How have United managed to pull away?

[barnes10]

as ever its probably a combination of many things.

but the same argument was thrown at fergie when he revamped his own squad when he joined utd. any top manager wants to know he can call on his players to put in the game plan that he wants them too. this is the main change we've seen in our squad. also, we've invested pretty heavily in youth and there are clear improvements there.

what i would agree with rashid with is that there's an element of going for the kill that fergie has but rafa always seems to fall short with. a more offensive approach to our games may see us with fewer clean sheets but i'd bet that over the season, it will also give us more points.

a further question, would you renew the contracts of the likes of diao, traore, biscan, smicer etc etc? if rafa does this then he is basically announcing to everyone - fans, pundits, owners, comeptitors that this quality of player is good enough for him. on paper, given that we know that these players weren't going to cut it, the signings he has made have been improvements on them. he hasn't just replaced like for like.

if utd, chelski and arsenal had stood still since 2004, we'd be challenging for the title already. he has upgraded the squad but so have they and they have all added world class talent to what were already title winning squads. simply put, we have greater strides to make with the same level of spending.

UTD's season where they beat us by one point only was one of their poorest for a while. was it the one that fergie announced his retirement? either way, we looked closer at that time as they were underachieving whilst we were over achieving. so its an invalid comparison. 1 season out of what, 15 we have been that close to them. clearly an exception.

bottom line is that we are progressing and just need to add some better quality to what is already a solid squad and youth setup. so not far off. and givne the trophies landed along the way, not many teams can boast that kind of 'transition period' and we should be confident. this season i believe is a blip due to the ownership, kuyt's form and pako leaving so has been much more turbulent than we need and significantly, much more turbulent than our competitors. One of the above is manageable but 4 is goign to have an impact. should we have the ownership and training regime settled and a couple of additions to the squad, we'll be right up there. perhaps rafa has even decided to stick to a more settled lineup but i won't open that can of worms.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

They've got a better manager in the league.

Of course it's the other way round in Europe.

[Joe King]

Man Utd have always had money whilst we haven't. Only this season have we been able to buy players of £15m+ whilst Man U were able to buy Carrick last season to further the gap between themselves and us.

Someone else said the mentality was a massive part of Man U winning the title and this is absolutely correct. None of our players have won the title so their mentality come the games which are rather testing is one like a player from Mansfield.

Another key point is that we don't have a particular style in which we play in. Arsenal play the attacking, flowing, passing style. Chelsea play the ugly, agricultural, structural game and Man U play the direct attacking style. We can only win the league if we take the game to the opposition and we simply don't do it enough. We are set up to play counter once our high tempo game finishes after around 10-15 minutes.

Its a culmination of things but the main things in my opinion are belief and money.

[Fiddy]

One word can sum up why they have ****ed off.

Ronaldo.

Is no-one else listening to you?!

Jesus some people love to overcomplicate things. Their midfield is distinctly average with the exception of him and none of their strikers could exactly be called 'prolific', but they've got a solid defence, Ronaldo and then Rooney and Tevez pop up from time to time. It really is that simple.

We'd be pretty much there in terms of that dynamic once we got another decent striker in and a midfielder who can score goals apart from Stevie; with our other obvious area of need being the full back positions.

[dww]

To some degree the basic point about Ronaldo holds true but I think people underestimate the fact that the rest of the team has the mentality and attitude to keep things tight, make the right decisions and believe that their star players will eventually win them the game.

Also the fact that Vidic and Ferdinand have formed the best central defensive partnership in the PL has been hugely important. Vidic has improved Ferdinand two fold at least.

There have been some faults in Rafa's buying but in general I think he has done well actually. The players we have bought in have improved the team and we have while in transition and competing against better funded and more established regimes actually won things and made finals.

Progress is not necessarily linear and I feel we have started to see the emeregnce of a distinct team pattern. The problem in the PL is IMO a lack of correct on field leadership to make the right decisions in deep midfield and attacking areas. We take too many risks and aren't calm enough on the ball. I would like to see Rafa change his recruitment policy and get at least one experienced player in this summer.

[Marky]

Cos they're the best team like.

[Skillz]

They've got a better manager in the league.

Of course it's the other way round in Europe.

That is true unfortunately at this point in time.

