Oct 03
Manchester United vs Sunderland: Preview
A former United stalwart returns to Old Trafford this weekend (along with a few other familiar faces), bringing along with him a Sunderland team that have endured something of a yoyo start to the season. Yes Steve Bruce skippered the Reds to three Premier League titles once upon a time but he will be desperately hoping to outwit his former mentor in the opposing dugout come Saturday.
To get the ball rolling, the Black Cats haven’t won at the Theatre of Dreams in some 41 years. With eight wins on the bounce for the Reds heading into the game, anything but victory would surely be deemed a disappointing result.
Following the hard fought triumph over an aesthetically pleasing Wolfsburg on Wednesday, three points at home in the Premier League is certainly a must in order to keep things ticking over. Sunderland, on the other hand, were 5-2 winners against Wolves in their last outing, a deceptively flattering scoreline as I’m sure those who witnessed the encounter will testify.
The main bits of team news from a United perspective refers to opposite ends of the pitch. After putting in a steady shift without covering himself in glory against the German champions, Tomasz Kuszczak will have to settle for a place on the bench as Ben Foster resumes as Edwin van der Sar’s Premier League deputy. Michael Owen’s latest injury, meanwhile, will keep him out of action for the forthcoming round of international fixtures next weekend.
At the back you would envisage little change with Ferdinand and Vidic at centre-back and Patrice Evra and John O’Shea on either side of them.
Ryan Giggs’ cameo on Wednesday evening brought about his 150th career goal for United and the landmarks are coming around thick and fast as a strike against Sunderland will see him notch up his 100th Premier League goal. Your guess is as good as mine as to who Fergie may decide to play on Saturday (you’ve probably a better chance of predicting the lottery results in fairness) but given the current rotation policy and that we should be afforded plenty of space, expect Scholes and Fletcher to possibly start with Nani and Valencia on the flanks as Park remains doubtful with a virus.
That leaves Rooney and Berbatov to head up the attack, a partnership that is showing signs of flourishing and should come to life against the frailties of a Sunderland defence that is hardly up there with the best in the league.
The big decision Steve Bruce will have to make is whether to sit back and soak up pressure or attack United from the off and hope for the best. Whatever tact the one-time United captain decides to go with, Darren Bent will undoubtedly start having scored eight in his last nine Premier League starts.
Speaking to the media, Ferguson explained that he is hardly relishing the task of picking his team with so many players fighting fit and on top of their games at the moment.
“We’ve a strong squad. The problem with having everyone fit is picking the right team,” he is quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
“Our two central midfielders – Michael Carrick and Anderson – were fantastic against Wolfsburg, and I thought Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes were outstanding at Stoke. It is giving me a real headache.”
The United boss went on to praise the managerial work of his former player and that he expects Sunderland to achieve big things with Bruce at the helm.
“He’s had experience of the other side, from down there scrapping at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Birmingham, and the job he did at Wigan in his second spell there last time was fantastic, almost getting them into a European place,” Ferguson added.
“Now he’s had the chance to spend some money and he’s looking good. Steve’s galvanised the club already, and you can see something great happening there. Hopefully not against us on Saturday.”
On the other side of the fence, Bruce paid tribute to Ryan Giggs, a player he labels one of the greatest to have graced the Premier League.
“He started in 1993 and where are we now, 2009? Jesus. And to play at the level he has been doing, he has to be the greatest ever player to have played in the Premier League” he is quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
“Not just because of his longevity but because he is playing for Manchester United and still getting man of the match awards.
“For me he is their best player, at his age as well.”
Saturday’s match will be the 13th time that Bruce has gone head-to-head with Sir Alex with the Scot possessing a record of ten wins and two draws to date. The former Birmingham City manager may fancy his chances more than ever before considering the form of Darren Bent but the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand haven’t been in opposition before now.
Anything but a comprehensive result will clearly be frowned upon and bar an absolutely unbelievable Sunderland performance a woefully poor United showing, a comfortable victory should prove the final outcome and put further pressure on Chelsea needing to gain a positive result against Liverpool the day after.
Prediction: 2-0
Related items from Red Rants:
- Evra’s Ban Smacks of Inconsistency | Sunderland Preview
- Sunderland Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- West Ham v Man Utd: Preview
- The Scholes-Sunderland connection is BS
Tags: Game Preview
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:35
Bruce better not play well today.As for the rentboys and dippers,my body(not mind) may go for the dippers.You should know why.
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:01
Adopted scouser – I’d prefer the DRAW between Chelski and L’poo especially if we chalk up another win
.
October 3rd, 2009 at 13:33
the black cats have good team..i still cant believe how he convinced Lorik Cana to leave regular Champions League football at Marsille and join them..if they had a stable back four they could be a serious contender for top 10 position
October 3rd, 2009 at 13:41
can’t wait for this one !! Will be a lively game… brucey never parks the bus and his players are well capable of attacking. Plus I’m lookin forward to see how cana plays against top opposition!? I’m goin for two yellows and he’s sent off .. player to watch? Def darren bent, following him on Twitter and he apparently had sum weetabix this mornin, so…
October 3rd, 2009 at 13:56
I think it will be 3 – 1 in our favour
October 3rd, 2009 at 14:09
@RMJ: They are challenging for the top10…
October 3rd, 2009 at 14:11
Im going for a 2-0.
October 3rd, 2009 at 14:35
@Dan: I think the match is going to be very entertaining as they will also be willing to attack…
October 3rd, 2009 at 15:00
Remember our last 4 games against these guys at Old Trafford?
ParkTheBus2K should be their club name. All our wins have been with a maximum of a one goal margin, and who can forget that 0-0 draw in 2006 that effectivly ended our title chase? Then there is last seasons 1-0 win where Gorgnard went balistic because he had never seen such a poor and embarrasingly defensive performance by a team, and the Premier Leaggue should make teams like Sunderland dissapear far down the pecking order of the League system… 
If we get an early goal, I can see us score very many! If we dont score in the first half, expect a 1-0 win or a 0-0 draw. Hoping for the former, and Anderson to score his first Old Trafford goal.
October 3rd, 2009 at 15:13
My hopeful line up
———B.Foster———-
O’shea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Giggs
Rooney Berbatov
Prediction 2-0. A goal each for Wayne and Dimitar.
October 3rd, 2009 at 15:55
just heard that vidic was injured in car accident this morning and will not play
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:00
@ebrahim: WHAT?!?!?!?!
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:08
@Footy4Eddy: Its not official, but its on BBC 606.
Take it with a pinch of salt before we get team news and/or official word.
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:12
@Dan: I really hope he isnt severly injured, like fatal or sumthing…
Well, I forgot we were talking about NEMANJA VIDIC!
The man never gets injured, he survives everything! 
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:15
…I hope…
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:16
@ebrahim: you mean vida hit a car with his fist and he got a hangnail? no way he is injured
come on vida
if so what do you guys think is brown healthy? probably evans but maby DeLat?
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:25
Vidic doesnt have car crashes…….
Car crashes have Vidic.
Joking aside, I hope this is bullshit.
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:27
You guys sure it was a car crash, and not Vidic just beating up a guy so much his face looked like a wrecked car?
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:32
@Footy4Eddy: I quote: “Someone should tell him to stop chasing John Connor.”
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:34
Hrm, regardless of the Vida thing, hoping for a good performance today. We’re often rubbish after a midweek game, but have enough fresh faces that we should be pretty high energy.
My first time betting today, odds of 21-1 of a Sunderland win. That’ll make it easier if it happens
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:55
@ebrahim: bullfuck. he’s in the starting lineup!
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:57
Teams from Premierleague.com:
UNITED:
GK: Foster
RB: O’Shea
CB: Evans
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra
RM: Welbeck
CM: Scholes
CM: Fletcher
LM: Nani
CF: Berbatov
CF: Rooney
SUBS: Ando, Valencia, PIG, Carrick, Brown, Fabio, Rio
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:57
Manchester United: Foster; O’Shea, Evra, Evans, Vidic; Scholes, Fletcher, Nani, Rooney; Berbatov, Welbeck.
Subs: Ferdinand, Brown, Anderson, Carrick, F Da Silva, Valencia, Kuszczak.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:00
@ Grognard:
http://articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2009/10/in-praise-of-ben-foster.html
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:02
maybe he damaged the car and not himself.lol
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:09
I heard a car hit him while he was crossing the street. The car had minor danger until vidic saw that his bagel dropped cream cheese side down. He flipped out and totalled the car…
I’m just telling you what I heard
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:12
Come on United
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:13
@ebrahim: Turns out even manutd.com match tracker is reporting it! If there really was an accident, vida = godlike. but be prepared for a shortened outing for him today. My guts tell me Rio will come on for him at HT.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:13
Interesting teams on both sides. On our side it’s surprise that Welbeck is in at right midfield and no stickers on the bench. But overall team is very strong. Good to see Vidic is playing. Good to see that Sunderland will play with both Bent and Jones on. Seems to me Bruce wants to attack. Hopefully we can have a great game and win. We really need to keep the ball rolling.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:21
@owen: Rarely have I read such rubbish. Statistics are for losers. The guy fails to mention all the times Foster screws up and he doesn’t give up a goal. That figure surely is in double figures. Seriously, I do not need some meathead to write an article in support of Foster to change my mind and view of him. I need Foster himself to do the job. Until he shows me he can, he will continue to get my abuse. One thing I warn you and others against however, let nobody ever accuse me of not being fair. If Foster turns his game around and can prove to me that the is the real deal and that I was wrong, I will be more than willing to eat humble pie. But here is the thing, I am so sure that won’t happen so I am not losing sleep contemplating that possibility. I know goalkeepers and I cannot remember in my 35 years of watching the game that I have ever really been wrong in my judgment of one. Remember, he plays for a top team and a top defense. Of course he will have what seems like a good goalkeeping record on paper. But all that is needed for that writer to actually see what crap Ben Foster really is, is a brand new eye prescription and a brain that truly understands the game. Clearly he doesn’t and so clearly I would take what he has to write and use it for toilet paper.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:23
How long has kieron Richardson been playing at Lb?
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:27
I will not tolerate anything less than 3-0. A minnow at home, should be fun. Why do I have a sneaky suspicion that we will be arguing later about United winning 1-0?
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:28
@Johnsom33: Since he was with us actually. We wanted to turn him into a LB, but he wanted to be a midfielder. Look where that got him.
He played 1 or 2 games at LB for us, thats for sure.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:28
@Grognard: Casillas was voted the best goalkeeper mate but Neur and Adler were not in the top 10 and even Lehmaan was in the list…How they vote???I even can not understand???
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:29
COME ON UNITED!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:29
“He can kick well with either foot and possesses the kind of bullet-proof self belief that borders on arrogance.”
hahahahahahahahahhajahahahahahahah please stop. Who ever wrote that article on Foster is a comedic genius.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:30
@Grognard: The main worry is that Giggs is not even on the bench today????Hope Berba will create something
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:30
@Grognard: Because we’re playing a team on the same points as Villa and City, not Portsmouth.
I’d expect them to be hard to break down, well organised and tight at the back… Bruce managed to make a player out of Titus Bramble ffs!
Also Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent are big fast powerful strikers, who are both in the goals. Midfield is where they lack, and we’ve got 4 midfielders on form so that’s where the game will be won.
I still expect us to win.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:30
I smell a draw
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:31
@Grognard: Bloody hell, a minnow? You show teams outside the top4 no respect what so ever and its not right.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:31
Scholes was a mistake. Cana and cattermole are really physical
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:32
@Johnsom33: Agreed.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:33
@Traverse: i think they have a decent midfeild.. lorik cana is no push over but they have the younger ferdinand in defence and burnley had fun with him…but wow welbeck starting..
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:36
jesus foster nearly doin a doozy
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:36
hey,
anybody have a good working link to watch he game
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:36
I really rate that Cattermole fella…
Same goes for Cana. Wow, good midfield theyve got there!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:37
It’s good too see berba back at full confidence
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:37
WAZZA`S NEW BOOTS ARE MINT!!!
Same goes for Nani, they look dashy.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:38
Vidic as captain… Superman isnt worthy.
Fuck Bent…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:39
Oh fecking hell.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:40
I saw trouble as soon as evra slipped.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:40
@Grognard: Who the fuck are you calling minnow!!?!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:40
Its going to be interesting to see how this is fosters fault…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:40
Cracking goal that. I’m sure that someone will blame foster, but that really isn’t his fault. Can question O’Shea for the slack marking, but really that was just great forward play.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:41
told ya.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:41
Well, we have played our best football this season when we are behind or level…
Arsenal
Spurs
City
Wolvsburg
I rest my case…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:41
@dan
redknapps wife could have saved that
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:42
If one fucking ass clown on this blog comes on here and says that was unstoppable and that it wasn’t Foster’s fault, I will go fucking berserk. What more proof do you need that he is a muppet that lacks focus and has no real skill. A worm hugger from 22 yards out and he can’t stop that? Bent was near the left post. Foster was hugging more of the right post. He was asleep at the wheel yet again. Fuck I have had it with waste of time and space. He needs to go.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:42
@Dan: Bad positioning
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:43
what has happened to Rooney??? he can not pass at all
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:43
Well Grog, you got your skinnned sausage back…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:44
Malbranque>Ronaldo?!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:45
Hurry up and bring on our saviour… Sir giggsy
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:45
We cant pass for shit!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:46
If this continues I want Andy and Brown on ASAP
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:46
At this rate we are going to mishit a pass into our own net. Our defenders are continually make awful lunges and getting skinned. Our keeper can’t stop a fairly routine shot. All in all a woeful start.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:47
why Giggs is not on bench???
