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Thank God that's out of the way then. United are now defeated this season but that’s no reason to predict we’re about experience any kind of Old Testament horrors. A look at the league table shows all is well, but it is time to face a few home truths. Our results over the last month have been a lot more flattering than our team’s beauty.
Mick McCarthy has an beguiling pair of eyes, during the final ten minutes of this match it looked like they were frisking every single person in the stadium. It might possibly have been easier to smile but that is probably not his style.
The victory Wolves fashioned though, had the stamp of the Yorkshireman all over it. They worked incredibly hard, never let our players get near their box in peace and effectively punished the mistakes we did make. My red-tinted eyes tell me a draw would have been a fairer result but it would be harsh to do anything other than praise the victors.
It also gives us a chance to rethink some of the eulogies aimed at United’s direction in the last month. For all the trumpeting about team-spirit and never-say-die attitude there is an unhealthy chorus of ‘play a little bit rubbish for 30 minutes’ turning up in every fixture at the moment.
For now, we top the league and still our dastardly title rivals just can’t make us pay for our mistakes. It is important to remember, however, that mistakes are indeed being made. Essentially, Fergie’s management is papering over a few ever more obvious cracks.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record we are yet to replace Roy Keane. As we play with a more rotational passing system now it doesn’t matter 85-90% of the time, but when a few players are having a lousy day we don’t have anybody terrifying to scare them into action.
Vidic is a solid captain but his confidence is borne of keeping our goalmouth clear, a task made 6 billion times easier by having Rio Ferdinand stood next to him. He was too busy babysitting Johnny Evans on Saturday to drive the side forward. Alas, it was a free-kick he needlessly gave away that led to their winner too.
Criticism for criticism’s sake irks me immensely and whingeing about United now would be the equivalent of lying on silk sheets and complaining about the colour. The only thing that matters is whether or not this squad is good enough to bring home the 19th title. My gut instinct tells me that it is, but only just, and only if we don’t get found out by the bigger sides.
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Posted by kim firth on 02/07/2011
you are damn right.this team is just not rightly balanced.n have we really replaced ronaldo n tevez?.equally no to having not replaced roy keane.n who in united right now do we think is doing keano's work?carrick?OMG,we are doomed!!!
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Posted by Doug on 02/07/2011
Jonny Evans needs to be SOLD OR LOANED OUT(and then sold). Simply not up to par. How long can Ferguson go on defending him, even at one point, claiming that Smalling and Evans are the future of Utd's defence?
Hope Smalling develops a little quicker, he looks like he has more potential.
Even thought Utd didn't deserve to win, but you just feel they wouldn't have lost if the Rio was around.
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Posted by pe nipu on 02/07/2011
MC16? apart from roma 7-1 win,i think he not fit enough to wear keano's 16.in term of skill,for me hargreaves is an ideal replacement for keane.sadly,he had injured for a long period.
some opinion,i like to see rooney play beside scholes.if we see the quality of rooney cross or pass,its no to bad compare to our prince.maybe after this AF can use berba and chicha as our attacking partner.if rooney can play a same position to keane,i think he is our new keane.
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Posted by GEOFF on 02/07/2011
do you reckon alex wishes he still had tevez now...he would seem cheap now at 30 mill...man u running on belief now ,will it b enough?how much have they left in the tank?
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Posted by sianga on 02/07/2011
ya,need serios players replacement for rio and the midfield needsproper organisation.
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Posted by Neil on 02/07/2011
Why does Carrick ever get a game? Anderson or at times scholes must partner Fletcher.
An on form right now, Berbatov staying on the field would have been much better with chicharito.
Smalling is a better player than evans and should have been given the nod to start.
Poor decision making by Ferguson.
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Posted by Red Trev on 02/07/2011
Agreed. There is a desperate need for a decent inventive midfielder. Scholes just can't do it all the time any more and Carrick seems restricted to a very (and I do mean very) occasional decent penetrative pass. The team seems depressingly reliant on its veterans, Giggs especially, for a touch of midfield class. It really makes me wonder why we weren't showing an interest in Van Der Vart, Ozil, or even Joe Cole when we had the chance. You can't help but speculate that the Glaziers' debt was the main obstacle. As things stand I think we will be very lucky to take that 19th championship and I don't think much of our chances in Europe. And if the season does turn sour I think we can expect to see a lot more of those green and gold scarves.
