Oct 24
Liverpool vs Manchester United: Preview
Could there really be a better time to beat Liverpool? If there is, I’d like to know the scenario. The struggles of our bitter rivals have certainly been well documented over the past few days as they endure their worst sequence of results for some 22 years.
Victory for United at Anfield on Sunday would signify Liverpool’s fifth straight defeat and would open up the gap between the two sides to 10 points in the Premier League. Furthermore, despite the recent vote of confidence, a negative result for the Merseysiders could quite plausibly call a halt to Rafael Benitez’s reign at the club.
Talk about significance. Some may say the less said about it the better as Liverpool, and Benitez in particular, have something of an uncanny knack of escaping even the stickiest of situations.
Sir Alex couldn’t have played it any better in midweek as a potentially tricky trip to Moscow was made decidedly easy as that disciplined 4-5-1 system we have become accustomed to seeing for away fixtures in Europe once again prevailed. Giggs, Rooney and Fletcher were even afforded the evening off and everything, more or less, went according to plan.
The big team news from a United perspective is centred around Wayne Rooney. We were led to believe he would be fighting fit for Anfield on Sunday although Ferguson has now revealed that he is facing an uphill struggle to make it.
Edwin van der Sar will undoubtedly continue in goal with a back four of John O’Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra in front of him. Darren Fletcher remains a doubt so the midfield could shape up with Antonio Valencia and Nani on either flank and Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick forming a partnership in the middle.
Beach balls may be banned from entering Anfield on Sunday but Michael Owen certainly isn’t and, depending on Rooney’s fitness, he could be set for a key role against his former employers. Dimitar Berbatov should definitely start and an Owen goal? Well you couldn’t even begin to script it, could you?
In his Friday press conference, Ferguson discussed his belief that form goes out of the window in games like these.
“Manchester United and Liverpool games, as I have said many times, are without question massive games. That will never change,” the United boss said.
“We are going in in decent form, there is good confidence in our play, but it is a derby game and anything can happen in derby games.
“Going to Anfield at any time is a hard game.”
Despite the history between Ferguson and Benitez, the Scot was quick to point out that he would rather focus on United rather than the predicament currently being faced by his opposite number.
“I’m not interested in Liverpool,” the 67-year-old added.
“I’m only concerned about what we do on Sunday.”
Benitez, meanwhile, has hinted that victory against United could “change everything” in terms of his precarious situation at Liverpool.
“I am really relaxed in terms on my position because I know how we are working on the pitch every day” the former Valencia manager said.
“I’m sure that once we win the first game, everything will change.
“This game against United could be the right opportunity for us because it’s a massive game against our rivals and the fans will be behind the team from the first minute until the last. We can change everything.”
So this is it. A huge game for us and surely a defining game for Liverpool and Benitez’s tenure. It would be foolish to completely write off Carragher and co although the severity of a backlash will surely hinge on the wellbeing of Gerrard and Torres.
Having stretched our unbeaten run to 11 games on the spin following victory in Moscow in midweek, confidence should be sky-high within the United camp. A win on Sunday will surely send Liverpool’s title aspirations up in smoke, indeed if their hopes haven’t disintegrated already.
Prediction: 1-1
Edit: Some further reading on Rafa, ahead of the ‘pool match.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Porto it is then…
- Portsmouth Preview
- Some Reading Material Ahead of Grand Slam Sunday
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
Tags: Game Preview
October 24th, 2009 at 9:46
I predict a United loss until Brown plays….
October 24th, 2009 at 10:23
Yea, who would write off Carragher? Given his record against us, he’s bound to score at least once
Can’t wait for the game and mark my words: Rooney on the bench.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:25
Eddy, I’ve said this many times before. No spamming here.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:31
@Red Ranter: But you let Dan…
Oh well, sorry then. Just couldnt resist it.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:40
Ive warned him about it. And if he does I’ll delete it.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:56
Eh? What have i done now?
October 24th, 2009 at 12:23
@Andrei: I wouldn’t mind Rooney on the bench. I think Berba coming deep and Owen on the edge of Carragher will mean goals goals goals. Maybe even a penalty / red card the way Carragher’s been playing recently. It’d wind the Kop right up too
The important thing is that we defend well. If we make ZERO mistakes, I can’t see Liverpool scoring (and especially if Torres isn’t 100%).
I still expect Gerrard, Torres and Johnson to start. Liverpool have no other option. Our biggest problem is Fergie duffing the team selection like he did at Sunderland. Please no Scholes.
October 24th, 2009 at 12:24
@Dan: You didnt do anything, I just posted a link that spam, just to piss off some scouse fans visiting in. Just like your aboutthebird.com link on 1. April or some, mine was just a little… well.. ehh, nastier, maybe.
October 24th, 2009 at 12:31
@Dan: Nothing.
October 24th, 2009 at 13:07
There are no more appropriate goalscorer tomorrow than Vidic and Owen. Vidic because of the terror he went through against Liverpool last season, getting sent off in both games plus losing his PFA player of the year award because of the mistake which in my opinion lost us the game, the ball which he led Torres win for 1-1… And Owen, well, if you dont know that you dont know anything.
Come on Micky and Nemanja!
October 24th, 2009 at 14:36
wtf is going on here?
how much time do we have till the matc starts?
October 24th, 2009 at 14:40
@vnikosv: I think we have almost 24 hours for that
October 24th, 2009 at 15:58
@vnikosv: Surely U have misread the schedule… its tommorow…
October 24th, 2009 at 15:59
@Footy4Eddy: Surely.. it seems like we are going to see another 4-5-1, as i cant see fergie taking risks…
October 24th, 2009 at 17:12
4-5-1 tomara would not be to bad in my opinion. frustrate liverpool and sneak a goal or two with owen scoring the second. 2 nil, united stay top and practically end liverpool”s campaign. good season so far for the lads considering what happened in the summer with ronaldo leaving, we are up there challenging when most thought we would fall away. that has been helped by the form of chelsea and the gap between the top 4 and the rest narrowing in my opinion.
October 24th, 2009 at 17:25
@RicoTheRed: Who would you have playing the 1??
October 24th, 2009 at 17:38
@Redrich: Dimi no doubt. Don’t think that Ferguson trusts Owen with the sole striker role in the Liverpool game.
Then again, Owen and Giggs upfront (if Rooney isn’t fit) would be monstrous because you know that Owen has outstanding movement and finishing and with the form that Giggs has been in this season, you just know he will create another 500 goalscoring opportunities.
October 24th, 2009 at 17:51
I’m expecting a big struggle tomorrow and I fully expect the real Liverpool to show up and give it their all as it is a must win for them. I also expect Fergie to be a total coward and field a defensive team with negative slow and ball control tactics which create very few chances. He’s going to hope to win the game like he did in Moscow in midweek by being patient and waiting for that one chance to score a goal. I’ll eat my hat if it’s a high scoring attack oriented game and since I don’t own a hat, I’m feeling pretty good about that.
1-0 for Liverpool. Sorry lads, but Fergie will find a way to lose this game due to cowardice. Rafa needs this game or it’s goodbye season. Liverpool will be doubly stoked and that will make the difference. Hope and pray I’m wrong.
October 24th, 2009 at 17:57
@Andrei: It would surprise me if SAF plays a 4-5-1 with Berbatov, he’s just not a break away threat. Owen would certainly be a much better breaking in behind the Liverpool back line.
If Rooney is not fit I would image both Owen and Berbatov starting. CMF would ideally be Fletcher and Giggs, giving Giggs the freedom to roam around behind the strikers.
October 24th, 2009 at 17:57
Just letting many of you know that aren’t sure or just curious that the latest Football Manager will be coming out on October 30th and it has some very major changes to it’s interface and game play designed to make things a lot easier to use and less time consuming. Check out the changes by watching this 15 minute video that points out the new GUI look and how much better the game looks as well as plays. If you are FM addicts like RR and myself, this will be a must for you.
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sports/footballmanager2010/video/6237797/football-manager-2010-official-movie-1
October 24th, 2009 at 18:06
Liverpool are so ripe for the picking, RR is so correct that there has never been a better time to play them and expect victory at Anfield. But trust me, Fergie will put the kybosh on any victory celebrations because the man has lost his edge and his daring and he is going to field a team designed to lull the whole park and everyone watching to sleep.
I do have to disagree with RR about a loss plausibly causing the end for Rafa at Anfield. Frankly, the man just signed a new and extensive contract. To fire him would cost Liverpool’s owners money they do not have. Forcing him to resign would call for a compensation package and for them to fully cover his contract and that is something that they cannot do so I would be absolutely shocked if this happened even if they lost ten matches in a row. Rafa is not going anywhere unfortunately.
As for Fergie, I think there will be long shouts for his forced retirement if we are to lose this game at a time when Liverpool’s best players are injured and the Scousers have lost four in a row. Chicken shit tactics and squad build for boredom will only increase the negative talk around OT regarding the team post Ronaldo and the team’s direction. Man is this a big game or what so early in the season? WOW!
I WANT REVENGE
October 24th, 2009 at 18:10
@Grognard: Actually it was Stephen Darwin who wrote this.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:10
@Dan: You are a Fosterite and you must die.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:15
@Traverse: I am truly sure in my mind we will lose this game unless of course Gerrard doesn’t play. He is their driving engine and the main man in their creative scheme so if he is out, that will nullify a lot of Liverpool’s creative football. Still, I expect him to play as I expect Torres and Johnson to be out there too. All those players need to risk aggravating their injuries because this game is do or die time. And do not be surprised if we play 4-5-1 with Berba up front and Owen on the bench. I don’t think Fergie will risk Rooney because he knows Rooney is the only hope we have of proving the Grognard’s 3rd or 4th place finish wrong. Lose him for an extended time because he aggravated his injury and it’s game over man.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:17
@Footy4Eddy: A 1-0 win with a 90th + minute goal from Michael Owen would go into the history books as sweet revenge indeed.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:22
@Redrich: That’s just your logic talking though Red, not Fergie’s. Fergie has no problem with Berba and he has no problem placing him or Rooney in that position and watching them bot whine because he knows it’s a thankless position for them. But I truly would be amazed if he starts Owen because Mickey is just not in starting condition yet. He would be much more dangerous coming in late in the game when the defenders of Liverpool are tired and he has that extra step on them. Berba is key to Fergie;s plans of ball control. His touch and control as well as his distribution ensures that we have the ball and i am convinced that this is all that matters to Fergie so he will pack the midfield and make it difficult to get any service in to Torres or Dirk Fucking Kuyt. At least that’s what I think.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:24
@Red Ranter: OOPS!
Sorry about that. Too often I just start reading the the thread without looking who wrote it. Sincere apologies to Stephen for that. 
October 24th, 2009 at 18:25
@Grognard: Mate, SAF will not be in the starting eleven tomorrow!!
If players perform to their capabilities, we should win this game.
Usually a draw would be a decent result for us, but with the current circumstances surrounding the filth, a draw would be a good result for them. Because of that I think the team will push for a result!!
Here’s hoping for a solid performance at the back, I’ll take no gaffs, no loss of concentration and no prisoners!
October 24th, 2009 at 18:53
@Redrich: I agree mate. He should unleash Hell on the Scouse bastards…………….but he won’t, of that I am convinced. He will play it super cautious and Rio or somebody is going to screw up and give them the goal they need. They need it a lot more than we do and so that will be a driving force that should get liverpool over that hump. Remember, they hate us as much as we hate them. Perhaps even more since we are winners and they are has beens.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:54
Chelsea are having a field day out there…
October 24th, 2009 at 18:55
What i would give for United to put away opposition at home the way Chelsea do. There is no mercy in them and they are just killing Blackburn 4-0. Lets see how we handle Sam’s men. Probably 1-1- for us or 2-1 with a late goal. We need to find that killer instinct because at the end of it all, it could come down to goals fore and against.
October 24th, 2009 at 18:58
@Grognard: We just don’t have a Drogba like threat, do we??
October 24th, 2009 at 19:04
Well, only a win tomorrow will put us back on top!!
October 24th, 2009 at 19:56
@Redrich: It’s not Drogba that is the reason for their ability to run up the score. It’s their attitude and it’s the skill of their entire midfield. No castoffs from Wigan on that team.
October 24th, 2009 at 20:00
@Grognard: Agree. He’ll be too cautious with a lone striker. And if anyone thinks gerrard won’t be playing they’re deluded!
October 24th, 2009 at 20:04
@Grognard: Its mostly Drogba. He’s a monster with his back to goal; his physical abilities are second to none and he has incredible skill as well (see his goal against Stoke).
That said, having Essien on your team does not hurt (I think he’s starting to catch up with Wazza as far as my favourite player is concerned).
October 24th, 2009 at 20:55
@Grognard: No problem mate. I agree with you that Rafa probably won’t get sacked due to the compensation package but wouldn’t it be great!
October 24th, 2009 at 21:01
@Stephen Darwin: NO!! He’s doing so ‘well’.
October 24th, 2009 at 21:19
@Stephen Darwin: I don’t knoww why you think it would be great. He’s doing such a fantastic job for us. Imagine if they were to sack him towards the end of the season and hire Mourinho or Hiddink. That would be scary.
October 24th, 2009 at 22:32
@Stephen Darwin: I think the pressure he’s under just adds another dimension to this game.
He may not get sacked, but watching him stuttering his way through the post match interview will be a priceless experience!
October 24th, 2009 at 22:36
@Grognard: I say unleash the hounds!! 4-3-3 with Giggs playing with Berbatov and Owen. Lets throw caution to the wind and win this 4-3 or 5-4.
Just like the old days!!
October 24th, 2009 at 22:52
@Red Ranter: I doubt very much that Mourinho or Hiddink would work for those two clowns, mate!!
October 24th, 2009 at 23:03
@Stephen Darwin: Nothing I’d like more than to see Rafa look through the want ads for a job as a waiter.
I might be in the minority out there but I personally think he is an overrated manager and has no eye for talent. He’s just a case of yet another chess player who took up the game of football and who likes to move players on the field around like chess pieces. He is anti football.
October 24th, 2009 at 23:07
@Red Ranter: Personally I could stomach losing to Hiddink or the Special One much more than losing to that fat waiter. I just hate the ass hole. I respect Hiddink a lot and i must admit I have a secret love for Mourinho. I hope Mourinho doesn’t take any other jobs and that United realize he is the only logical choice to take over for Fergie. Only an ego as large as Fergie’s could survive at OT.
October 24th, 2009 at 23:09
@Redrich: Why do you tease me with such stuff. It’s like telling a person on a diet all about how great a strawberry sunday or banana split at Dairy Queen tastes. Man would I love that but it’s not going to happen. It might happen when we play them at OT.
October 24th, 2009 at 23:12
@Redrich: Only clowns work for clowns so I think there chances of hiring Harry Redknapp, Gareth Southgate, Mark Hughes or Phil Brown would be good at Anfield.
October 24th, 2009 at 23:17
@Grognard: Owen hattrick would be far better revenge than a 90th minute 1-0 victory.
However, I see this to be a slow moving, few chances, chess match. 2-1 to whoever scores first!
October 24th, 2009 at 23:38
@Grognard: How ’bout Kevin Keegan??
He needs a job, doesn’t he??
October 24th, 2009 at 23:39
@Grognard: We can only dream!!
October 25th, 2009 at 0:04
Nice one from the Sun.
October 25th, 2009 at 0:19
@Redrich: Now you’re talking.
October 25th, 2009 at 0:20
I can just see the FA appointing Alan Wiley to do that match.
