Sir Alex Ferguson has shouldered the blame for our draw against Porto last night, claiming his decision to play our Premiership game on Sunday instead of Saturday is what cost us.
We certainly looked like a tired team last night, that is without question. Our passing was sloppy and our movement was slow. There’s no point singling out individuals but too many of our players didn’t look up to it.
Whilst I agree with the boss that we looked tired, I would still argue that the gamble did pay off.
“We showed tiredness because of the gamble I took playing Sunday which was not the best preparation,” said Ferguson. “But we faced a situation and we took the best option hoping a European occasion would bring the adrenalin up. I was tempted to get Villa moved to the Saturday. However, we had so many players on international duty in places like Bolivia, Rio de Janeiro and Korea, involving some very long and tiring journeys, I thought it best to go with Sunday.”
Had United drawn or lost to Aston Villa after taking the extra days rest and giving us less time to prepare for Porto, then the gamble certainly wouldn’t have paid off. We’d allowed our travelling players another day to rest, which had to be done, considering Tevez didn’t return until Friday evening and would have had to play the following day, given Berbatov and Rooney’s absence. But had we not got the three points, then there would have been no point. We might as well have played with those players, had that game written off, then given us an extra day for Porto, hoping to get the win there.
To think that we should have beaten Villa then go on to beat Porto should be the least of our expectations is silly. Whilst that would have been the desired results, we can’t forget that 14 of our players travelled all over the place to represent their countries in the week leading up to the Villa game. To win that, particularly when it looked like a draw was the best we could hope for at times, was a bloody brilliant result for us.
To draw at home to Porto is a bad result for us, particularly with the two away goals conceded, but given a choice between the two games, I’d have taken the win over Villa every time. To reach the semi-finals against Villarreal or Arsenal we have to draw and score at least a couple of goals, or we have to win. If we can’t beat Porto away then can we complain about not progressing? Obviously it’s something we really want but if our lads can’t go to Portugal and get a win, then it’s time to draw a line under our European dreams for this season and focus on the league. Stick on your Moscow DVD if you need cheering up.
Even with hindsight, knowing how the matches ended up, I would still prefer us take the extra day for the Premiership game, knowing it would disadvantage us in the Champions League. Yes, it was a gamble, but on Saturday we were second in the league and on Sunday we were top. This certainly would not have been the case had we not taken our extra day to rest.
Giles…i respect your opinion more than any on ROM.
Buts fans pay and support the team…they live and die for the team….they’ll support the team from day 1 till death. Players staff come and go. Fans live on forever. I feel every fan is right and is fully entitled to debate discuss or criticize if they feel they want to do so.
And at this present moment..fans feel the need to discuss and share their thoughts and opinons and emotions with their fellow fans. I find great comfort in sharing my opinions and thoughts. Fellow fans off different ilk can help you through hard times. Time to share…and have the arm round the shoulder from fellow fans. Its gets you through…it does with me. Im a pretty emotional nervy weak fan…always have been.
I feel ROM is a great help when you feel down and depressed.
Im sure the players dont care us much as us. And i very much doubt they read this or give a monkeys as to what we think. This is and our thoughts and opinions is for us..the fans
Park a work horse – not good enough
Berbatov – the best amount of assists and some goals – lazy, not enough
Ronaldo – 20 goals so far – not good enough
..
1. We can not have the team which consists of 22 ideal players
2. SAF has bought Berbatov for 30 mln. I think it says if not it all but something.
I come here to celebrate wins and mourn losses with other United fans. It’s as daft to suggest we shouldn’t critique the bad performances as it would be to suggest we don’t celebrate the good ones.
Also Giles..there is no priority knocking competition…we re not competing and dont come on here trying to out do each other. We dont think it is a competition…..we come on here to express and share our love for the team.
No one is trying to knock or transfer all the players…and no one here is trying to come top of some vilifying contest. Those are just silly comments.
Our comments are neither going to help nor hinder the players….the players live in their 5 million pound mansions and im sure they get upto other things with their big pay packets than to read what we write.