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:48
Evra slips while he was attacking, and who did we have to fill the gap? Scholes. It was gonna be either a yellow card or a goal
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:48
Top corner, Ronaldo vs Pompey style…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:49
Free kick hits the wall, Ronaldo style…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:50
If Welbeck had the first touch of Berba, he would be the best young player in the world…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:51
Better. Shame that chance fell to Welbeck, he tried, but Rooney in that position may have fared better.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:51
@Owen
damn no giggs? Well hurry up and bring Ronaldo on then…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:52
@Footy4Eddy: Replca Welbeck with you name in the last comment
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:53
Oshea must be the worst passer out there!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:54
It’s funny how lightweight our midfield is… Fletcher is a beast, but for whatever reason he just doesn’t have the help he requires…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:55
@Footy4Eddy: no no …Rooney is challenging Oshea for the worst passer
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:55
Fucks sake Wayne…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:56
@Johnsom33: Answer = Anderson
Another reason to send Andy on, Scholesy with a yellow card already…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:57
Another awful Scholes challenge.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:57
Scholes off right now. We need 11 men if we’re going to come back.
Such an idiot that Ginger boy.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:57
@Grognard: PATHETIC!
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:57
Paul “yellow card” scholes
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:58
This is the absolutely perfect Ronaldo position!
Oh wait…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:59
wtf is rooney doing?…oh boy scholesy…
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:59
Prepare yourself lads, any minute now Scholes will get that second yellow and then we are royally up shit creek without a paddle. If any young player was getting stupid yellow cards like that game after game, Fergie would entrench so deep in his doghouse that we would never see that player again until season’s end. But Scholsey, just keeps getting selected, despite the fact he is playing like shit today.
October 3rd, 2009 at 17:59
@eddy
exactly, Andy over scholes all day every day
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:00
what a save from Foster
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:00
Foster with his first save of the day.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:00
Thats one thing welbeck needs to improve, his touch.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:01
Yellow card for Richardson…
Come on Nani, you can do this!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:01
Can anyone remember scholes last good game?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:01
@Dan: Told ya!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:02
@Johnsom33: Stoke City, last weekend.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:03
Did nani and Danny switch flanks?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:03
WHAT THE FUCK!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:05
@eddy
I said scholes not giggs
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:05
Rooney is doing the best impression of Carla Tevez out there…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:06
@Johnsom33: Yeah, Scholesy did well against them…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:07
The team’s playing like they stayed up all night drinking! So slow to the ball, so many wayward passes!?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:07
who told that they are minnows???
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:07
clear penalty.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:08
We look shakey
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:08
This is an awful performance.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:09
Replace Rooney
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:11
*Dont punch the TV*
*Dont punch the TV*
*Dotn punch the TV*
*Dont punch the TV*
*Dont punch the TV*
*Dont punch the TV*
*Dotn punch the TV*
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:11
When Fletcher fucks up passes, you know your team are doing awful…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:11
Oh what the actual fuck is our midfield doing!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:12
replace fletcher and scholes, if the your midfield 2 arent keeping possession, the team will not get anywhere.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:12
Rooney is a fraud
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:13
Some really poor passing from Fletch and Scholesy.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:13
which dud decided the kits today? both teams in white shorts…
maybe our passing is affected by that….
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:14
Have we entered a “Worst passer of the day” competition that I havent heard of?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:14
welbecks not up to this level
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:14
If Scholes is over 50% right now for passing accuracy I’ll eat my shoe.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:15
@dan
fletcher is fine, it’s scholes who is hurting us. Fletcherinho can’t do it all on his own.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:16
Have we even gotten a shot at goal today? It just seems like we’re crossing and passing it in, but it’s always headed away or intercepted.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:17
I blame Wazzas new boots for his horrible passing today…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:17
@RMJ: Eh? Hes hardly been the worst performer today!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:18
Shame Giggsy isn’t on the bench.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:18
Please Saf! Break out the hair dryer
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:19
As negative as I have been towards Scholes over the past few seasons, can anyone remember a time when he was so god damned useless in a game. Get the old fart out of the game and play Carrick for Christ’s sakes. I cannot believe a player of Carrick’s ability has to sit on the bench have minutes stripped from him for this old useless washed up old man.
What a thoroughly disgusting display of football with no passion, no idea and no pace. USELESS AND DISGUSTING! Foster 1/10, Evra 2/10, Rooney 3/10, Nani 3/10, Scholes 0/10, Welbeck 5/10 are all a frakken joke.
As for Nani, The Lil Man better wake up soon because when the likes of Kieren Richardson and Phil Bardsley start having their way with him, perhaps a return to Portugal is more in the cards than we think? 
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:19
Lads, this is not how you are supposed to play football…
Andy on for Scholes, please Fergie! If there is one thing I want you to do, ever! its to let out Scholesy for the second half…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:20
Absolutely horrible display.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:20
Does anyone else find this kind of amusing? I’ve never heard boos at Old Trafford.
Dear Danny Welbeck. Back to the academy you go.
I’m done with Nani. Thanks for trying, it’s been fun, but goodbye.
Scholes, if you’re not going to pass well you offer us nothing. Go away.
45 minutes. 0 shots.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:20
HT
Absolutely rubbish.
Midfield had no hold of the game
Let Sunderland into it, theyve played well
Fergie Pleeeeeeeease sort this out!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:20
Carrick on for Scholes. Please SAF.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:21
Are you fucking serious? One full half and we don’t have a fucking shot on goal? At fuvking Old Trafford? Wow saf get your shit together
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:22
Replace Scholes and Fletcher…
Sell Nani
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:23
@Footy4Eddy: Rooney is fucking useless today. No pace, no desire and above all, defenders are figuring out one major flaw in his game. Rooney has no left foot. Everything he does is designed to give his right foot a shot. Take the right angle on him and take that away and he hasn’t got the Ronaldo option to move to his left foot and have a crack. There were two times in that half just outside the box where a good left foot crack was available to him but he chose to not take it.
The man I feel sorry for is Berbatov. A genius and artist surrounded by plumbers and bartenders. Sad really.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:23
DO WE SERIOUSLY HAVE ZERO SHOTS ON GOAL?
I would have expectedly or thought at least one or two, but ZERO? What the fuck.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:23
Oshea was the the passer
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:24
If we could get £5mil for nani, id be chuffed.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:24
Wow… this performance brings shame to football… Scholes is setting a new benchmark for “how worst one can play?”.
Rooney’s frustrating as usual.
Oh, and Park > Welbeck (don’t wanna “hear he is not a winger” crap).
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:24
@Grognard: Yeah, Berba’s been the only one who’s performing decently today, along with Evra, I think.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:25
@Grognard:
Its true as well.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:25
Also, poor Fletcher is having to go at it all alone in midfield because Scholes has taken the day off……again. There comes a time when Fergie really needs to wake the fuck up and start listening to others because so many cannot be wrong. Scholes is past it. I’d accept his retirement right now and send him off to help Ole as a coach on the reserves. I for one have had enough of watching him play.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:25
I am also injured….
who will score at 96 th min???
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:26
@AndyCR7: Well hes not a winger, hes a striker. You wouldnt play berbatov or owen on the wing, and the only reason he plays there every so often is because of his pace.
Dont you dare call park better then anyone. Id rather have tosic in the team then park.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:27
why did Welbeck even play..lots of stick for Nani but i thought he didnt get a chance to do anything and Richardson should have been off by now our midfield is crap and we are being outmuscled..but i thought the worst player out there was rooney no touch eyes closed passing and just plain bad movement
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:27
I knew sunderland were gona have a go at us, but I didn’t expect us to wimp out like that!! Rooney useless, Nani worse, Scholes on a yellow, no Giggs on the bench.. culd we be f*cked t’day??
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:27
We could badly do with Ronaldo right now for some creative spark!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:27
That’s the way to crush our hopes. What a pathetic performance I must say. The defense is the only one that comes out with any credit and it says a lot when we are 1:0 down. Rooney is becoming a great imitator of Ronaldo’s antics, too bad he is not as good as him. Not sure what the boss can do about this. Saying everyone is having an off day or that Sunderland are good today is not an excuse to be spanked like this in OT. I don’t even know why I type cause my comments are not being published.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:28
@owen: What the Hell has Fletcher done wrong? He’s doing double duty out there covering for all the stupid passes and fouls that Scholes is offering. Every time he has had the ball he has distributed properly and he he is hustling and working his ass off defensively. Fletcher along with Vidic and Berbatov are our only players out there today.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:28
We need more than 3 changes. Bugger.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:30
United are at home, at the Theatre of Dreams, with barely any shots on target. WTF is happening?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:31
What a pitiful performance. Scholes has to go off for the 2nd half, and Nani makes me crying out for Park to return soon. Rooney desperately needs a rest NOW, thank heavens his wife is having a child any day now, he should take 2 weeks off.
People need to stop blaming poor Welbeck. It’s not his fault he’s been thrown into a team of muppets. No leadership out there, everyone’s throwing their arms about blaming whomever.
It can’t get worse, it just can’t.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:31
Fletcher has been wasteful too, on at least 3 occasions just passed it straight to Sunderland. Still, better than Scholes. If Scholes doesn’t come off at halftime I give in, and profess I have no idea what Fergie thinks.
Anderson and Valencia for Scholes and Welbeck please. We don’t actually have much better options
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:32
Sell Nani to Barca…then we will have good chances in CL if we play them in the final
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:33
Bloody hell.
One of the worst halves of football I’ve ever seen from us. And its not like we’re playing arsenal or anything.
Bar Vidic, everybody has been poor. It has been that bad.
But Scholes and Fletcher have been especially poor for me. Nani tries and tries, the poor fellow but he just doesn’t have end product. Rooney looks slow. Poor decision. Berbatov was dragged down by the poor level of his team mates and did barely enough.
Welbeck looks extremely out of place on the wing, its the same story of Fergie trying players out of their natural position and finding them wanting there.
Oh and O’shea sucks. Big time. Was hapless in the whohe of the first 45. Foster was slow to react for the first goal…
.
..
Who can come from the bench?
Carrick and Valencia?
Sheeesh!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:34
@beachryan: Truthfully, it may seem that I am angry form my posts but the reality is I am laughing my head off. Seriously, I am finding this game hilarious because my worst case scenario before the season started is being lived out before my eyes. This is actually the team I was expecting to show up when the season started except that I still believed in Rooney to be a force and Berbatov to be the lazy slug. Never did I expect it to be the other way around.
The team is a crack up watching them play pedestrian minnow like direct football and not being able to string more than two passes together against fucking Sunderland. Credit to Brucey for being a good manager though. He has his team well prepared for the mediocrity and lack of passion and effort they were going to face today.
And special condemnation to the United faithful. The supporters at the Theater of Broken Dreams who are silently sitting on their hands and doing nothing to help motivate and wake up their team. Talk about a bunch of spoilt primadonas. Jeez!
Sometimes a team needs that twelfth man, the fans to help them out, no matter how pissed off we might be.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:35
@Grognard: Rooney can’t do it in every game mate. It’s unrealistic to expect him to play like a man possessed in every match…accept that he’s going to have an off day here and there, and unfortunately, today seems to be such a day. He’s going to be vitally important this season, so, to be honest, I’d rather he had an off day in a Premier League game such as this, rather than against say, Liverpool or Chelsea, or in a Champions League knockout game.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:35
saf will say he took off scholes because he on the card.
We all know why he really did it.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:36
Anderson for Scholes. Would have preferred Carrick but anyone is better than Scholes right now.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:36
I meant to say, having seen the replay, I want a goalie that can save those. I know it’s tough, but the very top keepers would have pulled it off. Foster didn’t get down quick enough.
Just when we think our team is looking ‘built’we need to go out and buy some more..
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:36
I’d like to say that OT sounds like a morgue but I’ve actually been to a morgue and i find it a little more lively than what I am hearing from OT today.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:36
Thanks you!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:37
Oh but my 20 – 1 bet on a Sunderland win…drinks on me to commiserate
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:37
First touch for Anderson and he loses the ball. Not too good of a sign.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:38
@dan
o my god, we agree twice today. Park is absolute rubbish. I would take a broken leg Todic over park any day
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:38
@Footy4Eddy: Eddy, you must have prayed your heart out because you got your wish. Too bad it won’t make a difference because we have substituted one piece of shite for another. Carrick is the lad who should have come in.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:38
@Grognard: Flectcher was horrendously poor in the first half.
He too, not just Scholes, was poor in his passing, and his usual harrassing style was either absent (in the first 20 min), or did not result in us getting back possession (last 20 min).
Its the single most frustrating aspect of Fletchers’s game. I’m pretty sure his A-game would be on against a European giant, but when it comes to doing it week- week out against minnows, he does not always deliver.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:39
@NicoQB: Come on, let’s not underestimate those two lads. Carrick, if he can get on his game, will keep the ball at least (unlike what we’re doing now), and I’m pretty sure Valencia cannot do any worse than Nani right now.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:39
@ Grognard – Serioulsy, where are the fans? Even Arsenal fans can manage that annoying ‘Arrrrrssssenal crap.
Ours are just shocked.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:39
lol scholes off and surpisingly funny commentry…anderson made his debut against sunderland was taken off at half time cause he to had a stinker of a game
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:41
According to BBC live text commentary (as the stream I’m watching is a bit slow) – “Until today, United had picked up an astonishing 70 points from a possible 81 in their 27 league games so far in 2009.”
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:41
BERBAAAA!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:42
Um. Berbasex. Need new pants.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:42
what a goal go berba!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:42
Love berba
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:42
Berbantona!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:42
BERBA MAGIC BABY! YEAH!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:44
I JIZZED!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:44
Now at least we’re looking somewhat like the side we need to be.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:44
Lads, remember Sunderland at OT in January 2003!! Losing 0-1 throughout most of the match, and eventually come back to win 2-1 with goals from Becks and Scholesy if my memory serves me correctly!! Keep the faith!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:45
We score waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to few overhead kicks at this club…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:47
@Grognard: I dont fucking care what you say right now, cause at the end of the game we will talk about how Anderson made the difference for us.
