Commentary on the games through the season....

[Kopite999]

Great day. Suarez was outstanding and to make it better I was sat in block mx of the main stand right by the mancs.

I'm going to sleep well tonight. Well done lads you did us all proud

[Kopite999]

Is there anything better than shutting up mancs? Blue noses maybe but they aren't as arrogant and obnoxious as mancs (and thats putting it politely)Their fans didn't even look in our direction after the second went in. absolutely loving it

And ASI it's gone past a semi!!!

We've now done our bit to dent their title ambitions I just hope arsenal can  develop a back bone and push on and win it

[Tes]

Great result, great performance, great everything. Too bad we can't repeat the feat. I was very happy to see us today but throughout the game last weekend's decable was like a wet blanket over this game. If we could've mustered a 10th of the passion, movement and resilience we displayed today against Blackpool, Blackburn, Birmingham, West Ham, Wolves and Stoke we'd be in contention for more than 4th. Problem is, this has been the pattern for over a decade. In fact it's made us so predictable it was written all over after our defeat to West Ham we'd win today's game. In other words, lose/draw against relegation fodder just to play the reigning champions off the park a few days later. Until we get rid of this inconsistency we'll be a Europa League team, at best.

I don't mean to sound negative but it's hard to enjoy this victory knowing full we'll we're less than 50 % to beat Sunderland away in a fortnight making today's great result futile. I understand the locals may enjoy the bragging rights won, but in a long term perspective it's hard not to have a more realistic view on this. Arsenal doesn't seem strong enough to prevent ManU from winning no. 19, I'm afraid.

Martin, sometimes you just need to enjoy the moment.

[Tes]

United give media a wide berth after Anfield defeat

March 6, 2011


Manchester United failed to provide any post-match interviews after the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, with Sir Alex Ferguson and assistant Mike Phelan refusing to speak to the media.

Ferguson cancelled his pre-match briefing on Friday in protest at the coverage given to his post-match quotes at Chelsea on Tuesday that have landed him with an improper conduct charge, plus the furore that surrounded Wayne Rooney's elbowing of Wigan's James McCarthy last weekend.

In a pre-planned move, United also blanked the media Sunday. Ferguson did not speak to host broadcaster Sky Sports, either before or after his side's third Premier League defeat of the season.

Phelan, did not carry out his usual post-match engagements with the BBC, arranged due to Ferguson's long-standing feud with the organisation, while radio rights holders talkSPORT were also left without any comment from the visitors.

Should any of these organisations complain to the Premier League, the governing body will be forced to act, escalating the problem between Ferguson and the BBC, with the fines for his non-compliance still waiting to be made public.

And for the first time since 2005, even United's own television channel, MUTV, left a senior game without any reaction, which is an embarrassing situation in itself.

It is not yet known whether the media blackout will continue this week, ahead of United's FA Cup quarter-final with Arsenal, although discussions are bound to take place behind the scenes.

The only comments came via a club spokesman, who confirmed Nani will be assessed on Monday before the extent is known, and Rio Ferdinand, who was not even at Anfield, but offered an opinion via Twitter.

"Bad result today no excuses,'' the England skipper stated on the social networking site.


http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/77998.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Yet again, Taggart and his club show their true lack of class.

Still, I guess no action will be taken even if contractual obligations have been breached and they'll still continue to be the clueless and equally classless media's darlings.

[Kopite999]

Whiskey nose has got far too much power within the game. He throws his toys out of the pram and then everyone bows down to him. It should stop but it won't

[Ageing Stick Insect]

United are starting to implode. A more powerful chairman would read Ferguson the riot act for the negativity it brings on the club. But Ferguson sees himself as being above rules every other manager adheres to. His hatred of Liverpool is affecting his judgement. Long may it continue!!

[Redman]

Great result, great performance, great everything. Too bad we can't repeat the feat. I was very happy to see us today but throughout the game last weekend's decable was like a wet blanket over this game. If we could've mustered a 10th of the passion, movement and resilience we displayed today against Blackpool, Blackburn, Birmingham, West Ham, Wolves and Stoke we'd be in contention for more than 4th. Problem is, this has been the pattern for over a decade. In fact it's made us so predictable it was written all over after our defeat to West Ham we'd win today's game. In other words, lose/draw against relegation fodder just to play the reigning champions off the park a few days later. Until we get rid of this inconsistency we'll be a Europa League team, at best.

I don't mean to sound negative but it's hard to enjoy this victory knowing full we'll we're less than 50 % to beat Sunderland away in a fortnight making today's great result futile. I understand the locals may enjoy the bragging rights won, but in a long term perspective it's hard not to have a more realistic view on this. Arsenal doesn't seem strong enough to prevent ManU from winning no. 19, I'm afraid.

Are you for real? Just last week you were calling us all kinds of crap and how the whole squad needs replaced, now we're quality. Are you really a Liverpool supporter or just a troll? I don't think we'd have won as convincingly under Roy yesterday, in fact, he's such good friends with the Tramp I suspect we'd have lost by the same scoreline.

