^hopefully Vidic will play full match tonight. he's rusty, but he's essential to steady our back 4. Smalling, Evans and Jones can learn much from him. they're an exciting prospects, but young defenders always bound to make stupid mistakes here and there. the young twin need a proper game. though i love Evra, he's nowhere his best. not this season, nor last season. Fabio need to challenge Evra for LB position (injury always held him back)..

hopefully Cleverley will be back, Pogba can get a minutes..

still hurt with last result, but life goes on.. stuffed with humble pies, but hopefully that will spurs our players to play better and better..

This post has been edited by dundermifflin: Oct 25 2011, 05:40 PM

its poppy red flower, Remembrance Day in Britain, in November.. its like Hari Pahlawan in Malaysia..

good result, thats what we really good, grinding out the result.

Vidic is a monster of defender. if he's in top form, 1 goal are enough for 3 points.

hopefully Cleverley didnt really injured. our midfield looks more dynamic with him.

i need to watch Chelsea - Arsenal game.. good result for us. 4th position race will be very exciting this season.

anyone notice the live telecast broadcasting pattern this season are bit unusual? they seem want to give a chance to 'lesser' team games to be telecast. 'low -profile' game keep moving earlier /forward for telecast purpose. probably this an affect of huge foreign investors to BPL..

there's no more traditional big 4. but next week former Big 4 (United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea) will be playing at a same time.

i used to watched 3 games BPL back-to-back 3 or 4 years ago. but now, normally United games and rivals are kick off simultaneously. so less football for me. (im not really like to watch replay matches)

funny things last night. remember when one of the ref asst get injured (maybe? dont know whats the problem). United medical doc /team treated him, not the host team.

co -incident? nope, officially we are the same team as the officials

the draw are really good. not Crystal Palace are too weak, but possibly nice route for us.. hopefully can avoid big team in semi if we can navigate quater final.. lets ABU ridicule themselves..

i think he's playing in C.Ronaldo or A.Sanchez usual roles.. various forward position, with more or less footwork skills and ability. SAF love this kind of player. but not exactly what we desperately need.

but he'll be superb addition at OT.

we was a biggest spender in 90s.

but spending without a right man in charge it'll get u nowhere. ask Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Blackburn (they won PL once, but failed to build the success from there). they are big spenders too in 90s, but all relatively failed (or failed to rival our dominance)

Fulham at certain point in 2000s spent big, but failed. Spurs always spent big through 2000s, but they got 4th place at their best.

these teams spent probably spent as much as us at various points. the huge different is, we spent right and enjoyed the fruits. more success, means we can continue to spend big.

Chelsea and City are different level of spenders. i dont want to bad talk about that much, but i dont mind to see my club have as much money as them (with our current setup)

the new Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney.. hopefully he'll not stay there, we need our top player on his best position.. though he played quite well last night, and according to SAF, he's our best player.

overall, very average performance. defenders made few numbers of mistakes but luckily the opponent didnt punish it. DDG made one crucial save. all forwards not played well.

but 3 points are all matters. after THAT game, i think i take any kind of win with both hands. its about steadying the ship and regain confidence. consistency and style will come later..

Rooney as a CM, in 3-men midfielders, i'll say YES..

in our usual 4-4-2 (Rooney pair up front another striker), Rooney is all over the places. he track back, box-to-box, at flanks, and penalty box. so the system are reverting from 4-4-2, to 4-5-1, 4-3-3, or 4-4-1-1. so basically he's the 3rd CM /pseudo /fake CM.

but as a CM, in 2-men midfielders, i'll say NO.. especially against decent opposition. last night, i considered our opponent are minnows. so experimental are allowed and we lack of option last night. only Park or Pogba (or Jones) are the other options.

this, just a temporary solution.. options are limited ATM. SAF got Rooney, or Pogba or Park, or Jones in CM spot.. he clearly stated he want to rest Fletcher. while Carrick and Giggs are injured.

so, its the best for the team..

i think SAF also hinted Park will play this Saturday.. Young is injured, so we can expect makeshift XI, like Liverpool or Everton game. not sure the status of our CMs. only Anderson fully fit.

