How did it come to this? Barely three weeks ago Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City side was “cracking up” and Manchester United had opened up an eight point Premier League lead. United’s superb form in 2012 had brought 12 wins and a draw since defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’, and the title was the Reds’ in all but name.
Yet football, at least the format practiced by Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, is rarely that simple. Defeat to Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium and a draw with Everton at home, together with City’s improved form, means that Monday’s clash between the two Manchester clubs at Eastlands is now pivotal to this season’s title. Ferguson, ever mindful of the key moments in any campaign, believes the victor will go on to take this year’s honours. Who could disagree?
United, three points to the good in the title race, can afford to draw of course, enabling the Reds to claim a 20th domestic title with four points from games against Swansea City and Sunderland over the next fortnight. Yet, with recent form as it is, there is little presumption to be made about United’s ability to achieve even that goal.
So to the “shootout” with City, as Ferguson put, where both Blues and Reds know that a win is likely to bring with it the main prize. Mancini’s men must win, but if they do so then matches against a recently humbled Newcastle and relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers should hold little fear. Three points for United and City can kiss all hope goodbye.
Indeed, says Ferguson, whatever happens in Monday’s fixture, Reds must now get used to City challenging United’s hegemony at every turn. It is a fixture that will come to match United’s enmity with Liverpool, concludes the Scot.
“We have to get used to playing City in important games, they are not going away,” admitted the 70-year-old United manager.
“The financial support they have means we will be playing them, in a lot of big games. Cup finals maybe, semi-finals – we have already done that last season and had an important cup tie this season.
“It’s there, if we are going to be contesting for league titles regularly, and we will be doing, it will become just as important as the Liverpool game. Maybe not in terms of the emotional part because the Liverpool-United games are emotional, but certainly in importance – probably at this moment in time it supersedes the Liverpool games in the sense that they are our direct opponents now.
“Manchester City are without question up against us to win titles and that is what I focus on, I only focus on the team that can actually affect our progress in terms of winning.”
Whether it was nerves or arrogance, United’s ability to casually throw away a winning position against Everton could yet see the title slip away. But this is not a position Ferguson is prepared to countenance in the build-up to Monday’s clash, with the Scot preferring to laugh off United’s slip as ‘doing it the hard way’. It is a cliché, of course, but better than admitting the side is one calamitous reverse from a trophyless season.
“I am a confirmed masochist, I joined about 26 years ago,” joked Ferguson.
“I do not know if you thrive on it, I can’t even say I can look forward to it, but I am up for it, I am prepared for it and I think my players will be prepared for it so hopefully we will be OK.
“I suppose when the fixtures came out at the beginning of the season all roads pointed to this game. It was inevitable maybe. But we are where we are and it doesn’t matter what has happened before – the buildup to the game, who has dropped points and who hasn’t dropped points, it really is all down to this game. It will be a fantastic atmosphere and I hope it lives up to the billing.
“We are also smarting from throwing that game away last week, but in the context of our history we almost expected it, we make it hard for ourselves, our poor supporters have been subjected to that drama for years and years. God knows what they are like just now but hopefully we will make amends on Monday. It’s not a cup final, there are three games still, it is an important game. I think it could decide the title.”
However, United could be without two key players for the tie, with both defender Jonny Evans and winger Nani struggling for fitness. Evans trained on Friday as Ferguson took his players to Wales for a short break, but the Northern Irishman’s sore ankle has been a concern all week. Meanwhile, Nani is also suffering from an ankle problem, and Ferguson will leave a fitness assessment until the last moment.
United’s manager is unlikely to make significant changes despite the second-half horror show against Everton. Ferguson may bring Chris Smalling in at right-back, with Rafael as culpable as any for United’s poor defensive display against Everton. The Brazilian has performed admirably during the run-in, but Smalling’s defensive nous may win the 21-year-old a place.
There are unlikely to be many further changes, although Ferguson must decide whether to deploy both top goalscorer Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, or leave the Scouser to plough a lone furrow up-front.
Meanwhile, across town Mancini has spent the week playing down his side’s chances despite an uptick in recent form. United’s experience, says the Italian, is likely to win the day. Little more than mind games 101, cynics might add. Moreover, Mancini will be able to field a full strength side at Eastlands, including fit again Mario Balotelli and former Red Carlos Tevez.
Given the Blues have scored 10 in the past three fixtures, form is certainly on the Italian’s side.
“He probably wants to take pressure off his own players, that’s possible but it will not affect our approach or attitude, we know exactly the situation we are in here,” adds Ferguson.
“We are in a better position than Manchester City. We can get two results they can only get one, they have to win we can draw, we can win. But my attitude and the club’s attitude will be trying to win.”
Amen to that, Reds will concur, although Ferguson’s side is likely to adopt the ‘European approach’ at Eastlands, with five strung across midfield, and the visitors prepared to wait patiently for a chance. United supporters making the short trip across town will forgive any negative approach, if that is to be it, in exchange for three points and a 20th domestic league title.
Match Facts
Manchester City versus Manchester United, Premier League, Eastlands, 30 April 2012, 8pm.
Potential Line-ups
City (4-4-2): Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; Silva, Touré Y, Barry, Nasri; Tevez, Aguero. Subs from: Pantilimon, Taylor, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Savic, K Touré, De Jong, Milner, Pizarro, Johnson, Balotelli, Dzeko.
United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Smalling, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Carrick, Scholes; Valencia, Rooney, Young; Welbeck. Subs from: Amos, Jones, Fabio, Rafael, Jones, Young, Cleverley, Giggs, Nani, Hernández, Berbatov, Owen.
Match Stats
- Nani was given the nod over Ashley Young in last weekend’s 4-4 draw, and made the most of his opportunity with a goal and an assist against the Merseysiders;
- The Portuguese winger has scored eight goals in 27 Premier League appearances this season, and has struck 51 per cent of his shots on target this season;
- Wayne Rooney scored twice last weekend and has now overtaken George Best as United’s fourth highest goalscorer. Rooney remains a goal behind Robin van Persie as this season’s top goal scorer;
- United had conceded just once in seven league fixtures until the calamity against Everton last weekend. David De Gea was an ever-present during that run, making 32 saves at an average of 3.5 per game. The most saves the United ‘keeper has made in any single game was 13 against Liverpool in October 2011;
- Sergio Aguero slotted home City’s first last weekend – his 22nd of the season, putting the Argentinian third behind Rooney and van Persie in the leading goalscorers chart this season;
- David Silva picked up another assist last weekend and remains at the top of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for assists this season. Silva has also been one of City’s hardest workers this season, covering 190.2 miles to date;
- Joe Hart pulled off two key saves to prevent Wolverhampton wanderers getting back into last weekend’s clash at Molineux. Hart is now ranked 15th in the Index, and is the leading ‘keeper;
- United’s captain Patrice Evra is the highest ranking player in the Index to have not scored this season.
- Rooney tops the rankings, scoring 30.9 percent of the Reds goals this season.
Form
City: DDLWWW
United: WWWLWD
Officials
Referee: Andre Marriner (Birmingham)
Assistants: A Watts, M McDonough
Fourth Official: M Jones
if we lose monday …..oh christ , i wish it was over and done with
Where did you hear about Nani being injured?
I hope it’s not true, I see him as potentially our key player against City.
DeadRevel – turned an ankle in training
i’d love for utd to win this but honestly i would be happy with a draw …need rooney to give a shit though ..
