Mancs v Arsenal

[Dan Vito Corleone]

I don't "get" watching Manchester United play. It actually makes no sense to me.

 

The Spurs match was the last straw for me. Never again.

 

Villa 1-1 with Boro now.

[Badix]

The league was ours for the taking. You think back to the draws and losses against shit teams it kind of gets you down.

 

It's all well and good pointing out our victories over the rest of the supposed top four, but Utd only won one of the games v the supposed top four, and we finished top of the mini league.

 

Apart from the Villa Draw Away and Spurs loss away, you have to look at the draws at home to really get a feel of how much we screwed it up.

 

V Stoke at Home we had Fernando Torres and Gerrard in the starting line up, many people have said that had we had our two key players we would have won said games, in this case we didn't.

 

V Fulham at Home Fernando Torres was in the starting line up, Gerrard wasn't in the squad, however Alonso was on the bench.

 

V West Ham at home No Torres, but we had Gerrard in the starting line up.

 

V Hull City at Home No Torres, Keane on tbe bench and Gerrard in the starting line up.

 

v Stoke Away No Torres, Keane Starts alongside Gerrard.

 

V Everton At Home Gerrard and Torres both start

 

v Wigan Away Gerrard and Torres both start

 

V Man City at Home Torres starts, No Gerrard in squad

 

V Boro No Torres, but we where shit anyway.

 

So in above 10 games that we dropped a total of 19 Points out of a possible 30.

 

Gerrard and Torres played 3 of the 10 games together. I'm not trying to say even if Gerrard and Torres played the other seven we wouldn't have won them, but IMO it isn't as clear cut as to say we would have picked up points, because the games of which they played together, we where abysmal, and the games where Torres was injured and Keane starts, would a different signing have done better?

 

I have also highlighted a few cases where despite for example Torres not playing, Keane was on the bench, and if Gerrard wasn't playing, Alonso was on the bench.

 

Let us look at some of our best results of the campaign and see if our two key players featured in those games.

 

V United home No Torres nor Gerrard.

 

V Chelsea Away No Torres, Gerrard started.

 

V United Away Torres and Gerrard both started

 

v Chelsea Home Torres and Gerrard both started.

 

I'm not trying to say Torres and Gerrard aren't crucial, but we beat Chelsea without Torres, and we beat United at home without both of our two key players. To pin our hopes on two players against lesser teams is crazy talk, especially when we have beaten the best in England and the best in Europe I.E Madrid without them as well.

 

Title challenge or no title challenge, 5 years down the line the teams we drew to we should not be relying on two players to pull us out of the shit. Especially when we can do against other opposition.

 

______________

 

The point of this post is just to demonsrate that the league was not won by United, but rather lost by us. We lost against the medicore and lower table sides. We lost to Boro FFS.

 

I'm not expecting us to win every game, but I would hope this may dispel a few myths that wages, finances don't come into our failings this season. It's been purely tactical. Had we approached all our games like we have done the past few months, we would have walked the league.

 

Walked it, with a few games to spare, and Rafa needs to learn from those mistakes for next year.

 

Discuss.

 

Good post, i think Rafa needs to heed the lessons from this season, another summer of chasing Barry's arse and we'll be feeling this same pain this time next year.

[Kevin D]

Why not? I will watch anyone play. Football is football.

 

Come on Burnley. :)

 

Because they're the anti-football. You know they're going to win ( out of what 60 games a season, surely they win upwards of 50), you know there is going to be sickening amounts of cheating, you know you're going to have to see Rooney and Ronaldo; Baconface,David cunting Gill and a contemptable fan base.

 

Fuck that.

 

Add that in with laughable officiating or an undeserved wankfest and there are far more productive things to do with your time.

[Thants]

 

By the way, this wasn't a dig brownie, you're doing a fine job.

[klaus]

The 0-0 result today reflects this season - United has done exactly what's needed to get what they want - nothing more!

How many 1 goal victories do they have this season? 16 actually.. Their experience and flexible/big squad has won them the title this year.. in addition to the many silly results Liverpool managed to put up in December/January.

[Acid]

If they lose next week, and we end up finishing 1 point behind them, it will show exactly how well they did this season, enough. The however many games without conceding has meant nothing. The way theyve played in recent weeks, in contrast to ourselves especially, they don't deserve it.

