Nov 11
Man Utd v QPR: Preview
Open thread folks: all links to streams, discussion on possible lineups, rants, frustration, optimism (blind and realistic), all go here.
Possebon is expected to return to the starting lineup alongside a host of other young prospects. Evans should get a run out too, and there is a good chance of getting to spot Manucho.
Otherwise, Fergie says there will be a fair bit of experienced legs alongside said youngsters.
As I said, open thread, as I can’t really do a full fledged review of this game.
PS: I know I haven’t written about the Arsenal game yet. I will do it sometime if it’s even relevant at that point — and even if I do it I will touch on points that haven’t been discussed. And believe me, my perspective of the game was far different to the majority opinion on the threads.
Anyway, that will come in good time… meanwhile, have at it. Over to you…
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Rooney Out For A Month
- Porto it is then…
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
RedDevilEddy, i rate our youngsters extremely highly it is some of the best i have seen in years. In my opinion arsenals youngsters r extremely over rated and i feel more of our youngsters will make it then theirs. The only players of theirs i rate r vela, to an extent that wilshire guy and ramsey. With us i feel foster, rafael, fabio and possebon r shoe ins to be first teamers in the next few years with question marks over wellbeck cos of the strikers ahead of him. Wud be interesting 2 c us against the gooners tho.
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And at Stamford Bridge too!
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@RedDevilEddy: Hitler vs John Terry????? I’d root for Hitler.
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@Liam: I never said anything about anybody disagreeing with me was wrong mate. I just have a problem with people pushing their positive agenda on individuals like myself who speak from the heart and who don’t always come across as positive of full of joy and sugar.
So please get off your soapbox and stop accusing me of things and reread what I have said before overreacting. I on the other hand overreacted towards people telling me how to think, not about what I was thinking about. Relax and don’t take my comment so much to heart. I at no time meant any offense to you. I felt like I and some others were being picked on because we are not eternal optimists when times are glum, and that mate was all I was saying. And I am not one of those that expects 3 or 4 trophies per season. But I do expect better than what we have received from them so far.
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@RedDevilEddy: I knew Chelsea would lose the shootout because both their goalkeepers are total tossers when it comes to saving penalties. Now both Liverpool and Chelsea are gone. I guess that means the Carling Cup is ours. Hows that for optimism guys?
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@RedDevilEddy: That makes one you mate. Perhaps two. Dan probably shares your enthusiasm because he enjoys watching the youngsters play too. Hopefully they go far although my hunch is that as we get towards the Semi-Final round Fergie may want to use his big guns as to secure some piece of silverware this year. If he does this it will be a disservice and woefully unfair to the kids. That’s of course if they get that far. Arsenal has a lot of good youth too and Spurs tends to play their big guns because it means more to them since they are out of the running for most of the other trophies.
It’s about who thinks it’s a bigger priority.
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@Grognard: “Andrei Arshavin is desperate to leave Zenit and he is every bit as good as Xavi”
Cant say I agree with that one, Arshavin is a quality player but Xavi is in a tier above him. I am not saying Xavi is the right man for us, but I dont think Arshavin is on his level.
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can anyone tell me why the fuck we sold Rossi? I know I wasnt the only one who thought he deserved a chance.
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@johnsom33: Then you haven’t seen Arshavin play enough. I personally think he wipes the floor with Xavi and that the Spaniard is way overrated. Perhaps if Arshavin was playing for a team like Barcelona or a national team like Spain he would get the respect and awareness he deserves.
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@johnsom33: Because Fergie has a real problem when forwards try to score goals and play inside the opposing 18 yard box. Rossi didn’t like the idea of playing fullback so Fergie sold him.
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ok chelsea go down in penalties and scouse **nts go down 4-2,
that just shows how deep their bench is and could well play a factor late in the season, when we’ll probably be the only team challenging for all trophies, while the others relegate themselves to aiming for just the prem or CL etc…
overall, i’m not as worried about our current position, because we have had probably the toughest schedule out of the top 4 so far, playing them all away from home, we just need to capitalise and thump em at OT and everything should be sweet as!
