The old Man Utd Thread

[Stig]

Is that his 3rd this season now?

[BigShimmeryWall]

Aye, only the third player to score 3 hat-tricks in a season, along with Shearer and Van Nistelrooy.

[Mr Do 71]

Is that his 3rd this season now?

Yup. The 3 against that joke of a team, those 5 goals, and now today.

[exwhyzed]

I understand we were three goals to the good at this point, however I'm getting annoyed at the way Nani shoots instead of playing the ball to the striker in order to try to get his hollywood goal. We could have potentially put 2 or 3 more goals past Birmignham today if Nani had tried to play in players who'd be a better position to score.

I know I'm moaning that we've only scored 5 and not 7 or 8, but when you have players like Rooney and Owen who could do with finding the net it gets on my nerves.

[Liamness]

It sullies the goal a little, in that it will paper over the cracks in his game today. He was an outlet and stretched Bimingham very well, but Rooney, Berbatov and Giggs all had much more impact. The fact that he got a goal does not change the fact that all his other, off target, shots were all wastes of good opportunities. I feel he raises his game when against better opposition, or when we need a goal, but he's so frustrating to watch when he's like this.

Birmingham came to defend, obviously, and that plan was ruined by a goal in the opening minutes. The delivery from Giggs and the flick from O'Shea were both fantastic. From then, it was not a contest. They had about two chances, both of which were fluffed embarrassingly. I'm amazed they didn't have Craig Gardner on from the start, perhaps with his long-range shooting ability they could've got a goal back, and made things interesting at least.

Also, 'Foster, give us a wave' was amusing. He did not give us a wave.

[McFly]

Lovely 3rd goal by Giggs, never thought i;d see Berbatov with such a nice tackle in the build up.

[Poppalarge]

I understand we were three goals to the good at this point, however I'm getting annoyed at the way Nani shoots instead of playing the ball to the striker in order to try to get his hollywood goal. We could have potentially put 2 or 3 more goals past Birmignham today if Nani had tried to play in players who'd be a better position to score.

I know I'm moaning that we've only scored 5 and not 7 or 8, but when you have players like Rooney and Owen who could do with finding the net it gets on my nerves.

Nani was shit.

He could have run riot, being as Birmingham capitulated so easily. Instead he was on a one man mission to get himself a goal. Fair play, he got it,eventually, but his celebration was embarrassing when he did score. He seemed to forget that he missed 17474729 chances.

[Gabzy]

Nani was shit.

He could have run riot, being as Birmingham capitulated so easily. Instead he was on a one man mission to get himself a goal. Fair play, he got it,eventually, but his celebration was embarrassing when he did score. He seemed to forget that he missed 17474729 chances.

On the other hand, how many times has he almost single-handedly rescued a point or three for us? I don't begrudge him a little self-indulgence, especially when we were already 2-0 up by the time he actually started shooting at every opportunity.

[broadinscope]

People were saying exactly the same things about Ronaldo a few years ago. The players who can tear apart defences by themselves are exactly what we need on the pitch, if only to free up space for the rest of the team.

[dizogg]

Nani was shit.

He could have run riot, being as Birmingham capitulated so easily. Instead he was on a one man mission to get himself a goal. Fair play, he got it,eventually, but his celebration was embarrassing when he did score. He seemed to forget that he missed 17474729 chances.

I agree about the celebration, it is actually embarrassing. Not that he is a bad player at all, he's got a lot of potential. But very, very few people can carry off that arrogance that he likes to show. Thierry Henry and Ronaldo were two players that could, because they put in match winning performances week-in, week-out and are two of the best players the Premiership has ever seen. Nani isn't anywhere near that level yet, and when he's playing in a team with legends like Giggs and young players like Rooney who are both shitloads better than him right now, the way he acts just makes him look like a petulant child.

[bowser123]

I agree about the celebration, it is actually embarrassing. Not that he is a bad player at all, he's got a lot of potential. But very, very few people can carry off that arrogance that he likes to show. Thierry Henry and Ronaldo were two players that could, because they put in match winning performances week-in, week-out and are two of the best players the Premiership has ever seen. Nani isn't anywhere near that level yet, and when he's playing in a team with legends like Giggs and young players like Rooney who are both shitloads better than him right now, the way he acts just makes him look like a petulant child.

Even when he's "shit" he scored and should have had an assist had Rooney not missed a free header from 2 yards. Has everybody forgotten his skill and work for that chance BTW? You seen his stats for last season and this? Scored 20+ and assisted in the same amount. Given that last year he was at his productive best from Christmas onwards, that's player of the season form if you take it as a calender year of Jan 2010 to Jan 2011 than a season.

He's improved immeasurably, duly noted by the opposition and their doubling and tripling up on him. He's definitely an arrogant dickhead, but it's his theatrics that I'm more concerned about than his character. He'll simply stop getting freekicks and be told tough luck, like when Ronaldo was elbowed in the face deliberately against Newcastle and everybody just laughed.

