Why Do Mediocre Manchester United Keep Winning?
This season, Manchester United have lost just once in twenty-six Premier League games, eased into the knock-out stages of the Champions League and have now swept past Liverpool, Southampton and Crawley Town into the quarter finals of the FA Cup. I find it hard to believe that this Manchester United squad, the worst I have seen on paper, is capable of competing on all three fronts yet, I would not bet against at least a double for United, come May.
There are several reasons that I feel this United side is the worst of the last decade or so. Firstly, when you look at the team sheet, there is nobody that strikes fear into opponents. Wayne Rooney on his day is a great player, along with Berbatov, but it is increasingly the case that it is not his day. Berbatov scores his goals in spurts, he will have a purple patch for a couple of games and then not score for 5 or 6 games and that is not what a team needs if it is to win the Premier League. Manchester United’s most consistent performer this season has been Nani and he has really cemented a first team place at Old Trafford but he has replaced Cristiano Ronaldo and therefore will have to do a lot more to fill Ronaldo’s boots.
Furthermore, Manchester United’s ageing players are on their last legs. Yes, Giggs is still a very good player but he is not the Giggs of ten years ago and has another couple of seasons at the top level. Also, Paul Scholes is coming to the end of his career and can it really be argued that Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher will ever play at a similar level. Edwin Van Der Sar will retire at the end of the season and with Anders Lindegaard and Tomasz Kuzsczak lined up as replacements, it is hard to see either of those filling the gloves of a legend like Van Der Sar.
The ageing stars are being replaced with mediocre players; Bebe, who has failed to impress in his outings in a red shirt. Gabriel Obertan, who has shown glimpses of talent, for example, his goal away at Bursaspor in the Champions League this season but reminds me of Ryan Babel who produced sparks but never put in consistent performances for Liverpool. Darron Gibson is another player who has shown moments of real class, he has a fierce shot and can pick a pass but he just doesn’t look good enough to hold down a regular starting place in a title winning team.
However, Javier Hernandez, Chris Smalling and Rafael all have bright futures at Old Trafford and have all played consistently well when called upon and the contributions of Hernandez and Rafael especially have been invaluable this season. Hernandez’s 2 goals at Stoke which earned a vital three points for united and the winner away at West Bromwich Albion on new years day was also crucial. Rafael has been a revelation at right-back this in contrast to previous seasons where he had been a bit of a liability.
Never can I remember Manchester United side being so vulnerable away from home, especially early in the season. They let leads slip away at Fulham and at Goodison Park where 2 injury time goals allowed Everton to steal a point. They drew at Villa, a lucky point after being 2 goals down going into the last 15 minutes. They conceded a last gasp goal at Birmingham and failed to break down Spurs, Manchester City and Sunderland. This poor away form also resulted in their only league defeat at Molineux. This away form has been disguised by their near perfect results at Old Trafford where only West Bromwich Albion have taken anything and this includes vital wins over Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur which has given them the upper hand over their rivals. However, Anfield, the Emirates and Stamford Bridge are all yet to host United and if their away form stays at its current standard, they may struggle.
This Manchester United is a side in transition and perhaps this is the start of Sir Alex Ferguson’s fifth great Manchester United side but I am not so sure. The last time Manchester United were in a transitional phase was when they didn’t win the title for 3 seasons in the mid 2000s but at that time, they could look forward to the emergence of Rooney and Ronaldo and they were signing players like Carlos Tevez. Giggs and Scholes were a lot younger and could play 3 games in a week and Rio Ferdinand was coming into his prime with Nemanja Vidic as his partner. Since then, Ronaldo and Tevez have departed, Rooney has had ups and downs, Ferdinand has become a bit injury-prone and Giggs and Scholes are edging towards retirement.
So, taking all this into account, the question has to be asked, why do Manchester United keep winning?
For me, there are four reasons. Firstly, I think that this season, the Premier League has become more open and this has meant that Manchester United’s away form has been compensated enough by their home form. The nightmare start to the season that Wayne Rooney endured was compensated by Berbatov finding his shooting boots when it mattered, such as at home to Liverpool in September. Whereas, in previous seasons they would have been out of the title race by now, their grinding out of results and the charitable points that have been given away by their rivals have allowed them to take control of the Premier League.
