ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Manchester United - I've got a bad feeling about this

Posted by Mark Payne on 04/19/2009

Okay. So we are not trapped in the marshy trash compactor of a Starship Destroyer wearing uncomfortable Stormtrooper outfits with a strange beasty lurking beneath but, beware we should. I am not at all sure our record at New Wembley ((C) Tony Blair) is anything to feel confident about.

We have played four matches so far at the boo palace and on not one occassion have we scored more than a single goal. The two Charity Shields we have played there may as well have been telethons they were so long. Both matches went to penalties and our outrageous fortune with the dead ball continued.

This year's Carling Cup Final and the sequence repeated itself. Most of our attacks in that game resembled an old woman trying to stab a brick wall with a plastic takeaway fork. Not particularly incisive.

Prior to those glorious occasions we were mugged by Didier Drogba in the final throes of injury time when Chelsea were still under the control of Darth Mourinho. To put it mildly, our form on this ground ain't too good.

There may be reasons for this. I am told that the pitch is made from a special turf that can be rolled up for rock concerts and has less traction than normal pitches. This could explain why our zippy passing game has yet to grace the hallowed turf. It also gives us the opportunity to blame James Blunt if we lose.

I don't see the pitch being wider as a great problem. We have more wingmen than Maverick in Top Gun and should be able to exploit that extra space handsomely. So what is it then? I suggest it may simply be because the ground is in London. Our record there is nowhere near as good as it is in say, Birmingham, or even Liverpool.

Basically, nothing will surpirse me today. If the game was being played at any other ground in the country I would predict 2-1 either way. Now, I am not so sure. Everton have several players who are happy to put their boot in (to share a dressing room with Duncan Ferguson has its effects) and in Cahill they have a guy who can win football matches. As always, I live in hope, but, I have a baaad feeling about this.

Comments

Posted by Chuma on 04/19/2009

Hey Mark! that's not fair. we have to keep on believing. they have the potential to do it i only just pray we're out of our rough patch now. I think they know whats at stake here. lets just hope and pray d boys will come through for us once again
Chuma

Posted by Sheri from Texas on 04/19/2009

PERHAPS THE MANAGER SHOULD HAVE HAD AS MANY FEELINGS, I DIDN'T FEEL THE SIDE HE PUT IN WAS A STRONG ONE. I DON'T THINK HE CAME INTO THE GAME WITH ENOUGH RESPECT FOR EVERTON AND THAT IN THE END CAME TO BITE HIM RIGHTFULLY IN HIS HINEY.!

Posted by BLAMA J. GOLL on 04/19/2009

WELL! I AM ACTUALLY A FAN OF ARSENAL: BUT I BELIEVE THAT COACHES SOMETIMES UNDER-ESTIMATE THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE FACED WITH OR OTHER TEAMS! I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT MAN-U COACH UNDERESTIMATED THE STRENGTH OF EVERTON, BECAUSE THE TEAM THAT STARTED THE GAME AGAINST EVERTON WASN'T REALLY CAPABLE OF WINNING THE MATCH.

MY COACH (ARSENE WENGER), HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FORMING A TEAM AGAINST CHELSEA. WENGER, KNOWING VERY WELL THAT HE HAD A DEFENSIVE PROBLEM, BUT STILL PLAYED A TEAM THAT WAS PATIALLY WEAK BOTH IN THE MIDFIELD AND ATTACKING FORCE. WAS THERE ANY NEED TO PLAYED OR START RVP ON THE LEFT WING AS A MIDFIELDER, WHEN THE PLAYER IS A STRICKER, AND IS NOT GOOD IN DEFENDING? WAS THERE ANY NEED TO START DIABY IN CENTRAL MIDFIELD WHEN THE PLAYER IS NOT GOOD IN ALSO PLAYING AS A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER? DIABY IS VERY SLOW, AND RVP IS NOT A BALL CARRIER OR AN ATTACKIING MIDFIELDER. WHY DID HE KEEP ARSHAVIN, NASHRI (ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS), AND SONG( A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER) ON BENCH? ANYWAY!!!!!

