Wayne Rooney starts for Manchester United at Stamford Bridge tonight after escaping FA censure this week. The 25-year-old appeared to strike Wigan Athletic midfielder James McCarthey with his elbow in Saturday’s 4-0 win for United but the FA could not act under its own rules.
The former Everton player will either start the game on the left-side of midfield or as the lone front-runner behind top goalscorer Dimitar Berbatov as United seek a 15 point lead over Chelsea and seven ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Elsewhere manager Sir Alex Ferguson is still missing Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans through injury, while Michael Owen and Ryan Giggs face late tests before their fitness is determined.
Rooney’s inclusion means there is unlikely to be a starting spot for Mexican forward Javier Hernandez, despite the 22-year-old’s two well-taken goals at the DW on Saturday. But the former Chivas player understands that he is part of a squad at Old Trafford – albeit now a key piece having scored 14 goals this season.
“I have no problems being on the bench. I understand that football is a team sport, not like golf or tennis,” said the £10 million summer signing.
“So you have to help your team when you play from the beginning but also when you come on from the bench. We are like pieces of a jigsaw and the boss decides how to use us. If Ferguson picks me for the starting line-up, that would be great but if not, that’s fine too.”
Meanwhile, Ferguson could rotate his midfield, with Paul Scholes, Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Darron Gibson and Michael Carrick all in contention to start against last season’s champions. Scholes played against Wigan on Saturday but sat out the draw with Marseille last week, with Irishman Gibson handed a rare start for the club.
Ferdinand’s continued absence means another start for Chris Smalling, who impressed both at Wigan and in United’s Champions League tie with Marseille last week.
Although Giggs is unlikely to start for United – if he makes the matchday squad at all – the winger will mark almost 20 years since his United début. And the winger remains determined to add more silverware to a growing collection, starting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight.
“They don’t come any bigger than Chelsea away,” said the 37-year-old, who made his début against Everton on 2 March 1991.
“Last year when Chelsea won the Double, it wound me up. It’s not the fear of failure. It’s craving that feeling of winning.
“Losing the title by one point last year stayed with me. I went away on holiday, I am lying on the beach enjoying myself with the kids, and then what happened comes back. It really winds you up. You are on holiday and you are really wound up.”
If Torres is the long-term future of Chelsea’s strikeforce then it has brought little short-term success, with Chelsea’s form in free-fall since the autumn. The Londoners five-point lead in the Premier League has become a 12 point deficit, which has all but ended Ancelotti’s hopes of repeating last season’s league and cup double. FA Cup defeat by Everton means that the Champions League is Chelsea’s only realistic hope of silverware this season.
Still, United has not won at Stamford Bridge in eight years and twice suffered defeat to Chelsea last season. It’s a fact Ferguson will be mindful of, with a lone-striker system likely as United seek to avoid defeat first.
If Giggs has not recovered for the trip Rooney is likely to reprise the role he adopted in Marseille last week. Whatever his position, Ferguson will hope the £30 million striker capitalises on this week’s good fortune by scoring the goals that take United closer to a record 19th title.
“I have to say it’s been a difficult season for me – probably the worst I’ve ever had,” Rooney told the News of the World.
“That week when I asked for a transfer was something I wouldn’t want to go through ever again. Then I picked up a few niggles and missed a few games, so I didn’t really feel like I was playing a part.
“The good thing is that I feel fresh. I really want to kick on from here and have a big impact on the most important matches of the season.
“We’ve got a really terrible record at Stamford Bridge – in fact, I don’t think I have ever won there in my entire career.
“But it won’t play on our minds. If anything, it will make us even more determined to go there and win. It’s a really massive game and Chelsea need to win it more than we do. Hopefully the pressure will tell on them.”
Should the Scouser score United’s winning goal tonight, much will be forgiven.
Opposition
Chelsea – 433 – Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Torres, Malouda. Subs from: Turnbull, Mikel, Ferreira, McEachran, Sala, Kalou, Drogba.
United
United – 451 – van der Sar; O’Shea, Vidic, Smalling, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, Rooney; Berbatov. Subs from: Kuzszazk, Brown, Gibson, Bébé, Lindegaard, Fabio da Silva, Obertan, Hernández, Tunnicliffe, King, Carrick, Rafael da Silva, Giggs, Owen.
Officials
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant referees: Peter Kirkup & Mike Mullarkey
Fourth official: Chris Foy
Form
Chelsea – LDDWDL
United – WLWWDW
Boring game
Yep… unless someone scores early… then it could be a cracker.
Big game, should be some good streams for it.
Chicarito cost £6m not £10m
The pundits have all written us off. It’s all set up perfectly.
The only problem is that Martin Atkinson is the ref so Chelsea will definitely get a major decision in their favour tonight. Just you watch.
Confirmed team:
Van der Sar
O’Shea
Smalling
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Scholes
Fletcher
Giggs
Rooney
Hernandez
SUBS: Kuszczak, Rafael, Fabio, Brown, Gibson, Giggs, Berbatov
cooooooll…..4-3-2….thats confidence for you
Chelsea team:
Cech
Ivanovic
Luiz
Terry
Cole
Ramires
Essien
Lampard
Malouda
Anelka
Torres
2 giggs in the team.. how wonderful
lol
err…wheres nani?
WHERE THE FUCK IS NANI?????
FFS I will try again:
Van der Sar; O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Nani; Rooney, Hernandez
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
WE HAVE PACE TO BURN UP TOP…AMD A CLEAR LACK OF BOLLOCKS IN MIDFIELD
twat you are
happy birthday
que? mon petit oirish cherie
that gay thread has got me all fuzzy – anyone want to swing a bat against my gob?
That’s quite adventurous
But will either team actually play to win
*zip
lob*
effectively we could end both chelseas aND ARSENALS TITLE HOPES TONIGHT SO YES
ARSE BECAUSE THIS WOULD REALLLLLLY FUCK UP THEIR WEEK US WINNING SO YES…I THINK WE WILL GO FOR IT
Why the fuck has Ferguson picked Carrick over Nani?
Outrageous!
Arsenal are much too close to be eliminatated yet.
Thank you. You too Danni and Robbo as well. Much appreciated.
So long as the ref doesn’t screw us over, I think we’ll be OK tonight. We need to watch out for Luiz though.
I slightly ballsed up posting the team.
So what is the team then?
PSYCHOLOGICALLY ALF I FEEL THIS COULD FINISH THEM
i truly believe that as they were practically celebrating their 1st trophy in years, before a ball was kicked in anger last sunday, and they didn’t get it….wenger and co salivating once more like 6 or 7 years ago, and again they bottled it….
big time bottlers mate…this is the boot in needed
I daren’t post it again Alf. Cap might laugh at me.
lol…understatement
1st off it was a 4 -3- 2, then a 4 -4 – 2- with giggs up top and in middle…then a team with nani in and no giggs
LKHF
faffing
Same team as played against Wigan then. Surprised Rafa is not starting, gives us a nice threat down the wing, especially with Fletch being on the right wing. It’s time for the lad Hernandez to make himself a junior legend!
Hernandez is a natural born goalscorer. In a game where we may not get too many chances, we need someone of his calibre.
I’m happy with the team. Carrick is a cunt, though.
Come on ffs… which thread are we using?
Viva John Terry being sung nice and loud
Cal will be seething that Scholes is starting.
I just hope that Terry gets caught in a foot race with Chico at some point… especially if it results in a goal… that would be humiliating…
Torres picked ahead of Drogba… again… I wonder if that’s not down to the Cossack.
Well, there’s your Atkinson moment… cause that was handball.
a fair amount of possession so far
We’re keeping the ball better than I thought we would
Chelsea look more dangerous though
come on sweet pea
get us a goal
Fuck sake… Ekoku isn’t too subtle about his preferred team here, is he?
Malouda is their best player so far. I liked hernandez’s contribution to that good chance when Evra put the ball across the goal for Rooney.
Might as well get used to that. The Chavs are cynical squad, and Atkinson is their favourite ref.
Fletcher just nutmegged Cole
…
fletcher is destroying them
We’re dominating this game in midfield
I just can’t fucking believe it
Fletcher is playing very well so far.
That Luiz is a very good defender.
We’ve got to get the goal this dominance deserves — the bitter Chavs will fall apart.
roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooney
cos Lampard is wank and so is Ramirez
we are pulling them to pieces
how the fuck we have not managed clean shot on goal is beyond me
It’s all United, but no great scoring chance yet…
GET THE FUCK INNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!