… yeah den,,, need Rooney to give a shit though…. I’ve gotta agree, and “Rooney giving a shit” 100%, has looked a bit suspect in some matches this season. I’m no body language expert, but for me he’s not looked totally committed sometimes. Hope his transfer wish doesn’t raise it’s head again in the coming silly season. That time there was an issue about him questioning United’s commitment to bringing in quality players, that is competing in the transfer market, and well, there is no evidence since then that the Glazers are going to suddenly match the big guns of Europe in competing for the best of the best expensive players, and if Rooney sees more European wilderness in front of him, and some big money comes knocking again, will it all blow up again and make him again unsettled and even less committed?
To be honest… I’d rather not see Nani in this game… he’s been shit lately, what little he’s played… and he’s been playing that stupid, frustrating, head down, won’t pass football, that he’s prone to at times… we need team players, and wingers tracking back for this game… it’s got to be Young and Valencia for me… they’ll get forward when they can, but they’ll hold up their defensive duties as well… and that’s a must.
Nani was class against Everton, considering he’s been out for so long
But its probably not the game for him if we require some defensive cover
Park would normally play in this kind of game, but he’s disappeared, it’s great
I’m pretty confident we will concede a goal or 2 tomorrow. I wonder whether we will have the firepower to cause problems at the other end depending on the side that lines up.
Pretty pissed off that we’ve allowed things to come to this tbh. Totally avoidable.
Fucking hell, if we throw away the title in the fucking city stadium in front of all their supporters, cheering tevez’s winning goal. I can’t even stand to think about the possibility. But we simply don’t have any midfield options – I can’t see how Carrick and Scholes wouldn’t be blown away by Toure being up in their faces. Maybe Cleverly? But he’s hardly played lately. Our midfields been well and truly found out, and Toure is more than capable of doing Fellaini’s job against us for Everton.
Yeah that;s been the staple of my nightmares too.
Re: Nani… say what you like about him, confidence in big matches is not an issue. Plenty of his best performances have come in such games, he destroyed City in the Community Shield and was great against Everton and QPR.
This is a game where we miss Fletcher… fuck… did I just say that out loud?
Yeah he’s not the only one shitting his pants now is he…
We absolutely miss Fletcher. Fletchers a good player, people mostly criticise him for being something he’s not. But if you want a box to box all rounder with good energy and endurance, he’s good at that job. I can’t see him coming back though.
I honestly can’t understand the thinking about our midfield for the past few seasons. There’s been no effort to replace Hargreaves — whether or not you rate him, he’s clearly a defensive midfielder so SAF saw need for that role. then Fletch did the job Hargo for hired for, and a lot of other jobs as well with varying degrees of success, but as the two finals against Barca proved, if Fletch was unavaiable we simply had no possible replacement. Then Fletch was starting to look dodgy, for reasons that are now clear.
So if we arent looking for both an attacking/creative midfielder and an all-action one this summer, we’re going to keep watching the same shit match after match, where any team with a strong midfield and a clever manager will shut us down. Champions League, Europa, Newcastle, Everton,, same thing over and over. the thing that worries me about Monday is that City are exactly one of those teams well placed to take advantage of our one note midfield.
We will get the result that we need.
we’ve played them 3 times this season and won twice, we need a draw, while they have the pressure on them to win. Remember what happens when city are under pressure? (see city vs arsenal)
also they haven’t scored against us at the council house in over 300 minutes of football. in the league that is.
ALSO when was the last time you saw united have THREE shite games in a row?
We’ve played some of our best football this season against city. The 6-1 was an aberration that was due more to the red card and some poor keeping than our tactics or the respective skill of the two teams. I’m nervous – any sane fan should be – but still expecting us to get a draw at the very least.. Although I can’t imagine this game ending as a draw.
we are man united, we do what we want
like that =)
we’ll be fine
That made me feel a bit better.
3-0 to city
nah
we’ll score
Tevez hat trick?
What the hell is SAF going to do? Does he bring in Smalling for Rafael? Does he shore up the MF and bring in Giggs or Park or bring Rooney back and go with Welbeck up top? Listening to SAF yesterday, I really don’t think even he knows. Oh how we are missing Fletcher right now ’cause he would be the perfect guy to come in and do a job in central MF.
My heart says 2-1 with a late United winner but my head says a City win. Hope my fookin’ heart prevails…
There is an horrific rumour going around that United may use Park to “contain” City! (well,it was on BBC text via “The Sun” so it must be true)!Is he still at the club?
Yeah I’ve heard that too. I’ve also heard SAF playing Giggsy and taking out Valencia so you can’t go by rumours. I honestly don’t think SAF even knows his starting 11 yet.
Right. Got my things packed and am now moving to a small Pacific Island where I will live the rest of my days without having to suffer a single mention of football ever again.
See you all later.
United have some things planned, apparently. Banners and whatnot. I want flares.
Nah its all skinny jeans these days.
There can be rocket launchers and flame throwers for all I care. I just want the 3 points.
Rocket launchers and flame throwers might be a good idea. But you just KNOW the media would make us look like the bad guys….
I’m the same way, I’m dreading the game tonight and I’m sure that’s not the idea…
I’m not being all doom and gloom but I just cannot see any chance of a win for us tonight!
I’m sure for the 1-6 thrashing we owe them payback!
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits…..
City win 3-1.
As much as I try, I can’t help but feel City has enough to beat us tonight. Yet Fergie’s proved me wrong on so many occasions – hoping it’ll be the same tonight.
Well if SAF sets us out in a 4-4-2 with Scholes and Carrick in the middle, rent history strongly suggests we’re fucked. But what else can we play? We’ve no fucking midfielders. Cleverly is the only option I can see, he was good against City in the community shield, but Giggs and Park have both come up short recently. Cleverly would at least give City a new problem to deal with.
If we win or draw I’ll strip off and run through Manchester centre….
I’m hoping for a Newcastle favour tbf….
I don’t understand this belief… why do you think City are more likely to drop points against Newcastle than United?
If City win tonight they will destroy Newcastle.
I think City will beat us tonight… but usually when I feel this pessimistic United win. So what does that mean?
If we lose this match but win the title because City drop points afterward, it won’t be very satisfying at all. It will feel like winning on a technicality. We need to show some fucking bollocks and at least get a draw from this shower.
if jones is anywhere near the team sheet, we are buggered
Han – I feel the same about Giggs and Hernandez too. But I’d love to be proven wrong.
i see you got the wi fi sorted out for you in the middle of the pacific…
Yeah I agree, if City win tonight that’s it, we’re done for. This season will go down in infamy as the year City made us their gimp bitches. We’re going to need some great individual performances this evening.
Coconut laptop.
Rumours going around that Evans is missing through injury.
But I also read he trained today…. it’s reaching crazy hour.
Only 30 minutes before Ferguson tells us he’s playing Owen up front by himself and Park at right back.
FUCKS SAKE:
“18:39 Nothing’s confirmed yet but we’re hearing one or two whispers about an “interesting” United team selection. Looks like we may be in for a surprise or two.”
from official United site.
Now that is worrying. Even the propaganda machine is jittery.
berba starts…?
Well just saw him, Anderson and Pogba walking off bus on MUTV… Owen looking pretty pleased with himself too.
Didn’t see Evans.
weird how many ex reds are/have been on the bitters payroll in recent years…
and don’t expect any favours from newcastle on sunday
this is up to us and us alone
valencia on the bench hmmm
park starts so we are going to be ok then
We’ve already lost
Giggs / Park have been fucking wank all season. Jones has been shocking recently. Smalling hasn’t played football for 2 months. Expect this to get embarrassing.
