Six years ago to the day since Manchester United last failed to get out of their Champions League group, the club suffered a frustrating defeat at the hands of FC Basel to finish 3rd in the group tonight. A draw would have been enough to see United through but despite dominating the game, they couldn’t score more than one, after going 2-0 down.
United will now be forced to endure the humiliation of the Europa League on Thursday nights.
If you go to the United website, the current prices shown for tickets only show Champions League prices. With United fans left frustrated at the club’s inability to spend the money on a desperately needed world class central midfielder, despite being the most profitable club in the world, you have to wonder how much the Glazers will think they can charge to see us compete in a competition we should not be playing in.
Here’s hoping Sir Alex opts to play the lads who would have had a go in the Carling Cup, following yet another embarrassing exit from that competition at the hands of Crystal Palace last week. But will Europa tickets be made compulsory for season ticket holders to purchase as Champions League tickets have been? You would imagine so. And you would also imagine the anti-Glazer protests will be back in full force at the weekend…
Man Utd News 24/7
Who cares.!?
Whatever they charge the money wont be spent on buying proven quality players.
I hope this is a reality check to all the “BELIEVE” muppets.
There has been a consistent weakening of the club over the last three years and an obvious financial misappropriation of revenue that otherwise would have been used to bring proven World class players into the squad.
A disgrace.
Sir Alex we have been found out. Crap
Och thursday nights, with a rapidly reducing season ticket demand.I think the earth.
Good luck with that Editor.
I do not think anybody should bother about the second rate European football!
Let the players enjoy it on their own!! They really deserve it. Fergie as well!
……. and lets be honest about how totally ordinary Rooney is 705 of the games he plays in.
He is a good player sometimes, a great player occasionally but I cannot remember far back enough to when he could have been called a world beater.
Reality check time for a lot of fans on here.
Absolutely Gutted…. This Hurts… Anyways United forever.. Bad times happens we will jump from here
Sigh!!!
4 games, 0 wins. No excuses.
And another tiny setback or tongue in cheek. We are in the Europa league. That hurts as well.
Europa league football, what a f*****G Embarrassment ! they should be well and truly ashamed of themselves !
Did not expect this.
Basel.
How many finals in the past 3 years? to basel.
Probably Carrick’s fault, right?
Right?
If we win the Muggins Monkey Club Cup or whatever they call this piece of shit second tier trophy then whatever, it’s a trophy, but I think we just need to focus on the title.
I’m gutted about this, but frankly the shape our squad is in with injuries, and losing Vidic and Young tonight to top it all, fuck, this could be a blessing in a disguise. A really, really, good disguise.
We’ve got a long, hard title battle ahead of us. The squad is hanging by a thread. Let’s hope the lads can regroup and dig deep for the long haul. This season is not over.
Also, I don’t know if it’s just the fact it’s not sunk in yet, but City going out really softened the blow. Don’t think I could have stomached it if they’d made it through.
Sir Alex, we have been found out. Crap!
CARLING CUP IS REPLACED BY EUROPA LEAGUE …………… AT LEAST THE YOUTH TEAM WILL PLAY
Gutted to say the least!
Someone wake me up, seems I’m dreaming…..Europa what???
Were all frustrated Scott but don’t just put this on the Glazers, blame the players as well, they were rubbish through out the 6 games.
Don’t know how much they’ll charge the fans, but hopefully the ones that go to those games will make better noise than the ones that went to the Ch.League ones did.
Atleast wouldn’t waste any more sleep to watch united play.
Play the seniors in UEFA CUp. Especially Mr. Ambition. He was simply WOEFUL today.
Atleast wouldn’t waste any more sleep to watch united play.
Play the seniors in UEFA CUp. Especially Mr. Ambition. He was simply WOEFUL today.
Who gives a fuck total fucking embarassment, throw our games I don’t wanna see us in that mickey mouse league. Stop fucking sugarcoating it we need a centre mid if a four year old can see it Sir Alex should if the money isn’t there come out and say it SAF because you certainly won’t be the one we’re blaming. I feel sick please please please nobody on here say unlucky. No we were fucking not complacency has crept in, Young so so predictable Evans is shite and no not picking him out , Evra has become so so complacent it’s untrue Rooneys taken his eye off the ball. Now i’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom fergies bought some great young players but there is no leader out there nobody the players can look to I don’t even care if we don’t win the league now quite frankly as long as the squad we assemble looks to be moving forward because i’ll tell you one thing we certainly fucking aren’t right now.
Really?? Did we dominated the game? we had 52% to their 48% possession. They used their 48 to dominate and we use our 52 to do diddly squat. No! Take off that red tinted glass. I love United… I really do. But we DID NOT dominate that game, far off it. we weren’t even the more threatening side on the field.
I told you last week that we are not good enough, poor squad of players and Fergie looks tired nowadays, It’s time for a change. I think Steve Bruce should be our new boss, he is a legend and available, this is our worst squad for years!!!!………………….nightmare!!!
Christ lads even STR, new this was on the horizon. He is good, often great, but nobody can create an article like that in minutes after a European shocker like that.He displays the consequences for ticket price’s. Lets see how we hit the Glazer in their financial forecast,A loss on budget of around £ 40 million.The pain begins?
This is disgrace….you all said we have great squad, but this shows that our midlle is shit, strikers dont score…
I dont understand one thing…if you see transfer rumours you always see two type of players DEFENSE AND STRIKER…no middle players…you cant play like this against RM or Barca..they will destroy you. Roo and Saf said they want to be better than Barca..the only thing they have to do is buy good middle. Like we said Cleverly is good but he is still young and what if he is injured?
Sir Alex has no right to walk out of a press interview the next time they ask him if we are in a crisis
I really can’t believe what I am watching at the moment. We have absolutely nothing in the middle of the park. Even with Clev it’s a massive ask for a lad so young to carry this team on his own. Young looks desperately out of form and every team is happy to push us wide knowing they can double up on Nani. In short it’s f@#king shambles.
Agh well we could still add the Europa League to the cabinet, we haven’t won that yet.
WHAT A FUCKING MASSIVE PISS TAKE
i solely blame alex ferguson for this. a- for starting with the unbalanced mid fld and b- for painting this side wtih complacency when the attackers can’t find the f-cking goal in what 6 weeks now and counting
The writing was on the wall for quite a while. Dismal performances home and away. We probably overachieved massively last season and unless we get some decent mid-fielders I do not think we can achieve much with this squad. We have been playing badly and winning for far too long. Fergie knew for quite a while that he needs a world class creative attacking mid-fielders yet he bought Ashley Young [Would love if proved me wrong but somehow I doubt it.]. How I wished Roy Keane could have played tonight! We simply do not have a leader among what is fast becoming a losing bunch!
At the end of the day if you cannot beat Benfica, and Basel [and mighty Crystal palace] at home you do not deserve much.
We use to poke fun at scousers about Channel 5. We should now brace ourselves for whatever will come our way.
too many good but not world class players. if we wanna catch up with barca or real or even bayern.. look at their squad. world class player in every position.
“with this squad we are definitely going to get through” ffs complacency at its finest. i really thought united won’t underestimate the swiss today and look at the clowning defence on the first goal. wallow in mediocrity now while europe’s true finest teams battle it out
congrats to fc basel
But i wouldnt say that Saf is wrong. He is doing mistake that he dont want to say anything against Glazers…but it is clear that they dont give us enough money. He defend them. He knows that if he would say anything against them, fans would make a war. He wants stability in the club.
We need seroious cash spent or we are in big big trouble!!!!!………………….now will you dopes listen to me??????
it’s abt time we wake up. this could be the tipping point! we either pull through again or we end up in the shits!
we really aren’t playing well and consistently in all departments. we cannot seem to get a strong leader who gels the team well.
I hate Rodney’s body language whenever it is nani on the ball – he is always blaming nani for everything, when he should also at himself
the team just runs through the motion again n again doing the same stuff hoping it clicks without really thinking – its so predictable n lacking in creativity. easily found out by better organized n committed teams.
we just aren’t good enough for now – lets face it. still love the club, , but the team now really isn’t good enough. let’s be honest and admit it
let’s hope fergie has a solution, n the players get it.
stop talking to the press n shit – siege pls! like the good ole days
Transition, is great ,a buzz word, used frequently.Tell me how do we remove the Glazer?
I never ever attach blame to our players.I have the ability to cut to the chase, on this sad night.Where reality kicks you in the backside.
We are under funded, under resourced, and out of the Champions league
I just hope that we qualify for the champions league next year, cause if Vida is out for a long time we are in trouble! Please Sir Alex: buy reinforcements in January, with any means necessary!!!
STR, we get knocked out of Champions League and you talk about ticket prices? I am still in shock. Going to sleep hoping it turns out to be a bad dream!
These days you can’t think of anyone in the team that will go into the team and change things. Same football for couple of months and this exit was expected. Still can’t force myself into naming certain players. No need for this.
The quintessence of it all is pre-match thoughts from Fergie. You can not rely on the last game playing in the group like the one we’ve had to play.
We are losing too many BIG games, we never do that. What the fuck is going on here?????
The only silver linings of this situation is that i can now have a go at those fans who BELIEVE, who look at POSITIVES and who TRUST.
Granted that we have a lot of injuries, but seriously, Fergie, you are wrong this time. Either you make things straight now, or its downhill all the way from here on.
Midfield overhaul, both players and tactics. PLEASE FFS!
Old git United hardcore fans, STFU! you had you pleasure of having a go at us, now you sit down and listen.
we cannot make an excuse of being under funded !!
all these years we have been taunting city with “money can’t buy trophies” …
Reality check time. We are simply not good enough. The team has gradually been weakened through sales, retirements and age. We can’t just turn up and expect to qualify. Yes there are some great young players coming through, but there has to be investment to support them.
Defence:
Injuries seem to have hit the defence the most. But of the four that started tonight we were just missing the twins ….. youngsters who struggle to ever remain injury free for more than 25 minutes at a time. Other than that we were “strong”. However, Rio is now just so slow and god knows what has happened to Evra. Just not the player he was.
Midfield:
What a mess. Missing Carrick who has been on great form. Giggs mate, time to hang up the boots. Park, all he does is run around in circles. Full of energy but little inspiration. We are hanging on for Cleverley and Ando — one who has only played a handful of games and one who has consistently been inconsistent.
SAF made a huge mistake not strenghening this area in the summer. I know that it is brought up time and time again, but we have to start seeing reality. Midfield is bloody weak.
Up Front:
Young has lost his early season drive. Rooney was a disgrace tonight and lets face it has been for weeks. Not all his fault in terms of being asked to play out of postion, but not good enough. Nani was our main outlet but too many times …. just bloody pass the thing
Fuck fuck fuck!
Can all these people saying WE NEED TO BUY NOW! tell me who they want us to buy?
Saf makeing some players better than they are. In any other club they would be shit…we gives to many chances to some young lads..
I’m telling you now we have absolutely no way of removing the Glazers. They’re hardened ruthless business men and they’re not going to buckle because the likes of us kick up a fuss and campaign about it. Were stuck with the cunts until they’re willing to sell up, that’s a fact! Sorry for sounding like that cunt Benitez at the end there!
Does anyone else think it might be time for saf to take the gamble with Ravel? The boy is unpredictable, arrogant and a loose cannon. Similar attributes to a certain Frenchman.
We always waiting that players come on their knees and beg us for contract. But if you dont pay much, players will go somewhere else. We have to buy good players. If he plays good, i dont give a shit is he fan of our club all his life or when he sign the contract.
@Mikekelly12
They (united manager and coaching staff) know what they need and who to buy, they just dont want to pay alot interms of wages and transfer fee. Thats all.
So stop being sarcastic and accept the fact that we need a major overhaul both tactics and players
let say we dont buy, then i ask you, if we dont buy, then WHO SHOULD STAY AND PLAY?
FFS get your head out of your arse. I dont understand these kind of thinking. Why are you too proud to think that the team need players from outside to change it?
There is no way on this earth that the Glazers should be allowed to implement the ludicrous automatic cup scheme for the Europa League, absolutely no way! Trades Description Act anyone?I did not sign up for the Europa League when I bought my season ticket. If we get to the final of that competition we’ll end up paying for an extra game. I guess I just answered my own question regarding what the Glazers will do!
Mikekelly12, that’s simple enough- heck I’ll take Shaqiri in January tyvm… Then thre is Marek Hamsik, Mario Gotze, Luka Modric, just to name a few..I’m not even gonna mention that Dutch lad cos SAF thinks he’s too old… personally i think we need a little bit of old. And someone to put the bite in midfield too. Bastian Schweinsteiger anyone?
We need two world class players in the middle. One playmaker and second middle who has something like Nasri. Second one dont have to be playmaker but has to have ability to give a great ball and be a good driblling to help playmaker or when playmaker is stoped.
Izzy
I see you couldn’t answer my question!
I am not too disappointed. You could see this coming a mile off. Injuries have hit us and our early form flattered to decieve but we are doing a Chelsea of last year.
The team do not have enough strength and depth and playing different midfield combinations every match is not helping. The says of the Keano-Scholes centre pairing etc are gone. We need two solid world class MF’s to complement Carrick and Cleverly.
However, today was about finishing, we just did not convert possession in to goals, simple as that. The injuries to Smalling and Vidic did not help.
Given City’s emergence, I wish they had stayed in the CL so they would be worn out, but I am also glad we can just focus on the EPL and sort the team out, this was always going to be a difficult transition year and the focus has to be on getting the transition right.
SAF tried to buy 3 MF (Nasri Snieder and Modric), money seems to have been a reason we did not get them, though Modric also wanted to go to Chelsea.
Objectively, the squad is not looking too strong and the injuries bite badly. However, I am certainly not panicking or stressed, we have a lot of players to replace, Smalling and Jones and Hernandez are great buys. SAF will do his best to make sure we get what we need but lets face facts can we – Glazer owned – really compete with City, Chelsea, PSG, Real, Barca – no we can’t financially. There are more and more clubs with more money to spend than us so we will all have to be patient and chill, we also have to trust in youth and recognise that certain years we just need to consolidate and try to re-build like this one.
Hopefully this is a wake up call for the players. But they did do everything but score. It’s fine, we move on.
A Disgrace. Our problems started when we couldn’t hold on to a 2 goal lead at OT against Basle and then struggled against Benfica. Just shows how we miss Carrick eh. As mush as I love Fergie I feared the worst when I saw the team. You can’t play Jones, Giggs and Park in the middle, where was Fletch, I thought he was nailed on to start today in Carricks absence. Rooney, I would have let him go when he embarrassed the club last year. I’ll support him as long as he plays for Utd, but as someone as already said, he’s not the world beater he’s made out to be. I said weeks ago to my bro, I think Nani is our best player, he gets you off your seat, when was the last time Roo did that, Feb, that’s when, it’s now December. The commentator said Rooney had played well? WHAT? Being involved in the game doesn’t constitute playing well. I just get the feeling his heart’s not in it at Utd. I know this may sound a kneejerk reaction after his miss tonight, but I said this weeks ago. I was a fan of bringing in Sneijder, that looks like a big miss now. Ah well. It’s gone now we are in transition and I’d like to see us build a team around another player other than Rooney, I’m not saying get rid, but I wouldn’t lose sleep if he went. I just mean, he’s not the talisman we thought he was.
I know lots of people will offer reasons and excuses but put simply we had the easiest group and never looked like dominating it, we are light years, yes light years behind europes elite and with a midfield like we have we have no chance…wake up call to even the most loyal fans…not good enough and even worse this team is playing some of the worst dirge I have witnessed in years, not the united way, not successful and not worth paying for…….wakey wakey
Not good enough to get out of the weakest group. Barcelona or Madrid would have put 5 or 6 past you, probably best you went out really. Now what was that chant you used to think was funny? Oh yeah, ” Channel 5 on a Thursday night”!
UTD have had terrible luck with injuries recently, squad is now waferthin. What started out as a very promising start to the season has went downhill since Cleverlys injury. Key injuries have followed as well as poor form to key players. Rooney couldn’t finish his dinner at the moment.All that early season optimism has vanished. Young and Valencia have also been out of form, swagger and confidence has gone. Fergie needs to regroup the players and use all his resources to turn things around. Time to back the team even more. Players need our support, we’ve been spoilt rotten over the last 20yrs have to take the bad wit the good and there’s been so much good.
but we’ve still got park..gibbo..macheda..da silva twins..anderson..fletch..evans..keep the faith eh…..or maybe not.all are fucking shite and hope never wear the man united shirt ever again however you’ll get the usual pricks on here saying we’re force to be reckoned with.start turning up week after week like i do spending fucking fortunes on this mediorce team i look forward to our thursday night europa gatherings
is this the best team in england lossing to basel beside man united midfield s nt gud enough n the defenfer making unnessery mistake i thnk s time to buy dum new player
coor, feel like a stranger in here, where art thou regulars. i can get being gutted but come on
penny pinching at united strikes yet again…when will they learn if sneijder or whoever wants 200k a week just fucking pay it. young was a disgrace tonight.
dickson…do you really think hamsik or schweinsteiger would leave the champions league to perch up at united?
The only pro of dropping out of the champions league is the quality away trips we’ll get to go on, hopefully the tourist that normally show up at Old Trafford and on our European aways will fuck off and make room for the real supporters. If the ticket prices arent cut dramatically they can expect protests and boycotts galore.
Gutted to go out but this is the reality check alot of our support and our players needed. Least we’ll be spared being tortured by Barcelona or Madrid, surely the trophy has to be going to one of the spanish clubs.
This is not the same manchester united that started the season so well, we have struggled to win games and we do not have a midfeild, if SAF does not take this as a fucking wake up call and get a world class midfeilder then we are in fucking trouble. Seeing the team we feilded against Basel I was fucking disappointed. Manchester united is just filled with good players and Zero world class player. We need help and we need it fast.Europa league it makes me sick.
You are only as good as you are. That is why, at this point, my favourite football team is a in-between-drifter when it comes to European football. Embarassed dont begin to cover it.
Fucking gutted. Thatll teach us to sing thursday night channel five to the vermin. Fucking fletch not played in weeks. What the fuck is wrong with the cunt? When is that fat scouse cunt up top gonna produce and hit the onion bag? Injuries all over the shop. Twins made of glass. Comes to summat when our best player by a fucking distance has been a nineteen year old kid. Truly gutted and feel pysically sick. A fucking shambles. This piss poor group should have been sewn up weeks ago. Thank fuck I have a son coning in a week. Summat to take my mind of this turgid shite at present. Gutted.
1. I hate it when people come in here and say if you say so and so you are not a Untied fan blah blah. I think that the intensity of being United fans varies but most of us want United to win. Period. Some like Cedars and Mr Oakley have United in their bloods, others don’t. But they still are United fans, imo!So no infighting please!!
2. As far as today is concerned, its a kick in the teeth no doubt. We didn’t cover ourselves in glory. There were individual mistakes and though we dominated, I am afraid the creativity was lacking. I think the desire was there but we did look toothless. But we do have great players like De Gea, Evans, Danny and Jones and they are our future. Of course they will make errors. Who doesn’t? But we need to stick by them and understand that greatness takes time to achieve. Its not a birthright.
3. As far as Mr Ambition is concerned, today I was very disappointed with him. Leave alone the missed chance, the spark, the fire was not there. It was almost like his mind was somewhere else. And it is quite unfortunate that we don’t quite have the quality to even replace an underperfoming rooney.
4. We as United fans, especially in recent years, have been used to seeing the best players in the world such as Cantona, Rooney, Giggs in his prime, Scholes etc. That has spoilt us and it is natural for us to expect to see the best players in our team. But, imo that SAF has his sights set on promoting from within a la Barcelona. They were not that great when their current crop were coming through. Were they? So let us be patient in slating the Great Man until he has played his cards.
5. For me, today’s criticism is not something I can define. It feels the same as watching when Roo and Ron were new in 2004 etc.. It was just that the time wasn’t right. Same for now. But I am certain that we will be back to our best within a couple of seasons and challenging on all fronts again. Things will fall in place lads. Trust me!!
