Jan 18
United on Top of the league, for now
This is a thread for those finding the older one too sluggish to load. Feel free to add to this thread. I was infected with a mystery illness, right now it’s a case of severe bronchitis, or something. This has made my mobility limited. I should be well by this week though — hopefully. Then I can start posting more regularly. I did read comments from people who were getting disgruntled with this blog more and more. I see your pain and hope to get this rolling soon. But I’ve made my promises far too often now… so I’d rather prove it in action instead of making further excuses. Over to you.
*cough* *cough*
*clearing phlegm*
Related items from Red Rants:- Manchester United’s tough, tough April fixtures list
- David Gill gets top role
- We’re on the Telegraph’s Top 10 Man Utd Websites
- Race for the title – United’s chance to lead the table
- The International Break Will Help United Significantly
Tags: Site News
January 18th, 2009 at 7:14
get well soon!
January 18th, 2009 at 7:48
Vidic, Evans, Ronaldo, Berba and VDS played 3 games in last 8 days. That’s quiet commendable. And get well soon RR
January 18th, 2009 at 7:52
Get well soon from me too. I had bronchitis as a kid. Can be really painful. Hope it doesn’t last long. United being top of the table, “for now” should certainly brighten your spirits.
January 18th, 2009 at 9:03
Sorry to hear about your illness RR. Take care of yourself and get some rest. The past few months have been pretty stressful and hectic for you and your immune system just crashed. I’ve been there an I can relate. Here’s to a quick return to health. All the best to you mate.
January 18th, 2009 at 10:26
Get Well Soon RR
Hope the Blue Side of Merseyside are celbrating tomorrow
January 18th, 2009 at 10:46
It’s such a good feeling to be back on top again. I’ve almost forgotten how that felt.
C’mon P Neville!!
I enjoy reading the rants too.
Get well soon..
January 18th, 2009 at 11:23
Get well RedRanter. All the best to you…
Now, am I the only one really impressed by Berba since his return from illness in Japan. He got a brilliant assist against Stoke, matchwinner against Boro, Man of the match against Soton, played his best game for us against Chelski of all teams, made the chance for Ronaldo to cross with his ever so perfect pass with the outside of the boot, and on top of it all he is a match winner in the last minute away to Bolton to send us top of the league! How good is that!?
Im drooling over the prospect over how our season is gonna be fromnow on, because I feel the team has now got used to Berba fucking Tov and Dimi has gotten to know the team. He is a complicated player and now we are finally seeing the best of him. 9 goals, and many assists to his name… He may not have the Ronaldo, Anderson or Rooney way of playing, but he definately is in a class of his own! I am starting to fall in love with Berbie! Hi-hi, this is lovely times! Can it be any better? Well, of cource the Scousers could lose to the Tofees, but if God really takse it that far I think I have to pinch myself.
And despite some people claiming that a 1-0 win over Bolton is bad, well let me tell you something. Bolton is a hard place to go to. It was nearly a derby, and you are always up for derbies. Fuck Bolton because they defended with 10 men, but again we created lots of chances and could have had 3 or 4. But the Jussi fella is one of the best goalies in the Prem, and he made some good stops. The Ronaldo free-kick, header, Scholes shot, Tevez chance… And Fletcher was not far away from scoring an overhead kick! But these games wins you Championships, and that is why I think this was a great result. Most people would be happy with a 1-0 win at the moment with the tight scedule we have right now, and I for one wont disagreee.
January 18th, 2009 at 11:40
@RedDevilEddy: “He got a brilliant assist against Stoke, matchwinner against Boro, Man of the match against Soton, played his best game for us against Chelski of all teams, made the chance for Ronaldo to cross with his ever so perfect pass with the outside of the boot, and on top of it all he is a match winner in the last minute away to Bolton to send us top of the league!” i guess that is why we bought him.
but i have a funny feeling that he is gonna be more of a prolific assister than goalscorer. and i dont think that is what we need. but i may be wrong.
If Gerrard/Alonso play tomorrow then i am gonna be gutted. i think about 4 out of the last red card given to the toffees were against Alonso and the other against gerrard. when he fecking dived and made the ref change the card from yellow to red.
im scared bout our finishing though. has been upto scratch. but hopefully that will improve.
THE REDS GO MARCHING ON
January 18th, 2009 at 14:27
Get well soon RR!
January 18th, 2009 at 14:45
@RedDevilEddy: Actually Berba comes on his own in the later half of the season. That is when he is most devastating. (at least on basis of last 2 seasons) We’ll see the real Berbatov now. EPL be warned
Same is true of Ronny as well. We are in an incredibly strong position to defend both our titles from last year (and perhaps add a couple more)
January 18th, 2009 at 15:19
@jos: Hopefully. I remember hearing that some weeks ago, but from what these last weeks have shown that may well be the case. Berbarianotov!
January 18th, 2009 at 15:48
@jos, yep mate i have been saying this for weeks and weeks. I never had any doubts that he will do well here and i reckon he is definitely on course for 20 goals this year. Some people will probably expect more but we live in an age now where we do not have many strikers anymore who play like ruud, shearer mould who will bang in 30 goals each and every season. Most strikers these days try to add more to their game and this involves them not just goal hanging in the area but added something else as well. This is like berbatov who has scored 9 goals so far which is pretty respectable but how many assists has he got. Must be atleast 10, so by the end of the year he will probably have about 20 assists and hopefully 20 goals. That means he is responsible for upto 40 goals, brillaint if he can get that. Compare this to a ruud who will get you 30 goals but limited assists and you can see that berbatov adds something extra to our team. I have stood by him all this time and was simply telling people to wait a while to see the best of berbs and he looks like he is getting there.
Maybe not worth the 30million but still an excellent player.We at the minute contain the top 3 players in terms of goals and assists joined together for the last 2 seasons in rooney, ronaldo and berbatov. If these 3 can be responsible for say about 80 goals then we are on target for title number 3, adding to this tevez goals. If only we had a goal scoring midfielder like a lampard we would be unstoppable. Maybe this summer we can address that, or maybe we are just waiting for the players we have to reach this level.
January 18th, 2009 at 16:25
@Matthew: Lampard’s don’t grow on trees, mate.
January 18th, 2009 at 16:27
Last season Rooney and Tevez’s energy often compensated for the slowness of the midfield. With Berbatov playing, the midfield is totally exposed…but they should be helping him out not vice versa. There is an imbalance, there’s not enough energy…not any cohesion from a constantly changing midfield.
Players not renowned for their energy but for their passing don’t seem who/where to pass it to.
Players renowned for their energy just seem to be running around in circles.
Now the that schedule has calmed down a little bit, I would like to see a settled midfield…one that can at least match the opposing bully boys’ energy levels.
Maybe then we wouldn’t see Berba roaming around the half way line trying to get into the match.
January 18th, 2009 at 16:30
It’s so great to see Berbatov begin to come into his own, we all knew he’d take some time to settle into our style and i think a few of us would have preferred more of an immediate impact. But! He is finally proving to us that he is the Berba we all knew he could be (and repaying my faith in him by having him in my Fantasy side for the past few months :-p )
United haven’t played well in the past few games (Chelsea match excluded), but we’ve won all the matches and matched the record for consecutive clean sheets (let’s break it!) so who cares about the performances for the time being. Once we have all our players back fit then hopefully we can go on and step up to the gear we showed against Chelsea, but for the time being i will continue to take tense 1-0’s
January 18th, 2009 at 16:53
He’s a class act.
Not many players would come into our team and click straight away and neither has Berbatov but he is getting better as the season has progressed.
Also the shot with the outside of the boot against Wigan that shaved the post was as sublime as it was unlucky.
January 18th, 2009 at 17:10
Just out of curiosity, what is everyone’s opinion of Mikel Arteta? I don’t know that he would fit in with a side like ours, as I have a tough time doing apples to oranges comparisons–a player that looks good on Everton could be shit on United. But I’ve always loved watching him play. He’s grown into his position so much over the years, becoming one of my favorite mid-table players. I was just wondering how everyone else rates him?
January 18th, 2009 at 17:13
average player to me
January 18th, 2009 at 17:24
Arteta is nice but maybe a little inconsistent for me, he is reaaalllly good at set pieces imo, but not united calibre everton is his level or aston villa. i just hope liverpool fuck all tomorrow
January 18th, 2009 at 17:38
patrick, yeah i know mate, there arent too many lampards around in the world, i just meant that if we needed anything extra i feel a midfielder like a frank lampard would be good becos i think every1 who supports united can see that we hardly score any from the middle of midfield. Just to bring it into perspective as you said yesterday our top scorer from central midfield is none other than darren fletcher, how depressing is that.
You are right when you say lampards dont grow on trees, but a few players i think that could become as good as him and play similarly are diego of werder bremen, riquelme (excellent player, love the guy) and possibly maxi rodriguez who i rate highly. Theres also a hell of a player at napoli i think called hamsik or some1 who looks quality and maybe the best of the lot potentially is joao moutinho who just looks so much like scholes its unbelivable. We do tho however have llajac who i guess is being brought in for that role even tho he wont be ready for a few years yet and we do have a lot of midfielders in the middle. I just feel we lack a goal scoring midfielder in there as you can hardly say any out of fletcher, scholes, giggs, carrick, anderson or hargreaves when fit will score more than 5 goals for us. Not since scholes in his prime have we had a central midfielder who scores alot of goals for us, this is where i feel we are weaker than the other top 3 teams. Fabregas, gerrard and lampard can get at least 10 goals a season and whilst we compensate for this with ronaldos goals if we had 1 of these types of players in our team we could score even more. Just my thoughts.
January 18th, 2009 at 18:00
@Patrick: i want him at united and playing for england.
thats how i feel about him.
January 18th, 2009 at 18:16
@Patrick: Wherever it is I’m sure it’s evil.
January 18th, 2009 at 18:25
@Patrick: Arteta is a fine player but what bugs me of late is he seems to be the flavor of the week with many. Nobody mentioned his name last year or the year before but this season he seems to be on many supporters minds. Like I said, a fine player but I think because many of us are able to see Everton a lot, we lose sight of the fact that there are actually many Arteta’s playing in Europe who are more than capable of offering what he does. Now if we are talking about players like Lampard, that’s a different story. There’s not too many of his kind around. I ask everybody to consider this, if Fergie was really high on Arteta, would he not have gone for him already? The player has been with Everton for a long while now and Fergie is more than aggressive with local teams if he wants a player. Just ask Spurs. Perhaps Fergie doesn’t rate him as high as some and I would tend to agree with that, if true. I find him a little hot and cold. When he’s on his game he is outstanding, but I have also seen him disappear completely from a game too. What is seductive however about him is his free kicks which often tends to overrate a lot of players beyond what they deserve because a well taken free kick stays in one’s memory longer. For the money he would cost to pry away from Everton, I much prefer Diego, DeRossi, Palacios or even old man Senna.
January 18th, 2009 at 18:26
@john freakin’ o’shea: I agree mate. I just don’t see him as United class. Although presently, we have some players on our roster that I don’t see as United class either.
January 18th, 2009 at 18:46
Yet another calling card from Sergio Aguero to sir Alex. Not the first, yet not the last I’m sure. This player bleeds Red Devil red and I know in my heart he wants to play for us. Now if Fergie would chase him instead of that moody prick Benzema, this would be a perfect world.
Aguero rates the Reds
Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero is one of the most exciting young players in the world, but when he’s looking for his own footballing thrills he turns to the Reds.
The prodigious Argentinian has selected his team of 2008 and it includes three United players instrumental in last year’s Champions League triumph. First pick is Rio Ferdinand, paired with Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho in Aguero’s XI.
“Ferdinand is the rock in Manchester United’s defence,” he commented. “He’s great in the air and his personality is strong too.”
Alongside Rio is Patrice Evra, Aguero’s favourite left-back in Europe.
“I like the attacking side of his game,” he says. “He is good in the air and has lots of power. He gives my team security.”
And no European team of the year would be complete without Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It is a pleasure to watch him play. Anyone who pays to go and watch him will be rewarded by his dazzling skills. He’s an exceptional player.”
And who would Aguero pick to coach his stellar selection? Who do you think…
“I revere Sir Alex,” said the 20-year-old. “He is a true gentleman at all times. He never loses direction and, according to my team-mates that have played under him, he always has just the right words to order the team when they’re on the pitch.”
January 18th, 2009 at 19:05
Grognard I would LOVE it if we bought Aguero. I haven’t watched him play an awful lot but do you have any idea how we would fit him into a team with Berbatov and Rooney? A boy like Aguero won’t want to warm the bench and I do not think Ferguson is able to rotate strikers because he always plays his favourites and Rooney and Berbatov are definitely his favourites.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:06
it would ve mad to buy the kun tbh. unless he’s happy to sit on the bench/rotate for about 1-2 years. if he is, fuck off tevez, hello aguero!
January 18th, 2009 at 19:09
@Grognard: spurs and manchester are hardly local
January 18th, 2009 at 19:11
Here’s a brilliant article dissecting United’s performances this season. It does say things we already know about the team, however it manages to encompass every aspect and is quite a good read.
Why United’s Attack Is Failing
It looks like the attacking prowess showed against Chelsea was only temporary. United returned to their previous goal-shy ways against Wigan and it is now a real concern for the champions.
Fergie blamed it on missed chances but in all honesty, United do not create too much. Since beating Stoke 5-0 on November 15 United never scored more than one goal in a league game, the exception is of course the victory over Chelsea.
We dominated most of these games but failed to create many clear-cut chances and simply ended up pressing without any penetration. Against Wigan, we didn’t even dominate. We had more chances than the opposition but they kept us on the edge in the way Boro or City failed… and it is worrying because apart from the defence, not one part of the team seems to be working properly.
We cannot complain about the results though – after all, our last nine league games yielded seven wins and two draws, without conceding a single goal. I’m merely saying that sooner or later United will have to stop relying on the defence and start banging in the goals because 33 scored in 20 games is not a very good record…
The reason? Hard to find. The most obvious would be to blame the attackers and true, they must shoulder some of it. They are not sharp enough in front of goal, especially Carlos Tevez whose first touch let him down badly once again against Wigan when he could have put the game beyond doubt in the first half. Dimitar Berbatov is doing fine as a link-man but should be encouraged to shoot more, to go forward, to be a striker, not an attacking midfielder. Wayne Rooney, when controls his temper, plays very well this season but he’s out with injury right now which only makes the situation more difficult.
However, the real problems are Cristiano Ronaldo and the midfield. Ronaldo can’t be accused with lack of trying but his form is nowhere near last season’s and it looks like that the team is struggling to come to terms with the fact that they can’t always rely on him to pull everyone else out of trouble. His role has also changed slightly, he’s more of a traditional winger this season – and he doesn’t relish it, that’s why he frequently drifts inside though no doubt there’s a tactical side to that trend.
And there is the midfield. In 2006/07, our football was, for the biggest part of the season, fantastic. We took teams apart and created countless chances. It was down to the excellent chemistry and cohesion in the midfield: Giggs was rejuvenated along with the consistently brilliant Scholes, Carrick played with quiet authority while Ronaldo exploded in November and never ceased to dazzle everyone afterwards.
Last season, United’s approach was different. We created fewer chances and were less cavalier, partly because Fergie constantly had to chop and change in midfield because of the decline of Giggs and Scholes and the addition of Hargreaves and Anderson. The unusual pairings, the constant changes undermined the team slightly, we found it more difficult to dominate sides. Yet this was compensated for by an absolutely unbreachable defence and the superhuman work of Cristiano Ronaldo who simply turned into a goal machine, thriving on the selfless work of Rooney and Tevez.
This season saw a return to 4-4-2 which was barely used during the previous campaign and it gave a bigger responsibility to central midfielders. Tevez and Rooney are working as hard as ever but Tevez’s limitations (technique- and pacewise) and the fact that neither is a clinical finisher came into sharper focus with Ronaldo’s slight dip in form and slight change in role. Berbatov’s arrival complicated things: he needed and still needs time to settle in and the others need time to grasp his way of thinking. He’s got a sharp brain, a brilliant first touch and wonderful passing ability which singles him out as the link man but too often, there’s nobody to finish off the moves.
Why? Because Rooney is heavily marked and still finds it difficult to resist the temptation to roam all over the field, because Ronaldo’s role changed and they still double up on him, because the other winger is not up to it (Park, for example, is frequently getting into very good positions but his finishing is awful while Nani is simply not intelligent enough to fill the gaps). And the central midfielders are too defensive.
This latter reason is easy to see. Giggs, Scholes – neither has the stamina to make Lampard-style bursts into the penalty area. When Carrick plays he usually tries to get forward but he doesn’t have the pace for the job while Anderson is having a second season syndrome: he’s looking a bit lost on the pitch at times even though I think his performances are nowhere near as bad as many United fans reckon – it’s just that last season he was all the more impressive, dominating players like Fabregas and Gerrard.
It explains why we play our best football when Fletcher and Park both play. They have enough intelligence AND stamina AND pace AND workrate to track back, provide cover and contribute to the attacks at the same time. They provide the most balance even though skill-wise they are not in the same league as Scholes and Giggs.
Of course it’s not merely about tactics and abilities. The players are human beings therefore mental approach is also very important and as I have stated on several occasions, this United side still haven’t recovered from winning the European Cup. The signs are there though: the concentration levels of the defence became marvellous but if you recall the first two or three months they were just as culpable as the attack (Hull City home, Emirates away). And now when the big game came around the whole team could pull themselves together and gave a masterclass of 90-minute focus and concentration – unlike early in the season when we had to face our more committed rivals.
United are in a very good position right now. A win over a Bolton side that’s almost in freefall would put us top and put the pressure on Liverpool before their derby. It’s an enviable position, really. But sooner or later we need to stop overrelying on the defence. I think that with Rooney’s injury, the best we can do is to return to the modern age’s fashionable tactic, the 4-2-3-1, with Fletcher and Carrick playing behind a trio of Park, Giggs/Anderson and Ronaldo and of course Berbatov would be the lone forward. This would be a balanced side with crisp passing – in theory. However, it is merely a suggestion and it might be that I’m woefully wrong and that Fergie will come up with something better. I’m looking forward to it very much.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:13
Thank you, fellas. I figured he wasn’t of United class for the reason Grognard mentioned: If he was, Fergie would have made an effort to attain him. I’ve liked him for a few years now and has always been the most enjoyable part of watching Everton matches for me. While I’m sure aspects of his game are lacking, he has a class and presence about him that can really sparkle in the right conditions. Just curious as to what you all thought. Thanks.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:14
Grognard, just one problem with aguero tho mate, hes a liverpool fan, and probably 3 years down the line he will be sulking for a move to the scousers. Nah, just joking he probably wouldnt wanna leave us, but it is true tho apparently that he is a liverpool fan tho. Good thing about this kid is that he has said that he will never play for real madrid, so if he comes to us and did a good job he would never leave us to join that lot which is good, shame you cannot say the same about benzema.
