|
|
 |
|
Ouch. I have barely been able to leave the house for two days. Going to work has been unavoidable and extremely unpleasant. This is not the first time United have been beaten by a large score since I have been watching, not even the first time we’ve been handsomely beaten by City, but for some reason I have been feeling this more than the others. But then again, it is entirely possible I might be oversensitive in the immediate aftermath of such a freak result.
Before another word is written I must offer my wholehearted congratulations to City, their fans and players for a terrific performance. They are a classy side and were deserved victors on the day.
However, much as this result will be embedded of the psyche of every fan for generations to come, it is not, not quite, the end of the world. It isn’t even the end of the season.
In recent years United have conceded five to Newcastle, six to Southampton and even five to Chelsea and still gone on to win the league. Only a fool would say that City are anything less than favourites for the title now, but there is still a long way to go. Good thing too, because our team is far from the finished article.
Manchester City have had the luxury of buying players who are at the top of their profession and exhibit the kind of experience needed at the highest level. In Aguero and Silva they field two of the best players in the league and both were signings that represented little risk.
United on the other hand are going with youth. There are no excuses to be made after a defeat such as this, but the fact that six of our starting eleven were under-25 was telling. To concede three goals after the ninetieth minute smacks of naivety and it was that which gave the score-line such a dreadful slant.
The thing that hurt the most, I suppose, is seeing a United team go so totally to pieces. I am proud of the players for continuing to go for it and attack, even when down to ten men with time running out, but they still capitulated meekly.
If it has taken me this long to start stringing sentences together again I can only imagine how ghastly the players must feel. In the meantime we have a peculiar fixture against Aldershot Town in the Carling Cup to play. It could be the perfect fillip to pick up all our moods. It is important that we move on, together, and quickly.
Believe.
Follow Mark on twitter.com/markjpayne
Comments
 |
Posted by Chuma on 10/25/2011
Thank you Sir. I believe...
|
Posted by Louis on 10/25/2011
|
Posted by plim on 10/25/2011
i'm afraid man city is going to dominate the way chelsea did from 2004 to 2006. Man Utd need another superstar like ronaldo to bring the glory days back to OT. Any thoughts?
|
Posted by Tapiwa Mubonderi on 10/25/2011
The midfield needs to protect the defence, we have began to miss Paul Scholes. Man Shitty played well and are worthy victors, only consolation it is not a final. I hope SAF recovers.
|
Posted by Anmol on 10/25/2011
Its time again to start questioning our central mid. We ve been winning the league and reaching the european finals inspite of this CM, rather than due to this CM. Our achievements have been down to one man: Rooney. He is the one that drops in midfield and creates passes, and then reaches the post to score, and again falls back tracking and clearing.... If rooney is shut down, the team is shut down. We desparately need some one like silva creating chances for rooney, rather than him creating chances for everyone, everygame. We ve got a gud mid bt they really arent the best in any of their department, r they? We r jus hopin that cleverley turns out to be a hell of a CAM and Pogba becomes a great defensive mid. If we retain this same CM after Jan., i fear how r we gonna play the spanish giants or bayern on the way to
|
Posted by Raizzen on 10/25/2011
I feel you sir. Going to work has been an extremely unpleasant experience. I feel that in the end it was the Never Say Die attitude that has caused us dearly. We were still chasing the game like mad when were 3-1 and a man down.
Leaving us open for carving at the back. So if there's any positives I can take from the defeat. Its that. We refused to accept defeat. I feel like I can take solace in that.
|
Posted by Faizan on 10/25/2011
City fan here. I would never have imagined what happened in OT. The scoreline is far more exaggerated because of last 4 min.
But I am pretty sure Man Utd will bounce back. And City is still far behind than Man Utd. Would love to see a close fight for the title.
All the best for matches to come.
|
Posted by Devarajan on 10/25/2011
Reality : A bad result nevertheless.
Positives : 1. Though 1-6, it's only 3 points.
2. Two of our rivals dropped points
on the same weekend - Chelsea &
Liverpool. So, we're still 2nd.