Dont even talk about united and barca in the same breath now. Our players suck in comparison. Accept that first without trying to act like Carrick is on par with Xavi. Fergie dint buy a CM cuz he said it would impede the progress of youngsters but I havent seen him give the youngsters a prolonged chance. DIsgusting
The lads didn’t look up for it 15 mins into the second half. What we saw today was bullshit. Agreed that all teams have bad days, bad months even, but you at least expect United to force their way through. There were so many moments today when we had the ball just outside their penalty box, but nothing ever came of it. Even the goal we scored was a lucky one. And I don’t get Rooney. He freaking gets paid so much , and he can’t beat a freaking not in our league team’s keeper? Young and Park were absolutely useless today. And our midfield never ever tracked back. There were times in the second half when a Basel player was waiting to be tackled. I mean, even if you weren’t urgent in the first half, after going two goals down, you’d expect the team to show some energy, to show some determination to get the ball back. In injury time, when their keeper gott the ball, only Macheda even tried to get him to pick it up. I think we’e been scrounging around in the bargain bin for too long.Instead of buying Youngs and Dioufs, we should be either trying to develop, or buying players who have technique, and not just speed and strength.
Another thing I don’t get is why SAF didn’t change the tactics and make it a three man midfield when it was quite clear that Giggsy and Jones were struggling to keep up against their three. I find it ridiculous that we should be relying on a 38-yr old to create our chances.
Maybe this the reality check our lads needed to jolt them out of their complacency.
The Glazers are going nowhere, since they bpught United the pound has grown strong and is almost 2-1 against the US Dollar. This means the money they get from United goes twice as far in financing their US assets and debts. It’s a huge cash cow for them.
They are however, clearly all over the place financially, the bond issue was not great it had a high coupon (interest) that placed debt on the Club, the Singapore float seems to have tanked, the Club’s debt while slightly down is extremely high, around £400 mn I believe. Plus they take out huge dividends every year. They will milk United till the cows come home. SAF will just have to pull more rabbits out of the hat to make sure we keep in the CL places and keep challenging for trophies. The day am dreading is the day he goes and we have Glazers and a new manager…. so right now, is cool.
@Mikekelly12
FFS its not my job to give names. I can give a million names if i want too, but at the end, i dont know who are available in the market FFS. But SAF and his scouts do.
Stop being a smart ass, I;ve had it with you all with not buying, Too proud to accept we need reinforcements.
I have foreseen this months ago, even my wife can see that we’re not playing up to our standard recently. Ability is one thing, but we also lacked the desire.
So you can just sit at a corner with your view while waiting united going downhill like the scousers did.
I’ve had enough with all this so called hard core fans nonsense. Change is needed. accept that
kieran, they’re what we need. Pay them the wages, we can always get back in next season with them in the fold. Without new CM’s I’m absolutely terrified thinking about how the standings in the league would look like come end of the season.
It’s absolutely mind boggling that the one of the most important position in modern football, the central midfielders- have not received any proper investment by a team of our caliber….It’s like we are trying to handicap ourselves against opponent. Honestly.. i think QPR has a better midfield than ours!
Tbh honest Scott.. i dont think most of us will give a shit right now..
this is so upsetting.. this for me hurts more than the 1-6 against city..
but we actually played well and should really be looking at the two home games that we failed to win, it was not vintage Manchester United by a long shot..
we are so light in central midfield its crazy.. we was relying on a 19 year old Centre back and a 38 year old former winger.. tells you the story really..
I think we REALLY missed Carrick today.. it was a shame he was suspended.. anyone else think Park looked like a headless chicken..? not like usual.. he actually didn’t know what he was doing out there tonight..
Ashley Young lacked match fitness, he looked a bit sluggish hopefully he’ll return back to form in the next game..
Rooney’s frustration got the better of him – he really should have learnt by now how to keep a cool head..
====
Is there any chance we can forfeit the Europa League instead of suffering the embarrassment of actually playing in it??
Reds 01
Hahaha class!! It was actually, Thursday night, channel 5!! Sang to the same tune as Fulham 1 Dippers 0. But different tune for 19 times!!!
I agree with NormanRightside, I thought Ravel might have unlocked the tight Basel backline.
We were just overcrowding their backline to Basel’s advantage, and no movement at all. Poor display overall.
It seems ages ago when we were rooting for Rooney to get his 3rd hat-trick in a row and since he’s pretty much impotent now, I would play him in midfield with our 3 wingers up front and maybe Welbeck as well. That should provide much needed dynamism in our play.
But this really isn’t our season when it comes to injuries, and it doesn’t help when they occur from the same positions at the same time. 2 Fullbacks, 2 Centre Mids, 3 Strikers, damn this sucks.
Oh yea, Vidic went out today too. Gahhhh, no more 1 nils
Bizarre scores tonight. Something is really dodgy is going on. Ajax had 2 perfectly good goals disallowed while Lyon needed to score 7 goals to pip Ajax. they went to Zagreb and they scored exactly 7 goals. that needs an investigation.
Also, the way we have been playing in the CL I don’t think this result should surprise anyone.
Whilst I agree there is a need to buy a really good midfielder, we can’t exactly be blaming *today’s* result on a “lack of funding”. We’ve spent a far greater amount of money on the players on that pitch today than Basel could ever dream of. The same players who played pretty much like shit. THEY needed to win the match and one would have expected them to win, without the need for any additions. Though I reiterate, we should be looking to buy a midfielder.
No value for money ? We could have secured Sneijder when he left Madrid, Silva or Mata long before they went to their respective clubs etc. It’s so easy to write posts sitting at your home and imagining what you would have done being SAF but it’s a useless and a nonsense thing to do most of the time. It’s all about making decisions. Some of them could be wrong of course. As i said earlier there are no players for the last few months that you can say WOW, he is the one with continuity, he is the one that will change the game.
But NO EXCUSE not going through playing in this group. Giggs in the middle, Jones in the middle etc etc. We had 4 games to play and didn’t win any of them.
No matter what decisions Fergie made or didn’t make. With one player or another, with half of the team injuried, with 2-0 against Basel, we can not afford to ge 3rd place in the group we had.
Can’t beleive that a United team has sunk so low. The way I look at games is how many of the opposition would get in our team every week – enough said. Then you can look at the team that SAF picks. Now every man and his dog has said for years now that we need to strengthen in midfield and yes the Glazers have given money for spending (£50M spent in the close season) but not one penny spent on where we need it. Its no good calling and saying certain players are not United quality because there is only one person to blame for buying them or not buying in a department we have needed strengthening for a few years now. In the past we have had a midfield that would come up with goals if the strikers aren’t scoring but nobody is in a position to score and 1-0 wins says loads.
anyone else feel that an apology is in order? if one can be given for the league cup surely one is on it’s way now
I wont be watching Europa matches out of principle and in denial
I’m not saying that I’m jumping with joy for tonight’s failure. Strictly speaking I feel like shit. BUT, what if we win the Ewropa lge and we will be the first British club to win all the competitions ?
May be it is a blessing in desguise for us cos we are always first to win something. Others always followed.
i could vent my anger but it would be pointless….united didnt deserve to win on the night nor did they deserve to go through on the whole..as ive said to my other mates….its a waiting game now . and let jones smalling de gea welbeck cleverly develop….theres no point living in “football manager ” land and demanding to sign pastore gotze hazard and hamsik..(though it would be nice :p)…chin up ad the saying goes………as the reds go marching on
Don’t see us winning anything this year.
Sadface.
We need Bebe
NBI Red Onion says “I wont be watching Europa matches out of principle and in denial”
probably have to join you there mate
mike kelly…. i would have bought scott parker for a start and bust the bank for sneidjer/modric….it aint difficult to work that one out.however we’ve got fletch who’s wank,anderson who’s the only brazilian who cant pass/score/tackle and carrick who’s average….we’ve failed to get out of the piss easiest group in champions league history and as a £750 a season ticket holder fucking demands why
Shame on each on of u who support united and now he is complaining , Glory united no matter wt happens united WE STAND UNITED!!!
We could not get easier group, and we lost. Look, if we want to win CL, we need to destroy clubs like Basel, Otelul, and Basel 3-5:0 like Real Madrid with second team. It is simple as that. This is funny, when i hear that some fanatics saying you are not fan because you are saying something obvious. We get to finals…but we should stay in the bus in front of stadium. Because we have no chance with this squad in final agains Barca or RM. I hate them, but they are far away from us. If we would spent 200 mils on players we would spent less than others. We will became like Arsenal. Players are leaving club because they dont have ambition. Citeh,RM, Barca…and others buying better players than we are. They are Buying more. We cant handle it if we dont keep up with them. It is impossible that Saf every time buy good young player cheap. You must miss sometimes. And we dont have to much time to wait.
Gutted about the result but not surprised after what I’ve seen this season. Last season was an over achievement. This season isn’t all done with but were not ready for the champions league with the way the squad is at the moment – a wrong mix of ageing players beyond their best, youth who have lost confidence in their talent and a manager who hasnt grasped the knack of getting THE best consistently from the squad he has this season. All is not lost but changes are needed. Estabilished defence and midfield ‘stars’ will. We’ll still (hopefully) be there or there abouts at the end of the season…there are still a lot of games to go.
Costas I’m a season ticket holder u live in fucking Greece so shut the fuck up and don’t ever slag the fans who pay hard earned money to watch games and watch the shit we have been forced to watch this season. U HAVE NO FUCKING RIGHT
@dickson
I agree 100% mate but I just don’t think it’s realistic to expect a transfer like that in january. no matter how much you throw at it.
we just have to make the most of it and buckle in tight
King Eric –
You stole my words from the tip of my fingers mate. Gutted, saw it coming from the 1st goal to be honest but refused to accept it.
We’ll most likely now play every Sunday & Monday now because of Thursday night football.
This is the end of this sides cycle of sucess. Time to rebuild like in 2005, the time has come for SAF to invest & ship out the wasters. He can obviously decide who.
Major Crisis, no trophy in 6 months, 2nd, no Vidic,Clevs,Rooney,Chicha etc.
DOOOMED !
@pjch
VEry good point. Imagine our defensive anchor midfielder having to score the only goal of the match in the last 2 or 3 games. WTF?
Not ideal.
Play the kids in Europcar.
New team taking shape next year or two.
Win it in two/ three years.
TC in the middle with a new recruit.
War is not the answer.
Mikekelly12 says:
Reds 01
Hahaha class!! It was actually, Thursday night, channel 5!! Sang to the same tune as Fulham 1 Dippers 0. But different tune for 19 times!!!
That was it, nice one. Europa league’s ok, and, all joking apart you actually have a shot of winning it.
come to think of it,Basel have done us a big favour.Think of the drabbing we would endure at the hands of Madrid,Barca,Bayern,etc had we qualified and drawn either of the above.
Still United Rules
No intention to show off with any stats, but just some numbers to indicate how seriously we took the competition this year:
- 6 different starting lineups (of course)
- 22 different starters (over 6 games!)
- Played 4-4-2 three times and played 4-5-1 another three times.
- Played 5 different back fours and 6 different midfield fours or fives.
Zero cohesiveness. How can a team perform with co much chopping and changing?
And if the injuries are to blame, then maybe some head have to fall in that area as well.
Izzy
Really? A million?? My point exactly. It’s not that easy to go out and just buy a couple of world class players. They’re not always available. I love your insight into sir Alex and his scouting network! Where do you get your info or does your wife have the contacts?
Fortune didn’t shine on united tonight. How many reality checks are required for change?. City,Crystal Palace , tonight. Hugely frustrating but for all the faults their were some great chances and nani was superb at times. basle had 12th man lady luck with then, we did not. I hope SAF uses the europa to test out the youngsters, save the seniors where he can for the drive in the PL. lacking quality or not, right now WE are still second.
Frustration is totally normal and must be expressed but not at the expense of solidarity.
Why bring on Macheda tonight? He was shite against Palace last week. I won’t be embarrassed about watching Utd in the Europa league. It’s a competition we can win, so why not. On the other hand, we can play the youngsters, it’ll be good experience for them and the 1st team can concentrate on the league.
@keano99
Getting touchy are we? If only you showed as much passion while our team was playing. Mug.
keano 99 you’re so fucking right…i spend almost £800 a season and attend every game dont anybody disrespect regular fans like us who know that this team is very very fucking average….
Totally gutted. Can’t believe what I’ve just seen. However, it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise i.e. maybe SAF will now see what everybody else seems to see – we need a central midfielder of real quality. We may have gone for Sneijder but could not afford him. We may have laughed for instance at Spurs buying Scott ‘Scotty’ Parker for £8mill but fuck me he’s a better player than the fat Brazilian and, I hate to say it, Park as well. It’s time for a clear out – the likes of Macheda Diouf Fabio Evans Gibson Park Anderson and Berbatov – and if we can’t do this in January then it’s essential that we do it at the end of the season.
Rant over I’m off to bed and hope I’ll wake up in the morning and realise it’s all been a bad dream. Channel 5 on Thursday nights. Fuck me – has it really come to this ?
@King Eric, Shows to you there are other beautiful things in this world in addition to Manchester United, doesn’t it? God bless you and your son and your family mate. Don’t fret over it, from what I hear from other parents, you’ll have a lot to keep yourself occupied with in these testing times as a United fan, and I think we all need that.
Our European prospects were doomed the minute the transfer window shut last august, without having replaced Paul scholes. I was crucified on these message boards for saying our midfield was the weakest in the top 6 and tonight it’s hit everyone in the face.
All this believe bollocks and in fergie we trust…Barcelona don’t rely on belief, they have superbly talented world class players and we have done nothing to catch them up. What about the 80m from ronaldo?
Fletcher, carrick, Anderson. The writing wS on the wall. Still relying on a 38 year old giggs. It’s embarassing.
I’m at OT on Sat for the Wolves game. Hoping for a solid performance, but more importantly, the fans right behind the team
@pablo – i work like an idiot at work, earn my employees a shit load of money, come to work on time, work overtime etc etc and how the fuck they haven’t bought my brand new Lexus yet ? Bad bad employees.
@Cantona7 – pretty good one. Go into the dressing room and pointing out to those who you’ve mentioned that they are on there way out. And then just play with the one’s left. Pretty nice scenario and refreshing.
I spend at least 2k following this great club every year and it fucking hurts when it seems like some of the players just don’t care! I’ve never levelled that accusation against our players before! Fergie doesn’t get angry anymore, the players mess about trying to walk the ball into the net when they aren’t good enough to do it and we seem to get injuries on a match by match basis. We’re muddling through with a lop-sided squad and faith placed in ‘squad’ players we’re forced to play who aren’t good enough.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE BLINDED BY THE REALITY. SINCE RONALDO LEFT WE HAVE BEEN THE BEST TEAM IN THE PREM AND THE 2ND BEST IN EUROPE THROUGH DEFAULT. NOONE HAS CHALLENGED US PROPERLY. NOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROPER CHALLENGE WE ARE BOTTELING IT BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE AS GOOD A SQUAD AS EVERYONE THOUGHT. OUR MIDFIELD IS WORSE THAN ARSENALS AND THEY SOLD THEIR 2 BEST PLAYERS IN THE SUMMER. OUR SQUAD PLAYERS WOULDNT GET IN THE LIVERPOOL TEAM!!!!!!
FERGIE, LIKE EVERY OTHER MANAGER, AT EVERY OTHER CLUB MUST SHOULDER THE BLAME AS HE PICKS THE PLAYERS, HE GROWS THE TEAM/SQUAD AND HE IS THERE TO MOTIVATE THE PLAYERS. WE WILL BOUNCE BACK YES, BUT COME THE END OF THE SEASON IF WE ARE NO CHAMPIONS I THINK FERGIE SHOULD LOOK BACK AT THE LAST 3 YEARS AND THINK… HEY…. ITS MY FAULT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE, AS I WAS TOO PROUD TO DIP MY FUCKING HAND IN MY POCKET AND BUY DAVID SILVA OR WESLEY SNJEIDER WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE. AND THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO CAN TELL ME WE DIDNT HAVE THE CHANCE TO SIGN BOTH OF THOSE 2. FUCKING BUNCH OF CUNTS. PARK U ARE USELESS. EVANS U ARE USELESS. GIGGS YOU ARE PAST IT. YOUNG YOU STINK OF PREMIERSHIP AVERAGE AND ROONEY YOU ARE A FAT LAZY SCOUSE CUNT WHEN YOU WANT TO BE
cantona 7 channel 5 thursday nights is reality mate….thats what pisses me and keano 99 off but guess what…..we’ll both be there watching fc fucking nobody…bet they stil beat us!! this was waiting to happen cos guess what… our midfield is probably worst than sunderlands….and i’m serious
Just don’t see how Sneijder would have been a good buy. United generally don’t sign big stars and Sneijder is class but you can’t pay a huge fee and MASSIVE wages on an injury prone player who’s at a decent age, but is older than you’d like. Plus he’s a massive risk in terms of his ego-centric personality.
I have to agree with @ Pablo and @ Keano 99 – there are a number of games where the “fighting spirit” let alone the result and level of play did not seem right – there are some games that have been tough to watch and you are just left scratching your head. I always make a point of staying in my seat till the end but I can understand the frustration. Also fans are as noisy / quiet whatever as they have always been, it never affected the team before, it’s not the reason they are under performing now.
SAF has chopped and changed alot for several years, I don’t think that is the issue, he tends to stick with players that perform and over a season deliver – back four, wings, Rooney, where he changes is where the team in weak or when there are injuries or tactical considerations. With the injuries we had and some players inconsistent form it is not surprising he has had to change the team – he stuck with Ando and Fletch for several games when their form was not good enough then he changed. He dropped Carrick while he did his usual warm up to the season. Made sense.
I respect fans paying to watch this team. It’s not a cliche, but if I lived in England, I would have done the same. But that’s not where a fan’s responsibility ends. If the team is shit, instead of bitching about it, you try to cheer it on. That very rarely happened this season. The atmosphere has been shitty. If some want to take this personally, that’s their problem. At least those in here that go to the ground each week and try to make themselves heard know where I’m coming from.
And if anyone’s crying over the money they’ve spent to watch this “shit” team play, maybe we should ask those fans that bought season tickets when we played in Division 2. See how they felt.
Izzy
Old git United hardcore fans?
You mean the fans who go home and away. Who sing their hearts out until they can’t sing anymore.
Sorry very disrespectful. Thats typical of some of the terrible shite thats spewed on here.
2 things to add to Headline news:
1. Headlines stated that Manutd suffered a shock defeat – it was not a shock, some time coming
2. Headlines stated that Basel broke Manutd fans’ hearts – correction, they did not, MY TEAM broke my heart, not Basel!
@Mikekelly12
i will not argue with you mate. Like some the others said, its not about tonight. Tonight was just the pinnacle of the trouble united have been in for months.
I have kept pointing out who are not good enough, and which player we should buy etc, but all i get back in return are some bullshit about me not knowing the club enough to want to be like City and all.
Well, if tonight is not a wake up call, then i dont know what is.
Until we start putting in more than 1 goal a game again, this is the type of result to expect. No ruthlessness or purpose in the final 3rd for a couple of months now.
haha. this just happend. hope we field the youngsters in the e-league. focus on the PL and do anything in our power to prevent citteh winning the pl.
@ Costas – generally like what you say mate – but you are getting a bit precious – people can say whatever they like – just because someone is critical of players or a performance does not make them less of a fan or give you the right to tell them how to react. Even SAF apologised for the team this season, never heard him do that before. So clearly, if people are down about stuff there is a reason and this blog is not limited to people who operate like happy fascists.
@King Eric @22.28
Summed my feeling up perfectly well mate.
We are so fucking average at the moment its untrue, i have become so appathetic its untrue this is 2006 all over.
English players lack the ability to beat a man one on one. Only Nani. and giggs can do that in this team. the rest are stiff and functional. what we lacked were? players to unsettle the Basel defence. The players and the manager should be ashamed of themselves.
ah well. blame the players. they are not good enough.
jones looks like he might be good enough in a couple of years…
same goes for smalling…
vidic is the only truly world class player at the club but seems to spend a lot of time injured…
ferdinand seems to be fading fast…
evans is terrible…
de gea isn’t a van der sar or schmeichel…
da silvas either haven’t got the bottle or are made of glass…
evra couldn’t care less what happens any more…
valencia is a decent winger, not a giggs, beckham or ronaldo in their prime…
same goes for young…
same goes for park…
nani is a fairly good player but is still too inconsistent to be considered truly world class…
fletcher is a half decent squad player at best…
same goes for carrick…
anderson, let’s face it, isn’t ever going to be a world class player, let alone fit to lace scholes’ boots up…
cleverly is unproven…
giggs is easily our best midfielder more than ten years after his prime…
welbeck is unproven…
rooney is a good player…
hernandez looks like he has what it takes to represent manchester united…
berbatov, well who knows…
and michael owen wears the number 7 jersey.
What the fuck!
sorry, just had to get that out of my system. I actually think it isn’t the end of the world, especially if some of the young players go on to achieve what they have the potential for. apologies
fergie needs to think very carefully about the next 2 transfer windows as well as hope that cleverley welbeck morrison et al. deliver (which i think they will).