His energy is what has given us some spark right now.
Andy to score his first Old Trafford goal tonight.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:49
Mediocre corner taking from Nani+Rooney.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:49
FUCK.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:49
Fucks sake Foster…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:49
FUCK!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:50
Au revoir ben.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:50
OH MY FRAKKEN GOD! Need i say more. Now what do you think would have happened had Schmeichel been in that position? Three months in hospital for Kenwyn.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:51
My God….
Ive always been in protection of Foster, but not anymore. He is defo shit! May I please order a Neuer?
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:51
FUCKING HANDBAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!
AAAAAARRRRGGHH!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:51
gk is laughing stock surely!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:51
Poor game by Fletcher. Terrible passing and tackling.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:52
Cheerio Ben Foster…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:53
Love for Bryan Robson, btw.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:53
Ben is plainly just not good enough to play for Man Utd. Maybe Watford but certainly not the biggest club in the world. We’ve conceded in virtually every game he’s played for us this season where the opposition have tested us. EVDS cannot return quick enough for me!!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:53
Oh, and Fletcher lost his head. Never seen that before…
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:56
I give in. Gave him every chance, but he can leave now.
Unrelated to my judgement of him, if that is Petr Cech the ref gives a foul….
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:56
So close. Damn.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:57
Carrick on for Fletch I think.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:59
We look like the minnows here.
October 3rd, 2009 at 18:59
On a side note, Sunderland have fouled ALOT this game.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:00
Well maybe bens just not good enough for united.
But hes a lot better then some on here give him credit for, thats what ill say.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:01
Our set pieces have been meh today. Carrick and Valencia on, thank god.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:01
Foster needs to watch tapes on how paliguca treats pesky headers in the box. Bottom line, a head should never beat two hands.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:03
Keep crossing, keep crossing!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:04
Shit…. close……
COME ON UNITED!!!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:04
We really need to practice our heading…
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:04
COME ON UNITED!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:05
@dan
I’m not taking the piss mate, but are you saying you have given up on foster?
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:06
WHAT! THE!!! FUCK!!! WAYNE?!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:08
Come on lads!!! still 15 to go
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:09
Berba is class, but he has zero help
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:12
Damn it. 10 mins to go.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:15
Nice to see Frasier back. Always rated him.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:15
Id take 2-2 now……
Please……
COME ON UNITED!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:16
Red card for Richardson.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:16
That’s really harsh. The ball wasn’t where the foul was.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:16
RICHARDSON SENT OFF!!
COME ON UNITED!!!
COME ON UNITED!!!
COME ON UNITED!!!
ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:20
I’d settle for a draw now. One point is always better that 0.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:23
OWN GOAL!!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:23
we never die!!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:24
Bugger. THat cost me 200 quid. And they won’t even win.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:24
Now we need a winner.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:26
FT.
Didnt deserve it
but I’ll take it thank you very much.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:29
no added time for the goal?..lol we were damn lucky to be getting the draw
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:30
Was pathetic from Foster if you ask me. Good or bad doesn’t matter, may be he deserves a chance and all but do we have the luxury to give him that chance. I don’t thin so, considering that PIG was much more solid.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:30
So much for a minimum of 4 mins? Think Wiley was terrified of a United winner? I do.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:33
Horrible game, just horrible! Foster is shit, and is sufferring from a serious lack of confidence and letting his emotions getting the better of him. A goalkeeper at this level cant let that happen, and even though he has massive ability he needs to get rid of that. When the crowd stick their heart in the mouth every time you touch the ball, it aint good. Not for him, not for us, not for the people around him, not for anybody! Not the best result to bring going into the international break, far from that actually. But we may have Edwin back for our next game then, which is a massive positive.
We`ll never die…
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:33
@beachryan:
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:37
@beachryan: Of course he was.
@Footy4Eddy: Gosh I cant wait to get back in! We need some stability between those fucking posts!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:41
@beachryan:
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:43
We need to squash these sort of performances now. We cant perfom like this, not at home. Thankfully, I think the international break will give us the chance to recuperate and clear our minds to hit the competition hard.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:47
Well you win some you lose some!
One player is vindicating me (Berbatov) the other is not doing anything but. Poor lad Foster, he’s just looking very ordinary.
One thing I’ll agree with Dan though is that:
1. He has been unfairly treated by “fans” – note the brackets, pundits and sundry before he was given any chance to prove himself
2. Vidic and Evans were totally dominated by Kenwyne Jones tonight. Nobody will take heed after a few days. But everyone will remember the fact that he conceded against Jones. But I’m not defending him, he was poor coming for that cross.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:48
@edwin: As a matter of fact, I don’t think you’re that much better than Ben foster.
If you conceded those two, people would be going “Oh, well, its just one of those days…”
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:49
Some of You fucking NUMPTEES on here haven’t got a feckin clue! I know lets make Nani (who got so many good balls into the box) the WHIPPING BOY AGAIN! I mean we can’t say that lover boy Rooney has been SHITE personified for 5 games now. Or that he can’t pass a ball to save his life. That he looks about as sluggish as my granny when she has had her hot water/whicky sedation at bedtime. Piss poor Rooney – United main man and saviour my arse
. Fletch and Scholesy, and numerous others couldn’t pass today either. I said that we wouldn’t be able to keep coming back from behind and winning games. But hey there’s NANI lets fucking whip him, and blame him for everything. Doesn’t matter that Evra played better when Nani moved to his side of the field. Rooney cannot play with Berba, because Rooney has got a Berba type of footballing brain. Giggsy however has. SAF must take the blame too, because he leaves Rio out when he knows that Bent and Jones know how to score against United. I think Foster showed today he finds it hard to cope with continual pressure, but then the defenders in front of him didn’t help. But hey NANI’s there lets fucking scourge him, yeah lets crucify him, and make him the usual scapegoat. Some of you don’t know your arse from your elbow where football is concerned. Not counting you in the numptee brigade Grog. But don’t anybody get stared with me about Nani, because I have feckin had it with some of your Nani abuse!
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:53
Talk about luck. Poor Brucey, he deserved better today. He can thank Kieren Richardson for a moment of utter stupidity because that sending off really put Sunderland on the their backs. Had he not been sent off, they may have been more set up for counters which would have forced our defenders to play back more.
We were complete utter shite today and this should finally wake up the many who believe this is a championship caliber club and that Ben Foster is a competent keeper. Foster had tow stops to make today and made a meal of both of them. He was useless and as much as i blame him for not paying the first one right, I would personally love to meet him in person and scrog him good over the second one. Dan, you want to know why I favor German keepers so much? Because no German keeper ever born would have been out muscled for that ball in the air. No German keeper would have been so hesitant and so timid in going after that ball. It’s not in their DNA. They are taught to attack the ball and take no prisoners. And need we bring up the lack of focus and concentration on the fist one an the fact that he was out of position. But like the arshaving goal, he still manages to get there and actually be in position to make the save and it still gets by him. Fuck is he a useless tit of epic proportion.
As for the rest of them, the bottom line is they are all not very good and the team has been overachieving monumentally all season and has been awfully lucky to boot. We lose to Burnley and draw Sunderland. That’s five points thrown away that we should have had as a forgone conclusion. We have yet to play Liverpool, Chelsea and have yet to pay Arsenal at the Emirates. Last year we sucked against the top four but we were able to always beat the minnows. By not dropping points against the minnows, we won the league. I do not see this happening this season because frankly, we are not that good. We have our moments and the odd game that makes us wildly speculate and dream of great things but the fact remains, the only thing we really have going for us is a lot of luck and a never say die attitude. We need more.
Major changes have to be made for us to win the league and even have sliver of a chance in Europe. First, EVDS has to return yesterday. Secondly, we need to stop giving attackers too much ground just before the 18 yard box. Foster gives up far too many long range goals and even though I like to blame him for each and every one of them, he isn’t to blame for the space these shooters are being granted. Guilty suspect number one, John O’Shea. He needs to find the Irish killer instinct in him and stop being such a wuss and attack players on the ball. Thirdly, we are too transparent and really lack skill on the ball. Our wingers are absolutley horrible and lack any tricks or moves that can undress defenders. They are so predictable and their final product so utterly useless that I would consider playing four central midfielders at all times.
Tje next big fixes we need to make are in tactics. We need to find some fire and some passion. This static style of pay has zapped the mojo out of a lot of our players and has reduced Wayne Rooney to an unwilling observer. These tactics take away his freedom to roam to run at defenses and to basically make probing diagonal runs and criss crosses with his forward partner. Ad to that his predictability of late and we are seeing a player who for my money is regressing, not progressing. I also think he has lost a step. He needs to stop smoking and I mean that seriously.
More service into Berbatov and then players making diagonal runs in front of him would free him to find more players and create more goals. Instead we have a team that just stands around when the ball is at Berbatov’s feet. Just bloody ridiculous. Finally, never ever ever ever ever ever ever play Paul Scholes again and seriously start Michael Carrick with Fletcher every game. I had my doubts today when I saw Giggs was not in the lineup. When I saw that Scholes was, I realized we had a good chance of throwing points away. People get down on me because of my tirades towards Scholes and Foster but then again, these muppets have yet to prove me wrong have they?
Lets try our best to survive until January and then if Fergie does not buy David Silva, we should then hold a vigil and protest outside of OT. We need world class creative players in our midfielder and not old men trying to find the Fountain of Youth as well as a fat Brazilian S Club 7 reject who has no skill to offer this club (I did borrow that from somebody else on line).
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:57
@Craig Mc: Nnai is not the scape goat for me me mate. But lets also not protect him when he didn’t play well at all. And so what if he gets balls in the box. If they are shit balls and at nobody or poorly placed, what good are they? Today his crossing was poor and his corners were really poor in the first half. Credit to him for coming out with a lot more fire and passion in the second half, but lets face it, if you can’t make a meal of the likes of Richardson or Bardsley, maybe you aren’t cracked up to be all that Craig say you could be.
You know i am a Nani fan mate, but how long must we wait until we see the Nani we all thought we knew from his first season? He is getting his chances and he is still not making the most of those opportunities. He needs to get his head in the game mate.
October 3rd, 2009 at 19:59
@Footy4Eddy: Weren’t you on Foster’s bandwagon just a few weeks ago? I could have sworn I read a post putting down all Foster haters and claiming yourself a believer and convert. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:01
very lucky to get a draw.. pathetic performance… Scholes please retire.
Welbeck did fuck all…
Rooney doesn’t deserve to start the next match. Jeez, since last 2-3 matches, he is making strikers like Crouch, Bent, Defoe look better than him. God knows why he even tries those painfully slow powerless gay shots from outsides the box! Selfish prick…
I feel sorry for Berbatov, the guy had muppets playing around him.
Welbeck? well, go back to reserves. THe decides to shoot from outside the box when he could have set the Rooney with simple pass.
and one more thing…
Foster is world class, but not United class. Foster reminds me of last year’s Gomes.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:01
Somebody please tell me WTF the immense Wes Brown has to do to get a game in a defence LEAKING goals lke there is no tomorrow. Brown would have kicked Jones and Bent into touch – and that from his first bone crunching tackle on those two loopies!
I am not even glad we salvaged a point, we didn’t deserve it, and I wanted SAF to get the point!
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:03
@NicoQB: Oh BOO FUCKING HOO for poor Gentle Ben. Perhaps he should take a page out of Berba’s book on how to deal with fan abuse. Berba claims the fans were right and that he needed to up his game, that he was too nervous and was not performing as well as he should. Humility in the heat of abuse is a refreshing thing coming from a millionaire. Foster gets paid more than enough to be able to deal with all the abuse he gets. Why, because frankly, HE DESERVES IT. So cry me frakken river over his bruised feelings. He’s fucking useless to the nth degree.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:04
@NicoQB: Correction, it was Evans who was dominated. I think Vidic played well considering he was baby sitting Evans all game too.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:06
@Grognard: I stood up for Foster, because I still believe he has the ability… BUT, its slowly starting to dissapear. His mistakes against Shitty made me say he had to do well to win my faith again, and this was just another nail in the coffin. Not the last, but another. Says most of it I believe…
And why the fuck are you critisising Andy today!? He did well, and God dammit you are really starting to get on my nervers… Give the lad credit, he is doing well at the moment.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:07
What was fergie thinking?he didn’t include giggs in the team. But he also started scholes… God help me
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:07
@AndyCR7 Welbeck is proof positive why we should never take too much from the performances of the reserves and automatically think we have some world class talent that should be playing with the big boys. Fact is, most of them haven’t had their sack fall enough to be considered ready for this level and the other fact is Welbeck goes up against kids not men when he plays for the reserves. A big difference.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:08
@Grognard: Vidic got owned on the second goal for one.
And that’s not the only occasion. Jones is a monster, though, so only moderate blame can be attached to either.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:08
AndyCR7 – I am really miffed that we did get a draw, so underserved. If we had lost, maybe SAF would have got the point, to change 2-3 players is ok, but 7 players, no wonder we couldn’t find proper form this season, nobody knows who the feck they are going to be playing with each game. SAF has become a worse TINKERMAN that FAT RAFA, and that is saying something!
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:10
@Craig Mc: I am frankly tired of seeing John O’Shea start over the far superior Wes Brown. I like O’Shea as a great sub or spot starter but he is not a RB and he is not physical or mean enough to play the position. Brown was world class at that position before his injury and I for the life of me do not understand why he is not being allowed to win back his position?
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:11
Welbeck and Macheda are NOT READY for our 1st team. Welbeck scored against wolves because of the genious of MICHAEL OWEN!
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:14
@Footy4Eddy: Credit for what? What the Hell did he do? You don’t get it mate, he is ordinary. He’s vanilla ice cream in an ice cream shop filled with hundreds of exotic flavors. He’s fat, awkward, and boring. I can’t stand the site of him. I especially get a kick at the way he always sticks out his ass and readjusts himself so that he can use he left foot. His only foot by the way.
