Laura Woods On Old Trafford's Reaction, Kane's Ballon d'Or & Arsenal's Fleetwood Shock
United Fans Right To Pass Blame Around
The crowd reaction after the Bournemouth game was obviously a deliberate message from the fanbase: we don’t put all the blame on Michael Carrick as he’s trying and, actually, a lot of the blame lies with the players.
It was quite interesting. I’ve never seen a switch-up like that before. Maybe it was just the way they were all walking off but it did make me chuckle a little bit.
In terms of what Carrick is doing, I don’t think he’s completely free from blame because the tactics have to be right.
But Bruno Fernandes coming out and publicly criticising him isn’t going to go down well.
You just can’t do that as a player. You’re not bigger than the club, and you’re especially not bigger than the manager. Even if you’re probably the best player there, and have been for a while, he hasn’t been playing amazingly either.
So yeah, everybody has to take responsibility.
I can kind of see why Carrick didn’t start Bruno but not using him at all might have been a bit of cut-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face vibes. At the same time, he must have been really annoyed and felt he had to make a statement.
And the fact that it’s Bruno, your captain and one of the players who should be leading by example, must make it doubly frustrating.
As for what’s next? I’m not really sure.
As soon as rumours start about other managers, I always think ‘ugh, imagine being the current manager and knowing it’s just a matter of time’.
But there’s so much more work to be done at that club than just replacing the manager.
You can understand the fans being frustrated that you’re just putting another face in the same place without fixing anything around that person.
It’s the definition of insanity, isn’t it? Doing the same thing but expecting different results.
Michael Carrick is 7/10 to be the first Premier League manager to leave with BetMGM
Anfield A Different Beast, Even For The Champions
Liverpool-Arsenal is always going to be a big game, wherever the Reds are in terms of form.
I remember going to Anfield and just knowing Arsenal were going to get battered, at the end of those Arsene days and the beginning of the Unai days.
You’d go there and think ‘is it going to be four today?’ That was the Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino team – a side I absolutely loved.
It’s so different now and I love the way football changes because I like that we’re winning now… but whatever happens there’s an extra level when you go to Anfield. You have to get on top of the crowd, even as Premier League champions.
But Arsenal have shown weaknesses this season, as they did last season too.
They just need to know how to manage that and how to manage the crowd.
They need to be resolute and defend well. With Liverpool’s players coming back into form, we need to be extra careful not to slip up at the back while taking advantage of the fact that they can be quite shaky defensively.
Arsenal are 13/10 to beat Liverpool with BetMGM
Credit To Fleetwood But Tackle On Dowman Awful
Arsenal’s loss to Fleetwood was really frustrating, very wasteful.
We obviously didn’t make much of the chances or the possession. I blame the drone, if I’m honest. It delayed play and I think it might have got into their heads a little bit.
I’m saying that with sarcasm, by the way.
Credit where it’s due, though, Fleetwood did what Arsenal couldn’t. And the player who took the final penalty for them, Conor Haughey, is a teenager.
Can you imagine the pressure on your shoulders, scoring the winner against the Premier League champions in the cup?
One thing I would say is that the tackle on Max Dowman was absolutely awful and I probably would have lashed out as well if I were him.
I’m really annoyed at the way that was handled, to be honest. He’ll learn a lot from it but I just don’t like that ‘I’ll teach him a lesson’ kind of thing. It could have really hurt him and it left a bit of a sour taste in what should have been a really great day for Fleetwood.
But yeah, very frustrating, and congratulations to them on the win.
Fleetwod to win the EFL Cup is 100/1 with BetMGM
Arsenal Wasn't Right Fit For Emery... But Villa Is
The timing just wasn’t right for Unai Emery at Arsenal but the squad was also terrible and so was the recruitment.
There was so much terrible recruitment that needed to be undone and it was just so difficult to fill Arsene Wenger’s boots, even if at the time everyone was calling for him to go.
I wasn’t in the ‘Wenger Out’ camp because I wanted it to be his decision and I didn’t like how half the fanbase were jumping on him.
But I also didn’t like the way Unai didn’t get a proper run at things.
