Champions League

I think Ferguson will make this our priority this season.
You just know the 'Liverpool - Arsenal - Liverpool' 3 finals on the spin has really pissed him off.
I still don't fancy us in it at all to be honest. Apart from Roma at Old Trafford & the 2nd half against Milan at Old Trafford, last seasons campaign was yet more 'cagey football' & an appalling record on the road.

Do you realise if we don't win it this coming season the next chance we'll get will be the 2008/09 season - a DECADE on from the 99 win!
TEN £#%&!ing years!
Incredible.
It doesn't seem that long ago. Frightening really.
Our record in the competition post 99 is very poor when you consider how many chances we've had. We should have won it in 2002 & we could well have won it last year if we hadn't defended like amateur simpletons in the San Siro.

If we go for goals in Europe this year I think we've got half a shout....if it's more of the same (ie; 2003 onwards) then it'll be yet another bottle job.

We haven't got a chance sorry, not with this tactically inept old dog in charge,

[/sarcasm]

Originally Posted by legendary saf

We haven't got a chance sorry, not with this tactically inept old dog in charge,

[/sarcasm]

I wasn't having a go at Ferguson, just thinking about the up-coming season & I believe that it will be the 'priority' ..certainly in Ferguson's mind.

We have got a (relatively) shocking record in the competition. I think it's a mental thing as much as anything else. We always seem to let ourselves down when it really counts.

When Wayne drilled that last minute winner past Dida at Old Trafford last season I thought, "here we go. This is the turning point in our recent European slump. We'll go to the San Siro & fight like £#%&!ing lions & get the draw we need to get through to the Final"
In reality of course we got battered in the away leg - yes Milan were very good, but we made it easy for them. Even taking into account our injury situstion there was no excuse for the way we defended in that game.

There's just something about that competition....we always seem to be gripped by nerves & caution when the stakes are at their highest.


It would of course be wonderfully fitting if we did win it next year with it being the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash.

We have a squad to try different formations to suit the games i think now.Hargreaves will be a key player i think in europe protecting the back 4 a lot better than carrick does and we wont be sticking rooney out wide hopefully with nani and anderson coming in.

Originally Posted by Sloppyplop

We have a squad to try different formations to suit the games i think now.Hargreaves will be a key player i think in europe protecting the back 4 a lot better than carrick does and we wont be sticking rooney out wide hopefully with nani and anderson coming in.

Excellent points. Good shout about Hargreaves.

With any luck Ferguson will be as good as his word & stop wasting Rooney out wide.
The potential attacking options we will have are very impressive - especially if we get Tevez.

it was the lack of cover in defensive positions that really caught us out last season, the game away to milan in particular, in hindsight it was just as well because the final against the mickies would have been a blood bath and if they had won it life wouldn't be bearable.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

I wasn't having a go at Ferguson, just thinking about the up-coming season & I believe that it will be the 'priority' ..certainly in Ferguson's mind.

We have got a (relatively) shocking record in the competition. I think it's a mental thing as much as anything else. We always seem to let ourselves down when it really counts.

When Wayne drilled that last minute winner past Dida at Old Trafford last season I thought, "here we go. This is the turning point in our recent European slump. We'll go to the San Siro & fight like £#%&!ing lions & get the draw we need to get through to the Final"
In reality of course we got battered in the away leg - yes Milan were very good, but we made it easy for them. Even taking into account our injury situstion there was no excuse for the way we defended in that game.

There's just something about that competition....we always seem to be gripped by nerves & caution when the stakes are at their highest.


It would of course be wonderfully fitting if we did win it next year with it being the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash.

Wasn't having a go at you specifically either.

In the people today, Giggs said United are making it there priority because of the 50th anniversary of Munich

And in the NOTW

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/stor...t/sport3.shtml

Giggsy is £#%&!ing top man.
I've always said he has consistently been our most effective player in the Champions League down the years.

Wheres the final this season?

perhaps we should have done better in the champions league over the last ten years but i think it's not appreciated just how exhausting a league the prem is: high energy, no break, a ridiculous number of games, authorities that do nothing to help teams playing in europe. look at how english clubs have performed in europe over the years since it switched to a league format. only clubs who are not challenging for the title are really able to challenge in the cl (liverpool, arsenal). united's treble was an absolutely stunning achievement - and we were exhausted by the final and lucky to win it, if truth be told.

last year we didn't lose to milan because of bad defending (though there was that); we lost because we were exhausted. absolutely shattered. getting the win at goodison was a miracle. in the san siro we had nothing left.

i do think that we have a squad which gives us a chance this year, if we do ok with injuries. a crisis like last year's, at the wrong time, could do for us. with a bit of luck, though, this year we will be able to cope with challenging on three fronts. even so, i'm quite sure there will still be idiots screaming for fergie to play 'our strongest eleven' in every game, and then criticising the man when we're exhausted in the cl semi.