Wazzaaaaa
And they’ve been giving him stick since kick off
where was the great Terry, where was the great Lampard? fuck right off.
That Boy Rooney does it again. all in all brilliant game till now were playing brilliant
Now don’t let the cunts have it in the middle
Keep up the pressure and work rate
WE SUDDENLY HAVE AWAY COJONES!!
fuuuuuuuuck i lost my stream right before the fucking goal
Evra is simply a monster
Don’t sit off you cunts
Fletcher is avin it tonight
Lampard ball watching like the thick dozy pond life overrated bag of toss he is – result; Rooney causes hell
does anyone (other than Chelsea Bummer, Knobby) really think that Cole is better than Evra?
Evra has eaten up at least 3 Chav players as it is.
come on united
finish them off !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, let’s see what Chico can do on the counter…
Dirty Terry cunt
Rooney is fucking UP FOR IT
so is Fletcher and so are Evra and Nani
never seen anything like it – come on lads
Even when he’s not playing well… you allways get your moneys worht from Evra.
“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.”
Scoles getting tired – Carrick disappearing – Fletch left on his own – familiar pattern … ffs
Fuck sake… desperate defending then
well said
Even when he’s not playing well… you allways get your moneys worht from Evra.
“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.”
LOL… I’m so into this game, I’m making a mess of my posts…
Well Torres has made his first important contribution — your standard bullshit Chelsea free kick on the edge of our box. Nice work by legend VDS.
fuck that
cunts nearly equalised
vds lucky
jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez – how the fuck did that stay out
VDS… fuck me, what a save…
See this out til half time
scholes is fucked already – carrick is having a wank – I fucking hate this. now Fletcher can only back track,
this is the BIG problem, now we lack fuck all energy in midfield
let’s get to half time!!!!!!!!!!
actually i have seen the replay on the shittest stream and i must say brilliant work by vds
God like moment from the Sar.
What are you talking about… they’re not tired or fucked… it’s just that with the goal. we’ve, (rightly,or wrongly) reverted to defensive, hit them on the break football…
free kick in a cunt of a position……..
shit kick from a homo
Careful, Ed will delete that
great half – need another like that
that is only part of the story; if we actually had a counter you would be right.
no doubt in my mind that Scholes ran out of battery, Carrick shat his pants cos Scholes is not there to protect him and Fletcher starts running around like an aimless cunt.
It’s why Essient started to drive forward with Lamps actually getting into the game.
It happens time and time again.
Best 45 minutes away from home of the season
I reckon it will finish 1-1, unless we get a second
tronix
hope u r so fucking wrong
need a big 45 mins from the midfield otherwise we need to park the bus and hope for the best
Well done the Lads… get the liquids down your necks… organise yourselves… hold it together for the first 15 min of the second half… then score a second, maybe a third… and one of the unimportant fringe players, like maybe, Gibson, run out and kick Terry in the bollocks, and then drop your shorts and flash your bare arse to the Chumpski fans….
That’d do me….
We will recover at start of the half but will be fucked at 75 mins.
Giggs and Berbs to come on – both can retain possession and pass.
Agree with Sid, Chavs will score cos we will run out of gas – we must press the advantage.
OH FOR FUCK SAKE… they’re still going on about Rooney… “scores a great goal, but he shouldn’t even be playing, because of “that” elbow”… pathetic!
ffs….i cant believe im saying this but i’d bring Gibson on for Carrick
I’m not sure we’ll see fuck all from Chumpski unless Drogba comes on… Torres just can’t get involved, and the rest of the Renties don’t seem to know how to play with him… Drogba would give me the shits.
Speaking of that elbow, how come no one ever mentions that that idiot actually STEPPED into Rooney’s path to block his run as we counter-attacked? Goodness me.
Dannii, everyone can see it that Scholes is blowing. He will be ok for the first 15mins of the second half then the manager has to take him off or we will be short. We are so good tonight it is unreal. Even O’Shea too. Rooney is well up for it and I can see Hernandez scoring – he has Terry so scared of the pace behind. Evra and Nani are having a ball on that side.
We have to win tonight. We do that and with van Persie injured the Arsenal will give it up. Then on sunday we go and walk it at Anfield – dream week!!!
Gary Neville is in the away end
Fucking awesome!
fuck that
rooney close just then
come on united
A second goal before Drogba could be vital
come on reds
Typical…. should have put the bet on Chelski 2-1 at half time
Defending was shocking to be fair
See what I mean. We’ve been found out in less than 10 mins.
fucking hell. get a fucking grip.
luiz dirty cunt taking over from terry
We’re not getting any decisions here
come on reds
score united score
defence us underpressure cos the gas has ran out – Scholes can only now break up play, he cannot dictate it for long periods. Carrick is playing with his clit and Fletcher is neither forward or back. Can’t anyone see the fucking obvious.
The balls not sticking up top….. get Berba on…
Drogba coming on
Advantage Chelsea
We need some momentum
even Anelka in midfield is skinning our players. wake the fuck up Taggart
Drogba to score next….trust
I would take the 1-1, now we are gonna get a whupping – case of surving.
got to be berbs for chica, he has done fuck all
bring on giggs
We’ve gone here…
tempo has collapsed!
That’s what I mean… why take off Anelka instead of Torres?
cos Amanorabitch prob made that decision …
This game is getting messy… might see a red card.
still playing some good stuff
Good move
Need more of that
good counter – right thing, bit of explosive power
that Luis looks tasty
at times like this you need Rio to lead and calm the fuck down.
bring on Giggs he will calm us down and get us playing rather than faffing
Exactly right!
How SHIT IS CARRICK FFS
rooney wrong decision
defence looking dodgy
Lol Nev
Get Chico off…
Gary Neville going ape shit just there with the faithful fucking legend the guy
carrick you bollockless pussy, KEEP THE BALL
lol – hilarious
Ahhh Nani you twat!
Taggert you jock whisky swigging cunt get some changes made FFS
giggs and berbs need to come on
need some one to hold the ball up
We’re getting in behind easily here
They can’t live with our pace
i can smell the Teacher’s from here – come on Bargain Booze, fucking sort it.
Luiz having a stormer – proper cunting defender
Good subs…
come on united
piss on these pussies
as predicted – Giggs and Berbas have more skill between them than all of the Chavs side put together. they should bring some calm and creativity to the mad slap a twat this has turned into
essien gets a card for that foul on evra and luiz smashes sweet pea and gets fuck all
Ref is chicken oriental
come on lads, we can do this
We need a miracle here….
Smokey Robinson would do…..
FUCK OFF LUIZ – surely that was a second yella
Luiz is killing Rooney
The cunt should be sent off, he’s getting away with all kinds of shit
if that wasn’t a foul on rooney by that cunt then thats a complete joke
come on united
Some cunt needs to break that fucker Luiz legs both of them.
Taggard having an eppy – come on cunts, we can do this!
FUCKING KNEW IT
SHIT HOUSES
fuck off
fuck off
12 mins lads
come on we can do it
Are we being made to pay for Rooneygate?
fucking great penno from that CUNT
This game isn’t over yet.
THIS TEAM IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. SIMPLE.
FUCKING DISGRACE…..AND WHERE’S CARRICK WHEN YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE A GRIP OF THE GAME… NO WHERE AGAIN.
ROONEY IS WORTH NO WHERE NEAR £250,000 A WEEK.
WORSE MIDFIELD I’VE SEEN SINCE I’VE FOLLOWED UNITED.
Jesus you have to laugh, Atkinson and the Chavs, true to form. What a load of crap.
disgrace – esp since Luiz shld have been semt of 3 times against Rooney
Luiz off so he can’t be sent off
Luiz off before he’s sent off.
gutted
Anyone really surprised? seriously….
jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez we are getting wanked on
score united
come on reds
give the ball to berbs
were letting Chelsea have to much of the ball now
chavs have blown us apart with 10 mins of pure energy.
zero skill, just power. just fouls and pushing and shoving.
The ref has let Luiz batter Rooney tonight
Yet he’s given loads of freekicks for nothing fouls
It’s the refs saying “if Rooney wants to play rough, then so be it”
He won’t get another decision for weeks
Nothing to do with the ref…. he’s done OK
SHIT TEAM.
fletcher was fucked 30 mins ago – we have no midfield. am fucking gutted
Shit midfield, aye
AGREED.
I’m not kidding I physically detest Carrick and everything he stands for.