We won’t keep the ball. Jones / Giggs / Park can’t pass to a red shirt if they tried at the minute.
i’m actually surprised SAF didn’t go for owen and berba to start as well
FUCKING HELL
What did I tell you….
The Madness of King Alex.
Nani good choice. Apart from that, I am terrified.
Also… no Cleverley at all?
My god… this could get gory.
De Gea; Smalling, Jones, Ferdinand, Evra; Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Park; Rooney
Ah FFS!!!! Set up for the draw! Fergie has shit himself!
Nightmare! Fuck it!
PARK
I might not watch
listen to radio 5 – its far more entertaining
Was honestly thinking the same, just have a look how far from that starting 11 we are behind City’s, for attacking creativity!!
How depressing!
oh ffs
we cannot afford to attack like headless chickens tonight
its going to be soak up their shit and try and hit them on the counter
Wow that team sheet’s even worse than I feared. We’re fucked, hope we can nick a bore draw.
so 442 against barcelona, but 451 v city
giggs park evra jones all need to turn it on tonight if we are to have a chance.. they have been poor…terrible selection imo..fergies proved us all wrong before
Cal will be happy.
When did we last do 451 well
Back when we had the players to actually do it up front Sid
seriously going to get a hardcore dicking tonight.
That team sheet to me is Fergie accepting City have the better players, and more quality!!
Hope Fergie has big plans for this summer?!?
Our bench sys it all: 5 forwards and one defender. Fervid clearly doesn’t anticipate the need to make changes to hold onto a lead. Plan A is a 0-0 draw.
Looking at these line ups, it’s not very hard to tell which club is owned by a sugar daddy and which one by parasites.
SPOT FUCKING ON!!!
funny to hear all the massive fans saying they’ve been supporting bitters since 30 years etc
Shitting bricks.
not breeze blocks yet
even more funny to see fergie and united players and fans shitting bricks when four weeks ago they were slagging off mancini, tevez, agero, nasri.
Shut upyou cunt. Mancini is average, Tevez is selfish scum, Nasri is shite and Aguero, as always, has been well respected by United fans.
Decent final words those.
Bricking it.
I’m behind on the Sky plus so I’ll bid you all farewell and report back… stay strong brothers. It could get ugly.
All about Evra and Ferdinand. We need leaders because Scholes, Park and Giggs are gonna get raped.
We are going for a lucky counter attack.
If Tevez has a blinder we are fucked because he has the biggest bollocks on the pitch.
apart from the cunt bit and mancini being average, i’d tend to agree with that
Ref will need to have the game of his life… I can see a sending off or a penalty situation settling this game.
guts, glory etc
time to show our balls
Oh no…. Giggs and park…
Here we go you fuckerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs…
Is that directed at me cunto?
Park looking busy. Must have eaten a Husky before kick off.
no!
Predictable. Park not passing to any of our players.
Jones lumping it forward everytime he gets the ball.
Nani fucking up a good chance to get forward
standard
You good mate?
Retard nani tonight!! Ffs
City looking nervous.
FFs Nani calm down
City doing their usual 10 minute bottlejob at home against us
I’m happy enough so far… but we must score with our early pressure.
yep boss, back to work tomorrow but I’ve had a month off so have to validate my pay cheque at some point.
hope you are doing ok. i see that nani is being a thick cunt again ffs
Doing well to break up their play
Giggs sliding in, Park stressing about and that
all the cunts are here today!
Oh no…. Giggs and park…
Fergies going for “rope a dope” here, let these cunts punch themselves out for 70 mins then get welbeck Valencia on.
Either that or we’ll be 3 down and fecked by then…
First game ive fucking watched in months
That was meant for that cunt Danni Sid misquoted
We can’t win without Valencia. Looks like he has concluded that we can’t win here and he is going to play for a draw!
The stradegy also could be to feel out Man City in the first half and make three dramatic substitutions late in the second half.
This is awful. They’ve got over their early match wobble now.
No goal. And we’re fucked. Fucking long ball shite. Need to cut that bollocks out immediately. It won’t fucking work.
Well in Jones
That cunt got through too easily though
all good. Got some time off but its pissing down with rain. You were lucky with the weather.
We need Young to win a penalty today.
Kompany really is going to eat that shit up, every time we fling the ball forward he will nod it back and they’ll come back at us. It is fucking shocking.
FFS… Rooney is going to get frustrated…
Jones can’t fucking pass
Fucks sake
Diego looks like his hanging.
They’re warming up!! Ffs
To close from Aguero.
Oh no…. Giggs and park…
Fergies going for “rope a dope” here, let these cants punch themselves out for 70 mins then get welbeck Valencia on.
Either that or we’ll be 3 down and fecked by then…
Aguero spanners it
yep, they have the game now. we just need to wait for a fuck up and counter.
they have targetting jones – see how the attacks are coming through donkey jones with aguero combining with the others.
Should have started with an attacking team, looked for two early goals in the first half and then close up shop in the second half. If its still goaless after the first half, we will burn them good in the second half.
Park and Jones are cunts
Evra skinned
Niall Quinn the fucking bitter bellend is doing my fucking nut
Shut the fuck up you biased biased cunt
Park is shit!!!
It’s only a matter of time before city score…
Aaahhhhhh
see that way jones got battered, the thick twat trying to run down the pitch with ball. also funny how park and scholes are running around like little farts trying to get the ball.
we are getting cunted in the middle scholes, giggs and park worked well to give the ball away again!
tevez and toure are bullying them.
Sliced open there.
Get closer you cunts!! Keep our cool FFS
ffs danii who do u support. Jones is doing fine.
Only a matter of time now!
jones and park, FUCK OFF
City getting closer.
Giggs use your fucking head!
City are winning it back too easily thanks to some shit passing and some shit balls
watch every citeh attack, it comes through jones’ right wing
he got away with a shoulder barge, gave away a free kick and that lead to a solid chance between agero and nasri
he danced down the pitch and got twated by toure and gave the ball away
he has no distribution skill.
now smalling is helping him out. so far he is being targetting by city. he is not good enough for this game in that right back position. I’m scared.
This is now turning into the game we all dreaded!
Come on United!!
This is a joke now!! Get stuck the fuck in!!
Squeaky bum time til half time now
Hoofing it to Rooney is a waste of time
He’s been shit under pressure for weeks now
again, see how agero beats jones leading to a shot on goal. he is SHIT.
We committed a shitload in that attack, had 6 players in the box or something, left us open to the counter
Danni is right
IN particular, Jones’ completely fucking gash distribution skills. He constantly fucking hoofs it forward. His crossing has been fucking shocking
Is Park the worse footballer you’ve seen for us? Honestly how he gets a wage is beyond me!
Can we hang on till half time?
nani playing with his head up his arse
is he playing?
We have nothing to really threaten them Park is useless
Get PARK off please for the love of god!! It’s embarrassing!
WTF is that dog eating cunt doing
Park just falls over
FUCK
Please do Park a favour and get him off. He’s completely unfit and you can tell he is shattered. he should not even be in the bench. Shit call.
fuck
And here it starts
Ah well… they deserve it
Fuck… well, we’ll have to play now.
Smalling ball watching. FUCK.
Hey mate!
He’s a embarrassment!!
They are cutting us open at will!!
Bound to happen!! Game over now!
Fergie shit it!
Lol we are sooooo shite!!!!!
Awful, fucking awful
Throwing players at the biggest game in the season who haven’t played all fucking season is a fucking joke
Nani, Rooney, Jones, Park, all completely shite
Selection wrong
What the fuck do we not even want to win this
Rooney is completely isolated. Fergie better come up with an answer other that the fucking hairdryer.