And as for Foster, believing in miracles is fine, but after a while, one must come to the realization that sometimes you are believing in a forlorn hope. Foster is as forlorn a hope as I have ever seen at this level. I even have way more hope for Anderson coming around.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:15
@Johnsom33: Giggs is 35 mate. If you want him to matter at all in the second half you have to start him twice, sub him once and sit him once for every four games played. At least that’s what I would do.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:16
@Grognard: You’ve obviously never seen ron-robert zieler play.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:17
@NicoQB: Jones is a monster but a keeper who is less timid and tentative would have sent him into next week with a fist full of concussion.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:20
@Craig Mc: I agree. I think they both have talent but they are not ready. And this scenario with Michael Owen was predicted by me and others so we really should not be surprised that we are now stretched thin up front. Which make me wonder why Fergie continues to make amateur hour mistakes in his signing and not signing of players. I always felt we needed one more forward and of course one or two more midfielders. Our depth is actually very good but it;s our starting eleven that I am not wild about. Or do we even have a starting eleven? Sometimes I feel like I am watching Liverpool and the rotation express in action.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:23
Grog I must have been watching a different game from you today. Nani got some excellent balls into the box to UNited players, and he was unlucky with Vidic, Rooney and others that he didn’t get assists. I think Vidic one was kicked off the line – shame. If they had got him the assists, maybe he wouldn’t be getting pissed all over by United fans. Others like Rooney have been piss poor contributors for last several games, yet no gripes about him eh? I am not saying Nani was snesational, but he was better than many on that pitch today, and in the 2nd half he got great balls in. Not his fault if we have no decent strikers is it???????
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:24
@Dan: There’s a reason why Robert Zieler came to United so young. He was not good enough for German teams to take him seriously. And when I talk about German keepers, I mean not just born and bread there, but trained and taught there right into their pro career. Zieler is an outcast. The way Hitzlesperger was until he returned to Germany. Also, Dan, is that the best you can come up with. I guess you are running out of ammunition eh? Not that you ever really had any. When it comes to arguing about Foster I have always felt like you showed up to a gun fight with a couple of popsickle sticks as weapons.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:26
Grog – if Wes Brown had been playing, Wes would have monstered Jones, and he would have got NOWT out of that game!
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:26
@Grognard: Agree. Welbeck even lacks positional sense. He kept drifting away from his wing, leaving a gap out wide that Rooney kept filling.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:26
@Craig Mc: I think it’s fair to say that when concerning Nani my friend we are all often watching different games than you. He improved in the second half and yes he did get a few in there but you seem to make a mountain out of the few and never seem to make much out of all the failures. That speaks of bias due to extreme Nani Love and for that I believe there is no cure.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:27
Im kinda scared for united right now. With rooney leaving his goal stint, whos gonna get the goals? It seems berba wants to take the key man mantle this year, but he is a creator, not a goalscorer. Whos gonna get the goals? One would argue owen, but hes not going to play in place of rooney is he?
We need another spark i think, we need a player in midfield that can pass the ball like an on form carrick, and score goals like a primed out scholes. We have a player in our ranks that can potentially be that player in gibson, but saf is going to go for experience then try something new this season. Shame.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:28
@AndyCR7: Because hes a bloody striker
Hes not a winger, no matter how much saf wants him to be. Strikers instinct is to get into the box, thats what he was doing.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:29
@Craig Mc: Not necessarily mate. Unless Wes was playing CB. If he had been partnered with Vidic then yes, I agree with you. But I think he would have made a difference against City on the first Bellamy goal and today for the Bent goal which were clearly RB mistakes where O’Shea was not aggressive enough. Old Wes would have taken care of both of them.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:29
@Grognard: Welbeck doesnt play on the wing for the reserves.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:30
@AndyCR7: Positional sense? Mate, he is being asked to play the wing when he is a striker. Give him a break already. It’s Fergie who should receive the criticism for even starting the lad and not having him as a sub to come in as an attacker late in the game.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:32
@Dan: I know that but that’s only making excuses for him now isn’t it. I already have defended him for that but he also clearly wasn’t up for the task now was he. Great players like Rooney generally play well wherever they are put.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:32
@Grognard: I think park is partly to blame for the bellemy goal also, but i agree, wes, or even de laet, would have closed him down.
@Grognard: This must be the first thing we’ve agreed on since the season began.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:36
@Grognard: Sorry but you know thats not true. You put owen or berbatov on the wing, do you think they would preform?
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:47
Cabbage Patch Capello was at the game today. Lets see if Ben Foster gets a call up for next week’s international vs Ukraine. I’ll bet you Foster will have a week off.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:47
@Grognard: I didn’t say anything as to whether Foster felt aggrieved or not.
What I don’t appreciate is fans who criticize such and such player before he’s even got the chance to prove himself. Foster was never given that chance and was already written off by you and many others, on account of which performances – considering he barely ever got a sustanined run in the side?
If he does fail to show up to the task – as he may well be doing now, only then is criticism valid, imho.
Also funny how you are willing to defend an Artur Boruc, on account of his personal problems when he’s having his dodgy performances, when Foster deserves all the abuse therown to him.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:49
@Dan: What did we agree on?
Whatever it was, I retract it and go the oppsite way. 
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:50
@Dan: Sorry but like Rooney, Welbeck has been known throughout his career to be able to play wide. Yes I agree Owen and Berba would not do well out there. I should have been clearer and stated players who are used to playing more than one position. It wasn’t ideal for Danny but he should have still done better against the likes of Bardsley.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:51
@Dan: Ditto Shearer, Van Nistelrooy, Drogba, and oh, Gerrard…
The Henry’s, Ronaldo’s and Rooney’s of this world are not the norm.
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:53
@Grognard: Then Foster would have conceded a penalty, and he would still have been blamed for the goal!
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:57
@NicoQB: Does Foster have personal problems that are bringing down his performance? No, so then your point makes no sense and is only nonsense. I support Boruc because I have seen him play at least 30 times over the past three years and from what I have seen, he is world class in most goalkeeping fundamentals. His big weakness, is focus like Foster. The problem with Foster is that is not his only weakness. Foster is a sack of shit and the sooner everyone comes around to that fact the better. And I’m curious, just how many games must United and Ferguson sacrifice to be considered a fair enough amount of games to assess Ben’s abilities, or lack of? Just who do you think we are here, Wigan or West Ham? We are Manchester Frakken United. We do not have time or the luxury to audition below average talent due to the position in the standings we are and the value of every single point we squander due to our goalkeeping. And today we dropped 2 points due to the man between the posts.
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:01
@NicoQB: No he wouldn’t have. That was a 50/50 ball that both have a right to go up for. 99.9% of the time the keeper is given the freedom by the referee on those kinds of challenges. Christ I don’t need to be telling you this man, you know better. It’s just that you’ll think of anything to defend that tosser, no matter what. Get serious already.
I expect that kind of desperation in excuses from my boy Dan, not anyone else when it concerns Fozzy Bear.
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:01
@NicoQB: Just leave it mate, it will just keep eating at you, like it has me. Plenty times this week ive wanted to post a rant like craig did today and basically say sod the lot of you, but i didnt.
Just leave it, grognard has a bias towards german keepers, and keepers around that region, even though he wont admit it.
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:04
Why is it, that every time United get an advantage over the opposition, i.e. Chelsea loosing last weekend, we ALWAYS , without exception, manage to shoot ourselves in both feet with a piss poor performance??? Surely SAF’s continual changing of the team HAS TO BE considered and take a good proportion of the game. I NEVER in a million years thought I would ever so this, but I am just not enjoying watching United anymore. I enjoyed the Wigan away game, anf the City game, for entertainment value, but otherwise I think we either produce sterile clinical type low score wins, or languished snooze football. It gets wearing to be honest. I will still go to more games than not and cheer the lads on, but I’m not enjoying much of it now. SAD EH?
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:11
Anybody got a link for the game (highlights or whole game)??
I’m out of town and can’t get it here in Phoenix.
This sounds like a good one to miss though!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:13
Dan just let loose mate, you give us that Manic Rant, I will love it. PASSION sometimes needs to get out and scream
. I know how you feel mate!
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:16
Redrich, unless you have access to a cabinet full of good ale mate, or other alcohol, I think you should give this game ma miss for your own sanity. You missed nothing mate. It was ABYSMAL, and that is putting it mildly. I am trying to look for my normal optimistic redeeming features of the game, but there are none this time to be honest mate!
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:21
@Craig Mc: I think id be banned if i let it ALL out
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:31
Anyone on here live inLA?
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:51
I should just copy/paste my weekly comments about Foster because he consistently messes up by doing the same mistakes each time.
From now on we should just play with 11 outfield players and leave the goal empty…I wouldn’t make a difference.
October 3rd, 2009 at 21:55
@Lars: Hilarious
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:16
@Dan:
Must say, you’ve shown enormous restraint today by your Foster defending standards. But he didn’t exactly cover himself in glory…
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:26
Red Ranter, I showed enormous restraint too in my defending of Nani – right???
. I’m so cool when I support the deserving right? 
.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:26
@Grognard: Like I said, I’m not defending Foster today. He was poor, everybody could see that.
What I do find sad, is people on this forum like ….. or ….. who would one day diss own own players, and not just constructive critisism but plain meanness sometimes, being very noisy about it, and then some time after quietly come back to acknowledging that such and such player did have some worth in them.
I’ve seen it with Fletcher, I’m beginning to see it with Berbatov too.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:28
…poor team selection, woeful performance, but still managed to grasp a draw from the jaws of defeat!!
oh wait, that’s no reason to be happy, we might as well slit our wrists and demand ‘major’ changes from a team that’s still top of the table. Wow!! and I thought the sensationalism was the job of tabloid newspapers 
It was an off day, top teams get it. We performed badly, but to our credit kept fighting till the end and got a draw, almost a win too if not for a goal line clearance. Jeez, I thought I wasn’t the only one jumping and screaming when that equalizer went in. We are Man Utd and we play till the last minute. Last week, Chelsea had an off day and they lost, we drew. Things were just not clicking but you can’t deny the lads never gave up. They just kept on going and this is what i love about our manager, players and club, we don’t know when we are beaten (apart from CL finals
).
I’m happy we got a draw, b’cos our performance certainly didn’t warrant a win and if a last minute equalizer from a woeful performance like that isn’t enough to put a Utd fan in a jovial mode, I don’t know what will. Lighten up folks, watch Berba’s beauty of a goal and appreciate the sheer drama the team is providing this year; oh, and we’re still top of the table
here’s to a 4-4 draw at stamford bridge tmz, cuz i’ll need lots of goals to sit thru a game involving terry, gerrard, mascherano, drogba, ballack, cashley, carragher, mikel.. jeez, culd there be a bigger assembly of douchebags on a field ever??
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:30
@Grognard: By this reasoning we would have overlooked Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, and I’m sure plenty others in the late 80s and early 90s.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:34
@NicoQB: You can afford to protect outfield players, bring them up to speed gradually. It doesn’t work the same with ‘keepers necessarily. Ferguson especially has had his fingers burned in the past with inconsistent keepers.
You should be making like for like comparisons.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:35
@Dan: Might just leave it alone!
Oh anyone else was underwhelmed by Valencia?
I’m waiting for a performance from him which really lights up the place. He started well in early season but seems to have faded very much recently.
Funny how I have more expectations on 3million Obertan, than 16million Valencia now!
Aaahhh, youtube, what have you made of us?
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:36
@NicoQB: Valencia has been disappointing.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:38
Gabriel I don’t know about douchebags mate, but I can guarantee you it will be more entertaining to watch than our sad lot were today. By the we got a goal in the last dying seconds, I presume you mean that Ferdinand got a goal for us in the last secs! You want me to be happy we STOLE a draw when our play this time definately didn’t deserve it – hell will freeze over 1st!
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:42
@Red Ranter: I might sound like a broken record, but even Van der Sar was quite inconsistent at some point in his United career, but he was afforded time and trust that younger keepers are not given. Maybe his career and history justifies this, but then again defenders’ mistakes are nearly always glossed upon, but the keeper conceding on a mistake of his own less so.
Rio was horrendous against City, O’shea was useless tonight, and Evans and Vidic had barely average games…
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:43
Nico QB – I seem to remember you have dissed quite a few players yourself mate. Also Rooney deserves to be dissed. He gobs off to the press about how he is going to get the goals in Ronnie’s stead, and be the main man etc etc etc, then he plays like shite for 5 games on the trot, and screams at his team mates because he is embarrassed by his NON performances!
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:47
Wow i cant believe the magic decision of fergi to put ferdinand in as a striker at the end Brilliant well done fergi and ferdinand…. what? oh it was… then you mean… AHAHAHAHAAAAa poor lad.
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:48
Valencia has yet to put in any kind of shift or decent performance for us. Two one on one opportunites in the two games before this one, and he couldn’t score if you paid him. O right he is paid, and a hell of a lot. Dave Whelan at Wigan must have been counting his blessings, and laughing all the way to the bank with the easiest 18 million he ever got for such sub standard goods!
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:49
@Red Ranter: valencia has been showcasing what one dimensional playing style looks like ..all he does is make room on teh outside and runs into that space and try to cross it..if it fails or succeeds depends on the ability of the opposition..he has been repeating this all game long..i dont know what Fergie sees in him..but whats most alarming is the dearth in match winners in our squad…we are truly feeling Tevezs loss than Ronaldo from our bench…its sad and frightening..personally i never rated Welbeck that highly…Macheda is better prospect for me…and Nani he wasn’t stupid like against Stoke city he played better as the game wore on..if nothing a confidence builder..oh btw goodbye foster
October 3rd, 2009 at 22:54
RMJ – at least somebody has good eyesight. Nani did ok, and better than a good few others who couldn’t find another player in a red shirt with even the simplest passes, they were embarrassingly inept. Rooney should be rested, because he hasn’t been able to execute the simplest of passes for a good few games now, and none of you can deny that.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:04
@NicoQB: EVDS had an excellent first season for us. He put in performances that finally gave us a semblance of security at the back. EVDS also brought with him a wealth of experience. He didn’t make mistakes when he started out – so obviously there was no question of ‘keeping the faith’ — he got out of the blocks and settled in well.
