Fulham v Manchester United - Match Thread (Set Sp 1) 3.00 pm 21/3/09

Prufrock

It's a bad week...this can't continue if United want to win anything.

jesus_thats_gre

rarnes1 wrote: »

Berbatov's has left with his leg in a cast. Whats the update there?

Adding an injury or two to the suspensions would certainly complicate things..

Highsider

Ryan Giggs on the Radio trying to defend the Rooney ball thrown at ref incident.."He was only trying to get the game going again" :pac: seriously

Aquos76

Highsider wrote: »

Ryan Giggs on the Radio trying to defend the Rooney ball thrown at ref incident.."He was only trying to get the game going again" :pac: seriously

Did you see it, I did and most commentators that done the game also felt that was the case too.

ShooterSF

What's with everyone claiming Rooney's ban is 3 match? It was 2 bookings therefore 1 match last I checked. And the FA can't change it as the ref obviously saw the incident and decided to book him.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Prufrock wrote: »

It's a bad week...this can't continue if United want to win anything.

Agreed.

Highsider

Aquos76 wrote: »

Did you see it, I did and most commentators that done the game also felt that was the case too.

Not the way i seen it. He was jumping up and down on the spot like a 5 year old who had just lost his ice cream. He then proceeded to throw the ball at the referee at 80mph. If that's not looked at by the FA (and it won't cause he's an Engerland star) then it's a joke.

Unearthly

Highsider wrote: »

To be honest the way Utd are playing i'd fancy Villa to turn them over next week. .

Agreed. I mean considering Aston Villa are in great form themselves blasting teams out of it with the following results in their last few games

Aston Villa 1-2 Spurs
Manchester City 2-0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 2-2 Stoke
Cska Moscow 2-0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Aston Villa 1-1 Cska Moscow
Everton 3-1 Aston Villa

jesus_thats_gre

Unearthly wrote: »

Agreed. I mean considering Aston Villa are in great form themselves blasting teams out of it with the following results in their last few games

Aston Villa 1-2 Spurs
Manchester City 2-0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 2-2 Stoke
Cska Moscow 2-0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Aston Villa 1-1 Cska Moscow
Everton 3-1 Aston Villa

Haha, you got to love when people double check stuff

eclectichoney

Is berbatov injured?? :(
Is it not rooney's second sending off this season? otherwise it's a 1 match ban i assume.

The frustrating thing is, I know the boys can play so, so, so ,so much better than we are. That's why I'm so disappointed. If we were giving 100%, really trying, and the results weren't going our way, fair enough. But to be losing in this manner is the killer.

I'm gonna spend the evening crying into my hot chocolate

Mgoraf

Well done Fulham. Fully deserved the win from what I seen of it.

Was a bit surprised when I seen the team, thought we could be taking this a bit lightly. We needed to go full strength and try beat the comfortably.

Ronaldo probably needsto be dropped for next week as well. But if Berbatov is missing there won't be a chance of it happening.

Top 4 results usually tend to mirror themselves so hopefully Villa can do us a favour tomorrow

kryogen

shocking performance. not the reaction we always give and maybe a sign of the character in the squad

Theresalwaysone

kryogen wrote: »

shocking performance. not the reaction we always give and maybe a sign of the character in the squad

Ive thought this for a while.

There is no one in the squad a natural leader. No one to let you know you are having a terrible game. No one to give a bollocking to Ronaldo or Berbatov or whoever.

We need a Keane type player.

kingshankly

when utd went down to 10 men berbatov should have been off,not the type of player to cover a few extra yards. rooney played well when he came on why he doesnt start beggars belief.
ronaldo must be breaking utd fans hearts at the moment looks a shadow of the player he was last year

jesus_thats_gre

For me, there isn't too much difference between Ronaldo now and last season. He is just hitting the walll with every free kick this season instead of scoring every second one. His attitude has always stunk, he has always been petulent and has always been lazy. Goals gloss over all of these.

I said it last season and againt at the start of this season, United would have been far better off cashing in on him and buying 2 or 3 world class players with the cash.

Mgoraf

He never scored every second free kick. He's always been ****e at them.

_blank_

he scores one in four

whatawaster

Des wrote: »

he scores one in four

source? I find that hard to believe, but i could be wrong.

Theresalwaysone

I think Ronaldo is the type of player who is unstoppable when things are going good but cant replicate that when things arent.

