There is little doubt that Sunday’s Manchester derby will provide a genuine marker for the season ahead. Lose and Sir Alex Ferguson’s United will side will find itself five points behind City in the Premier League. Victory, however, will propel the Reds back to the head of the table. The match is, in Ferguson’s words, is a “real six-pointer”.
The derby’s importance – relevance even – came into question during 35 trophyless years in east Manchester. Abu Dhabi money has changed all that, with the Blues now peerlessly rich, holding the FA Cup and now genuine challengers for United’s Premier League trophy. Cockiness has replaced calamity at Eastlands as £400 million of sovereign wealth is apt to do.
Indeed, City come into the match the team in form, with Roberto Mancini’s side having dropped just two league points this season, scoring 27 goals in the process at more than three a game. Ferguson’s team, meanwhile, has gone somewhat off-the-boil in the past six weeks, despite starting the campaign in such unusually thrilling style.
United’s comeback from two goals down in the Community Shield against City kick-started the season in stunning fashion. Yet, four draws in the past eight games have underlined the loss of form felt in Ferguson’s side since Tom Cleverley suffered injury against Bolton Wanderers in mid-September.
Cleverley’s return to fitness hasn’t come a moment too soon, although the 21-year-old is unlikely to start match Ferguson believes will be significant in this season’s title race.
“It’s early doors of course and there are a lot of winning posts along the way and one of the winning posts is this game,” said 69-year-old Ferguson on Friday.
“It could be a significant point of the season. But you can only judge that at the end of the season really. But it is a six-pointer, no doubt about that. Whichever team wins, it will make a difference. But you can recover from it if you lose. And the way we react in the second half of the season, you hope we will be better. It’s difficult to say sometimes what derby games will be like. Last Saturday against Liverpool was disappointing for 75 minutes but, once the goals were scored, it was a great game.”
Ferguson’s focus on maintaining United’s primacy is undiminished in the face of the new, more localised, threat though. It is a challenge, says the Scot, that the Reds must meet if a 20th domestic title is to head towards Old Trafford next May.
“It doesn’t matter where the challenges come from in this league, you know every year you are going to have to beat someone,” said Ferguson on Friday.
“This year it may be City, although people are being a wee bit premature in writing off Chelsea as far as I am concerned. You can’t discount them. We hope we finish above the both of them. That is the name of the game. City have done fantastically well and, but for throwing away a two-goal lead against Fulham, they would have a 100 per cent record, so we’ve got a game on our hands and we’re looking forward to it.
“The money they have spent doesn’t matter. They are where they are at the top of the league at the moment and at this club we always accept a challenge. We’ve done that time and time again. It’s another situation, another game in the history of the club and we have to deal with it. I enjoy that. It’s the type of challenge we have accepted well over the years.
“When Blackburn had that two-year spell when they were second one year and won it the next it was interesting. It was good for the game. We won the league in 1993 and the next year. Blackburn came along and took the title off us and we reacted in the right way. It doesn’t do any harm.”
In the more immediate future United faces the City challenge with returning midfielder Cleverley likely to make the bench. The youngster exploded into the national consciousness with a match-winning second-half display at Wembley in August. With Ryan Giggs injured, Ferguson will choose two from Darren Fletcher, Anderson and Michael Carrick in central midfield.
Meanwhile, captain Nemanja Vidic is likely to partner Rio Ferdinand in central defence in a rare outing for the pair this season, with Chris Smalling or Phil Jones deployed on the right flank of United’s back four. Wayne Rooney, who scored a brace of penalties in mid-week, will partner Mexican Javier Hernández in attack.
Midfielder Fletcher, who missed much of last season with a mystery virus, underlines the fixture’s importance, not only in the supporters’ consciousness, but for each side’s confidence too. Moreover, adds the Scottish national team captain, United’s pre-eminence is under threat from City. It is a challenge that fans expect United to meet head on.
“We don’t want to give City the confidence of winning trophies to get to our level,” Fletcher told the Daily Mirror.
“Our job is to keep Manchester United on top and as long as we keep on winning the big titles, it means they’re not winning them. If City were to go on a run of winning a lot of trophies, then they would become a global club. But for world recognition, United stands out alone.
The great thing about United is the history of the club. No-one can take away the Busby Babes, the Munich tragedy – all of these things are engrained in the club’s history. United are known all around the world for its history and success, which is what makes it so strong and such a special club.
“Teams like Chelsea have won trophies and built on that success, but that’s been maybe over a 10-year period. They still don’t have the global appeal and size of Manchester United and that’s how we want it to stay.
“The Manchester derby has always been massive, but now City are genuine title contenders for the first time, that makes it even bigger. In previous years, it was bragging rights in the city if you won – it’s a lot more than that now. For years, City weren’t really a threat to us in the league. The derby was always a big game, but now it’s huge in terms of the points at stake and where the title may end up at the end of the season.”
For the moment United remains the dominant force in English football. But City’s challenge is surely coming. How quickly depends, more than just a little, on Sunday’s fixture.
Match Facts
Manchester United versus Manchester City, Premier League, Old Trafford, Sunday 22 October 2011, 1.30pm.
Likely Line-ups
United (4-4-1-1): De Gea; Jones, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Nani, Anderson, Fletcher, Young; Rooney; Hernandez. Subs from: Lindegaard, Smalling, Fabio, Evans, Pogba, Carrick, Cleverley, Park, Berbatov, Welbeck, Valencia, Owen, Diouf.
City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; De Jong, Barry; Nasri, Y Touré, Silva; Agüero; Subs from: Pantilimon, Taylor, Johnson, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Savic, Onuoha, Razak, Milner, K Touré, Hargreaves, Ballotelli, Dzeko.
Performance stats
- Seven of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index’s top ten players will be on display at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Rooney (1), Young (3) and Anderson (5) all likely to start for United.
- Rooney has scored nine goals this season while City’s top scorer is Agüero with eight. The United striker averages a goal every 66′ 53″ seconds.
- In midfield the battle may well come down to each side’s wide players. City’s midfielders David Silva and Samir Nasri have completed a pass in their opponent’s half every 2′ 42″ and 2′ 20″ this season. Young and Nani have averaged one every 4′ 43″ and 4′ 25″, but have completed 62 dribbles compared to the City pair’s 22, and put in 57 crosses against 22.
- Young and Nani have also out run their City counterparts, putting in 122.68 metres and 127.2 metres respectively for every minute they have been on the pitch. Silva and Nasri have run 119.36 and 96.83 metres respectively.
- Meanwhile, in defence Phil Jones and Vincent Kompany have been leading figures for each side, with neither player having lost a tackle this season. Jones has also completed a remarkable 78 passes in his opponent’s half this season.
- In goal, David de Gea has been the busiest ‘keeper in the league this season, making 58 saves compared to Joe Hart’s 33. Both ‘keepers have conceded six goals this season.
Officials
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)
Assistant referees: S Beck, S Child
we’re gonna have to go one up front if cleverleys not fit
fuck sake
For me the important issue is, this is our patch… I don’t want these jumped up tossers leaving OT with anything but their tails between their legs.
