#is amrabat happening???

[ugartecoco]

man united more like man can yall work more efficiently??

[nicolesainz]

Within The Limits (Ben Chilwell x Jenson Button x OC) Chapter 7

Author's note: Happy Belated Birthday to baby boy Jenson (he's 44 years old) Wish him nothing but the best!!

Warnings: none

If I had the balls to drive all the way to Manchester, I would. Or in this case, if Mason hadn't prevented me from doing so.

I really wanted to comfort Chelsea after what Mason told me had happened. Jenson really followed her all the way to the other side of England, only to offend her? What a joke of a man he is.

I wanted to call her as well, but that may had been a stretch given that, I wasn't her boyfriend, a close friend of hers, or anything else that could possibly explain why I was so worried about her.

I decided to settle for a small text, given it was the only option that wouldn't make me look like an annoying asshole or an obsessed man.

Me: Mase told me what happened. I wish I could've been there as well to help you. I am here if you need anything.

Simple, friendly and caring.

I put my phone on the nightstand before switching off the lights when suddenly there was a notification from my text messages. To my luck, it was Chelsea.

Chelsea: Thank you Ben, this means a lot. I will be better don't worry. And this goes for you to, I am here to listen to you if there is anything concerning you.

A smile softened my worries with Chelsea's sweet reply. She managed to make a thing that was concerning her, turn 180 degrees so she could let me know that my concerns were hers as well.

Now this was a girl worth falling in love with.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

It was one of the first few days that I woke up feeling good and not worried about anything. I wasn't thinking about Jenson or guilty about what I said to him. I had finally gotten everything I wanted to say to him out of my chest.

I grabbed my phone and went through all my emails regarding either Formula One or my upcoming commentary for Manchester United. I giggled at the email Crofty had sent me, asking if he could get a signed jersey with all of West Ham players signatures on it. Best part of it was the little PS at the end:

'If you could get Declan's as well, I would be thrilled. Will miss you in the commentary box Chels.'

I was getting very emotional about leaving the Formula One world behind even if that was for two years. I grew up loving this sport more than anything else. I do love football as well, I am not going to lie, but motorsport is my true passion.

I would be leaving behind my friends, the rest of the commentators, Lissie, Natalie, Ted, Crofty, Martin and some of the drivers as well, especially Lando, Alex and George.

I drove to the Sky office in Manchester where I met with Gary who wanted to give me a few updates on the squads, injured players, possible transfers, comebacks. I needed to get my notes ready for tomorrow's game.

"Onana and Amrabat are on AFCON, one of them coming back sooner but will be benched. Maguire still out, Mount is back in the main XI with Martinez as well and Marcus. All clear?" Gary asked whilst looking into his notes for anything else I should be aware of.

"Yes, all clear. Worry not, the game is gonna be a good one." I am lying to myself and probably every other Manchester United fan is as well. Team hasn't been to its best form but they are trying to get back on their feet.

"I will take your word for it little Chelsea. If there is anything else you want to ask, give me a call or Roy. He may be available more often than I am." He advices me as we walk out of the office together.

"How does it feel to be a full time football commentator now? Excited?" Gary kindly asks, even though he may secretly know my answer already.

"Full time may excite me more than part time given that 99% of the time I was jet lagged. If I have you with me then I am sure that things will be better. Plus, it will be easier for my father to tell me to ask the players about autographs so he can cherish in his office."

Gary was one of the first people I got to meet when I became a part of Sky's team. Him and Ted who had been lifelong commentators. Both sports welcomed me wholeheartedly.

At that moment, a white Porsche drove up to us and parked at the side. I instantly recognised it, being Mason's, that he was going to drive us all the way to London for Ben's first game back after the injury.

"Already found friends, didn't you Chelsea?" Gary nudged me playfully. “Those F1 drivers are gonna come for your ass, Mount.” He said to Mason as I was getting on the passengers seat next to him.

“Not for my ass. Maybe a friend of mine’s” Mason winked at me as we both waved goodbye to Gary and drove all the way to London.

During the entire ride, Mason and I mostly talked about football. What were my views on the team’s season, what would happen now that England qualified for the Euros and how is their loss at the 2021 final going to affect them or maybe how the new entries will enhance the dynamic of the team.

Then out of the blue, my phone started buzzing in my bag.

It was Jenson.

“Does he not know what the phrase ‘I need some space’ means?” The Manchester man said in an irritated manner, as we were entering London’s main road.

“It’s complicated. I think I was too harsh on him the other day when I left him. I mean, before he followed me back to my house.” I had a reason to get upset. He basically said I’d be an easy target for all the horny footballers.

“So, my question is, are you boyfriend and girlfriend? Cause I’ve seen the way you look at him during the post race analysis and trust me, but that’s the eyes talking when someone is in love.”

Is it that apparent that I am in love with Jenson? I haven’t had any of the other commentators comment on that. I mean, yeah, Lissie knows what’s going on between me and him but other than that, the rest may believe it’s pure admiration for such a figure. He was a world champion after all.

“Two years ago, I admitted to Jenson how much I admired him and I spoke very highly of him during an interview. Like you said, the way I was looking at him wasn’t the friendliest of all and given that he used to be my father’s favorite driver alongside Mark Webber, Jenson started flirting with me very intensely. I didn’t hesitate to flirt back and after the Canadian Grand Prix, when Jenson had forgot to book a hotel room, I let him stay with me. One thing led to another and now we are here.”

Mason was stunned with what he had just heard. He was trying to say something but he couldn't find the words to phrase it. This made me worry even more with how my relationship with Jenson could evolve soon.

"It sounds so odd. It looks like he was trying to get something out of you. Like he wanted you to be this close to him. I can't really explain it."

Mason could actually explain it very well, he just had to say it as it was, but he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I had to found out myself to eventually realise what was going on.

"My relationship with Jenson has always been a bit bumpy. I think you could tell from how possessive he was acting around me and you with Ben."