Seems like his petulance and bad attitude is borne out of frustration. He never seems to be as bad as he was today when things are going good, and I dont mean that in the obvious sense, I mean mentally he doesnt cut it in the matches where things arent going Uniteds way.

kryogen

get off the Ronaldo hate train please....he is not the problem with this team

he has not made Evra play poor, he has not put Rio into a sleepwalking state, he is not responsible for O Shea's patchy form, he is not responsible for Carricks recent poor form, he is not at fault for Tevez being goal shy, he is not the issue for Giggs playing poorly, for Scholes getting sent off, for Rooney getting sent off..... heis not picking the team and setting the tactics

sure all the guys waiting for him to fail last year can use him as a scapegoat this year but the truth is we need him now more then ever, he is one of the only players who even looks like creating or scoring anything when he has the ball

he is not responsible for the teams overall poor performance

he is frustrated by it, sure, why is it when Rooney shouts and moans and throws his arms around that he is not vilified as having a terrible attitude towards his team mates?

why is his attitude not questioned? get off the hate train lads and start looking at the real problem, no leader....no hurt...how can anyone in the squad perform like that after last weeks result? how could they not at least try their best for the fans sake? it was terrible but it is not all Ronaldo's fault

im sure there are a few here who probly blame the recession on him if they could

Mr Alan

whatawaster wrote: »

source? I find that hard to believe, but i could be wrong.

ask PHB

kryogen wrote: »

why is it when Rooney shouts and moans and throws his arms around that he is not vilified as having a terrible attitude towards his team mates

i vilify him for it in fairness :cool:

Theresalwaysone

kryogen wrote: »

get off the Ronaldo hate train please....he is not the problem with this team

he has not made Evra play poor, he has not put Rio into a sleepwalking state, he is not responsible for O Shea's patchy form, he is not responsible for Carricks recent poor form, he is not at fault for Tevez being goal shy, he is not the issue for Giggs playing poorly, for Scholes getting sent off, for Rooney getting sent off..... heis not picking the team and setting the tactics

sure all the guys waiting for him to fail last year can use him as a scapegoat this year but the truth is we need him now more then ever, he is one of the only players who even looks like creating or scoring anything when he has the ball

he is not responsible for the teams overall poor performance

he is frustrated by it, sure, why is it when Rooney shouts and moans and throws his arms around that he is not vilified as having a terrible attitude towards his team mates?

why is his attitude not questioned? get off the hate train lads and start looking at the real problem, no leader....no hurt...how can anyone in the squad perform like that after last weeks result? how could they not at least try their best for the fans sake? it was terrible but it is not all Ronaldo's fault

im sure there are a few here who probly blame the recession on him if they could

I dont hate him at all. I think he is brilliant and am a staunch defender of all things Ronaldo. Im just telling it like I see it. I didnt see the game today, just from what I read here and what I saw on SS.

I agree with you fundamentally btw about the lack of leader, heart and energy.

kryogen

Mr Alan wrote: »

i vilify him for it in fairness :cool:

well than thank you for at least being consistent :cool:

Mr Alan

kryogen wrote: »

well than thank you for at least being consistent :cool:

no worries man i like to do my bit.

x in the city

wait till giles and dumphy lambast ronnie tonight....:cool:

Highsider

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

For me, there isn't too much difference between Ronaldo now and last season. He is just hitting the walll with every free kick this season instead of scoring every second one. His attitude has always stunk, he has always been petulent and has always been lazy. Goals gloss over all of these.

I said it last season and againt at the start of this season, United would have been far better off cashing in on him and buying 2 or 3 world class players with the cash.

Only Man City would pay crazy money for him and don't think he'd go there. Very bad man management from ferguson keeping him when he had the chance to cash in last summer. Yeah when he's good he's brilliant but when he's bad (which is a lot tbh) he is dire and a liability on the team. If Utd had Messi or dread the thought Torres they would be unstoppable imo and if they had sold him at his peak they would have had the money for either. Oh well.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Guy:Incognito

Aquos76 wrote: »

I don't ofter agree with you Alan, but that is so so true, I for one was expecting some sort of backlash from the pool game today and it never happened. Villa next week is suddenly a must win game

2 teams with very much must win games against Villa.