I don’t really put too much importance on possibly being 5 points behind, or early season bragging rights… City have had a relatively easy ride so far, compared to United… City have got some very tough games coming… we’d overtake them by Christmas anyway…
But I’ll be sick if they beat us at home.
I want us to win well for once and remove any potential for them taking the moral victory and the media giving it all that ‘utd know they’re right on their coat tails now’ ‘they’re not just noisy neighbours anymore’ type bollocks that have followed all our recent games with them, fucking turn em over properly
Smalling at Right Back, I’d guess. Perhaps he doesn’t dribble the ball as well as Jones, but he scores more. Can’t see Sir Alex setting the side out in anything other than a 4-5-1 either; United’s midfield is…
I agree, but I don’t think 4-5-1 is the answer.
Mancini is a “safety first” type… 4-5-1 will suit him just fine… a stalemate in the middle, and try to nick a goal… and if they don’t he’d consider a 0-0 a moral victory.
I like Eds 4-2-3-1… Fletch, and ?, to protect the back 4… Rooney gets to drop back a bit more to help out in the middle, and we get to take advantage of Chicos’ pace.
The alternative of Rooney on his own is toothless… against a very strong defence.
More importantly he defends better, and he’s good going front too.
Sir Ryan Giggs? No no no. Sir Paul Scholes say.
I think Fergie may play only one Striker. Hernandez seems better off the bench against the big teams.
I don’t see Fergie playing more or less the same team he set out to play against Liverpool.
I certainly see Fergie going for the kill,which ofcourse means 4-4-2.
It will be an interesting match no doubt but I firmly expect the likes of De Jong and Toure to dominate the likes of Fletcher and Anderson.
Utd will be hoping to score goals with pace and precision as they have always done and City’s job will be to stifle Utd’s attacks initially and,as the game progresses they might become more adventurous.
As much as we Utd fans hate to admit it,City have a genuine chance to get the 3 points today.
please ffs bring back the real knobhead – this new positive version really doesn’t make sense
*yawns* check out the pub bore getting excited about formations ffs
you’d have loved it on this past couple of weeks sheesh…politics, name calling, tory bashing etc
it is ace
there’s no value in social and political topics
I think that if Aguero is in top form we could be in for a bad day. If Mancini is timid and comes here thinking that this is the home of the champions, of our outstanding record against City, of the dangers posed by our key players then we will take them. However, a win here for City would have thunderous significance for them: they could use a victory here as the perfect springboard for an assault on the title. If Mancini realizes this and thinks that what City get from this if they win, far exceeds what we will get from it if we win, and goes for it and if Sir Alex thinks of this as just another derby and gets sloppy in his team selection– then this could be the defining game of the season, since I don’t think we will be able to bounce back from defeated by them at OT in a top of the table head-to-head.
we have no champions league to think about. no reason to fuck with team selection
Who’s the new guy with the attitude?
If Rooney is in top form… City will have their arses handed to ’em.
no vidic in defence?
so he is fit enough to play for serbia last week but not for united ffs
hope ferdinand is going to be on his toes and not as flat footed as he has been of late
gea
smalling rio evans evra
fletcher andderson
nani rooney young
wellbeck
jones on the bench?
dont think so
improtant to rest vidic for the crucial game against aldershot
your impotent
Bit disappointed in Vidic’s play one, sit one routine; Evans needs to be at his very best against some very good attacking options for City. I like Welbeck to start, Chico to come on if needed, as Welbeck has an ability similar to Rooney’s to get into the midfield if needed; he defends better than Hernandez, in my opinion.
hernandez pins their defence back by being constantly on the line…
Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Berbatov, Park, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia
don’t know why berbs is on the bench
he’s hardly likely to be asked to play ffs
oh ffs
no live commentary on radio 5
i can’t listen to talk shite with that cretin collyfuckhead
Hi everyone, you all ready for a United win?
hi mad red
going to be a real stressful afternoon
Nearly always is Han, hope for less stress today.
MANCHESTER IS MY HEAVEN- SIR MATT BUSBY
listening to keano on radio 5
wow
just total passion
if only he was still playing
come on united
show those blue cunts who the true champions are
i feel sick
106723 is a good stream
Yellow card, Barry surely
come on reds
Young being targetted
Yep… that’s my favourite stream now… Bloodzeed, I think it’s called… awesome quality.
Come on United.
wow what a dive from Balotelli
What a player Rooney is…
City can’t get near the us
Evans has his confidence back…
need to score with this early dominance
Yeah but they’ll get a foothold eventually… we need to score while we’re on top of the game…
fucksake, poor poor porr defending
fuck off
ffs.
Fuck sake…
fuck fuck fuck
we are playing annoyingly Arsenalesque
im fuming we should be stuffing these cunts
They’re defending really well, we haven’t had a decent chant yet
Ffs, thought this was at 4pm so at the driving range attempting to play glof but as usual playing like a pissed up spazza as usual and now following the shit bbc commentary – 65% possession but by all accounts it was a top finish by Bastardelli?!
fuck straight at the keeper
what was fergie thinking playing the same midfield two that chelsea creamed
would live to see you cycle past with your golf clubs strapped to your back ringing your mongo bell
evans fs
Evans you dumb ass
Centrebacks finish
remember when top midfielders like silva played for us
we will score
come on united
Reckon Mancini does a lot of that gesticulating on the touchline to impress Mansour
we wil score 2.. come on reds
I do not like the Nani who has turned up today
You can tell we’re feeling nervous when we start diving and fannying about in the box like that, ffs…
SAF will turn it around
shouldn’t be losing but really need to up the ante 2nd half
those blue cunts are good but the reds will be better
he gets back as well…good player
The final ball is shite, again, and that’s cost us
City converted their one and only chance – a half chance at that thanks to a great finish from Balotell
October Revolution
We need Lenin, smuggled in on a sealed train to Manchester Picadilly Station. He will set up a Provisional People’s Soviet of Manchester United (so no more money out or utterly insane team selections) and in a people’s court there will be show trials for Gill and the Glazers. And a bit of re-education for Fergie.
This if we lose.
hat has happened to Fletcher, he doesnt seem to be the same player.
i know most of u will slate me but i think berbs should be drafted in to midfield – he at least can hold the ball and his passing is pretty accurate – it can’t continue like it has since its obvious we are missing the spark
we are missing the spark, what js park?
wank midfield is costing us not just Anderson and Fletcher, even Nani has been piss poor
we don’t have to…with comments like that you slate yourself.
LKHF
faffing
we don’t have to…with comments like that you slate yourself.
come on reds
a second half like the one at wembley 3 months ago is needed
and so what would u like SAF to do to change things around?
buy 2 midfielders….oh wait
evans u cunt
We are fucked
Evans could have clearly blocked the pass, what the fuck was he thinking
game over stupid twat
I missed the tackle
What happened?
Evans out of his depth
Evans can never ever ever become a top defender. fuckin brainless lazy cunt
evans, the cunt. how shit were we the first half?
This is it: 45 mins to tell us how good this team really is, how resourceful, mentally strong and able to produce under pressure and with their backs to the wall. A win here coming from behind will mean we will be in with a shout for the title and the Champions League.
dream on ffs
your insane…..
a marginal pass to Balotelli, Evans had him blocked and just had a sprint a couple of yards to cut out the pass. But the lazy cunt stopped and pulled Balotelli’s hand back. cunt cunt fucking cunt
Chance
Young should do better
Ah, cheers
Mabe should have started Vidic
When is the last time we lost at home in epl?
