Aug 17
Man Utd v Newcastle: Preview
So, aren’t you all excited? Can you even contain yourself? Well, I can’t wait for the 08/09 season (for United) to start. So let’s kick start our season, proper, with a brief preview of the Barcodes game.
Michael Owen looks like he won’t be playing for the Magpies; interestingly he has never started the season for Newcastle in his three seasons at the club. They’ve made a couple of signings in Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez whilst we haven’t done much to speak of in the transfer market — apart from keeping hold of Ronaldo and signing Davide Petrucci.
Fergie wants Rooney to score more goals this season. But the bigger news is that Rooney will start. Rooney will partner Tevez up front, and that sight would be a relief. Tevez has been outstanding in pre-season, whilst Rooney has put in double training sessions. So there is a lot we can expect from our front two.
The big talking point, of course, is our lack of potent wingers that can hurt Newcastle. Nani is suspended, Park has just returned to training and Hargreaves remains crocked. That makes our options on the wing limited. This means Ryan Giggs will surely start. It could possibly mean we’ll play a 4-3-3 with Tevez and Giggs played wide and Rooney in front. This would mean, Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher will play in the centre of the park. The defence will consist of Evra, Rio, Vidic and Neville.
The lack of real penetrative wingers calls for moves through the middle of the park. And hopefully we just about get the job done.
Come on you reds!!!
Prediction: 1-0 to United. Tevez to score.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Update on Red Rants
- Man Utd vs Newcastle Utd: Preview
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Keegan ‘I’d Love It’ Returns To Geordie-land. Heh!
Tags: Site News
August 17th, 2008 at 9:12
I agree 1-0 to United. But which one?? At least we’ll be bringing a defence with us this time, and Manchester are notoriously slow starters…..
August 17th, 2008 at 9:17
@UTD111: There is only one united
If it was Newcastle I would have said Barcodes.
August 17th, 2008 at 9:18
Hmm? So what do you think is the surprise that Fergie was promising?
August 17th, 2008 at 9:38
yea, redranter, did you let that slip you lol. This is why saf should of bought a winger this summer, we are short in that position. it would be nice if we played a 4-4-2 with fabio on the right…
August 17th, 2008 at 9:52
Sorry Red Ranter – I think you’ll find you are factually incorrect – there are lots of Uniteds both in the Prem and in the football league….as for your strange term “barcode” – this exists only in your little mind. I could but will not stoop as low by using names like “Manure” or “Scumchester” – as I think daft name calling like that is childish
August 17th, 2008 at 10:24
Oh come on! ‘The Barcodes’ is awesome. It has to be one of the most affectionate and less offensive term of any mock nicknames of the Premier League clubs.
As for the game, I think Man Utd will win by a comfortable margin, but I am not expecting fireworks. Also, Fletcher will play on the wings, as he did against Portsmouth, methinks.
August 17th, 2008 at 10:40
I think 3-0 i think rooney will get a brace with tevez also getting on the scoresheet!
August 17th, 2008 at 10:47
i’m starting to think that the surprise is just a lack of a new signing
we have another 12 hours or so for fergies 48 hours to be over
August 17th, 2008 at 11:08
Thankfully the season will start now. We have played against the likes of Pompey, Juve and Espanjol, but this is the real stuff. This is the start of another great season for us and I hope we start with a win! Rooney is back, great news, Ronaldo, Park, Owen, Nani and Anderson are out, bad news. Tevez is in good form, so is Scholes to me. I think he will become the MOTM today. Arsenal and Liverpool won yesterday, but not convincingly. Chelski play Pompey at Stamford Bridge today, so that should be a win for them. Cant really see Pompey draw or win that one, not after selling Muntari. But, Pompey are a team full of surprises so lets hope for one! But its annoying me that all the so-called “experts” are thinking that Chelskin will win the League. They think United dont have a real goalscorer, Ronaldo wont play so much(?), Tevez wont be as good as last season and the most rediculus is that they think our defense has gotten worse since last season since Gaz has returned! But United will prove them wrong again and win all 7 trophies they can this season. Hurray!
Lets look at todays game.
I know everything…
Our team should be:
VDS
Neville Rio Vida Evra
Fletcher Scholes Carrick Giggs
Tevez Rooney
subs: TK, Wes, Silvestre, Rafael, Oshea, Gibson and Campebell. Kinda defensive subs, but thats all we got right now with 8 attackers/midfielders out. Anderson, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Park, Nani, Saha, Manucho and Welbeck are out. So…Prediction? 3-0 to Manchester United. Rooney to score a rare header, Tevez to score from a free-kick and Scholes to score when 1-on-1 after a pass from Carrick.
COME ON YOU REDS!
August 17th, 2008 at 11:12
@UTD nelson: There is only one united. You are right about the Barcode thing though, its actually Zebra stripes!
August 17th, 2008 at 11:20
Did anyone notice Fergie at Everton v Blackburn yesterday. My friend has good seats at Everton as a season ticket so he offered me a corporate ticket for free(dont worry I am a united fan)anyway Fergie were sat about 6 rows down from me and when i got back in last night watched MOTD and he were on there as well. He says we’ve got a surprise coming, I honestly wouldd be surpriesed if were gonna get santa cruz, why else would he watch blackburn?spurs ate just tryin 2 rip us off, and with the Glazers bein stingy, it might be the cheaper option, but I’m not 2 sure about him. what do u reckon, il still be made up if we get berba though!
August 17th, 2008 at 12:00
Red Diablo says – “So what do you think is the surprise Fergie was promising.” Being sceptical, I can venture a guess. We all expected transfer activity, and new striker/strikers, which haven’t materialised. So that’s the surprise, you expected new players but got Feck all.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:02
@Mike: Why does SAF require to go and see SantaCruz? I bet he already has enough info on him. Fergie rarely scouts. I think he was there coz its close by and Simpson could’ve played.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:35
If Wes Brown is dropped for Gary, after the blood, sweat and tears he gave for us last season, then I despair. I love Red Nev, but Wes has done nothing to deserve to be dropped!.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:44
@Craig Mc: It’s a new season so it doesn’t count as being dropped. Neville was fit near the end of the season last year but fergie never dropped brown. Fergie is fair.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:56
@Craig Mc: thank you for noticing!
I mean it is kinda obvious that we will sign a striker! But i was kinda trying to ask which one?
August 17th, 2008 at 13:04
Oh I can’t wait for the game but I can’t wait for the suprise more, I hope it’s
a signingBerba.August 17th, 2008 at 13:08
Oh no oh no oh no, i just read this. I hope this isn’t the ‘big’ surprise
August 17th, 2008 at 13:30
shit, chelsea just walked out the tunnel, and shiverd in fear, god this season will be 10 times as hard as last…
August 17th, 2008 at 14:11
Yeah Chelsea started well. They are looking more balanced with Bosingwa and Ashley Cole giving them width. Deco in particular is very impressive getting stuck in, wanting the ball and starting to pull strings and helping them keep possession. Really though it is still a Chelsea built on defence and a ball winning midfield and long balls.
August 17th, 2008 at 14:18
Chelsea should take the league this year, if drogba stays committed. They have ridiculous quality, a deeper squad than us and a better ability to nick 1-0 wins then we do. We’re more fun to watch though
They’ve already managed two over Portsmouth, something we couldn’t muster til pens last week
Santa Cruz wouldn’t be a bad signing, I think Berba has been priced out. And I feel really sorry for him, he looked frustrated yesterday on the pitch, just angry at life. Levy may have successfully f*cked their season. Good job chap!
August 17th, 2008 at 14:27
fuck me 3-0 at half time…
August 17th, 2008 at 14:29
Pompey f**k sake opening day and they ship 3 by half time>
I have a degree in football manager 08 only but Redknapp>
~Bouba Diop is no winger
~Kaboul is no midfielder
~Campball is no spring chicken
Onto United I think we will win 2-0(Man United that is), I think we will score late. Carrick and Rooney or maybe Tevez to seal it.
I think it’s important we grab the points today as the other 4 have come outta the blocks fast, plus with the list of players to come back we can go in the away games(pompey, scouse, chelski) in top gear!
I would go 4-4-2 =
VDS
BROWN
VIDA
FERDY
EVRA
FLETCHER
CARRICK
SCHOLES
GIGGS
ROONEY
TEVEZ
August 17th, 2008 at 14:33
2-0 to united…Rooney and Tevez to score…MOM Tevez..go United…
August 17th, 2008 at 14:49
Beachryan I really do not think Chelsea are all that much better than us on paper. We’ve bridged the gap with our signings last season and the ascent of Ronaldo. The difference for me is that Chelsea are like a machine. They rarely drop points and have so many players capable of scoring. I do not think they make as many chances as we do but they are much more clinical. On the other hand we have days when we just seem incapable of putting the ball in the net and other days when we murder teams 3-0.
On SkySports there is an article saying Ferguson wants a return to 1999 with four experienced strikers to chose from.
Well, Rooney is the only experienced player we have who can play as a striker and even then it is not his best position. For me Tevez and Ronaldo are forwards and Saha can barely stand up let alone strike the ball.
Really without that extra striker I am not sure we can top Chelsea for the third consecutive season.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:08
wheres jb
August 17th, 2008 at 15:12
i just saw half the team sheet, campbell starts as does rooney, and its is a youthful(and i mean youthful) bench, the only old timer is neville, suprise….
August 17th, 2008 at 15:17
Yes…the surprise is Frazier Campbell is starting…good one Fergie…here’s for Frazier to come good.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:18
although the mirror isn’t exactly a beacon of credibility, they’ve announced that the £25m deal WILL go through for berba.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/08/17/exclusive-25m-utd-dimitar-berbatov-deal-115875-20701688/
August 17th, 2008 at 15:18
Sorry for the delay dan
Team News:
GK: VDS
RB: Brown
CB: Ferdinand
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra
RM: Fletcher
CM: Carrick
CM: Scholes
LM: Giggs
CF: Campbell
CF: Rooney
Subs – Kusczczak, Neville, Rafael, O’Shea, Evans, Rodrigo, Gibson
August 17th, 2008 at 15:20
Wheres Tevez, please tell me he isnt injured
August 17th, 2008 at 15:21
tevz must be injured and welcome back jb. i hope possebon gets some game time.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:23
Thanks Dan
Tevez has apparently had to return to Argentina because of a family issue.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:23
aahh, tevez has gone home for family reasons.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:25
@dan(u-ol): thank god
that lineup looks a bit…shaky? we better put on some display
August 17th, 2008 at 15:26
campbell surely couldnt have been the suprise. what is it…
August 17th, 2008 at 15:30
i would prefer if rafael was on the right to be perfectly honest.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:32
@abood89: he’s gone home because a family member has died, not a good thing to say, what you said.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:34
why no attcking based players?? i know we got injuries but surely we didn’t have to have 4 defenders on the bench????
August 17th, 2008 at 15:36
i was meant to link that to the earlier comment that he wasn’t injured. my apologies…i wish him and his family all the best.
but an injury to rooney in this game and we are potentially entirely toothless up front. tevez’s absence just highlights the urgency of the situation.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:39
and i don’t count campbell or manucho etc. only one of these unproven players can be in our supposed attacking quartet. a quartet of campbell manucho dong and [insert unknown striker here] isn’t something to write home about.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:41
@abood89: i agree, we need berbatov, or welbeck could step up to the plate *waits to get raped by groggy and co*
August 17th, 2008 at 15:48
it’s been a long time since i’ve seen one of our youth players ’step up to the plate’ and become something truly world-class. even with berbatov, we’d still have a bit of a gap.
oh well…newcastle are ideal target practice (fingers crossed)
August 17th, 2008 at 15:49
were back boys!
Good luck
August 17th, 2008 at 15:51
JB – Woo, I was asking everybody if you had emigrated, because I expected to see you still on here. Keep the posts coming mate!.
Anybody got a live stream connection for this game, because I haven’t got sky – sad!.
August 17th, 2008 at 15:52
somehow not liking this line up…
It looks like some 2nd division team line up (except for defense)…
August 17th, 2008 at 15:53
where can i watch the match online
post a link asap. plz plz
August 17th, 2008 at 15:56
Giggs and Scholes together in the same line up!!!
I fear they will painfully slow down the whole left side…
August 17th, 2008 at 15:59
what? no tevez?
August 17th, 2008 at 15:59
Well, it’s finally time for kick-off..been waiting for this for almost 3 months!
C’mon you Reds!!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 15:59
AndyCR7 slow they may be but they are both a credible goal threat which is important as Rooney may still be feeling under the weather from the flu and Campbell is not playing against lower-league defencers any more. It is in our interests to slow the game down, retain possession and take our chances nad Giggs and Scholes (and Carrick) will help us do that.
My prediction 2-1 with goals from Giggs and Rooney.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:00
Stop Slating the team before a ball has even been kicked!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 16:11
@adie: http://www.justin.tv/widgets/jtv_live.r8713.swf?channel=chavulmb
August 17th, 2008 at 16:20
the team’s started brightly….me thinks the goals will flow once we break the dead lock
August 17th, 2008 at 16:25
there you go!!!..barcodes score…this team needs a striker!!! please SAF, let it be a good surprise…
August 17th, 2008 at 16:25
what the fuck was that….shit!!!
martins scores
August 17th, 2008 at 16:26
now lets see how fast we respond, hahaha as i type we score!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 16:27
exactly what we needed. tidy goal darren
August 17th, 2008 at 16:27
haha there you go…60 seconds and we’re level-fletcher!!
August 17th, 2008 at 16:27
carrick picked up a injury
August 17th, 2008 at 16:27
ahh..they r just barcodes…patience son patience
August 17th, 2008 at 16:27
O’shea?!!?!?! For the love of christ put in rodrigo. I LOVE Big John, but he suck at cm
August 17th, 2008 at 16:30
60 seconds and we get the answer! yesss!
