fergie on giggs and fletcher

from the fishal site

[SIZE="5"]Surprise pair pays off for Reds
Sir Alex Ferguson surprised more than a few United supporters by selecting Ryan Giggs ahead of Michael Carrick for Sunday's six-pointer against Chelsea.

But by full-time, every fan in the full house at Old Trafford approved of the manager's midfield selection. Giggs was outstanding in the engine room and when he left the field late on to be replaced by Carrick, he received a standing ovation from the faithful.

"Honestly, Ryan was fantastic," praised Sir Alex on MUTV, before revealing, "I kept him particularly for this game, I rested him.

"I told him two weeks ago he and Darren Fletcher would play against Chelsea. I thought this game was made for them, given Ryan's ability to hold the ball and beat a man in midfield with that left foot. Ballack couldn't live with him really.

"It could have been a mistake - it's very easy to make a mistake when you've got a squad of 23 players. Genuine mistakes of course because you want to pick a team that wins and the supporters understand that. But today it worked and I'm glad it did."

Giggs was unjustly denied an assist during the game when Cristiano Ronaldo's header, from his cross, was disallowed by the officials. It followed a clever corner kick when Wayne Rooney quickly put the ball down in the 'd' and then rolled the ball into play for Ryan to collect - unfortunately without it being seen by the linesman.

"We've worked at that," revealed Sir Alex. "When you work at it and it's disallowed because the linesman's not watching.

Wayne clearly put the ball inside the little 'd' and Ryan noticed it, he took the ball in towards goal - why else would he take it in?

"Fortunately we managed to score from the next corner."

Nemanja Vidic's headed goal from that final corner of the first half was a critical moment, according to the United manager.

"I think the goal right on half-time was crucial for us," assessed Sir Alex.

"We had some good chances in the first half and Chelsea had a lot of possession. They're very dangerous and they're very clever players but they didn't make any chances because we defended the 18-yard line very well.

"The first goal was the key moment because opened up the game for us. The midfield had far more space in the second half and we could have scored a few goals. I'm pleased with 3-0 though, it's a big scoreline, very unusual for these tight games."

With Chelsea defeated and Liverpool failing to win at Stoke on Saturday, this weekend could prove to be pivotal in the title race.

"It's a great day for us, and significant because we're chasing Liverpool," Sir Alex added.

"We've got games in hand and today gets us nearer. We've just got to make sure the home record is 100 per cent. If we do that, we'll have a good chance."

It was a hell of a gamble really. I initially thought that carrick must have been carrying an injury, but to leave him out when he has been our best midfielder for 2 years is a big call.

It worked, and I remember that you had stated during the week that you half expected Giggs to play, to give us that drive through midfield that we miss, certainly made Ballack look pedestrian. Not many CM players have that burst, it is one of the things that makes Gerrard so dangerous.

Cause a few problems though, we have lacked stability in midfield all season and it has become more muddled. What is our first choice? You would say Carrick/Scholes, form would say Carrick/Fletcher, all fit I would say Carrick/Hargreaves, but the one constant gets rested in our biggest game of the season.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

It was a hell of a gamble really. I initially thought that carrick must have been carrying an injury, but to leave him out when he has been our best midfielder for 2 years is a big call.

It worked, and I remember that you had stated during the week that you half expected Giggs to play, to give us that drive through midfield that we miss, certainly made Ballack look pedestrian. Not many CM players have that burst, it is one of the things that makes Gerrard so dangerous.

Cause a few problems though, we have lacked stability in midfield all season and it has become more muddled. What is our first choice? You would say Carrick/Scholes, form would say Carrick/Fletcher, all fit I would say Carrick/Hargreaves, but the one constant gets rested in our biggest game of the season.

i really have come to the conclusion - and i suspect fergie has as well - that we'll need to buy a genuinely high quality creative midfielder in the summer. who that could be, i don't know, but giggs gave us something today we'd really missed all season long. although he's obviously nothing like as creative as giggs, i think hargreaves gives us something similar in the way he can carry the ball forward aggressively at pace. i'd love anderson to add that to his game but, for now, i can't see it. one of the reasons rooney - whose reading of the game and tactical awareness is second to none - feels the need to drop back into m/f at times, like today when giggs got tired.

it's strange how fergie seems to know more about his team that 90% of us supporters, isn't it?


i bet the Fred Tissue reporters are fuming.