If he doesn’t then he will leave the club in a very poor state of affairs…the likes of evans and gibson are not united standard
steamdigit- ditto
frankly, there are som many problems with United these days its hard to know where to start.
I think we have 3 or 4 excellent players (Smalling, Jones, Lindegaard, rooney (on form), Cleverly)
a whole bunch of average players
4 or 5 totally fucking useless players
I have never known such a shit United team and Ive supported them since 1976 (ok maybe in the 80s there were some shit sides as well but after all our recent great teams this one now just feels doubly disapointing)
If you take a step back and count to 10 take a few deep breaths, you could say that we are in transition and facing new challenges with much stronger teams now as competition. (City, Chelsea, Liverpool) with all their limitless cash. A few years ago Chelski got all that money from the Russian and they were storming it with Moourinho. It felt like the fucking end was nigh,,but SAF manged to build a team and overcome it.
I have serious doubts that he can do that now because the funds arent available, he needs too many players, and I honestly think he is getting too old and maybe losing his edge. Ive heard too many apologies from him on TV recently and thats not fighting talk.
I think United havent played great this season but they have been VERY VERY UNLUCKY!! robbed against Newcastle of 2 points. Man sent off vs City although we were always gonna lose that match lets be honest, and then we have dominated games such as the one vs Porto but somehow they scored two quite lucky goals really. (well stupid defensive errors led to them) Even tonight, we did not deserve to lose that game. They had two chances and scored both. The first one Smalling was down injured, ref should have blown his whistle for it perhaps and stopped play. Rooney should have scored, but it looks to me like as the ball came to him it sort of hit that patch of mud and changed velocity so he misjudged it.
imho – I wuold like to see a new manager at United. Time for change. Freshen it up. Also, like we all know, we need some serious world class talent in the team. I think De Gea is awful, also, I think Evans is pretty shit, and i fucking hate Nani. Hes so overated.
We dont have anyone who seem sto be able to score from a free kick. We dont win enough freekick either. We dont pay with enough guile and trickery like we used to. Tonight for example, early on in the game that cunt Bsel player that finally got a yellow card, he went in two footed on Park, and Park just got staright back up again. If that had been a Real Madrid player or a barca player for certain they would have at least got that player a yellow card if not a red by going down and making a meal of it. Im sorry to say it but you need to do that shit in the modern game to win matches. Thats how Ronaldo used to win so much for us. RVN was good at it too. YOU NEED TO PLAY WITH SOME GUILE. and Im not just talking about feigning injury. Scoles, Giggs, Beckham etc they used to take the fucking piss, enjoy their football, play with trickery on free kicks and corners. We had that back a few seasons ago with Rooney and Ronaldo.
So, the big question really is: can SAF take United further? Do we really have the team in the making this time? Personally I really think SAF has run out of ideas. I would not put money on us beating City away in the FA cup. and ther eis no way we will win the league this season. So we could be looking at a trophyless season, and fighting for a champs league place.
Shit
The frustration is the mis-management of funds. I pay my season ticket to pay the wages and transfer fees for the very best players. I don’t want my hard earned money going into a massive black hole to fund the shopping malls and other business interests of cowboys with no affinity for the club. They take money out of your bank account whether you can/want to go to cup games or not. How the hell have we all let ourselves get fucked over like this? For the first time in years I am considering not renewing next year. Is the product worth the cost? Time to say enough is enough. I can accept the self realisation that I’m a fucking mug for putting up with Glazers immorality all these years but you do when the football is good and you’re winning. That may seem fickle but how can I justify to my family the sort of outlay we all make every season? To the money men I am just a name on a season ticket, a seat number in the ground and a valid bank account. If the players start playing like they don’t care, if the football side of things falls apart, then what have we got left?
@Invade the moon with keane
totally agree with you
why do fans only start protesting when the team is doing badly? if you were really against the glazers you wouldnt pay money to buy tickets/merchandise to fund them. Fans only want something to blame, its the players that arent good enough, Ferguson doesnt have any money to buy players because of the Glazers. start boycotting games and stop buying merchandise you if want the Glazers out!!!!!!!
It’s late in the night so have to go.
Goodnight to everyone. Happy days ahead. At some point in time things just have to click again as it happened during the season’s start. And of course some blessing in disguise is always on the table.
We have a saying in our cultural part of the world.
While being unlucky in life you get lucky in love.
Learn to love. Learn lo love woman. Learn to love your club. The way he is. And support your club. I mean SUPPORT.
Goodnight.
@all the fucking do gooder’s
If i read one comment by a fucking lemming like Faris above then I will never return to this blog. We have just been dumped out of the European cup by some part time cunts from Romania who no one has ever heard of, a second rate team from portugal and then fucking Basle who had fucking Tin Tin on steriods playing for them.
It is fucking shocking and as much as when Saturday cpomes I will be fully vocal supporting Manchester United I dont come onto a blog and pull my knocker out and have a wank fest just because of what we have done as a club.
This campaign has been fucking woeful we have been slapped 6-1 at home by city and knocked out of Europe in the easiest group it is not fucking good enough.
invade the moon with keane….fucking fucking spot on analysis of our team.what worries me now is fa cup 3rd round day….that could be a bad bad day but guess what..i!ll be there
I really need to know who is holding the club back from buying world class players – Fergie or Malcolm. Someone has to be held accountable for this farce.
Izzy
Look, we may not win anything this year, but does that give us the right to piss and moan about our team and start questioning our manager?! Non of us are happy when we don’t win or perform poorly but they’re not done on purpose! I’ll support United like I always have done whether we play Champions League or Europa League but I won’t for one minute pretend I know more than Sir Alex and his back room staff.
On the topic of the thread, I bought my season ticket with Champions League expectations, therefore I think we should get Europa tickets free of charge!!
Dickson – Ha! As if we could afford any of those players.
The one thing I will say before I sign off though is that this overall fuck up is in no way indicative of the overall quality of the side. This side actually should’ve put this group to bed a long time ago. And while I wouldn’t have given us a chance of taking the whole thing, I would expect our overall squad would’ve been capable of at least making it to the Quarters. The fact that we fucked this up real bad is proof of how complacent we were and how seriously we needed to have taken this group. However, the overall quality of the squad is still pretty great all things considered. Just needs a few pieces of the puzzle to be solved and who better to solve it than Sir Alex Ferguson.
That exactly was the case in 2005. We had a truly underwhelming team at the time with Miller, Djemba Djemba, Bellion and other unproven youngsters like Rooney, Ronaldo and Flecther. The crap was moved on and the good was kept, and look what happened in the subsequent five years. We have a great set of youngsters and nobody can deny that – Jones, Smalling, Cleverley, Welbeck, Evans – and those breaking through like Morrison, Tunnicliffe and, if he stays, Pogba. That is arguably the best youth squad in the Premier League right now. As for who needs to be moved on, I have no real answer to that. However, I am sure Sir Alex will move along anybody who he thinks isn’t pulling his weight, and it doesn’t matter who that person is.
I truly believe that we’ve got a rare set of youngsters coming through whose combined abilities can be harnessed properly for us to get back to the top and do it the United way. However, I still wouldn’t mind that one key signing who is going to complete the squad while providing the young blood with a senior shoulder to lean against. God knows we’ve needed a leader in these games. The kind of leader we had last season with Neville, Scholes and VDS at the back. Without Vidic, we don’t have that. That is the kind of player who could be the missing piece of the puzzle. Someone who is going to lead these youngsters and make them men again. Someone like Roy Keane. I don’t know whether such a person is available, but if he is, we should get him to Old Trafford.
Just heard that the Manchester clubs are jointly releasing a fragrance for Christmas: Channel No.5.”
funniest thing i’ve read all evening
yayy, trolls out in full force. must seem like their birthdays come early, heh ? simple things cost us, namely injuries. we’re in transition, but we’re not THAT strong. ceentre mid is poor etc etc. thing is, stop blaming the players, yeah they messed up, but they kinda NEED us ? goin to be hurting for them aswel tbh.
+ anyways, why , oh why, do people thinks its a GOD GIVEN RIGHT for us to do well season on season ? we’re at a low point in a cycle, just relax. we’ll be back next season.
and last thing, where were Real a couple of seasons ago ? losing consistently to Lyon, that’s where. face it, apart from Barca, who have a brill team, we’ve been the second best . we’ve got a young team coming, give them time. + DONT QUESTION SAF ! seriously, the guy is a machine, we owe him our success. HE HAS BUILT HIS OWN TEAM ! MADE THEM SO SUCCESSFUL ! NOT BOUGHT IT ALL. Best manager, best team. don’t give a shit, United ‘Til I Die x
Izzy. Fuck off you silly cunt. Having a pop at the “old hardcore fans“. Fans that will STILL support the club no matter what. One silver lining is some of these Jonny come latelys may fuck off.
If only it were that easy Berbatough…you can’t walk away because you love the club. And why the fuck should fans have to walk away and boycott the club they love? That’s why the cunts will continue getting away with what they’re doing. And like I said, knowing I’m a fucking mug makes it all the more heartbraking.
@Invade the moon with keane
i feel you mate. Its nice to see that we as fans CAN actually criticise the players and point to the truth.
No more so called hard core fans who know the club inside out to bite our arse for doing so.
SAF and the players have been blessed with immunity from criticism for far too long. They;ve deserved it afterall. But with the kind of form we’re in, the immunity is rightly revoked.
I will now continue to criticise until the team can turn things around and prove themselves again.
@slim
haha very good
@NBI
This blog (especially over the last 3 months) has been anything but a place for happy fascists. You know that. I don’t care enough to tell any fan how they should react or to start measuring who loves the club the most. I just stated what I feel is right. If someone doesn’t like it, pardon the expression, tough shit. The team imo needs the support at OT. Especially when it’s playing crap.
@King Eric
thanks mate. i needed that. I;ve been a bad bad boy. I’ll go to my room now.
Well thankfully I have DirecTV or I’f be fucked, they show all of the Europa on FSP and the UEFA channels. Hoping to see the youngsters get time to shine, absolutely no reason to play players like Giggs and Park in the Europa matches. While I’ll always love them, we need to see what the future can bring not the past.
This is poetic justice because the guy’s in the office decided firstly to offer Rooney £1 million a month then made the decision to sign Ashly Young early in the summer. That signing made my heart sink because I KNEW it meant that Sir Alex would not address the central midfield problem that summer
The Wayne Rooney situation last year should have been looked upon in a similar way to Beckham in 2002. Sir Alex should sell him at the end of this season and cash in. Thats the only way he can recover from the mistake of offering Rooney a new deal instead off letting him leave
Rooney has cost us dearly, he has not earned the amount of respect he gets as a footballer and worse of all he is not even the best player in the Premier League, never mind World Footballer of the year. His wages and contract extension has only added a deep financial blow to the club which makes him even worse. I wont go into his personal life because I don’t thinks it’s appropriate here tbh
But I do think we have made big mistakes in the last year, starting with Rooney’s contract and ending with not properly replacing the vast experience that left us in the last year
The game is changing and in the new era of football you need a very talented midfield combination to be successful both on the pitch and commercially. I think we are lacking on the pitch which has now cost us commercially because we are out of the elite competition, so we need to be worried now.
I really hope Sir Alex and his staff make the right decisions for this club, especially for the future. I so hope they prove me wrong but I feel tonight could be the straw that broke the camels back and a big wake up call is needed for everyone I think
I will always support Manchester United, it couldn’t be any other way and I hope we see a similar reaction to the last time we exited Europe at this stage. Look what happened shortly after that, 06 -09 was a great time for us, lets hope 2012 onwards will be even more successful
giggs 12 gerrard 0 agree with all youve ever said…youre a regular and like me fucking pissed off with the shit i’ve been watching recently.last time i’ve left old trafford celebrating a proper performance is probably going as far back as chelsea 2009 when we twatted them 3-0..that was when we had true class class players….
god almighty what the fuck.
There is not one United palyer that can hold their head up and say I was even half decent this year in the Champions league.
Jones has been over hyped i mean as good as Duncan Edwards – never in a million years
Evans – I have championed his cause watching him through the youth and reserve teams – but he has had two very very poor seasons. at fault for the palace goal and at fault tonight again.
Evra at fault at home against basle and benifica,
Rooney player like berbatov – Tosser
Midfield a worry – I think we are very average Carrick, Anderson, Park, Fletcher, Giggs not really good enough.
Without Vidic defensively we are poor
“European cup by some part time cunts from Romania who no one has ever heard of, a second rate team from portugal and then fucking Basle who had fucking Tin Tin on steriods playing for them.”
Kind of funny, until you remember out centre forward has a hair transplant and a hearing tomorrow for kicking someone for England, our goalie is young, the defence is different every game, the static midfield contained a centre-back and two wingers and our wingers replaced our great players from our last golden era, Ronaldo (Nani) and Scholes (OK, so Young only took his no.18 shirt). It’s a very black comedy, I guess.
@costas
Fucking correct mate the single most annoying thing on match day is just sat there listening to moaning cunts. Get behind the fucking team, get the ground bouncing even during a shut game and vent frustrations on a blog this if you need a release.
Listen. This might be a blessing. It may force SAF hand to buy in Jan if he already wasn’t planing to. We’re not as far off as some are making out, just a bit of fine tuning here and there. Vidic is a blow and his injury was a freak accident and we don’t know the extent of it yet.
SAF has tried to buy players but said players have decided to go for Big payouts at Shitty (Nasri and Silva). Villa went to Barca and you can’t really blame him for wanting to stay in Spain.
Its not the manager that needs changing at all. Keano-Scholes-Beck days they did not have Barca of now to face and lower ranked teams were not as strong as they are now, plus the big money was not there, they would have done better than the current team but do not underestimate how teams have strengthened since the 90′s.
We have the best manager, he is making do with the team he can buy and field. He does not always get t right but does most of the time. What stronger team could he have played? He has bought some really good players, he has given young players a chance.
Re players he tried to buy Ozil last year, he tried to hold on to Ronaldo etc, he has tried again for MF’s, players sometimes want nice weather and bigger wages, his job is not easy. Yes Da Silva would have been a buy, but hind sight 20-20, we will always miss a few and we could not have competed with City anyway. During pre-season Ando also looked like a world beater. Cleverly was flying.
Ferguson has to shoulder some of the blame
1. Rotating the back four and keeper does not help at all.
2. Lack of value in the market. Balls!! Plenty of central midfielders out there that would of improved ours. How many of our midfielders would get in real Madrid, Barcelona or city’s starting 11′s?
Major cock up. After going out to benfica few yrs back this should of never happened again. Would of rather finished 4th than play on channel 5. Embarrassment.
Hopefully so james hopefully so mate!
Pablo – Cheers mate yeah that 3-0 was great Ronnie and Rooney on song that day they never had an answer to us. First game for JT to at OT after his peanlty as well
izzy
Again you have a go at ‘Old Hardcore fans’ and again how disrespectful of you
You mean these old hardcore fans that Sing their hearts out home and away until they can sing no more. These hardcore fans that pay their money at the gates home and away.
Typical matchday shite thats spewed on here. Disgusting.
However, it is pretty obvious we will now win the league.
Pablo that was an amazing game chelsea 09.
For the others by the way becuase i criticise when necessary while you sit and twiddle your thumbs doesnt make you in any shape or form a better supporter so do one.
giggs12
Forever the optomist mate.
@Brooka..all fans have to do is boycott for a season and the Glazers will sell up as soon as they are losing money. As soon as empyty seats start appearing the Glazers will see that fans dont want to pay the ridiculous ticket prices. All it takes is for fans to have some bottle and do what they say in the protests and get the club back in the hands of the fans!!
I do mean I think we will win the EPl, CIty don’t do so great against strong compact teams, they still have the top teams to play, I am banking on Chelsea beating them – then it’s a 2 point gap. Also they have to play Arsenal, Liverpool ad Chelsea and us again. They have a tougher run in plus the Carling Cup. And surely their injury luck cannot hold. They will have a bad patch. We will capitalise on it, we will win the game on points. Second half when we get going we will smack them around especially as we get players back from injury. They will be a bit deflated to have gone out of the CL, we will be more embarrassed and determined.
I wonder what Quiroz is doing?
Berbatough will never happen mate too many of the ching ching take a picture day trippers about for OT to empty
Well, atleast we’re still the most profitable and valueble sports team in the world. That’s the one the perks of having a jewish business man owning the team. The other perk is to be robbed silly of our money supporting the club. Thanks Glazer. United will always be a red, mean business machine.
It hurts not because our form is so bad right now. But it hurts because we could have avoided this shit form we’re in. It hurts because we’ve foreseen it but did not do enough to avoid it.
Sorry to all fans here who i have said bad things about. I was just letting out my frustration. Its funny that you can come to you senses when you’re wasted.
Lets now focus on the EPL. Buy or not buy in January, i dont care as long as SAF can prove that he have done something to drive the team forward again and hit top form.
@NBI
all these players that we have watched improve other clubs all had some sort of a reputation before they were bought…we’d all heard of silva and ozil…united have been stuck buying no-marks like bebe and diouf…hernandez is an exception
fergie has been scarred by the veron farce and to a lesser extent berbatov
@James
I somehow doubt we will see any transfers in January. Arrivals anyway. We could see some departures though.
@Giggs12
I knew someone would get it.
Rio is targeting the Europa League now. Get in.
King Eric
Takes alot for me to loose it but that broke the camels back. How dare someone come on here and slag our hardcore. Where the hell was Izzy when we were silencing the Villa fans last week or when we stayed til the final whistle at the Shitty game and sang. Fuming mate.
@James
Indeed mate, roll on Sat now we just need a strong perfomance at home get the locals stoked up again
Pissed off with Euopean exit tonight and some comments on here are scandlous and I mean the more ones saying its ok, were man united blah blah it generally kills me.
I always like to see a player pissed off when substituted it shows you he cares, the same for a fan for me come and vent and be pissed off but the back to the support.
@ Berbatough – now that is a plan! money is the only language they understand.
@ Kieran
Midfielder have always been a tricky position to replace for SAF, I hear what you say, I would love to know what discussions were had internally about what players, it does seem that at times we just did not jump in quick enough, especially when as you put it you compare how we went for Bebe without SAF seeing him play.
Costas
We’ll just have to see mate. SAF says nothing to anyone so the press makes it up. I always make a list of players the press link us with. I normally get about 10-15 and most of the time we buy none of them on the list.
Anway I have vented my frustration and my stress levels have reduced so off to bed to chance my arm with the missus,a slap in the face will be far the course for tonight.
United United United
no choice now, please win us the mickey mouse cup and league (if possible) you manchester united players…
We seriously need to look at ourselves and move with how the game is changing. The youth that we are bringing forward need leaders out on the pitch and the player who has surprised me has been Phil Jones, who even at his tender age looked more of a leader tonight than Rooney ever did and that for hurts.
Rooney missed a trick tonight and a player of his pedigree should be taking a game like this by the scruff of it’s neck and leading out by example but he faded away. Can our midfield problem be solved by money? I’m not too sure but all I know is that there are certain players out in Europe who are avaliable who could add an extra creative dimension to our midfield.
Anyone of Mario Gotze, Cristian Erickson and Ricardo Montolivo would do for me.
Giggs12
Pissed of a bit but I kind of expected it. We should have made this a run out after our games at OT. Yeh I’ll be there with my Cedars Banner.
What about Basel and benfica at home?? Two games that we should of comfortably won and didn’t. Who’s to blame for those results??? We should of been able to go into tonight’s match resting Rooney, Jones etc knowing that we had qualified. Instead we are left licking our wounds because despite being in the easiet group, we failed to
Qualify.
Part of the problem this term is we have no one to dictate play on the team. The last few games Carrick began to do that and it made a huge difference.
However, to often there is no quarterback no rhythm to our play aka Scholes style, we need players who can do that more, hopefully Carrick and Cleverly when fit will begin to dictate our rhythm and pull the string as other than Rooney who is too far forward, no one else can.
@NBI
what makes it all the more disappointing is how relatively cheap ozil and, even though i’m not a major fan, van der vaart went for.
I suppose thats another days debate though
And I rest my case that its the injuries that are the problem. We can’t get a momentum going it really is unsettling. The team played well enough to win tonight so no gripe there just lady luck was against us.
Like i said before, i am sorry. dont mean to offend anyone. just letting off some steam. After all, since long time ago i’ve been given the sticks for pointing faults in the team. i guess those petty things have build up to become one huge personal thing. Anyway, sorry again.
I respect you guys who support home and away and sing your hearts out.
I may not go the away games now, but i used to own home season tickets for a number of years before i became economically handicapped.
