No Question About That - a Manchester United podcast

#977 | Michael Carrick’s audition continues. With four wins from five, including victories over Arsenal and City, Ed, Dharnish and Daniel break down what we’ve actually learned about Carrick’s “game model” so far. Is this a sustainable tactical evolution or a short-term bounce? And how should United approach the next run of fixtures, starting with Everton?

The discussion covers why West Ham’s low block caused problems; the emergence of a clear tactical identity under Carrick; increased player proximity, rotations and front-foot football; the midfield rebuild that’s clearly coming in the summer; and whether Carrick should already be the frontrunner for the permanent job

There’s optimism. There are caveats. And there’s still the small matter of breaking down stubborn, compact sides. Momentum matters, but so does long-term planning.

00:00 Introduction and weekend football 

02:00 West Ham analysis

08:45 What is Carrick’s “game model”?

16:10 Defensive evolution

19:00 Everton preview

22:00 Momentum or reality check?

25:00 Long-term future

29:30 Momentum, expectations & what comes next

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#976 | A listener mailbag episode with Wayne and Ed, recorded during a gap in the men's fixture list (though United Women notched a seventh straight win). Wayne's been deep in writing a book on an under-explored era of United history, with fascinating cross-era player comparisons.

Listener questions drive wide-ranging discussion: the ongoing burden of Glazer debt and whether Ratcliffe's involvement changes anything meaningful; the stadium regeneration plan; and pointed criticism of Ratcliffe's public comments, staff cuts, ticket price hikes, and chaotic decision-making - even as the org chart and finances have arguably improved.

On football: the Wilcox-Amorim dynamic and where "oversight" crosses into interference; whether Michael Carrick’s audition is going well; and why Ole's tenure deserves more respect than it gets. On the squad: Bruno Fernandes is irreplaceable, midfield needs a serious rebuild if Casemiro and Ugarte leave, the striker situation remains an area for more depth, and youth prospects offer some hope.

00:00 Intro

01:29 Wayne's Writing Projects

07:06 Ownership & Stadium Questions

13:06 Jim Ratcliffe's Comments

20:10 Jason Wilcox & Ruben Amorim

31:40 Michael Carrick Discussion

38:38 Bruno Fernandes Questions

43:20 Midfield & Transfer Needs

47:24 Striker Situation

51:34 Center Back & Youth Prospects

54:49 Most Damaging Post-Fergie Match

58:30 Fun Questions & Outro

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NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify.
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#975 | Ed and Dharnish discuss United's 1-1 draw with West Ham. It’s the first draw of the Michael Carrick era - second act - and Nuno’s low-block caused plenty of challenges. Why were United so flat? Was it tiredness after a second game in three days or just too many players off their game? There’s plenty of talk about Casemiro’s role and how United might replace him, another strong Kobbie Mainoo performance, and an outstanding goal from substitute Benjamin Sesko. Could the Slovenian have started this one given West Ham’s tactics?

00:00 Introduction 

00:57 March Breakdown

03:50 Carrick's Strategy

09:55 Defensive Concerns

16:47 Casemiro's Role

22:46 Analyzing Player Performances

24:48 Transfer Market

29:34 Match Against Everton

37:42 Concluding Thoughts 

If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing a weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are ad-free.

NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify.
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#974 | United put in a dominant and convincing 2-0 win over Spurs. How much of that was down to Cristian Romero's red card and how much United’s quality? Ed and Dan dig into it.

There’s plenty of chat around Kobbie Mainoo’s growing influence in midfield, how the Casemiro-Mainoo-Bruno balance is clicking, and Lisandro Martinez’s influence at centre-back. Plus, Bruno's evolving role. 

There’s a nod to United Women’s good form and then a look ahead to West Ham away on Tuesday night.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Romero Red Card 

03:34 Mainoo's Development

08:51 Carrick's Management Style

15:14 Arsenal Title Challenge

24:07 Amorim's Legacy

33:26 West Ham Preview

If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing a weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are ad-free.

NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify.
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#973 | Ed and Jamie dive into United's quiet transfer window, what it means for the summer budget and the inevitable trade-offs between long-term planning and short-term risks. There's a discussion about the club's commercial performance, where new revenue might come from and the curious case of Avram Glazer bidding for an IPL franchise.

00:00 Introduction

01:53 Why United Held Fire in January

09:19 Summer Transfer Budget 

12:42 Academy Value 

18:51 Commercial & Sponsorship Gaps

21:41 Fan Experience

28:56 Financial Sustainability

33:13 Media Strategy & Glazer IPL Bid

If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing a weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are ad-free.

NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices