Apr 11
Sunderland Preview
There is little else left to talk about midweek. Most of what I had to say has already been touched upon in the comments section in the last post. So let’s move onto today’s game.
United will be looking to take the positive result against Villa when they play Sunderland, who have been more or less in relegation form lately. However, teams have realised that the best way to play us is to attack us, which, on a better day should actually suit our style. Strangely, this tactic, of attacking us to submission, has actually worked, thanks to a defence wilting under pressure aided by a seemingly punch drunk midfield making life even harder for the back four.
United’s target will be really simple and two fold: get on the scoresheet, and more importantly, get through a game without conceding a goal.
The latter is critical towards our side looking to revert to its more familiar, imperious self ahead of a testing trip to Porto. So the importance of maintaining clean sheets can’t be more emphasised. Making this task tougher, however, is a dearth of defensive personnel; Rio is still out and is likely to be 50:50 for Porto and Jonny Evans is nursing his groin. So the patched up back four will consist of a Patrice Evra, who’s playing like he’s seeing two balls at the moment, a Nemanja Vidic who is a pale version of the peerless centre half at the heart of our clean sheet record earlier, a John O’Shea and a Gary Neville, whose got disaster written all over him at the moment.
On the upside, Rio, Rafael and Brown aren’t too far away from their return, in that order, and that makes for a comforting thought.
Wayne Rooney who was the subject of reports that he may have a niggle, is in fact fit. So that’s one worry Ferguson won’t have to deal with. Berbatov, meanwhile continues to be out and, according to this table, his earliest reported return date is the 19th of April.
Considering it’s Sunderland, one would hope Ferguson would field a 4-4-2 formation despite it being an away fixture. His decision to field a 4-3-3 at home, in midweek, was a rather shocking one that wasn’t touched on by most media outlets that criticised United’s performance. I don’t understand the need for fielding a defensive setup while playing at home even on a European night. That we were jaded and might have still been poor had it been a positive 4-4-2 is besides my point.
On the starting XI, I suppose our back four would comprise of Evra, Vidic, O’Shea and Neville. Carrick and Fletcher might play in the middle, flanked by Ronaldo and Park/Nani. Tevez and Rooney would be up front, assuming Fergie decides to give the Argie some minutes on the pitch from the beginning.
Sunderland have some injury worries of their own, but it seems they’ll get their first choice ‘keeper, Craig Gordon back in contention. So brace yourselves for a stormer from their record signing. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Prediction: I’d hope for a 1-0 win but I suppose it would be 2-1 to us and an ugly one at that.
Related items from Red Rants:- Evra’s Ban Smacks of Inconsistency | Sunderland Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- West Ham v Man Utd: Preview
- The Scholes-Sunderland connection is BS
- Sunderland vs Manchester United: Preview
Tags: Game Preview
April 11th, 2009 at 9:57
“Jonny Evans is nursing his groin”
I heard berba was back in contention. Hopefully andy is fit.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:12
i predict a great win with 3-0 or 4-0
April 11th, 2009 at 11:30
I have a feeling we are going to put 4 past them.Early goals should be a priority as we look to get our important players off.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:50
umm i believe that if Fergie is positive today,in his approach to the game we will win it hands down.i believe macheda or welbeck should make an appearance today in attack.we need some fresh ideas upfront and an air of unpredictability.We have been caught out lately.because we are way way to predicatble in our defending and our attacking.We need to put the Fear of God back into all our opposition.i believe Evra should sit out this game,his is suffering from either mental or physical fatigue.Or worse both.because he wants to do things and always caught in two minds.would love to see Oshea there for the first half if all goes well the whole game.Give Evra time to recover from whatever malady ails him.I wish we had more options in the centre of midfield.because our combo of scholes and carrick isnt setting the world alight and fletcher and carrick are seriously looking out of sorts together of late.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:59
@ROOOOONEY: thanks for the jinx…
Yippe, a double jinx…
April 11th, 2009 at 12:09
trying to show some spirit!
April 11th, 2009 at 12:13
We have a makeshift defence so the priority should be not to concede. A clean sheet would do wonders for our confidence and we could take that into the Porto game.
I want us to control posssession, track back, not get caught out of position and give players like Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo plenty of the ball.
If we are playing two central midfielders one of them should hold, while the other goes forward. I think that has been part of the problem in recent weeks. No-one is tracking back and communication has broken down. Even Park has forgotten how to do this despite it being his signature strength!
April 11th, 2009 at 12:13
I hope we see macheda come on at some time today. His confidence after the villa game must have been amazing, dont know why he never came on in the porto game cos just due to his confidence he could have bagged a goal, would have been better than playing 4-3-3 at home anyway. Just an amazingly talented finisher from what i have seen of him and to be honest a finisher is what i think we need. A few games here and there and in a season or two he could be ready to play a big part in this team.
Anyway as for today we need a win, any score but a nice thrashing would be good cos our footie has been dire and defensive all season in my opinion. Our defence is so dodgy at the minute we really could do with a clean sheet to set us up for porto. Oshea will play more is the pity, hopefully at centre back and not at right back. I know hes a pretty terrible centre back but we need height to handle kenywne jones, but knowing our tactics this year we will probably pick neville to mark jones even though theres probably a good 2 foot between the 2. I really hope nani gets a game today, park was absolutely terrible against porto and if we are meant to run the team correctly a player should be dropped if isnt producing the form hes meant to, but like with carrick it seems even when the players play bad some are undroppable and will automatically get picked next week which isnt right.
Cant see sunderland doing much attacking today, so its up to us the break them down. Should get the win but honestly everytime i see oshea in that defence is nearly have a heart attack so i guess anything can happen. Hopefully fergie has given them a talk about their terrible defence of late and they will be up and ready for it and keep a clean sheet today.
April 11th, 2009 at 12:15
Expect nothing more then a liverpool win today. Andrews in defence, warnock in midfield, samba upfornt
Big sam is scouse!
April 11th, 2009 at 13:14
We’re going to loose 12 – 0.
Has that unjinxed things?
April 11th, 2009 at 14:08
Meh…………. I just want three points and i really dont have the heart to watch the game live. I will record it and then see the performance(or lack of) later
April 11th, 2009 at 14:23
Berbatov apparently starting (!?), Park, Carrick and Scholes all get an ill-deserved chance of redemption.
April 11th, 2009 at 14:24
foster, neville, evans, vidic, o shea, park, carrick, scholes, rooney, berba, tevez Subs: PIG, evra, ronaldo, anderson, giggs, nani, macheda
April 11th, 2009 at 14:37
are you serious?
April 11th, 2009 at 14:37
4-3-3 again
Foster
Neville Vidic Evans Oshea
Carrick Sholes Park
Tevez Berbatov Rooney
Now that’s a front 3. Not Park and Ronaldo. Glad to see he’s been given a match off too. Replace Park with Hargreaves in the middle of the mid 3 and thats a pretty strong front 6.
April 11th, 2009 at 14:40
GK: Foster
RB: Nevilla
CB: Evans
CB: Vidic
LB: Oshea
CM: Scholes
CM: Carrick
CM: Park
LF: Rooney
RF: Tevez
ST: Berbatov
subs: PIG, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Kiko
April 11th, 2009 at 14:40
thats interseting
April 11th, 2009 at 14:46
Come on Ben lad, a clean sheet today would be awesome please.
Come on the lads! We’re rooting for ya’s!
Tis a bit interesting indeed @ ROOOOONEY – Glad to see Ando on the bench too
April 11th, 2009 at 14:53
ya i like surprise line-ups!
April 11th, 2009 at 14:59
Got any links?
April 11th, 2009 at 15:00
anyone got any links?
April 11th, 2009 at 15:08
any links?
April 11th, 2009 at 15:17
@Kal:
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/71091
April 11th, 2009 at 15:20
scholes with a header 1-0
April 11th, 2009 at 15:21
SCHOLESY!!!!!
you little ginga ninja!!! 
April 11th, 2009 at 15:21
In-Browser link chaps:
http://atdhe.net/live-tv-6160.html
http://mysportstv.webs.com/mysports2.htm
Come on the lads!
April 11th, 2009 at 15:22
Get in Scholes!
April 11th, 2009 at 15:37
any 1 no were 1 can c mufc online 4 3 plz
April 11th, 2009 at 15:57
Good start to the first half but disappointing end. Scholes despite scoring one, has been poor. Our centre midfield gradually getting overrun by fucking Sunderland! Our right side has also been quite poor – courtesy mainly of Park and Tevez. They picked up at the end of the half, but did not create enough offensively imho. People also seem reluctant to pass to Berbatov for some reason. Rooney once again best player, but stupid caution for handball. A bit harsh too.
Defence was quite lucky for some moments, with Vida nearly scoring an own goal. But right now Foster looks much more assured than his back four, he looks to have the right body language.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:00
park looks really tired
April 11th, 2009 at 16:02
Hope Anderson comes on in the second half as we really need some steel in the middle of the park…
And Macheda for either Tevez or Berbatov.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:08
The near own goal was evans not vidic.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:16
was neville nutmegged? fuck!
April 11th, 2009 at 16:19
@NicoQB: Agreed, Macheda for Berba, and not too late, i say give him the last 25 mins. Come on United!
April 11th, 2009 at 16:25
Macari and Curren are twats. Tevez lays off for Scholes to take a shot and it’s brilliant. Berbatov does the same thing twice and he’s just lazy.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:25
Foster has to get to that cross.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:35
KIKO
April 11th, 2009 at 16:36
MACHEDA!!!!!
April 11th, 2009 at 16:36
@Eric the Red: Leave super Lou and his chipshop alone.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:36
kiko chosen over giggs and rightly so. he swallows berba whole by scoring within a minute of coming in.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:38
wow wow what a start to your career. lasio is pissed but he could not have had this chance there.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:39
are they singig a kiko song?
April 11th, 2009 at 16:41
fu**ing brilliant macheda, well done son, he looks a goal scorer. A fluke i know but god im telling you this kid is the real deal. My family in italy who are massive lazio fans have been raving about him for years since he left them. I just knew he would score, a bit of light seeing him coming through. The kid deserves to get games now, he really does. Italians are such good finishers so if this kid is given games and not loaned out to some crappy league team he could lead our attack in the next few years. Sorry tevez we love you but for me we should spend the money on a midfielder or two and give macheda and wellbeck their chance. Barca do with their kids and its time we did with ours. Terrible performance today and our midfield has just looked appaling.
April 11th, 2009 at 16:42
Somebody get this guy a song!!! The fans are just rehashing the Vidic song…
Fergie doesn’t know how to play a 4-3-3, that’s the difference between us and Barca. If we had Rooney where Eto’o plays, with Tevez where Henry plays and Ronaldo where Messi plays and Scholes and Carrick allowed to play in front of a DM like Fletcher or even play Park there then we’d be as effective as Barca IMO
April 11th, 2009 at 16:48
Can I just ask where Fergie got the idea that Rooney is a left mid in the first place? I mean it’s just a crime against football.
The ref is doing us no favours in this game btw. The ball blatantly went out of play there and no call
April 11th, 2009 at 16:53
3 points and just…thats all!!!
April 11th, 2009 at 16:57
lucky win , but we won
April 11th, 2009 at 16:58
3 points
April 11th, 2009 at 17:00
lucky goal or not, Macheda is showing our other strikers that good things happen when you hang around in the box.
This team gives me no confidence at the moment, I honestyl think we are going to concede this title, unless something drastic happens. Our midfield is a complete joke right now and we need to sort it out sonner rather than later.
