Are We Live? Episode 54

NBA Schedule

Vini not to Arsenal

Araujo to Liverpool

Man United transfer and preseason thoughts 

Song: Podcast By Snail Music (Loop)
Author: ‪@SnailMusicES‬

Transcript

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Are we lying? No, no, no, no, no, get us. We lie. Okay, so I'm gonna cover it. Yo, we back. I'm not gonna lie to y'all, it's been really dry these last couple weeks in terms of uh topics to pod about. Um, and that's why I didn't pod last week, but I think I have just about enough to give a pod this week. So let's start this morning, as in Tuesday, August 11th. NBA leaked some parts of their schedule. I think it was the opening day, um, the first week, like primetime games, and then the uh Christmas slate. Which is really, I mean, in terms of like premiere games for the NBA, um, until NFL season is over, that's like you know the major dates you will look forward to. Um, I guess you can say the cup now too. But um, alright, let's talk about opening night or opening day now because the first game is gonna be Celtics Pistons 3 p.m. Um Sixers Knicks in that primetime 7 o'clock slot and then OKC Spurs. I mean, the Sixers Knicks and OKC Spurs matchups I mean are kind of self-explanatory at this point, especially once LeBron uh chose the Sixers uh for next season. I mean, uh even if LeBron didn't go to Philly, I felt like Sixers Knicks felt like an obvious choice um for that first game because I mean they've put they've matched up in the playoffs, what, twice in the last three years? Um with Jalen Brown on the Sixers, they're a you know more relevant team, I would say, at the very least. Uh so that's obvious no-brainer. Um KC Spurs, same thing. Um, probably the most the best matchup, like ripe slash rivalry in the league right now. Like I guess people would probably say Nuggets and uh Timberwolves, but now that the Timberwolves changed so many players, and the Nuggets kind of feel like an outsider in terms of contenders. I don't know. I've kind of kind of lost a little bit of spark, I would say. Um so yeah, that that's those two matchups, pretty obvious choices, I would say. Now, the only real talking point here with this is that the NBA starting the season with a 3 p.m. game on Tuesday. Like, I mean, personally, I feel like whoever won the title should play the first game. I guess if it's a West Coast team, it makes it a little bit harder, but like um, but yeah, especially at the Knicks went the chip on the East Coast East Coast team, like they should be playing the first game, you know, with the rings and the banner and all that stuff. So, like that to me that's kind of like a mistake. Second, but the funny the funniest thing is that I'm assuming the NBA wanted a 3 p.m. game for the like international audience, but if you take the schedule, a 3 p.m. on a Tuesday is like prime Champions League time, so I don't I don't know if they consider that at all. So um yeah, it's kind of weird if you ask me, like a 3 p.m. game being the first game, like and it's central time, so it's gonna be 2 p.m. locally, like um, if you're on the west coast, it's like bruh, noon tip-off for the first game of the year. Like, I don't know, it just feels kind of bizarre to me. Like the matchup itself, like pissed and self-s like, yeah, sounds great, but I don't know, I don't know why they felt the need to do all this. Um, but hey, it'll be good basketball, I guess, right? So that's all that matters. Now, Christmas stuff. Now, I would say that most of this is pretty easy to understand. Like Nick Spurs, the finals matchup is self-explanatory. Um, Thunder Wolves, New Wolves team against the Thunder team, they've played in the playoffs. Makes sense. Um, but the Heat Celtics and Sixers Lakers. Now, in a vacuum, Heat Celtics is a good matchup for Christmas. Like, they've been like the best rivalry in the league since like 2001, 2010, I would say, since they first matched up in this era or in the modern era. Um, but I thought that was a layup to be Celtics Sixers, and it became pretty evident with like this scheduling, or at least what they've leaked so far. The NBA does not really care about Jalen Brown's like Jalen Brown and Celtics, like you know, possible animosity or rivalry or whatever you want to call it. They do not really care about that storyline because it's not an opening day game, which which was not gonna happen because the Knicks were gonna host, obviously. It's not a Christmas game, and it's not even in their like first week of uh primetime matches that they announced. So like they just don't care about that being a thing, which to me is a mistake. Like, I think that was I think like especially because there seems to be some sort of rift, I guess you can say, between Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum. Like, that could have been like a premier matchup, if you ask me. Um with the potential to