Who will be this seasons scapegoat?

Maybe not *the* scapegoat but a lot of pressure will be on Hojlund this time - deserved or not. Especially now that he is the "seasoned" striker out of him and Zirkzee.
 
Antony isn't even in the picture as long as Rashford, Garnacho and Amad are fit.

IMO Hojlund this season. I don't rate him super high, but he scores what he has, but he will go on a run of games without a shot on goal just because this is how the team is set up, you need to make it on your own.
 
If you look at the squad as a whole if De Ligt and Mazraoui are both signed as expected and we don’t experience an anomaly season injury wise again but still struggle then there won’t be any scapegoat and the blame will lie firmly with ETH.

They’ll be Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Malacia, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mount, Antony, Hojlund and Zirkzee all there as ETH signings whilst Mainoo, Collyer and Garnacho have all come through since ETH’s arrival so that’ll be two thirds of the squad so there’s no excuses or scapegoats other than ETH.
 
Mickson said:
So the scapegoat is the man responsible for the football? Seems fair to me. A bit more surreal that a scapegoat is a fringe player like Antony.
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Someone always has to take the blame, there always needs to be a scapegoat - why?
 
Borys said:
Antony isn't even in the picture as long as Rashford, Garnacho and Amad are fit.

IMO Hojlund this season. I don't rate him super high, but he scores what he has, but he will go on a run of games without a shot on goal just because this is how the team is set up, you need to make it on your own.
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If preseason is anything to go by this isn't the way we'll be set up though
 
If there is to be a "scapegoat" -- a word that has an interesting origin -- it will be Erik ten Hag. He nearly got the sack last season and it's no secret that he's on thin ice with INEOS. This is how it is.
 
I've decided on Johnny Evans. He's 35, and ripe for scapegoating..it makes perfect sense. When shit goes wrong, I'm gonna blame him Directly, even if had nothing to do with the feck up.
 
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It’s a player who constantly starts whilst being shit. Obvious candidate is Rashford and Sancho.

Sancho could get dropped soon though. Also don’t think Antony will have much of a run of games if he’s shit.

If we don’t sign a CM then Casemiro/ McT? Amrabat?

Maybe Mount will be given a run of games and will be consistently shit.

Onana is an obvious one.

I’m going with Rash, Mount and Onana.
 
Garnacho. I can see it already. "He's in his 20s. He's not a kid anymore. How many wasteful performances until we accept he isn't ever going to fulfil his potential?"
 
I hate that word, because it implies someone being unfairly blamed for something that isn't their fault when in reality if we are shite and finish 8th or something again there will be PLENTY of players at fault. So criticizing one or another would hardly be "scapegoating".
 
Onana, name as good as on the trophy already.

Although “scapegoat” indicates the person is really not to blame. I think Onana will rightly be blamed, so maybe not a scapegoat after all.

Mount then , as someone who will be blamed unfairly.
 
I think we should look at it the other way around, and who will NOT be the butt of the jokes and criticism from the fans. I can only think of Kobbie who will avoid criticism, even Leny i expect some will have a go at, some already have done.

Main targets will be EtH, Casemiro, Rashford and Antony i expect, with a fair amount going to Maguire, McT, Mount and Bruno.
 
Rashford and Bruno with a strong supporting role for Casemiro and special guest appearances from everyone else
 
M Bison said:
I think we should look at it the other way around, and who will NOT be the butt of the jokes and criticism from the fans. I can only think of Kobbie who will avoid criticism, even Leny i expect some will have a go at, some already have done.

Main targets will be EtH, Casemiro, Rashford and Antony i expect, with a fair amount going to Maguire, McT, Mount and Bruno.
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Onana will be a main target
 
It'll be Onana, people had made their minds up about him before a ball had even been kicked last season and that will continue this year.
 
I feel like a scape goat needs to be someone we expect to perform and are then let down.

We already know the following players cannot meet expectations, so these need to be removed:
- Rashford
- Antony
- Sancho
- Casemiro
- Maguire

There's a bunch of dross not even worth mentioning..

There's a golden youngsters who can do no wrong (because they show heart and high potential):
- Mainoo
- Garnacho
- Rasmus
- Amad (new entry)
- Yoro (new entry)

Which leaves the main candidates being:
- Mount
- Onana
- Shaw (given no backup and poor fitness I think he might struggle with a full season and always rushed back)
- De Ligt (if he joins)
- Bruno (no chance, he's awesome)
- Dalot (no chance, he's pretty damn good these days)

The two we really depend on is Onana and Shaw so that's my bet
 
cpresc said:
I feel like a scape goat needs to be someone we expect to perform and are then let down.

We already know the following players cannot meet expectations, so these need to be removed:
- Rashford
- Antony
- Sancho
- Casemiro
- Maguire
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You could add Shaw to this list of cannot meet expectations due to his perma fitness issues.

I think if we keep them and persist in playing them week in week out to our detriment they still have prime scape goat potential. Especially rashford and Maguire.

I totally scapegoated our whole CL camplaign on Onana and tbf he was truly shocking till after afcon.
 
I'm not a fan of Onana's performances since joining, but posters on here have a unhealthy habit of blaming him for every single goal we concede, even if it's literally unsaveable. So he's an absolute certainty.

Casemiro will get some serious heat this season, but to be fair, it will be understandable. You can't have a DM who can't run, who goes round diving into tackles getting nowhere near the ball, getting bypassed every time the opposition have possession. So I'm not sure if that even counts as scapegoating. I'd more blame the manager and the club for signing him for huge money in the first place though.
 
I’m going to wildcard shout for Licha. “Misses too many games, isn’t the player he was before injury, lost his pace, still to short for the PL etc” I think third season syndrome will kick in and internet fans will turn on him.
 
Casemiro and Antony will get complaints no matter what they do. Rashford and Maguire will be shielded by the anti bullying campaigners.
 
mintyred said:
Casemiro and Antony will get complaints no matter what they do. Rashford and Maguire will be shielded by the anti bullying campaigners.
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I think we’re past that point with Rashford now. He needs to have one hell of a season to convince the fans. I’m not sure he’ll ever contribute enough defensively or in the build up of play to be a top player, but hopefully he can contribute with some goals!
 
Its beyond me that so many are certain it will be Onana. If/when we get the CB partnership with any kind of stability (Licha-Yoro or Licha-MdL)he will shine.
IMO it will depend on what signings we make before window shuts. If we don’t sign a DM, it will be Casemiro. His legs are out the window, and he can’t be the DM we need. Will be judged because in his peak he was exactly the DM we need, even though we all know he’s not close to that anymore.
 
GwilDor said:
Its beyond me that so many are certain it will be Onana. If/when we get the CB partnership with any kind of stability (Licha-Yoro or Licha-MdL)he will shine.
IMO it will depend on what signings we make before window shuts. If we don’t sign a DM, it will be Casemiro. His legs are out the window, and he can’t be the DM we need. Will be judged because in his peak he was exactly the DM we need, even though we all know he’s not close to that anymore.
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I don't think it's as easy to scapegoat a keeper. If they make mistakes they're clear and obvious because they normally lead directly to goals
 
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