Posted by Andy on 04/19/2009

I don't understand why Sir Alex Ferguson fielded mostly young players on the pitch that we are only one win away from the FA Cup Final. The youngsters did perform respectably. But Why now??? I just don't think this line up decision was fair to all those who played their heart out to get the team this far and their Manager just threw all their hard labour out the window.

Posted by Rishi Dayal on 04/19/2009

Right when I saw the squad Fergie put out, I didn't agree with it. It's the FA Cup semi!! You can't be taking risks like that!! I thought for sure that Rooney at least would be on the bench. Van der Sar should have been on the bench too. Fergie could have brought him for the shoot out. Oh well. Guess we'll just have to settle for 4 trophies then!

Posted by Chuma from Nigeria on 04/20/2009

Mark sadly it seems your gut was right after all. Now that's a gamble that didn't pay off Sir Alex! Also, I tend to agree that the players might have underestimated the opposition and their passion to win this. I do believe it was an obvious foul/penalty on Danny Wellbeck though. Cheer up fellow united fans- there are still two more cups for our taking.

Posted by biggusdoggus on 04/20/2009

Sir Alex cannot put out the same side that played and defended so well in Porto, for all games. We have three massive home games within a week infront of us that MUST be won and that surely figured into his thinking to put out the young guns vs Everton. And they did a very respectable job too!! Only old boy Howard stopped us but surely great experience for the likes of Wellbeck, Kiko, Rafael playing at Wembley!! Now back to the real business of retaining our trophies...am fully expecting the EPL title to be unoffically settled this week after the Gunners put Liverpool out their misery and we send Pompey packing. And officially, am expecting to be Champions again (and again and again)by beating City at OT! What a season.

Posted by Adiel on 04/20/2009

Well written biggusdoggus.

Probably the most hectic run in - in our history :

Apr. '09 TIME Home Away VENUE Competition
Wed. 22 20:00 UK Manchester United v Portsmouth Old Trafford English Premier League

Sat. 25 17:30 UK Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur Old Trafford English Premier League

Wed. 29 19:45 UK Manchester United v Arsenal Old Trafford UEFA Champions League
May. '09 TIME Home Away VENUE Competition

Sun. 3 16:00 UK Middlesbrough v Manchester United The Riverside Stadium English Premier League

Tue. 5 19:45 UK Arsenal v Manchester United Emirates Stadium UEFA Champions League

Sun. 10 13:30 UK Manchester United v Manchester City Old Trafford English Premier League
Wed. 13 20:00 UK Wigan Athletic v Manchester United JJB Stadium English Premier League
Sat. 16 12:45 UK Manchester United v Arsenal Old Trafford English Premier League
Sun. 24 16:00 UK Hull City v Manchester WOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Ivan on 04/20/2009

Its time Ferguson smelt the roses and headed into retirement.Since the arrival of Berbatov and the departure of Queiroz we have deteriated into a second rate team.He wont pay for Tevez but will continue with has-beens like Scholes, Neville,Fletcher, Giggs, O'shea and Van der saar
All these players and Ferguson should do the honorable thing and ride off into the sunset.
Come on Man U were the biggest club in the world but our players are second best.
Auction off Berbatov-but i dont think there will be any takers

Posted by Charles T. on 04/20/2009

your bad feeling came true! I had that same feeling just before the match started, and once we got closer and closer to penalties, the feeling got worse and worse.

and Ivan, its not always about having the best players in the world. look at real, even though they had the best players in the world during the zidane/ronaldo/beckham stage, they did not win as many trophies as united have been winning over this period, with our "2nd" rate players. lolz. i doubt you can play as well as giggs can.

