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Daily Manchester United - Episode 111 - United Welcome to the Championship
14 Plays13 days ago
Niall is joined by Kieran to discuss the defeat at Spurs...
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Transcript
Introduction to the Daily Manchester United Podcast
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the daily Manchester United podcast. I am your host for this evening Niall Hannigan and I'm joined by Ciaran McGinley. It's the OGs for this one. Ciaran, how are you getting on?
Recurring Defeats Against Spurs
00:00:20
Kieran McGinley
ah Well, I suppose worse than you were because you were actually at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again for this fixture again. When will you learn, Niall? This fixture is nothing but trouble for you.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, you know, at some stage I'm going to have to look at myself and and judge my own decisions, never mind the guys on the pitch. like But yeah, three times I've been to a Spurs United fixture this season and all of them have ended in in defeats and fully deserved as well.
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, my yeah like Christmas present for my dad didn't turn out as planned, but but we moved.
00:00:52
Kieran McGinley
she
00:00:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not that I was shocked, not that I was shocked, but ah yeah, a lot to unpack there from the weekend.
Analyzing Poor Player Ratings
00:01:02
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, and I mean, the yeah guys yesterday, Cormac and Tom, pretty much ah summed it up, really, with those player ratings.
00:01:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:01:08
Kieran McGinley
Mostly fives across the board, has to be said. Not surprising. um But I suppose we better dive into it and see and try and work out where it kind of went wrong and what lessons we can learn. But yeah, we...
00:01:22
Kieran McGinley
feels like we're being held back two or three years. If we were in America, we we'd be three years behind everybody else at this point.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know. And, you know, it's it's a familiar story. And the the thing is, the expectations are so low for this team now at the moment where it wasn't really a surprise going into the game. um You know, watching the first 10 to 20 minutes was it was up
Midfield Struggles and Key Players
00:01:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
there with some of the worst performances we've had. Yeah.
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
couldn't get on the ball at all. I think the first 20 minutes was like 70-something percent possession for Spurs and we couldn't get a handle at all on it. Midfield was being overrun completely. i think we knew that based off the lineup with Casemiro in there.
00:02:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was always going to struggle and Bruno having to do the majority running. and in midfield with with three very technically good players from a Spurs perspective so that was always going to be ah long afternoon for him but yeah I mean we were down to the bare bones and we had a lot of kids on the bench um along with Lindelof so there wasn't the team kind of picked itself I suppose but ah yeah yeah
00:02:24
Kieran McGinley
I was going to say, Lindelof being broken out into the bench. He was like, what year is this? What's going on? and just wasn't expecting it. But apparently, yeah, mixtures of viruses and illnesses and injuries.
00:02:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
exactly
00:02:35
Kieran McGinley
and Yeah, it really hurt us going into this.
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was tough. um it It was tough to watch as well. I mean, you kind of go with the back three, you be comfortable enough with that back three, um ah considering what we have at the moment. I think Dallo, I was happy to see that he was actually on the right-hand side for a change rather than trying to cut in from the left-hand side. And to be fair, I'd say Patrick D'Orgu is one of the bright sparks from from a United perspective. Tried hard, was a willing runner, um had a couple of times were a decent end ball and a bit of quality in the final third and sometimes just didn't really work out for him but definitely tried hard and yeah that's what it's come to Kieran we're talking about players that actually start running a bit and can actually produce something because yeah there wasn't a lot to shout about
00:03:16
Kieran McGinley
and
00:03:23
Kieran McGinley
No, not not really at all. I mean, we'll come onto the bench later, I'm sure. But yeah, that that that first half was... It was bad. It was bad.
Defense Criticism and Maddison's Impact
00:03:34
Kieran McGinley
And to be honest with you, that was 13 minutes in they got that goal. And let's face it, it's a shot that should Anana be doing better? Well, we saw Vicario save a similar one in the second half. The only difference was that Xerxes was very clearly offside.
00:03:48
Kieran McGinley
And Maddison's just able to run through. He's clearly on. No one picks him up.
00:03:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:03:52
Kieran McGinley
And that back three is just stationary, watching, watching as it happens. I mean, I know at some point, you know, you're you're so late to react or you you sort of see it unfolding that it's like, actually, I should have been there.
00:04:05
Kieran McGinley
You're just sort of standing there watching on. in horror, but it it happens too often. It happens. It happens too often. at The back three is just absolutely flabbergasted. I've been, I've been full of praise with them because the back three has been on the whole. It's not been our weakest element. I think that back three has been pretty strong.
