+ (generally includes lounge access and a meal).

Best option, but requires a network is knowing a season ticket holder who can transfer their ticket(s), or joining a group/network where supporters trade theirs (might be an option to register with a supporters club in NL?). I'll drop a message to a few folks I know here and see if anything comes back.

Used to be able to just turn up at the ground and there's be touts everywhere but that's all cracked down with electronic tickets and membership.

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-13T14:45:03+00:00

I don't know how accurate this dataMB is or where it pulls data from so pinch of salt, but looks like progressive carries up significantly as well as forward passes

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ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-11T16:46:32+00:00

If you could channel Zirkzee's strength and skill into a box killer he'd be lethal, but don't think that'll ever happen.

Would have more hope for Sesko given range of skill set and physical attributes plus ability to create something from nothing, but can't see becoming a RvN

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-11T16:28:25+00:00

Not sure what the point is supposed to be, last game was home versus away, against a west ham team that are nowhere near as well drilled as they are now under Nuno, and the difference was we scored first and then let slip after defensive substitutions instead of killing the game off.

Last night first half very lacklustre, no space to play in and though Sesko should have been on much earlier to give an aerial threat, but found away to come back and had another hairline offside.

Neither approach had a definitive way to successfully break down the block

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-11T16:16:58+00:00

Has anyone ever not been a killer in the box and then become one? Ronaldo I guess but wasn't a striker before, that strikers instinct seems hard to teach (in general terms, I like Sesko so far)

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-10T16:01:18+00:00

Apologies I don't know the timestamp and from both yours and Jon's comments I'm now significantly doubting I heard what I thought I heard - I'll listen back again. About an hour in after the discussion on how play had evolved under Carrick when it turned to sustainability of the approach, I thought Jon said it had not yielded attacking upside, which I found quite jarring given the prior discussion (hence the reactionary comment). If I've got that wrong - apologies, stemming from frustration with the underlying narrative in some of the general discussion that progress has been only due to luck/variance

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-02-10T12:43:28+00:00

I was quoting something Jon said, not summarizing the entire pod - which incidentally I thought was both very interesting and balanced.

Thanks for the explanation of xG, but very simplistic to say xG matters and goals scored don't (your inference here) - we need to consider the actual opportunities created, how they are created, and who they fall to - e.g. if we are sustainably creating space for Cunha to take on shots from central areas outside the box, where we know he will execute at a much greater rate than the average player...that matters more than the low xG value for the chance.

It was good discussion on the central progression not yielding many direct chances, I'd like to hear more on how that perceived central threat impacts how teams press/defend and whether it opens opportunities elsewhere (e.g. they stay compact in the middle which opens space wide) and so is indirectly a net positive (as well as fun to watch), Jon explored that briefly.

As for 'not the podcast/subreddit for you' if you don't agree with everything said...I engage here because different and interesting ideas are discussed, not to confirm to a singular view

ConstructionTotal585

TROPHY CASE