Ferdinand A- O'Shea B- ( YEA HES NOT THAT BAD....THIS LOT JUST HATES HIM ) van der Sar A van Nistelrooy A Fletcher B Silvestre C- Rooney A+ Scholes B+ Smith B- Ronaldo B- Park B Neville B+ Brown B+ Richardson C- Giggs B- Bardsley C+ Saha C+
Only Russian at heart my man. Yes, yes I do. But that is not why my grades are "harsh" as SM put it. The players have simply stunk it up this campaign, IMO.
We finished bottom of our group in Champions League, which knocked us out of Europe completely. We struggled with Burton Albion in the FA cup, which I am not going blame completely on the players (the pitch, the playing style were factors), but we still should have outclassed Burton f'ng Albion. The Carling Cup may still happen, but Chelsea have left us in their dust in the league, which is the most important trophy to me anyway. Our season wouldn't be bad if we were Tottenham, but we're Manchester United, the greatest football club in the world. Someone needs to post that quote by Keane that Achtung had as a sig that said something along the lines of "set your standards higher". As long as the sun shines during White Nights in Petersburg.
Ferdinand B+ O'Shea Z van der Sar A van Nistelrooy A Fletcher B Silvestre Z- Rooney A+ Scholes B Smith B Ronaldo B Park A Neville B Brown B+ Richardson C- Giggs B- Bardsley B+ Saha B
I think we all know about my circumstances during the holidays. Come on fellas, enough of this talk, we don't want this turning into the TV Thread part 2 do we? Criticize the ratings.
All discussions are dynamic. If they get too far off-track then our mods will just need to do their job. I personally think you deserve your own thread though.
Player of the season: Wayne Rooney/Van Nistelrooy Best youth prospect: Giuseppe Rossi Top summer signing: Edwin van der Sar Most improved player: Wes Brown/Saha Top team performance:[/B] United 1 Chelsea 0 Ferdinand A- (just take him out of the team if you dare) O'Shea C- van der Sar B+ van Nistelrooy A Fletcher B- Silvestre B- Rooney A Scholes B Smith B- Ronaldo B- Park B Neville B (good, but too injured) Brown A- Richardson C+ Giggs B- Bardsley B Saha B+ (he's been good when he's played) High grades there, but our problem hasn't been quality, its been consistency and luck. We've managed to have multiple players play poorly at once and have that, or Pederson, cost us points. We played like crap in CL and that is worrying, but we've been stellar domestically which is proved by our lead at the top of the table over the rest of the football teams in the premiership.
We are on par for 81 points this season, despite having as many as 9-10 first teamers missing at on stage (and a good 6-7 for 2+ months), so much so that I remember posting a lineup Chelsea would have had if they had similar injuries, and even they would have been down to youth-teamers on the bench and a slightly unbalanced squad. Spurs have never come close to 81 points, and if Chelsea hadn't spent hundreds of millions sterling we would be topping the league at the moment, despite those injuries. We have also had a lot of controversy off the field, from Rio to Ronaldo to (obviously) Keane, and the media did their best to make an absolute meal of it. If Spurs had anything like the issues we hvae encountered this season, they would be lucky to keep in the top half of the table (and I rate Spurs very highly).
We and Arsenal almost seem to have switched places this year. We're doing well in the league, but out of Europe. They're flying in Europe, but have struggled early in the league campaign. It all depends on how you look at it, but either way its really disappointing to be out of Europe so early, regardless of the league position. And though we can't match Chelsea's pure spending, I don't like sitting back and saying "well we're on pace for 80+ points which most years would win the league." I mean its a valid point and all, and I think it indicates that we still have more quality than most people give us credit for. But Chelsea have raised the bar through whatever means they have, and we need to get up there as well now.
Player of the season: Wayne Rooney Best youth prospect: Giuseppe Rossi Top summer signing: Edwin van der Sar Most improved player: Wes Brown, although nobody really stands out Top individual performance: Rooney, Newcastle v United Top team performance: United 4-0 Wigan Goal of the season: Ruud van Nistlerooy's 1st vs. Charlton Worst team performance: Middlesbrough 4-1 United Most Shocking result: Boro, due to the scoreline Worst individual performance: Tie - Ronaldo vs. Benfica and Rio vs. Fulham Ferdinand: B O'Shea: C- van der Sar: A van Nistelrooy: A- Fletcher: B Silvestre: C+ Rooney: A Scholes: B- (but improving quickly) Smith: B- (with a few quality performances) Ronaldo: C Park: C Neville: B Brown: B+ Richardson: C+ Giggs: C Bardsley: B Saha: A- (when on the pitch)
Easier said then done though Achtung. There is nothing normal about Chelsea. I've said it a few times but for them it is an utter disgrace to not win the league and this mainly goes down to their squad. Any normal club has to contend with injury problems and burdens and it affects them greatly - It doesn't matter who you name they'd all be stuff without a few key members. Chelsea have a bench that can literally come on and not lower the quality of the team - they'd have to play diffrently, but only Makelele is irraplaceable for them and even there they can just put Essien in his slot. Keeping up with a team that can rotate Gallas for Carvalho, SWP for whoever etc all season long is more than tough. We'd have to be at the top of our game as a 1st team with a bench of almost level pegging quality. We suffer dips and we have to ride them out, we can't just replace players who underperform and that affects point totals. These things are telling at the end of a gruelling season.
I know, I just... well I hate the idea of conceding to them by rolling over and saying "we can't compete". Maybe I'm being naïve, but I just want to put up a damn good fight.
I think we can put up a fight, but it has to be a perfect season... we can't start with half a squad. we can't have Neville miss a quarter of the season, or Heinze miss virtually all, we can't afford to have Keane injured half the season and then take off. Giggs can't miss 6weeks, Ronaldo shouldn't lose his dad and then get accused of rape, then have to play in his home country facing hostile fans. we shouldn't HAVE to play O'Shea so damned often. I think we can give Chelsea a run for their money but ALOT of crap has gone wrong this season and hopefully we'll have it a bit easier next season. If so, we should be more competitive.