00:04:23
Kieran McGinley
But, But we wouldn't have been talking about that a lot if our forwards were doing forward stuff, you know, putting the ball in the back of the other net. i We wouldn't be having this conversation about what were the back three doing because on the whole, they contained Tottenham enough.
00:04:39
Kieran McGinley
I think we got away with it, but they contained Tottenham enough just just to concede the one goal.
Challenges in Playing from the Back
00:04:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there's there's so much to unpack because, you know, conversations that I had on the the podcast a few weeks ago with Dan around, you know, the defence probably is the area where you're not thinking needs as much bolstering as other areas, but it's also not good either.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, you know, and and in terms of... being able to play out from the back and having those players on the ball, you know, we just seem to be penned in so easily compared to other teams. We we automatically have a flat back five when we're trying to build out from the back and then you're completely outnumbered around the rest the pitch. You have two to three players pressing a back five, completely overloading everyone else. And the only option is to kind of hook a ball down the line to Hoyland or hook it into his chest with three men around him. Like,
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Hoyland's been getting a lot of a lot of abuse, but watching that game yesterday, there's really nothing more he can do, to be honest.
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
like The service he's getting is absolutely awful. like it's It's hopeful balls down the line, or it's kind of a clip ball into his chest with like no plan, even if he did win or did something ah did something with it.
00:05:34
Kieran McGinley
Thank you.
00:05:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And yeah, I mean, they're just, the frustration in me, it's just unbelievable. Like they're just so far off it. It's unbelievable compared to any other team.
Missed Opportunities and Lack of Clinical Finishing
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
they They weren't able to to put any sort of a press on Spurs at any point in the game.
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Spurs were kind of dancing around them. i was concerned when Madison was playing. I just knew that he was going to be loving it considering he basically played a a free roll the whole game.
00:06:10
Kieran McGinley
Mm-hmm.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Roy Keane comment on the overlap this week was a great omen for him as well saying, you think the Spurs players are all delighted that Madison's going to come back? Like what difference will Madison make? And then of course he makes a TikTok out of it. I was like, I just knew as soon as was going over shushing the camera, I was like this man, honestly, he does it always against United as well.
00:06:30
Kieran McGinley
Well, it's funny you should say always against United. That was the first Premier League goal he scored against United, I believe. ah some some
00:06:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really? Yeah.
00:06:37
Kieran McGinley
I think so. Some magical stat out there that they said on the Sky Sports broadcast that apparently that was the first time he'd scored against United in the league.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, he was...
00:06:44
Kieran McGinley
It doesn't feel like that because...
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly, he played he played them off the park in Old Trafford. I felt like he scored. He was unbelievable that day.
00:06:49
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. someone might have to Someone might have to fact check me on that one, but I'm pretty sure I heard that stat.
00:06:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's...
00:06:54
Kieran McGinley
Maybe it was just you know me believing that it wasn't that bad, but maybe maybe it was. I don't know. To be honest, Spurs could have had two or three in that first half and I wouldn't have been entirely surprised. We we kept giving the ball back to them.
00:07:07
Kieran McGinley
There was no sense of you know cohesion in that first half. Yeah. No one was clicking, which has been a to all too familiar seen this season. And what I will say, you know, what didn't improve in the second half was Garnaccio. And I feel like what Tom said yesterday was absolutely spot on. That was the game where Alejandro had to step up. He had to be the one that said, look, Ahmad's injured.
00:07:32
Kieran McGinley
Rashford's on loan. So is Anthony. Put your faith in me. And whilst he got into great positions, I can't deny that. He was really good at getting into the right positions. But the what was it?
00:07:43
Kieran McGinley
the The one he skied.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, first half.
00:07:45
Kieran McGinley
I mean, he gets himself in that perfect position.
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:48
Kieran McGinley
A really great first touch as well to set up perfectly. And I'm not quite sure how from 10 or nine yards out, it's almost like he's he watched American football the weekend before because it's gone so far over.
00:08:02
Kieran McGinley
i genuinely don't believe how how he did that. I can't wrap my head around it. But I thought as well, you know, when we get into the second half, And there's some work to be done down that left-hand side between Garnaccio and Dorgut, because all too often, Garnaccio was completely ignoring the overlap that Dorgut was trying to create for him, just completely blanked him.