It’s more open now
20 games i think danni
epl?
ffs danni
0-1 behind… down to 10 men…
Now we start to play like a good team.
FFS…
its great how we left out jones for no particular reason
What was the logic of that? Jones is a physically strong player, able to add strength either in midfield or defence against City’s physically robust players. If there wasn’t an injury problem than his omission was, well, criminal.
we need Rooney and Nani playing out of their skins to get out of this mess with something
come on reds ffs
As long as Ferguson sees it fit to let Evans pull on a shirt we are always going to struggle against the top teams, which Man City are now, I’d rather a one legged Vidic than Evans, horrible player and never good enough! Why does he keep getting picked?? Same goes for Wellbeck, why no Hernandez?
Until we get money to buy your Silva’s and the like we’ll continue to fall behind.
Oh 0-2 congrats Jinsoak!! CUNT!!
ffs.
thumping
fuck this..bed time
Game over.
They’re doing a job on us tbf
Defending well and then converting the chances when they come
Back to the drawing board because they look better than us
time for these cunts to grow a collective pair
score 1 and we’ll get another
come one United score 1
66-1 for a united win
go on tel
we are getting raped
3-0 now.. not a chance this will be 5
shit’s just depressing now
All we need now is for Rooney to lose it, and smack someone in the chops…
Fuckin hell…
I wonder what Evans is feeling right now
he should be fined and made to walk home.. to belfast
FERGIE OUT
should have been four
ffs knobby
It’s fair to say Fergie has fucked up today!! So did Evans mum and dad all those years ago!!
get in..
Fletcher, football genius
how has ferg fuckd up.. wew ere the beter side untill evans get sent off..
He picked Evans
Stunning goal that, simple one two, class finish
Fuck me!
Ignore the plebs Tel…
Aye, but why start Evans when Vidic was fit
Should have picked the more reliable man
So what?
He picks Rooney as well… when he gets sent off.
Stop talking shit!
Rooney picks himself. Evans doesnt.
fucking having a laugh
oh my fuckinggod..3-1 was sickenig now its 5 fucking 5
Embarrassing
A decimation
I’m starting to think even 11 v 11 we were going to get done
This isn’t just Evans’s fault this. We’re being outclassed
Excellent…
fucking hell
i cant even begin
someone shoot me
The power has shifted. Major investment needed.
thoroughly fucked
THE NEW ERA IS HERE, WE ARE THE PAST
i hate this so fucking much
i can’t believe this
tbf players have to take the blame – but team selection did not help.
this is ridiculous
disgrace
LKHF
LKHF
United collapsed
We actually collapsed
tbf this is what chelsea shouldve done to us but we got lucky
Wouldn’t be surprised if Rooney organised another press conference
slaughtered at OT
where do we go from here?
i remember the scouse cunts doing us 3 seasons ago and the rent boys did us 3-0 8 years ago
but how to fathom this?
we need 1 rich fucking arab to buy those yank cunts out
can wait to see the interview….now will we sort the mf out
Saw this coming. 2nd huge defeat for a Glazers team after SF 49ers slaughtered Tampa Bucaneers 48-3 two weeks ago. Need to get rid of them ASAP whatever it takes.
This has to have been the defining match of the season. The blow to our morale will be huge, perhaps irreparable. Looking for mitigating factors: nice thing is that those United fans who believe that Fergie has lost it and should step down for a younger man (younger Portuguese man?) can be far less defensive about thinking such thoughts.
Thoughts for the title: City or Chelsea?
Those who still believe that Fergie is the complete football genius and perfect manager and is about to wrap up his 20th tityle and 3rd Champions League should book themselves in for a brain scan.
Absolutely sick. Tbf we all know this day would come since the BILLIONS started rolling in.
Bring back Quieroz
itel
can’t see any real money coming out those tight cunts
i am going to have nightmares for years with that game
see your earlier post dr dinglebery
we are the new man city
I say we just need tom back.
i actually hate the scousers less after today
My quick thoughts:
– anyone know a betting shop that will let me put some money on Jonny Evans being sold to Sunderland next summer?
– time for me to stop taunting Arsenal fans
– despite the frustration and anger we’re all feeling at the moment, we need to remember that there are still 29 league games to go. We can’t give up on the title now, despite the Bitters having a 5 point lead, as that would be too easy on the team…they need to work over the next 29 rounds to redeem themselves by overhauling the Bitters
– the only saving grace of this horrendous weekend is that those f*ckwits the Glazers had to sit through that and watch it along with us
last year after such a raping, would think atleast its a kick up the arse for Fergie to strengthen.But seeing how even after getting thoroughly outplayed by Barcelona Fergie failed to strengthen, its all the more depressing. If we are not going to strengthen we better get used to such results.
More than half the squad is dross,apart from that we have a few average players, a few ‘potentially’ good players and one Rooney. Clearly not the mark of a great team.
We did strengthen – we bought Jones and Young and also brought Welbeck and Cleverley back from loans. (Also signed De Gea obviously but that netted off against the retirement of EVS.) It’s true that we did not sign a central midfielder who would have taken that game by the scruff of the neck and dominated – that player’s not Wesley Sneijder by the way, if he’d played today he would have spent most of the match high up the field with his hands on his hips watching Silva run at our back four.
We need to look back on today’s result as the start of a new era – an era where we take the bitter cunts seriously and rejig our team to match/better theirs, like we did with Chelsea
It starts by signing some fucking midfielders
nah just a bad day at the office, city had six chances, scored all six, ref had a shocker, their keeper had a worldie, evans stays on we win 6-1, trust fergie, city won’t play that well again, they’ll fade away like always, we’re amazing etc.
those yankee cunts don’t know the game – all they see is the money
with any luck they will fuck off or give saf some proper dough
welcome to the 1970’s and 80’s in terms of our future if we dont invest
i have witnessed some bad results in my lifetime supporting this club and even that raping at maine road in 89 but this is really going to be etched in my inner self
we got fucked well and truly fucked
now we have to see if the players are going to be hurting as much as the fans
fuck off u cunt
We all had a great ride. Eric, Andy Kanchelskis screaming down the wing, last second goals in the Cl to win the treble, Cristiano’s fantastic season when he couldn’t stop scoring.
What amazed everybody was that there was a first, then a second, then a third and fourth act — the success just kept coming. And maybe it still will. But there are a few things we have to accept:
City have built a formidable team and we have no choice but to compete with them: or slowly die as THEY not us become synonymous with football and the City of Manchesater. To compete with them we cannot be owned by a family that takes hundreds of millions out of our turnover in order to service debt and put a bit in their pockets as profit.
Then we have to think about Fergie — does he still have it — can he compete with this light blue supergiant beginning to flex its muscle — or is he going to let us be left behind ta;king about `no value’ etc?
