Derby double-header

[Brownie]

I think Dirk is a problem and I agree he holds us back when we try to break teams down; he's simply not that type of player.

 

If we have a genuine threat on the right then Riera would have far more space on the left. Riera at times tonight was class; you don't need sheer pace to play on the left or right of midfield.

I hear what you say about Babel it would give us that balance maybe, he needs to up his game though.

 

Five across the middle is all teams need to do to fuck us up.

 

I agree Andy but you need it on one of the sides at least, IMO.

[Dani Pacheco]

Torres looked very tired and he still isn't fit, don't know why so many people have a problem with that substitution and blaming it for us not winning. If he injured his hamstring again when he was tired and was out for another month people would have had a go at Rafa for not taking him off.

 

Skrtel is so overrated on here, Agger is a far better defender in my opinion. Agger doesn't bulldoze his way through players trying to win the ball and giving silly free kicks away. Bar the Wigan first goal and the Liege games Agger has been great and the stats for when he has played prove it and he gives us something going forward, if we let him go it will be stupid. Skrtel was poor tonight, made me quite nervous a few times, he made Anichebe look good.

 

Do we ever look like we are going to score when attacking? Everything is so slow and predictable, we are so poor going forward, Stevie needs to perform out of his skin if this team is ever going to get close to winning the title, i feel sorry for him, superb goal tonight, hits the post twice against Stoke, who else is going to step up for us and try and win games for us? Can't trust Rafa in the transfer market at all, £20m on Keane could have been spent on a far better player. Kuyt, Benayoun, Riera, Babel just don't do enough for a title winning team in attacking positions, Rafa's fault for not realizing this.

 

Just so disappointing, when United beat Fulham at Old Trafford (when do they play the game in hand?) we'll be 3 points behind and we still have to go to Old Trafford. Rafa is quickly losing a lot of support and rightly so, give him till the rest of the season and see what has happened, if we're still unable to break teams down and scare teams going forward after 5 years and £200m spent or whatever i can't say i'd trust him to fix it in the summer. I can't blame Rafa too much for tonights result, just so so frustrating watching our attack every game, it feels like most of our goals come from a bit of good fortune this season, not through good passing opening teams up.

 

Had such a good chance this season to win the league, gutted now, 6 draws from our last 9 in the league is just not title winning form. Still have hope though, if we perform from February to May like we did last season we can still win no.19, not making it easy though. Needed to have a bit of a rant. Still 2nd...

[Nick Leeson]

I don't think you need pace, just some fucking ability on the ball of which no one seems to. Pace can be a reasonable substitution for skill as a temporary measure but unless you have skill and creativity then we might aswell just play Carra there. He'd be no less effective than Dirk.

[Code]

I'm just pointing out that this myth of drawing his way to La Liga title isn't true.

 

Are you sure about that?

 

03/04: 38 23 8 7 71-27 77p

01/02: 38 21 12 5 51-27 75p

[Brownie]

Torres looked very tired and he still isn't fit, don't know why so many people have a problem with that substitution and blaming it for us not winning. If he injured his hamstring again when he was tired and was out for another month people would have had a go at Rafa for not taking him off.

 

Skrtel is so overrated on here, Agger is a far better defender in my opinion. Agger doesn't bulldoze his way through players trying to win the ball and giving silly free kicks away. Bar the Wigan first goal and the Liege games Agger has been great and the stats for when he has played prove it and he gives us something going forward, if we let him go it will be stupid. Skrtel was poor tonight, made me quite nervous a few times, he made Anichebe look good.

 

Do we ever look like we are going to score when attacking? Everything is so slow and predictable, we are so poor going forward, Stevie needs to perform out of his skin if this team is ever going to get close to winning the title, i feel sorry for him, superb goal tonight, hits the post twice against Stoke, who else is going to step up for us and try and win games for us? Can't trust Rafa in the transfer market at all, £20m on Keane could have been spent on a far better player. Kuyt, Benayoun, Riera, Babel just don't do enough for a title winning team in attacking positions, Rafa's fault for not realizing this.

