#NUReacts: Mid-Season Reviews
It’s a new year but the same ol’ NU. Some of the crew members give us their thoughts on the state of their clubs at the mid-season point and in the case of Feelz, give us a look at the standing of some of our agendas.
Chopp — Real Madrid:
Five. That’s the number of trophies Real Madrid won in 2017, which made it the best single year in the club’s acclaimed history. It appeared Los Blancos were an unstoppable force.
Los Blancos were basking in form between May and September, winning four of their five titles -La Liga, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup- within that period. Zinedine Zidane’s squad dominated European football and it appeared that the club’s future would be bright for many years.
But the first half of their season has been lackluster. They are currently fourth in La Liga and 14 points, yes 14, behind a Neymar-less Barcelona.
During the summer transfer window, bench players Morata and Mariano were sold and James Rodriguez was loaned to Bayern Munich. These players provided key minutes and vital goals that helped Real Madrid win close games. Morata scores 20 goals in 43 games (19 starts and 24 appearances as a substitute). Mariano Diaz scored 5 goals in 14 appearances for Real Madrid.
With these departures, many believe Florentino Perez was ready to make a Galatico signing at striker because the club was left with long time striker Karim Benzema and Borja Mayoral (coming back from loan at Wolfsburg) but instead, Perez didn’t splash the cash that we’ve all become accustomed to. He passed on bringing in a talented player like Kylian Mbappe to the Bernabeu and decided to focus on the young, homegrown talent. Many Madridista would tell you that so far this plan hasn’t worked out as players such as Jesus Vallejo, Theo Hernandez, Marcos Llorente, Borja Mayoral, and Dani Ceballos have yet to make strides to show that they can be regular starters.
There are many issues that have caused Real Madrid to come out the gates flat. Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t gotten off to a great start in regards to his goal scoring production. Gareth Bale still isn’t fit, even though when he was played he’s been sensational. The lack of balance in the midfield due to the tactical changes involved to place Isco or Asensio in Zidane’s Diamond midfield has caused a lot of disruption and controversy on whether Isco should be a starter has been a constant issue as well. Also, Zidane deserves some blame as well. His tactics have been mostly the same and he doesn’t seem to want to make huge adjustments which has allowed other clubs to figured them out. I don’t think he deserves some of the calls for him to be sacked by fellow Madrid fans, as he’s brought us great success. He continues to improve as a manager, but every season isn’t going to be easy.
All of this, and more, now has lead Real Madrid to finishing in second place behind Tottenham in their Champions League group and now they’ve been drawn to face PSG in the round of 16. They finish 2017 by getting absolutely destroyed by Barcelona, a team that has a new manager and are arguably weaker than they have been in recent time, in the Bernabeu, and are considered, by many, to be dead in having any chance of repeating as La Liga champion in the first half of the domestic season.
But, with all of that being said, you can never count Real Madrid out because one thing they’ve done better than anyone in recent time, is coming through in the clutch. Last year Real Madrid found themselves not playing to expectations, finishing second in their Champions League group, and Ronaldo was misfiring. I expect them to make changes in the winter transfer window and rebalance the squad to prepare for facing PSG in the champions league and improve their form in La Liga.
Scams:
FIVE. 5. Bloodclot years since Sir Alex retired , story of Man Utd since then “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit.” Man Utd have been through the Moyes, LVG, and now halfway through the Mourinho era, nothing but ups and downs. The second of season of Mourinho has split the fan base, some want Mourinho out, others don’t. All I want, more trophies, better football, the lack of proper midfielders, it’s dead, the lack of fullbacks, dead, the lack of ballers, also dead.. The board, Mourinho, the players, Ed Woodward, all of you man, at your big age, with your big wages, do better, be better.
There’s A LOT of deadweight in this club, they have to go. There’s at least 8 players who need find new clubs. Bring players in who can actually play ball, not just offer #passhhhuuunnn #desiiiirreeee and everything that has nothing to do with football.