I dont think it would matter that hes a pool fan as he would probably come to us and then end up loving us much like rio did. Also lets not forget, dont know if you know this but ole gunnar was a pool fan as a kid, look at him hes a legend for us so i guess all this “i loved them as a kid” crap means nothing.
I do feel though that if tevez is to leave in the summer i cannot see ferguson stumping up 40+ million for benzema no matter how much he rates him. I wouldnt be surprised if we brought in another winger, and maybe an experienced cheapish striker like an owen type of player. He may also just play the kids with wellbeck and campbell getting a couple of games. If i had to choose a player who i would love to come in it would be luca toni cos he is an excellent goal scorer, i dunno how happy he wud be getting rotated tho and im sure bayern wud milk us for every penny we have tho.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:14
@Grognard: he is a player i have always rated highly. can play as a CAM or CDM and also on the right. i would go as far to say i would prefer him over palacios(who i also rate highly)
January 18th, 2009 at 19:19
@Patrick: it means nothing if saf hasnt gone after him, saf hasnt gone after young, barry, agbonlahor, given, owen, yakubu etc, all capable of playing for united.
January 18th, 2009 at 19:36
Dan you forgot to mention Bentley and Lennon
January 18th, 2009 at 20:15
@Ishaq Vally: lennon, maybe, bentley, hell no!
was that meant to be a joke?
January 18th, 2009 at 20:41
@dan(u-ol): Barry would be a fantastic buy for United, and what a slap in the face for the scousers who couldn’t afford him. He is a great player and FULL of passion.
January 18th, 2009 at 20:55
@magno: IMO mate, I don’t believe we have anyone I would call a great midfielder. Hargo was brilliant and very aggressive and passionate, and that was at only 60% fitness levels because of wis knee problems. Imagine a totally fit Hargo – he would be even more immense. I don’t rate any of our other midfields. They have very poor goal scoring input. No real pace for my liking anyway, and cannot find a decent thru ball that unlocks a defence amongst the lot of them. If they have any of these things, we have not seen them but on very rare occasion this whole season so far. I hate our midfield, with a very great hatred. But please don’t hate me for is
.
January 18th, 2009 at 20:56
@dan(u-ol): Yeah but we would be buying Palacios for a reason, because he offers something the side is lacking. Arteta, while arguably a better footballer, would just be more of the same with our squad.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:02
@dan(u-ol): Arteta can play defensive mid? Bollocks he can. And we don’t play with an attacking mid, unless you just mean a centre mid(which then confuses me because why not just call them all centre mids) and he’s been poor for Rangers and Everton whenever he’s played in the centre, lets the game pass by him.
An average player IMO.
@dan(u-ol): Agbonlahor’s got a while to go before proving he’s good enough for this team, Yakubu’s never been good enough for us and Owen doesn’t suit our team at all. I’ve never understood the hype about Given – fantastic reflexes and all that but you have to put some of the blame on how poor their defence is down to him, a keeper plays a big part in organising the defence and he rarely communicates with the team, not good enough IMO. Young just seems to be getting hyped up to the extent Lennon was two or three years ago, before fading massively, and the same thing might happen again. Besides that, he thrives from playing in a team built around crosses and pace, we don’t at all. Doesn’t suit the team. Barry’s no better than Carrick so why would we have gone in for him?
January 18th, 2009 at 21:05
@Conor: Barry’s a million MILES better than Carrick Bro. For a start he tackles better, scores more goals and MOVES with more pace. I want Barry
.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:06
@Craig Mc: Carrick played two magnificent through balls against Bolton just yesterday, and he’s brilliant at doing that if given the options in front of him. It’s not his fault that Berbatov and Park don’t threaten in behind and Ronaldo’s been average this season at all parts of his game.
There’s more to being a midfielder than just running around a lot like Hargreaves, Carrick’s shown himself to be a much better player up until now. I know we’ll not agree on that so there’s no point in arguing over it though.
Carrick and Hargreaves are both quality midfielders, Anderson has the potential to do so and I can’t see the point in bringing Barry in.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:09
@Craig Mc: Tackles better? The stats most likely say otherwise I’d assume.
Barry scores more than half of his goals from the penalty spot, that’s a fact. Take those goals away and they’re quite even.
He’s not faster, if that’s what you’re getting at. If you’re saying he runs around more, then that’s probably true. Our midfielders aren’t there for running around like Barry though, he only has the licence to do that because he plays in a three man midfield, in a two man midfield you have to move intelligently and Carrick does that without doubt. He consistently runs more than any other player in our team week in, week out.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:11
What about Inter everyone? 3-0 down to Atalanta, a midtable team at best, at half-time and it finished 3-1.
They’re not as strong as they first seemed and we’ll easily beat them.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:13
@Craig Mc: I agree, while I’d state that some of them have performances where I say, “Yes, that’s what we’ve been missing.” But those performances are few and far between. Aside from Hargo, Anderson is the only player we have who seems capable of reaching those levels and he has been sorely lacking this season. He’s got the pace and the aggression necessary to fulfill both the offensive and defensive obligations of a CM. However, it’s plain as day that he’s carrying extra weight and is one of the least fit players in the side. If there were a line graph to illustrate his workrate throughout the course of a match it would start in the middle, work its way up to an 8 or 9, then dive bomb at around the 70th minute. I simply don’t understand how you can lack fitness at this point in the season. It must be either genetic or dietary, because I assume that all the lads are on very similar fitness regimens.
Carrick is too passive, Fletcher is too unskilled, Giggs too old, Scholes the same. I’m starting to believe that outstanding CM’s are the hardest thing to come by. Our lack of one steadfast, complete CM makes what we have accomplished and are accomplishing all the more amazing. This weakness has only been softened by the fact that if you combine all of our midfielders you would have a great one. Within the side we have all the ingredients required to create a perfect midfielder; but it just so happens than none of them individually possess all of them. So we’ve had to play a balancing act of strengths and weakness or strength/strength to fit whatever was required against a certain opponent. It has been this way for quite some time, probably since Roy Keane began diminishing. So for all the questioning of Fergie’s tactical prowess, he has been able, with the assistance of CQ, Phelan and others, to compensate for a glaring tactical weakness in the center of the pitch.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:14
@Conor: Agbonlahor may not be ready for United in the real world, but in FIFA 09 he can unlock defenses like no one else. The boy’s got pace!
January 18th, 2009 at 21:18
@Conor: I hope you knocked on wood, mate.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:19
@Patrick: That’s ridiculously unfair on Fletcher, unskilled my arse.
Our midfield works brilliantly as a part of the team and great midfielders don’t necessarily make a great midfield. Look at Chelsea’s – awful considering the amount of quality in it.
The midfielder of the season last year in the Premier League was Flamini, by a distance, and yet he’s struggling to get a game ahead of a fairly average player in Ambrosini. That in itself just shows that great midfields can be formed with average midfielders.
That’s ignoring the fact that Carrick is ridiculously good at what he does, which people on here seem to be missing.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:22
@Patrick: Don’t need to, they’re fucking shite.
Don’t defend the wings well enough, especially their left wing so Ronaldo is in line for a good match, and we’ll bet them with ease in all likelihood.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:26
@Grognard: We talked about him during the summer. We know he is a red devil! For him, United is what Liverpool was to Torres. You remember the armband? Aguero is a United fan, and this is not something I am making up simply because there is not any reason for it. I would love Kun at our club, simply love it. For me, he would probably be the best signing we could ever make along with either Kaka or Messi(but they are nearly UNBUYABLE!). Thing is that we have Rooney. We have Berbatov. And we have Tevez. Of cource there is also Campbell, Welbeck and Man(ACHOOOOO!!! Sorry, had to sneeze
). I dont think he would settle for a place on the bench. But there is one thing Aguero has that Tevez dont. That is the Solskjaer, esque finishing. He is a masterclass finisher, with both feet. Like Ive said, I am partly an Atletico Madrid fan. And I still dont know which foot is his strongest! Is it his right, his left? He is that good! I can say such. Would he settle for a bench spot for a little less than 20 games during the season. Yeah, he would. Im sure of that. He has age on his side, along with patience. Tevez fights to get in the Argentina team, and Im not saying Aguero doesnt but he seems more patient to wait for his chance. I really would like it if Aguero joined us, but I honestly cant see it happen. But I do hope I am wrong!
January 18th, 2009 at 21:26
@Grognard: Can’t really see how him picking Sir Alex as manager of the year means much, Messi did the same but it doesn’t mean it’s a calling card.
Self-professed Liverpool fan and all that, along with us having Rooney and Berbatov here already, means it’s nothing more than a pipe dream.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:26
@Gabriel: What??? Did the bottom part of that article just say that we play best with Park and Fletcher, when some on here have come to the conclusion that they aren’t even good enough for United
January 18th, 2009 at 21:28
@Conor: “Thats a fact…”
Oy! Stop copying the fat Waiters words! 
January 18th, 2009 at 21:29
@Conor: Its Torres who is the Liverpool fan. Not Kun.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:29
@RedDevilEddy: ‘Aguero is a United fan, and this is not something I am making up simply because there is not any reason for it‘
You are though.
‘“If I had to choose a league then it would be the Premier League,” Aguero is quoted as saying in the Munich TZ newspaper.
“I have been a Liverpool fan for as long as I can remember and it would be a dream to play there.
“I watched the Champions League final and celebrated every goal as if it was for Independiente.” ‘
January 18th, 2009 at 21:29
@Conor: I believe I’ve been misunderstood. I’m not suggesting that our midfield is riddled with useless players, quite the opposite. Fletcher is one of my favorite players in the side, Carrick’s skill is undoubted, Giggs and Scholes are surreal considering where they are in their careers. But none of them are “complete” midfielders. Look at the goal output from our central midfield. We have 5 goals, 7 if you include Giggs, from that position. That is out of 32 total matches. That means that out of 64 shifts from our central midfield, our average central midfielder is scoring .07 goals per game or one every 12th game. Compare that to Liverpool and Chelsea whose midfields are scoring goals at levels 2 to 3 times as high. I know their are tactical diffrences, but that is a glaring gap.
I’m not suggesting that our midfield is useless, simply that part of our goal scoring woes have been due to a lack of offensive production from the center of the field. I don’t say that to necessarily disparage the lads we have, but we are lacking in the midfield.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:29
@RedDevilEddy: Evidently they both are.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:32
@Conor: In fact, mate, in league play our central midfield has scored 2 goals in the last 19 matches.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:33
@Conor: Carrick runs intelligently, that must be why he gets the ball stuck between his feet more often than not when he’s anywhere near the box. Still Connor, I would keep him as good reserve, but I would have Barry in my midfield. Also Barry has a sweet left foot. And yes I do feel he is faster than Carrick, and he certainly has more stamina. Still, we all have our different choices on players we like
.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:33
@Patrick: Look at the very best goalscoring midfielders going about and they all play in a midfield three these days, it just doesn’t work in a midfield two any more.
People like Keano who can do it all and do it all and are good enough to play for us come around once every 10 years, that’s just how it is now.
Last year Xavi was the best midfielder in the world, but he scored around 5 goals, possibly 6, but that means nothing.
Our midfielders are perfect for the job they need to do, and I’d be more than happy with any one of Hargreaves, Fletcher, Carrick or Scholes starting every match. Obviously fitness prevents Scholes and Hargreaves from doing that any time soon, but Anderson will grow into that role as well no doubt. We have enough quality there, IMO.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:33
@Conor: That is really confusing to me… I really dont know if I can believe that site, because in many articles during the summer of 2007 Aguero was quoted of saying he thinks United is the best team in the world, it would be unreal for him to play there and that he has dreamt of wearing the red shirt since he was playing at Independente(or sumthing). Im getting mixed signales here, because I remember every player talking highly of United in my mind. Especially if they play at my second favorite club.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:34
@Craig Mc: Midfielders aren’t there for their goals.
Why is everyone obsessed with goals from the midfield when we had so few last season and won the double?
January 18th, 2009 at 21:35
@Conor: Yeah against Bolton, doesn’t take much does it. Otherwise, he has made precious few. But like you say, you think Carrick is better, I prefer Barry
.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:36
I cant believe people are talking about buying Barry!
I think he must be one of the most overrated players in the league, maybe even more than Stevie Me. Fuck Barry, he does nothing that we cant get in our CMs already. Why buy manure when you have hamburger?
January 18th, 2009 at 21:37
@Craig Mc: I like berries…
January 18th, 2009 at 21:38
@Conor: All I’m saying is that 5 or 6 goals from a CM this season would be a miracle.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:38
@RedDevilEddy: When he was playing for Independiente he said he would love to move to Liverpool, but eventually settled for Atletico because he was still only 17 and couldn’t go to England at that age.
He’s definitely a Liverpool fan.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:40
@Patrick: I’d reckon Carrick will get that many this season, but if he doesn’t it won’t matter.
He shouldn’t be relied on to score goals, we have enough goals from the wings and up front – we’ll consistently get more goals from our wingers than any other team in the league without doubt so that’s where we compensate.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:40
@Conor: He’s probably just come to the realization that if he ever wants to win anything he’d better change his tune.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:43
Arteta? Agbonlawhore? Barry? I can understand Aguero, Diego or Ahley Young, but those three guys? Agbonlawhore is just speed, doesnt bring us anything new. Arteta is a one-season wonder and will be back with the ordinarys soon. I think set-pieces is everything he can do…
Im surprised no-one has mentioned Valencia. He is rumoured to be bought by Fergie during January in most of the papers today. The Wigan Valencia, the one that Oshea after the match against Wigan was killing him. Who did Oshea was killing him a few years ago? I think it was that skinny little Portugeezer, the man called Cristiano Ronaldo. I know we just bought Tosic, but with him needing experience in the Prem, Park not getting a new contract and Nani falling completely out of the zone, what do you guys think? I for one would be delighted with Valencia, because he is proven as a good player in the Prem and he would bring something new to our games. Unlike Arteta, Barry or Aggywhore.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:44
@Conor: I would simply argue that last season was an abberation. You can get away with a ton of things when your wingers are scoring as prolifically as Ronaldo was last season. But clearly he isn’t at that level this year so the goals are going to have to come from somewhere else–given that he doesn’t return to form. I think we are being a bit foolish if we think we can continue to get by winning matches 1-0 every match. We must figure something out, so aside from Ronaldo returning to form, Tevez reaching a level he hasn’t seen this year, Berbatov becoming suddenly selfish, and Ronaldo’s opposite winger scoring any goals at all, we’re going to need a greater contribution from the CM.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:46
BTW, what do you guys think of my latest goal? Im cutting through that Juve team…
January 18th, 2009 at 21:48
@Matthew: Maxi Rodriguez, Diego and Riquelme aren’t centre mids, by any stretch of the imagination. Moutinho really doesn’t score many goals, so I don’t know why you’d mention him while making a point about goals, and Fabregas is highly unlikely to ever be a 10 goals a season man – he’s averaged 5 goals a season as of yet.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:51
@RedDevilEddy: 360 or PS3? If it’s 360, we gotta get a match. I’m not great, but I think I can defend a bit better than that.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:52
@Patrick: I figured you’d say as much, but then what about 06/07?
Ronaldo got around 20 goals, and he’s well capable of doing that year in, year out. Our centre mids, i.e. Scholes and Carrick, got 8 goals that season and we’re definitely capable of doing that year in, year out as well. We’ve already got 5 between Fletcher and Carrick this season so far.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:56
@Conor: Mate, if you think we’ll be able to get by on what we have then that’s your perogative. I just think that things have been much tighter than we’d like this year. I’m always optimistic that we’ll find a way to win, but the margin of error this season, as every season, is razor thin. Especially with our European ambitions. I’m hopeful that we can do what’s needed with what we have on hand, but I was simply suggesting that the acquisition of a stronger offensive CM would be a welcome addition.
January 18th, 2009 at 21:58
@Patrick: Any suggestions of who that might be?
January 18th, 2009 at 22:00
@Rd: LOL, funny isn’t it. When you look back at our games, it is clear what these *air-quote* ‘unskilled’ players bring to our side. But as far as they are not called Fletcherino or can do a rabona they’re not good enough. Every team have players like these, who compensate for their lesser technical ability with superior work-rate, concentration and game intelligence.
Park for example is one of the most intelligent footballers in our team. Whenever he plays, our attacks are more fluid and we create more chances, it’s a fact. That’s not even mentioning the cover he provides for our fullbacks, enabling them to unhesitatingly bomb forward and provide width. It’s also his ability to find space and create opportunities for others that makes me appreciate him when he plays although his balance and finishing still leaves a lot to be desired
.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:02
Hell, mate, I have no idea. I don’t have the time to scout. My sporting intake is already high enough without trying to keep up with personnel throughout Europe. I leave that stuff up to people far smarter than myself. I just assume that there might be one out there.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:06
@Patrick: 360 mate! I would luv to play against you. But you dont wanna end up like Dan. I beat him 6-0 and 6-1 4 times…
January 18th, 2009 at 22:08
@RedDevilEddy: Mate, I’ve been crushed a million times. I have no ego with that game. I just like to learn and get better. My gamertag is l dunny l, I believe. the “1’s” are L’s. But what is yours, in case it is easier to enter.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:10
@Conor: Diego, Basquets, Willshire, Marin, Skjelbred and Balotelli are some young players in that area. Im not sayiing they are United class, but they are players for the future.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:11
@Patrick: While you play to just play, I play to become the best. I was 13th in the world on ranking sometime in December, but I havent played so often lately. But just one thing- I always play with United.