Secondly, Sir Alex Ferguson is a fantastic manager and that cannot be questioned. His tactics are usually faultless, he has brought in Giggs and Scholes when it really mattered and he has played his youngsters at the right times. He always knows when to use players like Park Ji-Sung and often this comes up trumps for Sir Alex and it is his knowledge and vast experience that means Manchester United use the right tactics at the right times.
Thirdly, in my opinion, Manchester United have been incredibly lucky. Rooney’s overhead kick against City and Berbatov’s against Liverpool both winners against bitter rivals, how often do they go in? very rarely. Also, on new year’s day, West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie missed a penalty against United and they should have had another when Gary Neville blatantly fouled his man in the box. Away at Blackpool, they came from 2-0 down and you have to feel that Blackpool are only team in the league who wouldn’t just shut up shop and see out the second half for victory. Also, they have stolen 3 points at home to Wolves and away to Stoke with late victories.
Finally, Manchester United do not have the best players in the Premier League but they are the best team. They have a team spirit which Chelsea and Manchester City don’t. They have stability, there are no £40 or £50 million signings coming in and taking their starting places. They have a manager with a quarter of a century of experience who has moulded them into a group of players who are capable of grinding victories whilst staring defeat in the face and this, for me, is the answer to why this group of talented but not particularly outstanding or special individuals has become a juggernaut of Premier League football and just keep on winning.
Because they are dead mocked, the luckiest most overrated team on earth, and also have the referee and officials in their pocket, like with the dodgy penalty awarded to them after 30seconds against Liverpool, followed by a dodgy sending off, and they keep getting away with it, and will continue to do so until there is a full and public enquiry into the refereeing of Man Hoof matches.
They are totally reliant on teams rolling over for them, all teams need to do to defeat Man Hoof is tackle hard and attack them and watch them fall to pieces.
good point how do they keep winning, the only reason i can think of, is that they are lucky bastards ( not sour grapes)
Because they pay the officials more than anyone else, simples.
We don’t have the best players,hmmm Van de Sar at 40 is still one of the best keepers in the prem, Nani has the most assists, berbatov is the leading scorer and Rooney is still the best English player out there.
Oh and for you Bill, using the word “simples” what a moron.
Yeah just like city and arsenal rolled over and died, oh did we get a soft penalty oh dear it must be so difficult cos we are the only ones that do and as for Gerrards tackle you clearly demonstrate your lack of knowledge, he was off the grouns with studs up and didn’t make the ball, he gave the ref no choice, personally I would have preferred he stayed on then it would be one less excuse for them.
Our problem this year is that we seem to do just about enough rather than steamrolling teams like we used too and that has bitten us right on the arse at times, Everton, Villa, Wolves etc etc how the hell no one has taken advantage of that is laughable, hey ho on we go.
because their teams are typically sent out to win every game, regardless of the opposition.
Fergie would’ve won the Premiership with Liverpool a few times already, but we’ve long had managers that are happy to just be amongst the challengers rather than aspiring to be the best.
(Also Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez definitely wouldn’t have lasted for so long on the wings for Man U, whereas Ronaldo and Nani wouldn’t have lasted for so long on the wings for Liverpool, with all their flash tricks and ‘inconsistent play’…)
Some of the comments here are from either City fans or worse still scousers, both know very little about football, if we are talking about dodgy penalties what about stevie Gee’s in the ECL final comeback.
As for city they are always bitter, 20,000 empty seats every home game proves Manchester is Red.