Also Jose Mourinho, if you want to leave, gwan and leave. Man Utd board, if you want to hire someone to replace Mourinho, look for someone who takes care of youth’s and coach them properly. 3 managers who have haphazardly done things, it’s time to be a proper football club, not just a business.
Trill:
While there’s been some good things that have happened at Arsenal recently, there’s a lot that needs to be addressed. The main issue is still whether we’ll keep one of our 2 best players and how we’ll go about finding replacements for either. There’s no quick fix for that and I’m not fully sure the club is aware. It still feels like they haven’t fully registered that we missed out on the Champions League and are in danger of doing so again.
Another glaring issue is that we might have the worst defense of all the top 6 clubs, allowing 51 goals in 2017 (we haven’t done that since the 80s). It’s a major issue that needs to be addressed this window before this season slips away from us again. There’s no reason that Hector Bellerin shouldn’t at the very least have some formidable competition at right-back. We also need to realize Koscielny is done. That achilles injury that he’ll never fully heal from should’ve been the sign that we need a proper center-back and not another prospect like Rob Holding(another prospect was signed from time of writing until now).
There are probably a few more issues that could be addressed but I’m happy that the club seems to be looking at the idea of Arsene moving on, finally adding a director of football & bringing in Dortmund’s former chief scout. I’m sure more could be done but seeing that Ivan Gazidis is taking steps for the betterment of the club is always good.
Chris:
We’re fucking garbage and need to dead the diamond. Please send Isco to Bratislava.
NayVar:
United were scoring goals and it was a frenzy, United hit a little bad patch(missing Fellaini) and folks started panicking and revolting against the entire front office at United. Them be aight. Lingard is cool too.
Feelz:
My top takeaways from this season so far:
- City running away with the league
The Manchester Cuhs have done a madness this year. Their unbelievable run of 18 wins straight have put them in pole position to win the league in Pep Guardiola’s second year in the league. Jose Mourinho’s Pirus put up a fight for most of the season until injuries, suspensions, and tripups halted their progress. The incredible part of what City is doing is that the top 6 clubs have for the most part played very well this season. In almost any other season, We would have a tough and tight battle at the top of the table, but all of it is null & void due to City’s brilliance.
Barca’s sneaky finesse of La Liga
- Going into this summer, everyone wrote off the Barca boys. Madrid were coming off their second straight CL and looking like the best team in Europe again. Barca had trouble competing with Madrid domestically and continentally. Then, as a punishment for allegedly tapping up Marco Veratti, PSG’s gangsta ass board sold Neymar on becoming the King of France, and stole the sister fucker from right under Barca’s nose. With little time left in the window, Barca scrambled to bring in Ousmane Dembele (good but young), Paulinho (huh?), and Delefou (yuck!) and got curved by Liverpool for trying to sign Coutinho. All of us laughed off the Barca boys and their inability to replace Neymar’s output. Fast forward a few months, and the Blaugrana are all laughing at us. By running a more direct 4–4–2, Barca has been able to overcome injuries to Dembele and Umtiti, and El Racisto playing like Chelsea Torres. Messi has been incredible and Lil Paul has been one of the signings of the season. Barca lead La Liga by a sizeable amount and walked into the Bern and milly rocked all over Madrid. Stay Low & Build.
Serie A is Great Again
- When we started the New Ultras,, Serie A was in a SHITTY state. Juve was moonwalking the league. Former giants Inter and AC Milan were languishing. Fast forward two years, and Serie A was actually made great again (unlike a certain country that will remain nameless). While Juve are still favorites, their hegemony has shrunken greatly. Free flowing Napoli play some of the sexiest football in Europe. Inter have a true gunman in Icardi and look like a really good team again. AC Milan… spent a lot of money soooo… yeah… ANYWAY it’s time to give Serie A a chance.