However I am able to see the future and when we defeat Manu in the CL final this season courtesy of a Torres header whilst standing on Ferdinands shoulders in the last minute of extra time Fergie will suffer a mild stroke.

As sad as this is he will survive and live a long life. This will be spent at home in front of the TV watching football, as is his wont, however he will suffer, badly, during this time as Rafa's reds go on to dominate both domestically and in Europe.

PS Jose get's hit by a truck and dies horribly.

[Guest]

They've got a better manager in the league.

Of course it's the other way round in Europe.

Well, your assumption is based at this point in time.

Still, would be good to remind you that when Fergie started out he waited 7 ****in' long years before being champion. 7 ****in' years and Rafa is into his 4th year. That's what I call relativity and why some posters such as you ain't got any of it. (No offense)

[Rich]

It doesnt matter how much money you spend. If one of our players improved at the rate of Ronaldo then we would be where they are regardless of who else we bought/sold.

Ronaldo, as much as it pains me to say it, is immense and he cost what? To buy that standard of player now, youre talking world record. We cant compete with that. However, Babel could turn into that kind of player, then we could be up there with them and how much we spent would be an irrelevance wouldnt it?

Summing up, its the player not the cost.

No one couldve predicted when Ronaldo turned up how much of a player he has turned into. Hell I remember Mancs ringing up and slating him saying he was ****e,waste of money etc. Now look at him. That has got **** all to do with the amount of money they have spent over all, same as it doesnt matter how much we have spent. That player is the best and no one can compete with that no matter how much they spend.

Take him out of United and they would be 25 league goals worse off. Thats before you even look at how many goals he plays a major part in. No other player has contributed so much and he is the sole reason that everyone esle looks to be going backward.

I stopped reading the thread after this post, as it's 100% nail on head.

United have THE outstanding performer in the league in C.Ronaldo. He is peerless in the league at the moment. He is the major difference.

Vidic has also been an excellent addition, providing United with the strongest central defensive partnership in the league.

United could have not bought Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves and would still be top of the league, in my opinion. (Tevez has done well though)

[AFII]

I stopped reading the thread after this post, as it's 100% nail on head.

United have THE outstanding performer in the league in C.Ronaldo. He is peerless in the league at the moment. He is the major difference.

Vidic has also been an excellent addition, providing United with the strongest central defensive partnership in the league.

United could have not bought Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves and would still be top of the league, in my opinion. (Tevez has done well though)

It's a team game. Ronaldo wouldn't be able to get the space he gets without Rooney and Tevez working their socks off. That is why United is a completely different team with Rooney out for example.

[Rich]

I know what you're saying AF, and Rooney is a cracking player and very important to them, however Ronaldo sets United apart in an attacking sense. 26 league goals is amazing, and against lesser sides his very presence on the ball sends defences to jelly!

For example, if United had a very good player, but not Ronaldo in that position, lets say Nani for example. Then a forward line of Rooney, Nani, and one of Tevez/Saha/Park/Giggs depending on the game isn't going to score anywhere near the same number of goals.

Thats the Ronaldo effect.

[Guest]

Ronaldo does his tricks thanks to the huge work being done by Tevez and Rooney. Without them, Ronaldo won't be having that much space to work in. United's attack is fabulous because of the movement these 3 players do ... And there's still Giggs.

[dww]

I'm not sure Tevez adds that much to their team to be honest. He gives them a very useful backup to Rooney but for me the partnership is not exceptionally successful. This season though Rooney has been phenomenal in terms of movement and work rate, allied to the skills that make other teams fear him.

[Skillz]

Ronaldo does his tricks thanks to the huge work being done by Tevez and Rooney. Without them, Ronaldo won't be having that much space to work in. United's attack is fabulous because of the movement these 3 players do ... And there's still Giggs.

I would agree with that. Doesn't take away from the fact that Ronaldo is on another planet lately.

"Confidence is a drug that cannot be bought" - me (just then)

[AFII]

Ronaldo does his tricks thanks to the huge work being done by Tevez and Rooney. Without them, Ronaldo won't be having that much space to work in. United's attack is fabulous because of the movement these 3 players do ... And there's still Giggs.

We need a better hard working player than Kuyt and Babel also need to work harder so Torres will get more space to work with.

If we sign flair players that don't work hard then Torres won't get enough space for example.

That is why players like Quaresma and Simao for example is a no go. We need flair players that work their socks off.