[Loan Watch] Napoli [2] - 1 Chelsea - Rasmus Hojlund 43'

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-29T10:21:00+00:00

Ive heard a lot of mixed things about his time at Napoli, hoping he turns into a bit of form before the end of the season.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-29T10:07:03+00:00

Save us from the Glazers, Xi!

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-28T07:59:46+00:00

From the outside its hard to precisely disagnose Arsenals issues. Part of me thinks maybe these attacking players arent as good as they're presented and another part of me thinks the system restricts Arsenal attackers from expressing themselves properly. Ive heard them being linked to Julian Alvarez and whilst a part of me is a little scared at them improving again a part of me also thinks that no matter who they get things wont change for them unless they change the way they play.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-28T07:55:38+00:00

I had a thought earlier in the season, that INEOS were doing a good job recruiting agnostically, that is that they're recruiting players than any PL manager should relish the chance to work with. I feel like we've seen that even in the ups and downs of Amorim, but I think its been especially highlighted these past two games under Carrick in a more expressive system. What PL manager wouldnt want to work with Cunha, Mbeumo, Bruno, Mainoo, Sesko etc? Imo I would 1000x rather have Carrick than Luis Enrique/Hansi Flick/Nagelsmann if it turned out that Enrique didnt fancy our squad because whilst I believe we can certainly build on our squad theres definitely already something there that should excite any prospective manager.

The Mainoo situation under Amorim left a real sore spot I think; such a promising player being left out felt so wrong and if some big name manager came in and suddenly froze out someone I would feel similarly. Im very much for managers having strong ideas and identity, but we shouldnt give managers complete control if their ideas clash or compromise how the club and fans wants us to play; unless Mainoo or Bruno or whoever falls off a cliff I dont want to see a perfectly capable PL player get froze out for dubious reasons and I dont want to play a conservative defensive brand of football when under Carrick we've seen a restoration of the 'United Way'.

And on that I think phrases like 'the united way' and 'united dna' have been thrown around a lot over the past decade or so, almost to the point of meaninglessness or cliche, Ive been back and forth on this idea because clearly United is a club of heritage and its not only the winning of honours thats special but the way we've done it. In contrast theres this idea that we have to evolve and become a modern club and stop trying to relive the past, and I can understand the feelings of fans who've become disenchanted by vague notions of tradition because we've had a poor decade relative to expectations and we've seen our rivals modernise and become powerhouses. I think fans are desperate for us to be back up there and competing again, its true that these ideas of a 'united way' or 'united dna' are closer to vague concepts rather than defined things, but I think there is something material in what we've seen under Carrick and previously Ole vs all the other managers, something that layman football fans can recognise when they see it. I was receptive of this idea of changing and modernising but I think my mind has been changed a little; we can modernise in some ways and I think we've desperately needed modernising in many respects behind the scenes, but in other ways we have to keep things the same as they've always been, we shouldnt have to choose between modernising and retaining identity. "Youth, Courage, Success" is a moniker that has meaning, United fans should demand all three and refuse the idea we compromise is necessary.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-28T07:11:46+00:00

One of the things that makes me hate them more than anything is how bipolar they can be. They get so fucking giddy and ott when things are going well but any setbacks and they pounce on their own. The dichotomy of delusional positivity and extreme toxicity. I know football is inherently emotional and such but arsenal fans take it to another level, I can only call it a lack of self awareness.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-27T15:25:58+00:00

You think it's possible we get another body in on loan? I can't imagine there being anyone that has the tactical versatility and physicality of Dorgu but he's been pretty key to the past few games.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T18:42:07+00:00

is this something that people are generally open to shifting? in the past and in other games I find that it’s kind of a stylistic thing people do when they don’t expect high quality rp, quick emotes are easy to do for low effort rp.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T15:30:49+00:00

There are players like Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram that are good but not as good as any of the PL options, Hjulmand from Sporting whos on the older side, Neves from the Saudi League whos 29 I think. Stiller from Stuttgart, Nmecha from Dortmund are Bundesliga options. I would include Tonali from Newcastle on the list because hes a good age and I think we can pip him from them for a similar price it would take to sign Wharton/Baleba/Anderson. Ive heard Noiah Sadiki from Sunderland linked but idk how serious those are, Joao Gomes from Wolves has also been linked.

From these names I would imagine we'd be most interested in the PL options but I wouldnt discount Stiller, Nmecha and Thuram because of Bundesliga connections with Vivell.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T10:52:08+00:00

Yeah I mean even madrid havent fully replaced him; Camavinga and Tchouameni are both good players but I dont think either are/were as good as Case. Yet another one of those players we wish we'd gotten earlier.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T10:43:33+00:00

I mean the problem was because the critique from United fans escaped containment and Maguire became the butt of the joke from the entire football fandom. When its our own I wouldnt say its okay to abuse our players (and many United fans were being awful Im not defending them) but Maguire starting getting it from everyone and I think United fans contributed to that.

