Football Focus

[Parkdrive]

I've not believed we'd win the title even when we were top, I'd have hoped that the run in would be better. However it's always good to see United and Spurs worse off than us. What I would dearly love is for City or Liverpool to win the title, Arsenal to win the FA cup and for that self promoting troll Mourinho to win fcuk all.

[Otta]

Yeah I'll go along with that (especially if we remove the word "city" ;-) )

[Tommy1000]

Mourinho/Chelsea not winning the league is, at this point, right near the top of my shopping list...

[Otta]

What a difference a few years away makes. During his first spell Mourinho charmed a lot of popel, me included, I found him funny. That has completely gone now, he's just a whinging spoilt brat these days. And his "mind games" are always personal, which I think is just shit.

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> Moyes has come out and taken responsibility for

> Man U's decline. Shielding his players I guess.

> I think he knows that he is going to be given

> time, so I think the fans need to accept he'll be

> there at least another year.

The players are not blameless, but ultimately it comes down to the manager and his motivational and tactical skils. So far Moyes has failed to impress on both accounts. Most fans were willing to give him time and this summer's transfer window, but with the recent abject performances against Olympiakos away, Liverpool and now City, fans are now questioning can he be trusted to spend the reported ?100m+ summer warchest. He's already bought 2 players, but continually plays them out of the positions they excelled in at their previous clubs. One of them, Fellaini, shouldn't have even been bought in the first place. If as expected we get tonked by Bayern, Moyes will do well to keep his job...

[red devil]

Chelsea for me...by default :)

[El Pibe]

i don't see why moyes can do well, but he needs to rebuild it in his image, not have a bunch of fluffed up self important arseholes (in decline), a dressing room that thinks about what was, and basically anyone who doesn't feel privileged to be there.

I genuinely hope he's given time, and I hope Man U becomes a normal team that challenges but doesn't somehow win even though they don't deserve it.

In other words a team run by a human being rather than....whatever the hell that man was, what was his name again, Alex Faustguson ;)

[Otta]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The players are not blameless, but ultimately it

> comes down to the manager and his motivational and

> tactical skils. So far Moyes has failed to impress

> on both accounts. Most fans were willing to give

> him time and this summer's transfer window, but

> with the recent abject performances against

> Olympiakos away, Liverpool and now City, fans are

> now questioning can he be trusted to spend the

> reported ?100m+ summer warchest. He's already

> bought 2 players, but continually plays them out

> of the positions they excelled in at their

> previous clubs. One of them, Fellaini, shouldn't

> have even been bought in the first place.

Can't argue with any of that.

> If as expected we get tonked by Bayern, Moyes will do

> well to keep his job...

Just can't actually see him being sacked. Man U's biggest mistake was letting Fergie pick his own replacement. Great as he may have been, they should have said "thanks and here's a nice role for you", but letting him pick his replacement has put them in a really difficult situation.

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> Just can't actually see him being sacked. Man U's

> biggest mistake was letting Fergie pick his own

> replacement. Great as he may have been, they

> should have said "thanks and here's a nice role

> for you", but letting him pick his replacement has

> put them in a really difficult situation.

I think he will be sacked if the fans turn against him, and there are signs that this is now happening.

I take your point, but surely Fergie should've had some say in who the next manager would be? None of the Glazers are fit enough to make that decision, and the new CEO had been working in the commercial side of the club.

The mistake was not having a proper shortlist, say Moyes and 2 others, who were then properly interviewed and judged on their merits and suitability...

[Jah Lush]

What's the problem with Fergie picking his replacement? He's a very successful football man with vast knowledge and experience. Club chairman are businessmen and most of them do not have a clue about football.

Chopping and changing the manager every five minutes gets you nowhere. What's happening at WHL is a good example of that. I hope Moyes is given the time to do the job he's been given. I can fully understand the fans impatience but to rebuild a club in the way that Manchester United need rebuilding will take more than a season or two.

[red devil]

El Pibe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> i don't see why moyes can do well, but he needs to

> rebuild it in his image, not have a bunch of

> fluffed up self important arseholes (in decline),

> a dressing room that thinks about what was, and

> basically anyone who doesn't feel privileged to be

> there.

>

> I genuinely hope he's given time, and I hope Man U

> becomes a normal team that challenges but doesn't

> somehow win even though they don't deserve it.

> In other words a team run by a human being rather

> than....whatever the hell that man was, what was

> his name again, Alex Faustguson ;)

Yes, but what is Moyes' image? 8 months on and I still haven't got a scooby :)

As for the 'bunch of fluffed up etc', it's down to the manager to manage that. I'm no fan of Mourinho but he would've handled all that...