August 17th, 2008 at 16:30
Did anyone else notice Ronaldo’s half hearted clapping when we scored? His face remained impassive and a second later he reached for his mobile. Very disappointing.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:48
@IBleedRed: Agreed, love O’Shea but should have put on Rodrigo instead.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:49
gosh, why couldnt saf put on possebon, o’shea is a terrible cm…
August 17th, 2008 at 16:50
it really is a second string side (except for the defense)
we need to pull this off…but if not, remember last seasons bullshit start.
have faith my friends
August 17th, 2008 at 16:50
@dan(u-ol): Because he’s got more experience. We need to dig in and win the game. Not throw in someone unproven like Possebon — especially in a crucial position like CM.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:50
@colver yea i saw that
we are getting pushed arround i think that is why jos is in instead of somone more skilled he is harder to push off the ball
August 17th, 2008 at 16:52
The midfield desperately needs rodrigo in there. Wazz is having to drop too deep again to be an affective striker.
Bit worried but im sure we’ll pull through…….def not sold on Campbell tho!
August 17th, 2008 at 16:52
@Red Ranter: true, very good point, but that doesn’t disguise the fact that john is a terrible cm.
campbell has been excellent, as has rooney, campbell has goals in him and was unlucky to score.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:54
Dismal, Dismal, Dismal. Too often caught in possession up front, get rid of the ball. Why is Campbell always trying to beat 2 or 3 men in the area, instead of the simple pass. He can’t dribble to save his feckin life, he is always off balance. I am trying to be positive, honest I am, but I hate this shit.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:54
Pretty good half from the team, given their banged up status. I mean, Campbell, Fletcher, Giggs and O’Shea wouldn’t start in a first XI, so we’re doing alright. It’s gonna be a tough match, but it should be, we’re missing half our damn team! It’s still early days, but let’s hope Given’s ability (luck today) doesn’t hold up in the second half. I fear for us though, Rooney hasn’t played 90 in ages, Campbell has never played a prem 90, Giggs can’t play 90…you can probably see where I’m going with this. We need a goal early this half if we want to win.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:56
I would have been there on the terraces today, but I got a foul cold, and wouldn’t be good spreading my germs around. I gave my ticket to a friend – glad I did now.
August 17th, 2008 at 16:58
@dan(u-ol): I’m not going to lay one on you mate. Cause you already know you’re wrong.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:00
hehe, you accidentally said ‘you’re’ when you where supposed to say ‘im’.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:03
@Red Ranter: Thats fine and all, but how do you explain Campbell on then? Certainly he would be ‘unproven’ too. And, Possebon will eventually have to come on to get ride of that ‘unproven’ tag anyway. The geordies arent that good, playing with heart, but we can pick them apart with a few well placed passes, which possebon could provide. Very impressed with Campbell though, after missing that sitter, hes held the ball up well and set up some great chances. Would love for him to become a integral part in the squad. 4th choice behind Rooney, Tevez, and Berbatov would suit him well.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:08
Well so much for my predictions for the Pompey vs Chelski match. Fuck they looked good but that’s OK. I just can’t believe they will continue with that. Still, today’s game was a clear statement of intent. They mean business and we need a striker. So what gives?
I have no problems so far with United’s performance in the first half. Newcastle has worked hard and credit to them. United have passed and moved the ball well, but there is no finish at the end. Simple remedy really. Get a striker and we need Tevez back ASAP.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:15
So do we all really belive that their will be a suprise signing? or is fergie just playing with all our emotions? I hope its berbatov, and I pray its not huntelar. I would be disapointed if we got Santa Cruz instead of Berbatov. But I would rather us get Santa Cruz instead of Huntelar.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:19
what is giggs mad at?
August 17th, 2008 at 17:21
To be fair, Nicky Butt has been absolutely superb today.
Giggs has been our best player so far, Campbell has looked sharp.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:28
grog et al,
what are you on guys. campbell has been quite good so far. in fact amongst the better performers.
the worst for me have been O’shea, VDS.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:30
when do we get Anderson back?
August 17th, 2008 at 17:32
I like how Ferguson seems to have a lot of faith in his youngsters. I dont think he would play them just to play them, he must really rate them.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:48
we now really need a late goal, campell has been quite bad today
but possebon good
August 17th, 2008 at 17:53
@OllieY: i agree…pretty shit performance all around. free kick given as we speak. let’s hope this is something
August 17th, 2008 at 17:54
ah crap…nothing
August 17th, 2008 at 17:54
And people will look back to this day and say see how much we need a striker or Ronaldo to bang in some goals against the Barcodes who we thrashed last season.
August 17th, 2008 at 17:56
ah fuck that has ruined my weeked and probably up until we get some good news SHIT!!!!!!!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 17:56
August 17th, 2008 at 17:58
we’re like a newly promoted championship team.
1. aging players: giggs ended up with a knock, scholes’ shots were barely kept in the ground and his passing nearly gave the game away.
2. inexperience: possebon was lively, but his over-confidence at times showed newcastle too much of the ball; campbell hardly made an impression other than his tracking back (his dribbling is atrocious).
3. and just simple lack of quality players: oshea and fletcher were all over the place. neither provided the ‘champions’ touch we needed.
if we really are on the brink of greatness, how come when every season starts, we are found to be in the midst of a serious injury crisis. is lack of funds in the market the problem, or the lack of initiative. even Henry would have done today’s squad a hell of good.
why do i get the impression we;re on a run of draws and 1-0 wins (sound familiar)?
August 17th, 2008 at 18:02
*phone rings*
Levy: Hello?
Fergie:How much?
Levy:What? Is that you Alex?
Fergie: How much?
Levy: How much for what?
Fergie: Im not in the mood right now, how much?
Levy: The going rate for a Berbatov is 38 Million… but since I like you, I’ll only charge you 32.
Fergie: Done. I’ll wire you the money in the morning.
*hangs up phone*
August 17th, 2008 at 18:03
We looked really good until Carricks Injury. Was only really Given that saved them. O’shea though isnt the player you want as a CM when you are the team top from an attacking pov and he just sucked all the creativity out of the side that we had earlier on. And as the game went on it was always going to get tougher.
Thought Campbell did well, a couple of times where his lack of experience and made the wrong decision but looked lively. More games at this level can only do him good
August 17th, 2008 at 18:07
Pretty bad performance overall, but Campbell looked good and so did Possebon. In the first minutes of the game (before Carrick came off) Rooney looked set to have a good game, but then the midfield support just gave out.
I think there are a lot of positives and things will straighten out once we get some of our players back from injury, suspension and international duty.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:12
Rooney was really pathetic today. He sucked whole last year, but today was on a whole different level. It says it all that Campbell looked better then him. I freaking 30 mil striker who is afraid to shoot
…just pathetic. I am not sure how we gonna pull through this and it might be all over before Ronaldo is even back. The worst part is, that I don’t see us improving till we get him back.Great day everyone get’s their wins except us.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:12
i’m sorry was i watching a different game from some of you??? Campbell was awful
August 17th, 2008 at 18:15
@Jonboi:
I’m not sure another Striker would have done that much for most of the game. It was the midfield that on the whole was at fault. Fletcher tries hard but I don’t think the right get the best out of him and when Carrick was lost and O’shea took over there just wasnt the same creativity and drive. Possebon might have been a better option but he wasnt at his most impressive when he came on either (that might have been as Newcastle were shutting up shop and Giggs had gone off so we had no real penetration down the flanks) so I think maybe Fletcher should have gone on the centre and either O’Shea brought on at Left back and Evra moved up or Rafeal brought on who may have given more penatration
August 17th, 2008 at 18:16
An indifferent performance. We let Newcastle dictate the tempo of the game and were forced into a fast, physical, pressing game we did not have the legs to succeed in. Sucks that Giggs was taken off I thought he looked very good today with some sublime passes.
It was good to see the youngsters get a chance but they all looked a bit lightweight in a game when we needed a physical presence. What I would have given to put Anderson or Hargreaves on to boss the midfield!
Most of our most promising play was on the wings which was a shame considering Nani and Ronaldo were both out.
Campbell did better than I expected. A lot of running, he got stuck in, and got a few shots on target. His passing is woeful and his touch not much better and I do not think he has the frame to be an effective target man.
Possebon is a stylish tidy player but this was not the game for him. He needed more time on the ball and Newcastle were pressing.
Da Silva looked extremely lightweight but I was impressed by his willingness to keep running and he did well to win the free kick in the final minute.
I was glad to see Rooney return but he was playing way too deep, no doubt because we weren’t controlling the midfield.
Portsmouth are very similar to the new-look Newcastle so we are going to have to seriously step up
By the way did anyone see Agbonlahor today? He looked very good and this could be the year he finds his scoring touch. Id love to see him and Rooney up front for England.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:19
Possebon should definitely start in placeof o’shea in the centre of midfield. Ferguson seems to select people just because of experience instead of ability. Campbell impressed despite what people on here will say. Think we need a creative winger who can create something, despite fletcher trying his all he just didn’t create enough.
Just seeing on skysport carrick is injured, lets see who fergie selects out of o’shea and possebon for the game against pompey. If it is o’shea i can see more dropped points.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:20
Spot on Jonboi. We lacked quality all round. The only difference with a newly promoted team is that we lacked so many first team players, particularly in the wide positions. The question is whether we can keep in touch until the injured players, particularly Ronnie, are back. I am not sure!
August 17th, 2008 at 18:21
To expect more from a youngster on his debut is crazy. Campbell forced several good saves from Given. What did Rooney do, 1 shot when he got lucky and the ball bounced to him and nothing else. I know that our midfield was bad too and that we are missing many players, but there were several chances that could have gave us smth and Rooney screwed up. My pationce is running out on Rooney.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:21
Wakey, come on Mate!. What feckin match were you watching?. Campbell good, well your easily pleased. We couldn’t put more than one pass together, unless we were passing it between the back four, or backwards in our own half that is. It was shite personified in the 2nd half. Though I do agree that Giggs was not doing too badly until he went off injured, and I’m not a Giggs fan. Strength in depth – hahahaha, Chelsea, L’Fool and Arsenal can’t wait to get us at their places in the next few weeks – they will certainly not fear us on todays form.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:22
@OllieY: You were watching a different game. Campbell is far from solving our striker crisis, but he looks to be a solid back up. Like Wakey said “More games at this level can only do him good.”
@Orez: Your being a bit harsh on Rooney, a striker is only as good as his midfield. He just didnt have the support he needed.
we dropped 2 points, but there is still 111 left to play for. So please can we all try and avoid the doom and gloom.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:23
…………………..
August 17th, 2008 at 18:28
We should get Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. They are both great players in my eyes.
Especially Young, he impressed me so much.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:32
Funny how a goal changes the appreciation of a player..
To everybody slating Campbell (Jonboi, Craig…) had he scored he would have been MOTM. But he didnt and some of you are quick to slate him off.
Similarly Fletcher, except for his goal was quite disappointing. Against Pompey he did not score but played very well. So please don’t judge a performance just by goals.
And RR, while I also agree that experience is important at CM, everybody agrees that O’Shea is dismal at CM. So no use to play him there when you can get the passing quality of Possebon instead.
Penguin, Giggs was not the best player today, but hey I think everybody would be hard pressed to actually identify our best player today. Campbell I think was very unlucky not to score he had at least three goal scoring chances that the barcodes did well to keep out.
Rooney on the other hand played reasonably well in the 1st half but was poor in the second. Shame about Tevez as he was clearly the one player likely to cause Newcastle problems today.
Also Fergie could have done with Rafael being introduced earlier on, as clearly Brown was not going to bring danger on the right and the culry haired lad nearly got us a penalty!
Hmph not much else to rant about, ecxcept that this year Chelski are clearly favourites, with Deco looking every bit like a young Scholes.
Oh, and welcome back JB!
August 17th, 2008 at 18:34
Look on the bright side, at least we didnt go to stamford bridge today ey chaps?
August 17th, 2008 at 18:41
@OllieY: Come on, all clear cut opportunities we got (except from the goal)were from Capmbell (and 1 from Rooney I think). Its just that as Orez rightly pointed out, Given did well to save them.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:43
Poor performance. I know we’re missing key players but this is when you need others, especially those experienced players to step up. Personally I thought Scholes, Vidic, Flecher, Rooney and even Evra (where were those trademark forward runs?) had poor games by their standards. Giggs as much as I love him was awful, and has been for some time now. Good assist though, it must be said.
There was simply no finishing touch today. And that was clear when you look back and see that the most dangerous player, he who looked most likely to score was a 21 year old debutant fresh out of the Championship.
Not only do we need a striker, a target man, someone with a bit of physical presence, I think we also need a covering winger. Giggs is sadly way past being an effective winger and Fletcher just doesn’t have the pace to beat a man. Without Ronaldo, Nani and to an extent tevez, there was no flair, and I almost expected us not to score by the end. It’s a long time since I’ve felt that way as a Man United (the team who ALWAYS score) fan.
At least there is solace, looking back only a year where we drew our first game and went on to lose the next (?) we still managed to go on to win the league. We’ve gained a point, and hopefully with a striker coming in this week we will be able to kick off against Portsmouth with some confidence and forget about this poor match.