EVDS has made a lot of mistakes over the past year or so, and a lot of fans have made a case for giving Foster (or any other keeper) more of a chance in a bid to identify his successor. Foster unlike EVDS hasn’t built a ‘credit’ with the fans to fall back on in case of gaffes. Which is why he gets more criticism than EVDS. You may ask if that is fair, but everytime you attempt to be fair with Foster, he comes up with another clanger that make it really hard even for the most objective folks out there. Goalkeeping is a very unforgiving position. And whilst it may be harsh on Foster, he hasn’t really made it easy for himself.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:08
@Craig Mc: That is why you should be happy mate!! We performed badly and still managed to get a draw!! We just didn’t click today, a bad day at the office, everyone was at it. The amount of incomplete passes, even from scholes who doesn’t miss, was outstanding. But, we stuck at it and got sommat mate and that’s better than nothing.
Good teams have bad days, we had ours and we didn’t let it deny us at least a point; wish i could say the same for chelsea
they lost a key player and three points. If you wanna go on and on about how badly we played and chastise the players, it’s your perogative. All i’m saying is i’m glad we got a point despite an off day in the office against a team on top of their game.
It’s not like we’ve been performing woefully all season, if so, it’s surely a sad indictment on our opponents that we’re top of the table in both the PL, CL and proceeded in the Carling cup.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:08
A few points:
1. We are dangerously reliant on Giggs the oldest outfield player in our squad. We are not Milan for f**cks sake!!! Yes Giggs is superhuman but we should not need to play a 36 year old every game!
2. Scholes should not be started against anyone other than relegation fodder. Sunderland have a combative midfield and Anderson should have started ahead of Scholes.
3. We give away the ball way too easily! A better team than Sunderland would murder us. How can we expect to beat possession teams like Barca if we cannot keep the ball?
4. We leak goals. Partly our defence has lost its invincibility but Im afraid Foster has to shoulder a lot of the blame. He is beaten way too many times and our defence shows no confidence in front of him. No wonder opposition players score for fun against him. He has the physical presence of a tellytubby!
5. Rooney is overrated. When we play badly he is unable to raise his game to make the difference. That is an important difference between him and Ronaldo. Even when we played shit Ronaldo won us games.
6. We have absolutely nothing on the wings. Welbeck is not a winger. Nani is way too frustrating and at his age he should really have developed some sort of consistency. Valencia is a waste of space. Tosic can barely make the reserves team. Park has his uses but not in a game like this. Giggs at 36 is our best winger!
7. We are hopelessly reliant on Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs. There is no sign of Hargreaves and Carrick seems to require ages to get into top gear and even then disappears when it matters. When are we going to strengthen our midfield?
8. I highly doubt this is going to be the season that Rooney becomes a consistent 30 goal a season goalscorer. Berbatov is never going to be prolific for us. Owen will chip in goals when fit but cannot be relied on. Macheda and Welbeckk are totally overrated and at least a few seasons off being able to compete for a first team place.
BUT most of all it amazes me that after receiving 80 million for Ronaldo and letting Tevez go, we replaced them with Valencia and Owen. I wouldn’t mind Owen as a fourth striker as then his injury problems don’t really matter. But we need a third striker who will stay fit, give us a credible goal option when Rooney and Berbatov are misfiring etc. We also need a winger who will score goals and create goals just like Ronaldo used to. OK you are never going to replicate Ronaldo but Id want someone who can score ten goals and provide ten assists a season. Nani has the ability but i don’t know what is wrong with him
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:10
@beachryan: yea he should have won the ball but he did get an elbow to the jaw should have been a foul but it really shouldnt have come to that he has not got the composure. sad
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:10
@Craig Mc: I don’t see what was there to defend him. He was as inconsistent as anyone on the pitch. But then, I shouldn’t be telling this to you. You will likely tell me Nani was the best player on the pitch.
I also heard you became a hero on the Stretty Rant blog briefly, for being right on Michael Owen.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:12
@beachryan: thats the plan for everyone who does well against us kick us till we lay down and take advantage the refs allow alot of it and thats part of the reason Ronaldo is in spain scoring bags of goals and we are getting pushed and kicked off the pitch.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:19
@Grognard: The Curse of Capello has struck again. I’m dreading when he comes again because it could probably be to watch Hargreaves.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:20
Anderson’s hustle changed the game for us. Much more energy in when he came on, and much more control when Carrick and Valencia came on. That’s the team that should have started. After a first half with 0 shots and only 46% possession, after they were introduced we ended with 62% possession and 20 shots (5 on, 7 off 8 blocked). Even more miraculous was the 80% passing accuracy!
Scholes again was dogshite. 3rd match in a row he could have been sent off. He is done. When the choice is Fletcher and one of Carrick, Anderson and Scholes, there is absolutely ZERO justification for picking the former great ginge.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:29
Have calmed down a bit, but even on reflection I cannot for the life of me work out what was so wrong today. Fletcher and Scholes absolutely bossed a midfield last week, and Sunderland really didnt put us under that much pressure. But today they were woeful.
I think Welbecks lack of positional sense, and the fact he was giving his teammates space to play him into stopped a lot of our play. But still, we had Rooney, Berbatov and Nani who should know what theyre doing.
Ratings:
Foster – 4 – 3 shots, 2 goals. Not good enough. I dont think Tomas is better, but he definitely deserves his chance now.
OShea – 5 – Im not sure how its happened, but everyone seems to have forgotten that Johnny boy isnt a first XI RB for a world class team. He doesnt have the discipline in defense, he isnt fast enough to get up and down the pitch and his passing is limited. Rafael is naive, but hes going to get into the team again soon.
Evans – 6 – Alright, not great. Got skinned on what should have been their 3rd. Poor distribution.
Vida – 6.5 – Reasonable. Hes significantly smaller than Jones, and despite being made of nails, hes a bit weaker in the air too. So he was never going to win all the battles. Sad as he was the captain to get such a performance from the team.
Evra – 6 – I guess a goal for goal, as his slip led to the first we conceeded, but obviously he got us a point.
SCholes – 1 – Djemba Djemba wants his game back.
Fletcher – 6 – Put in a good shift defensively, though somewhat responsible for the 2nd goal. Looked back to his old self offensively. Rubbish.
Welbeck – 3 – Out of his depth. Didn’t even track back to offer that, which youd really expect. Has some attitude which I guess is alright for a striker, but very poor teamwork.
Nani – 6.5 – Gets a decent rating because he was very good in the second half. His job as a winger is to get down the line, and whip the ball in. He did that. Its not his fault our team isnt currently designed to capitalise on that.
Rooney – 5 – One of the worst performances Ive seen from him.
Berbatov – 6.5 – Only gets the .5 for the goal, which was awesome, but he might as well not have been on the pitch before that. Hes never going to work on such limited service. Kind of not his fault, but still.
Anderson – 6.5 – Pretty good, hard to tell how good because scholes was so awful that by comparison a static boot would have better.
Valencia – 7 – Did his job, and also his running is what got us the second goal.
Carrick – 7 – Game saving tackle, and overall calm head and good stuff from him. It will be such a relief if the real Carrick is back again.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:30
@Craig Mc:
I agree with you on that totally. I’d like to add to that although Rooney struggled today he still puts great effort in and he was sold short on passes many times.
What I saw was a bad performance all round from a team who have won a lot of games recently by having players like Fletcher and Giggsy giving us colossal performances instead of more rounded team performances like the ones we have all been spoiled with in our past.
The moment we don’t have any outstanding individual performers, we begin struggling because our team is not strong enough in ability despite the depth available.
My opinion on this is because we are carrying too many players who are not “the finished article” and some who are brilliant but maybe too old to be relied upon. We also have ones who the manager has faith in, hoping they will improve. That is the united way…some seasons things just don’t align, but it doesn’t look we are going to finish in the bottom half like we did in the late 80’s.
I have noticed this for over 18 months now, we ride our luck often and SAF is perhaps bound into patching up where he can and his hands might be tied by the owners as we’ve all suspected.
I don’t really want to name players names on a match like today, it was a poor performance all round.
Let’s see what happens next.
Arguing about football is like dancing about architecture
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:35
Red Ranter – I am usually right on most of them, and IF SAF persists with Nani, I feel I will get it right on him too. I am also right that Rooney will never be our main man, and that Berba and Rooney will not be able to cut it together as a strike partnership!
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:43
Red Dave – you are a marvel mate. You express yourself and our team and their performance so well – and you do so without any expletives – that is masterly in itself
.
Can’t agree about Rooney though mate, he has been a poor contributor in last 4 games!
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:48
@Craig Mc: lol Craig it irks me to no end that on every internet board we see consistent Nani bashing followed by the ever present Rooney can do wrong luv…but i don’t see Fergie resting or dropping Rooney(which is what he needs to get his head from swelling)…another thing is we don’t seem to be scoring from corners where we are clearly missing Ronaldo’s impetus
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:51
@Craig Mc:
He has, I agree Craig. But I appreciate effort even during failure though. We’ve had a long time of central mids who stand about “sitting in” when we are on the attack. I don’t think I can ever take effort from Rooney even when he struggles.
thanks for the nice f****** compliment mate!
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:53
@RMJ: ” i never rated Welbeck that highly…Macheda is better prospect for me”
And whys that then? is it because one is from italy and the other england. I could give you loads of reasons why welbeck is better, i cant do the same with macheda. The one and only thing macheda is better at is finishing, in everything else, welbeck>macheda.
October 3rd, 2009 at 23:58
Colver, I can tell you what is wrong with Nani mate. One week moaning minnie fans are telling him he is not getting his final balls into the box, but is holding on to the ball too long, or trying to beat too many players. Next week when he tries to please, and gets the balls into the box, but is unfortunate not to get his assists, ball kicked off line and header just over, then people say he isn’t getting his balls in – I think he could do with kicking a few people in the balls, because he is getting so confused about just what he is being asked for to please. If I was him, I would just stick two fingers up to everyone, and play my own game, like he did in his 1st season.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:03
Rooney is over rated – I agree. Its right that when we are struggling he is not a player who can make a difference. His level of performance over a season is soooo up and down, and has a run of a few top games, and then goes off the boil and stays off for a while. I am going to stick my neck out here, and say that Giggsy too, you will find out is not the answer over the season, although he has been the last 2-3 games. Lets see how long it lasts – sorry Giggsy!
October 4th, 2009 at 0:09
Red Dave –
, the compliment was meant mate. With regards to Rooney, it is all well and good running about like crazy, but not when the expenditure is just wearing him out for where he is truly needed. He was everywhere the last few games but where he should be. Energy expenditure alone is not going to help us Dave, when we need consistent goalscorers. If Rooney scores 15 to 16 goals this season in the PL I will be amazed. He is too ill disciplined for United, and he wouldn’t dare do that for England, or Capello would have no problems dropping him. And he knows it!
October 4th, 2009 at 0:16
RMJ, I know mate, and I am truly concerned that SAF got it so wrong when he said we had enough strength in our strike force, and that he was happy and content to play the kids. The same kids are not even scoring goals for the reserves with any great measure. The odd goal at the most. SAF complained he couldn’t get strikers at the right price, but I believe he could. So I don’t know what the excuses are. As far as I am concerned we have hardly any QUALITY players. SAF keeps talking the squad up, but the cracks are beginning to open up and become chasms.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:24
@Craig Mc: I may have, but I try to make constructive criticism, not just saying X is shit, end of.
On their day all but 1 or 2 players in our squad are capable of playing excellent football. Its just that some have much more consistency and others are more useful than some of their peers.
I’ve never been a fan of Park for instance, but if he’s in a confident mood, he can bring both in offense and defence. But its not been the case recently.
@Red Ranter: Hey, that’s exactly what I’ve been saying!
I don’t deny the fact that Foster has not been making it easy for himself, I’m complaining about those fickle bunch who already put him down before he even started for us.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:26
Gabriel – normally I would be sitting with you among the enthusiasts, but as I said mate, I have only really enjoyed 2 games this season – at Wigan and against Man Pitty. I’m tired of football, and I never thought I would say that. I can’t even work up enthusiasm to watch football on tv just now, because when I do like I did today, I feel like chucking up with our level of performances mate.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:29
One thing I forgot to mention:
Welbeck has redefined the standard for what is LANGUID. The boy is skilful (moderately so) has a good shot, is a true manc, but by god sometimes he does look slow to start off the blocks.
I laughed when Berbatov released a through ball and ended up chastitising Welbeck for not being quick enough in mind and on the pitch to reach it.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:30
@Craig Mc:
I think my view on that is more of a capsule summary of Rooney from day one at united and and you are obviously talking about very recent times. I do see his attitude issues though, but won’t discount that the very same attitude as clawed us a win or got us back into a game now and again.
I think the tired old “form is temporary, but class is permanent” cliche might illustrate what I mean better as far as Rooney goes. Anyway, he was certainly poor today along with many others and is indeed struggling, but is he getting much help? is anyone getting much help?
We’re a side full of apathy as well as a lack of ability, at times these days. It will change.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:33
Auf Wiedersehen Herr Foster.
What is left to say that has not been stated so far?
I thought Nani, Anderson, Berba, Evra, Vidic did OK, with Berba or Evra our MOM.
Foster, Evans, Rooney, Fletcher, Scholes and Welbeck were our worst performers.
If Foster starts another game while Kusczak is alive, I will throw a fit!
Poor poor poor poor game but even at our worst we still get a draw.