[Otta]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What's the problem with Fergie picking his

> replacement? He's a very successful football man

> with vast knowledge and experience. Club chairman

> are businessmen and most of them do not have a

> clue about football.

Of course Fergie's opinion should have been sought, and as RD says, they should have had a shortlist. Instead they told the world "SAF has picked his replacement". Error, because it means that Fergie's rep is slightly tarnished if they sack Moyes. If they'd kept that a bit quiet, he'd probably be gone already.

But as I've said before, I hope he does get some time and money to have a real go at it.

RD Said

"Yes, but what is Moyes' image? 8 months on and I still haven't got a scooby"

And there, ladies and gents, is the root of the problem. Does he even know what he actually wants from a team?

[El Pibe]

"Does he even know what he actually wants from a team"

win games?

"go out there or i'll smash your kneecaps with a baseball bat with nails in"

I reckon this management malarlkey is easy!!!!

[Parkdrive]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What a difference a few years away makes. During

> his first spell Mourinho charmed a lot of popel,

> me included, I found him funny. That has

> completely gone now, he's just a whinging spoilt

> brat these days. And his "mind games" are always

> personal, which I think is just shit.

He's crass at best, and lest we forget he tried to gouge another managers eye while in Spain. Yet the media seem to hang on his every word. Says a lot about our media especially the red tops

[red devil]

Just heard on the radio...

''Giving Moyes Mata is like giving my Nan a smartphone'' :)

[Otta]

Haha, like it.

Lots of people laying some blame at Ferie's feet on BBC Website, saying he knew what was coming and did nothing to plan for the future, just bought RVP in to win one last league for himself so he could cover himself in glory and sell his latest book.

Obviously no one will ever know what went through his mind, but I suspect there is at least some level of truth to that.

[red devil]

Maybe Fergie's thinking was that any new manager should rebuild the team in his own image...where've I've heard that before?!

RVP was a vanity signing, definitely not a long term signing, but it worked. I only wish Moyes had done something similar last summer...

[red devil]

Can we talk about something else please?

How about Everton making a late charge for 4th place? A game in hand over Arsenal, who play City this weekend, and then have to go to Goodison. Could get very interesting. And what a great goal from Berkley last night. How did Moyes not see his talent is beyond me...knew it wouldn't last long :)

[DaveR]

Fergie picked Moyes based primarily on his character, and there's nowt wrong with that if you're looking for a guy to build his own squad over 2-3 years. Unfortunately, delivering results at the level expected by United, with a squad you largely inherit from someone else, takes more than that. The obvious choice, love him or loathe him, would have been Mourinho. I've never had very strong feelings about him as a person, but he's an outstanding manager, and I reckon Chelsea are still favourites for the title.

[Alan Medic]

It would be ironic if Everton did make the top 4. I would have preferred their manager to Moyes if I'm honest.

[Otta]

Saw this tweet on bbc and thought it was a nice sentiment.

"As a neutral, many of us want LFC to win EPL for one reason, so I'm starting a new hashtag #winitforstevieg spread the word!

[Mick Mac]

YNWA. North of the border title secured. Now for south of the border.

[titch juicy]

Fergie's no fool- he knew exactly the right time to get out. He knew Rio, Vidic, Evra all had max one season left in them at the top or at the club and the replacements (Jones, Smalling etc) weren't up to standard. He knew the centre of the park was weak and had been for some time. It's a minor miracle that they walked the league last season.

[red devil]

For the first time, Liverpool showed nerves and edginess tonight. Still got your fingernails Ots? :)

I see BFS was given the bird by the West Ham fans at the end of the match. I know the Hammers fans on here don't think it will happen, but I reckon he will go despite the club staying up. A new manager for a new era at the OS etc...

[maxxi]

Team were boo-ed off when 1-0 up at half-time and boo-ed off at the end. A game of thumpball again with no imagination just lump it upfield - and it still took a penalty (dubious) and a freak own-goal to win.

I think it's good to see BFS's boast that 'they'll change their tune when we win a couple of games' and the feeling behind it (that all fans care about is winning at any cost) is shattered.

Neither he, nor a lot of the players, pundits, commentators - in fact anyone who earns a living through football and makes money out of it (rather than puts their own money IN) - can grasp the fact that some fans want a bit more for their hard-earned and from the club they love.

Ultimately for Gold & Sullivan the fans are the customers and they aint happy and they won't keep paying for what they don't want - and G&S are businessmen. Which is a roundabout way of saying you may be right - and I hope to fuck you are.