mancs away 13/1/2012

[King Emlyn]

One of the worst united teams in years this lot but still 24 points ahead of us,oh well.....

 

If I had a penny......

[redfromtubebar]

We absolutely have to get some steel into that midfield. Lucas isn't showing signs of getting back to his level yet and Allen is too weak and out of form.

 

I can't see how Rodgers can play the game his way unless we have control of the game in central midfield. We simply don't have the personnel to do it.

 

M'Vila/Diama/Mousa Sissoko any of these three would greatly benefit us.

 

I'd spend the Ince money on one of these three.

[King Emlyn]

Frustrating and yet so predictable.

 

No disgrace losing to United. They are probably the best team in the league.

 

Yep, you didn't really need to add any more

[ngogswilly]

Its a pity Rodgers went with such a cautious starting line up.

 

Sturridge might not be totally match fit but it just seems daft bringing him on when we're chasing the game.

 

Just fucking start him and then if hes tiring take him off on the 60/70th minute.

 

In fairness, I don't expect to go to Old Trafford and hammer them or anything. Realistically I was hoping we could manage a point.

 

But it seems like(and its not just this game in isolation) we've shot ourselves in the foot in many games this season. Its really fucking frustrating and hard to take.

[Newport]

This team needs a Xabi Alonso kind of player. We are giving the ball away in midfield far too easy.

[Guest San Don]

Allen was the classic "voice and ear" in the dressing room,someone whom Rodgers could trust.

 

Why do you use the past tense ie 'was,' 'could'? Can we presume by this that you used to think that was money well spent but now dont think he is the 'classic voice and ear'......'whom rodgers could trust'?

 

It's pretty damning of your point of view if you think spending £15m for a 'voice and ear' in the dressingroom is something we needed.

 

 

His value to Rodgers transends the stuff you see on the pitch.

 

So you do think it was worth spending £15m for a manager's snitch rather than spending it on someone who could bring something to the team?

 

I am staggered that you feel able to pass judgement on Sturridge, a Chelsea reserve, who has immense promise, but has only shone at Bolton.

 

Still chatting an absolute crock of shite, I see. :whistle:

[Dicko]

This team needs a Xabi Alonso kind of player. We are giving the ball away in midfield far too easy.

 

I thought that was Joe Allen's role?

Ball retention was his greatest strength when we signed him allegedly.

[xerxes]

Frustrating and yet so predictable.

 

No disgrace losing to United. They are probably the best team in the league this season, are very good at home and they have lots of players who can win games for them.

 

But we all knew that before the match. We all said we can't do what we did last season and have Suarez isolated upfront and that's exactly what we did.

 

We played Suarez upfront, when it was clear to nearly everyone (and people said this on this topic days before the match), that we needed Sturridge to support Suarez, some pace on the counter attack and give United more to worry about.

 

When we did that in the second half, we looked the better side. Just like we did last season when we brought Carroll off the bench and then got a goal and nearly snatched a draw.

 

Rodgers totally gets the blame for this defeat IMO. His team selection was cautious, played into United's hands and it cost us.

 

But I have l little problem with the result in isolation it is a tough place to get a result. I didn't like the tactics or team selection.

 

I also don't see why Allen got picked over Henderson. Allen nearly gifted United a goal with that poor back pass. He is weak defensively. He doesn't offer much going forward. If that was Jay Spearing who played like that today he would have been slated.

 

Allen wasn't the only poor performance. Agger and Johnson made two mistakes to cost us goals again. I don't like criticising Johnson as he is very good for large parts of matches. But he is still making too many mistakes, he must have made 5 individual mistakes which have cost us goals this season, that is not a world class player who does that.

 

Totally agree with Paul and others about Downing, he was awful and I would love to see us sell him in January.

 

Overall it was positive how we played when Sturridge was on the field. But Rodgers has to learn from this and has to be more bold in the future.

 

A wise, well balanced post.

 

I was at the game, we played well, and lost – we did not disgrace ourselves.

 

In retrospect Sturridge may have offered us more. But I think that Rodgers, understandably wants to phase him into the side. Saving him for games in which he can make a bigger impact does make some sense. We were likely to lose today whoever played. It is easy to forget that this is only Rodger’s second full season as a PL manager, his fourth, overall. He will learn over time.

 

Rodger’s established relationship with Allen will give him an advantage in selection for some time yet.