My gamertag is the same as here- RedDevilEddy
January 18th, 2009 at 22:12
13th? It would be an honor. I’ll send you a friend request very soon.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:15
@Patrick: Okey Dokey Artichokey! Sorry…
January 18th, 2009 at 22:16
@RedDevilEddy: Yeah some of the players you like Eddy mi man couldn’t win an EGG cup, never mind a proper trophy
.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:16
@RedDevilEddy: Request sent, mate. Look forward to it.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:23
@Craig Mc:
January 18th, 2009 at 22:24
@Patrick: Me too. May the best man win…
January 18th, 2009 at 22:32
@Patrick: See, this is where I have some qualms with our current setup. We employ a playing system where we have midfielders who sit too far back. This is glaringly obvious. They don’t score enough goals because they don’t get close to the box nearly enough. Carrick, for example, is more than capable of getting plenty goals. Look at the few times he ventures forward in our games, he either gets a goal, an assist or is directly involved in link-up play resulting in a goal.
This is where Fergie surprises me. If we are now employing a more direct 4-4-2, why still play with two deep-lying centre-mids? Maybe it’s because we don’t have a complete (or rather fit) DMF or we also don’t have a complete AMF, hence he uses their respective strengths and weaknesses to complement each other in a central position. OR maybe, playing two deep-lying midfielders is essential for our defensive strength?
I don’t know, but what I would suggest is when we play opponents who are likely to park the bus and nullify our fluid style, play Fletcher in a deep role and play Cazza in an advanced role. Hence, our direct 4-4-2 would work as the forwards can actually stay upfront due to Carrick playmaking in and around the box and providing opportunities for them. Plus, our wingers can finally have bodies to cross the ball to. When we play a game that is likely to be open, we can then revert to our fluid 4-2-4 system and two centre mids and interchanging forwards like last season.
We can always adjust in-game depending on how the opposition decides to play. Carrick can play as a DMF, CMF or AMF; Ando can play as a CMF or AMF; Fletch can play as a DMF or CMF; Scholes a CMF; Giggs a CMF or AMF. Hence, most permutations can work in both a 4-4-2 or a fluid 4-2-4 so I don’t see how it’s not practical. Maybe it’s not this simple to apply on the pitch, but it sounds logical to me.
January 18th, 2009 at 22:35
i thought kun was a united fan?
January 18th, 2009 at 23:02
@RedDevilEddy: Aye, but you got them from Fifa which doesn’t help at all, it doesn’t give any insight into what they’re like at all.
I’ve seen Marin and Wilshire both play live though, like the look of them.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:02
Conor, comment 72, maxi rodriguez does play on the wing for atletico but i have seen him play as an attacking midfielder for argentina many times. Diego you say is not a centre mid, what are you talking about mate, he is a centre mid. I dunno maybe you think i mean like a carrick player when i say centre mid but as i said earlier im talking about a centre midfielder who scores goals and trust me diego does fit that. Riquelme is the same as maxi, he plays on the wing but a few years ago for villareal he played in the gerrard role for them basically attacking behind the front men and he looked 1 of the players of the tournament (2005 i think it was). Moutinho, yes he has gone down a bit of late but he still is a very dangerous player from scoring in the centre. Ask any1 who watches him and they will tell you he plays so similar to scholes at times it is scary, you think he is his twin or something. Ok maybe hes not that good but he is an excellent player and he loves to get forward so much, i dunno how you can say he doesnt score goals.
Finally as for fabregas saying he cant score 10 goals, i gotta say ur wrong there mate. Check the stats, last year he got 13 goals in all competitions. 7 in the league, and 6 in europe, so you cant say he doesnt score much goals. His assists also must be higher than 20 a season so in my opinion he is the complete midfielder. If i could have any player to replace scholes it would be fabregas because he is 1 of the only few players in the world good enough to take scholes place in the team.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:04
@Gabriel: Why do people come up with such positions as ‘AMF’?
For fuck’s sake, we play with two ‘CMF’s’ and that’s it, all of our centre mids are just that – they’re not defensive midfielders nor attacking midfielders.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:08
This season we are scoring less goals but so long as we can grind out 1-0 victories we can go all the way. Really though as a supporter Id like us to win by larger margins. You have to admire the way Barcelona are just thrashing every team in the league. OK their defence is not as good as ours and you can make a case that the defences in the Spanish League are not as good, but even so it is disappointing.
There is nothing wrong with our forwards. Between them Berbatov, Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney are easily worth 70 goals a season in all competitions.
Unfortunately that will end up being 90% of our goals as the only other players we have capable of scoring are Fletcher and Vidic and I would be surprised if either of them managed more than five or so each.
Then you have a whole host of players such as Park, Carrick, Anderson, Scholes….who are incapable of scoring.
So basically this season we are worth around 80 goals a season. We play around 50 games so that works out as around 1.5 goals a game.
So it is no surprise really that we are winning the vast majority of our games 1-0.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:11
@Matthew: Maxi’s a winger, simple as that. Diego plays closer to the strikers than he does to the rest of the midfield, and doesn’t defend at all. He’s not a midfielder. I’m not saying he doesn’t score goals, but he’s not a midfielder. Neither is Riquleme, ask anyone and they’ll tell you he never defends. Midfielders are required to defend, that’s clear as day.
Moutinho s a quality player and the similarities with Scholesy are definitely there, his awareness is absolutely brilliant for someone so young, but he scores a goal every 10 games which is no better than Carrick.
He scored 13 last season, that’s brilliant and all that, but he’s averaged 5 goals a season over the past 4 or 5 seasons. Better to judge over longer than a season.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:12
@Gabriel: Thats how we played against Stoke and low and behold look what happens, Carrick scores and we win 5-0. Lampard doesn’t really have an amazing amount of skill but he is a great player because he is always in the position to score goals. How is a player meant to score goals if they are sitting back at the centre circle? We play some great football with Carrick going forward, that’s how we played against Roma. What’s wrong with playing Fletch as a DM? he has the energy to hassle players and is a good tackler. I think his goalscoring at the start of the season may have poisoned the minds of the coaching staff…
January 18th, 2009 at 23:18
@Liam: Sir Alex said in his interview with Sir David Frost that the focus on tactics and positions in football is becoming overwhelming, and it’s never been something he’s focused on. He just tells the team what he thinks the oppositions weaknesses are and lets the team do the rest, so I don’t think he ever sets his teams up with Fletcher as a ‘DMF’ and Carrick as a ‘AMF’.
We just played well that day, Carrick especially, bollocks all to do with tactics.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:28
@Conor: And that’s my point. They are central midfielders that are not allowed to move forward. I’m merely using these terms to clarify what functions they perform; AMF is an attacking midfielder eg lampard, Fabregas, DMF is a defensive midfeilder eg Makelele, Mikel.
They can play as central midfielders, that’s fine. However, on occasion, one should be in front of the other attacking and playmaking if we are to successfully operate a rigid 4-4-2. Unless, we will continue to have Berba/rooney always drop so deep to pick up the ball, hence, leaving us short in the penalty area.
For example, did you watch the Tottenham-Portsmouth game today? Tottenham were playing a 4-4-2 and the midfield pairing was Zokora and Modric. Modric played in front of Zokora and was always involved in the build-up play and passes in and around the penalty area. Hence, the strikers were able to stay up the pitch, in and around the penalty area and the wingers had bodies in the box to cross to. Modric was also able to get shots on goal and more assist opportunities because he was playing closer to the box. This is what I’m asking for. The formation we currently employ is similar, but we have no attacking midfielder, hence Berba is always dropping deep and we are left lacking for bodies in the penalty area. Berba is almost playing as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation!!
If we played with an attacking midfielder, there is no doubt we would create more chances, the strikers would actually play as strikers, hence score more goals and we might also get more goal contribution from the likes of Carrick and Ando.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:28
@dan(u-ol): I am getting confused now. This is his latest statement.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:42
@Liam: Mate, this is what I am saying. It’s no co-incidence that when any of our midfielders is given the license to move forward, we get a lot of goals or at least are more threatening. This is very obvious, even to the untrained eye. Maybe they get their wires crossed and can’t always establish who is to move forward and they both end up sitting back, who knows? but this needs to be defined more. I would prefer Cazza play further up the pitch and maybe Ando too with fletch as a more defensive midfielder.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:52
@colver: I honestly feel that if we were to get Aguero or Benzema that it would finally mark the end for Wayne Rooney as a striker and the beginning for him as the permanent replacement for Scholes at AMF. Either player would not welcome a rotation or the #3 spot so Fergie would have to weigh his options. Rooney’s game is perfectly suited for the AMF position as long as he can contain his enthusiasm a little bit more and stop making stupid tackles. With that said, Scholes has got quite the reputation for being a terrible tackler, so not much changes.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:53
Eddy that interview seems pretty conclusive. The guy wants to play for us. Unfortunately I do not think we can play Ronaldo, Aguero, Berbatov and Rooney all in one team and none of those players would accept being benched.
I would have said Aguero would have made a good replacement for Ronaldo in a 4-3-3 but we seem to be moving back to a 4-4-2 and for that we need players with genuine width as well as an attacking midfielder to release Berbatov from playing as a link man.
I guess there might be a chance of converting Aguero or Rooney into attacking midfielders but Im not sure that would work in real life.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:54
@dan(u-ol): Forgive me Dan but I’m not sure what you mean by that? Please explain.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:58
Conor comment 95, argentines dont really seem to play as wingers, they play more like ronaldo always on the inside but yes i see where your coming from with riquelme and maxi, but i definitely remember seeing both of them playing in attacking midfield on many occassions.
I think we are getting the role im talking about confused. When im talking about a midfielder im meaning an attacking midfielder that will score goals. I said we could do with a goal scorer in the midfield and what i mean by that is just a midfielder who mainly stays in more forward positions so as you say with diego staying close to the strikers and not falling back to defend, well ok we have players who can cover them. Part of the reason we dont score in the midfield centre is because they sit so far back that they cannot get forward to score so players like diego who stay close to the strikers will score lots of goals.
Agree with you that moutinho needs to score a few more goals but he gets around 7 a season which is pretty good and he can only imporve. But you agree that he is very similar to scholes which is a sign of his undoubted talent that just needs harnessing.
As for fabregas, well maybe he averages 5 a season but you have to remember he started off when he was 17 so 5 a season from that age is pretty good. He got 13 last year so if not for injury you would expect a similar amount from him. He is an excellent player and easily capable of getting 10 goals plus a season. Just wish we had a player capable of scoring that much from the centre but as i say i hope this is an area we address in the summer hopefully.
January 18th, 2009 at 23:59
@Gabriel: At the risk of tooting my own horn I honestly though I wrote the piece after reading it. It sounds like me and I agree with every bit of it. It was kind of eerie really. Perhaps I missed my real calling in life, journalism.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:04
@Matthew: Where on Earth did you read that he’s a Liverpool fan mate? I have read many articles and even interviews by Aguero himself where he claims to be a life long Manchester United supporter and dreams to play for the team some day. I have read numerous reports about his allegiance so this Liverpool stuff I feel is rubbish. Don’t believe everything you read unless it comes from multiple sources over a period of time, comments have quotations next to them and unless I say so.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:06
@dan(u-ol): That’s fine mate. I have no problem with him but I just question the fact that for me he has shown inconsistency and Fergie has never taken and obvious or vocal shine to him like he has towards Palacios, Benzema, Berbatov etc.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:07
@dan(u-ol): Well sorry mate but it does mean something. Fergie has a standard by which he judges players and he has a hard time containing his enthusiasm for players that really impress him. Therefore, he is not that high on Arteta and I see no chance of him ever coming to OT because of that. How we feel has no bearing on anything.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:08
@Craig Mc: Yes he would be and I also think he would be an ideal partner for either Carrick or Hargo. I’m surprised Fergie has never taken a liking to him.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:13
@Grognard: Perhaps not, seeing as they recognize that Park is good enough to play for us while you don’t.
And Aguero’s definitely a Liverpool fan, not a United fan.
@Matthew: Players who don’t defend can’t be called midfielders though. Where would Diego play for example? Not in centre mid, and we don’t play with an ‘attacking midfielder’, which means he’d play behind the striker and we already have Tevez, Rooney or Berbatov for that.
You’re living in fantasy land if you think any of the players you mentioned could play in our midfield.
I’d love to see Moutinho here, does the simple things fantastically well and as unexciting as that sounds it’s unbelievably important for any team. It would never happen though.
All we can base Fabregas’ goalscoring instincts on are how he’s played for Arsenal as of yet, one season isn’t long enough to judge and he’s got a while to go yet before being called a 10 goals a season midfielder.
@RedDevilEddy: In that interview he praises Ronaldo and Sir Alex, funny that seeing as he picked them for his world XI for 2008 eh? He’s recognizing them for their talent, means feck all about wanting to play for us.
He’s a Liverpool fan.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:22
Cardinals. NFC Champions. Mind. Exploding.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:26
Grognard, i dunno where i saw it but i remember seeing quotes that were apparently from him saying when he was watching the liverpool-milan 2005 champs league final that he was cheering the liverpool goals in like it was independiente (or however you spell it). Those quotes obviously could be made up but if they are true they can only mean 2 things. Hes obviously a pool fan or he just hates milan.
To be honest tho i wouldnt exactly see it as a stumbling point even if he is a liverpool fan, we as a club have an effect of making players just love the club. Look at rooney kissing our badge at goodison, he generally loves the club i think and that must be hard when he was a die hard everton fan but our club took him in and he really took to our team and i can see him staying for many years.
Also as i said above lets not forget that solskjaer was a boyhood pool fan himself and hes a legend for us and every1 loves the guy. Ferdinand said he hated us b4 joining us but now he also seems to love us too. My point is for me it wouldnt matter in the slightest if he is a pool fan, if he decides to join us im sure he will never want to leave and will end up loving the club like most of our players end up doing.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:28
@Drew Vader: I agree about Palacios but Arteta offer offensive strength and set piece skill that we could use. None of our central midfielders move forward as much or are as aggressive offensively as he is. So he does offer quite a bit of what we don’t have. My contention is that there are others out there who are better than him.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:30
@Grognard: Arteta’s not a centre mid.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:31
@RedDevilEddy: Trust me when I say that Aguero is more buyable than Benzema. What helps make a deal like that so, is the player’s desire to go to the team. Examples, Berbatov and Hargreaves. Their desire to go to United and only United made the deal infinitely more possible.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:33
@Conor: That’s not the basis of my argument mate. The numerous articles from the past where he has stated love and respect for both the team as well as Fergie speak volumes to me. Trust me, he wants to be a Red Devil. I think he will still want to be a Red Devil once Fergie has retired too. And he’s not a self professed Liverpool fan. That’s just a dumb rumor.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:35
@Patrick: Dont have Sky Sports so can’t watch NFL
have to make do with Around the Horn and PTI on weekdays to get my American sports fix because there is no NBA coverage over here which basically means I’m on NBA.com every day. I wish there was a proper American sports channel over here because besides PTI and Around the Horn all NASN show is college BB and FB
Anyway, good game?
January 19th, 2009 at 0:36
@Rd: They aren’t good enough but we do have more speed and motion with them in the lineup than we do with other combinations. Personally I prefer Hargo and Anderson or Hargo and Carrick as our combo. But Hargo ain’t here now.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:36
@Grognard: I’m sure he’d love to play here, almost any player would.
We don’t need him though, and he could do much better for himself at another top team where he’ll be undeniably first choice week in, week out. Somewhere like Liverpool.
And he is a Liverpool fan, stay in denial all you want but he’s a self-professed Liverpool fan, not that it matters in the slightest.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:37
@Gabriel: But there is two sides to a football match mate, all those changes you mention and seek only address one side though, offensive stuff, and take no consideration of defending. Yeah, with your proposed ACM we might create more chances and score more goal, but how many more would we leak?
I think our CMs sit back too deep in some peoples eyes as part of the system. With Carrick and Fletch staying disciplined and towards the back, this allows Evra to bomb up the wing and we don’t get crushed on counter attacks when Evra gets caught up field. Carrick or Fletch just pick up on the danger and one of them moves over to the left to pick up or stop the marauding right back trying to take advantage of the hole Evra left.
If we only had one defensive CM back there, that player would probably move over to the wing to cover for Evra, but then that leaves the opposition CMs wide open in the middle because your ACM will still be up top walking back and hoping we don’t get scored on.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:38
@RedDevilEddy: Even Torres wasn’t a Liverpool fan growing up. He decided and begrudgingly to go to Liverpool do better his career and to play for a Spanish waiter. Had Benitez not been there, he would have stayed in Spain. Chelsea and United never ever had a chance of getting him unless they hired a high profile Spanish speaking manager.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:41
@Conor: What can I say mate, one German paper who could easily have mistaken Reds Devils for Reds. I have read way more than one article where Aguero proclaims life long support for United as well, even Diego Maradona has admitted that his son in law is a United fan and that he wished he wasn’t. You see, Maradona doesn’t want Kun to ever got play in England.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:42
@Liam: That’s unfortunate, mate. I can relate, as EPL games were terribly difficult to come by until Fox Soccer Channel came around. Now I have both FSC and Setanta, so I have all the bases covered.
It wasn’t really that sensational of a game, as Arizona had it under control the whole way. The game on now though, Baltimore v Pittsburgh, should be a cracker. Two dirty teams that hate each other. I’m not really a huge American football fan, though. It’s about my 4th favorite sport behind Soccer, Basketball and Baseball. I tune in for the playoffs, but don’t really care much otherwise.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:43
@RedDevilEddy: The site is rubbish mate. Aguero has stated numerous times from numerous sources his life long allegiance to Manchester United.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:43
@RedDevilEddy: Who, Barry from East Enders?
January 19th, 2009 at 0:45
@Grognard: But he didn’t say reds, or red devils, he said Liverpool. The actual word Liverpool.
Whatever way you look at it it can’t be twisted to suit the argument that he’s a United fan.