3. We've already played the top 5
challengers in the league. Man.City
yet to play Liverpool, Chelsea &
Arsenal. Let's wait for Christmas.
|
Posted by joseph ndowa on 10/25/2011
l have never felt so humiliated and embarassed.Johnny evans has never been my best defender and his defensive errors are so costly.Was Owen Hargreaves right when he took a swipe at our team medics?Is Vidic injury recurring?how long are we going to wait for the return of Tom Clvereley and was the injury so bad?Is Phil Jones who was on the bench so bad compared to Johnny Evans? l seem to have more questions than answers.
|
Posted by vico on 10/25/2011
the next derby will be approached with a little bit more respect by manure fans the blue moon is rising.
|
Posted by aussiered on 10/25/2011
Its hard not to wonder at the total capitualation. But then a defeat of such magnitude will be a better lesson than any of the earlier results against our Southern rivals.
Its not even worthwhile pointing fingers at individuals such was the performance of the whole.
Shitty may have been good but it has been along time between drinks for the little shits. United have a tendency to learn lessons even if it takes two or three games on. So watch out pretenders the wheels havent fallen off we have just gone through a cabbage field a got some shit stuck in the cogs.
|
Posted by Hari on 10/25/2011
To Mark Payne,
Regarding your comment on the City blog.
Thank you from all us city fans for that gesture.:)
I hope you will give us the same respect in your future blogs.
Hard luck about yesterday but if anyone can recover from this its united...
all the best for the rest of the campaign..
|
Posted by Dalvar on 10/25/2011
Another game where Evans proves he does not belong at this level. he was nowhere near his mark (Balotelli) for the first goal, then he falls down all by himself to make it easier. Then the daft foul for the sending off. Someone please whisper to Sir Alex that Evans will not make it.
early days yet and ManU will be there at the end.
Believe!!!
|
Posted by Stu on 10/25/2011
On the issue of youth, just thought I would bring up that 7 of City's starting 11 are 25 years old or younger, so saying that city are only buying experienced players is only half the story. They are buying YOUNG experienced players, Aguero is only 23, Sliva 25, Johnson 24, Dzeko 25, Balotelli 21. Anyway, thought i would bring it up as you said Utd are going with youth when the average age of their starting 11 was 24.72 years whicle City's average age was 25.34, so I would say both teams are going with youth, just have to determine which has the better youth side and after Sunday's game I would give that advantage to City.
|
Posted by Patrice-Kigali on 10/25/2011
Mark!
For almost three years now, i have been saying that we don't have a midfield only for SAF to continue ignoring that. That, coupled with old Rio who can hardly turn leave alone chase the game and Evans whose pace, tackle and timing are the worst i can remember for any united defender do expose the team and are bound to continue if nothing is done.
That defence should have been: Smalling,Vidic,Jones and Evans.
Norwich,Chelsea and Liverpool games should have told SAF something and unfortunately(seems the gafer did not learn something).
Hard time for every united fan(I am receiving a lot of stick here myself)only that i think the team needs only two established players and it will be there or thereabout as they say.
Yes, it is not the first time united has been humbled and probably not the last but every time it happened, the reaction had been restoring and that is what I am looking forward to.
I will make the plea again; Please SAF, that midfield is wanting.
Believe.
|
Posted by Aegean1985 on 10/25/2011
Why is Jonny Evans still at OT? People always tell me to give him time, but it's really not about time or maturing. HE'S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Not good enough for any top 6 side in the premier league! Get rid of him and invest the money on someone else with more potential!
|
Posted by johanzul on 10/25/2011
Seriously, I'm glad that we got beaten 6-1. Why? Simply we didn't play the way we should play during early games this season. I really dunno what strategy or mind games that SAF is playing, basically, I don't care, I'm not being paid to think for that but what I care is that what I got was not value for money and time spent derived from previous games shown by MU so far, City included.
Black is black, white is white. Last season, I bombarded Rooney for what he was. Now, I'm gonna praised him for what he was during City game. He was terrific, He was really a MU player, He was trying very hard covering places where others should had done it especially in midfield area. MU midfield sucks! Where are those attacking game?
