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00:00:01
Daily Manchester United - Episode 144 - The Rollercoaster Continues
13 Plays2 days ago
Niall is joined by Kieran to discuss the club and the loss to Wolves
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Transcript
Introduction and Opening Discussion
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the daily Manchester United podcast. I'm your host for this evening Niall Hannigan and I'm delighted to be joined by Kieran McGinley. Kieran, welcome back to the roller coaster.
Inconsistency and Performance Concerns
00:00:22
Kieran McGinley
ah Yes, rollercoaster a very good word, isn't it How do we go from Thursday to Sunday? It's just a plummet.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely incredible, honestly. um This club doesn't cease to am amaze me. um And yeah, from the highs of Thursday to just a subdued performance and an awful result, really, if you think about it. Like, I mean, Wolves have now done the double over us this year.
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Definitely not the first team to have done that this year. so um Can't say I was too surprised and we'll get into it, I suppose, in terms of the the game itself and the the players that were put out in the pitch, etc. But I mean, let's just touch on Thursday as well, Ciarán. You had your raw reaction after the match. Like, yeah, what what were your feelings? because Because I was abroad for the game and it was incredible. i was running about the place like a madman.
00:01:13
Kieran McGinley
no Nothing could have summed it more than what Pete said ah on social media. Nothing more could have been said by
Game Recaps and Key Player Impact
00:01:20
Kieran McGinley
that. If you haven't seen that video on TikTok, GSPN Man United, we check it out.
00:01:24
Kieran McGinley
I mean, yeah, it was absolutely mad watching that game from start to finish. You to tune in up at half-time and you think, okay, all right, this is this is good, but...
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:33
Kieran McGinley
you know In the back of my mind, I am thinking it's not over yet. There was some chance in that first half we should have taken. And then in the space of 71st to 78th minute, we then give up a two-goal lead.
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:01:44
Kieran McGinley
I thought standard United. um And then they went down to 10 men just before end of 90 minutes. I think I'm not going to say it was lucky that they went down to 10 men.
00:01:56
Kieran McGinley
I thought it's it's fair enough. Two yellow cards. It adds up.
00:01:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Both professional files really like, yeah.
00:02:01
Kieran McGinley
yeah Yeah, you're both professional fouls. So down to 10 men. And then even better is that Luke Shaw comes on and he gives away a penalty.
00:02:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:15
Kieran McGinley
I mean, oh, come on. And that sends us 4-2 down. And I just think, what's the point? i I sort of sat there wallowing and I thought, great. How are we going to lose to 10 men? Like, I understand if you're losing to 10 men...
00:02:29
Kieran McGinley
you know It normally happens right at the end of the game where you've been pushing all 11 men up to to get a winner and they just catch on the break. I can understand that one, but these these two were just, they were better playing with 10 men.
00:02:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:40
Kieran McGinley
So much more organised.
00:02:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:02:42
Kieran McGinley
And then a penalty to us. Bruno Fernandes dispatches it. You've got Cobby Minor being the coolest customer at Old Trafford. pulling out that finish and you think, great, it's going to penalties. Brilliant. What could go wrong here? And then all of a sudden, not 60 to 70 seconds later, it's Harry Maguire. And it's just, I'm sitting there looking at my screen thinking, is he on? Has he pushed him?
00:03:07
Kieran McGinley
No, apparently not.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:09
Kieran McGinley
um ah To be honest, I sat there at full time I just, I went into my other half of the next room and she was like, it was it a good game?
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:15
Kieran McGinley
i was like, no, it was terrible, but we won somehow. Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I woke up the whole house. I was honestly screaming about running about the kitchen. Like the only way I can describe it was similar to Ahmad's goal against Liverpool last year in the FA Cup. It was just like, just that feeling of absolute disbelief. You're like, I can't believe what I'm watching. Like we are so bad yet. We've come up with an incredible comeback. Like just, you couldn't write it, honestly. I mean, putting Maguire up top is just talk about last ditch, but I mean, so effective. Like,
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
even Even the way when he was calling for the ball, you know, the center half was basically man-marking him and dipped about five meters below the rest of his line because he was just terrified of what Maguire could do.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Maguire, using all the tricks that he knows from probably defending strikers, just kind of got that little touch on the hands, just just enough to kind of put him off balance and then, yeah, headed it away. now it was absolutely...