We got lucky again today, while liverpool bounce back from their defeat with a dominant performance. I give oursleves a 25% chance of winning in Porto, and that is me being optimistic. Lets all pray that Porto goesinto a defensive shields and plays for the draw, because lord know we cant defend anything at the moment.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:04
i got home late and caught the last 8mins of match, kiko should START against porto!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:05
Seriously guys doesnt macheda deserve the porto game after 2 goals in as many games. Berbatov, im still not writing him off its just the service to him is terrible, but he looked off the pace today cos he was probably rushed back from injury. The porto game i feel is the wrong game for him to start, hes what i call a luxury player really, when or if were ahead then he can come on. Tevez, i love the guy but in the last 2 games he has done f all while macheda has scored in both. That for me means he is the form striker and therefore should start. Bet you any money though he wont play, if the name on the back of machedas shirt was tevez he would start, but just because hes an inexperienced youngster he wont feature. I say age doesnt matter, if hes good enough to play he should, and from the 2 in 2 ratio he deserves it.
Our midfield was so slow today we got over run, scholes cannot play against porto hes finished sorry to say. Yes he scored but his performance along with carrick was terrible, his partnership with carrick just does not work out. Ando needs to start against his former club and should play alongside fletcher in a 4-4-2 formation. And i really hope oshea is dropped, he is the worst in the team by a mile.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:11
@johnsom33: Yeah but the fact is we have a much bigger chance of beating Porto than ‘Pool have of beating Chelsea, as shown by the resting of Ronaldo and Evra (?) today, it was a stupid team, Park was completely isolated against about 3 players whenever he got the ball and the same goes for Rooney on the other side which basically means we have to rely on Tevez and Berbatov against their whole defence. Notice that basically the only times our CMs got forward we scored
April 11th, 2009 at 17:12
@Nukeleus: It was Vidic. Backpass.
@bildani: He swallows Berba but Tevez too.
All in all the performance was once again disappointing. The Jones goal resulted from a combination of three united defensive failures. Neville too slow to cope with the crosser, poor judgement from Foster to come for the cross, and Evans not doing his man-marking properly.
Evans has been worrying of late: he kinda marks his direct opponent, but does not makes enough interceptions, his opponent gets in front of him. He should look at Vida for an example.
Carrick picked up his game in the second half and Scholes overall has been average – conforts my position that he should only start against minnows.
Otherwise, Park has been our poorest player on the night – right now it does not look like he has anywhere near his full level of fitness.
My final rant goes to Tevez and to a lesser extent Berbatov – it is interesting to see how when Rooney gets the ball there is always a sense that something is going to happen – an opportunity for himself or for others. Tevez is the one player that most united fans are willing to turn a blind eye to his lack of creativity. Berbatiov at least manages to keep the ball alive, but it was obvious he was injured at some level – the ice pack on his heel attesting to this – and thank god he was – is Kiko the new Solskjaer?
(The french commentary for his goal made me smile : This kid must have dipped his foot in the holy water basin!)
But all in all a small improvement from the defensive point of view – only one goal conceded – but by no means will this kind of performance be enough to retain the league or win against porto. Hopefully we’ll get a few wins out of sheer will and slowly instill some confidence in the players.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:14
I always love it when MANUCHO scores, somehow I am also supporting Hull.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:16
man leave oshea out of this, people unders estimate his importance to this team. he might not be the greatest but he’s robust and versatile and usually does an ample job which ever position he has to fill in for. its not the easiest thing chopping and changing all the time and adapting whilst keeping your concentration. he’s a great cover and squad player who never complains and has served the club loyally. teams need players like these.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:17
@johnsom33: Agree
@Matt: Agree, except for the O’shea part. THe worst player in our team on cutrrent form is either Scholes or maybe Park.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:19
Right place, right time, the mark of a goalscorer. Simples.
Go on Macheda lad, good on ya fella, keep it up please!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:20
Today was an interesting game… who am I kidding! It was another shaky performance.
1. Foster was at FULL fault for Sunderland’s goals. No matter how you see the Neville and Park reacting to the nutmeg or long dribble, it was Foster you should have plucked the cross out in mid-air. He missed a simple cross – that is why the blame is his to take.
2. Our defense looks very shaky, especially on the wings. It was too easy for sunderland to run at Neville and O’Shea, but I think Vidic and Evans did OK.
3. Our Midfield gave the ball away WAY too often. It was sloppiness mixed with predictable passing that put too much pressure on our defense. I don’t know how many time I saw us either put too little power on the pass or stared down the recipient, allowing sunderland players too much time to react. Again this was mainly a problem on the wings. Our central focused passing, especially when leading 1-0 was quite good, with Tevez’s chance the best example of this.
4. Our attack is amazing. Even with our slow midfield, we still are close to scoring on every chance – even if we only create few chances from midfield.
5. Ronaldo is a shadow of himself this season. Not sure if he is feeling hung-over from his award-haul last year, fatigued from games so far + Euro in the summer, or is nursing an injury? After he came on, he had a couple of chances to burst down the sideline towards “Flash” Gordon, only to get caught rather quickly. This is not the Ronaldo we know from last year. No one could catch him last year… that is why I think fatigue or injury is his bother nowadays.
6. Macheda – who does not love this kid! He was on for an earth-shaddering 61 seconds and immediately got involved with the goal (Yes, he did claim the goal but did little to get it this time around). As mentioned above by @johnsom33: We need our strikers to stay in the box when we have the ball… something Berbatov does not do!
Enought ranting for now… a win is a win and I will take three 3 points any day from now on. Today was another important win and it puts pressure on Liverpool, who despite winning 4-0 did not gain a point on us. This will hurt their confidence, especially if we keep picking up points. Cheers!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:21
@Man-U-cho: I love it when a player plays and performs, just to prove wrong people who like to judge players who are not playing regularly!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:25
@Madschester United: “We need our strikers to stay in the box when we have the ball… something Berbatov does not do!”..and neither does Tevez.
The difference being that Tevez also loses possession more often than does Berbatov!!
Dan, help me out!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:28
@NicoQB: Sorry for my blind eye to Tevez. I just see Berba as a striker and tevez as a forward. But you are right. Tevez throws the ball away way too often. He should have scored when Scholes put him in on goal in the second half but Tevez had a poor first touch and too much dribbling.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:31
Oh yeah… I almost forgot: To all you body-language experts, please note of Ronaldo’s body-language upon Macheda scoring… (Note: This comment is not intended to personally attack Grognard or his subsidiaries)
April 11th, 2009 at 17:39
And I thought only those portugese wankers dive!!! I saw a legend diving… Or was he Ronaldo in disguise?
April 11th, 2009 at 17:44
@Madschester United: Care to fill me in? How did he react?
@AndyCR7: Care to fill me in? Who are you referring to?
April 11th, 2009 at 17:45
Two words to describe how I feel about todays performance and where we are currently. WE SUCK!
April 11th, 2009 at 17:46
@Madschester United:
good disclaimer and let’s not forget Ronaldo defending too.
On the game. Poor game and poor performance from attack and midfield. For the goal Foster should be blamed by the defenders didn’t help either. I also didn’t like Evan’s tendency to roll back rather tackling or standing his ground. Scholes won MOM but he was really average and it says a lot about other players. Can’t count how many times this season I have said “win is a win”, but it’s still valid even now. Our next 2 games are at OT and some Rio, Rafael and Wes might be back from injury and I think that might be the difference.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:47
@NicoQB: It was arms up and all smiles (the BBC summary of the game shows a picture of ronaldo smiling in the background after the goal).
April 11th, 2009 at 17:48
Another poor performance but a good result. We were very lucky today, and need some serious improvement if we want to end up champions. The entire midfield seems to be hiding under Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, and despite the goal, Scholes was awful, gave the ball away far too often. There was no pace whatsoever to our game, whether by intent or tiredness, I could not make out. And Kiko….what can u say abt the kid.. Intentional or not, the goal shows that if a striker hangs around the box more often than not, he will get a half chance or two. Berba was nowhere around to be seen in the box, and I think he had a sum total of 1 shot in the game. Many will say he keeps hold of the ball well, but while doing so, he also slows the game down radically. Tevez wasnt much better either, his first touch is just woeful. Rooney was the only forward who looked like he belonged in a United shirt.
As for the defence, Foster was fully at fault for the goal. Neville should be ashamed of the dive, he is our captain for crying out loud. Vida still does not look the player he was a month ago, and Evans still needs to learn a lot.
Overall, nothing on show today from United has shown any indication that we can get the result in Portugal.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:50
@Orez: can never be too careful
Scholes did not do much for me besides the goal. I say Rooney or Carrick as MOM or maybe just the ball as MOM 
I hope that resting Ronaldo, Evra and EVDS will pay off against Porto because losing that game would be too much to handle, mainly as I do would really like to have Barca in the final.
April 11th, 2009 at 17:52
@AndyCR7: I missed the dive… when/where was it? And why?
April 11th, 2009 at 17:54
@Madschester United:
The Neviller went down in the box as if he had been shot…..go booked for it
April 11th, 2009 at 18:01
@Vivek: that is embarrasing! While I have loved Neville growing up it seems that fergie should give him 2 options come summer:
1. Sign a new contract as a coach and retire from football.
2. Sign a new contract with Oldham United and leave on Free Transfer.
I still think Scholes and Giggs are valuable team members.
April 11th, 2009 at 18:03
So what if we won. We were yet again total crap on a stick. And Dan, if I had the energy to really care at this point, I would have a nice angry rant about your goalkeeper of the future Mr. Foster. But I’m finding that I just don’t care. This team is not going to win the Champions League and is not going to win EPL. OK, I’ve gone and said it. Liverpool crashes and burns against Chelsea and how do they react to that crushing defeat? They come out and win 4-0. It sickens me to say this but that is the reaction of a champion. We on the other hand nickel and dime our way to 3 points thanks in part to the luck and quick feet of a 17 year old lad who is clearly worthy of starting every game from now until the end. Many will see the Macheda goal as a fluke and lucky. Well it was lucky but it was no fluke. Look at the slow motion shot from behind the goal and you will see a quick shuffling and repositioning of the feet that allowed him to redirect the ball into the goal. The kid is a natural but here’s the thing. The lad is on for 30 seconds and in that time he spent more time in the opposition box than Berbatov and Tevez had for the whole game.
Sure Berbatov was playing hurt but did he look like a player that really cared or that was going to make a statement just in case his position on the team was being threatened? He just loped around like he was walking his dog in Hyde Park. Tevez again works hard but when the ball is at his feet he is useless. Where has this boy’s first touch and ball control gone? He has the ball control of a bumper in a pinball machine.
Typical of Scholes to play a decent game against a poor team. He’s becoming famous for this. Just don’t start him against Porto. Johnny Evans? Time to sit this boy down. His injury is bothering him and it’s hurting his play and concentration. It’s about time for Rio to man up and show us he is the leader he wants everyone to believe he is. Gary Neville? Please retire……Right the fuck now. Ronaldo, I know he cam into the game late but does this player really resemble the man who has terrorized English football for 5 years? Doe she have a twin brother with far less skill that we don’t know about?
Today should have been a day to send a message to Liverpool, Porto and the rest. 3-0, 4-0 was what we should have done against a team with no skill or ability to score against us. Instead we struggle to score two, give up a bad goal and are fortunate not to have given up two or three more. Meanwhile we once again squandered chances due to poor finishing, and poor first touches by the players who are paid to score goals. Frankly I am sick of it and I want……..no I demand changes now and especially in the future. Fergie wants to come back for two or three years, well he better wake the fuck up if he is thinking of doing this because the legacy he has built can crash and collapse down upon him if he continues to allow this garbage to emerge every time the team takes to the field. Total rubbish and not worth the effort write about yet alone watch for 90 minutes. Consider me disgusted and fed up.