October 25th, 2009 at 0:29
@Grognard: Some clowns are better than others. I am sure Redknapp and Hughes would be pretty upset being put in the same clown class as messieurs Southgate and Brown.
October 25th, 2009 at 0:35
I would play rooney up front if fit m8., back 4 and keeper picks itself( neville or brown RB). dont ask me midfield but i would like anderson in there for his drive and energy. giggs and hopefully fletcher, leaves 2 places up for grabs. might not be pretty to watch, which is what some of you are complaining about, but the result is what matters. i think they will come right at us from the word go tomara, so we have keep them quiet for the first 20 mins or so, then i have faith we can take them. the league is there for the taking this year with no one showing real drive yet, although chelsea looked good tonight, but then arsenal ripped blackburn apart as well. this year is the most important year for us winning it, as it makes us the most succsessful league team in the country and will fuck them up about their ” we”ve won it 5 times shit”. so what we”ll be the best in ENGLAND. The result is what matters tomara.
October 25th, 2009 at 0:42
@[OPTI]Madschester United: Both teams are leaking goals right now and so there is the possibility of some being scored.
The key, of course, would be for a couple in the first 20 mins or so, then caution would probably be thrown to the wind.
Winner is…… last man standing!!
October 25th, 2009 at 0:45
If Brown is avaliable, I would play him no doubt. Liverpool concede an incredible amount of goals on set-plays this season, so Vidic, Brown and Berbatov may be vital in that area. Giggsy better hit them corners well!
October 25th, 2009 at 0:51
@Footy4Eddy: I doubt that Brown will get a start over Neville in this game, mate!!
He does deserve a few starts though, and will probably win the job back if he does!
By the way do you know how many headed goals we have this year?? And how it compares with the last few years??
October 25th, 2009 at 1:21
@Andrei: Where have you been hiding at? Last time we heard from you, you were keeping on with that “Rooney better than Ronaldo” nonsense
October 25th, 2009 at 1:50
My prediction is that this will be a drab affair. I just don’t believe the frenzy the media have created with the whole ‘Liverpool is shit’ nonsense. (They are shit, but a lot better than they’re being made out to be.)
They are at Anfield after all. There certainly will be a feeling of being victimised. So even though we are superior on paper I won’t consider this a forgone conclusion.
In addition to all this we are more than capable of not showing up — or make a blazing start only to throw it all away.
There is no shortage of motivation to win this. I hope the players realise this.
October 25th, 2009 at 2:10
@Red Ranter: I don’t think it’ll be vintage stuff, but I think it’ll be absorbing (tense) and I think there be goals.
I worry too, that we could gain an advantage and then throw it away through casualness.
I think SAF will want this one, big time. So I’m predicting a battle here – lots of attitude, cards and perhaps goals.
It will be flighty to say the least, but I doubt that I will have a decibel left in my throat to call it boring!!
October 25th, 2009 at 2:29
@Redrich: It will always be a tense affair. It’s one of the reasons (the tension, I mean) why, actually watching these matches take away from the enjoyment of the game.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:08
@Red Ranter: Well win or loose, I’ll have a good time torturing myself!
The real metal of the team begins to shine in games like this (or not), and when we discuss this all later, things will seem to be so much more vital than an away CL game in Russia or a league game against Bolton.
The stuff we all talk about here, will have more meaning and perspective.
This game clearly means a lot to both clubs, and, so how we fare in the midst of things will surely be a yardstick for our prospects this year!
I would wager that most United fans will propel their evaluations on a game like this, and when challenged, will use it to prove their point!!
Don’t forget that United have always been a volatile team to watch, and tomorrow will be no different!
If you have a dodgy ticker or a propensity to duck behind the couch, this game is probably not for you!
I JUST CAN’T WAIT!!
October 25th, 2009 at 4:52
@Anders: Clowns come in many different disguises. You don’t just have to lose to be a clown. I think both of them have become Class “A” clowns of late with the stupid things they say and do.
October 25th, 2009 at 4:54
@Red Ranter: You and I are on the exact same wave length mate. I know that is a scary thought for you but trust me, it probably won’t last.
October 25th, 2009 at 4:56
@Red Ranter: I’m just so sure it’s going to be a stinker of a game I am questioning whether I just record it and watch it three hours later because I doubt it’s worth waking up at at 6:00am to have to endure such drudgery.
October 25th, 2009 at 5:04
@Redrich: I plan on using the result to further sell my theory that United are no better than a third or fourth place club and that they are unable to beat the other big clubs on the road with their present lineup. So a win for United would really shatter my dreams for negative posts and ammunition against the team, but would in return make me very happy and very optimistic inside. A win would truly shock me. That is how little faith I have in this club right now. The fact that I believe a battered and terrible Liverpool club which has lost four in a row is a certainty over my United is either a condemnation of my negative beliefs or proof that I am full of shite. One thing I cannot handle is losing to Liverpool or especially to Rafa Benitez. I just hat that man. It’s a fact.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:03
@Grognard: You don’t have to spell it out really. By now we’ve all learned to expect an angry, 5000-word rant spelling doom whenever we lose, especially to Liverpool.
I typically don’t read too much into them. I wait a day and usually by then some perspective sinks into your posts. This is not a knock on you, by the way. It’s just the way you are. We all react differently to things.
Also as much as we’d like to think of it, titles are not decided by games against big four teams. It’s always decided on our results against minnows.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:38
A 4-3-3 would be a good formation; if SAF goes 4-5-1 tomorrow i will be slightly perturbed. Liverpool are, as aforementioned, ripe for the picking in this game and we need to attack hard and often. If we sit back and pretend that this is a CL away game then we’ll tie or lose…
VDS
Nev Vida Brown Evra
Carrick Scholes Ando
Valencia Giggs
Berba
just cant see owen starting…will he get booed?
October 25th, 2009 at 8:58
@Grognard: Grog, I’ve watched United win 3 CL finals over the years. None of them were conventional wins or easy wins, or victories that I could have expected considering how things were working out in these games. They were, in fact, truly astonishing.
I pointed this out to my wife when Citeh equalized very late into last month’s game, who at the time was ready to settle for the draw.
I tried to explain the un-explainable, “you never now with United”, I said. “Anything is possible”, I pleaded. And with the last breath of the game being wheezed, and my wife’s eyes rolling in droll expectation, Owen struck at Citeh’s heart and my belief in the unbelievable continued!!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:24
I just want Owen to start, even more than Rooney. This game needs some drama like that.
@Grognard: We will definately not finish 3rd or 4th. The other teams re just terrible around us. Even Chelsea with all their ‘great players’ are more likely to drop points than us.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:52
Well lads, the day is here!
Its gonna be close, and for all our I want revenge, time to win 4-1 away to them etc. and everything, it will maximum be a 2 goal win to one of the sides. Personally I dont wanna come with any predictions, as these games are usually decided by one mistake or one moment of brilliance. Last season the deciding factores where, at Old Trafford, Vidics mistake to let the ball bounce to Torres could score. That moment changed everything, we looked dominant utop that point. At Anfield the decisive moment was when Giggsy could cover the ball out for a goal kick, Mascherano won it and passed to Babel. Thye won it, from our mistakes. Its just these games, they can go both ways. One moment decides everything! Ill just say this though, if we do score the first goal, we will be very dangerous. Micky Owen, Valencia and Giggs on the counter may prove too fast for the likes of Insua, Mascherano and Carragher. Lets hope we win this, cause there is no shortage of motivation to do so! 
October 25th, 2009 at 9:55
@Johnsom33: Rooney is better than Ronaldo. Look: no Ronaldo and we are doing fine… what would happen is Rooney left? Yea, we’d be fucked.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Can’t wait for the game to start!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:57
Even though Rooney is fit, I want Owen to start this game. The drama, the sheer exitement and hostility his presence would bring the match is not possible to get otherwise. I want him to start, and hopefully score. Rooney usually fucks up at Anfield, like Fergie said his temperament when visiting Merseyside is far away from great, he will definately get a card, and I think he already has 3 so getting one more would be an incredibly early danger of getting 5…
My team would be:
VDS/Foster(just read VDS was a doubt, may be injured
)
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Fletcher Anderson Giggs
Berbatov Owen
Carrick in for FLetcher if he is not fit, and depending on Browns fitness I would play Oshea. Even though Neville has done well lately, the speed of Torres and Benayoun may be too much for him. Oshea isnt exactly fast either, but he has the height which can be a danger going forward. After all, Johnny Boy is the Kop-Killer 2007.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:03
@Redrich: We have scored 6 headed goals this season, if you count the Diaby goal.
Fletcher has got 2, Scholes 1, Rooney 1 and Oshea 1. Dunno how that is compared to last season, but I think its an improvement…
October 25th, 2009 at 10:29
@Andrei: Wrong. We’d continue to rebuild and move on just like the way we’ve always done under Ferguson. If you never got that after all these years, I don’t know what else to tell you to convince you otherwise.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:52
If you can’t watch this game you can try this: Liverpool vs Manchester United: Live streams
October 25th, 2009 at 11:07
With united, its a fine line between being a negative fan and realistic. We tend to be defensive against the big clubs. we saw it against arsenal this season. I remember ryan giggs being particularly woeful in the first half. he tends to get better as games go on.
i expect one upfront and a packed midlfield. we all know berbs and rooney are largely inefective together, so i would like to see owen partner either, and possible macheda or wellbeck to come on in the second half(and to play upfront, not left wing).
i disagree with grognard in that i still see us finishing first. this is because i think this is the weakest and most inconsistent “big four” i have witnessed. i dont see arsenal winning aginst any of the bigger teams. i think chelsea will draw alot and loose the odd game, and liverpool are quite the most inconsistent team ever!
we are blessed with fergie in that he knows how to win leagues.
good luck lads
October 25th, 2009 at 11:08
The team i expect fergie to play:
VDS
Neville ferdinand vidic evra
Fletcher carrick anderson scholes giggs
berbatov.
Horrible team.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:22
HI all. In the wake of this much awaited encounter I was just going throug the history of the both the clubs and I was really amazed to know that there is such a big mathematical assymetry involved. I will explain How!!!
Liverpool won there forst two titles in 1900, 1906 and MU followed them with 2 in 1908 and 1911. They pool won another two 3 (1922,23,47) before MU equalling them with 3 of there own in (1952,53,57). Then in 1960s title kept changing its house first in pool and then in MUs backyard. But then since 1973 to 1970 went on the great run of victories accumulating no less than 11 titles. And guess what MU did they went on the great run by taking 11 titles from 1993-2009 (till date)to OT in this great FERGIE era.
Now why am I pointing out this??? Along with the mathematical coincidence I also wanted to point out one bitter truth if any on else is not aware that in last 109 years since 1901-2009 there hasn’t been the single period when we are the undisputed greats with highest no of titles and pool is chasing the pack. Now, the time has arived to do just that. Crush them and be the winner of 19th and break this mathematical code.
I hope this is the year when we all witness in the history of english football for the first time that Manchester UTD our great beloved club is going to be crowned “Undisputed Champions of Enagland” till next time they match us (hopefully not in my lifetime) and FERGIE will finally achieve the goal that he was set out for 23 yrs back.
What better way to start that by beating the hell out of the DIPPERS and showing them whos ERA is this.
Common you devils crush them all and break the historical, mathematical code and be the Champions.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:27
But then since 1973 to 1990* went on the great run of victories accumulating no less than 11 titles.…….
Got bit toooooo exciteddddddddddd…….
October 25th, 2009 at 11:47
@Red Ranter: Rebuilding takes time, RR… in the short term, how would we do without Rooney? No doubt that when he leaves/retires, we will move on, but if he were to leave tomorrow, we probably would not win a major title this year.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:55
Saf better bring the big guns out today. I just got home from work(3:30am my time) and the game starts in a few hours. So I’m basically gonna take a nap. I’ll be pissed off if I wake up to a snooze fest game with saf leaving his balls in Manchester.
October 25th, 2009 at 12:08
Dan I am certain Fletcher will play in the middle so Valencia will probably play on the right. Probably Anderson will start ahead of Scholes but you never know with Fergie. This season he seems more reliant on ever on our golden oldies.
The team I wish he’d play (assuming Rooney is out):
EVDS-Neville, Rio, Vidic, Evra-Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani-Giggs-Berbatov
We can stretch Liverpool on the flanks and then Carrick Giggs and Berbatov can combine to destroy them through the middle while Fletcher can protect the back four
October 25th, 2009 at 12:43
@colver: I pretty much agree with your team. I would like to see the same only change would be Brown on for Neville. Coz he has already played two back to back games and long trip to moscow with plastic pitch doesn’t help either.
Owen on as a sub. DO I need say this????
October 25th, 2009 at 13:31
Might be of interest to some of you…
Mask print out: http://therepublikofmancunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cantonamaskbig.jpg
Competition details: http://therepublikofmancunia.com/competition-wear-your-cantona-masks-with-pride/
COME ON UNITED!
October 25th, 2009 at 13:49
Just a little more than one hour left!!!
Come on!
October 25th, 2009 at 13:51
@Redrich: What are the odds the stewards will try and pop Sammy Lee?
October 25th, 2009 at 14:04
1 d. v. E. Sar
22 J. O´Shea
5 R. Ferdinand
15 N. Vidic
3 P. Evra
25 A. L. Valencia
16 M. Carrick
11 R. Giggs
8 . Anderson
17 . Nani
9 D. Berbatov
Substitutes
29 T. Kuszczak
6 W. Brown
7 M. Owen
18 P. Scholes
19 D. Welbeck
24 D. Fletcher
27 F. Macheda
October 25th, 2009 at 14:04
come on you RED DEVILS! so nervous!!! think it might be a draw! I hope we squeeze a win, remember there’s nothing as dangerous as a wounded animal. till the day we die
October 25th, 2009 at 14:06
Scratch that line up, its wrong.
October 25th, 2009 at 14:06
VDS
O’Shea
Rio
Vida
Evra
Valencia
Scholes
Carrick
Giggs
Bebra
Rooney
October 25th, 2009 at 14:08
@Dan: Seriously?
Scholes? Oshea? No Owen or Anderson? Fuck me… 
October 25th, 2009 at 14:08
@Dan: Is the ladyboy or the cheap bastard fit?
October 25th, 2009 at 14:13
@Footy4Eddy: The ladyboy is. The cheap bastard isnt.
October 25th, 2009 at 14:14
United team:
GK: Van Der Sar
RB: John Oshea
CB: Rio Ferdinand
CB: Nemanja Vidic
LB: Patrice Evra
RW: Antonio Valencia
CM: Michael Carrick
CM: Paul Scholes
LW: Sir Ryan Giggs
ST: Wayne Rooney
ST: Dimitar Berbatov
subs: Foster, Evans, Neville, Fabio, Anderson, Nani, Owen
October 25th, 2009 at 14:15
Liverpool team:
GK: Reina
RB: Johson
CB: Carragher
CB: Agger
LB: Insua
CDM: Mascherano
CDM: Lucas
RW: Kuyt
CAM: Benayoun
LW: Aurelio
ST: Torres
October 25th, 2009 at 14:25
the biggest match of the season, if you guys need a link to the live stream, it’s here: http://a41f758f.ugalleries.net
October 25th, 2009 at 14:32
No Gerrard then but Torres starts. Great to see Rooney has made it though!
October 25th, 2009 at 14:36
Why Scholes? Why the fuck start Scholes in such a tempered game?! Mark my words, he is gonna get sent off and ruin for us.
October 25th, 2009 at 14:49
@Dan: Fuck! I was so happy when I saw your first line up. But now I see the real one you posted. Why the fuck is scholes starting?
