Manchester City vs. Manchester United - 30.04.2012

[19-11-08]

Well they are different seasons so i don't get your point. You are joint on points as City but my statement is that strength in depth is just not good enough this season. You have had quite a few injuries but failed to cope with them so that tells me your squad on the whole is not strong enough ability wise and mental wise.

My point is that blowing a big lead in a title race doesn't mean you won't be able to compete next season as I went on to state.
Quite a few is probably an understatement. I think you're being a bit harsh with your definition of failed to cope. Seemingly the only way we would have been deemed to have coped with our many injuries is if we'd won the league competing against a team who've had next to no injuries.
Where exactly does this leave Chelsea in the good enough stakes though? I assume you think they're good enough to compete next year so why would we not be with our superior league form and the fact we've had more injuries.

 

[CJACKO11]

If the squad strength in depth was not good enough we would have been in 4th or 5th place fighting for 4th place. If anything it is our strength in depth that has kept us in the race. Any other team in the league would have suffered hugely and much worse than us.

I just think that mentally something went wrong, a Utd side does not throw away a lead like that unless there is some problems.

 

[CJACKO11]

My point is that blowing a big lead in a title race doesn't mean you won't be able to compete next season as I went on to state.
Quite a few is probably an understatement. I think you're being a bit harsh with your definition of failed to cope. Seemingly the only way we would have been deemed to have coped with our many injuries is if we'd won the league competing against a team who've had next to no injuries.
Where exactly does this leave Chelsea in the good enough stakes though? I assume you think they're good enough to compete next year so why would we not be with our superior league form and the fact we've had more injuries.

I never said you won't be able to compete next season though? The players who have maybe not been great this season for you would have grown an extra year in confidence and experience but you do need 1 or 2 new players too for me. Chelsea need a lot of rebuilding i know that, Di Matteo is getting the best out of what he has and once a few good results come in they now have the belief to beat anyone.

 

[sunilvk7]

I just think that mentally something went wrong, a Utd side does not throw away a lead like that unless there is some problems.

Like 19-11-08 said, we have done it before and came back stronger than ever. It happens. It happened in the past and it will happen in the future to any team, just like how team assembled for half a billion and managed by Jose were close to losing 10 point lead, and how Barca with Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o, Puyol, Xavi lost title to Madrid after leading by good margin.

It is nothing to do with mentality, just failing to defend long ball/aerial threat/Set pieces.

Also if you didn't know this very same team was 8 points behind and went 8 points ahead in no time. Again now they lost 8 point lead. It is trickier league with so many "Could lose points" teams. Also I can't question the mentality of team that coped so well with highest number of injuries in the league and still tied with top spot team.

 

[19-11-08]

I never said you won't be able to compete next season though? The players who have maybe not been great this season for you would have grown an extra year in confidence and experience but you do need 1 or 2 new players too for me. Chelsea need a lot of rebuilding i know that, Di Matteo is getting the best out of what he has and once a few good results come in they now have the belief to beat anyone.

When you said we were nowhere near good enough I assumed that meant we wouldn't be able to compete.
Fair enough if you didn't mean that.

 

[Munroe]

Why should they? defeats happen. What matters is recovering from it, not some apology.

Because the performance was disgraceful and Fergie lied to us, he said we were going there to win but as soon as the starting XI was released it was clear what his intentions were.

 

[CJACKO11]

When you said we were nowhere near good enough I assumed that meant we wouldn't be able to compete.
Fair enough if you didn't mean that.

Oh no lol, i fully expect Fergie to right them wrongs and come back stronger next season even if you do end up winning the title.

 

[19-11-08]

Because the performance was disgraceful and Fergie lied to us, he said we were going there to win but as soon as the starting XI was released it was clear what his intentions were.

I don't think we went out there to defend we just got completely dominated.
We've played 4-5-1 before with park in midfield and put in good attacking performances. I think we played pretty much the same shape when we beat AC Milan 4-0.

 

[Mike.]

Because the performance was disgraceful and Fergie lied to us, he said we were going there to win but as soon as the starting XI was released it was clear what his intentions were.

Oh good grief, get over it. Ferguson does not need to involve the fans in his actions. He says and does what he needs to say get things done, and for the vast majority he has been bang on. He had a game plan that didnt come off. We lost.

 

[Liverpool6792]

I gotta admit, Ferguson could have cost United the title, leaving Valencia out was the big reason City had so much control, Clichy had all the time in the world and ended up having an incredible game, if Valencia was on he wouldn't of dared to make the sort of runs he did.

Glad City won though, hate the majority of arrogant glory supporters who know very little about football and just think United are unbeatable and every trophy sucks if United don't win it lol.

LETS HOPE IT GOES DOWN TO THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON!!!

 

[Joel`]

I gotta admit, Ferguson could have cost United the title, leaving Valencia out was the big reason City had so much control, Clichy had all the time in the world and ended up having an incredible game, if Valencia was on he wouldn't of dared to make the sort of runs he did.

Glad City won though, hate the majority of arrogant glory supporters who know very little about football and just think United are unbeatable and every trophy sucks if United don't win it lol.

LETS HOPE IT GOES DOWN TO THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON!!!