So how do we score a goal in the second half when we only have one up front and we can’t keep the ball
Changes needed at half time if Fergal leave it till 60- 70 minutes then were fucked, as Chopper Reid says “Man the “Fuck UP” United and win this fucker.
very good goal
just like Lennox Lewis – they box clever. they have been turning the screw for the last 30 mins and it was a bitch slap of a goal.
fergie is a cunt for playing Park. Park is clearly UNFIT. Jones is clueless twat in that position.
We have beem wanked on in midfield with old cunt Scholes and Giggs, who are apparently playing.
SAF will change things around
we cannot be that negative now
stand up and grow a collective pair
What a time to let a shit soft goal in. Ah well, fergus has gotta make changes and go for it now. One leg park off for starters
the problem with the bench is who can go in the midfield in place of park, giggs or scholes?
he should have played rooney in midfield and Berba upfront.
Park should stay in the hospital because he so out of touch it’s not real.
jones before Raphael – jones can’t even fucking pass!
fergie has fucked this up big time. Spa and Golf in Wales – you fucking twat fergal.
Park off, Giggs off
Young and Valencia on
Fuck it. Just fucking go for it.
Lets give lots of corners until they score. Very intelligent. Soft goal. Kompany free header.
We’re not done yet… just wish we’d have made it to half time.
No early goal, during their bellend period at the beginning, should’ve fucking sorted it and scored
parks last game surely
going for it requires balls
apart from rooney, i can’t really say anyone else has a spare pair
All that shower of shite are not fit or good enough to play for United an if us not winning the league makes Fergie wake up then I’m all for that! Quality is light years behind thanks to the American leeches!!
Turning off now to watch the BobMarley thing!
Peace out!
rooney shld be in midfield Han, and Berba upfront. it’s fucking simple.
after 60 mins you then swap berba with wellbollock or hernandez
IT’S FUCKING SIMPLE – if Rooney is isolated upfront in a 4-5-1 what is the point of him – just put him in midfield and get him to help Scholes.
I’m fucking shocked.
Nani is shit, switch him for tony v. Maybe young for giggs and welbeck for park. Park shit, Carrick playing very well, scholes decent, Rooney having an excellent game but too isolated – give him partners and we have a chance.
Agreed – how the fuck Park was chosen before Valencia is beyond me. Shit call.
oh how i wish you would
just hope SAF can see that plan which looks definitely better than what we have had
why do you bother
seriously
how you can use that description for the team is really uncalled for
lets hope the goal makes fergie change the team around. Park is so fucking useless, but fergie fucking loves him. senile old git. i wonder how much money will get pumped into our coffers from park playing today.
get valencia on. best player for the second half of the season, so we reward him with a spot on the bench for the biggest game. fucking crazy
Did the media not correctly suss out the team? Trip to wales was worth it.
no changes at h/t from SAF
then we’re fucked, simple as
only consolation is that Mancini very rarely looks to reall go for the throat of the opposition.
Fuck fuck fuck i hate this stupid sport
We have no threat whatsoever. And Park is till on! Our children will ask us: what were you doing when Fergie fucked it all up at the Etihad Daddy!
Fergie will have half expected to go behind to City, that’s why we have such an attacking bench
We just have to hope that the game isn’t out of reach by the time we go 442
think they just want it more
Please get Park off. WE ARE LOSING THE TITLE.
Why can’t Park stand on two legs
Why does he insist on falling over every time he takes more than 10 steps
he’s completely unfit. he’s a big match player and has scored vital goals in critical must win games. on that basis Taggart has chosen him but he has played very little this season and his main assets, speed and low centre of gravity have basically gone.
Appalling
Park off thank fuck.
Park off.
As expect Citeh’s better strength and fitness proving better against the old farts Scholes and Giggs – and a clapped out Park.
Giggs off, Valencia on next,
Nani is getting fucking owned by Clichy, switch him, and Valencia can help Jones out
were doing way to little
Park off
442 then, Fergie gambling for the title, this is it
another brilliant first touch by rooney. he really has lost his shit.
evra has had a poor game
too many this season
City are hungrier. Playing with pensioners is not helping.
Carricks anticipation is class.
come on united
put some pressure on
come on lads – much more positive!
Oh fuck off Jones.What a waste.
jones is woeful at times
really poor
that tells you everything you need to know about Phil Jones at the minute. all the fucking time in the world and he boots it all the fucking way over the box. he might as well have tried to fucking boot it bck to OT
JONES IS SHIT
Fergal get Tony V on FFs
This is fucking atrocious, it’s an embarrassment
Completely fucking dogshit, if we don’t get this sorted, they should be fucking ashamed
why start with jones and park who are clearly unfit is the nagging question?
agreed but some cunts will still think gold shines out of his arse
de jong v. <and united midfielder>, ha ha ha – they are gonna get raped!
What a load of rubbish. Need to turn this shit off!
Young should be thrown straight on
They’re trying to close this out now, we should be getting more fucking aggressive
Tevez off. Mancini going defensive.
mr manchester off
I blame the LBO, the season ticket prices, the Glazers, McManus and Magniers, Martin Edwards and JP Morgan for arranging the junk bonds and the horrible PIK interest.
where did all the early season promise go jones?
now he just looks so clumsy
20 mins for the title
we’ll score
…but his got heart and guts and bollox (knobby)
hahaha
come on united
do one for uncle
Fergie started Park to throw Mancini a curveball, and because he defends and he grafts
But the fact that he wasn’t match fit or match sharp should have outweighed those things
The longer it remains 1-0 the more nervy City will become
and he isn’t johnny foreigner either
It’s great how Nani and Carrck can conspire to give the ball away.
Jones doing well to get a yellow card, the silly bollock.
Why no attacking subs like Val and Young. This will decide our season! I don’t fucking understand it. Get off your fat arse and make a decision. Anything has to be better than this insult.
we cant deal with toure at all
we are getting fucked in the arse in front of 680m. shameful.
Looks like Fergie doesn’t give a fuck
and neither do the players
why is rooney waving his arms around like a bellend while the game is going on
Why is Jones anywhere near the pitch
Nani is doing his usual run around like a fucking headless chicken nonsense
Completely. Fucking. Awful
Knew it as soon as the line ups were announced
not like we haven’t had enough time to try over the past 2 seasons
Nani is a show boating cunt who never plays according to the occasion
is giggs playing?
Fergie being restrained, g’won
SAF has more balls than half this team at the moment
wow Fergie losing his cool. Never seen that before.
robbie savage is a sorry excuse for a commentator
so hung up he couldn’t make the grade at united
Why does that Madeira swigging always leave it so late with changes.
fergie has lost it!
fucking mystery how he is still on.
we will score
nani has been a tosser
mancini making this a war now, wasting vital time and breaking up the flow.
we need a miracle.
rooney has also blown a gasket. we’ve lost the physical and mental battle.
we need plain old luck now cos we’ve been shafted for 80 mins.
Mancini closing shop.
Young coming on. Gonna dive for a penalty.
come on United!!!
I’s hate myself but I’d take it because we have been a crap team who are physically and mentally weak.
Where the fuck is the urgency from United there doing fuck all.
come on reds
this is so horrible to watch, outplayed in every department. mentally shot to peices.
we just need it to come from someone’s arse.
City tearing us a new arsehole and they playing with 7 defensive players. Embarrising.
Rooney needed to step up today and instead has let us down miserably
5 minutes injury time
come on united
come on you fuck ups, 5 mins.
