Red Army Reaction

An episode we weren’t expecting to make any time soon, a changing of the guard is afoot at Old Trafford. After another poor result, but mainly after an explosive press conference, Ruben Amorim was relieved of his duties on Monday morning, and we pick through the bones of it here. Not a period that will live long in the memory, Amorim’s tenure came to be defined by frustration and false starts. We...

Merry Christmas Pod-fans, for this festive treat we decided to join up with Oh! Brother, a Fall podcast, for that grandest of Boxing Day traditions, a family quiz! Hosted by the inimitable Terry Christian, an authoritative voice for all things Music and Football, our two almost specialist subjects. Thanks for all your support through the year, and thanks again to Terry for hosting. Plenty more to...

With the Bournemouth game still fresh in our memory and Aston Villa providing a more familiar measuring stick, we take stock of a Manchester United side that is at least beginning to show some personality again. The results may not be perfect, but there are clearer patterns, more attacking intent, and a sense that games are being played on United’s terms more often than they were. However, with a...

At Old Trafford against West Ham, it was the familiar story: control without conviction, a decent spell and a good goal, only for a late equaliser to drag United back into the pack and drag the mood straight back down with it. At Molineux, a turgid first half gave way to genuine quality in the second, but again there was little to be learned, due to the frankly depressing quality of the opposition...

The calendar turns, the year edges toward its close, and Manchester United are still trying to work out exactly what they are. At Selhurst Park, they at least remembered how to respond. A goal down to Crystal Palace, rattled by a first half that echoed the Everton fiasco, they found a way back through set piece quality, stitching together a comeback that felt, briefly, like a team imposing its wil...

The international break is over, the visit from Everton has been and gone, and Manchester United have reminded us once again that progress is rarely a straight line. On Monday night at Old Trafford we saw, in 90 minutes, most of what defines this team at the moment: flashes of control, long spells of drift, and a lingering question about what exactly they are trying to be. We find solace in not be...

As the international break draws to a close and we prepare for United’s trip to Everton on Monday night, we take a look around the wider world of United and football in general to see what life is like outside the bubble of mediocrity that is the Manchester United men’s first team. We then descend back in to the murky abyss and preview a game that we have no right to expect to win, but do anyway....

Another game, another uneasy blend of promise and regression, leaving us once more uncertain whether we’re witnessing the end of one cycle or the quiet beginning of another. United showed signs of progress, skill, and resilience - earning a draw in a match they often would have lost over the past 12 months, and one they’ll need to win going forward. For now, it’s another week in limbo as we wait t...

Less a crumbling than a slight erosion, United’s draw with Forest served as a reminder that form is temporary and must be constantly maintained. Amorim’s team still move in short bursts, showing flashes of competence followed by moments of mediocrity. Is the draw a return to a side uncertain of where its next win will come from, or is the fact they took a point evidence that they haven’t quite ret...

As the nights draw in, an unfamiliar feeling seeps in through the bones of Old Trafford. For the first time since perhaps the Carabao Cup Final of 2023, Manchester United resemble a team in form, thanks in no small part to two quality forwards that joined the club this summer. A third win in a row sees United fans dreaming of brighter climes, but for now they can take solace in a good win in these...

There are few maladies that a win at Anfield won’t soothe. After stuttering and faltering for much of this season, United finally produced their first unqualified good result on Sunday - going to the home of the champions and leaving with three points. Adam and Nathan digest, dissect, and deconstruct, with just a smidge of gloating and perhaps a dash of hubris. We shall see what follows when Brigh...

A slow climb out of the darkness began on Saturday, as Manchester United finally managed to resemble a competent team. In changeable weather at Old Trafford, they produced the kind of routine victory over Sunderland that has been a rarity in the past year. But all is not yet mended. A trip to Liverpool still looms, and defeat there could easily spell the end for Ruben Amorim. This win goes only a...

Arsène Wenger once spoke of managers being in a "permanent tribunal". This is what Amorim's term at Manchester United has felt like: buying himself a week's grace but never exceeding it. After a stuttering victory against Chelsea, United traveled to Brentford needing to prove that they could muster something resembling form, but once again faltered, and so our analysis this week once again falls i...

After a wet and windy night in Manchester, Adam and Nathan pore over a chaotic game that did more to confuse than clarify. In dreadful conditions, mistakes were rife, and United were uncharacteristic in their ability to capitalise, aided by some poor decisions from both players and managers in blue. We look ahead to Brentford and Sunderland, and take in the action from around the grounds. Hosted o...

United's trip across the city ended in another lifeless performance, with any early promise being trodden down by the behemoth that is Erling Haaland. Massive, ruthless, and with robot-like efficiency, Adam and Nathan set out to unpick the issues shown not only by this game, but by nearly a year of lackluster performances and not nearly enough points. A look to the future and a brief trip down mem...

After an unconvincing first two games, Manchester United traveled to Cleethorpes needing a statement performance to blow away the cobwebs and kick-start the season. What they conjured up instead was a statement saying: "We don’t know what we’re doing — please put us out of our misery." Adam and Nathan look into what went wrong and what it means for the manager. A slightly more positive visit from...

A trip to Craven Cottage ended in disappointment, and a distinct whiff of last seasons problems wafts through the room. Adam and Nathan consider what can be done to kick start a faltering season, after initial optimism has faded away. We look to the market, more out of hope than expectation, and we look forward to two matches with more riding on them than we thought. 🔗 Follow us: x.com/redarmyrea...

Adam and Nathan break down United's plucky defeat to Arsenal. Are there green shoots of progress, or is it more a case of flattering to deceive? We discuss what went well and what still needs work. Familiar mistakes reared their heads, and the goalkeeping situation remains very much unresolved. We also take a look around the grounds and look ahead to next weekend’s trip to Fulham. 🔗 Follow us: Tw...

Adam and Nathan discuss Manchester United's preseason tour, transfer business, and preparations for the start of the season. Four players have come through the door, while five have been frozen out. The mood among United fans is cautiously optimistic—or, more realistically, that the only way is up. We also cover the Premier League as a whole: the runners and riders, as well as the also-rans. Final...