Knee jerk central

[magicalbarnes]

Just another quick point about home form.

2007-2008 -
United's home record: P19 W18 D1 L0 - total points 55 out of 57 (dropped 2 points)
2008-2009 so far -
United's home record: P10 W9 D1 L0 - total points 28 out of 30 (dropped 2points)

2007-2008 -
Our home record: P19 W12 D6 L1 - 42 out of 57 (dropped 15 points)
2008-2009 so far -
Our home record: P11 W6 D5 L0 - 23 out of 33 (dropped 10 points)

Therein lies the problem. And this problem is caused by Rafa being too cautious and refusing to just throw caution to the wind. The consequence is Man Utd win titles and we dont.

If someone can legitimately dispute this, please feel free.

I agree with you that is way too any points dropped at home.

What i will say however is that if we only had 1 more home draw and won the rest, then 12 points dropped at home wouldn't be so bad. I know its hypothetically speaking, but it is a real possibility.

On the other hand we do have the 2nd best away record, whereas ManU probably have about the 5th best.

Its theirs to lose now and they will probably win it, but there will be a few more twists and turns yet.

[Joe King]

For a WUM you spend an inordinate amount of time on Liverpool fan sites. If Man U are doing so well, how come they are only on level points with Liverpool, have scored fewer goals and are playing generally turgid football, although scraping six 1-0 wins and two 0-0 draws in the recent run. For example they only managed one shot at goal in the entire match after Rooney's first-minute goal against Wigan at home and were outplayed. If Liverpool had been on a similar run the media reaction would have been all about "winning ugly" and making unfavourable comparisons with the mythical free-flowing attacking football played by Man U.

I'm already looking at the upcoming Everton - Man U league game with less than eager anticipation. Two teams packing the midfield and a 0-0 draw looking the likely outcome - but no doubt if this transpires it will be seen as a vital point as they march relentlessly on and a great example of their never-say-die spirit, whereas Liverpool would be seen as struggling to overcome inferior opposition

Level on points for the time being. I can see them easily slapping Fulham, which is their game in hand. United scoring six in eight doesn't make no difference to me none whatsoever. This is a results driven business, United are getting the job done and are asking us the questions. I would love it if we won the last six from eight but clearly Benitez feels a draw is better than risking it and going for the push. Ferguson has the bottle and experience to go and pressure a team, Benitez is too reactive and lets the 'situations' dictate his 'tactical' decisions no matter how bizarre they are. Lets face it, United have a lot more match winners across the whole pitch, Rooney, Berbatov, Ronaldo, Scholes. We only have Gerrard and Torres. Says it all really.

[Craig_H]

Keane and Babel have the potential to be matchwinners, but rafa often prefers to leave them on the bench, and put lucas on. Carry on with your cautious approach rafa, but dont expect to win the Premier League doing it like that.

[Joe King]

Keane and Babel have the potential to be matchwinners, but rafa often prefers to leave them on the bench, and put lucas on. Carry on with your cautious approach rafa, but dont expect to win the Premier League doing it like that.

Keane couldn't be a match winner if you gave him an open goal as has been the case this season - whilst Berbatov is slowly getting goals for United, Keane is still flapping his hands around like a prick.

Babel, I'll give you. He needs a consistent run of games.

[Clapper]

More like realisation we don't look like champions-elect and we don't have it with-in us as a team including the management

Does Man U look like champions-elect, the way they are playing?

[Joe King]

Does Man U look like champions-elect, the way they are playing?

Yes, hallmark of champions nicking wins. We can't buy a win to save our lifes.

[Craig_H]

Keane couldn't be a match winner if you gave him an open goal as has been the case this season - whilst Berbatov is slowly getting goals for United, Keane is still flapping his hands around like a prick.

Babel, I'll give you. He needs a consistent run of games.

Keane has the capability to be one. The Keane at Spurs was a matchwinner and one poor season doesnt undo the previous 5 good ones or whatever it was.