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Good news for Campbell. Harry is the kinda player who will give English youngsters a chance and if he can cut it at Tottenham then we’ll either be able to sell him for around 10-15 million next summer or he’ll challenge for a first team place. Although knowing us we’ll see him for 5 million a la Pique and Rossi.
Still it would be awesome having a pacey striker at United who can finish. I see him also as a sort of Et’oo player….a fast striker probably not much use in the air or very physical but a good goalscorer.
Seriously it pisses me off when I hear that Juventus are looking to pay around 20 million for Rossi when we sold him for 1/4 of that. I would have loved to see Rossi get a chance with us but instead we loaned Tevez. I remember Rossi was described as the most natural finisher we had-we could really use that right now but he’s also another hobbit and perhaps the view he was too lightweight for the Premiership was valid.
Weird how badly second string teams do. We barely finished off QPR, Chelsea fell to Burnley. Yet you look at the teams fielded and half of them are senior players. Crazy
But yeah we should have a decent run at the League Cup and the chance to give Possebon, Manucho, Gibson, Evans, and the twins some valuable experience. Seriously though I wanna know why Manucho wasn’t playing. We needed two up front against a team that was always gonna defend and if Manucho is gonna be the next Ole (plucked from obscurity at a mature age to become a first team player) he needs chances to impress. I love the guy after those goals at the African Nations!
I like the idea of Arshavin but he strikes me as the kind of guy who would want a first team place and with Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez all trying to double as attacking midfielders it would mean Nani would get sacrificed and he needs games to prove himself.
On my Christmas wishlist is one experienced midfielder to make up for Hargreaves absence. Ideally someone with leadership, good English and a combative style. I also want an attacking coach who will teach our boys how to score and overcome their fear of the penalty box.
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@Grognard: Have you had a chance to watch Hoffenheim this season? If so, how do they play? Is their position at the top right now a fluke or do they actually play good football?
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@Grognard: Really? You find Neville and Giggs repulsive on the field? They are legends and know exactly what is required of them. Neville comes off a long injury-spell while giggs is re-ordering his game to fit better as an attacking midfielder. Neville is still class, and Giggs is brilliant is his new way (his vision is excellent!). Of course, with the youth we have in the team, it is important that we have legends around to show them youngsters how training gets done. I will never claim Neville, Giggs, or Scholes should leave United! I hope they stay here as long as possible. I am disappointed to see a seasoned ranter as yourself spell out “Fuck Neville.” I thought this above you.
Maybe you are just hung over from this past week-end of disappointment – which was not due to Neville but poor finishing from our attackers (again).
Peace out Grog.
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@Madschester United: To be fair, Neville is not class anymore. His powers have waned beyond a stage where even his most honest of efforts won’t help him.
Of course, I wouldn’t say Fuck Neville because I do respect his contributions to United over the years. However, based on current form, he does not deserve to be starting for United.
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@Madschester United: My my how the hounds come out when their puppies are threatened. Relax mate. My words were more out of frustration with their poor play than how I really feel about them. Although I have never been a big fan of Neville I do understand your loyalty towards him. And if you had bothered to ever read many of my past comments over the past two years you would know that few fans love and admire the great Ryan Giggs more than I. With that said it has been difficult for me to come to this point but Giggs and Neville have outlived their usefulness to this team. Great servants as they were, they now wear the banner of hindrance and are keeping this team down stuck in the mud while keeping younger and more able youngster from getting their long overdue chance to hopefully one day become legends like them. I have told many people I care about at one point or another to fuck off for specific reasons. I now tell Gnev and Giggsy to kindly fuck off so that Rafael and Nani can get their fair chance. I thank them for their loyalty and service and although I am being a little rude and harsh towards them, players need to know when it’s time to hang their boots up. Clearly, Gary and Ryan never got the memo.
Peace out
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@johnsom33: Yes I have. In fact I wrote about them a bit last week. I love the way they play the game much like the way Zenit plays when they are in top form. They have tremendously fast players who have great skill on the ball and thus, they use their pace to press teams and to counter attack in a lighting war style. Defensively they play very high and use the offside trap with total mastery. Once they get the ball it’s off like a flash and skilled players like Eduardo and wingers like Ba and especially the highly gifted Obasi make mincemeat of opponents. Then it’s left for the prowler and goal poacher extraordinaire Ibisivic to slot the goals home.