April 11th, 2009 at 18:08
@Orez: A lot to ask of two guys who have been sitting for a long time. Brown and Rafael will be very rusty and Rio will return in lazy mode because he usually does if he sits a few games. At this stage, I have no confidence in anybody being able to fix the way this team plays and get rid of this malaise. They just look to be rudderless and clueless. Poor coaching and no motivation whatsoever. Honestly, what I would give to watch a training session of theirs?
April 11th, 2009 at 18:12
On another note, why the hell isnt Fabio and/or James/Possebon given a run out. It might atleast freshen up the team if nothing else
April 11th, 2009 at 18:17
That’s Ok, I’ll let you off for once
. Its just that I noticed for situatioins where Tevez or Berbatov have contributed more or less the same to a game, people are tempted to view the glass as half-full for one and half-empty for the other.
April 11th, 2009 at 18:18
Haven’t watched the game, catching the highlights this season, but the team selection baffles me. Can anyone explain it to me?
Is Ferguson auditioning Berbatov in the hope of playing his favourite striker against Porto? I certainly hope not! Even before his injury Berbatov was playing shit and rushing him back from injury seems like a terrible idea.
Surely he could have given Nani a game to get him match sharp before unleashing him on Porto?
How did Anderson look for match fitness?
Id like to put Anderson in a three man midfield against Porto alongside Fletcher and Giggs. That midfield would offer the defence some impressive protection, boss the midfield and then we’d have Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez to finish Porto off, with Macheda coming off the bench if we still need a goal.
April 11th, 2009 at 18:46
@colver: and tevez was playing better?
Berbatov is this teams scapegoat, it doesnt matter what he does, hell never be good enough for our “fans”
April 11th, 2009 at 18:50
@colver: There isn’t a midfield combination on this team that would make a hill of beans difference. They all suck. We need to buy at least two central midfielders not just because we lack quality, but to just give the team a new look and feel. Then we need to take care of our glaring weakness at LMF/LW. If Fergie refuses to give Nani an extended run to help him get his game and confidence back, then it’s time to get somebody who will do the job. I am truly sick and tired of Park starting there in three out of every four matches. I look at Chelsea with their midfield and especially Arsenal with Fabregas and Arshavin and I totally feel jealous. We have a truly useless and inept midfield with no bite in it.
April 11th, 2009 at 18:57
From the DAILY STAR.
“Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he will quit Manchester United after winning two more European Cups.”
HA! HA! HA!
That’s rich Fergie. Based on what I am seeing, I guess that means Fergie will be with the team right up to his passing. I seriously have doubts over him winning another trophy now let alone two European Cups. Are his players aware of this? Because they sure aren’t playing like European Cup favorites right now. 
April 11th, 2009 at 18:59
@Dan: I guess it would help if he actually did something then huh?
April 11th, 2009 at 19:02
@Dan: I agree. I thought that, with the exception of Rooney, he was our best player on the pitch until he started to fade a little in the second half. He contributed to the first goal, had a nice flick to Scholes which led to a strike, a lay off to Carrick that led to a strike, his first touch was excellent as usual, and he held the ball up tremendously. Even though the midfield was still rather shit, they looked more composed than they have for the last 4 games and that is in large part due to Berba’s hold-up play. Oh, he also won a free kick in a dangerous area and should have been awarded another (if not a penalty). That’s not bad for a first game back from injury (which I suspect he is still struggling with a bit). Other than that it is all his fault as usual.
That said, he should have done better with his shot and he really needs to try and get into the box more.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:10
@colver: @Dan: I agree with Dan here. For four matches now, Berbatov was not playing and we sucked royally. Its high time we get over the cheap excuse of Berbatov being shit or lazy, the real problem with this team is the midfield which has been letting us down, both in defense and offense.
I’m not pretending Berbatov has been playing well, far from it, but he has not been receiving the kind of service he did in early season.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:11
Hahahahahaha – try and stop us Red
. We supporters need a health hazard warning to stand on the terraces these days, but WE WON. I am not even going to moan, I stand by my “this is the time to shut up, and shout for the lads to the finish line.”
Kiko, Kiko, here we go again,
My My what a feckin goal son.
Kiko, Kiko, your magnifico,
My My – It- al – iano.
Made the scousers heavy hearted,
But the Mancs are all delighted,
Kiko Kiko, your magnifico,
My My what a fucking goal son!
To the tune of Abba’s Mama Mia.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:13
@Eric the Red: There, Man!!
April 11th, 2009 at 19:17
@Craig Mc: Did you just come up with that? Class if not a bit queer!
April 11th, 2009 at 19:18
@Grognard: Today we sent a VERY STRONG message to L’fool, we have players WHO CAN NICK a game when we have too. And we had to today. Come on you RED DEVILS.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:20
@NicoQB: A bit queer??? Whatever do you mean
.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:20
wow i am agreeing with craig , we address the same issues over and over its time to stand by them thats all we can do.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:24
@Craig Mc: I didn’t think the message was anything near strong. If anything, it only reinforces the belief in other teams that attacking us will hurt our wobbling defence. Nicking a game is not a strong message, crushing sunderland would have been. But then, whatever floats your boat.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:28
@Vivek: We will get the result in Lisbon, and I don’t care if its 1-0. We are still trying to find some kind of consistency again, after having so many unavoidable changes week after week to our best players, thru injury or bans. Yet we will win over at Porto’s place, because lady fortune is with us. I mean did Portsmouth deserve to beat us in FA cup semi’s last season – hell NO, we were well on our game, but their name was on the cup. Our name is on the PL/CL cups again this year. That’s what I am thinking and seeking to believe.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:31
@Grognard: Would appreciate it if you also provided the link to the article, so that I could read it in full to ensure this is not a rehash of earlier quotes/ quotes taken out of context. Because I just find it out of character for Fergie to say such a thing about retiring only after winning X number of titles.
And even if he did, I don’t see how that’s rich. After all, 2-3 European cups wouldn’t be won over weeks, but years; seeing as we were in “all conquering form” mode only a month ago.
Current form is poor. But I’m pretty sure Ferguson is talking long term.
Anyway, link please, because anything with Daily Star seems dodgy to me
April 11th, 2009 at 19:32
Can anybody tell me what the wisdom is in keep swapping our team players every other fucking game??? I mean, how can the players get used to playing with each other eh? I want Fergie to pick his best team for the remaining games, AND FUCKING STICK with them. Only time to change is when we have too. It must be very confusing playing with so many different players every week. No wonder they come staggering off the field these days, they are drunk with trying to work out who is doing what, and where
. I am still fully putting my support behind them until the end 
.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:37
@Red Ranter: I think I understand what Craig is saying. It does not matter how we play, we still win. Liverpool are chasing something they will never reach as long as we keep nicking goals be it in the 93rd minute or the 80th. Liverpool can only believe for so long until they realize the futility of their efforts.
-I am with Craig and everyone else who says that we must support the team “through sickness and health” because there is only one United!
If we beat Portsmouth next round then Liverpool will meet Arsenal in a must-win game. I think Liverpool will fold then… too much pressure.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:38
@ROOOOONEY: You agree with me, that’s a first
. Fuck me, the world is round then after all 
.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:39
@Madschester United: Woooooooooo Madchester, you got that right mate
.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:46
@Red Ranter: Fergie didn’t say that he would retire only after winning 2 more European Cups. He said that if he won 2 more, then he would retire. It’s from his interview with CNN a few days ago.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:47
@Red Ranter: Whether you agree or not, I don’t give a flying feck
. We won, I’m happy. It is the last stretch of the season, and we need all the luck we can get. If we had been playing a Blackburn with 7 of their usual first team stars missing, and at OT, we would have whipped their arses too. That I have no doubt of. Also what floats my boat, is the prospect of retaining our trophies at the end of the season, for all L’fools MOUTHING OFF, and late run. We are doing so, because we have consistently done better than all the other teams in the premiership up until the last few games. And this having played so many more games in the season than they have, and when they had their chance they could not capitalise, but hopefully we can. If that doesn’t float your boat, well……………………….
I hope we go on to make history.
Manchester – Capital City of trophies
.
April 11th, 2009 at 19:49
Well… Lets look on the bright side…
Atleast Evra was benched….
April 11th, 2009 at 19:56
@Craig Mc: They played with Samba up front… that’s how bad their team was today.
April 11th, 2009 at 20:31
@Craig Mc: I agree with everything you’ve said today especially about just getting behind the team.
April 11th, 2009 at 20:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4S2Ec0UBkM
April 11th, 2009 at 20:39
@Liam: Thank you Liam. It is the time to let everything else go now, we have said all season what we all have thought. Now we have to back them to the hilt no matter what!
April 11th, 2009 at 20:40
@Madschester United: Yeah I know mate. Always amazes me though how every opposition player suddenly recovers when it is time to play Man United though – makes you wonder doesn’t it?
April 11th, 2009 at 21:13
@Craig Mc: And Liverpool sent an even louder message back to us by winning 4-0 and declaring that the EPL is their prime directive. I don’t want to nick games mate, I want to beat opponents senseless and show them why we are worthy champions.
We are not playing like worthy champions, more like worthy chumps. I’m sick of the site of them and their dumb ass style of football of late.
April 11th, 2009 at 21:16
@Red Ranter: What is really disturbing is that now teams are trying to attack us, but what has happened to our ability to counterattack and scare them back into a defensive posture?
April 11th, 2009 at 21:25
@Grognard: You win the Championship over 38 games. Whether we are scraping points come May I don’t care. Overall, we have been best and most consistent at least the League-table tells me that.
Winning 4-0 against Bburn when Samba was their lone striker did send us a message. However, we beat Sunderland and answered what-ever message Liverpool sent. However, Blackburn sent their reserves to Anfield. From BBC:
“Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz is out with a knee injury but midfielder David Dunn plays despite carrying an Achilles injury. He comes into the side with Andre Ooijer, Tugay and Keith Treacy as El-Hadji Diouf, Morten Gamst Pedersen and the injured Jason Roberts make way. Benni McCarthy is on the bench and Blackburn’s shortage of strikers sees centre-back Chrsitopher Samba play up front.”
Grognard, you should know by now (assuming you are a long-time football fan) that winning a league takes every game into consideration. So when Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea were struggling not too long ago and we were cruising, the points from back then count equally as they do now.
I am not sure why you don’t see us as worthy champions (if we win it) when we have the most points. Maybe you think Arsenal should be champions now since they are mauling their opponents…
April 11th, 2009 at 21:26
@Grognard: Our slow midfield is blamed for this (and perhaps Tevez/Berba’s slowing down our attacks).
April 11th, 2009 at 21:30
@NicoQB: OK there’s some merit in the idea that the MF has been shit, but you have to agree that the attack and defense has been shit too. If fact we have become one huge, steaming pile of it!
I just can’t put my finger on what has happened. The Liverpuke game seemed like a downward turning point and so, could it be that their tender sense of self confidence was delivered a fatal blow by the dippers???
It all seems too much to take. The idea that the 1-4 thrashing made us crumble like a house of cards is as unlikely as it is unpalatable.
So what the fuck is it?? A combination of injuries and fatigue, or an inevitable downward turn of form or has the opposition found a chink in our armor. You know I just don’t know!! I’ve seen some blips in form over the years and I’ve actually watched them season after season without thinking for one minute that we’d win anything at all, but this complete reversal over the past month is just mind boggling, and it stinks!!!
April 11th, 2009 at 21:44
@Redrich: I find out attack quite decent. Scored 5 goals in last two games.
No clue on the downward turn.
