nani and ronaldo trying to pull us out the shit. well done.

its a shame the same cant be said about our senior players....

ive said it once and ive say it again by january anderson and nani will have replaced scholes and giggs in our strongest team.

giggs isnt a striker and is played there because he isnt good enough to play as an out and out winger anymore.

Yeah, I saw Scholes after the game. He told me he couldn't be arsed as it was still summer time and he would rather be on holiday. He said he never really tries to rescue United when we're in the shit - he'd rather let the more professional players at the club do their bit. He said he expected Anderson to replace him for the Pompey game and that he was thinking of joining Sunderland before the transfer window closes so that he can team up with his mate Kiers.

....shite reply from the forum #@&%! masquerading under the name 'Tree-Fiddler'.

Fact is, Vio, there is sadly a great deal of truth in what you say.

You have to give Scholes a few games, it usually takes him a little bit of time to get into his groove.

To be fair Reading did a very good job defensively today, i really wouldnt be too critical, the fact is United will get stronger as the season goes along and there wont be many teams that can live with us.

For me if this game showed anything, it's how important Saha is for us, with him playing today we would have won the game. No point blaming individual players for us not winning though; it's a team game - it takes a team to create chances and if the chances are good enough any one of our players should have the ability to put the ball in the net.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

For me if this game showed anything, it's how important Saha is for us, with him playing today we would have won the game.

Oh yeah, he'd have got on the end of all those teasing crosses and brilliant through balls we put in. Oh, wait, we didn't. Saha would have been standing around like a spare part today.

Saha's movement might have enabled Scholes or Carrick to pick out a pass that would put him through on goal instead of all the balls into feet on the edge of the box.

Originally Posted by Ether

Oh yeah, he'd have got on the end of all those teasing crosses and brilliant through balls we put in. Oh, wait, we didn't. Saha would have been standing around like a spare part today.

It's all about options - Saha takes up some excellent positions and can cause havoc with a quick turn of pace through the middle, the mids can only play the ball to forwards if they make runs and show for the ball. Today it looked like the mids didnt create real genuine chances, but i didnt see it that way, i just think when the mids got the ball the options for them where not there and so they were playing passes more aligned with keeping possession rather than playing passes aimed at scoring goals. Tevez should help with that though.

Fair play to reading though, they defended well.

I can just imagine the training ground work teams will be doing prior to playing united at OT. 5 defenders against 9 attackers for hours and hours until they start to cover all areas of defense and can block all runs and one-twos. I dont think there will be more than a handful of classic open flowing football games at OT this year - might as well get used to that sort of tactic.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Fair play to reading though, they defended well.

I can just imagine the training ground work teams will be doing prior to playing united at OT. 5 defenders against 9 attackers for hours and hours until they start to cover all areas of defense and can block all runs and one-twos. I dont think there will be more than a handful of classic open flowing football games at OT this year - might as well get used to that sort of tactic.

Well then we should be doing the same training ground work, but in reverse. We need to be able to break down teams that come for a 0-0. It's no good moaning about it like Arsenal have done over the years. We've just got to be clinical, because we know that once we get the first goal the floodgates will open.

id like to know who we were corssing the ball towards.
after rooney went off we didnt have astriker upfront yet a few players who will go unamed kept chipping the ball into the box for someone.

was there a ghost playing upfront?

We sure as £#%&! can't have Giggs playing in that 'free role'. Suits him to the ground at times, he can just go awol. I'd rather see Anderson play there. Like he did for Porto.

But then I'd also like to see Saha and Tevez up top. Nani/Giggs and Ronnie on the wings.

1 point after three games in. Mark my words. We don;t need another striker apparently. We can rely on Ole and Saha. FFS. Head out of the sand please Fergie or just admit there's no cash left....

after rooney went off we didnt have astriker upfront yet a few players who will go unamed kept shipping the ball into the box for someone....

was there a ghost playing upfront?

We've done that for lots of seasons, really odd

It's amazing really.
We were top heavy with wingers yesterday & yet there was no service all day from wide areas...oh, & we had a leftback playing on the left wing
I've said before that I think all that switching around of positions up front can often result in untidy, directionless football (especially at Old Trafford)
I was £#%&!ing dying to see Rooney & Tevez forming a partnership


Football really can rip the £#%&!ing piss out of you at times.

3 months without football. All that pent up frustration, dying to get it back.
4 terrific signings over the summer.
Rooney looking outstanding in pre-season.
Defending Champions.

unfortunately the reality of that was -

A dull as £#%&! 0-0 draw against a well-organised team of mediocrity.
All 4 signings unavailable to start (for whatever reason)
Rooney breaks his foot.
O'Shea plays up front.


& just to give it that extra bite, City & Liverpool (as well as Arsenal & Chelsea) all £#%&!ing win.

YCNMIU

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

It's amazing really.
We were top heavy with wingers yesterday & yet there was no service all day from wide areas...oh, & we had a leftback playing on the left wing
I've said before that I think all that switching around of positions up front can often result in untidy, directionless football (especially at Old Trafford)
I was £#%&!ing dying to see Rooney & Tevez forming a partnership


Football really can rip the £#%&!ing piss out of you at times.

3 months without football. All that pent up frustration, dying to get it back.
4 terrific signings over the summer.
Rooney looking outstanding in pre-season.
Defending Champions.

unfortunately the reality of that was -

A dull as £#%&! 0-0 draw against a well-organised team of mediocrity.
All 4 signings unavailable to start (for whatever reason)
Rooney breaks his foot.
O'Shea plays up front.


