I also think that Chelsea player deserves a booking for having a hair style like that. He’s a professional footballer not some guitarist from a 1970s hard rock band.

You must have been a lot of fun to be around with in the 70’s. Whilst not as good as Robert Plant, my hair was not cut regularly in the 70’s. I am prepared to allow people to decide how long they currently wear their hair. It would be a bit hypocritical otherwise.

Maguire's England performances have generally been of a high standard, so he can play. The guy is being slaughtered right now - it will be interesting to see if he can come through it strongly. It is an unforgiving business.

The problem with VAR showed itself again with the Romero/Cucurella incident. What the PGMOL have done is tie their own hands behind their back with how the implement this side of VAR. they say VAR is there to check the red card, that’s the only thing it can correct. So when they decide that it doesn’t quite meet the threshold for a red card they then let play continue even though there has been a clear foul. I totally agree that not every decision should be checked by VAR, there isn’t the time and you’d never get a flowing game…..but how often does VAR need to check a red card incident in a game? The games already stopped so restart with the correct decision. In this case the referee would have yellow carded Romero and given a free kick to Chelsea.

Rugby does it this way, they can check for serious foul play, decide it isn’t, give a yellow card and come back to that point and reverse any decision given after this.

I posted the other day about Arsenal’s 2-3-5 formation in build up, with inverted full backs. Here it is in a perfect picture.

The inverted full backs is really interesting. In a traditional attacking formation those full backs would be out on the touchline either on the overlap or as a minimum providing width and support for the winger. But then they are completely out of the game if you lose the ball. So your wingers give the width your 8’s and full back provide support on the inside and you string 5 across the attack so you don’t lack numbers, the full backs then form a midfield 3 block to prevent or slow down any counter attacking threat.

The Cucurella incident was clearly at the very least a foul and a free kick and not giving a free kick effectively cost Chelsea a goal.

Maguire's England performances have generally been of a high standard, so he can play. The guy is being slaughtered right now - it will be interesting to see if he can come through it strongly. It is an unforgiving business.

Its going to be fun watching Martinelli develop this season.

Maybe because I played what was called centre-half in my day, I have some empathy for guys who play there. Along with the keeper it seems to be the position that generates most fervent hyperbole from pundits and fans. Remember how Tony was considered a donkey at one time! OK Maguire is no Adams, but I think he is nowhere near as bad a player as some consider him. He was a pivotal figure in United's last successful Premier League season and England's World Cup and Euro campaigns. He gives everything to whichever team he represents and is a durable character. Right now he is probably the least of United's problems. If they are to recover their grandeur there is every chance he will be part of the solution.

Maguire is more of what is called an old fashioned CB.

Maguire is more of what is called an old fashioned CB. Rugged strong good in the air. If you need a CB that defends deep as part of 2 banks of 4 as he did at Leicester he's your man. At Manure he's has recently been asked to play a highline in the new shiny geggenpresse football and he simply isn't suited to this.

So checking the table, we are in solid second place with Brentford nipping at our heels and United in relegation territory.

Yes, this is exactly what I predicted would happen.

Surprisingly only two clubs with 100% records after two games.

I had my tongue firmly, very firmly, in my cheek when I wrote that post. Although Cucurella’s hair (I’ve looked up the spelling since calling him ‘that Chelsea player’) is arguably more extreme (or unkept) than that of Guendouzi (and indeed David Luiz), OMOH pointed out the similarities.

That isn’t to deny Cucurella is still a long haired git though.

To be fair to MOTD2, they didn’t. The pundits, as I said earlier, called it violent conduct. They simply mentioned that hair pulling wasn’t specifically mentioned in the regulations, which I think was an interesting and reasonable thing to point out.

No to mention biting a la Luis Suarez.

Read a few rumours today. AMN to a club in Germany. Nice interested in taking Pépé (will surely be a loan), and Arsenal interested in Caicedo from Brighton

So checking the table, we are in solid second place with Brentford nipping at our heels and United in relegation territory.

Yes, this is exactly what I predicted would happen.

The league table is a Manchester sandwich, top end is City, bottom end is Utd

Couple more rumours.

Villa want Holding as their big summer signing Carlos has ruptured his achilles- which is 6 months out.
I wouldn’t be against selling Rob if a too good to refuse offer comes in AND we have a left sided CB lined up to buy. If Villa want him because of injuries then they are desperate, we hold the cards so ask for at least £25m

We’re supposedly interested in Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea. Interesting player as a more traditional winger than our other wide players. Would Chelsea sell to us? His wages are apparently £150k a week which would be problematic considering what Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Martinelli earn and he could be behind all 3 of them. He does seem like a player whose true potential hasn’t been unlocked yet

Monreal has announced his retirement at the age of 36. Didn’t play a single game last season so I suppose could or perhaps should have retired last summer when he was 35. A very fine player in my view. Not at the level of Sansom and Cole but surely in the next level down with the likes of Tierney and Clichy.

Monreal has announced his retirement at the age of 36. Didn’t play a single game last season so I suppose could or perhaps should have retired last summer when he was 35. A very fine player in my view. Not at the level of Sansom and Cole but surely in the next level down with the likes of Tierney and Clichy.

Couple more rumours.

Villa want Holding as their big summer signing Carlos has ruptured his achilles- which is 6 months out.
I wouldn’t be against selling Rob if a too good to refuse offer comes in AND we have a left sided CB lined up to buy. If Villa want him because of injuries then they are desperate, we hold the cards so ask for at least £25m