Are they for real? Yes they are but what will probably be their Achilles heel when it’s all said and done is their lack of depth, Bayern’s experience and their yet to be really tested goalkeeping and back four.
They are a class side but it’s not like they have no holes to fill. They play with enthusiasm and they are a treat to watch but I feel that they may implode in the second half because their fast paced and frenetic style may eventually catch up with them. With that said they are built with speed and youth in mind. The manager intentionally avoids veteran players because they don’t want to buy into the fast paced style this team plays with. The young players are in excellent condition and they buy into the system and physical requirements. What will be interesting is to see how this team progresses.
Hoffenheim is a village. Take a look on Google Earth. The fact they are now supporting a Bundesliga side is nothing short of miraculous. Their stadium is very small and it cannot possibly be generating very much money yet their owner apparently has deep pockets. I don’t buy it. This team’s success may eventually be it’s downfall. Look for teams like United and Chelseas to go strongly for both Ibisivic and Obasi. The team will then take the mon ey and scour Eastern block countries and Africa for more young, cheap and very fast talent. As long as they listen to the coach, this team should be a treat similar to Borussia Monchengladbach and their success in the 70′s. Although they don’t have that kind of talent, they have a coach and a system both on and off the field that few other teams can match or copy. I wish them well although I still want my beloved Bayern to finish first. Hope that answers your questions.
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@Grognard: Penguin’s not my “mate”, for the record. I know him as much as I know most commenters and I don’t know him personally. So I haven’t let the “mate” thing cloud my judgement when I defended some of what he said.
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@Red Ranter: My mistake. I assumed that since you have allowed him to post some articles on your blog that he might be a close friend. Not a big deal and I do know your commitment to fairness and no bias. There is no issue there from where I sit.
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@Madschester United: Not due to Neville, the two goals down at the arse had a lot to do with Neville. But your right about out forward players, they should be playing Rugby league with that kind of shooting
. Red Nev has been a fantastic servant for us for many years, and it is a shame to see his play these days. I hope he stays and gets his coaching badges, because he wants to go into management, or coaching I believe.
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@colver: I don’t know why the feck Man-u-cho isn’t being played either mate
. Fergie is treating him like a leper – WHY?.
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@Natzca: Errrr – didn’t you see how our bench players performed againsy feckin QPR?. I am not too impressed with our bench to be honest mate.
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@Grognard: The carling cup is despised by most United fans mate, we didn’t celebrate hardly at all, the season we won it recently – it’s like an egg cup Bro.
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@Liam: Yeah but its not stupid expectations to expect 30 million plus players to at least HIT the feckin target when they make shots at goal.
.
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@JB: My God talk about OVER reactions, football is always going to be abrasively and passionately debated, that is what fandom is about. But like you say JB, you can surely find some blog where there are people of like-minded pessimism. Oh but then again, I doubt it, because all football blogs have fans of all different persuasions and opinions – and to me I like it that way. Good Lord, what a feckin world it would be if everyone just nicey-nicey all the time. It would be nice, but it just wouldn’t be human nature. The world is made up of all sorts. Might I just add this though JB, your pontificating about the supposed negativity of others, but THIS very post of yours is very negative and defeatist.
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@Craig Mc: I think we should now try and win it.
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@Craig Mc: I’m not looking a blog of identikits Craig, it’s just that I think there has been a lot of crap written here in the past couple of weeks and I really can’t be bothered with it any more. It is only an internet blog after all and not a way of life. I would say that the overreaction would be continue to contribute here despite my lack of enjoyment for it at the moment. To do so would suggest I have an unhealthy obsession with ensuring my own opinion is heard and/or validated.
For me you used to be able to have better debates on here than you can now. These days it seems more like a ‘them or us’ attitude prevailing in the blog. You either are a pessimist or an optimist, you hate Rooney or love him, Nani is an idiot or a gift from the gods. Either that or you respond to someone and you get some comment along the lines of ‘this is a RANTS site so I can say anything I want’ or a freedom of speech spiel etc.
