It is whiny, So many teams have been in worst positions and come back to get the position they wanted/needed. You guys have never experienced this so you think it is the end of the world. You are playing so awful and all these teams fighting for the top 4 are playing better than you, but are only 7, 5, and 4 points ahead of you.
Of course you guys are favourites, YOU ARE THE FUCKING CHAMPIONS with a ton of experience and a very good PL manager. What have those other 3 teams done recently??? You might not play beautiful football, but you have enough quality to get the job done. You also have the best and deepest squad out of all 4 teams
although the recent defensive injuries is gonna hurt
You United fans are fucking drama queens who feel so sorry for yourselves when we still have 14 games to play and you are only 7 points off 4th. If results go you way you could be only 4 points off 4th with 13 games to play. There is still enough time to get 4th.
I am sure if you ask most neutrals and football journalists they would all consider you favourites for 4th.
Why single out United fans for being whiny when you could say the same for a bunch of fans? Milan for example. It's all relative.
United are not the favorites. At least not anymore. The team isn't playing at a championship level and hasn't for the entire season. All of a sudden it's supposed to change? What evidence points to that? The football being played? No. Oh because they were champions last season. That explains why United are in 7th right now.
7 Points doesn't seem a lot right now because it's only February. The longer the season goes on, the more points are available to drop. That is why you don't see these type of gaps at the beginning of the season. All evidence, which is the quality of football on display and past results, point to the gap widening. When United beat Arsenal, the gap was lowered to 5 points. Your logic said that it's easily doable to turn it around because it's only a 5 point gap. All evidence pointed to Arsenal widening the gap because aside from that result, they were playing better football and their results were better. We're now in February and United are now 15 points away from Arsenal.
United need 3 teams to have a dip in form and United need to play better than they have the whole season in order to get 4th.
I know you laughed at that by why were they not favourites???
Where they favourites against Barca? No
Where they favourites in the final against Munich? No
But they still won it that year.
They were proven winners who had the mental toughness and know how to win the CL. Had they qualified from the group they would have been tough to beat over two legs for anyone, included BM, as they proved in then winning the CL.
I was giving them the respect, as much as it pained me, they deserved as champions.
Why single out United fans for being whiny when you could say the same for a bunch of fans? Milan for example. It's all relative.
United are not the favorites. At least not anymore. The team isn't playing at a championship level and hasn't for the entire season. All of a sudden it's supposed to change? What evidence points to that? The football being played? No. Oh because they were champions last season. That explains why United are in 7th right now.
7 Points doesn't seem a lot right now because it's only February. The longer the season goes on, the more points are available to drop. That is why you don't see these type of gaps at the beginning of the season. All evidence, which is the quality of football on display and past results, point to the gap widening. When United beat Arsenal, the gap was lowered to 5 points. Your logic said that it's easily doable to turn it around because it's only a 5 point gap. All evidence pointed to Arsenal widening the gap because aside from that result, they were playing better football and their results were better. We're now in February and United are now 15 points away from Arsenal.
United need 3 teams to have a dip in form and United need to play better than they have the whole season in order to get 4th.
United don't need to play better, they need to get results. That is a big difference. Arsenal played like shit, but grinded out results last season.
This United team is an experienced team that won the title without playing amazing football last year. You have the experienced needed to help get you results. You might not do it, but i still would have more faith in you guys then the other three teams.
Also as for Milan, they can still get 4th or 5th, but that would require a miracle.
The difference is that Arsenal and Spurs were only separated by 4 points by this time last season. The difference between United and Liverpool is 7 points. Arsenal only beat Spurs by 1 point to get 4th last season.
Another big difference is that United also have Everton and Spurs above them. The equivalent to the Spurs and Arsenal race for 4th last season is this year's United and Spurs as they are only separated by 4 points. Everton are 5 points ahead of United right now.
United have to overcome a bigger gap than Arsenal last season, and have 1 more opponent for the top 4.
I know you laughed at that by why were they not favourites???
Where they favourites against Barca? No
Where they favourites in the final against Munich? No
But they still won it that year.
They were proven winners who had the mental toughness and know how to win the CL. Had they qualified from the group they would have been tough to beat over two legs for anyone, included BM, as they proved in then winning the CL.
I was giving them the respect, as much as it pained me, they deserved as champions.
It simply does not work that way dude. They won the UCL in Munich by pure luck and because Jupp bottled it. The team they had and the manager they had were definitely not considered good enough to be champions.