 

I have consistently pointed out Johnson’s shortcomings at the highest level. He is not a top class full back- but a good footballer whose future in the team surely lies in midfield on the flank.

 

I thought we did okay today and a Europa League place still looks on.

[MOGLET]

Whilst I totally agree with getting behind the team and the manager, I have to say one thing.

 

BR is not the next mesiah, nor is he the next Shankly or for those still stuck on him, Rafa.

 

He speaks the speak of one of the greats, albeit with a lot of "OK's" and a hell of a lot of Shankly/Paisley-esque type quotes and sayings, with the old "play for the shirt they may take out lives but not our freedom" sort of shite that he thinks we all want to hear.

 

But seriously, he doesnt have a fucking clue.

 

His starting 11 is more often than not a joke, his subs are what should have been on from the start, and his tickytacky is as much use as tits on a fish, with the team we actually have.

 

Allen is dire, downing is playing a league above his ability, and sterling seems to have lost his bollocks since signing a money contract he thinks he some how deserves, not that he had such a huge pair to start with.

 

We have cried out for another striker, so why, now that we have one, does he start on the bench until we are so far behind?

 

Match fitness? he gets paid a fortune to be match fit, so why buy him if he isnt?

 

I am sick of hearing this excuse, if a player isnt fit to play, then why the fuck do we pay them to play?

 

Get your over paid arse on the pitch and do what we pay you for, no excuses.

 

And BR put the best we have on the pitch end of.

 

Saying that, Sturridge despite the so called not fully fit, looked eager and hungry to win, where as Downing, allen and sterling looked fucking shite from the off.

 

 

We could have won this if we had our best on the grass, and let them play football instead of this bollocks style that doesnt suit what we have, and just told them to go out and fucking win.

 

 

 

Top tip BR, if you want to be Shankly, stop talking his words, and follow his ideals, think you are the best, and then go out and make sure you are.

 

Stop thinking you are barca and then not be able to play like them.

[TheHowieLama]

Xerxes, were able to get use of the whopper chopper for the trip?

[Faustus]

If I had a penny......

 

They are though, King. That's the thing that's so frustrating. If you think this United team is a patch on any of the ones Ferguson had in the 90s or even as good as as the one he had around five years ago, then I'll have a bit of what you're smoking.

 

It pains me to say it, but I actually admire how much they simplify the game and that's where their strength comes from. Stretch the play and commit men in the box at every opportunity. That's the sum total of it, and they do it so well. The fact is that despite everybody going 'Phil Jones is shit, Chris Smalling is shit, Tom Cleverley is shit', at the bare minimum, they're all good footballers who can receive and make a pass and have a decent enough first touch. You make the pitch as big as possible, and you give these players more space to play in. It's the fucking simple.

 

 

I genuinely do think people overcomplicate the game these days and I find it so fucking painful to watch that people in football aren't onto how simple the Mancs make it. Teams have shown in the past that if you press them, you can get something from them and I was disgusted with the first half performance because my worry before kick off was that we were set up to stifle them and obviously that's how it panned out. When we actually pressed high up the pitch and got Sturridge on to support Suarez, we looked like we could have gotten something, but same old, same old- too little, too late.

[xerxes]

Xerxes, were able to get use of the whopper chopper for the trip?

 

Sadly, it was by car.

 

But you know you will always get the facts from me- and Johnson today in defence was no surprise- great against Sunderland mind you.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Whilst I totally agree with getting behind the team and the manager, I have to say one thing.

 

BR is not the next mesiah, nor is he the next Shankly or for those still stuck on him, Rafa.

 

He speaks the speak of one of the greats, albeit with a lot of "OK's" and a hell of a lot of Shankly/Paisley-esque type quotes and sayings, with the old "play for the shirt they may take out lives but not our freedom" sort of shite that he thinks we all want to hear.

 

But seriously, he doesnt have a fucking clue.

 

His starting 11 is more often than not a joke, his subs are what should have been on from the start, and his tickytacky is as much use as tits on a fish, with the team we actually have.

 

Allen is dire, downing is playing a league above his ability, and sterling seems to have lost his bollocks since signing a money contract he thinks he some how deserves, not that he had such a huge pair to start with.

 

We have cried out for another striker, so why, now that we have one, does he start on the bench until we are so far behind?

 

Match fitness? he gets paid a fortune to be match fit, so why buy him if he isnt?

