Did you actually watch the game? You're here just to cause trouble. Piss off.

We're around the top of the league, and just won another game. Must piss you off so much huh seeing after Ronaldo gone, we are still flying.

Who said we played so well? Did anybody mentioned we played great football? You see things others don't see.. all hail bebeq.

He can play alone upfront, but the midfield must support him. Our 3 CMs hardly did.. that's the problem with our 451/433. Our movement just wasn't there. After the change to 442, we look far more threatening.

Both wingers were disappointing. But that's more to do with the formation/tactics than anything. They were pretty good after we change to 442. They beat their marker and put in crosses successfully after that..

We know that already he has only one trick. Run past the defender and put crosses in. After we change to 442, he got a lot of joy down the right. Unfortunately his crosses wasn't on target most of the time. He'll get it right one of these days. Same with Nani, who I thought other than good ball control, did nothing just like Valencia on the opposite side before the change.

It's proven. That's why we play majority of our game using that formation. But it doesn't always work, especially in the big games and we need a plan B etc. For the big games, it's suitable. For the sort of game we just played is a no no for me. But this is where SAF can test that tactic to prepare for the big games(or later stages of the CL) ahead I guess. You can only do so much in training, but it's in real matches where the team can gel better..

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Added on September 16, 2009, 5:12 amA.Cole kept Ronaldo7 quiet most times..
Tonight showed, give him one on one against the defender, he would beat them most times(except for the big boys). It's when team double up on him might be a problem and he's forced inside which he's a bit clueless, but the coaching staff will work on that and once he learn a few stuff and gel better with the team, he should be fine. His speed is an asset. We saw how effective Hargreaves was down there in his first season.

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 16 2009, 05:12 AM

It's the same thing as before. 433 against these smaller sides.. we just lack the creativity and the play really look pedestrian. It's not about happy with the testing, because against the big sides suddenly we look a lot better in that formation when we get it right. It's about getting the players to 'know' their way in the 433 even if it didn't quite work out against these smaller sides, but in the big games they would know what to do.

They probably thought Taibi wasn't that good having seen him train every day.. not just about the mistakes he made. Howard had a great first season but after that became shaky, that's why we shipped him off. Carroll was never more than a backup GK, bit like Kuszczak is right now. Barthez did a lot of mistakes.. If we keep shipping people off after bad mistakes we wouldn't have the great players we had in SAF's time. I'm sure they all make mistakes. And you have to remember this is Foster's first run in the side. He had 7 games.. two were bad, the rest he was more than fine. I'm not sure why there's a witch hunt going on for him. If after 30-40 games he plays shit in half of them, maybe people have a point, but let's give him a chance to establish himself in the team first.

VDS made mistakes before. Last season after that superb run ended he had a few dodgy games. And I'm sure throughout his time here he made mistakes in games. You see any GK, they all make mistakes. And Foster before this, only a few games he cost us. He looked shaky in the Charity Shield, but after that he's been really good IMO. I thought aside from his mistakes last night, he look steady throughout the game. That's a good sign. He just need to stop doing those stuff, but if you look at last nights game, we made msitakes all over the park that resulted in them getting chances to score goals and eventually getting a few themselves. Rooney failed backpass lead to a Tevez chance that hit the post, Evra sloppy header lead to Bellamy scoring that superb goal straight at the top corner, and of course we knew about Rio suicide pass that resulted in their third goal, and their first goal which Foster should just kick the ball away. Guess now we know of his weaknesses

And I'm tired of seeing stuff like, oh he's English, he's lucky bla bla. Reminiscent of Fletcher's old days. Oh look, he's Scottih/Fergie's love child lah, blahblah. Right now he's a hero. Rome wasn't built in a day.. and we have lots of players at the club who echoe's that. Start slowly, then become regulars for us. Evra, Vida.. Fletcher, O'Shea etc..