"He was so worried that we would seduce you and take you away from his grasp. I get that footballers don't always have the best of reputations and we are labeled as the 'playboys' but we don't want to steal other's girlfriends. Plus, Ben isn't the type of man that would hit on a woman so coldly. He is too nice to act like a dick."

"Hence why we fought. He thinks one of the footballers I will be engaging with, will flirt with me and I will instantly end with him on bed."

Mason's grasp around the wheel got more tight and his knuckled turned white as each word was leaving my mouth.

"I missed the opportunity to knock him out when I was by your house. He's so pathetic to even think that. Chels, I have seen you around the flirt tricks of footballers and not even once you flinched. Always stayed professional. Couldn't he tell by the post game interviews?"

"Also another reason why I stopped being part of the post game interview squad. Jenson was scared I would break in the end and flirt on public television with one of them. Now he can't do anything about it. I will be full time around the players."

"Karma is a bitch they say." Mason laughed and I followed him along. It felt so cathartic to finally get out of my system everything that has happened. I needed to vent to someone and I am more than thankful Mason was willing to listen to me.

"Enough talking about the grandpa. Now it is time to enjoy some Premier League football." When the blinding lights of Stamford Bridge started becoming brighter, my heartbeat rose as the realisation hit me that for the first time I would be in the guest box alongside a world famous footballer.

Mason guided us through the back entrance and was greeted with love, despite being a former player for the club. We made a small stop to the changing rooms, although I wasn't allowed inside. The door was half opened, and peaking would be rude and invasive, so I just stayed at the corner before the entrance to the box.

When the door opened, Mason was carrying a shirt on his hand and a few seconds later, he handed it to me with a massive smile plastered on his face. I took it and opened it wide, only for the name 'Chilwell' and the number '21' to be presented in front of my eyes.

"It was only fitting you took Ben's number since I am no longer in the club. Also he is captaining the team today so it will be an honour wearing his name and number." Mason said with such pride, talking for his former club which was his home for so many years.

I didn't say a word and threw the shirt on, adjusting it against the one I was already wearing. It was the perfect size and Mason's eyes were glued on the name of the shirt.

"He will love it" he softly murmured hoping I wouldn't listen, but yet I did.

"What was that?" I said to catch him off guard, even though I heard what he said clearly.

"Nothing dear. Well, shall we take our seats? The game is about to start." He scratched the back of his neck nervously and guided us to our seats. From where we were sitting, you would have the best view of the Bridge. It was beautiful. The atmosphere was magical and despite the team having another difficult season, the fans were always present to support them.

Crystal Palace was an easy opponent given that Chelsea hasn't lost to them either home or away in years. It would be three easy points to clench and celebrate. Although the nervousness was apparent on the player's faces, besides Thiago's.

Thiago was the saving grace from PSG that decided to follow along Thomas Tuchel and lead Chelsea to ultimate success. He was the defender that would complete the defending duo of Ben and Reece.

"Come on Chelsea!!!" I screamed as loud as I could, even though the male screams were louder than mine. Mason was startled with my scream but eventually got along with it and started singing chants as well.

"I am assuming you are a fan of the club then?"

"Hence the name. And otherwise I would be buried outside of the Emirates."

The camera was always pointing on Ben and a smile would instantly form on my lips whenever my eyes focused on his figure. He deserved to be captaining the team and I was sure the night was going to be successful!

I took out my phone and took a picture of Ben on the pitch from the big screen on top of the stadium. I was giggling like a teenage girl who was stalking her lifelong crush. It took me long to realise that I had a pair of eyes watching my every move next to me which person happened to be the captain's best friend.

"Oh no please, don't let me stop you from admiring good old Chilly. I think he will need all the good luck he can get tonight." Mason gloated and teased me at the same time, earning a devilish eyebrow raise from me.

The game went by pretty smoothly. It was indeed an easy win for the team given that two goals were scored in the first half, with Ben assisting twice and even though Palace draw one goal as well, this didn't stop the team from scoring again and this time, Ben wasn't the one who assisted but instead threw the ball behind the net.

My cheers were indescribably loud and my excitement was off the charts. After an injury and to perform like that was more than incredible. Ben played fantastically and both me and Mason were extremely proud of everyone but most Ben.

After the game finished, the players stayed on the pitch to applause the audience along with Pochettino to thank them for the support and hoping the enjoyed the game. When the stadium started emptying up and the players were still on the grass, I started shouting Ben's name so he could see who else was in attendance.

"Chilwell" I screamed at least 5 times before I left Mason unable to hear from his left ear and finally caught Ben's attention. When he notices it was me and Mason, his eyes widened and a smile formed that expanded all the way from his mouth to the tip of his ears.

Mason took my hand and led us to the dressing room with the entire team and went to congratulate everyone as I was waiting once again outside. This time, when the door opened, it wasn't Mason who's showed up, but the man of the match instead.

I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck and took him in into a tight hug, despite him being all sweaty. His body was warm and I would've loved to stay into his arms for an eternity.

"Congratulations on a wonderful game Benji. I am so proud of you. What a game from your side." I had witnessed a lot of brilliant games and Ben deserved all the recognition tonight.

"Thank you darling. This was all your doing. I sensed your positive energy in the audience and was ready to push. Hope I was entertaining." He wined playfully at me and within seconds butterflies started forming inside my stomach and fluttering around.

"If I could give you all the awards of the world, I definitely would. And maybe luck on indeed on my back tonight." I said cryptically before turning around to unveil the number that was plastered on my shirt.

"From now on, you are my official lucky charm. I will be needing you in attendance to all my games." He joked, although Ben was sounding very serious, which I took seriously as well for a moment. If I was being honest, I would try to attend as many of his games I could. If I had the chance, I surely would.

"I can't promise anything Mr. Chilwell, although be sure that I will be carrying around your number for good luck wherever I go. No matter the game or stadium. Trust me." I was being truthful. If Ben performed so great tonight, I was sure that this good performance would continue in the following games.