It’s all well and good talking about these articles, but unless you can back it up with a source it’s not reliable information at all.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:47
@Conor: He’s absolutely right. The game has turned into technical battle of attrition similar to chess, but Fergie cannot go and tell me he doesn’t do the very same thing. By playing his two central midfielders back and by starting Park as nothing more than a defensive shield is as technical as it gets.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:49
@RedDevilEddy: Gee, that sure doesn’t sound like a Liverpool fan to me. Thanks for digging that up mate.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:50
I say who cares. Why spend any time arguing over whether Aguero is a Manchester/Liverpool fan. If he ends up wearing a United kit it will all become irrelevant. Until that time, he is irrelevant. I bet he’d say anything to get out of that side, being 19 points back and the second biggest club in his city muchless the country.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:53
@Patrick: Can you believe that. I like the Cardinals because I have always loved Kurt Warner and believed for the past 6 seasons that he was far from washed up. I don’t see him winning the Super Bowl against either Pittsburgh or Baltimore because their defenses will get all over them. Then again, the Giants had no business being on the field with the Patriots last year and look what happened. Man has the NFL been a case of extreme mediocrity this year. The single most forgettable season in it’s history in my opinion.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:55
@Matthew: I think he decided too cheer for Liverpool on that day because like anyone with good taste, you never cheer for an Italian team. And that was construed into he’s a Liverpool fan for life. He’s United all the way and we should buy him ASAP as he is also a good replacement for Ronaldo should he ever leave. In the mean time, why not have both of them on the team at the same time. That would be so much better than ass clown Benzema.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:57
@Grognard: You do realise that those are the exact same quotes from the article you put up earlier?
He’s never talked about United before then, and the only reason he did so now is because he was justifying his choices for those selections.
January 19th, 2009 at 0:57
@Conor: Yes he is but Everton play him wide because of his ability to cross the ball. He’s capable of playing anywhere in midfield including DMF. His versatility is great but I for one don’t feel he is particularly exceptional at one thing other than free kicks.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:01
@Grognard: He’s played for Everton and Rangers and watched the game pass him by every time.
It’s like saying Roy Keane’s able to play centre back. He has the skillset to, possibly, but he’s not any good there.
He’s not a centre mid.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:03
@Conor: Say what you want Conor. If it’s just a case of trying to prove me wrong for the sake of proving me wrong, I have news for you. YOU’RE WRONG. Enough get over it. I’ve known for four years now through dozens of reports and interviews that Aguero is a United fan and others on this site can confirm that. So why try to pick a fight. Just accept that you got your information from a Kraut side that misquoted him over who he wanted to win one game and therefore called him a life long fan of that club. If you need to feel correct for your own ego and self esteem, fine YOU’RE RIGHT and I the Grognard am wrong. There , are you happy.
Must be a Bush supporter because the truth doesn’t matter eh? 
January 19th, 2009 at 1:04
Grognard, yeah gotta say theres something about benzema i really dont like, i dunno if it is his arrogance cos i dont see that as such a terrible quality (ronaldo, cantona, henry were all arrogant but i love the first 2 and dont hate henry), but there is definitely something about him that i dont like with him. Atleast with aguero we know he would never want to go to real madrid because he has stated many times that he will never play for real because of the rivalry atletico have with them and that he promised he would never want to play for them. We cant say the same for benzema tho can we.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:05
@Matthew: Yes he was rooting fror Liverpool in one game. That does not make him a life long fan. I’ve got shocking news for all of you. I too was cheering for Liverpool in that game. Why? Because I was not born and raised in Manchester and because I absolutely detest Italian football and everything it stands for. Much more than my dislike for Liverpool. Arsenal and Chelsea. So does that make me a Liverpool fan?
January 19th, 2009 at 1:08
@Conor: Conor, enough! You are just baiting me and trying to antagonize me. It’s getting boring.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:10
@Grognard: Any need to bring ego or self esteem into it?
Always happens Grognard, when backed into a corner you twist it to whatever way you want.
There’s no proof that he’s a United supporter, there is proof that he’s a Liverpool supporter.
Simple as that.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:10
@Conor: And he was talking a bout a one game event vs Milan. Essily can be misinterpreted by Germans. It’s funny how you dismiss dozens of other published reports and interviews that defend my side, but then again, that would not make your position strong now, would it? Ignorance is bliss I guess.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:13
@Grognard: Was he though? How can you be sure? And why would he have been asked about the Milan-Liverpool match, exactly?
Odd that I can’t find just one report though, don’t you think?
Ignorance is bliss indeed.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:15
@Matthew: Great point mate. Aguero has way more class than Eczema….
I mean Benzema. Benzema comes across as a punk. Arrogant, dumb as nails, moody and has his allegiance elsewhere. Yes he is a good player but I am not sold on his skills as I have been with Aguero. In fairness, I have seen Aguero play over 50 times and Benzema less than 20. But for me Aguero is sheer class, on and off the pitch.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:18
@Conor: I like the fact you go missing for long periods of time and then when you return all you want to do is pick a fight with me by antagonizing. You don’t disagree you insult by calling somebody else’s facts or beliefs fiction and saying that yours are the only facts that count. What an arrogant %$^$& you are. You certainly know how to push my buttons. As of right now, I’m not playing. Stop calling me a liar and sod off.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:20
@Conor: I doubt you even looked. You’re just hear to stir trouble because your agenda is to piss me off.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:24
@Conor: You are nuts if you think EL Kun would sit the bench behind Rooney and Berbatov. Kun is easily a better striker than BOTH of them. I challenge you to take off your united tinted glasses and watch a few Atletico games, The boy is simply incredible. Rooney may work and fight harder than him, but skill wise and finishing they arent even comparable. Please fergie, get el Kun!
January 19th, 2009 at 1:29
Did anyone else herar that rubbish the Sun dug up, about Ronaldo’s agent trademarking “CR9″? Implying that when he moves to Madrid he will change his number to 9 because Raul wears number 7. Somehow to the Sun this proves Madrid and Ronaldo already have a deal in place for the summer.
Me personally, I would listen to Lucifer before I considered anything I read in the Sun. I just dont see Fergie selling ROnaldo to Madrid, Especially now that Kaka seems poised to head to Man City. Fergie will tell the glazers that Ronaldo is worth atleast as much as Kaka, and they shouldnt sell him for a penny less. If Madrid did come up with 110 Million pounds, we would be foolish to hold onto Ronny… IMHO
January 19th, 2009 at 1:36
@Grognard: I like your idea about moving Rooney back to Scholes old position.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:39
@johnsom33: It just seems like a natural progression for him and as he ages, the demands on his body to play the forward position will be great. One needs to remember that he goes 100% full speed all the time. Somehow that seems more valuable just behind the forwards. His skill set is also suited to that position as he has the vision and passing ability to mimic Scholes if not the tidiness part.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:48
@Grognard: “Bayern Munich boss Jurgen Klinsmann has admitted to having some selection problems at the club with the addition of Landon Donovan and the return to health of some of his other stars. But the German says he is glad to have such problems heading into the second half of the season.”
What do you make of that statement? Is it a load of rubbish or has Landy Cakes exceded expectations so far.
January 19th, 2009 at 2:42
@johnsom33: Landy Cakes is unfortunately close to Klinsmann. I think he was Klinsy’s Cabana Boy or pool cleaner when he was living in LA.
They do have a lot of depth and certain players who are too good to be sitting on the bench. van Buyten, Lell, Kroos, Borowski and of course Podolski are very good players who have to sit on the bench and wait their turn. It’s a nice problem to have on paper, but for me all it does is add headaches and creates cliques of dissension. I for thelife of me can never understand any star openly accepting a role on the bench. It’s just natural to have an ego in sports and when you are sitting down while others start, it’s got to be rough. This is why I feel for Tevez. Today’s financial culture is so warped. The good teams literally build two all star squads for their entire roster. The eleven sitting are better than 16 of the 20 teams playing. This kind of depth is the reason why one sees the same teams on top year after year after year. Depth is the key. Bayern have it and Hoffenheim don’t. Hoffenheim just lost their ticket to the show with Ibisevic undergoing season ending surgery. Hertha and the rest are pretenders. They might as well mail the Bundesliga title to Klinsy. This also will make things easier for Bayern in the Champions League. After they get a five or six point lead in the Bundesliga, Klinsy will be able to rest a lot of his stars in the league games and have them fresh as daisies for the Champions League. We shall see.
January 19th, 2009 at 2:49
Craig, sick em boy. Go get the bastard that wrote this blasphemy. You live closer to the Mirror’s headquarters than me
“Inevitably, Valencia’s potential arrival at Old Trafford will spark more suggestions that Ronaldo could be heading out in the close season. But Old Trafford sources claim the man under most pressure from Valencia’s recruitment will be Ronaldo’s Portuguese colleague Nani.
The winger has not made the progress expected of him with United this season. His appearances have been limited to substitute runouts and a place in United’s Carling Cup campaign.
So far Nani has not justified the £15m United invested in recruiting him from Sporting Lisbon in July 2007.”
The frakker!
January 19th, 2009 at 2:50
On a positive not, I read somewhere that Fergie plans to play Tosic on Tuesday. Hope it’s true.
January 19th, 2009 at 2:57
You’ve got to hand it to Fergie, he’s stubborn.
Sir Alex Ferguson: £120m Wouldn’t Buy Ronaldo
“Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has told his city rivals Manchester City as well as Real Madrid that they will not be able to prise Cristiano Ronaldo from Old Trafford.
Reports suggesting Madrid are ready to make a massive €115 million bid for the Portuguese star have begun to circulate in the world’s media once more, but Ferguson is adamant the 23-year-old is not for sale at any price.
City have almost convinced AC Milan to sell their most valuable asset in Kaka after offering £107m for the 26-year-old and if they manage to push that transfer through have their hearts set on other world stars such as Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Ferguson said, “If Kaka is worth £100 million then Ronaldo and Lionel Messi must be worth that, too.
“And as Cristiano has just been named World Player of the Year ahead of those two, you could say he is worth more – £120 million.
“There would be no chance of a deal, and that is the attitude of the owners even more than me.
“Cristiano is fully settled down here now.
“We worked hard to achieve that in the summer and I think he realises that he could only have achieved these individual awards through being a Manchester United player.”
Does this mean that Ronaldo can be had for 121 million?
January 19th, 2009 at 3:03
Keep in mind this is coming directly from that bastion of journalism THE SUN. So take it with a grain of salt.
Spurs win £14m fight for Wilson
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
Published: Today
rigTeaserImage
“WILSON PALACIOS will become a Spurs player tomorrow after they agreed a £14million fee with Wigan.
Tottenham agreed to up their offer and the midfielder, 24, will sit down to thrash out personal terms tomorrow.
A Wigan source confirmed: “The two clubs are OK, they have agreed a fee.
“Wilson has been given permission to travel down to London on Tuesday to discuss personal terms.”
The Latics turned down a £10m bid from Tottenham for the Honduras ace last week.
Chairman Dave Whelan quoted them £14m — for a player who they bought for just £1m — and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp convinced his board to stump up the extra cash.
It means Tottenham have won the race with Manchester United who wanted to wait until the summer to land the star.”
January 19th, 2009 at 4:18
@Grognard: I will be the first to admit that I have been one of Landy cakes biggest critics, but now he is doing what I always wanted him to do. That is, stop being a pussy and go test yourself in europe. Everyone knows he was a spectacular failure in Leverkusen, so him going back to germany was furthest from my mind. So I give him credit for going back, but for him to try and make the grade at Munich? Well for that he gets even more respect. I always hated him, because he has talent, but he seemed content to waste it in the MLS for his entire career. Atleast now we(and most importantly He)wil now once and for all if he was good enough to play with the big boys. Its funny, cause I actually find myself rooting for the guy.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:30
@johnsom33: Don’t kid yourself mate, it’s not like he is going to get very minutes. He has three world class forwards in front of him.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:15
@Grognard: The thing is though, you talk about how I insult you when just a while ago you were the one who was insulting my ego.
Funny that I come out looking like the bad guy again though.
@johnsom33: If you think Aguero would get in the team ahead of Rooney you’re the one who’s just a bit nuts.
And what would be the point in spending £30m to stick a player on the bench?
January 19th, 2009 at 9:18
@Grognard: Does he have the positional sense?
Scholes never ran around like a headless chicken chasing the ball, Rooney does it a lot. Having positional sense is far more important than having vision in midfield.
He does have a touch of Scholes about him but he’s sorely lacking in important parts of a midfielder’s game.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:25
@Conor: Do you not think he could learn some of the things he is missing? Running around like a headless chicken is something a lot of forwards do. Scholes did when he was a forward although not nearly as pronounced as Rooney. It just makes sens that they try this experiment if Fergie indeed wants to buy Benzema. Otherwise, a very good player in that group of three is going to be awfully pissed off.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:28
@Conor: Fact is Conor, I always and only insult people as a retaliation. I should know better but it’s awfully difficult when somebody is trying to bait you into an argument. I’m sure you don’t see it that way but I’m sorry, I do. If both our ego’s are bruised I suggest we call a peace and lick our wounds.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:35
Koo-coo!
January 19th, 2009 at 9:38
“What`du doin no mar?”
“Get back in da game you divvy!”
“I was looking rikt into the chracker. He was looking like a shez, nez.”
“Play Oashish!”
“SNAAAAARED!”
January 19th, 2009 at 9:38
@Grognard: It would obviously be a waste if one of them was benched, but I find it highly unlikely we are after Aguero or Benzema at all. We still have debts to worry about and all that.
@Grognard: Wasn’t my intention at all, and my ego’s not bruised in the slightest. It’s the internet, couldn’t care less about who says what to me on here. Apologies anyway.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:40
Chrattenacio!
January 19th, 2009 at 9:40
When the hen is in the house, the rooster is flying high.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:44
Sergio “Kun(g-fu!)” Aguero. The little lad from the big country Argentina, looking like a Maradona fella, and playing like the big man, he is being wanted by many clubs. Far and wide, big and smaell, thin and fat, they want the Argentinian.
January 19th, 2009 at 12:19
ZORAN Tosic is set for a surprise introduction to English football with Sir Alex Ferguson lining him up to make his debut in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Derby on Tuesday.
The Serbian winger, who was unveiled last week following his move from Partizan Belgrade, was expected to be eased into the United first team.
The 21-year-old was not supposed to be introduced for another six weeks with Ferguson wanting to ensure he was prepared for the physical demands of the Premier League.
But the United manager has had a rethink and Tosic now looks likely to play some part in the match, which Derby lead 1-0 after the first leg.
Ferguson has so far stuck to his policy of blooding youngsters in the Carling Cup, which is why he sees Derby as an ideal opportunity to give him his first taste of English football.
And despite United planning to bide their time with the left winger, it could see him play a greater role in the title run-in – particularly given Nani’s struggles to rediscover the form of his first season at Old Trafford
From the men.
No idea how reliable it is but it would be nice to see.
January 19th, 2009 at 12:19
the only aspect about our strike force that i cant stand is the lack of pace…
nobody has true speed up there, I think it limits our play at times.
January 19th, 2009 at 12:25
i question the MEN seriously @ times…
saw the article today also saying weve bid 20 mil for wigans Valencia! nonsence
it also goes on to say how nani is heading for the exit door,, all that chat is fukin hilarious to me…
Nani was bought for the future of the club, so he’s not reached the heights this yr, hes only gettin started
all those ot there who feels were better served REPLACING him with Valencia needs their heads checkd
Bar Ribery, there aint one winger on earth who id rather have over nani….
who out there was sayin Ben Afra was a better option? from what eveidence are u going on?
he aint half the player nani is & will be
January 19th, 2009 at 12:27
@realred: Rooney?
January 19th, 2009 at 12:39
eah wazza aint slow, true, but dont reard his as having true pace ala torres, pato, etoo
dunno maybe im being greedy!
just cant remember the last time one of our strikers beat a defender 1 on 1.
we rarely seem tobe able to get in behind defences these days?
guess its just personal preferance but i feel its kinda important
January 19th, 2009 at 12:50
@realred: Roonry is very rapid mate, but not an out and out striker.
Nani needs a run in the side which is fair, but he does need to take the slim oppertunities he gets more. David Silva is a decent player and on form, and Messi, I suppose is a winger isn’t bad either!!
January 19th, 2009 at 12:52
A debut for Tosic would be welcome to freshen things up. It would also allow us to play Nani on the right wing which would ensure we have the width we lacked in the first leg while allowing us to rest Ronaldo.
Im not convinced by Welbeck and I think that we should play safe and partner Giggs and Tevez up front and play Fletcher and Anderson in midfield. Essentially Giggs would play the link man and Nani would be given license to get forward and take some shots on goal.
It is quite a defensive line up but remember if Derby get a goal we have to score three. Whereas if we keep it tight and score an early goal we’d be able to bring in the big guns second half to blow them away.
I can see us buying Aguero when Ronaldo leaves but not before. I think Ferguson has probably given up on his Benzema dream after buying Berbatov. With Campbell returning from loan Id imagine we’d groom Campbell as a third striker while playing Berbatov and Rooney most of the time.
Seeing as Hargreaves is requiring a second operation I think this summer we’ll be buying a central midfielder to play alongside Carrick because Anderson is not ready yet and Fletcher shouldn’t be playing as much as he is.
It is difficult to know who to buy. Carrick is a deep lying playmaker and does his fair share of the defensive duties. But he is too slow to get forward and not tough enough to really boss the midfield. So ideally to play alongside him we need someone who has a physical presence but is also able to get forward and link midfield and attack.
Palacios would have been good I think. Similarly Senna but he is a bit too old now.
January 19th, 2009 at 13:10
@realred: I think you are being greedy.
How many players can involve themselves in the build-up well and still have the pace to threaten in behind, like Rooney does?
There was a stat that Rooney created more one-one-ones for himself last season than anyone else, you don’t get that without being fast. His movement’s absolutely fantastic and makes up for any lack of speed anyway.
January 19th, 2009 at 13:13
@colver: Why should Fletcher not be playing as much as he is?
And why would Aguero be a replacement for Ronaldo? They play in completely different positions!
January 19th, 2009 at 13:16
Whats the point of letting Tevez go, and then go out and buy Aguero?
January 19th, 2009 at 13:20
@Stephen: Because people don’t think Tevez is that good, basically.
For the same reason they don’t rate park, they’re ‘workhorses’ and it works against them.
In the same way Berbatov’s style accentuates his class, Tevez’s does the opposite.
He’s quality though, and his awards, personal and for his teams, shows he’s a winner.
January 19th, 2009 at 13:24
@Conor: Surely it takes all sorts to make up a team?
January 19th, 2009 at 13:40
@colver: I like Palacios as well mate, but if and hopefully when Hargreaves becomes fit, and with Fletcher playing a lot more, Anderson may live up to his potential, Carrick playing pretty well this season, and Scholes signing a contract extension, Giggs also playing in the centre of midield, and with Possebon and young Gibo seemingly being given oppertunities do we really need to spend a further £14m?
