He got a couple of minutes and then they happily offloaded him in the summer for a nominal fee, so im not sure they saw too much of him. Im not sure it would necessarily "take a hammering" because you are struggling to find anything useful with no money to play with.

The under 21s lost 7-2. To think, one of the defenders has been on the bench lately for the first team. Telalovic didnt score.

The budget we had seemingly would have not come close to say buying a top league 1 striker. A Colby Bishop, Dion Charles or Devante Cole, all of whom would have big question marks over whether they could step up (Rhodes is old and couldnt get a game for a terrible Huddersfield and he bangs them in) would have cost probably at least close to a million if not above that. So they are non starters. So you are then likely looking in League or even in non league, and the idea that anyone there would be "ready to go" for us is simply not true. Im not defending the Telalovic deal specifically, he looks nowhere near it and is playing for an under 21 team getting battered at Reading when we have a tiny squad with a cup game in 2 days. But when you have such a pathetically low budget, your only hope is to try and be creative, and even then you are trying to find a needle in a haystack with no money. Vardy was a unique case, and he took a year to settle. He isnt the norm for signing players from non league.

I just cant see us getting close to be honest but obviously so much depends on the teams. If Tomasson opts to play the likes of Gamble and Hilton (even Garrett and Markanday to an extent) then we are waiting for a hiding. Chelsea had a very week bench at the weekend with a number of injuries, they did have Reece James on there who may play for fitness, they had Gusto who is also a right back, Maatsen, Badiashile, but not much else. Mudryk and Fernandez didnt make the squad though so I presume they will miss this game, but Chelsea dont have Europe so may not make wholesale changes.

I think win percentage is a flawed basis to use, partly because it discounts draws, but it also obviously doesn't factor in the different situations, for example how they inherited us, the league we was in etc.

I was surprised he made the bench on Saturday as he was never going to come on with 2 other strikers ahead of him. Suppose him and Atcheson being on bench just highlighted how light we are at the moment, we had 7 players who ever had a chance of coming on, including a sub keeper, and then Ennis who wasn't fancied when we needed a goal and Garrett who again was probably unlikely to ever come on. We are currently missing Hedges, Hyam, Gallagher and Travis, fair play, important players. But 4 outfield injuries shouldn't leave us this light.

Rashford is obviously a talented player but the reason why he not a top class one is because he is far too streaky. When hes on it, he will go on a run of a goal a game. But he regularly has extended spells where he doesnt do anything and when hes not on it, he has a tendency to hide and not appear to put in the effort. Relating to England, there seems to be one space alongside Bellingham, Kane and Saka and I have always thought that Foden has to take it.

I think team wise, it might be a case of picking what team we intend to put out on Sunday and working back from that. Rotate where possible but we cannot risk the battering that wholesale changes with our tiny squad would cause. This would be my team at the weekend: Wahlstedt Brittain Hill Wharton Pickering Tronstad Wharton Rankin Costello Szmodics Dolan Ennis So on Wednesday I would bring in Leonard, Sigurdsson, Moran and Carter for Ennis, Dolan, Szmodics and Hill and then at a push Garrett for Tronstad and Markanday for Rankin Costello. We cant afford to play players like Gamble and Hilton.

Neville is hard work to listen too when it comes to United because he cant avoid reverting back to discussing the Glazers. That might sound rich because we know full well that the owners are invariably responsible for anything. But even yesterday, he tried to shut down Carragher for questioning the fact that there is no discernable style of play. And obviously it isnt comparable to us. Venkys slash the budget beyond competitive levels. They overrule the manager/DOF on player sales to then allow assets to leave for free. Hardly comparable to being allowed to spend 100s of millions including on players you want from previous clubs.

Graham Potter would be a funny appointment. All for that and continued frustration and underachievement.

