Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread (2011-2012)

[Fartsniffage]

Which chants?

I haven't a clue what you call them yourselves, but according to a Crystal Palace fan I know - you've stolen a couple of there's. Same with Leeds as well (although that wouldn't make much sense..), probably many more.

Anyway, that's the same with every club - so your stealing traditions thing makes no sense as every single club steals chants off others and changes them - and you can hardly say it's stealing traditions if you aren't from Manchester - which is probably the situation for a lot of United's 'support'.

You need to embrace out of Manchester support you know. Lack of it will result in you being barred from European competition in a year or two.

Think about it...

[The Deleted Chris]

My problem is that we cannot play with 2 central midfielders against decent teams who play 3. It's fine against teams over whom we have obvious superiority, but none of Fletcher, Anderson or Carrick can anchor and distribute. We consistently get overrun, and then Fletcher's gormless face is seen 30 yards back as somebody scores. Cleverly does look fantastic though; similar passing to Carrick, but quicker, and a more mobile.

Btw, did you watch last night? Morrisson is wonderful. Complete prat, but great talent.

Losing Cleverly early in the season was a bit of a bastard. As much as I hate relying on young players so much, he was really making our midfield work. Anderson is still a good player but I agree about Fletcher and Carrick. Still, I would have like Carrick in the second half against City, at least he's good at protecting centre halfs.

I agree about Morrison. That guy can play and will be a big part of the future, just not this season.

He looks very, very good. Not wishing to go overboard, and it was against Aldershot when 3-0 up, but I haven't seen a youth player debut with such elan, innovation and freedom since Ronaldo against Bolton. Desperately wanted him to take that freekick instead of Berbatov.

[Nazis in Space]

I haven't a clue what you call them yourselves, but according to a Crystal Palace fan I know - you've stolen a couple of there's. Same with Leeds as well (although that wouldn't make much sense..), probably many more.

Anyway, that's the same with every club - so your stealing traditions thing makes no sense as every single club steals chants off others and changes them - and you can hardly say it's stealing traditions if you aren't from Manchester - which is probably the situation for a lot of United's 'support'.

You need to embrace out of Manchester support you know. Lack of it will result in you being barred from European competition in a year or two.

Think about it...

Laudable though the UEFA's efforts are in this regard, it's wishful thinking to believe they'll be able to go through with it.

It's not like clubs receiving 'Unfair' financial support is a new thing. I'm reminded of Munich inheriting the Olympia stadium in '72...

[Serrland]

Here's a tip for you, Chelsea: You need to play defense.

[I V Stalin]

Arsenal scored 5. Imagine if Luiz had played. We'd have reached double figures! Awesome game. We're finally making up for a poor(!) start, though obviously the defence is still a bit shaky...that said I reckon we should be ok until the City game in December.

[-St George]

After United got beat for the second time by Barcelona in the 2011 CL final - and in a even more convincing manner than 2009 to boot - I began thinking the unthinkable: it's time for a new manager with new, fresh ideas.

One match obviously means get rid of the most successful manager in British footballing history.

Firstly, Ferguson claimed after '09 that he knew what went wrong and he would fix it next time around. '11 demonstrated clearly that he couldn't even identify those problems nevermind surmount them. I said at the time there's a guy called Boas at Porto who'd be a suitable replacement.

Because Chelsea are doing incredibly well at the moment.

Secondly, it was obvious to most United fans that we should have bought a quality central midfielder (or two) during pre-season aka Sneijder. Ferguson gambled and didn't, and now we are paying for it as shown today. Does anyone really think Carrick (the new Ray Wilkins), Anderson, Fletcher, Park are United quality?! Are they going to scare any of the Premier League's top boys or European teams? I like Cleverley but he's got a long way to go and its completely unfair to rely on him, esp in European games.

One bad =/= not United quality.