January 19th, 2009 at 13:46
@Stephen: It does indeed.
Doesn’t stop them from being underrated. Park, Fletcher and Tevez don’t seem to get much credit here but they’re vital parts of the team and with their work ethic it’s no coincidence that they’re big game players.
January 19th, 2009 at 13:50
@Conor: I do agree, the issue with those three is that they arn’t exciting players and we have been built on the foundation of attacking breath taking players, and Park, Fletch and Carlos to some degree are not.
Park this season has worked his arse off for the team as has Fletch, Carlos is simply out of form but hopefuly will regain form now that he will be able to put in a run of games, I hope he does because he is United through and through.
January 19th, 2009 at 14:45
@Gabriel: Your understanding of the game of football should not be understated. I can’t help but agree with most of what you say. Clearly central midfielders can’t have similar roles. That is why terms like AMF,DMF etc exist. Owen Hargreaves is primarily a DMF and Anderson before he came to ManUtd was clearly a AMF.
I also agree with you on the issue of the contribution of midfielders ito goal scoring and going forward. I watched the Spurs and Pompey match which was probably the best game of the weekend. I actually noticed what you say about the Modric and Zokora partnership. That is a perfect model for a 4-4-2 formation iro midfielders. Why is it then that if Anderson was so good at attacking play and going forward,as soon as he plays for us he becomes the new Edgar Davids? Why is he not required to constantly venture forward and be in the thick of things together with the forwards. Being a big Barca fan,I know exactly what an attacking player from midfield can do in game. The way Xavi goes forward creates a lot of confusion in the opposition’s defence. It is risky but then again the only teams that should prioritise safety are the Stokes of this world. We are custodians of attacking football.
Point is when the likes of Ronaldo are not making inroads,then we definitely need an extra player to come from the middle and support the attackers. We need a creator of opportunities rather than someone who just passes the responsibility of attacking. I have always made noises about the role of Anderson since last season. He should have been the future of our attacking options in midfield. He did the job well everywhere else he played. Except at United,and that should tell us something about how defensive and “pragmatic” we have become. He is a player better suited to close proximity with the forwards and is more comfortable with short range penetrative passes. Just like Modric or say Diego.
So good points mate.
January 19th, 2009 at 15:14
@Jay wire: “Why is it then that if Anderson was so good at attacking play and going forward,as soon as he plays for us he becomes the new Edgar Davids?”
Answer is simple really…because our midfielders suck defensively. Unfortunately, he is the best ‘defender’, therefore, SAF must feel that with a forward-line of Ronaldo, Berba, Rooney, Tevez (and Nani), he currently needs Anderson’s defensive abilities more. Unfair to the lad really.
Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Due to our lack of goals, I think SAF should change our forward line up:
ST: Ronaldo
CF: Berbatov
LW: Rooney
RW: Tevez
I would like to see him experiment with that formation as none of the other winger/striker combinations seem to really work for us. Perhaps this will also spur Ronaldo to scoring…
January 19th, 2009 at 15:20
@Jay wire: Mate, i’ve been banging on about the fact that we need one of our midfielders to be more attack-minded. This lack of attacking impetus from midfield was not a problem when we were playing the fluid 4-2-4 as those four attackers combined with the overlapping fullbacks caused enough havoc on their own. Plus the center mids had to protect the defence when the fullbacks overlapped, also against counter attacks and a few times even joined in attack. This was why we were so devastating in attack and miserly in defence. It was simply tactical genius.
This season, almost every team has found out how to stop that fluidity up front; mark closely and prevent fluid movement from the front four, esp Ronaldo. At the same time, we have begun to play a more rigid 4-4-2 with true wingers who actually hog the wings. Hence, we should have more strikers in the box as Ronnie isn’t getting there anymore and this is where the problem is. Berba/Rooney are still playing like they were in the former system(dropping deep) and we always fall short of bodies in the box at crucial times. This is why we never get many real chances at goal because the strikers are either arriving late, Rooney is double-marked due to berba’s absence or there’s no one in the penalty area at all.
All this can be solved if we played either Carrick, Giggs or Ando in a more attacking role. Some say Carrick is to slow for that role, but is he any slower than Ballack, Xavi, Lampard, Deco etc No he is not!! All he needs to improve on is his aggressiveness in the final third as he has every other quality needed to be an attacking asset. Point-in case, every time this season we have played with an attacking midfielder, we have scored more or looked more threatening; Chelsea(h), Blackburn(both carling cup and away), Stoke(h) etc
Like I pointed out in a previous post, we have a versatile midfield with players who can simultaneously play as AMF’s, CMF’s or DMF’s. So why can’t we adjust in-game depending on how the opposition sets up? Eg if Fletch and Cazza are paired in midfield, if it is an open game where we can utilise our devastating 4-2-4, play them as central midfielders. If it is a tighter game where the forwards are closely marked and we revert to 4-4-2, play Cazza in front of Fletcher. This seems quite logical to me and I don’t know if it’s a case of stubbornness and sticking to ur guns by Fergie or the players aren’t just trained to adjust as such tactical shifts midway thru the game. Whatever it is, it needs to be looked at, cuz as far as we continue to play a rigid 4-4-2 without a functioning attacking midfielder, we will continue to struggle creating and converting real chances on goal.
January 19th, 2009 at 15:44
@Gabriel: Maybe it has something to do with the fact very few teams play with an AMF and a DMF.
Most teams that play with a midfield two just play with centre mids, not an AMF and a DMF.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:21
@Conor: I don’t know which teams you are talking about but most teams I know in professional football have such roles in their squads. Clearly if someone “sits in front of the back four” that player is a DMF eg Mikel,Makelele,Diarra,Gatusso etc. If another player is responsible primarily for the maintenance of an attacking threat from the middle of the pitch and constantly ventures forward supporting the strikers in their quest for putting the ball in the back of the opposition’s net then such player should be logically described as an AMF eg. Diego,Kaka,Schneider,Gerrard etc. So yes those descriptions exist because teams actually have players in such roles.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:29
@Jay wire: Gerrard, Diego, Kaka all don’t play in a midfield two.
Nor does Mikel, Makelele or Gattuso. The fact that we play two midfielders is key, they have to be two centre mids not one defensive midfielder and one attacking midfielder.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:33
@Gabriel: Carrick is just not attack minded, he is a passing midfielder, a sort of deep lying playmaker you cant really ask him to push on as it is not his natural game.
@Karl: Playing Rooney wide left is simply a waste as he will be missed through the centre, play Carlos maybe out wide maybe worth a look at though.
We just need to create more chances, and that job up up to the wide men, all the Chelsea goals came from crosses, so with Nani our best crosser probably needs a run.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:35
@Conor: Yes, most teams play with two centre mids, but in most teams, one of those centre mids is distinctly more attack-minded – Spain (Xavi and Senna); Tottenham (Modric and Zokora); Arsenal last year (Fabregas and Flamini) etc
I’m not saying what they are doing is better than what we are doing, but in a rigid 4-4-2 where we do not have interchanging movement of our forwards, there needs to be some attacking/playmaking verve from the midfielders so the strikers can concentrate on striking. Right now, I would say our formation is a 4-2-3-1 with Berba, Ronaldo and Park making up the supporting trio to Rooney upfront. That is quite defensive and usually leaves Rooney double-marked upfront. Add to the fact that Rooney is undisciplined in this role and most times we are left with no one at all in the penalty area when the ball comes in.
All I’m asking for is one of these midfielders to relieve Berbatov of his playmaking activities around the centre circle. I mean, why is he there? If one of them pushed forward and was instigating and manipulating the attacks in the final third, there is no doubt Berba and Rooney would have greater goal tallies by now. Berba would be in more goal-scoring opportunities as he is both receiving supply from this midfielder instead of creating and is actually playing in the box. Rooney would also get better chances as he won’t be double-marked due to Berba’s added presence in the box.
The benefits are quite clear. Maybe our defence would be a little shaky when we won’t have two midfielders to cover but we should still be okay. Right now, we are lacking goals because we are not creating enough clear cut chances. Having two strikers in and around the box being supplied by two wingers and an attacking midfielder can only yield more clear goal-scoring opportunities, hence more goals.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:36
@Karl: I would have believed that were it not for the fact that Fletcher is equally good defensively and Carrick is no slouch either. Also even last season when Hargreaves was available,albeit sporadically, Anderson was still played as a Davids. For me the most balanced combination in the middle for us would have been Ando and Hargo. Both have the necessary energy and aggression that is necessary for that part of the team. I wish everyone could have watched the Spurs-Pompey match and you would have appreciated the point.Unfortunately,both players have issues. Hargo is never available and Anderson has had to deal with an unfortunate role change that he will probably never regain his attacking part of the game.That leaves us with probably Giggs and Fletcher as in the Chelsea game. But that combination may not be as consistent but that would theoretically be the ideal combination.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:38
@Jay wire: Not the most creative midfield with Hargo and Andy, great energy but we need Carrick or a player of his type to unlock defences, if we play 4-4-2.
January 19th, 2009 at 16:54
@Stephen: Carrick has all the qualities to succeed as an attacking midfielder. Contrary to popular belief, he is no slouch, languid maybe, but no slouch. You can’t be that slow to successfully play defensively in midfield as he has. Besides, you don’t have to have lennon’s pace to play in an attacking midfield position. Would you say Carrick is much slower than Ballack, Xavi and co? No.
Carrick’s composure, passing, control and shooting is just what is needed in that attacking role. His aggressiveness for goal would come as he continues to play there. Players get accustomed to the roles they occupy, just like Berba has become accustomed to passing instead of shooting when he has a sniff at goal and there are options around him. This is because he is playing as a provider and attacking playmaker for the team hence his knee-jerk reactions at most times would be to pass.
If Carrick was playing further up the pitch, supporting the strikers, there is no doubt in my mind we would see greater returns in the goal department. I mean, the few times he has gotten forward this season, there’s always a goal, assist or he is directly involved in link-up play that results in a goal. FACT.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:00
@Gabriel: I see your point but don’t agree, you can’t change the type of player he is he has and will always be a deep midfielder, it’s just the way he plays.
You also don’t have to be quick to play the holding role mate, Makelele, Senna, De Rossi and Pirlo arn’t exactly rapid matey
January 19th, 2009 at 17:04
For all the midfield questioners, you’ve touched on my favourite tactical discussion, so keen to get involved
Few thoughts:
1. 5-10 years ago, I can just picture the site of Keano sprinting back and sliding in with a perfectly timed challenge to nip the ball off the toes of a counterattacking midfielder. Haven’t seen a United player do that in 3 years. The reason is because our midfield is never in front of the oppositions midfield.
2. Having Berbatov, Ronaldo and Nani in the same team leaves us too exposed, even with two essentially defensive midfielders. While I don’t want them to tire themselves out unnecessarily, I struggle to understand why all other premiership side midfielders manage to track back when we play them, but our boys don’t have this responsiblity. I believe this is the reason Fergie feels forced to play two ‘deep-lying’ midfielders. Ronaldo will actively get out of the way of a full back tearing up his wing, and that means if we want to avoid a double team on our full back, then one of the midfield boys has to come across. So has to be deep and ready to do so.
3. I’m not convinced we’re as fit as a team of world champions should be.
4. As long as we’re set up with this ‘new’ 4-4-2, we will lack penetration through the middle. Which is where most of our goals over the last couple seasons have come from, but that was because Ronaldo would be in that middle too. It would be fine if we had some dominant strikers who could capitalise on crosses, but we don’t. Looking at our personnel, I will never understand why we don’t play a 4-3-3.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:04
@Stephen: I also thought about that a lot, but have come to the conclusion that:
a) Playing Rooney up front and Berba behind is:
i) in itself a waste (of Rooney’s talents)
ii) not effective enough – Rooney is not clinical enough
b) Playing Berba up fron and Rooney behind
i) same as above for Berba
ii) same as above for Berba
c) Playing Ronaldo out wide as a classical winger is
i) a waste of Ronaldo’s talents
ii) not effective enough (usually no-one in the box to meet the crosses)
Also,
d) Ronaldo don’t like defending – Rooney does (in a sense), same with Tevez
d) Ronaldo has more of an aerial presence than Rooney/Tevez
e) Rooney and Tevez on the wings should at least cause a goal-threat from our wingers
f) Rooney and Tevez on the same field as Ronaldo and Berbatov could mess up the oppositions’ man-marking scheme.
g) Rooney and Tevez both work their arses off (like Park and Fletcher) but is at least – a little bit – more prolific at goalscoring.
I don’t see why we cannot try this formation really.
The only problem we would have is crossing…but it’s not as if that is very forthcoming at the moment anyways. Offensively, as a front-line, we would be better off. Defensively, we would be similiar, if not better off.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:05
@Stephen: As i have already mentioned these two players have their issues. Andy had he been played from the onset in his natural attacking midfield role then it would have been the best.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:07
@Gabriel: We play with two centre mids, and Scholes is distinctly more attack minded, as is Anderson. So we have that player in the long-term and the short-term.
That’s not a defensive formation at all, we played the same formation last season and were the top scorers. No idea where you’re coming from there.
Berbatov was bought to be a playmaker, it’s what he does best. Every player in this team is playing in his most effective role, why change it? Berbatov’s a playmaker, Carrick’s a water carrier and likes to sit deep. That’s just the players they are.
We’re lacking goals because we’re not playing well.
Too much over-analysis going on here.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:12
@Karl: It’s a case of trying to fit all the best players in the team with no balance. You can argue it out in theory all you want but it’s nearly impossible to put into place on the pitch. Look at the Galactico’s era for Madrid.
Or look at the fact we conceded two goals when playing them four against Hull, after dominating the match before then.
We looked terribly imbalanced then and against Blackburn.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:12
On the United site in the newspaper rumours section there is a mention that Tosic may get a surprise early debut against Derby tomorrow?
Wouldn’t be massively surprised if it were true as it’s against lesser opposition, at Old Trafford, so why not? I hope it is true.
Fergie’s sent quite a few people away on a short two or three day break until the WBA game at the weekend which will leave us a little light on the ground, probably where this Tosic rumour has come from.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:18
@Conor: Like wise. The Internet brings out the worst because quite often it causes people to misinterpret the emotions and feelings behind a statement. For me at my age it has always been a little confusing at times because I’m never sure if a remark is meant in fun or is an insult. Smiley’s don’t always help. Anyway, water under the bridge. Lets move on.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:20
@Conor: I admit it is just theory.
I know it seems like a matter of fitting all the best players, but I disagree with the balance part. By moving Ronaldo to ST position, you can create the balance.
The truth isf that our Current forward line is heavily unbalanced. We have 3 playmaking CFs, (4 if you count Ronaldo in because he seldom does defending), and no striker up top. THAT is where the imbalance lies.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:27
@Karl: But Ronaldo’s not a striker, so why play him there?
Rooney’s not a playmaker, he gets in behind the defence as well as anyone in this league. Berbatov’s a playmaker, which is why he plays behind Rooney. We then have Ronaldo on the wing providing the main incisive attacking threat and Park providing the more subtle threat from the other wing. Finally we have a top class striker on the bench in Tevez who can come in and replace either Rooney or Berbatov very well.
Perfectly balanced.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:30
@Karl: Worth a look at.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:35
Oh FFS, we need a COMMANDING midfielder to dominate MF. A bullish tackler/ball winner, who can drive the team FORWARD – simple as
. Preferably someone who is VERY GOOD at giving the players around him a good old bollocking when they are not performing.
January 19th, 2009 at 17:40
@Craig Mc: Just like we needed one for the last two years eh Craig?
I mean it’s not like we won the league or Champions League without one or anything…
January 19th, 2009 at 18:12
Personally I thing Craig has a point, but there aren’t many out there of the Keane/Ince/Robson mould, that are British.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:13
@Conor: Say what you like mate, but I think we had a considerable amount of luck last year, and especially in the CL semi final and final against Barca and Chelski. If you say to the contrary your in denial mate. Also if you truly believe that our MF this first half of season have performed at anything other than below par, then you just keep on in Noddy land Conor. We are not going to keep getting fortunate 1-0 wins, the defenders carrying us most of the season. Why do you think the defence have resorted to lobbing the ball OVER our MF, because if they give it to one of them, they keep losing the feckin thing. But hey you have your opinions as a fan, and I have mine. Mine is our MF is in need of some major improvement. I want someone I can feel confident in who can command MF. If one of our present MF’s can do this, I have yet to witness it this season.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:19
@Stephen: That’s what I mean Bro, we have always had magnificent players in midfield for us in the past. They didn’t know the meaning of the word DEFEAT, and they were extremely good at marshalling, pushing play forward instead of all this dreary feckin backpassing, and they certainly knew how to bollock their team mates who were phaffing about like girls. Sorry if this offends, but our MF has NO BITE. But let the dreamers continue thinking they are world beaters eh Stephen?. Some of us will continue to think in what we believe is the real world. Though we be few in number
.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:29
@Craig Mc: Exactly, you want one.
It’d be great to have another Keano or Robson.
Doesn’t mean we need one though, massive difference between the two.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:31
@Craig Mc: No-one said we’re world beaters. Who’s to say I’m overly positive? Maybe you’re overly negative. Fact is we’re top of the league and with the way you’ve talked about us all season you’d think we were in a crisis.
Don’t just assume you’re right and everyone else is wrong.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:48
the real issue is when or if Hargo returns, he played Ok not a massive amount of games, but crucial ones and we have missed him this season.
Fletch to be fair has punched above his weight and Anderson simply has been poor.
January 19th, 2009 at 18:58
@Conor: I tell you to watch Aguero more, and you fire back with “whats the point of sticking a 30 million pound striker on the bench?”
First of all it doesnt matter how much a player is purchased for, class will play. Fergie doesnt pick his team based on price tags.
Second of all, that point is moot when you consider the fact that Aguero wouldnt come for anything less than 35 million pounds.
I will tell you one more time, there is no way Aguero comes to united and sits the bench. But dont take my word for it, go and actually watch the player before you cast judgment on him.
January 19th, 2009 at 19:15
@johnsom33: I’ve watched him, he’s brilliant.
We’ll still end up having to put a £30m striker on the bench, simple logic really seeing as we already have two.