IMO retaining the league is the priority and anything else on top of that is added testament to the quality of our squad and team. I would honestly find a Champions League win hollow if we went into the game without retaining the title. A Champions League win should be part of something bigger whether it be a double, treble or quadruple, anyone can ride their luck and be a cup team if you only want to focus on the one knock out trophy at the expense of what's really important.

Domestic and European Double Winners 2007/08.

Originally Posted by borsuk

perhaps we should have done better in the champions league over the last ten years but i think it's not appreciated just how exhausting a league the prem is: high energy, no break, a ridiculous number of games, authorities that do nothing to help teams playing in europe. look at how english clubs have performed in europe over the years since it switched to a league format. only clubs who are not challenging for the title are really able to challenge in the cl (liverpool, arsenal). united's treble was an absolutely stunning achievement - and we were exhausted by the final and lucky to win it, if truth be told.

last year we didn't lose to milan because of bad defending (though there was that); we lost because we were exhausted. absolutely shattered. getting the win at goodison was a miracle. in the san siro we had nothing left.

i do think that we have a squad which gives us a chance this year, if we do ok with injuries. a crisis like last year's, at the wrong time, could do for us. with a bit of luck, though, this year we will be able to cope with challenging on three fronts. even so, i'm quite sure there will still be idiots screaming for fergie to play 'our strongest eleven' in every game, and then criticising the man when we're exhausted in the cl semi.

No doubt about that.

Originally Posted by Sam the Sanitary Man

Wheres the final this season?

Just had a look. Moscow eh? That'll be good!

Originally Posted by Crumps

IMO retaining the league is the priority and anything else on top of that is added testament to the quality of our squad and team. I would honestly find a Champions League win hollow if we went into the game without retaining the title. A Champions League win should be part of something bigger whether it be a double, treble or quadruple, anyone can ride their luck and be a cup team if you only want to focus on the one knock out trophy at the expense of what's really important.

Domestic and European Double Winners 2007/08.

We won the European Cup in 1968 without retaining the title that year, don't think many found that win particularly hollow

As always, I believe the League should remain a priority. However, I'm desperate for us to win the European Cup again. With it being 40 years since Wembley and 50 since the crash, it'd be fitting for us to get it back this season.

We've got a very good squad this year. If we can continue to improve our away record this coming year in Europe, I think we'll have as good a chance as any.

Originally Posted by The Watcher

We won the European Cup in 1968 without retaining the title that year, don't think many found that win particularly hollow

As always, I believe the League should remain a priority. However, I'm desperate for us to win the European Cup again. With it being 40 years since Wembley and 50 since the crash, it'd be fitting for us to get it back this season.

We've got a very good squad this year. If we can continue to improve our away record this coming year in Europe, I think we'll have as good a chance as any.

Different game now. was wondering who'd be the first to point that out smart arse.

We seem to have a different, more apprehensive mindset when we play in Europe. At times last season we were playing balls-out attacking football in the league on a weekend, and then coming out cagey, 4-5-1 formation in the CL midweek. Seemed like a different team. Only in the Roma game did we come out and play in the same manner.

I think the apprehension filters from the top, i.e. Fergie. Fergie has always seen the CL as the holy grail, a benchmark for his own standing in history. The importance he places on the trophy, and the cagey tactics (i.e 4-5-1 at home against Benfica) make the players nervy. Until we can get back the no fear attitude of '99 we won't win it imo.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

I think Ferguson will make this our priority this season.
You just know the 'Liverpool - Arsenal - Liverpool' 3 finals on the spin has really pissed him off.
I still don't fancy us in it at all to be honest. Apart from Roma at Old Trafford & the 2nd half against Milan at Old Trafford, last seasons campaign was yet more 'cagey football' & an appalling record on the road.

Good to see you've lost none of your pessimism mate.

Originally Posted by borsuk

perhaps we should have done better in the champions league over the last ten years but i think it's not appreciated just how exhausting a league the prem is: high energy, no break, a ridiculous number of games, authorities that do nothing to help teams playing in europe. look at how english clubs have performed in europe over the years since it switched to a league format. only clubs who are not challenging for the title are really able to challenge in the cl (liverpool, arsenal). united's treble was an absolutely stunning achievement - and we were exhausted by the final and lucky to win it, if truth be told.

last year we didn't lose to milan because of bad defending (though there was that); we lost because we were exhausted. absolutely shattered. getting the win at goodison was a miracle. in the san siro we had nothing left.

i do think that we have a squad which gives us a chance this year, if we do ok with injuries. a crisis like last year's, at the wrong time, could do for us. with a bit of luck, though, this year we will be able to cope with challenging on three fronts. even so, i'm quite sure there will still be idiots screaming for fergie to play 'our strongest eleven' in every game, and then criticising the man when we're exhausted in the cl semi.

someone's on point tonight.

spot £#%&!ing ON



again