April 11th, 2009 at 21:59
@Redrich: Stop fucking moaning and enjoy the ride to the finish line
.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:03
@Craig Mc: I’ll let you carry the flag, Craig. It’s just not my style!!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:04
@Red Ranter: I don’t remember where I found it mate but it wasn’t directly from the Daily Star. It was from one of the sites that had a football gossip section with different quotes and the Ferguson one was attributed to the Daily Star. I also had read the quote at some different laces yesterday so the chances are he might have said he wants to stick around for two or three more years and still wants to win a couple more European Cups. That’s really not that big of a revelation because he has made that claim before. I just brought it up today because of the way the team is playing. Personally I think he’s dreaming with this present bunch of under performers.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:05
@Craig Mc: There is no question about getting behind the team. When you are on the terraces, in a match situation, all fans must get behind the team at any stage of the season.
We got the win, yes. But if today’s performance makes you think we’d get better, I don’t know what to say. I really hope we get better from now on. But I think Porto will be tougher than many think.
I agree when you say a little bit of luck is important to us, but we seem to be relying more on luck than trying to make our own luck. So it’s harder to float your boat when you rely on an undue amount of luck when it’s bound to run out.
I really want our side to win the title, and by also playing a little better football than we are currently. Yes, we are jaded, and we’ve had injuries and suspensions. But we had all of this when we had our all conquering run. And it’s just puzzling why we’re playing like the way we are at the moment.
Fingers crossed, and hope for the best for us, is all I can do right now. Let’s hope the boys turn it around in style.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:07
@Red Ranter: Found it. It has quotes from all the major papers. You’ll find it half way down.
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/football/Saturday39s-football-gossip-Arsenal-in.5163202.jp
April 11th, 2009 at 22:08
@Grognard: Well then, go back a few games, and for most of the season while L’fool who you are trumpeting of late, were scrapping mealy mouthed draws at home. So the fool have a what 4 perhaps 5 good results, and suddenly they are the best thing since sliced bread. We are having a hard time right now, and nobody has complained or groaned more than me – but the way to encourage us back to greatness this late in the season, is to give the lads our full support, and that is what I intend to do. So you go your way, and I’ll go mine. We are not always going to play the upper eschelons of football. Look at Chelski, they walloped the dippers, and should have won that game 6-0 except for poor luck, and then today they were leading 4-0 and were pulled back to 4-3. If you want to talk worthy champions, who the fuck is worthy this year, every team have played their shite games. Nobody deserves the PL trophy on merit this season. Just cos pool had a few good games, they also had a lot more shite games. So we are as worthy of any of the others this season – end of.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:11
@Craig Mc: Get used to it mate, thats the nature of the modern game for the big clubs who have the money to have deep squads. It’s absolutely necessary because of the fact that the top clubs in Europe play close to 70 competitive matches a season. If they tried to play their main 11 more consistently, the lads would be knackered beyond belief. Squad rotation is the wave of the present and there is no getting away from it. Teams like United have their hands in more than one cookie jar and therefore need to apply a rotation system in order to keep players fresh. I for one hate it but I see the necessity for doing it.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:12
@Redrich: Not your style to carry the flag, WHAT? And your an American, who are notoriously proud to carry their flad – WTF mate
.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:12
@Madschester United: But that’s the whole problem mate, it matters greatly how we play. We need to send a message that what we just went through was just a blip, a mirage and that we are back. Apparently we are not. We sucked yet again and it has become very apparent to me, that we may not regain our form again this season for a lot of reasons that are both on and off the field.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:14
@Grognard: So how come some of our players have spent all the season getting splinters in their arse on the bench. Squad rotation, yeah right, for the favourite few.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:14
@Madschester United: There is absolutely no fluidity to our attack, the flankers are playing like wankers and some of the goals that we have scored have been jammy. Berbatov looks like he needs to go out to pasture and Tevez look like he needs to go back to football school to learn how to trap the ball!!
You are kidding yourself if you think the attack is playing decent!!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:15
@Grognard: So in your opinion, just because of the way the team is playing NOW, you doubt if Fergie will EVER win another trophy again, just not this season, but forever? Great, just one of the reasons why I love redrants, the teenage high- school girl/ drama- queenesqque over- exaggeration of things.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:15
@Eric the Red: The same interview where he said he would go two or three more years and then retire. So do the math. How many European Cups can he fit into that time period? It’s not like he plans on playing for the entire time it takes him to win two more because chances are it will not happen. At least not under his watch.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:15
Anyway Grog, I wasn’t talking about not rotating players throughout the season, I was saying this late in the season for our last several games, apart from the FA cup, then pick your best team and stick with it.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:16
@Craig Mc: I’m not an American. WTF!!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:17
@Rd: Well you seem to love it enough to continuously frequent this place!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:18
@Craig Mc: Sounds like you are settling for hamburger even though you have been dining on prime rib for all these years. I for one will not settle for anything but prime rib. As a devoted and loyal Man Utd supporter, I’ve earned that indulgence. We all have. Yet it’s Hamburger Helper that Fergie has been serving up for the last month, and really for the whole season.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:19
@Darth Red Diablo: No mate, he was rested for Porto. I wish he was benched for today’s game and the rest of the season. He has become total shite.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:20
If it is as high schoolish as you propose, I can bring to your attention 100 other Man United sites, where you might find people who argue more to your taste. This site is the best, always has been and always will be. Plenty of banter and plenty of warfare. And too opinionated perhaps for you Rd – shame!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:20
@Craig Mc: Queer as in “unusual choice of song for a terrace chant”
Abba!
But as I get the word “queer” has other connotations nowadays!
But even so, Abba, that’s very queer in itself! 
April 11th, 2009 at 22:22
@Grognard: Its the end of the season, and like I said, every PL team has been fed Hamburger meat this season. Our lot will come again – I believe.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:23
@Rd: There are better ways to address it without getting judgemental/personal. But then, there’s little I can tell someone who clearly seems to be confused — if you don’t like a site, the logical thing would be to not
visitfrequent it.April 11th, 2009 at 22:24
@Redrich: Oh dear
. Sorry mate, I always thought you were 
.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:24
Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league, Top of the league,
April 11th, 2009 at 22:25
@Craig Mc: Craig, honestly Bro, do you think that if we bitch and complain about the team sucking so bad that we still aren’t supportive of them? The reason we bitch and moan is because we love them and totally support them. But just like when your child brings home an unsatisfactory report card from school, you don’t sluff it off, you get mad at them and discipline them if necessary. It’s because you love them and want them, hell you demand they do better. You are still being supportive of them but sometimes kids need tough love. Well I for one am doing nothing more than venting my frustration and dishing out my dose of tough love to United through our blog and into the ears of those who want to hear it and to those who don’t. It’s my contribution to the parenting of Man Utd. I’m not expecting the team to hear my words, but I do share my feelings with the rest of the fraternity who cares as much as I do.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:27
@Grognard: I was just pointing out that he said that if he won 2 European cups that he would quit and not that he would keep going until he won 2 more.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:27
@Grognard: Agree. I am all for getting 100% behind the team on the pitch, where it affects them the most. But on these blogs? I suppose there are better things players have than to scroll through the comment threads of sites like Red Rants.
Pretty sure, this site isn’t as big as the other United fan sites for players to even bother.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:28
@Madschester United: Sure I know we can’t always win big but we need to get out of this slump in a resounding manner. Just scraping by is not sending a message to the team or it’s supporters that the worst is behind us. We still have a lot of work to do to win anything, and I know, in fact I guarantee we won’t win anything without the team picking it up a hell of a lot more than they did today. I do not yet see the light at the end of the tunnel. The fact that some of you do just tells me that you are seeing things.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:29
@Redrich: Actually even I thought you were American.
Don’t know why. Are you an expat in America, then?
April 11th, 2009 at 22:31
Also, may I add that I am not really keen on blowing sides away. In fact, I would have rated a 1-0 win higher than 2-1, just because a clean sheet does so much more in boosting our team’s confidence, given the context of the season. Blowing sides away can be the next step. First we need to get our basic defending right, which we are sadly not doing.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:32
@Madschester United: Agreed, our midfield is pathetically slow but then again, Ronaldo has done little to help our counterattacking game and Rooney himself has done little and they are both fast. Perhaps if we added a Nani to the attack and more of Anderson we would get more of a jump in games but I doubt it. All season long this team has been flat footed and moving on the back of their heels rather than on the balls of their feet. Calling it slow motion would be an understatement. The fact we have no lightning in our bottle hurts us when teams finally figure out that attacking us may actually be the team’s Achilles heel.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:33
@Redrich: Some merit?
Just a bit I’d say.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:34
Everyone is making valid points, but I think we all need to relax. Concern under the circumstances is natural and necessary, but let’s not fall into liverpool’s trapped of inflicting panic on ourselves. Liverpool has successfully planted a seed of doubt in the players and the OT faithful. Fear is like a cancer and is contagious. What SAF needs to do is sit the boys down and remind them who is in command. Instead of trying to match or spending time worrying about liverpool’s hunger, we must norish the fact that we have experience of winning the title and know what is required. We must set our own goals, restablish our standards and stop concerning ourselves with what liverpool are doing. It’s the very distraction they want. If you’re constantly looking over your shoulder every other minute, you lose sight of the road. Look back now and again, but keep your pace even if the muscles begin to cramp. So everyone just breath. Form is residual, yes, but every game represents a new opportunity to get back on track. This would be my message to the players and the fans. If nothing else comforts you today, it’s that even with other teams attempting their best, it often fails to beat our worst!
April 11th, 2009 at 22:34
@Craig Mc: What’s with all the positive vibe crap mate? It’s not like you. What the heck have you been smoking because it’s mellowed you out far too much?
April 11th, 2009 at 22:39
@Grognard: Cheers. But it seems to have only the one line that you pasted here, and no quotes. Oh well, nevermind. Eric the Red just said that he mentioned it in the CNN interview. I’ll look that up.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:42
@Craig Mc: I don’t care what Liverpool have done or are doing Bro, I care that we are playing like total shit and playing worse than at anytime in recent memory. I care that we are throwing this title and the CL away at the most crucial time and that we are starting to choke. We barely beat Sunderland today mate. It wasn’t a close call win at Anfield or at the Emirates or Stamford Bridge, it was at the Stadium of Blight. Now we are using excuses like Liverpool also had bad spells in the season? Yes they did but they are fucking Liverpool. They are Scouser bastards and they aren’t in our class. Or at least I never thought they were.
Sorry mate but your glass half full thinking does not play with me. I see major problems and some kind of psychological illness that has taken over this team and they have lost the bottle. They are collectively playing at 40% efficiency and that is not good enough for us fans and not good enough to win any of the remaining trophies. We have fallen and we haven’t found a way to get up. If you think scraping a win today is an omen of sunshine, I would have to disagree. For me it showed that the dark cloud continues to rain acid down on our season.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:43
@Redrich: I think that if Rooney plays as second striker the attack will be more or less fine. Even with Ronaldo playing at a level half of that what he was last year he’s still a threat. And did you know that Kiko Macheda’s middle name is “Gunnar”?
And with Berbatov back, our ball retention in attack is likely to increase.
No, to get an idea how bad our midfield is playing right now, just compare it to 1999’s midfield – yep each of the four midfielders could come up with around 10 goals each in a season, giggs and scholes nearing 15, becks around 10, and Keane around 7.
Ok, maybe I’m harsh… Maybe this midfield has a more defensive role. Wait a minute, we’re leaking goals right now! OK, maybe their primary role is to create for the strikers… But, wait for it, I think recently only Rooney and maybe Giggs have been creating opportnities for strikers. So WTF are our midfield doing?