The reason United keep n winning is that despite some mediocre performances, they never give up and always believe the equaliser or winner will come,
Simples
http://www.onlyoneunited.co.uk
For years I have said that a public investigation into Manchester united and the FA should be done. Looking at the bungs and bribes that not just helped them win matches but also made sure that other teams lost vital games during the season to help united gain advantage, it has been so obvious for years and everyone knows it to be true without any proof being needed . But the FA and United are so corrupt and goes so deep into the game of BIG officials being involved that it will NEVER be investigated . Just like in Italy the same has been going on for the last 20 years and been brushed under the carpet and ignored . People talk of Chelsea being plastic well the honours that united have gained over the last 20 years are plastic and worthless and have corruption written all over them .
It is remarkably simple….They believe in themselves!
mattbw7 You talk about ONE Gerrard tackle.What about Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, C*ntona ? Players that have stayed on the park for far worse and for their entire careers.While Refs are terrified to give a decision against them.Here’s an example…Mascherano red card – Reason… smiling!!, now you can try and justify it however you like.But where in the rules does smiling earn you a red card, he smiled in disbelief after Torres got kicked about four times in the space of ten yards because the referee gave the free kick the other way.
Can you EVER even imagine that happening at Utd ? With Rooney being probaby the worst ref baiter in the history of the sport.(See World cup sending off, they don’t tolerate his or Beckham’s B.S. globally)
He never gets so much as a sniff of a card for effing, blinding and generally acting like a spoilt brat week in week out.Not ‘smiling’ either, grimacing and foaming at the mouth like a rabid bulldog and swearing at the ref.All fine, every match, no problem.
All tolerated.
Argue…, you can’t.When it gets to the stage when the commentators are questioning decisions.Fergie hides away like a coward sending down his ‘little helper’ to spout a load of crap about not seeing anything.
Lets take the beachball incident….(Ref didn’t know a basic rule)
- Goal allowed.
Spurs put the ball a full 3 or 4 yards over your line.Goal ? Of course not ! Are you not even embarrassed by this ? You think if you had any other manager (one that couldn’t get refs dropped) that you’d get away with ‘Murrdder!’ , and the ‘classy knight’ (lol) doesn’t even have the courtesy to speak to the company that gives his club £50Million per season in a post match interview because like the aforementioned he lacks any respect for the game or it’s officials and puts winning by any means necessary ahead of fair play and the rules (that somehow don’t seem to apply to the Scott.)
All of this and much more just underlines why the rest of the country KNOW (not think) that there has been a bias towards Man U for a very long time now, and that won’t change until Whiskey nose retires.
The sooner the better…
And then to hear your fans moaning about City’s money….
*smiles* …
*gets red carded*
You mean they believe in cheating themselves and there fans ! Once again another deluded fan, even your user name suits your quote ! Blind side ! Blinded by the corruption for so long now that you actually believe it’s all down to good honest believing in themselves !!!! Sad .
We all know that you can get good/ bad refereeing decisions. However what marks out Man Utd is the incredibly high percentage that go in their favour, plus on top of this the truly outrageous decisions that other teams never get. This year the two worst decisions all season both involve Gary Neville. At both Stoke and West Brom he should have been sent off, and admitted it himself. On both occasions Utd were on the rack, but instead of picking up “nil point” they got six points. Try looking at the Premier League table without those SIX outrageous points.
Also by October when Vidic is 30, Utd will have 14 players in their squad over 30. Around seven or eight of those players have the winning mentality, most of those will retire in the next couple of years. Then Utd will be very vulnerable, as they only have half a dozen players in the prime of their careers ie around 25-29. Would you want to rely on the shower they put out against West Ham and Crawley!!!!
You’re a genius – Berbatov scores in spurts. Gee, could that have something to do with the haphazard way he gets dropped after scoring goals – such as when he had to make way for Rooney in a 4-5-1 formation straight after slotting in five goals? What of the last two games, against City and Crawley – see much of Berbatov, did we?
You want to make comparisons with Berbatov, work on his minutes to goals. It’s downright criminal the manner in which he’s constantly had to play second fiddle to Rooney, particularly this year, when he’s clearly been the form striker for United. Against City both Fergie and Rooney were heading for egg-on-their-face treatment for the appalling play of the latter – one incredibly fluky goal that Rooney shanked in off his shin, and suddenly he’s a genius again and Fergie looks prescient in having played him. Rooney should have been on the bench from the word go, and if the rumours about Madrid lining him up for a summer raid are true, I’ll be only too glad to see the back of him. He’s far and away the most over-rated footballer I’ve seen in recent memory, and the money made from the sale would help fund the acquisition of players like Modric that the team desperately need. Strikers United have in abundance – class midfielders they don’t.
