Sep 30
Manchester United vs VfL Wolfsburg: Preview
Matchday Two of the Champions League is fast approaching and one thing for sure is that VfL Wolfsburg should provide something of a tougher test than United’s previous opponents in the competition. Yes while Besiktas were plucky and persistent, the German champions are a far more accomplished outfit and you’ve probably heard that they’re not too bad up front either.
That’s because in Brazilian striker Grafite and Bosnian international Edin Dzeko, Wolfsburg possess one of the deadliest strike partnerships in Europe. The duo managed a record 54 goals between them in the Bundesliga last season and throw in Obafemi Martins, a player who certainly knows a thing or two about scoring at Old Trafford, and you’re faced with a pretty potent attacking trio.
It’s fair to say that United have a few attacking options themselves and Saturday’s win over Stoke City in the Premier League was utterly satisfying, considering the nature in which the lads dominated from start to finish in a game one would have expected to have been decidedly even. That result stretches the 100 per cent record to seven games now and Wolfsburg at home will present the chance to keep that run ticking over.
The team shouldn’t change drastically from the trip to the Britannia Stadium with, bar a late injury set-back, the back five of Foster, Evra, O’Shea, Ferdinand and Vidic remaining unchanged.
As we have come to expect with a Ferguson midfield there will undoubtedly be a slight adjustment and Nani is arguably the most likely to drop out for the ever impressive Ryan Giggs. That could also see Paul Scholes given a rest as a result with Michael Carrick and Anderson fully charged and raring to go in hope of lining up alongside Darren Fletcher.
It is my view that Fletcher will have to start if United are to nullify the threat of Zvjezdan Misimovic, a midfield playmaker who grabbed an eye-catching 18 assists in the German league last term. Not to mention that the combative midfielder is the best thing to have come out of Scotland since Braveheart and Sir Alex.
While Ferguson has often reverted to a 4-5-1 formation when away from home in the Champions League, Old Trafford is a different kettle of fish and thus you would think that the Scot will opt for a Rooney-Berbatov partnership up top.
In the build-up to the game Sir Alex has insisted that he will not underestimate the attacking prowess of the Wolfsburg side.
“The two strikers [Dzeko and Grafite] scored an incredible tally of goals last season. 71 in a season is incredible for two strikers,” the United boss is quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
“In terms of Dzeko, he was a player we saw and I was very impressed by him. Wolfsburg are a team that scores a lot of goals, but they also lose a few.
Ferguson went on to maintain that reaching the 10 point mark is the aim for the group stages of Europe’s pinnacle club competition.
“In a group of four teams, you just want to get to 10 points as quickly as possible,” he added.
“The quicker you do it, the better it is for obvious reasons. But we have only played once so far and we have to maintain our consistency and concentration in these matches.”
Former Newcastle striker Martins spoke to BBC Sport about the threat of United even without Ronaldo and Tevez and that the team are capable of providing the goals from all over the pitch.
“Even without Ronaldo and Tevez, I would say you face the same problems playing against United. In fact, I would even say they are playing much better than before,” the Nigerian international said
“When Ronaldo was on the pitch, everyone looked to him, expecting him to change the game when his team most needed it.
“But now United have a lot of players who can change a game, like Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov. Even the defenders can score goals, so we must watch out for them all over the pitch.”
Statistically things don’t read too well when you consider United’s record against German opposition in the Champions League. Out of a total of fifteen games, the Reds have only picked up four victories with six draws and five losses.
The United back four will certainly have to be on their toes throughout what is sure to be a tense but thoroughly entertaining encounter with the form of Grafite and Dzeko a particular concern. The latter notched his sixth of the campaign against Hannover on Saturday while former Le Mans attacker Grafite scored a Rooney-esque hat-trick on his Champions League debut a couple of weeks back.
With all that said, we are at home at the Theatre of Dreams and certainly have no reason to fear even the greatest teams in world football. While Wolfsburg may not be in that category just yet, they are a wonderfully gifted attacking outfit all the same but United possess just as much fire power and a solid defence to boot.
I would be a tad more apprehensive if we were playing at Wolfburg’s Volkswagen Arena but home advantage should see us through home and dry with Wayne Rooney ultimately proving too hot to handle for Die Wölfe.
Prediction: 2-1 United
Related items from Red Rants:
- Manchester United vs Vfl Wolfsburg: Preview
- Manchester United drawn with Besiktas, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
- The Manchester United Pledge
Tags: Game Preview
September 30th, 2009 at 7:27
4-2 United… ok ok ok that is too crazy (or is it?).
3-1 United! Foster gift + Rooney, Vidic, Berba!
September 30th, 2009 at 7:35
Wolfsburg will definitely score coz of their attacking threat but I am sure United would score more than them. 2-1 or 3-1 for me.
Also, I think Owen will play a role and would be on score sheet as well.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:10
Not sure if Owen is playing, he skipped training yesterday. Given their team will have, essentially, 4 attacking players in Martins, Dzeko, Grafite and Misimovic – it’ll definitely be open. Keeping that in mind I wouldn’t be too surprised to find Fergie fearing that, and sticking in 3 midfielders to try and kill the space. If we do that, I fear that the Roon shall be be left out on …the left, with Valencia on the right. Can also see Red Nev getting a run out:
————-Foster————-
—Gary—Vida—Rio—-Evra—-
—–Fletcher—Carrick———
———-Anderson/Giggs——–
–Valencia————-Rooney—
————-Berbatov———–
September 30th, 2009 at 9:12
It could be a really good game tonight. Wolfsburg may come to attack so that could suit us. 3-2 Vidic, Fletcher, Berbatov to score. Foster to save a penalty and let one in through his legs.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:35
@Beachryan: I agree. I can’t see gaffer going with customery 4-4-2 in UCL
. I mean If he goes for that cautious approach so I see we are playing with 5 across the midfield to cut down on there attacking prowess and may be hit them on counter or with possesion footbal with some moment of brilliance from either Rooney or Giggsy. For me I think he will play trio of Ando/Scholes, Fletch , Carrick with Giggsy and Valencia (I hope)/ Park (I feel thats whaht happen) with Rooney upfront.
If Giggs is not going to last in the wing then I think your team is just spoton and I think he will go that.
One thing for sure here (at least in my mind) NANI is going to have a place in ‘STARTING LINEUP’ (Sorry Craig).
September 30th, 2009 at 9:36
*One thing for sure here (at least in my mind) NANI is going to have NO place in ‘STARTING LINEUP’ (Sorry Craig).
September 30th, 2009 at 10:07
Park is sick, after having contracted the flu that Evra had on Sunday. Scary.
The thing on Nani – part of me feels the worst thing we could do is leave him out. Yes he was utterly woeful, but that should mean he’s begging to be given a second chance. Maybe a solution would be to start him with a view to bring on Giggsy.
Then again, I doubt Fergie will do it. You could see how much the other players were pissed the f*ck off with the winger on Saturday.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:22
@Beachryan: Could you blame them really? He’s been absolutely shit all season long. Can’t actually remember him having a good game (yes he scored once or twice and made an assist or two, but otherwise he wasted positions rather than creating chances.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:44
@Beachryan: Are you telling me that he has infected by the virus which EVRA was suffered from. I heard/read last year that, they are best of the buddies…
Yeah, if thats the case then its surely scary…..
September 30th, 2009 at 10:54
@ Onkar – exactly…
@ Andrei – True, but Ronaldo was equally infuriating when he first joined, but Fergie stuck with him. The problem with Nani is that everytime he underperforms, he gets dropped for a few weeks. No consistency…
September 30th, 2009 at 11:11
@Beachryan: May be its down to something that Gaffer knows and we don’t. I mean he sees player in training day in day out. He sees there progress from closer than any one of us. One thing we all know about Ronaldo that as far as training, practice and matches and performence are concerned he was a model performer. I mean he was very dedicated in what he used to due in even in trining as well. That might have convinced gaffer in early days of Ronaldo that “the boy is frustrating sometimes but he is pretty serious in what he is doing”. I think NANI might not be giving that confidence, due to which he is facing the inconsistent run in the team…
Just my thinking….
September 30th, 2009 at 11:19
Some more news about OH… Look like they are planning for the November come back… I hope he comes as per schedule and stay fit….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1217099/Owen-Hargreaves-hands-Manchester-United-boost-midfielder-eyes-November-return.html
September 30th, 2009 at 12:07
Any good nightclubs in Manchester?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:17
This is hilarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYd8yPZWTBM Even better knowing the result as the citeh fan celebrates their goals.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:26
@Beachryan: Giving Nani a chance would be the most ideal way to deal with his under performance.It shows that the gaffer is willing to take a chance on him and is confident in his abilities. letting him know that every player has moments when he is not at his best and that it’s just a phase. We have giggs as back up, if nani’s performance in the match is shoddy, giggs can come in and work his magic on the second half.
It would be completely detrimental if nani is kept off first team play. We have a diamond in the rough with nani and it’s necessary to shape him properly and if fergie has patience with foster then the same should apply to nani. If nani is benched today,then I’d expect him to play on Saturday,if not nani should weigh his options and not waste his career here and join barca or any other team where his skills will be honed. I’d just hate to see his skills wasted because he is not english. He was kept of the first team for a whole season last year, I think united owes it to the lad to give him chances, if not they should not waste nani and should sell him.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:41
@Traverse: I jizzed!
September 30th, 2009 at 12:42
Where the fuck is Craig?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:55
@Footy4Eddy: I think Spizzy is trying to make sure that we won’t miss Craig Bro with al his NANI love….
Won’t be happy though if it happens… 
Agreed with it largely though.. The should be given an opportunity.. And gaffer should show some confidence in lad… But, as i have said before I don’t think he will…..
I won’t be surprise to see his back in ‘Summer of 2010′ if things do go the way they are currently….
September 30th, 2009 at 12:57
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1217010/Jovial-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-drops-Manchester-Uniteds-Jonny-Evans-bit-trouble-strife.html
Fergie strikes again!
September 30th, 2009 at 12:59
@Traverse: Haha, the man is a fucking genious!
September 30th, 2009 at 13:05
@ Spizzy – absolutely spot on, that’s precisely how I feel. Fergie can’t expect consistency from his players if they never get consistent chances to prove themselves. The same applies to Anderson, who was great against Spurs, and we haven’t seen since.
These kids are young, they can play once a week!
September 30th, 2009 at 14:18
FIFA 10 Gameface is just soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing!!!
September 30th, 2009 at 14:24
@Onkar: Its not nani love, it’s just a realization that nani hasn’t yet gotten his fair amount of play time, yet they expect miracles from the guy. He doesn’t play in the sort of position I’d call critical, which is why I would call for his deployment in such an area. So he lost the ball, I remember a certain giggs in the game against arsenal doing even worse than what nani did on Saturday.
Plus I have seen many wingers come of age when given enough consistent games, ronnie, lennon and young just to name a few.
September 30th, 2009 at 15:16
nani is doing EXACTLY what ronaldo used to do in his early days, he trys to take on too much like taking on to many players r holding the ball to long!! he is doing this because he is trying to impress and he obviously hasnt matured on a footballing level…. he wil be a great player if mixes it a bit a learns when to just pass it easy and cross it early, and then now and again bbeat his man and do a bit of magic!!!!
but i believe it is also fair to say he might be even more in ronaldos shaodow now because people will expect him to deliver more quickly and become the new ronaldo, and that is my fear, because i dont nani has the bottle to live up to expectation!!! AND tyhe funny thing is i think he,d actually be a better player with another club cause he wouldnt have all the pressure on his shoulders
September 30th, 2009 at 15:39
I think its time to give Micky Owen a start. Wolfsburg are as bad defensively, as they are good going forward. My formation would consist of Rooney in a free role behind Owen , which would push their midfielders into their own half trying to keep tabs on him, and Fletch and Anderson in midfield for ball retention. Giggsy on the left, and I think its time we tried Nani on the right.
September 30th, 2009 at 15:49
I think its time to give Micky Owen a start. Wolfsburg are as bad defensively, as they are good going forward, and a clinical forward like Owencan get in the early goals to ease the pressure, and can be brought off early if that happens. My formation would be:
Foster
O’Shea-Rio-Vidic-Evra
Nani-Fletcher-Anderson-Giggs
Rooney
Owen
Rooney in a free role behind Owen, would push their midfielders into their own half trying to keep tabs on him. Fletch and Anderson in midfield for ball retention. Giggsy on the left doing his magic, and I would prefer Nani over Valencia on the right, and I have a feeling Nani on the right may work better than Nani on the left.
Also, if it appears that the Wolfsburg threat is coming in more from the wings than centrally, we can always bring Giggs in to the centre along with Ando, pushing Nani to the left and Fletcher to the right.
September 30th, 2009 at 15:57
Fifa 10 is ORGASMIC!
September 30th, 2009 at 16:22
@Footy4Eddy: I get to find out on Friday when I get the game:D
September 30th, 2009 at 16:32
@Darth Red Diablo: FIFA 10 released?? when?? I saw Oct 2nd as the release date!
September 30th, 2009 at 16:42
I dont know who i hate more at the moment, park, valencia or nani?
I think when hargo returns, he needs to be slotted into the wing!
September 30th, 2009 at 16:45
@Rahul: I see some FIFA 10 torrents available on net. These guys might have downloaded the pirated version… Or may be, they talking about demo.
September 30th, 2009 at 16:51
I think its pretty healthy for us to “guesstimate” what team SAF will be using … on the obviouse side, it’s to keep the opposition second guessing and their managers pondering what formation/players to pick. Also shows the strength in depth we currently enjoy regardless of each players respective talents.