October 25th, 2009 at 14:51
Tell me about it Johnsom
where did you get that fake lineup from Dan??
and why was it “v. d. E. Sar”?!?!?
October 25th, 2009 at 14:55
@redRanter: My name was filled wrong before please accept the comments…
October 25th, 2009 at 14:58
BEACHBALLS!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 14:59
here’s a good link if anyone’s looking for one: http://www.watchprem.com/channel1.php
October 25th, 2009 at 15:06
Anybody got a link for the game?
October 25th, 2009 at 15:19
Scholes!
October 25th, 2009 at 15:20
Paul fucking scholes
October 25th, 2009 at 15:21
Fucks sake, TALK!!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 15:22
Anderson in for Scholes, asap, unless we are gonna lose this game…
October 25th, 2009 at 15:25
If we can avoid giving up a early goal, we will start to sunk our teeth into this game.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:25
Is it really so hard to learn the first basic rule in football? DONT FUCK AROUND IN YOUR OWN HALF!
October 25th, 2009 at 15:37
HOw the fuck could that not be a penalty?!
Fucks sake ref, stop playing in home kit…
October 25th, 2009 at 15:38
Berbatov…
October 25th, 2009 at 15:49
Refs a fucking twat.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:51
You lot can say what you want about Valencia, but I’ll take him any day of Park.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:51
Ref has been shit, Edwin has been immense! Liverpool have not played well, its only we that have played badly along with the ref certanly not giving us any favours. Should have had one penalty, and a clear free-kick rigth before half time. We lose the ball often in our own half, Scholes being the biggest victim. Get Anderson on, he may not be good at keeping the ball but this game is played at a high tempo and thats what he is good at. Owen to score the winner?
Bring on the second half
October 25th, 2009 at 15:52
Im starting to fall in love with Valencia, my type of winger…
October 25th, 2009 at 15:52
Shame we don’t have Fletcher, our midfield is a little lightweight
October 25th, 2009 at 15:54
this ref has been a complete and utter joke, i have seen a badly reffed game as this in a long time, every single decision favouring the home side, all of the yellows has been soft, torres trips over his own feet and a foul is called on evra i mean WTF,
bring on anderson, because to me carrick has been utter shite, he is carrying on his barcalona form, he is not a big game play… saying that he will score second half
October 25th, 2009 at 15:54
Not the best half that we have played. The players seemed nervous. Biggest BS though is the referee!!!!! Any contact against us, no call. Wind blow on the fools and they fall over, blow foul. WTF!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 15:54
it seems the FA has decided to lend Liverpool a hand to keep them in the top 4
…scholes was atrocius and o’shea the most defensive right back in the world..no clue going forward…evra and berbatov unlucky with the booking considering what the scousers are getting away with
October 25th, 2009 at 15:54
scholes and carrick overrun. also john o’shea looks like a bloody amateur out there.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:55
It’s a crying shame when a big game like this has to be ruined by an incompetent rookie referee who is so intimidated by his surroundings that he plays to the crowd. And what in God’s name is the FA thinking when they place an untried rookie to officiate the biggest match of the season between to bitter rivals? Simply diabolical.
The FA is finding a very unique way of punishing Fergie. 
October 25th, 2009 at 15:57
What the hell is wrong with Wes Brown? Why the F does Scholes have to start ? WHy cant Rooney use his strength to hold the player and try and turn, something which that irritating buffer Drogba is so good at? The more i see Rooney, the more i think he has lost a step or even more. He should be bullying his way more around the top of the box.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:57
I comment Fergie for playing 4-4-2 and for putting out a decent squad except for one Mr. Paul Scholes. Has almost cost us two goals due to his slow inability to cope with the speed of Liverpool. How injured is Fletcher? Because starting Scholes was a mistake from the beginning knowing that Liverpool would be coming at us with pace.
October 25th, 2009 at 15:59
We have GOT one forward only with any pentration – Valencia
. Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney, and Scholes conceding possession ALL THE TIME! O’Shea – has he made one decent pass yet out of defence – he is a liability down the right. Is Brown on the bench – please tell me he is??? Rooney is as rusty as a 100 century old NAIL, why is he starting this game instead of coming on later??? Our defenders need to stop panicking, and lobbing the ball way up field in panic, and it keeps returning to them. 3 positive points only – named VDS, Carrick and Valencia. Torres and Benayoun are diving every time they are touched, and Torres particularly is trying to get Vida or Evra sent off. He is such a snivelling cheat. The ref is such a homer and falling for it every time!
October 25th, 2009 at 16:02
@Nukeleus: They remind me of the Rebel Alliance on Hoth when the Imperial Walkers showed up. Being overrun is an understatement. They do not have the pace to contend with Liverpool. I am not an Anderson fan but Fergie needs to replace Scholes with Anderson just so that we have some speed in the center to better contend with Liverpool’s pace.
On the positive side, Valencia is playing well and what a relief to have EVDS back in goal. Had Foster been in goal we would definitely be down 2-0 right now and I am sure of that. Also, love seeing the darker side of Berba. Shows that he cares and that he has the passion to play hard for the club. Now if only he and Rooney could click together and also get some decent service into the box.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:04
I really can’t for the life of me, figure out what exactly fergie still sees in Paul scholes. He needs to come off.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:04
Shit refereeing.
Each team should have had a penalty, but by te rule of the butterfly effect, pool wouldn’t have had the second penalty if the ref had spotted the first.
First 45:
Edwin best player in the first half.
Valencia god. Rooney a bit short.
Berbatov involved but at the same time frustrating.
Carrick also I felt was ok.
Giggs just average…
Evra unlucky to be given a yellow since his first “foul” was blatant diving by ladyboy.
But a diminshed Torres still manages to trouble Vidic…
October 25th, 2009 at 16:05
So far, giggs is walking about and doing nothing. Scholes not much better. Both our fullbacks aren’t pushing forward either, probably under SAF instructions. Don’t remember evra going past the half line.
Am SO glad edwin is back in goal. Steady influence on our shaky backline. Brilliant save on the freekick, which foster wouldn’t have reached.
Go UNITED. Owen to score winner
October 25th, 2009 at 16:05
CraigMc, what the hell is a “homer”???
October 25th, 2009 at 16:06
@CraigMc: The ref is a disgrace. He missed two penalties for us and has called so many invisible fouls against us. We did get away with Berba absolutely mugging Kuyt in our box though. Kuyt’s jersey came out of that ripped to bits and nothing was called. It’s because vampires are stealthy.
Rooney has been a joke and we are just a step slower than Liverpool as a whole and that is why we are desperately resorting to the long ball. I fully expected Liverpool to come at us with piss n vinegar and I was right. Why Fergie started Scholes in a game like this is beyond me?
October 25th, 2009 at 16:11
We are losing possession too easily. Giving balls away in front of our penalty box. Lucky wasn’t punished.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:14
Linesman if freaking blind. Officials today are really “homers”!
October 25th, 2009 at 16:15
Substitutions needed – Anderson for scholes. Owen for Rooney.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:24
Fuck
October 25th, 2009 at 16:24
Get Andy and Owen on!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 16:28
October 25th, 2009 at 16:29
C’mon UNITED! Still plenty of time to grab a couple of goals
October 25th, 2009 at 16:30
you know this central midfield of ours is a joke when lucas is performing as well as he is today, take of scholes/carrick bring on anderson we need some speed
October 25th, 2009 at 16:32
Any punters out there. Time to mortgage the house and lay it all on United to score.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:33
Can saf not see that our forwards are getting no service because the midfield he selected isn’t good enough
October 25th, 2009 at 16:35
Why berba out? Rather SAF had taken Giggs out. He is not doing anything today.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:40
Thank you rafa, for allowing us a chance to get back in the game
October 25th, 2009 at 16:44
We don’t even look like scoring. How many saves has Reina had to make? 1 maybe 2? simply not good enough.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:47
Sorry, but that was a straight red. Owen was thru on goal
October 25th, 2009 at 16:47
Sorry, but that was a straight red. Owen was thru on goal
October 25th, 2009 at 16:49
Vidic….
…Against….
…Liverpool…
Again…
October 25th, 2009 at 16:54
This is wild…
October 25th, 2009 at 16:56
What shit.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:57
HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS IS FUCKED UP!!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 16:59
Done by the refs, cause Fergie mentioned they were slow. Total joke of a performace by the ref. Lucas made 7 fouls and got no yellows. It took Mascherano 6 to get sent off. No wonder they out muscled us in midfield, the ref yellowed us up to stop us playing them at their own game. The ref gave us loads of freekicks in our own box in the added on time to get the stats up level.
Calculated.
October 25th, 2009 at 16:59
Well we were shit no doubt about that. We didn’t deserve anything from the game and that’s it. Our team is not working as a team our creative players don’t do their works. All in all this was a good showcase of the form that we are in.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:00
Nani to get out of the dressing room with a scar just above his eye?
Thats fucked…
October 25th, 2009 at 17:00
That though is not to take away from us being completely gutless.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:03
Guess I’ll kick this off: United in crisis. Discuss.
Seriously though, a well deserved win for Liverpool.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:03
Fergie – wtf?
We basically conceded the second half because of his refusal to sub Scholes and Giggs (or reposition Giggs) for the first 20 min in the second half.
We were poor in midfield, except for Valencia and
Even Nani was much better than Giggs as a winger…
Rio is going to get bashed (and rghtly so) for his part on the Torres goal, but Vidic was also static.
Very frustrating game, Fergie being the one mostly at fault there.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:04
That ref is exactly why i despise the FA. You bet, not if but when fergie speaks the truth, he’ll get an even longer touchline ban.
Refs like this twat dont deserve any respect, none at all.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:04
Well I did expect this. The refs will now be out to get United at every opportunity. But this one was a disgrace. Gave every little decision Pool’s way in the first half, should have sent off carragher..cant argue with the Vidic red though. More worrying is Rio’s total lack of pace and strength against that the girly boy…
October 25th, 2009 at 17:05
@Red Ranter: Yeh, they deserved it amongst all the bullshit calls and no calls, it was a cracker of a goal from ladyboy torres.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:05
@Johnsom33: Agree…
Shit refereeing throughout the game…
October 25th, 2009 at 17:06
man this is disgraceful, i had a feeling we would not win today, i thought it had draw written all over it, but yet another toothless, gutless performance from the lads again, i swear all our shots came from free kicks.
Carrick should play against the likes of Bolton and Fulham, oh how we missed Darren Fletcher today, we had anderson on the bench today and not once did i see him warm up, instead i see neville, fabio and evans warming up, when we are losing 1-0, what the fuck is this, backwards management
Scholes was just… in fact i have no words to sum up his performance, he was just poor, him and carrick, slow lethargic to the extent Lucas looked like an actual Brasilian out there, i put this loss on our toothless attack, shit midfield and school boy defending, VDS is my man of the match and Valencia is beginning to impress me, a little bit of luck he might have gotten the equaliser, a decent target man who could jump or header he would have gotten some assists,
well its carling cup midweek, can’t wait to see Welbeck, Macheda and Obertan play, hopefully they will know how to shoot and attack regardless of the fact they are playing against league 1 opposition
October 25th, 2009 at 17:06
@NicoQB: Vidic was by far our best player out there. He was literally a wall. Ferdinand had my heart pumping a few times, and should have been stronger against torres.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:06
Fuck, that’s 3 in a row to the scum. I knew we were in trouble when united fans were ready chalking up this game as a win last week.
I’m still not sold on this team. Sure we can beat the minnows and the midtable mediocrity, but when it comes to teams in our own weight class(the big 4, barca) we are usually found wanting.
This game was a reality check, I remember early in the season someone on here tried to compare carrick to xavi, couldn’t be further from the truth.
Scholes is dead as disco. Giggs might have been able to turn back the clock but scholes today was as useless as I thought he was gonna be when I saw the team sheet. He is fucking PAST IT! Let him play in the carling cup or against EPL bottom feeders. But please for the love of god, don’t let him anywhere near a game that matters.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:06
Also it looks like Vidic has some get-out clause in his contract against Liverpool.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:07
…after the first half gotta say i saw this coming… incompetent refereeing as you can get and the biggest culprit of all poor team selection..Scholes did nothing in the first half and almost gave the match away a few times but it took Fergie almost 70 minutes to take him off and then again poor choices..Giggs was kept on?Berbatov off but Rooney who hasn’t played in like some time stays on?
October 25th, 2009 at 17:07
@CraigMc: Craigy coming round on Valencia???
October 25th, 2009 at 17:08
Why is it that we only start to play after the opponents score? This lost i feel is on SAF’s shoulders. Wrong player selections, scholes shouldn’t have started, plus the fact that he left an unassuming and uninfluencial giggs on the pitch for the whole game, cost us the game.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:10
@Dan: I’m not saying he didn’t play well. Vidic was very good, especially in the second haldf, but by not reacting fast enough on the through ball to Torres, he basically allowed the ladyboy to have only one player to beat – a currently dodgy Ferdinand.
A mistake in my book. But still that’s a small blip compared to very poor displays by Scholes and Giggs in the second half..
October 25th, 2009 at 17:12
Scholes was very poor throughout the game, O’shea was poor in the first half with his runs, crosses, etc. I felt bad for berba when he was subbed as i felt that he was one of our better players. I would have liked to have seen Owen come on for Scholes and Nani for Valencia and play a 4-3-3…
Also, the referee was extremely inconsistent in his calls. Not just against us but against Liverpool as well…How Carragher didn’t get a red card is beyond me, but oh well. I am sure Fergie won’t say anything
.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:13
It was made easier for them by playing to their strengths, we had no speed or strength through the middle which let their energetic yet bland midfielders run things. Hardly any passes from the centre out to wide positions cause Carrick and Scholes need about 5 seconds on the ball and by that time they had been crowded out. Therefore long balls to nobody capable of winning those type of balls.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:14
no Hargreaves, no Fletcher, no Central Midfield muscle
even Andersons hustle would have been better than the nothing we had in there. Carrick and Scholes again fail to play well with each other.
Lets take some heart in the words of the right honourable Red Nev. Liverpool can have 2 games against us a season, we’ll have the trophies.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:14
@Traverse: Please don’t try and blame the refs for us losing in midfield. The blame lands squarely on SAF for picking the geriatric Scholes and the ultra soft carrick.
What really kills me is SAF seemingly denial of the fact that scholes can’t cut it anymore at the highest level. I know 1/1000 of what saf knows, yet I knew scholes was struggle against Cana and Cattermole. Just as I knew he would struggle against Liverpool. Does that make me some sort of tactical genius? Of course not, anybody with half a brain knows that. But it really seems like sentiment is firmly clouding the great SAF’s brain.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:14
The good news:
Rafa’s position is safe for the moment!!
October 25th, 2009 at 17:16
@Dan: its high time Evans or even Brown started ahead of Rio..his performances off late have been disgraceful…fact is Berbatov and Valencia have been severely hampered by O’Shea’s inability going forward, how many times today did we see both of them making a layoff only to find O’Shea nowhere near it….as much as I want to see Neville retire he makes O’Shea look out of his depth when going forward and when combining with Valencia
October 25th, 2009 at 17:23
Valencia was a bright spot, shame his teammates didn’t give him much support. Speaking of support, people need to lay off Rooney and berba. It’s tough to be an effective forward when your midfield is such a joke it makes Lucas look like a world beater. People often criticize Rooney for dropping so deep. He only does that because he is a fierce competitor and he isn’t just gonna accept that his midfield isn’t good enough. If they can’t supply him with the ball then he will supply himself.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:23
I think Rio has too much going on outside of football. I saw him on the Paul O’Grady show the other night plugging his film with 50 cent for chrissakes! Last seasons best defense has become very shaky. Vidic and Rio have both had time out with injuries which hasn’t helped.