00:04:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely ridiculous, like, honestly. um And this is the toxic relationship that we all have with with Man United. Like, there's no other way to describe it. It's just like, why do I keep doing this to myself?
00:04:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, this is why they're they're great.
Premier League Struggles and European Focus
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they're all so awful.
00:04:24
Kieran McGinley
Yeah.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then this is what happens against Wolves at the weekend.
00:04:28
Kieran McGinley
Well, this is the thing. How do you go from losing 4-1 to Newcastle to then somehow winning on the night, 7-6 in aggregate against Leon, and then go and lose 1-0 to Wolves?
00:04:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:40
Kieran McGinley
it It doesn't really make a lot of sense. I know we're done and buried with the league now. I think I saw somewhere that we are now mathematically safe. So thank goodness for that. Celebration.
00:04:51
Kieran McGinley
get Get the...
00:04:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Still haven't hit the 40 points either.
00:04:52
Kieran McGinley
get the I know, this was our best chance to hit 40 points, wasn't it And we just didn't. We just refused. um Sums it all up, though, when Wolves have a free kick, it's their first shot on target, and they score.
00:05:05
Kieran McGinley
Football manager vibes. Football manager vibes.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, yeah. It was it was a pretty pretty dull encounter as well and I think that's just kind of the um the blanket term that we're going to put on the rest of these Premier League matches until the end of the season.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm looking at May 1st. I'm circling that in the calendar for ah the first game against Bilbao and to be honest, I'm kind of blocking out. i think we have Bournemouth next weekend.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm I'm really just trying to get over these Premier League games so we get to another another European night.
00:05:34
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's it's such a strange one because like obviously we want to win the Europa League, but it's like if we're in the Champions League next year, that's going to be ah's gonna be rough unless things need to change and change drastically if we're going to survive in the Champions League next year.
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um How funny would it be if us and Spurs made it to the Europa League final? um I mean, talk about two absolutely horrendous seasons from both clubs.
00:06:04
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. What would that say about the rest of Europe?
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly, yeah, yeah
00:06:08
Kieran McGinley
You know, it's a case of you've got 13th versus, is it 15th the moment in in the in the English Premier League and yet somehow they'd make it to the final.
00:06:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:06:17
Kieran McGinley
We've got to get there first. We've got Athletic Club coming up first who are by no means going to be a very tough opponent.
00:06:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:06:24
Kieran McGinley
You know, we got away with it against Lyon in both games. I have a feeling Athletic won't let us get away with that very easily.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
No,
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Challenges and Youth Opportunities
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
no. And even like, I mean, and Cherky, how do you pronounce his name? Cherky?
00:06:36
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, Ryan Shirky. Sure.
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cherky. Bringing him off as well was just such a strange decision um from Leon. I just can't see Bilbao letting us off the hook at all. And they have some really talented players. So it's going to be it's going to be another rough evening, in I reckon. But look, the the magic of the Europa League, I think that's what they're calling it now. um So...
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's see what we can muster up for that.
00:06:57
Kieran McGinley
yeah
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But ah yeah, as you can see, we we don't really care about the league anymore. um
00:07:03
Kieran McGinley
sure
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sure, it's ah it's it's kind of ah an irrelevant competition really, isn't it? When Liverpool are winning it and we're way down the bottom, like it doesn't really count for much.
00:07:10
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. All of a sudden, it's just no but no one cares about it at the moment.
00:07:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:07:14
Kieran McGinley
you know so Don't worry about it.
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we're we're a cup team.
00:07:16
Kieran McGinley
aye
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
like so think That's what the club has been brought down to.
00:07:21
Kieran McGinley
Yes. That's why we're only in one cup right now.
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. We just keep moving the goalposts to suit us. And hopefully hopefully it'll pay off in a few weeks' time. But right, we'll take a quick break there, Ciarán. We'll be back with just a... We'll touch on the Wolves game, you know, just to to keep everyone happy, I suppose.
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the game was was no by no means a classic. um As you mentioned, Wolves, their first shot on target in the 70-odd minutes. Free kick into the top corner from Sarabia. Two shots on target from both teams. But Amram did say after the Europa League game that he was going to make a few changes to the team. and He was kind of going to sacrifice the league in a way and make sure that his his players and his best players and his his best team that he sees at the moment is available and and ready to go against Bilbao.
