Feb 11
Man Utd 1-2 Man City: City Do the Double
I really don’t feel like writing a match report. It can’t get any worse can it? City, of all the clubs in the world, win against us; we put on a limp display on a day which was supposed to commemorate a side known for playing one of the most free-flowing forms of the game; and the blue half actually do the double on us this season.
I just can’t think of anything uplifting at the moment either. I could, of course, cite Chelsea’s inability to capitalise on this slip up on our part. Or I could sit and hope Mark Hughes does us a favour today against Arsenal. But that’s really it.
Recently, it has come to my notice that whenever I wrote a match report following a loss, I have invariably praised the opposition and given it due credit for being the better side. At least the last time when we lost to City it was bad luck, more than anything.
But yesterday, I couldn’t see much to say that United deserved anything out of this. I couldn’t even look to chide the Citeh fans, who were well behaved during the one minute silence.
Citeh got what they deserved, and so did we. I don’t want to really go deep analysing things for today because a lot was wrong about our display. I could have talked about Rooney’s and Evra’s absence, but those are excuses. The side we put out should have beaten a Man City side that have been well below par in recent weeks. It was derby day, an occasion to rise up to — enough motivation to win. And they didn’t. Maybe I am being too hard, or maybe it was the occasion that put undue pressure on them.
But they have to rise up to such occasions and not go missing. I am letting my emotions get the better of me here, which is certainly uncharacteristic of me. But I am feeling quite bitter about yesterday and so I will end what has been a rather incoherent post from my side.
See you when I get my spirits higher than this.
Edit: Oh, and the official reason for our defeat: Fatigue due to internationals. And here we are discussing the possibility of a 39th game, not to mention our short jaunt to Saudi Arabia. Oh, the irony!
Related items from Red Rants:
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- Rooney Out For A Month
- Reads of the day
- Betting Preview: City favourites to beat United?
Tags: Match Reports
February 11th, 2008 at 10:35
what a disappointing game and i agree with you red ranter,we deserved nothing from that game. united has always been strong in the last part of the season, but now we are the exact opposite of that.
instead of fergy running away after the match and leaving No.2 to try justify the loss he should have actually stayed back and own up to his 1st tactical error of 2008, the squad selection was simply wrong.esp coming after a week where he’s been talking about playing ronaldo wide and giving wellbek his debut. the bench was wrong, imagine park was supposed to come in and be our saviour.
since day 1, i have critised the inclusion of giggz and now to add some else another person in my list of players never to start a game, scholes, age has started taking its toll on our man and its terrifying trying to think what fabregas will do to him come sat. fergy should stick to a balanced team, hargo and andy in mid,rem with those two together man utd has proved to be dangerous upfront and not soaked in many goals.
and finally ronaldo is not a striker, he’s more effective coming in from the wings
February 11th, 2008 at 11:34
I always wonder why Man Utd fans regularly criticize Fergie and his tactical ‘mistakes’ as if they know better. If anything, he would know best who the right players are to start, which is the right formation to play in any given match. Why? Because he is with them every day of the season. He watches them in training sessions, he speaks to them, he understands each player’s strengths and weaknesses much better than anyone of us armchair fans.
That’s not to say Fergie can never be wrong. Like anyone else, he probably would have made some mistakes before. But the fact that we’ve been challenging for the league title for more seasons than not in the 21 years he’s been in-charge, does imply that he makes less mistakes than most other managers. Whatever it is, he alone is responsible for United’s failure or success.
About yesterday’s game, I thought we lost because the players were awful rather than because Fergie got it wrong.
In my opinion, Fergie started Anderson and Scholes because they were the best option to face City’s 5-men midfield, who were content to sit back and wait for the counter-attack. Anderson and Scholes have better ability to play in crowded spaces with short, one-touch passes compared to Hargreaves, who is more a destroyer protecting the back four, or Carrick, who is less agile and prefers to sit back and ping long passes.
The other key reason was the absence of Evra, or rather having O’Shea playing as left-back. Because of his lack of speed and relative discomfort with using his left foot, O’Shea would not have been effective going forward. So with O’Shea less likely to go forward (than Evra would have), he would have theoretically added another defender to help stop counter-attacks and allow the team to do without a defensive midfielder in the centre. Finally, the last part of the equation was to have Ferdinand and Vidic distribute the ball from deep in the way Carrick would have done.