13 of 19 goals have come in 4 out of 21 league appearances… that is scoring in spurts, whether he has been dropped after scoring or not..
Good Article, balanced and fair, you Bin dipper. Jokin naturally.I am 19 a United fan. i dont hope to be a football writer. I am like a United fan/ supporter” I will be”.I dont wear shade’s that are well dodgy! lol.
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You say mediocre, is that not read “firing on all cylinders”.Liverpool are hardly a threat? Chelsea, well they are imploding, since the Ray Wilkins miraculous dismissal, and no serious investment, well UNTIL your “Lady Boy”,decided to bail out of the sinking ship.?
And the curly haired mop from , called Sugar, were hired? Saving our season or what?Desperate.No continuity, thats Chelsea.No team, no spirit, just no togetherness.
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The point as you raise, and not thrustingly, in your article, we have a know how, to win the Premiership, that Liverpool last did when?
Also, stability, through keeping core players, like Ryan, Paul, until recently Red Nev.( Still coaching the United youth) be afraid.The best defence in the Premiership, Rafael,Rio, The Rock, Patrice.Behind the probably the best goal keeper in the World, The Big Dutchman.Pepe Reina could not fill his Clogs.
We also as you rightly point out we have , the most decorated manager in the English league, Sir alex, you have, Ermm Dogleash. lol.
Onto the 19th. you know it I know it. lol, “knocked of their fucking perch”
Jealousy is such a bitch.
Glory glory Man United, looking down at you.lol
Redscot – nice comments……not, where you from cos seeing as you support manure there’s no way you’re from that s**thole!
Again another deluded scum united fan Thinking that they knocked Liverpool off there perch . You obviously need to go and study football and then you will realise that it was Liverpool’s own down fall by appointing the one and only souness ! We all know that if the hillsbrough disaster hadn’t happened then dalglish would never have left Liverpool and would have been manager still at Liverpool after all these years , and we would have won a hell of a lot more titles and European cups . We except that Liverpool have under performed for the last 20 odd years but I laugh when I know what mr Alex ferguson once said …. Success is on European cups ! Now im sure we have won considerably more than you lot , so even if you get a 19th title , Liverpool will still be the BIGGEST CLUB and scum united will still be living in our shadow . As for the future , well we all know who is in debt and who isn’t don’t we
and this is why Liverpool are buying big now and will be buying big in the summer whilst scumunited will be signing Giggs and scholes extensions !!! Whoop whoop the future looks good there for you guys now doesn’t it ! Alex ferguson is having an OAP moment now cos united are living off a pension these days !!! Enjoy being slint and enjoy your last days of glory under an OAP and old washed up players .
How does the united song go ? Glory Glory man u are shite yea ! Glory glory man u are shite yea , glory glory man u are shite yea , as Liverpool win number 5 !
“Again another deluded “scum” united fan Thinking that they knocked Liverpool off there perch . You obviously need to go and study football” .
. you are a prat? An idiot that havers gobshite, try harder?
Your still here ? , my best mate is united fan and he says that fergie got it wrong by saying they knocked Liverpool off there perch . Like I said fella Go and learn all about it before you come on here with your shite false comments that don’t have any back bone ! 5 times !
Your still here ? , my best mate is united fan and he says that fergie got it wrong by saying they knocked Liverpool off there perch . Like I said fella Go and learn all about it before you come on here with your shite false comments that don’t have any back bone ! 5 times !oth
. of course if i post, i defend my post.
.
Dont be a Muppet all yer life
As i said nobody bothers about , livershite now, they are history, keep, dreaming.Possibly a “Starfish” back kick to Drogba, to stop us last season?