be even like the like the rivalry in the league going forward, at least for the next couple years. Um but yeah, I mean Sixers Lakers, a fun matchup, like yeah, LeBron's you know return to LA. Um, I guess. I mean it's a good matchup on the court for sure, but like is that storyline really that deep? Like, I don't really think so. Like, I felt like Subject Sixers was the had to be the choice, but we'll see, I guess. Um Nuggets Warriors, like, I mean, I love Steph Curry, I love Jokic, but like, bro, can we be for real? Like, this could have been a more you know relevant team with the Warriors not making any moves. I get it's Steph Curry, he's got crazy draw, all that stuff, but like bro, this could have been like the Pistons, uh the Cavs. This could have been even if you wanted to put like a Western Karmer team, it could have been like I don't know, Cooper Flag, like trying to make him a star or whatever. Like, this could have become a lot of options instead of the Warriors, to be honest with you. But uh, even the Rockets, to be honest, like Rockets are a way more relevant team right now, and they have Kevin Durant, like so. I guess Steph Curry moves the needle that much, huh? Um, but yeah, schedule stuff. Don't I mean it's not that important to be honest, but just some thoughts. Um, let's get into some transfer-related stuff, the Premier League, I guess, specifically. Um, I'm gonna start with Arsenal, who did not land Vinitius from Real Madrid, despite their, you know, supposed contract. Uh, let's call it TIFT, uh, or whatever you want to call it. But um, yeah, I mean, after the Morgan Rogers thing fell through and he, I guess, chose Chelsea as his preference, Arsenal went all out to go get Vinny. And when I say they went all out, I mean it was put out there for a reason to seem like they went all out. Um, yeah, one year deal left, one year all left on his contract with Madrid. All the reports were that Vinny and Madrid were not gonna, you know, compromise basically on their on their demands. Um, and despite you know, to me, this was not even really that much of a saga because there was the initial report from Ornstein, which is an important thing to remember, that Arsenal are gonna go after Vinny. Then I believe it was like six days later, Vinny reports back to Madrid for preseason, and that day they basically come basically comes out that yep, Madrid and Vinny are you know all good, they're gonna agree to a contract, and then next day the contract is signed. So, like, realistically, this was not a real like contract saga or whatever. It's like there was never a point where Vinny or his team came out and was like, Yeah, I wanna leave, you know, Madrid disrespecting me, all that blah blah blah. It was like some you know, some small reports of the media, all that, but I mean they kiss himada pretty uh pretty quickly, I would say. So, like, I mean, my thing that confuses me is it's pretty obvious that Arsenal, the club, wanted it out there that they were chasing this, this, you know, chasing the signing of Vinicius, you know, that they thought that they wanted their fans or the media or whoever to know that yeah, we're all into this. And it's I'm like thinking, it's like why would they do that? Now, the reason we know that is because I mean the reporting came from uh David Ornstein, so that is you would think his information came from the Arsenal side, right? Now, why do they do this knowing full well Vinny did not really want to go to them? Like, at no point did it come out that Vinny wants to join Arsenal, like there was never a report, seriously. It was mostly like all the reports, even the most favorable way, was like, yeah, Vinny wants to stay with Madrid, but if they don't improve their offer, then he'll go to Arsenal. It's like whenever like that being the case, it's just felt like you know, they're gonna make they're gonna figure it out. So I have to think, like, why did Arsenal want that to be like uh to be out there that they were doing this? Like, you know, because in a way, like it looks bad on them, like not that it matters that much, but it kind of does look bad that you chase someone this desperately, I have to say, like, without any real chance of securing him. So it's like, okay, did they just want some buzz around them and some positive, you know, PR, whatever you want to call it? Like, I find it hard to believe that a club that just won their first league title in uh what was it, 22 years since 2004, was that desperate for like positive media attention or whatever you want to call it, that they would make it that well known they were chasing him. Like, why would like did it is that really what they need at this point? Like, I don't really believe that to be honest. So, my only thing is like, okay, they did Vinny and his agency or his team or whatever you want to call it a favor by giving him an offer to take to Madrid