But I also believe that it keeps many of our under performing players under constant pressure to produce. Something along the lines of a “stick and carrot” approach where by players who perform get rewarded by starting the next game or maybe even a tap on the back by the manager which goes along way for youngsters such as the twins or Macheda and Wellbeck for instance. As for the more established players, I think that they will feel the necessity to prove to the fans and manager that they deserve their stature of being an automatic pick by showing their worth on the pitch. And I think Nani falls into neither category, hence; the ongoing Nani debate. Is he a youngster that still needs to prove himself worthy of a starting place. Or is he established to the degree that fans expect him to perform on the highest degree always?
Now I know that most of you will say that ALL the players should perform at the highest level ALL the time. And you do have a valid point. But you must also agree to the fact that the so called “youngsters” can get away in some circumstances with some ignorance. Take Foster as an example. Some of us clearly lost patience and hope with him, thus placing him in the “established players” category and therefore demand his omittance from the team sheet and perhaps the club as a whole, while others feel that he still falls in the “younger player” category and thus are willing to accept his mistakes and insist in giving him another chance.
This debate and as fiesty as it may be, is where the problem is regarding the continued healthy arguments that takes place in this site when praising or bashing our players. Ultimately it all boils down to which category a fan places a certain player in. In other words Grog’s intolerance with Foster could be as a result of him viewing Ben as an established player and therefor has no more potential to provide in goal, where as Dan clearly views him as a younger player that has the potential to prove to us that he is worthy to be our number one keeper.
All in all, and like I said in the beginning, its a healthy phenomenon to have arguments regarding Nani or Foster ..etc. Even though it can obviously be heated to say the least.
RR thanks for providing us with a chance to show our love for the great Manchester United.
September 30th, 2009 at 16:57
This article on Rooney should be shared, it’s that good: http://www.runofplay.com/2009/09/28/for-an-anniversary/
On other news, anyone with links for the match later is the kindest person on planet earth, may thanks!
September 30th, 2009 at 17:04
@miele: I agree. I read that yesterday. Fantastic piece as always. Brian Phillips is a wonderful writer.
September 30th, 2009 at 17:06
Here’s a short piece on obertan, from the most trusted site on the web
http://www.tribalfootball.com/gabriel-obertan-worth-gamble-man-utd-335041
September 30th, 2009 at 17:08
@Rahul: Oct 20th is the US release date…moving on to the game against Wolfsburg, i hope Fergie goes with the same formation we used against Spurs, we looked the most potent this season only when we played them…but knowing him Park will start
September 30th, 2009 at 17:16
@AndyCR7: I’ve got the PS3 so torrents would be useless for me, even though I’m pretty sure it could not be anything more than the demos. I’m eagerly awaiting October 2nd.
September 30th, 2009 at 17:19
@RMJ: Park isn’t in the squad. Off with a virus.
September 30th, 2009 at 17:22
@Traverse: thank heavens for the virus.
September 30th, 2009 at 17:51
@Beachryan: Nani is dropped whenever he underperforms for one sole reason. The lad repeats the same mistakes and poor decision making over and over again.
Ronaldo had one problem, over dribbling and not knowing when to release or hold onto the ball but fair enough his final deliveries were not that bad, as its the case for Nani. When you decide to mention the mistakes he (Nani) does in a single game,the come in double figures.
Lastly you got to put into concept that Ronaldo was 18 by then and he had no pressure / competition for his number, as for Nani i laugh at whoever thinks he’s still young, all world class players have shone and hit top notch before their 20th birth day and Nani is 22 or 23.
Looking at the people knocking on the door in all the positions he can occupy on the pitch, i guess its the cause for the bench whenever he underperforms. A try other options scenario, i guess!
September 30th, 2009 at 18:02
@Traverse: Whatever that virus is, I’d personally like to thank it.
September 30th, 2009 at 18:10
@spizzy (comment 15)
what makes you think he will find a place on Barca’s first team? Yes he has skills, but so does every Barca player.
Anyway, people keep comparing Nani’s situation to that of Ronaldo, and claim Nani should be played week in week out to give him confidence. I have 2 arguments against it:
1. Fergie sees the lad in training. Ronnie was a model trainer, Fergie has acknowledged that. He always sought to improve. Maybe Nani does not give SAF the same confidence.
2. Nani is already 22, Ronaldo at his age was already world class. Ronaldo had also developed physically to an extent Nani can never hope to match. So hoping Nani follows Ronnie’s footsteps as a goalscoring winger/striker is rather hopeless
@ Red Ranter:
What’s up with the site? Its chaos..I cant reply, the posts dont load properly….I am using IE 6, is that the issue?
September 30th, 2009 at 18:11
@Munish Gupta: Wolfsburg has a weakness and that it doesn’t really have great defenders. Their goalkeeper is underrated but very good. Still, we should win this game in what I would think is a shootout. 4-2 is what I am predicting. Wolfsburg like to attack and they are not known for playing cautiously on the road. Hopefully they come out with that mentality and we bite them with some fine counter attacks. I expect it to be cautious and a low scoring in the first half but then I expect it to become like the Man City game in the second half. I do believe Wolfsburg will score at least one goal. But I do believe we have the quality up front to demoralize their defense. Today I expect a big game from Rooney and Berbatov. I also expect Owen if fit, to score a late goal on the counter. Of course you know my big worry is our keeper but i will say no more about that. Our RB is important today because the Wolfsburg crossing game comes primarily from their left side from Gentner and others. Gentner, Martens on the left side need to be stopped and supply to Dzeko and Grafite comes greatly from Misimovic. Stop him and you stop Wolfsburg. ALso they must be careful with Misimovic because he is also a very good free kick specialist.
September 30th, 2009 at 18:15
@Footy4Eddy: I think he is avoiding all the Nani bashing as he has other priorities these days that keep him occupied. He’ll be back and
all the Nani haters beware.
September 30th, 2009 at 18:18
@Beachryan: that shit is getting around like a cheep whore right now. my american football team Florida Gators had a half dozen starters with one sickness or another last week and had to send 3 different jets with sick players with common symptoms separated on their own “quarantine” planes… insane for college sports
hopefully united is as careful with the health of our stars and the whole team doesnt come down with this shite.
September 30th, 2009 at 18:20
@Vivek: IE6 is for stone age…
upgrade to IE7/8.. or better use chrome/firefox…
September 30th, 2009 at 18:22
@Footy4Eddy: Show us your game face then. Also, I have seen a demo on the new free kick stuff. Looks great and it has taken them 15 years to finally realize that the user should have a tool to help design his own free kick formations etc. I get so frustrated when I play FIFA and I do not see Rio or Vidic in the box for headers etc. I also like to get players to receive headers while on the move because they can get by marking easier and because the headers have more velocity. Great to see FIFA improve that. How are the free kick mechanics this year? I have found it very difficult to score a free kick goal for the past three releases. Before that it used to be too easy, now it’s hard and it’s very difficult I find to hit those long range missile types that Ronaldo hits because if you put too much on the ball, it always goes into the 40th row. Also Eddy, can you tell me what the ratings are for Messi, Ronaldo, Neuer and Huntelaar? I’m curious. Thanks in advance mate. And when the game comes out, I want all the special details to create Eddy for my Roma team. I then plan on selling him to United and replacing the Skinned Sausage at LWB
This will upset both Evra and poor Fabio but what the heck, that Norwegian lad is just a wunderkind. 
September 30th, 2009 at 18:24
@Traverse: that was some funny stuff
September 30th, 2009 at 18:26
@Traverse: rings are cheep now… i can hear him say it he really is a funny man
September 30th, 2009 at 18:27
@Traverse: oh yeah i did read about that
i hope Nani gets a go but still don’t see it happening
September 30th, 2009 at 18:28
@ AndyCR7
cant mate..office PC..use firefox at home
September 30th, 2009 at 18:30
@jamie lee: I will always defend Ronaldo’s early years by saying that yes, he often made mistakes but he still always managed to make us stand up and cheer and really get a lot of thrills in a game. He was so far above and ahead of Nani in his early years, it’s not even fair to Nani to compare him with Ronaldo. Ronaldo was god from day one, albeit a flawed god for a couple of seasons. From the very first time he came into a game as a sub, he took my breath away and I remember saying back then to a friend, he was one day going to be the best player in the game. I have never ever ever even considered Nani in the same category. I love him but he is not even Ronaldo lite. He is Nani, and I’m no longer sure if that is good enough for United. I think he needs to go to a team that will actually let him be himself and bring out the best in him. United forces him to think and that frankly is not part of his game. He is an instinct player and he needs to be on a team that allows him free reign and that does not shackle him down with positional duties and restrictions. Unfortunately for Nani, that would have to be a team like Atletico who seem to have no discipline defensively and who lose because of that.
September 30th, 2009 at 18:39
@miele: wow how funny and awesome is that story
September 30th, 2009 at 18:54
@Grognard: i see what your doing there
yea yea he would be a world beater if he was at atletico and akhem they might prize him away from us and a little cash aswell if they would just give up on their kun experiment…. huh grogy? i smell what your stepping in but id rather have both muahhhhahahaha 
September 30th, 2009 at 18:57
Kuszczak
O’Shea
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra
Valencia
Carrick
Anderson
Giggs
Rooney
Owen
SUBS: Foster, Brown, Fabio, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Berbatov
September 30th, 2009 at 19:02
Unpredictable Fergie. I’m not sure about that midfield without Fletcher.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:03
@gator: Tebow’s not in the best of health either, I hear. Luckily you lot have a weekend off before your LSU game.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:05
Foster does not get a game but it’s the right thing from Fergie. We don’t want him thinking he is immune from rotation. Keeps up competition for places which in turn pushes players to do better.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:07
@Dan: Trust me, I’m pretty sure Foster knows he’s not immune from rotation.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:08
@Red Ranter: Anyone who has played football manager knows you send your player home and keep him away from the team if he has a virus! Standard procedure!
September 30th, 2009 at 19:10
@Vivek: IE6 eh? That’s probably it. Are you in the stone age?
Everything seems fine for most people here. And there’s no way I am going to tweak the design so that it supports IE6. Onkar had some problem with the reply thing – in case you didn’t know, if you mouse over any comment you’ll see the reply button pop up at the bottom right corner of the comment
September 30th, 2009 at 19:11
Owen staring…nice..team looks good Id still have fletcher in there though
September 30th, 2009 at 19:11
@Traverse: Er, yes. Although I’m not sure why that’s relevant to my comment on something completely unrelated.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:13
@Red Ranter: Naaaaah, ive heard some fans say PIG is worse in training then he is on the field
If someone like that was training with me to become the No1, i wouldnt be worried in the slightest!
September 30th, 2009 at 19:23
@Dan: But if Ferguson was my manager I would bloody well know he’d rather bench me and stick someone else in my place than let me continue, if I take my position for granted. Fergie is known for being unforgiving on ‘keepers.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:24
6 out of our last 7 losses have happened with carrick and anderson…
September 30th, 2009 at 19:26
@gator: Honest to God mate, that was not what I was thnking but now that you bring it up, that would be sweet. No, I was just thinking that Nani is an undisciplined player who likes to freestyle out on the pitch. Therefore, he does not suit a team with lofty and strict ambitions because he clearly does not want to be shackled like that as a player as it clearly affects his game. He was much better for us in his first season because Fergie left him alone to see just what he had to offer. Since then, Fergie has shut down his free wheeling undisciplined ways and it has really messed with the lad’s mind and confidence. He still shows glimpses of brilliance but he is far from being a 90 minute player who is a threat for 90 minutes. This may come but then again, he needs to play more but can united sacrifice their goals and ambitions to give him the chance to find himself on the pitch? Personally, I don’t think so. That is why I think he would do better in Spain for a middle of the road club who are looking for a player who excites the fans much more than a team player who is disciplined and committed to winning at all costs.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:28
Live streams: http://redlog.pl/2009/09/30/wideo-z-meczu-manchester-united-vfl-wolfsburg/#live
September 30th, 2009 at 19:28
@zhoro: Not starting Fletcher. Now thats really stupid considering the attack we are going to face. Fuck! Fergie, this isn’t Besiktas or CSKA.
I wonder how bad the bitching will be on here at the end of the game over Anderson and Carrick? 
As well, Fergie goes on and on about experience yet he sits down his most experienced player when it comes to playing vs the Bundesliga in Berba. I don’t get the man anymore. Still, I’m glad to see Owen start. And no Foster ? WOW!
September 30th, 2009 at 19:33
I like Owen as a super sub as I think he will run out of gas around 55 mins.
Our midfield is weak is Carrick does not pull up his drawers and showcases one of his better performances this evening. I hope Anderson is under strict instructions to close down Mimosevicxzwy and is full of energy. Other than that, I like our options on the bench and feel like that will be the difference tonight.
Does anyone else have a man crush on Giggs right about now?
September 30th, 2009 at 19:33
@Dan:
You crack me up mate. If that was the case, would it be more prudent to sit your #1 keeper down against Stoke as opposed to the far superior Wolfsburg? Nope, I think Fergie knows that he has an attacking threat to worry about and he wants a keeper who although not spectacular, has more common sense and is less prone to gaffs and shooting himself in the foot. Now that I said that, watch Pig have a real stinker of a game. 
September 30th, 2009 at 19:35
@Grognard: This will be a tough game unless our midfield (over?) performs… but I think our options on the bench is the difference…
September 30th, 2009 at 19:44
I’m thinking positive, dont know why with our centre midfield! 5-2, thats 75/1! Worth a punt?! i’d say, with Owen 2 Rooney 2 and Giggs 1
lets hope its a classic! Rooneys 50th Euro game, come on the white Pele!
September 30th, 2009 at 19:45
COME ON UNITED!!!