We fans cannot have our say to the players…nor can can we express our views to the manager.
OUR only way to express our emotions whether it be anger, love, care, affection, moods etc etc etc etc etc etc etc whatever. Is to share it with OUR ROM fans from allround the world…expressing all the differing opinions…all opinions to read, to learn from, to give insight, to inform, to enlighten, to agree, to disagree, to get heated up, to get frustrated over. TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE.
PLEASE DONT BE HOLY THAN THOU AND DEPRIVE US OF THAT.
I’ll say 10 Hail Mary’s to that Suhayl me ole mucker lol..
I’m not saying don’t criticise and nor am I expecting you to be robots, but with post after post telling me O’Shea / Park/ Carrick etc aren’t good enough I look for some genuine insight, not the same old, same old. I would suggest that United’s problem is that the style of 2006-7, which was more stylish and attacking wasn’t the right way for Europe. That’s why the changes happened last season. The trouble this season has been that too many teams had learned a certain technique of defending en masse and hoping to nick a late goal or come away with a point. Slowly United have found a way of dealing with this without going gung-ho, hence the efficient but less exciting 1-0s. The problem now is that teams have moved ahead onto a new system against United, just when United got into this slower possession play groove. Opponents have learned to push up against our defence and have a go, as Blackburn tried to do, as the dippers did with spectacular success, and then Fulham (helped by self-destruction), then Villa did the same, followed by Porto. United’s tactics have been rumbled and all these opponents have turned us over. I suspect some people looked at the Hull game when we amazingly conceded 3 at home, showing everyone a way to get at United. That showed a lot of folks the key, press high up the pitch and hard on our midfield and defenders, don’t allow them time or space tp play the possession game. It’s terribly easy to blame the individuals playing for United when one of these tactical turning points come, but it’s not just about individual weaknesses. The irony is, Porto took a leaf out of United’s book, playing 3 up front,constantly moving and buzzing about just like United last year with Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo. We can’t simply go back to that because Giggs & Scholes no longer have the legs and the front 3 aren’t getting the service. Berba was bought to ‘unlock’ massed defences, 4 at the back plus 5 or 6 across the middle, just when teams have wised up to the new merits of pressing and tempo up front. It’s a tricky time for United because we don’t have an all-action line-leading centre forward, except maybe Macheda. Notice how everything changed with him on the pitch. Suddenly there was pressure on the VIlla central defence and movement to create openings. But it’s a big ask to expect a 17-yerar old to do it now, with the stakes so high. Fergie has some thinking to do, over tactics but also about juggling his tired and injury-riddled squad. But I’m sure of one thing, the constant sniping at players really does not help. I don’t remember United winning major silverware against a barrage of criticism like this, so I agree, don’t be robots, but do think about what you’re saying. Does it help or hinder the cause?
well said Scott, league is the priority and it’s quite amazing how quickly people are writing us off. Even if we had won yesterday we would still play for the win next week. At least now we know that we must go for goals and i fully expect us to go through.
I aint being critical of you here Giles mate, as i respect your comments totally pal… but are you really happy for us to adapt that type of footballing policy?
The likes of Park. O’Shea ok… maybe not Carrick (but he has had a poor season)… but Park, O’Shea and Nani and simply not good enough… now that aint being personal to them, its being honest to the fact..
We are missing sommat… and i do stand my ground when i say that we have an issue with tactics as the 2 examples i listed above… are no way united tactics, and its frustrating to watch them type of tactics… and im sure it is frustrating for the players as well..
I aint saying the season is in ruins… what we are trying to say is… the season could go arse up if things arent rectified soon, with players needing to roll the sleeves up and getting stuck in for one another… as there is players in the squad that are happy to be carried by others when out on that pitch..
With regards to Macheda… 17 years old.. Rooney was 16 in the EPL… Giggsy was 17 when he made his debut…
I aint too sure.. i would throw him into the mix and see… what 17 year olds have his no fear… and total hunger and adrenaline, and its kinda infectious to the other players… and i think it can do no harm by giving him more time on the pitch as a 1st team player..