as like you know, leverage in his uh contract talks. Now, that was clearly a favor they did for Vinny and his team. Now, what do they get for that? Like, what that's what I'm wondering. That what do they get for that backscratching? Like, um, I talked about how you know Chelsea gave Aston Villa 117 million for Morgan Rogers, and then kind of conveniently a week later, Garnacho has gone to Aston Villa with a loan obligation to buy uh obligation or option, I can't remember, but it was like a you know fee. I think they said it was like a realistic obligation, something like that. Um, and this kind of feels similar to that. Like, all right, Vinny, Rock Nation, we're gonna give you what you want, but we're gonna get something down to the line. And I was thinking, like, are they gonna get Endric, who is also signed under Rock Nation, as you know, as a reward, I guess is a lack of a better term, for um boosting up his his uh his value, I guess you could say. Um, so yeah, interesting to think about, like why they would do all this. Um but speaking in a more broad sense for Arsenal's transfer window, like the Bruno Gomara's signing is really good, like a legitimate legitimately could be the best signing of the window in the Premier League at least. Um, but from a prostate process standpoint, I feel like this whole transfer window has uh been a mess. Like, I mean, the fact you can't convince Morgan Rogers to choose you over Chelsea is kind of bizarre to me. Like, is it is it like what it what could Chelsea have said that convinced him like that? Now, I know people will say that oh Chelsea just paid the extra money, so they got him. It's like okay, yeah, but if Arsenal can convince Morgan Rogers to pick them and nobody else, then how much Chelsea were offering is not really relevant at all. And so I think it's clear to me that at the very least Morgan Rogers was fine to go to either Arsenal or Chelsea, he didn't really give a preference. Chelsea paid up, he went there, you know. At that's at the very least. The more likely, most like um likely outcome is that he just wanted to go to Chelsea over Arsenal, which is interesting, and um, and that's me saying that, regardless of the fact that I don't think Burger and Roders is worth anywhere near that, and I don't think Morgan Roders was a would be a good signing for Arsenal in the slightest, but the process to me um is kind of stands out now. Like the season starts. I mean, the community shield is this weekend, I believe Sunday. And as of right now, their starting attack is gonna be what the Greek uh Tzolis Yakarist, who looks horrible in preseason, it's only preseason, I know, but like in general, I just don't rate this guy anyway. And then on the right wing spot, I'm assuming Sokka's not getting ready. Um, and you would think Maravika is not getting ready either, since they just came back from their vacation after the World Cup. So I have no idea who's gonna start on the in that right-wing spot. And then when the season starts, like, is soccer gonna be ready? Like, I have no idea, so I don't know. Kind of feels you know a messy window for them, even if they're coming off, you know, an amazing season in terms of results. Um, and like I know that they are definitely the favorites as of right now going into next season. I think that's fair to say, right? But acting like it's a formality they win the league to me because they've added Bruno Gomares, which again is a great signing, I think it's kind of crazy. Like, to me, I think it's very important for everyone to remember that foot Premier League football is not like always super linear in terms of how a team progresses. Like, I mean, we just saw last year that um Liverpool win the league rather comfortably, they spent 500 million on you know big million big name players, and you know, it's just like a total disaster. Like, do I think that's gonna happen in Arsenal? Like, no, but like it's also like you could argue the three best players in Kayasaka, Declan Rice and uh William Saliba, especially, in terms of like from an injury standpoint, like they're not in great shape, it feels like like just feels like um you know they're physically really depleted with those in you know with those three guys, especially Saliba, who's got this you know, this back thing, which is like they said it's gonna be surgery after 45 months. Now it's not surgery, it's gonna be out for a while still. It's like it's kind of whenever you see like back injury stuff, that's like scary, right? Because those are like career-threatening type injuries. So, yeah, I just don't think anyone should be penciling them in to win the league this year. But it's not like they won the league last year by like 20 points or something, like despite I'm me believing they were definitely the better team than City and the best team in the league, pretty pretty convincingly, they were a lot of they