 

I am sick of hearing this excuse, if a player isnt fit to play, then why the fuck do we pay them to play?

 

Get your over paid arse on the pitch and do what we pay you for, no excuses.

 

And BR put the best we have on the pitch end of.

 

Saying that, Sturridge despite the so called not fully fit, looked eager and hungry to win, where as Downing, allen and sterling looked fucking shite from the off.

 

 

We could have won this if we had our best on the grass, and let them play football instead of this bollocks style that doesnt suit what we have, and just told them to go out and fucking win.

 

 

 

Top tip BR, if you want to be Shankly, stop talking his words, and follow his ideals, think you are the best, and then go out and make sure you are.

 

Stop thinking you are barca and then not be able to play like them.

 

Agree. I don't think Rodgers will learn from his mistakes though. We're not going to be successful under this manager.

 

Don't want him gone though, there's no point.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Sadly, it was by car.

 

But you know you will always get the facts from me- and Johnson today in defence was no surprise- great against Sunderland mind you.

 

Are you still at the match?

[TheHowieLama]

Sadly, it was by car.

 

But you know you will always get the facts from me- and Johnson today in defence was no surprise- great against Sunderland mind you.

 

What do the United brass think of their chances in Europe?

[MOGLET]

Agree. I don't think Rodgers will learn from his mistakes though. We're not going to be successful under this manager.

 

Don't want him gone though, there's no point.

 

 

The old catch 22, get rid and go through the start all over again, or stick with him and get used to being the also rans, with the odd rush of blood of a few good games.

 

Sadly, we might have to get used to the also ran mid table placings because of it, and the loss of the better players who want more than that.

 

Which in turn will eventually drop us further and further down until we end up as a fulham/stoke type team who are always around but dont actually do much.

[Coro]

Don't see how we could have gone there today and started Borini and Sturridge.

 

The manager kept faith with Sterling and Lucas but it didn't pay off.

 

Shit happens.

[Bjornebye]

he needs to stop publicly licking the players arses.

[Coro]

The old catch 22, get rid and go through the start all over again, or stick with him and get used to being the also rans, with the odd rush of blood of a few good games.

 

Sadly, we might have to get used to the also ran mid table placings because of it, and the loss of the better players who want more than that.

 

Which in turn will eventually drop us further and further down until we end up as a fulham/stoke type team who are always around but dont actually do much.

 

Got plenty faith in FSG and Ayre?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I thought Allen was really good in the second half. He does need protection. When there's name like M'vila for 8.5m and Sissoko for 3.5m, there isn't much excuse not to get a quality player in.

[thompsonsnose]

We absolutely have to get some steel into that midfield. Lucas isn't showing signs of getting back to his level yet and Allen is too weak and out of form.

 

I can't see how Rodgers can play the game his way unless we have control of the game in central midfield. We simply don't have the personnel to do it.

 

M'Vila/Diama/Mousa Sissoko any of these three would greatly benefit us.

 

I'd spend the Ince money on one of these three.

 

Spot on.

Our dearth of midfield hard men dictates that we need to play 442.

Now that Sturridge has signed, there's no excuse, given that we don't have the personnel for Rodgers preferred style of play.

So i call out and out stubborness on Rodgers part.

 

The fact that he thinks Gerrard standing on the half way line is the answer and not Henderson or Shelvey, (we obviously need better than them but hey) bothers me big time.

Especially when its Gerrards shot, from a forward position, that brings about our goal.

Gerrard is not going to turn in to Roy Keane for fucks sake.

Nor should he be expected to.

 

Fucking hell, this SO obvious.

[thompsonsnose]

Are you still at the match?

 

Puncture.

RAC in attendance....

Phoning in from rescue vehicle cab?

[Guest ShoePiss]

Puncture.

RAC in attendance....

Phoning in from rescue vehicle cab?

 

Well I am a bit worried, he hasn't reported that he's just back from the match yet.

[RedRazor]

Watch the build up to the second goal if they show it tonight. You can see Sterling dancing with Evra just in front of a line of players. Evra peels off to the end of the line and Sterling turns and goes in the opposite direction. Then the free lick is taken.... Assuming everyone in the line was already picking someone up who did Sterling expect to pick up Evra? I would have expected that picking up Evra was down to Sterling but everyone is pointing the finger at Johnson.

[xerxes]

What do the United brass think of their chances in Europe?

 

Anderson's tart likes the shops in Milan.;)