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, when you when you talk about the chances that he had, it just kind of comes down to the to the whole
Quality Issues Compared to Spurs
00:08:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
team in general. you know there's just ah There's just a serious lack of quality across the pitch in all positions.
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you were to pick a combined team between both teams that started yesterday, i don't think any of the United players would get in. and I don't think that's a mad statement to make. i think most people would probably agree with that. And that's with Spurs missing ah still a lot of players. Yeah.
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it was just so evident, you know, like there's no one from and opposition's perspective that would scare you from that United team. And Ahmad is probably the only player that would.
00:09:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But as we've said many a time, if you're relying on Ahmad, something seriously has gone wrong this season because at the start of the season, if you were to say that, you would have been laughed out the out the gate. But he's become so important for us because he actually takes on players. He makes something happen by himself and...
00:09:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
We just can't seem to be able to do that.
Strategic Decisions and Substitutions
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even teams that are, was going to say teams that are lower than us. There's not many of them, but awesome yeah also to teams that you would say, you know, so-called weaker teams, they have X factor players.
00:09:29
Kieran McGinley
Five left.
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like we don't like we we we really don't because now we've, we've put Bruno back into even more of a defensive role because he's really the only player in midfield that we can trust on the ball. And he can't really be his flair self because he's got to play the more disciplined game alongside Casemiro there in midfield. So it's um it's a sorry sight.
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
it It really is. it's ah It's hard to watch at times. And I feel for for those fans that have been cheering on a team that have been been bad over the years because, yeah, it's ah it is it's a tough watch.
00:10:08
Kieran McGinley
It's very tough. It's very tough. And we've we've got to somehow put up with the second half as well. Oh, no. Here we go.
00:10:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Right, we'll take a quick break here, Ciarán, compose her ourselves, and then be back with a bit more in the second half.
00:11:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I tell you what, I might use that 40% discount to give a few to the Man United players because anything anything could be better than what we're seeing at the moment.
00:11:20
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I don't know if it's a bit stronger stuff than the supplements that Bionic can give, but we need to give them something anyway. What do you think, Ciarán?
00:11:31
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, it's not a bad idea. I'll be completely honest with you. Yeah, they need to listen to their bodies. um they They really, really do. get I mean, that i to be honest with you, second half, we improved, but it's almost like polishing it an expletive compared to the first half.
00:11:47
Kieran McGinley
you knows It's not the same.
00:11:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:11:49
Kieran McGinley
I thought you know the first 20 minutes of that first half, we were all over Tottenham. And we had plenty of chances where if we were more clinical, if we had strikers who had bags of confidence and the ability to to you know be cutthroat in those games, in those positions, we could have got back into the game. And we probably could have gone on to win it had we had that killer instinct. But...
00:12:10
Kieran McGinley
We didn't. And it it just comes on to that ball in towards Xerxes. I think Xerxes playing a slightly deeper role in that game. I thought he was OK. No one in that team was good.
00:12:22
Kieran McGinley
Let's be honest. I don't think anyone was good. You can't say that. But I think Xerxes was the best out of a you know really poor performance. His hold-up play was good. He was bringing players in.
00:12:34
Kieran McGinley
he was trying to you know He was even getting some nutmegs out as well. you know Why not? you know He's starting to build that confidence. Shame he didn't cap it off with a goal. And what really summed up our woes going forward and the woes in front of goal was the miscue from Joshua himself. you know He completely misses the ball.
00:12:53
Kieran McGinley
to you know a jeer from the crowd. And you just sort of think that that sums it up for me. We're not in any way looking like we're ever going to score in this game. You could have given us no keeper and 180 minutes and we probably would have scored at the other end.
00:13:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and it basically is no keeper with Ficario in nets as well. So like, and we still couldn't put anything past him. I was delighted when he was back in the Spurs team because I think think the other keeper is way better, I think.
00:13:15
Kieran McGinley
hi you You say that. Yeah. you i I don't know. I think Vicario and Kinski... Kinski is much more... um there's There's a certain word for eccentric.
00:13:28
Kieran McGinley
um But I think that can benefit you if you're a sweeper-keeper. I think he's more calm on the ball, but Vicario was pulling out some good stops. I mean... You know, there was one that Garnaccio absolutely skied, but Garnaccio wrapped his foot around one of them. It was heading into the top corner and Vicario just pulls out that save.