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Posted by abbios on 02/07/2011
sorrowfull united losers u all lady luck ran out u cannot win a league by chance but by skill and thuis team lacks beside nani the rest please vidic has yet to meet messi untill please arsenal and i still say chelsea
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Posted by Sharani Abdul Ghani on 02/07/2011
We have had a few bad games these last few weeks...yet managed to stay unbeaten until yesterday. Starting this weekend's derby, another unbeaten streak until May when we will be crowned 2010/2011 champs!!!
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Posted by JD on 02/07/2011
We were never gonna go thru the season unbeaten with the squad we have. So the defeat at wolves was not a surprise. We are at the top not because of our excellence but more due to our rivals inconsistency. If all the contenders cancel each other out in the remaining head-to-haed fixtures, MU will be champs. But we seem too short of quality to progress far in champs league. Sadly we could have build on the good fortune we have had and walk away with the league had we invested in 1 or 2 key new players, either in the summer or jan window. Creativity and steel in midfield sadly lacking. Defence too reliant on oldies VDS, Vidic n ferdinand. Whatever happened to the £80m Ronaldo money? Bebe was a waste of funds but surely some surplus funds are available to strengthen a potential winning squad. Any trophy we win this year is not dowm to brillance of this squad but rather downn to the failings of the oppositions. Rooney and us fans were promised reinforcements in the window but none arrived. No value in the market boss? Surely there are if looked with intent. Though I will rooting for this team towards the 19th title, we need to regain the aura of invincibilty and swagger that we displyed during the ronaldo-tevez era. Rooney will soon leave too if lack of ambition becomes all too apparent. MU forever but hoping for positive changes. So Boss, please look hard with intent, there are some valuable buys in the market!.
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Posted by antivirus on 02/07/2011
Spot on Mark. I think most of us realize the fact that our team is not good enough. We are top of the table simply because other big teams are performing worse than we are. It may be enough to win us the 19th title, but we would be lucky to get to the semi final of CL. I also think that SAF has accomplished his mission and he should have stepped down a few seasons ago....
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Posted by Kelvin on 02/07/2011
Still favourites for the league, a strong contender for the FA cup...but maybe not quite good enough for the Champions league.
Having said that, I am still happy with the way we play and the way we conduct ourselves. Rather be Utd than anyone else....except a little envious of Barca ...but they too built from within or grew from youth firstly, before they bought some ready made stars.
Hear that "shitty" and "chelski" !!??
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Posted by alan.williams on 02/07/2011
I have to agree with Pe Nipu - If WR has grown up? he could be the the new Kenno - he could even wear the captains arm band! As it now he, more out of frutration than deign, is far to often droping back into the middfiled trying to make the play, so why not keep him there - and let DB and the Mex ( who is staring to look like a steal) play up front, sounds good to me, but is WR up to it? That's the millon dollar question.
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Posted by Ibrahim ismael on 02/07/2011
We really fine midfielder and wingers
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Posted by Sherwyn H on 02/07/2011
guys it's not the end of the world yet,sure the run in now looks difficult because of the lost to Wolves but if we grind out a result against City the title could still be ours.And also I do believe we can go to semi's in CL we just need players to start taking charge and we need SAF start making better decisions like to off load Evans just as he did Macheda he just isn't up to scratch and Rooney in my opinion should not have started that game sure he bagged a brace in the game before but how many times has a certain Mexican saved us this season. I only hope that Hernandez doesn't have bad feelings about the club as most games he plays he puts in a good performance
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Posted by Mike on 02/07/2011
Evans had a pretty good breakout year, but seems to be a liability now.. what happened?
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Posted by kpans on 02/07/2011
I like the way we played at the game we lost. hwever SAF should have removed WR n bring in Chic.
JE should be given a chance n should have confidence
when in the field. He should learn from Rafeai. I think if all the players in MU have the spirit of EVRA N Rafael, united we will win the league and champions league. Above SAF should stop gambling with the player selections and stop resting players in the name of certain matches. He should know that a bird in hand is worth twice in the bush.
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Posted by oz on 02/07/2011
I agree with @ mike, Evans did have a good first year when Rio was injured for an extended period and united kept a record of clean sheets, but whats happened?? he looks like a shell of that player, his confidence must be shot? but he obviously must have the talent somewhere
cant complain about the loss its been coming for a long time and I agree with Mark, thank god, now people can stop yapping about being undefeated all year- with all honesty, this team hasnt played well enough to deserve it. The arsenal side that did it previously did so in style
anyway, as ive said previously, its a re building year, so Ill take a 1st place finish if possible!
and I dont have high expectations for the CL
I would like to see Anderson played more
Nani is frustrating at the moment, but so was CR7 to start with, so hopefully he gets more consistant
creative midfielder in the summer please, cant keep depending on Giggs, he is only human (maybe??)