Jones is the worst signing Fergie’s ever made.
Rooney has been fucking gash all fucking game
he’s barely been here
fucking completely wank. he hasn’t passed it 5 yards accurately all game. shocking , shameful, embarrassing
Put the wrong team on the field from the get go. SAF has got to go after this game. I had enough after the Wigan and Everton games.
rooney has been truly awful. he should have a week’s wages docked.
Bebe?
it was obvious to all apart from the SAF, rooney, carrick, scholes and giggs bummers.
500 minutes of injury time and we couldn’t score
Corner. Come on you cunts.
not even a shot on goal I think. total shit.
Only Rooney the whole fucking teams been gash tonight from the Manager down to the team.
Wow couldn’t even get a fuckin corner into the box pathetic
let the autopsy begin…
If only we’d got a point against Wigan
He hasn’t played. Jones is actually on the pitch.
SAF has shown himself to be useless in big matches… Again…
Has to be the poorest performance I’ve seen since the days when United used to play Chelsea in the 2004-06 era.
In any case, United always seem to have a shocking record against the 2nd placed team in recent years.
No hope now. 8 points and we blew it! Knew it was coming Maybe if we had a midfield it might have gone our way.
No more victories for us in anything if Fergie carries on.
i disagree sid
we should have been out of the running months ago with this limited squad through injuries, inexperience or whatever
shame we now have to want the geordies to do us a favour
Bah!
Fuck it…
everything was bad
fucking completely gash tactics, completely gash selection
Jones, Park, why are they anywhere near the team at the minute, they were fucking abominable, barely able to pass the ball 5 fucking yards
Rooney should be embarrassed and ashamed to pick up his wage this week
Giggs, what was the point
Why didn’t we even try and get the ball to Valencia when he came on
I can’t even begin to express how fucking dire that was. Did any cunt want it? No. Mentally, gone, physically, too old
WTF was SAF thinking. Gobsmacked at that useless spineless performance.
Fergal ruined this with his fucking bullshit artist trips to spas and golf.
He was giving it the billy big bollocks that his team is too good for training as if the title was swen up.
The biggest fuck up of Fergal’s career.
Mancini has bummed him. Apparently he is a shit manager and he’s gonna get the sack this summer.
A truly epic slap for those arrogant, conceited, spoilt and bully boy so-called United fans.
Deserved win and advantage for City but its still not over yet, why Fergal started with that team I don’t know at least Welbeck and Valencia should have been on from the go, no shots on goal totally inept performance from the whole team no need to pick single players out all of the did bugger all.
Hang on though, it’s not quite over. City have to go to Newcastle and win. Last time they were in this position, they fucked it up big time. They need to find some bollocks.
Two trips to spas and golf in the last two weeks. That sums it up.
Like many united fans he thought Mancini was a shit head.
Arrogance and complacency. Simple.
I blame those cunts giving it large with those champ20ns tshirts (which still make no fucking sense)
And fucking hell Nani, see ya in the summer surely? epic clear out coming, surely
oh ffs
the pressure is back on them not us
come sunday afternoon & we will know even before we kick off against swansea whether anything we do is going to make a difference
disappointed with that display though, no real clue about the tactics and it will be said that SAF is past it and needs to go but this is part of the ride
tbf that was a 1-0 thrashing, enormous gulf in quality
and we need to win two more games with this sack of shit.
it would be a hollow victory. all the world apart from united fans will know who the best team in the land is.
1-6 and 1-0.
the manner of the defeat, Fergal getting riled by Mancunty, and Rooney being utterly shit for 250,000 PER WEEK. disgrace.
exactly Uncle, it may be 1-0 but it was more like 10-0.
evra and rio were shit as leaders. tevez shat on everyone in sight. he had the biggest bollocks and he spunked over everyone with them.
This hurts like fuck. I am absolutely gutted. Hurts more than losing to barca. Spineless shower of cunts. Well played city. Superior in every department.
We just blew an 8 point lead. SAF was out of his mind. I think he thought we were playing Barcelona or Real Madrid by playing Park and others. I will look for the news tomorrrow that SAF has been sacked! This is totally unacceptable at Man United. Are we so shameful that we have to depend on Newcastle to do us a favour? Are we capable of beating Swansea and Sunderland? Its over folks!
we spunked away at 8 point lead. i think we are the one who look like shit on our faces, not them.
don’t you see it, newcastle won’t matter. they have cunted us mentally..
maybe, especially the final point, but i don’t see what SAF did wrong in taking them away for a few days – he knows how to manage the players but it’s down to them being able to handle the expectation too
rooney looks jaded and has for the past 6 weeks
evra just looks shot after 5 years
jones and park were clearly unfit but we don’t have the required squad depth to call the shots anymore
The players don’t give a shit. That much is obvious.
We just didn’t keep the ball enough in the final third. That said, bar the corner was nearly 0-0? Really didn’t understand the principle of playing Park in the middle you need to keep the ball and you leave 3/4 players on the bench who could all do that and play the one player that is the weakest at it! Zero attempts on target because we never got enough possession in the final third, never turned the full backs. Valencia and Wellbeck should have started for Giggs and Park.
City have a better 11, but you can’t say they are a better team until they win the league. Everyone was saying United were the better team when we were 8 points clear, and they will again, if City fuck it up from here.
i don’t understand that
we chased city down from january
just accept that we didn’t have the staying power
People saying its not over. Trust me, it is. On tonight’s performance, who do you think is more likely to win their last 2 games us or them? Who do you think has the momentumn and the morale?
Well it isn’t over, the way the season has gone dictates that. It’ll go to the final game of the season. Sunday will be a massive day.
We conceded the title when Everton scored their 4th goal at OT. But tbh we are lucky to be challenging for a title this season with the shit squad we have.
Wow breaking news….. CITY are a better team…. Hardly, they’ve been the better team all season and will be for the next few years from what I can see. When you can spend money like they can then it’s only a matter of time before you dominate a league.
They are a MUCH better team to watch.
They deserve the title.
We can’t really complain, it hurts like fuck but that’s just the facts. Fergie knew the gulf in class hence why he set up like that tonight, the moment we play Park we might as well just hold up the white flag! He is THE worse footballer I’ve seen to play for United in the 20 years of following them.
We’ll see this summer how serious we are about closing the gap….
Tactics was spot on. ALL the players played their part. The plan was to keep it tight and level for as long as possible and if City start to chase the game we could catch them on the counter. Unfortunately, Smalling had a little brain fart because he is young. I do not care that we did not have a shot a target. De Gea made only one save all game. City are at home so they had to bring the game to us. Tevez was anonymous after a good start Nasri faded. If we had kept it tight till midway into the second half we could have nicked a point at least.
We will beat Swansea and Sunderland. City should beat Newcastle. They will beat them because Newcastle will be tired after the Chelsea game.
A shit squad doesn’t amass 83 points with 2 games left. That’s enough to win a league.
But aye, if we lose the title then it will have been lost against Wigan, Blackburn, Everton. Those wrongs can be righted next season… If we sign a midfielder, stop playing Jones and kill Park.
to be fair it was too good to be true 3 weeks ago
but any fan to say it was over was deluded – simple as
SAF knew it wasn’t even then but i point the finger on the players themselves and lack of any leader to keep their heads in check on the pitch
ffs how much is a 70 year old able to do?
i dread the day SAF goes, i really do
imagine little mickey p taking the mantle on…
We need to put at least 8 goals past Swansea because Man City will murder QPR at home and they will send QPR crashing back to the Championship. We must keep the faith and look forward to next season. Newcastle will have to say a lot of prayers to even get a draw against Man. City.
