There are 35 games to go in the season [R]

[cr7torossi]

First of all, I think the result would prove to be a blessing in disguise for us in the lost run for a variety of reasons:-

a. This might make teams a bit more adventurous against us in the future.
b. This might finally Fergie see light and buy a genuine striker like Anelka who can drag the central defenders away so that space is created for our attackers.
c. It might finally Fergie make to start thinking about having a Plan B which incidentally does not involve putting O'Shea for Brown. I love our current style and would want us to continue with it but we have to start thinking about changing tactics when lady luck is completely against you as was the case today.
d. Hargreaves was extremely impressive. Nani, leaving the final ball, is already looking a very good player.
e. Scholesy and Hargreaves might start taking more shots from distance.

All said and done, we still look very good value for going on a winning strike sometime in the next few months.

[Mac_Howard]

First of all, I think the result would prove to be a blessing in disguise for us in the lost run for a variety of reasons:-

a. This might make teams a bit more adventurous against us in the future.

On the contrary. Teams have been shown precisely how to take points from us.

b. This might finally Fergie see light and buy a genuine striker like Anelka who can drag the central defenders away so that space is created for our attackers.Hope you're right but Fergie has displayed a considerably reluctance in the past to admit he's made a mistake and bringing in a number 9 now will highlight his error in letting Smith, and to a lesser extent Rossi, go.

But Anelka will do fine for me.

c. It might finally Fergie make to start thinking about having a Plan B which incidentally does not involve putting O'Shea for Brown. I love our current style and would want us to continue with it but we have to start thinking about changing tactics when lady luck is completely against you as was the case today.The last time I said Alex needs to resit Tactics 101 I upset a lot of people so I won't say it again ;)

d. Hargreaves was extremely impressive. Nani, leaving the final ball, is already looking a very good player.Yep! Considering this was the first time he's played for us Hargreaves fitted in right away. Nani reminded me of Ronaldo two years ago - lots of talent but not a lot coming from it just yet. But very encouraging.

e. Scholesy and Hargreaves might start taking more shots from distance.And Giggs, Carrick, Evra, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Vidic, Brown ........ have I missed anyone? :)

All said and done, we still look very good value for going on a winning strike sometime in the next few months.I'm not sure about a "winning strike sometime" we may well need to win 28 of the 35 games to retain our Premiership trophy so we need to start pretty soon :rolleyes:

[cr7torossi]

Oh well, I meant a winning streak.

The main issue is that we are not out of the title race especially given that neither Chelsea nor Arsenal have looked impressive at all.

[0141607]

Totally agree with everything you mentioned in your post. I thought today we were the better team but fair play to City - Dunne and especially Richards were imense and the reason we didn't come away with all 3 points. I was really impressed with Hargreaves today and as you said there are 35 games to go this season. Tevez will get his goals and it won't take him as long as it did with West Ham and when he does he will start putting them away for fun. Ronaldo was a big loss today and the loss of Rooney, Saha, Solskjaer, Anderson etc...was evident on the bench. When we have a full squad back we will be fine. I mean we have played 3 games and we have deserved at least 2 wins if not 3 from them so all in all I'm not one bit worried about our start.

[Potomac Red Devil]

d. Hargreaves was extremely impressive.

I'll second that. I know it was his first game but his was tenacious in the middle! Exactly what this team has been missing since Keane's departure...and it freed Scholes up tremendously.

[Achtung]

There are 35 games left total, but in a sense, there's only one game--the next one. It sounds corny, but its the one we need to focus on.

I guess if you want to look at a slightly bigger picture, the next two games are at home, against Tottenham and then Sunderland. At the moment they look to be as must-win as any game can be at this point in the season, if we want to get back into the race. They are against teams who we don't typically struggle against, unlike our last two matches.

For now it doesn't look like anyone is ready to run off with the league, so we may have a bit of room for error. Then again, we've used up a fair amount of that room already. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to get back on track.

