Two derbies

[Lecter]

Anyways out of those 236 shots as you say, we got """49""" on target, you actually including blocked shots!!! Funny thing is that i went to 6 of those games you mentioned so i know first hand what went on, and how we played.

We couldn't break these weaker teams down at the start of the season and resorted long shots. And my bollox is that accurate in the first place, sure says United got 1 shot on target when they played Blackburn in Old Trafford, thing is United beat them 2-1 Oh and United also played Boro and beat them 2-0, but apparently tey got "0" shots on goal.

Never trust that stats my friend. Sure according to stats this season John Obi Mikel is the best passer, last season opta stats Barry ferguson/Masch/Lucas were the best passers, WTF!!!

The stats don't tell the full truth Arnie anyways look enough of this back and fourth its pointless and boring for others

Maybe we couldnt break weaker teams down but that part of the plan comes down to having top quality players in attacking positions that allow you to turn possession high up the pitch into goals

That type of player invariably costs an awful lot of money

To me Rafa was very very close to his ideal team 2 seasons ago, he then made some major mistakes in the transfer market (some self inflicted some not) and possibly some wrong decisions tactically last season BUT its a world away from where we are under Roy

This is shockingly bad on EVERY level

[RedReet]

Yup some great games of football for sure, the boys were let off the leash and was a refreshing to watch no doubts, and then i could say what about the nightmares that were Stoke twice/Fulham/West Ham/Blackburn/Wigan/Middlesborugh, the earlier games against the weaker opposition, when we were ultra cautious and didn't go out and attack them, and couldn't break them down, ultimately cost us the league. We played excellent for the last 10 games or so but it wasn't enough.

To be fair, we destroyed Stoke at Anfield and inexplicably had a goal wrongly disallowed from Gerrard. We must have had a record amount of corners for one game that day and wasted every one of them.

United also had a lot of luck that season too (I know we also had some at the start of the year), with last minute deflected goals, Villa bottling it after destroying them for 80 minutes and Howard ****ing Webb gifting them victory against Spurs after they were creating nothing. **** they were infuriating to watch.

[Arn]

Anyways out of those 236 shots as you say, we got """49""" on target, you actually including blocked shots!!! Funny thing is that i went to 6 of those games you mentioned so i know first hand what went on, and how we played.

We couldn't break these weaker teams down at the start of the season and resorted long shots. And my bollox is that accurate in the first place, sure says United got 1 shot on target when they played Blackburn in Old Trafford, thing is United beat them 2-1 Oh and United also played Boro and beat them 2-0, but apparently tey got "0" shots on goal.

Never trust that stats my friend. Sure according to stats this season John Obi Mikel is the best passer, last season opta stats Barry ferguson/Masch/Lucas were the best passers, WTF!!!

The stats don't tell the full truth Arnie anyways look enough of this back and fourth its pointless and boring for others

Goals doesn't count as shots on goal weird but true.

You could also look at the number of passes the teams made in the games and you would then discover that we dominated the games, not playing any **** defensive football. The teams sat back against us because they feared us. They simply couldn't play the game they wanted, high press and so on because then we would have punished them. The only option they had was to sit back and take whatever we threw against them. Just like we are doing now.

How many teams fear us now? Now they laugh at us and know that they simply need to attack us and we will crumble.

[squaddie]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=eb8972d2f4

[Arn]

Maybe we couldnt break weaker teams down but that part of the plan comes down to having top quality players in attacking positions that allow you to turn possession high up the pitch into goals

That type of player invariably costs an awful lot of money

To me Rafa was very very close to his ideal team 2 seasons ago, he then made some major mistakes in the transfer market (some self inflicted some not) and possibly some wrong decisions tactically last season BUT its a world away from where we are under Roy

This is shockingly bad on EVERY level

Players Rafa tried to sign time after time but our board either ****ed things up or didn't gave him the money. Simao, Pato, Aguero etc.....He knew about the problem of course but couldn't do anything about it. Must have been very frustrating.

[squaddie]

Players Rafa tried to sign time after time but our board either ****ed things up or didn't gave him the money. Simao, Pato, Aguero etc.....He knew about the problem of course but couldn't do anything about it. Must have been very frustrating.

Arnt Arshavin and Ronaldo included in that? Same as Chamakh this season.

[Arn]

Arnt Arshavin and Ronaldo included in that? Same as Chamakh this season.

It was Houllier that tried to sign Ronaldo. Our board did the usual thing to be able to keep the money. Sell a player late so it will be "impossible" to replace him or spend the money. Keane that time. Mascherano this summer.

Our board ****ed up the deal according to Chamakh.

[squaddie]

It was Houllier that tried to sign Ronaldo. Our board did the usual thing to be able to keep the money. Sell a player late so it will be "impossible" to replace him or spend the money. Keane that time. Mascherano this summer.

Our board ****ed up the deal according to Chamakh.

The problem was though the money wasnt getting put back in the funds pile,,,,, Just spent on shrimp cocktails and star spangled banner socks.

[Buzzo]

Maybe we couldnt break weaker teams down but that part of the plan comes down to having top quality players in attacking positions that allow you to turn possession high up the pitch into goals

That type of player invariably costs an awful lot of money

To me Rafa was very very close to his ideal team 2 seasons ago, he then made some major mistakes in the transfer market (some self inflicted some not) and possibly some wrong decisions tactically last season BUT its a world away from where we are under Roy

This is shockingly bad on EVERY level

I agree with this. I think we were close to the perfect Benitez line up. In retrospect losing Alonso was crucial to everything for us, you wonder if even Benitez realised how key he was.

It was a fantastic midfield and attack:

Alonso controlling possession and proving the focal point of our attack, directing play and switching play from left to right, Xabi was just sublime that year.
Mascherano dogged tracking of oposition runners from midfield the destructive combative force of our midfield.
Kuyt/Reira/Benayoun good support from the flanks, strongest season from Dirk, best from Reira.

All of this gave Gerrard the platform to roam and cause as much damage as he could in the knowledge that he didn't always have to get back to shore up the midfield.

And Torres was just a phenomenon this season.

Miles away from how we play now...

[squaddie]

I agree with this. I think we were close to the perfect Benitez line up. In retrospect losing Alonso was crucial to everything for us, you wonder if even Benitez realised how key he was.

It was a fantastic midfield and attack:

Alonso controlling possession and proving the focal point of our attack, directing play and switching play from left to right, Xabi was just sublime that year.
Mascherano dogged tracking of oposition runners from midfield.
Kuyt/Reira/Benayoun good support from the flanks, strongest season from Dirk.

All of this gave Gerrard the platform to roam and cause as much damage as he could in the knowledge that he didn't always have to get back to shore up the midfield.

And Torres was just a phenomenon this season.

Miles away from how we play now...

Dont forget we had the likes of Arbeloa and Hyppia to sure that back line up.

[Craig_H]

so u admit u were wrong then craig? fair play to u if u do

I still disagree with certain methods he had, but no manager is faultless and our success under Rafa got some of us almost expecting/demanding perfection.

[danperkins]

Maybe we couldnt break weaker teams down but that part of the plan comes down to having top quality players in attacking positions that allow you to turn possession high up the pitch into goals

That type of player invariably costs an awful lot of money

To me Rafa was very very close to his ideal team 2 seasons ago, he then made some major mistakes in the transfer market (some self inflicted some not) and possibly some wrong decisions tactically last season BUT its a world away from where we are under Roy

This is shockingly bad on EVERY level

an honest and balanced post IMO