Generally speaking, the mix of young and old in UTD isn’t gelling. It is a team in transition. There is no solidity OR creativity in midfield. This is the main problem. Rooney also never really has a consistent run of goal-scoring form and as for Berbatov!! Well, I’m sorry to say but today he kept giving the ball away, wanting too much time when we sorely need the killer touch up front. I’ve run out of patience with Berba. Honestly, I know a lot will disagree but BE HONEST.. Think of how excited we were when we first got him from Spurs. Now look at what he’s actually done since he’s been here. Not a lot is it?
The only slight hope is Hargreaves impending return.
Oh and Grognard, you called this right with Fergie going for damage limitation which for Utd is like conceding defeat but a ball is kicked.
One last crumb of comfort is there is NO WAY the scousers can play like that week in week out.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:31
@themec: Im no berba apologist, but surely you can see that he had no one to play with today. Berba is a class player, but he can’t do it alone. He needs temmates to play with him.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:31
What a disgrace when fucking David Ngog scores the match clincher against you!!! We played shit and deserved to lose no question, but what pissed me off throughout the match was how the ref favoured Liverpool with virtually every decision. How Carragher was still on the pitch after that atrocious professional foul is beyond me, while seconds later, Vidic manages to get sent off for the third time in a row against the dippers.
When I saw Scholes and Carrick together in the starting lineup I knew we were definitely not going to win the game – especially against the five man midfield of Pool. This kind of game called for Fletcher and Hargo as destroyers – as illustrated in our 1-0 win at Anfield two seasons ago when we stifled the life out of Pool and restricted them to half chances.
I also had a bad, bad feeling before the match that Rio could prove to be a liability in this game, as his game has been error-strewn and dozy recently – absolute suicide against a striker such as Torres – and I was unhappy for my hunch to come true. I think Rio had his peak in 06/07, 07/08 and parts of 08/09 but now he’s entering the twilight of his career and starting to decline as the beginning of the end draws near, and we need to seriously look at perhaps grooming Evans as Vidic’s full-time partner from now on.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:32
I have to admit, that was the last straw with ferdinand. Evans to start.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:34
The only reason we lost was because we wanted Benitez to stay at his job, and now that is fulfilled.
October 25th, 2009 at 17:36
We need some serious pace in our defence… Rio is getting slow, and Oshea is as fast as a mountain. Vidic gets hammered by Torres every time, Evans and De Laet maybe?
October 25th, 2009 at 17:38
I’m too disgusted for words……but I as expected will find some. One of the worst displays of football officiating i have ever seen and truly one of the worst cases of managing by Alex Ferguson in twenty years. Any illusions that you all had that this team is good enough to win the league should be put to rest. I was right all along and this game proved just how right I was. A pedestrian slow footed midfield, too much age at key positions and a manager that has become tactically incapable of beating major opponents in adverse conditions.
In fairness, we went up against 12 men today because the referee was an incompetent muppet. The FA needs to be severely criticized for placing a raw rookie into a game like this when so much is at stake. You almost get the feeling they did it because they were looking for a way to further punish Fergie for his comments to Wiley. Well their master plan worked to perfection.
As for the team’s performance, well all I can say is they were total rubbish and have been thoroughly exposed for the mediocre and middle of the table team they truly are. Lacking in pace in the midfield as well as talent is bad enough but when nobody else seems to have a clue or an idea as to how to penetrate the opposing defense, then it becomes abundantly clear just how lacking in quality this team is.
Fergie got the tactics right by playing 4-4-2 but he got the squad selection all wrong. I knew he would select Berbatov over Owen because he would want the ball control of Berba to play a role. Pretty tough when nobody can get him the ball and when he doesn’t work hard enough to make runs up front to allow them to find him. Rooney, well he is a shadow of himself. He no longer looks like an imposing player that defenses should be scared of. He is one dimensional and only has one move in his arsenal and that move is easily defensible. Rio has made it clear to me that he is also like Scholes and Neville, well past his best and on the decline, thanks, mostly to his bad back. He seriously is in deep jeopardy of losing his stating spot for England.
Nice to see the return of the Skinned Sausage today. Terrible as ever in defense and clueless on attack. And certainly Wes Brown on one leg is twice the player John O’Shea is. Why Brown is continually sat down when i am damned well certain he is fit is beyond me? Paul Scholes? What a joke. My God if there was ever a game where we needed Darren Fletcher in the middle, it was today. Without Gerrard the Liverpool midfield destroyed us with their pace, press and inventiveness. And what can you say about our attack when it makes Jaimie Carragher the player of the game? He is so washed up and past it but he looked great against us because we frankly suck. Valencia hit the crossbar after a great play by Owen and Rooney headed right to Reina in the first half. To my account, those were the only true chances we had today. Liverpool had many and had it not been for EVDS, we might have lost 4-0 or 5-0. We were awful. Slow, plodding, unimaginative, sterile, one dimensional. And every time we were given a free kick in Cristiano Ronaldo territory, you knew we had no chance. In fact most of the time what was a goal scoring chance for Ronaldo was an indirect free kick for Giggs. We lack a bite, class and composure on the ball. Any team that presses us in midfield will win the day and will force us to revert into Blackburn or Bolton and start spraying direct long balls upfield to forwards who have no understanding with each other and have no clue how to beat four defenders.
Berba was ajoke today. I stood up for him against CSK because he had a thankless job up front but today his lack of work ethic and inability to make diagonal runs with pace severely put our midfielders in a hole. Liverpool scored their big goal because Torres was willing to work his ass off and make those types of runs. It’s bad enough when Berba doesn’t work but what’s Rooney’s bloody excuse? He was fucking invisible and had no clue or bite to his game when the ball was at his feet and was not making the kind of runs that would really cause Liverpool trouble. United were a tactical and uninspired mess.
So what now? United yet again meets Liverpool with a 7 point lead and could have made it ten over them and knocked them out only to let them back into the race. This lack of killer instinct and overly conservative play has been our undoing but then again, Fergie has to realize that we just aren’t that good. Seriously folks, we just aren’t. I said it before the season started, and I second my emotion now. We are lacking in a number of areas and we need to seriously look at improving things sooner rather than later. But here is the problem, do we have the money to do so and if so, does the manager not believe after today that certain decisions in personnel have to be made and he also has to look deep inside himself and ask the question if he is no longer up for the job? We are down 1-0 and Rafa is on the touchline barking instructions and motivating his players and all Fergie is seen doing is sitting on his hands. Add to that his unwillingness to make changes in players early enough to allow them to get into a game physically is a continual grievance with me. When you are losing you do not wait until the 73rd minute to bring on subs especially a player of the quality and game altering ability of Michael Owen. His pace and ability to run at and behind the Liverpool defense was vital when we fell behind. To bring him on that late and to keep Scholes on for that long was just unforgivable. Our team is starting to mimic our manager. Old and can’t be bothered to make the effort.
I am truly sick and bloody tired of watching this team. Even when they are winning they are so underwhelming and so boring to watch. This is not what I signed up for. I love and have always loved United but this current group leaves me a little cold and disinterested. I buy the latest FIFA 10 game and when I decide to go and play a season in Manager Mode do I select United? No, I cannot be bothered or motivated to slog through a season with that bunch even under my own control. I am truly sick at the sight of many of them. I am sick of Fergie and his stubborn ways and unwillingness to see what I see and especially when I am constantly being proven right on so many occasions, I’m surprised the BBC and Setanta haven’t hired me for post game comments
But seriously, I am so sick of them, I don’t even tape games unless they play well and then I can record the replay. I’ve done that once this season.
Right now it truly sucks to be a United fan who has high hopes and ambitions. Spare me the fact that we were in first place until today and that we are still in the race. This club is going nowhere fast. No glass half full bullshit is going to change my mind or the reality of the situation. So now I have vented my spleen, I end by saying BOLLOCKS. I’m off to have breakfast and visit my mom in the hospital. Even seeing her won’t cheer me up today.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:02
@Footy4Eddy: Vidic shat on torres all game mate.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:07
Now that I’m reading other people’s comments, I agree that O’shea also brought very little to actual play.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:08
Meh. It’s a Liverpool match. They’re dull, uninspiring and suck the life out of the best of teams. We were pretty poor, but could still have taken a draw if Valencia’s shot had gone in.
My concerns:
1. Scholes/Carrick/Giggs out wide – Really Fergie? Putting our two slowest players against a fast and pressing defense? And then sticking Giggs out wide against Johnson, who is fast enough to be skinned and still catch up? Made no sense at all. Giggs is no longer a winger, and he certainly shouldn’t be played against someone who is that much faster then him. I actually thought Carrick was alright, but we should want more than that.
2. O’Shea at RB. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – John O’Shea is not a world class full back. He’s slow, fairly rubbish when coming forward and his greatest strengths (strength, height) are underutilised out wide. Especially against their left winger. Because they didn’t have one. I realise he’s a wonderful pro and that deserves recognition, but Fergie needs to hang up the sentimentality and play someone who gives us an option. Poor Valencia had nothing to work with.
3. Rooney was rusty. Not surprising, but there you go.
4. Someone needs to tell our defenders that when Rooney and Owen are the two CFs, hoofing the ball is never going to work. I know it’s a complicated idea, but seriously. Has Vidic ever passed the ball over 20 yards and to a teammate? But he still tries…
5. Speaking of Vida – he’s an idiot. That ball was no problem, but he ran under it and then had no chance of catching up. Anyone else thinking he might not be as good as we believed?
6. Carragher deserved red. But the ref was playing all marginal calls for the home team, so fair enough.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:22
@Vivek: i disagree with Vidic’s sending off. As per what the ref did, it means if Vida had no yellow card, he still would be on the pitch. you can judge that from Cara’s foul on Owen. if we go by the book, a foul by the last man is a direct red card. even if the player already has a yellow card and you give him another one, its to his advantage. he’ll miss 1 game instead of 3 if it had been a direct red card.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:26
The midfield was far too pedestria,n worst game so far by giggs, scholes was abysmal carrick was ok but didn’t impose himself.Valencia was quite good though. beaten by the better team. however we weren’t helped by the ref he was appalling didn’t give us a thing all, day lucas should have been off, carragher should have been off, mascherano should have been booked earlier.
all in all very dissapointing.
October 25th, 2009 at 18:31
I ditched a date for this…
Thanks Fergie!
October 25th, 2009 at 18:58
@Footy4Eddy: It’s life… Happens…
October 25th, 2009 at 19:21
On the plus side, Arsenal dropped points again, this time to West Ham.
October 25th, 2009 at 19:25
Well, the words out. “If you put pressure on our MF, we cannot mount a solid attack”
Not that it was solely the fault of the MF, the Strikers had an equally gut-less performance. Neither one could find an ounce of inspiration to break apart a very ordinary Liverpool back line – and in tandem, it was possible to believe that they could be playing on different teams!!
Evra made an encore performance of how not to defend the inside, and Rio, again, made heavy weather out of a light drizzle. (although I don’t blame him totally for the Torres goal)
I had hopes that SAF would get the team up for this one, but the subdued nature of our performance gives reason for worry. If you believe that this was the strongest possible lineup available, you must consider it way below the standards necessary to mount a strong challenge for any trophy this season!!
October 25th, 2009 at 19:44
Ok – this is the God’s honest truth – ALAS! I have fought for Berbatov, that he be given time, that he has a great touch etc etc etc. But to be honest I am tired now of the less than mediocre SHIT he dishes up in so many games, and he is mediocre in ALL the big games. I have tried to find reasons for supporting him, but I have to say now that HE does not have a WIN AT ALL COSTS brain cell in his head. Now I am going to stick my neck out, and I don’t care how many of you want to chop it off – Stick with Berbatov and Rooney, and this team of ours will win NOTHING this season. Well you say, we won the PL last season with Berba in the team. I put that down to the fact we still had Ronnie. No other reason! It is patently bloody obvious that we have no out and out winner in midfield, AND WE have no striker who can guarantee us goals. SAF says that Mickey Owen is one of the world’s best strikers, and yet he continues to give him minor time cameos. Put your money where your mouth is Fergie. Berba is a 30 million MISFIT – end of. Tell me someone how many goals has he scored for us so far this season??? How many games has he even looked like scoring goals??? I am sorry, but he is a very expensive dud. Whenever he has a good game, on the very odd occasion, everyone goes overboard. I am sick of hearing he doesn’t get the service. How much service did Torres get today, one opportunity – one goal. Mickey Owen would have taken his one opportunity today, IF Carragher had not blatetly taken him out when he was clean thru, and yet stayed on the pitch. The ref gave us nothing, he was a L’pool fan. SAF keep your fecking mouth shut about referees, because you can single handedly cost us games with your numptee referee-ism. But here you go guys – SAF (though I prayed he wouldn’t for obvious reasons) brought on Nani. So there’s your whipping boy, just cut him up eh and blame him for everything! Never mind that apart from Valencia our forward line were embarassingly shite. SAF persisting with O’Shea in left back position when Wes Brown is fit and is so much better than John in that position. Rio and Vida are being found out. Torres has Vida’s mark – no doubt. Rio just like with Bellamy cannot match any players with speed these days. Shame but Rio the legend has lost a good part of his magic. We will win nothing, and on games played this season, scraping by with the odd goals, we don’t deserve too – sorry!
October 25th, 2009 at 19:51
Oh and Red Ranter, this is coming from a stone cold sober Craig Mc – sickened by the excuses keep being made in almost every game these days. I never thought I would say a Man United team were mediocre at best, but this team are. Boring us fanatics to death with lacklustre football, or throwing games away even to lesser teams like sunderland and Burnley. This is not United table fare I am used too, and I bloody hate it!
October 25th, 2009 at 19:53
@CraigMc: I think what you say about Berbatov being a misfit is probably true. I’ve bandied back and forth on this guy for some time now and realizing that he is blessed with great skills I tend to give him a passing grade here or there.
But in my mind he cannot, and will not ever fit the United scheme of things!!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:07
@CraigMc: I just hope Hargo gets back asap. I believe that his return could be the catalyst we need….but definitely the sooner we accept this is a transition year the better.
October 25th, 2009 at 20:07
@Redrich: Square pegs in round holes and all that….
October 25th, 2009 at 20:08
@Redrich: Yeah too true RedRich
. I have given him soooooooooooooooooo much leaway just like you to come good, but he just isn’t in too many games. SAF has give him every opportunity to come good and consistent, trying him in different positions and apologising to Berbatov that he hadn’t got his position right. Truth is Red Rich no matter what SAF does to SAVE FACE, he messed up big time with Berba. Berba has had a very fair crack of the whip, and lately is taking to Rooney’s example of blaming everyone else for his inept shit play. We need a top class striker who will guarantee goals, and SAF yet again has messed up in his ‘we will cope’ with the players we have. He has got it wrong in my opinion, and you all know how positive a fan I am of SAF. But I am truly fed up of the type of football dished up. We didn’t even get into the game until L’Pool scored, and only got up speed when Owen and Nani came on. Say what you like about Nani, but he does have a very good understanding with Evra on the left sife of the field, and certainly better than Giggsy has. It was good play by Giggsy though when Scholesy came off, and Giggsy was moved into AMF. I have never ever said that my beloved Man Utd would win nothing Red Rich, but I truly cannot see us getting any silverware. I hope they prove me wrong, but I cannot see it!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:11
@Nino: I love Hargo Nino, but the jury’s still out on whether the lad will be able to continue in football after all that surgery. Fingers crossed eh? We need to swap Berba for a striker who is going to get us regular goals. SAF doesn’t usually mess up with his strikers, but he has with Berba big time. He is not a Man Utd type player!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:21
@Grognard: thats what i was thinking the whole game. this game was fergis punishment
i just hope they got the anti united out of their system and the refs the rest of the season will be fair. 