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United 2-3 Galatasaray

FUCK OFF. Bunch of cunts. (Not you, Rasmus)

Yet again Manchester United decide to throw away a lead. TWICE. A true capitulation; the ultimate shitting of the bed.

To make matters worse, Rasmus Højlund scored two tonight, got Man of the Match, and could have had a hat-trick. LOOK AT HIM. YOU MADE HIM SAD, DICKHEADS.

I will say it was a good assist for the first goal from Rashford. He looked alright tonight BUT at a time United are falling foul on small margins, Marcus decided not to shoot when 1v1 with their keeper... and played the tamest sideways pass that Bruno couldn't reach. I despair.

The other player of note was Mason Mount. Top work tonight. Hard pressing, smart dribbling, plays the right pass, and his crossing actually fucking finds someone. TAKE NOTE, BRUNO.

Beyond those 3 though... Hannibal was okay but subbed at HT for some reason, Eriksen was alright but that shows how bad our possession was that he stood out by Successfully Retaining The Ball, and that's it. Everyone else was a fucking waste of space.

Dalot was bullied by Zaha on a long ball for the first equaliser.

Casemiro still looks slow as fuck and does this weird floating short lob upfield that never finds the man. Pack it in.

Bruno out wide makes me want to punch babies.

Lindelöf is in a real stinker patch of form. 0 tackles completed tonight. Zero.

Amrabat really isn't a left back, for all he's doing what has been asked of him. His offside trap discipline isn't there.

Onana decides to have a mare out of nowhere. Ugh.

Casemiro gets 2 yellows for cack tackling and sent off. Lovely stuff.

And to top it all off, as if the team isn't bad enough, we see that the home stands have been infiltrated by hundreds if not thousands of Galatasaray fans. Incredibly poor from the United club management side of things. I personally couldn't get a ticket for tonight (blessing in disguise) but lots of fans said the same. A sell-out Champions League tie at Old Trafford... and fuck all diligence has been done regarding the purchasing. Nice.

Which does beg the question about whether it was incompetence or they thought they could cash in on eager travelling fans and the big hospitality price tickets. Who's to say eh.

Another shit game of football from Manchester United, but at least I had some solace watching these two. Long may their form continue. Maybe they'll rub off on our shitters and get them actually playing well. Stranger things have happened.

[0alanasworld0]

morocco v south africa rant

amallah, ounahi and amrabat were sorely missed today.

its time to bring bilal and abde^2 back up because lord knows we need the depth.

raihani would do a good job fulfilling ounahi's role and keep that moroccan tiki taka thing going on with ziyech.

abde is a fantastic winger that is very reminiscent of what boufal usually does, albeit a bit raw. he would have been valuable today and against cabo verde imo. i think he would link up well with en-neysri because they both thrive in chaos and are wonderful at putting pressure on the opposing defences. perhaps abde is better suited to a super-sub than a starter for now tho. i hope his time at barca transforms him into a starter because a full 90 minutes of his playing style (with the barca refinement) would really bring some energy to the attack and take a little bit of pressure off boufal. the same for sabiri but i would argue he would work as a starting player already.

bilal is very young and a very raw talent but he's proven his quality on the national team plenty of times so i see no problem in having him start games. he's clearly miles ahead of today's midfield.

as for the amrabat situation, i genuinely don't know if its even possible for anyone else to fill his role. to the point where i wonder whether its worth even looking. the easiest course of action would be to simply figure out a different system for when he can't play. which is probably best anyway for longevity.

zakaria and anass r good players. they've shown their level in their respective clubs throughout the season but they lack the confidence to deliver those performances for the national team. i think they should remain as subs and if they are to start, it should be for games like today that don't put any kind of tournament at risk. they'll grow into monsters for the team eventually.

defensively, i would say that they're near flawless. aguerd and saiss top notch as always. attiyat allah and the other one do well in terms of pushing forward. mazraoui is usually fantastic so i will put today down to post-season fatigue and also wager a guess that he would have improved if he'd stayed on a bit longer. el yamiq and dari and fantastic as subs or even starters for when aguerd and saiss arent available. chadi riad will eventually be ready too.

munir didn't have a great game today but thats kinda the nature of goalkeeping. he has a plethora of outstanding performances to comfortably call today a fluke. bounou has had those days too. not worth worrying about the goalkeeping because it genuinely doesn't get better than those 2.

this team is far from perfect or invincible but most teams are in that position atm. i would actually argue that morocco is in a much better position than most national teams because they have an incredibly strong, clear starting lineup. that starting lineup from the brazil match is undoubtably the ideal going forward. today proved that and also showed everyone which players should be kept on the squad should anything happen to that starting XI. we know which players are currently best fitted for the starting XI and the subs. a lot of today's starters have some work to do before they come back. hopefully they can improve at their clubs or international friendlies and come back a lot stronger.

in conclusion, it'll all be fine. deadass, theres nothing to worry about. we would rather come to these conclusions now than during the knockouts. its good that different players got a chance because its clear what works and what doesn't moving forward.

[jadonsgf]

everyone acting like morocco 2022 getting far in the tournament is a "miracle" and that they weren't good but absolutely fucked over by the refree in spain and portugal's games back in 2018... just look that up on yt if you haven't seen before, it was absolutely heartbreaking.. for for those "cr did so much for muslims" stfu!! his tears aren't more valuable than nour eddin amrabat's.. it was also his last wc. and cr wasn't cheated.

var is bullshit! i’ll never forget. but yes ppl need to realise that it’s not just something that happened out of sheer luck like the morocco team have clearly but years of work and effort into getting the team to where it is and it isn’t a football miracle but a huge achievement instead

[stateofsport211]

France Stunned Morocco to Set A Classic Final v. Argentina

Tonight's two key players, Achraf Hakimi (left, for Morocco) and Kylian Mbappe (right, for France), who happened to be best friends (📸 Getty Images via Football London)

The other semifinal has France, the defending FIFA World Cup champion, facing a dark horse in Morocco. Since the start of the World Cup, Morocco kept defying the odds since being dominant in the qualifying: drawing Croatia, winning against Belgium and Canada, defeating Spain (in a penalty shoot-out), and Portugal (in regular time) to face the French test. With more intuitive counter-attacking approaches, there is a likelihood that Morocco will advance to the finals.