[leafdolfan]

At the moment they look to be as must-win as any game can be at this point in the season,

wow, our fourth game into the season is a must win...this is depressing

[cr7torossi]

I think what I am most concerned is our inability to adapt or learn from our mistakes. VdS, not that he could have saved it after the deflection, has a known problem against low long-distance shots which is well known since his time in Serie A. Despite that, we time and again back off, against players whom we should know are capable, thus giving them clean strikes from 25-30 yards.

Similarly, we seem to be bereft of ideas if our first 20-25 minutes blitzkrieg does not result in a goal. I know it is partially a personnel problem but even with the same personnel, a bit of tactical maneuvering can make a difference.

[Holland in 06]

Not too worried about the point gap only five pts behind our true challenger Chelsea and 2 behind Pool' and Arse'. What I am worried about is the lack of goals not having a natural goal scorer has hurt the squad so far and I think it will really hurt the squad in the CL :( Which I really want to win this year damnit

[jeff070]

i think mostly everything u said is right ,except the one about anelka lathough i really like him i dont think he ll do us any good because of our numbers, we need to be patient because chelsea doesnt have any injuries and playing like shit and luck is on their side, arsenal are not consistent and liverpool they ll need time to gel and not really impressive, the most impressive team out there in the premiership would be honestly man united (playin awesome but no luck) and portsmouth so i m wondering does beautiful football win u games?

[jeff070]

yeah , that was funny as shit good comment

[jeff070]

please sir alex bench giggs ( watching it on setanta the commentator said that alex told giggs to play the ball early he s 33 he should kno better) , brown ( no life in this playa)

[jayro75]

The seasons over.. We lost to Citeh close the forum.. Sack Fergie, sell Giggs, sell Old Trafford, give away our trophies, fold the club...:rolleyes:

[Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10]

i think its sad we should have one of these threads made...

some of our so called fans need to get a grip. no one is pleased with the start but the league is gone ? we wont challenge for anything??

3 of the bloodclaat competitions havent started for us yet :mad:

[cr7torossi]

i think its sad we should have one of these threads made...

some of our so called fans need to get a grip. no one is pleased with the start but the league is gone ? we wont challenge for anything??

3 of the bloodclaat competitions havent started for us yet :mad:

The point of this thread is indeed to emphasize the same fact.

[Harry Boulton]

I can fully understand why some people are panicking. A good, strong start is imperitive in the EPL. We won the league last year off the back of a good start. You don't win the league in the opening fixtures but you can lose it.

A good result against Tottnham is a must now. We cannot afford to let Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea get too much ground on us...........

[J'can]

i think its sad we should have one of these threads made...

some of our so called fans need to get a grip. no one is pleased with the start but the league is gone ? we wont challenge for anything??

3 of the bloodclaat competitions havent started for us yet :mad:

Dread, would you put moneh on us winning anything right now with the marked inability to score or even field a sensible lineup?

Seriously, as I said in an earlier post, it is not so much the lack of points at this stage, it is the way the team is being positioned and managed and the moves that are being made (or not being made). For me that speaks to a bigger underlying problem.

[Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10]

Dread, would you put moneh on us winning anything right now with the marked inability to score or even field a sensible lineup?

Seriously, as I said in an earlier post, it is not so much the lack of points at this stage, it is the way the team is being positioned and managed and the moves that are being made (or not being made). For me that speaks to a bigger underlying problem.

yes actually because it wont last forever. we will come good eventually breddren...

[J'can]

yes actually because it wont last forever. we will come good eventually breddren...

Here is to hoping that eventually is at Tottenham.........

Usually I dont say this but I hope I am wrong. Not that we cant win anything still but i think if we started the season at say 90% or more certainty we will win, right now I would put that at 50-50. As I said, not so much the points but an unbalanced squad.

But Ruud bwoy, i hope i am wrong still......... blessed......

[J'can]

One last thing, I just want us to get a hold of Tottenham and just rip them apart! Like 5 or 6. No mercy! :mad:

With Tottehman a mess defensively and Robinson low on confidence this should be a good opportunity to get back on form and just tear up dem bluudclaat............. :D