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Worried About Poor United
After watching last night's non-performance against the poorest team in the group I feel compelled to write in to express my dissatisfaction with the way the team is going this season.
In Utd's three home matches in Europe so far this season, not once have they looked convincing in any way against teams they should be beating out of sight without too much trouble. It's worrying when our back-up players last night looked so out of their depth against a team that is no better standard than a lower-mid-table Premier League team at best.
It was obvious at the end of last season that our midfield was a source of concern as far as strength in depth was concerned and that was highlighted again last night. Anderson and Gibson gave away the ball constantly, are not dynamic passers of the ball and are not particularly good at winning possession. Also the amount of times Gibson failed to show for the ball when one of the centre-halves was in possession does not exactly inspire too much confidence in this ability, at least Anderson went looking for possession constantly even if he didn't do much with it after. You would also think that Carrick would have shown what the team was missing when he came on but he was as poor as the other two.
All of the young players showed one thing in common: the odd nice pass or touch aside, none of them imposed themselves on the game or threatened to positively influence the match.
If this wasn't bad enough, Ferguson's comments after the match left me really worried about the long-term future of the team. I realise you don't want to go too hard on your players after a result like that but to state that the team played well and that you have confidence in these players is going too far.
Ferguson's acquisition of players in recent seasons has gotten more and more erratic. I can't think of any players since Vidic and Evra arrived who have really improved the team. Nani and Anderson have been disasters, Berbatov has been a waste of money and how Valencia is worth £15-20 million is a complete mystery.
Utd's squad doesn't look good enough to win any major trophies this season, unless Chelsea have a complete collapse and that doesn't look very likely given they can now sign players in January.
Barry Owens
...Just observing the Man Utd match today and have to highlight the lack of talent in Man Utd's reserve team, particularly Darron Gibson. I know there is that case of being devastated on Ireland duty (where he also failed to perform), but somebody tell me how a player who cannot play a two-yard pass deserves to command a European midfield? And bringing the feeble Michael Carrick shows the attacking intent of our team...for the love of God our midfield needs to be readjusted with Carrick, Gibson, Nani, Valencia show the back door for the best part of £10m if we perform a miracle!!!!!!!!!! God I wish Dennis Irwin was back to sort all the egos out!!!
Conor (how does Robbie Savage continue to get work for the Mirror?!!)
...While I am absolutely certain that there are positives to be taken out of this game I am finding it extremely hard to do right now on account of my blinding rage.
Yes the team was different and yes there was inexperience aplenty however this was Besiktas and at the OT!
Ridiculous that it even came to a point where we needed a late goal to draw the game and even more so that we even failed at that.
This team didn't even have the quality to scrap a win like the full side has been doing most of this season. So if we have learnt anything it is that this side should be reserved exclusively for the Carling cup and that too because we don't care about it.
I hope most of that team are busy cleaning shoes as we speak after having a dose of the good ol' hairdryer.
AKV
Not So Worried About United
Disappointed with last nights result but quite pleased with the display from the youngsters. This unbeaten run had to come to an end at some stage and I prefer it came in this almost meaningless encounter. The match left me with the following thoughts which I thought I'd share:
- Anderson goes from hot to cold and back again. Superb against Chelsea, rubbish tonight. If United are trying to stiffle in midfield he's the man, trying to control/chase the game, he comes up short. Darron Gibson looked the better all-round player last night.
- Welbeck, Kiko and Obertan. Loads of pace, power and technique. These lads have a bright future and should be let at the weaker teams in the league to see how they cope. Exciting watching the interplay last night.
- Michael Owen is so limited it's scary. Unless the team is focused on creating this guy chances he will make no impact. Annonymous against Everton, again last night. Still worth the wages though for that one goal!
- Michael Carrick. Whats left to say. The most frustrating player I've ever watched. Obviously has huge talent but either/neither the brains nor the balls the use it to effect. Good goal at the weekend but can't be relied upon to run the midfield any longer. Has to make way for Anderson, Gibson, Fletcher and hopefully Hargreaves.
- Everytime there's a shot from distance with Ben Foster in goal I s*** myself. United need to go and buy that Russian lad from CSKA.
All in all a good experience for the kids that they'll hopefully take alot from and learn.
Salutations.
Aido (Austria)
Fair Play Doesn't Always Pay
Good morning folks - I dont really expect you to print this email but I do think it is a fair point worth discussing somewhere. You have no doubt had similar emails from my fellow readers on this!