To be perfectly honest I have not come across another internet blog/message board that has so many members that get so excited and uptight by perceived impingements on the freedom of speech. The fact is when myself or someone else bitches about negativity, no one is actually gagging you, Grognard or anybody else. Given the responses that appear though, you would swear I was holding a gun to your head and telling you not to utter another negative word. Look at the rebuttals Penguin (one of the most respected and level headed commentators on here) got for using the word nonsense. I really can’t be assed with the melodramas and bitching over nothing anymore.
And I maybe be pontificating and haughty at times but then some of your own comments could be misconstrued in that fashion as well. After all “positive minded individuals live in a kind of little ‘all is well’ protective bubble” could be read as just a tad patronising. But then as I said above it is just an online blog. I don’t like the tone/style that a number of contributors use as I feel it can appear abrasive and/or aggressive, but I put up with it. After all given the obsession with freedom of speech should people not be allowed to say what they want, how they want, without criticism?
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@Craig Mc: It’s not an overreaction, and it’s not about wanting everyone to be optimistic or less negative. It’d about the absolute bollocks that gets written on here day in, day out now which honestly if a random football fan came on here and had no idea that we were talking about a team 8 points off the top, he’d think we’re in a terrible situation and we have no hope for the future. That’s not an overreaction, and it’s not what most people think, but as a collection of views that’s exactly how it comes across with everyone making points about where we just aren’t good enough, from all angles.
It’s absolute bollocks and the only reason you don’t realise it is because everyone loves you here and follow your view(and Grognard’s) as it was always spot on. That’s not a shot at you and you know what I think of you, you’re a brilliant lad, but this blog is nothing like it was before I left. There was negativity when necessary and it created debate, not at every little thing though.
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@Conor: It is reassuring to see that I’m not the only one to think the blog has changed. At least I can go now without thinking I have imagined it
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@Conor: Look Conor, whether you like it or not mate – its called FANDOM. You will find it on most United blogs on the web. People will voice there opinions good or bad. As for everybody loving me, thanks for the compliment, but I get into more scraps with more people on here than I care to mention, but I see it as healthy difference of opinion. Now the people who seem to respond to my posts are with the most lack of patience, and with much vitriol, are the Irish contingent. And anyone who even dares to think I am making racist comments here, you will do well to remember how I got lambasted on here a good few months ago for saying I loved it on the terraces with the Irish/scots United fans. So don’t want anybody to go there – ok?. Yet it is JB, Liam, Fred and yourself, all Irish I believe (or am I wrong – not sure if you are Irish Conor), who seem to be so fiecely opposed to anybody saying anything that THEY seem to deem bollocks or shit to them. It may be something in the Irish culture – a fierce loyalty, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. Yet it isn’t a bad thing either, that I want to be free to speak up about things that I think is bollocks and shit, like looking at every single aspect of the team with rose tinted glasses, and NEVER saying anything that smacks of criticism of the team whatsoever. That is Fergie mentality, and the mentality of the Red Cafe personel. It is fine if they want to portray themselves like that, but I am not a sheep. I don’t want to follow any mentality, but I am a free spirit. Everybody may get irked with me for that, but I love people for who they are, not for who I want to mould them into. Besides, you seem to forget, there is an awful lot of GREAT banter and comedy on this blog too – but all too conveniently missed, and we get called negative. I guess I just don’t understand Conor – but I have to say what I think, its me mate – soz.
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@JB: I hear you JB, and it does come across to me that you do get really down about some of the debating, or the way of debating that goes on around here. For this I apologise to you mate, because I appreciate your sharing your innermost feelings with me in your last post. I will try to tone it down a bit mate, and be less graphic in my approach to debating. I seriously don’t want to cause real offence to anybody, because this blog would cease to be a community of Man United fan brotherhood. I hope you will understand though mate, that I am not of melancholic nature, but more passionate outspoken idealist type of person. I can agree with some of your points about my points
, we are very different Bro, but I respect you anyway. Peace and out 
.
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@Craig Mc: If there’s one thing you’d say about JB, it’s that he’s patient.
One thing you’d say about both me, you, JB and Grognard is that we’re all opinionated even though he have completely different views, but I don’t think any of us are impatient either.
Again it’s not about negativity, if you were being overly optimistic when we weren’t in a god position then I’d be thinking the exact same thing. It’s not about what’s said but how it’s said these days.
