General mutterings and observations from Saturday night.

Originally Posted by Sgt Howie

we have to give it a go, yes.... but not give it priority.

It's not worth sacrificing points in league games prior to and after European games.... if the net result is that city end up pipping us to the title, and we are just subjected to another Barcelona exhibition match in another final

Awful to say, but hard to disagree.

However, SAF will remain obsessed with the CL, believing he needs at least one more win to secure his "place in history" - the constant braying of the ABU media that his "lack of success" in Europe "proves" he is an "over rated" manager hardly helps in this context, of course

I keep hearing people on phone ins going on about having to change how we play because it doesn't work in Europe £#%&!ing infuriating how thick people are. 3 finals in 4 years, and our play doesn't work in Europe. Can people not comprehend us being the 2nd best team on the continent and the only team better than us is one of the greatest sides ever seen doesn't mean our style doesn't suit europe?!

To be honest i can see us making the final again next season, why not? There is no one else out there that we can't beat except barca. Add in a couple of wise signings and we could push barca, their not invincible. Our squad in 08 would give them one hell of a game. I'd really like us to sign de rossi from Roma to add some quality in our midfield, maybe a winger like sanchez as i think young maybe a little rigid and predictable (but that may just be the way villa play). If anderson would fill that bloody potential instead of his car collection he could just be the other midfielder we crying out for, can run all day, tough and comfortable on the ball. People are over reacting and the £#%&!ing ABU press aren't helping.

as fergie once said of mourinho's chelsea, this barca side has raised the bar for everyone. now we need to respond.

There is also the chance that Saturday night was our high watermark.

It's a depressing thought, but if Barca were saying goodbye to Puyol, Valdes, Xavi and knew Iniesta was very nearly at his end, and had to sell Messi and seen Villa leave in the last 2-3 years what would we be thinking?

It maybe the misery of being shown up in a CL Final, but there is a sense of downturn in our fortunes and a serious shifting in the landscape of football.

We are losing our most important players at the worst possible moment, given financial position, the competition for players from the billionaires and the dearth of talent actually available.

It's worrying and disconcerting tbh, we need this Youth team to come through and emulate the class of '92, we really do.

Originally Posted by dunk

There is also the chance that Saturday night was our high watermark.

It's a depressing thought, but if Barca were saying goodbye to Puyol, Valdes, Xavi and knew Iniesta was very nearly at his end, and had to sell Messi and seen Villa leave in the last 2-3 years what would we be thinking?

It maybe the misery of being shown up in a CL Final, but there is a sense of downturn in our fortunes and a serious shifting in the landscape of football.

We are losing our most important players at the worst possible moment, given financial position, the competition for players from the billionaires and the dearth of talent actually available.

It's worrying and disconcerting tbh, we need this Youth team to come through and emulate the class of '92, we really do.

Well it's not going to, so are you going to tie your own noose or do you need some help?

Originally Posted by JakeB

Well it's not going to, so are you going to tie your own noose or do you need some help?

I've never worked out how the £#%&! they manage them knots tbh, so I'm going to need some help

A dose of reality or uncertainty is not often well received on here is it

Originally Posted by dunk

I've never worked out how the £#%&! they manage them knots tbh, so I'm going to need some help

A dose of reality or uncertainty is not often well received on here is it

Reality is stretching it, uncertainty perhaps.

Originally Posted by JakeB

Reality is stretching it, uncertainty perhaps.

There is a large dose of reality in there, like it or not.

Originally Posted by dunk

There is a large dose of reality in there, like it or not.

And another dose of reality is..

Yes Scholes (possibly) and Edwin are leaving, but we have one of the brightest prospects in the goalkeeping world coming in, and we're going to be looking at other players, it looks as if money will be spent. We have a couple of very promising midfielders in the youth team. We've just won number 19, and I think if we buy well this summer we will go into next season as defending champions with better squad than this season.

Originally Posted by dunk

I've never worked out how the £#%&! they manage them knots tbh, so I'm going to need some help

A dose of reality or uncertainty is not often well received on here is it

They're a piece of piss really. Tie them right and you have 12½ turns on one side as you look at it and 13 on the other.

Originally Posted by Dueling Banjos

They're a piece of piss really. Tie them right and you have 12½ turns on one side as you look at it and 13 on the other.

Originally Posted by JakeB

And another dose of reality is..

