I don’t disagree that we have lost some of the swagger that now when we go behind our team doesn’t truly believe that we can turn it around whereas during 06/07, 07/08 and even 08/09 if we went behind we did believe we would get back into it.

Isn’t it every defeat this season has been by a single goal apart from the 2-0 reverse at Analfield and the 3-0 defeat at Fulham.

It proves we’re not too far off but something is definitely not clicking.

I still maintain that I find it hard to criticise the team after tonights performance, the effort and desire were top class and if we play with such hunger a week Wednesday it’ll be us at Wembley and not the bitters.

Agreed about the Tottenham match. We really were fantastic that day. I just wish we could play with that kind of swagger more regularly. How many matches have we lost by a single goal this season? 7, 8? It’s the games against Burnley, Villa and Fulham that have disappointed me the most. It has happened way too often that we have lost without reply this season. And lost matches we really shouldn’t have, like today and against Leeds, because of inept finishing and that killer touch that we always have in our best times.

Maybe I’m just being too negative but it is worrying how often we don’t have an answer to a bad situation. For example, in 07/08 we could always rise to the occasion when we were struggling because had that mentality that we were the best, we had drive and power and we never gave up. We should be able to turn things more regularly than we’re doing at the moment. At least play better, even when we’re not able to score. OK, we did play better today when we got behind, but we lack that edge. Hopefully it will come in the second half of the season.

We came from behind away to Tottenham, ok this was ages ago and we conceded very early on but we were fantastic that day and didn’t let the fact we went behind affect us.

Also, admittedy fortuitously, Arsenal at Old Trafford, coming back to beat Citeh in the League, Wolsburg (I think), Sunderland, CSKA Moscow.

Ok this has been no-where near vintage United but we still have, more often than not, the hunger, desire and determination to succeed.

Was it really? Totally missed that point! Thanks for clearing that up, after hearing so much shit being thrown Uniteds way I immediately assumed everything was an insult towards us!

I was just pondering why we can’t mount a comeback this season. Why do you think that is? I was talking about that issue specifically, i’m not saying that if we had Queiroz we would be playing much better generally, but yes I do think that we would better equipped to change a game if we still had him. He was very hands on and hage a large amount of responsibility. We just don’t seem to have a well though out plan B this year and Queiroz was very good at helping Ferguson to construct a game plan. But he’s not here anymore so I guess it’s a moot point (or moo point as they say).

That joke was for your pleasure, Eric:p

We are not showing enough urgency. Again at times we were casual. City were there for taken, especially the way they played in the first half. Had we pushed harder when we went one up, we would have finished the match there and then. Yet again, we did not make use of our possession on the final third of he pitch. Our midfield players passing was extremely inaccurate and we were lacking composure before their goal. Fair play to Rooney, he was immense. He did not deserve to loose. (I suppose on another night he may gave had a hat trick).

As for our center backs. What can one say? Not much really. When are they going to learn to defend corners. Come on they are international players. Why did they have to go barging at near post needlessly. Had they kept their normal positions the twat would not have scored.

All is not lost. We should be able to overturn this deficit at home. If we play with the same urgency that we played last 10 minutes tonight, we will be OK. Hopefully Rio and Vidic will return by then.

For the second leg, Fergie should fire the team up as if this was their last match ever. We lost this battle, we should not allow to lose the war !!!!