October 25th, 2009 at 20:24
@Beachryan: O’Shea at RB was a joke. He is a utility player at best a la Phil Neville, despite showing bags of promise when he first broke into the team six or seven years ago. Wes Brown on the other hand, when fully fit, should be considered as a first choice defender – no questions about it. Remember the defence of 07/08 – Brown Rio Vidic Evra – which conceded only 22 goals in the league IIRC. I know O’Shea scored a last gasp winner here three seasons ago, but that doesn’t mean he deserved to be picked for this fixture, perhaps in the vain hope of him repeating the feat? As that is the only reason I can think of why Fergie would pick him over Brown.
October 25th, 2009 at 20:29
@Nino: … ‘fraid so!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:31
@Bryan’Robbo’Robson: yes… gigs wasn’t able to do anything scholes… backpass only and carrick was invisible. the game was screaming for nani ando and fletch. pool were also attacking from our weaker side alot… right back.
October 25th, 2009 at 20:31
@CraigMc: The problem is that proven strikers like that are hardly on the market, and especially in January.
Off the top of my head, I can see Huntelaar might be available in Jan, but this is a guy who has flopped at two of Europe’s biggest clubs and he would be cup-tied anyway. David Villa would be costly and cup-tied too. So I think it would be for the best if we kept our powder dry and soldiered on. January is never a good time to buy anyway.
I really wish Fergie had bought Anelka, a proven Premiership goalscorer in his prime, in January 2008 when he had the chance – look at how he is doing for Chelsea now!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:31
@CraigMc: Truth is that with Rooney and Berbatov as our main guys, will we always struggle for goals. One or the other has be replaced.
Take your pick!!
October 25th, 2009 at 20:33
@NicoQB:
i dig it.
October 25th, 2009 at 20:41
@themec: they cant play that way week in and week out because another ref wont let them kick evry other team off the park… only united.
it is a shit excuse to blame the ref but today it fits.
Every team we play does the same thing if they want to beat us. Kick us till the ref stops them. Today he let them have at us and they did us in. We are missing our steel in mid field, i think ando and fletch would have ether taken cards or handled the game today(refs choice). We are too susceptible to being bullied.
Hargo Hargo where for art thou?
October 25th, 2009 at 20:43
@Nino: why did we let pique leave
October 25th, 2009 at 20:59
where are the kids that we were promised were the best fergi had ever had and thats the reason we dont need reinforcements? i think for sure we should shed carrick and pickup silva. and put scholes on the bench next to Ole in reserves. silva in hargo and fletch well and ando stepping up is what we need to win silverware this year.
October 25th, 2009 at 21:00
@Nino: There were lots of opportunities to buy top class strikers in the summer, but SAF wouldn’t pay up for them. Main reason he would have looked a fool having to admit Berba was a dud in the United set up. Now though the truth is out. He better find a top class striker and FAST!
October 25th, 2009 at 21:02
@Redrich: Berba is my pick, although Rooney is in and out of the goals in any given season. With another top class striker though, aka – like Ronnie, Rooney ups his goals numbers!
October 25th, 2009 at 21:16
@CraigMc: Well there’s actually four possible reasons why SAF didn’t get a striker to replace Ronaldo’s goal production.
1/. He couldn’t afford it!
2/. He felt that he had a good goal scoring combo with Rooney and Berbatov!
3/. He thought it was too soon to ditch Berbatov!
4/. Nobody wanted to come to OT!
Time will tell which of these has the most bearing on it, but none of them gives me a sense of well being!!
October 25th, 2009 at 21:24
@Redrich: Well RedRich, he has 80 million in the bank. So he could afford it, but didn’t want to pay present prices. If he isn’t getting it by now that Rooney/Berba will not cut it, then that speaks volumes about SAF’s football acumen these days. I agree about it being possibly too soon to ditch Berba, however not any more. This is the season to do it. He has had a fair chance. He truly hasn’t proved his worth. Anelka, Drogba, Torres all proved they could do it 1st season. I don’t believe nobody wants to come to OT, loads of players were crying out to come.
October 25th, 2009 at 21:31
@CraigMc: If Ronaldo’s 80m went in the Glaziers’ pockets, he probably couldn’t afford a top striker with the transfer money that was allocated him.
It’s the top of my list of possibilities, mate!!
October 25th, 2009 at 22:01
What I get is why fergie scoffed at a young torres £25m price tag, but then pays £32m for berba. When a manager pays that much for a player it should mean the manager desperately wants the player and knows exactly how he wants to play him. But with berba fergie has been shuffling him around and starting him infrequently. So either berba has been a bust, or fergie never had a clear plan when he bought him.
October 25th, 2009 at 22:02
@Redrich: Mate truthfully the 80 million didn’t go into the Glaziers pockets. It was available, and the 40 million offered for Benzema proves it. If Benzema had have chosen United instead of Madrid, the money already offered was there! So please RedRich it wasn’t lack of funds, it was lack of SAF LOGIC MATE!
October 25th, 2009 at 22:04
@Johnsom33: Mate Berba is a BUST AS YOU so aptly put it. SAF has to concede defeat on this one – sorry but everyone surely sees it now?
October 25th, 2009 at 22:06
@CraigMc: it seems we have moved to our next scapegoat….Berbatov for all his attitude plays much like a striker does…but what i cant forgive is Rooney..it seems he has no idea of how a front player moves or create space for himself…somebody mentioned before that Rooney drops back to get the ball because of hunger but he has been playing like that for all the time we have seen him at OT, Rooney just doesnt know how to play foil with a fellow striker..he and Tevez combined well for while but that died out too..you see Berba running channels and making dummy runs but what does Rooney do when he gets the ball?he fallsback and runs alongside the midfeilders and makes an obvious pass to a lonely berba(if lucky and doesnt loose it)..watch the last few games Owen played who held the ball, handed flicks on and such…Rooney’s lack of disciplined play is really an issue
October 25th, 2009 at 22:09
@gator: Apparently accodring to SAF, Evans > Pique.
October 25th, 2009 at 22:14
@CraigMc: I am with SAF on that one to be honest. I mean….£64m for Ribery??????? Clubs automatically added £10-15m on top of the normal asking price as a result of the Ronaldo sale. There was nothing we could do about the insane figures being bandied about, and so it was therefore wise of SAF to keep his powder dry. I think the rationale behind his thinking was that this season would be a transition season where winning no silverware could be accepted, and then spend the money next summer instead once clubs around Europe had forgotten that we are sitting on an £80m bounty.
October 25th, 2009 at 22:21
@CraigMc: Benzema hasn’t exactly been setting the world alight at Real, and I have heard rumours about him spreading his discontent at not being a starter throughout the camp, as well as there being some friction between him and Raul, so maybe we had a lucky escape in not buying him??
October 25th, 2009 at 22:27
Ive thought about this for a long time… Its not an occurance of just the game today, I think its been obvious for some time now. We should field more youngsters. Rio is not the player he was before, and considering the potensial of young Johnny Evans, I think he should be given a good run in the team now. Hell, I think that right now young Johnny is the better player! He is faster, and may I also say more robust. He doesnt have the lapses of concentration that Rio has, and he has something not may defenders have. He is elegant, but also very no-nonsense. Can you ever imagine him trying to flick the ball over a strikers head at the score 3-2, in the last minute, in one of the biggest games of the season? I certanly cant. And last season our best defensive run was with him in the team, when Rio came back we leaked goals again. May be a coincidence, but what if it wasnt? Maybe Evans is just the better defender, or the better partner for Vidic right now?
As for the right back, please Fergie, please. If there is one position in the team you should have a regular starter, its there. The right back position is the position where you are supposed to play the defender you trust the most. It was Parkers for so long, then Nevilles for all those years. The right back has for more than 20 years now been the position where the player with most appearances during a season plays! Neville played neerly every game, and before him Parker. When Neville got injured Brown became our most played defender the season we won the double. Now we rotate with all these players! Neville, Oshea, Rafael, Fabio, even Brown has played there this season. That is 5 players. 5! When we realy should only have one regular starter and a solid back up. I say stick to Wes and play Rafael when he is out. For the matter, use De Laet as often as possible because boy, that lad has got some talent!
Its kinda embarrasing when we start both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs in our biggest game of the season. Because it was just that. Two brilliant players, no doubt, but far beyond their best time. Theyve seen their best days, and its not yesterday, it was at least 2 or 3 years ago, believe me! But still, we keep starting them instead of the likes on Nani and Anderson. Now, say whatever you want about them but they have more skill, talent and potensial in their left ear than the elders have in their whole body. Both Nani and Andy have potensial to become world-class players, even be our most vital assets in this team! But Fergie keeps benching them. Now I dont know what those two guys are doing in training, but I swear Nani would have made at least 10 more dangerous crosses than Giggs made today and Anderson wouldnt let Lucas(!!!!
) have a field day out there. Valencia is really coming good, I really like him as he is my type of winger. Confident, with the ability to take a man on but first and foremost his job is to cross the ball into the box. He has pace to burn and always seems to get a cross in. Aggressive as well, and a good defender. Could be vital for us. Fletcher is a good player, certanly. But its kinda embarrasing when we say Fletcher is our best midfielder. Liverpool have Gerrard, Chelsea have Essien, Arsenal have Fabregas, Barca have Iniesta, and we come up with Fletcher. Good player no doubt, but the best midfielder on United? Shouldnt be so, says pretty much about how weak our midfield is…
Strikers, we have some really good players. Berbatov has all the quality in the world, but is useless when not having movement around him. He may be an artist, but a good player should not rely on others to make him well. No doubt Ronaldo got good help from us, but very often he created his own little piece of magic to score a goal, maybe even win us a game or two. Berbatov is unable of doing that, as he can only create things for others, not himself… Rooney has the ability to become our talisman, but there are two very important factors which may stop him from doing so. One- Does he have the temperament? Two- Does he have the will? Now Ive never thought of Rooney as a lazy bastard, but maybe he just doesnt have the ambition others have. He will always be a great United player, but I fear he will never become more than that.
Owen is a great goalscorer, and his movement is unik. Ive never seen a United striker with his qualities, and I love what I see. BUT, how long can he keep it up? He is 29, and has a record of being very injury-phrone. Besides, now that he plays at United, all 50-50 offside decisions will be against him, which will not be good for him. He may keep it up for 2 or 3 years, but when his pace leaves him he may be as useless as Gary Neville up front. Welback has potensial, Macheda has potensial, Joshua has potensial. They are all young, gifted and thankfully red. Although, they are not the type of striker we need. Welbeck may be, but his is too weak. Kiko may be, but he isnt fast enough or has a good enough passing range. And I speak from experience when I say Josh doesnt have the vision to become a first class striker, and even though he has ambition, he is too much of a good fella.
So, now Im getting to my point. The older players of this squad now seem unmotivated and off the pace to do well. Scholes is beyond it, Neville is beyond it, Oshea will never be more than a squad player and Giggsy, although good, is our oldest outfield player. No way he can start the majority of our games! Rio is also showing signs of getting old, and it saddens me to see a player like Carrick lose so much of his motivation and drive after just one game in Rome. He has lost it, and by no means is he good enough for this team anymore. VDS is a good keeper, so if Foster, but we should buy an Akinfeev or a Neuer as soon as possible! We have a great future with our defenders, and I think we should give them a chance to prove themselves- NOW! De Laet, Evans, Rafael and Fabio, all playing like beyond their age. Evans is curently better than Rio, and De Laet reminds me of a faster and more skillful version than Brown. Nani and Anderson should play more games, as they have the potensial to become the heart and sole of United if given enough confidence and space to express themself truly. Hoping for a bright future, because it is red!
October 25th, 2009 at 22:33
@RMJ: Mate I see where you are coming from, but if I had to choose, I would choose Rooney. I think Berba has had his chance with every other strriker, but still hasn;t come up with the goods. Everyone knows that Rooney has gelled with Ronnie and Tevez. We need another player of their ilk if Rooney is ever going to come good again. I do not think Rooney though has all that much going for him, unless he is playing with someone like Ronnie or Tevez.
October 25th, 2009 at 22:35
@Footy4Eddy: Excellent post mate! I say that because it mirrors most of my own thoughts about this current United team, and especially about Scholes and Giggs – the sooner they are moved on towards retirement the better!
PS. Potensial = potential
October 25th, 2009 at 22:41
@Nino: I wasn’t debating whether Benzema was a great player or not mate. I was addressing with RedRich whetehr the money was available to buy players or whether the Glazers were stealing the money. My point was only that Benzema 40 million offer proved that the money was available. Whether Benzema is worth it or not – well that is a whole other debate!
October 25th, 2009 at 22:46
@Nino: Nino it wasn;t a wise decision mate IF as I expect United win feck all this season. I aM NOT INTERESTED IN cARLING CUPS, I am talking PL and CL. This is 3 times the scousers have beat us now, and this when they are are their lowest. This worries me enormously, as I think it is showing our slide towards OBLIVION!
October 25th, 2009 at 22:56
Ive not seen much of the Ljajic fella, but I hear he is tha shit. Good ball control, good shot, good dribbling tecnique and very strong physique. If my sources are correct he is an Arshavin in the body of Essien. Now I wonder about something, is he maybe our next talisman? Ferguson didnt buy an attacking midfielder this summer, when many of us cried out for a David Silva and Ribery. Now if this Ljajic kid really is as good as he is made to be, he may as well be our next Ronaldo. We had Ronaldo, we had Cantona, Best, Giggs(at his prime) and we had Keane as our talismen before. Right now we look a little lost if you ask me.
No real swagger or insencive, but could all that be just lack of motivation? If not, Fergie must possibly have a back up plan? Now I havent seen much of Ljajic, albeit from Youtube, but he sounds good and like the typical United star player. Strong, ambitious, skilfull, confident and with that extra spark which I cant see in our team right now. He is young, but he may just be the it we lack…
As for his partner, continuing form my alst comment I forgot one crucial part. The midfielder who should play instead of Fletcher in the future. Now as I said Fletcher is a good player, but he shouldnt be allowed to be our best midfielder. The heir to him is no other than Paul Pogba. He looks really good, and I cant see him having a really birght future here. Looked light-years above his age against Crewe, the power and ability he posesses at an age just 4 days older than me is incredible! Great potential, and a drive only Frenchmen inherit.
I can see this being our first team in a few years time:
Akinfeev(if we are lucky
)
Rafael Evans Vidic De Laet
Valencia Pogba Ljajic Nani
Rooney ???
That is a really good team for the future. But if Rooney doesnt get rid of his after game hobbies(smoking, drinking, eating fish`n chips and burgers) he may soon dissapear from that team. A lazy and slow Rooney is not good enough for the best team in the world. And as you can see in that team, we do need a striker. Im all for the Welbecks, Machedas and Kings, but is that really good enough? If we could find a great, tall, fast, strong and skillful striker it would be great. Its the only thing that team lacks! A Torres, a modern Henry maybe? I sincerely hope the future brings one, maybe one I have never heard of before! I didnt know shit who Ljajic was 12 months ago, and I had certanly never heard of Pogba or De Laet. Now I want them to start for us asap? Well, a lot can happen. And a lot will happen!