00:13:42
Kieran McGinley
And again, it's just like it was one of those days where even if we got the shot on target, there was something or someone to block it. it was It was one of those. But yeah, I just think is there's underlying problems here and underlying problems is is sort of the message of the day.
Youth Opportunities vs. Senior Performance
00:13:59
Kieran McGinley
When we get to that second half and I'm expecting, you know, there's ah there's a bench full of players that have never played in the Premier League before and Viktor Lindelof. I'm expecting at least one of them to come on with maybe 20 minutes to go, 25 minutes to go and make a name for themselves.
00:14:15
Kieran McGinley
and And there was one sub, one, Chido, Obi Martin, three minutes of added time. He's brought in in the 91st. What's he going to do in two minutes?
00:14:26
Kieran McGinley
that That's a disgrace. There's an utter disgrace. I know you're trying to give your senior players... Yeah, maybe you've got 12 senior players. Okay. But those 11 senior players who were on the pitch at that time with Lindelof on the bench have done nothing. They've done nothing.
00:14:42
Kieran McGinley
So give... This whole thing of, you know, wait until the 90th minute and then make ah oh a substitution. oh I'll just make one because then I can make a sub. It's pointless.
00:14:53
Kieran McGinley
What is Chida going to do? He has proven himself in the youth ranks to be given a chance in this team. And I don't know why he hasn't. ah The guys mentioned yesterday, and you yourself have mentioned as well at some point on this podcast, Harry Amas still on the bench, still not used.
00:15:08
Kieran McGinley
We've brought in Patrick Dorgu to help out with the wing-back situation, but why haven't we given Amas a chance? There's plenty of talent on that bench. on that bench Aidan Heaven's on the bench as well, and we didn't use him.
00:15:20
Kieran McGinley
yeah i would i was putting my money on Amorim substituting a centre-back. It's his favourite thing in the world to do. But you've got a bench of nine players. They might be youth players, but... If this injury crisis is really as bad as it seems and we've got players out for four weeks, then we shouldn't be having players play the full 90 minutes. Well, we've got five sub to use from a bench of nine. It it makes no sense.
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, you're spot on. It was embarrassing, really, to be honest. And, you know, at the match and seeing them all warm up, you know, the only reason why Obi Martin got on was that man never sat down for the whole second half. It was ridiculous. Like, he was up and down the touchdown. He was getting on that pitch 100%. And it was one of those ones where only, like, running in front of Amram and warming up in front of him just to say, like, I'm here, put me on. But...
00:16:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
but like i remember putting out a tweet i think it was after the wolves game i was like please just pack in the whole first team and play the the kids for the rest of season because like at least they'll they'll run about and kick someone and and get get get something going like you know what i mean and they actually want to play for the club and they want to put in like it's not as if like the other team the other players are performing to the top level anyway and And yes, there's the whole thing of you know devaluing players and the club probably won't let you do that and stuff, but that's a perfect opportunity where you actually have a bench full of youngsters and it's your hand's being forced because of injuries or illness, for example.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So there's no excuse. What would you rather lose, tuil like
00:16:51
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, you you dream of those scenarios when you're playing football manager or FIFA where you've got a really depleted squad and it's your chance to rebuild and you give the chance to the youth. You dream of situations like that. I just cannot, I can't see the decision and I can't see how that decision was made to make one sub in stoppage time in the second half and that be it.
00:17:11
Kieran McGinley
ah especially if you've got games further down the line, you could you could bring on the youth in 70 minutes, give them 20 minutes of run out, at least give them a chance. If we lose two or three nil, let's be honest, we were not scoring no matter what. With the 11 players we had on the pitch, we weren't scoring.
00:17:27
Kieran McGinley
So why not roll the dice? What's going to happen? We concede another one? So what? we' We're already 1-0 down. You either roll the dice and try and get at least a point or get the three, or you get egg on your face.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:37
Kieran McGinley
It's like putting the keeper up for a corner when you're 1-0 down. Roll the dice. Why not? you know What have you got to lose? Another goal. It's already the 90th minute. Let's just go for it. you know I can't... i Yeah, I cannot...
00:17:48
Kieran McGinley
foresee the decision and I cannot understand the decision not to make any substitutes if this illness whatever it may be is infecting the squad sooner or later it sounds like it's going to happen giving you the chance
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, it kind of goes against what you know United for as well in terms of giving youth a chance. But yeah, when when it's forced upon you, it should be done. um And also, it's not as if they're going into cauldron. are...