Or two dispicable, decisions at our ” Main ” challengers then, to loose us the 19th, both the Bridge and the Theatre of dreams.
You know its gonna happen.We are United, you are history.
Good luck liam, you sound balanced and fair. Bonuit. Onto our 19th regardless.
Like i said 19th doesn’t take you above Liverpool ! You donkey ! It’s all to do with European cups won ! Just like Alex ferguson said you measure success on European cups ……… So i ask you this …. How many European cups have Scumunited won ? And how many have Liverpool Won ? …. Come on post the answer to my Question . If you don’t post the answerto the question then you know nothing and my point is proven . Also if you do post the answers then I still win the argument that Liverpool are the best !
We’ll Do What We Want…We’ll Do What We Waaant…We’re Man United And We’ll Do What We Waaant!!
Mike Roberts get over yourself mate! what a bitter man, I feel sorry for you I really do, if you ever want a chat, just get a few things off your chest just let me know.
If we have been paying off officials and the FA for “20 years”, and the whole game is a sham, why do you even watch it?
I’ll say that again in case it hasn’t quite sunk in –
If we have been paying off officials and the FA for “20 years”, and the whole game is a sham, why do you even watch it?
I like boxing, I like combative sports, but i know wrestling is a sham, it’s not real, and all fixed, that’s why I have never been interested in it, so if the Premier League is fixed and corrupted, why do you bother watching it? The Premier League wasn’t around 20 years ago, so that means, if you’ve followed the Premier League for the whole time it’s been going, that means either :
A) You’re a Fool
or
B) You’re full of Rubbish
If it’s all a fix, don’t bother with it, leave it to all us millions of fans that love watching the most competitive league in the world. Cus if you really think it is all a fix, I’m sorry but that’s the way it must have always been, and you’re gonna have to deal with, accept n stop moaning about it.
Another question, how many Champion’s Leagues have United won? yea, 2 obviously, and how many Champ’s Leagues have Liverpool won? 1, yep that’s it, but the fact is I don’t give monkeys about that, I want my team to win trophies, not have just won them in the past. We’re underperforming this season, but we’re still top, in the FA Cup and in the Champ’s League (how many Champ’s League games have Liverpool played this season?..), so when we finally get consistent and playing how we can every game, we’re gonna be the force everyone knows we are.
Liverpool have won 5 European cups, and the Beatles sold loads of records, so what? get over it. Every dog has its day, you cannot move forwards if you’re looking backwards. Hopefully see you in Champ’s League in a few seasons, it’d be nice to thrash you in Europe, pity, it could be a while though…
To Red/Blue Scot
Two words…. Golden Gloves.
Do your homework, there’s a good lad. Van der Sar ??
He’s no Schmeichel, probably not even a Bartez…
Massimo Taibi ? That name ring any bells glory boy ?
Google it.How much ? How many ? How long ? He he he
There used to be a time, lasted about 5 years when YOUR OWN FANS were publicly calling for Taggart to be sacked because he hadn’t won anything.
and FFS You aren’t even old enough to hold any opinion on Kenny Dalglish.
The guy has more class than ‘Mr Fix-it’ ever will, on and off the pitch.
Ask a grown up
Being a Liverpool fan is about much more than just a ‘Bragging Right’ as our massive worldwide fanbase will testify despite 20 YEARS without a league title.
Funny watching Taggart up to his usual lately with his Spurs comment.
Pathetic and embarassing.
I had respect for the United fans that waited years for the title, still do.A fair few mates were amongst those who waited.
I can only now understand what they went through.
But do you really think that football started in 1991 ?
Obviously it did for you.
Another glory supporter waiting to buy a blue shirt as soon as your financial ship sinks.
and it’s sinking… http://soccerlens.com/the-football-debt-league-top-10-most-indebted-clubs/50035/
You don’t win a trophy for that league.
Oh and you can take Liverpool off the list.Our debts are fully paid.
Sinking ship ? Seen any unhappy Liverpool fans lately ?
So on reflection was it worth probably now in excess of £750,000,000 to STILL be the SECOND best club in the North West of England ?