But then again, served us right for not getting quality attacking center midfield players. Dun believe me? Simply think why most of the games played this season so far needed P.Jones (great player!) to attack? A CB to breakdown deadlock/man-to-man marking situations?
|
Posted by steve on 10/25/2011
Hi mark, although we know that the season is still early,its no coincidence that we started finding it difficult to win the minute cleverley got injured....am not saying he is the finished article yet but he is obviously looking lk the best central midfielder we have which is quite appaling in the regard( a club like Man U considers a 21 yr old its best midfielder?)as good as anderson is he is no central midfielder, i actually feel sorry for him cos his best postion was as an attacking midfielder when he was in porto and he hasnt been used there at all by SAF, fletcher is a defensive midfielder basically who can make runs and cover spaces,he doesnt posess the creativity of a central midefielder( meaning he cant make a defence splitting pass) If SAF wants to create a THIRD world class team, he needs to buy a WORLD CLASS CENTRA2L MIDFIELDER lk schneider or schweinsteiger and push anderson upfront to his natural position
|
Posted by George Ndung'u on 10/25/2011
I wish SAF and the players quick recovery. I felt a hollowness havnt felt in years. I believe we have depth to pick up the pieces what i cant figure is why SAF & team did not order the MID to fall back and play deep & someone to actually fall to the back 4 immediately after the send off. City are a good team currently, did the coaching staff really believe we could hold and score in those conditions!Its not clever football but MAN U has got to learn to play defence & counter when the situation demands
|
Posted by toronto red on 10/25/2011
Ugh, that was fun! They were in it until Johnny Evans decided that falling down was preferable to to marking Balotteli for the first. From there it just got away from them. At least Evans looked good on that muffed shot from 5 yds. But the sending off Jesus!!! how do you get that beat and could he have been a little more obvious on the take down. Just garbage. hopefull, finally, at long last his defenders have taken the blinders off and can see that he is not fit to wear the shirt. Go back through the games and watch. He is good for two or three real blunders a game, if the opponenet capitalises (see benfica) then we lose or draw, if they dont (see Norwich, Chelsea) we win. A guy like that just cant be in the lineup of a team looking for multiple honours every year.
where is berbatov. fergie made the same mistake here as against barca. you need to hold the ball. there is nobody on UTD that holds it better. big mistake. welbeck has done nothing since the game 2.
keep the faith!
|
Posted by Kimathi on 10/25/2011
City deserved it but man utd was most undone by rio and evra, they were very very poor. We need a grt cm rooney's burden is too great 4 him to carry alone look at messi and cr7 they both got grt cm's to support them,.........i believe n manc forever
|
Posted by Daniel on 10/25/2011
the hangover after game is awful, but right, we must BELIEVE, stronger than before
|
Posted by hcohen on 10/25/2011
"In Aguero and Silva they field two of the best players in the league and both were signings that represented little risk".
For MU the question remains: Does Ferguson still believe that paying 18M for someone like Phil Jones or 10M for Ashley Young is a better deal than paying 27M for someone like David Silva or Modric?
MU can look for a replacement for Scholes if they want to win in Europe in the past. If they want to win in the next 10 years, they need a play maker like Silva, who will NOT BE REQUIRED to play defence.
|
Posted by tendai mutadzapasi on 10/25/2011
well, sir alex needs to settle for his best 11 quickly and only make changes in case of injuries, suspension etc. otherwise, for all major games, there's real need to field your best players (best in terms of quality & current form!). Against Man Shitty, there was no logic for a CD pairing of the suspect Jonny Evans and now-snail-slow Rio Ferdinand to face the best attacking force in the EPL! I'd have thought the CD should have been out of Smalling/Vidic/Jones! Sir Alex also needed to have started with Giggs as a CM creative force in the absence of the promising Cleverly who carried us through early season but the sad injury! I'm really hurt we allowed our Noisy neighbors to get one over us in such embarrassing and humiliatingly record-breaking fashion, in our own backyard!
Totally agree that we've No quality in CM! We're asking too much of Rooney to be both the creative and finishing force for Man-U!! Something got to be done in January or else forget about EPL and UEFA titles!
|
Posted by The Real Truth on 10/25/2011
Fergie completely underestimated City and Mancini.
He failed to appreciate that City would play to their strengths and field their strongest team, and, in the end, it was men against boys.
What made Fergie think that, against the country’s strongest team, he could win with such a team of lightweights, some of which had no great match fitness behind them (Ferdinand and Fletcher)?
Arrogance is the answer, plus a lack of respect for the opposition, and a belief in the media legend that is Manchester United and the might of Sir Alex Ferguson.