April 11th, 2009 at 22:46
@Red Ranter: Here is a link to the CNN video site:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/
It’s somewhere in the sport section
April 11th, 2009 at 22:46
@Craig Mc: Because we have a very deep squad. Within that squad their are players who will rot on the bench simply because they are not in good favor with Fergie. And to be honest, Nani has not been in Fergie’s good books since his dumb ass red card late last season. It seems to me that Fergie holds a grudge towards some players if they cross him. I honestly believe that half of the games Wes Brown has missed this season is more out of a sense of punishment by Fergie for his contractual threats last off season. Notice how he was benching him early in the season before his injury. A deep bench but also an increasingly more useless bench in the midfield. Thank God for Macheda 4 points saved because of that lad or we would be 3 points behind Liverpool right now.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:49
@Rd: Tough luck for you then. Deal with it. Sorry I haven’t conformed to your way of thinking. I guess that makes me less of human being than your great eminence.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:53
@Craig Mc: He needs to rotate now more than ever because the whole squad is tired after a long and grueling season that has also limited players due to many injuries. 1995 is over mate. The game isn’t played like that anymore. I’m mad at the way starting pitchers are used in modern baseball. They used to go 8 or 9 innings and now you are lucky if your starter goes 6 innings because the game has changed and specialization has entered the tactical playbook. Now teams carry specialists on the bench for the purpose of rotation and limiting the damage that wear and tear can cause to starters. Pro sports has become a real pussy convention, don’t you think?
April 11th, 2009 at 22:55
@Eric the Red: And all I was saying was that if he meant that, he may end up dying before ever achieving it.
April 11th, 2009 at 22:57
@Red Ranter: I don’t write if for the players. I know they don’t read it. Give me a little more credit than that, I’m not that naive. But I am writing as an irrate but loyal fan voicing his dissatisfaction with the status quo at OT at present. It’s for any eyes that want to read it.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:00
@Grognard: I was agreeing with you and echoing your thoughts in different words. And adding to some of your points. It was in general response to the cross section of people talking about getting behind the side irrespective of their performances, on this blog. I was trying to address them, in addition to your points, by saying getting behind the side on the terraces, during the game is fine. But on the blog, it’s quite alright to point out deficiencies if any, and have room for debate.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:39
@Red Ranter: Your so wrong on all counts!
April 11th, 2009 at 23:40
@Craig Mc: Er, okay.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:41
@Red Ranter: We’ve debated the fuck all season though, and NOW is the time to just get behind the team, and roar them thru to the trophies.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:45
@Grognard: They do read it, and that is a FACT, a true fact, and not a Rafa type fact. How many times do I have to tell you, that one of United’s 1st team players wife, is a friend of my friend. That player says they browse this site and one or two others.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:52
@Grognard: Would, could, should, but we aint. As for Fergie, why should he be such a bastard to Nani because of one red card – please. He should try then to look at Vida, and Rooney, Scholesy etc etc etc – who have MORE reds, and thru far worse behaviour in Roons case, and much handball in Scholesy’s sake. But in all of this I don’t care, Fergie shouldn’t have favourites, while treating others like shit, Wes Brown and Nani etc. I am choosing right now though just to get behind EVERY player on the field wearing United red. I want to bring home the trophies – end of. If we don’t deserve the silverware as some of you seem to infer, then neither do any of the other teams, who have just turned up for the last few games.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:56
@Craig Mc: im with you my friend, we all would love to see champagne football flowing from our team but at this point in the season its all about the three points first, performance second.
I said the same thing last season after the criticism of our team after the first leg against Barca, yes we played awful that night but at that stage of the season my desire to get behind the team no matter what outweighs my desire to criticise them and thats the way it should be in my opinion.
We are not firing on all cylinders at the minute which is worrying, but we are edging closer to finish line with our noses still in front so first and foremost its important we stay there coz to win whenever your not playing well is a trait that all teams that win the the premiership must display at some point in the season, which is why Liverpool sqandered thier big lead when they failed to convert draws into wins around christmas time, yes they are playing well at the minute and you must give them credit for it, but leagues are won and lost over the course of a full season and not just over golden four week periods coz during our golden period Liverpool dropped a lot of points so after the peaks and troughs of the season so far we are in poll position, so we should be backing our team all the way to the finish line, the post mortems and analylis can wait until after the race is run.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:56
Anyway, I gotta hit the sack
. Goodnight ye all, and see you soon 
. Off now to my beauty sleep 
.
April 11th, 2009 at 23:59
@Craig Mc: Roar them we will, and I suppose those on the terraces are doing that. But that’s where it really counts — during games. Morale can be heightened when the players need fan support the most — which is on the pitch, during a game.
Everyone is behind the side, which is why we are United fans. But when we see something is not right we can point it out. I have been mostly positive of the side through the season, and given them the benefit. And when I see they don’t perform I point it out. It strikes me as rather odd that when people like yourself have laid onto some of the players during the course of the season and defend that by saying: “This is a rants blog”, yet suddenly feel the need to tell others to tone it down when they don’t agree with you. This is a rants blog at the beginning of the season, in the middle, and at the tail end of the season. If not hysterical rants, at least a site for debating and sharing opinions.
I am as much as a United supporter and want success for our club as many on here. And mildly pointing out the error of ways of our players isn’t wrong at any time in the season, as long as its balanced and not hysterical. In my case I can say that I have been mostly balanced in my assessment of our sides strengths and frailties. So allow those of us who want to, to debate about our side. There’s no rule that says we have to stop debating at a certain period of time in the season.
Also it’s not that roaring like wild men between now and wednesday is going to help our throats or solve global warming.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:10
@Red Ranter: Yes, expat. Lived in Northern California since 1977. Originally from Walthamstow E.17.
There, now you all about me!!
April 12th, 2009 at 0:15
@Grognard: OK maybe I’m just being a dullard here and not explaining myself well.
My point is that that is exactly what he didn’t say. He never said he would continue until he won 2 more European cups (you’re right he might die trying). Rather he said that if he were to win 2 more (maybe in the next few years) then he could easily quit and be happy about it. Hope that clears up any misunderstanding we might be having.
Cheers mate, as always, from a fellow Canadian Red.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:28
@NicoQB: I think my point is that we are playing poorly as a team. If it was just the MF, the problem would be fairy simply to understand.
But a poorly performing MF does answer why we are making huge mistakes at the back and missing bags of opportunities up front. The issue is that so many players, all across the pitch, are playing well below their capabilities.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:44
@Craig Mc: Sorry mate but RR agrees with me in general and that makes him very RIGHT.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:48
@Craig Mc: Yes like they can hear me out here in Canada when I am behind them 100%. RR is right mate, it’s one thing to be completely supportive in the stands where the team can hear your support and rally behind it, but it’s entirely different on a blog they never frequent to voice our honest displeasure and concern over the Punch and Judy act they have been offering up of late. Sorry mate, I hate disagreeing with you but on this one we are at opposite ends of the matt.
Hope you don’t hold that against me.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:51
@Craig Mc: Well if they do read it they better start taking the words of the Grognard to heart because he loves them all like a strict father and he’s ready to spank their bottoms over their poor play of late. Seriously though, I’ll bet the ones that do read it are in the reserves. They have the time to waste where the first teamers are too busy and to tired to give a damn about blogs. And on the chance Fergie is reading this right now, Fergie, fire the muppet Phelan and hire me the Grognard. You know I am the chosen one. Now make it so.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:56
@Craig Mc: I’ll be honest with you, when Nani got that red card, I don’t know if I was ever as pissed off with a player as I was that day with him. That red stuck with me for a long time and if you can, go back into the blog’s archives and read the venom that I was spewing out towards the Lil Man. I hated him at that moment with a passion because i felt he might have cost us the EPL title. Well the summer helped mellow my heart towards him as well as him hammering home a penalty against Chelsea in the CL final. All was forgiven just like I forgave Ronaldo. You and I see what he is capable of, but his attitude at practice, in the dressing room or his indifference to defensive duties may be the root cause for him spending the entire season in the dog house. I honestly don’t know and I am only guessing based on what I read and see. I just wish he would give him a decent run out there because on a poor day, this lad offers ten times more than Park does at peak form.
April 12th, 2009 at 0:59
@Craig Mc: It’s how you finish the race that matters Craig, not how you start it or how you are doing half way through it. Champions are determined at the finish line. Lets see who finishes first after this Hell bent season. Lets put it this way, if United get their shit together and actually win the League and even possibly the other trophies, we will chalk it up to winning ugly. They will have redefined the term winning ugly, because that’s exactly what it will be.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:00
@Craig Mc: Your beauty sleep? I guess that would require going comatose eh?
April 12th, 2009 at 1:02
@Red Ranter: “Also it’s not that roaring like wild men between now and wednesday is going to help our throats or solve global warming.”
You are correct. All that hot air being served up will probably do more harm in the area of global warming.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:05
@Eric the Red: I know what he was trying to say but he never articulated it particularly well and he left it open for many to misinterpret his meaning. He wants to stick around for a couple more years and win a couple more European Trophies. It only took him 20 years to win his first two and he thinks with this present bunch in the form and age they are at he will win two more? Only if he makes some wholesale changes and finds his mojo, which has gone missing all season.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:08
@Grognard: “Your beauty sleep? I guess that would require going comatose eh?
Thats cold mate…haha
April 12th, 2009 at 1:18
@Grognard: It’s also possible that Global warming is an easier problem to solve than our current malaise!!
April 12th, 2009 at 1:33
@Grognard: I think one “wholesale change” could be to bench Tevez and Bertatov. Let them watch from the sidelines, at a 17 year old, coming out of the reserves, and grabbing the hearts and attention of the entire football nation.
Could be that it’ll start a fire in their bellies and make them perform to the heights at which they are paid. Either that or they should be sent packing, and I mean Overnight!!
April 12th, 2009 at 1:36
@Grognard: I Love the idea of “Wild Men Roaring”, it reminds of Cantona!!
April 12th, 2009 at 3:17
@Roge9: It was also a joke between buddies.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:19
@Redrich: It is. The solutions for global warming are very simple. Just stop emitting specific elements into the air and it will stop. United’s problems are a little more psychological I’m afraid and a whole lot more mysterious.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:22
@Redrich: I agree, but I doubt it would increase Berbatov’s heartbeat because Vampires don’t breath. They are already dead.
As for Tevez, there is nothing wrong with his desire or effort, he just sucks with the ball at his feet. Fergie doesn’t have the guts to start Macheda the rest of the way.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:23
@Redrich: Nothing about this current team reminds me of the King.
April 12th, 2009 at 4:07
@Grognard: “Fergie doesn’t have the guts to start Macheda the rest of the way
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. He was bold enough to put him in the CL squad and he played him today as well.
SAF sat down Ruud when he didn’t perform and sold Beckham when he didn’t conform. The idea of SAF being chicken shit about issues like that is unfounded. SAF will stall on Berbatov because the whole idea of him (SAF) being so wrong, would be a hard pill for the club (and him) to swallow.
April 12th, 2009 at 4:10
@Grognard: “Nothing about this current team reminds me of the King”
I know, and aint that a fucking shame!
April 12th, 2009 at 4:17
@Redrich: There’s talent there but there is no heart or grit. And when there is heart it’s usually misplaced in moments of emotional stupidity. Example, Wayne Rooney.
April 12th, 2009 at 4:37
@Grognard: Well OK, you know I rate Rooney and dismiss his emotional approach to the game. And, frankly, you seem to want me to get in a pissing contest about it all. But, you know, I’m just not that interested in that kind of contact.
I’m 56 years old and all this sparing doesn’t rock my world any more. I love to talk about United and I’m happy to banter back and forth with you and anyone else that seems to care about all this stuff, but please don’t make it a priority to piss me off.
I do think you have vital perspectives on our team, but I just think you need to keep them all, and us, in perspective!!