Coaching is at a Premium
- A lot of coaches are in the hot seat this season at major clubs. Zizou is feeling the pressure after an incredible start to his coaching career. Jose Mourinho is again frustrated with Pep Guardiola and between transfer beef and PSG’s flirting, Jose’s “dream job” may end up only being a nap. Wenger is Wengering. Klopp’s refusal to address his defense until recently hasn’t endeared him to many of the Kop. Conte works for Abramovich so he is constantly on probation. Simeone looks like he’s taken Atleti as far as he can take them. Poch has Spurs flirting with 7th place and people are finally starting to ask “where them trophies at, bruh?” It is entirely feasible that all of these managers may be looking for new gigs, but who is actually going to replace them. Fans are as impatient as ever and all want world class managers, but the amount of clubs that feel they deserve that level of coaching and the amount of available coaches at that level are not equal at all. Demand is severely outpacing supply. However, reaching for a coach who has not shown that level of management yet in the hopes of them growing into the job comes with infinite risk (see: Moyes at Man Utd). How these superclubs address their coaching needs will be something to keep an eye on. The grass ain’t always greener.
Jonjo:
A historical first half of the season from Salah will be all for nothing once his supply line, Coutinho, is sold off to the highest bidder. A familiar occurrence at Everything Is For Sale At The Right Price FC. Coutinho’s unavoidable departure leaves us with a midfield of Lallana, Henderson & Gini for the second half of the year… Nike’s kit designers are more creative than that. Sadio is the angry older brother who’s parents are giving the newborn more attention so he is acting out so that doesn’t help any of our issues. To the “but we’ll reinvest the Coutinho money for his replacement” (I’m talking to you Tries)… that money is already spent. Let’s do the math, van Dijk (£71.2m plus add-ons) along with Naby (£67.5m plus add-ons) equals a total of £138.7m. Coincidentally, that total is damn near the exact the amount the Coutinho sale is expected to be. Ignore the Lemar rumors, laugh at the Fekir ones, forget about the bad business that is about to happen with letting Can leave on a free in the summer, continue to be willfully oblivious about our defensive structure or lack thereof and keep thinking a £71m center-back fixes that by putting on a Liverpool kit. Just sit back and be thankful some of these other “big clubs” are just as awful as we are so we might get Champions League footy again next year. Can’t wait to watch Manuel Lanzini mishit passes to our front 3 next year!
Fuck FSG, fuck Klopp and fuck Tries and his ignorantly hopeful unrealistic ideas.
Tries — Liverpool FC
First off, fuck Jonjo. Although, I will say, he makes a lot of good and relevant points. To be honest, going into this season I did not know what to expect. Qualifying for a Champions League spot can be a curse and a blessing for teams in times of transition. I do not care what anyone says, but Liverpool FC are in a time of transition. Jurgen Klopp has had time to do what is needed to be done and has little to show for it other than hugs, passion, and second place medal. We have quietly played well off the backs of the “Fab 4,” with one of them soon to be a resident of Catalonia. Mo Salah has been brilliant to watch and nobody and I mean nobody could have predicted his production this year. To Jonjo’s point, Everything Is For Sale At The Right Price FC is something to be concerned about. Coutinho’s “dreams” of playing for Barcelona go so far. Liverpool are willing to sell their best players to bring in folks from the farthest reaches of the world hoping to build a team to compete with Europe’s elite. I am hopeful that the management team at LFC will be aware that the sell of Coutinho means bringing someone in to replace him. Not be close, but to replace. With rumors swirling about where the “Coutinho Money” has gone, no one can say for certain what the next step is. I am gassed that we finally landed a CB, let alone Virgil van Dijk from our feeder team Southampton. There are still holes to be filled (pause) at LFC with Phil going and Emre seemingly gone to Italy. The rest of the season is going to be a long, arduous marathon, with speed bumps seemingly every 5 feet. One can only hope that we do not end up in Europa League, clawing our way back into the relevancy picture. Up The Reds.