- City have already TAKEN DOWN UTD'S BANNER last season.
- City have already TAKEN UTD'S DIGNITY last Sunday.
- Will City now TAKE UTD'S TROPHY next May??
|
Posted by Jonno on 10/25/2011
It's been a horrible few days. The game was bad enough but the final five minutes were humiliating. They fell apart and seemed to GIVE UP which is the worst thing you could ever say about a football team. At the end I felt both embarrassed and angry.
Markus, you are right. City played exceptionally well. We were OK for 20 minutes or so but after Evans was sent off the game was up. He may never play for United again.
As others have also said it is the lack of a class midfielder of the Scholes/Keane type which we really need. I am also surprised that Giggs didn't get a look in. His experience might have kept the score down.
We will fight back. Once the minor matter (said tongue in cheek) of Everton away is dealt with, we have a string of fixtures with mid to lower end clubs so if we can put a good run together we can stay in the title race.
But the scars of this debacle will take a long time to fade.
|
Posted by Rishi Dayal on 10/25/2011
To all those questioning our central midfield, have you completely forgotten Tom Cleverley? I feel if he played on the day, the result would've been quite different (not making excuses, we deserved the beating we got). He's coming back this weekend, and he's the creative midfielder that many seem to think we don't have. Whilst he was playing, we were smashing in goals left and right. It was after he was injured that we started performing poorly.
|
Posted by Anmol on 10/26/2011
Would like to repeat again that the team surely needs more steel as well as creativity and experience in the midfield rather than the dumb sideways and back-to-keeper passing that is being constantly displayed by most of our experienced CM (namely fletcher n carrick). The same issue has been arising ever since we were humbled twice by barca n this time by city......it is in the midfield tht the game is won or lost. Really hope the return of Cleverley - Anderson partnership brings back the wonder football that we displayed at the start of the campaign. However, i feel that the current squad is good enough to scrap out results in the league and retain the title. But i really fear the top sides both in england n europe with our current CMs. TRUST IN SAF!!! BELIEVE!!!
|
Posted by RedDevilsFan on 10/26/2011
I was wondering what you can say to make the pain go away... eventhough a big part of me believed you wouldnt be able to do it... but i was wrong... I believe!!
|
Posted by yeni on 10/26/2011
I will blame Ferdinand more than Evans. He is the the leader in the defence in the absence of Vidic. I think he needs some time off to rediscover his form.
That being said, MU are an attack FC where are the dependable killer passers? Anderson is not a consistent killer passer although he brings a lot of movement to the midfield. In the big games, We need more dependable killer passers that strikers like chica, e.t.c can feed off. Killer passes can come from the flanks and dont always have to come from the central midfield. We Cant really depend on 90minutes from giggs due to age. Nani is full of tricks but isnt a killer passer. Rooney's killer passes should just be a plus not something we depend on always especially for the big games. Ashley young has a lot of assists in him but no killer passing.
Problem is that good ones quite rare and costly. We can buy an established 1 (snieder e.t.c), train up from the youth (morrison,cleverly) or do both. I say we stick with the youth.
|
Posted by Lyousef on 10/26/2011
Yep still in shock but piecing it together afterwards made more sense.
Evra: Has been past his best since the end of last season and seems to think he is above defensive duties. Welbeck running back to try and stop the goal whislt Evra was munching on his croissant halfway up the pitch. Not good enough!
Evans: Gave up, hauled down Balotelli, Game over.
Rio: Very poor game but hasnt gone to being a bad player overnight.
The midfield one is the biggie: Anderson running along the midfield line, passing it to Fletcher who then hit a cross field ball to Young seemed to be our only plan. We need someone who can pull the strings in the middle and find that killer pass.
What hurt most was just the way we gave up. At 3-1, I thought here we go, but City just steam rolled us.
Well done to City, as much as I hate saying it, they looked good and we looked average, very average. Still the season is long and we've been down this road before.
|
Posted by Mike on 10/26/2011
i thing all we need is get a solid midfielder..... we'r missing d likes of scholes.... n rooney is jst getova worked.. he shuld b converted to a permanent midfielder.
|
Posted by janie on 10/26/2011
I was really hurt.
CM still lucking, Fergie needs to recruit an experienced CM to fill the voids left by Kean and Scholes. Cleverly alone cannot shoulder all that responsibility and should we cont. loosing games whenever he gets injured?
