Goodison is not an easy ground for anyone to visit. You have to earn the right to play there and Everton were all over us in the opening exchanges. Nice as it was to defeat Newcastle and West Ham, this was always going to be an entirely different test.
It is with great pride that I say I was completely wrong when I predicted Nani and Berbatov would return to their familiar inconsistent form. Indeed, for the first sixty minutes the match largely belonged to the young Michael Jackson lookalike. He whipped in several Beckham-esque crosses and had a huge hand in the first two goals. His only adversary for man of the match at that point was Tim Howard, whose saves had kept Everton in it.
But still in it they were, and even when Berbatov produced a nonchalant finish of exquisite skill they still didn’t give up. I am inclined to give Everton huge credit for their comeback. They worked hard and they deserved it. However, as Manchester United correspondent it would be remiss of me if I did not focus on our team’s performance.
United defending in injury time
©Getty
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We definitely blew it, and not for the first time this season we have dropped points for not being ruthless enough. It would be easy to take out the pointy finger of blame and direct it at Gary Neville and Patrice Evra for shoddy defending at the death. But quite frankly, if you are two goals up with 90 seconds to go, the entire team should know to close down the opposition and play out the game.
We didn’t do that and my suspicion is a lack of leadership is to blame. Gary Neville won’t like me saying this, but I think Rio marshals the back five better and his return cannot come soon enough for me.
Much of the talk at kick off was about 'you know who'. It seems dictionary.com did my work for me on Saturday and their word of the day was as follows (please pay careful attention to the pronunciation):
Rue [roo] verb, rued, ru·ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. to feel sorrow over; repent of; regret bitterly: to rue the loss of opportunities.
2. to wish that (something) had never been done, taken place, etc.: I rue the day he was born.
Another rumour from the terrace is that this whole affair has destroyed Rooney’s hopes for claiming the captaincy in a couple of year’s time. That is a worry for another day, what concerns me now is that if we don’t start winning winnable matches - the league will be over by Christmas.
Follow Mark at twitter.com/markjpayne
Comments
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Posted by Maverick on 09/13/2010
As I have commented in my last post,United are not going for the juggler when we could have finished Everton with precision finishing. When we we 3-1 up. Bebotov, whom SAF praised was the best player that afternoon should have scored easily 4 goals and Nani just wasted the chance that came to him. We lost 4 points all because we pulled the hand brakes so that our opponent could get back in the game. In the first 15 minutes Everton was all over us and to be honest, I thought that if we were to play like this then we can forget of reclaiming the PL. Dropping points unnecessarily will be our own down fall. The season is long, however I do not see Chelsea dropping to much points with the form that they have shown.
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Posted by Matt Bennett on 09/13/2010
Mark, it continues to pain me that o'shea and neville are not only integral parts of the squad but regularly in the starting 11 for important games. while i will admit o'shea's game as the holding player was far superiour to anything he's produced at fullback this year, he continues to look a class below. Neville is the same, ok against weak opposition, but continually exposed by class opposition. surely its time to give rafael and fabio an extended run in the team?
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Posted by Ken on 09/13/2010
Fergie caused it all..Gary is too old let him retire wit giggs oshea they hav played their part let them give d others a chance.
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Posted by Patrice-Kigali on 09/13/2010
Mark!
Why don't we agree that SAF has not learn't from his mistakes of last season (Apart from the fact that he is no longer barking at Refrees which is a huge relief); No defending midfielder and this has and is still going to expose our back four!! Hago is not coming back soon and the effect of Not having his replacement will be felt come may 2011.
Let us face it: We are not as strong as Chelsea and may be Arsenal(With their 50-50 Keeper) and Mancity(if they can organise themselves so quickly).
While I agree with you that Nani and Berbatov look impressive compared to the whole of last season, they are still wasting a lot of opportunities to score many goals and be safer!
Well, I might have gone far but i don't believe Neville, O'shea, Park and a few others i will mention later are of ManU class let alone starters. He might not be there yet but Evans is promising. What is wrong with Evra? France's last world cup demons haunting?
The players would better be more focused!
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Posted by aussiered on 09/13/2010
We can all sit there and bitch about opportunity lost, however ast season we lost against Everton and Fulham. So two points gained there and everything else status quo and we would have won the league by a point. So always look on the bright side of life. If we all read and know the game better than the incumbent, then come SAF's retirement the line for the interview is going to be very long indeed. loosen up its not even the middle of September.
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Posted by antivirus on 09/13/2010
the problem we have is SAF still believes in the likes of neville, giggs and scholes....no doubt SAF has done a lot of the club, but he is getting too stubborn and should step down.