 

Just so disappointing, when United beat Fulham at Old Trafford (when do they play the game in hand?) we'll be 3 points behind and we still have to go to Old Trafford. Rafa is quickly losing a lot of support and rightly so, give him till the rest of the season and see what has happened, if we're still unable to break teams down and scare teams going forward after 5 years and £200m spent or whatever i can't say i'd trust him to fix it in the summer. I can't blame Rafa too much for tonights result, just so so frustrating watching our attack every game, it feels like most of our goals come from a bit of good fortune this season, not through good passing opening teams up.

 

Had such a good chance this season to win the league, gutted now, 6 draws from our last 9 in the league is just not title winning form. Still have hope though, if we perform from February to May like we did last season we can still win no.19, not making it easy though. Needed to have a bit of a rant. Still 2nd...

 

I totally agree about Skrtel; i'd forgotten how nervous he makes me.

[drewy]

I agree Andy but you need it on one of the sides at least, IMO.

 

Yes mate, and Babel would do that. He'd be on a sticky wicket starting with him though, he's been utter gash recently.

 

Stop Alonso; nine times out of ten you stop us dead.

 

Tonight was poor, all 10 outfield players could and should have done more.

 

Reina MOM.

[Dave D]

I APOLOGISE FOR THIS RANT, I JUST NEED TO GET IT OFF MY CHEST. IVE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE TO TRY AND REMAIN FOCUSED AND NOT OVERREACT BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD SQUAD RAFA IS RUNNING OUT OF EXCUSES FOR HIS BAFFLING TACTICS AND ABSOLUTEY FUCKING SHITE MAN MANAGEMENT

 

Ive simply fucking had enough of rafas shithouse tactics this season. I could see and Im sure millions of others could see that with ten minutes left, with everton chasing the game they are going to have to leave gaping holes at the back.

 

The obvious answer is send Babel on to hit them on the counter. I CANNOT understand sending on Lucas and effectively seeing the game out. What then utterly fucking astounds me is the hypocrisy of sending on Babel immediately after they equalise because then a 2nd goal would be helpful! Not to mention the fact its fucking useless as "the gaping holes" of a team that are chasing the game suddenly arent there as they are going to put ten men behind the ball.

 

I liken us to a boxer who catches his opponent clean on the chin and then steps back and starts to jab instead of knocking him out.

 

Im just gutted. Im sure thousands of you will point to the fact we are joint top and I wouldnt have anything to moan about if yossi had kept his head, but bollocks, we should be running away with this title by now.

[Catch22]

The big problem is Rafa listened to the fans today & started Keane.

 

Just as he didn't rotate Torres enough last season & so we suffered his injury or when he played a full side in the FACup at Preston & we lost Alonso for the next PL game.

 

He needs to stick to his guns because the resulst are there over the last decade when he does so

[Red Mist]

I totally agree about Skrtel; i'd forgotten how nervous he makes me.

I don't understand the hero worship of Skrtel on this forum. Seriously, I'd take Agger over him every single time. Skrtel is a decent no-nonsense defender - but we already have defenders like that, such as Carra and Hyypia.

Agger is the only centre back we have that is actually comfortable on the ball.

I shit myself when Skrtel has the ball at his feet for more than 10 seconds.

Agger can't come back soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

[Brownie]

The big problem is Rafa listened to the fans today & started Keane.

 

Just as he didn't rotate Torres enough last season & so we suffered his injury or when he played a full side in the FACup at Preston & we lost Alonso for the next PL game.

 

He needs to stick to his guns because the resulst are there over the last decade when he does so

 

I find that a bit bizarre, but each to their own.

[Catch22]

I APOLOGISE FOR THIS RANT, I JUST NEED TO GET IT OFF MY CHEST. IVE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE TO TRY AND REMAIN FOCUSED AND NOT OVERREACT BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD SQUAD RAFA IS RUNNING OUT OF EXCUSES FOR HIS BAFFLING TACTICS AND ABSOLUTEY FUCKING SHITE MAN MANAGEMENT

 

Ive simply fucking had enough of rafas shithouse tactics this season. I could see and Im sure millions of others could see that with ten minutes left, with everton chasing the game they are going to have to leave gaping holes at the back.

