If we are gonna win this league...

Originally Posted by celtbion

No, I'd have accepted this at the start of the season.

In fact, I'd have been delighted with the development of players like Evra, Vidic, Carrick, Ronaldo and (difficult season notwithstanding) Rooney. Even Fletcher and O'Shea are looking better.

We are up against a hideous but nonetheless awesome combination of percentage football and massive financial backing in Chelsea, we shouldn't be within an ass's roar of them but we are. And the way we've gone about it means that the battle for hearts and minds is already lost for Chelsea. Even the underachieving gooners have gained more plaudits.

Most people would be glad to see the back of Chelsea, their money and their manager already. Normal service will be resumed over the next few years.

Good shout Celtbion.

I would have taken where we are now at the start of the season. It's just that the nearer you get to the finishing line, the greater the expectation grows.

We now could, and arguably should win the treble. The stuff of only stupid dreams at the start of the season.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Aye. Must pick you up on the Arsenal youth team though. I didn't think they were technically superior at all. Maybe a few of their individuals you could make a case for, but then they were all bigger than our lads. We more than held our own and passed the ball around superbly in London. At Old Trafford we didn't play until we scored really apart from the odd passage. But from then on we were the better team all round, including physically. Arsenal's advantage over United's lads was age and sheer size. We overcame all that and played some great football, a feat we repeated at Anfield the other night with an even younger side against the holders. What you reckon?

Arsenal's team were younger than ours. Bigger but younger.

I think they had the better individual talents but, maybe, overall Utd were better. A few of Arsenal's teams were a bit "clogger-ish".

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Good shout Celtbion.

I would have taken where we are now at the start of the season. It's just that the nearer you get to the finishing line, the greater the expectation grows.

We now could, and arguably should win the treble. The stuff of only stupid dreams at the start of the season.

Don't get me wrong, I'm just saying that we shouldn't despair if a hoarier and physically stronger Chelsea squad bat the trophies out of our grasp.

If we do win a trophy or two or three this year, it's a monumental achievement.

I don't think this is (on the whole) a better team than 99 but we must allow for the fact that Utd had all sorts of advantages over their domestic opposition at the time whereas we came into this season with a net transfer surplus. That's amazing.

Granted, a lot of it is to do with the investment in Ronaldo and Rooney and maybe even Ferdinand now paying off but, again there, you have to give credit to Ferguson et al.

Originally Posted by celtbion

Arsenal's team were younger than ours. Bigger but younger.

I think they had the better individual talents but, maybe, overall Utd were better. A few of Arsenal's teams were a bit "clogger-ish".

Stand corrected then; thought they were older. They were definately bigger anyhow and I thought they were trying (successfully at times) to use their presence to bully us. Mentally and physically we stood up to them and our superior football won the day. Hoorah!

While I agree with the sentiment, celtbion and some others seem to be missing some important points.

We're Manchester United. We should never ever settle for anything but the best. Who £#%&!ing cares if we didn't expect this season to go this way? It has and we MUST capitalise on it now and CAN'T afford to fall at the final hurdle. We have no reason not to go out and win it all. Chelsea may have more money and they may be frustratingly efficient and boring but we've been top since November and we will £#%&!ing well stay there until the end of the season or else it will be a failure. Why? Because we're Manchester United.

n f £#%&!ing t.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

While I agree with the sentiment, celtbion and some others seem to be missing some important points.

We're Manchester United. We should never ever settle for anything but the best. Who £#%&!ing cares if we didn't expect this season to go this way? It has and we MUST capitalise on it now and CAN'T afford to fall at the final hurdle. We have no reason not to go out and win it all. Chelsea may have more money and they may be frustratingly efficient and boring but we've been top since November and we will £#%&!ing well stay there until the end of the season or else it will be a failure. Why? Because we're Manchester United.

n f £#%&!ing t.

What's "the best" though?

If I told you we'd grind out 7 utterly boring 1-0 wins between now and the end of the year, you don't think that would take some of the gloss off it?

We're Manchester Utd. We'll £#%&! up at city and then go to Stamford Bridge and win 3-1. Now that's how Utd have always done it, like it or not.

I would have some sympathy for your view that the league, given our position, simply has to be won but with injuries mounting in a depleted squad and Chelsea relentless, you have to accept the possibility that we could come a cropper and I, for one, would still give us a lot of credit for making an incredible effort this year. Think about Watford's late loss to Chelsea, goal made by Ballack (£130,000 a week), Shevchenko (£30m, £130,000 a week) and scored by Kalou (£8-10m, who knows what wages), all summer recruits in a season where Utd had a net transfer outlay of zilch.

There's a separate argument of why that is but given the tools at their disposal and the teammates around them and to back them up, the football side of the club can really hold its head up high this year.

I won't be sad if Chelsea drop points tonight, but I would prefer they dropped them against the barcodes

I hate West Ham and the barcodes with a passion, but I really want to see West Ham relegated.

Originally Posted by edwin

I won't be sad if Chelsea drop points tonight, but I would prefer they dropped them against the barcodes

I hate West Ham and the barcodes with a passion, but I really want to see West Ham relegated.

Yes, but I don't particularly like Sheff Utd or Fulham either and much as I dislike West Ham, they've contributed more to the Prem over the years than either of those two.

Originally Posted by edwin

I won't be sad if Chelsea drop points tonight, but I would prefer they dropped them against the barcodes

I hate West Ham and the barcodes with a passion, but I really want to see West Ham relegated.

I don't think we should be fussy about who takes points of Chelsea. I'd also like to see West Ham go down but I'd happily sacrifice that if it meant I could breathe a little easier for the title run in.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

The league table would suggest otherwise

Aye, I meant for us

Can you imagine it was West Ham up against us tonight.

It would be the usual super-human effort and the inevitable "World Cup Winning" celebration after they scrap a 0-0 draw but still get relegated.

I fear tonight they will capitulate, but I will have a wry smile knowing those cockney @#%&!s will be playing in Division One next season.

Originally Posted by Enjoying Insanity

Can you imagine it was West Ham up against us tonight.

It would be the usual super-human effort and the inevitable "World Cup Winning" celebration after they scrap a 0-0 draw but still get relegated.

I fear tonight they will capitulate, but I will have a wry smile knowing those cockney @#%&!s will be playing in Division One next season.

Watching from the outside, there's something intensely annoying about the way that London clubs make a bigger effort against the likes of us than other London clubs.

What the £#%&!'s that all about like?