On another note. It's good to see the Tramp throwing his toys out the pram, makes me laugh knowing that this defeat eats away at him 

[the dude abides]

United are starting to implode. A more powerful chairman would read Ferguson the riot act for the negativity it brings on the club. But Ferguson sees himself as being above rules every other manager adheres to.

when Liverpool dominated england and europe, we had the respect of most decent minded football fans across the continent.

united's 20 year period of dominance however, will not be looked back upon in a similar fashion.

fergie's arrogance, bullying and nastiness runs to the core of man utd.

any organisation with any respect for itself (referees, football authorities, it's shareholders, it's fans, others that it is contracted to), would act in a professional-minded manner. 

united is rotten to the core.

[Tes]

With the likes of Carrick being given a new contract much to the displeasure of most United fans and their recent transfer activity, despite Gill's claims to the contrary, it looks like their financial situation is starting slowly to bite. Shame really. 

[the dude abides]

you know Tes, when Fergie hangs up his hair-dryer, United are in for choppy waters.

Fergie is like United's Bernie Madoff.  i.e. he is the bloke who is keeping all the plates spinning.  The United pyramid scheme would come crashing down without him......the financial house of cards would collapse.

[Tes]

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher barred from Manchester United dressing room following Nani tackle

By Mark Ogden 11:00PM GMT 07 Mar 2011



Jamie Carragher was refused entry to the Manchester United dressing-room on Sunday after attempting to apologise for the challenge which left Nani with a gash so deep that the winger’s shin bone was visible through the open wound.

Nani will discover on Tuesday whether he will be sidelined until next month as a result of the injury inflicted by Carragher’s first-half tackle during the 3-1 defeat at Anfield - which resulted in referee Phil Dowd brandishing a yellow card to the Liverpool defender.

Although Carragher made efforts to show his remorse for the injury suffered by Nani, United’s coaching staff turned the 33 year-old away due to the anger within the United camp, not only with the challenge, but Dowd’s failure to dismiss the former England defender.

Steven Gerrard’s actions in urging the injured Nani to "get up" while he lay on the ground with the injury clearly visibly also infuriated United’s players and staff.

Anger at Carragher’s challenge also spread to the directors’ box, where United chief executive David Gill remonstrated with Mike Riley, head of Premier League referees, over Dowd’s response to the incident.

Nani, who was stretchered off as a result of the injury, left Anfield on crutches and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is already preparing to be without the Portugal international for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

...............It is not yet known whether Ferguson will end his self-imposed media black-out prior to the Arsenal fixture, having cancelled last Friday’s pre-match press conference and refused to speak to rights-holding broadcasters before or after the defeat at Anfield.

Having been charged by the Football Association last week for comments made against referee Martin Atkinson, it is understood that Ferguson’s vow of silence has been fuelled by his reluctance to be pressed on the issue.

But by failing to speak to rights holders such as Sky and local radio, the United manager is in breach of Premier League regulations. Ferguson has not spoken to the BBC, a Premier League rights holder, since 2004.

None of the rights holders has lodged a formal complaint with the Premier League since last week, however.

The Premier League is set to discuss the possibility of making pre and post-match press conferences compulsory when it holds its annual meeting in June.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8366817/Liverpool-defender-Jamie-Carragher-barred-from-Manchester-United-dressing-room-following-Nani-tackle.html

No surprises in any of that lot.

Carra showed class and professionalism by trying to get into see Nani and apologise. Tackles like that happen. They shouldn't, but they do. What a player does in response to committing that sort of tackles/foul is important. Contrast that with Keane on Alf-Inge Haaland and the whole situation building up to it.

[Tes]

you know Tes, when Fergie hangs up his hair-dryer, United are in for choppy waters.

Fergie is like United's Bernie Madoff.  i.e. he is the bloke who is keeping all the plates spinning.  The United pyramid scheme would come crashing down without him......the financial house of cards would collapse.

Totally agree, Dude. They could 'fall' further than we have since 1990.

[the dude abides]

Totally agree, Dude. They could 'fall' further than we have since 1990.

absolutely, Tes.

and financially, the difference between them and us is, CL football EVERY SEASON is ESSENTIAL to Man Utd. 

They have placed themselves in a helluva mess.  They are in a Leeds Utd scenario.  They cannot afford to fail.  And that is a mad business model.  It is Russian Roulette.  And if you play that game long enough, there is only one conclusion.

[barticus]

The game against Braga was a completely different game once Carroll came on...before that it was pretty average ..ideally Carroll will now get match fit and play the whole game...massive difference from being dominated to being dominant...

[Kopite999]

Not a great performance and we could be vulnerable to an away goal next week. But I've got a feeling its going to be one helluva atmosphere and could be a European classic. The kops been waiting in the wings to give the team a European night boost and next thursday we won't let anyone down