Anyways, let’s regroup again and focus on the next game.
@Red Onion 23:31
Sorry mate but thats the problem here, your clutching at straws. Your actually depending on SHITTY to hit a bad patch for us to win the league!
It’s time to wake up now mate, the squad is in bad shape compared to our rivals and nobody wants to admit that things we’re playing catchup BIGTIME!
@james
ladyluck is no good an excuse when it comes to something as serious as this. You can blame luck for the Newcastle game but not tonight
December 7, 2011 – a date which will live in infamy in the hearts of Manchester United faithful everywhere…
@ Kieran
Yeah, the ones that got away always seem bitter, but then some of the ones who looked great also tank, it’s an imperfect science. However, we still have the EPL and revenge against City mark II to look forward to.
LOL the last time we didn’t qualify, we won the CL in two years. And that was with an aging squad. Now, most of our 35+ players have retired, and we have a bright young crop to come. So we have things to look forward to.
On a more realistic note, I think that Rooney has lost at least a little of his drive. Maybe that’s due to a loss in confidence. I don’t know. But if you look at the 07-08 team, he would be everywhere. I don’t see that from him anymore. He doesn’t chase after loose balls lime he did. And his decision making has become increasingly poor. Maybe he needs a rest, with some young ‘uns given a try out? Maybe a little magic from Ravel. Hopefully when we get Tunni back from the loan, he can be thrown in? Also, the kid we have over at Hull, Brady I think, he’s pretty good too, from what I’ve seen of him.
I also think that we need to buy a dribbled for our midfield. Currently, we have Carrick, who sits back and is a shield, and OldManGiggs, as our main creative midfielders. Fletch, Gibbo, and even Ando haven’t really made a killer thru ball over the last few years. Clevs and Jonesy are pretty new, so we can’t expect them to shoulder all our responsibility.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that our play becomes stodgy around the other team’s penalty box. We haven’t been able to get our strikers in the right positions, and even when we have, the crosses or passes coming in haven’t been good enough. Also, we don’t have anybody who is a consistent outside the box threat, a la Scholes. Nani does it once in a while, but it’s equally likely that he would sky the shot.
I haven’t seen our mids tracking back much. When Carrick plays it goes unnoticed, but like today, Jones and Giggsy simply didn’t track back and that Xhaqiri guy ran through the mid as if he was George Best. We’ve lost those battlers in our MF.
I think we’ve lost the battling spirit as a whole. I no longer see the United that got injury time winners against City and Bayern Munich, but rather a team that has no faith in itself.
I have another question. What would a youngster like Pogba feel like now? He doesn’t have club blood running through his veins, and City, at least to an outsider, would seem better contenders for future titles. So unless we wanna pay up, I don’t think that we can attract talent on the basis of such performances. Today is not the day of Robbos and Scholes and Giggs, but rather that of Tevez’ and Toures and Adebayors and Nasris, all money grabbers, who are sadly, today’s talent (debatable talent, but talent nonetheless).
At least the French sides qualified in style this week. No shenanigans at all at the Lyon game tonight…
@James
Ha, isn’t that the truth. I know Fergie isn’t into panic buying but if Vidic is out for a long period of time, one has to wonder how he will react to that development. For me it’s no so much that we need stregthening. We just need to keep the squad healthier than we do at the moment. I got asked why we looked so short in attack and midfield tonight and it was at that moment that I realized we were missing Tom, Ando, Carrick, Owen, Hernandez and Berbatov. And Fletcher was a loss as well.
@ Bring Back Ruud
Mate I am going to cling to my dream that Cleverly and Welbeck will turn it round for us till that hope is taken away from me kicking and screaming. Citeh winning the title is not something I can even begin to actually process.
all fans need to do is not renew their season tickets this year. as soon as the Glazers see that they are losing money they will sell up. Fans need to start taking action instead of just saying it. Also dont see the point of fans wearing green and gold scarfs to the games. your against glazers but you still pay money into his back pocket doesnt make sense to me.
Kieran
It wasn’t an excuse. Its true tho we really have had no luck. We’re Plagued with injuries but again we still did enough to win.
another point thats been mulling around in my head is what the fuck are the medical staff doing? I know injuries like vidic tonight are outside of their control…but how many injuries lately have been muscle strains…are the warmups not done correctly?
Was pre-season a little too laid back?
Costas
You put it so much better than me.
These injuries are a curse atm
@james
i know mate thats the annoying thing…no cutting edge lately
so un-united like
anyway enough rambling for one night
Off to bed… but just to put everything in context, we finished the game with
Rafael
Fabio
Vidic
Young
Anderson
Cleverly
Owen
Berbatov
ALL unavailable through injury. That’s 2 short of an entire outfield, and loads of first-choice players in there. Can you imagine how City would fare with the equivalent situation?
My point is that, if we can keep our players fit, we still have a decent tilt at the league. After tonight, and the debacle of this group stage as a whole, I’d say our players and the manager owe it to us to bring home number 20.
Absolute disgrace. We got away with playing with average squad for so long it was going to catch up to us. Our team is purely average, we just need to look into the squad.
GK Lindegard, DDG I like them both so no complains here.
RB Rafael, Fabio, Jones and Smalling injury prone and not consistent. We hadn’t have a standing RB forever.
Rio old and slow
Vidic still grate but had been injured far too often
Evans average
Evra inconsistent.
Park average for a while now.
Giggs old, slow and old again
Carrick inconsistent and no guts. Have been having some good games recently, but still.
Fletch, Andy, Gibson shit
Young, Valencia one dimensional, one trick ponies
Nani good most of the time, but still inconsistent
Cleverley I really like him but he is still young
Chicha great player who chips in with his fare share of goals always.
Welbeck young and inexperienced
Rooney on and off (two months or so)between great and shit
Berba and Owen not important and not good either.
Not sure if I missed someone, but it seems about right. The team is not bad it’s just average. It was completely drained of world class talent. Those that we hoped will get us there haven’t reached the status yet. They might try hard, but so does everyone else and this bunch just doesn’t have the skill to get the job done. I don’t think it’s a kneejerk reaction I just say like I see. Even if we drew this game and progressed it would have been disappointing, but we lost, miserably. Our recent transfer policy hasn’t been goof in my opinion. Hargo, Anderson and Berba (don’t even talk about 20 goal season, cause SAF didn’t even took him in CL Final squad)were waste of money and Valencia and Young still need to prove themselves. Chicha and Nani (already success), Smalling and Jones (good careers so far) were good business. That makes it two CM-s , two wingers and 30 mil striker brought who disappointed and that’s a lot of money for us right now.
I really needed to get this out. I still hope we win EPL, Fa cup and Europa (Hell yeh!!!) and I believe that SAF will take care of it, he always does.
Fuck me, did someone say steve bruce should be our next manager and fergie has been found out??! Wow delusional isnt the word for those comments. Anyway, this could turn into a rant…
Now im 22 years old, because of this im told im a glory hunter (im sure you can all relate at some point in your life) and that ive only known the glory days. However ive grown to understand united is far more than just glory and trophies.
The atmosphere at old trafford is sickening, win or lose that roof should be raised to the ground because united are the best team in the world. Not because were the best on the field, or the most profitable or even the bigest fan base, its because were fucking bound by history! Busby babes, munich, best, charlton, cantona, fergie the list is endless. So for you short sited tossers that are going to moan and not support the team you claim to love, FUCK OFF. Yes, fergie’s got it wrong, yes our midfield is poor, yes we need a world class cm, yes were playing in the fucking uefa cup, yes city are leading the premier league, yes players like park/carrick/evans/macheda/gibson/owen/fletcher arent united quality, yes were playing awful, yes things dont look good… BUT, fuck me get a grip and realise what makes us great is what we are and what we stand for. MUFC-THE RELIGION
@ Keiran
The medical staff can only treat injuries after they happen. I do wonder if players need to do more of that yoga Giggs does, he is rarely injured. Owen was always injured, the twins always get injured. Carrick rarely, Jones seems made of plywood, Fletch before virus was fine, Nani hardly injuured. It could be over training and tight muscles, players not stretching right, they way they are built, or just bad luck. Personally, I blame City.
Sir Alex Ferguson has hit back at his former skipper Roy Keane for laying into Manchester United’s younger players following their Champions League exit.
Keane said his former side “got what they deserved” as they failed to make it out of the group stage following defeat to Basel.
Former United skipper Keane criticised the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, but received a rebuke himself from Ferguson.
“Roy has an opportunity to prove himself as a manager and it’s a hard job,” said Ferguson.
———————————————————————————————————————————-
Ouch.
Kieran
I understand your pain mate not really happy myself but like I said before Forever the optomist
Utd will just have to go out and beat Wolves.
GUTTED AS FUCK!!!! No comments for now.
@NBI
nearly woke the rest of the house laughing at that last bit
good night
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, news filtering through on the Interwebs that Vidic could be out for a really long time. I heard April being mentioned somewhere and that he could have a tear on the ligament. Good thing we have John O’Shea and Wes Brown then. Oh wait…
Personally, and stay with me here…. but I think we’ll be alright if we buy Messi and Xavi. Just dip into the Ronaldo “fund” to pay for Xavi and pawn Old Trafford to pay for Messi and presto (!) we’ll be good to go. Anyone who disagrees is a massive fucknut.
Balaji
Thats bad news. We do have cover but Vidic will be a major loss.
O’shea and Brown
@Costas
Ouch indeed. Poor Royston.
Fergie still has an acid tongue.
@Balaji
One small positive note is that Ferguson said that Vidic wasn’t hurting a lot after the incident. So who knows? Maybe it’s not as bad as we fear. My mind went back to a very similar Owen injury, but then again, Vidic isn’t Owen…
@James
I’d like to be optimistic too, but right now it seems like we are fed to the Wolves.
And this time, we won’t have Bebe to bail us out with his crossing.
OK if that is true about Vidic that is worse than the CL exit, we have been shit in defence without him
Costas
Bebe is on loan. Right? If so we could call him back.
The games v Citeh will tell us where we are and where the players are. Let the games begin. 2 more weeks for St Cleverly.
@Colbert
I might have agreed with Roy if he targeted experienced players like Rooney, Rio and Evra. But it’s unfair to blame this on the young players. At the same time, it’s nice to see that captain Keane still lives inside Roy.
“Was pre-season a little too laid back?”
I didn’t get to pay attention to what went on at all but the tours they go on nowadays, they’re little more than commercial exercises. People have said Barcas pre-season is partly to blame for their ‘stuttering’ start and they were in the same part of the world as us.
But pre-season can’t be to blame for the way we’ve pissed around in the group. With us being more ordinary than usual, we haven’t gotten away with it. Everyone can see the decline in standard of teams in England and second gear and second string hasn’t been good enough this year. The other big teams have taken it seriously, played strong teams for the first 5 games, won the group and only rotated on game six. We weren’t good enough but we should have been.
If the manager takes credit when we win, he has to take some flak when we lose. Arsenal and Chelsea have lost players and have a new manager and they’ve both won harder groups. There’s no excuses, even if it’s a blessing in disguise which it isn’t, it’s piss poor to have finished 3rd.
Can we swap Berbatov for Hulk?
Now Keano has said that we will definately win the league and the Cl next year
To be frank I was here in 2004 where we finished DEAD LAST. When we lost to Benfica. but this hurts so much more. Europa lge? Really? And Please I think it is time we started treating Wayne Rooney like everybody else. This guy is paid more than 200,000 pounds a week to score goals and he miskicks from 5 yards today. Rooney MUST be given an ultimatum. START BANGING IN GOALS or welbeck will take your place. Everybody’s shirt must be up for grabs after this disgrace. Even Ashley Young has been garbage lately. Give Valencia a chance. He probably will impress. Please Something has to be done in the next two transfer windows to correct this horror campaign.
It’s a pity we also never got a chance to see how the team played in the Ch.League with Cleverley in the line up. We’ll have to wait 9 months for that now.
@James
I wish that was the only obstacle.
Bebe also did his cruciate ligament and he’s out for months. But I look forward to seeing him and other youngsters like Tom and Danny take the Ch.League by storm next season. 
@Costas
Yes, Jones and Smalling are certainly not to blame. They are very young players who gave their all and should have gotten more help by the established, experienced players.
Good ol Costas and well said.
Got to go now and dream about Utd.
We’ll NEVER Die.
I have to admit, Young just does not seem the player of early season, I was hoping for one cosistent winger, Valencia back as dannysoya says may help team and Rooney
Roy needs to be on he sidelines with SAF he would put fear of God into players
Night James!
@Colbert
Imo Young was also unfairly targeted. It’s no secret thgat his form has dipped since August, but this was his first Ch.League campaign. And if it wasn’t for his goal against Basle, we could have been out of contention even before yesterday’s game. Keane was very protective of Veron because he was a newcomer at the club back in 01-02, so today’s comments surprised me a bit.
Giggs12. Spot on pal. You used a word to describe how I feel right now. Apathy. Have more important things in a week in a baby boy. Puts it in perspective.
Won’t have that Carrick is average. He was a HUGE loss tonight. Simple as.
Giggs. Ha. “Tintin on steroids“. Superb. Its that bad tonight I just feel like laughing.
All those saying its time for Fergie to go. Bollocks. He will be back. Still a sharp clever bloke. United will be back. Fuck me. We could well win the title still. As Balaji said we have a great young crop coming through. Great to see Jonesy score again. I said when he scored the floodgates would open.
Izzy. Fair enough pal.
I get sick of these shit dinked crosses to the back stick. Just roll it across the six yard box.
My concern is fletcher. He is obviously fit but aint played in weeks. Very odd.
I agree with Costas. I have been a season ticket holder for a few years but frankly the last two or three seasons aint enjoyed OT. Moreso the last two. Even at big games like chelsea and city the atmosphere was appaling. It is week in week out. Aint been since sunderland game and can’t say I have really missed it. Just in case Ruth goes into labour my old dear has been going.
James. Spot on pal.
Vidic will be a catastrophic loss. The injuries are crippling us.
What did Fergie say post match?
Thursday Nights will never be the same again for Channel 5. I have a feeling their TV viewing rights might go up in astronomical figures ‘cos Man Utd is in the Europa League. Here’s hoping to better days after this night.
How is that pathetic joke of a brazilian anderson a loss? i’ve stuck up for this guy but he epitomises everything wrong about united currently. Lacks drive, any decent technical abilities, can’t pass, took him years to score a fucking goal, not particularly creative as his assists stats for an attacking midfielder is beyond woeful and even gareth barry would laugh at that.
United a midfield that is devoid of ideas and that should be a course for action from Fergie. patrice evra, rio e.t.c have all had success but also reached the end of their circle as great players, they’ve lost the hunger and now can’t be relied on as leaders.
The midfield is equally terrible, it’s all good having experience but if your players don’t possess quality in abundance then you get shown up. Giggs at 38 should not even be getting into the team but he does and is probably the one with a touch of magic in the entire midfield.
Shows the predicament united are in, we have decent work man like players who lack flair or imagination, can’t muster one assists out of them all
We have only one world class winger in nani and you can witness the difference in class between him and the rest.
up front united are currently toothless. we have welbeck who i reckon will be brilliant as time progresses, hernandez a pure goal scorer lacking in other aspects of his game, rooney looks abysmal compared to his earlier form, berba and owen are 31 and won’t improve the team.
I am not bashing players but lets all take the red tinted glasses off and smell the fucking coffee, a major overhaul and revamp has to be done to the squad because everyone around us are FUCKING leaving us behind.
I hate Thursday nights!
Listening to Stanley Victor Collymore! Fuck you United! 
Who here thought during the match with sincerity that Rooney will save us and get a goal. Go on put your hands up I want to count them. Anyone who doesnt has to ask is it good enough that we pay him 200 000 plus pounds a week to basicly look as good as Darren sodding Bent.
If it was up to me then I would sell both Rooney and Nani without any fucking hesitation.
Rooney is a media hog, he does not play where we need him, he comes to get the ball, comes way too deep and needing a goal to stay in the champions league he spent more time in his own half giving no outlet for the old long ball game that weve adopted again. Nani gets the ball, cuts inside, blood rushes to the heros head and he pops the fucking thing in row Z. Happened no less than 6 times tonight when a pass was the better option and one that would have been chosen by a proffesional. Generally I have very little ill feeling towards our players as things arent shit over night despite a gutless lilly livered display by a bunch of home boys cluching man bags. But Nani and Rooney are the problem with United. Its one thing if everything goes through a player of Ronaldos calibre, thats because hes the best in the world. Nani and Rooney are over hyped, sure they do amazing shit but thats between hours of fucking horse shite. Im pissed off with this Im playing for United so Ive made it atitude. We were successful in the past because the players we had were MAKING United, they had a vision and a dream. Now we are there these fucking nobodies are taking your hard earned cash and living off the names of Scholes, Keane, Cantona etc etc. But go ahead with your blinkers firmly fastened and blame the Glazers, whilst your at it why not blame all jews and yanks. Baaaaaaa
fucking joke a club like ours should never suffer this humiliation i have supported united for 30 years but i am sick tonight i feel like i have been cheated on by my wife i remember the bad days but fuck i want us up with all the euro big teams where we always have to be im gutted by that tonight the boys of the 80s may not have had the talent but by fuck they had the fight
@King Eric
Fergie’s comments:
“Of course we’re disappointed,” he stated. “There’s no other way you can feel.
“We had so much possession of the ball and so many really good opportunities in the last third of the field. Some of our play up to that point was very good but you have to say we let ourselves down with the finishing past.
“The Europa League is a competition I’ve never been in at United and it does mean one thing – Sundays right through. Thursdays and Sundays. That’s got to be dealt with and it’s not the best but that’s our penalty for not qualifying tonight.”
As for Vidic, he still doesn’t know. The scan should tell us, but there’s some hope that it won’t be the worst scenario. Just a month or two out.
Truly sad, there is a serious risk of complete collapse and the signs have Been there for a while. All that bull shit commentary and yapping coming out of young, jones and the rest. Stfu and play a proper game Jesus. We’ve become complacent, have Been for a while. Laughing about “easy” draw we got. Credit to Basel for fucking owning us. Fuck Europa, send out a shit squad and focus on premier league.
Costas – stop putting up excuses for these players, young was never united quality, well not a player that would take the team into a ridiculous high level, i will tell you why he belongs in a bottom half team.
He is very predictable and is on a par with players that have a style that is easily read, run down the left wing, cuts in and cross that’s all he does, no imagination or magic from him.
We dont need to go over board spending but we do need a clear out, Gibson/Berbatov/Diouf serve no purpose and need to be sold to make room for the likes of Pogba/Morrison/Petrucci to be given chances and develop. We do need a creative midfielder with real quality not a big name player a QUALITY player, players such as Modric were not big names they were just very good players that have now made a name for themselves. Its not all doom and gloom and drama like some “fans” like to think it is, we’re in the middle of re building a team but the midfield has been neglected we’ve invested in our defence and goalkeeper but not the midfield. We went through a period of time of having Djemba-Djemba Fortune Smith and Bellion as our main team, we then went on to have a team that dominated the league and champions league.
Get behind our club, fight against glazers and take note of this reality check we have been given. we do not have a devine right to win everything, we have to earn it and we havent done that in any competition so far this season.
@samuel
Well what do you want me to do? Write the guy’s obituary 6 months into his United career? We even game Djemba Djemba longer than that ffs. I didn’t make up any excuses for him. I said that his form recently has been disappointing. I just cut him some slack about the Ch.League because this was his first experience at this level.
As for him being predictable, the same could have been said about David Beckham. I am not saying that Young is Beckham quality, but being predictable doesn’t mean you are not United quality.
This is what you are worried about? On the worst night for Manchester United in quite a while, you are worried about how much we will be paying to watch Europa league? Jeez.. Talk about what changes need to happen if any.. things we will need to do to become better etcc
Rooney was crap tonight but he more than any struggles when he plays at the point and we aren’t clicking. (sorta like his average Enland performance!)
Vent all you want on the Glazers but your just deluding yourselves. We won the league and spent 60m. Anyone doubt the signings of De gea, Young Jones and Smalling?
Now that we needn’t worry abot potential signings being CL cup tied, maybe Fergie will buy big in January but I doubt it. But our kids need more world class talent in CM to help them develop.