How about playing our BEST fucking 11 in the MOST important game of the fucking season. what the Fuck are park or giggs doing in this game?!
Interesting comments from Mancini
“It’s a great victory but we have two difficult games left and United have two easy games.
“Manchester United are still favourites. Swansea and Sunderland have nothing to play for. I am very happy that we are top but it doesn’t change anything.
He just won’t accept publicly that his team are the favourites because he knows they can’t handle the pressure. He’s taking no risks.
And he’s calling out Sunderland and Swansea by dismissing them. He’s hoping for a reaction.
watching us against good teams is like watching subbeteo v playstation3, straight lines and pedestrian play n crosses v movement and guile
apart from that bit about park, i salute your indefatithingymejig brian and
sorry for being a twat to you recently
pressure of wanting the title screws me up at times
he has learnt a few tricks about those mind games hasn’t he the cad
Mancini is a smug delusional cunt.
Lets be clear here, just because city have won the title doesn’t mean he’s a good manager. If we didn’t have such a shit squad we would have won by 20+ points.
His mind games were quite frankly embarrassing.
Fine perhaps my comments were a bit over the top but we have just thrown the title away after City gave it to us on a silver fuckin platter. Yes, Jones and PArk are terrible but we also need to replace Evra and overhaul the central MF. Do you think we’ll have the funds for all that?
If United had picked a decent side it would have been a close game. The moment he picked Park the game was lost. The number of times he gave away possession injected City with huge confidence and they never looked back.
It’s sad but Park has to go. With a couple of signings and a fully fit squad we’ll be ok next season though.
Cheer up lads. I don’t even feel that bad because I had given up on the game before the first whistle was blown.
probably not
but at least we won’t have the glory hunting twats with their champ20n tee shirts & twattering opinions
support united in good times
love them even more in the bad
I’d say that’s less mind games or worrying about his squad an more can’t be arsed going along with the media title battle fergie v mancini narrative
Park has been a good servant but his time has come to be moved on
lack of quality in the squad has cost us this season thats the long and short of it
should have really kept brown and o’shea as back up
but it’s the likes of nani who really frustrates – that much talent and yet so little clue today
Apparently we might be buying Shinji Kagawa so that takes care of the Asian shirt sales market.
It was like watching Gary Neville in his last days.
All you geniuses slating Fergie…we wouldn’t be even in contention at this stage if it wasn’t for Fergie dragging this poor United side through the season! Get real.
We’re not great, we’ve no money, our best players are past it…and we’ve been depleted by injuries all season. Fuck sake, even Jonny Evans was finally fulfilling his potential this season…..thanks to Fergie’s perseverance btw….and he gets injured at a crucial time. Fergie has done an unbelievable job. Not sure any other manager could have got as much out of this squad. Fair enough, Park was a strange call tonight….even Fergie gets it wrong sometimes.
Be careful what you wish for.
There are still two games to go, who knows what could happen, City still might choke again at the crucial moment….or we might get a freak result and knock 10 past Swansea!!
Don’t think anyone’s saying SAF should go. I’m certainly not.
Factor in all the injuries we’ve had this season and it’s a miracle we’ve come this far. I’m sure we’ll improve next season and with Fergie at the helm I’m confident.
shame that this goes down to goal difference
1 name whispered quietly
Berbatov
not entirely sure he would have made up 8 goals by himself but i’m sure we wouldn’t be 8 behind if he had been given a chance
I don’t know, he misses his fair share of sitters.
Wow not ONE bloody shot on goal the whole 95 minutes. Pathetic stuff!
To be honest you’re the only ranter who’s got any balls left these days…. Well once Mad let’s you have them back!!
txtl8r xx
define great servant
crap player who can’t control a football a winger who can score or ceate but runs around aimlessly who’s basically steven hunt with netter shirt sales , can’t believe his luck when he finds himself suddenly at one of the worlds biggest clubs benching his way to league and prem medals on 50k a week
he’s a passenger an always has been
Not true. But well done for contributing.
I think its somewhere in between the two. Served a purpose but not world class, bit like O’Shea and Brown etc his time has come. Not everyone in the squad is gonna be great but Park has contributed particularly in big Premier games.
Buy the three lads in midfield from Bilbao and we’ll be fine;-)
City are still a long way from dominating and we have seen it before with Chelsea. I don’t think any one team will dominate the top flight again in the way that United and Liverpool have. Money and the attitude to managers has changed that for good. FFP will play its part. You can’t magic support up out of thin air. But I’ll say this for the last time, it isn’t over. See you all Sunday!
True. I never said he was world class though. He certainly has been a great servant. Tevez on the other hand was a terrible servant, despite being more technically gifted than Park.
Apparently such simple logic is lost on uncle.
Strangely I was more disappointed with the Everton result!
Me too. Same with Wigan, Blackburn etc.
whatever you say unc
i’m not in the mood to pull apart your pubes looking for an argument with you or anyone else
i’ll accept you know best on all things to do with this club
20m pounds for Phil ‘Headless Chicken’ Jones? wow only 8m dollar Bebe tops that!
tbf han we both called it on him starting,
what’s that 9 straight losses when he’s played or summat
What is there to understand? The title wasn’t lost tonight. It was lost over the course of the season when we failed to smash the shite out of the mid table/relegation threatened teams when they were there for the taking and it was clear that we needed to do something about our goal difference. West Brom, Villa and QPR (all at home) being examples.
It was lost last week when we twice thought the game was won, arrogantly ignoring the fact that Everton were still fighting to stay in the match. It was lost against the Rent Boys when we allowed ourselves to go 3-0 down and needed 2 penalties to get a foothold in the match.
The title was lost when United went to Wigan thinking the championship was all over and put in one of the shittest performances of the season – although these things are all relative because there have been many shit performances this season lost in the record books where it says that we did just enough to win against certain teams.
We nearly lost it when we failed to put the Vermin to the sword and then made life difficult after the Racist scored to make it 2-1. We nearly lost it against Fulham when they should have had a penalty at the end.
The only reason we caught up was because Tevez and Balotelli’s antics nearly fucked City up.
This is a United side lacking in fight, hunger and quality.
Someone made the comment that Park fulfills the contribution to the Asian market, which, of course is very lucrative.There is no other reason why the useless turd would play. You just knew when his name was on the team-sheet that there was only going to be one outcome.Also fergie needs to get himself a decent number 2, not someone that looks like they’ve been wheeled out of an old peoples home. He needs someone to say no this is not going well,lets change it, not some bloody doormat.
Despite the gloom we are still equal on points.If City,after spending millions, can’t win the league with United in transition,Liverpool in terminal decline,Spurs imploding and Chelsea and Arsenal not turning up until February then really they should be worried.
I still think this season has more “twists” to it.
http://www.sport360.com/article/paul-pogba-decides-quit-manchester-united-juventus-after-all
Who cares! Hope he enjoys playing in front of 25,000 fans every week in a corrupt league equivalent to the championship in a country thats practically turned its back on club football. Let him go and move on….
if thats true, then tell him to close the door on his way out
too many young players don’t know the meaning of loyalty these days
so goodbye, farewell, adieu and chase the money instead
City have the better team, but a major mistake was starting Park over Valencia. Valencia has been our best player for the last 3 months and Park hasn’t even started a game in that period – insanity!
Fletcher was missed, playing Giggs and Scholes in the same midfield even in a 3 is asking too much at their age. We do need another midfielder, but except a creative one not a combative one in the summer as Fergie waits on Fletcher.