For eg. Simply because United won against Chelsea last season does not mean that we are favorites to win against them this year.
If we manage to get 4th defintiely Moyes will get another full season but if we dont get 4th you have to wonder which manager will be willing to give up their current job and manage us?
Why are people even bothering with Shanks' logic? He's basically saying we're still favourites for the title because we won last year. If he wants to move the goalposts, that's his prerogative but then it fucks up his CL theories.
Why would you want that for your own team? It's only good to have at least something to do in Europe. If United is going to build from scratch it will do the players good to have mid week games every now and then.
Why would you want that for your own team? It's only good to have at least something to do in Europe. If United is going to build from scratch it will do the players good to have mid week games every now and then.
Why would you want that for your own team? It's only good to have at least something to do in Europe. If United is going to build from scratch it will do the players good to have mid week games every now and then.
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing us play in the Europa League for a season. But other United fans would be of the opinion that Thursday night games in the ass end of Europe would be no good for the team.
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing us play in the Europa League for a season. But other United fans would be of the opinion that Thursday night games in the ass end of Europe would be no good for the team.
All depends on what happens this summer. You need serious squad depth to compete in the EL these days and not have it fuck your league credentials, and if the exodus of shite from United occurs this summer, that will be a big ask, especially with no CL football to draw players.
ended up as a great pass into a goal scoring opportunity that was fluffed.
6 - 0 demolition of Bursaspor. Not surprised, they have Kazim Richards. The only time he isn't lazy is when he's organising orgies at hotels whilst his wife sits at home counting his money.
The difference is that Arsenal and Spurs were only separated by 4 points by this time last season. The difference between United and Liverpool is 7 points. Arsenal only beat Spurs by 1 point to get 4th last season.
Another big difference is that United also have Everton and Spurs above them. The equivalent to the Spurs and Arsenal race for 4th last season is this year's United and Spurs as they are only separated by 4 points. Everton are 5 points ahead of United right now.
United have to overcome a bigger gap than Arsenal last season, and have 1 more opponent for the top 4.
Yeah last year was tough and we just about got it done.
The year before when Arsenal finished 3rd and got the last champions league place available in the table. We were 10 points behind 3rd place Spurs with Chelsea and Newcastle in front of us at the same time in the season in 11/12
Now I didn;t think we would be favourties for 3rd that season, I thought Chelsea would do it and we would finish 4th, but we managed 3rd.
That is why this 75 points table is bullshit. After 24 games we had 40 points, the same as united, and finished 3rd with 70.
we took 30 points from our remaining 14 games, Spurs(they had more than Liverpool at this stage) took 19 and I think newcastle and chelsea both took 22 points.
So it is not over, not by a longshot. yes you need to have some results go your way, but nobody is going to win their remaining 14 or less likely go undefeated. It is still there for you guys.
It simply does not work that way dude. They won the UCL in Munich by pure luck and because Jupp bottled it. The team they had and the manager they had were definitely not considered good enough to be champions.
For eg. Simply because United won against Chelsea last season does not mean that we are favorites to win against them this year.
Did I realistically think they were good enough? Nope, but I knew they were capable of winning it. Just like I considered Barca favourites the year Chelsea won it and BM the favourites this year.
At the end of the day, favourites is just a subjective thing.
Swansea City target Graeme Jones to replace Michael Laudrup as manager
Graeme Jones, the Everton assistant manager set to be offered the chance to take charge of Swansea City once the future of coach Michael Laudrup is resolved
Graeme Jones, the Everton assistant manager, is set to be offered for the fourth time the chance to take charge of Swansea City once the Welsh club work out how to solve their Catch-22 situation regarding the future of coach Michael Laudrup.
The Dane, who guided the club to League Cup success and Europa League qualification last season, is under pressure after a series of disappointing results, the latest a 2-0 defeat at West Ham last Saturday which has left the Welsh side two points above the relegation zone.
Incredibly, Swansea players were given two days off following that setback as Laudrup travelled to Paris for a short break. They are due to return to full training on Tuesday.
Having handed Laudrup a new contract in March last year, Swansea would face an expensive compensation bill to sack the Dane.
But there are growing fears within the Liberty Stadium that Swansea could be relegated if he remains in charge, which would cost the club millions in lost revenue.
The club must decide whether to hope they survive this season and that Laudrup is offered a job elsewhere in the summer or act quickly to fight the threat of relegation.