Special mention has to go to Possebon and Rafael though. Certainly not the ideal game to introduce them but they did OK. Possebon looks incredibly assured on the ball and has a good eye for a pass. Kind of like a younger faster Michael Carrick. Rafael looks lightweight but to be fair, in the 10 minutes he was on he made 1 thrilling, imposing run, earning us a free kick in a dangerous postion, which is more than Fletcher did all match.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:47
got to the pub just in time for kick off… was pissed that tevez was no where to be seen (only just learnt that he has gone home for family reasons) shame, he was playing so well in the pre season. when newcastle goal went in i went fucking mad at fletcher, his man left him standing, scholes didnt have a chance when the ball came past him…i was too busy cursing fletcher that i didn’t notice he scored..so that shut me up. but things that were blatently clear to me… one, the passing was the shittest i have seen for a long time… 2 rooney has left his touch somewhere between his 20th and 21st birthday… i know i know he’s just back, but he is gonna have to improve a hell of a lot in my books, he managed to get booked as well… he knows about this bullshit respect the (even when he makes shit desisions0 ref. and still gets booked. 3. for all the effort that campbell put in, he was mediocre… had several headers that should of been goals if it wernt for given playing a blinder after that he just did a rooney and tracked back tackling horrendously even getting a booking… now i thought that he was suppose to be a striker but as the game went on it was more and more obvious that we NEED a striker who is greedy and wants to score goals, not run back to right back (rooney) yes i love his determination and passion, but in a few years he wont be able to do that will he… he will prove me wrong when back to fitness i hope… VDS showed his age.. brown showed he carnt play right back and someone tell me why the fuck… why out of the subs including gibson and possebon did o’shit get put on instead… i love him for that goal against the scouse, but he should only ever play left back.. or striker for the last 3 seconds of a game… really annoyed me that one… and when possebon got on the pitch he was lively quick passing confident, deffinatly gonna get a few games this seaon, as will da silva who came on for campbell….
overall really quite deflated.. especially after chelsea seem to have whiped better oppossion that we played… laughing at citeh getting fucked over tho, thats the only silver lining to the cloud over old trafford today…. many will think im being over depressive about it.. but as i said to my mates in the pub… we need not one but two signings.. one better be a quick thinking and sly bulgarian… the other better be equally as good…. it depresses me to say this, but with out ronaldo… we looked no better than average..
p.s curse the bastard olyimpics for robbing us of the player we needed most today.. someone to bully nicky butt who just had a blinder..
i want a severe improvement… but what i want more is a fully fit squad with suberb additions.. otherwise, as someone has noted.. we looked today like a newly promoted team.
rant over.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:56
Nico QB, all of us have an opinion on every player. YOU think Campbell will make it at United, I don’t. To me he has no balance, tries to dribble and beat players when he should pass, especially in the box, and he falls over far too much. Fair enough if he is your flavour of the month, to me he is lightweight and not the kind of aggressive striker we need. Whether he had scored or not, he would have never been MOTM. Rooney is not fit, and plays FAR too deep for a striker. He contributed very little today, but I will excuse him, because normally he contributes a lot.
Johnsom 33 – You may call it gloom and doom, I call it being honest. I have not enjoyed watching United, in pre season and in charity shield. It was snooze fest football. And things were not much better today IMHO. And just in case you want to judge me as not being a true Man Utd supporter, I know I am. I follow the lads home and away, scavening and often paying over the odds for tickets for away games obviously. Anyway I am not saying that to big myself up, I am just speaking as a fan who has loved and followed the team since being a kid, and I am worried at the state of things. You all may be optimists, and I can appreciate that, but I think we were fortunate to catch up last season, because Arsenal and Chelsea had serious injury and other player problems. At least I can be honest about that. I truly believe that will not happen again, and if we fall behind early as last year, we will not catch up. That is my thought, and you don’t have to agree with me. I won’t complain if you do differ – that’s what opinion is all about.
August 17th, 2008 at 18:58
@ Jay – On Fletcher I assume you mean other than score the goal then
?
I can’t understand how anyone is surprised by today’s performance. The only surprise I had was that Scholes was sh*te, I was expecting a lot more from him. Due to injuries, suspensions, bad luck and poor transer activity we’re woefully short up front.
Campbell did well, he harried, has real pace and created an opening from nothing. Certainly worth keeping around until we have some more back up.
Rooney was blunted because a: he’s not fit enough to play 90 minutes, b: Newcastle had both Butt and Guthrie operating in his space to stop him (they barely left their own half) and c: our central midfield was terrible today.
Giggs and Scholes cannot play 90 minutes at the top anymore. It’s easy for me to see, I’m sure Fergie can as well. The gameplan is my mind is to use Giggs as a sub, and start Scholes but pull him for Anderson/Hargreaves as the situatin dictates, around the 60th minute. Today we got screwed by Carrick’s injury (any updates on that?) and Tevez’s family bereavement. Sucks, but there you go. Long season ahead. And our team might be added by:
Ronaldo
Tevez
Nani
Anderson
Hargreaves
Berbatov
Saha
So you know, have some perspective!
August 17th, 2008 at 19:00
I believe Fergie said Hargo would be fit to play in the Portsmouth game. I will be very happy to have him back.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:01
@JaY: Having a go at fletch isnt fair considering he banged in our goal in an otherwise average performance, a level that probably looked magnificent to some of our other lads today. His desire to work for the team was refreshing but his meagre abilities were handicapped by not only being played out of position but also with having to deal with Newcastles marauding new signing whose name escapes me right now. Ive gotta say the defenders played well and dealt with most things very proffesionally
August 17th, 2008 at 19:04
Oh yeah, at one point in the match our front five were Campbell, Fletcher, Evra, Da Silva and Rooney. Bleak.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:05
Oh YEAH! The Striker would have no difference to the game?
At the end! Our team was bangin in balls to the newcastle box! IF WE HAD A TALL STRIKER LIKE BERBATOV then atleast he may have gotten hold of the ball!
@johnsom33: I just hope that this seriously happens! NOW!
United were seriously pathetic! I have never said this but Rooney was SHIT! And what about Chelski?
August 17th, 2008 at 19:06
Carrick and Giggs are out for 2-3 weeks….Can this day get any worse for me? Cut my finger in the morning, burnt my toast and got an injury at my training. Now United drew on the first day of the season and Carrick and Giggs are out for some weeks. We need Owen, Anderson and Park back quickly before things get worse! We play Chelski and Scousers in 3 weeks remember?
August 17th, 2008 at 19:09
Did Martins empressou guys too today? He may not be a tall player, but he is strong and fast. He proved he can head the ball too today. I would have liked it if Fergie went after him. He aint that old either.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:18
For the record, Martins is crap. First header he’s probably ever scored, and lets face it, I could have managed that from 3 yards unmarked. Never someone we should be after. Just an older, bigger Campbell.
Sucks a lot about losing Carrick and less so Giggsy. Nani will be back after next match (Portsmouth) so that’s something. How can we expect Hargo to be match fit? And Park?
Anderson should be able to slot straight in though, he’s been playing in hotter temperatures for full matches for the week now
August 17th, 2008 at 19:26
Will – you said it as it is mate. I agree wholeheartedly with your post. What concerns me, is that we were top of our form for most of the matches last year, and Chelski and Arsenal still got very close to us in the end. And they had considerable injuries and players out in Africa at different and important times. As I said, I truly believe that if we fall behind in our early season games, we will not claw it back this time. Even Fergie has said this himself. What I am afraid of, is if we continue playing this shite for a couple of months, we MAY NOT FINISH IN THE TOP FOUR THIS YEAR. You can all lambast me as much as you like, but we need to find a combination of players that can get points for us until our top players are back. Like Kevin Keegan said in his post match interview, they OUTPACED us, because we were pedestrian. If your not in denial, you will have to say he is right.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:26
@Red Diablo:
honestly mate hes just come back after a long illness.dint train for half the pre season,was marked out by butt and guthrie,was actually operating in the most congested part of the damned pitch…did u expect a fecking blinder 
for the first 30 mins or so he was the best player on the pitch beyond doubt…
August 17th, 2008 at 19:27
This is the reason why you can’t blood young players at United…the stakes are just too high…you draw one game and that’s 2 points you have to make up…Campbell showed good endeavour and pace but lacked that extra bit of vision and touch when it was most needed…he just needs to settle down in the final third and learn when to use his pace when attacking…honestly I don’t expect much from Scholes in terms of attacking but now we see how important Carrick is…he is instrumental in the forward movement play of the team..Scholes is more like a facilitator…I hate to say it but O’shea and Feltcher should not be starting or in general playing more than 30 min tops in the league….O’shea totally threw the team out of wack…he was basically creating confusion in the side…also never seen Rio and Giggs go at each other like that…probably just frustration…we are hurting for offense…good news is..early doors…
August 17th, 2008 at 19:30
Some of SAFs substitutions baffled me today, Possebon should have replaced Carrick coz both are similar players, and Rafael should have replaced Fletcher wide right with at least 30 mins to go coz we were painfully pedestrian on the right flank all day long and Rafael would have provided some much needed penetration out there, instead he got shoved too far infield for just 10 mins and still nearly got us us the 3 points when he was fouled on the edge of the box.
A midfield of Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher is too pedestrian for my liking and I would like to have seen the Gaffer being a bit more inventive with his changes.
I know his options are limited at the minute, but I dont think he utilised the players that were available to the thier maximum.
When you really think about it,its hard to believe that a club of Uniteds stature has not been able to call upon the services of an out and out striker for over 2 seasons now, in fact, the more I think about it, the more crazy it gets.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:39
@Craig Mc: I agree wholeheartedley with your pedestrian comments, what a difference Nani, Anderson, Tevez and Hargreaves would have made.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:46
@WR_10: Are you making such a fickle excuse?
Everyone knows that Rooney is always fit to go! Face it! He was shit! He still played like a Midfielder when we needed a striker! I HOPE THAT WE FINALLY GET THAT GODDAMN striker ASAP cause Fergie! This time Chelski seriously are in there to win!
And the lack of Querioz I think affected us as well! It was only Fergie! He had no help! Even with Tevez WHO THE HELL IS GONNA PLAY THE FRONTMAN! Cause ROONEY IS SHIT IN THAT position!
August 17th, 2008 at 19:47
oshey should have done his job and collected a yellow cant believe we let them get away after we loose two to injury.
the guy from mallorka looks the real deal guiza or something
August 17th, 2008 at 19:50
@Red Diablo: Calm down…Its only the first game of the season. We will drop more points during the season and we will win many, many more so relax and lets wait for the game against Pompey. They look shite at the moment and I think we will beat them comfortably.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:50
@EVERYONE: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4002431,00.html
Go to this page and see the last PARA! IT IS ABOUT berba! Fergie is saying that he intends to keep Rooney and Tevez as his strikeforce! Is he having a laugh? Face it! If we dont get a striker by the Pompey match, We arent going to get any then! And if we dont get ant striker, WE ARE SCREWED! As i said at the end of the match United were banging the ball in the box! Where was the height? Where was that GODDAMN No.9?
August 17th, 2008 at 19:55
@elsammio99: Sure he scored, but if he’d been marking Martins properly then Newcastle wouldn’t have so it almost cancelled itself out. But personally I feel he had a poor match. I’m not blaming him though. He simply does not posses the skillset to be a winger. He’s pretty slow and doesn’t seem to have the mentality to beat a player. His workrate is great though meaning he’s more suited in the middle of the park… a Nicky Butt kind of player. Expecting him to play on the wing with the competence of Ronaldo or Nani is too much… hence my idea of bringing in an experienced (but not past it) winger as cover for Nani/Ronaldo.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:59
@Red Diablo: I seen that the interview when SAF made those statements, I wouldnt read to much into it coz he was answering a question about Berbatov and it was clear that he did not want to talk about it so he made the Rooney and Tevez statement to deflect attention away from the question.
August 17th, 2008 at 19:59
what position was raphael playing when he came on? Is he a right back, or is he really a right winger?
August 17th, 2008 at 20:01
@Jay: VDS was at fault for the goal aswell
and what was the big surprise???
August 17th, 2008 at 20:02
Two THINGS! Feel kinda sorry for Carrick! Cause if he had been on the pitch we surely would have won! And umm becuause his England career was set up on the Right path! Poor Him! I just hope that Brazil are beaten by Argentina tommorow at the semi final!
OH SHIT! Even if Brazil lose to Argentina tommorow, they would still have to take place in the Bronze medal match on 22nd Sept! and the final is on 23rd and our match with Pompey is with on the 25th!
COME on Fergie! GET THAT GODDAMN NO.9! Its been toooo LONG!
August 17th, 2008 at 20:05
@Fred The Red: Why did he deflect it then? Why didnt he just say: “Fuck off And Fuck YOU LEVY! Tommorow I’ll pay you your Goddamn 32 Mil CASUE I WANT TO WIN THOSE 6 Remaining trophies!”
August 17th, 2008 at 20:09
That was painful viewing.
Rio was probably our best player today and that says something…
Roll on Pompy(a), Liverpool(a), Chelsea(a)
August 17th, 2008 at 20:10
all is not loss lads, hargreaves and tevez will be back next match and we will have a healthy dilemma on which formation we will play until nani comes back in which we will play 4-4-2, all is not lost. deja vu can be good sometimes.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:11
@Red Diablo: you are very clearly overreacting
roon had to go deep to get the ball coz,as its very obvious to alot of ppl,our midfield was being put to sword…of the three best chances united had in the whole game,rooney was involved in 2 ov them.fact is,without pacy wingers stretching opposition defences,any ‘in the hole’ forward would find it very hard to make space for himself.also consider the fact tht campbell’s passing was so very shitte,making it utterly impossible for roon to link up with him…n about roon being always fit to go….strange statement 
like against renties last season at bridge? or even games against wigan n CL final…most ppl can spot an unfit player when they see one 
August 17th, 2008 at 20:13
@Red Diablo: SAF could have said a whole lot of things when asked the question about Berbatov, but the reality is that United are in sensitive discussions with a club that are looking for any excuse to drag thier heels, if he wants the player then he has to play a diplomatic role when speaking publicly, seriously mate, dont read to much into his comments.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:13
A lot of people here seemed to set their hopes very high which is probably why lots of people are crushed. I’m disappointed, yes…surprised? Not one bit after I saw the line- up. We clearly need a striker, i still stand that we don’t need a new winger, in a fortnight, the entire team should be back and that’ll cancel out the need for a new midfield player. Thats all I’ve gotta say, all i can do now is hope that the striker need is clear to Fergie and he works on it fast. The Portsmouth game might end up the same or worse if we don’t work on the single flaw in the team.
Did anyone see the Portsmouth vs. Chelsea game, 4-0 is a really surprising score for a team that plays 9-1-1 like Portsmouth does, were they just shite or was Chelsea just really good?
@Don: I don’t quite get your post, the young players didn’t have any impact whatsoever on todays result, who knows, it might have been a lot better if Rafael and Possebon had started.