September 30th, 2009 at 19:46
@Red Ranter: yea he took a nasty hit then fell backwards onto another players knee the snapped his neck forward scary the sickness didnt help his cause either hope united has it under control
September 30th, 2009 at 19:48
@Red Ranter: he was sick is the relation. the opposition(Kentucky) fans wore hospital masks to poke fun of the sick players
September 30th, 2009 at 19:50
Our defense is trying to sell the plot
September 30th, 2009 at 19:51
@Grognard: well then that would suit both teams as getting nani in return would appease the atletico fans and lessen the sting of loosing aguero but i still would like to see them both in red devil red in the future
September 30th, 2009 at 19:53
@Grognard: well when ando gets his brace in the first 45 and an assist backheal pass to carrick for a 40 yard screamer no one will question anything.
fingers crossed
September 30th, 2009 at 19:55
I would feel better seeing Rio in goal than Pig
September 30th, 2009 at 19:57
owen to score then nani comes on for him to move gigs to the mid and help control the midfield to see the game out is what im expecting no wait were at OT so we will see nani come on for gigs to save his legs after his mom performance is done.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:58
@Johnsom33: what about oshe hes been in goal before give the lad a try
September 30th, 2009 at 20:11
@Grognard Looks like fate has interfered and corrected Fergie on Berbatov’s omission. How is the midfield playing? From what I see as comments (I’m not watching the game), Wolfsburg have had the upper hand so far.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:11
Berba on for Owen, must have picked up a knock. Need to get sharper all over the pitch,tighten up on them, lift the tempo and make those passes count. Come on you Reds! Oh Valencia! Berbas creativity, fuckin class!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:15
bye bye carrick
September 30th, 2009 at 20:16
Berba has really livened up the game with his masterful first touch and technique
September 30th, 2009 at 20:23
@Rahul: Oh Yeah… I forgot to tell you… Piracy Rocks in Pakistan!!!!!
Fifa 10… Full Version is SO Awesome!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:24
Michael Carrick is having a good game!!!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:27
Big mouth GIT Rooney, lambasting all the other players, but it is him who is shit with a Capital S so far. Rooney will be a the worlds top star says SAF, yeah right – NOT! No technical ability, cannot even make a pass and fing a red shirt, and back to his RUGBY style SKY HIGH SHOOTING. He will NEVER be a world star, and I would wager my mortgage on it. Hope he bucks his ideas up in the 2nd half, but he hasn’t got the all round game to be A TOP WORLD STAR! Sorry but that is my opinion. Michael Carrick, thru AGAIN one and one and messed up. I can see the Germans nicking this game, because we have not capitalised on our chances. Maybe 2nd half hopefully.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:29
United are playing well, but need to get more clinical in the final third, goals will come though!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:32
@CraigMc Rooney has been off his best in the last few games. But, mate, I hope new-parent lack of sleep is not catching up with you.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:32
Some very enterprising play with no end result…I am one of Berba’s critics, but I have to say he has been our best player so far…Carrick on the other hand, is stinking the place up..get him off and get Fletch on
September 30th, 2009 at 20:33
We’re playing so slow….few glimpses since Berba arrived, but we should be bringing Roma styles to these games, ahhh what a night that was!
Berba looks class, Anderson can’t seem to even fluke a pass to a United player…Sir Alex, here’s your hairdryer…
September 30th, 2009 at 20:37
Alright Craig! Yeah, Rooney needs to step it up, definitly. But he’s already scored a legit goal only for it to be disallowed for a bullshit offside call. He’ll come good second half. As soon as Berba came on the improvement was massive. Need the hairdryer now!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:39
Zhoro – my daughter is so peaceful mate – she sleeps thru apart from 1 wake up for night feed, then straight back to sleep. Mate I am telling you ROONEY will NEVER be a TOP WORLD STAR. Look at his performances in both our CL finals for some kind of guide for you mate. I know he has a lot of lovers amony United fans, but he cannot pass the ball mate – not consistently anyway. He has no real technical skill, still lets the ball run away from him. Watch Berba’s all round game, and you will see what I mean. Rooney is NOT a prolific, consistently potent striker, you know Panther like. Berba on the other hand can do EVERYTHING except consistently score for us – shame because he is brilliant at everything else. I watched Rooney shouting to Valencia tonight telling him what he should have done, same with Anderson, but the lads want to gang up on Rooney and tell him that he is the one SO FAR not fecking doing it
.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:40
Back for a bit from watching it on the telly……..
Grew into the game eventually
Berba has been class
Should have two goals.
Hopefully we can keep this up
September 30th, 2009 at 20:41
Well that was total crap. The team has come out with no energy or effort. If I was Berbatov I would be shouting at my teammates for non support and for sleeping and slacking off every time he has the ball at his feet. They are just not working hard and they are just lazy and terrible in terms of movement off the ball. Nobody even wants to make an effort to get open for a frakken freethrow.
And now to Fergie and his useless tactics. Nor only did he get the lineup wrong, but once again he has decided the way to go is to put us and the opposition to sleep by boring us to death. We all knew that Owen was knackered and that he missed a training session. Knowing his history, someone please explain to me why he would start this game and why he would start over the Bundesliga experienced Berbatov who was healthy?
Positives? There is only one. Berbatov has been sheer class and almost Cantonesque in his touches and vision. But he is also playing to high up while Rooney has had his head up his ass all game. Wayne needs to wake up and give Berba, Giggs’, Valencia and Carrick some more options. Forget Anderson, he is hopeless. That boy has no touch with the ball. Sometimes he looks like he is running with divers flippers on.
I expect a hell of a lot more effort commitment and movement off of the ball in the second half. Wolfsburg have been organized but other than a few flukey half chances have done little.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:41
M34ch – sure your not mixing Andie up with Rooney for not finding United players with passes.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:44
@Craig Mc: I have to agree with you there about Rooney. He needs to step up and become goal hungry and totally tuned into attack in order for him to reach those lofty goals. Instead he prefers to run around like a mucker and grinder and do stupid, unecessary little things that gas him and place him out of position when it comes to really impacting the team. He has shown a serious lack of vision lately and has been playing at half speed and with little of that Rooney hunger and desire that I like to see.
Also, good to see you back mate. You were way for a while.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:45
Phoenix red – time to be honest my friend. How could he not score that none given goal. Berba put it on the same plate, and exactly the same move that Giggsy did for Berba in the Stoke game – SIMPLE AS MATE, I would have scored it, and Eddie or Grog would have scored that kind of a sitter BLINDFOLDED!
September 30th, 2009 at 20:47
Grog, I seem to have lost my little blue arrows next to all your names, so I can’t post in red now
. What happened mate???
September 30th, 2009 at 20:51
Grog – Rooney has gotten to shouting out every other player but him when his shots and passes are WILD, which they are a good proportion of the time. For the 1st 25 minutes of this game mate, I was wondering IF we were the home team
.
September 30th, 2009 at 20:51
Jesus Christ we are the only team that can end up dribbling the ball back into our own end from a corner kick. Christ we play like chicken shit cowards sometime.
September 30th, 2009 at 21:01
That goal wasn’t down to Giggsy’s skill, but to the wicked deflection of his shot by a Wolfsburg defender!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:04
Are my eyes deceiving me or is Evra getting skinned again?
.
September 30th, 2009 at 21:16
I miss Ronaldo. He has 2 goals against Marseille
September 30th, 2009 at 21:18
@Grognard: Ronaldo has scored 2…it seems he will score 50 this season….
September 30th, 2009 at 21:21
that goal is to all carrick haters
September 30th, 2009 at 21:21
@Grognard: Carrick has looked good today…
Finally ,the time has come to convert Berba to AMF..all moves come through him only….and again at the end of season,everyone will forget the performances and shout that Berba has scored very less
September 30th, 2009 at 21:25
Why is Huntelaar not playing for Milan?
September 30th, 2009 at 21:27
Anderson is such a useless fucking wank with a horrible first touch. Get rid of the cunt.
September 30th, 2009 at 21:29
Berba vision in execution of passes and finding space is fecking immense!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:30
@Grognard: hes been good today!!!!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:32
Giggsy has worked his arse off tonight – good for him, he has played like someone who is a winner!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:33
@jos: Bcoz every club buys him to decorate threi bench
September 30th, 2009 at 21:36
FT
Really should have won by more
we played some delightful football
Will take the three points though!!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:39
@owen: Fergie’s backed Ronaldo to emulate his famous 42-goal haul this season, as in, I believe he’s put his money where his mouth is!
September 30th, 2009 at 21:46
How much crow can one man eat? I wanted Giggs to retire this past summer along with Neville and scholes. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Giggs is by far and away our best attacking player. Thank god for him and fletcherinho
September 30th, 2009 at 21:50
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/video-giggs-and-carrick-goals-against-wolfsburg/
Look at Anderson at 01:23 on Giggs’s goal!
Classic!!
September 30th, 2009 at 22:17
“Il magnifico” Carrick man of the match
September 30th, 2009 at 22:23
I don’t know what everyone is crying about. We beat the German champions. A team with 2 very dangerous strikers. We can’t boss every game like we did Stoke, sheeesh.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:30
Thoughts:
1. Who was that number 9 we brought on in the first half? The effort, touch, creativity and desire. Amazing find by Fergie. But why didn’t he play him in the second half?
2. Look I love Giggsy, but he was out on his feet by the end. What is the downside of subbing him off with 15 to go? He left Evra horribly exposed by not tracking back, but I can’t blame him – I blame Fergie.
3. Welcome back Michael Carrick. Hopefully he can kick on from there. He was great defensively, always blocking the lanes and preventing service to the front two. He also played some very tidy football and solid passes. Not spectacular, but a calm head.
4. Unlike Anderson, who was far and away our most wasteful. But you know I kind of like. Fergie clearly sees something in him and is letting him play his natural game this year. And he always wants to make something happen, so fine he occasionally misses pass but the one that gets through is so dangerous.
5. Gotta feel for lil Mickey. Capello came all the way to see him, and off he goes.
6. Rooney has clearly lost a step. Maybe two. On more than one occassion he was through, but couldn’t outpace the defender. I’m not sure he’s still the man to lead a line.
7. Which genius had Evra one on one with Dzeko in the marking assignments?
8. Did we actually learn anything about Kusczak?
9. Vidic is great, but still a liability. Such an unnecessary yellow, and given his late challenge he should really have walked. Then he’d be suspended in Moscow. Reckless.
10. Valencia was better, but someone needs to teach him to shoot. It’ll come.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:42
Beachy – your not sure that Rooney is the man to lead the line???? Mate why are you not sure – it is blatantly bloody obvious he is not the man to lead the line
. He likes to play the playmaker role it seems, the same role as Berba – Except Berba is far, far, far, better at it!
September 30th, 2009 at 22:43
Well a win is a win. Not happy about the team selection or the tactics and lack of energy and pace but that is what we have come to expect from a Wednesday night out in Europe. Just bloody boring. Nice to see Carrick come through for us. I thought he played well enough but I do not see him and Anderson as a dominant force in the middle. In fact, we looked pretty damned good out there when Fletcher showed up. Get the message Fergie. Anderson didn’t do anything bad but then again, he didn’t do anything good either. He just takes up a spot in the roster and on the pitch. There was that one time late in the game where he was sent in all alone with a lovely chip only to not be able to get control of it and get a shot off. And this guy is Brazilian? For me he’s struggle to make Team Canada.
Back four played well except for the poor marking by Evra on Dezeko’s goal. But that brings up the question why is Evra forced into marking Dzeko in the box? That is what I would call a terrible mismatch height wise. Pig was fine. Valencia was better tonigh but still not good enough. Bebratov was sheer class but he needed to get more involved in the box. When he did, we scored the winner. Funny how things work out when I tell them what to do.
Rooney for me was terrible although he did pick it up and play with more tempo and desire in the second half but his vision and passing was just awful tonight. Now I wonder how long Owen will be out because I would have suggested to Fergie to actually give Rooney a week off as he looks a bit tired to me. So it’s off to Moscow in two weeks time, for what I am certain will a colossal snooze fest. Why I bother tuning into CL matches is beyond me. It is the dullest most unattractive football on display other than watching fat bastards playing together for pub sides.
Oh and one last thing. I put the blame on that goal by Dzeko firmly on one Ben Foster. Just typical of him to not even make an effort for the ball.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:45
@beachryan: Agree more or less.
Berbatov clearly the best player in the 1st half and Carrick picked his game up in the 2nd.
Rooney had the desire but rushed too many of his actions.
I agree about him getting slower as days go by. Nothing worrying, but he could certainly benefit from Andy Reid’s famous diet.
Also agree about Anderson’s wastefulness…
But all in all a good day at the office.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:46
Does anyone think it’s a coincidence that Berbatov finally plays well…in the first match at night at OT?
Nocturnal that boy…
September 30th, 2009 at 22:50
@jos: Because the manager at Milan is trying to kiss as with the old guard at the club the same way Ramos and all the other pratts did at Madrid too. Huntelaar has been unlucky enough to end up on two old school teams that have a serious pecking order that managers are ordered to comply with by upstairs. Raul gets what he wants in Madrid and Inzaghi, Pirlo and others get their way in Milan. Milan management love Inzaghi and Pirlo. Why they spent the money to get a player like Huntelaar is beyond me considering all the weaknesses in all their other positions on the pitch. Trust me it has nothing to do with Huntelaar and is nothing more than politics. Dutch players no longer carry the weight of expectations on them and are not considered the best of the best anymore. In Italy and Spain the Brazilian and Argentinean players are the flavor of the month. In the 80’s and early 90’s it was German’s and Dutch in Italy. Huntelaar needs to hope for somebody to get injured and then jump at his chance and make the best of it. Some players almost have to accept that playing for smaller clubs is going to be their only way to start. He had a chance to go to Stuttgart and start every week but his greed would not allow it. Now he is paying for it.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:50
Funny but pre-season, our best forward partnership was Berba-Owen.