[Wor Horse]

Sadly the record books will show why they've won the league, won the most ammount of games, top scorer is one of theres, top of the assist league is Berbatov.

 

We all know it's different though.

[Harry Squatter]

Man United = Football AIDS

[Dicko]

The 0-0 result today reflects this season - United has done exactly what's needed to get what they want - nothing more!

How many 1 goal victories do they have this season? 16 actually.. Their experience and flexible/big squad has won them the title this year.. in addition to the many silly results Liverpool managed to put up in December/January.

 

That's interesting.

It does mirror our last title though. Which we basically got through on memory.

[klaus]

That's interesting.

It does mirror our last title though. Which we basically got through on memory.

 

This is probably the "privilige" of experience, isn't it?

[zigackly]

They have had their best title run out in ten years, that's what has won them the league.

[Dicko]

They have had their best title run out in ten years, that's what has won them the league.

 

As we did in 1990 we went 21 matches unbeaten until Tottenham beat us with a Paul Stewart goal at WHL.

 

It does seem to have a similar vibe about it.

[S1 LFC]

Sadly the record books will show why they've won the league, won the most ammount of games, top scorer is one of theres, top of the assist league is Berbatov.

 

We all know it's different though.

 

 

is that bit about berbatov right?

how many assists did he get?

[SpeedyG]

is that bit about berbatov right?

how many assists did he get?

 

9

[King Emlyn]

You are what your record says you are.

[King Emlyn]

If they lose next week, and we end up finishing 1 point behind them, it will show exactly how well they did this season, enough. The however many games without conceding has meant nothing. The way theyve played in recent weeks, in contrast to ourselves especially, they don't deserve it.

 

Utter nonsense, at the risk of repeating myself; you are what your record says you are.

[KopOut]

Sadly the record books will show why they've won the league, won the most ammount of games, top scorer is one of theres, top of the assist league is Berbatov.

 

We all know it's different though.

 

It's different in only one way. We improved. Unfortunately, we didn't improve enough.

[halewood pete]

I was not going to watch match of the day for obvious reasons,but after a night on the ale ,i watched it on record and could not believe what i saw..lets have it right,we threw it away by all the home draws,and i have alaways maintained that the best team over the season wins the league ,and that is still my position.,but fuck me,after years of ferguson fucking the bbc off for interviews after games,i am lying there in my pit watching him go round the dressing room shaking hands with all his players.

dont know who asked who,but the bbc should have fucked him right off.anyone agree with me ?

[King Emlyn]

Sadly the record books will show why they've won the league, won the most ammount of games, top scorer is one of theres, top of the assist league is Berbatov.

 

We all know it's different though.

We do?

[stringvest]

It's all a bit smalltime, this moaning. Let them celebrate - they were undoubtedly the best team over the season, that's what the table tells us. We can whine on about injuries or draws or winning the odd battle, but they are the team that are putting trophies back in the cabinet.

 

Let's hope in the next 10 years or so, we can get back to being a winning team again. In the last few months, we've played the sort of football Utd have specialised in for years. That at least makes the waiting bearable.

[Liverpool lad]

The love in was too much for me to bear

[Lefti]

It's all a bit smalltime, this moaning. Let them celebrate - they were undoubtedly the best team over the season, that's what the table tells us. We can whine on about injuries or draws or winning the odd battle, but they are the team that are putting trophies back in the cabinet.

 

Let's hope in the next 10 years or so, we can get back to being a winning team again. In the last few months, we've played the sort of football Utd have specialised in for years. That at least makes the waiting bearable.

 

Could not agree more, infact i've been on the phone to a really good mate of mine laughing and joking with him about how hes not out tonight coz its just standard manure winning the league, its gunna make it all the sweeter when we do it fellas.

[Lefti]

Sorry i forgot to mention hes a season ticket holder at Old Toilet.

[stringvest]

We do?

 

I think Ngog may have been taking the piss slightly.

 

It's not the first time we've had cause to say that this season either.

[JRD7]

Could not agree more, infact i've been on the phone to a really good mate of mine laughing and joking with him about how hes not out tonight coz its just standard manure winning the league, its gunna make it all the sweeter when we do it fellas.

 

Lenny Henry is shitting himself.