Ironic.

City controlled the game because Park was poor and didn't have the fitness/unable to track Toure properly, letting him dominate and thus control the game. Plus Giggs and Scholes' lack of energy was telling. While Nani didn't justify his inclusion, Valencia wouldn't have prevented us being controlled.

 

[Liverpool6792]

Ironic.

City controlled the game because Park was poor and didn't have the fitness/unable to track Toure properly, letting him dominate and thus control the game. Plus Giggs and Scholes' lack of energy was telling. While Nani didn't justify his inclusion, Valencia wouldn't have prevented us being controlled.

Did i once say he was the sole reason? no so don't try and twist what i said.
No United player actually had a good game but what i'm saying is that leaving your best player out, who tracks back, gets forward and to be fair has been absolutely amazing this season, with his inclusion it would of stopped alot of the play down the left.

You can say no one tracked Toure properly but lets face it, tracking a player as good as he is is very hard, very few players could actually do that well.

If i wanted to go into more detail i could give you an explanation of everyone i believe shouldn't have played., for example..
Smalling, hasn't played much football recently, his poor marking led to the winning goal and imo he isn't actually good enough to play for United at all, Jones is 10x better at CB.

Would you like me to continue? Baring in mind that this is my opinion.......

 

[Joel`]

Did i once say he was the sole reason? no so don't try and twist what i said.
No United player actually had a good game but what i'm saying is that leaving your best player out, who tracks back, gets forward and to be fair has been absolutely amazing this season, with his inclusion it would of stopped alot of the play down the left.

You said THE big reason. Implying it was the sole major contributor.

If i wanted to go into more detail i could give you an explanation of everyone i believe shouldn't have played., for example..
Smalling, hasn't played much football recently, his poor marking led to the winning goal and imo he isn't actually good enough to play for United at all, Jones is 10x better at CB

You haven't seen Smalling much have you? Jones has been equally error prone.

 

[Mike.]

Rofl, Smalling is the better centre back of the two, and for the most part of the season has shown exactly why he is good enough for United, bearing in mind he is still learning.

 

[Liverpool6792]

You said THE big reason. Implying it was the sole major contributor.


You haven't seen Smalling much have you? Jones has been equally error prone.

[/QUOTE]

Once again, this is my opinion.

Saying a big reason doesn't mean it's the ''sole major contributor'' at all, maybe to you and sure i probably could have used a better word for it, not like it matters much at all......

I have seen Smalling quite a bit actually and i'm really not a fan, though i know United fans really like him. Phil Jones has made mistakes i know that but he's also played in 3 different positions but i believe him to be alot better at CB than Smalling.
Personally i would have played Evans (think he was fit) over him, he's been dodgy this season i know but in the past few games bar the Everton match ofc, he has been praised quite a bit, commentators have been saying he's been doing really well too.

Unsure why my opinion has upset you so much, guessing you're a United fan but even so, i've spoken to United fans about it and they say the same thing or similar.

From now on i promise to re-read everything i type just in case i use a word that can be misconstrued.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Chris Smalling is poor? Are you serious bro?

Chris has been brilliant the two seasons he's been at the club and is still improving. He is prone to making error's but which youngster isn't? Not forgetting he is playing for the biggest club in England and has a lot of pressure upon him, 9 times of 10 he does an excelent job.

 

[Joel`]

Once again, this is my opinion.

Saying a big reason doesn't mean it's the ''sole major contributor'' at all, maybe to you and sure i probably could have used a better word for it, not like it matters much at all......

I have seen Smalling quite a bit actually and i'm really not a fan, though i know United fans really like him. Phil Jones has made mistakes i know that but he's also played in 3 different positions but i believe him to be alot better at CB than Smalling.
Personally i would have played Evans (think he was fit) over him, he's been dodgy this season i know but in the past few games bar the Everton match ofc, he has been praised quite a bit, commentators have been saying he's been doing really well too.

Unsure why my opinion has upset you so much, guessing you're a United fan but even so, i've spoken to United fans about it and they say the same thing or similar.

From now on i promise to re-read everything i type just in case i use a word that can be misconstrued.

Probably because you labelled United supporters as arrogant, glory supporting and clueless about football.

 

[Mike.]

Smalling's positioning has been superior to Jones. Jones has made more mistakes at CB because his positioning isnt up to scratch just yet. Considering positioning is one of the keys to being a good defender, its hard to see how you can make the argument Jones is a better Centre back. Just because he goes bounding forwards on the ball, does not make him a better centre back. He's played 3 positions, thats only one more than Smalling.

 

[Joel`]

Smalling's positioning has been superior to Jones. Jones has made more mistakes at CB because his positioning isnt up to scratch just yet. Considering positioning is one of the keys to being a good defender, its hard to see how you can make the argument Jones is a better Centre back. Just because he goes bounding forwards on the ball, does not make him a better centre back. He's played 3 positions, thats only one more than Smalling.

Don't even like this in his play. Heavy touch, poor ball player and can lack decision making.

 

[Mike.]

Don't even like this in his play. Heavy touch, poor ball player and can lack decision making.

Many United fans love him for this, even though its actually not what we need. Its like watching Luiz at times.