And from their skills-set you can see why – one is a born creator,the assist-o-matic; the other a natural finisher.
I would like SAF to try this combine once in a while..
September 30th, 2009 at 22:52
@jos: He’s been shit today and has no control of the ball anytime somebody gets it to him in an advantageous position.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:56
@edwin: Yes he looked like the knuckle dragger I have always taken him for.
September 30th, 2009 at 22:57
@frankie: I don’t think so mate. Nice goal but he also missed a gimme in the first half. Man of the match is between Giggs and Berbatov. By far the classiest players on the pitch.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:00
@Traverse: Yes we can, especially at home. It’s that kind of lowered expectations that I just cannot stand. Shoot for the stars and you may reach the moon. Shoot for the roof of your house and your head may hit the ceiling of your kitchen. You never ever settle for mediocrity and average performance. Roma was a far better team than Wolfsburg three years ago when they came in to OT and were given a good whacking 7-1. 2-1 at home is never good enough, but i’ll take it like anyone with a decent IQ would. Bottom line is we allow teams to get into a match with us and stick around because of our useless and gutless tactics and our player’s lack of energy and getup and go.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:05
@beachryan: Capello is the fucking Antichrist. Whenever that cabbage shows up Owen either plays poorly or gets injured. He is a the frakken Antichrist and should be barred from OT for life. Thank God Carrick played well and Rio didn’t screw up. Also, I find that Rooney also saves his worst for Cabbage Patch Capello visits.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:08
@beachryan: Vidic was fine. He is a physical player and his professional foul was excellent because had he not done that Grafite was in all alone. Part of the game and no need to overreact when a central defender does his job. Ask those questions about Scholes not Vidic. The last thing I want to see is Vidic losing his physicality because guys like you want him to play like a pussy. Sometimes you have to get yellow cards and sometimes you get sent off when you are a defender. He did his job, he prevented a goal.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:10
@Grognard: mate, u must believe that Pools r playing with both Gerrard and Torres fit ( will remain for few days) and we r without Ronaldo and getting adjusted to play without him…then also we r playing better than them and getting the results….Chelsea r somehow winning…at present only Arsenal r playing better football than us in respect of scoring goals…
September 30th, 2009 at 23:13
@NicoQB: Jeez, I have been crying about Rooney looking slower and tired since after the Arsenal game late last season. And this I put squarely on the shoulders of Fergie. When the kid was 18 he would always want to rest him while the lad was full of youth and energy. Well even though he is not an old man, he needs to be rested now even more than he needed to be when he was a teen. You have three excellent strikers as well as Welbeck and Macheda. Sit him down once out of every six matches. But he never ever sits the boy down and lets him recharge his batteries. Why? Because he honestly doesn’t believe that he can win unless Rooney is on the pitch. And i hate to say it but he could be right there. Still, he needs to rest him.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:15
@NicoQB: Not as long as he is too chicken to go at it without Rooney. If you haven’t noticed it over the past several seasons mate, Rooney and Ronaldo basically have the run of the place. They can do, say act as they want and they start every game. This is a symptom that comes from a manager who is concerned with only one thing these days, padding his legacy.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:18
@owen: Soory mate, I’d like to reply to what you just wrote but i couldn’t understand a word of it. Also, try using the word “ARE” instead of “R” when you write or is that tiring for you? Seriously, I couldn’t understand a thing.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:19
Grog – very true mate, but Rooney is more injury prone when he plays too many games whereas Ronnie wasn’t. Rooney should be rotated like everyone else, or he will pick up injuries!
September 30th, 2009 at 23:20
@Craig Mc: RR made changes to the site and now the reply shows up when you pass your mouse cursor over the individual’’s comments that you want to reply to. You will see it pop up at the bottom right of that person’s comments.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:23
Grog, what you on about mate – Rooney contributed nothing much tonight, or at Stoke, so we could have played without him tonight. Rooney has got this thing that he will be what Ronnie was to the team, the influential X factor, buthis all round game falls short for him to be that – sorry!
September 30th, 2009 at 23:24
@Craig Mc: To be honest, I had no problem with his shouting matches with the officials because they were on drugs on some of the non calls tonight. But yes, he seems awfully ready to accuse and point a finger at players when they ignore him, but he never has a thing to say when he misses an easy pass to another player or selfishly tries to chip over the keeper with Berba open to the left side. Now that Ronaldo is gone he seems to feel more pressure to not just score more goals, but to be a super human and so he is demanding his teammates service him perfectly. I’d prefer if he serviced them more by not making his passes so poorly.
I really do not like putting Rooney down because I honestly feel he is in the top ten players on the planet, but he needs to refocus on his finesse game a little more now and he also needs to be rested. Some of his mistakes are mental in nature but some are just because he slow to react or tired physically.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:27
@Craig Mc: Yes but often to be good you need to also be lucky. I’ll say this much, the trajectory of the ball made the ball look like it was going into the top corner and only the slightest deflection made it veer left. A half inch and I think we would have been celebrating a goal anyway.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:29
@Jim: You miss Ronaldo? My scars on my both of my wrists still haven’t healed because I keep reopening them. I may never recover form his departure. Had he sucked in Madrid, I might have felt better but he is out of this world right now and he is making me cry myself to sleep every night. I need to find a woman.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:33
@owen: I have news for you mate. Berba has been playing the role of AMF since last season. Fergie will not come out and say it but it is very obvious to me. He is playing the Frank Lampard role one dimensionally. In other words, he is tracking back as far defensively but offensively, his duties are mostly in the buffer zone just on top of the 18 yard box. No place to score goals from unless you have a cannon but an ideal place to distribute Cantonesque quality back heels, chip lobs and through balls.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:33
Grog – You need to find a good woman Ronaldo or not mate!
September 30th, 2009 at 23:36
I’m off to bed then – night all. I have to get up early this last week, and GRAFT, as I have a very big work schedule project with completion date
. Needs must eh?
September 30th, 2009 at 23:38
@Craig Mc: Berba is incredible but have you noticed his frustration out there that no matter what he does, everyone else is just standing around and he has no support. This is a real problem for a player who would greatly benefit form a partner or midfielder that would work 1, 2 ’s with him. But nobody wants to make the effort. I notice that when it comes to vision and imagination, we have very few players that have the vision or gift to work give and goes and deliver chips, lobs or back heels to players. Berba is the only one who does it. Rooney used to but of late his style has been very direct and anticeptic. Even poor John O’Shea would deliver a pass tonight to Valencia and then go on a nice run and expect a pass back only for Valencia to not see him. How many of us remember how many times Ronaldo used to always get him and Evra the ball back last year and in the past seasons?
September 30th, 2009 at 23:39
@Craig Mc: I noticed that you still have not found the reply button mate. What browser are you using? That may be the problem. A swell, clear the cache on your computer. That may help make it show up. I’ll take your advice regarding the woman. And good night to you bro.
September 30th, 2009 at 23:41
@Grognard: now stop crying about Ronaldo…
He is past….
September 30th, 2009 at 23:49
@edwin: doing what he should be doing looking for the rebound. and freaking out the goalie
bugg eyed arms out iwilleatyourchildren
September 30th, 2009 at 23:54
@beachryan: vampire mate
October 1st, 2009 at 0:50
@Grognard:
Women?? Don’t you have hands, mate? Or are the scars to painful?
On a more relevant note,
We deservedly won today and it could have been more, but ,as Fergie said, all that matters is getting to 10+ points (i.e a win is a win). Also, the players looked tired today but i think it was largely due to the fact that it was raining cats and dogs. It was good to have Fletch rested, though, we could have used him to orchestrate the midfield. It was saddening to see Owen limp off after a mere 20 minutes, why did Fergie start him if he knew that he had a slight knock?
October 1st, 2009 at 1:14
@grognard with you mate. I miss Ronaldo more than anything. He is scoring for fun at Madrid. It’s funny to me how the British press are still praying he fails, and when he doesn’t they still find things to hate on him for.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:15
United tried as hard as they could:
They completely deconstructed a Volkswagen, then almost gave it new life by allowing it to re-emerge as a the Porsche that we hadn’t reckoned on!!
We had Rooney passing to the opposition on a regular basis, again!! (I really wish that he would start to make some passes that are either possible or, better still, probable).
We had Berbatov playing like the 1 in a 4-3-1-2, and was damn good at it too.
Ryan Giggs, being the leader (and team captain) that he should always be.
Carrick being the fucking freak-a-zoid that we just love to hate.
Evra, being, again an enormous influence on our left side.
John O’Shea showing us (and everybody else) that a speedy flanker, is not his friend.
Finally, PIG, who gets a start ahead of Foster (load your weapons, Grognard), and the one man that could eventually make himself more unpopular than Satan, but who came out fairly unscathed from this set-to!!
Overall a banal affair, poor football, but lots of intrigue for us all to mull over!
October 1st, 2009 at 3:21
@Craig Mc: Good to see you back, mate!!
I think we all missed your perspective!!
October 1st, 2009 at 3:30
@Johnsom33: Mate, he’s not just scoring for fun, he’s scoring at will. He really is that good!!
We’ll always miss him, but it’s time to move on and find ourselves a new superstar!!
October 1st, 2009 at 3:37
@Johnsom33: yeah it breaks my heart to see him succeed at Madrid..he’s having fun and you can see that from his body language…no English crying bloody murder for every or anything..and with la liga defences having no idea how to play him (or anybody for that matter), it just keeps getting better and better for him… personally i think the British media couldn’t get over the fact that Rooney wasn’t top dog for us and was constantly in his shadow and couldnt forgive him for that
October 1st, 2009 at 3:44
@RMJ: Why the fuck does it break your heart??
He’s a great player, he did great for us, he moved on.
Please remember, and don’t pine!
October 1st, 2009 at 4:13
@RMJ: So he is having fun, which wouldn’t be the case had he been forced to stay here. The British media may not have gotten over the fact that Rooney wasn’t top dog, but surely it should be time we should get over Ronaldo.
No point agonizing over things like this. We all know full well the circumstances over his to move, and any justification trying to feel sorry for his move will just be pointless. There are other things to worry about for me at least.
October 1st, 2009 at 4:42
@Red Ranter: Oh, please go on!!
October 1st, 2009 at 4:55
Well said Redrich…
On Ryan Giggs… Congratulations..
His in my top 5 footballers of all time.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:01
Ive moved on to the fact he isn’t a united player anymore. But he still is my favorite player, and I still like him to do well.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:12
@Grognard: As much as I have panned Berbatov in the past, I must admit my admiration of his play tonight, and actually much of the start of this season!!
Mind you, as a striker, he still sucks: And that’s why I’m gonna stop watching statistics that include him as a striker!!
We may well of hired him as a goal scorer, and he may well have a reputation as such, but for the life of me, this man is not suited to that role!!
If we could afford the sacrifice up front, make this guy a hanging front man that has a support role. He’s comfortable here and that’s better for the team. The CF role at United is never, ever, gonna be his bag!
Of course, this would mean we’d have to play a 4-3-1-2 formation, and for you Owen fans, that would be a less than ideal solution.
Not only would it mean that Owen gets a smaller role, but it means that we need a new striker. A dead-eye, a goal scoring mercenary, a big presence in the PA, and more than anything a proven goal scorer!!
October 1st, 2009 at 5:50
@owen: It’s the jumping off the bridge that I’m more concerned with mate.
……. 
October 1st, 2009 at 5:56
@Lars: The scars run very deep mate. Too deep to talk about, believe me.
I just heard on Sky that Owen is gone for three weeks. Now many will say see that’s why we shouldn’t have signed him in the first place. Because he will break your heart with injuries, but the blame this time falls on the shoulders of Fergie who knew he was knackered and would have been smarter to not play him at all and see if he was feeling better on the weekend. Instead he starts him, he goes out there and within minutes aggravates the injury and now he’s gone three weeks instead of one. And the fact remains that Berba should have started this game to begin with due to his comfort and experience in playing against German sides. And when he came in, it showed.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:02
@Johnsom33: Every night I go to bed and I hope that after a season there, the relations with the upper brass or the coaches or a rift between him and Kaka or even better Raul forms and he demands to be sold back to United. It will never happen but I still pray because this whole deal left me sick to the stomach to begin with, but watching him make the CL as well as La Liga his personal bitches, just makes me miss him so much. The guy gave me a thrill every time he took the pitch. How much do you want to bet that had it been Ronaldo who had been gifted the Valencia chance against Stoke last weekend as well as today, that those would have been goals had Ronaldo’s golden foot taken care of business instead of Valencia club foot? I know Valencia wasn’t really Ronaldo’s replacement, but then again, he really was because they never really spent money on anyone else now did they. Pretty poor return on the pitch if you ask me.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:06
@RMJ: Apparently he has had a fit twice about being subbed off already. This could continue and cause problems late in the season when everything is on the line for them.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:10
@Redrich: Sorry for buttin in here mate but I to feel the same way and I really feel a lot of it has to do with how easily he seems to be scoring for them and how truly we miss watching his greatness on the pitch for us. Even when we play well out on the pitch these days, for me there is something missing. Some magic, some insurance policy that is like a big red button that one can press on his desk to rid us of any problem or stress. He was that button for us while on the pitch. I think we are feeling cold turkey without him and further more, I feel like fat glutton who is on a diet and who is forced to watch a pie eating contest whenever Real Madrid is on tv. It’s depressing.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:15
@Red Ranter: That is far to logical and makes too much sense to expect some of us more emotional basket cases to conform to mate. Frankly, I was fine until the season started and he started scoring for fun. Now it’s just making me ill. Even sadder, he’s a player I have still forgiven because he is one of my favorite players and so he forces e to watch him play with Madrid which makes me mad as Hell because that is the equivalent of being a Crystal Meth even when you are dead against drugs. I despise Madrid but I frankly need my Ronaldo fix. If United played all their games in the style that they used against City, then it would be easier to forget, but that dog just ain’t gonna hunt now is it?