---------------------

Shame Rooney didn't score, his performance merited it. Had enough chances, but still he was wonderful.Controlling that ball for Berba's third was immense. Dropped from the heavens and wham, straight under his control. Looks like his TV show, where he chucked balls from the top of high rise flats, has worked.

What is fantastic for the club, testament to the manager, and must be absolutely galling for the rest of the league is this squads resilience. Rooney is "shit", Berba scores. Valencia gets hurt, Park becomes incredible. Ronaldo is sold, nani suddenly steps up. Giggs and Scholes are still as good as anybody in the league. Some little Mexican looks like being the most astute and incredible buy imaginable if his overall play can mature and improve and match that brilliant scoring instinct. Lad has the right attitude, see him killing himself to tackle a Spuds player last week in the box and then glare at Giggs?

Best of all though is a team that's apparently shit is sat top of the league undefeated. Had it not thrown away points against WBA at home with that howler of a mistake from VdS, late goals marring decent performances away at Fulham and Everton it'd be 6 points better off. Shit, imagine if it had a CM and actually started playing... scary.

[Poppalarge]

On the other hand, how many times has he almost single-handedly rescued a point or three for us? I don't begrudge him a little self-indulgence, especially when we were already 2-0 up by the time he actually started shooting at every opportunity.

Don't get me wrong, I like Nani. He was only shit on Saturday. I just wish he didn't act the way he does sometimes.

[DC Lemon]

Yup. The 3 against that joke of a team, those 5 goals, and now today.

Who's that? I can't remember.

[Crhis]

Beard?

Scousers.

[DC Lemon]

Beard?

Yes, congratulations, and now my follow-up putdown, which was basically a copy and paste of the previous post, is ruined.

[Crhis]

The problem is that it isn't a joke - they ARE easy to forget :/

[Bleeders]

What do we reckon tonight, chaps? Our game in hand against Blackpool, who've been playing some nice, tidy football - even when they're losing! Be a tricky one, but I'm hoping our quality will see us through.

[bowser123]

Two ways of playing it. They will attack and pass well, but that should leave us with space to do the same, especially on the counter. I'd like to think we'd do a Barcelona and refuse to change style, go there and attack and win 5-2.

In reality the manager will treat it like a European away which is a massive credit to Blackpool and the way Holloway has them playing. I think Rooney will be on the left in the 4-5-1 which changes to 4-3-3 when we have it. If the players concentrate and take their chances Vidic is in good enough form to repel them, with Berba and Nani liable to take what chances we make. Having been comprehensively outplayed away to WBA in the first half whilst adopting an attacking 4-4-2, I definitely feel we'll line up in this European away mode.

Full team and 3 points is a must, but it won't be easy. Should be good. Our lot need to understand that they will be massively up for this and are a very good team. I hope Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher play personally.

[Bleeders]

Agreed, it will be a tough one tonight. Blackpool have scored in every home game this season, so they'll be going for it, no doubt.

In other news, I was quite pleased to read this, mainly because he's one of my all-time United greats!

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has sought to end his rift with Alex Ferguson by making a personal apology to the Manchester United manager almost five years since their working relationship began to disintegrate and the bitterness eventually led to his departure.

Van Nistelrooy told Ferguson he regretted the way he had behaved – the Dutchman once had a fight with Cristiano Ronaldo on the club’s training pitch and drove home after he was left out of the starting line-up against Charlton Athletic on the final day of the 2005-06 season – and admitted he had contributed to the reasons why Ferguson had decided he had to get rid of a striker who had scored 150 goals in his five seasons at Old Trafford.

Ferguson, in turn, told the Dutchman the matter was now finished and that he is happy to end a rift that ignited after he was omitted from the League Cup final line-up in February 2006, and had been smouldering ever since.

“I was really pleased with that,” Van Nistelrooy said. “I told him: ‘Those five years at Manchester United were fantastic, and working with you, and it’s really unfortunate what happened’. I’m really glad it’s finished now.”

Relations between the two men became so fractured at one point that when Van Nistelrooy moved to Real Madrid for €15 million in 2006 he cited the tensions as the only reason he had left Old Trafford.

Nonetheless, they were also key to each other’s success during Van Nistelrooy’s time in Manchester and, in an interview with the magazine Voetbal International, the Dutchman explained why he had waited until now before contacting his former manager.

“I had been thinking about it for a while and talking it through with my wife,” he said. “Two or three times every year I would think to myself what a shame it was that it had ended like it did with Ferguson. I wanted to do something about it.

“My wife suggested I sent Ferguson a text to see if he was willing to talk and when I sent him a message asking if I could ring him he replied to say: ‘Okay, call me at this date and time’. I rang him and he answered and said: ‘Okay, fine, go ahead’. I said I wanted to apologise for what had happened and he replied: ‘Fine, I appreciate that, when we meet again it will be okay’. That was great to know.”

Van Nistelrooy had established himself as the eighth-highest scorer in United’s history when he left the club for Madrid. After three and a half years in Spain he signed for Hamburg last January but is now in talks about returning to the Bernabeu.

Now 34, the striker is acutely aware he is coming to the end of his career and made it clear he retains an affinity for the club where he established himself as the most prolific striker in the Premier League.