00:18:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
like spurs are they're They're a good team, but at the moment, they are seriously lacking in confidence as well. like you could You could feel it around the stadium. like You mentioned that 20-minute spell that United had in the second half.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
They were like, here we go again.
00:18:30
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:18:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've had a great start. We've gone 1-0 up. And the amount of times that they've conceded a lead this year, you could feel it, the nervousness around the stadium, even until the last minute when the final whistle blew. Only then did they believe they were going to win that game. And and that's how... And United were poor. like United were creating chances, but nothing like...
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
major like united can't sustain pressure against any team you know there was a few corners at times where it looked they might get something but you know they were there for the taking and if you do bring on a couple of fearless players that are just going to try try some stuff and might give a bit of a boost to someone who let's be honest looking at the united players they look completely devoid of confidence anything they try they're kind of second guessing and they're they're a second slow to it and if you're a second slow to in the Premier League, you're you're screwed.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
like So if anything, would have given them a bit of a lift.
00:19:16
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. they It was insulting to bring on Chido Martin or Obi Martin that late on.
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:23
Kieran McGinley
you You make that substitution when you're 3-0 up and wasting time or you know you're 3-1, 3-2 up and you're trying to run down the clock. You don't do it when you're chasing the game. Insulting.
00:19:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and those three minutes, it was a free kick for Spurs, and then they kept it in the corner for another minute, and then, like, I don't think United touched the ball in the last three minutes, so it was pretty embarrassing, like, but, ah yeah, that had to be a talking point, because it was just so obvious that he wasn't going to make a sub, like, you know, if you're not making a sub on the half an hour, and normally he's made a lot of subs this year, like you said, in the back line, he was like, oh, well, that's it, none of them are going to get on, you know, so...
00:20:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, yeah, we'll take another break and we we have to do another segment on this, Kieran.
00:20:04
Kieran McGinley
another one not another one
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's see. Yeah, let's see how we get on.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can we forfeit the season? Like, I know it's, um I know it's, upward we're nearly at the end of the season anyway. And, you know, all I can think of is that career mode, Mikel Arteta with his hand over his face and on career mode, just delete club.
00:20:56
Kieran McGinley
Let's just delete club.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, but, you know, I would love, I was actually chatting with this but with my parents because they were over for the match. And they were like, oh, what's that thing you do in fantasy football? The wildcard. I was like, yeah, that would be lovely, except we won't be able to get any money back for these players.
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we'd actually have to start and build up from scratch with wildcard. At least you can sell them for the price that they currently are. You know, you're not losing
Statistical Comparisons to Past Seasons
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
money in the market. So um that would be great. But we we can't do that, which means it's going to be an extremely long road back.
00:21:29
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, I mean, to to highlight two moments of the podcast, both involving us which says a lot when you think about it. I'm just reading a stat here from the analyst, my favourite place to get any of these bizarre stats.
00:21:45
Kieran McGinley
It reads, and you'll like this now, Manchester United have lost 12 of their 25 Premier League games this season, eight wins and five draws, which is now their most defeats from their first 25 matches of a league campaign since 1973-74.
00:22:00
Kieran McGinley
which were We lost 13, and that was the last time, the 74 season, we were relegated from the top flight. That clip's going to come back to haunt us. And I'll tell you the other clip that's going to come back to haunt us. playback Play Mick McCarthy. Here he comes.
00:22:15
Kieran McGinley
It can get worse. It is getting worse because now we've only got 12 players, 12 senior players who are starting these games. Oh, my goodness. This is bad. This is really bad. I didn't think it could get much worse. I thought it was a case of, oh, we'll be mid-table mediocrity. We'll pick up a point or three points here and there.
00:22:35
Kieran McGinley
But it's it's actually dangerously, dangerously
Upcoming Fixtures and Their Implications
00:22:38
Kieran McGinley
bad. Okay, we're 12 points up from the drop, but it's which are picking up points. Leicester, I think, were unlucky. ah You know, have been unlucky the last couple of games.
00:22:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:22:46
Kieran McGinley
Southampton, I think, is the only shoe, but I wouldn't actually rule anything out at this stage.
00:22:50
Kieran McGinley
I'm trying to work out now how many games left. thirty They could still catch us. They're 20 points behind. They can still catch us. Nothing is guaranteed in this one. I've lost the plot and it's and um'm and I'm here for it now. So here we go.
00:23:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said that ah we'll be on the daily championship next year with the podcast. Like, so that, that could be, that could be on the cards. Like, but we might be the most viewed or listened to daily championships. That also is something to look forward to.