October 1st, 2009 at 6:25
@Redrich: I always envisioned this kind of play from Berbatov because he does have that Cantona like style about him (and if many remember, Eric really wasn’t a prolific goals corer as much as he was a play maker). Still, he needs to attack the box more often and take his chances better than he has this season. Berbatov is a class player and i would be fine with him as an attacking midfielder in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation or the 4-3-1-2. The problem is that he is being used as an attacking midfielder but being paraded out there as one of two strikers. So in reality he is part of a 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation and for me that limits our attacking options. This is where Macheda and Welbeck come in. Start one of them once in a while or Owen when healthy alongside Rooney and have Berba play in the hole as a creator. It’s very attack oriented and yet he is still in an ideal position to hold up the ball with his great ability and then distribute and maintain ball possession. Problem that comes form this is that then we have three, not two players who are not expected to track back far on defense. Fergie will not tolerate that. United should try it because the formation would suit our Italian style and our lack of pace and urgency, but still create. Basically I am asking for Fergie to give him the Diego role while at Bremen or the Totti role at Roma. This also may force Fergie to consider buying yet another forward in order to allow Berba to play as an AMF. Rooney and Owen need a backup.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:27
@Grognard: I thought you were the one who tells people to get out of agonising over stuff, and grab a dose of reality. Now you want to justify being emotional basket cases?
What has the world come to? 
If you want to feel like crap about it, no one’s stopping you. But bringing it up to those who’ve moved on makes it a pointless discussion really.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:21
Ronaldo scored twice and even created kaka’s penalty. There is no question in my mind who the best player in the world is. He seems to be happier playing for his dream team and he seems to have rediscovered his rich goal scoring vein of 07-08.
On to roonie, he seemed angry at every player out there, he screamed at anderson and valencia when it was mostly his fault, he also did the same with nani on the weekend, although nani may have been a rightful candidate for some roonie tongue bashing, i didn’t see anything today from anderson or valencia that warranted ronnie’s behavior, anderson tried his best to let roonie loose but he just stood there and never ran for the ball. He seemed tired, slow and his passing was woeful, I think he needs a rest. I think berba and macheda might combine well for the weekend and roonie can take a much needed break.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:53
In 2 hours time Ive got my hands on the brand new FIFA 10!
October 1st, 2009 at 8:27
Grog – if anything mate Berba is too good for the players around him. Not many are on his wave length. He is a very INVENTIVE player, vision and skill, able to open up a way thru a defence, even a tight defence. Giggsy is the only other really inventive player for us. Problem for Berba, is that other players are not as intelligent. Berba is on a different wavelength, and so far, Rooney and Berba as a strike partnership does not really work. Rooney is all over the place, and seems to feel the word discipline of roll a dirty word. Rooney wants to orchestrate the proceedings, but he hasn’t got the all round game for it. So when he makes a fool of himself with straying passes so frequent his team mates must be quietly incensed, he turns and DIVERTS the blame by bullying and shouting at players around him. What a sly GIT! He wants the Ronaldo role of BEING THE ONE, but he can’t he hasn’t got the wherewithal and it is showing more and more clearly. Berba and Giggsy are the ones with the silky skills. I am appalled with Valencia’s inability to have any vision at all, and he had a repeat opportunity of the pass he received at Stoke, when he was thru on goal one on one, and he gave the same woeful outcome as the Stoke game. Berba must be tearing his hair out, he should have so many assists.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:54
@Craig Mc: I think Ronney’s been playing quite seflish this season. While Berba’s been playing too unselfish (as always)… If it was Rooney in the box for the second goal, he would have never tried to pass the ball… People talk about Berba not making runs, not being in right positions… well, when Berba is there, nobody bothers to pass the ball to him… I hope coaches notice these things… I won’t be surprised if people defend Ronney’s shouting/antics with passion, love and shit…
October 1st, 2009 at 9:09
All that said, however, I’ve watched all Madrid matched in La Liga this season, just because Ronaldo is playing. And it’s not because I wish he played for us, but because, at a subconscious level, I want him to do well, although I absolutely despite Real.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:19
@Grognard: Ronaldo is God! worship him.. I got pissed at kaka yesterday for not letting the greedy boy take the penalty.. It was ronaldo who won it.. Would have given him a champions league hat-trick too, damn..
@RR: I can see the reply button from home, but out here at the work place it ain’t visible.. Also there is a massive blank area after the footer(Privacy policy, Managed by:) mate, whats with that
October 1st, 2009 at 9:25
Andy CR7 – I couldn’t agree with you more. Rooney seems to think the whole team revolve around him. He has definately taken on and is demanding the ‘I am the main man’ mantle. Well, Ronaldo didn’t need to do that did he? He wasn’t seen berating team mates when he messed up. He wasn’t puffed up with his own importance – because he knew he was a great player, and he JUST PLAYED. He was a platform above most of his team mates, and he just had confidence in his natural gift. Rooney though is just not, and never will be Ronaldo or the Centre show piece. Not while he is demanding everyone else services him. More importantly disrespecting and lambasting them when they don’t. Rooney has his own qualities, and should be concentrating on honing in on them, not trying to be all things to all men. Indiana Jones he is not! Sad thing is, his team mates are going to get fed up with all his gob-shite – ism, and start to give it him back large. There you have the seeds of discord. Rooney needs to look at his own shortcomings, his woeful inability to pass the ball, 85% of the time his passes fall short or billow well ahead of his team mates. His ability to pull down and control an incoming ball to him, and his INABILITY to get by defenders in and around the box – he is lacking that speed in the short burst to get away from them. These things he should focus on, and not divert such inadequaces in his own game by pointing fingers and blaming others for HIS FAILURES. I hate people that do that!
October 1st, 2009 at 9:30
For Eddy and any other football gaming enthusiasts, check out the outstanding likenesses and art work for the new PES 2010. Also check out the development video as it looks like these guys are finally waking up and seriously trying to challenge EA. I don’t impress easily, especially when it comes to the lazy stiffs at Konami because they have been coasting and sleeping on the job for going on 5 years now. Perhaps, just perhaps, they may have awoken from their slumber.
http://screenshots.teamxbox.com/gallery/2232/Pro-Evolution-Soccer-2010/p1
October 1st, 2009 at 9:31
@ Craig – I dig the sentiment, but seriously, Ronaldo ‘wasn’t puffed up with his own importance’? Um, yeah he was! That was part of the charm.
But I agree Rooney needs to get his focus back on doing his job. I think he’s pissed off at his first touch and lack of speed, both of which have been letting him down in the past 3 games. Wet weather?
As an aside – we have Ryan Giggs, who is 36 and in phenomenal shape, and it’s been revealed that he turned the corner on his hamstring problems and improved overall flexiblity and strength by doing intense yoga courses.
Given that, surely our whole damn squad should be putting aside one evening a week to do a yoga session? (then again, the thought of Rooney’s face when being told do some stretch named after a cat would be utterly hilarious)
October 1st, 2009 at 9:32
@ Grognard – Fifa is getting much better reviews, and while they acknowledge PES has finally moved forward, it’s still not in the same league yet. Sad, used to love PES/WE…
October 1st, 2009 at 9:33
@Red Ranter: Hey man, I’m just venting my frustration over having to see him excel for the enemy. I’d be dishonest and a liar to myself if I never conveyed my true feelings on that subject. If he only had sucked at Madrid, I think I and everyone else would have been over him. Sorry but I cannot help the way I feel. I miss the prima dona bastard.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:36
@spizzy: What gets me about Messi is every week he scores a goal on the very same play. Cutting in and shooting low to the short side. You would think that after he repeats himself so many times, other teams would take that out of his game. Problem is he always seems to be given room and never gets attacked like Ronaldo does. Don’t get me wrong, i think Messi is marvelous but I still think Ronaldo is the best player in the world by a large margin. But Messi will win player of the year because Ronny was not 100% last season and Messi was.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:38
@Footy4Eddy: Isn’t it being released on the 20th? Or perhaps that’s just the North American release date. Christ, it’s made in my back yard but I usually have to wait two or three days after it’s release date before it’s in stores over here. Go take a look at the Konami screenshots and video that I have linked to. You might be as impressed as I was.
http://screenshots.teamxbox.com/gallery/2232/Pro-Evolution-Soccer-2010/p1
October 1st, 2009 at 9:41
@Craig Mc: I agree with you about Berba. His imagination and vision is on another planet compared to the lunch bucket brigade that is one the field with him. What gets me is that we try to play continental football but our players are still so bloody English, boring and transparent. And add to that the fact that they were all sleepwalking around Berba tonight. I saw a lot of frustration and emotion coming out of him because he would make a run or a pass and the other players would just stand around. It was pissing me off greatly, imagine how he felt.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:44
@AndyCR7: How about that time Rooney had the ball 17 yards out and had a wide open Berba in an ideal position for a tap in and instead he tried to chip it over the keeper and missed badly. I just screamed out of frustration. As much as I love Rooney, his genius has gone missing of late and he is far too slow in his movement and in his reactions. His passes have been awful and his decision making seems to be a half second too late. I think he needs to be rested for a week. And I also think he needs to stop smoking.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:47
@Merlinus: I think the reason why Kaka took the penalty is because Ronaldo was injured a bit on the play that created it and it’s often a bad idea to let the player who is physically feeling pain to have the focus and concentration to take a penalty in that scenario.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:47
Beachy, Ronaldo COULD RIGHTLY be puffed up with his importance to Man United, that was my point. Yet Ronaldo was NEVER BERATING the players around him, when he had a bad game etc. Dare I say this, even though it will incense all Rooney lovers – Ronaldo very often made Rooney look good with those breakaway, sweeping attacks! When Rooney did his bulldozing raid up field – Ronaldo was right there in the middle of the box waiting for the cross, and vice versa. Maybe Rooney is missing that. Anyway – no excuses for Rooney’s ravings at his team mates, when he is in fact the one at fault
. I’m gonna keep harping on about that, because I detest people who do that kind of stuff, to try and make their team mates feel small. Who is Rooney to reprimand others. He should have been the one copping it in the ear the last few games. Very big of him to crow at others right? – NOT!
October 1st, 2009 at 9:49
@Craig Mc: I was very as disappointed with rooney’s performance yesterday. He has now forgotten where the goal is and his shooting is awry and quite annoying. It’s been happening since his opener against city and it culminated yesterday. If nani was bad on Saturday, ronnie was as bad yesterday. What gets me is when he shouts to players like anderson and nani because he knows he can’t get in trouble with the manager yet they can, and when presented with the opportunity he either looses the ball, shoots off target or tries an incomplete pass. Too many times was he away with the ball yet he was unable to take on one defender. I would expect any forward to at least be able to beat a defender.
I am one of the people who have always said berba was class and found nothing wrong with his play, even when people had started getting on his case about not scoring. For me he isn’t the out and out striker people want, he is more of a creative attacker, and it shows with the way he plays. people say he slows down the game, berba is always looking for the runs and the splitting passes, the problem is united players and midfielders are about direct passes and crosses.More than once I have seen berba just hold his hands out asking for some runs from the players around him but gets none,he then gives a simple pass and seems dejected with the players around. If he was in barca he would be up there with the best of them. Berba is the sort of player always looking out for a blinding pass but most united players want direct play where the passes are obvious to everyone and only the long balls across the wing can be said to be “unexpected passes”. we play very predictable football but we somehow manage to win.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:49
@Craig Mc: Fergie creates these problems by the way he favors certain players and allows them to get away with murder. We’ve seen this dance for decades now. Ince got away with murder, Cantona, Keane, Scholes, Ronaldo and Rooney have always been let off the hook after they did something terrible , stupid or selfish. Ferguson if anything is not a stupid man. He knows who pays his salary and the last thing he is going to do is bench his superstars.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:53
@Beachryan: I’ll make that determination for myself because I’ll be honest with you, i was very impressed with their face graphics and the development video I watched showing the tactics and individual tactical options really impressed me. FIFA does not have as many options on controlling how a team plays and how individuals move and play in the game. I just hope they got rid of that arcade game style of play that has marred the 360 version of the game. They also have to improve their camera views and look of the field and goals as they look the same every year as well as looking out of focus. Sad that these elements looked better on the old XBOX.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:57
Grog, yeah mate, and even though Berba had legitimate cause for complaint, because of the shortsightedness around him, HE DIDN’T BERATE his team mates. I respect that!
When Berba put Carrick thru one on one, he has done that a few times before in different games, I always feel that Carrick is too slow in taking his shot. Wants another touch, and then its too late. Carrick needs to forget the extra touch, and just clout the bloody ball before the GK or defenders have opportunity to intervene.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:07
Though its great to see a true legend like Sir Giggsy doing as well or better in his 20th season as at his supposed peak, United’s over-dependence on him in the past few matches is a bit of a concern, will he be able to carry on like this to the end of the season?
But the way United’s performance has been put down by the press, it would seem like its crisis time at OT.
United had a clear penalty denied, Rooney’s goal was not offside, and with some luck (Carrick and Valencia) we could have been 3-4 goals up in the first half. And Dzeko was offside for his goal.