Posted by ivan on 04/20/2009

Charles,
I never mentioned having the best players in the world,and your right I cant play as well as Giggs,but then I dont earn 100,000-00 pound a week either.
Its all about choosing the right team or even the right substitutes that have made both you and Mark payne expect the worst.
Liverpool Chelsea and Arsenal dont have the best players either but they place with passion and they score goals.Weve resorted to trying to get one goal and sitting back and defending.maybe we should change our name to Alamo united

Posted by JAG1united on 04/20/2009

Well we finally LOST on PK's @ Wembley! I guess it was bound to happen, oh well, 3 outta 4 ain't bad. This one stings, but hopefully it will sting in the right way. Let's be honest, our boys need a fire lit under their rear--ends. Maybe a cup knockout is just the spark that lights up the ramparting United we miss from just a few months ago.

I don't disagree w/ Fergie's selection, the young ones were going to be needed at some point at this stage. Why not chance it in the semi- of the smaller cup? To haul in 5 was going to take a stroke of luck and SAF rolled the dice. In all fairness, they almost came up 7's anyway.

Congrats to Timmy and the blue boys, now do your job (and United) right and toss Chelski an L in final.

On to Glory, the Premier League title and the Champions League trophy (FA Cup... what's that?)

Posted by Evans on 04/20/2009

All the blame on team selection is ridiculous. The team out played Everton and we lost because of poor penalty takers selection not the overall team selection. Those youngsters reached the semi finals and had every right to play in it. The youngsters should have taken the penalties as well.

Posted by N Patrice on 04/20/2009

Hello everyone,
Iam one of those guys always disappointed when MANU looses a game but for this one, i will be hurt if we don't take EPL and CL because as i saw, that is where SAF's focus was. You can at least tell by the squad that he put out.

All said though, i think NANI should have been give a chance. I know the boy has failed to live up of recent especially with his unwillingness to pass the ball immediately but he deserved an out there.

Forgive me if i am making continuous attacks on two people but for me Berbatov and Tevez are NOT living to my expectations. No.9 who can not far-shoot or score a penalty!! surely? Eeeeeeh Berba!!!

When will Tevez know that strikers must keep an eye on defenders so as to easily escape them and score.
Ole gunner slokjear should give Tevez at least a hint.

If i were the one; Tevez, Anderson, Vidic, Rahael and Gibson would be my spot kick takers in that order.

Now though is the time for SAF to show us why he rested the stars.

MANU forever.

Posted by Andy S. on 04/20/2009

I'm not at all surprised Man Utd. lost given the squad SAF decided to start. After the starting lineups were shown the only thing that made Man Utd. the favorite was their name. I don't, however, blame SAF for choosing the side he did. Seeing how busy United's remaining schedule is I don't think he had a choice but to leave out Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs, etc. if they are to have a chance at defending their Premier League and Champions League titles. Therefore SAF chose a starting 11 that he believed could possibly get the job done, but wouldn't jeopardize the two trophies that he values a little more than the F.A. Cup, despite what he says to the media.

Posted by joe calafate USA on 04/20/2009

The kids played wel just didnt score.If they had scored and won all of you guys would be praysing SAF.Thats soccer sometimes you WIN or loose.Stop knocking SAF DOWN!!REMENBER HIS SUCCESS!

Posted by khy7 on 04/21/2009

That's what people called a gamble nd taking risks, not many managers have the guts or even the youngsters to take such risks. When it does pay-off U'll be hailed as the greatest hero,if not, u're the villain (remember the quote "U can't win anything with kids" anyone?). The youngsters did well even when hopes n pressure laid heavily on their backs. Too bad lady luck wasn't smiling at them that day. Even though the FA Cup is important, the League and UCL are much more significant for Man Utd. The big guns needed the rest prior to the packed schedule ahead. We don't want to see another loss or draw especially as the league reaching its final few games do ya?

Posted by football yogi on 04/21/2009

about 88 thousand or more paying fans went to wembly stadium to watch the FA semis because they believe it's something great worth remembering then the news of Man U fielding a depleted side send everyone some misgiving third finger thought that moment is like the in-law poping out from nowhere & sit beside you to watch with you for next 120 mins or so. You start to show sign of uneasiness by making funny noises & very vocal to show your displeasure then finally you know you've been ripped off. Yes you're telling people around you that you won't come to watch because you know it's not justify to pay full priced ticket & watch weakened side. Where is your consumer right & not protected at all?! This kind of commercial trickery is getting me sick. So many millions dollars changing hands yet you're a victim of so called FAIR PLAY. Big banners flashing it everywhere in the pitch & corner.They robbed you off your decent right. Now who's paying?