We just have to hope City don’t spend big again on someone like Van Persie. If they do City could dominate for years to come. This could just be the beginning.
The hardest part is winning the league for the first time, so they say. It gets easier after that.
han sort this deadrevel cock out, he’s trying to take your place, as you took pipeys
I think Mancini (Mancity) is the new Arsene (Arsenal) & Fergie is going to be made to look a bit antiquated in terms of tactics and psychology. There’s only so much a man can do with one hand tied behind his back by the Glazers. The Suarez affair brought football to new lows and if City win the league and Lpool win the cup double then it is quite possibly the worst season for a long long time.
sheesh you said that the players couldn’t give a shit (and hence why we lost); unless i’m being particularly thick, passion itself doesn’t make for 3 points week in week out
look at what players we have had to play with the bulk of the season and your reasoning doesn’t make sense to me —-
a new goalkeeper who after his start showed his true mettle and balls over the past 4 months – and don’t forget he is still a teenager
our defence consisting of a crocked 34 year old, an absent world class centre half for over half the season, a player whose mind was on an FA hearing for 3.5 months after being racially abused by a fellow professional and afterwards having his integrity questioned over and over again
a midfield consisting of 2x 37 year olds
an attack where the focus and responsibility for carrying the team fell on 1 player’s shoulders to such an extent that even he looks burnt out the past 6weeks
injuries to other key players which exposed the lack of squad depth and quality
so apologies if i took issue with your earlier post but i still don’t agree with your assertion
So what is complacency? If a player switches off because he thinks the game is won, it’s a sign that he would rather go on auto-pilot than give another 20-30 percent. The City lot are hungrier/more passionate than us because they haven’t won the league before. Complacency is the difference between sitting back/settling for a 4-2/allowing the opposition to come onto us without any pressure and keeping up a performance right to the very end. Complacency/not giving a shit is why our goal difference remains vastly inferior to City’s and why we could end up losing the title on such paper thin margins. This is the difference between winning and losing the championship.
We won’t have lost the league because City have a vastly superior squad to ours (although, obviously, our lack of quality is a major issue). We will have lost it because we shot ourselves in the foot when it really mattered – in those key moments.
As for Evra, he’s been on the decline for the last 2-3 years. Let’s not pretend that the racism saga affected his performances because he was playing rubbishly even before the Suarez thing happened. Part of the problem is that we have overplayed him without any genuine competition for his place. People will blame injuries/racism and all this other bullshit for why we lost the league this season instead of questioning the mental attitude of the players (their will to win) – just like they blamed this bullshit for us losing the title to Chelsea not too long ago when we surrendered top spot to them and they won the league.
Anyway, I’m off to bed. Tomorrow will be another shit day.
Injuries obviously played a part. We are level on points with City but we have had far more injuries. So to say otherwise is stupid.
And you’re wrong about hunger. Maybe a few of the players are like that but most of them are not. We have too many average or inexperienced players. Simple.
watching them power runs through the middle from that toure reminded me of jones at the start of the season
remember back then when we thought we had a young new team
Although I agree that we need to freshen up the squad and a few players need to exit Door OT, SAF has to be praised for taking an average United squad so close to the title. Add in the injuries we’ve sustained and all the reasoning in the above posts and there is no way that SAF should take the blame – tactics in this game aside.
Let’s remember that we are even on points with City – that’s a hell of an achievement considering City have billions and we have the Glazers.
SAF took too long to bring on Valencia and Young. And I agree with some that Berbatov should have played in this game. Most pundits believe QPR are going to ruin Man City’s chances because they will go there needing a win to avoid relegation and they will cause the upset of the day.
I don’t believe none of that. I’m not looking for any favours. We blew an eight point lead and now I look forward to next season and hope SAF has learned from his drastic mistakes. Park should have been parked in the parking lot. We need a manager with some common sense.
How park started ahead of Valencia i will never know.
We were simply outplayed by a superior team.
If he wins the epl and you add is five trophies in Italy and consider his age only a thick cunt would think he is not a good manager
You’re an idiot.
yep for anyone to suggest he is delusional and a crap manager is smoking some good shit.
As far as im concerned any manager who plays an unfit Ji Sung Park against this City midfield is fucking delusional.
Feeling slightly more rational this morning and
– Park Ji Sung should be moved on. He’s really not good enough anymore. He just ran around and fell over. Alot. And gave the ball away every ten seconds
– Phil Jones needs to spend the entire summer – literally 10 hours a day – passing a football to feet to someone in a red shirt
– Ryan Giggs, as great as he has been for United, needs to call it a day.
– Pat Evra needs the summer off and a decent enough deputy to take some of the weight of performing
– Nani needs showing some videos of how wingers play, and how to play for the occasion, instead of trying… whatever it was he did last night
– Rooney needs to sort his head out. He was woeful last night, and has been for the last six or seven games I’ve seen him in. A lot of his goals have been on a plate, so he’s been scoring, and that’s fine, but we rely on him for our all round game and he didn’t show up again. He could barely pass it 5 yards accurately, nevermind try anything else.
Very few players can come out with much credit last night. I thought the centre backs – apart from Smalling falling asleep for their goal – were actually very solid, and Carrick / Scholes tried their best to keep the ball, even if the rest of the side were hugely determined to keep City in possession.
Ferguson got the tactics right, but the selection completely barking mad wrong. Raphael and Valencia should have started down the right, Young in front of Evra. Rooney instead of Park, and Welbeck up top. How in Bob’s name we thought we could fling long ball after long ball up – either into the channels, or into the middle, and get any joy given the lack of pace in midfield to retrieve the second ball – is really beyond me. It should have been to feet all evening.
Every time City got onto the ball and started to play, if we broke it up, we should have tried to keep the ball for two or three minutes. Get them frustrated, get their fans frustrated. Instead we cleared it, and City simply did to us, what we do to teams – suffocate them with possession and overrun them.
Only the personnel were wrong last night. Valencia instead of Park, Jones in midfield instead of Scholes so he could have gotten to grips with Toure physically and then Giggs closer to Rooney.
All in all, the Everton match cost us this league and that is why last night’s match mattered more than it should have. And on that base, I blame Phelan and his boss squarely. We were leading 4-2 with ten minutes to go at home. Bring on players to shut the shop and kill the game. City brought on de Jong last night in the 67th minute!!!! Took off Tevez.. That will haunt Fergie all summer cos he knew that he failed his players that afternoon at old Trafford.
Jones instead of Scholes? JONES INSTEAD OF SCHOLES???
I know we were utter dogshite last night, but had we stayed switched on at that corner and gone in at 0-0, who knows…
Despite his error for the goal thought Smalling did quite well otherwise considering the game time he’s had recently. Shame Evans missed out. Agree that Jones was poor last night but he did make an incredible tackle late in the game to deny Aguero.
Can’t for the life of me understand why Giggs played 90 minutes. I know we’re short on midfield options with Clev out (where is he???), but would have rather seen Young play in the link-up position with Rooney.
Not too displeased about the tactics or personnel in the first half – it was the reaction to City goal which was most disappointing. Because there simply wasn’t any. Never looked dangerous, kept on giving it away, any crossing opportunities we had were wasted, and the subs were ineffective.
Still think that what Fergie has done with this team is actually an achievement rather than a failure given the lack of quality and our injuries.
Time to start supporting the Cisses I guess….