@Craig Mc: And in your opinion, who would replace us? Spurs? Everton? Villa? I’d have been tempted to agree if you had said If we continue like this we might not win anything, but to say after todays performance, we might finish outside the top 4 is just ridiculous. If we don’t improve, we might not win, but i can bet an arm and a leg that our top 4 spot is still assured. I know its your opinion, but honestly don’t overdramatise it.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:14
one thing though, we should of put possebon on or move fletcher to the centre when carrick went off, john o’shea cant play CM to save his life and i think fergie realised this a bit to late, shame on you fergie. Every time i see possebon, he just reminds me of scholes so much, in every way.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:17
Remember what happend last season. No win in first 3 and ended up double champions.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:23
@WR_10: You sure?? We didnt pay 30 Million for A STRIKER not to score goals you know!!!
@Fred The Red: Yeah i guess youre right! but im happy that thr press did remind him of berbatov!
August 17th, 2008 at 20:28
@dan(u-ol): Good call mate, Possebon and Scholes in the middle, Rafael Da Silva on the right would have given us more penetratration and attacking options
August 17th, 2008 at 20:30
I’ve calmed down.
We start poorly as a matter of course and if we are going to have injury problems better to have them now than at the end of the season when the heat is really on.
Our midfield has been decimated and it is a freak situation. We now have Giggs, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Ronaldo, Park, and Hargreaves out of action. I have no idea what we have done to deserve this. Midfield was the last area of the pitch I thought we’d have problems with.
Carrick is out for two or three weeks, Anderson will not be back for a few weeks, Ronaldo is out for a couple of months, Giggs I do not know, Nani another game, and Park and Hargreaves just cannot seem to be relied on.
Most likely we will play something like Fletcher O’Shea Scholes Evra
which will get completely over-run
My solution would be to play a five-man midfield with Fletcher, Scholes and Possebon in central midfield. We would then play Tevez and Rooney on the wings with Campbell or hopefully Berbatov leading the line. That could do the job and let Rooney do all the running he wants without screwing up the team’s shape. Both Rooney and Tevez are very good defensively so that would help us win the midfield battle despite our injuries. We would then hope to take advantage of the possession and sneak a goal.
Against Newcastle despite having Campbell and Rooney up front they were just not seeing the ball. My solution would ensure we’d see plenty of the ball and then play on the counter-attack.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:33
@colver: Umm! Anderson would be back this Sunday most probably because the football in the olympics ends on the 23rd! So I think that Fergiw would be inclined to ATLEAST get him on the BENCH!
August 17th, 2008 at 20:36
@Rd i was referring to razier Campbell…the fact that Campbell didn’t take the chances he had (or combine well with Rooney)…whether Given saved it with his ear or nose etc he still saved a ball headed directly at him…the problem with a striker like Frazier is that he needs many games to get into a rhythm of playing in the premiership with the possiblity of not scoring for long stretches…we just can’t afford that at United…I agree the two Brazilians were not on the field long enought to really have an impact… Frazier needs top flight games to learn his trade… we just can’t afford that at the striker position…
August 17th, 2008 at 20:36
@colver: I agree about the Berbatov thing! Question is! WHEN THE HELL ARE WE GONNA GET HIM?
August 17th, 2008 at 20:37
@Red Diablo: where did u dig THAT up from?
he scored a fair bit last season(wud have scored a lot more minus the injuries)n created more goals thn any other forward in the league.scored 23 the season 06/07 season and was 3rd on the most assists list(without delieveries on setpieces)even today he was the best player on the pitch b4 carrick was subbed off.would you disagree?if how rooney played,was accordind to u,SHIT thn i’d really really like to see u describe sheasy’s running around…
August 17th, 2008 at 20:38
Any chance of Saha being fit?
August 17th, 2008 at 20:43
@WR_10: HAHA! Look mate! all i am trying to say is that Rooney was not the player i had hoped to see today! Even i am the biggest fan of THE ROONSTER!
the problem is that He isnt the one ANYMORE who can score those crackers! Seriously even though he makes things happen! We needed a goal! And rooney was supposed to be the striker! Sure Rooney scores goals! But the face is that he hasnt got a nack for scoring IMPORTANT goals! Say like Tevez! You get what i am saying? 
August 17th, 2008 at 20:43
@WR_10: in fairness mate, rooney was really shit.
August 17th, 2008 at 20:44
@WR_10: We just needed that moment of Brilliance to score a goal! And today no one had that!
August 17th, 2008 at 20:53
@Craig Mc: Hey I never said I thought Campbell was going to make it at United. I said he played well, considering at least half of our scoring opportunities came through him.
You say, he dribbles too much and that he should pass instead. Ok fair enough, but to whom should he pass? Rooney was again dragging back and Scholes as well as Giggs no longer gets in the box nowadays. He was the most forward player in our line up and considering the apathy of most players after 30 min played I cannot blame him for trying his luck, and I think many posters were pleasantly surprised with his performance today.
Don’t get me wrong i think he is far from being the player to lead United’s attack, I would rather prefer 1.Berba, 2.Tevez, 3. Rooney in attack; but I think he can be a reliable 4th striker.
In any case if Saha was fit I’d have liked Fergie to loan him to Hull where he would have been sure to play week in week out.
And to all: Welcome to the Rodrigo Possebon Appreciation Society! What you saw today was only a small token of the guys talent. Still in stock for you: flicked passes and superb long range shooting
Hopefully he’ll figure against Pompey what with Carrick’s injury… 
Oh and one last word about Fletcher… Sure he didnt really play well today despite his goal, but I’m a staunch proponent of his. He’s probably our most reliable big game player, always playing out of his skin on big occasions, so please don’t be quick to diss him. As for O’Shea I dont mind him as our utility defender, but please SAF, now everybody can see that O’Shea ? CM, not even DM…
August 17th, 2008 at 20:57
I had no idea the Olympics finished so soon. Well if Anderson is back in time for the difficult Liverpool and Chelsea games that is a huge relief. Him, Fletcher and Scholes would form a solid three man central midfield that would partly make up for our lack of width and give us a fighting chance of scraping a draw in those big games. Hell if we could play Tevez, Rooney and Berbatov up top I’d even go so far as to fancy our chances for a win.
Red Diablo, there is no chance in hell of Saha being fit. Hence why virtually everyone on here wants us to sign a striker sooner rather than later. As for when are we going to sign Berbatov…well I think what is holding up the deal is Spur’s failure to line up a replacement. Their crazy valuation is just a stalling tactic. But I think for Fergie it is Berbatov or nothing…so I am going to be seriously depressed if we do not buy him.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:03
@jos: Sorry Jos but Campbell was shite. And I’m absolutely nothing mate. He is out of his element. Some shows of talent but he doesn’t yet have the quality to compete at this level. But then again neither did Rooney today. Those two were completely off the book. Like two strangers in a strange land.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:05
“Go United” as one of your americans (?) said in an earlier post….
))))
And we certainly did – United played you manchester lads off the park and we should have won. Just thought I’d pop in, have a gloat and the last laugh LOL Only one United? Indeed – Newcastle United. Not sure if Manchester qualifies as “united” – havent you lot got another team called City? LOL Looking forward to entertaining you at SJP
August 17th, 2008 at 21:05
@colver: If we dont sign Bebatov, let alone a striker, Then I guarantee you that you would certainly be depressed by the results before the arrival of CR7!
August 17th, 2008 at 21:07
@UTD111: HAHA! Yeah umm! Lets see! Win a trophy then show your face up! all right! Beating us up? It was you who got lucky! Given saving with his head? HAHA! We will see at you SJP! last year it was 5-1? Yeah we will certainly see!
August 17th, 2008 at 21:07
@johnsom33: He played them because he had no bloody choice. The whole team is down with injuries or other reasons mate. No Ronaldo, Park, Nani, Anderson, Hargreaves, Tevez. The team is decimated right now and so it was an ideal time to bleed some of the youth. Possebon looked decent and tidy out there and R. Da Silva should have been brought on earlier. With 7 subs I hope to see more of the Da Silva twins and Possebon. They look comfortable out there. Campbell didn’t. Although he worked hard, his first touch betrayed him often and he had no understanding whatsoever with Rooney.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:19
Neither O’Shea nor Possebon performed well. Evra was constantly left stranded on the wing without support that should’ve been provided by Possebon, at one point Possebon looked completely lost while in posession, not knowing where to pass the ball, I remember Scholes even gesturing at him to just pass it Rio.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:19
@UTD111:
))))
Looking forward to entertaining you at SJP
Be careful about what you wish for. We’ll grant you your day in the sun, though. Well played and you deserved the point — although we did little to actually challenge your defence.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:21
RD – If you are going to come against some of my comments in my posts, I don’t mind for a second, but I would appreciate if you would READ my posts thoughtfully first. I didn’t say we would miss top four, but that it was my FEAR we could do so, if we continue to play the kind of shite we have lately. You see, contrary to your remarks, I wasn’t assessing things on just todays game as you imagined, but over the whole pre season, and charity shield too. It is my fear that we could lose a good deal of points early part of season, and yes it is not impossible to miss out. Top 4 is not our divine right you know. Everton finished in 4th at L’Pools expense, and L’pool got into the CL because they won the cup that year. Spurs almost got 4th spot away from Arsenal a couple of seasons back, but only just missed out at the very last minute. So please, our present early season form does concern me, and I won’t apologise for thinking we could miss out if it continues too long.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:22
Now that carrick is injured i pray to God that possebon gets a chance to show everyone how good he is. I am telling you this kid is gonna be great, much better than o’shea in midfield. As regards to a striker being brought in i do hope we can get in berbs quickly. He will score bloody loads.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:22
I will give Possebon that he did look livey and worked hard.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:23
Fred the Red, glad you concur mate – pedestrian it is, and frustrating!.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:32
@Grognard: what game where you watching? campbell was one of our best performers and if rooney played as a striker instead of bloody headless chicken, those 2 could of made magic.
i want to know where you find fault with his performance please. you really amaze sometimes, you blame him for, for him and rooney not being on the same wave link, thats a 2 way thing, and im 100% sure that if he where running around like a headless chicken while still being on the same wave link, you would say he is not what we are looking for and he is crap. and i swear if you say his first touch makes him crap then your are the biggest hypocrite i know, after last season, where rooney couldnt even get the basics right let alone a first touch, yet you think without rooney we are crap.
rooney was pure shit today, he played of a striker and still, shite, rooney will never, and i mean never be the player he was, and i really think its time for people to face this and stop judging him from the past and start judging him now in the present, and in the present, in my eyes, he’s not good enough, or, hes not what we need.
sorry for the rant there, but i really dont understand what you would want from a 20 year-old boy no knowing he was making his premier league debut until a couple of hours before the match, playing for a club like united. all things considered he did pretty damn well.
August 17th, 2008 at 21:40
Two good things came out of today. Even though we moved the ball well and seemed comfortable for the most part, we were able to bleed some of our young stars and a clear message was sent to Fergie from this result and from the Chelsea game. WE NEED A STRIKER. If that was not clear in the Gaffer;’s head before today, it is now. We need a tall dominant presence in the box. Especially on those days like today where we are forced to pay 4-4-2 and we need a player to get on the end of crosses instead of wasting his entire game outside the box. I love Rooney but honestly, when will that lad realize he is a forward and not a midfielder? Campbell is clearly not ready for prime time and he has no chemistry or understanding with Rooney. That will take time to come and we don’t have time. Chelsea sent out a clear message of intent today and we need to send one right back. That is to go out bloody well tomorrow and buy Berbatov and end this stupid bickering and haggling over a few million pounds. Enough already, pay the pricks what they want because it’s clear we need that tall striker.
As for the game, I am not upset about it at all. We played well but had no quality at the end in the attacking zone. Our buildup was good but no finishing and no presence in the box hurt us. Where was Carlito on some of those near post crosses when we needed him? And where was Berbatov or Huntelaar for all those other crosses and passes in the box when nobody but nobody was on the end of? I love Rooney but I am sick and bloody tired of the fact he spends 99% of the game on the sides and in midfield.
Your a forward lad, play like one. And stop taking absolutely useless and foolish yellow cards for simply not being able to shut your scouser trap.
I liked what I saw from Possebon and Da Silva. I didn’t like what I saw from O’Shea but then again, that’s not his fault. He’s not a midfielder.
Giggs looked quite good and other than his gaff that caused the Martens goal, Fletcher looked good again and took his chance well. More attention should have been given to Martens as he was dangerous all game but for the most part, we were in control of the game except the score. What I aklways expected weeks ago to happen actually happened. A similar repeat to last year although i thought we looked better in our movement and passing. We were able to crack their ten man wall numerous times but finishing wasn’t there and the forwards were nowhere to be found. Rooney and Campbell were comical together.
No fear, when we get everybody back we will kick as and take names. But how many points will we be behind Chelsea when that happens?
August 17th, 2008 at 21:42
@dan(u-ol): You wait and see! As soon as we play Rooney with Berbatov or Huntelaar OR ANY GODDAMN NO.9! You will eat your words! This is a quote! Take it on record!
August 17th, 2008 at 21:48
@Grognard: We sign Berbatov tommorow! We would be neck on neck with Chelsea! Cause we showed today! EVEN OUR RESERVES can dominate A premierleague team! all that was required was a STRIKER WHO COULD FINISH!
And I agree with you completely! We did win two trophies and even sell Pique! Stop this miserliness and Get that GODDAMN NO.9!
I dont care if its Berba or Huntelaar! GET HIM TOMMOROW!