Do the CL and EPL double this year and erm….Nope ! still not quite there.
Really think the league will be so straight forward next year ?
Dream on…
Pmsl, @the fly keeper.Cheers mate.
Mike asked for some backup but honestly, he’s talking rubbish. Liverpool payed the price for not keeping up with the changing landscape of football, both on the pitch and off of it. United put together a very good group of young players, stuck with the same manager and took advantage of revenue streams that Liverpool failed to notice. For the last 20 years they’ve reaped the rewards of hard work, and to try and pass it off as some massive conspiracy is an idiotic insult.
Take your blinkers off and learn to lose gracefully. The signs are there that our club are starting to get their act together (mostly in regards to how the club is run as a whole) and while it could actually take the better part of the next 5-7 years, we could get back to legitimately challenging in the league with accompanying revenue, stadium and youth setup to match.
Yeah, we’ve got a pretty nice looking European trophy cabinet. I’d trade a couple of them for a league win though. Doing it over the course of 38 games shows more than getting through a group stage and then winning a few home & away matches.
That all being said, I really hope United don’t win the league this year. I may respect it but it still sucks
All these Beatles seem to be doing is being bitter and obviously getting extremely angry about football. Anger is a sign of insecurity. Google it. Talk about football, not finances, if you wanna have a dig, at least throw a bit of humour in there, make it worth reading for the neutrals, I can take banter on the chin, for me that’s one of the great things about being a fan.
Just listing off things you think might cause offence, with no wit or intelligence is pointless. Bitterness is not a likeable characteristic.
I’m not here to boast or point score, you dont win a trophy for that. Pointless.
I started watchin the Prem when I was 5, in 1991, so funnily enough football did start for me then. Dalglish was a good manager once, he won the Prem, with Blackburn, that must have been devastating, and he has done an unbelievable job since he came in this season, so Liverpool will improve, the problem is with Spurs and city cracking on, even Chelsea are fighting for a champ’s League place, don’t see Liverpool making it.
Reina’s the best keeper in the Prem. Shame he’s coming to us in the summer, not for me though.
Not sure what that ‘Two Words – Golden Gloves’ comment was about, Van der Sar and Barthez, that’s like comparing Scholes to Lucas, Taibi? and what? Cavalieri?
If you look at the table, I’ll think you’ll find Man City are STILL the SECOND best team in the North West, the league doesn’t work on total all time Beatles records sold.
So off you go Liverpool fan, you used to be our rivals, but now City have overtaken you, just another fixture, in a long title challenging season, stop trying to drag us down and concentrate on your own affairs.
As for asking for Fergie to be sacked, I can only assume that you’re mistaking SAF for Darren Ferguson, easy mistake, I’ll let you off this time, cus of course Fergie’s been consistently the Manager of united for my whole life, literally, born in ’86, how many managers of your club have you asked to be sacked? Probably all of them, don’t blame ya, the legacy that Martin Edwards set up, one of the best run clubs in the world until the Glazers took over, but even still, we might have debt, but we’re still the most valuable club in the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes'_list_of_the_most_valuable_football_clubs) and the revenue increases every quarter, not that im bothered about the money, my point is, only in a well-run club, is it possible to have such a low turnover of managers in as many decades.
Every point you made was useless, inaccurate, or just a lie. Please don’t make these absolute waste comments cus you just spoil the experience of this community for everyone.
I’m a United fan, but I try and do comment objectively on other teams and other articles and writers, to add something, my point of view, which is what this sites all about. So if im having a dig, it’s purely at you and not Liverpool or any other team. I’ve deconstructed your argument like this, purely to act as a disincentive for you to write moronic comments.
Well said. Their defender is good (at home), lil bit leaking away. Their midfield is crap, when they dominated the game? Surely Giggs still have class b’coz class is permanent, but he is old, Nani is cheater. Their forward Berbatov is good (at home), but Rooney is the most overrated footballer alive. Remember when he compared to Messi, and all have a laugh.