If it had been Wolfsburg at the receiving end of these refereeing gaffes, no doubt the talking point would have been only that.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:08
Somebody posted this Berbatov interview on ROM (I thought I’d post it here):
You have now played 50 games for Manchester United. Do you think you have lived up to the 38 mio Euro fee on your head?
Man, who can live up to that sort of money? Nobody can. If I think about that money it is crazy to me. I can’t believe it.
OK then, do you think you have played like Dimitar Berbatov can play?
In my first year I was disappointed in myself. I need to say that. My nerves were too much and that is my responsibility. I think I wanted so much to prove myself to these supporters. You must remember, they are used to Best, Charlton, Cantona. I am just Dimitar. It was a big pressure for me and maybe I failed myself. I got a number of assists, but I must score more goals.
I am more pleased with my overall game in this second season already. I feel that I have integrated myself better into the team. I am much stronger, much fitter. I still wish I could score more. I don’t know what I am doing wrong sometimes. Maybe it’s luck, maybe it’s me…who knows? At nights I have kept myself awake thinking ‘you could have done this instead’.
You sound like there is so much pressure. You no longer play with happiness, would that be fair?
What? How can you even ask that man?
I am a footballer playing for the best club in the world. I am playing with legends like Scholes, Giggs and Rooney. Being coached by a man like Sir Alex Ferguson. How can I not be happy?
And the supporters? I know some are angry with your performances
Then that is my fault, not theirs. It is me who must change. Manchester United is their club. They have treated me perfectly since I came.
Really? Some have called you lazy.
Yes, but this is my style of play. I don’t run for no reason. I am always alert and ready.
I will be honest. This criticism did affect me, but not in a negative way. I looked at our ProZone stats and saw that I was 9th in distance covered. I am kind of a nerd. I looked at them too much, maybe. By the end of the season I was 4th. Maybe this season I will be 1st (laughs).
Sorry for posting the complete thing. I don’t have the link for it.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:10
Spizzy – You got Rooney right down to a T mate!
If last night taught SAF and the United fans anything, it is that Berba rather than slow the team down as many moan about, was actually both the speed and spark impetus to moving on United’s game. Anyone who could not see the dramatic change in SPEED and SPARK Berba brought from his introduction on to the field last night, must be totally and stupidly blind. But then most fans can’t see their arse from their elbow much of the time. Berba is one touch, one pass sweeping movement, that is what he is all about, and that quickens not slows a game, if the players around him are in the same ball park
.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:19
AndyCR7 – thanks for posting that Berba interview mate. Berba has such humility. “It is my fault, not the fans” he says. “It is their club, and I must change” he adds. Berba you are a gentleman mate, and will be a United legend – I feel certain. What a guy!
October 1st, 2009 at 10:36
Shreyas, I think that is what the press is getting at though. Truth is it should have been 3 or 4 goals we scored. We missed sitters mate, absolute sitters at that. Our performers was droll in the first 25 minutes, and Wolfsburg could have been 2-3 up if their shooting had been less wild. Only when Berba came on did he give us the quickening in our play and the spark needed to get going. Then in the 2nd half, same droll again until after they scored, then that sparked a response from our lads. It shouldn’t take that though. We are having to come from behind in games FAR too often.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:41
@Craig Mc: Thank God the analysis has come from you.I have made the same observation and everyone lambasted me for being a Rooney hater.
I love Rooney,but i think unlike other players,he has taken his starting place for granted making it hard for him to work harder to improve.Much as ronaldo was a regular,he was a hard worker and always improved on his game.
Every time fans blame fergie for playing him out of position but even when he is put where he wants,he always wanders around and fans mistake it for passion and sacrifice.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:12
Donibrasco – I know where your coming from, but I think you’ll find people can’t lambast THE TRUTH when it is blatently staring them in the face. The most they can defend Rooney with, is that he has gone off the boil a bit. When Rooney IS FOCUSED on his OWN GAME, and in playing his part for the team, he contributes greatly. However, since he has labelled himself as United saviour in Ronaldo’s absence, he has got a bit above himself. When he plays for England, he daren’t DO HIS OWN THING, because he knows Capello doesn’t care who you think you are, if you don’t do EXACTLY what Capello says – you are out. And Capello means business – he will chop those who don’t adhere to said role. Rooney is so spoilt and comfortable at United, that as Grog says, those pampered players will just think they can do their own thing, and Rooney does that. It is at present NOT helping the team, neither his berating of other players for his failures in execution of his game. He needs a slap to bring him back down to reality! He coud learn from Berba and Giggs, and Fletcher who are greatly contributing, and are really humble in attitude! Watch and learn Rooney! Your attitude is not all passion, it stinks end of!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:14
@Craig Mc: Agree with you completely mate. As I said, I am concerned about our over dependence on Giggsy and the poor form of his understudies Nani and Valencia on the wings. But the point I was trying to make is that the ABU media is always in shit stirring mode on United. No mention of the poor refereeing decisions which cost us 3 goals, but if it was us who received even one favorable decision, it would have all been about how United had a lucky escape against Wolfsburg thanks to the referees being in Fergie’s pocket.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:34
Shreyas – that the ABU press for you mate. They’ll never change, because United are far too dominant and successful, so all the press can do is try and give them a verbal kicking
.
With regard to Giggsy understudies falling short, don’t worry mate – Nani will be ok. Nani’s main failure is his final ball. His all round play apart from that is good. He tracks back, and gets thru a lot of work with Evra and him like hand and glove partnership. Grog was saying that is his worry regarding Giggsy, that he hasn’t got the same youthful energy for bombing back and forth with defending duties, and so Evra is really overworked. But Giggsy conservationist as he has to be these days, has the head for the telling passes that make the difference. Nani was able to get those telling balls into the box etc in his first season, and a few times this season, so with more games it will return to him. Fret not.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:37
Well I gotta go and get graffting. Work calls. I was up early working at my desk, now I have to go and continue. See ya all
October 1st, 2009 at 13:19
@Grognard: No we can’t. It’s that kind of pompous expectation that led the team to believe simply turning up at last years Champions League final would result in a win.
October 1st, 2009 at 13:27
@Redrich: If Foster had been beaten by that header we’d be hearing never ending bile about not coming out and collecting it or jumping higher or learning to fly/mind control. Did anyone see Akinfeev let one fly right by his hand while he was standing staring at it yesterday?
October 1st, 2009 at 14:08
@ Traverse: Yeah.. Even I was wondering what he was doing.. But then in Replay i felt it was simply to fast for any keeper to react. Even if it would have been Foster and not Akinfeev still wouldn’t have blame them. As it was also hit from whithin the 18 yards box. So due to power behind shot it went in a flash…
But, I agree, it looked strange for the keeper of his standerd to stand and stair…
October 1st, 2009 at 14:59
@Craig Mc: I do hope for Nani’s sake (and of course your sake!) that he comes good. As you said, the problem is his final ball, but unlike the early Ronaldo, the major reason for it is not lack of maturity or the selfish streak, but the fact that he plays with his head down all the time, as may people have identified before. And born habits die hard, it would be really difficult for him to correct that at this stage. If he’s able to find a way around his limitations like Roy and Becks did before him, good on him, buts its a tough road ahead for the boy.
Congratulations and all the best!
And btw, haven’t been around this blog recently, so you had a Nani or a girl
October 1st, 2009 at 17:27
@Traverse: You mean our PIG can’t fly??
October 1st, 2009 at 18:07
@Onkar: Sorry, i call bull. If it were foster, it would have been poor footwork, poor positioning and incompetence.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:14
@Craig Mc: You are correct but lets not forget that Carrick is a United midfielder and for them, doing anything in the 18 yard box of the opponent seems like walking in a foreign land with land mines all over.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:19
@Shreyas: We could write a 300 page book each season about the unjust referee calls we get against us. All teams can claim this of course but I especially feel we continually get shafted on bogus offside calls. Last night the refs got most of them right but they got two of them wrong and one of them was a legit goal. It’s just something we all have to live with because all referees are morons and linemen are blind mice doing a job that requires them to be awake for 90 minutes. Too much to ask from such muppets.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:28
@AndyCR7: Thanks for that. Now seriously folks, how can one not fall in love with the Count? So honest, humble and sincere he sounds too good to be true. But form other sources I hear the same kind of stuff. I love the guy and nothing would make me happier than to see him really get comfortable with the club and with his own skin and just let his inner Dimitar come out. The skill is there for all to see. Now he needs to get more consistent with it and also try to lose the nervousness. Once he does that, he could be an unstoppable force. Provided the rest of the team wake up to his style of play and stop standing around when he is ready to give a great back heel, flick or chip lob in a 1,2 etc.
This guy has too much class to be forced to play with the likes of Anderson, Carrick, Valencia and some of the others on this team who can’t spell the word imagination yet alone hope to possess the ability. And Rooney himself better wake up and start moving around better to take advantage of the Count’s great skills. Oh and Wayne, that means getting the ball to Berbatov in the box once in a while rather than trying to imitate Ronaldo from long range. Honestly, I am sick and tired of seeing Berbatov in the right place for a scoring chance, only to have Rooney and others ignore him. Thank God we have Giggsy or he would never score.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:40
@Craig Mc: I especially remember that moment where he sprinted hard from 30 yards to get on the end of a cross. He missed his shot but it was a Hell of an effort to get to that ball. I hope Fergie and others noticed that. I for one have always been a Berbatov supporter but I have to admit that Berbatov has his bad moments too and that is when his confidence is down. Right now he is feeling confident and he needs the rest of the team to see what he is capable of and try much harder to integrate with his skills and seek him out more on the pitch. His ball control, first touch, vision and creativity is sublime. People love the back heels but he doesn’t just offer back heels, he offers beautifully weighted and perfect back heels. Even Ronaldo’s back heels do not compare in touch, and accuracy to Berba’s.
What I want to see is our team playing a narrow 4-3-3 with him in the middle and Rooney and Owen on the sides. By narrow I mean three forwards but playing without a great deal of width and Berba playing higher as to hold the ball up and then distribute to Wayne and Michael as they head for the box and make dashing and diagonal runs. Add to that a three man midfield of Fletcher, Carrick and Giggs and I think you have a really strong lineup. Berbatov in fact would be like the point of the diamond in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation if he played high enough.
I realize that it is only video game but it seems to be working for me in FIFA 09. After 10 games in my new season United are 9-1-0 and Rooney has 13 goals already while Owen has 7. Berbartov has only 3 in 9 starts but has 7 assists already. His ability to hold up and then deliver a pass seems to work great for me. I just feel it work as easily in real life.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:45
@Craig Mc: Just the fact that he acknowledges the fans that way and that he feels that the ultimate is just to have the privilege to play as he says the best club in the world says it all for me. So what if he doesn’t party with the gang. He’s grown up and mature and prefers to cozy up to a good book about vampires as opposed to getting together with Nani and Anderson during one of their sex orgies or Evra and Park as they go to visit Carlito on the sad side of town. Berbatov and Fletcher are both fast becoming fan favorites this season and who would have thought that before the season started? I for one am happy for both of them and enjoy watching them play. Now if only the rest of the team would begin to click with Berba on his wave length, then we would be unstoppable.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:48
@donibrasco: Every player, no matter how great needs to get an occasional wake up call and kick in the behind from the manager. Fergie needs to sit Wayne down for a week and let him rest but above all, make him realize that he is not an automatic every game. It’s only human nature to go through the motions once in a while when you know you will start. He also needs to be disciplined when he loses his temper towards his teammates and even towards the refs because now we are without Ronaldo and we count on him more for leadership and to be around for games and not suspended.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:50
@Shreyas: This is where the January transfer window is so vital and the name fo Silva starts to pop up in my head. Lets keep the dream alive mates.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:50
Grog – Nani and Anderson sex orgies???? Please God Nani’s beautiful LONGTERM Girlfriend doesn’t read this blog – you could get him into DEEP SHIT Grog mi man for such libel
.
October 1st, 2009 at 18:53
I really don’t give a monkey’s what anyone else says, we need another top class striker. Welbeck and Macheda are far from ready, but will get their games to help them on this season, and with Owen a bit suspect injury wise, if Berba or Rooney were out – well you work out the Maths. I want a prolific goal POACHER please – a consistent one. I think Berba is our play maker now, so no need for AMF really!
October 1st, 2009 at 18:56
@Traverse: Pompous!
watch who you call pompous mate. Teams need to have the eye of the tiger and to shoot for the stars in order to get what they want. Just going thorough the motions and squeaking out undeserved or even deserved wins is not good enough. A great team needs to send a message every week to all their opponents. I love it when a team like Barca beat up on everyone and scored over 100 league goals. That’s not just because of their talent, that’s because their manager believes in going for the jugular and sending a message. It’s about maintaining confidence and work ethic and by having lofty goals, those attributes are better maintained. So stick your pompous remark where the sun doesn’t shine. 
October 1st, 2009 at 19:00
@Traverse: Hey, I already blamed Foster for that goal yesterday so I am still consistent. He doesn’t even have to be on the pitch to get the blame from me.
Seriously, had that been Foster I know that in my heart as much as I can’t stand the pratt, I would not have blamed him for that. That goal was Evra’s fault for being mismatched in height. What i’d like to know is why Vidic or Ferdinand were not given the duty to personally mark Dzeko all night? I havemnoticed a number of far post headers this season as more teams are trying to take advantage of Evra’s height restriction and because United never man mark in the box.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:01
@Dan: Did you notice that on that goal Dan, Foster was way out of position? I mean way out of position.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:04
@Craig Mc: It’s not libel. Remember when he Anderson and Ronaldo were caught ordering out for ho’s a few years ago. Reputations like that are hard to suppress.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:06
@Craig Mc: I agree we need another striker but I do not feel he has to be top class as he will be seeing a lot of the bench. An older accomplished striker who’s best days are behind him is what we need. Hang on, we already have that in Owen. So lets go for a young up and coming striker who hasn’t got delusions of grandeur and property picked out in Madrid.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:20
@Grognard: I don’t agree with you often, but I wanted to nod an appreciative nod, in relation to the fact tat Berbatov does not receive adequate service from some of our other attacking players.