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Posted by TheJepit on 02/08/2011
@abbios,
Ever seen punctuation marks before? Looks a bit like these,.;?:!...
Dear all,
Sooner or later we will be shot down. Forget about the unbeaten record..more important is that the 19th league title...things will get better soon..
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Posted by Ronald Emmanuel on 02/08/2011
United are top because we are more consistent that our rivals which is what wins championships. We need a leader in central midfield to spell Scholes, a #1 Keeper for Van der Sar , a replacement for Hargreaves, a fit Valencia and Park, cover for Rafael and confirmation that Evra and Rooney will be there next season. There is not a lot rong with this team, most sides would want our problems.
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Posted by Garr on 02/08/2011
The team has been shit for 3 years now. We may have finished second, won the Carling Cup, but we don't play good football, or at least the decent football we used to before. I hate to say it, but its almost like watching Chelsea now - we win, but we're shit
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Posted by LZH on 02/08/2011
Evans and Carrick shouldn't really be in the team at all. They don't work hard, have no obvious impact on the pitch (Carrick) and keep making silly mistakes (Evans). Anderson should be promoted as the new midfield general, he really brings drive to the centre of midfield for Man Utd. Now Man Utd needs to purchase a young first-choice goalkeeper, a central defender to replace Rio, a midfield general (preferably Schweinsteiger)and a talented striker (to feel the gap left by Tevez and CR7)
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Posted by Smith on 02/08/2011
Eversince the Ronaldo / Tevez era, things changed, as it did when all the other great individual stars left ie. Stam, Becks, Cantona, Schmeichel, thats just to name a few. Everyone on this blog expects sudden change. It won't happen. You can't replace players like Keane, and all the above mentioned, but you can get players that brings in there own style. Unfortunately our players just aren't clicking, but give it time... SAF kept Evans and sold Piqué, it happens, and thats a massive blow, but Evans showed more potential at the time. Football is a gamble to a certain degree. Players can have 1 great season and never play the same as that season again. We do need a change though. We need some creativity and flair, but who? Carrick and Evans does need to leave. There are a few that are already on there final bow as well. Who do we replace them with? We are underperforming and in my opinion we having a bad season, but we on top in the league, still in the UCL and FA cup. Can you ask more?
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Posted by Ifalade Toba on 02/08/2011
SAF cost us the game with his overcautious substitutions,rather than take off one striker for another when we were down,he should have simply gambled by taking out a defender.We were already losing and it would have made no difference whether it was 3-1 or 4-1.An extra attacking body and one with the class of Berbatov would have Wolves more on the rack than they were especially in the last half-hour.Then babysitting Rooney back to form wouldn't help the team,if SAF wanted to remove a striker,he should have been the one to go rather than Berbatov,we did this against Blackpool and it brought its dividend,but because Rooney scored a double against Villa he becomes untouchable again
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Posted by Bogstomper on 02/08/2011
Rooney could make a great midfielder playing alongside Anderson with Scholes to play intermitantly to spell the other two. This could be the backbone for years to come.
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Posted by oz on 02/08/2011
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Posted by Somnath Mallick on 02/08/2011
I still think we would win the league. This is just a slip up.
But... I have stated this many times... Maybe not on this blog. Fletcher is crap! He should not even feature in the starting line up if we have Anderson fit. I believe its SAF's Scottish link that he is still playing. No replacement for Giggs yet and he has crossed 32, almost 5 years ago. I am saying that coz I think 32 is the right time to look for replacements and backups. And I just don't understand our unwillingness to buy players to improve the squad. Are we that poor in financial condition?? I am not saying buy players at the rate City is doing. Just 1 or 2 players at a time to improve the squad bit-by-bit. I regard my team to be the best and we have still a long way to go to be a potent threat in UCL. But we are hardly anywhere near that. We need more better players, whether its from the youth system or from outside, it just doesn't matter.
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Posted by David Smith on 02/08/2011
So we've finally lost that first league match, second of the entire season. It's February, I'll take that every year, thank you very much. I'd much rather the run end at a place like Wolves than against our noisy neighbours or at Anfield. You just knew, after Nani opened his gob a few weeks ago about the prospect of going undefeated, that it would be the kiss of death. We're fortunate that Newcastle helped us by staging the best comeback in Premier League history or else the mood this week really would be dire. I think the loss and subsequent visit of Citeh this weekend have come at the best possible time for United. United 3 Berties 1. I like what I'm hearing and reading about Pepe Reina. I would of loved for VDS to give us another year in goal, but the Dutchman can't be faulted for whatever decision he arrived at. The more I see of Reina, the more I like him and if his quotes this week are true, then perhaps we'll see that move from Merseyside for the first time since 1938.