But Fergie’s game plan was undone by the players themselves. Ferdinand was horrible yesterday. He must have given the ball away 5 times when he wasn’t even under pressure, one of which led to a corner which eventually resulted in the second goal. O’Shea should have picked up the run of Vassel in the first goal which started on the right hand side but he was nowhere close to the player. Up-front, the players were too static and didn’t provide enough movement and options to receive the ball. Passes were generally poor – it was just ugly.
City were faster to 50-50 balls, were harder in their challenges, and basically, wanted the win more than United did. Whatever tactics we would have played, at the end of the day, it wouldn’t have mattered.
February 11th, 2008 at 12:14
Re: Tactics:
I was indeed baffled by the tactics as you were. But a closer look reveals the problem might have been elsewhere.
For a start, it is evident that Fergie is trying to find the best midfield combination, now that he has the full
midfield to chose from, for the first time this season. Such experiments are inevitable. And i remember a lot of
the regulars over here crying for Anderson Scholes. I do not think it is necessarily bad, as Anderson seems to me
like Keano+ the ability to run with the ball. The completeness of Anderson’s ability is giving Fergie a dilemma in
the form of the type of his midfield partner.
We played the whole of first half with a 4 3 3. Our attacks were invariably through the center. A significant
change from last year. We took a while to warm to it. 433 seemed a good choice considering the type of our strikers
- Rooney + Tevez – who were more adept at finishing than heading. Since the FA cup match against the Spurs, we ve
been trying 4 4 2. I cannot, for certain, point the finger at a particular reason, but my guess is that, that is the best
formation in which Nani’s abilities are fully utilized. And this formation requires us to pass the ball to the wide
men a lot more often, when we get the ball. We seemed to have the hangover of the 433, and seemed to attack through
the center, where we didnt have enough men. Consequently, Nani was invisible.
Fergie/Queiroz have to make the choice between these two formations.
Another thing that has really worried me is that we have been AWFUL to the core, in the first half of MOST of the
matches.
February 11th, 2008 at 12:16
NO excuse we were the worst team and we deserved to loose, and it wasn’t because of fatigue bad excuse Carlos Queiroz. some players need to have a good look at themself, players like giggs brown o’shea etc are they really united standards now? do you guys agree or what
February 11th, 2008 at 12:22
red75: whats wrong with saying when fergy screwed up, honestly a lot of guyz will agree with me that yesteday was one of those days that fergy got it all wrong tactically.
February 11th, 2008 at 13:08
Can someone tell me why giggs took all corner kicks with nani on the pitch??
February 11th, 2008 at 15:23
5 points can be overturned.we probably need to bench giggs for the rest of the season and stick andy there.Rooneys back,hopefully with his touch.Sahas back too…hopefully.things look bright.
February 11th, 2008 at 15:25
its time giggs start showing more hunger or take steroids coz he gives up to easily in the box and yes we sucked so we are not winning and anderson and scholes playing together why???
a lot of question and no answers lets wait till arsenal gets fucked (hopefully)
coz i so badly want that a total annihilation of them and even if we loose the title it’ll be alright (somethings better than nothing)
and yeah carrick speaks again whats up with him and the media
February 11th, 2008 at 15:29
Yes, it was just one of those bad days at the office and as much has it hurts we got what we deserved, we can come up with excuse after excuse to what went wrong but one fact stands out, of all the games we have lost this season, guess what! Rooney was absent. We are never the same when he does not play, he is much more than a goal getter and his influence is sometimes underestimated, his infectious enthusiasm is vital to the team, lets hope he stays clear of injuries for the rest of the season because we need him.
February 11th, 2008 at 15:44
hello I’m french supporter, I love Olympique lyonnais
21 february:
Olympique lyonnais 3 – 0 manchester utd
two week after:
manchester 0 – 0 Olympique lyonnais
lyon will win champions ligue
February 11th, 2008 at 16:40
Well said Casandra. It is so obvious mate that rooney is very important in our team.
February 11th, 2008 at 17:44
come on blackburn 2-1 win to blackburn bently n cruz scorers
February 11th, 2008 at 18:07
somebody buy me some beer…i am depressed..