[Craig_H]

Does Man U look like champions-elect, the way they are playing?

They're winning game after game. So yes.

[Shanks]

There is such a fine margin between winning and dropping points.
Its a shame so many fail to see just how small the margins are at the moment.

Teams know how to play against us, until we change our style or bring in a plan B, we will struggle

Keane and Babel have the potential to be matchwinners, but rafa often prefers to leave them on the bench

The lazy fence sitter post from me.

[the rev leeroy brown]

FFS people. we are normally one of the best teams ( if not the best ) in the final third of the season. normally it is when we are chasing the leaders as we seem to perform better this way. at the top of the table i reckon we prob did bottle it. now we are not top ( i know we are level on points but manure are technically the leaders and have a game in hand ) i think we will start to pick up our game again as we have to chase.......which again, suits us better.

there is IMO too many knee-jerk reactions from people on this site regarding the way our season is going. all teams seem to go through a bad phase at some point in the season. this appears to be ours and chelsea's. lets hope it is over and we can push on with a nearly full and fit squad for the first time this season.

lets not forget......it is only january 20th. the season is not over by a long long way. a victory against manure at their place is not out of the question. add another 6 points against chelsea and the arse and there is no reason why we cant win number 19. i'm not burying my head in the sand as some of you might think. i just tend not to always look for the downside in everything like some.

[Baldemort]

How was it defensive? It released Gerrard into a more attacking role, easily his best position. Despite his great goal, he was largely ineffective in the middle.

This game showed exactly why we shouldn't play 4-4-2. When we play 4-2-3-1 we have more balance, a better shape and more flexible attacking options. It also brings out Gerrard's brilliant qualities much more effectively and, when we attack, one of the nominal two defensive midfielders is able to play in a more advanced role and can drop back in front of the defence when the opposition has the ball.

We always, always play less effectively with 4-4-2. I really don't know why Rafa ever uses it. When he was asked about the merits of 4-2-3-1 in the past - which brought him great success in Spain - he said, countering the usual argument that two strikers is a more attacking approach, "it's not how many strikers you have on the pitch, it's how many players you get in and around the box at the end of a move". Made excellent sense then and makes excellent sense now.

How was it defensive? When Lucas came on, who did he replace?

[Clapper]

They're winning game after game. So yes.

So we can't be doing that bad, when we are only three points after IF they win the game in hand.

[Craig_H]

So we can't be doing that bad, when we are only three points after IF they win the game in hand.

We're doing terribly at the moment. It's our earlier in the season form that has us up there, we were winning all the time and it was superb.

We've only managed 3 wins out of our last 9 league games, so currently, yes we're doing pretty ****e.

[Elvoz]

We're doing terribly at the moment. It's our earlier in the season form that has us up there, we were winning all the time and it was superb.

We've only managed 3 wins out of our last 9 league games, so currently, yes we're doing pretty ****e.

im very disappointed and disillusioned
there are no postitves to take from monday
i dont go with all this ****e about if you said in august we would be joint top etc
we are going to end up 3rd - i hope i am wrong
are form is desperate and why on monday we chose to defend after going one up god knows
i will no doubt get pelters but i now firmly believe rafa,s negatitivty will if it hasnt already - blow us the league

[Skillz]

Because they had a ****e start, yet stayed in the running because we're woefully inept at beating inferior sides at home. Now they're on the up and we're on the slide.

The results dont lie. 6 wins and 2 draws in their last 8? We're gagging for that kind of form.

All six wins 1-0's too the Jammy cunts.

We are not playing terribly and continue to be very hard to beat and with Torres not only back but showing good signs of his form returning soon we should remain positive. Personally I think our form is no different than at any other stage of the season (bar Stoke) but we are just not getting the rub of the green that we got earlier.

We shouldn't be giving up on the title that's for sure, especially when you consider the less than flattering form of our rivals, including Manchester

Now pick yourself up Craig me ol mucker, we have a big cup game this week