like millions other young United fans, ive known no other United's manager.. thanks for those 25 years (6 November 1986- 2011)

how was Jones performance as midfielder? (Eng vs Spain)

Capello praised him, not sure whether he talk about his performance or praising him generally.

i read in Soccernet Jones didnt do well..

i think this guy is 'the new Ozil'.. share a lot of same attribute. (but thats my simple assumption. not that i watching Dutch League)

still young, his price will be not too pricey (i guess less than 15 mil pound).. but he still raw, and its a gamble.. one for the future, perhaps more talented than Cleverley.

any precedent case of racist in BPL? i cant remember it well..

i think Terry-Ferdinand case are more stronger. but since he is English, he probably get away with it. but Suarez-Evra case came along, so FA will probably give the same treatment.

good 3 points..

feel sorry for Berba. he quit international just because want to focus on United.

i like Hernandez, but normally his game outside penalty box are very disappointing.. hopefully Berba will get a nod on Tuesday, and Newcastle next week.

i just prefer Hernandez go in as sub.. or tactically start him against slow center back.. much prefer Berbatov or Welbeck to partner Rooney..

but striker always be judge by his goals.. so Hernandez just doing his job, and maximize his contribution with his limited attributions..

Rooney capable to be a very good no9 (main striker). he proved it in 2009/2010. but today, if he play as no9, our creative play will greatly suffer.

IMO his best position are no10 (2ndary striker), man in the hole..

this season, SAF using Rooney more deeper, and occasionally play him as actual CM. largely because we lost CMs due to injury. even if he play as 2ndary striker, he goes deeper because we lack of CM with creativity. options available are Giggs (old, limited games), Cleverley (injured), Anderson (hit and miss)..

buying the top class seem the easiest solution (according to most fans, including me).. putting CM teenagers are way too risky..

tomorrow perhaps we'll see Rooney as CM. i guess SAF will be rest other CMs (Fletcher, Carrick, certainly Giggs) for Newcastle..

Ferdinand is going a phase like Giggs endured when he was 30-32 yo. catalogs of hamstring injuries, most pessimistic thought he's done.. he re -invent his game, became a very influential CM for us, came back stronger..

Ferdinand have a long standing back problems. he lost a yard of pace. he need to adapt his game. maybe he need to model his game after Laurent Blanc.

having said that, Solskjaer and G.Neville also have numbers of serious injuries in their early 30s. came back, but their bodies gave up. but still gave telling contributions in their twilight years, especially in dressing room.

i think we played good enough to win.. at least 3 golden chances wasted (Young, Fabio, Berba).. disappointing result..

but Benfica are very dangerous on break. our defense are shacky, individually, they lost concentrations at a crucial moments..

a game at Basel will be tricky. at least we have our fate on our hands.. i still hope we sneak the top position from Benfica to avoid top dogs (we win, and hope Benfica draw /lose)

Chelsea, us and City are in risk of bowing out early.. not a good start for English clubs.. Arsenal surprisingly qualify without much fuss..

this.

Pogba seem too young and not yet up for it.. Giggs is okay, but he cant play twice in a week.. Anderson and Cleverley are promising, but their injury records are not good..

then, we only left Carrick, Fletcher and Gibson, all are not creative.. (and Rooney, Jones and Park as alternative)..

and this December are really big test for us with injury etc.. still, i hoping for 100% record this December.. the schedule looks 'kind' to us..

Dec 3 FT Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester United Premier League
Dec 7 19:45 GMT FC Basel v Manchester United Champions League
Dec 10 15:00 GMT Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League
Dec 18 12:00 GMT Queens Park Rangers v Manchester United Premier League
Dec 21 20:00 GMT Fulham v Manchester United Premier League
Dec 26 15:00 GMT Manchester United v Wigan Athletic Premier League
Dec 31 12:45 GMT Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers Premier League

This post has been edited by dundermifflin: Dec 5 2011, 01:42 PM

i hope SAF treat Europa as League Cup.. good grooming competition for youngsters.. the likes of Amos, Pogba, Fabio, Rafael, Macheda, Morrison, will get more playing time.. only field the big players when we reach semi..

i agree with Keane's comment. we've got what we deserve.. we are simply not good enough, or not doing anything near our best..