Really hope your right James… just think if we had got the team selection correct last night, and got the win, then it could be a hell of a lot more comfortable next week, but now it aint, and i aint gonna have any nails left again.. but “Thats the United way”.. lol
Great post. Did i insult some of our players ?
Did i say smth thoughtlessly ?
My main point is that we have the players but don’t know how to use them in the best possible way.
Tevez situation, Berba etc just shows that.
And another thing. We are not Nostradamuses. But i think if we were a little bit more lucky with the injuries we would of won CL that season (06-07). And FA Cup as well. Remember the Portsmouth game ?
I don’t accept that players are not affected by the things fans say just because they’re in mansions. They may not read these blogs (though I’m certain some do, as we know several are constantly on their computers) but the atmosphere among supporters at matches is created by what people are saying in places like this, all of which reaches the press, which the players certainly DO read. You can also see the nervous twitchy atmosphere at games. It was measured at Wembley when Spurs fans out-shouted United’s. We have sneered at Anfield booing their team off after a 0-0, but when it comes to the atmosphere there now compared to Old Trafford I’m sorry to say the dippers are winning. Almost the only thing supporters can do is affect the mood. Right now is not the time for negativity. Debate how players are performing , of course, I’m not saying don’t do that, but there are ways of doing that which are undermining and ways which are constructive and supportive.We all know the weaknesses of certain individuals, but when there are no alternatives, does it help to slag them of over and over and over again?
Barca – Bayern 3-0
Scousers – Dippers 1-1
Barca clearly are the favorites for the CL. I’m already thinking how would we play them in the final
DDDDD If seriously don’t know what would we do with Barca in this kind of form.
sorry ) scousers – rent boys )
Lets all agree to disagree here… we are all on the same side.. we all want the team to succeed and get us trophies..
But… we must all accept that we have different views on different players… and if we all thought the same, then there would be no point of this fantastic site RoM, as there would be no need to debate…
If players did read or get wind of anything we write, which personally i hope they do, coz if it was me, then i would take it as a kick up the arse, and would wanna prove everyone wrong who was doubting me…
At the end of the day… its the fans that put these players on the pedestal… and its upto the players to keep themselves on the pedestal..
lol Corea
I want to add something.
In order to critisize players you should support the team at the stadiums.
Nowadays it is not that ideal
FailsworthDevil
hehe ) idiot ))
its a shame that our home support isn’t sometimes that good because our away support is simply incredible. I do believe that there isnt much more our players need to be told, they just need a confidence boost and a good win. Will it come against Sunderland? who knows. I can see us turning it around at Porto though, with Ferdinand and Anderson back and with Rooney and Tevez up front. We just need to believe in the players who have got us to this position.
FSW talk too much ? )))
scousers – rent boys 1-2
LOL
3-1 to rent boys ))))
hahahahahhahhaha
James im with ya on the above mate… totally… just a shame i cant even afford it anymore pal…
Young family, mortgate up to the eyeballs.. the travelling goes on a back burner mate..
Corea… the rent boys are cruising this… which i hope… means that next week, the dirty bin dippers and rent boys will end up kick shite out of each other.. which in turn will help us with the league..;
As long as we get the 18 this year to match the dirty dippers i will be happy… but i would love us to get the dirty dippers in the CL final, even though that doesnt look likely now… but would love to win the 18, then do them in the final… would shut merseyside up for a long long time..