In fact, I think that’s why he ended up tracking back more and resulting in him creating more for others last season.
Giggs having nothing left to prove will always pass to a well-positioned player whereas a Nani, an Anderson or a Rooney will be tempted to blast one in row Z as they want some personal glory.
But Carrick did have a good understanding with him, and if Cazza does regain form, I would wager a few more goals for the Count.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:24
Grog – I can’t get over SAF giving Saha away to Everton for nothing. Everton Manager crowing, “We have got a 30 million striker for nothing, – and you are going to prove it,” he told Saha! Since then they have worked on Louis Saha building up his MIND FALTERING doubts, and persuading him that all his little knocks and twinges are nothing. That he is a GIANT of a striker and he is going to smear egg all over Fergie’s face. So far Saha has scored 8 in 8 games for Everton I believe, and he is fit and playing. Go figure. I said when SAF let him go, that he was making the biggest mistake. Whenever Saha was fit, he scored goals for us. I mean what would be the difference between Saha and Owen. Those players are like for like when fit, it doesn’t make sense!
October 1st, 2009 at 19:36
@Craig Mc: Obertan was supposed to start playing in October, right? I’ve heard he can play as a striker. But, again, he is not proven yet.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:56
@Grognard: Yup, no doubt Silva will be great, and I am hoping Ljajic will give us a Scholes+Giggs replacement rolled into one. I know its asking a lot, but a man can dream
And hopefully we can get hands on a decent keeper, before the World Cup inflates prices all over again. I wouldn’t mind Akinfeev or one of the Germans u have been mentioning at all.
October 1st, 2009 at 19:58
Man alive, just watching our reserves in action, and the Norwegian lads are on fire. Magnus Eikrem scored from a brillian long range free kick, Joshua King brilliant piece of skill following a one two in Sunderland’s box, then Eikrem scored an outstanding goal from 40 yards out, after seeing the GK off his line – totally Beckham-esque. Your countrymen are really coming on, and doing you proud Eddi mi man! DeLaet immense as usual.
October 1st, 2009 at 20:52
@Craig Mc: Its even argueable that Saha can be even more useful than Owen, when it comes to teamwork and providing assists and the like…
October 1st, 2009 at 23:46
Well, Ive finally got to play some FIFA 10 with Manchester United, and may i say its the best game Ive ever played. EA have done a brilliant job, absolutely brilliant! The game is extremely realistic, and may also at times seem TOO realistic to be a game. Its frightening!
Although, there is one thing I must complain about. While the goalkeepers have gotten smarter and more clever when saving a shot and positioning from 30 yards and in, its horrible when I am around the midfield or on 40 some yards. Its pretty easy to score screamers from that distance, and even though they seem great its just fucked up goalie play. Here is a link, and another.
Now onto the ratings Grognard requested to see how Ronaldo and Messi compare in the game. Well, here is a surprise…
Messi: 90
Ronaldo: 87
Well, thats just fucked! But all the attributes that fit Ronaldo are actually in order, its just that he isnt a natural winger in that sense. Use him as ST and he becomes 89.
Well, gotta sleep! Long day tomorrow, cheers lads!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:42
@Craig Mc: Fergie’s only mistake was not getting rid of the piece of shit sooner. Saha was worthless garbage with a yellow streak that went right down his back. He is a gutless wimp and had he stayed with us I have no doubt he would be in some hospital bed right now. Who frakken cares what the frak he does with a nothing club like Everton. Sure he will do well there, as there is relatively no pressure on him or much competition. Those are two things Saha used to get sick over. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:43
@Shreyas: I bet you Foster would mind.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:47
@Footy4Eddy: Actually, if you don’t count his short time with Madrid, the ratings are pretty accurate for Ronaldo as he did have a pretty severe fall in form and goal production for the first half of last year while Messi had a world player of the year season. Ronaldo will be back over 90 after this season though. Barring injuries, you can take that to the bank. Glad you like the game. Can’t wait.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:03
@Footy4Eddy: I actually don’t mind the occasional long shot goal provided it’s scored by players one can believe have the ability to pull it off. If Titus Bramble or Joey Barton start scoring from out there, then there is a big problem, but if it’s Ronaldo or Gerrard, I like it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:36
@Grognard: Don’t miss him one bit either. He’s a nightmare for any team that would depend on his regular service, and or course, a dream for the physio’s.
Talking of dreams. I still have these two visions of the Ronaldo sale.
- Ronaldo running amok in the Arsenal defense.
- The Glazier brothers sitting in their counting-house, arranging neat piles of bank notes into 80 very tall stacks.
Any guess which one wakes me up??
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:36
@Redrich: The imaginary one?
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:13
@Traverse: Perhaps you could offer a little more than just a snide one-liner.
Do you have an opinion or just an attitude??
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:26
@Redrich: I’m with you mate. I don’t know what I hate more at this point, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Rafa Benitez or the Glazer’s. That 80 million unspent just burns an image in my mind and in my soul about how we all have been sold down the river for nothing. But in my mind, watching that 40 yard effort vs Arsenal go in always leaves me all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s a shame the team and Fergie laid a brick and wasted that effort a month later in Rome.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:53
So watched a bit of the reserves last night – and I know this happens every year – but Josh King is really rather good. He scored twice, but that wasn’t what impressed me. What did was his ability in the air, and his hold up play. Almost every goal kick that went in his direction was at least touched on or backwards by him. And he’s only 17.
Plus he burned the defense with some surprising speed for his second, which was a ball over the top. Just to top it off, he displayed some good touches, and real desire, even at 4-0 up, to get more goals. Given we don’t have a ‘big man’ option, and given he’s already large, in another 2 years we could have a real first teamer on our hands.
On a down note, Tosic was rubbish. Oh but Eikrem wasn’t, some great skill that lad, chipped the keeper from 45 yards!
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:03
@Footy4Eddy: put ronaldo as a striker and he is 90 also
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:35
I agree that Saha was a bit of a wimp. But it wasn’t competition that caused his problems. This is a man who pushed Ruud out of the first team! And when Saha was fully fit he invariably played for us. Even in our Champions League season when he hardly played he stil scored several goals.
He developed psychological problems because of his injury problems. We just didn’t have the staff to build up his confidence and help him get over his mental problems. Also I think our physios are shit because so many of our players seem to get injury problems which keep recurring (read our entire defence!!!).
Once a situation deteriorates sometimes a change of scenery is needed and I am glad that Saha has made such a good start at Everton. If Berbatov is a £30 million striker then for me Saha is also a £30 million striker (when fit).
I like Everton because they overachieve on a low budget and have a great manager. They deserve a good player like Saha.
Ultimately we sold him because we needed a striker we could rely on to stay fit. Then two seasons later we buy Michael Owen!
Lets face it at best Owen can be a super-sub because the longer you play him the more likely he is to get injured.
Another striker would be nice because Berbatov isn’t ever going to be prolific for us, Rooney is bound to go on one of his goal droughts soon and Owen’s injury problems are coming back.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:41
Watched the reserves too,and one point of note is the norwagians,kiko,and de leat.I see no point in keeping Tosic as he cant beat a man and is too weak yet he is no spring chicken
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:15
@donibrasco: It’s abundantly clear we only signed Tosic to make Ljajic’s life easier, someone his age and Serbian to hang out with when he’s over here. If Adem is as good as everyone thinks he is then it’s money well spent.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:20
@ Doni – I wouldn’t write Tosic off just yet, he has some good attributes and he’s hardly past it at 22!!! He’s got good feet, and a cracking set piece delivery – probably the best left sided dead ball delivery in our squad (and yes I include Giggs in that). Plus he didn’t develop in a major league so will take some time.
Given what Park offers us, I can’t see why Tosic wouldn’t be included in a similar squad player role.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:33
regarding Traverse’s post of the sky sports fan zone (post 14) …..
That city scum is a work colleague of mine, He’s called David Stubbs. Monday was a fooking amazing day in the office, over 60% of the office are Red devils. This Dumb Fook got given shit all day!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:49
Beachyryan – you have got to be joking mate! Tosic can’t even do it for the reserves, let alone our 1st team. I watch him closely in the reserves, and so far just can’t see for the life of me why we bought him. I hope your right mate, that he will come good, but he hasn’t got much to his game, and I can’t see it!
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:53
Donibrasco – DeLaet is a Belgian mate. The two Norwegians who were outstanding last night, and will be stars are King and Eikrem. They scored 2 goals apiece, and Eikrems were out of this world great goals for a kid of 17yrs old.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:58
@Colver – couldn’t agree with you more mate regarding Saha. Your right that we do need another top class striker too.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:08
@Monkwahhdo: Haha! Brilliant!
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:29
Trav this guy has had a good kicking before, his last gaff though was regarding the offside rule. Can’t clearly remember how he fooked it up on live tv but for atleast a month we were all giving him abuse and sending him links to official rule book sites. ha ha
He is an extremely fanatical (deluded) city fan. Especially now city are new money rich fooks. Even the other city fans in the office tend to avoid him because he’s a fruit loop. He took to loss real hard especially since he’d been banging on how tevez was going to rip us apart and how they we’re going to humiliate us with a 5-0 ass whooping. Like mastercard say: City vs United tickets £45, Shirt £40, watching a deluded city fans face when his team losses?? Fooking Priceless mate!!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:47
Monkwahhdo – you stick it to those whining deluded City fans mate. 60% your office work force United fans, and they say at wastelands Manchester is blue –
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 13:46
I miss fit and happy Saha. He was ridiculously good, the complete striker. Just never showed the consistency we needed to build a team around him. Sad that. I don’t regret selling him, and wish him all the best.
October 2nd, 2009 at 15:53
manchester united reserve team goal vs sunderland
great goals.third one is the best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBnYIuaLWyc&feature=youtube_gdata
October 2nd, 2009 at 17:13
Craig, yeah my only reservation would be that a top class striker would not be happy as part of a rotation system. It is a shame Welbeck and Macheda are still a few years away from being first team material. Welbeck has the class but I don’t yet see him as a regular goalscorer. Macheda has the finishing ability but the rest of his game is pretty poor. It is a shame really that we let Rossi go.
It is good that some of our youngsters are tearing it up in the reserves but you cannot read too much into it. Really we need a B team in a lower league as then they are getting more competitive football at a good physical level.
October 2nd, 2009 at 17:17
@colver: i have always wondered why we dont have any B teams in the lower divisions like teams in other leagues do..is there is some FA law that prevents such a thing?
agree on Macheda and Welbeck..but hopefully with Owen out we could see them more often
October 2nd, 2009 at 17:56
@Craig Mc: I believe Tosic means “tosser” in Serbian, correct?
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:05
Seems the one thing Madrid can’t buy is the Olympics!! Rio, Rio , Rio!
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:06
@Craig Mc: Call me naive but I cannot understand how a great city like Manchester even bothers supporting this shite entry wearing blue. Why are there Shitty fans? When you are born in Manchester and you start developing your mind and motor skills, I’d like to know what mind numbingly stupid thing happens that turns 40% of them into Shitty supporters? I mean why?
I realize there is no explanation to someone’s bad taste but I will never ever get it? For that matter why are there NY Mets fans or Chicago White Sox fans and why in God’s name is there a team in Madrid called Atletico? But Shitty fans, they are a special sort of scum and villainy. They actually have delusions of grandeur and actually believe their club has been better than ours since the beginning and especially during the Ferguson era. That’s just universal brain damage in my books.. What the hell do they feed those blokes on that side of town? It seems that every big community needs to have a hole for the dregs of society to congregate within. In South Manchester it is the City of Manchester Stadium. The penal colony for sad misfits in Northern England. Poor sad, unfortunate, deluded ass clowns.
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:16
@Beachryan: What can I say, a player I never liked and was so happy to see the back of him when he left the club. A serious yellow stripe runs down that blokes back. He had no heart, no courage and no backbone. Couldn’t play with a hangnail in his thumb and needed a stretcher and ambulance on call at OT at all times. He was a semi talented loser who could not cut it at United because he could not handle the pressure. Evewn when he supposedly won the job with van Nistelrooy, it was only because RVN was in the manager’s doghouse over the bust up on the training ground with CR7. Otherwise we would hardly have seen him. I just cannot convey with enough venom and anger how much that player used to get on my nerves. I don’t know why, but i just hated him. Yet I am glad to see he is finally doing well because I could see talent in him. But like I said earlier, the reason he is doing well now is because Everton is no stress no gain environment. Saha is one of those players who cannot under any circumstances play for a top club with a large squad. He doesn’t handle competition well and is always looking over his shoulder. And so when things don’t go well, he bitches and moans about his injuries being worse than they really are. Before the CL final he was supposedly at 100% but when he knew he had no chance of playing, he pulled out with an injury just to make it tougher for Fergie to find a forward for the bench. That’s the kind of weasel he is. Like I have said many times before, good riddance to bad rubbish.
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:21
@ebrahim: Clearly we have some great talent on the reserves. I can understand and see why some like Dan think so highly of them and would like to see more of them on the first team. Still, it’s always important to remember that with all that skill and awareness, they are playing against reserves and clubs whose talent base is not even close to theirs. Kick them up a notch and they struggle a hell of a lot more due to their age and inexperience. So we will have to wait a while I’m sure before we some of them really excel for the first team. The two Norwegian lads really look promising though.