The tension is mounting.

fish fingers

x in the city wrote: »

wait till giles and dumphy lambast ronnie tonight....:cool:

dunphy dosent do premiership highlights

Headshot

fish fingers wrote: »

dunphy dosent do premiership highlights

but if he did they'll be the best premiership highlights in the world

jesus_thats_gre

kryogen wrote: »

get off the Ronaldo hate train please....he is not the problem with this team

In fairness, I am not making him a scapegoat or blaming for anything in particular.

I think he is an extremely talented player but I genuinely believe that United should have taken the money that Real were offering for him. I think that United's starting 11 and the overall squad in particular would have been better off in the long term.

I think this sums up my overall opinion of him; he is ideal for Real Madrid.

jesus_thats_gre

Stekelly wrote: »

2 teams with very much must win games against Villa.


The tension is mounting.

It would very much make you think that Villa have no hope of getting 4th place until you realise that Arsenal have to play Liverpool, United and Chelsea in their last 6 games of the season.

I have said it a few times now but Arsenal could very much decide who wins the league.

grames_bond

x in the city wrote: »

wait till giles and dumphy lambast ronnie tonight....:cool:

he well deserves it!

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

Ah, the realistic humility and humble nature of the average Utd fan.

I'm afraid that Fulham don't seem to do 'easy' at the cottage.

...
...
...

Both teams might well just go out and prove me wrong but for the moment you should probably place your confidence on a 'handy victory' on the shelf alongside your five trohpies.

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

It might have been the FA cup, but we still stuck 4 past a fairly full strength Fulham side.

Headshot wrote: »

thats how you beat a medicore team

you dont draw 0-0

So good it hurts.

emmemm

plastic big 4 fans should be happy now the season's end will be so much more interesting.

oh and well done the superwhites and Roy :

emmemm

emmemm wrote: »

plastic fans

Like this ?

Podge2k7

Delighted with the result, hopefully Liverpool can preform today.!

Highsider

Highsider wrote: »

To be honest the way Utd are playing i'd fancy Villa to turn them over next week.

Didn't you know that United were absolutely brilliant last week, they were just played off the park by the "Best Team Ever"tm



I think yesterdays first half "performance" ranks up there as one of the worst I've ever seen from a United team.

Im_No_Superman

Very dissapointing result, the first half performance was shocking. Big mistake not starting either Rooney or Tevez.

Hopefully thats the our season blip out of the way now and we can push on from here.

Mr Alan

Deleted User wrote: »

Didn't you know that United were absolutely brilliant last week, they were just played off the park by the "Best Team Ever"tm

Neil, sort out that ship on your shoulder. Expect better from you tbh.

Iago

Highsider wrote: »

Only Man City would pay crazy money for him and don't think he'd go there. Very bad man management from ferguson keeping him when he had the chance to cash in last summer. Yeah when he's good he's brilliant but when he's bad (which is a lot tbh) he is dire and a liability on the team.

United with Ronaldo are unstoppable, which isn't to say that they won't lose games but that over the course of a season they will again prove to be the best team in England. They may even manage to prove to be the best team in Europe, although I think Barca should be favourites for the champions league at this stage, even given the far tougher draw they have.

I said at the time that if Madrid were offering £80m then united should snap their hand off, and my opinion hasn't changed, because I think the squad as a whole could be improved enough to manage the loss. However anyone saying that Ronaldo has had a "dire" season is either hiding an agenda or has no clue about football. Statistics can be made to show anything you want, but sometimes they just don't lie.

For someone who's supposed to be having a "dire" season and is a major liability on a team Ronaldo has done alright this year. Only Anelka has scored more league goals than him so far this season, which isn't bad considering that he mostly plays as part of a 5 man midfield (albeit in a more forward role) than as a striker. Only Anelka & Torres have a better goals per minute played ratio than him, which again isn't bad considering they're both out and out forwards and he's not. He has 13 league goals to date which is 4 more than Rooney & 5 more than Berbatov.

His assist stats aren't as good with 9 players in the league credited with more assists than him so far, but he has 5 which is 1 more than Rooney and 4 less than Berbatov. Even if he had the highest in the league though it's subjective given the nature of assists. Someone else could do all the work and because Ronaldo gets the last touch he gets the assist.

Regardless, considering he's having a "dire" season even though he's the second highest scorer in the league and having the 3rd best goal to minute played ratio my point above stands.

