i hope the world and his dog sticking the boot into us...

A couple of weeks ago United were the best team in the universe, the press were using words like 'invincibles' and asking 'who can beat United?'.

After two - that's right, two - games, suddenly Liverpool are 'the team to beat in Europe', 'the best team in Europe over the past five years', 'world class' and Gerrard is 'surely the best player in the world' (I've heard all of these things since Sunday).

People have memories like goldfish. It's a blip, a £#%&!ing big one, but it happens every year. It's just unfortunate that it's come in March. Very dangerous. BUt if there's one person who can sort it out, it's Fergie.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Not right now, but they can shift in the space of a game. Look at us ten days ago.
It shifts ver quickly and we're experienced and talented enough to shift it back our way.

And it's not the only thing that counts. That's an exagerration. It's important, but not the only factor. Talent, points and experience count for far more and we've got more of that than Liverpool.

We will win the league this season. I promise, MJ. Aw, c'mere....

All good points.
In 4 weeks time we could be laughing again.

It's certainly shit or bust from this point on though.
With the outcome either 18-18 or (God forbid) 17-19.

Originally Posted by Zorg

A couple of weeks ago United were the best team in the universe, the press were using words like 'invincibles' and asking 'who can beat United?'.

After two - that's right, two - games, suddenly Liverpool are 'the team to beat in Europe', 'the best team in Europe over the past five years', 'world class' and Gerrard is 'surely the best player in the world' (I've heard all of these things since Sunday).

People have memories like goldfish. It's a blip, a £#%&!ing big one, but it happens every year. It's just unfortunate that it's come in March. Very dangerous. BUt if there's one person who can sort it out, it's Fergie.

Zorg, I love you.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

17-19.

Im not really sure what to do if this happens?

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Zorg, I love you.

Bum you later xx

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

All good points.
In 4 weeks time we could be laughing again.

It's certainly shit or bust from this point on though.
With the outcome either 18-18 or (God forbid) 17-19.

still don't get this obsession

back in the day I always thought winning the league once would be great, and there's no way I could ever imagine United winning it 11 times before Liverpool won it again

just because we are so close that still doesn't make that any more difficult to imagine

if we catch them on 18 or catch them on 25 it really doesn't make any difference to me

and the pathetic playground arguments will all carry on whether we do or whether we don't

the fact is that United have been blessed to have Ferguson just as Liverpool were blessed to have Paisley. Busby and Shankly are also huge figures in each club's history.

the problem United fans seem to be having right now is that maybe, just maybe, Liverpool already have the man in place to pick up the baton when Ferguson eventually has to drop it.

be that as it may, "winning at all costs is not the test of true achievement" and people should stop setting this obsession with 18 + 5 %@#$&!s above the big picture, and above the game itself.

United were the only club for me when we had 7 leagues, and they still are now that we have 17. it's not really about numbers. the 18th will feel no better than the 8th, whenever it arrives. hopefully it will be in May - that's this year btw.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

All good points.
In 4 weeks time we could be laughing again.

It's certainly shit or bust from this point on though.
With the outcome either 18-18 or (God forbid) 17-19.

I just think this is as bad as it's going to get for us. Right here, right now, our fortunes could not be more contrastingly shit to Liverpool's...and we're still in the driving seat. Back to back defeats? When did that last happen to us in the league. Seriously, I can't remember! This is as bad as it'll get. This reminds me somewhat of last season. We had a 5 point lead and got a couple of sticky draws and everyone shit themselves: Look at the fixtues, where will Chelsea drop points. But they did. That's how it works.

And as for us, does anyone think we're going to go for 3, 4 or 6 games without a win? I don't. And I don't think Liverpool will win 9 straight league games (what they'd have if they won all their games).

Our fortunes are so polarised now that it will only take a teeny little swing away from that for us to be right back in ours-to-lose territory again.


The next three games are the biggest and I suspect we'll win them all. If we do that, then we'll be ok. If we do that and Liverpool dare to drop points, then we'll definitely win it.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

When did that last happen to us in the league. Seriously, I can't remember! .

saw / heard it at the weekend 140 something PL games

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

still don't get this obsession

back in the day I always thought winning the league once would be great, and there's no way I could ever imagine United winning it 11 times before Liverpool won it again

just because we are so close that still doesn't make that any more difficult to imagine

if we catch them on 18 or catch them on 25 it really doesn't make any difference to me

and the pathetic playground arguments will all carry on whether we do or whether we don't

the fact is that United have been blessed to have Ferguson just as Liverpool were blessed to have Paisley. Busby and Shankly are also huge figures in each club's history.

the problem United fans seem to be having right now is that maybe, just maybe, Liverpool already have the man in place to pick up the baton when Ferguson eventually has to drop it.

be that as it may, "winning at all costs is not the test of true achievement" and people should stop setting this obsession with 18 + 5 %@#$&!s above the big picture, and above the game itself.

United were the only club for me when we had 7 leagues, and they still are now that we have 17. it's not really about numbers. the 18th will feel no better than the 8th, whenever it arrives. hopefully it will be in May - that's this year btw.

I agree. It's an aside. Nothing should or can trump winning the league. Certainly not a statistic. It's a bonus, but c'mon, we call them obssessed with us...

Originally Posted by thatsfuctit

saw / heard it at the weekend 140 something PL games

Yeah, I heard that. 147, I think. So, when was the last time then? What's that, 5 years ago? Quite a record.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Our fortunes are so polarised now that it will only take a teeny little swing away from that for us to be right back in ours-to-lose territory again.

I personally feel all this pro-vermin hype from the press and media will prove counter productive.

They've gone so far with it that we now appear to be the underdogs, and they are unstoppable. I'm quite happy for the press to continue with that because they are piling more and more weight of expectation on to them.

If there is one thing we've seen from Liverpool this season, it's that they only perform once they are behind - in games and in general. Even in previous seasons as with this one, by far their best form comes when they are effectively out of the title race and the pressure is off.

And what happens when it's the opposite way around, when they are out in front? They've drawn a lot of games after leading them, and they were obviously uncomfortable with the reasonable points lead they had earlier in the season.

They are far better as the hunters as opposed to the hunted - and at some stage if you want to win Championships you will have someone breathing down your neck.

I'm confident we've got the manager, players and experience to handle this better than anyone else. There's still quarter of a season to go and as long as we get our collective arses into gear and clear our heads, then we should be more than capable of seeing it through successfully.