We are the biggest club in the world — and as supporters we must have immense collective power. maybe a 1-6 home defeat to the `noisy’ but now suddenly brilliant, neighbours, should be our wake-up call,
Can we really live with the thought that one day we might be happy to get a lucky away win at Everton, whilst City are giving Real a drubbing in the Bernebau?
what are we not being told about vidic?
evry united supporter wo made the tripto ot should get their money back.. that was a disgrace
lets see what wobbly gob has to say on his twatter..
well to be fair, united were pretty shite throughout the 70’s and 80’s when the scousers dominated the game, and apart from a few cup wins, getting a top 5 finish was considered a successful season
i just don’t know if SAF has the years left in him to get united back to the best
tbf silva is an unbelievable player
its good how we thought the best way to stop him would be to play no holding mid
The players need to take the blame for this one.. they totally lost it after the 4th goal..
yes he is a fantastic player but we better get used to seeing results like that unless we start to spend some real money on quality players
hate to say this but rooney may have been half right a year ago when he said the club lacked ambition – we lack the real money to buy the mercenery quality that city have got
aldershot will be licking their lips for tuesday nite
What is wrong with you lot? We were only a goal down at half-time and had played well. Evans gets sent-off in the 47th minute. They did not score their second until the 60th!!
Now, where I blame our manager is he not shutting up shop immediately Evans got sent off and hoping we get a goal from a set-piece. That was negligence of the highest order and we have paid a very horrible price for it. This game had nothing to do with our midfield or lack of investment. Am sure Knobby wrote his last piece with his tongue firmly in his cheek but it is actually true – it was a bad day at the office.
It was sheer arrogance on his behalf that we have a centre-back sent-off and he still kept two strikers on. City will not win this league this season. This is the day they will remember for the rest of the season. But it will count for nothing.
The above. spot on!
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on his side’s humiliating defeat by their neighbours City at Old Trafford: “You cannot believe the scoreline if you look at the first 30 minutes of the game. The sending off was a killer, it was a long way after that with 10 men. It is a bad defeat. The impact will come from the embarrassment of the defeat. Without doubt there will be a response to that.”
Yeah, but, you could also say that Silva would have done fuck all but stand with his hands on his hips waiting for Sneijder to run at the back 4 – because they’re similar players (although Sneijder can play in 442) – yet any sensible cunt would still rather have Silva in the 11 than fucking Fletch
With Sneijder our attacking play around the box would have been class and we’d carry more of a threat – more than fucking Fletcher and Ando usually do. But aye, we needed a holding midfielder too because Carrick is shite and Fergie doesn’t trust him in the league anymore
We got neither. The the most exciting midfielder that inspired a 3-0 second half battering of City at Wembley, and our most reliable defender were both left out
I half agree with your point, but where I differ is that Silva can flit around in the final 3rd because he knows he’s got 2 big uncreative blokes behind him in Yaya and Barry who can carry the defensive load. We’ve got Fletch and Ando – I’m ok with Fletch (nothing to do with the screamer he scored today) whereas Ando doesn’t add a lot unless he’s playing at 100%, which he hasn’t been for weeks now.
Maybe I didn’t put my point very well – if Fergie was only going to sign one world-class central mid in the summer, we needed a holding midfielder more than we needed a creative playmaker.
I’m clearly still in shock because the other part of my argument is even if we had signed Sneijder, I don’t think it would have worked today because I couldn’t see Fergie playing say 4-4-1-1…I think he was determined to play 4-4-2 because he wanted to show up the Bitters by playing 2 strikers. Same as against Barca in the CL final last May.
I think he’s got to get over his mental block that the Bitters are still easy beats and start playing 4-3-3 against them, at least from the start of the match…keep it tight for an hour and then chuck on a second striker once the game opens up.
This.
lol – just what the doctor needed
if we are gonna get bummed lets get properly whacked, none of this 2-1, bollocks. it’s far better to be utterly raped than a shitty loss by one or two goals. mentally, we tend to react better when we are humiliated.
now at least Phelan and Taggart, the clubs scouts and decision makers can wipe the blood from their arses and listen up.
will reserve judgement until i watch MOTD later but by all accounts it was a silly mistake by Evans, so shit happens – and if you haven’t got the midfield to hold it together, the critical factor, when you are a man down, then you gonna get bummed.
Fuck’s sake! Some of you clowns have either short memories or have never kicked a football in your lives! We have had City spank us before as well as Newcastle, Liverpool etc. Still not a bad points haul for this time of the year. One win at OT since 1955 and united down to 10 men. This will not define United’s season end of discussion. What will define the season is how we react to this defeat.
Shit day, shit result, get over yourselves it’s a wake up call. 9 GAMES PLAYED! Today came down to Evan’s sending off. We played a 4-4-2 against a 4-5-1. Dominated possession they tried to hit us on the break and struggled. Lost the first half to a goal against the run of play. Hard to change anything when your 4-4-2 and go down to 10 men with an entire half to play.
Also a significant wake up call to the likes of Wellbeck, Jones, Smalling Anderson, Young life’s not that easy in the top flight
Ultimately City will win things…limitless funds it’s impossible not too. But so will United… 5 points behind the top.
you got to marvel at that – that is a proper kick in.
The sending off did not help but playing 2 in midfield was asking for trouble.
not seen the game but i assume the resident Rant Top Player, “Anderson – he needs time to develop” was brilliant again in midfield, looking foward to seeing his
– “incisive” passing
– shooting
– “thunderous” tackling
– “mazy” runs
– “hollywood” passes
– movement
– control and balance
– leadership on the pitch
and his Samba skills.
Although I assume that he was so utterly brilliant once again that Taggart decided that he should be taken off after 66 minutes to give Jones a chance to impress.
No, I’m open minded and will reserve taking a view until I see MOTD.
u r a glutton for punishment
how can u watch our arses being handed to us tonite?
if anything, i do agree with the consensus that this was a result waiting to happen sooner rather than later
now it has, lets see the reaction
the last time we lost heavily at home against the scouse cunts, we lost the next league game to fulham so i’m hoping we don’t go and implode next week or even at aldershot on tuesday
It will be interesting to see who starts against Everton next weekend
Who will Fergie blame
Fucking hell, these are strange times…
Chelsea losing 1-0 to QPR and now they’re down to 9 men
City must be loving this
Thanks a lot man!!
I am not worried by the scoreline at all. Am only annoyed that our manager still thought we should go for it after Evans was sent off. Jones should have come straight on with Fletcher remaining in that midfield. Am sure that is what he will be telling the players that with 11 men we were their equals.
He didn’t think they should go for it. Watch the interview.
Did someone describe this as a “wake up call”? If so, that would make it the fifth in a row in the league, plus the first two games in the UCL. Since hammering Bolton in their fourth league match, United have only had easy wins against Leeds – in the Carling Cup, and some Romanian team in UCL. Perhaps, as this wake-up call was a proper raping by the noisy neighbors, it will have that effect at last.
United can still win the league in the same manner as they have a couple times in the past: by beating the teams they ought to beat. I don’t remember the years, but there was one season in particular where Arsenal did the double over United, and the other top four sides all took points off them, but United dropped very few points against the mid-table sides and none against the bottom on their way to winning the league title. Right now, United have only dropped two points against mid-table clubs (Stoke), and wins against Arsenal, Tottenham, and Cheatski have to be considered a bonus. Of course, City and Cheatski will need to drop points through complacency, but it could happen. Sir Alex buying two midfielders (real ones) in January would be a big help as well.