It is a good question regarding a club whose problems obviously lie beyond who is in the dug out. I am not sure exactly who decides on transfers, im guessing Ten Hag must have had a big influence hence deals for the likes of Martinez and the terrible signing of Antony, but there is no signs of anything coming together. The summer saw loads more money spent, maybe Onana is starting to settle but Mount was a waste of money and Hojlund might turn out well in time but he is not ready at the moment to be who they pin their hopes on. United will always be able to attract big names but I couldnt tell you across Europe who would stand out as a good pick. An obvious name in this country would be De Zerbi but he would be better off staying where he is.

The same managers will naturally go onto the merry go round. For Eustace's reputation, he may well have been sacked at a good time for him personally as his stock is now very high. They were in the top 6 of a league that is still obviously forming at an early stage with a lot of similarly average sides split by not many points and with a few tricky games after his departure. But naturally he will be seen as a good option. Rowett has always been mediocrity personified really but he is a steady and safe pair of hands. Nathan Jones (besides being a bell end) is a strange one in that he worked wonders at Luton yet his terrible personality saw other clubs he has managed sink.

Mount has always been overrated. He is an average number 10 whose main attribute is his ability to run around. He clearly isnt nearly as useful as the petulant Fernandes and he lacks the intelligence to play deeper or the ability to play wider. A bizarre signing. United surely need to be thinking of letting Ten Hag go. Theyve lost as many as they have won and what will more time achieve when they are so lacking in any clear strategy and tactical plan, when they do win its more down to individuals.

I certainly am far from 100% convinced by Broughton and I dont believe that our overall transfer record has necessarily increased in success compared to before he joined the club. But the Telalovic signing was clearly one out of desperation during that phase in the transfer window when there was no clarity from the owners, they were causing delays and had slashed the budget so much. On the same day, despite letting Buckley go, we were not allowed to bring in a further loan such was the situation with the budget cuts. So I can have sympathy on that deal that it clearly wasnt a first choice target by a long stretch.

But where is the blame towards the reason we were fishing in the bargain bin to begin with? Cant put it all on Broughton.

You say supposedly skint as if its questionable. But even to sign a lower league striker would cost a fee we seemingly didnt have. We couldnt even afford another loan. There seems to be absolutely no blame towards the owners or recognition that Broughton had his hands tied behind his back.

I dont get why we have to stick to the same formation throughout. Needing a goal, if the manager had any faith in either of the strikers signed for him, surely have 2 up when chasing a game.

The squad is so thin, if you start comtemplating things like chucking Gamble at right back against potentially a Sterling or if fit a Mudryk, we could get a real pasting.

The owners should be held to task for slashing the budget to make signing a competent striker practically impossible.

I just think its impossible to have no doubts. He played in Italy and could barely get a game. He played in Sweden which is far from better. He played in Russia, again, probably a lesser standard. So far, his general performance has been poor aside from signs of an ability to sniff out goals which obviously is a good skill. Hes not quick, doesnt appear skilful, and often gets subbed early, but equally is likely still not fully fit. So cant be sure of anything.

How can you be in "no doubt" that Sigurdsson will come good?

Sadly solely due to the owners, we are a nothing side. Teams wont look at any of our attacking players and fear them.

Indeed. But that misses the point anyway. The sub par Markanday, the neat and tidy but unthreatening Moran and a half fit Leonard were all chosen before the 2 new strikers when you need a goal. That says it all.

With absolute peanuts, the summer window is looking like proof of you generally get what you pay for. Hill is a solid loanee, Tronstad is a solid, functional midfielder. Beside that, not too much to shout about and zero progress despite 2 bodies through the door in terms of getting a competent Championship striker.

Absolutely shocking game, deserved defeat and the highlight was being able to go home. You look at the side we had out at the end, there is just a lack of quality and ability sadly. Probably wouldnt have scored had we played all night. Says so much that neither of our strikers signed in the summer came on. Brittain was awful, the centre backs were bomb scares, Markanday put in as bad a sub appearance as youll see, Sigurdsson was useless again and Moran didnt improve us. Szmodics and Dolan did nothing, Leonard gets into good positions but more often than not misses good chances.