Yes Scholes (possibly) and Edwin are leaving, but we have one of the brightest prospects in the goalkeeping world coming in, and we're going to be looking at other players, it looks as if money will be spent. We have a couple of very promising midfielders in the youth team. We've just won number 19, and I think if we buy well this summer we will go into next season as defending champions with better squad than this season.

Actually, that is just a lot of if's and maybe's. We are bringing in a highly rated goalkeeper who has only been playing 18 months. Remember how good Paul Robinson was, for instance, during his first 18 months. Great signing and the right one, but still a gamble and a big if.

It looks as though money will be spent, but will it? and on who?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ta7iDatNA

Hth.

Originally Posted by dunk

Actually, that is just a lot of if's and maybe's. We are bringing in a highly rated goalkeeper who has only been playing 18 months. Remember how good Paul Robinson was, for instance, during his first 18 months. Great signing and the right one, but still a gamble and a big if.

It looks as though money will be spent, but will it? and on who?

As I said, there's uncertainty, but there are more reasons to be positive than there are to be negative ffs. And I just think talk of 'a sense of a downtown in our fortunes' is a bit £#%&!ing ludicrous.

Winning 19 seems to have sent you on a spiral of doom, you were even giving it doom on the day we £#%&!ing won it thanks to City

I'm with the gaylords on this. Look at Rafael, Fabio, Smalling, Nani, Valencia, Hernandez, Rooney. All young or relatively young players, the spine of a superb team for many years to come (future 'Only God knows' bullshit acknowledged).

Then Pogba, Morrison, Cleverly and Welbeck coming through. I've not seen much of them, but I hear they're all expected to make it.

As far as I can see the main thing missing is a Paul Scholes. Sadly there isn't another one. Modric is a superb player but he's no ginger prince.

I'd still like to see Fabregas at United, not that that will ever happen I know.

Originally Posted by Zorg

I'm with the gaylords on this. Look at Rafael, Fabio, Smalling, Nani, Valencia, Hernandez, Rooney. All young or relatively young players, the spine of a superb team for many years to come (future 'Only God knows' bullshit acknowledged).

Then Pogba, Morrison, Cleverly and Welbeck coming through. I've not seen much of them, but I hear they're all expected to make it.

As far as I can see the main thing missing is a Paul Scholes. Sadly there isn't another one. Modric is a superb player but he's no ginger prince.

I'd still like to see Fabregas at United, not that that will ever happen I know.

Originally Posted by JakeB

As I said, there's uncertainty, but there are more reasons to be positive than there are to be negative ffs. And I just think talk of 'a sense of a downtown in our fortunes' is a bit £#%&!ing ludicrous.

Winning 19 seems to have sent you on a spiral of doom, you were even giving it doom on the day we £#%&!ing won it thanks to City

It really doesn't feel like we won the league to me. The circumstances were a bit shit, the glory day was the game against Chelsea, we confirmed it in the shadow of the FA Cup final thanks to £#%&!ing ridiculous scheduling by the FA as a result of the CL and then the celebrations when we eventually got the trophy were all a bit anti-climatic and over shadowed by the prospect of the CL final, which turned out to be hell on earth, again.

There are many reasons to be positive for next season, I worry about the Youth team, who have been one of the highlights of this season, now have to put up with £#%&!ing reserve football, I just £#%&!ing hope it doesn't stifle them as it has so many in the past, watching the twins, Smalling and Hernandez has been one of the other highlights, as has the progress of Welbeck and to a lesser extent Cleverley, so looking forward to those 2 returning, but beyond that

Originally Posted by dunk

It really doesn't feel like we won the league to me. The circumstances were a bit shit, the glory day was the game against Chelsea, we confirmed it in the shadow of the FA Cup final thanks to £#%&!ing ridiculous scheduling by the FA as a result of the CL and then the celebrations when we eventually got the trophy were all a bit anti-climatic and over shadowed by the prospect of the CL final, which turned out to be hell on earth, again.

There are many reasons to be positive for next season, I worry about the Youth team, who have been one of the highlights of this season, now have to put up with £#%&!ing reserve football, I just £#%&!ing hope it doesn't stifle them as it has so many in the past, watching the twins, Smalling and Hernandez has been one of the other highlights, as has the progress of Welbeck and to a lesser extent Cleverley, so looking forward to those 2 returning, but beyond that

Are you on a wum?

Originally Posted by JakeB

Are you on a wum?

No. It's all felt very odd to me.