Rafa rips into Ferguson

[Joe King]

If we lose the title, its not because of United's leniency from the FA, its because of Rafa's lack of ambition and until Rafa gets over his recent obsession of United and his cautious nature, we might have a chance. Until then, its United's title.

[Craig_H]

So IF we win the league will you still be unhappy as we did not beat stoke? Wise up

I think it's perfectly clear that i'm unhappy because i feel that the failure to beat the likes of Stoke means we WONT win the league.

How often does a team win the title when it fails to win 38% of the time.

[Skillz]

The more I think about it the more on Rafa's side I become. The alternative to me is to say that it is fine to have a blatant bias in the FA and other regulatory systems and that because Ferguson is obnoxious enough to be willing to target individuals and to withdraw from press conferences etc. then he should be allowed to get away with it. The media is complicit in letting him get away with it as they always soft pedal criticism for fear he will withdraw their access. I really do think that at some point someone had to stand up to him and on this occasion Rafa had a good set of facts to back him up and so it was as well timed as it would ever be.

The fact we played poorly against Stoke does make an easy story for the media against Rafa and also for fans. However if anyone had made exactly the same points Rafa made on Friday on here or any forum for any PL team (United excepted) then I think you would have got widespread support and that a lot of the feeling now is personal dislike of Rafa which seems to have been stoked by a couple of newspapers since he arrived.

I think if you leave yourself open to looking stupid or a cock when you are fighting for the right things then thats fair enough. The fact that no one else in the game has the balls to back him makes them all look slightly pathetic in my eyes.

Sums it up perfectly, good post. Why anyone would complain with our manager calling the cunt out for what we have always known to be true, I have no idea

Its starting to get to the point where parry will be tuging on rafas sleve with a cross-eyed look saying "Sshhhhhhh rafa,,, calm down"!! while looking up smileing at the FA...

If true, and i suspect it is possible, then someone has to question whose side Parry is on.

Ferguson implied something similar with his whinging over the fixtures and his claim that he'd send someone down next time to keep an eye on it.

If they punish rafa, they have to punish ferguson too.

So ****ing true. You have just hit the nail on the head Craig. Rafa's point was Mr Ferguson had already been punished earlier in the season and yet he then has the audacity to imply they are fraudulently fixing the fixture list and yet instead of tearing Mr Feguson a new arsehole! They bendover, take it up the arse and do what......**** all.

I think it's perfectly clear that i'm unhappy because i feel that the failure to beat the likes of Stoke means we WONT win the league.

How often does a team win the title when it fails to win 38% of the time.

**** that. You have to believe mate. Rafa was also showing us his belief by taking Mr Ferguson on. He wants, no NEEDS us to believe as well.

[dww]

I think it's perfectly clear that i'm unhappy because i feel that the failure to beat the likes of Stoke means we WONT win the league.

How often does a team win the title when it fails to win 38% of the time.

Prior to the Stoke game we had the same number of points that United did last season from the same number of games. I'm pretty sure that they drew and probably even lost in the second half of the season so I don't think we are as far away as your analysis would suggest.

It is a worry that we failed to beat Stoke but it is far from a fatal blow to our chances IMO.

[Skillz]

Prior to the Stoke game we had the same number of points that United did last season from the same number of games. I'm pretty sure that they drew and probably even lost in the second half of the season so I don't think we are as far away as your analysis would suggest.

It is a worry that we failed to beat Stoke but it is far from a fatal blow to our chances IMO.

I suspect Rafa has had a mini preseason in the last week or so to get the players ready for the run in. It is the only thing I can come up with for such a turjid display.

As soon as Torres is fit and ready I think Rafa will do what he did last season and settle the side down selection wise and go for it. He's pretty confident as well.

[dww]

I suspect Rafa has had a mini preseason in the last week or so to get the players ready for the run in. It is the only thing I can come up with for such a turjid display.

As soon as Torres is fit and ready I think Rafa will do what he did last season and settle the side down selection wise and go for it. He's pretty confident as well.

I can believe that - although I'm not 100% sure I like that sort of planning. In 'A season on the brink' there is talk of a policy where we deliberately had peaks and troughs in fitness built into our training regime and I do worry that sometimes that leads us to make judgments on teams that affects the attitudes of the players.

I have to say that the thing that has worried me at times this season has been that lack of taking responsibility for changing things round other than my Xabi and Gerrard. I like Lucas but I do feel that at the minute he lacks authority and this season Mascher seems to have lost some of the drive that helped us at times last season.

[Skillz]

I can believe that - although I'm not 100% sure I like that sort of planning. In 'A season on the brink' there is talk of a policy where we deliberately had peaks and troughs in fitness built into our training regime and I do worry that sometimes that leads us to make judgments on teams that affects the attitudes of the players.

I have to say that the thing that has worried me at times this season has been that lack of taking responsibility for changing things round other than my Xabi and Gerrard. I like Lucas but I do feel that at the minute he lacks authority and this season Mascher seems to have lost some of the drive that helped us at times last season.

On the first bit I am only speculating but it is very possible. Lucas has shown improvement but he still lacks against a strong midfield prepared to fight for every ball. Masher's form is well down on last season

[Craig_H]

Prior to the Stoke game we had the same number of points that United did last season from the same number of games. I'm pretty sure that they drew and probably even lost in the second half of the season so I don't think we are as far away as your analysis would suggest.

It is a worry that we failed to beat Stoke but it is far from a fatal blow to our chances IMO.

Failing to beat Stoke isnt a fatal blow, but it's just one of a number of such games we havent been able to win. There's a clear pattern there and as was the case last season, these draws will cost us our title bid. There's no getting away from the fact that if you habitually drop points against these sides on a regular basis, you have no chance of winning the title.

We're only just past the halfway mark and we've done it FIVE times already.

Hate to say it, but there's no way that kind of regular dropping of points can see us win it.

[Pablo]

Rafa is the one who has ****ed up this weekend. Treating the trip to stoke like it was a tie at the san siro and putting Kuyt up on his own. As soon as i saw the team i turned the tv off as i knew we were never going to score against them with that team out.

As for the people saying it was the same team that put 5 past newcastle the difference is Newcastle try to win games and score where as Stoke park the bus and bully you. We treated them like they were Real madrid FFS and not what we should have which was cannon fodder for Nando and Keane.

The united result has just made Rafa look like a right idiot. When he said those things i was pumped as i thought he would put out and attacking line up to back up his words but what does he do? He puts a team out that would not even score in a whore house.

People keep saying how many times will rafa do this before he gets it into his head that that team section of kuyt up on his own is ****? I think he will never get it into his head and that will cost us at the end of the season.

It's so frustrating but what else is new with Rafa? We SHOULD have been six points clear tonight regardless of what the scum did in their games in hand knowing we would still be clear. Now we go into the derby looking like it will be in second place knowing the bitter ****s will do their up most to **** us over.

Rafa Banitez = Epic fail this weekend.

Pathetic.

[Woobus]

Pathetic.

Its funny as the rest of the post makes it sound like he watched the match.

[Kenneth]

Its funny as the rest of the post makes it sound like he watched the match.

Good point.

[Skillz]

Pathetic.

I suppose he turned it off against Newcastle as well. Shame to miss such a performance