Yep… Keane would never have allowed that to happen… and there lies our problem.
4 mins added time
come on united
give us a goal
Nah I think we’ve been robbed. A draw would be fair, but the balance of the ref’s decisions and a soft shite penalty have handed it to the Chavs. Usual story mind. I’m actually quite impressed with our performance.
Let’s see what Fergie does in the summer because if he doesn’t add real quality then he’s finished.
Second half??
You fucking blind? it was a clear pen.
Vida off – fucking hell
That is a disgrace.
Vidic off
Embarrassing…
How was that foul a yellow and not the GBH on Drogba?
fucking hell, really missing Rio
Never a fuckin card that… the ref is actually setting us up for next week… what a pathetic cunt.
I’M SO ANGRY. FUCK FERGIE…..FUCK CARRICK…FUCK FLETCHER….
We were never gonna win tonight
But what the fuck was the ref on. Rooney won’t get another decision all the time he’s playing in England
Luiz should have been off
We won’t win at Anfield
Well to be honest my stream went to shite, so I didn’t have the best look at it. So I haven’t really seen anything since then. But up to then the second half was us trying to play on the counter, and Luiz fucking decking any of our lads who came near the penalty area. he’s a terrific footballer, but he was a fucking disgrace from that point of view, and he just did it time and again. I began to lose interest at that point, it was plain what way it was all heading. The refereeing in the PL is a shambles.
can we have this cunting refereee every week?
what a fucking whore
luiz fucks rooney and sweet pea and gets away with it
vidic sent off for 2 soft fouls
and the penalty which another ref wwouldnt give
i am pleased with the performance by the lads and this is not the result we deserved
Fuck off Alf..the Ref was ok..we we’re shite!
beaten by a bunch of shithouse unskillful cunts
slapped about like Audley Harrison
We had a legacy of Robson, Ince, Keane – hell even Nicky Butt, and now we have that shit in the middle.
STILL FUMING!!!!!
Who fucking cares that the Chavs won the fucking game, lets use this as a spur to hammer seven shades of fuck out of that shower of scouse cunts down the east lancs road.
Like fuck it was… it could have gone either way… but the fact is, the Renties were looking for that, and playing every trick in the book to take advantage the refs bias…
Look at the difference… Luiz cleaned Rooneys clock, and the ref ignored it… but gives Vidic his second yellow for a fuckin dive.
biggest load of horse cock.
Pathetic.
FUCKING BUMP
Ref has fucked us up for the title. Lets Luiz get away with countless fouls and a clear second yellow and then sends off Vidic with 1 minute to go.
Great game overall, good performance from United, just a bit unlucky.
oh well sets it up nice for sunday
the arse will no doubt take a boost from this but the best thing to come from this result will be man city getting fucked for 4th spot
That is what I have been on about all season and some morons will start saying we need Scholes or his replacement. In the PL we need people who will battle. Essien, Ramirez and Lampard shat on Scholes and carrick. The manager then brings on Giggs and asks him to play infield instead of sending him wide and bringing Fletcher around Carrick. I curse Phelan. I detest that fella more than I do Berbatov. This was a game that we should have been prepared to FIGHT physically. We had no one. I do not care what some on here might say, if we had Lass and Cattermole there tonight we would not have been shoved aside the way Chelsea did in that second half. It happens ALL the time we have this same midfield set-up. All the time.
spot on
with that performance especially in the 1st half, united will do ok on sunday
shame vidic is out but rio could be back
smalling had a great game again – penalty could have gone either way but that shouldn’t take anything away from his performance today and i hope it doesn’t screw his form up
Thanks for your message mate.
*Applauds*
don’t know – there was 10-15 mins where we were lightening but as we could see Scholes ran out of gas, Carrick hid which mean’t Fletch was in no man’s land.
then we got our arse kicked physically – the only ones who can compete are Rooney, Evra and Vida.
they are fucking thugs and we have no ince, robbo, keane who can psychologically DAMAGE an opponent
even Ruud used to piss off the opponents to peices.
I’ll give Rooney this – he stuck it up the Chav supporters arses. that’s what we need.
Gaz Nev – might have been shit in the end but he had an edge that could turn games.
Rio has a bit of it – and Ronny had masses of it. Sheer fucking audacity and a killer mental streak.
fucking fuming here. We are shite but we were miles ahead of Chelsea. Cunting ref, could have been wearing a Chelsea shirt. cunt cunt cunt fuckin cunt
Ivanovic kept fouling nani and got away with it. That Brazilian mop head had the license to cut Rooney in half. fuckin twat. The fucking annoying thing is,if it were the old United, we’d have given everything back. We’d go on a run destroying teams.Not scraping past them. How we miss Keane!!!
I couldn’t get the best look at the penalty with my stream, but it looked to me like Jerkoff went in looking to fall over and took advantage of Smalling’s naivete. Definitely wasn’t a stone cold peno, and definitely wasn’t a peno at all by the standard the ref set in his other decisions.
It’s not that one or two decisions went against us that bugs me, it was the totally predictable and repetitious nature of Chelski’s fouls going unpunished, and then they got progressively worse until Luiz was practically laying people out every few minutes. That’s exactly what Chelsea do, have done since Mourinho’s time. They are cynical, they see what the ref will allow them, and then they push it to the limit. It’s just systemic with them.
You fuck off Mate… you wouldn’t know a football if it smacked you in the face, so who gives a shit what you think?
We were bullied into defeat, and a different ref would have reduced them to 10 players and it would have been a different game… but that’s football, it’s not always fair… I can take the loss, I can even take Vidics’ red card…
What I can’t take is being told that was the RIGHT result… it wasn’t.
“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.”
cal ffs
united played well most of the game and the midfield was ticking nicely – cattermole and co would have been red carded by this cunt of a ref for putting a foot in – our midfield needs new blood but not for the sake of cattermole
The players won’t be feeling tired after that robbery. They’ll be raging. Bring on the Scousers.
As for United, I think it’s safe to say that they won’t be so lethargic against Chelsea at home as they were last season.
In the ’08 Champions League final that was the same way the first half went. Scholes was given room to play and he played well. Second half they sat on him and he disappeared. PLAIN for everyone to see apart from some assholes here. Thank God for Quieroz alongside our manager as they took him off, pushed Hargreaves into the middle and Rooney wide then we got hold of the ball again.
Tonight with that lemon alongside him, the manager does not react to the change that Chelsea were going to make. Giggs alongside Carrick?? Madness. For that alone we should LOSE.
It’s all very well saying they outmuscled us in the midfield, but this is 2011. Players should be able to use their skills and get some protection from the refs. Imagine there was a CL ref for this game — early second half we would have been 1-0 up and they would be a man down.
Typical response from Rants very own lunatic…
By the way… “if we had Lass and Cattermole there tonight”… we would have finished with only 9 men on the pitch…
I honestly can’t fault the players for their effort or commitment tonight. On another day, we would at least have managed a draw. I’m not surprised they went to pieces when the ref took matters into his own hands and Chelsea took the lead. All that hard work out of the window in an instant.
Told you that last week, we will not beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with this midfield. Will not beat Liverpool either, no Vidic or Ferdinand. Fergie should not be upset, he knows the quality of his midfield so what else can you expect. If United fail to win the title, Fergie will have to take the blame for not solving his midfield problems in the January transfer window.
agreed on all counts. i just hope we can stumble on to win this by the skin of our teeth
we simply lack energy – just raw smash and grab mentallity
I mean Keane, Ince, Ruud, Robbo, Cantona would NEVER have let any of our players be treated like that.
They may have got a red for smacking that cunt Luiz but we just got twatted into submission
it was a fucking joke
Vidic misses the trip to Anfield now, while Luiz will still play for Chelsea
Outrageous. Even some ABUs are perplexed at this cunt of a ref
Bolluxs..I still play footy and dont sit in a wankin chariot playing the internet warrior, sour grapes at the ref, you make me laugh, blame the non existent middlefield , blame fookin god for all i care, but it was the middlefield which let us down (again)…
not feeling gutted
just angry with that cunt in the middle who likes russian cock up his anus
thinking about the way he let luiz foul at every opportunity is just a joke – still, united could have had rooney sent off on saturday so i hope this evens it up and be the end of this rooney baiting
I tell you what Alf, Keane would not have let Rooney or Nani get treated like that.
I don;t give a shit about Cattermole or Lass but this is more that getting a bloody nose – it’s about the likes of Cantona, Ruud and Incey going up to Luiz and cunting him in the face.