Thirdly, and regarding today, Evans over Jones, over Vidic? At half-time it was obvious United needed to make a change. What does Ferguson do? He only makes the change after City scored their second. And then he takes Nani off?! (Granted, he played shite like the rest of them but he remains one of our best players and can turn a game). Also, if he isn't going to give Berbatov game time he may as well have sold him to fund new player's - or even Sneijder's wages. Welbeck has the distinction of putting in the worst display by a United forward in five years. Yes, worse than Forlan and Bellion. Rio is, unfortunately, past it. If he was a horse he would be taken out back and shot. I've given him time but Evan's isn't United quality - he gets bullied time and again, his football intelligence isn't the best either. Since he requested a transfer in 2010, Evra has been shocking - his positional sense has deserted him.

What games are you watching, really? Evra has been one of the best, if not the best, left backs of the last 5 years, Evans is clearly United quality and one bad match does not change that. If he wasn't United quality he would've been sold off by now.

Not that everything's bad. It's only 3 points lost in a long season. In the long-run it might be a good thing that we got found out today.

We didn't get 'found out', we were beaten by the better side on the day, red cards and refereeing issues aside.

It amazes me the ungratefulness shown by certain sections of the United fanbase towards the best manager in our, and possibly all of football's, history. It also amazes how they think they somehow know more than he does.

[-St George]

Well... I agree its going a bit too far, but I'd be questioning some of his decisions of late, if I were a Man Utd fan.
The lineup against Liverpool for example, Jonny Evans starting against City... I figure there must be something going on behind the scenes that we don't get to see.

Not signing on Sneijder when he could have...

Not buying Sneijder is actually following with United transfer policy.

Not buying Rodwell, who can play in defence or midfield, and who was available for 16 million from a club that needs/needed to sell, however...

[Malgrave]

-St George is a Man Utd fan?
I've made a huge mistake.

[-St George]

-St George is a Man Utd fan?
I've made a huge mistake.

[Keronians]

And Arsenal (surprisingly) beats Chelsea.

[Malgrave]

-St George is a Man Utd fan?
I've made a huge mistake.

I'm a Torquay fan

[-St George]

I'm a Torquay fan

Torquay are fairly local to my hometown. Always been a Plymouth Argyle fan as well as a United fan.

[Keronians]

The thread title really should be changed to "Premier League / Champions League Thread (2011 - 2012)"...

[Malgrave]

I'm a Torquay fan

Torquay are fairly local to my hometown. Always been a Plymouth Argyle fan as well as a United fan.

You heathen. *shakes fist*

[Osarius]

And Arsenal (surprisingly) beats Chelsea.

I don't think its THAT surprising. Chelsea's high-line and relative lack of pace at the back meant they'd always be vulnerable against Arsenal's pacy attack. Based on the scoreline, anyway, I'm guessing AVB kept them on the pressing game.

Also, I would have guessed that lacking Drogba up front would make them less dangerous against a suspect Arsenal backline -- he's usually the main threat for Chelsea against Arsenal iirc.

[Serrland]

And Arsenal (surprisingly) beats Chelsea.

I don't think its THAT surprising. Chelsea's high-line and relative lack of pace at the back meant they'd always be vulnerable against Arsenal's pacy attack. Based on the scoreline, anyway, I'm guessing AVB kept them on the pressing game.

Also, I would have guessed that lacking Drogba up front would make them less dangerous against a suspect Arsenal backline -- he's usually the main threat for Chelsea against Arsenal iirc.

Chelsea looked very dangerous in the attack - their main problem for the defense was stupid mistakes. Petr Cech was pretty poor too.

[Malgrave]

Torquay are 1-o up

[Eastfield Lodge]

So, if Newcastle can get the win against Stoke, we'll overtake Chelsea.

[Serrland]

So, if Newcastle can get the win against Stoke, we'll overtake Chelsea.

Easier said than done when it's away.

[Risottia]

Internazionale FC will be facing Juventus this evening at Milan's Meazza stadium (aka San Siro). For the first time in 5 years, with Juventus alone leading the Serie A ranking (and by +8 over Inter!).