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:25
@colver: I’ll be honest, I don’t think Welbeck or even Macheda are that far away from first team football. The problem here is that when you are young and constantly on the reserves, the call ups come as a bit of a shock and the nerves become great when tyou get a chance to play. That is why quite often young players fail when they get called up. But give them a run of a few games as either starters or just being on the bench and coming in and that nervousness starts to go away. I feel if Welbeck was called up for an extended period of time, he would settle in and would become a worthwhile and valuable sub coming in games late and snatching a goal or an assist here and there. Going out to buy another accomplished striker when our team is already deep is folly because no striker worth his price in gold wants to sit on the bench or be part of a rotation. But a young kid eager to impress would. It’s a perfect opportunity for talented kids like Macheda or Welbeck to show their quality.
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:27
@Grognard, Chicago is a big city with different communities. Certain parts support different teams. And don’t forget the white sox won the Series a few years back. When was the last time the cubs won anything?
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:30
@Traverse: Everything about Madrid smells of the Antichrist’s home lair. That town is rubbish and they are so full of themselves to boot. It’s bad enough they stole Ronaldo and Kaka but now they steal the Olympics too?
More anti American sentiment from Europeans I think. Rio? Rio is a joke. There is a reason why Brazil never hosts the World Cup? To think of them hosting the Olympics while most of the City lives in shanty town cardboard boxes is ridiculous.
October 2nd, 2009 at 18:32
@Johnsom33: I’m aware of that mate but to most of Chicago the Cubs are what matter and the White Sox are the bums from the bad side of town, regardless of who wins more World Series titles.
October 2nd, 2009 at 19:05
@Grognard: Atletico was the bigger club over Real, before General Franco and his minions made Real the bigger one.
Other than that, through history, football clubs in England started as community clubs; amateurish/semi-pro where the blue-collar workmen played over weekends, or something like that. Loyalties became a family thing — either the son supported his father’s club or he supported the opponent (as some sort of rebellion). In North America, you had single entity organisations that decided where clubs should be ‘placed’ based on the market/population etc. So I guess it would be baffling perhaps to wonder why NY has a Mets team – when there was already a pretty popular Yankees team (rather, why the MLB or AL or NL would place a certain team in a certain market). It’s top-down here in Stateside, where the organisation decides to create a team. It’s bottom-up in England where clubs sprout organically based on a local community through history.
So that explains the likes of Man City, but it doesn’t (or never will) explain the delusions of grandeur.
October 2nd, 2009 at 19:42
@Grognard: Brazil are hosting the next world cup…
October 2nd, 2009 at 19:50
@Grognard: Well for one, manchester united football team, isnt based in manchester.
October 2nd, 2009 at 20:23
@Dan: That was tongue-in-cheek, right??
October 2nd, 2009 at 20:25
@Cyclops-Red: What? The “team” bit or us not being based in manchester.
Because the later is true. We once were, but that was over a century ago.
October 2nd, 2009 at 20:42
@Dan: So the club is no longer based in Manchester? Utter nonsense!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 20:58
@Cyclops-Red: Manchester, is a borough in greater manchester. They share the same name. Manchester city are based in manchester.
Manchester united are based in stretford, which is in the borough of trafford. Im led to believe its borderline salford and manchester borough.
Hope that helps.
Also, if you dont believe me, the likes of bolton and wigan have all right calling themselves manchester “x” using your supposed logic.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:18
@Dan:It doesn’t help. I’m well aware of local authority boundaries. I live in Trafford and as far I am as concerned and all my fellow residents we live in Manchester regardless of which football team we support.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:20
@Cyclops-Red: Bull.
Trafford and manchester are different boroughs.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:29
@Dan: Different boroughs of what? Greater Manchester as you’ve stated.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:32
@Dan: It will be interesting to see how many ghettos they can fix up and turn into stadiums. Brazil is a classic example of the 10% who have and the 90% who have nothing. Their children live on the streets and do tricks. The country disgusts me.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:33
@Dan: I’d like to say that makes any sense to me but it doesn’t
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:34
@Red Ranter: I wasn’t trying to get into a deep historical debate here RR. I know the history and the reason why and such. But I still like to make fun of such insignificant and useless wannabe’s as Shitty.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:35
@Cyclops-Red: Yes apparently Old Trafford is situated on the outskirts of……….Liverpool I guess.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:35
@Cyclops-Red: Manchester united werent named manchester united because they were from greater london. They were named this because at the time, the club was based in manchester, borough of greater manchester. They just share the same name, they are not 1 in the same.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:38
@Dan: It’s still greater Manchester mate. Every major city in the world usually has a section named after itself and then 75% of the rest of the town are boroughs that have been picked up over the years due to outward growth. It’s still Manchester. I lived in Burnaby for years but the official border to Vancouver was three blocks away. When people ask me where I am from, I say Vancouver because who the Hell knows where Burnaby is?
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:51
@Grognard: again, this is bull.
Greater manchester was founded in 1974, a good few decades before manchester united were even founded.
Im right about this. Manchester united are not based in manchester and havent been for over a century.
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:52
@Grognard: …I, do!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:52
@Dan: As you mentioned Greater London then by your logic aren’t Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, etc not London teams? The only true city of London team is Milwall!!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 21:54
@Grognard: Now that has me rolling around in fits
October 2nd, 2009 at 22:04
@Cyclops-Red: eh? If anything you are confirming my point! All those teams you mentioned are london teams because they are in london. Teams like watford arent in london, but they are in greater london. Now tell me, is watford a london team? NO!
October 2nd, 2009 at 22:18
@Dan: I didn’t mention Watford, that’s is in Buckinghamshire. I said Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal etc.
Fulham, West Ham, I can add off the top of my head. These aren’t according to you, London clubs, because they they are not in boroughs that are part of London, not the city of London.
October 2nd, 2009 at 22:34
@Cyclops-Red:
1st, you originally said greater london, not city of london, they are different.
2nd, at the end of the day, im right, as manchester united were formed in the manchester borough, before “greater” manchester even existed. Old trafford is not in manchester, its in trafford, meaning since we have been playing at old trafford, we have been playing OUTSIDE the manchester borough. You can argue about this greater manchester all you want, but the fact remains, it was founded AFTER manchester united and old trafford were founded.
October 2nd, 2009 at 22:57
@Dan:
Read my post, I did mention the city of London.
Old Trafford is in Manchester. The address is as follows:
Manchester United
Sir Matt Busby Way
Old Trafford
MANCHESTER M16 0RA
October 2nd, 2009 at 23:04
@Grognard: this is why saf didnt spend the money yet Ronny is coming back after embarrassing the spanish league and messi for a year
one can dream huh?
October 2nd, 2009 at 23:04
@Cyclops-Red: Actually, its location is:
Sir Matt Busby Way
Old Trafford
Greater Manchester
England
And tbh, the ground is called old trafford, as its based in trafford. There is no denying that, its just a fact that you have to accept. Trafford is not in manchester, its trafford.
Tell me how i could possibly be wrong if greater manchester was founded decades after old trafford and manchester united were formed? I cant possibly be wrong mate! Our stadium is built in the borough of trafford, which is NOT manchester, and it was built decades before greater manchester existed. You tell me how we are still based in manchester?
October 2nd, 2009 at 23:13
@Grognard: Fair enough, then.
October 2nd, 2009 at 23:22
@Dan:
Trafford Council
Talbot Road
Stretford
MANCHESTER
M32 0TH
http://www.trafford.gov.uk/
Google, the government, the world,the F.A, UEFA, FiFA, disagrees with you
apart from Citeh fans.
October 2nd, 2009 at 23:27
@Cyclops-Red: What does that mean to me? All that shows is trafford council, meaning im right, as its not manchester council.
You still havent told me why im wrong.
October 3rd, 2009 at 0:03
@Dan: It means nothing to you because it seems you will only accept that a team with the name Manchester has to be situated within the confines of Manchester City Council which is a purely administrative boundary. Man Utd and Trafford Council both display their addresses as being Manchester not Trafford, not City of Manchester(which doesn’t exist),not friggin’ Timbuktoo but MANCHESTER
October 3rd, 2009 at 0:20
@Dan: “Trafford Council
Talbot Road
Stretford
MANCHESTER”
Following conventions of how addresses are written, that means Trafford council is located on Talbot Road, which is in Stretford, which in turn is in Manchester. Can’t see the problem with that. What am I missing?
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:13
@Dan: So who fucking cares? The Dallas Cowboys play their game in a town 30 mikes outside their city limits. other teams build their stadiums where they can find adequate land. That often means moving out to the burbs. You are being geographically anal. Manchester United represent the city and the communities around Manchester. There are no borders despite the fact City play there too. You can be a United fan and live across the street from City Stadium. If Old Trafford was situated on the burbs of Liverpool, then I could see your case. Seeing as it isn’t I really do not see your point.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:14
@Redrich: Well you are a little more in tuned than the average mate. If you ask 99% of all the people living in England where Burnaby is they would think it was an English town somewhere.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:15
@Cyclops-Red: Sometimes you have to revert to the ridiculous to make your point.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:17
@Dan: Yes they are. They have always been acknowledged as a London team, because in world geography mate, the only thing that matters is the term “GREATER” London. Stop making such a small town boy argument over nothing.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:19
@Cyclops-Red: Lets not forget that Greater London takes up almost 1/3 of lower south east England. It’s a massive place that has annexed many a borough and district over the years. But to everyone all over the world, the place is still seen as London.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:20
@Dan: Atleast we own our own stadium, and not rent a council house.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:22
@Red Ranter: Exactly. I live in section called Kitsilano. It’s part of Vancouver. Nobody writes Kitsilano on their address or on postage replies. Districts within cities have names. That does not mean they are towns or cities in their own right. Especially when a bigger borough like Manchester has long ago annexed the region.
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:01
@Grognard: Well it may not be English, but it’s British (Columbian).
All you posters out must remember that Grognard is part British!
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:55
@Red Ranter: Why don’t we all just tell Dan that he’s “right” and not “wrong”, then maybe he could move on to something he really feels passionate about. Like Foster’s wonderful form so far!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:04
@Traverse: I’m not sure I understand the “we” part, mate!
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:41
@Grognard: You mean I just represent the 1% minority!
You’ve gotta start somewhere, right?? 
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:05
I was just horsing around on Youtube and I dug up these two very rare videos of the Grognard on two of his saddest days regarding Man Utd.
Sad thing is I really do sound like him in print form don’t I?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pz8shkMTRg&feature=related
This one is my personal favorite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RsQg1dnwiY&feature=related
My exact reactions on that terrible day.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:06
@Redrich: And part Columbian too.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:06
@Redrich:
Classic, lets.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:07
@Redrich: Hey the Nazi’s started with about as much support too.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:38
@Grognard: Oh shit, I don’t mind being in the minority, but the Nazi’s are not my bag, mate!!
If you’re a man of the world, it would make things cool with me!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:54
@Redrich: I am definitely a man of the world mate.
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:31
@Red Ranter: Eh? Stretford is in the borough of trafford, which is in greater manchester, not manchester the borough.
“Greater” manchester only came into existence in 1974. Old trafford was built in 1910. newton heath was renamed manchester united in 1902. So for 8 years only, Manchester united were based in manchester. After that, they were based in trafford.
Again, “Greater” manchester only came into existence in 1974. We are not called manchester united because we are from greater manchester, we are called manchester united because we are originally from manchester, but not anymore.
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:32
@Redrich: Make your stupid jokes all you want, it doesnt take away the fact that im right.
Twat.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:56
@Dan: I do have an idea of history of Manchester (the City as well as the Metropolitan area). Read what was written first. It’s Trafford Council that’s in Stretford. Not the Trafford Borough. He was referring to the address of Trafford Council — if you Google its address it will give you what Cyclops pasted in his comment. I know the difference between the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester metropolitan area. And I know it came into existence in 1974.
The fact that we were called Manchester United despite not being in City of Manchester (which is the crux of the argument) was because the concept of “Manchester” — even if it wasn’t written in stone, still existed but wasn’t crystallised into the words: Greater Manchester. The Germans called the area Greater Manchester (in German) even before the concept came into use in England, well before the 20th century. Manchester was among the pride of England industry, and it’s obvious the people that lived in the suburb areas would go to work in the City — and consider where they lived also as part of Manchester.
Calling our club, Manchester United was a misnomer only as far as the fact that it was outside the City of Manchester. And doesn’t take into account that a few people sat together and came up with a name, maybe because they might have felt some sort of a connection with Manchester — I don’t know, because it was associated with a big City at the time. It could have happened in Bolton, or in Wigan, or in Bury.
You are making this argument about technicalities and the fact that you are being pedantic over it is what is annoying people out here. It’s a fuckin’ name, given to a club. And it wasn’t even done with an opinion poll or anything. A couple of investors and his friends came up with it.
And isn’t Old Trafford a 15 minute drive from the old Maine Road? Hell, my daily drive to work is about 20 minutes with no traffic and I’m pretty sure I live in the same city as I work!
This argument is pointless getting all uppity and certainly not worth calling people twats over it.
October 3rd, 2009 at 14:11
@Dan: It amazes me how bold you are about dishing out insults from the safety of your computer screen.
If you said that to my face, I’d put you across my knee and spank you like the petulant child that you are!
October 3rd, 2009 at 16:06
@Redrich:
You want to make fun of me, ill call you a twat. You honestly think i wouldnt say that to your face?
You need to grow thick skin, and stop being an arse. Before you say you werent, making jokes with grognard at me expense, is being an arse.