Oh and for you Grognard! This is what Fergie should do tommorow!! johnsom33:
August 17th, 2008 at 21:50
@dan(u-ol): I think you are waaay too harsh on Rooney. I dont know if you know this, but Rooney will give everything for the team. If needed he will run 90 yards back to his own goal if no-one else is there. He is commited like Solskjear, I wouldnt be surprised if he got sent off for what Solskjaer did against Newcastle in 98. He wants the best for the team and today we lacked a midfielder, a winger and a striker. It is difficult for a player to fill 3 positions at the same time. I know, he is a striker and supposed to score goals, but until Carrick went off he played as a forward in “the hole”. When Carrick was replaced with Oshea he had to play in midfield too cause we all know that Potato cant play in CM. And when Giggs went off he ran to the wing. He lost the ball lots of times, but I dont think that was entirely his fault. I watched the game again since I recorded it and if you look at players like Evra, Scholes, Flecther and Campbell they didnt move well. It was almost as if they waited for someone else to do everything by themselves. Its not only Rooneys fault, if Campbell had started running earlier 3 times, he would have been though on goal but he used too much time so Rooney got reached by Butt, Jonas and Guthrie. Evra wasnt so much on the wing today, he played too much as a CAM. He was nowhere to be seen on the left wing the last 10 minutes so Rooney went there to cover and cross(His shot from the left wing too). United didnt work as a team today, Newcastle did and that was what decided the game. They defended as a unit while United were looking for others to do their job.
ANDERSON RULES!
August 17th, 2008 at 21:52
@Grognard: Actually You cant blame Carlito! He always puts in 100% at every game! It was his family problem and I guess as fans you should respect that!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:03
Red Diablo
This is you last warning. Stop overusing caps lock. The bold/italics options are provided as substitutes.
Dan,
The hypocrite thing was unwarranted. And to be honest, Campbell was crap and Rooney wasn’t great either. You can blame both equally, but calling Campbell the best player is surely stretching it a bit. You, sir, are clearly driven by your need to prove to everyone that Campbell is going to be the next biggest thing that you seem to ignore facts. He may well be, but not on today’s evidence. He had an ok debut, but nothing to cream over.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:04
@dan(u-ol): Dan I was watching a different game than you I was watching a game where a lad by the name of Campbell played hard, worked hard and achieved fuck all. I was watching a game where he continually got his wires crossed with both Rooney and central midfielders and I watched a game where he never took the few chances he got because he lacked the composure and finishing touch of a true elite striker. That was the game I was watching. I don’t share the delusional fantasy that a reservist who belongs back in Hull can possible upgrade himself to be a permanent fixture on the best team in the world. Campbell made me miss Louis Fucking Saha out there. Did everybody catch that irony?
. The lad is decent, he’s just not United class mate. Read it and register it. Go into denial all you want, That’s fine, I’m not blind and I’m not stupid. I know what I saw and I like Fergie and the team do not have the liberty to waste time on a rookie while Chelsea keep winning their games 4-0. We need world class and we need it right fucking yesterday. Campbell isn’t even EPL class. So give it a rest. And I’m not the only one that gets fed up with your Reserve team soap box derby every week.
I don’t watch United so I can see Fergie giving inferior kids a turn for the Hell of it. I watch them so I can see world class players blend together and kick ass. Yes Rooney was pure shit today. Part of that was his inability to work well with Campbell who was clueless when the ball was at his feet. Indecisive and hesitant, with no creative imagination and linkage with Rooney. Certainly not the EPS that Rooney has with Tevez.
It’s just like you to shit over Wayne Rooney and build up a pillock like Campbell. Well stay in the minority mate if it makes you happy. We here in the real world know the real reason Rooney was shit today. It had to do with a clueless and inept partner up front. You don’t understand what I want from that 20 year old. I’ll tell you. NOTHING. I want nothing from him. I want him to take his ball and go tot he playground or head on the fist bus to Hull City. He’s not United class. On the other hand, I have no problem with the twins or Possebon starting right now. They are sheer class and quality personified and they are cool and composed on the ball in pressure situations. Nuff said I think. Fergie, God damn it, get me Berbatov.
Oh yeah, and his first touch was crap.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:04
@dan(u-ol): No dan Campball was shite today him and rooney did not have the connection that all partnerships have, the one rooney and tevez have, campbell was always trying to take 1 to many defenders on instead of passing/crossing. And you are far too harsh on Rooney who started really well, and i’ve already explained my views on what your views on rooney are on a previous post!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:08
@Red Diablo: You lost me mate, where did I blame Carlito. I love Carlito, Carlito is my boy. I miss Carlito.
I just prefer Berbatov as my first choice over him. However, if Rooney plays more games like today, then I will prefer a partnership of Tevez and Berbatov over Rooney and Berbatov. Sure Wayne was coming off a virus and sure he had noESP working with that pillock Campbell but still, he was total shit today and really needs to start thinking like a forward again instead of this hybrid midfielder he thinks he is.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:08
@Red Ranter:
Ok sorry for the caps lock!
But technically It cant be my last warning cause this was my first warning! So does that mean that my first warning is my last and only warning?
August 17th, 2008 at 22:09
@OllieY: Beautifully said Mate. Most of us weren’t wearing blinders today.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:10
What is it with Dan getting blind over young, english United strikers? First Welbeck, now Campbell…
August 17th, 2008 at 22:10
@Red Diablo: I usually don’t give warnings for posts written excessively using caps (I just delete them). It’s stated in my comments policy so I don’t have to hand out warnings. I just do this out of courtesy.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:16
@Grognard: no no no! Actually you said in one of your post. “where was tevez to head in the crosses” or something like that! so i thought that you were doubting his commitment! Anyway I am pretty sure that Rooney would explode with a No.9! Whoever it maybe! and anyway he would play with tevez. and that no.9! I just hope that Fergie gives the same phonecall to Levy which was stated above!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:17
@Red Ranter: OK! Thank You for the Courtesy!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:24
The signs are getting clearer!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/2576015/Manchester-United-lack-fire-power-as-Newcastle-earn-point—Football.html
August 17th, 2008 at 22:27
@Red Diablo: Too true mate. Actually my take on the conversation wouldbe more like this.
LEVY: Hello
FERGIE: Yes you fargen arshole, How much for the Bulgarian lad?
LEVY: He’s not for sale to you. You hurt my feelings. You insult my intelligence.
FERGIE: Laddy laddy, you’d have to have some intelligence for me to do that. So stop all this pissing around. How much for the boy?
LEVY: I’m going to sell him to Barcelona, so there you old grumpy bastard.
FERGIE: You’re feeding me shite and you know it. Now shut the fuck up with all your threats and accusations and name your price. I’m late for my glass of port over at the race track.
LEVY: He’s not cheap, we will only sell for 32 million and not a shilling less. You insult me with your demands. We are not pushovers you know.
FERGIE: No you are fucking Tottenham Hotspurs, winners of how many English titles again???? Take 28 million, shut your bleeping hole, no your damned role and don’t let the door hit you on the way out of the office on your way to the bank. You don’t want me to fly down there and bring a hair dryer do you? Talk about having delusions of grandeur. Oh yes, one more thing there Danny boy. Whose my bitch?
Levy: Can I get the money in cash?
Fergie: No, you’ll take one of the Glazer’s checks. And when you come up here, we’ll share a shot of my finest malt to celebrate our mending fences and coming to a firm and meaningful understanding. So until then Danny, Piss off and good luck this season. And have the Bulgarian boy on the plane this evening. You pay his fare.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:30
@Grognard: Really Good one! That Got me laughing!
I seriously hope that this happens!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:31
@Red Diablo: Not at all. I meant where the hell was Tevez when we needed somebody at the near post to head in balls. He scored numerous goals from the near post on crosses or corners last year. Today many balls were sent to the near post and nobody was home. I honestly missed the fact Carlos was not out there because he would have been on the end of some of those balls unlike Rooney and Campbell who were too busy playing with their own balls.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:37
@Grognard: HEHE! Yeah I agree with you! That said we seriously need a No.9 and tommorow! Deco has seriously made a difference to Chelski! Even though we shouldnt hype that much cause it was only the first day! But Berbatov! Top priority Tomorrow!
Seriously! Rooney is not what I had hoped him to be! And that was what i was saying earlier! Tevez has a knack for scoring IMPORTANT goals! something which Rooney has lost!
Hope Berba brings back his memory!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:40
@Grognard: I would bet my house that had it been tevez on the receiving end of rooney’s audacious cross instead of campbell we would have gone 1-0 up.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:41
@RedDevil: Dan has missed his calling as a team scout within England. He loves youth and follows them with great interest and passion. That love and belief in them I think clouds his judgment but there is no denying his passion and interest in that area of the game that few of us care or are interested in. I have a friend who is just like that about baseball and the LA Dodgers farm system. He knows more about their farm system than they do, and I am not exaggerating. In fact he just goes ballistic when the Dodgers trade a couple of prospects to get a big proven star. For him the future of the Dodgers is all in their minor league system. The main team of the Dodgers and the owner of course think differently. Dan will have to constantly learn to live with the disappointment of never seeing the Welbeck’s or Campbells ever amount to anything on this club because unlike the bottom feeders of the league, we don’t have the time nor the liberty to give these kids a fair chance to improve and grow on the first team. We are in a race for the championship. We are not in rebuilding mode. And even if we were, we’d spend the money to go out and get proven stars, not kids. The kids we do look at seriously are the ones we spend big to get from other countries. They will always get a better chance than the useless domestic talent we have been developing for a decade now. Sorry Dan, but the truth sometimes hurts mate. But I for one still admire your passion and belief in them. Who knows, maybe one or two of them will make me eat my words. But somehow I doubt it very much.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:42
@Red Ranter: no he wasnt our best player, i know that, but hhe certainly wasnt as crap as im hearing thats for sure, and he surely cant be blame soley for him and rooney not having a good connection, im just being more fair, rooney was shite, campbell didnt play to the standard he can, neither did rooney, so they should both share the blame, but i thought campbell played slightly better even if it wasnt one of his best performances.
@Grognard: i never said anything about him being a permanent fixture, i didnt say he was an elite striker, i was sharing the blame as you seem to think rooney it had nothing to do with rooney and it was all campbells fault. I ill again say i never said campbell should be our starter, look again, im not being delusional, being in denial or being stupid as you pointed out, im trying to say that its not all his fault for us drawing against newcastle.
You honestly think rooney is that good, i can see rooney without red tinted specs on, and i can see he is not. Lets see today, it was, him playing with a clueless striker, even though he played in the position where he was once the best in the world in. He played crap, but its not his fault. Last season it was both him playing out of position and not playing with a real striker. what will it be next, i bet if we went out and bought every single target man in the world, and partnered rooney with all them for a game, he still wouldnt play to his best.
grognard, its clear that what i am to campbell what your are to rooney, and on both subjects we wont see eye to eye(even though we never do really
)
@RedDevil: honestly, im a believer of giving youth a chance, where as a lot of other people believe that if we rubbish in a position go out and buy at will. nothing to do with them being english, and my welbeck comment earlier, was actually sarcastic, but i dont think many( if any) people realised that
.
To all those thinking im a clueless dick, remember, im not saying campbell should be a starter, im just saying it was not all his fault, and under the circumstances did quite well(even if he didn’t play to his regular standard).
August 17th, 2008 at 22:43
@Red Diablo: In fairness to Rooney, he was playing with a partner up front that was not in tune with him and he is just getting over a major virus. He was not lacking fitness as much as sharpness and that will come over the next game or two. He needs to be more aggressive in the box. Every shot he attempted today was outside of the box and was blocked. Very frustrating to watch.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:46
@Grognard: Yeah but still! He doesnt shoot them volleys like he did! Remember them? Specially the one at OT against the barcodes?
Anyway I’m off to sleep! Cheerio!
And when I wake up I expect to see the headlines of Berba!
Hopefully the angels will inform me of the deal in my sleep!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:47
@RR! One last question! When someone posts a comment. Does the browser auto refresh it itself? Or do we have to keep on doing it manually?
Thanx
August 17th, 2008 at 22:48
it seems everyone’s forgotten about the 48 hour surprise…unless fergie envisioned the crapness of the game and wanted to surprise us with a draw, I think there’s more to come. I’ll be scouring the morning papers (online) looking for ANY united striker link
August 17th, 2008 at 22:50
@dan(u-ol): No Dan. Neither, I nor Grognard nor most of the others have solely pinned the blame on Campbell. I think Grog admitted that Rooney was crap.
I think this started when you clearly said that Campbell was the best performer. So you would be retracting what you said when you just now told me “no he wasn’t our best player”. So you seem conflicted with your love for Campbell and the fact that a lot of the people on here actually think he wasn’t great either. But don’t ignore the fact that many have also said that Rooney was crap, and they also pinned the blame on the likes of O’Shea. So yes, people have said that both have been shite.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:52
@Red Diablo: If it’s someone other than you whose posted it, then you’d have to refresh manually.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:53
@Red Ranter: Ok Thanx! Im off now!
Rant over! For Tonight!
August 17th, 2008 at 22:56
@dan(u-ol): I didn’t call you stupid mate. But you are being delusional. You are focusing all your dreams, desires and passions into something that’s just not going to happen. You do want and hope Campbell becomes a permanent fixture. Be honest for crying out loud. Your dozens of posts have ridiculed Rooney like he belongs somewhere in the third division while Welbeck, Manucho and Campbell are the second coming of Klose, Toni and Drogba. They are nothing and they will always be nothing as long as they are with United. This club has no time or patience for them. They are projects, not blue chip certainties. And yes I honestly think Rooney is that good and so does the majority of the footballing world. Deal with it. He’s not perfect and yes he was shite today but he is also a world class talent that has fought his fitness because of injuries for over a year now while also being forced to play out of his regular position and asked to perform unnatural roles on the pitch. It’s plain for everybody to see. I do believe that he has picked up some bad habits but he is still only 23 and he has so many years ahead of him. He’s already so far ahead of others who are at that age and he has accomplished a lot up to now. Get off his back already. Campbell plays like shite and you build him up to be the second coming of Dwight Yorke but Rooney who has helped bring us FA Cups, League Cups, Two EPL’s and the CL can’t get an ounce of respect from you. I’m sorry mate but I just don’t get it. Rooney is a human highlight reel. The boy is super talented with even more potential. I’ see none of that in your prospects. They are average bottom of the league strikers Good for 10 goals a season. And it’s OK if we don’t see eye to eye mate. We are still free to make our thoughts known and it’s not so important to agree with each other. I may not agree with many of your theories or talent evaluations but that’s OK. I respect you for your right to offer them. Keep doing so. Just expect me to disagree every so often.