00:09:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
We did see the a debut for Tyler Fredrickson, the young centre-half. We also saw a couple of other appearances from the likes of Harry Amass um and starting a couple of the squad players as well.
00:09:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Happy to see that. Do you think that's kind of a good ome for what we can kind of see next year in terms of maybe ah a new flux of players coming in from from the academy?
00:09:25
Kieran McGinley
I sort of wanted to see it 10 games ago. That would have been quite nice.
00:09:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:09:27
Kieran McGinley
You know, a little bit earlier in the season when, you know, it's pretty clear we're not getting anything from this season.
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:09:33
Kieran McGinley
I think as soon as Europe wasn't possible, even Conference League by a league phase, it should have been a case of where we've got to, you know, give the youth a chance.
00:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:43
Kieran McGinley
They can't do any worse than what we're doing right now. um And now that we're mathematically safe, we literally have nothing to lose. Yeah.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:50
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, I am starting to think, you know, Ciro Obi-Martin, yes, he again, he was quite quiet. He got 20 minutes at the end of the game, but he's got to be given a chance because, you know, Xerxes is out for the rest of the season. We're having to play Garnaccio as like ah an advanced forward now.
00:10:07
Kieran McGinley
um And Hoyland is is misfiring and he and he has done for a lot of this season. So this is literally... it This is gifting Amram an opportunity to try out the youth, to to give the youth a chance. And this whole club's built on that.
00:10:21
Kieran McGinley
So I think it's overdue. And given proper minutes, ah there's some tough games coming up. And what better way for character and player development than coming up against some pretty tricky sides?
00:10:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. And, you know, I think we have Brentford and Bournemouth coming up in the Premier League over the next few weeks. Like theyre they are tricky games, like you mentioned. they're both They're both doing better than us anyway this year and have some quality players as well all around the pitch. So it would be great challenges to kind of see, you know, are these lads up to it?
Team Mentality and Performance Analysis
00:10:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can we actually rely on them next season? Is it some is it maybe squad players that we can bring in? and to actually hit the ground running next season. And i think kind of going back to that episode we did after the the Spurs game in the in the Cup, you know, we spoke about all those young players that were on the bench and we did a kind of a special episode kind of going through each of them.
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think even back then we were saying, you know what? like Let's just play these guys. and The league's over. and we were kind of, I think we were still in, think we had just got knocked out of all the cops then except for the Europa League. So and we were in the same position you know then as we were now.
00:11:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
we would have had an opportunity to kind of give those lads a a bit more game time and and get them used to first team football as well. But Yeah, it's it's good it's it's it's good to see that some of them can actually hold their own, but it is just one game.
00:11:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and And like you said, you need to be able to build a bit of that momentum for them as well.
00:11:47
Kieran McGinley
and Not only that, but it's a game against Wolves. Now, no disrespect to Wolves because they beat us, but it's not exactly you know Liverpool coming to town and and putting up a a fight.
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:57
Kieran McGinley
you know This was not a good Premier League game. but Let's just get that out in the clear. This was not a good game for the neutrals to watch or any Wolves or Man United players to watch.
00:12:07
Kieran McGinley
It was a slog at the best of times.
00:12:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:12:10
Kieran McGinley
um But... you know In those sorts of games, you need those moments of quality. And for Sarabia, he pulled one out of the hat. um The magician that he is, you know he's he's been quite a good Wolves player. You know you sort of look at the Wolves players that have come through in the past. Ruben Neves comes to mind as to how one player just has the ability to unlock so much. And Mateus Cunha is another one for them.
00:12:36
Kieran McGinley
The fact that they're so low down at the table... to be honest, is is a bit surprising. But, you know, Sarabia and Cunha are going to be on everybody's radar. Cunha is apparently on ours.
00:12:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:46
Kieran McGinley
I don't know whether that's going to help or not. i I don't know. But we shall see what summer brings.