I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone as I actually agree with lots that has been said. And I take your point Suhayl about fans sharing thoughts, as I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t want that too. I think many of the comments about players are correct, unfortunately, but I just think now is not really the time to dwell on what’s gone wrong. My main aim is to get the fans at Old Trafford to do their bit, which they don’t seem to be doing. (I take it back about Anfield, that was hilarious tonight!) I don’t want to pull age rank but in my experience, the teams that win things have supporters who don’t panic. Yes they criticise when needed, and players do sometimes need a kick up the arse, but overall there is a kind of relentless quality to the support that doesn’t wait to be inspired by the players (as with Old Trafford going crazy only after Macheda’s goal) but takes on the task of inspiring the players when things are going wrong. I keep asking myself, how can we as fans affect things, even when we can’t get to games. Costas for example, I know he’s in Greece (lucky man, wish I was right now) so what can he do to help win things? My answer, and I may be wrong , is to attack the enemy (that’s why I love Scott’s targeting of the FSW), downplay weaknesses, and generally set the tone for how the media cover things. Right now the press knows we as supporters are spooked, they know how nervous we are, and how much scapegoating is going on. That all has the effect of amplfying the anxiety levels every time United play, increasing the pressure on players who have been struggling with form and fitness. That’s why I keep asking people to consider what effect the constant criticisms have on someone like John O’Shea. There is no better right back available (although I would try Evra there, with Fabio at left back against Sunderland) so we have to help him get through his crisis of confidence. By all means disagree with my schemeing to help United, but let’s have other ideas how to do. Simply pointing out what’s gone wrong doesn’t get very far.
Giles Oakley, couldn’t agree with you more. Thats not to say Suhayl and Failsworth devil are wrong or not entitled to their opinions, they’re obviously die-hard Reds.
Discontent on the terraces is the quickest and surest way to affect confidence on the pitch.The one thing we as fans have in our control is the choice to express our support of our players positively or in a negative manner. As Giles said, what do you think will help the team most? I agree to some extent with the “papering over the cracks comment ” but feel that this is simply a rocky period prolonged somewhat by the sheer number of games we’ve had. Every team has this period. Barcelona had one recently and Bayern looked excellent just a few weeks ago yet woeful now. I’m grateful that ours has come whilst we have a small cushion, a cushion we earned by right.
As Scott has said, if we can not go to Porto and win, we probably dont deserve that success this year. I’m certain we can and will.
Going to Porto and winning is usually well within our capabilities,just not on current form. If we’d had two weeks before the second leg I would have fancied us that little bit more,but I don’t know if we’ll get out of this slump by next wednesday
If we do go out,at least it won’t be the dippers winning it anyway!!!
Giles mate, you aint offended me… far from it… i respect anyones opinion on here… and yours blood… i agree… we gotta give positive noise from the terraces thats sommat is required and the players will always get..
Its like Suhayl said earlier… sometimes you need somewhere to sound off, and put your thoughts over and see what everyone else thinks.. to see whether we are off the mark with what we think or whether everyone else is in agreement…
Thats the good thing about debate… thats the good think about RoM… there is no barriers… we all say what we think and feel.. thats our right as loyal fans… and if the players do read these comments, then they gotta stick there chest out and take the good comments with the bad… and go prove us fans wrong in our not so often hour of critiscms..
I hope we do Porto next week…
Would have loved to have got the bin dippers in the Champs Lge Final though lol..
Suhayl, Failsworth and Giles some excellent posts. I know exactly what you are saying Giles about not giving the dippers the satisfaction of seeing us all argue amongst ourselves and slag the team etc. The only problem with mocking them though is everytime we have done it recently it has come back to bite us on the arse! Anyway after tonights performance and score everything seems alot rosier.
scott – i completely agree with the entire content of this post… i think that it should be the premier leagues responsibility to sort out the fixtures as is the case in italy (where teams playing in the CL have re-scheduled games) or even more logically a mid season break (a notion that would be widely backed by the leagues managers, not least fergie). unfortunately as it is, this is the downside of being successful in so many competitions. on the other hand i feel that we shoot ourselves in the foot somewhat with our pre-season preparations in recent seasons. we always seem to end up with a slew of injuries at this stage of the season (think back to the tailend of the season before last when the entire back four was missing for the san siro game) and i personally believe that a (less lucrative) preseason closer to home would be more conducive to players’ fitness
We are still in with a chance in all competition, so lets beat Sunderland this Sat & then go and set a British club record at the Dragao & be the 1st British team to beat Porto at home – 1-0 should do it & I don’t care who scores, even an own goal by Bruno Alves will be ok for me!