October 25th, 2009 at 23:04
@CraigMc: Very good rant Craig. Totally agree with you. I love Berba but his last few performances especially have me questioning his work ethic on game day as well, the obvious fact from day one that he was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. He just doesn’t suit this club or the British game for that matter. He did well at Spurs because they had a great attack and said fuck you to defending. On a team with no real ambitions, Berba is a God. On a team with everything on the line he looks for a desk on the pitch where he can hide under. The fact that he and Rooney just do not mix is another reason why he now has to be considered a failure here despite what I contend which is he is a truly fantastic footballer bordering on genius. But genius does not win you games alone, work ethic and desire to beat the opponent to a 50/50 ball is the difference in a game like today. The fact that we created two decent chances all game against a pedestrian and middle of the road defensive unit like Liverpool is a total embarrassment. I’d rather lose 4-3 to Liverpool than lose 1-0 because I respect their attack and can see how with Gerrard and Torres they could score against anyone. But their defense, just rubbish which makes what we did the latest in a long line of clown acts perpetuated by our team.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:06
Im not gonna rush and say we should buy all the players of the world just because we were beaten by a wounded animal at one of the most hostile grounds in English football. Well, I would, but I thought of something. We have the players! We have the players who can make a difference. Its just the simple misfortune of two things. One, they all lack motivation, which goes a long way in modern football! Second, we dont play the right players. Today was made the likes of Brown, Nani, Anderson and Owen. Instead we have to see an Oshea, a rusty Rooney and two old heads who are lightyears beyond their best days. Fergie got the tactics all wrong, trying to play a slow game when he was up against a hard midfield and a team really up for it. Stupid mistake by an otherwise smart man. We were of course also unlucky with injuries to Fletcher, who could have made a big difference. But, in the end we were beaten by a team which had motivation and drive we lacked. That, more than the result disgusted me.
I wish Fergie would start thinking with his head rather than his heart, and start Anderson and Nani over Giggs and Scholes. Carrick is horrible in these games as well, what he was thinking of I will never know… Oshea is a useless git, and Rio is now played sorely on reputation. Evans is clearly the better player. As for Owen, well, he would have been more dangerous than Rooney today. Just shit tactics which fucked us over, again. 
Where is the bravery?
I`d rather die like a man than live like a coward
October 25th, 2009 at 23:21
@Grognard: Grog mate, I am truly really worried about this team of ours now. I mean how long can we keep making excuses? Too many of our players have not just lost form, but are just not cutting it anymore. Rio who I have always held amongst my legends, is shown to be short now against the Bellamy’s and Torres of this world. FFS Grog, Torres is not a player of speed, but he beat Rio – imagine. Rio has been a great servant, but for me he is past his best. He knows it himself, because he has fingers in every pie outside of football, and THAT IS A FACT GROG!. Berba is for another team, not Man Utd. He is not a WINNER Grog! Where is he really when the going gets tough. Rooney we can depend on for some very good games, but only if he has the very best by his side – i.e. Ronaldo’s of this world. Grog I am not just messing about when I say that we will win nothing this year, I really mean it mate. Wish I could say different, but I can’t. To think my beloved United has been reduced to this shite football.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:23
@CraigMc: It sounds to me that like you, more and more people are coming around to what the Grognard was saying the day United sold Ronaldo. No way am I going to be humble. I took a lot of grief from all the positive types and the Optimist Primes of this blog and they now all have a symbolic pile of shite aimed square at their faces. I’ve said it many times that I know this game inside an out and that I am a very astute judge of talent and tactics and we have no chance of winning this league unless we are still within six points come January and Fergie goes on a spending spree. And what do you think the chances of that are? Sad thing is Fergie is continually shooting himself in the foot by playing useless squads and playing tactics designed to destroy the enjoyment of the game. These tactics and the results they bring are not going to convince the David Silva’s of the world and other superstars that playing for us is best for their careers.
I hate to say it after 20 odd seasons of greatness but there comes a time when a team needs an injection of new blood and new thinking. I personally think Fergie has either gone too soft or his team is starting to tune him out. It’s showing in the lack of energy and commitment on the field and it is further exacerbated by his continual usage of players like Scholes and Neville who are so finished, their careers ended three years ago. All good things must come to an end lads and to watch this great man sitting on his hands with ten minutes to go and one goal down while the Fat Waiter is losing weight prancing up and down the touchline barking orders tells me that either Fergie is old and tired or he is just as lazy as Berbatov and has about just as much hunger to win. I’m sorry for saying this because I know it’s blasphemy. I love the man, honest I do, but how much more of this endless misery he is dishing out to us must we take? Must he symbolically slash our wrists as full payment for his previous twenty years of over feeding us with caviar and champagne? He has spoilt all of us and now he almost seems like he wants to start torturing us as if he has some kind of grudge against the millions of hard core United supporters. And his loyalty to the terrible ownership of this club has cost us big this season and in the past. For that he has to answer. I am a paying supporter and I for one demand that any dollar I put towards the club whether it be merchandise or tv packages, be put towards buying players.
I do not want my money going to the Glazer’s I do not like the Glazer’s, I do not trust them and I feel they are prime crooks that are in this for a short term profit and then they will sell the club. They have had Fergie working on a strict budget for years now and when we thought he had a mint to spend on players due to Ronaldo;s sale, the money mysteriously disappears and what do we get in return? Well you all know. Fuck it sucks to be United fan right now. iF i was living in Manchester I’d get a petition or some rally together with like minded supporters and make my point in front of OT. Those motherfuckers have to go. There is a reason why I am a United fan and not a West Ham fan. I don’t just want us to win, I damned well demand and expect it and with style too. I have not experienced this kind of anger and frustration since 1985.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:27
@Redrich: On Berbatov we are finally 100% in agreement mate. He has never been a big game player but he just does not suit our system one bit.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:29
@Nino: Like he is going to make a hill of beans difference. Come on mate, bot he and Fletcher are great but one dimensional defensive players. As poor as our defense has been, thats not the problem here. The problem is that we are not creating nearly enough chances in the attacking zone. We are not inspired, creative or prolific.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:31
@CraigMc: I think Berbatov is a good player. But, unlike other great players he cant do anything on his own. He needs support from other players to make a difference, and when things arent working around him he isnt working either. Unlike Ronaldo, even Rooney, Nani, Valencia and at times also Tevez, he is not a man to create goals on his own. He needs people, which is what fucks him over. Do you ever see him make a run like Torres did today? Ne-fucking-ever! Its annoying, as a striker he is supposed to score goals. Owen has got it, even Macheda and King gets it. How can such a clever player be so stupid!?
Ive always said Berbatov is a failiure buy by Fergie, and doesnt fit into this side. He may have the touch of Cantona, but he, unlike Eric, is only a man…
I think, at the moment, that we need a new striker. We have brilliant young players coming through in defence, midfield, and if we buy a keeper like Akinfeev we are solid in those areas. We just lack that quality striker all top teams posess. Ronney is good, but he doesnt have the ambition and motivation to become the world best player, or striker for that matter, that other have. But it begs the question, if we are going to go for a striker, then who?
Personally I would like to see us go for Eduardo from Arsenal, as we seem to have a good relationship with Le Arse. He is not as vital as Arshavin, Van Persie, hell even Bendtner starts more often than him! I think it could be worth a shot, as he in my opinion has potential to become one of the best strikers in world football…
Pato? Aguero? Huntelaar? There is not a lot to choose from, as we have to think how players would fit into the team as well as how good they actually are. I would have liked Huntelaar, but he is proving to be an even bigger misfit than Berbatov atm. Aguero and Pato are too short, and lack the physical presence they may need for the Premier League. Cant come up with any others right now…
October 25th, 2009 at 23:33
@Footy4Eddy: Gotta be Aguero, judging from the savage way Atletico have been found out this year.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:35
@Nino: Huntelaar would not make any difference to our team whatsoever. You and others just don’t get it. It’s not about the stirkers, it’s all about th emidfield. It’s 110% about the inability of the midfield to manage and take over a game and provide ample and quality service to our forwards. But not only are our midfielders either slow, old, awkward and talentless, they are also playing too far deep to be able to influence the offensive zone properly. The complete lack of an attacking midfielder and wingers that can attack with pace and skill like Krasic did in midweek are non existent. My God Lukas Fucking Leiva looked like a world beater against our midfield today. Why? Not because he has any skill, but he could simply out pace the sloths in the center of our midfield. Man we need Fletcher out there today to at least nullify Liverpool’s attack but that still wouldn’t have helped create scoring opportunities for us.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:35
@Grognard: I agree mate, but I do believe that SAF has the money, but he thinks Berba is the answer – he isn’t mate. I have long given him the benefit of the doubt, but I just cannot stand Berba’s lack of effort and disappearance now in games and blaming others. SAF made a mistake ala Veron, but he needs to put it right in January or suffer the embarrassment of complete ruin. Berba is not for United, we all tried to give him a fair run, but like Veron or even worse than Veron who was great in comparison, Berba is not for us. We have to let him go. How long will it take SAF to see his bad judgement?
October 25th, 2009 at 23:35
@Footy4Eddy: I was just watching the West Ham vs. Arsenal game on Match of the Day and the West Ham striker Diamanti looks like a real decent player you know. Strong, powerful and confident in front of goal. Wouldn’t cost much and would be eligible for Champions League too in January….
October 25th, 2009 at 23:40
@Redrich: You know what I was reminded of when I was watching the game? Andy Cole. I hated Andy Cole but now that I think of it, there was something infinitely great about him in comparison to our present strikers. Yes he received superior service but Andy Cole was infamous for getting a dozen solid cracks at goal a game. We would be lucky if he actually scored on one. The man found more unique ways to miss a great chance than Mario Gomez but my point here is, he was hungry for goals and always found his way open and in position to get a crack. Again I emphasize that he had service but sometimes it’s the lack of ambition and imagination used by our forwards to find spaces in the defense and exploit them that is at issue. They just aren’t goal poachers and have zero instinct for that kind of thing. Whereas Cole, Yorke and Solksjaer were less skilled but always able to score goals in bunches. Very frustrating to think back on that time and compare it with the drudgery we are being forced to endure these days.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:42
@Nino: We are not gonna buy anybody in January. If Fergie does that we know we truly are fucked!
He never does that, its against his principles. During his time at United, he has only brought a few players in January and actually used them that season. The two I can remember are Saha and Larsson, and the latter was only for loan because the former was injured. We are gonna have to wait until next season, and if Arsenal dont win anything this year either I would really like to see us go for Eduardo. Brilliant player, class act. His goal against Burnley last season sums him up as a player, he has the class of Berbatov but also the winning mentality of Rooney. Pace, tecnique, finishing skills and not only does he have my strength, he has my name. 
I dont wanna buy players from the likes of West Ham or Spurs or even Sunderland for that matter, we should be going for the top dogs. At least for strikers, because thats where we suffer right now…
October 25th, 2009 at 23:42
@Footy4Eddy: I agree Eddi Owen has got it, but SAF still motors on with Berba who is offering us nothing. Don;t know about you mate, but I am sick of our football right now. We have been beaten by the scousers 3 times, and to me that says we are heading for oblivion. It hurts but SAF will keep on saying how wonderful we are – BULLSHIT. It is always someone elses fault but SAF’s – right? Talk about deluded.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:43
@Johnsom33: Fergie has fucked up many a possible signing simply because of the CHEAP FUCKING SCOT in him.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:47
@Grognard: Less skilled? How can you say that Grog mi man, they scored more goals than our present pitiless lot. We NEVER had such an inept bunch of strikers as we have this season mate. We are so ordinary, that nobody is afraid of us anymore. Everyone knows that put pressure on our MF and poverty stricken strikers and they are going to get a win or a draw. We have a very dodgy away record.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:48
@CraigMc: I said this before and I’ll say it again, Benzema was nothing more than a PR smokescreen and con game played on all you gullible victims. Fergie is a wily old bird and he knew like I knew two years ago that Benzema had no intentions of ever coming to play for us and that he would only go to one team and that is Barca for personal and professional reasons. So it was safe for Fergie to throw money he never had at him because he knew he wouldn’t come. Ah but he knew that by doing this he could deflect a little of the speculation and controversy over what happened to the Ronaldo money. I didn’t buy it then and I don’t buy it now. Fergie has three pounds and some pocket lint to throw towards players at present.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:49
@RMJ: I have issues with Berba but your points about Rooney are very valid thoughts indeed. The boy for all his talent sometimes has a ten cent head.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:52
@Nino: There were many much more affordable options available to us than Ribery. Fergie has no bloody excuse for not spending whatsoever. Go buy Gourcuff from Bordeaus for 20 million or a bit more. Sneijder, van der Vaart, Hernanes, Silva, Diego etc, were all available before the season started.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:54
@Footy4Eddy: Dan will love you and want to bare all your children.
October 25th, 2009 at 23:54
@Footy4Eddy: Eduardo??? If he can’t make the cut at Arsenal ahead of Bendtner then what on earth makes you think he’s good enough to be a main striker for Man Utd???? And stop being so stuck up and arrogant about buying players from lower ranked clubs. Where do you think we got players like Yorke, Solskjaer, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo etc. from? There are plenty of gems or diamonds in the rough plying their trade for mid-table teams who can be obtained for reasonable prices and developed into class players.
You know damn well that the ‘Galactico’ superstars of football today will cost us equally galactic sums of money to obtain. I don’t think throwing money at the likes of Pato and Aguero will solve the problem. We have never been about ‘Galacticos’ anyway. The bottom line is that we have a shite powderpuff dog’s dinner of a central midfield and no proper finisher up front to partner Rooney…and a new GK to replace the outgoing VDS should be on the shopping list too.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:04
@CraigMc: Go back to all my posts in August mate where everything I said then sounds an awful lot like what you are saying today. Sometimes I cannot contain myself and I have to pat myself on my shoulder for my wisdom.
I might as well, nobody on here who condemned me and fought with me back then is being heard now other than you. At least you are man enough to come out and admit you were wrong. Where the Hell are all those other dudes who were cursing my existence and calling me the King of Pain and Negativity etc etc? Where are they now? They are cowering under their beds or are still on here but conveniently ignoring my call out for a royal rumble and heaping course of “I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO”. I honestly wished I was wrong and the role was reversed because the team’s success is all that matters to me, but right now I have nothing else but sweet revenge and satisfaction for shutting up an awful lot of optimistic BS filled mouths that spoke nothing but jibberish three months ago while I was speaking with common sense and logic. Fuck it hurts to be so right and it makes me want to punch some people square in the nose. Not because they were wrong, but because I am so frakken angry that I was right. United is breaking my heart and most notably, is killing my love for the game. And I never thought that would ever happen. 
October 26th, 2009 at 0:05
@Nino: How the fuck am I being arrogant? I just said we shouldnt be looking at lower clubs to find our top class striker. We bought Valencia off Wigan, Diouf from Molde and Owen from Newcastle. All good signings(at least 2 of them are mint), but we should be aiming higher. Ive not got much against buying class players from not the best teams, I think Palacios, Cattermole and Cana are great defensive midfielders. Defoe and Carlton Cole are really good strikers, and you find goalkeepers like Jaaskeleinen and Friedel here. No offence to lower ranked teams, but when it comes to the final piece of the jigsw I think we should be aiming higher than a Diamanti. Im talking Eduardo, Aguero, Podolski, Pato etc. Doesnt need to be a big name, just needs to be a class player. And Diamanti is NOT a class player…
As for Eduardo, he is a brilliant player. How on earth Bendtner starts instead of him I have no idea, he shouldnt, but then Wenger does many weird things. Class player no doubt, if you cant see that then too bad…
October 26th, 2009 at 0:05
@Grognard: Yes but the whole of Europe knew we were flush with cash after the Ronaldo sale. The £20m Gourcuff example you mention could easily have gone up to £30m when you add ‘Ronaldo’ tax onto it, not to mention that we usually get ripped off anyway because we are Man Utd.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:06
@CraigMc: That stubborn old fart will never admit he made a mistake and sorry mate, I will believe he has the money when he SHOWS ME THE MONEY.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:06
@Grognard:
October 26th, 2009 at 0:12
@Footy4Eddy: I was not saying Diamanti should be our new attacking spearhead like Benzema should have been, but that he is a good player who could play for Man Utd as another attacking option off the bench (third/fourth choice striker). We are painfully short of strikers after Rooney, Berbatov and Owen. I do rate Eduardo for sure but I don’t think he’s good enough to play as the main striker for a leading European team that’s all.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:12
So where are the people who loved calling me the Prince of Darkness back in July and August? Hmm? Come challenge me now with your positive mantra? Are you all still wonderfully positive? Is the sky still blue and sunny on your block? Come and let the Grognard know just how United is going to make me live to regret my words of condemnation. Come on, let me have it.