I hear people saying here thatwe had better get used to 2nd best, being also-rans etc and that this is just a bad day at the3 office, not the first huyge sign of a historic shift in power.
Sure we were crap in the 70s and 80s — but having tasted such glory since the 90s — do you think that we can ever accept a loss of stature and the drying up of success — this coupled with a what could well be a period of unprecedented success across the city?
What was it Dylan Thomas said about not going gently into the night?
“Do not go gentle into that good night,”
The success isn’t going to dry up FFS it’s just bullshit sensationalism from the press
It was only a few months ago that we apparently had the best young squad in Europe – the new busby babes
The league can accomodate another top team because other teams drop out (Liverpool) and there are lots of trophys for us all to win
Its taken me three hours to calm down, but i now think that this result may be a blessing in disguise, now the players will have to look at themselves, we need two top class midfielders, goes without saying , Evans is not good enough, why Sir Alex left Jones on the bench, i don’t know why, Anderson is never going to be good enough , and we worst thing of all is that the team gave up right at the end, that can never be accepted.
The worst 45 mins of football I have ever witnessed at Old Trafford. I’m not sure I can even stomach watching them play against Aldershot in mid-week.
Hopefully, this result will mean the end of the United careers of shite like Anderson and Fletcher whose deficiencies as footballers were ruthlessly exposed by top-class opposition. I say top-class but we were so bad in the 2nd half we made them look like Barcelona.
Defensively, we were a shambles but I’m thinking that this may be the beginning of the end for Ferdinand.
Other than that, what else is there to say? It went beyond a raping and was more about City making a statement in our back yard.
with the Monkey on this, if we are gonna get whacked, let’s get Gadaffi on this shit.
only then will Taggart promote the youth
i want a full media uproar, fucking public enquiry, I want Keane to go fucking ape and Bobby to slap someone
let’s get Syria on this shit and throw Anderson in the skip, Pogba, Morrison – fast, hungry young bucks. who cares if they fuck up at least they will put a fucking shift in.
quality post – good to have you back
tbf Sid, we need a furore to get the dusty old farts in the board room to listen.
you either invest or promote the youth, what you don’t do is sit on your arse.
this is a one of spack attack, caused by a rash decision.
but the issue is why aren’t people putting a shift in? that is leadership, that is hunger and it seems as if either bodies are getting tired or they don’t give a shit.
all this wank on twitter giving it the massive, next minute they get slapped up. just shut the fuck up, show hunger, desire and the will to win.
it was a combination of lack of on field leadership, daft tactics
… but lets not forget Sid, Citeh ruthlessly dispatched us with ease like a surgeon with a scalpel. they literally got their cocks out and pissed in our mouth. they are not to be underestimated.
fuck this.. im away to kill myself
goodbye cruel world
motd tonight lads????
Utter rubbish!! That second half we were ONE man down. Held out till the 60th minute before they scored their second goal. Then we scored our 1 when they had scored their third. So, what are you talking about. We were not playing minnows you know. We were playing an expensive assembly of footballers to rival most in the world so what exactly were you expecting us to have done against them with ten men? What? If we had bought ALL the midfielders you people believe will save us and still have a man sent-off we will still have lost very well.
Our manager is only to blame in that he did not shut up shop so that we could defend properly when it was still one nil. He should have taken Welbeck off and brought on Jones so that we could be tighter in midfield and still have width.
agree cal.. it seems the sensible option to take wllbeck off for jones.
in a post match interview fergie said he did not want united to keep attacking and expected rio and evra to hav the experience to keep it much tighter at the back.
it was suicide footall at times
It’s three points dropped in October, it’s not critical and there is a long way to go yet, City will probably go out and drop 2 points next week.
Ferdinand is having his Gary Neville season this year, he looks more and more exposed every game and I have thought this for a long time. Evra looked even worse and lucky that he seemingly faces no competition at left back.
Welbeck is never going to be quite United quality twice now he has been started against Liverpool and City, it’s not his fault but he will never be top level and should not be starting ahead of Hernandez.
Cal, if you bothered watching the first half you would be able to tell me who gave the ball away which led to City’s attack, subsequent throw-in and subsequent goal. It was Fletcher. All Anderson offered was one shot straight at the keeper and a dolly over the City defence. That was in the first half.
If you think Fletcher and Anderson played well in the second half, I would love to have what you’ve been smoking, mate. They were both utterly pathetic.
These players offered little in the midfield, defensively or creatively, throughout the 90 mins.
Look it’s all too easy to blame us losing Evans for the defeat but the simple fact is that City broke forward at will and could have scored even more goals than they did. Central midfield was non existent and without that steel in the midfield, our defence was even more exposed than it need have been.
I agree that we should have brought Jones on. City had fucking Barry in their midfield and they still shat all over us in the second half. That’s how shit our midfield is. We went a man down in the second half and we needed our midfielders to step up to the plate. They did not do that.
Spot on.
Also add Evans to the Wellbeck point.
according to fletcher 4-1 down was the time we shouldve shut up shop
hold on we’re blaming welbeck for this are we
well in there spackers
He is not been blamed. I wouldn’t expect him to score 6,merely taking another opportunity to point out that he isn’t United quality and that it’s incredible that the one area where we have depth he is getting a game upfront for United.
Ferdinand is finished. Totally.
What am asking you Sheesh is to tell me what we could have possibly done with a man down. Now if YOU are saying that being a man down in the 2nd minute of the second half is not to blame for this result then I will like to see what YOU are smoking. Fletcher gave the ball away for when City broke. However the first ball they played into the box was easy for Ferdinand to make a better hash of his attempted clearance instead of booting into throw just outside our box. That gave them the second wave from which they then scored.
Our manager had a stinker starting with a midfield duo again against a three. Just like the Barca game. You are asking a lot of these two players. Toure and Barry just sat while Silva had a straight go at the Utd defence. All through the 1st half plus their goal please tell me that city did trouble us. And you say the sending-off did not nmake a difference. You surely are making jest
Against the better sides we have to go in with a 3 in the middle of midfield, we simply cannot match up with 2 against a quality 3, nevermind a 2. Jones, Fletcher and Cleverley would be my choice, Rooney up top on his own. Jones and Fletcher to hold away from home, just Jones at home. If you are chasing a game you could always bring Hernandez, Berba or Welbeck on.
squigs: “Ferdinand is having his Gary Neville season this year, he looks more and more exposed every game”
Excellent point – Rio looked worse and worse as the match wound down. By the end, he simply gave up fighting. RedNev said that when he met his Waterloo, he felt like quitting after ten minutes. I’ll be very interested to see how SAF uses Rio from now on. Same goes for Patrice Evra who gets caught out of position – in-field and up-field – too often. Any chance we’ll see a back four of Fabio/Rafael and Vidic and Smalling and Jones next Saturday ?
In the off-season I wanted to get Schweini and/or De Rossi but even those two wouldn’t have made any difference today. In the first half, when UTD had a large share of the possession, there was no “synchro-mesh” in the attack just running into blind alleys and cul de sacs.