We got mugged in broad daylight.
They robbed our fucking sweets then kicked us in the nuts.
There is no doubt at all that Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes, Giggs got cunted in the last 45mins. It wasn’t even funny.
playing psp or nintendo dont count spike
No we would not you moron!!! The Chelsea players would have known that there was a fight on. Your darling over the hill Scholes was shown up for the over the hill rubbish he has become. He made ONE exceptional pass to Nani in the second half and that was that.
We are easy to play against. VERY easy. You don’t think so. Your choice. Idiot.
and i reckon saf will be making that point for sunday no doubt
prefer wii schoolyard
WHY THE FUCK IS CLEVERLY NOT EVEN ON THE FUCKING BENCH
Are you forgetting we killed them in the first half
Our midfield out-footballed them and we controlled the match
Chelsea had to make do with set pieces
Once we got ahead, our tactics changed LIKE THEY ALWAYS FUCKING DO, and we sat back, let them have it and tried to hit them on the counter (hence Chico’s inclusion)
We don’t want midfield monsters. It worked for chelsea when they had the momentum, but it hasn’t worked for them all season, has it? That’s why they’re shit
I am so angry at the way that ended up.
Oh ffs… there he goes… he’s off on one now… bringing up ancient examples of games that porve his point… as if there’s no examples at all, that could just as easily prove otherwise.
We didn’t lose because of Scholes, you dummy… we lost, because Chelsea were allowed to kick ten shades of shit out of us, a different ref wouldn’t have allowed it… and we may well have seen a different result… but again, like I said… that’s the way football goes sometimes… I can take the loss… I just can’t stand boneheads talking shit to back up a bullshit argument…
The bindippers are on a dalglish high, they will take us down a peg or two and ginsoak and his twat phelan will bting Sir Giggsy on again and expect him to save our bacon..ffs
Sid,
we played like that way in the first half because Chelsea showed us too much respect. In the second half they brought power and intensity. ANY team that does that against a team with Scholes and Carrick in midfield will have the match.
Like I said, this happens everytime we play this Chelsea people.
I hate the fact that teams can outmuscle us. It annoys me more than anything. I am not even blaming the ref to be honest.
well put young sid
Exactly – and you can’t blame our midfielders for that.
Sid that is not right and you know it – we tore them apart for 20 mins max, the last 10 we were hanging on for dear life when Scholes battery ran out.
Carrick then hid and Fletcher has to cover all 40 yards of space. that is the simple truth, if it;s not Carrick hiding its Anderson – simple as that.
The problem is not Scholes, the problem is Carrick. Scholes and Fletch can work OK but they are always on the edge because Scholes can’t cover any ground anymore. but if you take out Carrcik too then you are fucked completely.
That in turn puts pressure on defence and if you don’t have the Rolls Royce Rio, that puts pressure on Vida and VDS.
moreover, it draws Rooney, Chico and Berbs into the middle of the park – and then we have no outlet.
i’ve been banging on about this for at least 3 years.
Cal is right, why the fuck was Fletcher pushed out wide – he can just about do a job in the middle.
Carrick should simply be shot in the bollocks.
the dongleish high ended last week, when they got wanked on
LOL… you sound like Cal…
No one is defending our midfield numb nuts… but your vision is as good as your spelling if you think that ref had a good game.
That was our best away performance this season, well, at least the first half. Anything like that kind of performance will see the Dippers well shat on. Thought Rooney played well, and Vida, Smalling, Evra, even O’Shiiiiit! Even Carrick got involved!
Fletcher had a mare as did Nani. I was’nt convinced Hernandez should have started. Might be a little early for him these types of games. He genuinely did’nt get the chance to do anything meaningful. Lots of chasing down lost causes, but we was missing someone to hold it up a bit more up top. Berbs should have started and leave chicken Tikka for the last 15 minutes. We need to get some steel in the middle of the park.
Teds gaffer award. Rooney.
Teds duffer award. Fletcher.
Alf,
you are so stupid it is beyond belief. We can blame the ref all we like but Chelsea bossed the 2nd half and that was because they overran us in midfield. How can we even begin to claim that they “kicked us about”?? You should be ashamed of yourself to use that line to excuse a defeat. This is a Manchester United team we are talking about.
cal
with your selective memory i’m surprised you don’t remember this ref has been a cunt previously to united – he is an out and out cunt and takes rent boy dick
we should have got a second, but no, we sat back and let them boss the midfield…some of you deluded cunts should go to specsavers.
Danni..they will be up for the game against us, every team up the ante on us…wanked on or not..we will be arse raped again..No Rio, Vidic and I hope Smalling keeps his big feet still in the box.
han,
do not descend to Alf’s levels. Please. Everyone has selective memory. The ref was bad. However, we were over powered in midfield. Are you guys for real?!! This is the same Chelsea side that Arsenal used vigour and vitality and intensity to overcome. Yet we go there with Scholes and Carrick. And we blame the ref. Nonsense!!
Ref was a cunt and we got smashed up.
Did anyone see Giggs and Berbs EVEN GET THE BALL.
Can anyone remember ANTHING of note done by our midfielders to stop the attacks.
The midfield was basically Rooney and Evra – what the fuck were you guys watching. Carrick shat his pants in defence and Giggs was nowhere. Fletcher was fucked – he always is
but did you see how utterly brilliant he was in the first 30 mins – he was everywhere
he was proactive and taking the initiative. instead he ran out gas covering Scholes and Carrick.
its so obvious and predictable
Never said he had a good game, the game was ours to win or not, and read back a few pages..you fat canadian wanker defended the midfield..Find any spelling mistakes?..well fookin keep em!
Let’s put things into perspective. When was the last time Chelsea beat us without needing dodgy decisions in their favour?
Last season at Stamford Bridge? Nope
Last season at Old Trafford? Nope
What about that game when they won a pen after Carrick was wrongly penalised for a handball in the box and Ballack scored a penalty? Oh wait, nope.
cal
if that ref had any gonads, luiz would have been off before the penalty incident
with them down to 10 men, do u really think they would have done much?
i just don;t know – am gutted
By the way Atkinson is the same ref who denied us a clearcut penalty in the FA Cup. He is, by some distance, the shittest referee in the league.
No arguement… we’ve lacked a proper leader for far too long… even Rooney is turning into a fanny… saw him rolling around like Nani more than once tonight… I wouldn’t honestly want him to get up and twat the fucker… he’d have been banned for the season, but still… it’s just not right that we should be lying on the ground, looking for help from the ref… we should be getting up and beating them with football… that’s what Ronaldo would do…
It’s not just ass kickers we lack, it’s everything… not enough ass kickers, not enough leaders, no where near enough talent… and generally no bollocks… at least with players like Keane, Ince, Robson… they made all the players around them man-up, and gave the whole team a dose of testosterone.
ref bottled it
rent boys piss that is
and still with such a shit team out there, we played a great game of football tonight and should have got a better result
ANCHOVY ADMITS UNITED WERE FANTASTIC, LUIZ WAS LUCKY AND CHAV POWER AND INTENSITY WON
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti: “It was a good performance and we’re still alive. Man United are fantastic, they played really well, but we managed to keep going bven at 1-0 down, played with power and intensity, and without playing really well you cannot beat this team. In the middle of the first half they were playing very well and in that moment we were in difficulty, but we played better in the second half. David Luiz could be lucky, but a lot of things were going on so it’s difficult for the referee.”
TAGGART FUCKED OFF ABOUT DECISIONS
Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Chelsea’s David Luiz: “He’s done Chicarito before he got booked, and he did Rooney two minutes before the penalty was awarded, I don’t know how he was still on the pitch. The players have endured a lot of decisions against them and they didn’t deserve that tonight. Chelsea aren’t out of the title race if they keep getting decisions like that.”
TAGGART ADMITS WE PLAYED WELL
Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: “We defended badly for the first goal, but the penalty kick is so soft, dear me. We played really well and we didn’t deserve that. Three years in a row here decisions have changed the game.”
FFS HAN… you fookin WUM… WE BOTTLED IT AFTER THE FIRST GOAL!!!
Who’s the idiot?