February 11th, 2008 at 18:16
What a Bullshit display! That was one game we just had to win… And stylishly too. What made it worse was when we scored that goal we made it look sooo easy. What was very evident was that we need some sort of target man. That is gona be a problem in Europe cause neither Rooney nor Tevez can play alone.
Read today that Fabio Quagliarella says we still interested in him and he was extremely flattered… That’s one player whom I think would be ideal for us.
Manchester United till I die!!!
February 11th, 2008 at 19:04
I just don’t get why Giggs and Scholes can’t transition into bench players, impact subs. Their attributes are tacitcal nous, individual brilliance and the ability to set up others. Their cons are that they’re losing pace, cant’ play for 90 minutes and do little defensively. Therefore it seems to me they’d be perfectly suited for bench roles, coming on in the last 30 minutes.
As for our midfield, it’s clear no one knows what the best combination is, but we need to find one fast. I believe Carrick/Anderson for weaker teams and Hargreaves/Anderson for stronger sides, but who knows. What we should do is pick two and give them a run, or else we’re not going to be able to get the consistency that tends to characterise our post christmas blitzes.
February 11th, 2008 at 21:07
guys lets not get caried away coz at the and of the day we have the best players in britian n we will catch up wit the gunners and surely yesterday proved how important master rooney is to the team so lets go and get them gunners
February 11th, 2008 at 21:29
Arsenal already up 1-0 shit!
February 11th, 2008 at 23:05
Arsenal are too strong for us! They play as a team… Great goal from Adebayor, a striker… zzz :p
Oh well…Next weekend will be though!
February 12th, 2008 at 0:41
MoYa 2 things about Quagliarella: 1. He’s not in the slightest bit a target man which we apparently ‘need’ and 2. He’s not United quality, nor is he a finisher which other people think we ‘need’, he just scores some great goals.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:51
I think too many people think that football management is simply about selecting a formation, picking eleven players (including the ‘ideal’ midfield-pairing), and then waiting for the word “GOAL!” to flash on the computer screen.
If only it were that simple.
Football management is more about motivating the players you got and bringing out the best in them. It’s about making sure your 34-year old veteran who has won 9 titles still has the hunger to compete at the highest level because maybe his 20-year old long-term replacement hasn’t quite settled into the team yet.
There isn’t anything wrong with criticising Fergie; like I said, he makes mistakes as well. I just think it’s got nothing to do with getting tactics wrong, but rather the failure of the players to rise to the occasion.
I was just as frustrated as any fan watching on Sunday and my frustration was to do with the fact that I’ve never seen Ferdinand given the ball away so cheaply so many times before in a game. I was frustrated because of the way we conceded the two goals because of the way we lost possession so cheaply because it seldom happens
So yes, if Fergie is to be blamed, it should be because he couldn’t get the eleven players he picked to start to play like the Man Utd players we know, and not because it should’ve been Hargreaves-Anderson or Carrick-Scholes or whatever.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:13
Players were just not good enough. Nothing wrong with Ferguson’s tactics what so ever. Defending was very very poor. We dont usually concede two goals in a match. Dang!!!!! =(
February 12th, 2008 at 8:51
Reading CQ give the excuse of the international fixtures as a reason to why the players dint rise up to the occasion was double speak from him, if really players need to keep fit and be fresh, then why did he have to take them accross the globe to saudi to play that stupid match which they lost jus coz of the 1million. fact remains if the team continues playing shit like they did, then its bye bye to the league..
February 12th, 2008 at 9:10
I think Fergie should start making some tough decisions for lineup. I think this rotation nonesense like liverpool is killing us, all in the name of keeping the squad happy. I think it is mandatory to play anderson and Carrick in the starting line up, while scholes and Hargreaves coming up as impact player. Another thing SAHA AINT FIT, this talk that if he is fit he plays, guess what he isnt so he is not playing. My wish was that Fergie could have bought another striker with more chances of getting a work permit but the tranfer window closed so we have to do with what we have. Am not so sure what style WellBeck plays but I think it will be fitting if he starts getting some games under his belt, say playing the last fifteen minutes. Imagine if Rooney and Tevez are injured, WE WOULD HAVE NO MORE STRIKERS. lets stop this nonesense of rotation to please players and play the game well
February 12th, 2008 at 9:33
Omera, my only wish is that fergy gets to make those tough correct choices as soon as possible,
red75, a larger part of football management is getting the squad right for every game even if it means hurting some egos. If truly CQ knew that 9 of the starting 11 were exhausted from the mid week games, then que is, did they haveto play all of them in that same game, i mean not all players were involved. ther is no need of having 11 motivated strikers in the pitch, all am saying is fergy was experimenting in the midfield and it backfired right on his face. i remember clearly that everytime citie went forward it looked like a real goal threat since our defence was left exposed.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:55
Kooool Guys ! past is past ..no more digging the shit again ! everybody must understand that the SUN had a very important role to play in both of the goals ! still a long way to go ! 5 points is not a big gap considering the games Arsenal have ! we also have some tough fixtures like Boro away and Blakburn away..even newcastle is also tough ! but still hope for the best !