00:23:17
Kieran McGinley
I don't know. Leeds will be up there, I reckon.
00:23:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
True. Yeah. We might lose our sponsorship, but we'll still be there. We'll still be there talking into the abyss.
00:23:26
Kieran McGinley
ah Oh, it's getting bad, isn't it? We're we're losing our minds over here. Niall and I have just seen it all from the start. now Remember at the start of the season when were so full of optimism?
00:23:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, so, so positive. Honestly, the amount people that have said to me, you should go back and listen to the first episodes like that you did at the start of the season because you guys were on cloud nine talking about f fa Cup wins, giving Ten Hag another year.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, oh, look at the window we've had Two new bombshells with Delict and Masrawi. And then look at us, fifteenth in February.
00:23:54
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah yeah i ah Yeah. You you he basically said... i said we could fall as low as 16th when I was on the the preview on the on the Friday. I didn't actually think, oh yeah, we could fall as low as 15th or 16th. But no, we have.
00:24:16
Kieran McGinley
the The evidence is clear on the Premier League side. We are 31 points off of Liverpool. Mind the gap. I didn't think it could really get that bad. I'll be completely honest with you, but there we go.
00:24:31
Kieran McGinley
And I suppose the only thing left now is to look forward to our next game and look forward is very much an understatement because it's against Everton away Goodison Park. Guess what? Everton have just gone above us.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
the most informed team in and and the world, like but 31 points at Liverpool, you'll never sing that happy days.
00:24:44
Kieran McGinley
Honestly.
00:24:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah.
00:24:50
Kieran McGinley
You will never sing that.
00:24:51
Kieran McGinley
You'll never sing that.
00:24:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm looking at these fixtures, Ciarán, and I am concerned, like...
00:24:55
Kieran McGinley
You say this a lot. We say this a lot though.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
But like, to be fair, I did say that at the near the start of the season. I was like, I don't, this is going to be long. Everyone's like, yeah we'll be fine. We'll be fine. Everton, Ipswich. Ipswich picked up a big point against Villa.
00:25:10
Kieran McGinley
Yeah.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, we're nowhere near Villa. Then we've got Arsenal. Brilliant. Then we've got Leicester, real six-pointer. Then we've got Forrests.
00:25:19
Kieran McGinley
Oh no, not Chris Wood.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Going for Champions League. We've got Man City. Happy days. Newcastle. Lovely. Wolves battered us. Bournemouth battered us. Brentford always beat us. West Ham.
00:25:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Six-pointer. Chelsea and Villa. How many wins there?
00:25:34
Kieran McGinley
as
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
How many wins are we thinking?
00:25:35
Kieran McGinley
ah
00:25:39
Kieran McGinley
i don't I don't want to say because it could be as bad as my Europa League prediction, but I genuinely i genuinely don't know where these points
Season Reflections and Current Struggles
00:25:46
Kieran McGinley
are going to come from. You would think if we've got if we are serious about this, we should be putting up a fight against Everton. These are two teams that should be you know gritting their teeth and you know bit between their teeth.
00:25:57
Kieran McGinley
But honestly, Moyes has got Everton firing on all the cylinders. He's been phenomenal since his return.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:02
Kieran McGinley
i can i can see that being a tough game. I would think, you know, just just slip Kieran McKenna an envelope envelope with £20 and be like, look look, I know you managed some of the youth at Manchester. know You know some of these players. you Let us off, let us off.
00:26:15
Kieran McGinley
But i imagine Liam Dillap will not get the memo. I imagine he, you know, I've always been a fan of Liam Dillap. He is a good player. I think he's kept and bailed Ipswich out countless times this season. And yeah, and then we've got Fulham again.
00:26:28
Kieran McGinley
They're, you know, going for top half of the table. They have been, they've been hot and cold this season. when they're When they're performing, they are really good to watch.
00:26:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
What have we been?
00:26:37
Kieran McGinley
Well, mainly cold. Yeah. yeah Yeah. you We, we, You know, we're that pizza you left in the oven overnight and completely forgot about. You just burnt to a crisp and cold.
00:26:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:48
Kieran McGinley
The worst.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
The one that used to be good, like ah used to be good and then now it's just miserable at the back of the back of the freezer.
00:26:53
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I honestly think I'm going to make a prediction now that we will only win one of those games in the Premier League and that's the Leicester game.