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Posted by bloodstains on 02/08/2011
frankly when the great player left us not so long time ago, i really expect SAF to replace him with someone creditable. to say those 80mil went to the dummies is premature, as 7mil was spent on bebe. thats the amount paid for van der vaart!! While sneijder may cost 5 times more that amount, he obviously bring the extra spark to the team he plays for. what we have now is a manu bereft of ideas on and off the field. with the way things are going at the moment, we can expect to hear this rebuilding thing over n over again. as for this season, supporting manu has been a heartache experience but i wont change it for any team.
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Posted by Arzerouni23 on 02/09/2011
First of all, i am glad we finally were beaten this season. It is a real eye opener and will allow the team to play with more freedom and less burden of expectation.
Granted, we have not replaced Keane, Giggs, or Scholes, but show me the player that can replace Keane not only as a player but rather as a leader. The only player that comes to mind is Van Bommel in terms of character, but certainly with less quality than keane as a footballer. As for Giggs, the replacement is in another Welsh, that being Gareth Bale. As for Scholes, there are a few names that come to mind, but neither of whom will be as prolific as scholes, those are players that we can never get, in Iniesta and Fabregas. The one that can replace him and we can get him for around 20 mil, is Hamsik.
Nonetheless, I think Utd will win the league this season because we have the greatest manager in the history of the game and with a bit of luck we can certainly go far in the Champions League. AS for the FA cup, who knows...
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Posted by kamarul@mas on 02/09/2011
smalling... he is a good stopper.. but very slow
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Posted by Champo323 on 02/09/2011
Marko Marin could make a good addition to the midfield to replace giggsy when he eventually retires. Lightning quick and an accurate crosser. Not likely to be overly expensive
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Posted by Kartik on 02/10/2011
I think we are doing good. An excellent mix of youth and experience and we havn't spent much in transfer market. Players like Ronaldo are once in a lifetime, probably their cutting edge helps in a competition like champions league, but for premier league this team is better poised than last year when we were putting all eggs in same basket (read Rooney). Replacement of Giggs and Scholes has to be from youth rank rather than transfer market.
Javier is a very good replacement for Tevez. Waiting for Valencia's return. We are in process of rebuilding the team in it will take alteast 3 to 4 more years to see United actually perform in CL i.e. Semifinal ansd Final. Wat SAF can't replace is himself. How he moves ahead with it is the question
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Posted by johanzul on 02/10/2011
Great and fair comment Mark! When we loose, we acknowledge it, give praise to the opponent, congrat em' rather than finding lame excuses blaming the opponent.
Mick McCarthy strategy was great really. 1st half scenario was the same with other teams that head-to-head with MU. Wolves fought hard with fast pace so that MU do not have the chance to find the passing rhythm (same what had happened with Blackpool) and with objective of getting early and as much goal as possible. 2nd half, defend deep with counter attack strategy and slowing down the pace (unlike blackpool, still going with same strategy, fast game).
With that strategy, we're dead since MU is a passing and counter-attack team and simply b'coz as many MU fans who face reality (alas!) that we are lacking of midfields who can really:-
1. Cross with accuracy and pace - Sir David
2. Dribble and take down opponent - C.Ronaldo
3. Short and long passes & shooting with accuracy from center - Scholes (before)
4. Defend well - Keano
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Posted by iipinge lukas on 02/10/2011
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Posted by scuba on 02/11/2011
Would you prefer "beautiful football" all the time, moments of superlative brillance and moments of insanity and then languish in mid-table?
The league table and number of points do not lie.
Doesn't matter how we play or how the other "great pretenders" play.
You get more points than the rest, you top the table, you win.
Simple.
Amen.
Posted by OZ on 02/11/2011
sorry @ scuba ,but it does matter how we play!!!
united like to win and win in style, that is the legacy of the club, and united supporters like to have our cake and eat it to.
boring teams into submission is the chelsea way or the old arsenal days of the early 90s
its alright to win the occasional game playing boring, but a whole season is not the united way !!!
Posted by kevin on 02/11/2011
what the hell ferguson is doing with brown, he should be ahead of evans and even smalling, sir alex ferguson i love him but this time he's wrong, wes brown is an experience and solid defender, put him in the team back
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About
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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