Man when I think of the BS and grief I was put through and that I almost quit this blog because I spoke the truth and backed it up with facts, but received nothing but grief and insults, I can’t help but honestly feel a little anger, bitterness and hostility towards those who labeled me insulted me due to my opinions. Let them come.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:15
@Grognard: Hello mate!
Read: @Footy4Eddy then you know I will not fight you, but I will argue with you because I am too stubborn to believe its over until it really is over. We`ll never die!
October 26th, 2009 at 0:16
@CraigMc: Skill with the ball and imagination is what I mean. Huntelaar is a goal poacher but he is not seen as supremely skilled like Aguero who up until this season scored far fewer goals. Rooney has way more skill than Cole, but Cole had one skill you cannot teach, goal scoring instinct. It also helped having Beckham, Keane, a young Giggs and Scholes to feed him though.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:20
@Nino: And I would have paid it because he’s frankly worth it. You cannot sell the best player in the world, lose that much quality and skill on the pitch and replace it with bangers and mash. It’s like the old saying goes, to make money, you need to spend it. I don’t like spending money on gas for my van because of the increase in prices but i do. It’s just part of living with the situation you have been dealt with. Fergie is a king sized horses ass and an idiot when says that he expects the prices to get back down to normal this summer. After the World Cup?
He’s frakken insane or naive.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:28
@Footy4Eddy: I read it mate and if we were a middle of the table team which we will be by the end of the season, I would agree with you. But while we are still considered one of the “Big Four”. I do not risk our position and status by throwing in the towel and depending on kids. Kids are kids and they will choke on the big stage before they become good. United has too much invested in players and business around the world to allow their brand to take a season or two off to blood a lot of youngsters. It just isn’t the prudent or wise thing to do. I am sick of seeing the old farts play to but my solution isn’t playing the diaper brigade either. It’s taking 80 million in money and buying three world class players that will ignite fire and a new look and feel into the team. And also, the retirement of Fergie sooner than later and the hiring of Mourinho would suit me just fine. This club needs a new injection of spirit and life. I’m feeling more and more that Fergie may be past it.
I liked Fergie more ten years ago when he was less a student of the game and just had the team come out and play Man Utd football and caution be damned. But ever since 2000, he has smoozed with far too many Italian managers and chess master like Rafa and has started to study the game and has forgotten that it is a game of speed, skill and passion. Over the past two years he has systematically zapped the speed and the passion out of our game and the selling of Ronaldo all but forced us to lose half of the team’s talent. There you have it in a nutshell.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:30
@Footy4Eddy: And mate, you can be as stubborn as you like, we are done like dinner. Who cares that we are in second, we are toast. It’s a long season and unless some major things happen to change the fortunes of this club, I see 4th place easily staring us in the face.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:40
@Footy4Eddy: Eddy tell me something, when you play FIFA 10 in Manager Mode do you have a glitch occur where your weather is the same for every game? I am playing Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga in one and Bayern in another and in both leagues I am stuck with rainy weather in every game. In fact my second game with Wolfsburg in mid August was rainy and had snow on the sides of the pitch yet there is no way to control the weather or time to play a game in this mode. Just wondering if the same problem is happening to you. For you it could be a sunny day every game and you might not notice. Either way it is incredibly annoying and ruins all the realism of the game. Playing 34 games in rain is not exactly realisitc unless you live here in Vancouver.
October 26th, 2009 at 0:44
@Grognard: The only proof we have, is that we got 80 odd mil for Ronaldo and we spent 17 on Valencia and nothing on Owen, and perhaps a few quid here or there on youngsters that may or may not become United regulars.
It’s damning evidence for me, and I agree with your assessment of the Benzema ruse.
SAF hasn’t led us to trophy after trophy over the years be exercising poor judgement and he didn’t this summer either!
He probably went to the ownership and said that Berbatov was not cutting it and we need additional help up front. They probably said, in true American businessman fashion, “you bought the bed, now you have to sleep in it”.
There was absolutely no way that they were gonna feed him more money for his own error in judgment!!
SAF has a long and hallowed career and he wants his legacy to read about all his achievements and not his falling out with the owners of the club, and so in a way he’s handcuffed to the Berbatov situation and is having a hard time wiggling his way out.
I would imagine that at some point he will create a drama for Berbatov that will be difficult for him to deal with gracefully. He will explode in some way to the press and SAF will have his out!!
Sad commentary, but more than likely true!!
October 26th, 2009 at 0:53
@Footy4Eddy: Eddy it’s not over, but we have to make some changes – don’t you think!
October 26th, 2009 at 0:59
@Footy4Eddy: Bedtner is a bigger target than Eduardo!!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:06
Rooney and berbatov are both slow as hell. They dont make runs like Torres, who in my opinion is the BEST striker in the world bar none.
Owen did more in 20 min than rooney and berba together.
Benzema and Rooney would have been good. Benzema has pace and fininshing but hes a twat so forget that. Berba has fucked over our play too much. Scholes should not start against Liverpool. What the Fuck was that Ferguson! Stupid stupid!
Lets see what de laet and co do tomorrow…
Come on Obertan! give us thst spark we are so missing.
PS Rooney is looking like a tired player, hope he gets ‘it’ back
October 26th, 2009 at 1:12
@Grognard: Maybe it is time to just blood the youngsters Fabio, Rafael De laet Nani…etc the lot!! Rather them than scholes neville oshea etc
October 26th, 2009 at 1:19
@Taehr: Drogba?
October 26th, 2009 at 1:23
@Taehr: Maybe it’s time to revitalize our starting eleven with some world-class players!!
The kids will get their chance and one or two could prove to be good players for us. But an infusion of youth is the last thing this team needs!!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:28
Berbatov is an example of Fergie fancying a player without considering how he would fit into the team. Lust getting the better of reason. The same mistake with Veron. A luxury signing that didn’t come off. As for the money we paid-that was ridiculous for a player who wasn’t world class and had never played for a top level team and was in his late 20s so close to his potential.
Ferguson also made a huge mistake by failing to anticipate Ronaldo leaving so soon. He should have realised that with Ronaldo leaving we could not afford to have two strikers who were not prolific. Owen is not going to play enough to fill that goalscoring gap and neither Rooney nor Berbatov looks like scoring 30 goals a season, and we do not have a Gerrard or Lampard in midfield to score 20 goals.
Rooney and Berbatov just isn’t a good partnership and each player would do a lot better and score a lot more with another partner.
Having said that I wouldn’t get overly worried with this result aside from bruised pride and the humiliation of losing to our rival.
1. Liverpool are a cup team…they can pull off one-off results and they have the measure of us. But over a season they will drop way more points than us. We also have the chance to get revenge at Old Trafford and traditionally we peak much later in the season. This was not a decisive game. We are still in a good position to win the league.
2. Two of our main players Rio and Rooney were unfit and shouldn’t have been on the pitch. Also we were missing arguably our most important big game player: Darren Fletcher. As we’ve seen in the Barca game Fletcher’s absence really costs us in big games.
BUUUUUUUUUUT
The real problem with this game is that it shows we do not have that margin of superiority over big teams that we had in the season we won the Champions League. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool are all capable of beating us and you could say the same for Barcelona and perhaps even Real. Yes Real have a dodgy defence but with our tactics we are incapable of exposing weak defences and our attack is pretty impotent without Ronaldo.
I can see us finishing second this season and even winning the league if Chelsea have a string of bad results during the African Nationss. But we do not have a chance in hell of getting anywhere in Europe. And this is what gripes for me.
We are amazing at grinding out results over the course of a season in the league and while we falter at times we never self destruct and throw away titles the way our rivals have a tendency to do. We have mastered the art of playing badly against lesser teams and getting results, while on an off day Chelsea and Liverpool and Arsenal lose against lesser teams.
But as a fan I want us to dominate Europe and yet again we have failed to build on a Champions League victory and have regressed. I do not see us winning another Champions League or even reaching another final under Fergie. We’ll need an incredibly lucky draw just to reach the semis. And that sucks!
Also I do not know how I am going to endure these lacklustre performances. We look inferior against our rivals and there is little evident difference in class when we play weaker teams. And yet our league position is pretty much par the course compared to our other title winning seasons. We have that consistency over a season that Liverpool and Arsenal do not have and Chelsea have lost since Mourinho left.
On this site we are purists. We want to see our team filled with world class players, playing incredible football and winning with style and beating all our main rivals. That is why we are all disappointed. But those things are not necessary to win titles as we have demonstrated many times in the past.
We are not even in a transition period. We are just playing the same team minus Ronaldo. In the League the loss of Ronaldo is not going to cost us that many points-it just means we fail to destroy teams and have to settle for unconvincing wins. Where Ronaldo’s loss is really going to cost us is in Europe. Where world class players really show their worth is in big games and the highest stages. Ronaldo in the last few seasons evolved into a big game player and played a big part in getting us to two finals in two years.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:50
@Grognard
4
You come over as someone who really knows his football. Your insights are very impressive and as I pointed out earlier you called this game today. I enjoy your rants more than most but you do have a tendency to LOSE IT after a while. Let’s gain some perspective on the premier league at the moment.
I’ll start with today:
Arsenal after going 2-0 up against a struggling West Ham totally capitulated and ended up with a 2-2 draw. Super rich City capitulated in almost exactly the same way against Fulham (I know we don’t really like to say it nut City are going to be top four very soon – a bottomless pit of money will see to that as it did with Chelsea, despite the dullard Mark Hughes). Speaking of Chelsea, they were recently humbled by Stoke. Liverpool were fighting for their lives today and it certainly showed!! This doesn’t hide the fact that 9 times out of 10 they are an utterly mediocre side without Torres and Gerard. United WILL NOT FINISH FOURTH this season. Most likely Arsenal or Liverpool, us second and Chelsea winning.
If you look at most of these rants the added together I think the main conclusions are that we need 3 or 4 more players, a lot more trust put in younger players and the letting go of Berbatov and the older players. Footy4eddy makes some salient points on here I ladmire your knowledge and insights too mate!).
I’m not knocking you at all Grognard but it makes me laugh when you seem to venture over to the dark side too much. As I think that I am, along with you, one of the older contributors to this site I also find it very difficult to criticise SAF. The point is that Fergie has become more conservative in his old age. He certainly got it wrong today. I think he played for a draw but didn’t really bank on every single Liverpool player playing out of their skins for survival. I got the impression that the players were surprised by this as well. So That’s not good. However, he is still the best manager in this league by far with no one in the world good enough to replace him.
We probably wont win anything this season but we wont be that far away and I truly believe that, with all the permutations available, Fergie will have it right next season.
So , no offence mate, but just try and smell the flowers, try to garner some of the long term perspective available to you. Perhaps two words will help. Ron Atkinson.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:52
@colver: I feel your pain, mate!!
It’s really hard to to pull the trigger on what ails this team – and to an extent, it’s because so many things ail this team!!
Many people blame the manager because it’s easier to blame him than the players we have!
Some blame the loss of Ronaldo!!
Some say we need to build a better MF!!
Some say we need better strikers!!
I actually think there’s an element of truth in all these theories. We have neglected to pay attention to all of these issues and now we have to pay the price!!
However it’s only when we all get unified in our uppityness that anyone will listen to a damn thing we say.
I’m absolutely unhappy by the state of our team, (and you have to remember it was only 16 months ago that we were Champions of Europe)and want desperately, for things to improve.
If it means moving on from out favorite players (ie. Berbatov, Rooney, Ferdinand, Scholes, Nani) lets just do it, move on to better pastures!!
October 26th, 2009 at 2:19
Most of the game looked like we had 6 midfielder out there…with no forwards and scholes and Carrick jumping in and out of the game.No real possession in liverpools third.
Valencia had a half chance that hit the bar..aside from that nothing.
Ref was horrible but we weren’t too good either to deserve any points.
United at the moment really lacks a through bred striker who stays out there in the opposition third and makes those half chances count.
Previous seasons Ronaldo fed off the creativity of our midfield but now there is this void with everyone trying to be play makers and really no stepping up and taking those shots (proper chances + half chances).
Berbatov substitution was a suprise to me as he was clearly playing better that most. Rooney should have gone off instead.
Its really frustrating for me watching united play in this fashion with everyone trying to both score and create and the same time…resulting is frequent loss of possession.
Torres had nothing the whole game and then one through ball , he makes an excellent run uses his full body to keep rio off the ball and awesome finish.
We really need someone to act like a through and through striker out there.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:09
@Grognard: You said we’ll be out of the top four. We’re not yet. And I’m sure we’ll not be. Let us be knocked out of the top four, without a hope in hell of finishing in it then a lot of us will be willing to buy into your theories. There is being proven right, and there is hoping for your doom theories to be proven right. Right now you are hoping for the latter (which really defeats the purpose) so let’s wait till you’re proven right eh?
There are things that ail our side, but it certainly isn’t midtable form.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:31
@Taehr: I still maintain that a on song Drogba is the best striker in the world. He may be a cunt, but that bastard is unplayable when he’s in the mood. Torres is up there, plus he’s is alot younger than drogba. But he still has a ways tp go before he is the best. His pace is his best asset but he can still me muscled around c
October 26th, 2009 at 3:42
@Red Ranter: In all fairness, Grognard does hit the nail firmly on the head most of the time! And if no one is prepared to give him credit for it, then I guess he’ll do it for himself!!
No one likes a braggart, but you have to admit that most of us do at some point submit to his theories about the team once or twice.
He has an open forum with us all, and he will never disguise the intent of what he means. I have grown to respect him for that!
I think you’ve zero’d in on a particularly frustrating issue for him, and he would have done better not to harp on it, but the value of his opinions remain true to me!!
October 26th, 2009 at 5:13
@Redrich: You’re telling me something I already know. I’ve never knocked him for his opinions. I’m just giving perspective. It’s quite easy for someone to feel over eager to tell everyone that he’s right — after all it’s frustrating for everyone that we lost, and we look to stuff that comfort us (like being proved right). I don’t have a problem with his opinions and you of all people know that quite well.
I don’t have a problem if you brag when you’re proved right. But you’re not yet, so why harp on something that’s not yet proven?
October 26th, 2009 at 5:27
we all know this about fergie, no one can get a team to bounce back like he can, over the years we have seen our team suffer heavy defeats but fergie always get us back on track, fergie is the master of come back’s so it should come as no surprise that fergie gave life to a team that many had written off. Yes he has orchestrated the magnificent come back of liverpool, a team many had written off and a team that had not won in their last 4 games.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:47
But the real thing that irks me about yesterdays performance was that we lost to the worst liverpool team in twenty years. The team was without it’s engine, gerald and we still managed to loose to this mediocre team. What the fuck is up with fergie and getting the selection wrong this season. What the fuck was scholes doing in that midfield. And carrick is no where near good enough to play against top teams.