We've seen over the past few months, people like Eduardo and more recently Henry being lambasted in the mailbox and on the forums for their clear lack of fair play or in non-fifa terminology - cheating.
So last night in the AC Milan versus Marseille game there was as blatant a penalty as I've ever seen. The Milan right-back near pulled the jersey clean off the attacker. Now it wasn't just a quick tug, he actually held on to him so as he couldn't get away from him. Respect to the Marseille player as he could so easily have thrown himself to the floor, but he didn't. He tried to stay going and played on in an honest manner in keeping with the 'integrity' of the game.
All this went on with Howard Webb less than eight yards away - surely he saw this? It was a nailed-on penalty and I have no doubts that had he gone to ground it would have been awarded. So once again a team has been let down by the system and so it begs the question; Do you try stay up as long as is physically possible in the hope that the ref spots an infringement or do you go take in a mouthful of grass under the merest of touches? I think after seeing the game last night I'm going with the latter from here on!
Gavin Kerr
Don't Jinx It Bobby...
Please, Bobby Kerr, try to keep your mouth shut about Champions League football. You've made a monumental error for a few reasons.
1. Every time Spurs look to be headed in the right direction, some drooling optimist like you comes along displaying ill-found confidence. At that stage we promptly choke (sometimes on lasagne), bend over and get our bottoms spanked by the bigger boys. This season, for once, let's just shut the hell up and see where we are on the last day of the season. Even then I'll still be looking over my shoulder for us to be docked points because 'Arry has sent a crate of Blue Nun and some Elizabeth Duke jewellery to Phil and Mrs Dowd or something.
2. Winning 9-1 was fantastic, don't get me wrong. It was one of my most memorable days at the Lane, alongside beating Arsenal and seeing Paul Robinson score against Watford. But and hear me out here, we weren't actually that great. Defoe got the rub of the green, with almost every shot finding the target past a less-than-agile Chris Kirkland.
Krancjar pulled the strings in midfield but would have had his pocket picked against stronger, tougher opposition as has been proven before. Then there was the fact that Wigan's defence seemed to give up the ghost at 6-1, as if they were interested to see if we could make double figures. Wigan were woefully, truly abject...as if they'd hotboxed the away dressing room with half an ounce of Hawaiian chronic or something.
3. Boro beat Man City 8-1 not so very long ago. Boro, who are they? Exactly. Gerroff...gimmmesome...
Rob Davies
...Bobby Kerr, Park Lane - reality check needed my friend. I admire your optimism, I really do but hold fire with talk of the Champions League spot. In getting to where we have this season we've only beaten top 10 opposition twice, and both times at home. There's seven games between 28th Nov and 28th Dec - some tough away trips to the likes of Blackburn, Fulham and Everton as well games against Villa and City. That month will tell us how far we've really come, not spanking the likes of Wigan or Hull. The club is in a really healthy state but there is a long, long way to go before we can start talking about the Champions League place being ours for 'years to come'.
And whilst we're at it, let's not put ours and Liverpool's past glories together. We've won the league twice, they've won it 19 times, to go with their five European cups. Different gravy.
I feel that little tingle of excitement about what's happening with us at the moment too but there's been so many false dawns, let's go about our business quietly this time round. And maybe come mid-May we'll be standing in the Bell and Hare car park with a smile on our face this time.
Andrew, Woodford Green
We're Guessing He Supports Liverpool
Can I just point out that Everton are in 14th place in the league currently after finishing 5th last year.
Can we all agree that David Moyes is a terrible manager and that the current Everton players are a disgrace to the shirt?
No? Well guess what my point is.
Mark C, London
Bored Of Inverted Snobbery
Yaaawwwnnnnn...yet another small-time club fan complaining about the lack of atmosphere at The Emirates. I'm sooo disappointed that Paul won't be coming again, maybe he shouldn't have come in the first place and let some loyal Gooner have his seat. Go back to the turgid and semi-pro level of football that is probably played at Torquay (I say probably, never have and never will be a*sed to look) where singing is the only thing you can do to make the afternoon enjoyable cos the football, y'know the thing you're actually paying to see, is so crap.
I regularly pay my £32 to sit behind the goal at The Emirates, right next to the away fans and the atmosphere is always good, plenty of banter and songs. Admittedly the variety of songs at Arsenal isn't as large as Man Utd but its loud enough where I sit.
