The Manchester United 2011/2012 Thread - Page 9

pivotalgubbins · 07-12-2011, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by barthez

So I guess United and City will be joint favourites for the Europa Cup. Anyone know where the final is this time?

Bit optimistic - second favourites would be generous after the last few weeks.

Seriously, I think City might romp it if interested enough.

swanny · 07-12-2011, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICON

Do you really think we will make the Champions league next season? Unless we spend millions on players we will be lucky to get a place.

Are you serious?

mamboboy · 07-12-2011, 22:03

Very likely we'll just be fighting for one cup* this season come next month as well. If this team struggles against Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Basel, then they won't stand a chance in the Manchester Derby 2.

*Not including the Europa League because we'll just get jip for winning it any ways.

MICON · 07-12-2011, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanny

Are you serious?

Chelsea look better than us & with their present momentum & our form, players, injuries, they could well finish above us. City could well be above them. If that is so we will be fighting against Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool to get in.

monkeyman · 07-12-2011, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by platty

And ESPN , 5 also take your pick ........ Anyway for all you lucky fans who have season tickets , the Europa league IS included in the automatic cup scheme .... What joy !

That's not the worst of it. What ****** me off the most was all our league games the following weekend are moved to a Sunday.

pivotalgubbins · 07-12-2011, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICON

Chelsea look better than us & with their present momentum & our form, players, injuries, they could well finish above us. City could well be above them. If that is so we will be fighting against Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool to get in.

Chelsea look appalling - two good results don't make a team and they have as many problems as us, if not more. AVB could possible be a disaster as I think they have to stay committed to him whilst he may not be up to the task.

Guest 7580 · 07-12-2011, 22:07

So how does the Europa league take shape from this stage. Is the league stage over and straight knockout matches?

Can't believe I'm having this conversation.

MICON · 07-12-2011, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by pivotalgubbins

Chelsea look appalling - two good results don't make a team and they have as many problems as us, if not more. AVB could possible be a disaster as I think they have to stay committed to him whilst he may not be up to the task.

I agree two good results don't make a team, but they can & will strengthen in January. If we also do, I have hope, if we don't I fear for our season on all fronts.

HenryKrinkle · 07-12-2011, 22:11

I was well **** off at the final whistle but couldn't care less now...amazing what a mince pie and a Bailey's does for you!

...we have problems all over the pitch to be fair...Ferdinand is well past his sell by date and Smalling appears to be going backwards. The midfield is nowhere near the quality it should be for a top United side, that's an URGENT problem to sort out if we're to seriously compete domestically this season. Striker wise...Rooney is fine (...although I called him a muppet recently and still think he looks for the pass when he should shoot too often), Berbs just has to go, the guy's morale must be underground by now he's so far down the pecking order! Hernandez will become a legend I'm sure and Owen... ...well, I like him but I'd rather have a prolific striker in the squad! As for the keeper...hmmmm, I have to say I'm not a fan...he's too lightweight, has poor command of his area and makes some bad decisions.

...apart from that though we're fine!

Guest 19514 · 07-12-2011, 22:12

It was the weakest of the cl groups, but didnt ferguson rest players for the first few games?

Guest 1724 · 07-12-2011, 22:13

Shaqiri looked exactly the sort of player we could do with in that attacking midfield tonight.

The damage was done in the earlier games tbh - always dangerous to leave yourself needing to get a result away in the last game.

Young is very worryingly ordinary lately - since he had those few weeks out injured he seems a completely different player.

MICON · 07-12-2011, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by slideymoo

It was the weakest of the cl groups, but didnt ferguson rest players for the first few games?

Yeah! They were still resting on the pitch today.

pivotalgubbins · 07-12-2011, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICON

I agree two good results don't make a team, but they can & will strengthen in January. If we also do, I have hope, if we don't I fear for our season on all fronts.

If we can get the right player (Wesley... look at Inter, not that is a team with troubles) then great but January is an awful time to be in the market with a lot of players involved in the CL already, etc.

Big 6 to 9 months coming up but I wouldn't write our season off yet - especially not in regard to CL qualification.

Dxfatass · 07-12-2011, 22:15

Not worth talking about Europa - Fergie will play the kids for experience, at some point they will be knocked-out and nobody will really notice. Hopefully that experience will help them step-up to fill some of our gaps next season.

Guest 7580 · 07-12-2011, 22:17

I'm actually ok with the keeper. He will become World Class IMO. Some of the saves he has already made this season have been extraordinary.

I think we need a World Class midfielder and Striker and another back up centre half.

HenryKrinkle · 07-12-2011, 22:33

...on the upside, maybe we'll take the FA cup seriously this season and put out full strength teams? I don't think Fergie or the fans could take another hammering from Citeh (...and it was a hammering!).

rustybin · 07-12-2011, 22:38

A good old fashioned Man Utd media blackout. That's cheered me up a little.

Dxfatass · 07-12-2011, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryKrinkle

...on the upside, maybe we'll take the FA cup seriously this season and put out full strength teams? I don't think Fergie or the fans could take another hammering from Citeh (...and it was a hammering!).

Looks like we're without Vidic for some time, so I wouldn't count on being in the FA Cup come the fourth round.

mamboboy · 07-12-2011, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustybin

A good old fashioned Man Utd media blackout. That's cheered me up a little.

Yep, it did make me laugh how there were no post match interviews shown after the game.

The Fergie interview on the highlights show just after were even more hilarious... lasted around 15 seconds and was basically "do you blame the first match against Basel", a point which kept getting brought during the game as well. Every single CL game we played was a poor showing!
And the way I see it, if you don't trounce every game in the qualifiers then you won't stand much of a chance come the knockouts - just look at England in the World Cup. So maybe it's good we went out. Imagine if that team went up against Real, Bayern or Barca!

As for people thinking we'll buy in January. No chance! Actually even less of a chance now we're out of the CL and League Cup (and soon to be FA Cup) as Fergie will say the players will have more chance to keep fit. A loan deal for Kaka would be glorious though - or something similar to what we did with Henrik Larsson just to lift the spirits.

the_daddy · 08-12-2011, 03:21

Is Fergie coasting into retirement now then? He doesn't seem to be able to raise the enthusiasm needed for his squad to compete in these stellar occasions (if you can call struggling against FC Basel a stellar occasion) he's being found out again and again from what I can see. Rooney looking very sluggish recently, has he put on a few pounds? Certainly doesn't seem as svelte as he was at the beginning of this campaign.

Welcome to the Europa league.