Oh, and any dreams of attracting players a la Hazard just went up in smoke last night too
You think he’s going to want to come along when we’ve blown an 8 point lead, when he can go to City (probably will end up champs) on more money, and a higher fee to his club
Joke. So much was riding on last night. and we blew it. utterly.
Mancini is a modern manager, well educated in the tactical and technical side of the game, as well as being very media savvy. Fergie is the old school of man management and organisation. He is also 70, and with the way the game is so hyped up these days, it has to drain a man of his age. Look at how Dalglish has struggled to come to terms with modern day football since he’s come back. Its a different game now than it was in the 70/80s/90s.
The tactics were right, the personnel wasn’t. Park should never have started and you can’t play Giggs & Scholes in the same midfield. The team that finished the game was probably the right one, with Rooney deeper.
lol Mancini is an idiot. Anyone who actually believes the crap he comes out with in front of a camera is an even bigger idiot.
Sorry but you’re all deluded. He is not a great manager. Ferguson, Mourinho, Ancelotti, possibly Guardiola are great managers.
We’re tied with City on top of the league and are in the CL again. Plus he would walk into this MF and be a starter most games – could that happen if he went to City?
Whoever thinks Jones can do well in MF needs help. He is overrated and I fail to see where this supposed talent is so far. Maybe if he ends up playing at CB then he will do well for us. And yes, Fergie has got the tactics wrong and perhaps in a few matches this season. But without him, we would be fighting for 4th spot and not the title.
Jones had a great couple of months, like Young, because he’d signed for United and was chuffed and aving it. But now the arse has well & truly fallen out of his game, and he’s just another lump.
Playing him in midfield and at right back is part of his development; it’s to make him a better footballer. But we won’t see the benefit of that for years. And in the mean time he shouldn’t be starting. Raf is better at right back, Evans, Rio and Smalling are better at centreback and he’s an abomination in midfield.
For £180k a week, and rotated with one of Nasri / Silva / Johnson, sure I see it. He’s got bags of potential, so I imagine he’ll get a good chunk of games across the season. Given they’ll want to challenge on 4 fronts, there’ll likely be 60 – 70 games to go around.
We all know where the title is heading, lets not be silly
I would love to get Hazard in because I believe the number 7 shirt at United needs someone to occupy it who is truly worthy of the shirt, and Hazard might just be that man. I just doubt whether Hazard will fancy it now, especially since City know we need someone like that and will deliberately throw silly money at the lad.
I’ve calmed down a bit. I feel slightly more optimistic that Newcastle can at least get a draw from these cunts.
Everything Ben is saying is right though – we were shockingly shit in all areas.
The biggest issue is Fergus – starting Park who was unfit. Jones who is complelely lacking in confidence – two pensioners in midfield – no power and speed with dropping Valencia and Young.
Why did he not put Rooney in the middle and Berbs upfront? Berbs is great at dropping deep and helping calm things down and retaining possession.
I liked the tactics but the personnel was shit.
also 250k for a fat twat who can’t pass to save his life. what the fuck have fergal and phelan done to him.
One point your missing Danni that fat twat has score more goals than the next two player´s together those being Welbeck and Hernadez and regardless of what he earns he cant do it all himself, yes he had a shite game but no service didn’t help at the end of the day team selection and tactics lost the game.
1 day later and that defeat still hurts like a bitch. I can’t remember ever feeling so low about a result.
I just can’t see it getting any better in the forseeable future. I expected big things last summer after we got trashed by Barcelona and all we did was bring in a keeper, Young and Jones – the latter 2 who I am not convinced by at all.
Who’s to say things will be different this summer?
I’ve been alternating between hating the tactics and hating the players. Can’t make my mind up.
I think it’s because we have good players, but only when they are given attacking tactics. The recent game against Everton is a perfect example of this. So what were we supposed to do against City?
In the end, although we were poor, if not for a defensive error from a simple set piece, we would have got a draw. And I’m sure we’d all be much happier if that had happened, regardless of the performance. It’s only in retrospect that ‘going all out and taking the game to them’ sounds like a good idea.
Ferguson and United can rise to the challenge, but only if we sign at least one top midfielder this summer. And if we don’t, then I think that’s more likely to be down to the Glazers than Ferguson being short sighted or stubborn.
I thought Carrick and Rooney were excellent last night, but there was a lot of average, poor, old, or just young players around them. Is Cleverly injured? Surely he couldn’t have been worse than Park in Park’s role last night. Should also have gone with Valencia and Young on the flanks, they are pacey players who could have countered quickly and given Rooney more support in the first half, when he was playing excellently but was too isolated. But to be fair to Fergie, it’s impossible to know which Nani is going to show up, if it had been the good one great, but we got the clueless muppet Nani last night.
A lot of personnel are needed if we’re going to be contenders again. Rio is getting worse; Scholes and Giggs should only be occasionally used. We’ve got no proper defensive midfielder, though Carrick did a decent battlers job, because Hargo and now Fletch are gone. We’ve got no creative attacking midfielde., We’ve got no true left midfielder. We’ve got no deputy at all for left back even though the left back is a crucial role in our style of play.
The most optimistic outlook for next season is that our young players kick on and prove to be really capable in their roles: Evans, Rafael,, Jones, Cleverly, Welbeck. but even if all those lads do cut the mustard — and probably a couple will be founding wanting, at least in the short term — we’ll still be lacking options in numerous vital areas of the pitch.
Credit to Fergie for keeping the wagon rolling this long, but the consequences of the Glazer era just cannot be hidden any more. Without a serious injection of talent into the squad next season, we’ll be battling like Arsenal for 4th or 3rd.
i think SAF may want to call it a day
can’t see him carrying on for another season myself
just looks drained and especially after last night, that twinkle has definitely gone
Won’t happen. I don’t think this squad needs as much improvement as others think.
We were sensational at the start of the season with Cleverley and Anderson firing. And that just proves what we all know – with two top CMs we are rocking. Ando, whether through injuries or lack of talent will probably never make it, Clev is good but injury prone, so we need to buy two CMs.
Also don’t discount the effect a more confident De Gea and returning Vidic will have on the back 4.
I think that’s more depression that his side showed no fight at all….he’ll stay…he won’t want to leave with City being crowned champions!
Don’t you believe it… football and United are the only reason he gets out of bed in the morning.
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
Don’t you believe it… football and United are the only reason he gets out of bed in the morning.
I felt sorry for Park. He did about as well as could be expected. Nani was more of a disappointment, he should have been subbed after 10 minutes. Giggs should have been subbed instead of Scholes, Valencia should have started, I could go on. It reminded me of a recent Real v Barcelona game where Mourinho tried similar tactics, but he was pragmatic enough to make changes at half time, unlike Fergie who is nothing if not stubborn. He would rather lose than admit he was wrong.
The tactics last night would have worked had we a midfield like theirs
Just hard to understand why they couldn’t give a performance worthy of any praise
Park just doesn’t have the legs anymore and wasn’t anywhere close to being match fit. But SAF should have realized this fact and gone with our best 11 from the start. SAF hasn’t always got his tactics spot on this season and perhaps hasn’t handled certain players correctly – not playing Berba for months and playing JOnes everywhere but where he should be are just examples. But I still feel that if it was anyone but Fergie right now, we’d be fighting for 3rd, maybe 4th place and not the title.
I agree and I think you take a punt on Hazard who is only 21 but very talented. We could have and should have brought in a big name in MF before and didn’t and I think it’s time to splash the cash and overhaul this central MF. Kagawa, Gaitan, Martinez, and Eriksen have all been mentioned, but I think Hazard fit the bill.