However, this match was not merely a big match in itself. Apparently, apart from the historical and cultural background of this clash, both key players, Kylian Mbappe (for France) and Achraf Hakimi (for Morocco) are good friends, as they also play together in Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappe visited Hakimi after the Moroccan victory, and even before the game, wished Hakimi good luck in the alley right before the match.

Theo Hernandez's goal right in 5' secured the French's first goal against Morocco (📸 New Zealand Herald)

After all, football is football. France started rapidly by controlling the rhythm, and just like that, they scored a quick goal right when the match got into 5 minutes. Theo Hernandez scored right after Kylian Mbappe missed his first strike, which Antoine Griezmann tried to pick up; a possible domino effect in the penalty box. The fiery French start continued when Olivier Giroud had an on-target chance right after receiving a mis-pass from Romain Saiss.

Toward the end of the first half, Morocco tried to counter-attack more harmoniously, and although it was offside somewhere, it could have been a golden chance. On the other hand, it could also have been a 2-0 lead for France, where Aurelien Tchouameni tried to track Mbappe and Giroud in their positions, only for Hakimi to find the ball and made Mbappe off-balance, and France to regain possession with Giroud firing the ball from 12 yards distance, but went too far. Morocco had a closer chance when Jawad El Yamiq attempted an overhead kick right after receiving the corner, but Hugo Lloris saved it. Ibrahima Konte also defended the ball from Hakimi right after the corner, saving Morocco another chance. The first half ended with a French lead at 1-0.

However, while Morocco attempted to organize their counter-attack in the second half, it did not turn out well while France maintained their first-half level. At the start of the second half, there was a concern when Mbappe was vigorously tackled by Sofyan Amrabat, but he, fortunately, could carry through. Somehow, Morocco had another chance when Yahia Attiat-Allah tried to strike the ball that Konate defended after receiving it from Youssef En-Nesyri. By dominating the ball possession by then (49% compared to France's 37% and the contested 14%), Morocco needed to stay more aggressive at that moment apart from the organization.

Left: Randal Kolo Muani's goal secured the French side a lead and a victory (📸 Getty Images via BBC News Pidgin); right: Antoine Griezmann's heat map (📸 Squawka)

Besides, after the entry of Zakaria Aboukhlal and Abderrazak Hamdallah, Morocco was a little bit more organized with a chance from the latter, but still to no avail. Several minutes after, Randal Kolo Muani scored the goal on his first touch, where he tapped in right after he saw the ball coming from Mbappe. They did not look back ever since: partly, thanks to Antoine Griezmann, who drove the match from the middle, fulfilling his role. Right before the final whistle blew, Aboukhlal made another chance, but it was saved by Lloris and somehow went offside in construction. The other chance in the injury time also flew by, especially after Jules Kounde kept it in his line.

The final whistle kept the score in French favor at 2-0, enabling them to advance to back-to-back World Cup finals (as a defending champion), while they qualified for the Finals 4 times in the last 7 editions. A milestone to remember, and in the case of this match, as a result of their tactical mastering and ability to adapt to different circumstances of the match, keeping the moment and having their experiences.

The Moroccan team prostrated in thankfulness, even after being defeated by France (📸 433)

When the final whistle blew, contrasting scenes were ubiquitous, in and out of the pitch, whether in Qatar or elsewhere. In Losail Iconic Stadium, Hakimi and Mbappe congratulated each other and even swapped their shirt after celebrating with their respective teams. The Moroccan team prostrated in thankfulness (to the fans who came all the way to see them compete), still gracious in defeat. Mbappe, Hakimi, and Boufal were even found chilling in the tunnel after the match. Furthermore, in a post-match statement, the Moroccan coach Walid Regragui said that Morocco gave their best, but they did not start well (added by some injuries), but the outcome of this match did not take away what happened in the previous rounds.

Two contrasting scenes happened outside the pitch. In Qatar, outside Al Bayt Stadium, the fans of both Morocco and France were found vibing together even with the outcome of the match. On the other hand, there were tensions in Montpellier moments after the final whistle. Still, it was brief until it de-escalated, enabling the fans to celebrate the French victory.

The finals teaser between France v. Argentina for this Sunday (🎥 Kan 11 IL; 🎶 Sorge Janchez - The Head)

Two different outcomes resulted in two different matches for the weekend to mark the end of this year's World Cup. Croatia and Morocco once again will meet (after the 0-0 outcome in the first match of Group F) to determine the third place in the competition. From here, memes circulated that "should they advance to the final, they just sit until the penalty shootout," which becomes the third place play-offs instead this Saturday. On the contrary, this Sunday will have a big final between France v. Argentina, where both key players (Kylian Mbappe-Antoine Griezmann & Lionel Messi-Julian Alvarez, for example, respectively) have their eyes on the prize: for the second consecutive title (France) or for their first title after ages, third title overall (Argentina).

Those two matches will be equally intriguing to follow. Besides, regardless of the outcome, this year's World Cup will definitely end with a bang. Buckle up, a rollercoaster weekend awaits.

[getting-messi]

Oh damn, I didn't know the stuff you mentioned in the tags. That would make sense. I didn't think the refereeing was too bad today tho? If the ref/FIFA wanted France to win, for example they could've given that penalty when Amrabat (i think???) tackled Mbappe at the edge of the box. It was 100% a clean (and fantastic) tackle, but it would be very easy for the ref to give a penalty for it. That Moroccan yellow card when Hernandez was the one who committed the foul was questionable though. Please don't get me wrong, I was cheering for Morocco too, the refereeing just didn't seem too bad to me (even my mom said so, for what it's worth 😭) and France had some mistakes too

Yes, only the draw was rigged to make sure that France and Brazil wouldn’t meet before the final. That’s the only thing that I believe was fixed in terms of the ‘98 tournament.