Huw Jenkins, the chairman, has insisted that the board have not discussed the possibility of dismissing Laudrup, a measure that Swansea have not taken since Brian Flynn was sacked 10 years ago.
There is a £10 million release clause in the contract Laudrup signed with Swansea, but it is understood that the club would be open to offers. Whichever course of action the Welsh club takes, Everton assistant manager Jones is believed to be the man a number of Swansea chiefs see as the potential successor to Laudrup.
Jones, 43, worked at Swansea as assistant to Roberto Martínez and has since followed him to Wigan and Goodison Park. Swansea approached Jones following the departures of Martínez in 2009 and Paulo Sousa in 2010. They talked to him again after Brendan Rodgers left for Liverpool, but eventually appointed Laudrup.
The growing problems facing Swansea under Laudrup are laid bare by the fact that the club have been forced to take drastic measures to try to breakdown dressing-room cliques.
An unofficial rule has been introduced that limits the number of Spanish-speaking players at one table during club gatherings, before training and at lunch, to three.
Swansea have eight players of Spanish nationality in their first-team squad and have two more players on loan from Spanish clubs.
I remember seeing some bit on a football show about the Spanish players at Swansea, and it showed them all having lunch together away from everyone else.
Not sure if it's a constant thing, nor do I think that the piece was presenting it as a negative but I can definitely see why it could cause frictions inside the squad.
What's funny is the excuse that Moyes needs a better squad and more time to get his team playing better.
What about the Japanese national team? Zaccheroni has a limited amount of time like every other national team manager, has a worse squad than United, and still has them playing beautiful football.
Players aren't that stupid and do play under several coaches and different systems for their national teams.
Did I realistically think they were good enough? Nope, but I knew they were capable of winning it. Just like I considered Barca favourites the year Chelsea won it and BM the favourites this year.
At the end of the day, favourites is just a subjective thing.
Being capable of winning it does not mean they are favorites.
If it were up to me and mostly all sane people here ''favorites'' are those who according to them are most likely to win the competition. you just keep changing your definition.
What's funny is the excuse that Moyes needs a better squad and more time to get his team playing better.
What about the Japanese national team? Zaccheroni has a limited amount of time like every other national team manager, has a worse squad than United, and still has them playing beautiful football.
Players aren't that stupid and do play under several coaches and different systems for their national teams.
This is also a squad that won the Premier League last year.
Yes, Ferguson was clearly a fantastic manager and got the best out of players, but the fact is that these guys are dramatically under performing and I refuse to believe it's solely down to managerial tactics.
Time for the players to step up.
As said above, how they won it irrelevant, they were the best team in the league last year and yet now they're struggling with teams like Stoke and West Brom.
ended up as a great pass into a goal scoring opportunity that was fluffed.
6 - 0 demolition of Bursaspor. Not surprised, they have Kazim Richards. The only time he isn't lazy is when he's organising orgies at hotels whilst his wife sits at home counting his money.
I have a Gala fan at work, he was walking around in his Gala shirt yesterday. I work production btw, so people can wear whatever they want. Some dudes come to work in tracksuits smh
He's also very confident about his club. He said their win over Juve wasn't lucky. And he thinks Gala would walk over Ajax if we ever meet in the CL.
This is also a squad that won the Premier League last year.
Yes, Ferguson was clearly a fantastic manager and got the best out of players, but the fact is that these guys are dramatically under performing and I refuse to believe it's solely down to managerial tactics.
Time for the players to step up.
As said above, how they won it irrelevant, they were the best team in the league last year and yet now they're struggling with teams like Stoke and West Brom.
I'm not completely convinced it's the players tbh. They've never showed signs of being unprofessional before this season certainly.
It reminds me of the chatter about AVB and how his instructions were too complex for the players and that they didn't really understand what they were meant to be doing on the pitch. I'm not suggesting Moyes is demanding things that are too complex for them, but I think it's possible his coaching is far too unfocussed for them to be able to play quick attacking football.
I noticed on Saturday that every player was constantly taking so long to play a pass because no one knows where anyone is. I saw so many players looking up and scanning for a team mate. That also reminds me of Spurs under AVB. Sterile possession while the other team sits comfortably in defence. Our players passing it around not sure how they're meant to break it down. The ball ending up on the wing and an easily defended cross coming in. It's all so indecisive and slow, like they're not being coached properly, no unified vision on how they're meant to attack, so they pass it to the wing cus that's easy.
I sometimes wonder if the main reason Moyes was chosen as Fergie's successor is purely because he was capable of grinding out results in a similar manner with Everton with a much lesser squad, and it was just assumed he would get better results with a better team?