 

The obvious answer is send Babel on to hit them on the counter. I CANNOT understand sending on Lucas and effectively seeing the game out. What then utterly fucking astounds me is the hypocrisy of sending on Babel immediately after they equalise because then a 2nd goal would be helpful! Not to mention the fact its fucking useless as "the gaping holes" of a team that are chasing the game suddenly arent there as they are going to put ten men behind the ball.

 

I liken us to a boxer who catches his opponent clean on the chin and then steps back and starts to jab instead of knocking him out.

 

Im just gutted. Im sure thousands of you will point to the fact we are joint top and I wouldnt have anything to moan about if yossi had kept his head, but bollocks, we should be running away with this title by now.

 

 

& how did we get this supposedly amazing squad from the shite he inherited in '04 whilst spending less than the other big 4?

[drewy]

Why do you have to start another thread?

 

You attention seeking girls blouse.

 

Maybe it's time to grow up?

[King Emlyn]

I totally agree about Skrtel; i'd forgotten how nervous he makes me.

I've never been completely sold on him but haven't bothered making an issue of it on here as he seems to be hero worshipped. It's not that he's a bad player but he gives away so many fouls it makes him a liability i'm afraid, i'm actually not Aggers biggest fan either tbh but he's better than Skrtel.

[snez1]

Keane was fucking woeful tonight, just no where what so ever. Nando missed a sitter but at least he was involved, where the fuck was Keane? "Play him off Torres and he'll shine" fuck off. He's been a woeful signing. Gerrard behind Torres for the rest of the season.

[Nick Leeson]

Hehe, what's her problem?

[chrisbonnie]

Dave, i agree, but Rafa seems to have a spell over alot of our fans, he`s untouchable

 

if you actually look at our points tally now, compared to last season, we no better, the same, or slightly worse actually, its just this year, Utd, more than ever, are there for the taking, but Rafa wont go all out and kill them off, and win us the fucking league, this was/is our best chance in the last 19 years at winning the league, but i fear without a more cavalier approach we`ll fail yet again

 

hypothetically speaking, if rafa left tonight, and we got Guus hiddink, id be overjoyed, and i reckon we`d get numer 19 without any shadow of a doubt

 

everyone thinks Rafa is the man that will win us the league, i unfortunetly think he`ll be the one that losses it for us :whoops:

[Skidfingers McGonical]

We lost because a player couldn't tackle and we couldn't defend from the resulting free kick.

[George Costanza]

We lost

 

Now you made me really depressed :whistle:

[Brownie]

We lost because a player couldn't tackle and we couldn't defend from the resulting free kick.

 

Certainly feels like a loss.

[JohnBull]

I agree Daved. As soon as Gerrard scored we shut up shop and concentrated on holding the 1-nil lead and it cost us the full points. We should have kept on playing as we had been to that point as we pretty much had Everton on the backfoot and were playing mostly in their half.

 

This is the biggest difference btwn us and Man U, even a bigger difference than the personnel in the squad. Alex Ferguson plays to win and Rafa plays not to lose. This conservative mindset, and all the actions/tactics that stem from it, will be the biggest reason if we do not win the title this year.

[stringvest]

I personally think what Rafa needs to do now is have a go in the press at David Moyles. A big rallying call. That'll get our players firing on all cylinders.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Now you made me really depressed :whistle:

 

See I'm that fucked off I'm missing words out of my post.

 

I was meant to say we lost two points. Feels like a loss though.

[Unrighteous]

I agree Andy but you need it on one of the sides at least, IMO.

 

Spot on.

 

We NEED to have some pace on the wing... somewhere!

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Keep on creating threads, I'll keep on merging them with the derby one.

[Unrighteous]

Keane was fucking woeful tonight, just no where what so ever. Nando missed a sitter but at least he was involved, where the fuck was Keane? "Play him off Torres and he'll shine" fuck off. He's been a woeful signing. Gerrard behind Torres for the rest of the season.

 

Yup... Keane is definitely pushing himself over that hill that Dossena leapt over, and that hill is called: "Transfer failure."