00:26:57
Kieran McGinley
i
00:27:01
Kieran McGinley
I guarantee you it will be Arsenal. Arsenal.
00:27:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
That'll be the and the rest of them. we'll get We'll get a couple of draws. I think we'll get a few draws. We'll probably draw against City and Arsenal and then lose the rest them.
00:27:10
Kieran McGinley
no Yeah, well I was going to say, think about this because this team has already proven against the big teams, because we now have to call them the big teams because right now we are very little team.
00:27:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:20
Kieran McGinley
you know
00:27:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:21
Kieran McGinley
Against the big performers, we've actually done okay. Okay, Tottenham blew us out the park. But again, I'm talking about big performers this season. um it Teams that aren't struggling.
00:27:32
Kieran McGinley
We have had that siege mentality. We've managed to get something out of games. Some of them have ended in you know tight losses and there's nothing wrong with that.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
kared
00:27:43
Kieran McGinley
But the problem is, you know, those tight losses against teams like Arsenal or Chelsea or Liverpool, anything like that.
00:27:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:54
Kieran McGinley
It's not the end of the world because we're not in the greatest of form. The ones that hurt are where we're absolutely torn apart by teams we should be beating. And...
00:28:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, yeah, in the history books should be beaten, but they're just way better.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're just way better teams. Like when you actually boil down their players and the way they play and... actually watching the games, like the Wolves and the Southampton games, like Southampton, we should have lost twice to Southampton and we got away with both of them.
00:28:06
Kieran McGinley
Yeah.
00:28:17
Kieran McGinley
yeah yep
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah, it's not good. It's not good. i think we might, like, I think we might survive the drop though, but like, think we might.
00:28:26
Kieran McGinley
a four
00:28:29
Kieran McGinley
13 games to go 12 points above relegation this this could be squeaky bum time but absolutely the wrong the wrong end of the table ah yeah how did fur like honestly could you see Sir Alex predict anything like this where it's squeaky bum time but in terms of actually staying up
00:28:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Wrong at the table,
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Incredible. Could you imagine both Manchester clubs in the championship next year? How much money would you have won on that, you reckon? and If you put ah money on City and United starting the the league next year in the championship?
00:29:00
Kieran McGinley
ah be honest with you. Anything could happen. you know we we've We've managed to progress in the FA Cup somehow.
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:06
Kieran McGinley
Twice.
00:29:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're in the Europa League as well.
00:29:08
Kieran McGinley
or in the Europa League knockouts, and not having to play a playoff game either, again, I don't really know. i would absolutely happily just put the kids out against our next opponent FA Cup, which eludes me at this time, and it really didn't.
00:29:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Follow them.
00:29:23
Kieran McGinley
Fulham. I would happily put out the kids in that ah FA Cup game, and I would happily bow out of the Europa League if it meant we could actually have some players that care about staying up Because they're all playing like they haven't got relegation wage cuts in there in their contract and it shows.
00:29:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, true, true. I actually think that is true. That's very true. i yeah I actually really want us to win the Europa League just to be in Champions League next year in the championship.
00:29:51
Kieran McGinley
and Championship League. i
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Championship League.
00:29:54
Kieran McGinley
you You heard it here first.
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's episode 111 today. Like we should be calling 911 for this season because it is atrocious.
00:30:01
Kieran McGinley
Yeah.
00:30:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Atrocious, I think is the only word for it.
00:30:05
Kieran McGinley
right isn't Yeah, yeah. Although next episode is 112, which is the yeah the helpline for all Europe, you know. So all I'm saying is, fingers crossed, i A lifeline comes soon.
00:30:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's a wildcard episode. So, i mean, what do we do Glory days?
00:30:24
Kieran McGinley
We did a lot of those recently. but can't think why.
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's um it's tough out here. But yeah, I mean, if you enjoyed listening along, it's just as chaotic as United at the moment. So yeah, thanks for tuning in. And we've got a new ad as well.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I hope you like the new ad. Make sure to check out some of your supplements. And yeah, we're on YouTube, as Kieran always brings up, that you can see our faces now as well. So yeah, things are going well over here. The podcast, we're flying it. And check us out on the social media channels as well to see all of our,
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
tweets about how well United are doing and yeah we'll see you in the next one Kieran thank you very much for joining me and I hope you're not too down about it but um yeah we're surviving exactly
00:31:08
Kieran McGinley
It is what it is. Roll on the next one.