I also didn’t bring this up to say that this tournament has been rigged for France either! I think the officiating has been bad, but that has been consistent throughout this World Cup, but I’m not implying that what happened in ‘98 is happening again.

I just find it shocking that a federation received no penalty after one of their leading figures admitted that they rigged things to be in their favour while they hosted💀

[gurutrends]

He wanted to keep me' - Sofyan Amrabat reveals why he left Man Utd despite having 'special relationship' with Erik ten Hag

WHAT HAPPENED? The Moroccan midfielder was loaned to United from Fiorentina last September. The deal, worth £8.5 million ($10.9 million), included an option for United to secure Amrabat’s services permanently for €20 million (£17/$21.5m), plus an additional €5 million (£4.23m/$5.37m) in add-ons. Getty/GOAL THE BIGGER PICTURE Although Ten Hag was keen to keep Amrabat in his squad permanently,…

[coachtfd]

People on The United Stand keep asking why Amrabat hasn’t been starting, and every time he gives the ball away their questions are answered. Defensively, I like him a lot. In possession, he’s half-and-half for me. We do link up better in midfield with him there, but he’s careless with his passes too often.

If we want to compete with City, Arsenal and Liverpool, we can’t have that. Players miss passes, it happens, but there’s a big difference between missing a pass and being careless. Especially when you’re actually talented enough to do better. If you want to play for us, then play like it.

[jfbuckley]

It’s getting to the stage when we’re pleased if we’re only beaten 1-0!!

—————-

hi - after the 4 - 0 defeat the critics rounded on united describing it as an 'abject' performance - 'spineless' players out-thought and outfought in every department' - 'no fight, no hunger' - 'worrying indictment of manager' - 'defence an accident waiting to happen' - 'need a comprehensive clear out'

it may be of interest to the reader that the above comes not from last weeks loss at crystal palace but from the defeat at everton in april 2019 - plus ca change as one might say though i'm not sure what the french equivalent is

it seemed the best hope for the injury ravaged reds was to adopt a rearguard action and hope to stay level for as long as possible - to the spectator this is how united played it - amrabat was in as defensive midfielder and united were pretty compact - none of the usual wide open spaces - arsenal pressed and probed whilst united counter attacked but came up against a rock solid defence

after 20 minutes amrabat played the ball back to onana - casemiro drifted to the right back position to give an option to onana - onana went left and lifted a hurried pass down the left - arsenal won the ball and fed the unmarked havertz on the right wing - he looked well offside but the lumbering casemiro hadn't left the area and was playing him on - havertz made for the byline before pulling the ball back into the path of trossard who scored from about 4 yards

having got their priceless lead arsenal decided to sit on it and see the match out so the last 70 minutes consisted of united having lots of the ball but doing absolutely nothing with it - they tried but all their efforts foundered as soon as they got near the box - keeper raya collected some crosses, saved a couple of long range powder puff shots but was never seriously threatened -

at the other end onana made a couple of smart stops

the match ended with the beginning of a thunderstorm which made united and manager ten hag look more bedraggled than they actually were

united can't finish lower than 8th - hooray - final home game is newcastle on wednesday - it is city in the cup final soon - heaven help united

bye

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Bayern München 4-3 Manchester United

Lets be honest, reds. Defeat was almost certainly on the cards and a 1-goal deficit is perhaps a best case scenario.

In classic Ten Hag Era fashion, United started off looking competitive. We were more patient than against Brighton and spent good spells in Bayern's half, but that... didn't last [see below]

Beleaguered goalkeeper Andre Onana conceded what can only be described as a howler - on the back of a stream of constant criticism since the start of the season. An easy shot going in? Why does that seem familiar? Oh yeah, De Gea.

Kudos to Onana though. He actively requested to speak to the press post-match to apologise for his mistake, citing a good team performance and his failure as the reason for a missed result. I think he's wrong on that count - it was a team failing - but the humility to apologise and be accountable is an admirable trait.

Just four minutes later came Bayern's second goal; a well worked play around our box that was SO similar to goals scored by Brighton and Arsenal that either Lindelof/Casemiro aren't doing their jobs OR the coaching staff need to fix something in training because that was predictable and basic.

Despite limited service, Rasmus Hojlund was one of two (maybe three) bright sparks in United's performance. The Champions League debutant (we don't count an Atalanta qualifier) scored from a rare Marcus Rashford pass to bring the score back to 2-1.

Optimism suddenly. Energy. Vitality. Desire. United woke up! And then the Christian Eriksen/Casemiro pivot was bypassed yet again, Munich put it on United, and Eriksen conceded a silly but unfortunate handball - which led to a Harry Kane penalty and a 3-1 lead.

United never looked like the better team after the first 10 minutes, nor competitive after the first 20, but credit to the likes of Reguilon (who put in a big shift) and Pellistri (perhaps his first United start? away at Bayern?) for their determination and work rate through the match. Basic things, but if others aren't doing it it's remiss not to credit them.

Manchester United hung on in but freshly deflated didn't look like a renewed threat. Despite this, we some how scored the most scuffed goal from Casemiro. 3-2, game back on, right?

Wrong. Bayern push again and bang in a tidy 4th. Depression. But wait, then United run up the other end, final minute, and Bruno puts in a peach of a free kick for Casemiro to head home. 4-3, with 10 seconds of play left.

To the neutral, this was an interesting game, but it wasn't a good match. Had Bayern been in any semblance of form they could have snotted United 6 or 7 nil. That said, had United not had so many injuries and also been in form... I reckon we could have won. Were both teams in form then it would really have been a classic ECL clash. This is the nature of football. Shit happens, teams adapt.

There were few positives for United to draw from that match, but there were things confirmed: Eriksen cannot do it in the big games anymore. Casemiro needs a rest. Martinez/Lindelof needs work. Dalot is lucky AWB is out injured. Rashford needs to stop sulking and pass more. McTominay needs a special 1 on 1 coach to teach him movement and positioning because the man is allergic to receiving a pass.