I was hoping Macheda would have come on and scored in the 94th minute to win it at 3-2
oh those dyas.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:34
On a good note: I was selected as Fox Soccer Channel’s Topic of the Week!!!
October 4th, 2009 at 0:35
@Dan: Maybe Josh King will settle this debate.
I was a Macheda fan at first (yes, befire the Aston Villa game), but thought that Welbeck was ok too.
Now, one is looking just plain good (i.e. still not good enough for us) and the other quite unconcerned (the new Mark Robins?). Word goes that he’s started having some attitude concerns. (then again its only word…)
Eddy – just how good is your friend Joshua?
October 4th, 2009 at 0:36
@Johnsom33: Maybe two hands should beat a head
October 4th, 2009 at 0:36
@Dan: well for me Macheda has shown better instincts of striker more than Welbeck has when playing for the first team and believe it or not he scored against the black cats last season…welbeck has superior pace but his touch and awareness has been a huge letdown
October 4th, 2009 at 0:38
@beachryan: Fair ratings for most except for Fletcher and Valencia.
Fletcher in the first half – 4/10; in the second half – 6/10
Valencia – 6/10 and barely so. His forays rarely brought danger in truth.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:41
Red Dave – I hope your right it will change, but it has been a slow deterioration for a couple of seasons now before this one. I mean we were fortunate the season we won the PL and CL to be honest. Also last season not getting points from most of the top teams. And Dave we have weakened our squad this summer, but keep getting told by SAF that we have so much depth. I think the truth is going to come and hit us right in the testicles mate, because like you say our lack of real quality throughout our team is lacking. We scored not a lot og goals last season. It is not just these last few games Dave, it is 2 and half seasons now of often snooze football. The Cavalier football United became famous for has gone mate. The football public don’t find us exciting to watch anymore. Also with regards to Rooney, I am not just judging on recent games, I am talking last 3 seasons, he goes off the boil for long period of games Dave. We had Ronnie to make up when Rooney has his dearths, but we don’t have such a player now!
Well goodnight ye all – I’m off to bed!
October 4th, 2009 at 0:43
I agree with you Dan. Welbeck has vastly more potential than Macheda. All Macheda really has going for him is his finishing ability and being physically overdeveloped for a boy his age. Yes that is enough for him to develop into a good striker but I cannot see him every being world class.
With Welbeck the potential is there but it is whether he can achieve it. He strikes me as the sort of player who will be a late bloomer but when he does bloom he will be something special. He still has that gawkiness, his touch can let him down, he can stumble on the ball, and never looks much of a goal threat.
CraigMc your perspective is interesting on Nani. I think there is something in your theory. He seems like a confused boy and he also seems to be putting too much pressure on himself to be the next Ronaldo. He does not strike me as the most intelligent player, more of a natural, and he needs direction. But that does not seem to be there and he has gone backward since his first season.
It would not be the first time Fergie has wasted a player with a lot of talent.
I also think that Nani is not a great fit to our team. We do not really play with orthodox wingers the way we used to and his crossing ability goes to waste and when he beats a man he often runs out of options. Yes his passing and decision making isn’t amazing. But those shouldn’t really be essential qualities in a winger. It is only because of the way we play that those attributes become so important.
Really the way we play is better suited to someone like Silva who is creative and a great passer of the ball.
October 4th, 2009 at 0:50
@Craig Mc: I agree in part. The problem with us is that we are expecting him to become the worlds greatest player. He’ll never be the white Pele, but he can become a very very good player for us. And if he does, that’s more than enough for us, to be honest. I think he needs to be handled well.
October 4th, 2009 at 4:59
@NicoQB: That’s tough isn’t it. The poor babies will have to go back home to mommy and cry because Grognard and the group over at Red Rants were mean to them today.
When will you and others like you wake the Hell up, take a breath of reality and realize that these players you like to coddle and defend are millionaires who are a privileged few who get to play a sport you and I only dream of. Why on Earth should they get special treatment or be treated with kid gloves if they stink the joint out? Please, give me a break. They get paid an enormous amount of money to perform on the day and to entertain us. If you buy a carton of milk at the grocer and you open it to find it sour, do you nor have a right to be pissed off?
The point here mate is you and I are consumers. We pay for the privilege to watch these spoilt primadonas prance around in shorts and kick a ball around, while you and I have to go out every day and bust our balls at some dead end job and make a fraction of the money per year that they do. So cut the loyalty horseshit and realize that those players, every single one of them does not give a rats ass about you mate. So forgive me if I demand that they go out and perform every weekend and bring home a win because I bloody well demand it as a paying customer. That does not mean I do not admire them or even idolize them for their skills, but to feel that I have to be gentle towards them when they just put me trough 90 minutes of slow torture, I don’t think so.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:02
@NicoQB: Goalkeepers are judged through a much more powerful magnifying glass and they have far less time to prove themselves.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:11
@NicoQB: What a load of bull crap. I never saw EVDS have more than one bad game in a row. And even when he wasn’t at his best, he never made the lame brain mistakes that Foster makes nor did he show an inability to make the saves that were needed in games like today. No keeper is perfect, but to look for the flaws in every other keeper in order to make a lame assed case for the worst keeper the Prem has seen in 20 years is pushing it a bit too much. Who’s next Schmeichel, Lev Yashin, Sepp Maier, Zamora, Oliver Kahn, Dino Zoff? Why not blame it on the posts while we are at it. This Ben Foster support shite is so sad and utterly pathetic it makes me want to barf. Honestly can people so fucking dense. How man times does one need to be drilled on the side of the head before he says OUCH THAT HURT? Just once I would like to hear a real case for supporting Ben Foster but that will never happen because it is impossible to make a valid case for his incompetence.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:17
@colver: Personally I don’t understand what this hostility towards Tellytubby’s is all about?
October 4th, 2009 at 5:18
@Cyclops-Red: That Cabbage head needs to be banned from OT for life.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:21
@[OPTI]Madschester United: You said it mate. Pig earned his shot with a steady performance against Wolfsburg. He may not be outstanding himself but he is less prone to being completely useless like Foster is. He deserves his chance now and he needs to be treated fairly in all this. Foster has failed, now give the Pole a chance to also make his claim before EVDS returns.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:24
@[OPTI]Madschester United: Does that mean that the great Bobby McMahon gets to reply to your comments? My God I bow down to you mate.
Seriously though, I love Bobby McMahon even if he isn’t much of a United supporter. I do like the rips he gives Ben Foster though. 
October 4th, 2009 at 5:25
@NicoQB: Or maybe we should spend some of that 80 million and actually go out and buy some proven world class talent to replace the useless tools that are taking up some of our positions right now.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:27
@NicoQB: There was nothing wrong with Fletcher the entire game. He hustled his ass off and did double duty seeing as Paul Scholes was only there in spirit. All game he was running guys down and doing things to get the boys charged, but to no avail.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:31
@colver: You hit the nail on the head when it comes to Nani mate. Above all you are right that he is just not a good fit. I honestly believe the lad could got to Spain or Italy and be an instant hit. He does not like being bogged down with the Englishness of our game. His was never a blue collar style and it was all improvisational. I think he needs to move t best see out his true potential because one thing you and I as well as Craig will agree on, the kid has skills and potential, but not for United.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:34
@Red Ranter: What concerns me about Rooney is not what expectations are for him, but the possibility that he has lost a step and is showing less hunger and desire and a lot more dissent towards his fellow teammates of late. He now knows he’s King Shit of the village and he seems to have found an ego similar to the one Ronaldo had. Problem is he cannot deliver like Ronaldo did. Why? Because Ronadlo was God and all Rooney is and ever will be is an apostle.
October 4th, 2009 at 6:22
@[OPTI]Madschester United: I’m not sure to feel happy for you, or sad because a well meaning human being has been reduced to a ‘topic’.
In other words, kindly elaborate…
October 4th, 2009 at 9:35
Puke football! I’m not going to complain about certain players performances (well not too much anyway) yesterday because its already been said. But its Fergie thats to blame. He should not be exempt because of what he has achieved. He has rested on his laurels but he has also believed his own hype to the point were he believes he can put out any type of team and they will win. 10 years ago if any player believed his own hype he’d of ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.
He is morphing into rafa with his squad rotation. He has lost a few key players and has had to change the system accordingly and rightly so but to constantly change personnel and not allow them to bed is lunacy. Giggs not even on the bench!!! Its the start of the season, everyone has rested. I hate the way he puts players like Welbeck (who was fast asleep regardless of position-too slow) out wide because he believes that good players can play in different positions. Fuck that. Pick a starting eleven for a run of games so that they can get to know each others play.
What I hate the most though is the lack of tackling in this team. Hustle, hustle, hustle. Fuck that stick your boot in. This team lacks bite. It lacks passion from a lot of players too. Rooney believes his own hype, hes not an out and out striker no matter what he thinks, nani believes his OWN hype, scholes is done, o’shea is muck at right back, carrick doesnt know of the word tackle, foster is a back up keeper. Blah, blah, blah, fuck it. Hopefully Fergie gets a few players in in january but I doubt it.
I know I sound very hate filled but this is not a reaction to just yesterdays game. I will say this though, our winning mentality and never say die attitude is as strong as ever…. thanks to fergie (I know I have contradicted my criticism of him but hes a frustrating old codger at times)
October 4th, 2009 at 9:56
@Grognard: Nani Out… Silva IN?
October 4th, 2009 at 10:30
Working on a FIFA 10 video dedicated to Manchester United… Even though Ive only got material enough for 1,5 minutes so far, I can tell you its gonna be one of the best videos you have seen in your life!
Its truly epic, and represents all that is good with United. Its gonna take some time to get finished with it, because its just so epic and magnificent I want it all to be perfect. 
Prepare to be seduced. 
October 4th, 2009 at 12:53
@jpg – Totally agree with your sentiments, and I have said the very same in my previous post comments. Don’t agree about Nani though – OBVIOUSLY, because the lad hasn’t got any hype. He is constantly maligned, he can’t win no matter what he does, and the only thing he has said, is that since Ronnie has gone, it will give him the opportunity maybe to show what he can do. That is certainly not someone hyping themselves, just wanting to try and do well. It is ONLY ROONEY who has continually hyped himself, none of the other players have promoted themselves so egotistically as Rooney has. That he is going to get the Ronaldo goals, and be United’s main man and saviour. Rooney has a run of great footballing games, then a DEARTH of the lowest level performances. Up and down – NEVER all season on a level of dependable consistency. I have said on several United blogs I visited once or twice that IF we have to depend on Rooney for goals all season, then we will fall short. We needed to buy a striker who regularly gets plenty of goals season in and season out. And whatever SAF says, there were such strikers available in the summer in this bracket who he could and should have bought
.
October 4th, 2009 at 12:56
jpg – you are right about Carrick too, he can’t or won’t tackle with any gusto, and he definately does not hussle. He is ok when the team are on top, and he can spray balls about with abandon, but when we need to fight for our lives, he is always absent from the trenches.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:08
Grognard says of Rooney – “He’s King shit of the village,”
, you do come up with some corkers of quips Grog 
. In the cold light of day, I am feeling a bit sorry for Rooney, because in trying to live up to the ‘Main Man – United saviour’ role he has piled too much pressure on himself and set himself up for failure. All his wanting to be the man now that Ronnie has gone, is effecting his own game, because he feels the pressure from believing he has to shoulder all the responsibility of the teams performance or lack of. He needs to lighten up, and stop exalting himself and his importance to the team. When he does that importance thing, it hits hard on him in the times his form dips, as it has the last 3 games! Like I said, I feel for him!
October 4th, 2009 at 13:16
Darth Red Diablo – OUT, FOOTY4EDDY – IN
.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:29
Red Ranter, how can you say that we are all expecting Rooney to be the world’s BEST player? I can only speak for myself, but I have never thought that Rooney could be No1 player in the world. He just doesn’t have the all round game needed, and he isn’t an impact player when the chips are really down. Rooney himself and SAF thinks he can be the worlds best, but I personally fell that if SAF and Rooney don’t lower their expectations on Rooney getting to the very top, then this lad is going to explode, and you know what happens to people with shattered expectations set too high don’t you. It would have been best to just quietly let him go about getting on with his game, no pressure of expectation, and then not such a big way to fall if he fails to meet targets. Rooney can have great games, and score great goals, but he also every season goes into these 9 or 10 games dips in form. It is unfair to boast publically about his prowess, and see the devestation if he can’t quite be all the way United main man and saviour.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:38
Mannone>foster? Not a fucking chance!
id rather have PIG in goal then this guy! Not even foster would concede a goal like that.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:42
we should give valencia nani and get silva, and give udinese valencia and get alexis sanchez
October 4th, 2009 at 13:45
@ROOOOONEY: You’ve been playing to much FM/CM
October 4th, 2009 at 13:51
10m for Vermaelen looks like daylight robbery!
Any midfielder or striker would be proud of that goal. He looks different class. Should be played as a striker.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:52
Vermaelen has created a new position….. Attacking Central Defender.
October 4th, 2009 at 13:57
i like it that way :X
October 4th, 2009 at 13:59
@Dan:
October 4th, 2009 at 14:03
We should sign robinson. He looks on form!
October 4th, 2009 at 16:07
@Craig Mc: What I meant about nani was that he now feels that with ron gone he now has an opportunity to make a real impact which is good. The problem for me, though, is that in his mind he feels that he also has to entertain and thats the problem for me. I like nani a lot and he can be very dangerous but I wish he would just keep it simple for the moment. Thats difficult because I know he has the tricks and its difficult to change or suppress but if he could simplify his play a bit I think it would settle him more and improve his decision making.
I agree with you on rooney. Him, Fergie and Capello for some reason think hes some sort of goal machine. I want rooney in a playmaking attack role, a bit deeper than he is now. The problem is that as soon as he is brought back a bit he goes roaming all over the pitch. But then we dont have an out and out atriker for him to supply.