Great game. We were great in that game aside from the moment they scored their first goal until HT. If we didn't let them have those easy goals, it would have been a rout. We made 450 passes compared to City's 275 or so passes in that game. Go check the Guardian's chalkboard thing if you don't believe. Our two CMs made twice as many passes as their three CMs did in that game. Whoever say that City played well don't understand football at all.

We worked our ass off to score our goals, while their goals were given on a plate to them, although Bellamy's strike was top drawer. We scored one, they replied back. I was hoping we wouldn't ffff up after Fletcher scored our third, but we did just that right at the end of normal time. What the ffff was Rio thinking and Foster really need to do better with his positioning there. I thought that's it.. but thank god for Owen to save us. Was jumping like mad at the mamak here in Penang. Fantasting end to an incredibly frustrating but great game.

Giggs is fantastic at 35!, Fletcher is becoming a hero for us, and Ando seems to respond to the criticism well. Rooney is becoming our goal getter and Owen seems to be a supersub for us. Valencia look pretty good too.. plenty of positives. Let's hope we tightened at the back and continue the form going forward.. but we're United, we always do things the hard way. So expect a few bumpy ride of a roller coaster season.

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Added on September 21, 2009, 9:23 pmGot this at redcafe.
Arsenal, Spurs and City

All with 100% records.

3 weeks ago.

Then they had to play Manchester United.

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 21 2009, 09:23 PM

The Curious Case of Ryan Giggs.

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Added on September 21, 2009, 9:37 pmAnyone knows whether Obertan is back in training yet or not? Would be nice if we can see him this thursday morning.

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 21 2009, 09:37 PM

He won't do amazing stuff like Ronaldo did for us back then. But he will provide width and he will attack the LB and cross all game long. He provided that in the City game, although none of them got converted. His cross for Giggsy's shot was very good.

We replaced a lot of great players throughout our history. Maybe the replacement will come a few seasons later, or maybe not like for like or as good or better than 'great players' that left, but they all bring their own qualities that provide us with quality performances in their own way.

Robson, Ince=Keane, Irwin=Evra, Cantona=Teddy/Yorke, Beckham=Ronaldo, Keane=Fletcher/Ando/Carrick, Ruud=Ronaldo(goal scoring wise), Ronaldo=Rooney(goalscoring wise), Stam=Rio/Vida etc.. list goes on.

I'm sure we'll manage somehow after Giggs calls it a day. Nani is pretty unpredictable and able to create things, although not on the scale of Giggsy does, and Ando is a creative monster player as well.. he always like to thread those killer balls. And in Obertan if he does manage to broke his way through to the first team, will be a force down the wings. And who can forget about Berba although he plays in a different area compared to Giggs.

Hehe I'm sure you're joking.. right?
If SAF was that hell bent on being a bit bias in his selection, I'm sure Danny Simpson would have got a fair crack at RB instead of Rafael. But Simpson almost always never got a chance with SAF preferring the other non RB natural players in O'Shea/Wes/Pique before Rafael came into the picture.

Aside from the Chelsea game where he was shaky all game long, Foster have been fine IMO. Probably he could and should save Arshavin's shot, but it was a great shot with nobody closing him down and it's not like VDS haven't done similar mistake throughout his time here. I'm sure there's a few goals he let in he should have done better. Apart from those, Foster have been solid in every game and growing in confidence. Last night was a bad night all round for the defenders and him. Tevez chased everything and that made it hard. His first kick(I think) Tevez got to him first which luckily went out, and the 2nd time Tevez really punished us. Foster probably didn't realise Tevez was that fast/near to do that. Someone need to tell him he has a right foot. He will learn from that. And the third goal Bellamy speed killed him.. Rio didn't help him at all there, he should have boot it hard instead of doing that weak suicide pass, and should have take out Bellamy before he got to the penalty box. The test is how he does in the next game, or right after the mistake he made in games, and IMO he was fine aside from the mistakes in that City game. Probably need to see the game again to judge that, but he didn't look a nervous wreck every time the ball goes near him. Let's see how he does in the next league game, or in the next CC game if SAF picks him.