Ronaldo is still only 24, he can be sulky and petulant and his commitment is probably in question. However he's nowhere near his peak yet and if this is a "dire" season then I really hope he's at united over the next few years where he's likely to have at least one or two "reasonable" seasons to help bring the team more trophies. As far as I can see it's mostly Liverpool supporters who are on his back in these forums, which is hardly surprising really so long may it continue.

Hank Scorpio

Iago wrote: »

United with Ronaldo are unstoppable, which isn't to say that they won't lose games but that over the course of a season they will again prove to be the best team in England. They may even manage to prove to be the best team in Europe, although I think Barca should be favourites for the champions league at this stage, even given the far tougher draw they have.

I said at the time that if Madrid were offering £80m then united should snap their hand off, and my opinion hasn't changed, because I think the squad as a whole could be improved enough to manage the loss. However anyone saying that Ronaldo has had a "dire" season is either hiding an agenda or has no clue about football. Statistics can be made to show anything you want, but sometimes they just don't lie.

For someone who's supposed to be having a "dire" season and is a major liability on a team Ronaldo has done alright this year. Only Anelka has scored more league goals than him so far this season, which isn't bad considering that he mostly plays as part of a 5 man midfield (albeit in a more forward role) than as a striker. Only Anelka & Torres have a better goals per minute played ratio than him, which again isn't bad considering they're both out and out forwards and he's not. He has 13 league goals to date which is 4 more than Rooney & 5 more than Berbatov.

His assist stats aren't as good with 9 players in the league credited with more assists than him so far, but he has 5 which is 1 more than Rooney and 4 less than Berbatov. Even if he had the highest in the league though it's subjective given the nature of assists. Someone else could do all the work and because Ronaldo gets the last touch he gets the assist.

Regardless, considering he's having a "dire" season even though he's the second highest scorer in the league and having the 3rd best goal to minute played ratio my point above stands.

Ronaldo is still only 24, he can be sulky and petulant and his commitment is probably in question. However he's nowhere near his peak yet and if this is a "dire" season then I really hope he's at united over the next few years where he's likely to have at least one or two "reasonable" seasons to help bring the team more trophies. As far as I can see it's mostly Liverpool supporters who are on his back in these forums, which is hardly surprising really so long may it continue.

Yesterday, not for the first time, i seen him visibly give out to his team mates and sulk like a baby. The hype surronding ronaldo allows him to take every free kick around the box and waste it. It must be cringeworthy for his team mates, im sure most of them hate the guy tbh.

Eamon dunphy said having both him and berbatov is like playing with 9 for utd, i go alot with that. I dont doubt ronaldos ability to be a excellent player in a few years time but his attitude is one of the worst i have ever seen in a player, hes a cocky arrogent non team player(coming from a utd fan)

Mr Alan

exactly Iago, trying to saying that its only Liverpool fans who criticise Ronaldo is a shocking tactic of trying to brush the criticism under the carpet. a lot of Utd fans dont like the guy (so understandable with the way he behaved last year), as well as being hated by a good chuck of fans of other clubs.

Headshot

Iago wrote: »

I said at the time that if Madrid were offering £80m then united should snap their hand off, and my opinion hasn't changed, because I think the squad as a whole could be improved enough to manage the loss. However anyone saying that Ronaldo has had a "dire" season is either hiding an agenda or has no clue about football. Statistics can be made to show anything you want, but sometimes they just don't lie.

.

I keep saying this that utd couldnt sell Ronaldo during the summer,first off where could we buy a better winger than him and it would turn utd into a selling club which utd arent.I dont want utd to turn into lyon

Fergie only sells players that cant hack it at utd anymore or ones that criticize Sir Alex

yes the 80 million would be great but some top quality players just dont want to move to England eg D.Villa,silva and benzema

Mikeyt086

Ive stood by Ronaldo since his debut against Bolton. I continue to stand by him.

It seems to me that most United fans who love Ronaldo when he scores, hate him when he has a shocker. You have to know that hes not going to set the world alight every time he plays.

Its is NOT only Liverpool fans who hate Ronaldo. But Liverpool fans hate him, the same way i dislike Gerrard and Carragher, thats football. I accept that, thats what makes supporting football what it is.

Ronaldo is a stroppy player, he has a big ego. These are downsides, ones that i really dislike in him. But at the same time, he is brilliant, he is our most exiting player and i feel we would lose a dimension if we lost him.