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Posted by johanzul on 09/13/2010
Lesson learned, respect your opponent regardless what team and what position in the table they are at. How? When you attack and simply if you have the chance to score, score with all your heart and might, not half hearted, half effort and such. Score in every game like you're playing your last game. If you score more than 3 goals, doesn't mean you disrespect your opponents but rather than challenging them to do the same. When you are defending, defend your goal post like a fortress, with 100% focus, not one eye open, not like your opponents won't able to score even when you are 2 goals up. anyway, I'll still believe we can do it but again, no more points drop please especially in this early season. Tq.
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Posted by festus on 09/13/2010
I THINK ITS TIME FOR SOME OF OUR 'OLDIES' TO KISS UTD GOODBYE, THEY HAVE TRIED & CONTRIBUTED THEIR BEST IN THE PAST BUT THERE IS ALWAYS TIME TO QUIT, THE LIKES OF GIGGS, OSHEA, GARRY, BROWN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 'EVERGREEN' SCHOLES SHOULD QUIT UTD NOW & ALLOW THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO TAKE OVER, THEIR DAYS ARE FAR SPENT, SAF NEED TO REORGANIZE THE TEAM & INSTIL DISCIPLINE. VIDIC IS NOT A NATURAL LEADER, GIVING HIM THE CAPTAINCY BAND IS QUESTIONING, WE NEED A CHARGING CAPTAIN LIKE RIO.
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Posted by Vk254 on 09/13/2010
Why isn't anyone talking about giggs, just like in Cl final against barca he didn't do anything to help the team, evans is good but is being asked to do much without the help of a Def Mid... Why did we lone out diouf- he's better than owen- . When will fabio, chicharito and macheda get to start?
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Posted by David Lamin on 09/14/2010
Hargreaves registration is wasted space. I believe Fergie is to blame 100% for the draw at Fulham and Everton. Fergie seems to have lost the ability to read the play and make changes accordingly. Moyes saw the problem with his team and reorganized quickly, bringing Fellani down to the middle controlling the midfield and the match. Moyes saw Gary as a weak spot and directed his team to use Gary's wing as the launching pad to score two goals against MU. I still cant believe that Fergie did not see that after his goal Berbatov decided to take a rest; that Giggs was tired, that Scholes was tired, that Gary was tired, that Nani had decided on his own that the game had ended. By refusing to make appropriate changes, Fergie let his team down, beating his willing horses to death..
I hate to think this but Man U will lose the PL and will finish outside of the first 4. We have an aged team and our youngsters are not allowed to learn by playing soccer. Maybe Fergie needs to retire now??????
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Posted by David Smith on 09/14/2010
What a bunch of idiotic "United fans" you lot are. So far wide of the mark and lacking any common sense, you lot make Rafa Benitez look a right footballing genius. A permission note from mummy and daddy please, next time you get the urge to offer your "expertise."
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Posted by richardlee on 09/14/2010
Fergie needs to rethink his strategies. A starting 11 with so many old players will not do you good. I mean, do you think they can last 90 minutes running up and down the pitch. Young players aren't given a chance. Players like Macheda, Hernandez, Gibson should be given playing time. And the fact that he only made one substitution throughout the whole match is absurd. He should have at least changed the tired players and brought in more defensive minded players... And whats up with Evans lately? Missing crosses, he can't even head the ball to safety and he's 6 ft+?
I only see Vidic doing all the headers...
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Posted by Cyprain on 09/14/2010
Commenting on the last weekend match between everton and man utd.
Iam certain to say that its time ferguson go, his idiology of the 80s, 90s of buying younger players has come and gone.
What i cant fantom is why is he wasting money buying players he knows he cant use week in week end out to get results. While clubs are busy re-inforcing there squads, what he does is spend milions of dollars on a younger inexperience player and dump him on a bench, may be in a season, the player playes only three or five games and other process loosing games and cant compete for shields.
Just look at two away games, fulham and everton, concedes one nad two last minutes goals. Man U, has no defence, has no attacking scoring force, they use to have in the mid 80s and 90s.
Just look at chelsea, all department are all scoring squads, they dnt rely on Drogba alone to score goals, upfront they have in every game 5 or 6 players that tear the net with goals
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Posted by Cyprain on 09/14/2010
In continuation of my writting, chelsea has defence, is hardly u see chelsea give up two goals in matter of seconds.
I cant see Maurino, and other world class respected managers go out spend millions of dollars on a player all to just come seat in all season and watch without making an impact on a club. The essence of buying players is for reinforcement and be able to compete at all levels.
