Welcome back to TEB wherever you’re picking this article up from. I must say it’s very nice to be back among the TEB family, writing about a club I’m passionate about. Big thanks to Jay and the team welcoming me back after a hiatus.
I’m going to jump straight into some points and thoughts – a bit like Oliver Glasner – I want to be efficient, effective and successful with this piece…
I’m not sure about you, but after the shenanigans of the summer transfer window, late arrivals, losing Ebere Eze and the double whammy of potentially losing Marc Guehi at the last minute – I thought we could have a similar start to last season – but how wrong have the team made me feel?
Nineteen games unbeaten, stretching back to April is no mean feat, and that’s coupled with the fact that we’ve played some top sides and either beaten them comfortably or are reaping the rewards of a truly top class manager (some would say world class… but I’ll get onto that later!)
Everything about this start to the season is filling me with renewed excitement about this football club. After the historic last season, many of us might not have known what exactly was coming round the corner, a drop off or another surge. We may just well be on another surge.
There’s so much to like about this crop of players, they don’t know when they’re beat. Collectively, we’re as hard working as any team I’ve seen in the Premier League this season and on top of that they have a swagger that’s a thrill to watch.
Some of the standouts so far this season for me have been Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell, Guehi and Ismaila Sarr – a special mention can also go to Yeremy Pino – I think we’re seeing flashes of the potential of this young Spaniard. When’s he’s fully up to speed and integrated I think we may have found another gem on our hands.
But, I want to focus on Tyrick Mitchell for this next chunk. I’ve always rated him, and I think the consensus from the Palace fan base is similar, but I feel he’s stepped up this season – whether it’s the World Cup year or he’s just playing with freedom and confidence, he looks the real deal.
I’ve always loved his defensive work, but I think that’s improved, his attacking play at times has let him down but this season we’re seeing a more composed Mitchell. He often doesn’t get the mentions of a Jean-Philippe Mateta or Adam Wharton, but for a long time he’s been a vital component of the squad and in Oliver Glasner’s 5-2-3 system, he’s perfectly suited.
Like all of us, we hope this start to the season continues, and wherever it takes us, I’m sure it will bring excitement and a whole heap of fun.
We’ve got super Oli Glasner… but for how long?
Right, now onto the slightly negative tone of the piece. These rumours of Glasner to United.
I started hearing and reading of them a week or so ago and thought nothing of them, but they seemed to have intensified a bit over the past couple of days – ironically on the eve of our first European adventure.
Earlier, I said we’ve got a top-class manager, but I feel he’s a world-class manager. I don’t think he’s in the echelons of Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot, Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick just yet – but I certainly feel he’s in that crop of managers such as Xabi Alonso, and Mikel Arteta.
His record speaks for itself, and I’m positive he would make a difference to any club in any league – he’s already proved that with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. So, these rumours to Manchester United are not unexpected, because let’s face it, Ruben Amorim must be on the shortest and last thread of his Manchester tightrope.
I think we’ll get one more year out of Glasner, maybe two depending on what happens this season – but would I like to see him go to United? Certainly not! But would he turn around their fortunes? I would say 95% he would – he’s that good of a manager.
Ultimately, I just wouldn’t want to see him go there and see him struggle in what from the outside just looks like a mess of a club at the minute.
European adventure begins
You can’t not get excited by what we saw on Thursday evening in Poland. Dominant, attacking and exciting are just some of the adjectives I would use. It looked like most of the players had played European competition before – but it’s only really been Daichi Kamada and Eddie Nketiah who have experienced that.
Everyone was superb. I thought Adam Wharton looks like he’s getting into his groove, a groove we saw before the unfortunate injuries. For someone so young, he just oozes class and his ability to break lines with his passing is unbelievable.
Everything about the performance was superb and it will set the tone for what will be an exciting adventure over the coming months.