Blaming Scholes for that loss is about as low as you can go… I don’t think even you actually believe it… but you are so fuckin stubborn that you’ve just got to stick to your ridiculous guns… you carry on Cal… no one takes you seriously… even when you’re right…
yep – am fucking exhausted.
still am staying postive. fucking hell i feel crap
I’m gonna do a BofN and delete this whole fookin thread
all comments are correct by each manager
The ref is a cunt and he robbed us…..just like Wigan were robbed with ROONEY NOT BEING SENT OFF
Calvinio and ALf, I think both of you are right and both of you are hurt that United lost. Just calm down and direct the anger at Chelsea and Atkinson for this once.
Chelsea did play the muscle card in the 2nd half. They pressed all over the park. In tandem with this, the referee didn’t help either when he didn’ve give stone cold fouls but awarded a soft penalty. It was almost telepathic between the referee and the Chelsea team.
I miss the Keane who had the balls to challenge Viera in the tunnel when we won 4-2 at Highbury. I’m only going to be satisfied this season if we smash Chelsea at home. I don’t even care about the league anymore. Draw Chelsea in the CL and hammer them.
Next season, priority number 1 is winning at Stamford Bridge. By all means necessary.
LINE UP FOR THE DIRTY AMBULANCE SHAKERS
Evans and Rio Ferdinand both out of LFC match. Wes Brown will replace suspended Vidic.
“Blaming Scholes for that loss is about as low as you can go… I don’t think even you actually believe it… but you are so fuckin stubborn that you’ve just got to stick to your ridiculous guns… you carry on Cal… no one takes you seriously… even when you’re right… “
Talk about the kettle calling the pan black…ffs that takes the biscuit!
NO, JUST THE BIT ABOUT YOU STILL PLAYING FOOTBALL……1000 CARE HOMES JUST RECORDED A MASSIVE INCREASE IN DEATH BY LAUGHTER AT THAT COMMENT
Should have gone 4-5-1 again – boring but effective. Would rather be boring and get a point then be exciting and lose.
LOL…tbf thats funny
LOL…tbf thats funny
and then shag a sheep
where is that cunt Knobby?
shit, i thought noone would notice it…your banned.
Two points: we didn’t keep the ball well enough in the second half. Chelsea pressed us, played a higher line, and with the exception of Rooney’s run down the flank, we didn’t get in behind them. We invited pressure and were ultimately punished.
However the referee was diabolical. He gave every 50-50 to Chelsea, from the free kick against Evra in the first half (from which only VDS’s brilliance saved us) to a penalty which was so clearly a dive that hardly any of the Chelsea players appealed for it. I can accept that happens sometimes, but it’s happened to us on the last three occasions we’ve been to Chelsea. And it happened at Old Trafford last season.
Thankfully this season even despite the win Chelsea can’t win it. But that hardly gets rid of that bitter burning sense of injustice.
ffs where have you been hiding – i agree with your points save for the not caring about the league bit – i care – too fucking much sadly
Do you believe I manage the toddlers footy team?…no?
hat
taxi
spreading his cheeks for atkinson
And this is why you piss me off Mate… nothing else matters to you except defending your stupid argument… Scholes had nothing… absolutley nothing to do with either goal they scored… but somehow… it’s all his fault… nevermind, that I have said repeatedly, I wish he didn’t have to play, becuae we’d replaced him like we should have, nevermind that Carrick is supposed to be the protection for the back 4, and he can’t even do that… never mind that Luiz should have been sent off, their penalty was very, very soft, nevermind that Vidics red card was ver soft…
Nope… according to Calvino… it’s all Scholes fault.
knobby the closet chumpski wum is still jerjin off to Lumpards goal
tbf lads we are all gutted but think about things positively
at least we are not Brians bathroom scales
“Fuck off Alf..the Ref was ok..we we’re shite!”
Sorry… my mistake…
What a twat you are…
By the way… our midfield is rubbish… in the second half, our midfield was rubbish… and your spelling is rubbish…
Twat!
We will rape the Scousers at the weekend so I’m not feeling too downhearted. We are still 4 points ahead, shame we couldn’t extend it.
Van Persie is out for a minimum of 3 weeks, according to Arsenal.com.
wallcock too
Yes Alf, your spot on, I quiver with anticipation at your professional analytic insight of the game.
now fook off and find some more miss spellings…You won the Spelling Bee Award in school 10 times in a row? ffs.
Alf,
you can get right lost and stay “pissed off” for as long as you want.
If Scholes had done the honourable thing and retired he would not be available for selection just as the great man Neville has done. So, on that score, our shite midfield today I will blame him. A Carrick/Fletcher centre-midfield will have more legs than any combination that has Scholes in it. That lack of energy was what did us in tonight especially in the second half as the home team and reigning champions upped the ante and their energy levels.
Every top team in the PL know that when Scholes is in the side alongside Carrick that they just have to up their energy levels and we will be overrun. So clear for all to see.
Rooney should have been sent off on Saturday. No one has defended Carrick here tonight so your comment was brainless as usual. I really also believe that having Scholes around him makes him totally useless – he is there to protect the back four right? So what is Scholes there to do? See, why Phelan is the worst person in a job at carrignton currently.
A point will be a good result Sunday. 4-5-1 a must, Rooney up top on his own.
Off to bed to have nightmares of knobby and alf as siamese twins written shite on this forum.
“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 bother Mate… you will never get Cal and I to see eye to eye… and it’s not even about right or wrong… it’s about his disgraceful and completely unneccessary, hate campaign against legendary players, just to prove he knows a thing or two about football… and my stubborn refusal to let him get away with it.
Besides… he is my sworn enemy… Cal…???… “To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee; For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee”…
“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.”
A draw would be a good result if we wanted to hand the title to Arsenal.
After tonight, nothing less than a win will do.
“Power and intensity” — that’s falling into the “could Messi play on a wet night in Stoke” mentality. We beat Chelsea with plenty of intensity and pace and gruntwork in the first half, so they came out and kicked lumps out of us, shoved us off the ball, even clotheslined us if need be.
FFS, Torres knocked Evra over in the first half and was given a handy free kick right on our goal. The writing was well on the wall: blank cheque for Chelsea players to foul.
If we go 4-4-2 and attack we are asking for trouble. As everyone has been saying on these pages for last 9 months – this is a far from a vintage United side and we should cut our cloth accordingly. The same stands for tonight – 4-5-1 would have got us a point. We were too open tonight. Every time we play 4-4-2 away from home we ship goals. 4-5-1 we conceed no more than one each time, more often than not we keep a clean sheet.
Arsenal will be without Fabregas, Walcott and Van Persie against Sunderland. Fingers crossed that the Mackems can do us a huge favour.
I’m not defending our virtual non – appearance in the second half; but we are always up against the officials in these games against Chelsea; it’s clear to all but a blind man that things are not right with the officials in these big games. (against Chelsea)
The media are practically wanking in public over this result; a United defeat; a Chelsea win: it’s all their wet dreams come true all at once; as ever, if United want to win this league, we’re going to have to be a country mile better than everyone else because it is plainly obvious, once again, that money taks and bullshit walks!
And if that scumbag Atkinson wants to take me to court over that last remark, then go ahead; youn put your kids through college with that one, you cheating cunt!
I wonder if the media will be all over the referee after that shocker. Hmm…we didn’t benefit so..uhm…no.
Dude, no team has EVER won a match in the first half. We played very well in the first half and had our goal to show for it. In the second, they upped it and we had no one in midfield to match them. Did you see one play where Essien shook Scholes off like a bad habit? Exactly, they do that to us everytime we have the weeman and Carrick together. They had more energy than us and that was what saw them over the line.
Now people, can we stop whining like Wenger and his Arsenal players on being kicked about. goodness me!! We are Manchester United and we should be able to have players on our side that can take care of themselves. That kind of excuse is beneath us.
By the way, Alf, please bring it on. Stupid fool.
You see what I mean???
“Now people, can we stop whining like Wenger and his Arsenal players on being kicked about. goodness me!! We are Manchester United and we should be able to have players on our side that can take care of themselves. That kind of excuse is beneath us.”
I couldn’t agree more…
Oh and… “By the way, Alf, please bring it on. Stupid fool. “… ???…
You been watching “American Gladiators” again Cal?
FFS I’m not saying we won the match in the first half. My point is that we were playing a good away strategy: took the lead in the first half, set up to hit them on the counter in the second. At Stanford Bridge you have to expect Chelsea to come out in the second half raring to go – as they did the first half.
One of the important differences in the second half was that our counter attacks were repeatedly stymied by illegal means, and the ref very rarely penalised them for it. It is pretty hard for Scholes and Carrick to play the nice passing game they did in the first half if the recipient of the pass is laying flat out on the grass or searching for his teeth, as our forwards players found themselves repeatedly.