August 17th, 2008 at 22:58
@dan(u-ol):
It was only earlier that you had said Rooney had been excellent! Changed your tune since half time?!
August 17th, 2008 at 23:27
I still can’t believe the amount of people slating Campbell for his performance today. If not for some inspired (and one time lucky, good header, Shay) goalkeeping he would have had 2 goals today and put the game out of sight. Had that happened then the majority would probably be on here crying out for him to be a regular starter. Rooney didn’t even look like scoring. I think he only had one shot on target and that came where the ball fell kindly to him?
I love Rooney as much as the next fan but he seriously needs to sort out his finishing and start taking more chances. Be more selfish.
All in all we need a striker and in my opinion an experienced back-up winger (who still has some legs in him – sorry Giggsy but it’s not you anymore). It’s as simple as that.
August 17th, 2008 at 23:30
@abood89: Nope I haven’t, it was the first thing i thought of after the draw, he’s 48hrs is up, and nothing yet…
@Red Diablo: I hope it happens, but thats definitely not how the convo should go down, or there’s a likely chance of a meteor falling and destroying the earth than Berbatov coming to Man Utd. Anyway right now, i wouldn’t mind anyone(except Henry) as long as he has legs, knows where the goal post is, and can shoot + head. But i doubt a striker could have affected todays game as the midfield was cr@p and there was really no one to supply the ball forward. It was also nice to see Keegan trying to make himself feel better by saying: “this was a GREAT Man United side”, how delusional, if todays team was a club on its own, they’ll probably be mid-table
August 17th, 2008 at 23:35
@Grognard: Gotta agree with you there mate on the prospects for some of our younger lads, its just unfortunate that for every one of united’s Rossis, Campbells and dare i say it Dongs that we try to drag through our ranks only to then sell em down to the championship: that the arsenal seem perfectly able to produce class talent after talent, lets hope Ole can sort out the production line. Having said that arsenal are just about 90% youngsters where as chelsea, liverpool and United cant facilitate a constant influx of young’ns in the same way, lets hope anderson, nani etc can fill in the blanks in time
August 17th, 2008 at 23:54
1. buy berbatov… the day before last friday would have done, but il settle for tomorrow.
2. send campbell off on loan to Hull, they need him, we won’t.
3. don’t let John O’shea play in midfield ever again.
4. give Rooney one of those collars which gives electric shocks if he strays into our half of the pitch.
5. get Gaz fit and ready so he can reclaim his rightful place of the best rightback/scousebasher in the premiership.
5.Get Foster some bionic knee caps… carn’t cost that much.
6. teach fletcher how to stay with his man.
7. don’t let fletcher play on right wing.
8. tell possebon to go forwards not backwards.
9. get possebon, da silva 1 and 2, and hargreaves down the barbers now.. it ain’t the 1970’s…. Kegan only got a results ‘cos of the ammount of bloody perms that we’re on show today.. bloody rediculous..
10. buy berbatov.
11. buy a replacement for giggs.
12. buy rooney some shooting boots.
13. get an assistant manager.
14. don’t make me have to right a list this long again.
August 18th, 2008 at 0:00
Campbell should have been sent on loan to Hull. If Ferguson insists on keeping him Id prefer he was limited to domestic cup appearances and substitute appearances once we have wrapped games up and when we have a full strength team. Throwing him on against a top-half of the table team when we are considerably below strength is madness and a sure sign of our lack of striker options.
Possebon and the twin only played because the five or so players ahead of them were injured/m.i.a. They are fringe squad players as Campbell should be.
I very much doubt we will ever have that many midfielders out of action at any other time in the season. But with Saha permanently on his back and both Tevez and Rooney prone to injuries, as things stand Campbell is guaranteed over a dozen appearances this year. And that worries me deeply.
At this stage Im all for selling Campbell for five million or whatever Hull will pay us and using the extra five million to help pay the king’s ransom Tottenham want for Berbatov. If they won’t sell then there ARE strikers with top-level experience and some international caps to boot we have the money to buy. And yes we probably will have to over-pay but that is the price of success.
August 18th, 2008 at 0:09
15. sell saha.
… the more i think about today the more it annoys me… as mentioned in one of the linked articles… every second that campbell spent on the pitch today.. berbatov’s fee went up by an extra grand. it was a sign of desperation, throwing on a inexperienced forward infront of what a reckon is a decent centre half pair.. not to mention given.
i want to wake up tomorrow and read united have signed berbatov. or at least incouraging news about it…. 17th today thats what? 14days left.. two weeks.. long time in football mind.
August 18th, 2008 at 0:09
@Will: The Hair looks good on Hargo Though! And dont worry You’ll get your Berba wish soon! Or else a meteor will really fall and destroy the earth!
August 18th, 2008 at 0:11
@Red Diablo: better tell levy to get in his space rocket and fuck off to mars then.
August 18th, 2008 at 0:11
I think we all need a little perspective. We played crap, and Newcastle played very very well. Same place as we were last season after one game, except Rooney didn’t break his foot. Yeah we need to pull our fingers out of our arses, but the only other ‘contenders’ for the top 4 places who played well were Chelsea and Villa.
Chelsea played very well and Portsmouth were dire. Villa outclassed Citeh. The Scousers were lucky to come away from Sunderland with 3 points, and Arsenal struggled to beat a understrength West Brom, and Spurs just plain sucked.
This in from the department of the bleedin’ obvious : It’s a bad idea to give Chelski a head start. We need a striker, and an Assistant Manager. Campbell is inexperienced, but he sure as hell isn’t a quitter. We could do with a few players to get off the operating table.
All this being said, I think Fergie choked… He should have bought Possebon on for Carrick, Raphael should have come on at 60mins. We needed the width. Fletch hasn’t got the skills for it. He’s got great vision, just can’t execute. Half an hour with Rapael bombing down the right and we’d have got something out of it. He was on for about 10 mins and almost won us a penalty.
Lets hope we sign a striker as soon as humanly possible.
August 18th, 2008 at 0:16
@Will: Hahaha! Tell him after he sells BERBA to US!
August 18th, 2008 at 0:19
@Red Diablo: too right. you reckon that we’ll sign someone else as well as berba?
August 18th, 2008 at 0:22
@Will: Umm NO! That seems Highly improbable.
But Maybe! Only God knows! 
August 18th, 2008 at 1:06
Did anyone else watch Spurs/Berba yesterday?? Thats not someone I want on my team, I’m sorry. A little cry baby bitch who throws his toys out if he doesnt get his way and then couldnt give a fuck about helping his team get a goal yesterday. Thats embarrassing.
And some of the posts on here were just hilarious. I swear if some of you were at the helm you’d sack the whole side after every draw. People are creaming and scared shitless by chelski and worry about relegation. Fucking hilarious. I’ve said it ten million times this summer….relax. Relax. Relax.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:51
@Will: 9) Nah they all look good with the curly hair, i can’t imagine Hargreaves, Possebon or Da Silva² in a crew cut or different hair- style.
2) No use loaning him out yet if we can’t ensure a new striker, Manucho’s work permit or Saha’s “fitness programme” that should get him back to 100%(yeah right). If we get at least 2 of those three things, then he’ll probably be off in the January window.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:45
@Grognard:
Perhaps you should heed your own advice and get off Campbells back. It was his first Premiership match for us and he did a damn sight more than Yorke or Sheringham or Cantona (Hey even Tevez first couple of games were lackluster) did on the debuts and they werent playing with a strike partner who seemed more inclined to see how far he could get away from him than close the gap or the Midfield being decimated of its impact and creative players. He wasnt perfect and like all the players faded every minute after Carrick got injured and was prone to holding onto the ball too long and trying to dribble past players (Some of that though has to be the fault of Rooney and the Midfielders who were rarely closing the gap to give him options) but his running did give Newcastle some things to think about (Coloccini especially who took him out twice after being beaten by him), was unlucky with the header and created a couple of half chances
I bet if it was Huntelaar putting in the same performance you would have been raving about it as when it comes to players you like you are in as much of a dreamworld as your LA Dodgers supporting friend or Dan is
August 18th, 2008 at 2:58
@elsammio99: Keep in mind that other than Ramsey and Walcott, Arsenal are no different than us when it comes to looking for talent. They look abroad. They just rely on it more than we do. When we out we find the Ronaldo’s, Nani’s, Anderson’s, Possebon’s, Petruzzi’s and Da Silva’s too. We buy fewer than they do but from where I’m looking, ours seem to be much better on the whole. As for domestic talent, the territorial restrictions make it very difficult to compete. That part of the talent search is very cyclical. One year we’ll find two or three great domestic prospects, then we will go dry for 3 or 4 years. Right now, it’s a bit of a dry spell.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:02
Red Diablo – if Red Ranter wasn’t pissing himself laughing at your question about warning over caps, then he doesn’t have a sense of humour at all!. The tears were streaming down my cheeks from laughing my arse off at your post Diablo. This is my first warning, so how can it be my last warning RR because I haven’t been warned before. So if this first warning is my last and only warning etc etc etc. Pure comedy genius mate, even though I know you weren’t being comedic. Your a scream mate!.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:02
@wakey: I’m sorry, did you say something? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
August 18th, 2008 at 3:15
Grog, you said if Fergie didn’t realise today that we need a striker like NOW, then the mind boggles. If Fergie hasn’t realised this fact for the last 2 years, I don’t think today’s game will have had much impact on his brain. Fergie’s favourite saying is, “well we made a lot of chances, we just didn’t take them. I would be worried if we weren’t making chances.” Well forgive me if I thought football was having strikers who could put away their chances. If we continue to go on making and not taking chances, then we will be way behind Chelsea and the other two top teams, before Ronnie can get back with any chance of rescuing us. To be honest, I can’t believe anything Fergie says anymore. We were supposed to be so surprised with the last 48 hours. Yeah right. After today, every team knows we need strikers, and will make us pay through the nose for them. United have delayed too long, pissing about.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:29
Rooney didn’t play well, but Rooney has had some superb form. His form as of late, even before his illness, wasn’t good. He needs games and more fitness and I am sure he will turn it around. His obssesion with arguing with the refs doesn’t seem to be helping his game and I have been schocked with the amount he argued during preseason. I realize part of who he is and what makes him a good footballer is his anger, but if Pele notices a problem, lonely me has noticed it, and numerous of comments have come out prior to this from top footballers about this issue, it worries me slightly.
Campbell created some good chances, but failed to take what should be considered a guilt edge chance. The bottom line is Rooney and Campbell played poorly, but we have prior Wayne Rooney greatness that shows this isn’t to be expected, while Campbell has to prove he belongs, we don’t and shouldn’t just wait. I am hopeful he will continue to be part of the squad because he did create 2 chances and got in good position for the shot he didn’t finish.
Not having Tevez hurt us, I think he will be the best United player this season and score near 25 goals. He is such a hard worker that coupled with Rooney or the “mystery’ man he will have a tremendous year. Carrick is another hit to our midfield and the options are slim in the center of midfield. I am glad it won’t be too long for Anderson to return, but surely he will need some rest and time in training to mesh with the team. It might give a chance to Possebon who didn’t disappoint but didn’t shine. I am interested to see how Fergie handles this issue (could become crises if it gets worse) and see how United react on my birthday against Portsmouth.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:34
Wakey, we’re fans on a rant blog mate. We are fans who have opinions, and there is no law on this blog about critcising players who we felt had a stink of a game. I felt Campbell, Rooney, Scholesy, O’Shea, had poor games today, and that is putting it mildly. Normally if I wasn’t sick, I would have been on the terraces with the rest of the United faithful, and to be honest Wakey, I would have very much begrudged the 38 quid entrance fee to watch that shite dished up today. I let my friend have my ticket, and he is non too pleased with me, because he feels he was fleeced for the poor football on offer today. Some players were way off the pace today, and Evra who I love keeps going forward to no bloody avail running into blind alleys. Anyway, we are not all going to agree on who is having a good game, and who isn’t. If we don’t like what we have been seeing for a good few games now, we are allowed to bloody well say so. I am not trying to offend anybody, I am just been honest Wakey!. I know others are too.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:41
Craig Mc – While I agree a striker is an important need at Old Trafford, he is right in a lot of ways. The odds of probability are on the side of United when you consider the quality we have in Tevez, Saha, Rooney, and Ronaldo. The problem is we didn’t have Saha, a fully-fit Rooney, a traveling Tevez, and Ronaldo.
While I hope we sign someone, I don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount of money like its no object. United are in a mountain of debt and I would rather make a sound decision and sign a player that will improve the squad but not break the bank, if they can’t I think we have the quality at forward, if things work out in certain ways, that we should be fine.
The things we have to hope work out are players staying fit, especially Saha, who is a good striker and manages to score even when he is injured. Manucho’s work permit application as I really feel he could do well in the EPL. Especially with his size and pace. Campbell continues to improve as he has. United should be alright with Rooney and Tevez taking the majority of the role and others cashing in when the chance comes up.
What does worry me is Campbell failed to take his chance today, so maybe it won’t. Lets bring someone in but not without first making sure it makes sense in all areas. Berba may make us better but it doesn’t gurantee success, it makes sense to make sure the move is the right move, I think Fergie has learned that during his long career.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:43
@Craig Mc: You are right. All the chances mean nothing if you don’t put the ball in the net. He has no panic in him and maybe he shouldn’t because he’s been at for 3 decades but I’m sorry, Chelsea scare me. They have been good front runners in the past and waiting for us to get healthy and to find our shooting touch may be taking too much of a chance this time. At some point the fans should have some say in what’s going on. How long do we all have to be crying for a striker. Buy a striker and help us all shut the Hell up already.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:47
@Craig Mc: Good points mate but as you know, some people don’t appreciate the fact that we all don’t always agree. Some think you have to agree with them and always be positive or you are not a fan or a trouble maker. But have faith in Fergie, he’ll turn it around, he always does.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:49
@Grognard – I agree that starting slow isn’t an option and something needs to be done. But I really think paying a huge fee shouldn’t be a course of action. Its not a promise Berba will bring instant success and what worries me is by the time he would be able to he won’t be guranteed enough games. I really think United have the quality but things are just not going there way (in concerns of injury.) Tevez and Rooney will be back together next week, Anderson is coming back, Nani will be back soon, and I think we have to chuck this last result to the loss of players during and before the game. Things will get better and there where some promising things that came out during the game. We do need a striker but not at all costs.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:55
“Eric Cantona never smiled, but I don’t know if anyone ever asked him why he didn’t look happier.” – Berbatov.