PIG=Backup. Foster=Potential 1st team GK.
That's the difference. That's why Foster have been getting chances and not PIG and if we really want to know whether Foster have what it takes to replace VDS(after he retire), we would keep him in goal till VDS gets back. If his performance surpass that of VDS, keep him there ahead of VDS, if not, let VDS back in. I'm sure SAF knows then whether he need to tell the owners to get a new GK or he put his trust in Foster to replace VDS when the time comes. 9 games is way too early to judge his career with us. Had had one very dogy game, one where maybe he should have done better with the goal he let it, and one where he made two mistakes(one bad fakap, one bad judgement) that cost us goals. The jury's still out, but aside from those moments in that 3 games, he has been really solid IMO and I have no problems whatsoever if SAF decided he would be our #1 when that time comes.

His kicking is a bit dodgy when he's pressured but after the Chelsea game he seem to found a way around that by playing passes to the defenders instead of booting it every time. Not sure what happened there in that City game cause his right ain't that bad too right? He seem to want to use his left all the time. Hope he works on that.

VDS may claim his place straightaway, but that doesn't mean Foster's time is over. He will still get chances throughout the season in a couple of league games here and there, a few meaningless CL games if we secure qualification early and the Cup games. I'm sure SAF has a clear idea on what he needs to do in that area then whether we need to buy another GK or we would stick with Foster. My take on that is unless we can find another VDS-level GK or better, we should just stick with Foster one season and see how it goes. We just need a solid GK, like VDS. If we can get someone better that would better of course. And since the Chelsea game and minus the City game, Foster showed he can be solid. Buying someone else is no guarantee it will be a success. We found it the hard way after the big Dane left. It's up to Foster to prove people wrong. Hope he does it because that HG thing will play a bigger role in the future I'm sure.

Just looking at them on the pitch tells us that. PIG is an accident waiting to happen while Foster has a bit more confidence in his game. If PIG was potentially a first team GK for us, someone would have snapped him up instead of us first signing him on loan and then on a permanent basis to be a backup for us. Ben signed at the same time and SAF has always said he was a future English #1, while he never said the same with glowing confidence about Kuszczak. It's not about being English and all that because if that was the case Danny Simpson would have gotten a lot more chances at RB instead of Rafael last season.

Sure the GK position is different and we can't afford to make too many mistakes there, but judge Ben after 30 games or so. You make it sound as if Foster fakap every single game for us which isn't the case. He's had 9, two were bad for him, but in the other games he look very assured and solid for us.

If we're talking about mistakes alone, then I'm sorry the likes of Rooney, Evra and Rio should be sold if we are to ever win a consecutive 4th title. Their stupid plays resulted in City getting chances(hit the post on Rooney's mistake, Rio nuff said, and Evra weak header lead to that Bellamy shot to the top corner). Heck, VDS is shit because of his fakap last season after that great run.. he was shaky as feck.. get rid. God knows where Fletcher would end up years ago if we didn't have a patient and someone like SAF looking further ahead/at the bigger picture rather than focusing on the 'now'.

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Added on September 22, 2009, 4:19 pmWe need to judge him over a period of time. If we judge every single player on just their first 10-15 games for us, we wouldn't have many great players here. Ronaldo one trick pony, Fletcher=Fergie's love child, Evra=Shit, Vida=slow etc.. Carrick didn't have many fans in his first few months too. I understand the GK position is a very important area and we can't afford to make too many mistakes there, but if he has 30-40 games, and only those two games he had where he was shit + another one or two, that ain't so bad right?

Fans are too impatient these days. The likes of Evra, Vida, Fletcher, O'Shea showed us enough over the years, but sadly we never learn.. we still judge them on their early performances and not wait till they had a consistent run in the side over a period of time..