Posted by jagman on 04/21/2009

Biggusdoggus's comments are very true...SAF cannot possible put out the same strong squad out for every game especially with the final run-in starting tommorrow...we need our best rested and frankly, and without knocking the FA Cup, this was probably the best game to do it! As for the young guns, well, get used to the names folks because in a few years time, these boys will be regulars as the squad evolves!!! And they did well to hold a almost full Everton side to a draw. It was the senior penalty takers who did the damage in the end!! Wish I could agree with Biggusdoggus on Arsenal beating Liverpool tonight but its not on as the Gunners may be without Adebayor and Van Persie and their 1st choice goalie. We just need to win every game as it comes.

Posted by vincent on 04/21/2009

what if Man United were to play against either chelsea or asernal, will fergie fill the same line up that as he did against everton. It's pure down right arrogant and suicidal. I'm a man united fan and for me to stay up late to watch the way they played makes me thinks twice whether or not to watch another man united game.

the fact that we were in the semi of an FA Cup and losing to everton on penalty seem obvious that fergie does not respect the feeling and trust of all man united fans.

Berbatov inclusion into the team does not appear to have strenghten the team. rather it slow down the movement of the players and he seem to take ages in penerating the opponents defence.

the team should evolve around rooney. his speed and never dies attitude should be the benchmark for man united, just like the time of roy kean.

Posted by Navin k on 04/21/2009

I am quite disappointed with SAF selection. Upon taking note of the names who will be on the pitch, I knew that we will have a very stressful game and I was not wrong. It seems that he has underestimated a team like Everton which has recently eliminated Liverpool in this competition. He could have at least play his first team for the first 60 minutes and go for the replacement. I totally agree that Nani should have been given his chance. I can understand that we will have a very complicated week, but we should not take anything for granted especially a FA Cup Semi Final where we were very close to the final. Man Utd should not have been eliminated in this way. What happened, we had Ferdinand & Vidic playing the extra time also.Will they be fit against Portsmouth?...

Ok, we are now out of the FA Cup, now we need to give all our attention on the EPL and the CL.
We are very close to be 18th times English Champions, please get back on the track and show the world that Man Utd spirit.

Posted by George Suppiah on 04/22/2009

anghunu adikithu naatam, athu pusunu aadikalam

I m the best referee in the world!

Posted by Eric the godfatha on 04/22/2009

Everyone's complaining about the squad we put it but Fergie explained it quite well why he put the young guys in so our main guys could rest for an important two weeks coming up. I watched the game and saw our subs and reserves play a much better game than a first team Everton. Disrespect? If that's how you want to see it then so be it but we practically almost won this game considering we should of got that penalty but Mike Riley did such a horrible job of refeering that game. If we won the semi-final, everyone would be singing a different tune but now that's in the past. I agree with Fergie 100%, if he has to "disrespect" the FA Cup to focus on the EPL and CL then so be it. We didn't underestimate Everton by the way, people are just underestimating our youth players. Macheda is on the fast track to becoming a great player and so are others like Welbeck, the da Silva twins etc.

I want people to doubt Man United because doubt brings the best from our team.

Posted by clive on 04/23/2009

O.K. As reluctant as I am to critise living legends, what the hell is happening with Ronaldo?? His rapidly dwindling form can no longer be ignored, (yes, I know he scored the goal-of-the-season against Porto).
His performance against Pompy was poor to say the least, he is a shadow of the player he was last season! Is it a fitness problem, a sub-concious problem (confidence),or a concious problem (is he being influenced to take his foot of the pedal.) If it is the latter, the greatest player in the world should be shown the door by the greatest club in the world!!

Posted by Larry on 04/23/2009

I have nothing against Fergie's team selection regarding the game against Everton in the FA Cup.

I see fatigue in a number of first team players in recent games. And in view of the upcoming gamees you have to have your priorities set.