He’s better than Berbatov no doubt, but that’s besides the point.
We don’t need him, and you’re missing the point completely.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:05
@johnsom33: Johnsom Bro, Conor thinks that everybody is missing the point BUT HIM. That should tell you something mate
.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:15
@Craig Mc: Oh the irony.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:16
@Conor: I think you got the roles wrong there Conor. It’s you who thinks your right, and keeps telling everyone else there wrong. As for me being negative and thinking we are in a crisis, well I would say we are only a couple of losses away from what most people would then have to admit their fears of this season, that we are not anything like we have been the last two seasons. Also WTF didn’t you answer the point I made about us being lucky in the semi final and final of CL. Also the phenominal good fortune we have had this year in the 1-0’s. Paying fans have a right to say when they think standards are slipping, or things are not all alright as you prefer to think. That things need to be more carefully looked at. Call that negative if you like, but it is only what most managers and coaches would do. Some fans have the typical OT philosophy, do not CRITICISE at any time, or say what you think. Tread the party line, or you will get a lambasting from the so called POSITIVES – all bollocks that thinking is. By the way numbnuts, I suggest you go back thru my posts since the start of this season, and you will see that I have posted a good amount of positivity too. I don’t have to answer to you for what I post. You just ignore my posts from now on, because I don’t want to discuss football with you any more. There are plenty of other people on this blog for you to converse with.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:23
i have to agree with craig on this. i find that any time i post, conor is their a few minutes later to say im wrong. its his views and it doesnt annoy me in the slightest, but it is strange that every time i post something, you basically say im wrong.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:24
@Craig Mc: I’ve not said anyone’s wrong once, and you keep telling me I’m living in a dream world – i.e. clearly you’re being much more realistic and I’m wrong.
I criticise plenty, but only when there’s a real reason to. We’ve already got more points from the same games this season than last, we’re in the Carling Cup semi’s, the next round of the FA Cup and the Champions League and we won the CWC. So we’ve done well in the league and cups. that’s more than enough reason to be optimistic.
People that I’d call negative look for perfection, or the closest thing to it. It can’t happen so why not be happy knowing we already have one of the best squads in world football with the best manager in world football?
It’s all about expectations. Finishing second and getting to the Champions League semi’s would be a good season – the Champions League has never been retained before, and teams rarely win the league three times in a row.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:28
Craig Mc, comment 216, great comment mate and one i totally agree with. Any time you criticise the team you have these wiseguys always saying your not a true fan and all that crap just because they dont agree with it. What makes their opinion so correct. Many times this year i have slated the team as a whole, certain players and occassionally even our great manager because as a paying fan who has every year bought the merchandise, shirts, posters, been to watch the team whenever i can i am entitled to my opinion. Us fans help to pay the players wages so why cant we slate them if we want, its our opinion no matter how negative it may be.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:29
@Matthew: Has anyone said you’re not a true fan?
Ever?
January 19th, 2009 at 20:34
@dan(u-ol): It’s part of discussing football Dan, you know, exchanging views and all that.
People on here don’t challenge each other’s views enough, which makes the whole idea of talking about football a bit senseless.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:41
For me our best midfield pairing is Hargreaves and Carrick. Solid closing down and breaking up opposition play with great distribution. Not amazingly attacking, but with Nani, Ronaldo, Rooney and Berbatov in the team they shouldn’t need to be.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:50
LOL
Why do people always fall back to the optimist/pessimist card when their arguments go stale? It’s all about discussion and debating alternate views, I see no reason why being an optimist or a pessimist have to hold water in any case. If u r slating the team and someone feels it is undeserved and says so, that doesn’t mean he’s being overly positive and ur being too negative. If someone is happy with our squad and can only see improvement while you can’t, that doesn’t necessarily mean ur a pessimist and he an optimist. It’s just the reality as each person perceives it.
Please, can we stick to real debating and quit these labeling of contributors. Thank you.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:56
@Traverse: I agree Bro – I love Hargo. Shame he is not here eh? I feel also, like a few fans who have posted here, that Carrick is Man Utd thru and thru in love and attitude for the club, but he is leadenfooted with the ball catching inbetween his feet too many times. I think there are better MF’s. I still would like to see us buy a MF of the ilk of Robbo/Incey/Keane type but not another Keane character.
January 19th, 2009 at 20:58
@Gabriel: Thank you professor. Is your couch as busy as Eddy’s?
January 19th, 2009 at 21:11
Point is we are top of the league because we are dropping less points than the opposition. Chelsea are not the unbeatable force they were under Mourinho. Liverpool are punching above their weight just to stay on top. Arsenal have zero consistency and only show up against the big teams.
Our decline has been more gradual and has mostly manifested itself as smaller winning margins and more goalless draws than we’d like.
The real issue is are we going to get worse or are we going to get better.
Therefore I understand why guys like Craig are worried we are not out of the woods yet.
I gain some hope from the knowledge that our strikers seem to be raising their game and Ronaldo is bound to improve in the second half of the season as he puts last summer’s injury into the past. Second half of the season is also supposed to be when Berbatov likes to score his goals which will help our cause immensely.
Our defence is solid and I imagine it will stay that way because guys like Rio and Vidic and Evra and Neville are consistent.
The issue seems to be midfield. Nani and Anderson have underwhelmed and Im not sure how much longer Fletcher can play well. That leaves Carrick missing a reliable partner and buying someone like Palacios would have instantly strengthened our midfield. As it is I just hope to God that Carrick doesn’t get injured and that Anderson returns to the heights of last season.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:14
@Craig Mc: ur welcome buddy. Feel free to express ur feelings anytime
although there won’t be any doctor-patient confidentiality, seeing we are on a rant site. 
So, in the words of Dr Christian Troy and Dr Sean McNamara, Tell me what you don’t like about usrelf, Craig Mc?
January 19th, 2009 at 21:15
We should all just admit that we are bored and come here regularly for disagreement, not to sing in chorus with others. People like Conor, who are unyielding in their appetite for arguing for arguings sake, just come with the territory. If you don’t feel like writing back and forth two dozen times on a single topic and you care about winning an argument, it’s best not to engage Conor or Grognard. If you don’t mind that, go right ahead. It’s quite simple, really.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:18
I love the new chant by everton fans…. (sung to the sound of three lions)
He’s going down, he’s going down,
he going….. gerards going down!!
Perfect chance to blood the future of united for 2mro’s game against derby
PIG/Foster
Rafa, Vidic, Evans, Fabio
Possebon, Gibson, Anderson
Nani, Welbeck, Tosic
January 19th, 2009 at 21:19
@Matthew: Matthew, if you refer to the blog policies, it states, and RR has reiterated it constantly, that you can grouse and blast any players or club etc you like, and that is perfectly fine. What RR objects to is personal abuse amongst bloggers, and that is not OK. This is why, if I feel like someone feels offended by my forthright posts, or I by theirs, I just decide to cut off communication in the end, for the quiet of the blog.
. You keep giving your honest comments Matthew, even if they are opposed to local consensus of opinion. I can’t recall you saying anything too stinging anyway 
.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:21
@Matthew: Guilt is the last refuge of those defeated on merits.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:26
@Gabriel: Well Professor, their are those who would think rightly or wrongly, that there is not much I don’t like about myself. It would be up to you Dr Fraud to decide whether I suffer from inflated ego, or whether I just have a healthy habit of not being self introspective all the time. I have many faults as we all do, no such thing as perfect humanity, but I take people in the end, warts and all. Even as most do with me. Good answer eh professor?
. Do I sound as if I have it together then Doc?
January 19th, 2009 at 21:28
@Patrick: Patrick, very good quote mate, but you lost me there
.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:30
What a miss by torres!!
January 19th, 2009 at 21:30
@Patrick: Nobody wins an arguement against Grog, he has words in his armoury, that you would need a world of dictionaries to understand
.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:31
@Viz: Keep it up Torres
.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:37
@Craig Mc: I hope phil neville gets the winner!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 21:39
@colver: Yeah Colver your post is exactly what I was meaning, but you were able to say far more eloquently
. You couldn’t really say we have played to any sort of consistent, even average performance this season thus far. As you say marvelously we have the points to be in good position, but that’s mainly because the scousers, chelski etc couldn’t capitalise on the great opportunity they had to be miles ahead of us. So0000000000000.
I want to see us get back to somewhere like normal United standards, because this team have been like strangers this season. I don’t care if we don’t win any silverware, that is not my gripe. I do care that I get to go to OT and away games, and see our team play in some sort of way that is not maribund. Please God it will happen soon. Where are our beloved United?.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:47
Conor, i have made comments before saying things that i believe in the past, mainly formations and things, and have been told that i dont know what im talking about etc. Ok that in so many words isnt you arent a true fan it is saying that your opinion is wrong and theirs isnt which makes you feel like your the only 1 who feels something different to them. I think about my posts before just writing anything down so when i say something it is something i really feel is correct and to have some1 come on and just say that your opinion is wrong is not correct, what makes their opinion correct over mine. This is what i was meaning conor when i was talking about Craig Mcs comment. Craig was going on about his negative comments and people always dampening his opinions and always saying this club is all rainbows and sunny skies when it is not this all the time. Anyone makes a negative comment and you get shot down by some and thats what i was meaning when i agreed with him. I myself havent been subject to such rude comments as others have but i have certainly read other peoples comments with opinions that were perfectly entitled to be printed on here and some are just shooting it down just because they dont agree with it. Thats wrong, and sorry the post is so long but this is the point i am trying to make here, sorry if any1 was confused.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:48
@colver: Isn’t that the point though? All great teams go through dips – Barcelona, Madrid, Chelsea etc. have all done so recently.
It’s just part of football.
There’s no worries about whether we’re good enough to recover though, we’ve shown this season that we can be top of the league while playing well so when we are playing well it’ll be something else.
There’s youth throughout the team, quality youth. We have Evans, Anderson and Rooney all providing the spine of the team long-term and Nani and Rafael providing the quality wing play. Then we’ve got Carrick, Hargreaves, Vidic, Evra and Berbatov coming into the peak of their careers. And we’ve got exciting young players in Fabio, Ljajic, Welbeck and Tosic.
Don’t see why we should be worried.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:50
@Craig Mc: We are no fucking Arsenal! We play well to win, not play well to impress. If you dotn wanna win things without beautiful football every game, go support Arsenal!
Seriously… 
January 19th, 2009 at 21:52
We’re 45 minutes away from staying top for at least 8 days!!
January 19th, 2009 at 21:52
@Patrick: lol quite true that one… well, I don’t fall for that. The guilt trip don’t work on me, just like the pessimist/optimist, positive/negative crap.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:52
@Matthew: There’s a hell of a difference between saying you’re not a true fan and you’re wrong, lets not exaggerate things.
And who cares if someone says you’re wrong? It’s the internet for christ’s sakes, who cares? Either start an argument about it to give some basis to show why you hink you’re right, or ignore them.
Disagreeing with others is part and parcel of it all so you should get used to it.
January 19th, 2009 at 21:55
@Conor: Your mother’s Blueberry muffins are rubbish, mate.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:06
Conor, woah woah woah, i can take some1 disagreeing with my comments no problem as long as their opinion is good as well. I didnt mean to make such a big deal out of this, the whole point of my original post was just to agree with craig mc where he said that we are not like how we were 2 years ago and that a few losses and we are in a terrible state, he was just saying (i think) that we are not all sun and roses at the minute and that we can make a few negative comments when we feel the need to. I was just agreeing with him and thats all.
I think craigs original comment in 216 was directed to you as well mate saying that you never accept any1 elses opinion than yours. Im not necessarily agreeing with that point because i havent exactly heard anything from you that would make me say that and it would be unfair of me to say that about you when i dont know if it is true. My main point now and as it was at first is that i was saying certain people would have you believing that we are having no problems, everything is rosy, when in reality us and in fact no club in the world is without their problems. I was just stating that when you leave a comment saying our club has problems some people will just go mad and just fail to even consider your point. I was naming no names, not saying anything about you either mate, was just saying ive seen people who are like that. Sorry if my points werent clear.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:09
@RedDevilEddy: lol, you really told him there mate…
January 19th, 2009 at 22:25
@Matthew: It’s not about making a few negative comments, which aren’t even negative but spot on, it’s about consistently pointing out every single flaw in our game.
We don’t have a midfield enforcer, we don’t have a goalscoring striker, we don’t have good enough wingers etc.
People can criticise the team all they want but I’m going to tell them I disagree if they overly criticise the team, and a lot of fans do because we’re spoilt with success.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:31
the rent boy scored but everton playing well come on phil neville!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:32
Frakkin Gerrard!!!
That guy is just freakin amazin, I wanna hate him, but I can’t 
January 19th, 2009 at 22:40
@Gabriel: Just hope he goes in jail on friday!!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:44
@Gabriel: Second that. I have a tough time hating class, regardless of the kit/jersey it wears. All those on this board who call Gerrard overrated have always baffled me–all his does is win matches. But I know that people around here have abnormally tinted glasses when viewing anyone who wears a Liverpool kit–which is understanable–so I let it go. Sparkling player though.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:46
@RedDevilEddy: Eddy, I like to win as much as anyone else. My main complaint is that I also like ENTERTAINING FOOTBALL, you remember that don’t you, cos United has given some people amnesia of late. I was accused of being negative BECAUSE the person thought I was complaining about BORING football because I just was spoiled and wanting to win everything. I am not going to apologise for having to watch the shite that we have played this season. I am going to say if I think we have gotten boring and things need to be changed, because they do. By the way Eddy, I have been watching UNited a lot longer than you mate, so why don’t you fuck off to watch some other team.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:48
tim fucking cahill!!!!!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:49
Arteta is class.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:49
cahillllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:50
zonal marking is a load of bob!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:50
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Get in Cahill!!!! Feckin scouse bastards ain’t taking our top spot!! 
January 19th, 2009 at 22:50
@Gabriel: Errrr enjoy that did you. Try going to every United game home and away, as some of us United LOVING fans do, and then put up with the boring shite dished up this season
.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:52
kindney stone benetiz has lost the plot!!
January 19th, 2009 at 22:54
@Matthew: Rainbows and sunny skies – gotta love you mate
.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:57
Conor i get what your saying mate and i agree with you so lets just call it at that.
Well done everton by the way, always had a bit of a soft spot for them, well done lads youve done the league proud.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:57
@Viz: I haven’t been able to watch the game Viz, did Phil Nev have any part in the build up to the goal?.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:58
@Craig Mc: here we go again… Can we drop this already, you go to every United game, good for you but that shouldn’t factor in any point ur trying to make. Just cause u go to the games doesn’t mean you LOVE United more. Jeez, gimme a break already
btw, the comment u were replying to was supposed to be sarcastic, but I guess ur LOVE for United hindered ur perception there
January 19th, 2009 at 22:58
@Patrick:I’ve always thought he’s average, besides his set pieces which are quality.
Says it all that he can’t get in the Spain team ahead of someone like Cazorla really.
January 19th, 2009 at 22:59
GET IN THERE EVERTON!!!!!!!!!!
COME ON UNITED!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for the caps, but come on, its warranted today aint it?
January 19th, 2009 at 22:59
@Viz:
, please tell me how he lost it Viz. Are the highlights on tonight anywhere?.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:00
@Craig Mc: There was no buildup, it was a set piece. Arteta’s class placed the ball directly on an unmarked Cahill. Everton really had no business winning that match, but a draw seemed fitting. It was dreadful attacking all around and neither side deserved three points. Gerrard’s goal was a gem and Everton’s set piece well executed. Other than that the entire match was unremarkable, outside of a few pieces of skill and a missed opportunity from Torres.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:00
@Drew Vader: Drew,
, you go mate. Feels good doesn’t it?.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:01
@Gabriel: completely agree with you on Carrick playing further up.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:02
@Patrick: Awwww thanks Matthew. I bet the L’fools heads were really down at the end. Highlights anywhere?.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:02
@Craig Mc: he was smiling and joking about with the 4th ref and then cahill scored and his face looked like someone robbed his kidneys from right under his nose!!
January 19th, 2009 at 23:03
@Conor: There may be some truth to that, but after watching Everton today it’s no wonder that’s all he’s good at. He’s a supporting midfielder supporting an attack that doesn’t deserve it. They are flat disgusting going forward. Never seen a team that is less threatening when the ball is moving. Cahill, Osman, Pienaar, Anichebe? How’s he supposed to look good supplying that motley crew? I’d just like to see how he’d do surrounded by better players.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:06
@Patrick: Well that’s hardly fair, Everton are without Saha and Yakubu, their two biggest threats.
Without them there isn’t any movement in the team and they struggle, most teams would if their two first choice strikers are out though.
He’s a tidy player but that’s about it.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:07
That’s fine, mate. I’m not arguing for his inclusion in the United side or anything. Just saying that I think he’s class and I like him. Perhaps I just like tidy players.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:09
@Gabriel: Why don’t you read my posts in context. I was answering Eddy’s post where he was questioning that I said in answer to Conor’s quote that we cannot EXPECT to win the league and CL three years on the spot. I was saying that I didn’t expect that, and that I wasn’t complaining about not actually winning silverwear, although I do love to win it, I was griping about shite performances for the fans WHO GO TO MATCHES, and do like to be entertained. That is the reason I mentioned it, because I hear the comments on the terraces, and they all feel similar to how I feel. So anyway, FUCK OFF the whole lot of you, who so like to misinterpret everything people sya, instead of reading their posts properly. And don’t bother answering, because I don’t want to feckin hear it – jeez.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:11
@Craig Mc: Calm down mate.
I am not questioning your support for United, the hell I aint! Im just saying that we cant play entertaining football all the time. I think we have been doing it very rarely lately, and except from the Chelski game I cant remember the last time we honestly played amazing football. Maybe you have to be standing there in the rain or whatever, but I envy you for going to watch United week in week out. You make it sound like a fucking bad thing, for fucks sake! Some people do not have the opportunity to be at Old Trafford every week, so you should consider yourself lucky. And dont tell me to fuck off, I didnt tell you to! I dont wanna start a fight here, or throw bad words in. So I will let it pass. Maybe we havent played entertaining football of late, but we are top of the League and that is what matters to me. Even though I might not enjoy it in May, because Ill probably die from anxiety or heart-attack. 