In the final analysis, just like last year it was a tight game that the ref made all the difference in tipping the balance. Luiz is the perfect Chelsea player: extremely talented, dirty as fuck.
To be fair to Chelsea, they were aware of the shitstorm surrounding Rooney after the elbow incident, so they targetted him, roughed him up big time, and it worked
They stopped us playing some good football by being dirty cunts. They stopped some decent counter attacks by fouling, and getting away with it. They got Rooney moaning at the ref by fouling him off the ball.
They played Rooneygate situation well
That’s a good point – the fact that this game should have taken place last year when Chelsea were being shit – total abject shit in fact – and without the £75m improvements of Torres and the cheating nasty cunt Luiz
A game 5 minutes down the road at QPR can take place in Winter, but the Chelsea game can’t FFS
The are lucky as fuck really
Alfonso, its the midfield AGAIN! How long will we have to keep ranting down Fergie’s throat, MIDFIELD. Will we not win the title because of midfield? Fergie blamed the ref for todays lost.
SPOT ON.
Says the half man half food dispenser……
tbf I still miss your scent…..
Says the forum spice boy!! LMAOFAFOMGPMSLFAF
FUNNIEST LIE ON RANT EVER. FACT.
The only balls you still play with are attached to your room mate at the home.
Scholes was the classy quarterback in the 1st half.
But he had ran out of juice by the 60th minutes.
Gibson should have come on…’kin ell. I can’t believe I wrote that.
LOL!!!
Spike > Effenberg
We were brave and it backfired. Let’s move on.
I find it funny that when we play 4-5-1 people on here cuss Fergie for being too negative, and when we go 4-4-2 with our most creative duo in the middle of the park those same people take offence. The plan was working perfectly for 45 minutes; in fact, we should have been 2-0 up after 60 minutes. We were playing away, so a period of intense defending is to be expected. We coped bloody well until the last twenty minutes when the ref pulled the carpet out from under us.
As for those having a go at Scholes — please! The guy was immense. He’s not there to defend FFS.
Jesus I have to laugh at this “chelsea played a higher line in the second half” stuff. They didn’t do that in the first half because of Hernandez’s pace, and Rooney’s too. They took a chance in the second half because they were behind, *AND THE HIGH LINE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES*. Several times we had them on the counter in classic away-game style. Each time Luiz was forced into a cynical yellow card foul to prevent a near certain goal-scoring opportunity, but only once was he penalized for it. I’m sure he couldn’t believe his luck, so the Chavs could keep up the high line and seem to be swarming the midfield.
There’s nothing wrong with a defender taking a last-gasp yellow card for the team, Vidic did it this same match ffs. The problem is that if a ref is not applying the same standard to both teams, one team gets an enormous tactical advantage.
In a properly refereed match, Luiz would have gotten a yellow for his first foul on Hernandez, then he would have been faced with the choice of letting Rooney pass or getting sent off – GAME FUCKING CHANGER.
First half United were excellent and it was definitely the best away performance of the season.
Second half, Chelsea pressed higher and stopped our counter-attacking football through cynical fouling. Chelsea did what they always do at SF, they took control of the game territorially. This means that they get a lot of corners and free kicks and this is where thier opporunities came from, how many times did they open us up? How many chances did they have from open play?
The high pressing and cynical fouling meant Hernandez, Nani and Fletch disappeared out of the game. Scholes and Carrick were overrun (AGAIN), but the defence coped well. It was right to get Scholes off, but surely Fletch should’ve been dragged into the middle rather than Giggs.
United have had a lot of good decisions from refs this year, so you can’t complain too much, but Atkinson was abysmal. Aside from the three of four nasty challenges by Luiz and the Evra ‘foul’, the soft penalty, there was one moment where Nani outskilled Ivanovic and he ended up nutmegging him. That Serb fat arse took hold of Nani and stopped him going past him. Ref’s decision? Free kick to Chelsea. There’s actually no way to get that decision wrong other than just being utterly terrible at your job. I raise these points not because I’m saying it’s unfair – because I do think decisions even out – but because the referees are quite clearly incompetent.
Ultimately, although we lost, United played better in the first half than at any point away from home this season. If we can re-create that against Liverpool, we should win.
We should have made more of Hernandez’ running in behind. I can remember only one occasion when a ball was played over the top for him and he was narrowly offside.
For Liverpool, I think Berba should start. Bring Hernandez on at 65 mins to run at a lagging Carragher.
i think going forward rooney and chicharito are the answer – a couple more challenges like that on hernandez like the one from Luiz will toughen him up a bit and he’ll be ready.
at the back smalling looks like he will be top class.
its the middle that everyone can see is the problem, if keane was playing last night. no way we would have lost, not in a million years, he wouldnt have allowed it. need to add some steel to the middle (proper steel, not fletcher, carrick steel) and replace paul scholes (easier said than done) but Modric for me is the one.
just got to stop buying shit homeless wingers so we have some spare cash – carrick and gibson out to raise funds.
simples
ps. yes the ref was shit last night but we were lucky against wigan. siwngs and roundabouts – rooney shouldnt have been playing.
I hate revisionist historians and there seems to be many on this forum when it comes to be many when it comes to what United teams have been over the years.
Sir Alex right from his Aberdeen years has believed in having strong characters in his team especially the midfield. He was pleased to find Whiteside and Robson in the United team he met. He then got Hughes back.
Now people want us to believe that Hughes, Robson, Whiteside, Ince, Keane and Butt were the most technically accomplished footballers around during their times. Utter rubbish. These were men who through the force of their characters imposed their wills upon United matches and team mates. They refused to be beaten. Were prepared to battle to fight for the cause literally and figuratively. Proper men.
Some idiots will want to tell me that Roy Keane was not a thug. Go to hell with that view. The man was properly deranged and the only reason he got away with so much was because he played for a big team. How many times did he get sent-off? Only once was it not justified – against Blackburn a second booking from Elleray for DIVING!!! The man fell to the ground from exhaustion having battered the then champions alongside Nicky Butt away at Ewood.
Since the sale of Tevez and Hargreaves injury we have only Rooney and Vida as men who want to fight for the cause – Rio is always too injured anyway. Manchester United are too easy to play against. Way too easy. Teams target us in an intense way and press us high up knowing that we have pussies all over there. Why do you guys think we have such a poor away record? It is not from a lack of creativity as some fools are suggesting nor the ability or inability to “keep the ball and pass it sideways and backwards”; it is an inability to battle, fight for possession and win it back. To stand up and look at the opposition midfielder/hardman and dare him to try it again.
Once in ’99, Andy Sinton then of Spurs clattered into Beckham, Roy Keane marched up to him and grabbed him by his shirt and cursed into his face! That told him and his team-mates not to even try that stuff again. In the same game, Nicky Butt absolutely clattered Ginola and got up cursing him. Everyone and teams watching would have known you do not mess with that team. Not this present team. Yet we have people bandying the names of fancy spanish/italian/danish players like this present team lacks creativity. In Nani, Rooney, Berbatov and Valencia we have a front four that should strike fear into any team. What they need is a proper base to work with. People who will protect them, recover the ball back quickly and sent them on the front foot as quickly.
Part of the revisionist history I hate is that when the ’99-01 side is mentioned, Nicky Butt is glossed over. That was the man that made his debut ahead of Scholes both for United and England. He was first choice pick in EVERY big game and was Roy Keane’s preferred partner in battle. He scored his fair share of goals. I always remember how Zidane and co ran us ragged at Old Trafford in the ’99 UCL semi-final with Keane and Scholes in centre-midfield. In the 2nd leg, Butt got his place back and Juve were put to the sword, Nicky actually hit the post in the second half. Last night, we had Scholes and Carrick: two players who can’t tackle properly, can’t run and are not athletic enough. Oh, do not get goals too. So what exactly was the point? At an away ground? But ofcourse Scholes is a legend so he is infallible. Kiss my ass! The man is a liability and the sooner he gets right lost and goes to Oldham the better.
Cal – a long post best summed up by saying United would be much better if we had an evil nasty cunt in midfield. I entirely agree.
Plus some actual flair too 🙂
We should have bought De Rossi in 2007 instead of Hargo
Cal and Ed are completely right. We need a badass nasty horrid little character in midfield bullying the opposition. They need to be able to supply the ball forward, true, but we need a complete nutcase in there as well.