Goat – Even if we were to sell Nani and Rooney, would Fergie get that money to buy replacements? Agree though, about their lack of consistency. I thought Rooney would step up tonight. He missed a sitter first half. No excuses there, he should score. Giggs put him through in the second half and again, he failed to hit the target. He’s meant to be our talisman ffs. Disagree slightly, on Nani. He was the pick our attacking players. Frustrating, yes. But I thought he at least tried his backside off. He took players on all night. A lack of under performing cast members, didn’t help his cause at all. I mean, he put Rooney’s first chance on a plate for him, and he fucked it up! Can’t blame Nani for that. People on this blog will blame everyone, from the owners, to Fergie messing with the team selections. And injuries of course. Setting all that aside, we still should have walked this group. 2 0 up against Basel at home, and blew it. 2 1 lead against Benfica, fucked that up as well. Home form cost us dearly. So, a combination of things, you can say, conspired against United. We still had enough though, to top the group. Roll on Thursday nights!
welovethereds HAS SAID IT ALL…take a bow son!
costas you are blind.
@ Samuel what did you say about Young after the Arsenal game
Same question re Rooney @goatinanunitedshirt.
what will fergie do now? disrespect united and let them crash out of europa from some random team again ? or take the competition seriously? its still a european trophy. we must be favourites
@samuel – united WE stand says:
Couldn’t have put it better man.
I love you too manutd7.
This is a quote from United Religion on twitter. I think it sums up tonight pretty well:
“Manchester United certainly lost some of those fair weather fans tonight”.
Goodnight to all true reds.
Stop the propaganda, Scott!! Utd supporters are not frustrated with the clubs inability to spend money on a world class midfielder, they are frustrated at Fergie’s inability to spend money on a world class midfielder, despite an ample figure being made available to him in the summer!! The Glazers can, and should be held accountable for many things, but fergie’s indecisiveness in the transfer market is not one of them!!
I hear Rooney is bring out a new perfume, just in time for Christmas
It’s called Channel no.5
they deserve europa league,,, tomorow all the same,,, i bet the glazers and gills are laughing somewhere now with some friends ,forgot about the game,drinking some expensive wine,,,fergie is gonna say ok ,they done their best,we gonna motivate from this,,,i cant talk more it sucks
Costas. Thanks mate. It seems like the same script now after every game. “Played well but couldn’t take our chances“. Well do summat about it then and stop relying on that fat disinterested cunt up top. At this present time Rooney is annoying me. Those fucking shit dink chips. Get your fucking laces through it lad. Looks like he is going through the motions. Would rather see wellbeck get more games at this current time. For the record I don’t actually think for one minute rooney is on over two hundred large a week.
Anyway fuck it off to bed. Face the music tomorrow.
Goat and mufcok make some good points.
Too many fucking fairies at present poncing about like the big I am. Pull your fucking socks up. At united you need to improve game by game. You don’t reach a level like Rooney and Nani then think, fuck it I have it made now. I wanna see more players like Jones, Tom, smalling, Danny and Tunni who would run through brick walls for us not these pampered fucking cunts.
TAKE A DEEP, DEEP BREATH…
Bottomline, no matter what everyone says or who they defend. You know you have a problem if you cannot name your first team pairing of your team’s central midfield
Costas – i’m sure you’ve heard the term ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’. I’m not sure that applies with young, i’m not sure he’ll ever be a great but at maximum he’ll be decent, i was worried about his ability to shine at highest level and although he started with a bang when trying to impress his new team mates i think his true capabilities are being shown up now.
It’s one thing shining for villa and being a torn in the big team’s sides and another trying to replicate the same whilst playing for a big team. the pressure increases and you’re thoroughly tested because every team below step up their game when playing you which means you have to step yours up even more.
It might just be 6 months and i’m not entirely writing him off but in my opinion, he does not get me on the edge of my seat, it’s ok to be predictable but you gotta be very effective and devastating with it but young hasn’t and probably will never show any of these
When he joined, i never felt he’d better or improve the wingers we had, we needed great quality in central midfield but Fergie goes and splash 16 mill on a winger, i rarely ever question the legendary man but anyone would raise an eyebrow.
Anyone getting a pair of these for their replica? http://www.9footballshirt.com/product_images/uploaded_images/europa2011.jpg
whats the europa league?
embarassing really…i hope this opens up the eyes of the club to go out and get a few players bc this squad just isnt going to cut it
also hope vida isnt too bad off although he’ll likely be out for a long spell
Evra: “Even if it is a friendly, when I pull on a United shirt I do my best to win that trophy. But it is embarrassing to be in the Europa League.”
@Fred – Lol…you silly bastard!…love it mate. I’ll take 2…the way I see it, the Europa cup (or whatever that shit is called) is a trophy we haven’t won before, so bring it on!!!!
Calling Modric……..come in Modric?
Roland Rat is clearly not good enough for United. 
In house joke for someone.
Has SAF finally lost the changing room and the players?
Do they need a new voice to get them going?
Somehow it feels likely that Rooney and a few others will leave the club now.
Fred – evra was crap in the game, has lost a yard of pace and lacks pace. The two goals were set up by shaqiri from evra’s position, where the fuck was he? and where was his leadership he acquired in all his years at united? his days at united is certainly numbered, united need left backs to put real pressure on him.
It’s sad how they all accepted the fact they’d be in the europa league, they think united will walk it but we’ll get knocked out, Fergie might as wel play a team full of youth players and see who the fuck is ready out of them all, we wanna see something new.
It pains me to say it but we’re gradually turning into a replica of the ageing ac milan team. experience my FUCKING ass, if you have no quality and fitness then experience is worthless, simple as that.
The club should just leave a walk over and give the big finger to the european football men. Nothing states that we HAVE to play in this shit league even though our reserves needs it.
I hope our fans boycott the games and protest against the owners instead who are increasingly popular among United fans who are also members of pro-israel movement the EDL.
Get it out of ya Sammy!
LOL Willie. Fair fucks. Come in Ratboy, and bring Sharkface with you.
Ohhh hold on, is STAMpede Moses?
Moses supposes his toeses are roses
But Moses supposes erroneously.
Moses he knowses his toeses aren’t roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be!
Goodnight you Europa League lovelies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyKxoSDmWvQ
Willie – LOL, i think we united fans are just looking on helpless right now. the 6-1 was painful but we’ve truly hit rock bottom tonight.
What a shitty night. Completely gutted. We produced enough to win so must say I sympathise with people questioning Rooney. Welbeck would’ve been a better choice with that midfield imo, and thats not to question Alex or whatever but Rooney didn’t put in a performance worthy of a lone striker, he just didn’t.
Our manager was spot on to expect that team to win, but we didn’t take all our chances and thats been the case for the last few games now. Its not a right to escape the Group, and we got what we gave this year, which was fuck all. Alex will turn that into a positive though, like he always does. Ferguson is no mug – we’re hardly going to capitulate are we?
More to the point we’ve still got our Title to defend, and only a mug would be disappointed with a successful defence of our Title. Granted, right now we’ve had a terrible result, but we’ve got Wolves coming up and thats far more important than Europe to be blunt. Supporters and fans can afford to wallow but the Club can’t. We’re still Champions, lest we forget.
young is so crap its so f**ckin unbelievable..throwing evra as a winger wouldve given much more to the team..this team is full ofshit n its all down to fergie..im thinking that he’s losing it..people can slag me for all i care, f**ck this ..i really miss that 07/08 team..that was some mean team..really miss that..
Well we got done but let me remind all you fucking naysayers and for those who remember or those who were there (like myself) in 1966 we lost two semi’s in a week one to Partizan in the European Cup Semi and then one to Everton in the FA Cup
We cried , we wept but we did not ever stop believing in Busby/Best/Law /Charlton/Crerand/Dunne/Brennan etc
Why, because – WE BELIEVED – applies to true UNITED FANS ONLY.
Still keep the belief – otherwise fuck off you are a total twat!
Two years later we won the lot – never ever doubt this team!!!
Sad, angry, pissed off as I am at this moment let me tell you- WE WILL BE BACK – FUCKING BIGGER/FUCKING STRONGER/FUCKING HARDER/AND FUCKING SMARTER
WE ARE MANCHESTER UNITED – the team I’ve loved since a kid – best of times /worst of times
“I’ll support you ever more and longer”
UNITED 20/12 – and maybe the Europa Cup
*Lest we forget/FFS
___
Last thing I’ll say, the likes of Heskey would’ve scored with aplomb when Nani put it on a plate for Wayne, and if we had a striker on the pitch as effective as Nani last night maybe we’d still be in contention.
Said it at the time, Wazza will always have to justify his salary after threatening to leave us over money. Thats not being bitter either – we have to constantly ask if we’re getting world class value for money from him or not. After all, he told Alex he’s worth X amount because of X, Y, Z, so he really can’t **afford** not to produce the goods can he?
To be clear, thats not writing Wayne off, not in the slightest. Thats just my way of saying lets see how our star player’s season pans out. I still back him to find form before Christmas, but if not thank fuck young Welbeck’s ready to go. Hook or by Crook I back us to retain our Title come May and knock CIty out the FA Cup, but if we don’t manage either we still have the best Manager in the world to address the matter. Gutted, yes, but don’t give up all hope just yet. Rooney insists he’s our most important player, so lets see what our cocky cunts got. We’re still on for a very very respectable Double. Laters.
Keano should replace Phelan and put back the fear factor into the team.SAF and the coaches has been too soft in my opinion resulting in the players taking it way too easy.For all his qualities SAF Is not one to be known for his tactics.We were tactically naive in Europe and the signs were even there in the City game.Teams have learned how to beat us technically and we are still waiting for miracles to happen like its a given right.Having Quieroz or McClaren back to assist SAF in this technical areas would be a good step towards repairing the damage. We need to make good players better (Jones/Smalling/Young) and better players into world class (Roo/Nani/Chica).BELIEVE is one thing but false hope and arrogance leads you to self destruction. (Just ask the scoucers).
Must say theres been some cracking posts on here tonight, I thought it would all be falling skies, rented clothes and sack cloth. Gutted yes, but what are we gonna do now? Wallow? As humbling as it sounds we’ve got Wolves on Saturday, lets not fuck about and drop any points aye?
If you’re not going to sign sneijder or a modric..we should be using RAVEL MORRISON and PAUL POGBA..seriously these guys are the future for me both should be in our team week in week out..forget experience it got us nowhere! Ravel and Pogba are as good as carrick fletch gibson andrson? come on now fergie..infact they’re better! Hope senial fergie gives them a chance!
It was depressing. Not going to elaborate….
1 – Rooney’s form worries me. Missed a tap in enough said.
2 – Why are we waiting for things to happen than making it happen. No drive, no ruthlessness, no nothing. These players have themselves to blame.
3 – Some experienced pros are tarnishing their reputation. Some reputation had been hard earned. We have somehow become all talk no action.
4 – Wingers, beat your man put in a cross.
5 – Smalling is a top top player, dependable but he is no fullback. His attacking is as good as O’shea’s.
6 – Injuries are taking it toll. An injury per game. So many key players out for long term. Test of our squad in coming hectic schedule.
7 – Young started the season brightly. Amazed at how well he fit in. But one would wonder was it money wasted. Would have saved it for a midfielder when available. 3 good wingers all right footed. Giggs is still our best left winger and he hasn’t played there this season.
8 – Sir Alex deserves our respect. Defend him even if you look like idiots. Thats the least we can do for his contribution.
9 – This exit would be a blessing in disguise. Now we can focus in the league (and I want it even more now) turn that 5 pt gap around. Don’t know what we are going to do with Europa but we’ll see. Real, Barca you got lucky.
It is just a setback. Hope the fans can see past it. This could mean a little less glory hunters. United will come stronger, atleast I hope we do.
@ Balaji. Mate I’ve cooled down a lot. No intention to start war with anyone. Trying to get a point across as concisely and briefly as I can. Some of my figures are estimates, so no pedants please.
In 2001 we spent £50 million on transfers
- We had a smaller stadium.
- No compulsory ticket purchases for season ticket holders.
- Prices for tickets were about £15 cheaper.
10 years on we spent £55 million on transfers
– stadium is bigger,
- to have a season you HAVE to get tickets to the cup games (most workplaces are not sympathetic to this plight),
- furthermore prices are a lot more expensive.
This does not take into account other expenses on match day such as beer money, travel etc. Nor does it take into account the millions we have made in commercial deals since the arrival of these parasites.
Where does the money go mate? Certainly not back in the squad. As a result of these actions like King Eric pointed out the atmosphere is piss poor inside OT. Too many people siting there waiting to be entertained rather than SUPPORTING the team.
I come on the blog and read bravado speeches on “How they are great owners. Resale value. We support the shirt, success is immaterial etc etc.” Most the people that say this are on foreign soil, I respect that, thats the only way you know how to support United and I’m not saying I’m better than you or anything BUT when you have been going regularly and you have to read that its a bitter pill to digest. They aren’t great owners, the amount of money that they take out the club that should be going back in, is horrible reading. The whole matchday experience is piss poor these days. I can’t talk anymore I’m on foreign soil myself and one of the reasons it was easier for me to move was because of this.
The resale argument doesn’t wash with me.
Yorke bought for £12.6 million sold for £2.5 million.
Barthez bought for £8 million paid £5 million to have his contract terminated.
Saha bought for £13 million sold for £2.5 million.
Pique practically gives away at £6 million.
We’ve squandered loads over the years. As an example Mike Ashley is hated on Tyneside but even he gives every manager money to spend. They have Ben Arfa and Santo who were both hot property at one point. We’re Manchester United not Portsmouth.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a major sale in the next 2 years with our exit in the CL. Furthermore even though we get to negotiate our own TV deal for Europa its going to make commercial deals a lot harder to gain till at least next season. We NEED success whilst we’re in debt. When Fegie goes if the debt isn’t below £200 million we are in serious shit. Pompey like serious shit.
play the future in europa morrison w.keane cole pogba jesse welbeck cleverly jones get tunniclief back and leave them grow as team its the only option have faith in young people is wat MANCHESTER UNITED is built on why change you can spend but we still mightnd get wat we want we have nani chica smalling rooney vidic its not the end as bob said DONT WORRY
i cant see the boss playin the kids, thats an arrogance that i dont want to see in united, why act like were above the europa league? were not this season, simple as. suck it up and fuckin go for it, its a trophy that will never go down in our history books, but united have always been humble in defeat, so lets save a bit of grace, use the kick up the arse in the league and do it right next year. thursday night…channel 5!
Really odd to see Rooney getting it this time round. I said a week back that the boy needs time on the bench. As usual any ideas outside the box is scoffed at. The boy is a fat twat. He is not the one to build this team around, i don’t know if we do have that player at the club already and he’ll do till such a player comes along but he needs some time out. When we played without him, i actually thought we looked good. Of course everybody was clamoring for him to come back into the side after missing a PL game before the Newcastle game – if my memory serves me right.
For weeks i banged on about the senior players needing to up their game on a massive scale, no one listened and all that was presented was stats and how talented these lads are. I won’t argue with either but i will argue with their form over a 2-3 year period. It been woeful and none of them are exempt from this.
We play the wing game, its what we’re known for. Personally i see nothing wrong with mixing it up or changing things. Thing is every single one of our wingers doesn’t play the way a winger should. Where are the crosses, leaving full backs for dead. Instead they’re playing this game where they all want to cut in ala Barcelona and pass the ball into the net. The even weirder thing is we aren’t that good – at least not yet to play that way. That is very disappointing.
What i don’t get is if this is the way the gaffer want to go, fair one. I’ll follow. But it clear as day that we don’t have the personnel to do it . Sure you wouldn’t overhaul the entire team, a sprinkling of the right players is all it takes. Keyword here being right players. Again the technical level on show by some of the players is atrocious. Rooney, Fletcher, Hernandez, Valencia, Evra, all guilty parties and its fucking not good enough. Rooney’s is the most disappointing. I couldn’t give a rats ass if the boy scored 10-15 goals a season. I wasn’t exited when we got Rooney for his goal scoring exploits – although they were fantastic, he used to hit some sweet belters. It was his all round game, taking people on dragging defenders around the pitch like rag doll. All he does now is shift his arse left and shape to shoot or throw a 60 yard pass and everyone starts cooing. Scholes had that shit locked down ages ago and continued to work on the rest of his game. Look at Mr Ambitions first touch. Lawd have mercy.
Someone says its arrogance to play the young kids in the Europa, i get where he’s coming from but the last thing i’m concerned about now is what anyone thinks of United. We have bigger problems and i for one am really looking forward to seeing our youngsters develop. With the Glazers playing monopoly with our club we need to think quick and act fast. The tournament gives us chance to blood out these guys, obviously there will be some senior players on there to guide them but i see no reason why Ravel, Keane brothers, Fryers and Pogba can’t feature in every game we’re in the competition for. Tunni could even be recalled, there’s at on of games .
They don’t all have to start but they should be heavily involved. They’ll learn a lot about the mountain they have to climb to succeed as a pro footballer and will prepare them tougher challenges ahead. They’ll go through a kaleidoscope of emotions and it’ll put them in good stead for the league next year or even a title run in
what worries me most is SAF reaction and post match comments. I wish he said the same things he said after the Palace defeat blaming the players and rightfully apologizing to the fans.Does anyone notice how passive he is this days.He hardly ever stands on the touch line giving instructions or scolding his players or even urging them on. They say a team is an image of the manager so could it be that SAF has finally lost his passion,fire and the will to fight and it shows on the players?
Somehow SAF post match comments hurts more than this humilation.Just like the palace defeat he should blame the players and offer an apology to the fans. Has anyone notice how passive recently the great man has been? He hardly stands on the touchline barking screwing and pushing the players like he use too.He just sits there like he doesn’t care.You cannot see the fight in him and that shows on the pitch.The SAF of old had that fire burning in his eyes even in defeat and it comforted you but not anymore.
68Devils – maybe a realization that you’re not as good as you think.said it before, i’ll say it again, there’s a ton of work to be done with this team
let us just concentrate on the league . with shity in FA cup our chances of winning it are low.this the worst possible season in a decade or so. at a time we were thrashing teams like arsenal 8-2 and now .
NRD … the so-called “resale” argument has always stunk of bullshit. Business people like to use this argument because they want us to think there is a good business reason not to spend money. They want us to think that if we sell a player for less than we paid, then we have lost money. And most of us do think that, but actually, we are wrong. What annoys me is that business people know better. They know that “resale profit or loss” is a purely financial term that has nothing to do with football, and isn’t calculated like that. But they are happy to exploit our ignorance of how “resale profit and loss” really works, and that’s why it stinks. I don’t like it when people (especially greedy people) enrich themselves by preying on the ignorance of ordinary folk.
“Resale value” is a purely financial term. It has no meaning outside of the financial accounts. (It certainly has no meaning in football. Whether we sell a player for a profit or loss does not affect how the team performs after he has gone. We did not, for example, start playing better because we sold CR7 for a great profit. Nor did we suddenly play worse when we got rid of Barthez for a loss.) So if we are to measure “resale value”, it must be done only in financial terms. Here’s how it works:
The value of a player’s initial contract is divided by its duration (in years) and written down by that amount each year. For example, if we pay 20 million for a 5-year contract, the contract will be written down (on the books) by 4 million per year. After the first year, it is worth 16. Then 12. Then 8, then 4. After five years, it is worth nothing. (It has been done this way ever since the Bosman ruling. At the end of a player’s contract, the accounting value of zero accurately reflects the transfer fee that the club can get, which under the Bosman ruling, is nothing.) So, if we sell that player after 3 years, our break-even point on resale is 8 million. If we get 9 million after 3 years, the business people will be happy because to them, that’s a 1 million profit. If we get 6 million, that will be a 2 million loss.
For example, Saha signed for 5.5 years for 13 million. After 4.5 years, we sold him for 2.5 million. Most of us would say, “bought for 13, sold for 2.5, we lost 10.5″. But like I said, “resale value” is purely a financial accounting argument, so it has to be judged by their rules. And according to their rules, we actually broke even or made a slight profit of about a hundred grand, because a little more than 10.6 million had already been written off.
But it suits the busines people for us to think we lost money, even though according to their rules we didn’t, because then they can use that as an argument against spending money in future.
First… HAHAHAHAHAHA , sry but could not resist it, mostly to those who were predicting which team will face us in the KO stages, and like I said before, playing away to Basel would be no easy thing, and thats what happened.
On a serious note now, WTF was SAF thinking, for playing only Rooney upfront, when he had both Welbeck and Macheda on the bench, one of the two should have started upfront. And btw, someone pls tell DDG he’s not a handball keeper, to save with his foot when he could have put his body across to stop the cross. United kept the ball longer, but such sterile possession is worthless, while the opposition gets two quick counters and score, while we got lucky for the consolation.