“If I encounter Ferguson again – and I really hope that will happen – I will embrace him and then it will all be finished.”

Ferguson may have settled one grudge but the manager retains another, against the referee Mike Dean for his sending off of Rafael da Silva in the goalless draw against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday.

The Brazilian was fined €9,400 yesterday after admitting an English FA charge of improper conduct relating to his reaction to the red card, but Ferguson believes the Brazilian was entitled to be aggrieved.

“I think everyone who watched the game agreed (the red card was unjust). I think (the former referee) Dermot Gallagher said it was the worst decision of the week. Everyone knows it was a bad decision, but it happens. Unfortunately, in a game of that magnitude, it could have had a big impact. It didn’t help us in terms of trying to go and win the game.”

Rafael’s one-match suspension means either Republic of Ireland international John O’Shea or Wes Brown will play at right back against Birmingham City today and Ferguson revealed he had arranged a private match at the club’s training ground this week to improve their fitness.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0122/1224288084481.html

[Crhis]

Two ways of playing it. They will attack and pass well, but that should leave us with space to do the same, especially on the counter. I'd like to think we'd do a Barcelona and refuse to change style, go there and attack and win 5-2.

In reality the manager will treat it like a European away which is a massive credit to Blackpool and the way Holloway has them playing. I think Rooney will be on the left in the 4-5-1 which changes to 4-3-3 when we have it. If the players concentrate and take their chances Vidic is in good enough form to repel them, with Berba and Nani liable to take what chances we make. Having been comprehensively outplayed away to WBA in the first half whilst adopting an attacking 4-4-2, I definitely feel we'll line up in this European away mode.

Full team and 3 points is a must, but it won't be easy. Should be good. Our lot need to understand that they will be massively up for this and are a very good team. I hope Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher play personally.

Agreed and +1'd.

This could easily be among the toughest games of the regular season if Blackpool are on form, really a fantastic team. Seems like exactly the sort of match Scholes would flourish in too, so lets hope he starts.

[MojoChin]

I think Carrick is doubtful too with his ankle, so Ando in alongside Scholes and Fletch would be my choice. Although Giggs has really been on form recently but I suppose he needs a rest.

[OneDvBmbr]

Agreed, it will be a tough one tonight. Blackpool have scored in every home game this season, so they'll be going for it, no doubt.

In fact, the last time we failed to score at home was August '09. If that run is ever going to end though, it's likely to be tonight!

Would love to think we can sneak something, but hard to see it. For what it's worth, I hope you line-up 4-4-2 because it's team who play that way against whom we've had our best results.

I'll be tweeting live from the ground later on, can't wait to walk down Bloomfield Road for a league game with Man Utd, the thing dreams were made of even a few years ago.

[phresh]

I think Carrick is doubtful too with his ankle, so Ando in alongside Scholes and Fletch would be my choice. Although Giggs has really been on form recently but I suppose he needs a rest.

I think Ferguson has said that Giggs will be rested at the weekend so will play tonight. No idea what formation we'll see though, probably a 4-3-3 as Bowser says.

[Bleeders]

I reckon Bowser is on the money, we'll go 4-3-3 tonight. Last time we played a 4-4-2 was against West Brom and that was a horrible game to watch. I can't see Fergie using that against an opposition that will attack.

[Guest]

I'm predicting Man Utd will smash Blackpool to bits. Could be a painful one.

[bowser123]

It may happen but I doubt it. It's pissing it down here in Manchester and I think Blackpool will be the same. Cold, dark, wet nights with a massive atmosphere and a team trying it's absolute hardest is never easy. That the opposition is actually really good confuses the situation even more.

Utd should win. They're obviously better and are miles more experienced. That said all it'll take is for a few players to be off form and it won't be easy. That's why I hope we treat it cautiously, though break quickly and in number. A good early goal for United or a really boring 20 minutes of United possession is what I'm looking to start with and build from there.

I saw Giggs get subbed early at the weekend and he might play. No issue if he does, guy is class. Thing is that'd be his fifth game in a row he'd started, the first three against Spuds, Scouse and Stoke he played the full 90. It's muddied by the weekend being the Cup mind.

Chico better be on the bench though, fuck that shit in picking Sicknote over him like last week.

[OneDvBmbr]

I'm predicting Man Utd will smash Blackpool to bits. Could be a painful one.

Cheers!

Could well happen, but I remember everyone in the Football Thread saying we would be the worst Premier League team ever. Wonder what the cheeky odds would be on United losing their unbeaten record tonight...

[MojoChin]

Wonder what the cheeky odds would be on United losing their unbeaten record tonight...

8/1 on SkyBet

[Guest]

Cheers!

Could well happen, but I remember everyone in the Football Thread saying we would be the worst Premier League team ever. Wonder what the cheeky odds would be on United losing their unbeaten record tonight...

Oh I'd love it if you beat them, love it /keegan

Can't see it happening though.

[ckny]

Will be at the match tonight, sitting on my hands for if/when we score. A guy at work offered me £150 for my ticket, not a chance. Waited my whole life for this match. My home town team against my club.