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 22 2009, 04:19 PM

Don't think he was ever on the list. Straight after the great dane left, we went for VDS, but sadly he already agreed to join Juventus. Then the board sign Bosnich and don't think SAF was too happy about it. We then broke the world record for a GK by signing Barthez I think a year after that. Very good in his first season, then he became a clown although he was good in his third season..

Kuszczak falls into the same category as Van der Gouw IMO. Dependable backup, but nothing more for me. Foster could turn into someone better, and he has showed that since the Chelsea game although that City game put that back on hold for a while and he need to prove himself back.

Yeah it's up to the players to grab the chances given to them, and I must say Foster have done enough IMO if he didn't fakap in that City game. Up to him now to prove himself again and make sure he doesn't do anymore mistakes in future games.

Richardson showed he was an average winger. Can't beat his man, poor delivery, poor awareness.. that was clear, he was nothing special although could be solid for some other team. Guess SAF stuck with him because we have no other choice down the wings that time. He was also used at LB at times. He had two seasons after his loan spell and he didn't do enough in those. Eagles never really got a run in the side. Only 6 league games compared to Richardson who had 41(starts+subs).

Don't bother with them. Just showed them the possession stats and number of shots on goal should be enough to shut them up if they a brain at all. Some of us too would say the same if Liv/Ars/Che won the same way.. just the way it is being a football fan. We can turn blind on some things while we only see positive stuff from our own team.

Or maybe SAF feels he has two better players than Tevez at his disposal.. one is definitely far better and Berbatov is as good if not better than Tevez. They all got almost the same number of starts for us last season. If Tevez isn't happy with that, fair enough, but it's not because SAF doesn't appreciate him. We have a lot of players are good enough to start for most teams but would only be a squad/backup players for us. SAF doesn't appreciate them as well huh?

He's just in a bad form sort of run where nothing works. What's more Fletcher and Scholes is playing in godly mode right now so he doesn't have too many chances to play. Ando is having a pretty good run of form as well.

He should know better when he open his mouth saying the club and SAF didn't respect him. Who the hell does he think he is.. the best player in the world who can command everyone to kiss his ass all the time? If he didn't open his mouth then maybe not everyone would be that hostile to him, but he chose the wrong club to join. He joined City, one of our hated rivals.. seriously he doesn't have a brain.

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Added on September 22, 2009, 5:12 pmHope we play with the same swagger going forward throughout the season.. minus the mistakes at the back obviously.. we're in for a great season with goals on either end of the pitch!

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Added on September 22, 2009, 5:19 pm



Man, it was mental after the goal went in.. wish I was at the stadium, although being at a mamak full of people ain't bad too.. jumping like a kid then.

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 22 2009, 05:21 PM

I'm not sure if the guy ran to him, but the guy was already caught with people holding him and bringing him off and here comes Bellamy walking up to them and punch the guy.. although not exactly a punch, more like a shove. Bellamy should never have done that, no matter what unless the guy really kick/punch him first.

It's not defending.. it was Bellamy who started the attack. The guy was on the left, middle side of the City half with Bellamy in the middle of the centre circle to start kick off..

Apart from the Chelsea game and the City game, was he shaky? That's your answer..

Yeah he's finally getting his chances, and it's not just a few games here and there, but a consistent run in the side. We also must remember that he missed a year out through injury.. that would make him very rusty and a bit slow. To me he's look very solid minus the Chelsea game. In that City game he made mistakes, but it didn't look like he would drop every ball thrown at him. He just need to stop doing those mistakes. I say if he's shaky in more than a quarter of his games, then we have to look for other GK, but if he's consistently solid and only have a few bad games, then I would say we would have our future #1 in our hands.

Yeah, he's a bit dodgy when the ball is pass back to him and he has a striker running at him full speed.. but since that Chelsea game he's been pretty good by playing passes instead to our defenders most of the time. That Tevez sure is a fecking annoying bugger to play against..

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Added on September 23, 2009, 12:19 am

This post has been edited by Wan: Sep 23 2009, 12:19 AM