April 12th, 2009 at 9:23
@Redrich: 56 years of age? – wow you deserve respect from some of us youngsters –
. If you have been a Man United fan that long, I salute you mate, you have seen and watched them a lot longer than me 
.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:23
@Redrich: What the heck are you going on about mate? The last thing I was doing was sparring with you. I was debating things and discussing our points of view. At no point was arguing or getting into a pissing contest. I too like Rooney but his lack of discipline concerns me and for that reason he isn’t a great leader in my eyes. How am I pissing you off? Christ sakes I’m 50 myself so it’s not like you are talking to a frakken kid here. I deal with the same issues as you. My perspectives on the team are my own but on a ranting site filled with Man Utd fans I choose to share them and debate. What exactly did I do to offend you? Did I call you a name, did I insult you? Please explain. I do nothing but show respect to everyone on this site until they call me names or insult me or if they cross the line with somebody else. Then I might get into it with them. I certainly never detected that I was sparring with you.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:29
Errr ‘d like to apologise this morning, I looked back thru my posts post game yesterday, and I guess I may have offended some, unintentionally! Sorry about the language too! I was what you might call bladdered, because I spent a long time in the pub with Ex Uni friends BEFORE the game, and after at my place. Unusual for me, because I NEVER care to drink BEFORE a game, unless I get into too much verbal confrontation on the terraces. The GF complains about matchday drinking, but I work so bloody hard all week, and Wkends is the only time I get out with the lads for a few bevvies. Well matchdays anyway. So mucho apologies folks. No disrespect meant.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:38
@Grognard: You cheeky GIT. I am handsome as the sunny day – errr according to my Mum that is
.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:40
@Grognard: Wild fans roar, while the team rush in, and take it all, in every championship. Nothing like the OT roar in full throttle.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:08
Terrace banter from yesterday :-
1. Rooney on the left wing AGAIN, where he can do the LEAST harm. What did he do to Fergie, to be exiles to the by-line?
2. Scholesy is so old now, that the jump he did for the headed goal has knackered him, and he has disappeared to his retirement home for the rest of the game. Awwww poor Scholesy.
3. I think we translated Macheda’s name wrong from Italian, I believe the correct translation is Machette, because he can cut thru opposition defences like butter
.
4. None of the other United players know how to play with Kiko, because he is so good it bewilders the rest of our strikers. They are not used to it.
5. Giggsy is so good at passing the ball and NOT getting it to a United player, that consistent betting on him in this respect has won me loads of dosh at the bookies. Yeah, I believe he has been given the PFA award this year, as the BEST man at giving the ball to the opposition.
6. Yeah, I have had a bet every week this season, on how much time Park spends on his arse in a game, and I’ve WON a mint. So much money from the bookies in fact, that they have shut the books to me on “Park on His Arse.”
7. Berbatov is called Count Dracula, because he is still dead in his coffin, even when he is on the pitch.
8. United should have got rid of their Deadwood last bonfires night, not left it to end of season clearance sale.
9. Hey lads, am I drunk or is our MF playing great? Great tackling from those guys in red and white. Yes mate, you are not just drunk but stupified, the MF playing in red/white today are Sunderland. Our lot are playing in blue.
10. One really drunk lad on the terraces (NOT ME)
said, “I hate that Ref Stiles, I want to go down and jump him.” His mate said, “I’d leave the jumping to the handicap race horses, they are much more adept at Jumping stiles, you will just break your neck mate, and I’d be pissed, to miss the rest of the game accompanying you to the hospital, or the local NICK.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:15
@Grognard: I’m holding too many things against you Bro – so I don’t have any space in the cupboard for any more
.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:16
@Grognard: No, that makes even RR very wrong
.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:21
@Red Ranter: RR I admitted that all season I have ranted and had my say. But this is not the time to continue to re-iterate to the team how shit they are. They are down, and need to be picked up, after the verbal batterings they have gotten most season. There is a TIME and A place for everything.
. This is the time to rally round, but I am not insisting those of you who want to continue to pour scorn shouldn’t do so, if thats your leaning. Free country mate!
April 12th, 2009 at 12:59
…just had ana amazing thought..
Imagine if we could get Wesley Sneijder as part of the Ronaldo to Mardrid deal…
would solve most, if not all our current midfield problems. theres no denying he is the ready made replacement for Scholsey!! Box to box, goal scoring midfielder
im praying hard for this one
April 12th, 2009 at 13:58
realred, if i could have anyone in the world to come into our midfield it would be xavi or iniesta. Its a god damn joke that city think they can bring iniesta to their dump for 35 mil. Seriously though iniesta or xavi would just be so great to come in, infact if we sold ronaldo i would be prepared to spend the majority of it on 1 of these 2, them or fabregas anyway. But yes probably after those 3 players wesley would be my next choice. Real really considering they call themselves a top team really do have shit players, apart from the dutch lot (robben, ruud, wesley) and a few spanish and argentines their entire team is just full of garbage players. I swear there are more players i would take from tottenham than madrid.
Anyway changing the subject is anyone else worried about all this debt issue. I know its just media bs and no1 knows the true figures but it really does get you worried when you hear we might be going bust, having to sell players etc. Beforehand i wouldnt believe it too much and always thought to myself some billionaire would come and bail us out in any case. But with all this credit crunch and that going on i just cant see any1 really coming in and paying over a billion quid for us just to release us from our debt, and thats before they give us money for players etc. what do you all think.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:01
I would like Wes Brown and Rafael treated properly once and for all! Our defense is in titters and tatters.
Park had a very poor game last nite! Scholes’ passing was awful.
Something is seriously wrong with Berbatov.. either his deployment or his game in our setup. He had an amazing tally of 1 shot in over an hour of playing.. that too when set up on a plate for him by Scholes… and even that wasn’t on target!
If he must hold the ball and keep possession and bring others into play and blah blah, I’d stick him in midfield. Carrick had more shots on goal than him for heaven’s sake.
And so much for Ben Foster!
April 12th, 2009 at 15:06
On to more positive things..
Kiko saved our bacon again. Well done boy! And thanks for the points in fantasy football!
Also kudos to Carrick for shooting at goal more than Berbatov and Tevez..and he did decent enough in midfield duties as well.
Ronaldo tracked back.
Rooney again left his Looney self at home, and was a constant threat. Good assist.
What else.. nothing much I think!
April 12th, 2009 at 15:10
I would like to say that I am digusted with the way the team is playing these days, and add to that I am ashamed of the players we have on our team and our leader the SIR alex ferguson.
In the game yesterday all I could hear from the fans are United chants but on the field we all saw CRAP, crappy football from a team I thought is worthy of champions.
90 minutes of Manchester United used to be the joy of my week, now I dread the day United are playing because I know it will not be enjoyable, I have not enjoyed Machedas goals whatsoever, against a team that lost 5-0 to liverpool the week before we should have destroyed them, and sunderland 17th in the league, what the hell!!!.
I love United so much, but I am considering not to watch any more games the rest of the season, but because I do love them I know that wont happen and I will cheer them on.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:22
@Hannoodi: I can understand being “digusted with the way the team is playing these days”.. but you are “ashamed of the players we have on our team and our leader the SIR alex ferguson.”???
You are ashamed of the leader?? Of Fergie?? Is it because he gave us bucket loads of trophies??? Or is it the Scottish accent that knocks you back??
You’re just mixing the temporary stuff with the permanent ones. If we go on to win the title playing this disgusted way, I’d not bet on you being ashamed of our 2008-09 season a couple of years down the line.. let alone being ashamed of the players and Fergie. Cut them a little more slack buddy
!
April 12th, 2009 at 15:27
Hannoodi, its true watching united this year, they have at times really bored me to death. For the neutral fan we have been good to watch of late cos we are conceeding goals so the games are more open, but go back a few months to our 1-0 stage, the opposition would sit back all game and we would barely have 3 good chances the whole game. This season i think we have an average scoring record of about 1.5 goals a game. This i believe is our lowest average for about 4 years since 05 when we couldnt score at all. Compare that to last year when we had an average of 2.5 a game and countless chances and you can see there is something wrong with us. If anything last year we were scoring 2 or 3 a game and we still werent happy cos we were having another 4 or 5 chances which we couldnt put away. Then to this season i honestly cannot remember a game this year where we have had more than 3 or 4 goal scoring chances. Yesterday apart from the goals there werent much, against villa there were a few but not much, against fulham before half time there was zilch, earlier on in the season against villa at their place we had 1 shot on target. This year we just do not create enough chances. People will say its all down to berbatov and maybe to a degree it is, but for me the creativity in the midfield this year is poor, very poor. The promotion of the so called squad players to first teamers this year i believe has been the main reason for it. The fletchers of this world are pretty decent but a partnership of him and carrick, where are the chances gonna come from in those 2. Whos our playmkaer in there, no one and thats probably why berbatov drifts back so much to get the service for himself, i really think we havent helped berba this year cos we dont give him enough chances. Next up is park, this guy is one of the worst attacking wingers i have ever seen. Lets get this straight, a wingers job at this club is to score and assist goals, defensive duties are second, he does the defensive side well but 2 goals and 2 assists all year in 30 plus year is championship standard to be honest. Infact i would say apart from ronaldo this year we have no world class players in our midfield, hargreaves and anderson the only other 2 who i reckon are actual classy players, the rest for me are just not good enough except for carrick who is good but not consistent enough. If we were to play more attacking with rafael and nani and anderson then i think we would create more chances and play better. Barca play with no fear so why do we go with 4-3-3 at home to certain teams. Barca would kill us if we played them now with the likes of the parks in our team. Just a real disappoitnment this season has been to watch, the tactics are just crap, i blame the muppet phelan personally. Ferguson needs to sort this out cos it really is becoming painful to watch us right now compared to our great football last year.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:38
@Matt: The most saddening thing is though Matt, we have the very same players we had last season, when we were free flowing and scoring aplenty, but Fergie for who knows what reason has left a good few of them time after time after time rotting on the bench or even worse in the stands. No wonder player moral is low. Fergie would lose face to leave Berba out, but if he insists on keeping him in the team, and Berba isn’t a bad player at all, but then we need a system that accommodates and works. I think our MF has been so pathetically poor, even last season in games Hargo didn’t play in. This has never been addressed. It still doesn’t look as though Fergie’s addressing it. Yet it is blatently obvious to every other manager that our MF is lacking strength. I hope Fergie sees it soon, and addresses it.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:42
@Hannoodi: Better you don’t watch then mate, United don’t need fairweather fans. They need fans to BE THERE thru thick and thin, good times and bad times – end of
.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:47
On the pitch I cheer as hard as anyone for the lads, but off the pitch I cannot help but feel disappointed at our indifferent displays this season. Sure it was nice to achieve all those cleansheets but all those 1-0s are not what I am used to from a club with this attacking tradition. I really hoped that once players returned from injury we’d be able to step up a notch and achieve some resounding victories especially after the first leg against Inter.
But then our defence opened the floodgates and our midfield did F.A. and I witnessed us concede ten goals in two weeks. Yes we’ve scored some goals but we’ve created very few chances and really we’ve been incredibly lucky that players like Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Macheda are taking their chances and getting us out of jail.
But if Aston Villa and even Sunderland had attacked us for the entire game I don’t think we’d have won those games. And if Porto go all out attack in the return leg we’ll crumble as well.
Our best hope is that Porto get overawed by the occasion and sit back and defend. With Rooney in good form, Ronaldo remembering how to score goals and Tevez and Macheda capable of late goals I think we are worth a goal midweek
But if Porto go for the jugular we are in serious trouble. We’d better pray that Fergie patches up Rio and Brown for Wednesday and Evra wakes the f**k up after being rested this weekend.
With a bit of luck and a dramatic improvement in our performance levels I think we can scrape past Porto. I also think that unless Chelsea or Liverpool win all their remaining games we’ll be able to win the title.
But this season to be frank we are just not good enough to win the Champions League. I can even see Arsenal beating us in the semis if we get past Porto. And based on our average form this season we don’t have a prayer against a revilitalised Chelsea or Barcelona.