00:12:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. And it's interesting that you mentioned know the game the game was a slog. you know ah It was 1-0. The game wasn't going anywhere. But also you'd kind of you'd question the mentality of the team. And this is why it's so weird and and strange. Because you know you mentioned you know you lose 4-1 to Newcastle.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nerli kind of gave up in a way. um Didn't really shake a leg. Obviously they had the Europa League in mind a couple of days later. Then they go behind with, you know, eight minutes to go, score three goals against Lyon.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then they put a performance like that against Wolves. And you're just like, well, you've shown me a couple of times throughout the season that you clearly have some sort of fight or determination about you, but... there's no excuse to not have that every day out.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's bad to kind of nearly normalize in a way what we're seeing at the moment. Like I think that's 14 or 15 defeats this season for United. We were laughing at the the points tally, but...
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a difference between having quality in the team and then having the right attitude. And at the moment, we're always saying that, you know, we need more quality. Amram needs the players that that he wants to actually work within in that system as well. But at some stage, you're going to have to put maximum efforts in and every game, not just the big ones.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And and that's that's really worrying for me that that is kind of a core feature within this group of players.
00:14:17
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, it's our 15th loss of the season. I just had to look that up.
00:14:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:19
Kieran McGinley
One win in our last five. Yeah, it it has been it's it's been tough. It has been tough. And to be honest with you, i think mentally this this team has shot.
00:14:31
Kieran McGinley
um I think the the years of...
00:14:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yeah. Yeah.
00:14:34
Kieran McGinley
you know very not the strategy that should have happened. you know This was a strategy, transfer-wise, where we signed those star players past their peak. Casemiro, I think, has actually been putting in some decent performances as of late, when he's made appearances, and and shown a little bit of what he had.
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye
00:14:53
Kieran McGinley
But you know it's it's five years too late to have Casemiro. Real Madrid sold... you know When they sell a player, there's probably a reason they're doing that. And you should always be a bit wary when Real Madrid sort of accept an offer of, say, 50, 60 billion for a player of theirs that's sort of getting into the twilight of their career. And they go, yeah, all right, you can have him.
00:15:14
Kieran McGinley
There's got to be a red flag at that point.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:16
Kieran McGinley
um But obviously... you know Hopefully with this with this new strategy, it's been better over, I would say, the last two windows. look Does the last window count? Dorgu, yeah, he's been quite promising. Heaven, before the injury, was was looking quite good as well.
00:15:32
Kieran McGinley
But I think the likes of Delict, I think Masraoui. have been really good this season. And and the 15 defeats kind of underpins, I don't think we're weakest defensively.
00:15:44
Kieran McGinley
you know we've We've had a couple of games where we've conceded three, four, five goals. And I better not mention any other Tottenham games because I don't want you going back to that stadium now, for goodness sake.
00:15:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:53
Kieran McGinley
Stop doing that to yourself. But it's it's been a tack. I mean, I'm looking at it. We've scored 38 goals this season. I mean, that's only one more than West Ham. When you're looking at Ipswich, they've got 33 goals. I mean, that's that's a huge concern.
00:16:08
Kieran McGinley
United have scored 38. Liverpool, at the top of the table, have scored 75 goals.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:14
Kieran McGinley
That's where the difference is. That's where the difference in quality is. if If your rivals, you know, and that's historic rivals, are scoring more than double the amount of goals than you in the season.
Injuries, Squad Depth, and Leadership Issues
00:16:25
Kieran McGinley
but You know, the the problem is up front.
00:16:27
Kieran McGinley
And now we haven't got Xerxes for the rest of the season. Ahmad, who was our bright spark, obviously got injured about, what was it? I'm trying to think now.
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
A couple of months ago now, yeah.
00:16:34
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. January, February time, wasn't it?
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:37
Kieran McGinley
ah He was out for the season. That was a massive blow. And I think part of the reason for that is we relied on him so much to to drag us out of the game. I mean, remember the Southampton game where his hat trick in the final 15 minutes saved us.
00:16:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:51
Kieran McGinley
And without that, we...
00:16:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Southampton, Southampton as well, yeah.
00:16:54
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, without that, we were losing to Southampton, um which... know Especially this season. Now they've equalised Derby's record now, haven't they, on 11 with five games to go.
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:17:07
Kieran McGinley
Go on Southampton. You can do it. We believe in you. You could get a better points total than Derby. Our Nick at GSPN wants Southampton to to get more than 11 points because then his beloved Derby still are in the record books.
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, um I'm sure ah he's kind of conflicted with that one. um Whether to that they get a points deduction for something or that they win a game. Either way, he's kind of winning, I suppose. But um yeah, it's it's an interesting one, I suppose, with the experienced players as well.