Yup mediocre is mediocre and luck wont last forever. Although its not pure luck, luck tailored by 12th man on the field. Just wait for the fall, not so long from now.
Brad you are not a LFC fan so take a hike Bozo ! No Liverpool fan would swap one of our CL trophy’s for a EPL trophy ! And also if you read my previous comments I did say Liverpool fell off there perch because of souness not because of old whisky nose ! You sound more like a manc backing your mates , so do one! All that I have said about corruption. Is true I stand by my words 100% united over the last 20 odd years have fixed major decisions that have helped them on there way to the title , it’s rife at the moment due to the lack of football talent at there club . Unlike Liverpool , united are going to be knocked off there perch as the FA has changed chairman a man city fan ! The refs that have backed the mancs for so long will eventually be changed ! ie Howard Web , looks like Liverpool will be the one knocking united off there perch as we are debt free and buying bug players with a manager with more football talent and tact in his little finger than old whisky nose has in his Body ! It’s happening slowly and painfully for united and before long they will be called ancestor united !
Mike Roberts is either a wind up merchant or on crack. Nobody could actually spout all that complete and utter garbage and believe even a shred of it surely? Does idiocy of this scale really exist in the world? Whats next Mike, we keep winning because we are genetically engineered aliens? You sad pillock.
I have to say I’ve enjoyed smiling at the utter lunacy of Mike Roberts. Judging success based on winning the European cup 4 times and 1 CL. Please remember that during this 70′s and 80′s spell of Euro success it was almost a given that the English team would win it. Forest (twice) and Villa anyone ? Also read recently that it wasn’t even Liverpool FC who won the league first at Anfield ! That was your neighbours. The words clutching and straws spring to mind
On the refereeing issue. Rafa brought it to everyone’s attention. What happened? The media decided to brand it a rant and started making comparison’s to Kevin Keegan and called it all mind games. They did this deliberately so the content of the ‘rant’ wouldn’t be further discussed. We never heard anything more about the actual content did we or the questions it raised over Ferguson.
The ‘fact’ is if you give decisions against Utd which are costly, Ferguson criticises the referee in public. This results in that referee not being given games which Utd are involved in. Now any referee who has career aspirations wants to be involved in the ‘big games’ which invariably involve Man Utd.
Therefore the result is make a key decision against Utd and your career suffers. If that isn’t corruption I don’t know what is.
The exact same thing applies to the media. Write something bad about Ferguson and you get banned. That isn’t going to endear a writer to their bosses is it?
Corruption is alive and well throughout the world and football in England is no exception.
Another ancestor united fan blinded by corruption , your falling Salford red and no-one is going to catch you ! It’s going to be a massive BUMP when ancestor united come crashing down to earth ! Loving it and watching it with as much joy as a serial ! Love the glaziers hate united !
No matter how much they envy The Mighty the bitters?ABUs can’t help but read everything written about them!! It would be very funny if it wasn’t so pathetic. The simple reason taht a mediocre United sit on top of the pile is because the rest of the league is crap. Refrees don’t need to be paid for liverpool to be shite; chelsea pensioners to stumble; the groomed gayners to go 5+ years with nowt or the over-rated, over-paid clowns of shiteh to be downright laughable. Simples!!!
Everyone know’s that football goes around in circle’s,Liverpool’s time will come and so will the like’s of City Spurs and maybe Villa,it’s really up to the club’s chasing utd at the moment to up a gear and be more consistant.I personally believe that when Fergie goes then it’s good night utd, just like when Dalglish left Liverpool they never replaced him with a top manager and someone who understood the Liverpool way. It will be really hard for a manager to replicate what Ferguson has done and that will be the downfall of utd.
@Redscot you may be 2 years older than the author (Liam), but any sensible reader will see how matured Liam is than you. Sadly but truly…
Some great points raised here. I agree that Ferguson criticises referees, and that has an influence, just as it does when anyone else does.
But the best point has to be, in all the games Chelsea and Liverpool etc have lost this season, how many are down to the officials? People are quick to say United have been mediocre cus all the club deep down everyone knows they like, or have liked at some point, and this is the only way they can justify themselves, being ‘supporters’ of other clubs, talking about United. If United are mediocre, the rest of the league are utter marmite!