I’m not big on “blessings in disguise” but usually when SAF has his back to the wall he goes younger – what are the odds that Pogba and Morrison’s ETA will get moved ahead ?
Cal, you are blaming the result solely on the sending-off – which is absurd.
Of course, going down to 10 men had an impact, and you are right that we needed to bring Jones on, but nevertheless we should never have capitulated in the way that we did. You mean to tell me that we should blame all the 2nd half goals we conceded on Evans getting sent off? Get real. It was even more imperative when we went a man down that Anderson and Fletcher start asserting themselves.
Fucking hell, this is the same City team that have struggled in Europe yet we made them look like Barcelona because they broke so freely. Part of this is to do with us continuing to attack feverishly but also a lot to do with Anderson and Fletcher looking lost and not putting a foot in when the City midfielders had the ball.
Fletcher was shite against the Scousers as well. There was one instance last week when he was simply thrown off the ball and he fell to the ground like a discarded Barbie doll.
Agreed – because the midfielders we have aren’t good enough. We need another body in midfield to even be able to compete.
I think Fergie was always going to go with Rooney + 1 upfront today, anything else would have been seen as a negative tactic at OT, and perhaps acknowledging City’s threat.
I guess we learned the hard way! If we aren’t going to buy a midfielder then in the tough games it has to be 4-5-1.
The other point is that there has to be question marks over Phelan as an assitant manager. He’s hardly going to have give a high level of sophistication with his tactical advice.
We don’t have a holding mid, do we?
All of you who think we buying “a quality midfielder” will solve our probs I have one question: How come City, Chelsea and Arsenal with all the talent they have NEVER play a two man central midfield? How come?
Sheesh, we conceded those goals cos Evans was sent-off. No one can convince me otherwise.
id rather watch gay porn
ie never in a million years
but then again, watching motd tonite and seeing 11 men arse raping 10 will be the same as watching bender hardcore
You won’t see much on MOTD. Fletcher’s getting the blame, I don’t know why. This man is the worst footballer I’ve seen among the established ones at the club.
Boy you should’ve seen him today – even in the first half when we played well.
He’s a talented player, but a big misfit at United. He’s actually got a chance of doing well if he leaves.
its how this team reacts to this that is the most important aspect of any humiliation gang bang fest in your own castle courtyard
losing 3 fucking goals in the last 5 mins really did feel like the players had given up – that just cannot be justified against those blue cunts
for all the huffing and puffing, we were made to look like a bunch of amateurs and ffs city are not barca by any stretch of any blue knob
i suppose its the kids that need to be promoted but if they have to experience anything like today, they will be fucked up big time
He left Jones out because the man can’t defend. Evans is currently the better defender – still, although I do think Jones is tremendously talented, but very young and raw at the moment.
I’d prefer United’s line up be
|Fabio/Rafael — Rio/Smalling — Vidic/Smalling — Evra|
with Evans and Jones as backups in that order. Smalling is a very solid defender and he’s wasted at right back.
Sir Ryan Giggs? No no no. Sir Paul Scholes say.
han,
why are you guys so freely blaming the players? The instructions from the bench did not make it possible for them to play differently. If immediately Evans got sent off the manager brought on Jones and Valencia and told them to tell everyone to keep it tight do you think they would have gone on chasing the game? For fifteen minutes after Evans got sent-off we still had Rooney, Welbeck, Nani, Young, Fletcher and Anderson on the pitch! Evra was still attempting to go beyond Young as was Fltecher on Nani on the other side. However, we could have made those changes and then set up a barricade in midfield and asked City to come score more if they want then take our chance/s if we get any on set-pieces. That was what 85% of other coaches/managers would have done. But that idiot Phelan did not have the nerve to tell his Boss that we needed to be compact. Bear in mind that we had started the match with badly in terms of tactics with a two man central midfield to their three.
BY THE WAY: WHO IS ANSWERING MY QUESTION ON HOW COME CITY, CHELSEA AND ARSENAL STILL PLAY A THREE MAN MIDFIELD DESPITE ALL THE TALENT THEY HAVE. Come on you lot who believe that there is ONE magic midfielder who would have gotten a kick out of the way City lined-up today after we went a man down.
I think we play 3 in midfield away in Europe and although we don’t concede much we play horrible football without flair , imagination or anything resembling quality. Anders,fletch and catrick are just as bad in that formation.
Respect your opinion Cal but don’t you want us to sign two one or two quality midfielders so that we can play any formation?
Carrick I think is a top player who does his job well. People expecting him to be Roy Keane were disappointed.
Fergie screwed up. He firstly has over-estimated our midfield and should’ve been more cautious after the sending off. He seemed to blame the players, but isn’t that his job?
the 470 million quid that the glazers shoved in their pockets over the past 5 years would have made a fantastic war chest for the club to raid in the transfer window – much as i hate to admit it, but mancini is looking a decent manager with that money available to him and those egotistical players playing for him – and shows humility too which is a refreshing change to a lot of others in the premier league.
Phelan looks totally out of his depth too – no answers to this debacle; SAF cannot do everything on his own in spite of his obvious passion – he is just not young enough and if this defeat and the capitulation hurts the players as much as it did him and us the fans, then united will still do well
i guess all things have to end eventually – just hurts all the more when it comes against the blue cunts
Why is Phelan being blamed, surely SAF holds the main responsibility?
it’s a one off slapping but it shouldn’t mask the problems we have always had in midfield. a ball winning terrier who can hammer, toil and lead.
when you have three cunts like rooney, tevez and ronaldo with a defence of vida, rio and VDS, that would make you can get away with an average midfield but not anymore.
we need reform and january won’t help either. promote or fucking get the whip out and kick the fuck out of anderson
seriously, fletcher, nani and rooney should go to a corner at carrington and fucking slap the cunt and tell him to put a shift in.
The same could be said about the quality of United’s attack in any game against an opponent with a well organized defense: West Brom, Stoke, and Norwich for example. In today’s match, I did not see a single decent cross come in from the wingers in the first half. When Young wasn’t being cynically fouled, he did manage to beat Richards on a couple of occasions, but all of his crosses went wildly astray. Still, he did much better than Nani, who couldn’t beat his man and, so, did not get in any crosses at all. Valencia seems to be a better crosser of the ball, but isn’t usually selected. No imagination in the centre of midfield plus nothing coming in from the wings makes for a very ordinary attack.
4-4-2 is simply an outdated formation at the highest level. In the past we might have been able to buy the players to make it work, but due to the evolution of tactics and our lack of spending power it just won’t work against decent sides. I would rather us play badly and draw at the likes of Anfield or against City in a 4-5-1 than go 4-4-2, be exciting and lose!
Phelan is bringing nothing to the party at all. The likes of Quieroz and McLaren clearly did. Phelan’s only there still because no one would have him as manager.
I saw some of the United v Norwich game whilst in India. We had Anderson and Fletcher playing in that game as well and they were shite. Norwich should have scored at least 2 goals against us. I was amazed they were able to attack us in the way did…then again, I shouldn’t have been with those 2 clowns in the middle.
when we go three in the middle carrick should obivously play, he’s the only who even resembles a holder. I don’t won’t jones tied down with tha bollocks while fletchers free to ruin our attacks
Anderson nearly gave a penalty away and was to blame for the second goal – I assume he was his usual gormless twatish self for the rest of the time. The way he just wanders around like a pissed up duck waddling around the park is quite funny.