Cattermole would actually be ideal, and for me his ideal partner would be Rodwell.
Some one like van Bommell. God I hate the guy but he can be useful.
But don’t buy him, buy someone ‘like’ him.
I wonder if we’d be interested in Masch if he becomes available.
He’s defo a nasty cunt
Once spoke to Robbo. Amongst other things he said that he would tackle with the intention of getting just enough on the ball so it was legal but with the aim of letting the player now that he was going to make that afternoon the worst in his career. Although that said he still had great feet awareness and an engine on him even when hungover! Not had that type of player since Keane left. De Rossi kind of fits that bill although can he make ‘the face’? I’m all for a wide eyed nutter. I wouldn’t read to much into last nights result either. I imagine that the top four/five will drop at least 5/6 points over the next 3 months. I don’t even think Arsenal will beat Sunderland at the weekend. they may even pick up some injuries playing tonight LO will be kicking everything above grass!
cal – wash your mouth out. insulting paul scholes – the greatest midfielder of our generation. fact!
but i do agree, and meniotned it in my post above. need some steel in midfield, someone who doesnt accept defeat. basically a midfield version of vidic, or better yet, new roy keane.
plus, some creativity. you cant overlook the fact the we lack flair/creativity in centre mid.
Cattermole?? dont think he has enough quality. keane was hard as nails, but he was still an awesome footballer. who could score, dictate tempo and keep the ball – not just destroy.
Wrong.. your pleas of innocence after deleting half a forum were better..oh and Cap’s insistence that he can still shag (only when she/he is drugged).
A nasty cunt in midfield won’t solve much – they’ll just get sent off
He has to be quality
Sometimes we forget that Keane could play. He was a fighter and a footballer who was comfortable playing the ball on the deck
Also, you need someone who embodies the spirit of the club and all that bollocks. An absolute true professional, not just a little prick like Masch who goes in hard all the time, because those cunts just get sent off eventually.
Yeah I agree. With Atkinson on the pitch, he’d get sent off for being in the starting 11!
Okay! Lets move on regroup and get ready for Liverpool.
I see Dalglish is pushing to have Andy Carroll available for the game as he feels he is the key since United will be weak in the center of the defence. United will really need to step up if they are to win this one away and this is a must win. A draw will give the advantage to Arsenal.
It will be interesting to see how the team responds after this loss to Chelsea as most of the players looked pretty down when coming of the field.
Fergie shouldn’t have gone 4-4-2 last night, we know we haven’t got 2 cm who are good enough at the highest level. 4-5-1 with Scholes, Carrick & Fletcher on Sunday with the G-Bomb on the bench!
Exactly, what use is an evil nasty cunt in midfield? Horseshit.
Robson, Ince, Keane, Butt, Viera, Gerrard, Petit, Souness were all excellent players.
Character and psychological edge is what made them stand out but simply saying, we need a dirty twat is stupid.
Pissed off last night cause of the game, now reading shite on the web from abu-style journalists makes it even harder to swallow that we gave the game away in the second half.
A win in Bindipper land is a must win to shut the fookers up, tho I can’t see it coming
Two good teams.
Could have gone either way.
Match decided by poor ref.
Smalling again outstanding.
Why O’Shea?
Carrick is neither defensive nor creative midfielder.
Fletcher still off pace.
Do we still want Scholes next season?
Berba would have been better bet.
I think everyone agrees that we need a midfield “battler” — but the problem is getting a battler who has some fucking quality as well, and that is not Cattermole. Keane was a psychotic, I agree, but he was a psychotic who could play football. De Rossi is absolutely the type of person we should be looking for. I think Hargreaves would have been decent in the role too if his legs worked.
Fergie’s recent midfield choices have been made with Europe in mind, and in the CL you simply do not get away with the kind of fouling Chelsea engages in systematically. Does nobody stop to wonder why the Chavs were able to dominate the PL but never have much success in the CL, comparatively speaking? It’s because fouling is so important to their game and they can’t count at all on being able to get away with it in Europe.
What happened yesterday was basically that Ancelotti’s team played in the first half and were being beaten by us. So then the team that Mourinho moulded came out and kicked lumps out of us, winning by “dominating territory”, being “powerful” and all the other shite euphemisms people come up with for systemic fouling.
I think we overrate Roy Keane’s football ability. And am someone who considers him my favourite United player of all time. I worshipped him and believed that while he was on the pitch we could never lose. However, most of his work was from the realisation by opponents that this guy will not shy from a battle. Ditto Paul Ince – Ince once said in an interview that his greatest asset was TACKLING!!!! And he had a great goal ratio for his type of midfielder at least while playing for us. He, Keane and Robson had fearsome reputations that caused opponents not to mess with them. I watched Keane like a hawk and his passes were always safe and to feet. But he followed up play and scored many headed goals because he had the engine to cover the pitch. I can only remember one peach of a ball to Ole down at the Valley during the ’02 season. So, frankly, he was adequate in terms of passing. Therefore, that is what we are looking for. In terms technique Lass and Cattermole can match Keane. Now when they play for United they will know that the might of the club is behind them they will even be more forceful. In terms of goals I still remember one glorious curler the teenage Cattermole scored against us while he was at ‘Boro.
Cantona had technique and skill but also was a brute so they dared not mess with him too.
Finally, Steve Bruce when he signed Cattermole for Sunderland explained that he had checked Sunderland’s record before his arrival and felt the team was too soft hence his purchase of Cattermole and Cana. Who can forget how those two came to Old Trafford last season and battered Carrick and Scholes prompting the manager to take Scholes off at halftime in the dressing room even. We are currently very SOFT to play against.
Honestly I have read this thing so much that I have kept quiet. Paul Scholes is the most technically accomplished player to play for any SAF teams. His technique can actually be jaw dropping when seen live. He had an amazing ability to ping passes and then score goals – all sorts too. However, he is a ‘failed’ striker. By that I mean, in his youth team days he was the second striker – the reserves Cantona they used to call him. If he had been taller he surely would have been that and might have won an individual honour.
However, that is not the same player we are seeing now. He is a total parody of that sensational player. And he is a liability. Teams target him.
We have just seen the best and the worst of Cal…
All that good sense about a lack of battlers, and leadership in the trenches… 100% correct…
But then he follows it up with this…
“Last night, we had Scholes and Carrick: two players who can’t tackle properly, can’t run and are not athletic enough. Oh, do not get goals too. So what exactly was the point? At an away ground? But ofcourse Scholes is a legend so he is infallible. Kiss my ass! The man is a liability and the sooner he gets right lost and goes to Oldham the better.”
Carrick, I won’t dispute… waste of a shirt… but Scholes…??? it’s not that Scholes was anything special last night… he wasn’t… but this is the same argument we get from Cal, everytime Scholes plays… or at least everytime Scholes plays and isn’t one of our best players… when Scholes has a good game, strangely we don’t hear a peep from Cal…
But… the really frustrating part, is Cals complete and utter refusal to accept that we don’t have any better in the team…
“can’t tackle properly, can’t run and are not athletic enough. Oh, do not get goals too.”???
The alternatives are… Fletcher – runs well, useless with the ball……. Anderson – when he’s not broke, he’s a mystery…….. Park – runs well, falls down even better…….. Giggs – sometimes plays in the middle, but then comes in for the same abuse from Cal, so…….. Gibson – still don’t know what the fuck he’s good at…….. Hargreaves – yeah right…
Cal slags off Scholes every chance he gets, he once even wished permanent injury on him, so that his selection would be impossible… and then goes on to criticise anyone and everyone who dares to defend Scholes… the only… I repeat… the ONLY central midfielder we have who’s capable of playing the fuckin game with any real technical ability.
Cal completely ignores the fact that almost everyone here, agrees that Scholes is past his best, and we all wish the powers that be, would bring in some new hungry talent to make our midfield feared again… and then Ferguson would have no NEED to pick Scholes anymore, and the great man could retire a legend.
We all ask questions… why does Ferguson and the Glazers not bring in new talent? Our midfield is so poor… why is this not being fixed?… We don’t know… What we do know is that, without new talent, Scholes is still the best passer of the ball in the squad… that seems kind of important to some… but not Cal… in fact, Cal doesn’t even care WHY we don’t bring in new talent… he says he doesn’t care what the Glazers are doing to the club… in fact, Cal blames Scholes for the lack of signings as well… we aren’t improving our midfield because Scholes is a selfish cunt that just won’t quit… it doesn’t occur to him to ask why, does our recruiting a new midfielder depend on Scholes leaving first?
