I hope we won't get to the point of chasing the game.. that would expose Vida badly.. again.

We were great I thought. Playing away from home to a team very in form according to everyone and almost everyone didn't give us a chance at all. But we showed we were classy today. We control things, and we just didn't get the goal and they did. It was an even contest. Based on that performance, they didn't deserve to win and we didn't deserve to lose. But it's based on results, not performance and they got that vital goal so they were the winner tonight. 5 points ahead.. not gonna be easy, but it's only the start of November. A lot will happen between now and May.

Everyone played well for me. Somehow our attackers found the space to work with, and they did well with the space they found. Rooney did very well I thought, along with Valencia the 3 combo in midfield(Ando just ahead of Fletcher and Carrick).

Tbh I'm getting tired seeing post like this after every big game as though we were set on to play negative from the start. Just look at the possession percentage of the game and how we played in the first half especially. We were on top. And having Fletcher-Carrick-Ando we got the balance right, and have proven very successful in the past that combo, in the big games especially. We were very good going forward although we couldn't create lots of goal scoring chances, but in these type of games, that's usually the case for everyone where the game is even. We just didn't get the break and they did unfortunately.

Everyone played well and I thought Evans was great at the back. Without Vida and Rio next to him, although he has Brown who is very good, but still you don't see too many 21 year old putting that kind of performance in the centre of defence against the likes of Drogba and Anelka. Rooney was good too.

Same here. Quite surprised how we started the game and keep that level of performance throughout the game(well, until we turn to 442, which we went a bit shit). The players were passing the ball calmly even though there was players everywhere. Our 3 CMs against their 4cms.. and we were on top of things(okay, maybe we matched them and just edge them a bit). Feel kinda proud actually after seeing everyone even among us didn't give us a chance in the game. It doesn't feel good of course losing another big game, and especially something like that, but I think everyone should take heart from the performance we put out. This give me a bit more confidence in that 433 formation(Fletch-Carrick-Ando combo, and Roon alone upfront supported by Valencia and another one) for the big games and Europe where we will definitely use it.

11 starts, 7 goals in the league. And if you think his performance tonight wasn't good, I suggest you watch the game another hundred times and make note of the game. But even after that I feel you still wouldn't get it..

Rafael, Welbeck, Fabio, Evans(he's a regular already!), Ljajic etc.. and Petrucci and King and the reserve and countless others..

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Added on November 9, 2009, 2:48 amJet Li Evans.. lucky boy!

This post has been edited by Wan: Nov 9 2009, 02:48 AM

Cantona was a striker for us.

Yeah, we bought him in the summer, coming this January. He played his last game for Molde tonight in a cup final and scored two goals. Not sure what he's like. Hope it's not another Manucho or potentially another Tosic situation.

He wanted star players(Benzema, Ribery) but things didn't work out.

What would you have done? It looks like we have unearth another gem in Obertan.. so the wing would sort itself out over time. Plus we have another gem of a winger waiting to come in January.. Ljajic.

Winger/AM.. but he mostly plays outwide for his club/country(not the senior one yet). We can expect goals from him because he has been banging them in for his club. Only 18.

Valencia was up against Ashley Cole who had Ronaldo in his pocket the last few seasons in every single game.

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For some weird reason I'm not too unhappy today.

1)
Fletcher-Carrick
------Ando-----
They were fanfword-ingtastic. Carrick the steady guy in the middle, Fletcher the busy guy doing everything, and Ando doing his bit bringing that something special to the mix. First choice for the big games those three.

2) Our front three works! (not perfect by any means, didn't trouble Cech too much, but it was lively). Rooney was good, and Valencia although still predictable, but was lively. Giggs just did enough.. not his best performance.

3) And the way the whole side pass the ball was superb.

4) Evans, Evra, Brown.. + O'Shea. And we have Vida, Rio, Rafael and Fabio aswell.

5) Obertan.

We were on top throughout the game until we had to chase the game late on and change formation. Although we didn't really test Cech as much as we'd like, but for once aside when we play Arsenal, the front 3 really did make something with the ball.

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Added on November 9, 2009, 9:12 pmI wonder what Evans does in his free time. Watch Bruce Lee movies? He actually did a combo on Drogba. One on the chest, and as they turn and fell, his other leg hit the same spot.. although the 2nd one was probably accidental, but the first one he was lucky to escape.

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Added on November 9, 2009, 9:12 pm

This post has been edited by Wan: Nov 9 2009, 09:12 PM

They got it right with the added time. Only an idiot think otherwise.

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Added on November 10, 2009, 12:04 amIt wasn't a foul in the first place and then they committed a foul on our player right when they scored.

Not much complains from me though.

This post has been edited by Wan: Nov 10 2009, 12:04 AM

"Fletcher, Wan love you!"

We're waiting for Anderson to grow into that role.

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Added on November 11, 2009, 9:23 pmSo you're new.. welcome to world of football madness! They will linked us just under a hundred players over the season. 99% is bullshit. I suggest you to just ignore most of them transfer rumours unless they have direct quotes from the actual agent/the club of the player involved or the player himself saying something is going on, or we release a statement or something that we've bid for said player and so on.

This post has been edited by Wan: Nov 11 2009, 09:23 PM

It was for the best that Pique left. He would be behind the other two, while sharing the place with Evans/Brown. Instead he went back to Barca and became a regular there.

Evans would have gotten his chances regardless sharing them with Pique. He had a great spell with Sunderland in the EPL the season before that and his performances since he came back have been great for someone his age. He will be a regular for us for years to come.

Gary 34, Rio 31, Wes 30, Vida 28, O'Shea 28, Evra 28, Evans 21, twins 19..
Another 3-5 years, we'll need to invest in that area. Thank god for Evans and the twins. Just need another one, but that can wait for a few seasons.

If he stayed with us, he would have been stuck in the reserve and never get a chance to get to where he is right now.

Vida-Evans, Brown, O'Shea.

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Added on November 13, 2009, 7:18 amWell, one way or another we need backups for Vida and Evans after Brown and O'Shea gone next few seasons. That time Vida will be old as well. 3-5 seasons time.

This post has been edited by Wan: Nov 13 2009, 07:18 AM

I see not much wrong with what he said. It's true it's hard to build form if you're in and out of the side. And it's not like he's criticising SAF. He just commented on how SAF deal with things. He can be very nice when everything is great, but he can also be ruthless if it's not going the way he wants it to, which we've already known.

There's still plenty of months to make it work in regards to Nani's chances. But if he doesn't take it, soon Obertan will. And then there's Ljajic in January.. this guy will be a serious goal threat.