00:17:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're kind of looking around going, well, where where is that kind of winning mentality or that that fight coming from? And You know, you can see it in Bruno because he's he's basically, over the last few months in particular, single-handedly kind dragging the team to any sort of result we get comes through him.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um His fingerprints are are on all of it. But kind of looking around going, well, you know, as is there kind of a nucleus there? Is there a core of players that you're like, yeah, yeah, like we you could hang their hat on them?
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there isn't really. um And the proof is there as well when you're looking into those games. So that's kind of something that... that is concerning because you can't really change that overnight as well. Even if you signed leaders in the summer, you know, they might be leaders somewhere else, but they might need to get used the dressing room and get used to the players and understand, you know, who's actually going to come with me on this. So that's the bit that will concern me when we're looking to the future where, yeah, you can have the right tactical system, you can have the right players in terms of technical ability, but when it comes to that kind of fight and will to win situation,
00:18:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
these these smaller teams, if you'd like to say, or teams that don't have the same resources as us, have that fight. So there's really no excuse not to have it and not to be able to show up for these games. But yeah, its so like we said, it's a frustrating one, Ciarán.
00:18:52
Kieran McGinley
It is. It is. And it's a problem we've known in January, the fact that we have not got the firepower. And I think that's what's even more frustrating is we had maybe an opportunity in January to go out there and and and even sign someone on loan.
00:19:06
Kieran McGinley
i mean, we've like for example, when we brought in Valt Weghorst, was he the best striker in the world?
00:19:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:11
Kieran McGinley
No, but he added something different. And I think that's what United are lacking right now, especially, know, I think you can only lament so much about blaming injuries. But if you don't have the squad depth, which this team should have, considering the academy we've got behind us, if you're lacking that squad depth, it's it's just a massive concern.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah no absolutely we'll take a quick break there i'll be back with um yeah a bit more discussion about this uh this strange time for us
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencastr came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
Podcasting Platform and Individual Player Analysis
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
You mentioned Hoyland earlier um ah about, you know, well obviously we we we kind of switched up the team in terms of the personnel. You're thinking, you know, would would you give Opie Martin a few minutes to kind of get him up to speed if you're kind of playing a few of these squad players?
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he opted for Hoyland. Do you think playing Hoyland in these games is to just say, come on come on, man, like I'm going to keep playing you until until we kind of get get you back into form because we do have these Europa League games coming up because...
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
there Now there's no competition for him. Like his biggest competition is Harry Maguire for his position at the moment because Xerxes injured.
00:20:50
Kieran McGinley
Mm-hmm.
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maynou is playing as a makeshift striker as well and and maybe off the front, off the nine. But like, it's just not firing for him. He looks like completely devoid of confidence and um it looks like it's it's kind of getting too big for him and a bit overwhelming for him.
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think he's kind of playing him so they can kind of get into a bit of form?
00:21:13
Kieran McGinley
When I watched the Europa League game, um there was obviously Ugarte's first goal. And Hoyland in that plays a massive factor of drawing the defender into the box.
00:21:24
Kieran McGinley
So the cutback can happen from Garnaccio. And Ugarte has one of the easiest finishes he's ever going to have. I think Hoyland, position-wise, can get a little bit haywire. I think the instructions to him, I don't know what they are, but sometimes he drifts wide.
00:21:42
Kieran McGinley
And for a striker, for the lone striker, surely that's what you've got Garnaccio on one side and Fernandes has been playing a a wing role as well. Whoever's playing on the wings, surely they're the ones that should be given the width.
00:21:54
Kieran McGinley
I mean, think about it. You've got, let's say on the left, you've got Garnaccio you've got Dorgu on the left-hand side. That's your wing overlap. As a striker, you should be in the centre. You should be, ah don't know,
00:22:05
Kieran McGinley
delaying your run into the box so that you you've you've got a chance to get a ball in there. But with Hoyland on the edge of the box on the left-hand side, trying to deliver a cross in, it's wrong.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Hmm.
00:22:17
Kieran McGinley
I'm sorry, it's wrong. He should be in the middle of the box. He should be there if a low cross is coming in, getting a foot on it. Or if ball's coming in, ah he's got to be heading the ball or getting something on it to get it in the back of the net.
