We can’t start them all

Much of the supporter discussion around England ahead of Euro 2024 is how to find space in a starting XI for a generation of excellent forwards.

Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Ollie Watkins are all having great individual seasons at their clubs and the debate around Foden in a central position has gathered momentum in recent weeks.

“Well, we can’t start them all,” said Gareth Southgate.

“They’re nice problems to have. You’d rather have talent and have to make decisions based on form, than not have those options and be scratching your heads on who to play in which position.

“I think any manager would say the same thing. You’d rather have good players to work with and to pick from.”

@ChrisGill95 on “X”: Hey Phil. Did you get wet at “The Theatre Of Streams” yesterday? Apparently OT houses the fourth biggest waterfall in the UK. Shows how far United have fallen on and off the pitch.

Thanks for your concern, Chris. Yes, I did thanks but not inside the stadium only on the walk to the car afterwards.

It was a genuinely extraordinary storm, with a month’s worth of rain falling in two hours, so this was a very unusual set of circumstances.

What it did confirm, however, was the sorry state of some areas of Old Trafford and how it has been allowed to fall into a very poor state of disrepair, with footage of water pouring though a leak in a roof inside the stadium.

It would have been a real embarrassment to new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has already made his displeasure at facilities clear, and will only strengthen his resolve to do something about it with a new stadium a matter on his agenda.

Mike – a long time United supporter: We are tired of being told about “the project” but realistically I think the problems are so deep we need five years.

I don’t see Erik ten Haag as the right person, but unless there is a good long-term manager already lined up, I feel let him see out his final year, and the new structures can plan accordingly without too much transfer input from his side. We are also limited by spending regulations, so must be patient (still/again) Thoughts?

I struggle to see Ten Hag in the long-term but no elite potential successors jump out at you and Sir Jim Ratcliffe may still feel he deserves a chance withing the new structure – although that must still be in doubt.

I totally agree that this is a very long-term project. Everything about the club has been allowed to slide (although as should except the women’s team after they won the FA Cup) from squad, recruitment, structure and a once top-class stadium that has been allowed to fall into very bad disrepair, as proved again by the leaks during yesterday’s storm.

It is a mammoth job in every way and there is no quick fix.