were not as convincing on you know in a points tally, at least, um, or in a performance down the stretch, to be honest. So I would not just be like, Yep, they're gonna, I think a lot changes year to year. And I don't wouldn't be surprised if like you know Chelsea makes a big jump, United makes a big jump, or you know, City can still very much be in that you know conversation. Like, if Enzo Moresca is a good manager, there's no reason they can't win the league. Absolutely no reason. Um, when I say good manager, I mean a good manager at City. Like, we know he's done some good things here and there for uh Chelsea and then uh before that Leicester. Um but yeah, that's it on the uh Arsenal side of things. Let's get on to this Liverpool stuff where they've loaned in Ronal Arajo from Barcelona. I believe there's an option to buy. I don't know if that's confirmed or not, but I believe it's option to buy, and I believe Liverpool were gonna pay his salary in totality. Um, I'm not gonna lie, when I first saw that Fabricio tweet that here we go, that they got this loan deal secured, I just burst into laughter. Like I couldn't believe it. Like that Liverpool, who are in desperate need for a center back for sure, went to Ronald Arajo on loan as their option. Like, I think the reaction from Barça fans acting like they've escaped a you know a dictator should be the uh all you need to know when it comes to Arajo as a player. Like, and I know fans can be dumb snatch, but bro, we've seen this guy sell their Champions League hopes for what like two years at least. I mean the red card against PSG, the against Inter Mal. Like this guy just makes ludicrous mistakes, you know, after another, like um for the last two, three years. Like, yes, under Xavi, I think it was what 2023, he had a good season. But since um Hanzi Flick has come in, he's been not good. Um, and I don't expect that to change in the slightest. Now, let's get into why maybe Liverpool came to this spot where they had to where they felt like they had to do this um signing, loan signing, whatever we want to call it. Jeremy Jacket, who they signed in January for big money, is a young player. I believe he's currently injured. Uh Giovanni Leone, who is a young player, who they signed last summer for to be like a center back of the future, he's still recovering from his, I think, ACL stuff. I don't think he's ready yet. Um, Van Dyke is going up there in age, you would think they don't want to play him like every single game at least. Um, and who knows, maybe his body starts to break down. It's not, it's not uh can't be ruled out, right? Joe Gomez, always injured, so like it's clear that they have a need as center back, right? It's clear they lost Konate on a free. Um they sold Kwanzaa last summer. It's clear they have a need as center back, right? Um, but choosing one of the most maddening center backs in the world, and that's no no exaggeration, I would say, is bizarre. Um and it's like the thing with me is typically a lone signing like this is more of a like end-of-the-window panic signing, right? So, what does that really tell us about Liverpool's transfer window? Like, to me, that's an indication that they're gonna go all in for Bradley Barcola, and after that, they're not gonna have much budget left to you know fill out the squad everyone say, like, that's this indication seems to me, because like why else would you loan in someone this early? Um, at this point of your window, like to me, it just screams that like yo, we're not gonna we're not gonna have the money to buy a center back that we want a senior center back, and we have to add someone, so let's just do this loan deal and uh keep it moving. But like, to me, if it happens, if they end up spending like I don't know, 130-140 million on Bradley Borcola, which has been the reported asking price from PSG. Like, to me, it's like it's clear that this is a complete shift in philosophy since you know Klopp was at the helm. Now, Liverpool definitely spent big money under Klopp. I'm not gonna act like they didn't. Like Van Dijk at the time was a massive fee for a center back. Uh Ali Sun at the time was a massive fee for uh uh for a goalkeeper. Um, they had the Darwin Nunes signing, which was a big fee. They've had don't they definitely had big fees, but like to me, like in back to back summers, they chose signing big name, big money players instead of you know filling out the squad's holes, you know, and I feel like the squad is just becoming like more and more thin in certain areas of the pitch. Um, and I think you know, I'm not gonna act like I'm watching Liverpool's preseason that closely, but something that I've noticed is that in the second half of these games when the backups have to come in, they start to look terrible. And I think even um I saw a quote from Eliola saying we can only press for like 30 minutes or something like that, and