Ultimately, though, it wasn’t working and it didn’t work out.
He understands English football better now but I think English football understands him a bit better as well.
It was so mean how it all became about his communication skills. They’re obviously a lot better now and his Villa side have such a clear way of playing, everybody knows their role.
So even when you lose big players – as we’ve seen this summer – he replaces them and everybody slots into the system.
That’s the sign of a great manager with a really clear identity.
I give him the utmost credit but that doesn’t necessarily mean him leaving Arsenal was a terrible decision.
Everything that’s happened since has been the right thing to do.
I just think that role, at that time, wasn’t right for him. Now he’s a different manager and he’s exactly where he needs to be.
Aston Villa to finish in the top four is 11/2 with BetMGM
Kane Our Generation's Greatest - But Keegan Still Rules
I would love to say Harry Kane is 100% England’s greatest export for our generation but my dad would kill me if I didn’t say Kevin Keegan, for his two Ballon d’Ors, his European Cup and everything else he did domestically.
So, no, I don’t think we can say Kane is our greatest.
But for youngsters growing up in this generation of football, you definitely look at him and think what an incredible career he’s had.
He was the guy at Tottenham, far and away their best player and probably England’s best player, but he still wasn’t winning things and everyone was criticising him.
Then he decided to go to the Bundesliga, he’s been absolutely smashing it and now he’s won a Ballon d’Or as well…
It almost doesn’t matter what else he does.
I know he’ll keep winning things if he stays at Bayern Munich but I still think he could hang up his boots now if he wanted to.
If I won the Ballon d’Or I’d be like ‘do you know what? See you later, everyone… I’m going to retire, look after my body and enjoy myself. I’ve done it now’.
But Harry probably wants two of them, doesn’t he?
I’m very proud of him as an English person, even though he’s ex-Spurs. I was absolutely buzzing for him when he left, because it was never going to happen for him there. Never, never, never.
So, yeah, a great English export but not the best one for me.
Why Simon Had To Win Best Keeper
I’d love to put my Arsenal hat on and say it’s all about David Raya and he should have got the best keeper award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony – but he didn’t start or play at the World Cup.
At the time, we were all asking why he wasn’t starting but Unai Simon was brilliant and he won the Golden Glove and the World Cup.
So I don’t think you can really argue and, if Raya had won, there would have been much more of an uproar.
What he’s done for Arsenal has been absolutely incredible and it might have been different had they won the Champions League.
To be honest, though, it’s a hard one to argue. It’s great that he was in the conversation and great that he came second.
But, no, I don’t think Simon put a foot or a glove wrong this summer.
There’s so much more football than what we see in the Premier League so I get it, unfortunately.
David Raya is 2/5 to win the Premier League 2026/27 Golden Glove with BetMGM
My Golden Goals Matchday 9 Selections
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- Bournemouth 2-1 Leeds
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Spurs Look Promising But We Need To See More
It might have just started to click at Tottenham but what we need to see is consistency.
What I did notice against Chelsea was that, even before the goals came, Spurs were controlling the game and just looked the better side.
I think Roberto De Zerbi was talking about how the midfield is now clicking, that sort of thing.
So the signs are definitely there.
I’m not sure it’s finally clicked for them, though. I think we’ll learn a lot more once we’ve seen them against Crystal Palace and over the rest of the season as they’re still in a horrendous spot.
The significance isn’t just that it was a win. It was a win against Chelsea – and that’s pretty massive.
It’s a London Derby, there’s history there, and it was a big performance from them. They need to keep building on it and show some consistency before we can say it’s finally clicked.
Tottenham are 33/1 to be relegated with BetMGM
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please note: This week's Golden Goals deadline is Saturday 31st October 15:00. Opt-in is required and you can find out more here.
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Opt in & predict 6 correct scores (see game lobby for weekly tournament cut-off time) to win up to £100k jackpot. Predict 2+ correct scores and win a prize (ranging from Free Bets to £5k Prizepool). Winnings shared evenly in case of multiple winners. Each prize subject to its own terms. Void if 1 or more matches postponed/abandoned or not completed. Verification procedures apply. 18+. T&Cs and exclusions apply.