So, what do you guess about the result? I personally expect either a 1-2 for Juventus or a 1-1 tie.

[Eastfield Lodge]

So, if Newcastle can get the win against Stoke, we'll overtake Chelsea.

Easier said than done when it's away.

True, although our next six matches are the toughest yet, given that we're (almost definitely) the only team not to have faced the Big 3/4/5/6 (however you look at it).

[Keronians]

Real Madrid's in excellent form. Casillas hasn't had a single goal for three matches now.

We even beat Malaga by 4-0.

[Bales Rant]

One match obviously means get rid of the most successful manager in British footballing history.

Not really. It's not one match - it's two! Seriously though, it's no good getting to CL finals just to get beat, especially without even competing. That's just shameful. The City loss was a long time coming this season and it's down to Ferguson's refusal to buy a quality and proven midfielder. If he's not got the money I'd rather see Pogba given a chance - Anderson, Fletcher, and Carrick are just not good enough. You can rotate them all you want, change formations, tactics, partnerships, combinations, grow a beard, change your hair style, but individually they just don't have enough attributes for the game as it is now. Good good players but just not good enough.

Because Chelsea are doing incredibly well at the moment.

You may not like Boas (after ten matches!) but the main point stands - United were pretty fucking horrible in '09 but in '11 they were appallingly bad. Regression.

One bad =/= not United quality.

Again, it's not one game though. These guys have been given numerous chances, especially Anderson, over the last four years. You think they are United quality, I just don't. I liked Anderson and defended him numerous times since '07 but there comes a point when enough is enough. 2-3 good games then a dozen or more of shite. Repeat x4 seasons.

What games are you watching, really? Evra has been one of the best, if not the best, left backs of the last 5 years, Evans is clearly United quality and one bad match does not change that. If he wasn't United quality he would've been sold off by now.

Has been. He's still a decent left-back but he's not what he once was - nowhere near. He's a fucking liability now mate. As for Evans, again it's not one game. This is over a long enough period to cast judgment. He gets bullied time and time again and he always will - unless he develops a better footballing brain and it's too late for that now. And so Pique is not United quality then? He was sold. I'd rather have Pique than Evans.

We didn't get 'found out', we were beaten by the better side on the day, red cards and refereeing issues aside.

We were beaten by the better side on the day, and we'll probably be beaten by the better squad over the season. Last season United were papering over the cracks and were lucky that their opponents were so bad. So then getting beat 1-6 at home by the first quality side they have come up against and in a manner and area other United fans like myself have been worried about for a while is gettin found out. And there's no 'red cards and refereeing issues aside' at all. I wish there were but no.

It amazes me the ungratefulness shown by certain sections of the United fanbase towards the best manager in our, and possibly all of football's, history. It also amazes how they think they somehow know more than he does.

It amazes me how some United fans can actually watch a United game when they have their head stuck up Ferguson's arse. I love the guy and I really appreciate what he's done for United. Some of the best moments in my bloody life are essentially down to him! But my first loyalty is to the club and I want what's best for it - not Ferguson. He is indeed the best manager of our time but every dog has it's day. If he's not willing to buy in January (or in the Summer at the most) then United should find a manager who is. It's been at least two years now and it's beyond a joke. They won't and it may not be a mainstream view but that's what I think.

[Nazis in Space]

And victory is ours again after three no-wins in a row o/

We even scored twice. Pretty unusual, given thirteen goals in eleven games.

Real Madrid's in excellent form. Casillas hasn't had a single goal for three matches now.

<Neuer> Just?

[Mytannion]

And victory is ours again after three no-wins in a row o/

We even scored twice. Pretty unusual, given thirteen goals in eleven games.

Go Gladbach!

I have been watching more German football recently, 'tis class. I probably prefer the style of play to any other, it is just brilliant.

Anyway, City win - which is great. I've spent £25 today, travelling to Burnley (admittedly, it is only down the road), to watch Blackpool get beaten 3-1 in a Lancashire Derby, which is a bit shite but there we go).