The good news is that Mount, Varane, Amrabat and Mainoo are all close to a return. Will any be back for Burnley? We'll see, but that's the new focus and a must-win - potentially even a relegation six-pointer based on current form... jesus christ.

[mountttmase]

If we get new directors who can sell players then I can see us getting a new midfielder in the summer as I think Donny’s loan would probably be made permanent and Casemiro and Eriksen would probably leave as well due to age. Also who knows what might be happening with Hannibal

Amrabat too if you dont sign him properly

[masons-tours]

Play garnacho, hojlund and pellistri up front and mount, amrabat and Hannibal in midfield next game and I wanna see what happens

🩷🩷🩷🩷

[muridiola]

Greenwood joins Getafe

United academy prodigy Mason Greenwood officially donned the Getafe blue jersey as he held up his number 12 jersey as he posed for photos next to the team crest and greeted fans. "Hello Getafe fans, I'm Mason. I'm very happy to be here and can't wait to start playing," he said.

Greenwood left Manchester United at the buzzer a few minutes before the summer transfer window closed and went on loan to Getafe in La Liga. Millions of fans still hope that he can return to Old Trafford in the future, but CAB토토 analyzes the possibility of this happening. Even if he can prove himself in the Iberian Peninsula, it will be difficult for him to put on the Manchester United jersey robe.

Earlier this summer, a proposal was made to sign Greenwood from Manchester United during a strategy meeting of transfer staff in the Saudi Arabian Professional League. Soon, the issue was rejected, and they decided that bringing in the talented 21-year-old forward would do more harm than good.

Although Greenwood is no longer charged by the Crown Prosecution Service, he is legally a free man. Greenwood has always denied all of these allegations. But his moral taint can never be washed away, and the Manchester United youth forward himself has not denied that he has made mistakes. In the photos, videos and audio of Greenwood's alleged domestic violence exposed on social media, a man believed to be Greenwood can be heard yelling to the victim, "Pick up your leg." The woman refused, but the man angrily shouted, " I don’t care what you kid wants.”

Seven months after the charges were dropped, Greenwood is still not playing professionally, illustrating the difficulty of his return to football. Now, although he can only join the relegation team Getafe, he can at least play in the Spanish top league, where he can play against La Liga duo Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Following a six-month internal investigation, United chief executive Richard Arnold initially felt Greenwood could be reinstated with the intention of returning him to the first team, with extensive plans in place. But as the "Sports Network" reported, Manchester United later saw the strong opposition from the outside world, changed its attitude, and decided to abandon Greenwood completely.

Arnold made it clear: Due to Manchester United's worldwide attention, it will be too challenging for Greenwood to rebuild his career. He also suggested that there are polarizing views on Greenwood's potential return, which would jeopardize the unity within the club.

Manchester United has not terminated Greenwood's contract. This contract has less than two years left and his weekly salary is 75,000 pounds. The club has publicly promised to help Greenwood restart his career and continue to support his personal life. What the club said is true. Manchester United is responsible for paying for the English teenager's monthly villa rent of 8,000 pounds in Getafe, as well as the round-the-clock Spanish translation service.

Greenwood lives in the "La Finca" high-end community where superstars such as Beckham, Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale have lived in the past. It is known as the "Spanish Beverly Hills" and is a wealthy community with huge properties. The mansions, luxury golf courses and shopping malls are under tight security and closely monitored by dozens of cameras. And more importantly, it is only a 20-minute drive from Getafe's training ground.

The "Sun" stated that Greenwood can also choose the "La Moraleja" community, which is where Varane and Modric live.

Manchester United only announced the sale of Greenwood on August 21, which was only about 10 days before the end of the summer window for most leagues. The transfer department was very busy at the same time, and Manchester United's director of football John Murtaugh and the club's director of negotiations Matt Hargreaves had a lot to do, including the signing of Evans, Altai Baindier, Reguilon and Amrabat, while for sale or lease Dean Henderson, Brandon Williams, Teden Mengie, Noam Emeran, Mark Jurado, Charlie McNeil, Logan Pye and Alvaro Fernandez.

Fortunately, Murtaugh has been one of the Manchester United executives who support giving Greenwood another chance. He is Greenwood's "uncle" and has known his father Andrew for many years. Therefore, Murtaugh is very concerned about Greenwood's next step and is personally responsible for his transfer.

Greenwood's road to Saudi Arabia for gold mining was blocked from the beginning. Saudi Arabia is developing a women's football league. They have applied to host the Women's Asian Cup, so they are very concerned about women's rights. This in itself makes Greenwood's possibility of joining very low. For the same reason, the Saudis did not attempt to sign acquitted ex-Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy, who has officially moved to Ligue 1 side Lorient.

In addition, Greenwood and Cristiano Ronaldo, the flagship figure of Saudi Arabia's sixth league in the world, did not have a good relationship when they played together at Manchester United, so they are even more unpopular. Former Liverpool captain Gerrard has publicly stated that rumors of a transfer between his Saudi club Dammam and Greenwood are fake news.

With the lessons learned from the blocked transfer to Saudi Arabia, Manchester United became more cautious and low-key when looking for Greenwood's next home in European football, keeping relevant information strictly confidential. Murtaugh fears that if rumors come to light before a deal is done, a potential move could find itself the focus of a media storm in the UK and social media, in the same way United did earlier this month.

According to the report of Athletic.com, in the last moments of the summer window, agents from all over the continent contacted many clubs, claiming that they could arrange the loan of Greenwood from Manchester United, but these clubs are not completely clear whether these agents are actually authorized by Manchester United.

The sporting director of a Spanish club has revealed that as many as 20 agents have contacted him, claiming to help him sign Greenwood. As for Manchester United officials, they refused to comment on which agents really represent their club. According to analysis, one of Manchester United's motivations for promoting Greenwood through an intermediary agency may be to help other clubs provide a "safe haven". Once they get into disputes, they can confidently say that they have contacted Manchester United.

