The situation over at Manchester United feels like a complex one because of the results of the club since Ruben Amorim took over as manager. Any fan would be of the understanding that a manager who has been in charge for 3 months and not delivered would be either sacked or on the verge of it. However with Amorim it seems that the world of football is going to work differently. In the 25 games in all competitions he has managed in he has 10 wins and 9 losses and only a 40% win rate. For a club like Manchester United that is a devastating statistic. The initial worry is that Amorim has come in and performed worse than outgoing manager Erik ten Hag. It should be the other way round but the players have not been able to adapt to his system which includes a 3 man defence. Instead of adapting, Amorim is adamant that his system is the only way forward and so United remain in mid-table and seem like a side that any team would fancy playing. Just the other week Ipswich who look doomed for relegation gave them a fright at Old Trafford and only lost 3-2 in the end.
There have been flashes of brilliance of course and most of these have been led by Bruno Fernandes who is arguably the clubs best signing since Cristiano Ronaldo. Problems do persist though but it seems unlikely that Amorim will lose his job any time soon. One of the reasons is that United believe Amorim is the right manager for them; it's just that he has inherited a squad of players who simply are not good enough. Granted the Portuguese only wanted to take over at the club at the end of this current season but perhaps that lure and opportunity was too much not to accept to become manager at the back end of last year. So here we are, Amorim continues a system that does not currently work and is working with players that can't adapt. United want Amorim to have a full summer window and will only judge him, one suspects, by the end of this year. It will be an interesting summer window and we should expect United to shed quite a few players. One reason is that they have to raise the funds to bring new blood in, the other of course is that Amorim cannot wait to get rid of what he must deem as dead wood. The most important objective has in all terms been reached and that is not going down. Though it is mathematically possible there is next to no chance this will happen and that is why Amorim should still be the club's manager come August. It is a shift in how to run a club because nine times out of ten he would have been sacked but like Ten Hag before him United look to be giving Amorim a pass. The only problem with that is we know how it turned out for Ten Hag....
One club who are trying to push through to be a new force in the Premier League is Newcastle United. The club haven't always been consistent but on their day Eddie Howe's side can beat anyone in the league. You feel tweaking is needed to the team but because of sustainability rules the Magpies are clearly being held back. In essence this is a club who has owners that have the financial clout to spend like Chelsea did in the mid 2000s and Manchester City did a decade later. But because of the rules the Magpies are having their wings clipped. This is a frustrating time for Newcastle who may never be able to compete for a league title at this rate. There have also been rumours suggesting that they may have to sell some of their best players to generate money, one such player is Alexander Isak. Take out Mohammed Salah and Isak has arguably been the best player in the Premier League. The rules in place make sense but elite football rarely makes business sense and one has to wonder if in part the rules are now existing to close the doors up so only Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea can have a chance at the title. This could well be a grave mistake by the FA because why in the future would billionaires want to invest in the league? Could it not at one point devalue the best and most competitive league in the world?
Despite Liverpool's dominance in the English game in the late 1970s and into the 80s Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest had their moments in the limelight too. This included having some of the best players in their squads in Europe and winning European Cups. By the end of the 80s the clubs were only shadows of their former selves but one has to wonder if the two sleeping giants are about to return? For a good 18 months Aston Villa have moved up gears in the league and under Unai Emery look like a real force. There have been consistency issues in the league this season but the club are well on course to finish in a European position. Talking of Europe Villa are almost in the quarter finals of the Champions League after they beat Belgian side Club Brugge 3-1 away from home. This is absolutely a giant moment for the Villains. They have also reached another quarter final in the form of the FA Cup and perhaps only Manchester City can stop them from possible silverware there. Emery of course is a cup specialist but if he can win something with Villa it may well rate as the most successful and cherished of his achievements.
Aston Villa are 34.00 to win the Champions League and 5.00 to win the FA Cup.
Nottingham Forest and the European Cup go hand in hand but it's been a while, over 40 years have passed since Forest had glory in Europe but they could be heading back there. The club are in 3rd place but the worry is how Manchester City and Chelsea are right by them and Forest only have a 2 point advantage going into this weekend's games. It would be spectacular if Forest could keep the momentum going and they have every chance to do so. Like Aston Villa Forest are also in the quarter finals of the FA Cup and there is a buzz around the City Ground that hasn't been there this century. Nuno Espirito Santo who was seen as used goods when he was sacked so early into his Tottenham career is proving that he is a very good manager and he did wonders with Wolves beforehand. Even if Forest do not make it to the Champions League European football of some sort should happen and that would still equal a successful season.
Nottingham Forest are 3.25 to finish in the top 4 in the Premier League and 14.00 to win the FA Cup.
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