it's like, yeah, the backups are not that good, you know, and they're kind of thin, you know, as a as a squ as a squad, and it's like I feel like they're making the same mistakes as last summer. Like, don't get me wrong, I totally understand the Esac signing, the Barcola signing. If it's the price that PSG wants, I would understand it to an extent. I think the price is kind of nutty, but I would understand it to an extent. But in combination with that, with Vertz, with uh the KTK, it just feels like the They're not addressing the needs of the squad, and they're like more interested in making the big name signings to make their fans and the media like excited. It's kind of bizarre. Like it's complete opposite of how they used to uh operate as a club. Um and they just got a lot of holes in the squad. Like, who the hell is starting in place of Muhammad Salah this season? We don't. I mean, it feels like they're gonna shoehorn one of their wingers to play on the right side where they're not a right side of the winger. Um, they've not added any midfielders at this point, and I think that's a massive mistake. Um, feels like Curtis Jones is probably gonna leave, which is gonna, you know, even less midfield depth. Who the hell is starting our right back? Like, is Connor Bradley ready? I don't even think he is. I don't think he is. Fring Pong is a disaster signing. Uh, do they have backup to uh Kirk is at left back? I don't know. Um, so yeah, it just feels like a lot of questions in the squad. On top of that, I mean, it's still a question, like we can all respect what he did at Bournemouth, but that jump, you still don't guarantee he's the guy, you know. It's not a um I'm trying to think who was a guarantee. I guess Klopp you could say it was the last guarantee they had, but it's still a question marks on him. Like we have to see him make that jump from Bournemouth to Liverpool, you know. Um, so yeah, I'm not coming into the season. I'm I'm gonna be honest with you, like I'm not the most optimistic about their outlook. Now we'll see. Like if if Isak found finds his newcastle form, then that's gonna cover up a lot of you know, a lot of you know their uh the holes like I was talking about earlier, but like it just feels like they're kind of like doing too much with this big transfer stuff, big money transfer stuff, and that's how you get to the point where you're loaning in Ronald Araujo to be, I guess, your starting center back for the start of the season, right? Um so yeah, we'll see how that goes, I guess. Um let's see on the Liverpool side. Now, on some mock club, man United. Uh, who've had a pretty good preseason, who have had some, you know, some good work on their transfers, good signings, I would say. But let's talk about it. Like, after that their friendly against Wrexham, the first friendly, which is like a terrible game of football, to be honest with you. Um, United have looked really good in preseason, like, despite not having most of their first teamers because of the World Cup and whatnot, like they've continued to build upon what they started last season in uh Carrick's interim era for sure, I would say. Um and the biggest thing that stands out to me with United under Carrick is that like United look a very compact team with and without the ball at all times, and that has that is like such a contrast from just basically any United team since Charles Ferguson retired. I mean, especially against and I mean people will remember Ten Hog where there was just spice everywhere for the opponent to do. Like now it's like Alright, these teams are the team, the midfield defense attack is pretty compact, and there's not like just oceans of space between every player. Um, you know, there's lots of combination play between the players, and it's clear that Carrick is making an emphasis on technically secure players that don't that don't lose the ball, are comfortable with the ball in tight spaces, all that jazz. So I'm loving it to be honest with you. Um Shay Lacey has been good. I mean, he's there's been a lot of hype around him over the last couple years. It's good to see him like earn a spot in the senior team, it looks like, now that he's healthy and and firing and all that. I love that character. After like one game, he was like, Yeah, you're a number 10. You're number 10. I'm not gonna play one the wing. You're a number 10. So I hope he's a part of the squad this year. I hope he can get minutes. I hope he can you know give Bruno Fernandes a breather in these cup games at the very least. Um, but yeah, that's exciting. Um, Andre Santos has looked awesome. Um, playing in a deeper role than what people expected, I would say. Um, he just kind of looks like a good midfielder that's good without with with without the ball, despite like not being a super athletic player. Like, without the ball, he reads the game very well, good tackler. Um, and