After the charges were dropped at the beginning of the year, Greenwood's popular destination was considered to be Italy, including Atlanta, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Roma. However, Serie A has also focused on cooperating with women's rights protection organizations in recent years. Some Italian club employees said that if the team signs Greenwood, they will consider resigning or going on strike.

In the last few weeks of the summer window, agents contacted various clubs. Brentford of the Premier League directly refused to accept Greenwood, although their leading striker Toni was suspended; the Bundesliga also said no to Greenwood. Borussia Dortmund, Serie A Roma and AC Milan have also distanced themselves from him.

Another challenge Greenwood faces is that French and Spanish leagues have restrictions on the number of non-EU players that can be registered. After the UK leaves the EU in 2016, English players will be considered non-EU players. Ligue 1 teams can only have a maximum of four non-EU players, while La Liga can register five non-EU players, but each game can only have three players in the matchday squad.

Although Serie A teams have a registration cap of only two non-EU players, a ruling that came into force in July this year means that Swiss and British players are still considered EU players. This was also the first time Greenwood was considered possible to move to Italy. one of the reasons.

Manchester United and Greenwood waited until the last moment of the summer window, because there is not much time left at this time, and some clubs may become more impulsive and panic. The tight time brings challenges, but it also brings opportunities. With September 1, the deadline for most European leagues, talks increased around Greenwood, with simultaneous talks with various interested parties.

For example, Lazio, a Serie A team participating in the Champions League this season, is reported to have even exchanged legal documents with Manchester United and the Blue Eagles regarding Greenwood's transfer. However, the Italian transfer window closed at 19:00 local time, 4 hours earlier than the Premier League. The two sides ultimately failed to reach a final agreement in time. Italian media have different opinions on the reasons why the transfer fell through. The mainstream view is that coach Sarri is worried about Greenwood's controversy and his status, because since January 2022, Greenwood has not only not played a game, but has not even been able to train normally. Couldn't attend.

Spain's transfer deadline is the same as that of England, both at 23 o'clock in the middle of the night, which leaves room for negotiations for Getafe. The team had hoped to sell 26-year-old striker Enes Unal to Benfica this summer, get cash and buy. However, the Turkish striker's anterior cruciate ligament injury led to the failure of the transfer, and the transfer budget of this small club is even more limited.

United have agreed to take no loan fee, no commitment to buy out Greenwood and just €1m (£858,000) in wages. In the coming year, Manchester United will bear at least £50,000 of Greenwood's £75,000 weekly salary. This means that Getafe can get a striker who was once valued at 50 million pounds for basically no money, and they decided to take risks and bring in under pressure. Getafe didn't even ask to see United's internal investigation files, insisting that the law had cleared the player of all charges.

The British "Daily Mail" commented that the most unloved club in La Liga, they may think that negative attention is also a good thing. The team officially announced Greenwood's arrival at 22:58 last Friday night. The official statement received more than 30 million views. This is a protagonist treatment that the team has never enjoyed in the past. His English official website originally had only a few hundred fans, but after signing Greenwood, it has now increased to nearly 25,000.

Getafe, of course, were not immune to criticism, with Spain's main charity, the Anna Bella Foundation, lashing out at them for setting a horribly bad example. "Getafe executives should not have hired Greenwood, they should immediately reverse their decision. There is no reason for a public-facing organization like Getafe to take a neutral stance on violence against women, you have to take a moral responsibility. "

But this level of resistance is obviously not the same as the scale of his comeback at Manchester United. If Manchester United decides to reactivate Greenwood, the reaction from the outside world will be like a 17-level typhoon. In contrast, Getafe is only facing a breeze.

Getafe, on the outskirts of Madrid, is a safe place to live, with a low crime rate and a lower cost of living than the Spanish capital. It's quieter there compared to Madrid and their 16,500-capacity Alfonso Perez stadium is rarely filled, so that would give Greenwood a backdrop against which to fight in lesser attention A good stage to prove yourself again.

But Greenwood also faces challenges. He has to leave the greenhouse of the giants and get used to the life and style of play of mid-lower teams that he has never experienced in the past. Statistics show that Getafe averaged only 35% of the ball possession rate last season and fouled more than 20 times. Greenwood may need to learn to be more disciplined, something he has lacked in the past.

A spokesman for Getafe confirmed that the loan agreement also includes a break clause that can be triggered in the January winter transfer window if both parties are not satisfied with the progress of the transfer. This is standard practice on many loan deals and does not mean United plan to recall him mid-season. Even if Greenwood's condition returns to normal. Manchester United insisted on their previous position that the club does not believe that Greenwood can represent the club again, because that would once again put the club in the center of the British media and social media attention storm. Greenwood's No. 11 jersey has been assigned to new aid Hoylund, indicating that he has no place in the team.

But Greenwood will definitely return to Old Trafford after the end of his loan next summer. At that time, Manchester United has one year left on his contract and retains the option to extend it for another year. United will hope that Greenwood is in good form, which will ensure his resale value. Manchester United will pay Greenwood more than 10 million pounds in wages after his accident, and the club at least hopes to earn back this money.

[cabttoo]

There are still 5 days in the transfer window, and there are still 10 suspense in the transfer of Manchester United

The Premier League transfer window ends on Friday, and there are still a few transfers that may be made for Manchester United. The next Manchester United transfer window may be very busy.

These transfers are really unclear so far, and even some transfers are issues that must be resolved before the end of the transfer window. During this period of time, there will be a lot of transfer rumors about Manchester United. Who knows if it is true or not? No one will know until the moment of the official announcement.

Amrabhat coming or not?

Romano has always said that he has been waiting to join Manchester United since June. Manchester United's SL has always said that he has got the inside story, saying that the outside world has exaggerated Manchester United's interest. Amrabat is only one of the 10 people who are Manchester United's signing targets. This is equivalent to "Manchester Evening News" and Romano, but signing a substitute and rotation role for Casemiro seems to be just what Manchester United needs. Now that Amrabat has not entered Florence's European war squad, where is he coming? Not coming?