00:22:28
Kieran McGinley
Or the ball's got to go to him over the top or through the middle. so he can latch onto it and at least get a chance. But he seems all over the place. And I don't know whether that's because he's being told to do that or whether he's doing that of his own volition.
00:22:42
Kieran McGinley
But he's robbing himself of chances by not being that, you know, the fox in the box or the number nine you actually need in the centre of your attack. It just seems like he's missing out so many opportunities.
00:22:53
Kieran McGinley
And three goals in the Premier League sums that up for me.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely. I think there's there's definitely an element of that. um And I think that probably comes with trying too hard um and trying to trying to force it in a way and and get involved in the game because to be fair to him, he can't rely on and he hasn't been able to rely on consistent service.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he doesn't really know when to expect things, where to expect things. Like if you have Garnaccio on the wing, how many times does Garnaccio get decent ball in, you know, over the course of the season? think there's a few horrible statistics um about some of his play this year where maybe most failed dribbles and stuff. And look, a lot of it,
00:23:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
is unfair because there's been a lot of pressure placed on him and maybe he's not that top, top level that is needed and he's not being surrounded by, um you know, a really consistent style of play. He's been played out of position as well. So it is difficult, but I think,
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hoyland in a way becomes very frustrated then because he doesn't know where to be. He's trying too hard. He's running it into channels when he doesn't need to be. And I think another thing with him that I found is that I do think there's something there in terms of ah a striker, but he always seems to be in such a battle with the defender. He he can't seem to get any separation when he does do a run.
00:24:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's always getting blocked down or he's always in a big tussle, even when there's kind of a ah ball played into him to try and hold on to he always seems like it's a wrestling match the great strikers are always able to get some sort of separation from them because of course it's going to be a battle you know you have normally two center halves up against one striker but you don't really see that for top top strikers they they're a bit elusive they're a bit more cute with their runs kind of confusing the defenders but he's nearly looking for a body first to make sure that that's the correct kind of decision and the correct area for him to be in
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then making a run and it just turns into a 50-50 every time. So I think there's there's a lot of reasons for it. i think confidence, over-trying, um and maybe a bit of lack of direction as well. And cohesiveness amongst the whole team is probably not going to help him.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't know what the answer is. like Do you just keep playing them and hope that something clicks within the squad? But you know you're looking at United going, don't really see anything clicking from back to front, and turn and especially not in that front end of the pitch.
00:25:12
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. I mean, sometimes as a striker and sometimes as and as an attacking player, you've got to know what your own limitations are. I mean, I'm going to just bring out Erling Haaland as an example.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:24
Kieran McGinley
He's not the best at passing the ball, but he doesn't need to be.
00:25:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:29
Kieran McGinley
At the end of the day, he is a poacher.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:31
Kieran McGinley
He's able to get on the end of crosses. he's able to He's able to bully other defenders in getting to a ball. And his finishing is unparalleled. by it Honestly, his finishing is on another planet.
00:25:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:43
Kieran McGinley
Okay, he might not be able to pass the ball. But he's good at everything else.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who cares?
00:25:47
Kieran McGinley
So so don't let him don't give him an opportunity to pass the ball.
00:25:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly.
00:25:50
Kieran McGinley
Make sure he's in a position to finish. You've got, for example, you've got a couple of other players, but you know Robert Lewandowski, he's in his late 30s now. He can't run. So don't give him an opportunity where he needs to latch onto a ball. Give him an opportunity where he's able to have the ball play to the feet and he's able to go from there. Or...
00:26:09
Kieran McGinley
You do the running on the wings and cut the ball back to him, he's going to be there. His positioning, because he knows he's not the physical specimen he once was, he needs to be better at positioning himself.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:20
Kieran McGinley
And that's what you do. is As you get older, you start to know what your limitations are. I feel like Hoyland, there is a player there. You're right. But it's a bit of ah it's a rough player. And we've had him for the last two years now. And it's not really improved. If anything, it's got worse.
00:26:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:36
Kieran McGinley
And like you say, that could be something to do with the service he gets. It's inconsistent. He doesn't know what to expect. But some of the top strikers have made opportunities for themselves.
00:26:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that never happens.
00:26:46
Kieran McGinley
um
00:26:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:26:47
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, exactly.