Can we just sign him now and get on with it?
Everyone on here has gone a bti mental. It’s pretty freaking obvious that had Tevez not have to leave so late he and Rooney would have started, and Carrick and Giggs came off injured. Whatever plan we had (and to be honest we outplayed them for large parts of the game, and they parked the bus for atleast 40 mins)went right out of the window. Possebon looked assured, and should have come on for Carrick, and Raphael should have come on with half an hour to go. As soon as he did and Evra moved to left wing we had so much more width.
Chelsea were good, but Portsmouth were horrid. They played much better against us last week. Lets just hope they are this poor next week. David James let in a a shot that was straight at him from 40 yards. twunt.
This is a better start than last season. 1 point, but atleast Rooney didn’t break his foot this time.
August 18th, 2008 at 4:00
Kevin, I agree with you mate that we do have good strikers to come back in. However, for a team that is supposed to have strength in depth, I cannot see that depth. I didn’t see our bench as being strong even in our double season last year, some players to me are just not good enough. Some are leaving their best days behind them, and losing pace, and it is plain to see to those who have eyes Kevin!. I know we have many injuries, and therefore will be hindered. Yet Fergie has known since the end of last season, the problems we would be facing at the start of this season, and we have not been prepared for all eventualities. We should have been prepared. That’s all I am saying Kevin, and to be honest, nobody looks fit to me. Kevin Keegan said after the match, that his team were far fitter than us, and didn’t lose pace, and were so fit he didn’t have to sub anybody. Our lot looked knackered halfway through the 2nd half.
August 18th, 2008 at 4:20
While I agree completely we looked a step behind, I don’t think we have tremendous depth. I do think however that United have good depth at the striking position. If we can get the players we have fit and healthy I am satisfied. But as I have clearly said, I would like to bring someone in, but not at any and all costs. It needs to be thoughtful and in a way that doesn’t end having United over spend to fix a problem that a few weeks might not solve.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:26
@Kevin: Doing nothing is worse and sorry but I am not going to worry about the accounting worries of a multi million pound corporate entity. All I know is that in my way I pay into it and I want more for my money. I like millions of Man Utd fans see a problem and we want it solved. We aren’t bloody Liverpool from what they tell us so prove it for crying out loud. Spend some money and get a scorer. If he fails, at least we tried to do something. It’s better than doing nothing and watching Chelsea build a 15 point lead on us before Ronaldo returns.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:38
@Craig Mc: You know it’s kind of funny but blokes like you and I were predicting these problems while everybody was calling me negative and a gloom monger. But what I was saying is showing itself to be true. Perhaps we’re smarter than we were given credit for. Perhaps we are smart enough to evaluate the squad and actually have the balls to challenge Fergie and say to him, “Boss, you look a little thin there, sign a striker and a winger.”
All I’m saying is that even some of us fans can be right once and a while and Fergie is not perfect. Yes he has wisdom and experience and if somethings broken I have confidence he will fix it I’m sorry, the last year has not been like Fergie at all. It was clear at the New Year’s transfer window that we were in desperate need of striker and he never took care of the problem. This summer has gone by and all we here is that he wants Berbatov but he wants him for well under what Tottenham is offering. At this time last year the player was valued at 15 million. Before the Euros he was valued at 20 million. Now he is valued at over 30 million. The price just keeps going up because our need and obvious desperation keeps bringing the price up. His delay tactics have not worked and in fact they have backfired on us miserably. If we had done what I was saying to do and that’s buy him before the EUROS, we would have saved a mint. Instead the General of Procrastinators has stagnated so long that he is probably priced out of our range. And by the way, what is our range and if it’s just one player we want, why don’t we just give the pricks at White Fart Lane what they want and be done with it? ENOUGH ALREADY! This soap opera is pissing me and a lot of us off tremendously and I am honestly questioning whether we will see Berbatov in Man Utd red after August 1st.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:41
@wakey:
There is nothing wrong in calling a player crap. And you don’t need to tell a commenter to “get off a player’s back”. It’s his opinion and he has a right to it. In fact, to Grognard’s credit, he thought Possebon and Silva had more quality — which means he is not entirely anti-youth.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:44
@Grognard: Berbatov’s price wouldn’t have changed significantly had we tried to buy him during the Euros. But the people running the club seem to be showing a lot of stubbornness in their dealings with Spurs.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:05
@Grognard: grognard
you dont think Spurs might not really want to sell Berbatov just like we dont want to sell Ronaldo. After all he also has a valid contract with them isint it?
Its not like Fergie hasnt really tried to buy a striker. And most likely now Huntelaar will come!
August 18th, 2008 at 8:08
@Grognard:
and I am honestly questioning whether we will see Berbatov in Man Utd red after August 1st.
Today’s August 18th, mate. Unless you are writing this from Mars.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:28
@Red Ranter: Obviously I meant September 1st.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:32
We got 1 point… only because it was newcastle…
Some other team with a little better defense… and the story would have been something else…
Rafael could have been introduced a bit earlier in the game…
Its really embarrassing to see him cutting into the box ahead of our strikers and midfielders… Full credit to Given though… I hate to be superstitious… but hope its true… u start off slow and u win the league?!?!?!? Anyway looking forward to the pompey game… Lets see how many we score as we might have most of the players back…
August 18th, 2008 at 8:33
@jos: Spurs have known for over a year now that Berbatov wanted out. If they were ignoring it and going through denial, that just shows how out of touch they are with their players. They haven’t been looking to sign other strikers because they want to keep Berbatov. They know his pouting will be a cancer in the dressing room. Where they should have been shocked is when Keane asked to go to Liverpool. That one came out of the blue and still they accommodated him. Berbatov on the other hand they have taken their sweet ass time about because they have a grudge against Fergie which is unfounded and unreasonable.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:44
@Craig Mc: Thank You for the compliment! Actually I was trying to be a Little Comedic!
August 18th, 2008 at 8:45
@Grognard: Its either today for Berbatov, Or Never!
Lets just hope Fergie DOES send that clear message to the bridge!
August 18th, 2008 at 9:01
We are more likely to sign Santa Cruz than Huntelaar
August 18th, 2008 at 9:33
Grog, I agree with you on the Berba-Keane issue.
I guess Spurs reckon we’re suckers (given our past transfer history and all) and are trying to screw us like with Carrick. We have been known to pay over the odds for players and sell them at well below resale value. I think we’re paying for our arrogance.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:45
We need to get Berbatov in ASAP, if not go down a diferent route. We did actually Ok yesterday, but the need for a striker is glaring, Campbell is so raw and probably not good enough at the top level. But considering no Tevez, Saha, Anderson, Ronaldo, Park, Nani and Hargreaves we did Ok, considering Newcastle played well. Porstmouth game is massive if we do not pick up maximum points I think the title already is slipping, Chelsea look good, and Portsmouth I can gaurentee won’t play that bad against us, and Newcastle won’t play that well against, Chelsea!!
August 18th, 2008 at 9:57
So I see that Rooney gets quite a lot of smoke, and I simply don’t get it.
Were none of you guys aware that he’s been downed by a virus for 10 days in pre-season? Thing is that SAF said, Rooney would be ready, but physically he couldn’t be… not fully anyway. Taking 10 days out of fitness training is a lot, and Rooney will be much better against Portsmouth, there’s no question about that. Yes, we expect great things from him, but there’s only so much he can do. Add to his lack of fitness the fact that he played with Campbell, who’s a good player but no where near Rooney’s class. That takes away Rooney’s creativity. Campbell is the sort of player, who relies only on pace. He’s been used to just start running and then suddenly be through alone. That won’t happen in the EPL… there you have to make intelligent runs and decoy runs in order to create space. Campbell does neither.
And I don’t know what people expect from a team as depleated as our’s at the time.
Grognard, you seem to praise your own knowledge that we should have bought a striker and a winger, and that’s fair play to you. It’s not complete rubbish, because we probably would have won with Berbatov and a winger. But yesterday we were without 3 of our wingers (Park, Ronaldo and Nani) and we lost our main partner for Rooney hours before the game(Tevez). Add to that a few midfield absentees (Hargo and Anderson) and 3 injuries during the game (Giggs, Carrick and Campbell) and you have a squad on the edge. We were playing reserves (Fletcher, O’Shea, Campbell) and second reserves (Possebon, da Silva, Evra on left wing) in large parts of the game, so we couldn’t be much worse off really… do you think?
It’s unfair to blame our lack of transfers on the draw, when we missed that many regulars.
And as I have stated many times before, we can’t go out and buy someone just because we seem short in numbers. When everone’s fit, we have enough players to endure the season, and that should be the aim. If we should add players to make our current crop of fit players into a world class team, we’d have to add 7-8, and that’s not viable imo.
We’ll get our players back soon enough, and even though I’m a little nervous about our next game, by the time of our 3rd, we’ll have a lot of them back, plus we’ll have a striker more. It’s our luck that we only play 2 games in August, and I’m certain we’ll win the trophy for the third time.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:03
@Grognard: I think, there’s more to the explanation to why they want to keep Berbatov… he’s way better than Keane plus Keane is not hard to replace. There are not that many of Berbatov’s type out there. Keane is a little pace and some clever runs, Berbatov is skill, vision and strength.
Of course they want to keep hold of Berbatov. But when Liverpool came flashing with £20 mil, they had no problem waving goodbye. That’s a rediculous price for Keane, really. He’s worth no more than £10 mil, if you ask me.
So I think, Levy is stubborn on his demands, because if he gets the right price, he can buy 2 other players, and if he doesn’t sell, he’ll have one of the best players in the world in his team, and that’s not too bad either.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:08
Rooney in my view played quite well, he does need to stop jumping in on needless tackles when the red mist disends on him. He is a three match ban waiting to happen, which we can’t afford to happen.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:32
The atmosphere of the team dramatically changes when several players are out (Queiroz too), yesterday it was definitely boiled meat and potatoes English (I’m English), where as over the last season it was quite often a silky latin swagger with hard as nails mixed in.
Some players need to be surrounded by quality to shine, others (like Rooney when he’s properly fit) play well no matter what, they create their own aura. Possebon and Da Silva great their own vibes and give the whole team a lift, Campbell was just a gloomy winter’s day in England, no presence, no inspiration. I can see this in the English national team as well, when they get together there is no mood, no style.
I can see the Chelsea mood is changing already, out with the aggressive and in with the party football. Solely due to the new manager’s presence.
Conclusion for United: Always have a mixture of flamboyancy and toughness…buy Berbatov, and some tough old-fashioned forward on the cheap…
August 18th, 2008 at 10:58
Berba talking somewhat like Roanaldo…
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4004577,00.html
August 18th, 2008 at 11:06
@Tomas: thats a good point of view really tomas, regarding keane and berba. its like if some team came up with 20m for Saha we’ll ship him out without battling an eyelid (thats what Levy did with Keane, albeit with some drama
Its altogether different thing when it comes to Berba. And in any case, he is their player and they are within their rights not to want to sell him to us (just like we didnt want to sell heinze to pool).
I think Fergie should just move on and get Huntelaar for 15-20m (or whatever he will cost now, that now whole world knows we need a bloody striker)
August 18th, 2008 at 12:05
Any news on Berbatov???
August 18th, 2008 at 12:24
@Red Diablo: Well, he’s now said that he dreams of moving to our club, but that he remains professional about his situation. His agent has said that he think this week will be very important if the transfer is to be.
I think, SAF has seen, he needs to sign him and will pay a little extra.
August 18th, 2008 at 12:28
I dont care what the price is! Break the bank even if you have to! Were goddamn double champions and with berba speaking about Cantona! I think that it should be CLEAR to fergie what berba wants!
August 18th, 2008 at 12:30
@Tomas: Lets see!
August 18th, 2008 at 13:27
Tomas, I think your missing the point a little mate. I agree that we have a lot of injuries, but what we don’t have, is the strength in depth of replacements. We were lucky last year, because we didn’t have many injuries, and so were able to get the job done. Even then though, we were extremely fortunate in the end. When we play 60+ games a season, we need a BIG squad. In my opinion, and the opinions of some other United fans, we don’t have that big squad. We have been a very good striker short for almost two seasons now. I doubt we are going to go for another long season of so many games, without picking up injuries. If you watch our youth teams Tomas, as I do, they are very promising players, but they are all lightweight. We have no big, strong, robust lads that I can see. United always seem to go for finesse and flair, and I don’t complain about that, but we need strong bulk ones too, real combatants to go with the flair players.
As for Berbatov, I do believe United have once again unsettled him big time, Spurs are right about that. We are also going about this in this same way L’Pool dealt with the Barry case. They broke Barry’s heart, and broke his relationship of many years with Villa fans to whom he was an idol. They could have lived with that, if L’Pool had done their business speedily as they had no trouble doing with Robbie Keane. But they have left Barry smarting, and it’s downright dastardly if you ask me. Berbatov is truly desperate for Spurs and United to get this settled. And United after chasing him all summer, and Fergie seeing how Berba has battled to get to play for us, is now looking like doing a L’Pool and leaving Berba high and dry. United should be ashamed of the way they have handled this matter. I have no respect for people being treated like that.