October 4th, 2009 at 16:42
@jpg: Hey mate, I for one appreciate your honesty. I am the one known for being super negative on this blog so if you are to receive any kudos or praise, it might as well come from me. I can’t really vehemently disagree with anything you say except that even though I get on Fergie a lot myself, I think you are being a bit too harsh on him because you do forget that despite all his frustrating maneuvers and decisions, this man is the standard by which all the other ass clowns in this game try to elevate themselves to. Frankly, nobody out there is better than him so if he truly is wrong and and idiot for many of his decisions, then the game is in big trouble isn’t it.
Fergie is not immune to criticism and you bring up very valid points but i will say this much about him. I will continue to support him and begrudgingly follow his vision because I honestly have to say the man knows more about the club and the game in his pinky finger than all of us ranters on this blog and others will ever know. Yet it’s frustratingly fun to go after him because he does open the door so for criticism. I too hate his squad rotation but mate, Ryan Giggs has to be rested. It;s a long season and he is 35. Sunderland in game 8 of a long season is highly vital that Giggs even dress. This isn’t FIFA 10 on the XBOX 360 mate, players get hurt, tired and their age is a major factor over a long season.
Tactically Fergie has had more than enough ordinance fired at him by me over the past year. He has adopted a very continental (Italian) style of play that has caused us to watch the team we love play at a snails pace while controlling the ball more often (except for yesterday). I for one do not like the tactics at all and when those tactics were dismissed and the club was able to go back to the 4-4-2 fast paced tactics of old vs Man City, they played incredibly well despite the goals given up by our utterly useless keeper. That was a game that based on the play should have ended 7-1 for us. So why does Fergie play this style? Truthfully, i think it is a high percentage way of playing because he believes that if it has worked for the AC Milan’s of the world, it will work for us. All he is really concerned with now is winning one more Prem title to beat the Liverpool tie and to win one more European Cup. These goals are achievable in his eyes but he is going about it with caution. This I believe has got something to do with his age and the knowledge that he is running out of tie in terms of his tenure at OT.
But for me the one thing that I can criticize him for and will continue to is the support he has given his employers while they continue to stab him , his club and his fans in the back. He claims to have the 80 million Ronaldo money to spend whenever he needs it, yet he looks us all in the face through the tv camera and tells us that he doesn’t feel we need anymore players and that he is not going to spend outrageous prices for players. Well that is where he loses me and that is where I get pissed off. He should look around and take a look at what his main European competitors are doing. Even Barcelona pulled off a bonehead sale by trading Etoo’ and 45 million Euros on top of that for Slothman IbrahimoBitch. Why would they do something after becoming the best team in the world? Because they are nut jobs but also because even they know that a great team needs to change things up every once in a while and to give opponents a bit of a new look. This is something Fergie has yet to get. He gives us a new look with the same tactics and dull football but he buys a few players on the cheap which nobody in his right mind could have felt was an upgrade tot he ones we lost.
Meanwhile a supposed 80 million is sitting and waiting for him to spend. Well he could have spent 25 million this past summer and bought the far superior David Silva and it would have cost him on 7 million more than that waste of time and space known as Antonio Valencia. The Owen capture was a good signing because he cost us nothing, but should he have been given the #7 and should have business ceased right then and there? I personally believe he does not have the 80 million to spend and that all along he has been protecting the skullduggery of his employers. And should this eventually come out to be proven true, everything he is to me and everything he has accomplished will be forever tarnished because I will then know he has truly turned his back on all of us fans. But until then, I will support him, respect him but always question him like you. And why, because as supporters, it is our right. And right now I do not like the team we have and i haven’t liked it from day one. Despite having an albatross in goal they have overachieved with some fine play in a few games and a n awful lot of luck. And can you believe it, after the gift Fergie was given late in the Man City game, he comes out today and criticizes the ref for being unfit and for NOT allowing enough injury time. The man has nerve, I’ll say that much for him. You gotta love Fergie.
October 4th, 2009 at 16:44
@Darth Red Diablo: I seriously could see United offering Nani to Valencia as part payment for Silva. That is of course if we are to believe in the rumor to begin with that we will go after that great player.
October 4th, 2009 at 16:45
@Footy4Eddy: If it’s based on just this season are you able to even find 30 seconds of material to base it on?
October 4th, 2009 at 16:53
@Grognard: Scholesy`s goal against Barca in 2008 is involved…
Trying to find some others I can include. The video is thrilling!
October 4th, 2009 at 16:54
@Craig Mc: All the more reason why I will never forgive Fergie for not bringing in my boy Huntelaar. That extra forward who only knows how to do one thing and that’s score goals for fun is a needed commodity. I am also concerned about Rooney’s fitness. Yes his fitness. I have said this many times in the past six months but I feel he has lost a step and his desire seems to be wanting. I don’t think like many that it is an attitude problem. Instead i believe that he is tired, burned out and the fact that he is a known smoker also concerns me. Smoking will take 5 years off his career and it slows athletes down faster. This has been roven in North America in numerous sports. Where players used to retire at between 33-35 twenty years ago, today they often play into their late 30’s or even early 40’s. It’s because of clean living, proper nutrition but avoiding cigarettes is a major component on this. For a modern football to be caught puffing on Cigarettes (we here in North America do not like using the term fags, as we attribute that term to something completely different
) is just not acceptable. Rooney for me has not been right since after the Arsenal away victory in the Champions League. I’m honestly shocked that others have not noticed the lack of pace, desire and drop off in technique and skill. His passing has become terrible when he was once considered a fantastic passer, his patience on the ball is non existent and his touch has often eluded him when opponents are around to harass him.
October 4th, 2009 at 16:59
@Craig Mc: Rooney never was never has been and never will be Ronaldo. Rooney is a great player and his own man but to have the throne thrust on him when he has always been more comfortable being the second banana has affect him a bit. His temper, his demands from his teammates and his overall game have struggled at times. Rooney needs somebody better on the team to try to out do. He has lost that and his desire seems to be off. But then again, this all could with the topic of my previous post, which is he is not 100% fit and he is struggling to find that extra gear and comfort zone. Hopefully it will come but Fergie needs to realize that he needs to be rested as well as all the other players.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:01
These moments I plan to involve.
Rooney vs Milan, 2007
Scholes goal vs Barca, 2008
VDS penalty save from Anelka
Giggs goal against Wigan, 2008
Foster save vs Spurs, 2009
Macheda vs Villa, 2009
Owen vs Shitty, 2009
Any more requests? Ive got more than enough from 2008-2009, I need some from the 2007 season.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:05
@Craig Mc: You are right mate. Rooney is and always will be a second banana. A great player but a player that lacks elements in his game as well as the temperament to really elevate his game to that other dimension. He has always had the work ethic but has anyone noticed that Rooney has no left foot option in his game. Yesterday I saw him in a few instances where he could have taken a crack with his left foot because the opening was there but he never tried it. Most great players have both feet. Messi may be left foot dominant but i have seen him use his right and of course Ronaldo is Ronaldo and can hit with either one and be clinical. That for me is a major hole in Wayne’s game because it makes him predictable and it also answers the question that when played wide, Fergie prefers to place him on the left side so that when he cuts in, he can use his favored right foot. Eventually defenders clue into these things and they seem to be taking away Rooney’s right sidedness and seem to limiting his effectiveness in the process.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:06
@Dan: I agree.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:07
@Dan: Yet he is only an average defender defensively. And when one buys a defender, they buy him for that purpose.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:09
@Footy4Eddy: I figured you had to go back historically because this season will not afford you too much in terms of minutes.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:13
@Footy4Eddy: How about Ronaldo’s epic free kick (you know the one). I forget who we played but it was awesome in 07/08. His backheel goal in the eight yard box, his free kick against Arsenal last year. Giggs epic 1999 FA Cup semi replay wonder goal is also a must.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:14
@Grognard:
October 4th, 2009 at 17:16
man i hate pulling for pool but if they win were better off
than with a draw
October 4th, 2009 at 17:24
pool suck mascherano sux
October 4th, 2009 at 17:43
@Grognard: You have short memory there.
After our record of clean sheets was broken last season, VDS was very dodgy for several games in a row.
Even before that in the early season of 2006/2007 (or 2007/2008) he performances were far from convincing, triggering the usual tie to hang up his boots gossip. But football fans have goldfish memories, I should bnot expect them to remember things from that far back.
Anyway, I agree that VDs is our unquestioned no.1, but my point is that even he is not a stranger to mistakes, and even when he makes them, fans and the media alike will gloss over them much more easilty than if Foster or Kuzsack did them.
@Grognard: Fletcher was inexistant in the first half. He won just about zero challenges. His passing was poor. Only Scholes’ was even poorer.
And once again, I’m not supporting Foster. I just think its just plain stupid for someone to criticise a player before he has got the chance to prove himself on the pitch. And yes, you are every bit entitled to voice your discontentment, after the players have performed badly.
October 4th, 2009 at 17:43
torres is a fraud
October 4th, 2009 at 17:52
fuck you pool get a feking goal already
October 4th, 2009 at 17:55
well there goes pool were clear for second place
i really hate chelscum
October 4th, 2009 at 17:56
now we have to do chelsa home and away
October 4th, 2009 at 18:00
villa will hopefully
do us a favor tomorrow
October 4th, 2009 at 18:03
The thing that’s worrying me personally with Rooney is that wit the media boring us to bits as to how he’ll take up the mantle of new go-to player of United, he’s suddenly becoming much more selfish than he’s been previously and too much so.
In a way its goood that he’s become selfish, but I’m also used to Rooney getting double fugures in assists each season. I’d still prefer him to get 25 goals and 10 assists than 30 goals and zero assists.
Its still early in the season, and we all know that Roo has his goal scoring spurts and assisting spurts, but the dieal for him would be for him to be able to have both set of skills ready at any time. Only then, he’ll probably reach his peak, imho.
October 4th, 2009 at 18:19
Pissing myself laughing at those knobhead WOMEN in blue after playing L’Pool today! I mean huddles and cuddles in the middle of the pitch, Maluda stripping off his shirt, running the length of the crowd and hand touching them all. Staying so long on the pitch celebrating – I mean tell me please, what the feck trophy did they win today???? I’m confused, it wasn’t the end of season PL trophy was it, or the CL final????? What a bunch of wusses!
October 4th, 2009 at 18:26
Grog, can only disagree with you on two counts where your Rooney assessment is concerned mate
. Ist is – I don’t think Rooney lacks desire mate, desire is the last thing we will never have to fret about Rooney losing. 2nd thing is – Rooney hasn’t had the throne thrust on him mate, rather he has sought to grasp the throne himself!
October 4th, 2009 at 18:35
NicoQB – Rooney has not only become selfish mate, but like Grog said it is to the detriment of the team, and his bullishness is already having an not nice affect in his balling out team mates. What will happen in the end Nico, is that said team mates will get uppity with Rooney, and will pass to others rather than Rooney, and rather than being on the end of his nasty tongue retributions. Will serve him right if his team mates do hit back in that way, because lets face it, how many of them have let him have a mouthful when his passes go astray etc etc etc. None of them – right!
October 4th, 2009 at 18:38
@NicoQB: He’s trying to asume too much responsibilty. He needs to stop playing all over the place and learn some discipline. Personally I think Berbatov should be our main pivot in attack and should assume the main play maker role. In some ways he did this last season, he just went missing in too many games. This year so far he looks more determined to roll up his sleeves when things aren’t going right.
October 4th, 2009 at 18:58
@Craig Mc: Let’s wait and see. I agree that he has to mature a bit- especially in his decision making. He has a good footballing brain, but maybe that’s more instinctive than quick thinking. He is capable of great passing too, but he does get frustrated much too easily.
And by thhe way, the reply button-thingy is on the lower right hand side of the comment box. Its invisble but just pass your cursor over it and it’ll appear. But its a bit dodgy though.
@Cyclops-Red: Good for him! Now we need a chant for the count!
@gator: Hey I want pool to lose, lose, lose.
I want their morale to be in their socks.
Chelsea are always going to be Chelsea, winning dirty and making a title challenge. But you never know with the dippers and they can look positively dangerous when they fancy it. I’d rather they lose as many points as they can early and we end up have a title race with Chelsea than risking one involving pool.
October 4th, 2009 at 19:03
@Dan: What’s with him anyway, that Vamealen is really starting to frustrate me.
Why can’t he be like any other Arsenal central defender, shit in defence and useless in attack?
October 4th, 2009 at 19:10
@NicoQB:
I dont even think wenger was anticipating this goal return!
October 4th, 2009 at 19:55
@Dan: Knowing Wenger, he would pretend that he was!
Is he any good in defence though? Haven’t watched much of him really…
October 4th, 2009 at 20:04
@Grognard: Dont get me wrong if I’ve come across as harsh, that wasn’t my intention. I love Fergie like all utd fans and love his magical motivation of players. His rafa rotation just riles me to no end and his stone wall belief in muck players.
I see your point regarding giggs and I understand that needs to be done and should be but theres an international break coming up and he has rested players that aren’t going to be involed in those and played those that are.
Rooney needs a rest the most. I agree with a lot of people regarding rooney. His passing has deteriorated, he rarely turns players, his shooting is off and theres no power behind them. And where has the cheeky lobs gone to?
October 4th, 2009 at 20:45
@jpg: There was a time when all Rooney wanted to do was cheeky lobs and nine times out of ten they would be over the bar. I much prefer a simple, unspectacular but on target finish that ends up in the onion bag.
I’m not sure whether its a matter of rest that Rooney needs. I’d wager its more to do with improving his fitness levels. It may involve rest, but I think he could do with losing a bit of weight or maybe build up his muscles more like a sprinter (like Ronaldo and Evra did successfully) instead of a boxer. He would gain in pace and acceleration while retaining most of his strength.