Rooney and berba should never play on the same team ever again, it’s like having two players playing the same role, they all want to do the same thing and thats not score but provide for the goals. Rooney is every where and rarely where he is expected to be. I remember the many chances berba and owen created because berba knows where to find owen, but rooney on the other hand is all over the place. He seems allergic to sticking to the forward position. I think he should be made a attacking forward, that way no one can accuse him of straying.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:04
@themec: Fair wnough mate. I do get over the top occasionally but I honestly feel my assessment today is less from fury and overreaction and more from a growing and simmering feeling that i have been wrong all along. Many sat quietly as they watched Rome fall apart under Nero and although Fergie is not Nero, his tenure is like that of a Roman emperor who is now in his old age more concerned with his legacy than the future success of the team. He should never have taken the drastic turn in reshaping this teams tactics and overall look as it was simply folly and egotistical stupidity.
Yu say you have read my rants (which I greatly appreciate) so you know then thaqt even though I ham dark and heavy handed at times, I am fair and the faxct is I greatly admire and respect Ferguson for what he has achieved and brought to the team. But all good things must come to an end and sometimes even a loyal servant can finally lose it and must be shown the door. Fergie has been far to lenient and sympathetic with some of the older players at the great detriment of younger players. He has made poor player purchases after poor ones. Yes he has gotten some right but as he has admitted many times, some of them just luckily fell into his lap like Cantona and Ronaldo.
He was by a country mile the best manager in the world for twenty years but right now I wouldn’t rank him in the top 5 in England. He has gotten arrogant, lazy and full of himself. He disrespects people and especially officials at greater detriment to his team. His tactics and in game management at times borders on comatose and his tactics and preparation for the debacle in Moscow is almost unforgivable. Even more unforgivable is that we have lost three straight to Liverpool not because they are a better team, but because they are more prepared to play us and because Benitez has learned from his mistakes and corrected them.
Fergie has learned nothing from Rome and nothing from last year’s losses to Liverpool. He still has shite for a midfield and he still starts Scholes in a game when we all knew Liverpool would place speed and the full court press into effect. Now please tell me why I am so damned smart sitting typing this in my home office in Vancouver and the great mind himself SAF hasn’t got a clue to the obvious. How amny times must we have to endure his new found cowardice before we finally said enough. It took Rome to burn before people finally turned on Nero. Must we hit rock bottom for us to show the great man the door and directions to the best retirement home. Yes this is cold and cynical but it is also honest and it’s what 95% of all fans are thinking but only a few are willing to admit. Football is an entertainment after all. There is not written law of loyalty and ever after love. Entertainers come and go and Hollywood and pro sports as well as the music industry have forgotten so many legends when they were past their usefulness. Sure we think back fondly and remember them but we do not tolerate mediocrity out of sentiment and loyalty for successes past.
An I loved Big Ron despite the fact he was a git.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:13
@Red Ranter: You are not reading my posts RR. I have stated many times that I would love nothing more than to be wrong because I put the team’s success over inflating my ego…..Believe it or not. But how many times must I be proven right over two years before even you cop me a nod of approval? Seriously, I get no respect for a guy who takes so much abuse for his opinions but who so often comes out of those confrontations smelling like roses months later. It amazes me since you are moderator that you do not see this and you don’t actually give me the credit I deserve. I’m human, I like a pat on the shoulder when I am right. Instead of the wait until the end of the season and we’ll look at the situation BS. And when that comes and they finish 3rd or 4th what will you say then. Well it’s only one year and it was a rebuilding year and so lets see what happens this upcoming season before i declare you right. Jeez, I feel like Rodney Dangerfield. I just don’t get no respect, even when I damned well earned it. I not only predicted this game but I was dead on with the way this team was going to play this season. They have exceeded my points prediction but the season is very young and their schedule was easy with all their tough games before today at home. Now it gets very tough when their confidence has taken a strong pummeling. Lets see how they do from here on. So far the Doom Merchant hasn’t made many errors in his predictions. Why change now. I honestly think you are afraid I may get a really swelled head and be full of myself. Too late, I have there for quite a while
October 26th, 2009 at 6:15
I did not read anything about this game. I am furious! FURIOUS!
0.Wednesday CSKA game really did us in!
1. Wanker of a referee+assistants! Absolute JOKE! Put vidic and evra on early yellows for minor tussles while hobbits Mascherano and Lucas kept up the wrestling tactics with nothing from the ref – DISGRACE!
2. Ferdinand, Scholes, Carrick, Rooney were disappointing! Cut Ferdinands salary until he plays like he should. Carrick should be 4th choice behind Scholen, Anderson, and Flethcer (and Hargo)
3. Valencia, Berba, and VDS did well with that they had.
4. Fergie lost the midfield battle (but mainly due to ref dishing our yellow cards early)
5. I HATE LIVERPOOL! I HATE LIVERPOOL! Their players are diving cheats, wannabe footballers who rely on refs to bail them out. I cannot wait to see them out of Europe and out of top 4 come MAY. Benayoun belongs in a forest chasing the ring that rules them all… f#c%i*g overrated slimy beak-face scouser b*tc%!!! I HATE liverpool.
I am FURIOUS!
FURIOUS!
I need United to destroy their next opponents with no mercy and no tactical moves to preserve energy in our superstar players. I want 4,5,6-0 wins with merciless finishing and deadly passing – I want football VIKING style!
October 26th, 2009 at 6:15
I feel better now, Thank you redrants.com!
October 26th, 2009 at 6:17
Getting even better:
I am over the loss now.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:19
@Redrich: Yes I did go overboard with that mate but I really hold some extreme bitterness and hard feelings over a lot of abuse I received for my very accurate predictions which are coming to fruition every week. It’s not that I want to be a braggert but that I feel a need to get some well deserved payback and revenge to the people who insulted me personally and who labeled me a Doom Merchant and Dark Lord for simply having the insight and intelligence to foresee what is happening to the team before our eyes. Lets just say I took my glove off and demanded satisfaction towards those who maligned me so, a few months back. I’d still rather be wrong because I love the team, but truthfully, I love me more.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:22
@Grognard: you are still crazy to think <3rd place finish — I would even say we will be top 2 come May.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:24
@Red Ranter: You so easily seem to forget that the abuse I took was very extreme, unwarranted and very unfair. It caused me to quit for a few weeks to basically think things through. I damned well want and demand satisfuckingfaction for the BS I took. After all, no matter what everyone might think of me, I am a human being who deserved to be treated with more respect and my intellect has shown that I earned this, yet I received very little of it. So forgive me for venting my spleen now and feeling some very righteous payback was needed despite the our team’s unfortunate slide into oblivion. Too soon to call the coroner? We’ll see.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:26
@spizzy: This season? Hell mate he was screwing up like this last year too. He just had Ronaldo to bail him out all the time last year.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:27
@[OPTI]Madschester United: Get it off your chest mate. It’s good for you and good for you.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:28
@[OPTI]Madschester United: I take it you have learned nothing from today’s unmasking then?
There is a song by an old Canadian band named Trooper that is titled “Three Dressed Up As A Nine”. Well what we have in United is a “4.5 Dressed Up As A Nine”.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:41
@Grognard: I’ve given you credit when it’s due. I’ve maintained from the beginning that this is a rebuilding year, although we failed to build on the one position, in my view: ie, the midfield. You’ll get credit when you’re proved right. I don’t see where the problem is here. You’re saying we’ll finish mid-table or fourth place — well I don’t subscribe to that. Why would you want me to give you credit for something I don’t agree with? I’m more than a man to give people credit when it’s due. This is a debate over the internet, and my ego won’t take a hit if I’m proven wrong. It’s ridiculous if you think I don’t want to give a pat on the back to you because I fear you.
I’m a man of my word: if you’re proved right, I’ll give you your due.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:47
at the beginning of every season we hope that the team will be better than what it was. i think we have watch this team deteriorate for three seasons now. that is simply because the manager puts his faith in the wrong players.
1. rooney vs tevez: fergie single handedly drove tevez out of old trafford. while he simply isnt as prolific as ronaldo, i frimly beleive he was a better finisher than wayne rooney. i remember coming into last season, he was our best player pre season and scored a good goal aginst liverpool (berbas assist), but as soon as everyone was fit, he was ushered to the bench. keeping him, would have shocked some of the gap created by the departure of ronaldo. rooney’s best position i now beleive is on the left side of midfield. he is a rubbish finisher, a good passer and is a great attacking threat, but most importantly a fantastic engine which can be extremely beneficial supressing good wingers. Plus if he can get us 20 goals a season, what on earth is the problem.
2. eto or owen: while owen was the bargain of the summer. samuel eto for 20million, would have been money well sspent. i frimly believe he is the best striker in the world and has all attributes suited for the premier ship. the only problem would be containing the egos, fergie had trouble containing carlos tevez let alone samuel eto.
3. our midlfield contrary to everyones belief is fine. we have two defensive midfielders in hargo and fletch. three central in gibbo, carrick and scholes and one attacking in ando, giggs. personally i think that is not world class but it alright.
4. defense picks itself, rio will get better the fitter he becomes. he is here for another 4yrs minimum. i think maicon would be a fantastic addition.
5. i think valencia will prove a fantastic buy, we still should have brought in ribery (if he wanted to come). rooney was most effective with ronaldo, they understood each other and played the penetration game quite brilliantly. while i prayed nani could deliver, it has become evident he cant. he has lost alot of confidence. ribery or robben to be fair can penetrate with immense dribbling ability and pace. if you cant get those, pls why not aaron lennon. 22yrs of age, can only get better.
6. those striker we have are too stagnant, love the ball played to their feet, never run off the last defender, lack the “strikers instinct”. they are too similar, and where rooney has a great engine, berba makes up for it in creativity and possbly ariel threat. either or should be played with an out and out striker ( samuel eto)
Fergie has relied too much on old legs, there is no way giggs, paul scholes and neville should be starting games now. i dont care how many fantastic games ryan giggs has had over the last 18months. it shows how bad out team really are to be relying on players that should be winding down their carrers.
Still i don not believe we will finish outside the top two, but know this. WE ARE IN TROUBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for the loss! we are and forever will be one united
October 26th, 2009 at 6:49
@Grognard: Also my match report is up, and you’ll find quite a few points similar to that of your own. You see, we could after all, still agree on a few things.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:48
@colver: That’s just the problem though isn’t it mate – having to SETTLE! We have had to settle for lacklustre performances for one whole season and it’ll be two by end of this season. You say that it doesn’t matter, but it does to me
. United used to fill grounds wherever they played, but I have noticed now in a good few away games there’s seems to be rows of empty seats when United visit. Also tv viewing figures will go down – because our performances BORE the shit out of opposition fans, and definately us fans at home and on the terraces. We are bad mate – rank bad. I mean just go back to the recent Sunderland game, where we were very lucky to equalise, and the Bolton game where they were very UNLUCKY not to equalise, and this at our glorious Old Trafford Home – NOT! No excuse for a top team like United not buying a top class and prolific STRIKER. Berbatov and Rooney are never going to be that, and certainly not playing together – they are like a hapless duo comedy act. SAF has to sacrifice one of them and give Owen more games. I mean Owen came on in Moscow against CSKA, and sparked things up front. He would have KOPPED a goal at Anfield, had Bruiser axe murderer Carragher not clattered him down. Owen has a history of showing up in the BIG games, as SAF says, but yet never plays him – stupid, just plain daft!
October 26th, 2009 at 9:12
@Grognard: Mate I said I have an issue with our performances – lacklustre ones most of the season, and last, and I stuck my neck out and said that I don’t think we will win anything, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying we won’t finish in top 4. Folk will say that we won silverware last season in spite of the lacklustre – yes but Ronnie was still here. Also, we were being dicked about by the Sunderland’s and Bolton’s or Burnley’s of this world. This is what is concerning me about our lot this season, because even the lesser teams are saying that United have no fear factor whatsoever in this present team. The other thing that has caused doubts for me is we are leaking goals, and Vida and Rio are being found out! Out MF is all too easily over run too
.
October 26th, 2009 at 17:28
you do suffer from a short term memory dont you?, it was only a few months back that you did not seem to have a problem when fletcher did a similar tackle on arshavin and was let go, you brushed it aside by saying that they scored anyways. Probably you should have scored too. And if my memory serves right fletcher committed as many fouls as lucas in that game was he sent off?..I am a neutral and enjoy reading your blog but some of the recent shite youve put up smacks of hypocrisy.You lost it, own up and stop blaming the ref,the least you could have done is put the ball in the back of the net.
October 26th, 2009 at 17:29
@my above post..oops sorry meant to publish that on rom
October 26th, 2009 at 17:42
@strider:
October 26th, 2009 at 19:09
@Red Ranter: Ah mate, I’m not asking you to give me credit and to fear me. I am just asking for a little respect because I have been proven right on many occasions. I predicted th outcome of yesterdays game if you do not count the freebee the team gave Liverpool at the end because I predicted exactly how they would play and how Liverpool would play. I was right, dead on to be exact. I have bitched and whined since before the season about a lot of factors and concerns about the team from it’s lack of leadership, to the fact that they have no midfield to the fact where they are clueless at breaking down good teams and scoring at United’s usually prolific pace. Up to now i have proven myself to be right and all the players I had major concerns about have validated my reasons for that concern. So would it hurt you to say yes you have been right about a lot of things over a long period of time. It’s not about stroking my ego, I’ve said many times I’d prefer to be wrong if the team played better, but it’s about getting a little bit of respect. Why is this important to me? Because I am opinionated and I have the balls to come out and make unpopular but well thought out predictions and arguments and I often get the predictable negative and abusive reactions. So because of this, I came out yesterday and damned well demanded a little satisfaction.
I am not wrong here and it’s not about ego, it’s about pride and justice. It’s about others taking back the mean spirited and thoughtless personal jibes they threw at me and the labels they tagged me with and all along I have been right. It’s not even about finishing 3rd or 4th, it’s about whether this team is doing it’s utmost to win and to satisfy it’s spoilt and loyal fans. It’s about valid suspicions over the direction and ownership of the club and the unwillingness of the manager and the club to be honest and forthright with us. It’s about playing better and playing the United way but also not lying to us through their teeth and the manager not using negative cowardly tactics that choke the life out of every game and every fan. And all this I have been right about all along. Yet no respect as usual. Like I said earlier, I am this site’s Rodney Dangerfield.
October 26th, 2009 at 19:14
@Red Ranter: I know you agree with me a lot on things mate. You just don’t like the fact that I come across so pompous, arrogant and egotistical. Well to quote Julius Caesar again, “It’s only hubris if I lose” And in my case it’s only hubris if I’m wrong. Since I’m not, well I just think that has to count for something. I’m not pissed off or mad with you mate. Just a bit frustrated that you deny me my moment in the sun. Yes the season is not over but I am not just talking about my more recent predictions that are right or seem to be heading in that direction. I am talking about the many times I have been dead on over the past two and one half years I have been on here. Sure I am wrong once in a while but then again Fergie has lost a few games in his career too.
October 26th, 2009 at 19:17
@CraigMc: I haven’t said we will finish out of the top four. I have said we will finish either 3rd or 4th. But then again, lack of confidence and the team tuning out Fergie the way they have, anything is possible in this wacky season where nobody seems to want it that badly. Not Chelsea, not Liverpool or Arsenal. A very strange season to say the least so far, don’t you think?