August 18th, 2008 at 13:48
@Red Ranter:
He was telling people to get off Rooneys back while being hypocritical and getting on Campbells back, who for his first competitive game in a United shirt in the Premiership did relatively well. He is a hypocrit, every time he posts he critises people for doing something and goes and does the exact same thing. He tells people to get off peoples backs and then turns on other players, he tells people they are blinkered and yet blindly states players are world class without them proving it, he insults people and then complains when he feels he has been insulted and he also complains when people disagree with him stating they are trying to force their opinion on him yet then he pulls his elitist attitude ion EVERY comment about how he knows better than everyone else
And TBH his ‘praise’ of Possebon shows his bias. He will criticise Campbell for anything cos he has a hard on for Huntelaar where as Possebon who had a worse game than Campbell gets his praise. Possebon looked assured in possession but looked like a deer in the headlights when it came to actually making decisions. His use of the ball wasnt really much better than O’Shea which is disappointing considering his play in the reserves and his pre season contribution
August 18th, 2008 at 14:11
@Grognard:
Despite what you think Berba is a good professional, as Jol himself stated. He is a player who has a a somewhat sullen personality and that sees people often label him as difficult but he is a player who just puts his head down and gets on with it. If his attitude is a cancer to the spurs dressing room then its always been and they have seemed to live with it.
Berba hasnt spoken out (Keane did I believe) and he has shown he will put his head down and play which is why Spurs are willing to wait it out unless they get what they want. United though quite understandably dont want to be held to ransom because every time we over pay we add millions to every player we go after, something we are currently struggling with due to seasons gone by
August 18th, 2008 at 14:17
@Tomas:
I think the issue though with Rooney is if his fitness was lacking then why didnt he play smarter. Fergie has come out and said he needs to be more selfish and when your lacking fitness that should be doubly so. He ran around like a headless chicken at times and was more inclined to run towards his own goal. With little wing pressence or breaks from central this meant that with Campbell looking to make forward runs there ended up being a massive gap and when the ball did end up with Campbell he often had no options. If he had played closer to Campbell and left the Midfield to do his tracking back (especially when O’shea was on). Rooney just didnt play smart enough when you take the conditions into account
August 18th, 2008 at 14:32
@wakey: Well, that’s all part of being young. You can say he should have played smarter, but Rooney plays with his heart in everything he does. That tired him yesterday, no question. There’s no way he could have lasted the entire match even if he had played smarter… he’s simply not fit for it yet. But he was required to play 90, because we had noone to sub him with, and because we had 3 injuries during the match.
August 18th, 2008 at 14:43
@Craig Mc: I would like to ask you, why “missing the point” has become such an over-used expression in here?
It’s not about missing points, it’s about differing opinions. Don’t tell me that I have missed the point, when my opinion is simply that our squad is big enough, once we have signed the striker that we all know, we’re missing.
Our squad is more than big enough. In fact, there’re very few larger squads with the quality in depth that we have. It just happens that atm we’re struck by injuries, a suspension and the Olympics.
If you count the players that are out, you’ll get to (Nani, Ronaldo, Tevez, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves, Park, Saha and Rooney off form) 9 players. It’s basically our entire attacking force and at least 5 -6 regular starters. Name me a team in Europe that could cope with that, please?
About Berbatov. There’s no way that our hanling of this affair can be likened to that of Liverpool’s handling of the Barry affair. Liverpool have talked about Barry all summer, and we have never mentioned Berbatov… it’s completely opposite. Berbatov may be unsettled, and if we don’t get him, it’s tough nuggets for him, but you can’t blame us for letting the cat out of the bag. In fact, it wasn’t made public that we were after him, until Levy sued us. It was his actions that told us that it was in fact, Berbatov, we were chasing. Up until that, it was merely speculation. Speculations in the media is not our fault, and miss-qoutations is not our fault either. Noone at United has mentioned Berbatov’s name – not before Levy opened the case, at least. If you want to be ashamed or upset, it should be at yourself for not finding the right information on the matter.
August 18th, 2008 at 15:07
@wakey: That’s not my problem with you. My problem is your crusade against him in trying to rub mud on his face. When you’ve had valid points I’ve accepted them and moved on. But calling him or anyone a hypocrite is clearly not on. No one likes being called a hypocrite. If you can’t come to terms with it then you are in the wrong place — especially when he’s decided not to reply to you.
And I have given him a dressing down when I felt he was out of line. It’s my job to decide who is out of line and who isn’t. If you have a problem you don’t deal with him, you come to me. I may choose to accept or reject your request. And this is not the first time I am mentioning this.
And you still called him a hypocrite — two wrongs don’t make a right.
August 18th, 2008 at 16:26
I think we all can agree Rooney wasn’t good today. I think we all can agree he has played better and we all expect better out of him. I think once he gets the players who were absent back he will return to his old self. This had to be a difficult summer not being in the Euro’s even with getting married. He is a footballer, through and through, and when true footballers are not allowed to play, frustration builds. I think Wayne is frustrated and its hurting his game. He needs to calm down, forget the refs, and play his game. When he gets back to doing that and stops trying to carry United on his shoulders he will play more loose and better.
I think rushing out into the transfer window is not what United nee. It would have made sense two-three weeks ago, but not now, when they key players are getting ready to return to Old Traffod. Nani, Tevez, and Anderson are key for us now that Carrick, Hargreaves, and possible Giggs’s hamstring. With Tevez back Wayne won’t have to do more than expected and he can focus on his game. Rooney had some good chances but he and Campbell just didn’t click, which could be a result of the virus that kept him out.
I think we all need to recognize why we lost, a lack of our top players, and realize things will turn around once the talent returns to the team. Patience is a virtue and Fergie has loads of it.
August 18th, 2008 at 16:57
@Tomas: I’m not blaming the draw on the lack of transfers. I’m just pointing out that our play indicated how much we need that forward in the box who knows what the hell to do with a crossed ball. Nobody should have had wild expectations about the game yesterday with all those players missing but somehow I believe that Berbatov would have made a difference in some of those situations instead of Campbell. Even at full strength, we need a tall striker.
August 18th, 2008 at 17:09
@Craig Mc: I have to agree with you 100% about the way United have gone about this and how they actually have treated Berbatov. They have unsettled the lad so much so that it just comes back to haunt us because it makes us look bad and it does make us look like we tapped him up, which we didn’t. You don’t have to tapp a player up these days. You can get the media to do it for you. They so filled him up with dreams of OT that no player with any kind of ambition and imagination could try to cope with it. And now they are stuck in reverse and it seems are prepared to do nothing about it. And people tell me I’m delusional about United having money problems. The pre Glazer United I remember would have dug deep and paid the outrageous money that Spurs are asking because they realized that the price for success was higher than for the rest. They just went out and paid the five or ten million more. But now they are so incredible stubborn and tight fisted that it makes me and others think about the possibility of other reasons why they have not already bought Berbatov? What the Hell is keeping this deal from being made? I honestly don’t believe it’s Levy. They just want over 30 million for him. I think United have become so incredibly tight fisted that it’s pathetic to witness. They have become a joke waiting and waiting and waiting while the price just kept increasing and increasing.
Honestly, I don’t know what the Hell is going on but I don’t like it and I think Fergie is starting to show signs of senility if he thinks we are fine and we don’t need a tall striker to compliment the wandering Hobbit brigade we have up front. Get of your old Scottish ass Boss and make this deal and end all our misery over this incredibly ridiculous and embarrassing escapade. We are better than to tease a player into submission and poison him so that he is of no good to his present team. That’s not the way we beat our opponents. It’s very sad. Enough already.
August 18th, 2008 at 17:14
@Red Ranter:
So Basically no-one allowed to reply to him, because we cant reply to him without him attacking us for things he is doing also and then moaning to you about us. He cant have his cake and eat it, he either has an issue with things people are doing and takes the moral high ground and doesn’t do it himself or he shuts up with his bitching.
I haven’t at any time tried to wind him up, but his smugness, his inability to listen to others even when they provide valid arguments (infact he talks down to anyone who tries to debate him and put them and their arguments down rather than debate the points) and the way he is quick to condemn certain players while giving others the complete benefit of the doubt winds me up. If he has a different of opinion then fine but his opinion is designed to wind people up, put people down and make himself seem all knowing by undermining peoples arguments with put downs and smugness and while others may just give in and let him win by refusing to debate thus allowing him to have the comments as his soapbox to preach from I’m not. I will continue to debate him and point out the flaws in his argument and his attotude
August 18th, 2008 at 17:17
@Grognard: To be honest, we were held to ransom more often than not when we were a Plc and transfers took longer and were forced to be more public than it is now. Anderson, Park, EVDS, Nani were all signed with minimum fuss. Tevez would have been signed easily but for the paperwork, Hargreaves and Berbatov have really been the only sagas I can think of in the Glazer regimes. And many clubs go through this sort of a thing. Especially since we are club that’s widely perceived to be loaded, we will have to bear this cross of being fleeced out of your minds.
I don’t think we are broke, but I think they are trying to tread the fine line between prudence and stupidity over the fee for Berbatov — from a financial point of view. I am pretty sure they are aware of the need for a striker. Perhaps, Levy’s waiting on a replacement. Who knows really?!
August 18th, 2008 at 17:26
@wakey:
When you call someone a hypocrite you wind him up.
I am pretty sure a lot on here approve of many of the stuff he posts. I never told anyone to not reply to him. Your tone of trying to find faults in him does not seem like you are honestly trying to bring up valid points. Most of the time your debate starts off with you are a hypocrite, or something to that effect.
If you want to continue this crusade be my guest. Just don’t count your chances of your longevity on this site.
I am aware of who is harmful to the community and who is not. And if I make a decision that hurts my site, then I will be the one that ultimately suffers.
And I am fully aware in my time running this site that he does not intentionally wind people up. And if I have seen instances I have been quick to point that out.
So if I feel a certain thing is ok then I am ok with it. If you have a problem with that, then I am sorry, you have to deal with it.
August 18th, 2008 at 17:37
@Kevin: All the players can return mate and we still lack depth and height at striker. We need a striker regardless. Your points on Rooney were good though. I do agree with you there. He needs to try less stop tracking back, retaliating physically or verbally to a bad challenge and relax more. Once he does that he will find and entirely different Rooney and he will be more successful.
August 18th, 2008 at 17:43
@Red Ranter: You are probably right but yes, there is a fine line or tightrope between prudence and stupidity and Fergie is walking it right now after several glasses of wine. Levy is waiting for a striker and really, he should know what an ass he’s being as Zenit are treating him like he is treating us. The ironies of doing business in todays footballing environment.
August 18th, 2008 at 18:06
@Red Ranter
EVERYONE of his posts has something to try and wind people up. He takes the most extremist views possible, makes the most daft statements possible and when you debate him he pulls the most smug and condensending replies possible and rather than debate your points he dismisses them and put them down and then bitches to you.
I’m a forum moderator for a large online game and people like Grog are the bane of forums as they are trolls. Their views are designed to provoke people by being irrational and to then allow them to put other posters views down to drive them away so they can go unchallenged with their views.
And yes most of my replies do pick faults with his views, but thats called debate. If someone posts something that’s ridiculous you reply to them pointing out why they are wrong with reasons, something I have done in pretty much all my posts. If a person is being hypocritical and thus their view/belief is either unfair or wrong you point out where they are being unfair and holding people in double standards. If someone is being hypocritical in their views and stance it undermines their whole opinion (And when I have called him hypocritical ive backed my view up with conflicting things he has said, on this article for example he has attacked Dan for being blinkered about some of the youth players while he has shown the same blinkers towards his favourite players and that he also said lay off Rooney while laying into a player himself who put in a better debut performance than about 80% of our recent strikers)
And its not a crusade against him. I just said I’m not willing to sit back and let him turn the comments into a “Grogs soapbox to spout extremist views unchallenged to help inflate his ego”. If he posts rubbish I will continue to point it out and if he has double standards I will continue to point it out no matter how much he continues to put down myself and others
August 18th, 2008 at 18:45
@wakey:
I’ve had my say. You’ll have to go with me on this. I know what’s right here and what’s not. Even if I am wrong you’ll have to accept my decision and move on. I have tried to see value in your points before but you seem to have made it a point to go after him with even a whiff. Trying to make it your life mission by targeting a specific individual is sad and I have no sympathy for such people. I have had my own share of heated exchanges with Grognard and I have found out that he is genuine and not a troll. I have seen plenty of instances where he has been polite. If you can’t take it there are plenty other forums dedicated to Man United you can go to. As I said, if you continue on your crusade by trying to find faults rather that trying to participate in civil discussion then feel free to move on.
Let me suggest some really good sites like RoM for instance.
August 18th, 2008 at 23:25
@ Red Ranter & Grog.- I agree and I think while we may not be broke there are financial concerns. Berba is a great player but in no way is he worth the 30 mil mark set by Tottenham. I agree we need a striker, but will it help us now, I don’t think it will. The team needs time to gel, which they never did due to players being absent from injuries and bla bla. I think we need a striker but we needed one in July, not after the season started, when it will take at least a month to see the best out of the man we bring in. Berba will help and would be a good signing, but height is not an issue if,and its a big if, Saha and Manucho can stay healthy and join the team. Bring in Berba but lets make sure we don’t pay over what he is worth. That is my only concern at this point, but your right we do need someone, but we needed him a month ago.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:15
@Kevin: I agree with you that we needed the striker in July. That is why I was bitching about Fergie and Gill taking holidays before dealing with Ronaldo and before buying that needed striker. I am not a big fan of procrastination and Fergie acts very confident and smug about how he goes about things but all it’s going to do at the end of the day is cost us more to get that striker. I am one of those that believes in filling our holes before trade or transfer deadlines. Who needs the anxiety, the escalating costs and the competition. Get your man early and watch the rest panic. I just don’t get it.
And forget about Saha mate. Thats a pipe dream and a Tolkienesque fantasy. He’s not Treebeard, he’s Balsabeard. 
August 19th, 2008 at 3:26
Haha, he may be but he finds ways to score and if he can find a way to stay healthy he will play well. The true shock will come if he can stay free from injury. I think signing Berba will happen and I hope the comments today might nudge, if ever so slightly, Tottenham to sell now. And hopefully for not to much.