I also travel away with the Gooners where the support is always loud, this being because away support is always loud, whoever you are. The die-hard fans are the ones that travel and there is more of an 'we're in a minority, together' mentality that forms.
Leon 'bored with small club inverted snobbery', Gooner
Schteve Talksch Schense
Just heard a really interesting interview with Schteve McLaren, he was talking about the differences between England and Holland. He particularly highlighted the 'coaching culture' of the Dutch.
Ex-players are expected to spend a year studying under a coach before qualifying, he mentioned that Kluivert, Cocu and Bergkamp were doing so at the moment.
Young players (9-12) are taught tactics and are expected to review matches and give opinions on the tactics of the game. They are taught what they are supposed to do and how the other team are may react. The aim being to create a footballer who is equipped to be intelligent and make decisions on the pitch to alter the run of play.
It's just a pity that Dutch clubs have to sell their best players now and we are robbed of PSV and Ajax being great. But that is the way now due to CL money it appears most of Europe are now feeder clubs for the likes of Milan (both), Arse, Barca, Real, Utd and a few notable others...
Paul 'lump it to the tallest kid' Rhodes
Applauding Mark From The Mailbox
This is to Mark, Hampshire (PS - this doesn't mean it's okay to be anything other completely supportive during the 90 minutes when supporters can make a difference)...
Bravo, mate. Having been a Coventry supporter (born and bred and watched the mighty Huck/Dublin front two there), and now having a season ticket to watch my local team (1.FC Brno) because I live in Brno (Czech Rep, if you're asking) and it's the only way I can get my football fix...I applaud you.
Last weekend I stood on our God-forsaken, mist-enshrouded concrete terraces to watch Brno, a side which should have been chasing the Czech Premier League title this year, get spanked 0-3 by Ceske Budejovice - a side bottom of the league, who had only scored seven goals in all competitions so far this season. The main reason we were touted for a title push was because last year we had Marek Heinz (who left when he realised how embarrassingly better he was than anyone else in the league!), and Marek Strestik (look out for him - he got tempted by the bright lights and big money of Sparta Prague). All we have left is Tomas Polach (injury-prone midfield legend) and Michal Rabusic (Czech U21 pretender). So, we're supposed to compete with our regular motley crew of slightly rubbish youth-teamers and over-the-hill prima-donnas (Pacanda!), who reckon that the Czech Republic's second-biggest city has their second-best football team. And we've had a sh*t year, Ceske Budejovice being the absolute nadir.
However, at the end of that particular game, well God help me if the Ultras, the less-hardcore-Ultras (those with hair!) and the rest weren't still flying the flags, scarves and banners in support of their team. And, due to the usual lack of away fans (Sparta, Slavia, us and Banik Ostrava are the only ones who usually have travelling fans - ice-hockey country!) we had to spend the whole game insulting and bantering with our own fans in the other stands. In a very, very long-winded way (and on pain of repeating Mark's point!); isn't this what football is all about? Remember, there are countless other teams who are smaller, but, in the grand scheme of things, just as important as yours, and whose fans love them just as much as you love your team. That's what football is, and that, basically, is why people love it.
David (Coventry City and 1.FC Brno), Czech Republic
Here's To Ridiculous, Ill-Considered, Subjective Opinions
Yeah Mark, you sound like a level-headed bloke and all and it is all very well having an 'objective viewpoint' of football but really, ask yourself, why should we? Football is all about irrational opinions, blind tribal loyalties - because it doesn't matter.
We're not after objective truths here. This is not finding a cure for cancer, it is not about finding a peaceful solution in the Middle East, it is not about preventing environmental catastrophe - you know, things that actually matter. Even if it could be conclusively proved that the United team of 1999 was better than the Arsenal team of 2004, it would ultimately be meaningless? I would certainly not admit to it anyway.
It is nothing like Shazza and Dazzer. Arsenal won't physically hurt me because of my blind loyalty, or make my life hell (unless Wenger plays Eboue ahead of Rosicky). True, I may never appreciate the more beautiful side of football because I cannot look at it objectively. But a team comprising Cruyff, Beckenbaur, Zidane and van Basten in their pomp would not give me a tenth of the joy that I get out of coming in on a Monday morning having extended our ten-year unbeaten record against that lot down the road.
Jaimie (sadly more Steve Claridge than Gabrielle Marcotti) Kaffash, north London