lets start again next weeek ! glory manunited !
February 12th, 2008 at 10:05
someone pliz tell fergie sentiment doesnt win in football.
scholes and that mothafucka giggs.yes that hairy cocksucker.how much longer are we stuck with the prick?thats how much we love our captain.stay the fuck away from our games if u wish the club well.
February 12th, 2008 at 11:12
I see the boardmaster has censored my post that had some difficult questions for you Reds. No surprise.
So lets try just one of them for you. In a week where we had to take shit as City fans about how we were going to disrupt the silence – guilty to be rpoven innocent. When we did as we were always going to and respect it. The ONLY person to disrepect it was your manager, chewing gum.
Are you big enough to a) apologise to us for the unwarranted crap we took, and b) condem your manager for disrespect?
February 12th, 2008 at 11:59
there is no need for an apology… you’ll did what was the humane thing to do… the very fact that a small contingent sings munich songs and the very fact that your manager did not trust you’ll to maintain the silence is something for which you’ll should expect an apology for.. as far as our own manager.. mind your own business….
February 12th, 2008 at 13:41
Hi there. I’m an Arsenal fan as u may have guessed and i have great respect for your team and Manager. But what i do no like are people like DoniBrasco who slags off one of the, if not the greatest servant u ever had. Giggs may not be playing well but u don’t just slag off someone who has shed his tears and blood so that u will brag off to ur mates at work.
Criticize constructively and learn to cherish what u’ve got albeit washed off.
February 12th, 2008 at 16:53
[Idopas]
I had to delete your comment because it was a wind up in that situation. Not that I have to explain why I do it, but have a look at our comments policy.
And yes, if you read my article you will see that I acknowledged the fact that you were well behaved. And yes if you think you need an apology for behaving the way you did — staying silent for a tragedy — well, job well done, I say. My point is that whatever may be the outcome, there still are going to be a cross section of city fans who will continue to sing Munich songs. We all have our dirty fans. I really don’t see the need of an apology.
Regarding Ferguson, I have called him out when I think he’s crossed some lines. Most notably when he blamed some Arsenal fans for throwing abuses at him. I just found that rich and petty coming from him.
So I am relatively fair with regards to the manager. And he does know the importance of the babes more than many, as he’s been in close proximity with Sir Matt Busby. So I don’t doubt his respect for the great man. He was chewing gum, and that is too much of a nitpick if you ask me.
You won the game, and you deserved it. I can give you that. Anything more and you are asking for too much.
February 12th, 2008 at 16:55
And yes, the crap wasn’t ‘unwarranted’. Or you wouldn’t have your captain and manager urging you all to be silent.
February 12th, 2008 at 22:20
Idopas you fool, Fergie chews gun for medical reaosns. get over yourself….the press are the ones who actually led a crusade claiming that you City fans would act like baboons…
February 13th, 2008 at 4:39
Sorry for such a delayed response to the game, have been away. Our bench hurt us, there was no real impact players that coul change a game, someone like saha would have been invaluable but we all know where that story goes. An idea would have been to take nani off as he was highly ineffective drop ronaldo back to the wing, and bring anderson up the field to play off Tevez, then bring on haregreaves to hold the midfield, releasing scholes further up. Our changes were made to late imo, they should have been dne around the 60 min mark.
But then again as it has been said, what would I know as a fan…
February 13th, 2008 at 16:40
RedRanter – you’re a braver man than I.
Still can’t face writing about this match. Painful.
February 14th, 2008 at 8:14
I actually couldn’t get myself to write a match report. All I really did was crib!