Can Maguire go?

After playing Nottingham Forest, West Ham got in touch with Maguire again. Sky Sports and Romano both said they were willing to leave on loan. Who knows if it will have something to do with Southgate? Anyway, Southgate watched Manchester United's 3:2 Nottingham Forest game, and chatted with Mount and Luke Shaw for a while. In this game, Manchester United used Lindelof to play Varane as a substitute. I don't know if it has something to do with this matter. Manchester United will not let him leave on loan. If he leaves on loan, how can Manchester United sign a backup central defender?

Will Todibo come?

CAB토토 analysis, Maguire will not leave, Todibo will not come, this should be a consensus. Therefore, Manchester United needs to use Maguire in exchange for a transfer fee of at least 30 million pounds, and Todibo is almost the same. It is said that the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish, and the faster the transfer window, the more expensive the transfer fee may be, because Todibo is the main force.

Can Van der Beek go?

It's still Real Sociedad, and it's been more than a month without an offer. It is rumored that Ajax is also interested, but they are always in the stage of interest. Will they go or not? He is no longer on the squad for the game. Ten Hag said in Manchester United's game against Tottenham that he might leave the team. Except for the two closed-door warm-up games, he has not seen rumors of him, but will he leave?

Will Bailey go or not?

I always thought this guy was kind of weird. Said to go to Galatasaray, negotiated a personal agreement and helped to lower the price. Manchester United said they would leave for free, but nothing happened. If you want to say that it is a transfer fee issue, it is said that Ronaldo invited him to Saudi Arabia, but the result is nothing. Now Marseille wants to be exempted from visa? This guy's departure from the team is very strange. If he doesn't leave without playing, there should be some insider information waiting for reporters to dig out.

Will Peristeri go?

Twente and Sheffield United are two loan transactions, completely different loan transactions. I really don't know if they will go or not. Sheffield United is a Premier League team, and Twente was specially contacted and recommended by Ten Hag, so staying at Manchester United is actually an option, but Peristeri always wants to play more games.

Will Hannibal stay or not?

Hannibal suddenly disappeared. At the beginning of the transfer window, it was rumored that several clubs such as Dortmund and Leipzig Red Bull were interested. He has performed very well in Birmingham since January this year. He has really increased his goals. Ten Hag once used him to play Mount's position in the preseason, and it also had good results.

Can McTominay go?

The Bild newspaper Falk said that Manchester United and Bayern are negotiating to prepare McTominay and Gravenberg as a bench exchange student. This rumor is a bit difficult to understand, and it should not be possible. Because Manchester United's midfield substitutes are not enough, unless Manchester United signs Amrabat and Maynor returns from injury, then McTominay may lose his position and want to leave.

Who is the left-back going to sign?

Luke Shaw's injury forced Manchester United to turn their attention to the transfer market. The names of Cucurella, Marcos Alonso and Reguilon suddenly appeared. Manchester United did not have much transfer budget. Renting is a great option. It is said that Marcos Alonso is not interested in joining Manchester United. This is also related to Manchester United's choice of another full-back, that is, whether Alvaro will go or not?

When will Barindir make an official announcement?

This deal should not be a big problem. It is said that there are quite a lot of injuries. I am afraid that the medical examination room will detect hidden injuries. I signed the captain of the Turkish national team and Fenerbahçe for 4.3 million pounds. Reasonably, this deal is worth it .

Do you want to rent out a few youth training players?

Last year, Manchester United rented out more than a dozen youth players, but this year they only rented out one. At present, the team also has Hannibal, Álvaro, McNeill, Shotell and a group of players who were rented out last season. Now they are all playing in the Manchester United reserve team and just defeated the Stoke City reserve team 10:1. They should consider renting out in the new season, right?

[mchiti]

hi hala!! how are u today? when i saw Ziyech's new instagram post, I immediately thought of a song.

''Kahverengi Gözlerin by Muazzez Ersoy''

''Your most beautiful place is your brown eyes (Senin en güzel yerin, kahverengi gözlerin)''

''Your eyes my love, your eyes '' (gözlerin yar, gözlerin)

He has the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever seen. Did you see Sofyan Amrabat news about Gala? At this point looks like We can take everyone, no wonder now vallah. Always BIG names going around.

I am waiting for the products that Gala will release on behalf of Ziyech as soon as possible.

Hi my friend, I'm very good thank you! How are you? ♡♡♡

OH went to hear the song and I LOVE it!!! Turkish classical music is amazing and it hits close to home...a familiar sound ♡ Senin en güzel yerin, kahverengi gözlerin gjfhdg i love it. gözlerin is eyes then! I will use it as a tag next to l3winat (darija) when I wanna tag his eyes hfd. Yeah they're pretty aren't they. He's a lucky man with that pretty eye shape he has, they are truly truly lovely, it's the shape on top of everything for me. eyes are my favourite thing in people.

YESS have you seen what nordin amrabat said???? he confirmed there are contacts! Apparently he also added he hopes for it flkdjhs well nordin has great memories about gala. I really don't understand why european clubs are not going strongly for sofyan. He deserved so much more attention from clubs honestly. So many mediocre people getting paid extra wages and crazy transfer fee and he's still at fiorentina? He's not even in fiorentina's squad anymore. I know napoli, juve, and of course manchester united are on him but nothing really feels concrete and the window is closing. I think gala fans would got nuts over him as he's exactly someone the club need. For me personally it would be a dream kfjdhsga him and hakim together machallah. And he gets some love there. imagine if and ramos both comes...what a dream team.

Do you think Hakim will play next weekend? I heard turkish fans recommending moroccans not to get mad if that does not happen jghfds we're just as excited as them to see him back. We miss him strongly. I'm sooo impatient but I understand he has a specific training routine and needs more time. I wish we knew his new number tho, I WANT TO KNOW!!! Can't wait for his first match but I'll be here until then ♡ Ready for tuesday!!!