with the ball, he looks he's always looking to pass the ball forward, and he's good at it. And and in this team, there are a lot of players that are comfortable receiving the ball between the lines, especially in uh preseason with Shea Lacy and um Ahmad playing in those pockets, and it's been good to watch, to be honest with you. Um, yeah, I mean, relative to most United fans, I've been kind of calm about the summer window so far. Um, first of all, the two players they've signed, I'm really liking. Of course, Santos I just talked about Tillemans, I've been a fan of for years. He came on in that game against PSG, he was amazing immediately. Um outside the Edison like fiasco, all the players they've been linked to, and I'm saying in air quotes, linked to, I like like Mateus Fernandez, I was a fan of, even though we didn't secure that. Uh Somerville I was a fan of, even though we didn't do that. Uh Lewis Hall, who there's still some links. I'm I'm a fan of that. Um, who else? Shwimini, I was not a fan of, so I guess that was a little concerning, but the rest I've enjoyed, and so I'm like, I'm kind of patient. Like, there's still a few weeks to go. I would be shocked if they don't add at least one or two players at this point, you know. Um, and to me, a left back and a center back has to be a priority. Uh, relying on Luke Shaw at this point to stay fit would be a disaster, and even when he is fit, he's just kind of like okay at this point in his career, right? He's not providing that much at the left back spot. Um, and a center back, like I talk about this all the time. Like, I need somebody to be a staple for like 30 plus games that I'd have good faith in. Like Aiden Heaven and Lenny Yoro. I'm a fan of their talent, but it's still they're still young, they're still unproven, they still need to prove it across the whole season, right? Lisandro and Maguire. Um, Lissandro has massive injury concerns. He even got injured at the World Cup in the final. Maguire, at this point, he's not the most mobile. I think his mobility can hamper us in terms of pressing and whatnot. Um, so I don't really love I don't feel great. I mean the lit, it looks like he's finally um overcome this back injury stuff as of right now. He started training and whatnot. But I don't feel to me, he's still got he still has to prove he can actually play. And on the ball, I'm not a fan of the lit like that. But so yeah, I just want some center back I feel good about playing week in, week out, you know. Um but left back is necessity. You need to kind of left back, you cannot just go into the season with just Lucia. Like, I know that Mazrawi can play there and Dalio can play there, but please, I just I just want a squad that doesn't have to like do like makeshift stuff, you know. Um so yeah, about United, I'm pretty positive about how everything has gone so far. The only thing that has really annoyed me is this Patrick Dorgu situation. Now, I think after the last several months, we can pretty clearly say that Michael Carrick does not see Dorgu as a left back, and that he prefers him as a as a winger, right? And if that's the case, then the club should be looking to sell Dorgu to help find other transfers. Because, I mean, my guess is that Carrick does not trust Dorgu in the first phase or in that build-up to be secure with the ball, right? And that's not a crazy assessment. Do I think he's under necessarily right? Like, I'm not sure to be honest with you. Like, I do think that there is a world where Dorgu is a quality left back, but it's pretty clear that at this point, Michael Carrick does not believe that bolt exists. Um, and they believe and if he believes he's a left-winger or left-sided attacker only, then to me there's just no way he's a better option than Cunya or Marcus Rashford. So I would just sell him before you know he goes a season without playing much, and he's a value craters and all that stuff, and we're in a situation where we can't get any good money for him because he never plays and yada yada. I'm just like, bro, just sell him now. I would say his stock is a little bit up based on some of the crazy goals he scored and whatnot. So take your I don't know what 30-40 million, whatever it is, maybe 50 at best, and use that on you know whoever. Like, it seems like we want Lewis Hall, bro. If you got 40 million, take that and go put down 60 million or whatever for Lewis Hall, just bring him in. Like the Lewis Hall situation, like I'm a huge fan of the player, don't get me wrong. The prices that they're quoting for left back is a little bit crazy, but the one thing I'll say is if you need a left back, which they clearly do, I don't see a world where anyone better becomes available on the market. Like, that's not to say that there can't be, like, yeah, I'm sure some youngster that hasn't been unearthed yet is better than Lewis Hall, right? But that's still a risk-free