But aw well, it’s only the internet for christ’s sake, who cares?
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@Craig Mc: Lets think about this for a second Craig. Is the problem a certain individual is having with the blog about people’s negativity really a valid complaint or is it the fact that intolerance rears it’s ugly head from the other side of the fence too. Some might not like the fact that I for one took Penguin’s comments to heart and got a little frustrated but that was due to my intolerance of intolerance.
I for one have a great deal of respect for Penguin. I lost it a bit yesterday because he seemed to have less respect for me and another individual’s right to offer our views on the subject at hand. It was never about disagreeing with our views. In fact, it has never ever been about disagreeing with my views that I have ever gotten into a verbal scuffle with anyone. It’s the fact that others like to police this blog and demand of the blog and it’s membership that they tow the line and conduct themselves in a “POSITIVE” and Utopian manner that not only doesn’t offend their sensibilities, but never challenges their patient and optimistic outlook on life and especially Manchester United. I’m sorry but I just don’t understand this kind of thinking. Why is it so necessary to try to restrict other points of view or to complain about a blog because it has changed and hasn’t remained the fairies fantasy land where United fans can meet tell each other how great their team is and share cooking recipes and other household antidotes.
I have to be completely honest. What really burns me and pisses me off to no end is not that they try to stifle my free speech and perceived negativity, it’s the fact that they believe that is all I contribute. And I know this is not true. In fact Craig, you know that isn’t true. I offer plenty of positive, funny and at times comical banter for all to read and respond to. But it’s when I have a negative comment or when I am in one of my perceived dark moods that the sky falls in and their frustration with this blog rears it’s ugly head.
I’d like to know from some of them although I know they won’t respond why it is important to sanitize and disinfect this blog from comments that don’yt always ring positive or optimistic about Manchester United? And have they surfed the net or checked out other blogs? Trust me I have and they are positively cruel and unrepentant towards skewering and butchering the team, Fergie etc. Inf act, I checked out an New England Patriots blog last season after they had gone undefeated and then they lost the Super Bowl. The negativity and negative poison that was being thrown at the team and coaches was positively vile and disgusting. This is a team that went 16-1. One blemish on an otherwise perfect season and it took a fluke play to cause them to lose the perfect record. So really, am I that negative when we all can honestly find a truck load of grievances regarding our team and how they have played so far this season?
I may shock some of you when I say this but I am not generally a negative person. I have had a lot of negative and terrible things happen to me but I am sure everyone has and some may have had worse. I honestly never take my bad moods or my misery and throw it onto this blog. Never ever. But I am a very passionate fan of Manchester United and I am highly competitive and very proud so that when my team embarrasses me or disappoints, I won’t poke fun at them, but I will criticize them if I feel there are areas or individuals who deserve that.
Too many people lack the comfort zone to get negative or to criticize. They live in a conservative lifestyle and do much of nothing when things around them start to fall apart. As long as it’s not them hurting, they can’t be bothered and they just count on their positive way of thinking to keep them from harms way and to hopefully fix the problem. They are not as proactive as I am. And that’s fine. There is nothing wrong with being positive and feeling the problems the team is having right now will turn themselves around and all that is needed is faith and patience. I totally disagree but I totally respect their views and I can even see merit in the way they look at things. I have often used the glass half full analogy. I look at it as a glass half empty but that is because I may be more ambitious, or more easily disappointed. I am completely intolerant of mediocrity or doing something half assed. Because of my recent health issues I have had to live a life that is far beneath the standard that I was used to and the standards that had set for myself. I may be to proud or even to egotistical but that is who I am. I am also the loyal, loving and jovial friend to many who know me to not be the Harbinger of Negativity and the Prince of Darkness that some perceive me to be on this site. And it hurts me deeply that some would think this way of me just because I carry thoughts and opinions of my own about my football team that doesn’t jive with theirs.