Originally Posted by wonky no

it's strange how fergie seems to know more about his team that 90% of us supporters, isn't it?


i bet the Fred Tissue reporters are fuming.

Originally Posted by wonky no

it's strange how fergie seems to know more about his team that 90% of us supporters, isn't it?


i bet the Fred Tissue reporters are fuming.

saf is quite frankly chancing it with his current teams.

picking the 2 midfielders to play against chelsea weeks ago is a joke no matter how you look at it.

Originally Posted by hollowman

saf is quite frankly chancing it with his current teams.

picking the 2 midfielders to play against chelsea weeks ago is a joke no matter how you look at it.

proper chancer

Originally Posted by hollowman

saf is quite frankly chancing it with his current teams.

picking the 2 midfielders to play against chelsea weeks ago is a joke no matter how you look at it.

youre not very happy are you Marlo?

strange

Originally Posted by hollowman

saf is quite frankly chancing it with his current teams.

picking the 2 midfielders to play against chelsea weeks ago is a joke no matter how you look at it.

Marlo doubtless there is an element of risk (as there is in any football decision making) but surely his record is testament to the fact that as football managers we make a good accountant and youth worker?

Originally Posted by Stickman

youre not very happy are you Marlo?

strange

i can see problems ahead with our current 'first two into training on tuesday start in midfield next game; method of picking teams.

id rather we had a steady 11 with slight adjustments game to game.

Originally Posted by hollowman

i can see problems ahead with our current 'first two into training on tuesday start in midfield next game; method of picking teams.

id rather we had a steady 11 with slight adjustments game to game.

I think you're gutted youre not getting to bump your what score will it be on sunday thread where you sarcastically imply we'd win the game with consumate ease (which we did).

You even wish Berbie all the best

Enjoy it - weve just beaten Chelsea 3-0 going on 5 playing 4-4-2

I was sure carrick would start with fletch, park and ronnie but the wizard yet again pulled a rabbit from the hat. Best game from Giggs in years.

You've a very old fashioned attitude to football as a squad game btw marlo. Odd considering your a young guy.

Amazing how ineffective Ballack was, he really looks past it and how poor Mikel is coming forward.

The ability to beat a player and move forward at pace is such an asset in midfield as Giggs showed today.

Ronaldo also impressively tracked back and it's difficult to remember a cross from either Chelsea full back. The contrast between Cole and Evra was one of the big differences as was Vidic and Terry.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Amazing how ineffective Ballack was, he really looks past it and how poor Mikel is coming forward.

The ability to beat a player and move forward at pace is such an asset in midfield as Giggs showed today.

Ronaldo also impressively tracked back and it's difficult to remember a cross from either Chelsea full back. The contrast between Cole and Evra was one of the big differences as was Vidic and Terry.

Yep amazingly selfless - bit like Rooney in fact.

Originally Posted by armchair

Yep amazingly selfless - bit like Rooney in fact.

Yep he was great today, he'll find some luck infront of goal soon enough too.

is ronaldo still playing against united top reds?

Originally Posted by hollowman

saf is quite frankly chancing it with his current teams.

picking the 2 midfielders to play against chelsea weeks ago is a joke no matter how you look at it.

Hollow, why are you so bitter towards United these days?

Originally Posted by Rhodzy

Yep he was great today, he'll find some luck infront of goal soon enough too.

He looked back to his old self in the second half today.

He's so much more dangerous cutting in from the left, I wish Fergie would use him there more often.

Originally Posted by Carrick

Hollow, why are you so bitter towards United these days?





.

(far left)


joke btw.

I love my complete ineptitude when it comes to football.

Saw the teamsheet and stated my complete exasperation at a midlfield consisting of one player I would have picked.

I specifically said that we would lose because of it and sat back happy to see anything other than a loss

we won against chelsea


so the clueless #@&%!heads aren't slagging Giggs off