In ferguson's case, all he does is buying younger players that will mature in the next 100years, while the present squad he has, can not and will not score more than two goals and at same time can not defend a goal to the last wistle. To me, he does that in 90s when other clubs are still scared when they heard of Man U.
Soccer has changed in the last 10years and he has to wake up to the reality, that he cant continue managing a club on the basis of "LUCK". and younger players who are not ready, ripe to face the week in weekend out games.
It is time for him to go. Enough of his idiology.
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Posted by alan on 09/15/2010
Hey lets lay off SAF - strange things he might be doing in some of your weird ideals but for now lets, let the ledgend run the show. May be for one last season? If he lets us down this year well it would be one of the few seasons he has. Then may be a change but lets lay of the ledgend four games in and watch the mistro do his job.
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Posted by David Smith on 09/15/2010
Typically, none of the know-it-alls who were pleading for the youngsters to be given a chance, have bothered to show up on here after their dismal showing against Rangers. Fortunately, Giggs was available and gave the fans a bit of hope...just a pity Paul and Gaz weren't or we might of just pulled it out at the end. Thoughts and best wishes, Antonio. Godspeed, son.
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Posted by Eddie G. on 09/15/2010
I'm appalled at how some people think that SAF should be replaced. Undoubtedly, he's as stubborn as hell, but he's got the silverware to back all that up. Hardly 4 games have passed and some "fans" are already calling for his head?
And what's all this nonsense about giving Giggsy and Neville the boot? And forget the hands that built this club? You must be barking mad! Do you think United is like Real Madrid - quick to forget a legend like Raul just because he's becoming less effective a player? Hell no! 'Cos if there's one thing a true Man United fan has, it's loyalty! What Giggsy, Scholesy and Neville lack in terms of pace and energy, they make up with experience, composure and the ability to read the game.
Let's have a bit more faith in the team, and only start panicking when we actually have a good reason to do so ^_^
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Posted by Maverick on 09/16/2010
We, as most MANU fans is that we see quality football played week in week out. See some sort of style that we are accustom to. Last season we could not hold on to the PL by just only 1 point. I bet it is somehow painful to most loyal MU fans. To panic now is not the right word, however last season we falter towards the end when it matters most. I would rather that MANU be infront than chasing the pack. Be RUTHLESS and show who is king of the league
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Posted by Kelvin on 09/16/2010
wow....more than the usual qouta of fair weather fans this week. Which has always been weakness of Man Utd, our recent (last 15 years)winning forms have attracted rift raft that like to be associated with winners...who's loutish behaviour (in my opinion) are the main reason why many neutrals hate us.
And these are they guys that write ego inflated hype when we win 1 week, and then utter condemnation when we do not the next?
But I digress.....
So we dropped some points. It hurts. The players did not seem to respect the traditions and spirit of Everton enough.....at 3-1 up, some players took their foot off......the 2 good chances near the end that were wasted (maybe) due to greed and personal glory....will haunt us.
Giggs, SCholes and Neville have been great servants for the club, yes their experience on the field, and in the locker room remains a great asset. But I think we also need to recognise that they will tire at the end of the game, and if they are playing weekly.
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Posted by Kelvin on 09/16/2010
cont'd post.
Perhaps 1 or more of these elder players..could have been substituted with younger legs, when we needed more defensive effort near the end. Everton's goals do look like they were helped by tired legs not closing down the spaces better.
SAF has always trusted his old warhorses, and yes sometimes a little too much for too long. I love Roy Keane, but I think that was a classic example.
I am sure SAF is stewing over this, much more than we all are. Easy to be the manager with hindsight. He has proven himself with the club for 20+ years.
So all those fans who posted here about getting him out....are either, full of sxxt...or they are Liverpool fans in disguise.
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Posted by Kevin on 09/18/2010
Is it just me noticing this or that Man Utd are indeed a fading force? Fergie needs to seriously replace the depreciating qualities in Giggs, Scholes, Gary and Van Der Sar. And the newcomers or younger players need to step up. What of Hargreaves , Carrick and Anderson??? Since the departure of Ronaldo and Tevez, coupled with the current Rooney saga, it is becoming increasingly difficult to dethrone Chelsea and fend off Arsenal.
Posted by mallorca autovermietung on 10/17/2010
last week our class held a similar talk on this topic and you show something we haven't covered yet, thanks.
- Kris
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Mark Payne writes about football for a variety of media outlets. He reported on the 2010 World Cup for Australia’s ABC network and worked at one of the FIFA fan sites. He has been ESPN’s Manchester United correspondent for four years. His writing attracts a worldwide following and in 2011 this blog was nominated for an award. To contact Mark for football discussion e-mail him on markpayne.editor@hotmail.com at any time. He wears lucky socks on match days.
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