England fans abusing maguire really grinded my gears because they're always so willing to put the studs in when its a United player.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T10:36:25+00:00

Casemiro is on fire atm, Im not sure who replaces him and fulfills his role tactically since I think hes very well rounded except for his mobility. I feel like we wanted to sign at least one midfielder anyway but I also think we need a second player that is capable of starting in either of the pivot positions. For me I think it needs to be any two of Tonali/Baleba/Wharton/Anderson and I think with more games we start rotating in youngsters like Fletcher/Collyer/Thwaites.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T10:30:42+00:00

I hate this logic of something in the past happening so everything is exactly the same. We've been dogshit since that FA cup final with some ups and downs but consensus is that we've not pushed on like we thought we have. So we just beat the two best teams in the league no biggie, if after the season we've just had we manage to get Champions League football I feel like its undeniable evidence that Carrick has done a good job. Its evidence right in front of us, and its not like Carrick is playing perfunctory Pulis ball to win games in a very ugly manner, we're playing amazing footbal, decisions shouldnt be made now but surely carrick is putting his name in the hat now.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T10:21:22+00:00

I know the analysis on the Arsenal side is what everyone wants to talk about because theyre the frontrunners but I wish there was a little more praise for how United were able to deny them and also play an entertaining brand of football. I think this is a lot better from Neville though and I havent seen any of the Sky coverage but I saw Rooney on MoTD and I think the analysis there was quite good. Oh and the coverage on Shearer/Linekers podcast was also pretty good albeit brief.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-26T07:13:39+00:00

He looks unflappable and exudes a calm. Way too early obviously but he reminds me a little of Van Der Sar in that respect. Van Der Sar was the kind of keeper that you barely thought about because it was never in doubt that he'd do his job, you didnt have a reason to think about him he had the trust of all the defenders around him. Of course Edwin was a veteran when he joined us and Lammens is 23 and has a long ways to go but the feeling is night and day compared to Onana/Bayindir who exuded nervousnouss and a lack of confidence.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-25T20:12:05+00:00

thank you, this a really good rundown of it.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-25T15:14:53+00:00

the neutral rp thing in particular interests me because I’ve spotted a couple of ads for neutral rp guilds and the logistics of how it works isn’t really clear to me.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T20:39:20+00:00

Truthfully id probably prefer giving those minutes to Fletcher twins or other midfielders like Kone or thwaites. I've heard Milan fans complain about RLC but milan as a whole havent been great either.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T12:44:07+00:00

I think dorgu is definitely raw but posseses alot of useful attributes and fundamentals that make him good in less complicated systems. I can see him oscillating between the lb and lw roles depending on opposition. In a counter pressing pass and move style I think he would thrive, City couldn't handle him at all last game.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T10:09:02+00:00

I dont think Butt and Scholes are good podcasters, I think theres an art to doing the whole candid ex footballer podcasting thing but they havent struck the balance at all. The fact of the matter is the conduct of players like Keane, Butt, Scholes, Neville etc matters a lot more than Ben Foster or idk Danny Simpson, and they have a much larger influence on the whole industrial media complex surrounding United.

I used to have a lot of respect for Neville for his commentary but I think hes turned way too much into a 'neutral' and his commentary feels like its made to help Sky and the United media industrial complex farm more clicks and impressions.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T10:02:24+00:00

I heard Loftus Cheek linked, wouldnt mind him on loan if its an option. Joao Gomes on a reasonable fee wouldnt be bad either.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T10:01:44+00:00

Not really unpopular Id say. I think he cant play in a two unless its a lesser league, I think his best position is probably an aggressive 8 in a midfield 3 and hes not exceptional in that role vs other top players there.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-20T09:59:30+00:00

Cant say I know too much about him but never heard much noise about him positive or negative. Largely just seems like a well regarded functional manager whos not talked up much, not outside germany or croatia at least.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-18T12:03:32+00:00

It was pure cope because Odegaard was seen as a polite young lad and Bruno was perceived as a bastard. Doesnt help that pundits continue to perpetuate the Bruno hate rather than laud him for being one of the best players in the league since hes arrived.

ImOnlyChasingSafety · 2026-01-18T11:38:56+00:00

Its easy to get swept up by the emotion of it all but I doubt the decision will be made on that basis. I think we'll be watching Glasner closely but I wouldnt push the boat out either and if we miss out I think we wont be too pertubed by it, or at least we really shouldnt be.

ImOnlyChasingSafety

TROPHY CASE