More work is required, and for once, I feel that SAF should call it a day soon, he’s tactics no longer make the opposition flinch, else get a top class assistant to help with the work, and as for anti-glazer protests, this time am against, as it is the club which fucked up its chance, and the fans have to suffer the consequences. One thing which troubled me really, SAF’s lack of involvement when we went down 1-0, he was just sitting there chewing, while I was hoping for him to fire up the boys…
@Stateside – Cheers for making that clearer. Just winds me up when we go in for a player we pay
£5-£10 million more i.e Berbatov and Ferdinand. However when it comes to selling we sell ourselves short every time with perhaps the exception of Ronaldo.
@lordtwat 5:54- Laughing? Really. Where do you get off on that? Fuck off and die.
Can I say that losing Vidic to injury is a even more massive blow than anything so far? He’s been our best player this season, as usual. And his consistency makes him a world class player. This is traumatic.
I didn’t even think about the Europa League. And I’m in shock at the moment. We have to maintain our dignity and do well in it, and i’m not dismissing the competition but we have to put in our young lads in. Involve them heavily, give them a chance to do the job and trust them wholly. All our energy and focus has to be on the league and it has to be our priority to win it. I’m still trusting ourselves to continue our season well. And i don’t know if we’re going to indulge in the transfer window but we’ve got to change things. We’ve got to drop Rooney. Because, if you can’t deliver when it matters, Mr Ambition, you deserve the bench. You just can’t simply get annoyed and fume and Nani all the time, when you’re doing no better at all. Just leave the fella on the bench. I don’t get it, we pounce on Berba when he misses. Why this partiality to Rooney? He needs to be treated like any other squad player, not a superstar, because he isn’t, at least not at the moment. Toothless attack, it’s disgusting. If we had Ronaldo still with us, i don’t care what he does, he can snatch the jacket from the kit man, kick the bench and behave like a prima donna, roll on the floor like a baby, and i’d still think we have to treat him well cos that’s how good the guy is. It’s the truth.
And to top all of this, our injuries. No choice, we just have to patient and wait for them all to return, hopefully there’s some good news on the injury front. We have to face the fact, that we’re no longer feared as much, and we’ve got to back the team.
Something wrong with Roo’s hair last night.
That’s why he played like shites.
Blame on carrick!
Why are people laughing. It’s like we have 2 camps within fans. Hello? We’re all Manchester United Fans. We’re talking about the team we all love, and it’s not about whether the fans are right or ‘i told you so’.
I can’t understand how Evans is being blamed. He wasn’t too bad yesterday. And i’m fine with Smalling and Jones as well, i thought they did okay. It’s the older lads we have to blame. Absolutely pissed off with Rooney, Young, Rio, Park and Giggs. Nani, his inconsistency gets to me, but he’s the most potent player we have atm, so it’s better to feed him cos at least once he can get the spark of brilliance. How is Rooney our best player? We continue to play him, depending on his moment of brilliance. Why should it be that way? Berba Owen and Pea are all injured now, but when they’re back, we’ve got to start 2012 by trusting them. In the league. Play them consistently in the league. We play Rooney all the time, and he doesn’t deliver and we continue to praise him like he’s a golden egg. We don’t play Berba and Owen all the time, they deliver when they get the chance, but we pounce on them when they miss chances. I don’t get it. I’m not saying this after just the one game yesterday. It’s been on my mind for a while. I’m not getting good vibes with Rooney’s attitude at the moment, and while he’ll come good, there shouldn’t be any exceptions for him. Play Berba and Owen too I say, how much worse can it get than what we’re playing now?
And i don’t think it’s arrogance if we play the younger lads. Are the older guys any better at the moment?
@KingofStretfordEnd – Agree about your sentiments about Wayne. People are saying this now we are out of the CL. Brought this up last season and was harrased. All our players should be judged by the same measuring stick. Its not what you’ve done its where you’re at. This hearing of Wayne’s sending off is far more important it seems. Wasn’t even aware of that till Costas told me. Can’t see him dropped though/. Especially as we’ve got him and Welbeck fit. Kiko and Diouf not ready.
Rooney and a few others to leave the club? Please can we stop behaving like he’s a superstar. He can get lost if he wants, and i’m not gonna regret that i said that.
@NotoriousRedDevil
Yeah,he won’t be dropped anytime now. We don’t have Berba Owen or Pea available. But when we do, i say we have to level the playing field. I agree, it seems like it’s not what you’ve done is where you’re at. Because if that was the case, Owen would playing in the league rather consistently. Cos that guy scores when it’s needed. And you can’t say “oh it just leeds/ whatever team”. We couldn’t even draw with Basel.
I can see the point in playing the young kids in europa but why must they carry the burden? Evra said he feels embarrassed to be playing in the europa cup so let him play along with the other cock up seniors that cut us so bad.
@STAMpede
U must be a fool to bring in politics here,cut that shit out you little twerp.Say your piece and get,leave that pro or anti Israel stuff you little bastard!!!
@ lordrt
Are you for real that opening line on your post is the poorest comment I have ever read on Rom ” first hahahahahaha. Sorry couldn’t resist”
I actually couldn’t believe upon reading further that you were actually united? Unbelievable
@68Devils
It’s not about letting the young lads carry the burden. It’s about trusting them to do the job, because the trust placed in the older lads isn’t any better.
Anyway, I’m just trying to say, we should be playing the lads that deserve to play. And not because they are “Evra” or “Rooney” or “Rio”.
@lordt:
i know this result hurt us so bad, but to think we should fire SAF is really ludicrus!! This man is what we really need for situation like this. You’re worse than arsenal fan!!!
@NotoriousRedDevil: calling me tawt??? Fuck off and rot urself!!! I think some of you guys are just “blinkered” Utd fans, only see what you want to see, and not using your mind openly by analyzing the football world properly when needed… when we drew 2-2 home with benfica it was already the sign that Utd’s journey in the CL was ending, and yesterday just confirmed it. So u just have to laugh and say “I told u so”… which my dad said to me, being a Utd fan himself
Just see for instance when we made hardwork against Newcastle, and Chelski just went to their home and destroyed them literally, or the bitters destroying norwich, this shows our squad is already suffering a malaise, and need a revolution to get the team kicking again.
Now if I say we NEED two world class midfields, u’ll still call me twat and say we have the likes of Gibson, Cleverley, Anderson, Pogba, Fletcher, Carrick?? Are these world class???
KingOfStretfordEnd – Agree with you about Wayne, I’m not bothered if he leaves or not, it’s just I don’t think he’s good enough for us to build the team around as we do. He probably thinks he’s not got the quality around him, but look at what RVP has done at Arsenal.
Few pointers about the Europa League
1 – We will be seeded for the draw.
2 – In the Round of 32 can’t face another English team. If we get through that its a free for all.
3- 1st leg is after we play the vermin
4 – 2nd leg is before we travel to Norwich and after what I presume is an FA Cup weekend (If we’re still in it)
5- Furthest we’ve got in this competition under the guise of Fairs Cup was the semis under Sir Matt Busby in 1964/1965.
6- Furthest we’ve got in this competition under the guise of the UEFA Cup with Sir Alex Ferguson was the 1st Round knocked out by Russians both times. Torpedo Moscow in 1991/92 and Rotor Volograd in 1995/96.
7- Sir Alex Ferguson has managed a team in the UEFA Cup 4 times twice with us and twice with Aberdeen
8 – Sir Alex Ferguson has only got past the 1st Round once with Aberdeen making it to the 3rd round where Hamburg knocked them out in 1981/82.
9 – The other side to knock Aberdeen out was also German Eintracht Frankfurt who knocked them out 1st round in 1979/80.
So beware the Germans and the Russians then!!!
Read somewhere even Keano said Utd got what they deserve…
@ lordt – Don’t you fucking come on here and start laughing you despicable cunt. What is it that you find so funny? Hmm. We’ve been knocked out the CL and all you can do is laugh. You must be a cit-eh fan or failing that a scouse cunt. Did that to my face you would be picking your teeth up off of the floor with broken hands. The last cunt who wound me up like that back in 2005 is missing 2 front teeth. Fact. Now disappear idiot. No way are you United. Laughing like that. Dickhead.
NRD
Thanks for the pointers…
@NotoriousRedDevil: HAHAHA enjoyed ur rant mate, keep it coming… btw am Utd fan, sry to disappoint u bitch… AS for the teeth, well that lad who messed up earlier must hav been a cunt, am not… so see u soon on the posts around here
Your welcome. 68Devils. I know people say play the kids but I want us to take the competition seriously. Refuse to look past the round of 32 fixtures. but it is winnable if we can keep the majority of our squad fit I can’t see how we cannot balance both? Competition isn’t as strong as the CL and we did a decent job over the past 5 years of juggling PL and CL. So why not with this? Time will tell be interesting to hear Fergies thoughts, I would not want to be the journo who asks him what team he plans on playing in the Europa.
I don’t give a shit about Europa League.
Play the fucking academy in there.
Still pissed about what the team delivered last night. Looks like we don’t belong to the best atm.
I hope that SAF can sort it out and he gets a solutuion for our midfield in January despite I’m not really believing anyone is coming.
@lordt Doubt it plastic as they come you are. Probably ordered your Barca shirt within seconds of us crashing out. You are a cunt. No United fans would give the opening line you did. Cunts like you ruin this blog add nothing constructive whatsoever. 1st time your name has ever propped up in here. United fan my arse.
Selling Rooney is bollocks. The boy is class and deep down you all know it. He’s out of form at the moment but we all know he can turn that around any second…..(any second now Rooney, ffs!)
I’m more worry about other players, really:
- Young has been shit since he got back from injury. With that hump in his back, he looks like an old man evertime he dribbles the ball. awkward looking player.
- Valencia needs to start doing training sessions only using his left foot. The boy has speed, but he’s predictable as fuck
- Carrick has been class lately so I expect him to continue that way
- Fletcher and Park have been average, but most worrisome, they’ve been ineffective
- Nani needs to be more aggressive and trust his ability
- Kiko and Gibbo need to be sold
- Berba is quality, but needs a team to be built around him. He’s down the pecking order, he’s 30 and we are not Tottenham….so that’s not gonna happen
- Owen is injury prone and will not give you a full season, so he should not be considered a starting 11 player
Fuck, we need a full back, so we don’t play Jones and Smalling out of position. Specially Smalling, his passing and crossing are terrible. We need a CM. Someone that can take players on, pick a pass, and score from time to time.
are there any news on Vida?
I hope he isn’t out for the rest of the season. Would be the killer blow.
We can still win the legue, but Alex needs to buy 2 solid players in jan. He also needs to add a few more in the summer. We all stand by united!
@NotoriousRedDevil
i second that.
@NRD, Good mate! Glad to know you’ve calmed down. My intention also was not to start any war or something since I know things can be said in the heat of the moment. However, I always get pissed off whenever people question how many foreign fans go to matches. If I could, I would shift base to Manchester, but that is not possible. However, we all love this club the same amount and nothing can change that. I am truly sorry if I said something to set you off yesterday.
On the Glazers, I’ve argued this a countless times, in pure financial terms, they’re fucking parasites who are sucking the club dry. Any Manchester United fan would rather have the old PLC back or any new debt-free owner instead of these Yanks who are leveraging our considerable financial muscle for their own benefits. That much is certain. I completely agree with your estimated figures and constantly follow Andersred as well whose figures of how much overall we’ve lost due to the Glazers is truly staggering. There is no denying that in no uncertain terms, our finances have been fucked over with for the past 5 years.
Unfortunately, the decision-makers knew this when they made the sale and knew what they were getting us into but still went ahead with it. There is little that can be done to change that. For me, the Glazers are a known evil. They are probably devil’s reincarnate in some fan circles but I still know their intentions and their business minds. I certainly sleep better at night knowing what their plans are instead of some prima donna owner who we have to be afraid will suck our soul dry.
The other side of the coin is Sir Alex Ferguson. He is the reason we’ve had all this success and throughout the time, he’s been relatively undisturbed in footballing terms. Sure, you can say that the Glazers’ finances depend solely on Sir Alex and that is completely true. Still, they’ve not fucked up any of the big decisions in terms of commercial or footballing ventures. From a pure business and footballing perspective, I think they are good owners.
That said, I completely agree about the debt aspect of it, but as I said, there is little that can be done of that at this point. We are a veritable cash cow and they are milking us.
Regarding the match itself, I don’t feel pain actually. The losses against Barcelona hurt me bad and still do, especially the second one. Losing the 2010 PL title hurt bad. However, this one, I don’t feel any hurt. We got what we deserved truly. The complaceny of some of our players during the group stages was truly shocking. Some of their literally deserve a kick to their backsides and a slap in their faces.
@KOSE, I said the same thing about Rooney yesterday. Sure, the UEFA decision was weighing on his mind, but if he can’t be arsed to put his hand up for the most important match of the season, then he should be fucking benched. I don’t care what was on his mind, unless it was something truly personal, he had no right to play like he did yesterday. Heck, I think some of us might’ve played with more fire in our belly than what Wayne did yesterday. He had a couple of clear chances and I can only imagine the shitstorm that would’ve landed on Berbatov had he missed those chances.
Also agree regarding Nani. I fucking hate his inconsistency. But he was the only player who gave a rat’s ass about getting a goal yesterday. It was nice to see him taking people on and actually putting in crosses like a traditional winger. That is the main reason I get pissed off sometimes. When he puts in those balls, they are of deadly accuracy and somebody like Chicha would love to get on the end of them. But, barring yesterday, he never functions as a traditional winger anymore. He always cuts in and when opposition plays narrow like everybody does against us, that isn’t of any use. He needs to put those crosses in on a consistent basis like he did yesterday. We need to start using our width effectively.
However, I also think Evra should be criticized. His positional play yesterday was quite bad and he should take some of the blame for the first goal. He has a tendency to come inside a lot which leaves their wingers being more potent threats. I have no idea how many times he was actually out of position yesterday. He has been a great servant for us but he also deserves to be benched for a few games. Fryers has looked good and it wouldn’t be all that bad to give the lad a chance against the lower teams in the PL.
Hope the rumours about Martinez are true. Fucking what we need.
Listen, someone earlier even said he’ll not be losing his sleep these days to watch Utd play, so if I will not laugh on something like this, then tell me when to laugh?? If you are real Utd fan, u’ll laugh even when we lose, of course sad when the final whistle goes at first but then just to keep up the spirits and say well this one is done, now lets buck up and get on with the other games, and I watch the games even if its broadcast 2am where I am…
@NotoriousRedDevil “1st time your name has ever propped up in here. United fan my arse.” Seems u dnt read the posts comments well my friend, what else can I say… Agree however I do not post too much on a single post, but u made me do it today… there’s a first time for everything, and this is the first time am laughing at those who are still not seeing the wound deep in the Utd squad…
I don’t know what’s happening with blog but the posts are becoming ridiculous and embarrassing. Gonna take time out for a bit I think, might be back soon catch you later.
lordrt – not really true. everyone on here said we need midfield reinforcements. we just got what we deserved after not spending in that position for almost 5 years.
Given that SAF is coming to the end of a peerless career, and also that He occupies a position of power within Man Utd (and European football for that matter) that few, if any managers can match, I think He should be honest with the fans about the Available funds.
I dont buy into this annual “Theres no value in the Market” that He comes out with, as regular as clockwork. He’s already expressed that sentiment about January, when, all supporters are crying out for reinforcements in the middle of the field.
Surely, with retirement looming, He can address the subject candidly and at length, instead of brushing the subject away whenever it is raised.
It seems to me that for some time now, the funds have been limited by the Glazers massive debts, and that rather than admit this, in the same way that David Moyes and Bill Kenwright did at Everton, the Utd hierarchy, Including SAF, have instead blamed the rocketing prices of the best players.
We all know that the price of the best players is extortionate, and that there are many, many players criminally overpriced. But, thats the game of football, and to compete with the best requires the best players. If that means spending silly money, then thats what has to be done. Or, do it on the cheap, like now and reap what you sow, ending up in the Europa league.
At least if we dont strengthen, we wont have the same crushing disappointment next year, as the way we are playing , we wont qualify for the CL.
I say lets turn SAF into director of football (or whatever it is called) at the end of the season, and get someone with fresh ideas to replace him, and give the boys a big kick up the ass to get the team rolling again… Wolves visit this weekend, so why not start the revival, the sooner the better, and lets not play the game of “keep possession and shoot once in a while for the whole match”
@ lordrt – So you are laughing at United fans only for being optimistic? I don’t know for how long you have been a fan, but I’ve seen United play worse than this, mate, and I’ve seen SAF turn it around time after time.
Now, you acting like a child (and by that I mean laughing like a little twat for no good reason other than being a cynical cunt) does not and will not earn you sympathy from anyone here.
United4ever
You seriously believe that we will still win the league? The united in my heart hopes you are right but the logic in my head doubts it. Just feel so out of sorts right now.
I feel sorry for my 3 week old son because I will probably force him to be a knight in the red army and support the “once” greatest team in the world. Yesterday i felt nothing when it occured that we did not qualify for the next round. This manchester united side is awful. No pace, no united we-never-surrender-attitude that we are used to see.
Our team is full of stuffed players that hopes that the next guy does the work, noone takes responibility!
I maybe let my boy support grmsby town or something instead, or even worse, supporting some cricket team.
And last nights game was broadcast at 4:45 am where I am. Managed to adjust from English time. Your medals in the post lordt. Going to laugh do it privately, not on here. I can’t see anyone on here who appreciated your opening condescending line.
@ Balaji It wasn’t you who set me off. It was just frustrating had to leave for work after 65 minutes in a car and to read still 1-0, then 2-0 then 2-1 then out the CL. Having to hear the glazers not to blame from others wound me up. I’ve kept my stance on them quiet for some time, not due to our success but those who know me know where I stand and I haven’t budged. Definetely on same page you and I. I’m beginning to come to terms what United fans have to do to follow the team that live abroad. Getting up at time the whores are coming home after street walking. Thats no less dedication than match going fans but just in a different way.
Fergie is never going to come out and criticse their owners. I respect the hell out of the guy but I don’t buy everything he says. I’ve used this example countless times but he said in December 2008 that we wouldn’t make any signings in January. Then New Years Day 2009 10:30 we sign Tosic and Lljac. Our success is in spite of them not because of them. Major changes aren’t needed due to the number of young players coming through but we still should have signed a couple of players after Hargreaves failed to recover in the midfield department. If we make a loss so fucking what, we have done on players before.
Am not looking for sympathy from anyone, who gave u guys this idea… I was, am and will be optimistic throughout this season, yes I’ve seen SAF turn things around, but this time its something different really, like a malaise in the team which many of us are yet to phantom out…
All I will say before signing off for the day, is that Utd deserve their place in the Europa after such poor performance in what looked an easy group, as you reap what you sow, and this goes for the performance throughout the group stage, one match does not give us the conclusion. Unless really we do get one or two classy midfields and get the team in the right mental form, expect such performances to follow…
I do however have a pessimistic sense, which you can say like a 6th sense, when things are about to turn sour and yet some say we’ll get past it easily, while my analysis is showing something else waiting…
see u all on the next posts
Am not in a sugarcoating mood so I’ll just let Roy Keane say it for me just so i dont have some frustrated cyber person on my back insulting me for stating the obvious
Manchester United legend Roy Keane admitted his former side ”got what they deserved” as they crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage.
”I think (going out) reflects what United have done in truth, they haven’t scored enough goals and they haven’t beaten Basle or Benfica,” said Keane, part of ITV1′s summarising team for the match. ”It’s all about scoring goals.”
The last time United failed to qualify from a Champions League group was in 2005, shortly after Keane’s acrimonious departure from the club. And the former Republic of Ireland captain feels United’s much-vaunted class of 2011 have much still to prove.
”People have talked about the young players – you’ve had Jones, (Chris) Smalling, (Ashley) Young coming in, everybody building them up but they’ve got a lot to do, it’s a reality check for some,” Keane said.
”I’d be getting hold of some of those lads, saying ‘you’d better buck up your ideas’.
”I think their best player tonight was Ryan Giggs, that sums it up – he 37 or 38, you can’t be depending on him. United got what they deserved tonight.”
Basle’s Yann Sommer told Sky Sports after the match: ”It’s incredible. A Swiss team, a little country, against Manchester United, one of biggest teams in the world – it’s crazy. But we believed in our strength and we fought until the end, this was the key.
”Manchester are a good team, they had a lot of pressure and sometimes we were a bit lucky not to concede, and this is a crazy night. We are through and Manchester are out – it’s super.”
As someone that was looking forward to drawing Real, Barcelona, Inter, Bayern or Apoel, I see where lordt was coming from. I didn’t imagine that we wouldn’t get it right even in this last group game. Just like the manager and our players, me and lots of fans overlooked this group.