As for Ancestor United? I’ve never witnessed Liverpool win the League in my life, they won a Champs League with a mad eccentric manager who spouted off rubbish about Ferguson, and the went to play in Italy!! a League known for it’s open corruption, where the Prime Minister, currently facing jail, Owns AC Milan, and is best friends with Vladimir Putin, who incidently runs the country that got the World Cup ahead of us, and the Qatari Royal family, who recently, against all odds, won the rights to the following World Cup. I don’t think Benitez is bothered about money. He came from Spain, whose history is dominated by Real Madrid, who were owned by, and won most of their trophies during the regin of, General France, the famous Fascist dictator, who was known to intimidate and even kill officials and members of other clubs. Do a bit of research.
But again, if it’s a fix, why watch it? don’t complain if you know it’s a fix and still watch it! if my best mate kept beating me up, I wouldnt be his best mate anymore.
Liverpool, Forest, Villa, yea these teams were good a long time ago, but the reason why I respect Villa and Forest fans, is that they don’t cling onto passed glory, they just deal with their own situation. Forest are one of the most exciting teams in England to watch at the minute, who cares what league their in, or if their in Europe, their fans are having a great time.
I believe United have what it takes to win the treble this season, but Im definitely not saying they will, Im saying they can, cus Im a football fan. But if we don’t win anything this season, I dont care, cus I know one day we will. Dont care what weve won, I dont get to keep the trophies, I just want to be a part, through my support, of them winning stuff.
Ha! meant general Franco obvs
@Mike – Sorry to disappoint you but I am a Liverpool supporter, however much it might damage your fragile ego to realise that not every one of us agrees with your opinion.
Your pretty typical in your support. Do you really think that Liverpool’s decline over the last 20 years was down to Souness? Maybe you’re the one who needs to go and read up about football.
Anyway, I’m done here. You’re obviously a blinkered supporter who can’t bear to think that United may just have done things better than Liverpool. They probably do get more than their fair share of refereeing decisions but I’ll guarantee that other big clubs, Liverpool included, benefit from similar ‘fortune’. It’s all part and parcel of the psychology of football, and if it were Liverpool in that situation I can guarantee that you wouldn’t give a damn about it.
Grow up, learn how to construct a sentence without making our eyes bleed and stop proving that the internet is the home of the idiot.
Mike,united have simply being the best for the last 20 years just as we were in the 80s.i dont knw if u ve been to anfield b4.
@ Jenkins.I dont know why I bother with “Trolls”.As you are the adjudicator on the article, why not just post marks out of ten, for everybodys performance?
And possibly see your “actual” comments on the article.Prat.
I have better things to do!
Oh f f s everyone can’t we just be happy we don’t support a pathetic plastic club like Chelsea. I can actually live with Man U making it 19 least theres some honour and history over there; as Liverpool fans we more than anyone should respect that gracefully…as long as in my heart I know I’ll always love my team and this unique rivalry with the hope and prayer that by the time I’m on my last breath we are ahead!
YNWA….fk Hicks, Gillett, the Sun & the Glaziers
@Brad – exactly the kind of contributor I like to see on this site. Knowledgeable, fair and with something to say worth listening to. Doing Liverpool proud by not making Liverpool fans look like they nothing about football.
Slur Hiccup Fergie is close to breaking point, ie Brian Clough
how long before he is on the pitch chasing the ref like a lune.
yesterdays cups just gather dust. Nothing lasts forever.
manu sh… are on the decline. dont cry, it happens to ALL teams.
City will be the biggest team in Manchester.
BUT LIVERPOOL WILL STUFF YOU ALL.
Isn`t Tilly a bitter and twisted little thing ? All that hatred and nastiness. What a sad existence she must live.
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I'm Liam, I am 18 and doing my A-Levels. Football is my passion and I love to write about it. I am a huge Liverpool fan but i'm not blindly loyal. Feedback is always appreciated.
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