Nope… Cal has an opinion… and you are all going to have to listen to it… time after time after time… Scholes is a cunt! Scholes is the root of all that is wrong with our team! If we win a game with Scholes in the side, it is in SPITE of Scholes… if we lose a game with Scholes in the side, it is Scholes fault… Scholes should just break both his legs and do us all a favour, and fuck off.
For me… Paul Scholes represents everything that is good about football… he plays the game from his heart… all he wants is to play football… doesn’t care about the glam, or the bling, doesn’t need an agent, football has made him rich and that’s more than enough… trains like a professional, acts like a professional… has the respect of everyone involved in the game, and yet becuae of his quiet man, public profile, will probably only really be remembered as the legend that he is, by the Manchester United faithful… all except Cal…
“But ofcourse Scholes is a legend so he is infallible. Kiss my ass! The man is a liability and the sooner he gets right lost and goes to Oldham the better.”
“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.”
On a more positive note, I thought it was funny seeing Neville in the stands with the away fans.
Was fucking brill, Sheesh
When he went “fuck’s sake, Wayne!” after he missed that chance
He did actually play as a second striker one season and scored about 20 goals.
Imagine him trying to get in to Anfield. World War 3 would break out.
i love the ginger prince
there i said it
shoot me if u must
Referees are demanding a public apology from Sir Alex Ferguson for an apparent slur on the integrity of Martin Atkinson.
Last night the referees’ union weighed into the row as the FA deliberate on whether tocharge the Manchester United boss over his comments following his side’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Tuesday night.
Alan Leighton, whose union Prospect is engaged to represent match officials, said: ‘The ball is in Sir Alex’s court. I’m less interested in whether he’s charged than
removing this stigma from the referee at Stamford Bridge.
Off the hook: Ferguson was fuming that David Luiz wasn’t sent off after appearing to foul Wayne Rooney
‘The referees are saying that if one is questioned then it questions them all. None of them want their integrity impaired. So the best way would be a retraction.’
The FA have until 4pm on Friday to decide whether to press charges, a move which
would activate an extended touchline ban as he still has a two match suspension
hanging over him for his attack on Alan Wiley in November 2009.
The FA have requested video footage from MUTV of a post-match interview in which
Ferguson said: ‘It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee. When I saw who was refereeing it, I feared the worst.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba … z1FUMqTlAb
This is just getting ridiculous. Now that Leighton prick is sticking his oar in. Remember him? This is the same bloke who called for Fergie to be banned after he called Alan Wiley “unfit” but was mysteriously quiet when Sam Allardyce had a pop at ref a week earlier and actually questioned his integrity. This whole notion of respecting the ref is a complete joke. Who are they actually answerable to?
Even Graham Poll (who criticised Atkinson’s performance last night) has told the FA to back off:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1362344/Graham-Poll-FA-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-leeway.html
I have sent this Mr Leighton cunt an e-mail (a polite one).
Leighton didn’t even reply. Probably too busy cracking open the bubbly after hearing that the FA have charged Fergie:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/9413347.stm
This is bullshit – where is the ban for Ashley Cole for shooting someone!!!! Shooting someone is ok but freedom of speech isn’t!!!! BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’ll be in the away at Anfield, definitely
Didn’t Wes and Rio once go in the away end? At that game when scousers threw bags of human shit into the United fans, I think
what is cal on about robson and keane were top draw footballers aside from all the leadership and putting in tackles stuff, robson was the midfielder gerrard was supposed to become and is yet to and keane used to run the fucking game for us, not scholes, his passing was fucking brilliant, at 36 he was doing what carrick was bought to do and doesnt
the time we won 6-2 at highbury robson gave one of the best cm performances ive ever seen and it was nothing to do with tackling and kicking people in the cunt
We’ve been done over good n proper
First Rooney gets arse-raped during the match and Luiz goes unpunished, then Fergie gets done for a few nothing comments
What he said isn’t as bad as the shit he’s said in the past that has gone unpunished
Telling ya, this idea that Fergie influences games by talking bollocks about the ref holds some weight… but there is also some weight behind the idea that refs genuinely don’t like the man, or the club, and put the boot in when they can. It works both ways IMO
Also, there’s this myth that Fergie gets away with everything; that the world of football is scared of him blah blah blah. So there is extra pressure on the authorities to put the boot in when they can
Missing at Anfield! Stage management! At the end of the day the FA can’t like a Scot who cleans up in the English Prem and has opinion or too to boot.
Knobby, I never questioned Robbo’s technique and footballing ability. Never. Keane’s on the other hand is overrated. Yes, he ran our teams. He was the manager on the field was our Irishman. United’s greatest ever player bar none. He kept his passing safe. Not a criticism just pointing that out.
Ince was also technically underated – exocet missile shot, a master of the tackle and breaking up play.
brilliant mind power in the middle; you could see teams shitting their pants from the Guv’Nor – until he got chucked.
More backtracking horseshit from Cal…
“Now people want us to believe that Hughes, Robson, Whiteside, Ince, Keane and Butt were the most technically accomplished footballers around during their times. Utter rubbish.”
Now comes the part where Cal splits hairs, to explain EXACTLY what he meant.
I agree. Just because Keane wasn’t fucking Xavi doesn’t mean he wasn’t a quality “technical” player. Kept possession well, distributed well, made himself available. The raging psychosis was just a bonus.
Keane wasn’t a flashy player… but his successful pass stats were up there with Scholes… he almost never misplaced a pass.
Like Knobby said… he was comparable to Carrick,(that’s Carrick on a good day), with the ball at his feet, but he never went hiding…. allways available to receive and… had 10 times the drive, intensity, focus, and sheer bloody mindedness, that made him such a good captain.
Players like Keane and Robson only come along once in while… and you can’t just make one out of a Fletcher/Carrick/Hargreaves, because you want to… you have to scour the fuckin planet, and pay whatever’s neccessary… that is if you’re a top club, with top ambitions…
“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.”
You are an idiot. You are beyond redemption and I waste time with you. Unlike flip-floppers like you and most on here I don’t do ‘back-tracking’. What is hard to explain about me saying that those players were not “the most technically accomplished footballers around during their times”. Any of them on the level of a young Scholes/Xavi/Zidane/Pirlo/Iniesta/Xabi Alonso? Moron!!!
cal and alf
make up guys before the scouse match
otherwise i’ll have to send mad red over to sort u out and sell the dvd
And there you have it… hairs split, back tracked, flip-flopped…
Cal, you’re so full of shit, your breath stinks of it…
One day Scholes will retire, and then you’ll be all love and butter… “The Great Man”, “The Ginger Maestro”, The Little Prince”, “My all time favourite player”… blah, blah, yadda yadda… and anyone who mentions how you vilified him, and wished him injury, just to defend an undefendable arguement… will be called an idiot… makes you look pretty stupid… don’t you think?
That is the problem with you: cos you are such a spineless moron who can not stick to your views in the face of a crowd you think everyone else is like that.
I have said this all the time that the young Paul Scholes was the most technically gifted player to play for SAF – in my view. The Scholes of the last three season is a waste of a valuable shirt. Until he retires I will keep on saying it. I despair when I see him on the team sheet. My view. You can go and rot in hell for not agreeing that is your prerogative.
I do not need to explain to you who my favourite United player is. It certainly is not Paul Scholes and will never be.
You are criticising him because he played poorly in what has been the hardest away fixture of the season for the last decade. Doesn’t mean he can’t contribute to the side over the period of the season.
Again he should be a back up or impact sub at this stage but because they won’t buy a decent starting creative midfielder he starts the big games. Fergie sees it as a squad game but you will fail at the very highest level unless you get real quality starters.
And your problem is… you’re full of shit… you’ve defended the same stupid argument for the past three years… an argument that holds no water at all… I’m not aware of one single member on this forum that agrees with you… does that make us all idiots and morons Cal?
Or just me, because I call you on it?
You started this argument… you’re the one who won’t let it go… you’ve bitched and whined about Scholes for 3 fuckin years, blaming him ridiculously, for all sorts of rubbish… people have all but told you to “shut the fuck up”, but you blabber on, like a rabbid evangelist, preaching the “Gospel according Calvino”…
But this is Rant after all, and you are completely entitled to spout your gibberish… so rant on Cal… rant until your fingers bleed… and I will continue to point out…
That you’re full of shit!
keane was a better passer than pirlo and alonso, dunno about the others