We shldn’t blame fletch – great goal and as usual has to mop up after anderson.
HOWEVER, Rio was a disgrace. Uninterested, bored, tired, complacent, thinking about tweeting, his clothing line, his magasine, his new rap record. Lack of leadership, ambition and actually bollocks.
I’m shocked that Rio was the worst united player and Ando was on the pitch.
I think Rio is amazing but even I can see that today he decided to check out.
Cunt gives it large on twitter then plays and acts like that. Fuck off with your Robbie Savage Strictly Come Dancing tweets – you get 120k a week to fucking focus on United, not cocking about.
A sad day indeed but Taggart will crack his thick head.
“buurrrp”… “hic”…
Time to sell Rio to some MLS club, perhaps. I think he’d like it over here; he could bring his iPhone on the field and tweet to his heart’s content during matches and still be one of the better defenders in the league.
As for Anderson… Let’s imagine that instead of Scholes coming through with the original Fergie’s Fledglings, it was Anderson. How many games would Anderson have played before either Keane or Cantona killed him? Trick question, actually, because Butt would have been partnering Keane in midfield.
After Anderson got subbed we let in another 4 goals. Guess he is to blame for that as well.
Is it just possible that City brought on fresh attackers – Dzeko and Nasri – to play against a tired, shorthanded, and dispirited United side, and that somehow contributed to the additional goals?
EDIT: my point being that the late scoring neither proves nor disproves that Anderson was shit.
I don’t know what you lot are all talking about. There was no football today. We had a weekend off, didn’t we?
Thank God I am on annual leave from work for a week. Perfect timing considering the office is full of City fans. I will still cop a load of stick but it should be a bit more bearable when I return.
Sure it does not prove anything.
Im just tired of Danni spinning the same tune. Im pretty sure if Anderson was a sub he would still be blamed for something even if he did not play.
Rob Diablo “he [Young] did much better than Nani, who couldn’t beat his man and, so, did not get in any crosses at all. Valencia seems to be a better crosser of the ball, but isn’t usually selected.”
This is an incredibly short-sighted view of Nani’s contribution – you could have said the same about his play in the first 60 minutes in Rumania but he then proceeded to be the star of the last 30 minutes. A player like Nani is ALWAYS going to be “inconsistent” – sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn’t. Usually, he eats Gael Clichy’s lunch; today he was taken off before he stepped up to the plate. The notion that Valencia is a “better crosser” is just plain weird – Nani has been the main contributor (in terms of assists) for almost two years. In comparison, Valencia is one-footed, one-speed and much more easily controlled by a quality defender.
My comments were not meant as a call to replace Nani with Valencia in the starting XI; I was merely pointing out that on a day when Young couldn’t hit a cross into the box and Nani couldn’t cross at all, having two mediocre plodders in centre midfield can make if difficult for even the very best strikers to shine. Nani was not having a good day by his standards, and I would have considered subbing him off for Valencia in order to try to get something going.
It is precisely because the midfield is so poor that opponents can commit extra players to shutting down Young and Nani. United have only had three good games in the EPL: Spurs, Arsenal, and Bolton, all three of which attacked United. All of the other sides have made United work for the few goals they have scored by organizing their defense, inviting United to come on to them, and then countering when there is a turnover. This tactic works because United have no creativity in midfield, so play tends to go down the wings, bringing the fullbacks into the final third, so, when United lose the ball, Evra, Smalling, Fletcher, and (if he can be bothered) Anderson are all scrambling to get back to defend. Cheatski, Norwich, and Liverpool were unable to make the most of their chances, but City cashed in on almost all of theirs.
Cal,
With only 2 in the midfield we dominated possession in the first half. Seriously how would having 3 in midfield improved that? Quality mattered at that time. We had fuck all creativity from the central midfielders and wank crosses from the wingers. At one point Rooney and Wellbeck had dropped deeper than Anderson and Fletcher. If we had a quality midfielder we could have made that possession count. That would have opened up the game.
If we had an extra midfielder probably we too would have sat back and played a cagey game trying to nick a goal. Clearly Fergie didn’t want that shite in our home game.
All the big teams play 3 in midfield but they have atleast one fantastic attacking player. Who have we got? Drop Wellbeck for 3 in Midfield and the only player in the team who can see a pass gets isolated, frustrated, pissed off and puts in a transfer request.
Same old story for a while now, shit midfield.
Until Fergie changes his ” No value ” bullshit then we’re going to be stuck like that.
Also, I still really hate Evans. Cunt.
but what does he do? what the fuck does he do / has he done for four years? i have no idea what you see in him.
if he was shit and put a shift in and at least tried to tackle then yes you could say alright, at least he has the Alan Smith, at least he runs about trying to make a tackle or close down space but he does nothing – just watch him aimlessly wander around.
you take the piss out of fletcher yet if you compare four years of fletcher, hell even carrick, then you realise how utterly turd Anderson has been.
let’s take it further, compare him to his best friend – the other young brazilian international Lucas who Benny Hill Benitez bought for 6m and after 3 years of lots of running around and no end product, is actually doing well at the scouse.
6m for Lucas – 18m for Anderson and although Lucas may be technically shitter then Anderson, he is far better in application, effort, energy and desire.
like I said, he needs the shit kicked out of him for being a fat, overpaid, lazy work shy money grabbing twurp
if you need time to settle in fine but at least make an effort to tackle and close down space.
agreed on all counts, didn’t Harry Rednob want him early this season? Lnd is probably a better option, he can hang out with Ashley, “Lamps” and Big John Terry plus further his recording career. what a joker – all we ask for his committment to the cause.
Lets be fair, Anderson was very poor yesterday and just isn’t up to the task of starting for United week in week out.
Thing that angers me the most, and this is aimed at fans and fergie too, is that even the purchases of Parker and Barton WOULD have improved us greatly.
Laugh all you want but for a top side we have the worst midfield in europe out if the elite clubs
Spurs, Liverpool and Everton have a better middle than us….and for 7 million we could have stopped some of the rot.
No “value” and no point wanting to improve something we clearly cannot afford too improve. Fergie has had years to do so, but has chosen not too.
It’s laughable and bollocks to think we can carry on like this.
its astonishing he’s not even tried to sign some experienced types whod tide us over while he continues failing to find a proper top cm, like arsenal have done with arteta and chelsea mereles
…and that is exactly my point…those 2 are no De Rossi, Sneijder etc or Schweinsteiger, but they are better than what we have and for a couple of years would have kept us as contenders…on top of that playing for United would arguably improved them as players too…..Barton was free ffs…..
incredible
After all these years, I am sure fergie must have an idea of who is available. He just doesn’t want to spend money seemingly because he doesn’t recognise a problem with midfield.
agreed on barton and parker – at least as good if not better than what we currently have. and more to the point, actually leaders with application, effort and desire.
But he’s right.
We spent a bundle on him, and were told that he was something to get well excited about. And his first season showed promise…
But he’s been complete gash ever since… every once in a while, he shows flashes of something to suggest that there really is some talent there… but there just isn’t the graft and application to maintain any great form, and he certainly doesn’t seem to be improving.
