I'm slightly concerned Fergie and the players...

may have Tuesday on their mind whilst playing Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Fergie, because he probably won't risk Ferdinand and may be tempted to tinker with the forward line...bringing in Solskjaer with Smith and maybe dropping Rooney and Giggs to the bench...and possibly Ronaldo on the bench too.

The players, similarly to how they played against Portsmouth prior to the Roma game, may be tempted to take their foot off the gas.

I'm not trying to wallow in doom but taking a realistic view of how the management and players may approach the oncoming fixtures.

Underestimating Middlesbrough, especially with them having some kind of score to settle after the FA Cup game and their perceived gamesmanship by Ronaldo, may make for a tricky fixture.

Oh FFS

Originally Posted by Barca '91

Oh FFS

Beat me to it.

Is that it. Is that your best reply?

Originally Posted by Barca '91

Oh FFS

Yup. I can rephrase mouters post in one short sentence.

I'm addicted to gloom.

Trust me, that's not gloom.

Originally Posted by muotmc

Is that it. Is that your best reply?

Why would you need a better reply toa post which is basically saying that you think Fergie has made a coscious decision to throw the title away.

Originally Posted by muotmc

Trust me, that's not gloom.

At best it's gloom, at worst it's idiotic nonsense, Fergie has made it clear Rio is playing Satdee and there's no way he'll drop Rooney or Ronnie. As Isaid you've somehow come to the ridiculous conclusion that Fergie has decided to throw the title away. On what do you base this?

I take it from your that, Bedders, you feel should he do any of the above tinkering he is throwing the title. That sounds slightly doomish.

Originally Posted by muotmc

I take it from your that, Bedders, you feel should he do any of the above tinkering he is throwing the title. That sounds slightly doomish.

If he drops as you suggest he will, Rio, Rooney, Smith, Giggs and Ronaldo for Satdee, yes I'd suggest he's throwing away the title. Good news is the suggestion is nonsense.

I haven't said he would be throwing the title...that's your interpretation.

Surely you've come to realise how Fergie likes to £#%&! about with team selection prior to important Champions League fixtures.

Originally Posted by muotmc

I haven't said he would be throwing the title...that's your interpretation.

Surely you've come to realise how Fergie likes to £#%&! about with team selection prior to important Champions League fixtures.

hes never done it b4 has he

Originally Posted by muotmc

I haven't said he would be throwing the title...that's your interpretation.

Surely you've come to realise how Fergie likes to £#%&! about with team selection prior to important Champions League fixtures.

He picked his full first choice team prior to Roma away.

Can't argue with that Bedders. Let's hope he does the same and puts in Ferdinand (who apparently could've been fit for the Sheffield match) because the makeshift defence against Sheffield United will probably struggle on Saturday.

Originally Posted by muotmc

Can't argue with that Bedders. Let's hope he does the same and puts in Ferdinand (who apparently could've been fit for the Sheffield match) because the makeshift defence against Sheffield United will probably struggle on Saturday.

I think you'll find that he's to a great extent learnt his lesson and it'll be only really the older players who may get a rest during the rest of the season. I don't expect to see Ronnie, Rooney, Carrick and possibly Smith out of the starting lineup again this season.

I can't imagine even Fergie wouldn't be putting his strongest side out against Boro. He was obsessed with Europe before, but that was when we were winning the league consistently, I'd imagine his priority is domestic at the moment.

We tend to suffer after Europe rather than before.

You mentioned Portsmouth being before the Roma home game. That defeat was more a result of being after the defeat in Rome.

I really can't see him resting R or R for the rest of the season aside from taking them off early. They don't need a rest. They're playing well and young enough to keep going.

He can't tinker too much anyway because the squad is so thin. I can only really see him resting Giggs.
I think the games are going to get nervy from now on and Boro may frustrate us, but we should still beat them. We've had plenty of time to prepare since we cruised past Sheff U.

Also, the squad players who have come in this year haven't let us down. I think it's less about team selection and personnel now than it is about attitude and tiredness.

Tiredness lost us the game at Portsmouth.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Tiredness lost us the game at Portsmouth.

Tiredness based on playing with 10 men for 60 minutes.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Tiredness based on playing with 10 men for 60 minutes.

Indeed.

There was a ten minute spell in the 2nd half where we looked like pinning them back for the duration, ala Blackburn. But we just didn't have the legs to do it.

Also, Portsmouth kept two strikers on the pitch and kept asking questions of us which meant we could never fully dominate the half. Credit to them. Not many others would have.

We must always remember how we got here too:

We've blown everyone away!

If we play anywhere near our best football for the remainder of the season then we will have too much for Midd, Everton, City and West Ham and that will win us the title.

Probably Chelsea and Milan too.

I understand people's concerns because it's a nervy time, football can always surprise you and we still have that self destruct button, but it's up to us!

Fearing the opposition is ok, but I try to have faith that we will do our thing and it'll be too much for anyone in our way.

COME ON!!!!!!