nine. Like, Lewis Hall is the probably the best left back on the market in terms of known commodities. Um, he's Prem-proven, in the league, played in the league, all that jazz. Apparently, he wants to come. Like, just sell Drogu and put the money down for Lewis Hall. Like, to me, it feels like a no-brainer. Um, but yeah, I mean, the last thing I want to talk about was this uh, you know, it came out that Rashford is gonna be reintegrated to the squad. He's not gonna leave unless some big club he he likes comes in for him. Now, this is a touchy subject, very touchy subject for United fans, as I've uh come to find out in my mentions the last couple of days or weeks. Um, at least online, a lot of United fans are upset because oh Rashford said he wanted to leave, which is silly. Like, so many players have said they want to leave and then stayed and you know been fine. It happens all the time in football, it's not the end of the world. Um, but personally, as a fan of Rashford, I would have preferred if he were going to leave. I think he's too talented to just be some like rotational bench option, like he was trying to be at Barcelona. He should be trying to start like week in, week out and put up numbers, and then you know, once he does that, like the clubs will come lining up to sign him, you know. Um, but now that it's come out that he's gonna stay, I'm excited. The prospect of watching him play with Bruno Fernandez, T. Elemans, Kobe Mainu, hopefully Lewis Hall at left back, uh Cesco up top. Like, can I see Rashford thriving in that situation? Like, yeah, I can actually. You know, I think Kerrick has a good relationship with with uh Rashford, so could I see that thriving? I can. Um, when I said on Twitter that I wanted to see that lineup that I just mentioned here, I mean the amount of Cunya fans that were disgusted at the thought of Marcus Rashford starting for Man United was pretty hilarious. Now, to me, it's a very simple chromological standpoint. Rashford is not gonna leave. The only way, and if you want Rashford to to leave, the only way we're gonna get his stock up is from playing and playing well. So people that are like, oh, he should rot in the you know, he should rot on the bench and never play. Bro, they already tried that with MRM. That did not work clearly. Like, did that work? Did that help? Did that help raise his stock and get him to sign for someone else? No, of course not. So why would you do that again? You have the only way you get you know good money or good transfers to you know you sell good players at a good price is by playing them. Like Chelsea for is the clearest example of that. Like, they get good money for all the crap players because they play them no matter what. Like, and then people were like, Oh, how do they how is this you know price then? It's like, bro, if you as long as a player is playing, they're gonna be in demand somewhere, you know. Like Pedro Neto, they're talking about oh yeah, Man City wants them for 60, 70 million. I'm like, what? Everyone's like, what the hell? He's like, yeah, because Pedro Neto plays every game, he's put up like some half-decent goals and assist numbers, so people think he's you know a useful player. Like Marcus Rashford was outlawed from a bad United team. Who the hell is gonna want to buy a player that was outlawed from a bad team? Like, no, like no shit, you can't sell that player. Um, and that's been an issue for United for selling players for the longest time. Like, don't even beat, we bought for like 40 M's. He never played ever, basically. And I don't even know what we got for him when he left, probably nothing, but um, yeah, I think Rash in the current United squad, Rashford is the only like true left-winger you can say, right? So I I think it just makes sense to give him a chance, you know. Um, I said this earlier on on Twitter. Like, I just like to me, Rashford crossing the Cisco should be like a free five goals this year. Um, and Rashford running it behind with TLMs, who he's played with, by the way, and Bruno Fernandez should be an easy connection to watch happen. So, yeah, I'm excited now that he's gonna stay. Hopefully, we get the best version of Rashford, and there's no reason to think that can't happen, in my opinion. Um, my only my biggest concern is that like as soon as United start, you know, as soon as United don't win games or have like a batter on a form, he's gonna be the number one scapegoat, and that's gonna be just annoying to watch play out, like and within United's own fans, which is the most annoying part. Um so yeah, that's all I got right now. Uh I'll be back next week. I mean, the NFL and premise season is really almost here. So I gotta have some previews, some predictions, all that jazz. So I'll be back next week for sure. Probably do like a Premier League preview uh or something like that. So um yeah, until then, see you all next time.