i just can’t believe how people are now saying that United are as good as out. Porto are a decent side but if you can’t see us beating them then how does anyone think we will beat Everton in a weeks time or Arsenal or City etc. We may not get through now but i still think we are favourites. If we score two goals over there then the away goals will no longer be to their advantage and i know United can beat Porto in a one off match
Fergi gamble on his old weak players Gary N, Scholes and the most weakest player John Oshea did not go well for MU. Scholes gave away a penalty against Liv, Gary and Oshea gave away two goals against Villa and also
against Porto. They both guilty of ball watching instead of manmarking.
He should bring on the youngsters instead of warming them on the bench and follow the example of Wenger and put high hope on them to perform.
These youngsters are more hungry to show their talent and win games.
Its about time to downgrade Scholes,Gary and Oshea to the reserved team
and compete in the Carling Cup.
ManU – Please change your user name. “He should bring on the youngsters instead of warming them on the bench and follow the example of Wenger” I think it may have been SAF who set the blueprint for playing the young ones.
“you will never win anything with kids” , this years carling cup victory and Macheda’s goal on Sunday come to mind.
Of course it paid off, who here would have preferred us to play at noon on Saturday and probably lose or draw(probably lose because even with the extras day rest we still didn’t play well) and then maybe win against Porto. Not me, could you imagine the press if we’d lost 3 games in a row? It was a tough gamble, but a sensible one, imo
ManU !!! PLEASE change your user name.
This has already been explained to your by myself and others. It is a derogatory expression used by other clubs in various anti-United slurs since 1958.
If you insist on using it then you do not know or CARE ABOUT the history of the club you claim to support.
Respect to all….but like me auld mucker failsworth said…..i cant bottle it up….we cant bottle it up…i have to let rip…let my emotions out. Or else i will go mad!!!
Its the fans that make any club around the world. People can talk about tv rights and money from those sources. But for me its the fans that pay the players wages. Its us who will always be there…when players staff management have long gone. We dont live a in perfect world…a utopian society. If everything was rosy…Scott would colour this blog pink….have some flowers andsmiley faces dotted everywhere.
The truth is our club isnt beyong rebuke or criticism. It makes mistakes…SAF even makes mistakes. And if we fans see things we feel aint right..then we are fully entitled to let rip. If JOS is crap…if the formation wasnt right…or whatever..Then the truth has to be spoken….no matter if its mundane.or the same old….or gets boring.
And when you let rip…..then those fans that do show how much MAN UTD our club means to them. Thats personally why i get worked up so much….the team the club is MY LIFE…it pains me deeply if summat bad happens and i speak from the heart…ala failsworth and a few others.
Thats all Giles. I know you’re right…we should get behind the team….believe me i always do….every time i go to OT….i sing my heart out and never stay quiet or remain disgruntled.
but on ROM…….there is that opportunity the tinternet has given us…all man utd brothers in arms…sharing their views..passion and live for the team.
and whether some come here…saying c’mon lads..all is good…..some say im not happy with this or that. The END game is…WE ALL LOVE AND CARE FOR OUR CLUB DEEPLY….WHOEVER OR WHATEVER WE SAY.
commenting late on this one cos I´ve been away snowboarding for a week. Got to watch the united -porto game in a apres ski pub surrounded by ABUs and I think what united were lacking was Supporters, were the fuck where they? How could it be that a handful of portugese chancers could whistle louder than the Stretford End could chant – pull your fuckin socks up!
I would give anything to be back at OT singing my fuckin lungs out for our lads – I used to be a season ticket holder before i left my hometown for mainland Europe and I want to remind you all what a privilege it is to be able to witness the reds at home- the least you could do is make sure you drown out a bunch of half witted portugese wankers.