So I kindly ask others to be more tolerant of differing opinions. To allow this blog to truly be dynamic and to offer it’s membership a voice whether it be positive, negative, right wing, left wing, funny, silly etc etc. Lets stop sniping at each other but let those who may have things to say about United say their peace. Disagree or agree but let them say what they want to say. Even if it’s to tell Gary Neville to fuck off like I did yesterday. Of course that was nothing more than frustration over his play and I for one have nothing but the greatest respect for Neville and all he has given to the team and fans for well over a decade. But like I said then, some player need to know when the time comes to hang up their boots. And that’s just my opinion. Of course I think I’m right but that doesn’t make me right. It’s just my opinion. Disagree all you like. I look forward to it but when some people come out and tell me that I shouldn’t say this or I shouldn’t feel that and that I am too negative, well I just get frustrated and lose it. Having worked in Government and dealt with many social issues that broke my heart I just hate it when others try to suppress my feelings and my opinions. I cherish those rights like gold and I would hope others could understand that and respect it instead of being intolerant and threatening to leave the blog because it’s not catering to their sunny blue sky ideals. It’s sad to see anyone leave or quit this blog. It’s even sadder if I feel I have contributed to their disappointment and reason for leaving. But I’ll be damned if I need to apologize or change my personality, feelings or way I express myself about a passionate subject like Manchester United in order for them to stay. Unless I am attacked I never personally attack others. Well not knowingly anyway. I have on occasion made the odd snide reamrk which was out of line and if RR never slapped my wrist, usally somebody else did.
Finally I’d like the often quoted scholar Rodney King
who coined this comment which has such Shakespearean overtones, “Can’t we all just get along?” Lets be more tolerant of each other and our differing viewpoints. This blog has plenty of room for positive, negative, funny, sad and even ridiculous. We can talk about players, teams, tactic, lineups, prediction, review, funny anecdotes, girlfriends, movies, video games etc etc. Lets make this a community where we share on simple fact, that we ALL love Manchester United and that we all share a driving passion for the team and their success. But above all, lets all be more respectful to differing points of view. And if some perceive things to be getting a bit too negative, rather than bitch about that or quit, why not offer some light and positivity into the proceedings rather than criticize individuals for what they are saying and how they feel. For me that would be a true Utopia. Nobody at Manchester United reads this blog or knows we exist. So why worry about offending any of them? So to all, show some heart and some loyalty and never leave this blog. Stay and make it better.
Red Rants is the finest on line community I have ever been a part of and I for one want it to grow and prosper. I have made many friends on this site. People I’d love to go to a game with or to the neighborhood pub for a pint or two or three. So lets tolerate each other’s differences. And you know what, Red Ranter deserves it and he deserves our support. Not our betrayal and vacating him at a time when he is so personally busy he cannot sheriff some of the shite that goes on over here. Sorry for the long rant and getting off topic but this had to be said and I needed to clear the air and have my feelings known.
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@Craig Mc: I could kiss you and give you a well deserved reach around for those incredibly accurate and profound comments mate. Very well said. Now if only the others will listen to it in the manner and intent that it was given??????
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Amen Grog, and here’s to SUNNIER climates, for us and for Manchester United
.
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@Grognard: Truth be told alot of the usual in there but just one thing stuck out to me.
“Why is it so necessary to try to restrict other points of view or to complain about a blog because it has changed and hasn’t remained the fairies fantasy land where United fans can meet tell each other how great their team is and share cooking recipes and other household antidotes.”
My first post in here was to debate with you over the Heinze situation at the start of 07/08, so no the blog was never a fairies fantasy land for me
But I find it a damn site less enjoyable debating on the blog than it was.