Oh well, easy to do in football manager, but go tell real life Rooney that he has to cut on the burgers and cigarettes and pump more iron…
Lobs are more successful when a player ends up one on one – Valencia on two ooccasions recently should have tried them…
October 4th, 2009 at 21:19
@NicoQB: I agree that most of the time it didnt work out, its just that he barely tries it now. I know it could be argued that he has wised up and cut such wastefulness out of his game but to me it points to decline in his creativeness. That seems a bit harsh I know because hes playing in a slightly different role now. He cuts a slightly frustrated figure on the pitch on recent matches and if it is because of his change in role from seasons gone by its his own fault for finally getting what he wants.
I agree with you that he should build up his muscles and so should nani. Nani should be a fucking tank by now. He wasnt getting much playing time last season so he could of been in the gym pumping iron. I surprised he hasnt because it certainly helped his buddy ron.
October 4th, 2009 at 21:53
@jpg: I think he will try the lob in time when the occasion presents itself… Its just that as he plays more up front, he’s less able to see the goalkeeper off his line from further back.
As for physical stature, maybe its just that some players are built certain way because its in their genes or something. Some people are naturally thinner or bulky by nature. Or maybe you’re right, they’re not putting enough effort in the gym… Anyways, Ronaldo was a freak, wasn’t he?
October 4th, 2009 at 22:30
@Grognard: Yes, the Great Bobby McMahon will read aloud my topic on EPL Hooligans (West Ham vs. Millwall game in focus) and send me some Fox Soccer goodies which I guess is a T-shirt and ??? mystery item.
October 4th, 2009 at 22:56
@gator: I disagree mate. I’d rather it be a two man race rather than a three man race. I’d like to see Chelsea and United build some space between them and the pack which would include the Scouse too. It’s much easier to know you only have one two beat as opposed two or three.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:09
@NicoQB: Wrong, ah wrong and ahh WRONG on all counts mate.
First off, no keeper ever born is immune to mistakes or the off game or series of games. But the mistakes Foster makes are not common mistakes for the likes of EVDS. He might pull a Foster once every 20 games, whereas Foster pulls off a Foster once every half. Secondly, EVDS has more than paid his dues to be given the benefit of doubt. Tenure, experience and a track record of brilliant keeping accords you that luxury. Foster has yet to attain any of those criteria so as far as I am concerned, your case is mute and pointless, sorry.
Now on to Fletcher. The Fletcher I watched yesterday was not awful or invisible in the second half. Everyone around him was so awful that there was very little he could do. He would move to a good position to receive a pass and Scholes would miss him. He would steal the ball, pass it to one of our lads only for the player to immediately lose the ball. What I noticed was that despite everything around him sucking badly, he still worked hard and chased down everybody with the ball. Was it vintage Fletcher? Of course not but then again vintage Fletcher usually shows up better to all if the team around him performs better.
Finally, I am not stupid and I feel that ten games is more than enough time to get a strong sense of what are a goalkeepers strong points and what are his weak points. Like I have said many times before, United is not a middle of the road club or some sorry minnow where we have the luxury to give a poor keeper a 30 game audition. We are fighting for the Premier League title as well as the European Cup. If it’s fairness and patience that you want, may I suggest following Wigan, West Ham or possibly Blackburn. United are elite and their players have to also be elite. Anything less than elite means the door will be hitting them on the way out eventually. And if you think that is being stupid, I’d say you don’t know the real meaning of the word like the fact there is no such word as inexistant.
Just because I do not share your bias or your patience, does not make me stupid mate. I am far from stupid.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:11
@NicoQB: your right your right i got carried away with the table its alwayse better if the fools loose and make sure they dont get their filthy hands on our silverware.
we can always count on CHOKEski to loose control of dragba at some point this season and go o a loosing streak. so fair play to them
i dont know what came over me that had me pulling for those cunts
the table confused my loyalties it will never happen again 
October 4th, 2009 at 23:16
@Grognard: yep staying top clouded my judgement if we were 3rd or 4th id not have made the mistake. I think i let it get my hopes up as to not loosing it but really we are still better off than in previous title years iirc? its just shaping up to being an interesting and hairpulling jan as we speculate and salivate and probably end up with the same squad + already expected arrivals.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:19
@Craig Mc: Sorry mate but have you noticed how he doesn’t run every ball down like he used to. When he loses the ball he used to get mad at himself and that would force him to shift into next gear, now he sulks about and just stands there. He either is not fit, or he is struggling with his cardio-vascular output? His lung capacity may be diminishing due to smoking and I dead serious about it. I remember Guy LaFleur the former great Montreal Canadiens hockey great saying how he felt he cut his career short by five years as well as struggling for his last three seasons because of his cigarette habit. I am noticing that he has really lost a step and has not got the jump in his game that he used to have. I don’t think he is injured so I am just speculating but something is wrong. Maybe he is getting laid to often by the wife.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:23
@Cyclops-Red: I agree. Berbatov gets the ball five yards in front of the 18 yard box, pivots looks around and where is Rooney? Rooney is near the left touch line. Rooney should be running diagonally right behind Berbatov inside the box awaiting one of Berba’s delightful finesse passes. He is never in a good position to help out his striking partner and when his striking partner in turn is in a very good scoring position, Rooney decides to hold the ball and try a low percentage shot rather than try to get him the ball. He needs to wake up and grow up. He also needs to loosen up and try some trickery rather than playing so predictably pedestrian as he has been of late.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:32
@jpg: I didn’t feel you were being too harsh as I have been even harsher at times. All I was trying to add is that despite our differences of opinion with the gaffer, we still have to realize that he knows more about the game in his baby finger than we will ever know and so despite my questions and concerns, I trust him to know what solutions and changes ned to be made. With that said, my biggest concern and condemnation with Fergie is not his on field managing or player managing. It’s with his relationship with the owners. I do not like the glazers and I do not like that Fergie so blindly supports the mother fuckers and in doing so slaps all of us in the face. I also believe he flat out lying about the 80 million from the Ronaldo sale and his reasons for not spending it. In fact he is hiding the fact that the money went to pay part of the big debt incurred by the Glazer’s in the purchase of the team.
If I’m wrong, I want him to prove it to me with actions, not bullshit words. I want him to go out and buy David Silva in January and Manuel Neuer in the summer. Show me that you indeed have the cash to splash and I will forever leave the man alone. Until then I will accuse him of selling out and being in bed with the Devil Jews from Florida. I cannot stand those assholes and the fact he protects them just rubs me so wrong. They are the reason this team has not retooled properly over the past three seasons. We get older with our starters and we buy players who are so young we will have to wait five years before we ever see them. That’s just plain ridiculous.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:36
@[OPTI]Madschester United: Have you seen the movie Hooligans (in North America it is marketed as “Green Street Hooligans”)? Great movie all about the feud between West Ham fans and Millwall and it stars Mr. Frodo himself as well as one of the great young talents in acting, Britains own Charlie Hunnam. Great movie. Makes me want to forever blow bubbles.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:38
@gator: I’d rather lose the title to Chelsea mate. The Scousers must never ever come close to winning that title. It’s imperative.
October 4th, 2009 at 23:42
@gator: Staying on top is great mate but having three teams all with one point separating them is too much congestion for my liking. Lets hitch a ride on the Chelsea express and follow them until the end when they will find a way to cough it up and hopefully we can overtake them. But to be honest, a lot of changes and things have to happen at Old Trafford before I believe we are good enough to finish first. Right now I see us being overtaken and finishing third or fourth, despite our record. We have had a lot of luck and we cannot count on all of that for the full season. There is going to come a time when we play the top teams at their home and then we will se how up for the fight we are.
October 5th, 2009 at 0:04
I do not see Liverpool in contention this season. Alonso was a big loss and they are now overreliant on Mascherona to hold their midfield together.
It is between us and Chelsea. We are the only teams who can play badly and still win games. I think we will edge it because Chelsea will be unable to strengthen in January and with Drogba and Essien and Obi Mikel and co at the African Nations they lose some key players. Carvalho has lost interest in playing for them, Ballack is showing his age, Terry is injury prone and Bosingwa has lost his form.
I reckon we will win the league (but it won’t be pretty). But we are going to get really exposed in Europe without Ronaldo to score wondergoals and tear teams apart.
I think our defence will show a massive improvement when EVDS returns to reclaim his place in the team. We’ve been leaking goals this season and the only change in a defence that has been very good for the last two seasons has been our goalkeeper. It is very difficult to argue with that fact. Somehow to Foster’s defenders it is never his fault. But I must say that if a goalkeeper concedes as many goals as Foster has this season he has to accept some of the blame.
But that is Foster for you. He does not make howlers (well except for that Tevez/Barry goal) and is never 100% responsible for a goal (somehow there are always defensive errors that his champions use to deflect the blame away from him) but you want a keeper who does that little bit extra to keep the ball out of the net.
Also I hate this idea that we need to give Foster time because he is learning the trade.
Players should do their apprentiships elsewhere and then come to United when they are the finished article. Especially in a position as critical as goalkeeper where experience is paramount. How many goals do we have to concede until Foster comes good? Or more importantly will he ever come good?
While im all for playing young players if they are good enough…the truth is Foster just isn’t good enough and he isn’t even that young!
Foster can warm our bench and the experience he is getting means he’ll do better if EVDS picks up another injury. But when EVDS retires we need a new number one and unfortunately Foster is not and never will be good enough to be number one for a club of our standings.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:01
@colver: I like what you are saying esp about ANC, but for europe.
I realize the lost of Ronaldo affects our creativity and wonder-goal (bar berbatov) ratio, but in Europe we have to look at competition.
I watched another game of Real Madrid vs Sevilla and while they did not have Ronaldo, they were a joke on defense and only looked threatening near the oppenent’s box. I do not think they will get past first round if they play a decent opponent and I feel confident against them if we meet.
I really only see Barca/Chelsea/Inter Milan (Eto’o as as realistic contenders in europe as we can match any other team in the competition when we play near-best or better.
October 5th, 2009 at 4:47
@colver: Ballack is not showing his age one bit bit mate. He is being asked to play a more defensive role that frees Lampard more and so by sacrificing himself to those defensive duties he is obviously looking less effective as an attacking midfielder. You see the rare thing with Ballack is that for an AMF he has all the skills to be a DMF also. Sure on the tackle with ability to cover ground and be physical. Lampard cannot do this so guess who gets the dirty job alongside Essien?
As for Liverpool, lets face it after Gerrard and Alonso their squad is very average indeed. Not another top quality player on that roster except maybe Mascherano. I agree that Chelsea will not be able to bolster their squad in January but lets not forget the stubborn streak in Fergie. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fergie makes no moves in the January transfer season because he feels he doesn’t need to, or because the reality is there is no money with which to buy players. Either way I still don’t see us having the depth in midfield or the quality to score at will that will be needed to win this. Chelsea continues to win they will be buoyed with confidence and will become even tougher as the season goes forward. Trust me, beating Liverpool handily today is going to do wonders for their confidence.
October 5th, 2009 at 4:54
Dan, I hope you read this. Today I watched the Real Madrid vs Sevilla game. I’m hoping you had the opportunity to catch the game also. The reason being that today you could watch that game and witnessed a clinic of great goalkeeping from Iker Casillas. He gave up two goals he had no chance on but he made a handful of amazing saves that defy description. But that isn’t why I bring his performance up. Take a look at every time his defenders screwed up just how abusive, loud and mean spirited he was towards them for their mistakes, even after he made the saves. He doesn’t tolerate nonsense from his defenders and he will let them have it in no uncertain terms. He is an intimidator and then he had a few high balls that came in where he came out and forcefully punched the ball and took no prisoners in the attempt. Powerful, assertive and king of his castle. If you never saw it, hopefully you can watch a replay of the game because if you see his performance, you will understand clearly why Ben Foster is stand up comic impersonating a goalkeeper.
October 5th, 2009 at 5:01
I think you should all read this article. It proves that I am not as full of shite as many of you may think I am. I’d say be afraid, be very afraid.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/3pm/Manchester-United-fans-beware-is-the-Glazers-other-team-skint-article179491.html
October 5th, 2009 at 5:03
Ronaldo was rested today vs Sevilla and wasn’t even on the bench. I wonder how he is going to handle being treated like Ryan Giggs? Perhaps he will want to come back to United after this season. Yeah right.
October 5th, 2009 at 5:13
I read that Fergie faces a lengthy touchline ban for his withering verbal attack on referee Alan Wiley yesterday.
I don’t know if the League has noticed over the past year but Fergie wastes very little time around the touchline anymore preferring instead to sit on his hands and ask himself is this what I really envisioned for this team?
October 5th, 2009 at 8:41
Jeez, been reading all this for the last couple of days, and without seeing the game, I can’t comment on the particulars. however when all is said and done has anything really changed??
-Foster is still not our best option at GK.
- Rooney still need to pass the ball to shirts that carry our emblem.
- We need a CM that can keep out forwards busy.
- We need a forward that can punch in the goals.
We can say all we want, but until these issues are addressed, all other arguments remain superfluous!!
October 5th, 2009 at 9:18
@Grognard: He had an ankle injury in the champions league midweek game and hadn’t recovered in time.
Also that Tampa Bay article is a regurgitation of an article I read a year ago with an extra line that talks about the 80m Ronaldo sale. The Bucs have been low spending ever since the Glazers took over United, and that’s well known already.
October 5th, 2009 at 9:25
@ Grognard, few points:
1. Casillas was absolutely ridiculous last night. That second diving save, he couldn’t even have knonw the player was going to be there when eh dove, but he did. Sevilla should have won by at least, and I’m not exagerrating, 4 more goals if not for him. Too bad he’ll never leave Madrid, but I respect that.
2. That article on the Bucs is a season old. They then went and spent more money than any other team later in the season. Trust the Mirror.
3. Even I’ve come around to letting Foster go, but personally I think a buy back option should be stuck in there. Neve