00:26:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:48
Kieran McGinley
Exactly. I mean, am I expecting Hoyland to be Cristiano Ronaldo or a Lionel Messi who can just change the game by themselves?
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:55
Kieran McGinley
No. I think those types of players are once in a generation. We were lucky to have them twice in in one generation. The point is, though, that he's trying so hard to try and make the opportunity for himself that he's crossing in the ball to himself.
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:11
Kieran McGinley
So it's breaking down at that point and it needs a really... yeah almost like team cohesion needs to really be brought together in order to understand when the ball needs to be played, when Hoyland needs to be in the box, when he needs to be lurking outside it.
00:27:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:27:27
Kieran McGinley
ah And as you say, you've got a couple of players there who feel like the world's on their shoulders, Fernandes, Garnaccio, who are feeling like they need to change the game themselves. So Hoyland gets even fewer opportunities. So it's kind of this vicious cycle that the worse we're doing, the more players want to step up and be the hero,
00:27:44
Kieran McGinley
But that ultimately means it's a downfall for other players who probably do have the qualities that we need to change the games.
00:27:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely. um and it It is a tricky one. There's a multitude of issues there.
Team Direction and Conclusion
00:27:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think as well around the cohesion and the consistency of the balls into him, but also the team in general.
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
whose team Who's the team built around for for United?
00:28:07
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:28:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because... you would say you would say Bruno Fernandes is the best player. You wouldn't say the team is built around Bruno Fernandes. Fernandes has played in about four different positions over the last couple of months.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anytime there's an issue, he kind of is either pushed out to the wing like he has been recently um or he's been played in in the kind of lower block when when Mount came on midweek. So he's kind of shifting positions probably two or three times every game.
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
If Bruno is your main focal player who's going to play in the same position every week, then that's fine, but that doesn't happen. So there's no consistency anywhere on the pitch. um The players, I think, are nearly going out and kind of freestyling in a way and and hoping things kind of happen off the cuff. And that kind of was encapsulated from what we saw midweek. Like the three goals were...
00:28:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know three random bits of play you know the first one was kind of a long ball and a bit of a scuff on the box got a penalty the next one then was a bit of a bit of genius from Bruno and Casemiro flick around the corner and then kind of a hopeful ball to the back post from from Casemiro as well so like there was no oh that's the way United are playing it was like last ditch stuff like we need to just get the ball forward and and let's see what happens so um I think it did kind of summarize the lack of direction that we have in general.
00:29:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And it's just a bit chaotic at the moment. And for a striker that's not confident, that is not a good environment for them to be involved in.
00:29:34
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, it's almost like the cavalcade of errors, isn't it? that
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:38
Kieran McGinley
That sum up what United has been about this season. And it it the devil's the inconsistent detail, isn't it? it's It's just a case of no one has been that consistent performer. And when they have been, they've then gotten injured.
00:29:52
Kieran McGinley
And that just seems to be the way. I mean, Fernandes has been, again, he's our top goal scorer in the Premier League. And it looks like he's going to be that. and For two years in a row now, he's been the top goal scorer.
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:03
Kieran McGinley
I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, except that he's an attacking midfielder and we've had three strikers so far this season.
00:30:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:10
Kieran McGinley
Kind of worrying.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah some Sometimes he's a defensive midfielder, you know, in games, like he's been one of the two in midfield, which is just like, it's just madness, really.
00:30:13
Kieran McGinley
Always fun one.
00:30:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, anyway, look, Kieran, thanks for joining me. um another Another week in the in the life of being a Man United fan. Like, it's just, I don't know what this did.
00:30:28
Kieran McGinley
what is always a fun one
00:30:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it it always is. It it keeps it entertaining. I'm sure everyone listening in will be and will either delighted or upset at the the result of the weekend, depending on what team you're supporting.
00:30:36
Kieran McGinley
Okay.
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
But ah yeah, hopefully United, hopefully we can kind of continue this this journey in Europe. And yeah, we'll we'll see how we get on in the next couple of Premier League games. but Ciarán, thanks for joining me.
00:30:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And yeah, check out our socials. Like Ciarán mentioned earlier on, we have a couple of reactions from the game last Thursday that you might want to check out. And yeah, if you enjoyed the episode, leave a rating on whatever platform you're using to listen, and we'll see you in the next one.