Other games 7/8 February 2009

[Elvoz]

If United do go on and win it, it's a throwback to George Graham's Arsenal sides of the 80s.

hate them with a passion but as i get older there is a grudging admiration creeping in
i feel dirty saying it

and for the record they dont play freeflowing football anymore in my opinion
anyone any idea of their next few games

we need someone to ****in score at least against them and see how they react

[Craig_H]

I didnt mean it as a compliment to them.

Their next 3 league games before we play them are:

Fulham (h)
Blackburn (h)
Newcastle (a)

[Elvoz]

I didnt mean it as a compliment to them.

Their next 3 league games before we play them are:

Fulham (h)
Blackburn (h)
Newcastle (a)

**** me and they complained about their fixtures

[Craig_H]

For such a 'free flowing' side, they're ****ing boring to watch.

They're basically executing Rafa's ideal philosophies right now - dont concede and pinch one. They're just doing it better than we can.

[Joe King]

I didnt mean it as a compliment to them.

Their next 3 league games before we play them are:

Fulham (h)
Blackburn (h)
Newcastle (a)

I hope they are some red cards during those and their cup games.

[Liverpool]

I didnt mean it as a compliment to them.

Their next 3 league games before we play them are:

Fulham (h)
Blackburn (h)
Newcastle (a)

They should win all 3 but they cant keep 1-0 up every time.

[Craig_H]

There's feint hope in each of the games, but they'll probably bag 9 points, by virtue of three 1-0 wins.

Fulham arent bad, but you cant see them scoring and the mancs will break through at some point. Big Sam has given Blackburn some steel but same story.

Newcastle's fans will get behind them, but ultimately, they're ****.

[Joe King]

There's feint hope in each of the games, but they'll probably bag 9 points, by virtue of three 1-0 wins.

Fulham arent bad, but you cant see them scoring and the mancs will break through at some point. Big Sam has given Blackburn some steel but same story.

Newcastle's fans will get behind them, but ultimately, they're ****.

[Liverpool]

There's feint hope in each of the games, but they'll probably bag 9 points, by virtue of three 1-0 wins.

Fulham arent bad, but you cant see them scoring and the mancs will break through at some point. Big Sam has given Blackburn some steel but same story.

Newcastle's fans will get behind them, but ultimately, they're ****.

Fulham is the only hope really but Newcastle seem to get a few results against the Mancs including this season.

[wiw]

People moan about Rafa keeping it tight and relying on Gerrard and Torres to win games. FFS this is exactly what Fergie is doing except he has a forward line packed with £30m players and expensive midfielders/defenders. They're doing just enough to win every game and it's ****ing beyond me how they haven't conceded or even lost

[Craig_H]

People moan about Rafa keeping it tight and relying on Gerrard and Torres to win games. FFS this is exactly what Fergie is doing except he has a forward line packed with £30m players and expensive midfielders/defenders. They're doing just enough to win every game and it's ****ing beyond me how they haven't conceded or even lost

People moan about Rafa, some of the time, with good reason. Ferguson has the expensive forwards and USES them.

Rafa doesnt pick them half the time. That's why he gets flak.

[wiw]

People moan about Rafa, some of the time, with good reason. Ferguson has the expensive forwards and USES them.

Rafa doesnt pick them half the time. That's why he gets flak.

Tevez has been on the bench many times because 4 into 3 doesn't fit. He has 4 attackers worth 30m. Rooney is injured so Tevez slots in. That's not to say fans haven't disagreed with Tevez being on the bench

Keane frankly wasn't good enough when he played. It's as if people think Rafa doesn't want Torres and Gerrard to play every game? He does, but he looks after their wellbeing first and foremost

[Craig_H]

Tevez has been on the bench many times because 4 into 3 doesn't fit. He has 4 attackers worth 30m. Rooney is injured so Tevez slots in. That's not to say fans haven't disagreed with Tevez being on the bench

Keane frankly wasn't good enough when he played. It's as if people think Rafa doesn't want Torres and Gerrard to play every game? He does, but he looks after their wellbeing first and foremost

It's a fairly obvious point mate and i'm sure you can see it.

Yes, Tevez gets left out a lot because Ferguson usually has THREE other world class matchwinners worth £30m each or more ON THE PITCH.


If we had four of them and Rafa kept one on the bench, nobody would really mind. But we have two and Rafa has a tendency at times to not start them, or to cart them off when we're in need of a goal. And it costs us points.

That's why he gets the flak, because he doesnt proactively do all he can to find a winning goal a lot of the time, while when Ferguson needs a goal, he usually throws every attacking tool he has at his disposal onto the pitch. Rafa, on the other hand, will bring on an attacker but take off another.

[wiw]

Well it depends how you look at it doesn't it Due to us only having 2 maybe he protects them for the future? Is it not better to have them in the long-term rather than burning them out and getting injured?

At the end of the day he puts faith in the subs at his disposal and the formation. Is a fresher, slightly less talented player (Keane) not as useful as a tired Gerrard? If you start bringing off defenders and midfielders you run the risk of losing control of the midfield and as a result your ability to attack as much. It's hard to tell which is the better method as Fergie obviously gets better results because he has better players at his disposal. Rafas record with subs is surprisingly good though

[Craig_H]

Saving them for the future is pointless if you find yourself with ground to make up and unable to do it because your rivals dont drop the points (or they do, but you cant take advantage).

As for Ferguson having better players - Rafa DOES get the results when he actually grows a pair and goes for the jugular. Wigan & Boro at home, City and Pompey away? If we started games with the same mentality that we ended those games with, we wouldnt struggle with ****e 0-0 draws so much.