What we need to see is more desire and hunger. If you want something bad enough you play through the pain barrier and you get a second wind and tiredness doesn’t affect us.
I also want to see more of the guys who have no excuse for being tired. Players like Tevez, Nani and Anderson who have hardly had any games this season. Players like Rafael and Brown who’ve had months off with injuries and need to give our other defenders a bit of a rest.
Is it too wishful thinking to hope we can patch up Hargreaves so he can play the Champions League semis and final if we get that far? Probably but what I would give to have had Hargreaves fit all season.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:48
@Matt: Owen Hargreaves is the one solution to almost all our problems in MF. And such irony that he is out till next season!
April 12th, 2009 at 15:48
@Rahul: Why is everybody saying Kiko saved our bacon again. He is a striker isn’t he, given an opportunity in the big league. He has been doing it all year for the reserves, and is outgrowing them now. Kiko has an eye for goal, and is one of those BORN strikers, who have divinely God given ability to sniff a goal chance, and take it more often than not. Thing I love about Kiko, is that he is young and fresh, with youthful verve and passion, and burning desire to play and make his name on the big stage. I hope it comes off for him. Once again he was in the right place at the right time, and that is something he has which is treasure mate. He seemingly plays without fear, just like young people do.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:51
What we reallly need in midfield is players with an engine who can run all day long, all season long and play from box-to-box. If we had two box-to-box midfielders as well as a holding midfielder (Hargreaves) when we need an extra body it would be fantastic.
April 12th, 2009 at 15:57
@Matt: The Glazers are business men, if they were taking a massive loss on United they would sell. The Chrines and the Arabs from Qatar have already offered the Glazers a billion to buy up United, but the Glazers refuse, while these men sit in the wings, waiting for Glazers to come to the point of selling. If things are that bad, the Glazers would sell. So somebody, somewhere knows something we don’t
.
April 12th, 2009 at 16:13
kiko may not start against porto , but i hope he starts vs portsmouth
April 12th, 2009 at 16:14
or everton
April 12th, 2009 at 16:24
@ROOOOONEY: Or Arsenal!
April 12th, 2009 at 16:31
OR ALL OF THEM!
April 12th, 2009 at 16:37
@ROOOOONEY: I think I’ll second that!
April 12th, 2009 at 16:42
@Craig Mc: Mums are blinded by love.
Seriously though, we know you are a sexy beast.
April 12th, 2009 at 16:44
@Craig Mc: I dream that one day before I croak I will have a chance to experience the OT roar live and in person. Until then I have to put up with what the tele offers and of course the word of those who have been there like you. Lucky blokes.
April 12th, 2009 at 16:51
@Craig Mc: “free country mate” Well that depends on where we all are living don’t you think? Some of the places some of us are writing from may not be all that free.
April 12th, 2009 at 16:55
@realred: Would it? Sneijder has been on the bench at Real Madrid most of the season alongside his countryman van der Vaart. If they aren’t good enough to start for a shite outfit like Real, then why would Sneijder be good enough to not only replace Ronaldo, but start for us?
Let it be known that I too like Sneijder but he is not the answer as a replacement for Ronaldo. Only Messi could be a one for one replacement of Ronny. Ribery would also be one I could live with. Anyone else is just a player worked into the financial package and nothing more. Unless Huntelaar came along in the deal, I would be inclined to take just the money and go out with some of that money and buy the player that best serves our purposes. Just my thought on that.
April 12th, 2009 at 16:57
@Matt: Xavi is great but completely unattainable. Iniesta is a decent player but he is too overrated and doesn’t start as often for Barca. He’s very inconsistent and for that reason he is just another Carrick.
And I am terrified over the debt amount. Just terrified and very worried that it will blow up in our collective faces one day.
April 12th, 2009 at 17:10
Man, just watched the everton game and fellani is a bloody beast of a player. Looking at our midfield and what we need it seems clear to me that we need a CM who scores goals and fellani definitely scores goals. My personal preference would be diego, ando and diego together sounds like an interesting partnership to me. Ando isnt your average DM but he is what i call a box to box midfielder, great pace good passing (he gets slated for his passing but i think its pretty good), and his energy can be amazing. Reminds me of edgar davids, and i think a partnership of anderson and diego would be brilliant. But whoever the player is we need someone. Looking at our centre midfield we have hargreaves who is world class but injured all the time, the plus points to him is he can also fill in at RB and RM so for me he has it all. Fletcher does his job ok and deserves his spot in the squad, not a first team player but still a decent hardworker. Next is giggs and scholes the oldies, giggs has been ok this season still performing but surely next year must be his last. Im a bit worried to hear fergie saying hes got 3 years left in him but hopefully thats just him being carried away cos as much as i love giggsy we do need to replace him. Scholes for me seems pretty much finished sorry to say, he scored yesterday but was pretty poor overall against most teams he doesnt perform. Surely with these 2 due to retire in the next year theres a space in the midfield for a new player to come in. The other player is carrick who we know is talented especially in the league but in europe can be inconsistent. He deserves to stay of course, but maybe if his form in europe doesnt imporve he should be limited to playing league games. So for me especially in europe it frees up a space where we have a midfielder who can keep possession and score from the midfield. Thats where i feel we need to imporve. After seeing kiko i feel he looks a real goal scorer and im not just basing it on 2 games but i feel if we dont sign tevez we can do without another striker and can give our talented youngsters a try. For me another winger and an AM is all we need to make our midfield class again. But as grognard said a few days ago whos to bet that fergie just keeps faith with scholes.
April 12th, 2009 at 17:14
@Rahul: All of us say things in the heat of the moment that are taken way to seriously. I have put down Fergie plenty this year but nobody should ever think that I have anything but love and respect for the man. The fact that I and some others don’t always show that respect shouldn’t be held against us. After all, this is a rant site so it is there for us to vent our frustrations along with like minded supporters as well a s cheer and celebrate when those situations come up.
I personally love Fergie but I am honest when I say that I think he may be mellowing out too much for my liking. He has gotten soft because the team does not look like a team that has had the riot act given to it after what happened against Liverpool. Therefore I do question whether he has come to the end of his amazing run? I could be wrong and I hope I am but I do have a lingering feeling that it may be time for him to step down. Lets put it this way, Fergie must never and should never get the sack, under any circumstances. That would be way out of line. The man deserves our utmost respect.
April 12th, 2009 at 17:18
@Rahul: Nobody on this blog is a bigger Hargreaves fan than me. But trust me mate when I say he is not the cure all to our problems. He would greatly help but we are in need of a major reshuffling of our lineup. We need a Hargo as well as a new man at LMF/LW, possibly a better central midfielder than Carrick, as well as a striker who is a goal scorer. Macheda may actually be that man, but I’d still prefer to breaking him in slowly over the next year. We also need a world class goalkeeper who makes the big stops when they count and doesn’t benefit solely by our defense limiting the chances. EVDS has started to show his age as well as his weaknesses lately.
April 12th, 2009 at 17:22
@Craig Mc: That’s not the way business works mate. They may be offered a lot of money but as you know most of it would then have to go immediately to paying off the debt. No buyer will purchase the team and incur that debt as well. By still owning the team they can allocate the money made as they they please. Therefore, they slowly put money towards the debt and still pocket a lot of money for themselves. Remember, if they were to default on that loan, they are protected personally because of the contractual nature and protection of incorporations like the Glazer family business. Their personal greed is what keeps them from selling…….now. They may eventually have no choice.
To people and businessmen like them, buying a team is nothing more than a tax shelter anyway.
April 12th, 2009 at 17:53
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1169361/Ronaldo-faces-Champions-League-axe-Sir-Alex-finally-loses-patience.html
April 12th, 2009 at 18:09
What worries me about the debt is that even when we win every trophy going we still make a loss of £40 million. If we get knocked out against Porto and fail to win the league we’ll probably lose £60 million this year. Not to mention that the Glazers’ business cannot fail to take a hit due to the global recession. So I think we’ll have little if any money to spend this summer.
If we sold Ronaldo for £80 million the Glazers would pocket half of that. The reason is that they only promised us £25 million a season.
£40 million wouldn’t go far at all in rebuilding the team because most of that would be eaten up by buying a replacement for Ronaldo. Ribery, Aguero, Silva would all cost around £40 million.
My personal hunch is that Valencia is lined up as a low-cost alternative and will be bought for around £15-20 million. Although that would then allow us to spend £20 million elsewhere, I think the team would be significantly weaker because even a poorly performing Ronaldo still provides 20-25 goals a season and it is difficult to see where else that will come from at least in the short term until Macheda/Welbeck and co are ready for the big time
April 12th, 2009 at 19:51
@Grognard: You’re makin me feel like I was too harsh on the guy, was I?? I didn’t intend to whip him or anything (hence the smiley at the end of the post)!!
I’ve criticised Fergie at sometime before, you have, a lot of us have. But none I remember have made a statement like that. But then I also feel that none of us fans (and I stress the importance of word ‘fans’) can ever have the luxury of being ‘ashamed’ of Fergie. And none of us need to be reminded why.
I’d confess that I did feel a blow to my gut when I read that statement. Maybe its because I’m very emotionally attached to the club, the kind that had tears of joy when we won those nights in Nou Camp and Luzhniki… the kind whose blood runs red. And just because of that, It is very hard to take in when something like that is said.
Anyways, let me not make a meal of that anymore,… and lets get down to the business as usual!!
April 12th, 2009 at 20:09
@Grognard: whats stopping you from going to OT, you could meet up with some of the Red Rant posse like Craig or myself who would be glad to show you around the place, if its down to lack of funds, Im sure RedRanter would be happy to dip into his deep pockets as a thankyou for being his no 1 poster
April 12th, 2009 at 20:47
@ROOOOONEY: yeah and pigs fly
April 12th, 2009 at 20:57
smoke some weed and could have happen you know , something fun to read
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1169356/Macheda-football-Fergie-rescued-mean-Lazio-claims-Italian-talent-spotter.html
April 12th, 2009 at 20:58
@ROOOOONEY: I dunno about this article… more speculation than anything. He put Ronaldo on the bench to rest him… same with EVDS and Evra. Yes, I did hear rumors that Fergie gave his team the hairdryer treatment after the sunderland game.
April 12th, 2009 at 21:01
@ROOOOONEY: I read that one… the ones running Lazio are plain jackasses!
April 12th, 2009 at 21:03
@ROOOOONEY: About the article which highlights ‘Ronaldo’s showdown’.. it’s just sensational headlining!
April 12th, 2009 at 21:27
From the Guardian;
Finally, something from the Boss that I can applaud him for. Perhaps the old Gaffer has some charge left in that hairdryer.
Sir Alex Ferguson issues rare public criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo
“Sir Alex Ferguson has criticized Cristiano Ronaldo, chastising his behaviour in recent matches and telling the Manchester United winger: “You can’t get everything your own way.”
Ronaldo was an instrumental figure for United last season, scoring 42 goals as Ferguson’s side clinched the Premier League and Champions League double and although the Portugal international remains United’s leading goalscorer with 19 goals this campaign, his influence has waned this campaign.
Ronaldo has increasingly shown signs of frustration at his perceived rough treatment at the hands of opposition defenders and, after being guilty of giving the ball away in the lead-up to goals for Aston Villa and Porto last week, was dropped to the substitute’s bench for Manchester United’s 2-1 win at Sunderland yesterday. Ferguson also issued a rare public condemnation.
“I don’t accept that he will give goals away because of the player he is,” said Ferguson. “I speak to him about it. I don’t accept that from anyone. In European football, if you give the ball away it takes a long time to get it back.”
Ferguson said that Ronaldo had grown tired of some players trying everything they could to stop him, but the United manager believes that the World Player of the Year is allowing frustration to get the run of him.