You need so much more in your locker to do it how Fergie did it though.
Being capable of winning it does not mean they are favorites.
If it were up to me and mostly all sane people here ''favorites'' are those who according to them are most likely to win the competition. you just keep changing your definition.
My definition of favourites is the team everyone else has to go out and get past. I as a rule,consider the defending Champs, thus United were my favourites to win the title at the start of the season, Spain are my favourites for the world cup, and Munich are my favourites for the CL. Of course there are exceptions to the rules, like when a team completely guts itself.
BM is an easy one because they are by far the best team in the world right now.
Are Spain the best team in the world right now? Nope. I think Germany and Brazil are better than them and in a friendly game would most likely beat them. Come the world cup Spain are the favourites. Spain have the track record and the winning mentality to get the job done. Germany can be beating everyone 4-0 and Spain struggling to 1-0 wins and they meet in the final. I am going Spain all the way. I know Spain have the know how to get it done, they didn't play great football in 10 or 12 but still got it done. I know Germany are a great side, but they buckle under pressure. I would be more confident in Spain than Germany.
Also same if Germany face Brazil or Italy, the Germans will choke. I also have complete faith that Italy can win the World Cup as long as we don't face Brazil who have always had our number and more recently Spain
Just like in 08. Italy were shit poor and on a bad spiral that led to the 2010 humiliation, and we had already been beaten 4-0 by Holland in the opening game. In the quarter finals I considered us favourites against Spain who had recently beaten us in a friendly thanks to a stunning David Villa goal. I knew we were world champions and that we knew how to get the results needed and always had Spain's number. We lost on penalties but I felt justified in considering us favourites and it took penalties for the best version of Spain in 08 to beat us. That proved to be the game that launched Spain on this fantastic run.
I considered Chelsea the favourites for the same reason last year.. They had experience and the know how to get it done. If they came up against Barca or BM again, then why couldn't they get the result again????
As for 4th. I am sure Rodgers, Martinez and Sherwood are all looking at the sleeping beast behind them.
I sometimes wonder if the main reason Moyes was chosen as Fergie's successor is purely because he was capable of grinding out results in a similar manner with Everton with a much lesser squad, and it was just assumed he would get better results with a better team?
You need so much more in your locker to do it how Fergie did it though.
- he'd been at Everton for years, much like Fergie
- he was Scottish, much like Fergie
- he played two banks of four, much like Fergie
- he insisted on wing play, much like Fergie
- he's a devout Catholic, much like Fergie
- he consistently overachieved in comparison to expenditure, even better than Fergie did
I assume we just went for the closest thing to Ferguson on paper (in all departments except trophies won!)
I have a Gala fan at work, he was walking around in his Gala shirt yesterday. I work production btw, so people can wear whatever they want. Some dudes come to work in tracksuits smh
He's also very confident about his club. He said their win over Juve wasn't lucky. And he thinks Gala would walk over Ajax if we ever meet in the CL.
- he'd been at Everton for years, much like Fergie
- he was Scottish, much like Fergie
- he played two banks of four, much like Fergie
- he insisted on wing play, much like Fergie
- he's a devout Catholic, much like Fergie
- he consistently overachieved in comparison to expenditure, even better than Fergie did
I assume we just went for the closest thing to Ferguson on paper (in all departments except trophies won!)
United haven't always been the best team in games that they came back to win or always the best team in a season when they have won the title. But you can believe that every single player feared Fergie in the dressing room. Those who made the slip up of thinking they were bigger than him came to regret it, Beckham, Keane and Stam.
Rooney seems to be the only exception, but I guess he never publicly did anything against Fergie
United have too many average players who earn good money, but Fergie got the best out of them because they knew what was coming after 90 minutes if they didn't get the result last season. United were horseshit last season and even the year before but they still managed to win the title and come so close in 11/12.
Do these players fear Moyes after 90 minutes???
The simple fact that this team has not SAVED a point in the final ten minutes all season says to me that they don't.
edit; Moyes needs to be like a new guy in prison and go over and shank the toughest guy that he can see, so everyone knows he is not someone to be fucked with.
IF i was a united fan, i would want the current crop to continue to underperform so moyes will HAVE to get the sack/forced to resign and get someone who's quite tactically astute. if for some miraculous reason you guys make the top 4, moyes is going to continue to use shitty tactics and guys like mata/kagawa will never be properly utilised