All that aside, I think there’s a lot of overreacting about the Europa League. I know United have been synonymous with the Ch.League, but did we prefer to finish 4th? I don’t. And as older fans will remember, there was a time (26 years to be exact) when United never played in the Ch.League or European Cup as its called. We’ll be back next year.
And when it comes down to it, did anyone really believe that this United side was going to win the Ch.League this season? I didn’t. What’s more important at the moment is Ferguson finally realizing where he got it wrong. Just like he did after Benfica in 2005 and then he bought Vidic, Evra and Carrick. If he doesn’t do the same this time, then I am afraid that last night will become a repeated pattern.
The irony is we need a good run in the europa league to maintain our ratings to be seeded in a higher pot for next years CL draw..if we make it
@samuel
It’s ok in my opinion to question Sir Alex. Trust me, I’ve done it a lot in the past few hours. I don’t know if he got ir wrong or right with Young, but imo that money could have been spent elsewhere since Young was a free agent in 2012. I mean, Fergie said that he would spend big on Ryan and Paul’s succesors. Scholes retired and we bought no one. Ryan is still active and we bought a left winger. As if moving Giggs inside will solve anything…
I’ll give Ashley a season or two before drawing my conclusions. At first, I was hopeful that he would fit straight in just like Yorke did. But maybe it will be a longer process for him like it was for Teddy Sheringham. It’s alarming seeing his form drop like this. As a player that’s predictable, he has to make his strengths as a player his main focus. In his case that’s pace and delivery. Well both have gone backwards since Arsenal and I don’t see why.
Speaking of Arsenal, just a conclusion I made this week after seeing their second string against Olympiakos. That 8-2 win really fooled us in regards to how good we are or how crap they are…
as utd fans we have been spoilt, and now we expect qualification ,atleeast all the plastics will disappear. at one time we had no aspirations of winning titles or quarter finals of champions league, now look at us harking at europa league, support your team no matter what. and hopefully this gives the lads the kick up the backside that had been required for a while.
@Costas
and hopefully the Glazers will splash out on a shitload of players. Yes they did watch Man City wipe the floor with us, but of course they knew that can be recified and we are still in a strong position to win the league. But dropping from the UCL and losing a sizeable income will make them think about their investment and whether they should sell to Qatar or reinvest in he club.
And that white jersey, that unlucky white jersey. It didnt help that Basel were dressed like Barca
Trying to gather up all the possible optimism but right now Vidic the rock is out, Celverley too, Anderson, Carrick,Fletcher, crashed out of two competitions in two weeks,Rooney cant find the net…
Then again Ferguson is still in charge, thats got to count for something, he’ll fix the mess, always has
@68Devils
That’s actually a very good point. We will still be in pot A I believe. This season we were the top seeded team in the Ch.League. Barca were above us just because they were the holders. But, we don’t want this campaign to be a major setback for us. We spent the last 5 years rectifying the disastrous 05-06 campaign. So imo we have to take the Europa League seriously if we want to preserve our pedigree in Europe.
@RedBlizzard
I never got why we did away with the black away kit to be honest. That’s always been my prefered color for away games. The Bolton and INter kits the last 2 seasons haven’t brought us good luck.
You could be onto something about the Glazers. This development affects the club on every level. They dealt with an early Ch.League exit on their first year at the club, but things are different now and we’ve just come off a summer where we spent 60 million.
Evra mentioned that it is embarrassing to be in Europa League. Really don’t understand that. What’s so embarrassing when indeed Utd’s standard is at Europa League? That’s the reason why Utd did not go further in CL.
thank fuck off work today live in town bang in the middle of liverpool and manchester glad to be avoiding the scouse twats wanking themselves over last night.sorry if offended fellow reds last night mixture of pissed off and pissed up.devid310 @7.19 is a beautiful summary of where this great club lies at the moment however i am sure we were writing these same obituaries 6 years ago.just hope and pray sir alex can find another ronaldo dont bet against the great man!
@Costas
Thanks
We don’t press the opponent when we lose the ball. They all sit back waiting for the ball in our third, hence since 09/10, it always seems we’re in danger anytime the opponent has the ball. That is unlike united. By the way, i hope rooney’s hypocritical appeal by the f****** FA fails. We don’t press the opponent when we lose the ball. They all sit back waiting for the ball in our third, hence since 09/10, it always seems we’re in danger anytime the opponent has the ball. That is unlike united. By the way, i hope rooney’s hypocritical appeal by the f****** FA fails.
Hmmm, can you believe it, Europa League!!!
terrible feeling.
Morning all
So its Europa league eh? Perhaps its part of the great man’s plan as we have never one this cup!
Seriously I am as gutted as the next guy but I take it on the chin and move on…. This current side may not be vintage United but we cannot expect every United team to always be vintage…. We have no divine right to win every match we play or win every competition we are involved in… We have seen this before many times, its part of our evolution.
I never post or read the blog during or straight after matches, I just popped in for a second last night and just saluted James21, he kept trying to raise the spirits, brilliant effort by him.
Some of the vile crap that some post after a bad result is absolutely disgusting and really sicken me. Oh and do spare me the crap about opinions, comments like ‘Sir Alex has lost the plot’ or ‘He is too old and should go’ are not opinions but pure crap
Some belting posts from King Eric, NRD and others. Speaking for myself, I am of course, gutted, the word being an understatement. But I am not too worried about the “humiliation” and so on. It is what it is – this is what sports is all about, you win some, lose some. But what worries me are the signs of a deeper malaise, and excuse me if I am sounding alarmist.
While I am no fan of the glazers, I think it’s absolute bollocks to criticize them for yesterday’s debacle. If you ask me, just as Fergie has earned the adoration of fans for the unprecedented success he has brought to the club, he is also the one to blame for a lot, and I mean, a LOT of our current troubles. Let me explain:
1. Wierd Transfer Strategy
Given that funds were limited, it was absolutely essential that we spent with a clear vision in place, and got the right players. I haven’t seen that. Ashley Young is good, but never going to torment top class opposition. And a winger was not top priority.
Jones is a class act, but what’s the plan for him? Prop him up here, there and everywhere? Sorry, but the “too good to miss” arguement doesn’t hold up against the opposing arguement of “we need a player who really improves the squad in the positions we need”. The second statement indicates careful consideration, the recruitment of Jones goes against that. IMO, letting go of both OShea and Brown was a big mistake in a season when we were losing VDS and Scholes, and we know that Rio is going to miss half the season in any case. And don’t even get me started on Bebe. Sure, we got Hernandez and Smalling – cases of quality in areas that we needed. But overall, in the last 2 years the transfer strategy hasn’t been up to scratch.
And if it was a question of blooding the kids, why don’t we get to see them – ever? And, taking the opposing viewpoint, if it’s a question of blooding the kids slowly, then we have been incredibly naive to rely on Cleverly to rescue our midfield.
2. Tactical Naivety
Yesterday, we were tactically owned by Basel. They told us – go on, enjoy your position, but we won’t let you go through the middle, we will double up on Nani, and when we break, we will cut through your midfield like a dick through a mare’s cunt. I feared the worst when we saw us playing a 38 year old ex winger and a 19 yr old in midfield, another winger as a support striker and a number ten as a number nine. Frankly, we are becoming a tactical dinosaur in Europe with out stubborn 4-4-2. We don’t have the midfielders to play 4-4-2, other teams don’t either (because they don’t play that system), hence we aren’t able to find them. More than anything, United needs a major tactical overhaul.
3. Tinkering
Don’t even know where to start with this. Too much chopping and changing, even when there aren’t so many injuries, 4-4-2 one day, 4-5-1 the other, too many players being asked to play different positions. All of you are slating Rooney, but what do you expect when one season you expect him to play left wing, next season as the support striker, next season as the leading man, next patch of games as midfielder, then support striker and then again yesterday as the no. 9? Makes your head swim, doesn’t it? Tony V as right back, ffs. Anderson as defensive midfielder, when the lad doesnt have a defensive bone in his body. Berbatov cast away after the season he had last year. Same tinkering happening with Jones, Nani and Young. If I were a young, neutral footballer, that would scare the shit out of me and I would think twice about joining United.
Going forward…
Sadly, I continue to be deeply worried. everybody talks of a unch of talented youngsters, but if they were good enough, they would be getting some game time. They aren’t ready for the big time yet. Some are going to fall by the wayside, some will leave, and some, not all, will make it in the next 3 years. Till then – what? I seriously don’t see Fergie learning too many lessons – he will continue to chop and change and stick to 4-4-2. Football is changing too fast and too drastically, in terms of tactics, player power, coaching techniques…the whole lot. Sure, I have no doubt that Fergie will get it right in the end, but does he have time on his side anymore? Sorry for speaking the unspekable, but is Father Time catching up with The Great Man at last, if not in body, but in mind?
And a note to RoM-ers….
I fully expect a lot of hate for this post. I am 32, so no I haven’t seen the Dark Days and I am spoilt. I am in India, so have never been within miles of Old Trafford. So there’s your ammo. But I support United, and it will stay that way. My old man was a Fergie fan, I am one, and I’ll make sure that my 3 yr old supports United. Doesn’t matter if we get relegated. I’ll still support the lads. Doesn’t matter if you slander and abuse me. I’ll still be a United fan. And I’ll always speak my mind, and your hate can never take my love for United, or for free, respectful debate away from me. So go on.
shocking and embarassing , thats all i have to say. our representatives in malaysia are gathering outside our fans headquarters to protest. the internet cafes in mumbai are already linked via skype so the whole fans community get together for the orbituaries.
@Jeet
That was a brilliant post actually. Probably the best I’ve read since the game ended.
What can one say after a night like that? It definitely wasn’t an isolated incident since we haven’t been playing right for quite some time now (I happen to believe Stoke away was the turning point). 3 Months later we are out of the CL, out of the Curling Cup, five points (seems like 12 to me) away from the top of the League table with the top team having beat us 6:1 at home, drawn with the holders in the FA Cup. Whatever happens, this season will not be remembered fondly.
I’ll reiterate what I think is the obvious: Ashley Young was a poor investment. Instead of investing in central midfield (by public agreement the weakest part of our squad), we spent a lot of money on a largely, for our standards, unproven 26 year-old who is not tactically astute, is a defensive liability (which proves to be costly as he is playing in front of Evra who is a liability himself), needs acres of space to shoot or cross (can he cross at all?), is relatively slow for a winger and has, as a 26 year-old, virtually no experience in top flight football (CL wise). He can hardly be sold for a decent value, so I see him as a Veron in the making.
Having said that, this rant does not imply he is the only problem in the squad. We have a young and quite promising squad. Still, you have the DaSilvas and Anderson (permanently injured), Cleverly (potentially injury prone), J. Evans (not fitting in comfortably), Evra (in freefall since 2009/10), Fletcher (on and off), Park (full of energy but not to be put up against Barca TWICE), Valencia (like Carrick, seems to have lost confidence after facing Barca), Berba (a victim of the system), Owen (injured), Macheda (not the talent that should have been), etc.
Now I don’t know if it’s the Glazers (it think it is but I might be wrong) or has SAF exaggerated with his “no value in the market” policy, but I think it is painfully obvious we need reinforcements and we need them soon.
Or we’ll be watching City players parade throphies around Manchester in the next 2-5 years.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8942005/FC-Basle-v-Manchester-United-five-reasons-why-Manchester-United-failed-big-European-test.html
Mark Ogden hits the nail on the head in the Telegraph.
Complacency, Defensive Problems, Injuries, Summer Investment, and Wayne Rooney – The Top 5 Reasons for the Champions League fiasco.
I still cannot get over Wayne Rooney’s performance from yesterday. Here is a man who openly questioned the club’s ambition last year and is the highest paid player in the club but who looked like he didn’t give a fuck about the events that were unfolding. I’ve repeatedly stated that I can overlook any loss of form – Rooney’s football performance was shit but that is not of my concern. I know he is a world-class player and will soon hit his stride. What I do give a damn about was the lack of drive in his game. It was like he was in a trance and was just going through the motions. That I cannot forgive. It doesn’t matter if he had a hearing or whatever the fuck, unless it was some truly personal shit, I expect you to give 150% out there on the field. That is what Roy Keane and Bryan Robson used to do. Even when they were playing like shit, you knew they were pouring their heart into the match. Rooney hasn’t been doing that for a long time. The irony is, when he was starting out, we all said that that attributed was what separated him from the other big names. Now, his form is not as good to be counted among the world’s best and he looks like he has little passion for football at the moment. That is a seriously discomforting thought.
As for Young and Valencia who are being called shit by some circles, I think they were bought for specific reasons. Sir Alex knew he wasn’t directly replacing Giggs and Ronaldo by doing that. They are squad players and they aren’t going to be named among the world’s best anytime soon. For me, they were brought in to complement our strikers and provide strong traditional wingplay, the kind Beckham used to do. Valencia did this awesomely well in his first season at the club. Young did that nicely enough in the early part of the season. So, there is little doubt that they can provide traditional wingplay for the likes of Welbeck, Chicha and Rooney.
But right now, they look like distinctly average players, completely shorn of all confidence and talent. It has been a truly painful experience to watch both of them struggle over the past couple of games. Each time they get the ball, you know they are going to take it towards the opposition full back, hit a wall and invariably pass back. The much-wanted cross never comes in. They are completely underwhelming at the moment. The frightening aspect is that I have no idea how anyone is going to make them regain that form. You need to want to improve yourself and prove that you are “that” kind of player. From watching both of them, they seem to be content with doing the same thing over and over again. They are not even risking taking their man on. The end result never happens and all of our play ultimately fizzles out in the end. It is comlpetely unsatisfactory to watch both of them play at the moment.
However, I am not writing them off just yet. I know they can complement our strikers effectively. The big problem is that we don’t have time for them to slowly find their feet. They need to rediscover their general footballing abilities, otherwise, it is going to be very hard to endure their underwhelming performances for now.
I don’t give a shit how much will be the ticket prices. I won’t watch it on TV either, even if we’ll play in the final.
In my dictionary I don’t know any competition called EL or UEFA cup.
Rotor Volgogrand and Torpedo Nowhere, must be a quality teams. My hairy arse!
F*CKING DISGRACE!
Hello everybody!
is it just me or does anybody else think that evra is caught out of position a lot? Sometimes i see him case the ball like a kid only for the central defender to be dragged out of position.
Before signing De Gea everyone was talking of his pin point kicks and how he was like a sweeper behind the back four. Where does this skill desert him when under a little pressure? some of the clearances were awful. I do like him and i think he is a smart GK with good reflex. but yeah…. what ever i just said.
@Costas: Thanks, mate. How’re you coping? My Arsenal mates are rubbing it right in
… thankfully I take it with better grace than then 
It used to be so much easier for Fergie to pick out his best side when our squad was smaller. However, knowing that he has to deal with 6-8 injuries to his squad all the time, it’s impossible for him to settle down on one line up and one formation anymore.
Jeet
That was a very intelligent and well written post, I do not see why anyone would slate you for it. You expressed your opinion in a very civil manner
@Jeet, I second what Costas said. That was a brilliant post and exactly the kind of criticism needed in these tough times. Criticism without condescension and calling it like it is, something I cannot do. Top, top post mate!
I do disagree on one thing though, and it maybe the romantic in me speaking, but I can guarantee that Sir Alex will not retire until he sets these setbacks – the CL elimination and the City loss – right in his mind. Both of those would’ve hurt him more than anyone else. The entire collective hurt that we are feeling right now would probably match what he is feeling right now. I personally thing he will want at least one more CL to his name to match Paisley before calling it quits. Whether that is possible is anyone’s guess.
I don’t buy the Father Time thing either. He has no noticeable health concerns and can go on for at least another three years minimum which is enough time to build his final team before handing it over to the new coach in pristine condition. That is his long-term plan. As Stateside has pointed out, to build a team of youngsters who will be in their primes for the new manager to have a decent foundation with which to work. He will do that and then only call it quits. He isn’t going to leave the club in turmoil. He is too good a long-term planner for that.
In my lifetime, I’ve never seen Sir Alex shy away from a challenge. It is not in his bloodwork. This isn’t even his greatest challenge yet. 2005-06 was that challenge and we all know how he responded. I am not saying we’re going to have unprecedented success just yet. However, I am sure Sir Alex will do everything in his power to set things right. That I am sure of.
@Jeet
Oh I am ok. Trying not to listen to any non believers as the try to rub it in, lol. This would have hurt a lot more if we actually deserved to go through. But it’s embarassments like this that usually force to take a look at yourself and realize what you are doing wrong. And that’s what Fergie has to do. Don’t know how the rest of the season will unforld, but there’s still a chance that a new stronger team will show up in 12-13. He just has to ring the changes in every department. And that includes the medical and fitness team.
Pardon me if I’m wrong but doesn’t this happen every time Fergie rebuilds his team? Didn’t our young aces of beckham, neville, scholes etc fail badly when they were knocked out by Galatasaray? What about when a young Rooney, Ronaldo etc were pwn’d 5 years ago? Both teams rose up and won the Champions League a few years later.
So yeah, keep the faith.
@Balaji & Cedars: Thanks…glad that you get my stance….just feeling incredibly raw and touchy today….taking deep sighs while driving to avoid “Kolaveri”
PS: Kolaveri = strong urge to kill someone
@Jeet, LOL! I know exactly what Kolaveri means as I am sure you knew already. The success of that song has actually surprised me to a large extent. Only in these days of Youtube will a bad song actually have the highest number of hits – read Bieber and Black. Granted this is nowhere near as bad as the drivel those two come up with but as a Tamil cinema fan, it nowhere near represents what our industry is capable of. The fact that people are going to identify that song with our industry is what pisses me off the most. Still cannot deny the tune isn’t catchy and all.
P.S. Sorry for the digression but Jeet will probably be the only person who understands the above.
ClobberinTime
Love your moniker and well said
Frigging Indians rounding up on us! Need me some cedars support here, I am being hugely out numbered! hahahahahaha
If the the 05-06 experience taught us anything, it’s that the difference between being bottom of your group and winning the the cup is 2 and a half years if you know what you’re doing. However, the challenge for him this time isn’t just looking at the squad and filling the holes. It’s also looking at himself. If we need some fresh ideas at Carrington, then he should look at bringing in a new number 2. Maybe I am wrong, but just selling and buying players won’t be the answer this time. The team hasn’t been properly prepared imo.
By “he” I meant Fergie, lol.
@Clobberin Time
Even worse than Galatasaray, it was Rotor Volgograd that dumped us out one season. And at the same time, York City from division 3 knocked us out of the league cup. Sometimes you need to learn from humbling experiences like that if you are going to become the best in the world.
United currently don’t have great forwards to replace rooney. welbeck may well dislodge him at some point but he is still developing, beyond that i don’t see quality forwards at united that can drop rooney to the bench, in fact the lack of competition in the team has been a major worry, all the first team players aren’t worried about their places. afterall, even after crap performances they’ll still get picked, people question rooney’s tag as a world class player and i would usually defend him but these days he looks bereft of ideas, lacks the fire he usually has and probably feels too good for the team because no one currently can take his place, he has passion to be an england legend but the fact is, majority of england fans hate him.
Evra and rio have both reached the end of their circles and are not great players anymore, they’re both living on reputations and are complete liabilities, they’re unreliable leaders and only mouth off arrogantly to the press but can’t even walk the walk.
I’ve said it numerous of times, that champions league final in which we got annihilated should have been followed with a clearance of poor players from the team and older players lacking hunger should have left, united fans watched on all summer, waiting for Fergie to announce the purchase of quality midfielders but nothing happened and as usual, Fergie says he believes in his players, that’s all well and good if they repaid the belief but they’ve done nothing.
I’m certain players will be cleared out by january at the earliest or summer time, if Fergie comes out with that annoying phrase of ‘the market is inflated’ and fans don’t see major purchases in central midfield then the glazers will be feeling the full wrath.
For the europa league, i’m gonna have to build my strength to watch stan fucking collymore berate us.
The new scapegoat of ROM Ashley Young. Welcome to the Hall of Shame. Seriously though, I’ll agree he’s been poor since the cit-eh game but I still think he’s carrying that injury of his. He has shown us what he is capable of and one of the biggest problems we’ve had is no settled team. We had a settled front 6 first 5 games and we did well. I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon like many and wait till the end of the season. He isn’t slow, can show that he can cross its just he’s hit a bad patch of form which unfortunately coincides with the poor form the team has shown.