“He always feels he’s not getting the proper protection from referees and I think that, maybe, in quite a few cases he is right, and a few cases he is not right,” said Ferguson. “It’s hard when a player who wants to entertain doesn’t get everything his own way. But you can’t get everything your own way. He understands that and there’s not a problem with that.”
Ferguson, who brought Ronaldo on midway through the second half of his side’s victory at the Stadium of Light, will hope that his rebuke gets the desired reaction from the 24-year-old – who has been linked with a £75m summer move to Real Madrid – at Porto on Wednesday, where United must become the first English side to win at the Estadio do Dragao if they are to stay in the Champions League.
“It’s just a frustration that he feels he doesn’t get the decision and he gets upset about it,” added Ferguson. “I think, obviously, he doesn’t enjoy that and he knows he’s letting himself down more than anything. He holds his hands up. I have had to remind him about that but I’m not getting into what has been said.”
April 12th, 2009 at 21:29
@Rahul: You were just voicing the same confusion and frustration over what Fergie has been doing for the last little while. That is perfectly alright mate and I for one welcome your take on things. Whether any of us agree or disagree, your point of view is greatly appreciated.
April 12th, 2009 at 21:38
@Fred The Red: Right now it’s just not financially feasible. I can handle a trip to Germany or Greece because I have friends or relatives that I can stay with and freeload room and board off of. I don’t know anyone that I could stay with in England and so I would have to worry about the price of hotels or even Bed and Breakfast’s. Lets fut it this way, it’s on my agenda of must things to do before I croak. I’ve always wanted to see a game at Old Trafford, play a round of golf at St. Andrews, visit MI-5 and MI-6, get violently escorted out of MI-5 and MI-6, take in a Bayern Game at the new Alliance Arena (I watched a game back in 1981 at the old Olympic Stadium and got to see my all time favorite player Rummenigge score a brace live), I want to do a military history tour of Europe and see the beaches of Normandy, Bastogne, the Somme, Waterloo, Berlin and then go all the way into Russia and see Moscow the Borodino and Kursk battlefields and most importantly, Volgagrad (aka Stalingrad). I am a military history junkie and to me these places are sacred ground. Unlike all the other dead head North American tourists no churches or cathedrals would ever be on my itinerary. Oh yes, I would also love to visit Rome again and Paris and this time go visit the tomb of my previous incarnation, Napoleon. Oh you didn’t know? Yes I was Nappy in a previous life and now God is punishing me for everything I did then.
April 12th, 2009 at 21:42
@Rahul: Lazio is blaming the wrong people. Blame their own FA for not allowing Serie A team to sign player under the age of 18. What are they worried about, corrupting these kids. Hell in 99/100 scenarios, they are salvaging and saving the kids from a life of poverty or even crime. United was just playing by the rules that were set up by Italians to screw over Italian clubs.
April 12th, 2009 at 21:42
Here are my offseason priorities in order of importance:-
1/. Resolve the striker situation. Cut our losses with Berbatov and let some other suckers pony up 32m for Tevez. Decide if we can get along with Rooney and an assortment of rookies (ie Macheda, Campbell, Wellbeck, Manucho). If not, then go for a big name early. I know we’ll pay through the nose, but we always do anyway.
2/. Make a decision on Nani. If we want to keep him, then commit to playing him on a regular basis. If not, lets say goodbye to him. This is vital because if Ronaldo skips town, we will need massive help on the flanks.
3/. Give Ando a chance to pair up with Hargo in MF. If they work well together, then see if Carrick can complete our CMF. If any of that fails, then we’ve tried all possible combo’s and it would be time to move on. Let Ando leave and bring in a true MF enforcer, that could finally fill Keano’s shoes.
4/. Develop the De Silva twins into true defenders that can defend their positions. Our outside backs have not been good all season long, and depth at this position can do nothing but good.
5/. Buy a goalie. I’m sorry but the thought of PIG or Foster replacing an aging VDS just turns me off my beer. Foster may well be a good solution in the long term, but I just don’t think VDS has that much time left.
6/. Begin the process of replacing SAF. Bring in some additional coaching and allow SAF to wallow in his golden years. Frankly everyone knows the end is nigh, so perhaps a little kick in the backside from the Glazers may speed what could be a long and distracting period of change.
April 12th, 2009 at 21:55
@Grognard: Interesting article. Wonder if his team mates are voicing the same criticism to him. Could answer some question about the way we’ve been played of late.
Nothing like a good dose of derision to upset the apple cart!!
April 12th, 2009 at 22:33
@Redrich: I doubt it. This team just doesn’t look like a team that has players who have the leadership or the bollocks to confront a teammate and tell him his antics or play is hurting the team. I could be wrong but they are all just a band of nice guys and there are no players with grit. I can’t even see the veterans like Giggs, Scholes or Neville raising their voices because they would have no ammunition to fight back with when Ronny tells them to sod off and worry about their own dwindling play and skills. God I miss Keane and Cantona or Steve Bruce or even Paul Ince. Players who would get into their teammates faces if they were hurting the team. Oooh and how about Schmeichel. By now Neville, Evans and Evra would be scared shitless when turning up at the training grounds for fear of what the Great Dane may say or do.
April 12th, 2009 at 22:39
Well done to fergie if he did bring out the hair dryer treatment after the sunderland game, cos i watched it and for a period in the game we were second best and that really embarrases me to say that but its true. Ronaldo especially does deserve a talking to, yes he does get targetted alot and fouled and probably does need more protection but there are times when hes hardly touched and he just goes down waving his arms around refusing to run back and that just annoys the crap out of me when hes one of our players and im a fan of his. Can he really say hes the only one in the league whos targeted cos hes not. Giggs in his day was getting brought down all the time cos of his pace but he just got up and went on not waving his arms asking for fouls all the time. Maybe his treatment wasnt as bad as ronaldo but i cant help but feel ronaldo brings alot of it onto himself with some of his behaviour like asking for fouls all the time. So i can see his argument in needing some protection but hes not a kid, he should stop asking for fouls all the time when its clearly not a foul.
Redrich, as for what you said you want to happen i agree with some but with others i dont. I would personally let tevez leave, its not fair on him to be a sub and we really shouldnt be paying so much for a 3rd choice striker. I would much prefer to see us give macheda and wellbeck their chances even if it takes them a while cos especially in macheda i think he could lead our attack in 2/3 years he that good. Typical italian striker in that he is such a good finisher.
Next up nani, for me he needs to stay, hes good enough but hes not given a chance. Hes 10 times the player park is anwyay and can you say hes any worse than valencia who apparently we want to spend 17 million on.
As you say definitely ando needs a chance. I think an AM needs to be brought in along side him. As i said earlier i would like to see the brazilian connection of him and diego from werder. Hargo can be used in DM in tough games and as a RB or RM in other games so we have options there.
Definitely the da silvas should get more games. Apart from when wes brown is fit rafael should be our 1st choice RB and fabio should get a chance at LB in certain games or even as a LM, put it this way he must be better than on the wing anyway.
As for a GK im not sure. Pig is just crap and needs to be sold and im unsure about foster. He will need to develop but i think he could be good enough. Interestingly enough my family in italy informed me that according to the press in italy we spoke to buffons agent about a move. Best keeper in the world by a mile but to be honest the italian press is about as reliable as the daily star. Just read today aswell in the people we are interested in victor valdes but i doubt that too and anyway valdes is crap. Not sure about the keeper position but if we decide to buy i would like buffon or akinfeev the russian keeper who i believe is absolute quality.
As for plans to replace fergie well we dont know how long he wants to stay on for so i dont think we really need to think about it yet. My choice is mourinho anyway cos i just think hes a winner and despite his faults hes the best qualified and would guarantee us trophies. For me its mourinho or wenger anyway. Also just a final point i would like to see a new assistant like solskjaer or cantona cos phelan is just an absolute prat. Muppet is the right word to describe phelan, jim henson could have cast him in alongside kermit the frog and miss piggy ffs.
April 12th, 2009 at 22:40
Hardly a bust-up but I hope Ronaldo took Fergie’s words on board. The truth is he’s lost possession cheaply on two occasions in the last couple of weeks and it has led to goals being conceded
It is an ego problem. Ronaldo thinks he is the best player in the world so in his mind the only possible reason for losing the ball must be that a defender fouled him.
Fergie’s left it almost too late to bring Ronaldo down to earth but I hope Ronaldo takes his words on board and gives us the sort of performance he is capable of against Porto.
April 12th, 2009 at 22:56
@Redrich: in answer to your points let me make a few statements,
1. Rooney, in my opinion should be the only one of our top strikers that should definately be safe in thier futures. Tevez and Berbatov do not bring the best out in him coz all 3 prefer to play deep, leaving us with no one in the box too often for my liking.
His form for England is an indication of the massive influence he can have when played in his natural position behind a more orthodox no 9 and SAF must wake up to this fact before its too late.
Of all our present striking combos the one that on paper compliments the most is a Rooney/ Macheda duo, although Machedas age and lack of experience are obvious drawbacks, but stylewise, these two would work.
In an ideal world it would be Berba and Tevez out, Benzema in, Rooney and Benzema with Macheda developing from the bench.
2. Although Nani is a very talented footballer, his decision making and end product leave a lot to be desired and I have a feeling that a decision on him might have already been made, hence the recent reamergence of the Douglas Costa rumours, who is a precosiously talented left sided player who I really hope we sign in the summer.
Also, has SAF contributed in Nanis failure to emerge is a question that could be asked.
3. Without getting into the siily statiscial arguments that some people use to prove thier points about possible midfield duos, in my opinion, Ando and Hargreaves were our best combo whenever they played together last season and provided Hargreaves comes back the player he was it would be madness not to see them together again for a while before making any major midfield signings.
But if things dont go well for Hargreaves the one player of that style who impresses me the most is Toulalon of Lyon, although Bayern are being strongly linked with him.
4. The Da Silvas will be the long term solution, but must improve thier defending which I think they will in time.
April 13th, 2009 at 1:55
@Grognard: I thought that Rooneys place on the bench for the Fulham game was perhaps a punishment for a Keano-esque outburst to the team after the Liverpuke debacle.
SAF has always found these things meddlesome and to take such an action, he probably felt that some of the points made here were finding their targets.
I notices, during the Villa game, that Giggs’ body language was less than positive and these times seemed to coincide with a Ronaldo fuck-up or outburst. Ronaldo, to me, has been playing on an island, so to speak, single mindedly and with little desire to share his plan or pain. He is the WPOTY, after all, and in his mind, he has little time for the trivia that makes for a team to gel together.
For SAF to take a public stand, and chide his child, is unprecedented. It also makes a clear statement to the rest of the team that he will no longer tolerate an attitude that sends negative signals to an agrieved and frustrated squad. The same squad that has seen a teenager come in and save their PL arses without announcement, ceremony or hype.
The way it always was, and the the way it should be!!
April 13th, 2009 at 6:23
@Redrich: I totally agree with you mate. It’s about bloody time and if this makes Ronaldo sulk and want to leave, then so be it. Personally he needs to suck it up, learn from what the Boss has told him and man up. I hope this wakes the whole team up because if the Managers pet can receive this kind of public humiliation, nobody is immune and it’s a great attempt by Fergie not only to take his team back, but to declare he is in charge and they better not forget it. Three cheers for Fergie. Glad to see he still has a pair.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:18
New post up. This is on the alleged Ronaldo-Ferguson ‘bust up’
April 13th, 2009 at 8:36
gawd what i would give to see 2008/2009 ronaldo for the last set of games.if he can show some passion and desire to beat the opponent ahead of him instead of passing the ball or rather trying to pass the ball and gift it to some twat.we could win everything.its all in the mind ronaldo all in the mind.We need for a bloody mindset change.thats all