I want us to play well, dont get me wrong. I look at United as not only a winning team, but an entertaining team where we can enjoy the games. Except from the Chelski game, I havent done that in a really long while. I hope we start a run of stirring performances against Derby tomorrow and then Spurs on Saturday.
And on a side note, the happy note of the day. Thank you Tim Cahill! We are now top of the League with one game in hand, and we will not look back now! If we win our game in hand, and our game against Liverpool we can be all but 6 points ahead. Except Chelski want to say anything, but come their latest performances I cant say I think they are gonna be a challange…
January 19th, 2009 at 23:12
get in ya dancer
great result
…..what was that Mr.Benitez!?
January 19th, 2009 at 23:12
@Viz: Thanks Viz – robbed his kidneys
. Well they are not very functioning kidneys are they, with all the stones and all.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:13
Surprisingly enough Craig throws his toys out of the pram and comes out with his all-conquering point that he is a match-going fan, which clearly means his opinion matters more.
News for you mate, you’re not the only one so stop bringing it up.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:17
@Craig Mc: I was joking! For fucks sake, what I wrote was meant as an insult to Arsenal, not you!
I dont questions anybodys support for United here, I am not a guy to do so. Just chill, I just wanted to say that winning means more than playing well, and that Arsenal dont know how the rules work. 
January 19th, 2009 at 23:18
Is Benitez beating himself for us? We won’t have much to do in the middle of March at Old Trafford ‘cept mop up Rafa’s tears….
January 19th, 2009 at 23:19
@RedDevilEddy: Eddy I hear you mate. I thought you mentioned about feckin off too Arsenal – so soz I read that wrong Eddy. I didn’t and I am tired of explaining this to people, mention about attending games to get at people who don’t manage to get there. I know it is fortunate, well maybe not so fortunate as I feckin was born and bred in Salford. That hasn’t been the luckiest place on earth, but it has afforded me to be brought up in an area of fanatical, fervent REDS. I wish you could, and everyone could get to that games, that is not what I was saying, although there are some people on here who persistently read it that way. But you know what Eddy, I really don’t give a toss what some of them think, because I have come to realise who to respond to, and who not too on this blog now. And I trust they will afford me the same honour.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:21
Fuckin Rafa must be livid!!! I’m sure he was preparing for a victory rant after Gerrards’ goal lol Not tonight Rafa!!
That was one of the most satisfying goals i’ve seen this weekend. Everton deserved a point, they played Liverpool like they were at Goodison Park. Real end to end stuff and the match could have yielded some more goals, for both sides.
Now they face Wigan away and Chelsea at home in their two upcoming PL fixtures, while we correspondingly have West Brom away and Everton at home. By the end of those two fixtures, we should be 4 points clear with a game in hand. I don’t see Liverpool getting more than a point each at Wigan or against Chelsea. C’mon lads, this is our chance to put some distance on these pretenders!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 23:21
@RedDevilEddy: I know Eddy, we’re COOL mate
.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:22
There’s not a day that goes by where this blog doesn’t burst into conflict. It’s really hilarious considering we all support the same team. If you find yourself going on a tirade against someone, hold the backspace key for a real long time, take a breath, shut your laptop and go watch some telly.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:23
@Craig Mc: I give respect to all people on this blog who deserve it. And you are one of them.
And relax, United will start playing brilliant football very soon. I promise(maybe..)
January 19th, 2009 at 23:24
@Patrick:
Good advice. Or maybe play on the Xbox. 
Rematch tomorrow?
January 19th, 2009 at 23:25
Great news coming fast by the minute, kaka is staying with AC. Whilst im really not bothered about city im glad they havent managed to buy kaka, its people like their owners who are ruining the game, and his stance shows a point to the city billionaires that some players care more about the love of football over money. Add to this messi stating he wants to stay at barca for life and players like rooney who i generally think love the club its safe to say there are a FEW players who cannot be bought.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:27
Kaka’s rejected the move to City then.
Good lad himself.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:29
@Matthew: Matthew, good news about Kaka. I just saw the L’fool/Everton goals on the news, both of them seemed really good goals.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:29
@Craig Mc: get mad all you want mate, it just convinces me you actually meant what I said you meant. Plus, why accentuate the ‘LOVING’ part in your statement, Try going to every United game home and away, as some of us United LOVING fans do, and then put up with the boring shite dished up this season
. ?
And I see u’ve resorted to crude and vulgar language, how ‘LOVING’ of you
January 19th, 2009 at 23:30
Top of the league and not playing well the majority of the time. Conversion of more of our chances would have brightened the mood but there is something lacking this season when measured against the attacking style we know and love.
Without doubt the defence has been our claim to excellence. I’m hoping Tosic is a success as a winger and does enough covering to keep his place. Nani is not getting a chance so I don’t know how he can get in the team at all.
Leading the league says most about how inept everyone else is, but we have created something of a fortress at OT – and just as Chelsea’s drawbridge has been stolen.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:30
Oh the irony! We score the winner in the last minute, and Liverpool lose the game in the last minute.
Oh, Im gonna sleep well tonight…
new beintez song(Diego, oooh tune)
BENITEEZ, WHOO HOO HOO
BENITEEZ, WHOO HOO HOO
YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW THE FACTS!
BUT YOU ARE FAT AND EATING CATS!
BENITEEZ, WHOO HO….
January 19th, 2009 at 23:34
@RedDevilEddy: how about “but you are fat and serving snacks!”
January 19th, 2009 at 23:34
@Craig Mc: There’s a reason many of us have chosen Manchester United to support. It’s because throughout their history, they have played attacking entertaining football. Before Fergie showed up that didn’t always equate to trophies and championships, but they were loved none the less because of their style of play.
Craig never apologize for being a spoilt fan. I’m spoilt rotten. I support a great team that has given me many years of thrills and who play the game properly. So if some of us like you and me challenge what is going on this season, it’s for good reason. Because the team despite it’s record has played boring, plodding and completely unUnited like football. I for one am bored to death with our football this year except of course for the Chelsea match. What I really hate is those out there who couldn’t care less about being put through 90 minutes of sheer boredom as long as we win. Has it come to this? Who is more spoilt, Craig and myself who love to watch united play their attacking style, or those who are used to us winning no matter what? There have been seasons like last year where both groups had their cake and ate it too. This year however, the artistic ones, the ones who love the beauty of the game will have to suck it up and take one for the team I guess. It’s a shame really. If I wanted this kind of football to support, I could have selected the Scousers or Chelski. They are just as capable of boring the Hell out of me.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:35
@the three Rs: Something missing this season, when measured against the attacking style we know and love – never a truer word spoken three Rs, and so glad you see see it too.
.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:37
@Grognard: Thanks Grog, and I agree of course
.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:38
@Matthew: Who wants to play for Shitty? Well, of cource there is the abused child Robinho and mad-man Bellamy who just found a new mental hospital!
Kaka, Santa Cruz, Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Fabregas, Torres, Gerrard, Etoo, Saha, Silvestre, Buffon, Del Piero, Diego, Podolski(who just moved to Cologne), Gettusso and Ribery. They are just some of the players that have rejected Shitty. How does it feel you utter shitbags? Being rejected by the whole footballing world! Living in fear of Sh(r)eik to leave and let City rot like poor Leeds. Being in the relegation sone. Every player wanting to move, living in fear of getting the boot.
“This is how it feels to be City, this is how it feels to be small!
This is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all, nothign at all, nothing at all
This is how it feels to be City, This is how it feels to be small…”
January 19th, 2009 at 23:39
Kaka is staying all the money in the world will only buy you 4 goals a season bellemy for £14m west ham will be laughing to the bank!!
January 19th, 2009 at 23:39
@TurkishRED: Nice
January 19th, 2009 at 23:39
gotta say things are really going well for us despite us complaining all the time. As conor i believe it was said earlier we are a spoilt bunch and maybe we expect too much. We are top of the league playing shite, thats gotta tell you something and tell were complaining (including me).
But just thinking to myself a second ago put it into perspective:
We are playing crap, scrapping wins, really not playing well and yet still we are better off in the table than a liverpool side that is performing at their best since they last won it. If we are ahead of them still when we are playing at our worst, how far ahead could we be when we reach top form which im hoping and thinking will start to come. Hopefully title number 3 is on the way.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:40
@RedDevilEddy: Yes we can mate. Yes we can. There is no reason why we should ever have to change our style and mantra of play to accommodate an opponent. Let them change their style to combat us. Why we as the defending champions are consistently knuckling under and playing into the hands of other teams is beyond me. I say we play to our strengths and let whatever may come from it. “Pride, poise and commitment to excellence” was the theme the old Oakland Raiders of the NFL used to live by. They never knuckled down to other teams. They played their game and if they were off on a certain day, then so be it. But most of the time they won the day playing their style of football. That’s all I am asking United to do. Don’t go to Barcelona and create the most negative style of play in our team’s history. So what if we came out of there 0-0. It was a disgrace and an embarrassment to the team and hit’s historic way of playing the game. I guess Fergie and a lot of the supporters today will sell their souls for a trophy. I won’t.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:41
@RedDevilEddy: Eddy mi man, how about – Benitez woah oh, Benitez woah oh, you keep shouting the facts, but Man Utd ARE BACK…………
January 19th, 2009 at 23:43
@Grognard: A 0-0 at the Nou Camp is a disgrace? More like a tactical masterclass.
It’s great to watch attacking football, but it can’t be done all the time and when it’s not happening Sir Alex knows how to adapt his teams to make them dig in.
All great teams go through rough patches, nothing we or Sir alex can do about it.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:44
I can’t believe I switched the channel after Steve me scored and now I wish I had more patience, in the end it all good and thanks to Everton. It’s a great day for both of our clubs
.
@RedDevilEddy: I am not sure what you mean by putting Kaka there. I watched the last Milan game and looked to me that his teammates were giving him farewells. I will be surprised if he doesn’t sign for Shity, by the end of the week.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:47
@Craig Mc: What I will never understand mate as long as I live is why in a city like Manchester, that has the greatest team in the world are there Man City supporters? What kind of breeding and neighborhoods to these creatures come from? Inquiring minds want to know.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:48
@Grognard: I for one do not like that we are playing consistently bad football. It bothers me a lot! But I am 100% that this is just a fase. If we come through it without any injuries or problems, I am sure we will be back to our attacking best. Let me put it this way: I believe that Evra is a really big part of our attacking play. Oshea does not even offer 1/100 of what Evra offers in attack and defense, and I think Pat is what we have missed this last months. Evra has been suspended since Spurs, and the one game he has played since December is the only game we have won more than 1-0. Coincidence? Maybe. But all of our goals against Chelski came from crosses, and our biggest problem may have been that we dont get around teams as often as we would like to, because we have fucking Oshea and Park on the wings… Dissapointing, to say the least. But as I said, I think this is just a fase and that is why I wont start to panic yet. If this continues even when Evra returns, or we get a real winger in our team, I will start to get worried. But right now? Neh, not quite.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:48
@Orez: Berlusconi says “Kaka stays” may be I rushed a little
January 19th, 2009 at 23:50
@Patrick: It’s due to passion and difference in opinion over how our team plays, who should and who should not play and then there is all that crap about the game and other teams as well that creates the conflict. Most of it is just healthy and somewhat heated debate, but there are those times when we tend to get personal with each other. That’s the times when I hate this blog.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:52
@Grognard: I think they came out of the toilet once… They are also found in dumpsters, in the black little bags that are being taken out when dogs do their business, in Indain resturants and in Benitez mouth. And what surprises me the most is that they appear right out of nowhere when people say they are talking shit.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:55
@RedDevilEddy: We’re not playing “BAD” football mate. We are playing boring unattractive football. Italy has win three World Cups and their club teams have won a lot of European Cups playing this style of football. It’s successful. It works, it’s just that it is boring as Hell and anti-football in my opinion.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:56
@RedDevilEddy: I have to say mate, I though I deserved better in the second match. The first one I was playing for the draw, so I deserved what I got although I do think I defended well. The second match was absolutely gutting. I am an absolutely miserable finisher, as my thumb simply can’t keep shots down. Every one over the crossbar.
But to answer your question, I’ll play whenever you’d like. Pro’lly not in the afternoon though…Inauguration and all. Even United will take a back seat to this event. It’s been a long, long, long eight years.
January 19th, 2009 at 23:59
@Patrick: Well, in the firs match I dominated. If you noticed I changed my formation for the second game, it was just pure tactical brilliance.
I just wait for my chance and take it when I get it. “Counter” is what I call that tactic. But you played well, and I think you are a worthy opponent. Good luck next time, but Im still gonna go for the win.
And was it just me, or did the game have some pauses at move a little slow?
January 20th, 2009 at 0:01
@the three Rs: Yeah, we are lacking a certain something. That’s true. Our swagger or should I say Mojo is suppressed. Teams have found a way to negate our cavalier style of play and we are struggling to find a way around it. I’m really hoping a less jam-packed second half of the season filled with home games might make us regain our umph and maybe that ruthlessness with which we used to dispatch teams the seasons past.
Nani would get plenty chances, there’s no doubt about it. I really don’t see Tosic overtaking him anytime soon. It’s just that with the amount of crucial away games we had already, Fergie chose his most suited wingers most times (Ronnie and Park). Nani will get back into contention this half of the season, he’s been playing alright and I expect him to only get better.
With regards to our league position and the performances of the supposed ‘Big four’, I wouldn’t put it solely down to their ineptitude. Rather the fact that the league has experienced a bit of a rise in quality and the lesser teams now know how to almost nullify the threats the big four pose. They all usually play a different game when we face them and it stops us from hitting top gear. Anyways, it’s beginning to gradually backfire, with all the last-gasp victories us and a few of the other big-four are claiming against these lesser teams. Those spoiler tactics would soon become past news, esp with the crunch time of the season getting close.
If we can keep our defence as miserly as it has been, I can see us improving on our goal-scoring and galloping to the title come May.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:01
Jose is back! Hip-hip-Hurray!
January 20th, 2009 at 0:02
@Grognard: We are playing bad football, Sir Alex doesn’t set his team out to consistently play anti-football and you know that.
It’s not clicking, but it’s not our fault either. Ronaldo was bound to go through a bad run of form, Berbatov’s still settling in, Nani and Anderson are still young and inconsistent and we’ve had so many injuries in central midfield which is no doubt having an effect on our team’s fluidity.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:06
@Grognard: Grog Manchester is a huge metropolis
. Most big Cities have 2 or more teams. City though were mainly from very opposite sides of the City to United. I would say that on the whole, there are more Reds than Blues in this great City 
.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:07
@Conor: We have got many injuries in defense as well. We have an entire back 4 out! Brown, Rio, Evra, Fabio, and Foster, would make a quite decent defense that one. And we cope without them. Shows winner strenght for me…
January 20th, 2009 at 0:07
@Conor: Sorry Conor but I did agree. The tactics we use dictate the way we play. By playing our two central midfielder back so far, we are copying the Italian style of play which is defense first. Also, if we were playing our normal attacking style of ffree wheeling football, JS Park would rarely if ever start a game. Like in past seasons. Our defensive record is far from poor. In that aspect of the game we are beyond exceptional. So I would ay we are playing negative football, not bad football. Bad is how one looks at things. Yes it’s bad we are not attacking or trying to attack like in the past, but bad also means playing pathetic football too. I don’t see that. It’s tactics that are the real problem here as well as poor finishing from forwards and not enough offensive support by our central midfielders. Most of it is tactical.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:11
@Grognard: Nothing wrong with tactics fro my perspective. Park’s only playing because Nani’s not been good enough – nothing to do with tactics, we’ve played our centre mids deep for the past two years and been successful in attack regardless, so that’s a moot point.
Ronaldo, Nani, Tevez and Anderson were all important parts of creating the urgency in attack last season, as well as our free flowing football. They’ve not been half as good this season and that’s the main reason for it, IMO.
If they were in good form we’d have nothing to complain about.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:17
Liverpool poem *cough* “erhmm”:
They haven’t won the title in 18 fucking years.
So they signed a wanker who looks like Britney Spears.
A trip to Moscow beckoned, they order him a visa.
Until that goal was scored by Jonny Arne Riise.
You like it?
January 20th, 2009 at 0:30
RedDevilEddy, haha nice song mate only question, who you saying looks like britney spears? Benitez? Come on i know shes lost it a bit but i still think shes pretty ok looking, wouldnt classify her as ugly enough to be the fat spanish waiter. Like the rest of it though.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:39
@Matthew: I think he’s talking about Nando Torres mate
.
January 20th, 2009 at 0:53
yeah thought he was talking about torres just after writing it. Its true actually torres does look like a woman. Stick a pair of melons on his chest and he looks the part lol.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:02
@ Matthew:
– he is a pretty boy isn’t he. All the lasses seem to go for him. 
.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:13
OK, I need to say this. In the past many of you are well aware that I am not a big Kaka fan. Well tonight I tip my hat to him and congratulate him for having integrity and loyalty and not knuckling under to greed. It takes a big man to turn down that kind of money because of principle. What he has done tonight is massive because it sends a message to a lot of other mercenaries out there who feel it’s all about the money. It’s not. It’s about playing the game where you are happy and where you are loved and respected. It sends a positive message to all corners of the planet on how players should behave and what their priorities are. And trust me, a couple more years of growing frustration trying to sign big players and the Arab Consortium owning the team will quickly get bored and disenchanted and try to sell the team. Abramovich is already trying to sell Chelsea and so perhaps these are going to be positive signs that the game may eventually return to some kind of fiscal sanity. Tonight I say three cheers to Kaka. I never ever thought I’d say that.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:14
@Craig Mc: I remember a tv poll by some comedian who was asked who was the prettiest female footballer in the world. He said Fernando Torres.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:21
@Craig Mc: Most women are attracted to androgyny for some unexplainable reason. It’s like my friend often says, “inside every woman is a lesbian dying to get out”. That would explain the love for Torres.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:23
When you think about it, why would Kaka want to play for a team that plays in the shadow of the greatest team in the world. And his snubbing of Man City will cause other massive names to do the same. Nobody who is truly great want s to look stupid. Chalk this snub up to the reputation of our beloved United.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:32
Surely it would just be cheaper for Man City’s owners to take over AC Milan and just transfer some players over?