I still strongly believe.
|
Posted by neville4444 on 10/26/2011
I know some people are gonna be mad but to be quite honest, i was not impressed by city at all. Now dont get me wrong they deserved to win that game, but balotellis goal came against the flow of the game, and the loss should be singlehandedly on jonny evans head he shouldnt have started with smalling wit rio and jones on the right. i thought city won because of counter defending mistakes by united, and it doesnt help that they were a man down
|
Posted by David Smith on 10/26/2011
Believe? Sounds a bit dramatic and desperate seeing it's only late October. We usually have 2 or 3 losses at this stage of the season, having played a fixture list only half as a tough. Not to mention we played with 10 men for an entire half. The really disappointing things are that we got beat at home and effectively threw in the towel the last 15 minutes. Even after Fletcher's glorious strike, there was no urgency, desire or belief. Very, very maddening and disappointing. I see the love-fest for Anderson on here has FINALLY gone away. If you don't have command of the language, how do you run things in the middle of the park? He has no right foot at all, hardly tackles and scores for United about as often as I do. Nani, that fucking ponce, is just as bad. Evans is a walking calamity; Rio, despite his objections, is on his last legs at United and Evra's time at the club has come. Vidic, obviously wasn't injured on Sunday and all except Rooney and De Gea should of started at Aldershot.
|
Posted by AARON MARK HENDRIX on 10/27/2011
Many fans are venting their anger and sharing their 2 cents ( or pennies) with everyone here but i think what is needed is calm heads.Its not the end of the world.Not even close.In my country,we get a stupid football pundits talkin about a shift of power etc,but honestly,one thumping loss and we're no good overnight?Really?Damn!How fast things change in 24 hours huh.But really,even I felt that we'd lose the game,only because we hadnt been playing anywhere near our best for quite some time.There was always gonna be an off day at the office,a day when a few good players would tear us apart,a day when nothing we did would work and it happened.So what if it was City,the obvious aside.We played like shit and made it easy for them.That hurt more than the scoreline.But I've been sayin this time and again,we lack creativity.Cleverly is one for the future,not the present.Without some one who can hold,distribute and create chances with the ball we'll never win jack this season...
|
Posted by aussiered on 10/28/2011
A week on a have just been persecuted by fox sports in adelaide having to watch a re run whilst waiting for a plane back to the manchester of the south.
It doesnt get any easier and yetcthe game stats say we had more possesion more corners shots cards. So we were ineffective in conversion of opportunities. And that has been the problem for a while. Rooney is trying to be man mountain and the rest have decided to let him. Maybe im a bit left of centre but why not try berba and little pea up front rooney and fltcher or carrick cm and see what that does for us. Roony spends more time tracking back covering for absent friends so why not let him do it with only half the pitch to cover. Welbeck has had plenty of opps in good games and maybe thats fergies thinking but now is time to revert to quality known and not promise for the morrow.
Vidic back should resign rio to the back benches and whilst johnny isnt in the best form he aint that bad.
|
Posted by gibi on 10/28/2011
dont worry man would win the league
|
Posted by Banire Taoheed Okanlawon on 10/30/2011
Hum, sometime SAF use to fumble, if not, Is it our noisy neighbour suppose to wound us like this? Six to One is more than disgrace but shame. Evans of nowhere at field, Ferdinand at off-period, De-gae of no confidence, Anderson of no stable. To me, you know what to do (Fergi) if u believe want to top four this season, although we still have long way to go but if you fail to correct your error earlier, then your error will correct itself. Thanks, still United and let's look forwards.
|
Posted by Moorside Red on 10/31/2011
I felt that last season's championship came more because our rivals lost it than United winning it. This season it is very clear we now have a rival that isn't going to roll over quite so easily as Chelsea and Arsenal did last season. This leaves SAF nno option but to correct the well known midfield deficiencies that have already been mentioned. As for Evans its his third season - how long do you wait before drawing the conclusion that he's not really at the races?
Posted by Sunday on 11/03/2011
Posted by VeryRed on 11/04/2011
Pique' and Evans broke through same time... Well look at them again and tell me if you still think "Evans aint that bad"
| |
Post your comment |
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Categories
Recent Posts
Archives
|
RSS feed