I’m with Dannii 100%… OUT!
“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.”
Anderson was signed as an attacking player. Not everyone has to run around and make tackles like Fletcher. when Anderson gets the ball i see a player who drives forward with the ball and tries to lay it off to the wing or other forward players (admittedly not always successful) If we signed a proper DM who does the donkey work then players like Anderson wont have to worry about tracking back. Thats not what he was signed for.
I dont get Fergie. He signs a Center Back and then plays them at full back. He signs a striker and plays them on the wing. He signs attacking mids then ask them to defend. Why not just sign a player who is the best at his chosen position like we used to.
andersons got talent, but he’s not a midfielder, and he’s not talented enough to challenge for rooneys position, and he’s not a prem player, should never have been signed if we didn’t know what to do with him, which four years on we clearly don’t, quieroz impulse buy
Jay, this is where I take issue – even if he wasn’t mean’t to tackle, cover space, block, intercept, win the ball – he simply does not do what he is supposed to.
Honestly, he does not make mazy driving runs on a consistent basis and one which reaps results. He never puts pressure on a defence, he never turns a defender or midfielder around with his runs.
Has very rarely dribbles past players with silky skills.
He just does not do what you think he does – it’s all a fiction.
Ryan Giggs in midfield drives foward and creates more than Anderson.
I’m open minded and looking for reasons as to what his contribution is but he offers close to nothing.
he dribbles it out of trouble alright when he’s playing well then loses his head when he approaches the las third
according to talksport that possebon we let go is going to milan
a holding midfielder
I beg to differ on those last two points. Giggs, Scholes, and Beckham all defended – and they had Keane in the center. Unless Anderson can start to have the kind of effect on United’s offense that Ronaldo had, I am unwilling to exempt him from his defensive responsibilities.
Football has moved on. 442 is dead and buried yet a lot of you are there thinking of the days of Roy Keane. Keane would be destroyed today if he had to play alongside one other in central midfield against the likes of City and Chelsea and barcelona.
We need someone else to make SAF see it too. If Rooney wants to leave cos he might be asked to play in the position that got him his best ever season tally of goals then more the fool him. No top team plays a central midfield duo and yet all I keep hearing/reading is that we should have signed a top midifelder. true. However, if we had started that game yesterday with carrick and alongside the two that did start we would have been better balanced. Anderson would have been further up. The manager knows this and just like last may and wembley he dug a hole for his players to fall into.
also can people stop talking about this brilliant opening spell he supposedly had when he first came, it didn’t happen
and don’t fucking bring up gerrard
the spell he had last season when he scored against valencia and schalke before turning to shite again once hed signed the deal is his best for us, lasted probably six games
don’t bring up fabregas either
You are confusing two separate issues. A Roy Keane playing for United today would be hell-on-wheels in either a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 formation (it is up to the manager to pick the right one), but we currently don’t have anyone as good as Nicky Butt was, so United’s midfield sucks in both of those configurations.
Also, you might want to rethink your signature; there are at least four mistakes in it.
where the fuck do u work? stockport?
and more importantly, why work in a fucking council house full of blue cunts?
cap’n
i salute u
hit nail on unc’s head
i’m sure i said something similar before the window closed but obviously was laughed out of rant
our midfield problems have been apparent for the past 2 seasons with scholes well past it and yet nowt has been done – we have ridden our luck far too many times with the bollocks we have had and yet even when a decent player is available, he seems to slip away for 1 reason or another which is usually down to the no value shite
anderson is too light and carrick is clueless; fletch has never been the same since the virus bout he had and even park is showing signs of carricktitus
i still am fucked about yesterday but as i said previously, its how the players in their ivory mansions react that is the most important thing now
Not Stockport but, without going into detail on a football forum, not a million miles from there.
We dominated possession in the first half, but Fletcher and Anderson couldn’t unpick the defence because they’re hopeless. Neither could any of our forwards because they were fucking wank too
We really missed Scholes’ play on the edge of the area… and Gibson’s 1 in a hundred belters
Although Anderson and Cleverley managed to in the Charity Shield. That second goal was great
But yeah, if Ando was good enough there would be no debate surrounding him. His name would automatically be on the team sheet ala Keane, Scholes, Rooney etc.
Fair enough. I am probably viewing through Anderson tinted specs. In a game where Evra’s side allowed in 4 goals and Rio was thinking about the NFL and Nani did fuckall in an attacking sense and even less defending and when Young failed to beat the fullback once the whole fucking game and cannot cross with his left foot we blame Anderson for not been a hybrid of Keane and Scholes.
We will never find replacements for those players. If we had a proper DM and played 3 in midfield we will already be harder to beat.
Im with Cal. 442 is dead. Unless you find 2 monsters like Keane and Robson, or Keane and Ince.
No, I blame Anderson for being shit at everything, you name it he is just Mr. Average –
Sandro, Song, Lucas, Ramires – all of which are young and upcoming midfielders have played in the EPL for less time would rip the lumbering buffoon for ages.
Lucas, ffs! That bag of arse wld blow Anderson to peices!
Also, I just don’t buy this Fletcher Anderson domination, it is Fletcher who tackles, wins space, and drives the midfields. Faced with a lazy shit next to him no wonder he burns out by 60 mins.
You talk about driving runs, did you see Fletcher’s driving run and his wonderfully executed 1-2, BANG goal!
Ffs, this is Fletcher, one of the most unskilful players ever to play in midfield, yet for what he hasn’t got in skill he makes up with application and force of will – and actually getting stuck in.
Like I said, Rooney and Evra should just smash is teeth in and let him know that he needs to get his finger out of his arse and start pulling his weight.
danni you give fletcher too much slack, everything about the team has gone to shite since he started playing ahead of scholes on a regular basis in 08 because hed moaned hed leave if he didn’t get more games and fergie shat himself at the thought of his bastard son finding his level at bolton,
that’s bollocks Nobby – no one is giving anyone any slack – I just said he has very little skill in comparison with most but he fucking clocks in and puts his cock on the block.
fuck fergie if he got blackmailed by fletcher, if he didn’t like him, Sunderland could have got him – that’s taggart’s fault not his.
this is all taggart’s fault – being a stubborn gobshite.
Knobby,
get right lost. Fletcher has been our most consistent performer in midfield for years.
so our football didn’t become instantly worse when he became a regular after we won the cl, even this season the minute he replaced clev in the team look how shite we’ve become
Cal wants Fergie to give Fletcher the captain’s armband.
Hey Cal, please put your original signature back up. I want to see which players you originally thought were the future of United. Nani, Anderson, da Silvas, Fletcher….and I’m sure Gibson was in there as well.
It went something like this: Nani, Anderson, Gibson, Chicharito, and the Da Silvas are the future of United; Neville, Scholes, and Giggs need to retire now; give the captain’s armband to Fletcher. The references to Neville, Scholes, Fletcher, and Gibson are the four mistakes I referred to in my comment. For myself, I would add Anderson, and the twins are headed in that direction.
monster munch fucker
all of our best spells in the last three years have come when fletcher has been out of the team, see the end of last season with giggs and carrick in cm as another example off the top of my head, isn’t a coincidence clearly