January 20th, 2009 at 2:09
I do not understand the fascination with pretty boys. The lesbianism bit musst have something to do with it. That or they are scared of men so go for someone who looks soft, caring, clean who they can control. Of course part of Torres’ appeal is he has been recognised as one of the top 5 players in the world and scores loads of goals. That sort of fame turns any girls head!
A friend of mine loves Michael Owen and has done ever since sixteen. I do not understand it. Ive shown her the light and now she adores Vidic referring to him as “her boyfriend”. She is also fond of the Count.
City are lucky they didn’t buy Kaka. They are not ready for a luxury player like him. What they need is some ball winners to shore up their defence because they are not having problems scoring goals.
They have enough average players and I do not see why they would bother buying Bellamy or showing an interest in Scott Parker and other players who have already failed at big clubs.
De Jong might be a decent signing for them but I heard he has a buyout clause of 1.8 million in the summer which makes it ludicrous that City are offering 15 million now.
Anyway all the players in the Premier League are grossly overpriced and the quality players are firmly concentrated in the hands of the big 4 and clubs like Everton and Aston Villa who are too smart to sell their prize assets. No wonder City are scraping the barrel at clubs like West Ham.
In any case I do not feel at all threatened by City or any of the other clubs for that matter. Chelsea will lose their money as Abrahovitch withdraws. Liverpool still don’t have enough money to buy the world class players they need to step up a level. Arsenal are obsessed with young talent and refuse to buy some experienced world class players.
So that leaves us…and while we have our problems we are still better than our rivals.
Having said that as a fan I would love us to take advantage of the problems our rivals are having to really DOMINATE the league. If we could get our tactics sorted and add a bit of quality to our midfield and sort out the psychological problem that makes our strikers have periods of goal shyness then we’d be able to do that.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:30
@colver: Good looking women love men who can talk cosmetics and fashion with them. That usually explains why they are such fag hags. Women who love good old fashioned alpha males are an entirely rare and decreasing breed. Most of them don’t look like models either.
If I could sit here and actually give a lecture on the mind of a woman, I’d be a rich man. They are truly an enigma and you know why? Because they don’t know and have never known what the Hell they really want. They get all attracted to men who look like Torres and then complain that he’s not man enough to take care of them or satisfy them in bed. Go figure!
January 20th, 2009 at 2:57
A quote from an article about Kaka’s decision not to move to City apart from the obvious:
”Money is not everything for Kaka, there are things more important than money. We are happy. We offered the player the chance to consider the offer, but he has higher values,” Berlusconi told Italian television when explaining the 26-year-old’s decision to turn down a move to the Eastlands club.”
turns out some football players do have principles.
seriously, that does deserve respect
January 20th, 2009 at 3:21
@Natzca: Gimme a break, this was all a massive publicity stunt that all sides have gained from. Kaka was never going to go to Man City. Especially in January. AC Milan have further raised the profile and popularity of their club and it’s players, Berlusconi has come off looking like a hero to the Milan fans and the morale of the fans and club could not be any higher after this whole fiasco.
The Abu Dhabi group have also used Man City and the money-flaunting as a marketing tool to attract investors and patrons to their super-wealthy surroundings in the middle east; all this talk has done nothing but raise the profile of the Abu-Dhaby group and it’s businesses or assets. Man City too have shown they are willing to go for the Big players and although the Kaka deal fell thru, this would stand them in good stead when attempting to attract some Big names during the summer. Also, the club is infinitely more popular (it hurts to say it, but journos and fans alike now talk incessantly about Man City, like it or not, they are becoming a popular club, maybe not for success on the pitch, but popular none the less).
This is all Business, Marketing & Politics 101. Trust the press to make it all dramatic and we all fall for it. The Death of football they said, jeez, talk about sensationalist reactions.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:50
Not sure about the comments on women on this site. A lot of stereotypes being hurtled around. women this, men that. Fake women real men. I thought we were talking football here!
On the Liverpool capitulation: When all is said and done I relax and marvel in the defeat of a club whose only success occurred pre banning of the back pass rule. How they would have loved after Gerrard struck to have played this cynical, damage – limitation (soul-destroying) ‘football’. The rule came into force in 1992 and a revolution took place. It was, and still is, spearheaded by Manchester United.
Manuel reverted to his old style defensive tactics after the Gerrard goal. In a sense the new version of the pass-back. As in Liverpool didn’t have another shot on goal after they scored. I find it fascinating that after so many different players and mangers the ‘culture’ or ’spirit’, for want of a better word, can remain at a club.
I am interested in how other Utd fans view the significance of the pass-back rule in contributing to the demise of Liverpool F.C.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:11
@Conor: before I was a little suspicious, now you have confirmed it…
“Park’s only playing because Nani’s not been good enough – nothing to do with tactics,”
You are only here to argue with others, intelligent debate is obviously something you have no interest in. You just get a kick out of pissing people off.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:14
@RedDevilEddy: I had a feeling Jose was going nowhere, that show is way too popular. The money men wouldnt let the creator walk away from the show.
I almost pissed myself when wenger called in on Skype and Jose says “typical stingy Voyeur”. That was brilliant.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:18
I suppose what Im saying is it’s now – go one up/park the bus. It’s hard for us at the minute but the culture of entertainment will prevail.
City: A global laughing stock (with emphasis on the ’stock’. The Uber-Capitalists taking the piss. They couldn’t have chosen a better club. The blue masochists. The Phoenix that fell from the flame. The utter bitterness. Then some sugar daddy comes along!!
City have lost any sense of credibility they thought they once had as the club with bitter fans that were HARD and stayed through the endless bad times. City fans, desperate for success have sold their already soulesness to the highest ‘couldn’t really give a shit either way’ foreign bidder. City’s news comes from the middle east. Tho we are currently owned by some Americans at the very least we have managed in these times to keep any meddling influence at bay, City are forever tarnished by just welcoming this shit. So desperate are they to win at least SOMETHING after 1976.
Kaka. I ask you. In all honesty. Was he ever going to go there?
January 20th, 2009 at 7:35
@colver: My ex-girlfriend, a girl I absolutely adored, thought Mikey Owen was the bees knees also. It drove me fucking nuts. Thats the first thing I think of now whenever I see that midget prick, that stupid whore telling me how cute he is.
So, in conclusion, fuck off mickey owen you midget scouse bastard. Go take a lap and do your knee you douche
January 20th, 2009 at 8:41
@johnsom33: i remember earlier this season he said that park was good enough to be in our starting line-up, and it had nothing to do with nani.
tunes have changed….
January 20th, 2009 at 9:15
@everybody
Hi, my name is Karl, and I’m a critical supporter.
I’m not always negative though, just when my team plays shit. Ironically, this has driven me to appear like a very negative person this season.
I consent that the team is not playing badly. In fact, they are winning (or drawing), so much so that we currently find ourselves top of the log. This however is where the predicament sets in. If we were’nt, then Everybody would have understood, but unfortunately, the results dictate otherwise, and now it seems like its a toss up between ‘attractive football – go watch Arsenal’ or ’silverware – we’re in it to win’. What most people don’t realise is that herein lies the issue. If our team were playing good, we would not have been devided amongst each other like this.
I agree with people like Grognard on this issue. I don’t think our team is playing BAD. They are playing BORING. At this rate, if silverware is this important, I am considering not watching any of the games, and just picking up the newspaper afterwards to check the results. Is this not what most are advocating? That the results are more important?
I personally don’t care if people call me a ’spoilt rotten by success’ fan. I feel Manchester United OWE me, the fan. They are in existence because of me. They make lots of money (because of me). All I ask for in return is to be ‘Entertained’. I am spoilt rotten – I admit. I want the entertainment, but not at the expense of the silverware, and I also want the silverware, but not at the expense of the entertainment. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? Just as a spoilt child the the result of his parents, you can attribute my spoiltness to Sir Alex Furgeson. If any of you Ever have a problem with it, please feel free to take it up with him – not me.
I hate this new trend in football where you play unattractive, boring football until you are well in the lead, and then for 2 or 3 games you turn the style on. One of the most successful coaches in modern football (Jose Mourinho) actually got fired for this. As can be demonstrated by that act, silverware can Never substitute entertainment. I just hope that my beloved United don’t go that route. When that happens, I will most probably stop watching football period. Although this act might not be a big loss to the footballing world, you need to realise that if a 30 year long supporter can be driven to that point, then what about the other supporters (especially the glory hunters whose money and support is vital to any sports club)?
Sir Alex Ferguson, you promised us October, then November, then Christmas. We are now almost in February, and I have still to experience a performance of true entertainment from our team of multi-millionaires. The funny thing about fans are that we are not that difficult to please. One good performance and we forget about all the shit that has happened before. We’re however not stupid. Don’t keep the good performances for the last 2-3 games of the season.
There you have it doctors. My feelings laid out open. This is how I feel about our team. Be careful how you criticise this post because you are dealing with my feelings and emotions.
January 20th, 2009 at 10:01
@Karl: Well said mate. We should set up our own Critical Supporters Anonymous hotline. Entertainment value has taken a major hit for a while now but this year it has gone ballistic. The reason entertaining football has gone out the window is simple really. Because in this overly technical, mundane and pragmatic age we are in, football has sacrificed all it’s beauty for results. Why? MONEY. It all comes down to money. Some might say that’s BS because money has always been part of the professional game, but I say it is the incredible amount of money being thrown about over the past 5 or so years that has made every result and every point gained so vital to a team’s financial health.
This negative and financially motivated stimulus has caused teams to incorporate negative but successful tactics to survive. Teams on the bottom park the bus to steal a win or more likely a draw to avoid relegation. Teams at the top take no risks and quite often play with such caution and cowardice that they field two defensive midfielders and have turned wingers into defensive players. The reason is obvious. The money for winning is great but the money for making it into a European tournament is vital to their ambitions. Until there is a solution that works better than relegation and that there is a more appealing criteria for European qualification than just team points, we will all have to struggle to sit through countless 90 minute trench warfare battles of attrition. Hiring chess masters like Benitez and Mourinho are to blame for a lot of this. These men are not coaches or managers, they are accountants and technical engineers who have sucked the beauty and movement from the game. Who have restricted talented players and told them to not be as assertive as they are normally inclined to be but instead to play a defensive and technical role as if pawns on a chess board or grid. The game I love is not only broken, but I seriously doubt if it will ever recover. The only chance of ever getting the game to return to it’s artistic glory is to have such an economic meltdown that supporters stay away in droves throughout the many big leagues around the world. Send a message of anarchy. Borrow from the great fictitious character Howard Beale who said “I’m as mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” But far too many of us treat the sport like a drug addiction. They need their fix, even if the dealers are selling them Grade D shit. It’s sad and pathetic.
I’ve said that I will give this sport one more season before I stop my subscriptions to Setanta and Gol TV. Frankly, I am bored to death and I am sick of the high financial stakes that players and teams are struggling to cope with. Honestly, the way the system has been so corrupted by greed, I sympathize with the fact that teams have little choice but to do what they do to survive. So I guess it’s inevitable that I too will eventually have to do what I need to survive this constant boredom and feeling of being ripped off supremely. I am a consumer who feels he is not getting his money’s worth. I’m very tired of watching rubbish. And to see my beloved United reduced to a sad sack excuse for an attacking enterprise is disgusting and annoying as Hell. Their tactics will eventually catch up with them at some point and all their dreams will go poooof. That dreaded day is coming. You cannot continue to win 1-0 and draw 0-0 and expect to win trophies. Only in Italy is that possible. Has the EPL become Italy Version 2.0? Perhaps.
Like Karl, careful with your replies because you are dealing with a very emotional and very upset supporter.
January 20th, 2009 at 10:23
dont you just love it when liverpool fans get pissed off , i enjoy reading it
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=b22944a4c9925f97db2ad2432e027e8c&topic=235945.120
January 20th, 2009 at 10:28
@johnsom33: Well Nani hasn’t been good enough, and that is why Park’s playing. Can’t see what’s even remotely controversial about that.
@dan(u-ol): I said Park’s good enough to play in our first team? He is. Just like Darren Fletcher is. But when Nani and Hargreaves or Scholes are on form then he won’t be getting in the team, simple as that.
January 20th, 2009 at 11:21
@Grognard: I don’t always agree with you, but on this, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I’m not rallying to get get supporters on my side (because I’m not entering a war with anyone) but I am sooooo glad that at least one other person knows and understands exactly I feel. Thanks for your support on this emotional topic. This is getting ridiculous really. Where have you ever heard a true fan telling another fan “I envy you for NOT watching the game”? The fact that we’re at this point, shows that our beloved Manchester United is in big trouble.
Perhaps the various football associations should start investigating paying out television coverage moneys based on goals scored. At the end of the day, is that not what football is all about? Scoring goals?
There is a saying in football:
“Strikers will win you games, but defenders can lose you games”. If focusing too much on the latter part – which is what is currently happening, indicates a loser mentality, afraid of losing. I’m no loser. Why should I then subject myself to that mentality?
Football for me lately has become very frustrating. So much so that my entire family suffers because of it. I don’t go around hitting my wife and children, but my bad mood (when my team performs poorly) is just as well. They don’t deserve it. My wife asked me now the other day why I still continue watching it even though I KNOW it will frustrate me. I could not answer her why I am such a sucker for punishment. The truth is, I keep watching in the hope that “maybe today they will turn it up”. To no avail evertime. And then, not to take it out on my family, I come here to RedRants. Problem is, here you get assholes telling you how wrong you are in feeling this way and that everything is all right. “We’re won didn’t we?”. Well it’s not all right! The fact that you ‘Mr. It’s all right’ is also here on the blog immediately after indicates that its not. Why then deny it? Worse, why take it out on me? It wasn’t me that played shit. It was our heroes. Like seeks like. If you really felt rosy, you would have strived to surround yourself with rosy people and rosy feelings. You would not subject yourself to such negative feelings when you feel so mightily positive. There is nothing as bad to behold as a man who lies to himself. That in itself I can take. What I can’t take is then for that man to act like a Holy Joe, sent here to repent negative people and make them see the ‘errors of their ways’.
Yesterday, I raised an opinion. Some might agree, most not. I respect that. That is what a blog is for. People will not always agree. What I however dislike is this negative/positive/realist/optimist bullshit. At the end of the day, its all just opinions. no one’s really right or wrong. Its all just opinions.
BTW, don’t you think this is clever of me? I am adressing this post to you. So, anyone that disagrees, I can always say is rude for butting in
January 20th, 2009 at 11:24
lemme start by saying that i like kaka, his skills, his composure, and his general attitude… and people who said no way milan will sell him, well man shitty proved to the world that it was possible, they just didnt have the ability to tempt kaka away from the team… no prospects in the shitty team i reckon…
anyway i rather have status quo than see kaka go to anyone other than us…
almost everything is right in the football world now…. liverpool fans are depressed, rent boys are cunts still, arse boys are still boys, and man shitty is still shitty…. i use almost because we arent playing very well, we are just nicking it by the skin of our teeth…
and for that, i can at least focus on lamenting the lack of swashbuckling going on in our football…
here is to a good showing in derby
January 20th, 2009 at 11:29
‘This is getting ridiculous really. Where have you ever heard a true fan telling another fan “I envy you for NOT watching the game”? The fact that we’re at this point, shows that our beloved Manchester United is in big trouble.’
So over-dramatic, especially from a fan for over 30 years. Why not just look back to 2003? We had Djemba-Djemba, Miller, Kleberson, Carroll, Silvestre, O’Shea, Solsjkaer and Fletcher on the wing etc. all playing quite regularly, and we were playing rubbish football. Look a us now, we’re just out of sorts but the team is 10 times better and more creative. Every great teams go through dips and this is exactly what I’m talking about – the difference between fair criticism and baseless criticism.
Big trouble my arse.
January 20th, 2009 at 11:33
CHEER UP NOW!!!!!
kidding… both ur rants were funny… felt like butting in a bit..
about being a sucker for punishment, ur not alone there mate….
January 20th, 2009 at 11:43
@Conor:
1. How very rude of you to butt in
2. I’m not even going to bother debating with you on this point
3. How very rude of you to butt in.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:31
LOL.. this is getting a tad absurd now. Like Patrick said, ‘Guilt is the last refuge for those defeated on merit’. It’s like a Dr Phil forum on here with all these feeling and what not. Jeez, why can’t people debate without falling back on all these emotions, pessimist/optimist, negative/positive persona crap?
Now, we are meant to feel guilty for disagreeing with someone who feels deeply about his views? Gimme a break already…
January 20th, 2009 at 12:50
@Karl: Great, makes the idea of a blog entirely pointless, well done.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:58
Hi guys, its been quite a while. Football Manager 2009 and University were the culprits. anyway I thought of giving my own views on the past two matches and of course the poodles. I am delighted with how the results have gone over the past two games, especially after the Rafa rant. Spiking Chelsea and Berba’s breathless header against Bolton, coupled by poodle draws have certainly made might life a little easier.The reason for being a little easier is because I still get a b it frustrated in how we struggle to break down opposition defenses and fluidity. We still cant put wowing performances two weeks in a row(refer to chelsea and wigan games. I will be pleased if for once united are able to churn out a sort of outstanding performance for 3-4 consecutive games.
Onto tonights game, Word is going around that Zoran Tosic will feature. Judging from Phelan comments I think we might be able to see a glimpse of what he has shown in trainning though I wont expect too much since it will be his first game. My line up would be
PIG
Rafael
Vida
Evans
Fabio
Anderson
Possebon
nani
Tosic
Gibson
Wellbeck
I dont think Fergie would want to play either Tevez or berba from the start due to fatigue and injury concerns. The formation would likely be a 4-3-3.
Finally I got this passage from the telegraph that I found worthy of reading over and over. You might have read it but here it goes
January 20th, 2009 at 13:05
I am also happy with the way things are falling apart at shitty. As a great rapper once said More money more problems.City might want to adhere to that.
I also want to know your opinion of switching from AIG to Sahara(I guess that will be the new shirt sponsors according to reports). Personally, The AIG is good but I dont fancy it the way i did with Sharp.I will have no problems if Sharp was to come back
January 20th, 2009 at 13:15
@Gabriel: fair enough, silly of me to think that football comes first, and the business of it comes second, after all whenever there’s money involved, it seems to suck the life out of the purpose of the sport/idea/etc… guess i’m a bit naive about it all…
f*!@# i hate city