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@Conor: Unfortunately Conor I have to be honest and make it known that one cross that I have to bare is that I am an impatient person. Not so much with what people are saying on this blog but with things to do with general life and with the teams in sports that I support. I am not one to sit back and wait years for my team to be a contender. Therefore it’s no fluke that my favorite teams in most sports are teams with pedigree or history. As kids we are often drawn toward three types of teams. The home team, which is always the safe choice, the best team, which is even safer and the underdog, which most closely mimics our outlook on life which is to cheer for the underdog. I have never been one for the home team. Other than hockey’s Edmonton Oilers, I have never been a homer. I have lived in three major cities in Canada (Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver) but most of my favorite teams weren’t even Canadian other than the Oilers. I often choose a team because a specific player or players attracts my attention and I like the way they play. Manchester United is kind of a strange choice though. I have followed them since the mid 70′s and although I cannot say there was one player that really sparked my interest in them (other than the historical references like Charlton, Best, Law and of course the Munich Air Disaster). What made me like them was my hatred towards Liverpool at the time. I was a big German football fan and besides Bayern Munich I was a fan of Borussia Monchengladbach. I hated Liverpool for beating them in the European Cup Final but I was elated the week before when United beat Liverpool in the FA Cup Final. Thus my love affair started then. Yet it took the Sir Alex’s arrival and the creation of the Premier League that made me a passionate and totally devoted fan of the team. I fell in love with two players the first time I saw them. Peter Schmeichel and Ryan Giggs. Sure I loved Hughes, Ince, Bruce and others but those two really stoked my fire. But not until the arrival of the King did United become a religion for me. Add to that Keane and Beckham and I was in Heaven. And I have been devoted and loyal ever since.
The fact that we finally got regular opportunities to watch the league on tv here in Canada really helped. Up to that time my only exposure to football was the World Cup and a show called Soccer Made in Germany. Ironic that my greatest early memories of the sport in an English speaking country was the German Bundesliga.
Anyway, my lack of impatience has had everything to do with how I support my teams and which teams I support. I like winners, not because I like being a front runner but because I see no joy or any reason to support poorly run organizations that are not committed to excellence. Even though there was a dark period for the team in the 80′s, I always felt the team carried itself with pride, dignity and an attitude of success. Fergie made the team the juggernaut it has been for 20 years now and lets face it, he has offered all of us just what I had always craved from a team I support. That although they may not win first place every year, they will always be in the hunt and always remain hungry and competitive.
The team always played with an attitude and desire and no selfishness. Now I see a team lacking focus, positive attitude and and desire and it concerns me. I see ego’s and me me me attitudes taking over. Yes I am more than willing to admit that the team’s success has spoilt me for life, but I make no apologies for criticizing their recent play or most of all, their current lack of focus, desire and attitude.
Fergie is a a God and in the past I had more than enough faith in him turn a bad situation around because I knew he would bust his ass to do so. But now he is coming to the end of a magnificent career and I wonder if he is as driven to do the things that are necessary to continue the domination long after he has retired. His decision making seems to be made out of loyalty, fear and safety as to not tarnish his reputation or to rock the dressing room with the change and alternate thinking that may be needed with this new breed of player. So we all have our views and some of us see things as possibly falling apart and question Fergie and the direction of the team as well as the questionable ownership and the financial situation with the club. So yes, impatience is a major problem with me regarding the team. But I don’t like showing impatience with others on this blog. I honestly don’t mind if they disagree with me but I do lose my patience when they tell me how I should approach things and how I should think. Yes I can overreact and get angry but all I have ever wanted to be on this blog is liked, respected and appreciated. And when some people show an intolerance to me, my defenses come out and I get all anal. Manchester United is a personal and important aspect of my life and I react to it in the manner that I would react to other things in my life that matter. With passion, attention and unfortunately, impatience. So to all I have shown impatience or rudeness towards, please understand where I am coming from and that I am like most of you. I just want to be heard, respected and liked.
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JB, there are a lot of very great people on the blog for you to debate with, and have a good conflab, don’t you think?. If we irritate the feck out of you, there are still plenty of folk here like Penguin, Gabriel, Stephen, RR, and others of the same persuasion and reasoning as yourself. This blog consists of some very pleasant debaters, some who avoid deep discussion, some comedians, some who enjoy arguementative opposing debate (ME
), and the colourful posters. Some statiticians, some who have good reasoning powers, some who are staid non contesters, and some scrap merchants (ME again 
), some who think carefully about what they say, and some who just speak right out forthrightly or wrongly, depending on others viewpoints. This blog therefore is just representative of life in general. People can draw to those who have similar thinking and manner, and other excitable combustants like myself, who lets it all come out 
. Surely you can join in with a good few of the posters here, and find comradeship with them?. It is an interesting blog to me, full of fans from every walk of life, and every persuasion of thinking. That’s all I would say. Stay and give where you feel you can contribute Bro.