Its harder for Ronaldo than most players, because he is marked by 2 or 3 players everytime he gets the ball, yet he still top scored in the Premiership and Champions League last season, he is the 2nd top scorer in the Premiership despite form and injury issues.

Ronaldo isnt from Manchester. He is from Madeira. He is not going to love the club the way a Gerrard loves Liverpool or Terry loves Chelsea, but ****ing hell, he gives everything he has week in week out to win for our club, and when the door was open for him to leave for the circus, he didnt. How can we expect a little Portuguese boy to care for a Manchester club the way Scholes does, we cant, but people expect this from him, and he is still there and trying and scoring.

He didnt play well yesterday. I bet he will tear Porto apart, lets see who loves him when he does.

Anyone see Champions League weekly this week? Had a good interview with Gerrard, they asked him what it feels like to be the best Midfielder in the world and he said:

"I dont think i am. Barcelona's players like Messi, Xavi and Iniesta always seem like they are on a different level to me. Even Ronaldo, as much as i hate to say it (laughs), he is one of the world's best."

Hank Scorpio

Mikeyt086 wrote: »

Ronaldo isnt from Manchester. He is from Madeira. He is not going to love the club the way a Gerrard loves Liverpool or Terry loves Chelsea, but ****ing hell, he gives everything he has week in week out to win for our club, and when the door was open for him to leave for the circus, he didnt.How can we expect a little Portuguese boy to care for a Manchester club the way Scholes does, we cant, but people expect this from him, and he is still there and trying and scoring.

Mikeyt086

nuxxx wrote: »

Way to go!

A7X

Mikeyt086 wrote: »

Ronaldo isnt from Manchester. He is from Madeira. He is not going to love the club the way a Gerrard loves Liverpool or Terry loves Chelsea, but ****ing hell, he gives everything he has week in week out to win for our club, and when the door was open for him to leave for the circus, he didnt. How can we expect a little Portuguese boy to care for a Manchester club the way Scholes does, we cant, but people expect this from him, and he is still there and trying and scoring.

He didnt play well yesterday. I bet he will tear Porto apart, lets see who loves him when he does.

Totally agree. That's how I've always felt about Ronaldo. I find it stupid that fans expect any foreign player to be loyal to the club they are playing for. It's stupid like.

Ronaldo grew up in a culture where the two top teams where Madrid and Barcelona, how can any one expect him to not want to go to one of those teams, most notably Madrid.

Obviously I would'nt like to see him leave cause I belive he is a huge part of United's team and if we lost him we would have a huge hole to fill that will be very hard.

But if he does leave I don't think anyone could give out apart from the manner in which he does. If he wants to go he wants to.

Xavi6

Discuss the topic without clogging it with childish pics or kindly do one.

Cheers

daithijjj

A7X wrote: »

Totally agree. That's how I've always felt about Ronaldo. I find it stupid that fans expect any foreign player to be loyal to the club they are playing for. It's stupid like.

Ronaldo grew up in a culture where the two top teams where Madrid and Barcelona, how can any one expect him to not want to go to one of those teams, most notably Madrid.

Obviously I would'nt like to see him leave cause I belive he is a huge part of United's team and if we lost him we would have a huge hole to fill that will be very hard.

But if he does leave I don't think anyone could give out apart from the manner in which he does. If he wants to go he wants to.

Yesterday, ronaldo showed every trait in a player that is arrogant and childlike. For his yellow, he was tackled fairly, jumps wildly at murphy and then acts with petulence by flicking off murphys offer to shake hands on it. He mouthed off to the ref several times, something that got mascherano sent off at united last season but he remained on the pitch.

Ferguson greases his ego by allowing every penalty and 99% of free kicks to be given to ronaldo. This is neither a surprise nor a criticism towards ferguson but its what comes with it that lays the foundations for a trumped up ego and when decisions dont go his way he has the same attitude as a six year old throwing a tantrum.

It affects the team and anyone who thinks it doesnt is just naive.

United were playing with 9 men in the first half yesterday, ronaldo was brutal and berbatov never puts a shift in when it is required for the sake of the team.

United still look good for the title but the attitude of uniteds players from yesteryear is definitely not there. If united take the title they have only one man to thank imo........that man is vidic.