& just to give it that extra bite, City & Liverpool (as well as Arsenal & Chelsea) all £#%&!ing win.

YCNMIU

Had exactly the same feeling last night. Waited so long.....to be let down straight away.

I was so excited by the prospect of Rooney this season. Best pre season yet and a title under his belt.
He must be devastated.

can we stop talking up players who are always injured. nft.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

We need to be able to break down teams that come for a 0-0.
.

We have to face it, some of the teams that come for a 0-0 will succeed.
Others will concede early and get thrashed.
The omens looked bad yesterday when we had to play the second half with no recognised strikers against a well disciplined team.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

It's amazing really.
We were top heavy with wingers yesterday & yet there was no service all day from wide areas...oh, & we had a leftback playing on the left wing
I've said before that I think all that switching around of positions up front can often result in untidy, directionless football (especially at Old Trafford)
I was £#%&!ing dying to see Rooney & Tevez forming a partnership


Football really can rip the £#%&!ing piss out of you at times.

3 months without football. All that pent up frustration, dying to get it back.
4 terrific signings over the summer.
Rooney looking outstanding in pre-season.
Defending Champions.

unfortunately the reality of that was -

A dull as £#%&! 0-0 draw against a well-organised team of mediocrity.
All 4 signings unavailable to start (for whatever reason)
Rooney breaks his foot.
O'Shea plays up front.


& just to give it that extra bite, City & Liverpool (as well as Arsenal & Chelsea) all £#%&!ing win.

YCNMIU

And to just top it all off, the dippers should have drawn - until that dirty cheating @#%&! Gerrard gets tackled fairly by Petrov but moans his dirty cheating @#%&! head off and then Stevie Wonder (he must have been the ref considering his position) gives a free kick.

Ok, great free kick but shouldn't have been given.

Originally Posted by Seven Lucky Logs

And to just top it all off, the dippers should have drawn - until that dirty cheating @#%&! Gerrard gets tackled fairly by Petrov but moans his dirty cheating @#%&! head off and then Stevie Wonder (he must have been the ref considering his position) gives a free kick.

Ok, great free kick but shouldn't have been given.

Free kick should've been saved by the keeper.

He got there and got a hand to it. When you consider he also used his right hand on a left hand side shot, it's should've been kept out. That free kick would not have beaten Cech or any other of the top keepers in the league.

Originally Posted by Seven Lucky Logs

And to just top it all off, the dippers should have drawn - until that dirty cheating @#%&! Gerrard gets tackled fairly by Petrov but moans his dirty cheating @#%&! head off and then Stevie Wonder (he must have been the ref considering his position) gives a free kick.

Ok, great free kick but shouldn't have been given.

Add Arsenal scabbing a late winner and the fact Chelsea only won the game due to Biminghams keeper having an absolute nightmare to the equation and .......... £#%&!it, someone get me a rope.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

It's amazing really.
We were top heavy with wingers yesterday & yet there was no service all day from wide areas...oh, & we had a leftback playing on the left wing
I've said before that I think all that switching around of positions up front can often result in untidy, directionless football (especially at Old Trafford)
I was £#%&!ing dying to see Rooney & Tevez forming a partnership


Football really can rip the £#%&!ing piss out of you at times.

3 months without football. All that pent up frustration, dying to get it back.
4 terrific signings over the summer.
Rooney looking outstanding in pre-season.
Defending Champions.

unfortunately the reality of that was -

A dull as £#%&! 0-0 draw against a well-organised team of mediocrity.
All 4 signings unavailable to start (for whatever reason)
Rooney breaks his foot.
O'Shea plays up front.


& just to give it that extra bite, City & Liverpool (as well as Arsenal & Chelsea) all £#%&!ing win.

YCNMIU

Summed up my feelings exactly. Thankfully, this game has knocked all the pre-season optimism out of me, which is quite a relief. I much preferred last season, looking forward to each game with no thought of us winning the title

Gutted for Rooney too, really thought this would be his most productive season in a United shirt. Still might be. Guess it's better for him to get this injury now, then during March/April time, when we may be in the running for major silverware.

I'm worried about both Scholes and Giggs...well I'm worried they're seen as first teamers no matter what.

Firstly, Scholes;

Yes, he is the "ginger prince", yes, he is a "genius" (or was), yes he is a great professional and a local boy, but for them 'great' moments you get off Scholes (which are exaggerated because it is Scholes) does that mean you can accept him not doing much else in the team? Is it worth starting him every game just at the hope of one bit of 'genius'? He should be used as a 31/32 year old player now which he is. He tires easily in games now and his impact on the game as a whole is fading a lot, Fergie shouldn't be scared of using Scholes differently now. He gets away with a lot because he is a great professional and a local lad, there's so many times you think during a game "what the £#%&! is Scholes doing at the moment?" Maybe it's time to start letting go of the past.

Giggs;

Giggs can be good in spells still but like Scholes tires easily now and can have a spell of a few months not doing much yet will get praised and it will be claimed he has had a great season from say a certain period in the season where he created a lot of goals. He still seems to go into "flicky" mood in a lot of games when we're chasing it, i.e, he'll canter about doing shitty flicky passes for no reason, the whole team can be guilt of this now. Again, time to use him differently.


In general my main worry from Sunday is that it was very similar to games the years before last season, like we have gone out there thinking it's already won and the players get complacent.