When we signed him it was a pretty poorly kept secret, it was the Jones signing that baffled me purely as I didn’t know much about him and although he’s quality not a solution nor is it fair to expect him to be. One thing we musn’t do is blame Young for not signing a centre midfielder. I’m afraid thats what many are doing on here.
I’m not blaming last night result on the glazers. No sir. Someone mentioned it and that set me off. However the lack of investment in my opinion is a direct result of them. We only needed 1 player, if we spend £30+ million on him and it fails it fails. We would recoup some of that back.
Quieroz needs to come back, he was never a great number one but as a two he was great for united, his knowledge of european football helped the team but right now, phelan looks like he’s there to address the press, even his job as a match of the day speaker for united has been taken away so what the fuck does he do apart from gobbling down pies in the morning and flirting with the canteen women?
I woke up this morning feeling very philosophical, and with my blind rage of last night disippated.
Maybe it’s the only way to deal with huge setbacks like this, but Fergie’s track record gives me hope that we’ll look back on tonight in 3 or 4 years time, and consider it an important experience in the building of his next great team.
Without wanting to sound too cynical, the biggest setback in terms of the here-and-now is the money we’ll lose off this. If the purse-strings are as tight as many suspect, our situation won’t have been helped by essentially pissing around £15m up the wall by going out at the group stage. I think it’s fair to say that, if we’d got out of the group, Bayern, AC, Real and Barca were always going to be insurmountable obstacles. Put crudely, we were never going to win it.
So how do we approach Europa? Well, Fergie should take this opportunity to get a perfectly clear idea by the end of the season of which fringe/younger players he wants to hold on to. Expect to see the likes of Gibson, Diouf, Macheda, Owen, even Berba and Fletcher, essentially ‘on trial’ in these games.
It also needs to serve as a ‘naughty step’ for underperforming big-name players. Rooney, Young, Evra – I’m looking at you.
And who knows? Maybe this CL exit will boost our chances in the league. More obviously, our better players won’t be playing too many games. Also, perhaps SAF can wave a DVD of last night’s game under the noses of the Glazers, and politely request a January warchest… unlikely though.
What you can’t put a gloss on is the Vidic injury. That’s a fucking blow. Fergie needs to decide NOW how his stand-in at CB is. Smalling, Evans or Jones? My preference would be Smalling, but either way it needs to be stable. We can’t be chopping and changing the defence like we have been.
People are missin the point on scotts post it states the prices because season tickets like myself are going to be forced to buy them. We have an automatic cup scheme where we dont have choice so match going fans are going to have to pay £40 a game to watch fucking grasshoppers fc.
@Pablo – Sounds like you live in Warrington is that correct?
Don’t usually ask this but Scott can you some sort of post up involving a vote regarding the Europa League. e.g what type of team we should sent out. I’ll keep saying it till I’m bl…red in the face. I want us to win the damn thing. Those who say they are not going to watch it or refuse to watch it I think most of you are speaking in anger and don’t really mean it. If you do mean it though you’re supposed to support your team through thick and thin and want to win every game. Even if its the LDV vans trophy. We have no right to be arrogant. Its arrogance by the team that has us in this position.
@Jeet
Are you joking mate your posts are always spot on for me mate, we are Manchester United the biggets team in the world suported by millions upon millions. Only a small % attend games compared to that so dont let anyone take the moral high ground mate.
We are not West Ham or a small time facist club we are loved adhored never ignored agross the globe mate its is irrelevant of back ground. dont ever feel you have to justify your support mate.
@Samuel
Phelan is useful in another way…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmP6PpWNwOE
@NRD: Me for one am not scapegoating Young. He’s a good player, but not what we needed. And he’s never going to tormenting top European defences. And I have to disagree with your point about the 30 mil needed to make the difference not being there because of the glazers. There was 60 mil available and we spent half of that on Jones and Young. would have done better by retaining OShea and got in the midfielder for 30 mil instead of Young and Jones…
NRD – This current team requires more than one quality central midfielder. you talk like the issues of the team solely lies in central midfield. beyond nani, i don’t see any major quality in the wingers department, i don’t see players that possess the required technical skills to rival the very best, i see workman like players who are devoid of ideas and that’s how frank i am on this matter.
and finally you say players are being made scapegoats but i’m sorry, who are the ones getting paid astronomical salaries to play a football game in which they all look cack atdoing right now?
We’d all be burying our heads and have tinted glasses if we can’t notice some players that lack the drive or even more importantly, the abilities required at the highest level. young is decent, will he be a great? regaining form or not, i highly doubt it.
When ronaldo joined united and played, you could see the class and you knew when he gains maturity then he’d be brilliant, can you say the same about young?
like COSTAS said, it would be hasty to write him off but all i’m saying is, i wouldn’t hold my breath for him to some how turn into luis figo. Young is at his peak and for me, lacks the tactical awareness required at the top level, understandably so as he has played for previous teams that bomb forward without much knowledge, just like the england national team.
giggs12gerrard0 you are spot on pal…..brought up in the 80s watching scouse shite winning fucking everything….broke my heart.still look upon their defeats and mismanagement over the last 20 years with a huge smile on my face
@giggs12gerrard0: Thanks, mate – like I said, i’m feeling incredibly raw and touchy today…and I hate some of them posters who come up to say “gloryhunter” everytime you criticize fergie, LOL. Actually to me, this feels worse than the CL defeats to Barca, because you knew you had been beaten by class. I felt proud after the exit to Bayern in the quarters, because of the way the team played that night at OT. Yesterday was abject capitulation, and what scares me is that it’s becoming a bit too frequent for my comfort. where’s the famous Red Devil reaction, where’s the pride, where’s the snap in the game, the terrier’s bite in midfield?
@Samuel: Agree to a large extent. We will still win the PL 1 out of every 3/4 seasons with this team, because of the abysmal technical standards in England, but if we want to be a powerhouse in Europe in the post Scholes/Giggs/VDS era, we have some major rethink on our hands.
And all these rubbish that united only play with wingers is annoying me. every european team have all changed their style and can adopt different systems both for their domestic division and european one, sometimes we need to play with attacking midfielders and use full backs as width, we need creative players in the middle that keep the ball ticking and glide past players with class and then have a final end product with a pass.
United currently have no central midfielders that can provide regular assists and i would be Suprised if the stats in that particular position isn’t woeful, no midfielders that can score becomes an issue because wingers marked out or having a poor game can’t always influence a game.
The midfield is the engine room, it is the brain of a football team so why we think we can get a team out there without a great one is beyond me.
Costas – perhaps phelan is good at tickling anderson’s beer belly lol, na i’m sure he brings his own abilities to the table somehow.
@ Jeet. It doesn’t point down to this summer’s transfer window mate. We handicap ourselves by ruling out January which is stupid. They may not bed in betweeen Jan and May but they hit the ground running the following season. This goes back to the summer of 2010 and even 2009. Thats when we should have sorted it. We hoped Hargreaves would make it in 2010 and once he broke down should have worked on it then. We bought Bebe instead, one for the future. Unfortunately he’s injured so will have to wait till next season or the one after to see how that works. We sold the best player in the world and brought in Owen, Obertan, Diouf and Valencia. So there was money to spend this summer. We lost VDS, O Shea, Brown, Scholes, G Nev and Hargreaves. Lost 6 players and brought in 3, 4 if you count Cleverly return from loan. Danny Boy as well. We overloaded in positions. Thats where we fucked up.
@samuel All due respect mate. I think you missed my point. Itsd become fashionable to pick on players on here we don’t need fans jumping on the back of players like they have been with Gibson, Carrick, Berbatov and Evans. Ashley Young has been here what 3 months, and although he should have done a lot better last night. What was Parks excuse last night, in the 65 minutes I watched din’t put a single cross in? Or Evras excuse? Obviously Rooney as well. Young may not be Figo, I think time will tell with him but by the sounds of it he’s lost it from the fans. Just keep in mind, he played like Nani did last night in the game at OTvs Basle and got us the goal that kept us in contention for the final group game.
If we keep the current squad mate, only need one centre midfield player. However I think there probably needs to be player turnover so you’re right in the respect we need more players but have to get rid of some first.
Jeet
Anyone calling you a glory hunter just refer them to me buddy, I will take care of the rest!
Good afternoon Red Devils around the world,
our defense is good enough in the league, but not in Europe,
7 goals conceded in last 3 games, 5 of them at home
My mind is not working since last night,
it was embarrassing..
but to hell with it,
we will come back stronger,
We will keep the flag flyin high
Coz Man United will never die
Jeet – exactly, even the premier league is improving everytime in terms of technique, i don’t think we can’t get away with things anymore, teams have got a lot stronger and aren’t fazed by oppositions which means united have to catch up with the times and get a lot stronger.
We’d all be deluded if we think experience only will bring titles, we’d just sit there and watch those bastards walk away with titles regularly due to the fact that they can buy any mercenary, that’s how painful it is for me to admit, i’m a realist not one to be blinkered.
Changes have to be made, Fergie knows this deep down and i’d think he is waiting for the right players, but how long can we wait as this team goes from the top into mediocrity in front of our eyes? something has to give.
Interesting facts :
3 Manchester United CL group stage exits:
7th Dec 1994, [Wednesday].
7th Dec 2005, [Wednesday] &
7th Dec 2011, [Wednesday]…
and our last 3 Knock outs in UCL have been from..
FCB – Barca
FCB – Bayern
FCB – Basel
NRD – i’ve lambasted every experienced player currently at the club. from park to rooney, young to evra and including rio. They were all abysmal last night and lacked the determination and drive that united have been famed for, although i don’t personally like picking out players but these are players that were supposed to be leaders, they let manchester united down badly in my view.
Of course young should be given time but don’t forget he is an experienced player, don’t let his stature fool you. I’m not writing him off and should duly get a season or two to try bed in but don’t forget, he wasn’t bought from a foreign league, he knows ins and outs of the premier league so if this so called bad patch of form continues much longer then alarm bells will be ringing, i don’t wanna seem like i got anything against players, i just call it how i see it
Fact remains that the 16 million paid to get him should have been invested in central midfield, we still need to strengthen other areas too like you say, perhaps bring in another quality striker e.t.c.
@Jeet, I have to disagree regarding Jones. While his exact position may not be decided yet, this was definitely a player we couldn’t miss out on, as absurd as that sound. The problem you seem to be highlighting is that he is being played everywhere we need and isn’t exactly an “answer” to any of those positions. And you are absolutely right in that sense.
But that is largely due to the injuries and suspensions to the players. When Rafael was out and Vidic/Rio were missing, we had to play Evans/Smalling partnership forcing him out wide. Sometimes he was forced in as a central defender due to some reason. With Fletcher out and Carrick suspended, he has been asked to play as a holding mid-fielder. Unfortunately, these have all become necessities, and all highlight a larger problem you talked about in your original epic post: The need to play players in their actual positions and to their strengths. But none of those should deny from the fact that we’ve got a gem of player on our hands, one who can be groomed to be a physical defender which is what he is comfortable with or into a Keane/Robbo kind of mid-field dynamo. I seriously believe he is that good.
As for the larger issue, I completely agree with you that we need to get back to basics and that involves playing players where they should be played. If it is a 4-4-2, play Smalling out wide, Vidic/Rio in the centre, Evra out left. Play Nani on the right, Carrick/Fletcher through the middle, Young out left. Play Rooney as a No. 10 which is his best position and Chicharito/Welbeck as an out and out striker. This is where I think you hit the nail on the head and this is something Costas has been crying out for a long time. Stop with the tinkering. There is no point playing Valencia at right-back or Welbeck out left in Carling Cup games because that doesn’t help in the larger scheme of things. And this again comes back to losing some key players in key positions and our core not being as strong as it used to be.
Jeet – Some top posts pal.
I still just feel indifference this morning.
Someone said Fergie isnt a tactitian. Of course he fucking is. Why do you think he has brought unparralled success to United and Aberdeen? Course he knows his tactics.
Samuel – Ha. Some funny posts mate. You have to laugh really mate.
Balaji – Belting posts mate.
The Glazers don’t choose transfer targets, SAF does. He picks the team and sets the tone too! First time in yonks he stood on the touchline to direct the team, n we were already 1 down. I put this on him honestly, no way a team like ours relies on 1 transfer target for such a vital pos like CM. Can’t say I’m surprised, last months performances showed this was coming. Disappointing! SAF time to reassess jan transfer window dealings!
I dont understand why ppl keep saying we didn’t get funds. We spent on jones and de gea over 25 M
actually + 30 M
Samuel’s line about Phelan tickling Ando’s belly had me laughing. What a sight, lol.
Phelan has a good connection with the players I feel (except for Berbatov whom he likes to make fun of in public I guess), but imo Fergie needs someone in his ear from a tactical standpoint. And I don’t think he’s that guy.
@pablo
Ditto mate born in Salford when our family moved to birchwood which was the over spill of Salford in the early 80′s
@pablo
Ditto mate born in Salford when our family moved to birchwood which was the over spill of Salford in the early 80′s. We were ok in birchwood though it waall mancs
Back to basics? Is that not what we’re meant to be doing now? Lol. Never seen the points being made over and over again. The problems are fucking obvious. Too many on this blog, are experts after the fact. And the, “I told you this would happen” brigade! Sadly, the Europa cup is our level. We’ve stunk the champions league out this season. I spoke last week, about some fans becoming complacent. Now, we’re in the cup competition, that nobody wants to be in. A reality check, United have needed for a long time. We’re not as good, as we think we are. A lot of hard work will need to be put in. Some real, soul searching from certain players. The boss has made mistakes as well. He’ll take it on the chin though. Lets hope the players follow suit. We’ll never die! 19
Injuries or no injuries we had the easiest group out of the lot, no point comparing us to Manchester City, it’s their first time and their group was harder. Barcelona’s second string team of young players apart from Pedro put 3 past their opponents, Real Madrid put three past Ajax with what could be classed as their lesser world class players and Ajax is a better team then Basle. Lyon who had to turn score seven goals to make into the Champions League managed to put seven past their opponents. All Manchester United had to do was @*&%ing draw, a %$£*ing draw, that was all that was needed.
We have the worse midfield of the top teams, I don’t care how many passes Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher have completed, when have they put in a winning pass? It is easy to rack up completed passes when you are passing sideways. When Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez were at United we didn’t have to worry about our midfield because of the pace in the team, the other teams midfield were too occupied having to stop our players scoring. Now what we need badly is someone in midfield, unfortunately Sneijder is too expensive in fees and wages, when he left Real Madrid his wages were a lot less and his fee.
Our attackers and defence are having to work harder due to not having a very skilled player or players in midfield, we need sort the middle out as soon as we can.
Costas – Hello mate. I thought Renee was the man who decides tactics , not Phelan?
jay – Nah mate. Wont have it about Carrick. It was clearly obvious last night that we missed him hugely. No shape at all. Shit ball retention. No we certainly missed him last night pal.
Willie – Spot on fella.
That Ajax Lyon thing is a funny one as someone else mentioned,. Needed 7 to qualify and scored 7. Ajax had two disallowed. Hhhmm.
@King Eric
It says “first team coach” on Rene’s job description so I assumed he was in charge of the training sessions. You could be right though. To be honest, I don’t believe either of them have much of a say about our tactics. Could so with some fresh ideas I feel.
Oh and hi KE. Forgot my manners. I hear your daughter is on the way very soon now. Keep us posted!
Keane has some fresh ideas? Too many, for Fergie’s liking though.
It’s all Berba fault !
Welldone everyone!
Whao!I guess no one saw dat coming!Incredible.
I put all d blame down to injuries/suspensions.Seriously.
Saf intended bringing on Fletcher for the final lap yet injuries to Vida and Young just wouldn’t let him!
We never seem able to win these ‘finals’ without Fletcherinho.
Safs a genius.He had us well set up last night yet 8asel played dirty.
Smalling was down with a head knock,ref was disinterested and shaqiri whips in for an early opener allowing them to seat back and defend valiantly with d home crowd behind them.Barca surely found it difficult breaking down Getafe under those similar conditions (1-0 away loss).
Then again Marco Strellar having bn owned by Vida in the one v one proceeded to wilfully descend on our skipper’s outstretched leg thereby causing Evans (O Shea) to use up Tony V’s slot.
The fox even pretended to b innocent of his callous act yet went on to gesticulate to shaqiri the opening @ Vida’s position.
How gutter is that people!
Big ups to Wayne.He was all over the place.attack,mid,defense.
Missed some sitters yet must say they took some awkward bounces.
Better luck next time (remember d basel player thta smashed against his own bar on another day that could have bn our favorite striker OG).
reds,we are in transition to metamorphose frm worm to butterfly.
Don’t give up on our boys.
They’ll come good.
And quit with the handbag would ya!
the Glazers don’t choose the transfer targets, SAF does. He picks the team and he sets the tone too! first time in yonks he stood on the touchline to direct the team, n we were already 1 down. i put this on him honestly, no way a club like ours relies on 1 transfer target for for such a vital pos like CM. Can’t say im surprised, last months performances showed this was coming. Disappointing! SAF, time to reassess the January transfer window activity!
SAF may be a Genius, but he is not perfect! he got this one wrong, and it didnt start with that game last night.
I m just waiting for January transfer window………..It’s our last chance to save league. With this players…no chance.
Our issues are not so bad. Sell Young and Tony V, steal some money from somewhere to add to the sale of those two and buy back Cristiano. That way we assured of a goal every game at least. We could get RVN too like we did with Larsson on loan. Then we do a schweinsteiger on our midfield and we are good to go again. Bring on the best opposition. Some wishful thinking. Like fantasing I’m in bed with Jodie Foster.
When is Cristiano Ronaldo loan to Real Madrid end lol.
Wow King Eric! How many pregnant wives have you in Ericdom?
Feel like going to my roof and killing myself..But hey guys time to support the team, players and SAF. ARe you only for the glory? Frankly, sooner or later United were to be found wanting since we are relying heavily on Cleverley and not bringing a good midfielder.This might just be a blessing in disguise.
@vishy2in speaking alot of sense.
First time since I’ve been alive that we don’t have an out and out goalscorer at the club. Hernandez won’t get us 30 goals a season, neither will Rooney and Berbatov’s off in January. Before, we’ve always had goals from midfield but this season they’re failing to create goals, never mind score them. But alas, we have no fuckiing money. There will now probably be a backlash against the Glazers but the protests will be 6/7 years too late…
And anyone asking for Fergie out have a word with yourselves. The same has been said everytime we have a mini crisis and he always comes back stronger
Costas – Son mate!!! Thanks alot. Yeah week Saturday my friend.
@KE – So, he’ll make it to the QPR game then?
Congrats man, you must be the happiest and proudest red here.
@giggs12gerrard0 i live in thelwall mate.birchwood is the manc overspill penketh and sankey the scouse overspill.as you will know matchday in town centre is like beirut.thank fuck i’ve had a season ticket for a few years now but avoid watching away games there……i even know a ruck of leeds scum supporters!
its time for the fans to really start boycotting the glazers,Someone needs to start the trend and let it pick up because at this rate I struggle to see how we are going to stay competitive.If the team does suffer because of a boycott,so be it…if it is going to reap greater rewards
@King Eric
Ah, sorry mate. I got the gender wrong,lol. Or maybe I didn’t.
Just kidding! All the best!
Boycott the glazers??? Fergie spent 70m in the summer….
This article is the perfect example of opportunism.
I think this is the only failure in about 5 years which has offered the opportunity to blame the owners for an on field outcome and it is immediately jumped upon.
I’m more satisfied with the Glazer ownership that ever. Whilst they have ‘taken money out of the club’ to service debts, they have increased revenues which means we are in a great position when the debts are cleared and the financial fair play regulations come in.
They have managed to generate new streams of income of significant magnitude, far outstripping the achievements of rivals who have built new stadiums and renamed stadiums in order to catch us up. They haven’t even resorted to the traditional ways of increasing our income such as expanding the stadium to 96k capacity.
I think some united fans have no idea how stupid/idiots/irritating/retarded they appear whenever they jump on the anti glazer bandwagon.
The anti glazer movement has never really got me. When they tried to persuade us that the best fans were leaving the club (a complete contradiction to what it means to be a great fan- upping and leaving). Or whenever they claimed loyal fans from the 70s were being priced out, even though may such fans would now be enjoying concessionary rates due to their age. BS from start to finish i’m afraid.
@ sean we’re losing millions of pounds through their debts,United could have afforded 5 players with the wage demands that Wesley Sneijder was apparently asking 230 thousand a week. Everytime Fergie says there is “no value in the (transfer) market” or that they “cant’t find the right player” how honest do you think he’s being?With the lack of creativity in midfield I don’t think any manager would deny the opportunity to splash 40 mil.