Fergie saw the limit of his players and made the right decision.

Posted by Jerry on 04/23/2009

The youth brought the team to this stage. They deserve to have a go at the entire tournament. How would you feel if your fruits of labour are enjoyed by someone else? I am sure they'd feel low in morale if you snatch their hard-earned competition and field senior players in the finals.I do not think Sir Alex disrespected the tournament either. Manchester United is the English club that played the most number of games this year and it is reasonable to give the players with most attendance a deserved break. And we still put up a good fight. 0-0(FT) with Everton who earned a 0-0 with a full strength Chelsea is not exactly a terrible result. Dont take away any credit from Everton by blaming the Gaffer. They beat us on the day, not the biggest upset ever. Deal with it.

Posted by viperdelta on 04/23/2009

I beg to differ. Fergie took a gamble and it may have well paid off. Everton got away with the penalty claim on Wellbeck, and the match winner for Everton, Jagielka, may very well know it. Starting with a team of youngsters meant Everton needed to dominate and attack, and they were caught off guard. Knowing Fergie should have fielded his first 11 meant Everton probably trained all week in coping with United's attack, while trying to knick something off United on a setpiece. When the lineups were announced, they were probably just as surprised as all the fans - meaning they had to play the game in a way they didn't train for, and it showed in the 1st half. The game probably went according to plan - see out the first half and try to knick something in the 2nd - if that penalty had gone in, I wouldn't have bet against United going to the final. If Fergie wanted to lose the semi, he would not have fielded Rio and Vidic. Mind you, United's line up wasn't all that bad - Tevez and Kiko.

Posted by JJ on 04/24/2009

I have a feeling that MU's physical training is not where it should be. The problems MU have is round fitness. That's why they can't pick up form even if they rest for two weeks. The level of fitness is just not right. The whole season they are not comfortable on the ball. I see the number of games they've played, but look at their 2nd half perfomances. Its all about fitness. That's why they will struggle against the L'pools and Arsenals. They will take the league, but watch Arsenal in the UCL semis, they attack throughout the game, play like they did gainst Pompey, we will be saying goodbye to another trophy. Mr Phil, do something about physics at training - there is no stamina in the team. That is the only problem we have.

Posted by bryant on 04/24/2009

like some have said here already, i don't blame the team selection, i blame the penalty takers, or just the order they took them in. it seems sir alex was trying to mostly save the strongest penalty takers for last, expecting the penalties to go beyond the initial five, but alas, they didn't, and we were left with our faces buried in our hands.

Posted by Rick on 04/25/2009

manu's defence has been shaky since the liverpool loss. but i still believe we'll ride out with championship on our hands in the end! this football drama is too intense for my heart, but i love it!!

Posted by Shawn on 04/25/2009

Overall Manchester United will retain the EPL title again this season... Manchester united shouldn't sell ronaldo to Real Madrid cos ronaldo is very player. Hope Sir Alex will not sell ronaldo away... Overall Manchester United Rock!!!!!!!!!

Posted by jacky on 04/26/2009

i would like some comment.... Sir Alex Ferguson is not a god but he done all for the team...GUYS just lift up we are losing FA cup semifinal becoz of penalty n some bad decision...pls lift up...do we still think that Sir Alex Ferguson did a bad call i dont think so...OUR MANAGER IS THE BEST....we just look into the strategy he play for this season...there are totally different...this season we play good defence...long pass.. short pass n possesion not like last season we are so fast in attacking n counter attack...sometimes when our team change strategy it is best for us coz our opponent cant cacth how to play with us...u can see arsenal or liverpool they play same like last season strategy but wat it came up...with nothing...sorry for disrecpect i just try to giv someview...we will lose giggs n scholes n gary neville...so some youth have to come n get more exp....LIFT UP this is totally a GOOD SEASON..LIFT UP MU FANS...

Posted by 1ckb porno nnxz on 07/03/2011

Ive_got_a_bad_feeling_about_th.. Corking :)

Post your comment

Name:

Email Address:

Comments:

characters left