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@JB: And you and I have had our issues in the past mate. Truthfully and with the most honesty my heart can muster, I have never liked the fact that we have carried bitterness and animosity towards each other. I for one do not like seeing you leave or take a break from this blog because my attitude or the way I express myself bothers you. I have always seen you as a valuable and vital contributor to this blog. And if this blog has suffered at all it’s because intelligent minds like yours can’t find themselves to be a little more tolerant of people like me and stick around and just keep contributing.
You cannot honestly think that I walk around all day with a dark cloud over me and with nothing else but negativity coming out of my mouth? I like you want nothing but the best for this blog and for Manchester United. I don’t mind if you disagree with me or that we don’t always see a situation the same, but questioning our different personalities or social preferences is not the way to go about it.
I am here right now asking you to stick around and to bury the hatchet when it comes to our past arguments. Like I said before, this site is better with you than without you. It’s not always going to read the way you want it to but then you can contribute more and help make it more the way you prefer and the way it used to be. Lets debate and share our viewpoints on this wonderful game and see where we agree or differ. But lets stay open minded and allow for this to happen. I am not one to run away from something if I perceive it to be broken. I’d rather stick around and help fix it. I for one apologize for the past and hope that you can find it in yourself to stick around and help me keep this blog exciting and…….what the heck, controversial. Debate makes the world go round. What do you say?
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JB, the GF has been reading the comments here over my shoulder, and she insists
that I tell you this. She says that a pearl is made from grain of sand, that gets under the oysters shell, and irritates the flesh of the oyster. In order to protect from the enormous irritation felt, the oyster wraps around the grain of sand with its chemicals and something really good comes out of the irritant, the pearl. She reckons that is what can happen between people who irritate each other, something good comes from it, if we wrap up and separate what irritates us. I just told her, that I must have made lots of good pearls, because she irritates the feck out of me, with her looking over my shoulder to see what I am up too. Anyway, the GF, the sage has spoken. Talk abour confuscious says eh – 
.
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@JB: Truth be told I don’t remember much about the Heinze debate but I do remember that our Riquelme debates were epic. So epic that others still bring them up from time to time. I still look forward to those types of debates provided we don’t get personal. And there is no rhyme or reason that we should.
By the way, did you notice that last week I told an individual that buying Riquelme for United would be a terrible idea? See, there is hope for me yet.
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@Craig Mc: You should marry that girl mate.
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@Grognard: Oh I fully intend to, if she’ll have me Bro
.
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@Craig Mc: Excellent comments but from my perspective there isn’t a nice even balance at the minute. Lately a lot of the comments I have been have been similar in style if not content. It is difficult to contribute on a blog with just a few like minded individuals when there are so many contributions that I strongly disagree with everywhere else. Or maybe I am just jaded of the blog and am only seeing the negatives. Either way a break is in order.
P.S. Your gf sounds a bit mad
@Grognard: I appreciate the sentiment. If it is any consolation you are not the sole reason why I am taking a break, although I would be disingenuous if I said you weren’t a factor at all. Truth be told we will probably never get on because so many of our views on the game are at polar opposites, as are our personalities. You find me sanctimonious; I think your commenting style is abrasive etc. You can consider the hatchet buried, however for now I don’t have the enthusiasm for the blog given the current prevailing styles and trends in it. Maybe the enthusiasm will return with time, or with some clarity on the teams longer term prospects or maybe it won’t. We will see.
P.S. I noticed you said nearly everything I had been arguing with you about Riquleme, bar my claim about him being a bottler. Funny old world
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@Craig Mc: Your girlfirends sounds awsome.
How old are you Craig?
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@Craig Mc: Which of those kind of people am I? The talented, reasonable, kind-hearted and mad? Or just the promising prospect?
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@JB: But JB, surely you would have to check out on life too in that case, because few people find harmony with all types of people around them. Enjoy your time out though JB if you have finally made your mind up. We have all been there with our taking of time out.
O and the GF said, that it is MEN that are the mad ones, arguing over 11 men kicking a ball about.
, how little she gets the world of football fandom 
.
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@RedDevilEddy: 24 years young Eddie
.
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@RedDevilEddy: All of them I’d say Eddie
.
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@Craig Mc: You in love with her?
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