UEFA Champions League/Europa League 13/14/15 March * Spoilers *

Tom84 · 16 Mar 2012 at 01:52

I'd imagine there must be a positive breakthrough with his contract negotiations for Fergie to be playing him these last 2 games unless of course Fergies been told there's no money this summer and it's a last desperate attempt to get him to stay.....

FrankJH · 16 Mar 2012 at 05:02

Tom84 said:
I'd imagine there must be a positive breakthrough with his contract negotiations for Fergie to be playing him these last 2 games unless of course Fergies been told there's no money this summer and it's a last desperate attempt to get him to stay.....

Flog Berba and keep Owen (as fourth striker) and get a cheap midfielder with the proceeds......wouldnt be surprised

Should at least have the money for finishing in the top two of the EPL to spend (where ever we end up)

Newbie007 · 16 Mar 2012 at 07:44

No1newts said:
Lol English football tbh.

Bestest league in the world dontcha know

MooMoo444 · 16 Mar 2012 at 08:08

Really expected City and Utd to cruise to the Europa league final.. guess I was a bit deluded.

Why oh why are our teams just not performing in europe lately, Chelsea may have gotten through but it was by the skin of their teeth against a rookie champions league team..

Truly is disappointing how other leagues and teams are constantly improving and ours just seems to stagnate.

No1newts · 16 Mar 2012 at 08:11

Newbie007 said:
Bestest league in the world dontcha know

So I heard

completely and utterly eclipsed now and I do not think I am exagerating in the slightest.

elmuzzy66. · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:10

Some of the young utd players yesteraday looked fazed by all of it. Didn't have a clue what was going on. Was it them or a lack of leadership on/off the field?

Shamikebab · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:17

I don't think they really looked fazed, Cleverley wasn't bad (he was definitely the best of the central bunch) and Pogba was pretty confident when he came on.

mmj_uk · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:24

MooMoo444 said:
Really expected City and Utd to cruise to the Europa league final.. guess I was a bit deluded.

Why oh why are our teams just not performing in europe lately, Chelsea may have gotten through but it was by the skin of their teeth against a rookie champions league team..

Truly is disappointing how other leagues and teams are constantly improving and ours just seems to stagnate.

Our top teams have been rubbish defensively this season, just look at the head to head matches between them complete goal fests for the most part. It's unusual for the top English teams to be so open at the back.

City are also pants defensively without Kompany.

Alpherah · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:32

City aside (who were just useless for whatever reason):

Teams in the PL have terrible midfields, they just cant cope against any skilled continental team who pass the ball around confidently.

Newbie007 · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:33

Shamikebab said:
I don't think they really looked fazed, Cleverley wasn't bad (he was definitely the best of the central bunch) and Pogba was pretty confident when he came on.

They just aren't that good is the obvious explanation, compare them to 'proper' young footballers in the AM team and they don't measure up. It's not just a problem Man U suffer from, its typical of Sky and the English media as a whole...hype up average players and teams to be world beaters and act all surprised when they don't perform.

Alpherah · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:34

Newbie007 said:
They just aren't that good is the obvious explanation, compare them to 'proper' young footballers in the AM team and they don't measure up. It's not just a problem Man U suffer from, its typical of Sky and the English media as a whole...hype up average players and teams to be world beaters and act all surprised when they don't perform.

Best league in the world :rolleyes:

Shamikebab · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:40

Newbie007 said:
They just aren't that good is the obvious explanation, compare them to 'proper' young footballers in the AM team and they don't measure up. It's not just a problem Man U suffer from, its typical of Sky and the English media as a whole...hype up average players and teams to be world beaters and act all surprised when they don't perform.

Well its AB not AM for starters. And Cleverley has been injured most of the season and started about 10 matches for United in his career. Pogba hasn't even started a single league match yet. The Bilbao youth players have been playing first team football a lot longer so are much further on in their development.

I mean look at Munian and Pogba:

Both 19 years old, Munian has played 117 games for Bilbao, Pogba has played 6 for United.

This is why I keep saying we should have tried Pogba more this season to help him develop. Even Cleverley has started quite late for us (that may be more due to him being quite small though)

Newbie007 · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:41

Alpherah said:
Best league in the world

Cleverely, Rodwell and Wilshire the future of England's midfield

elmuzzy66. · 16 Mar 2012 at 10:18

Shamikebab said:
Well its AB not AM for starters. And Cleverley has been injured most of the season and started about 10 matches for United in his career. Pogba hasn't even started a single league match yet. The Bilbao youth players have been playing first team football a lot longer so are much further on in their development.

I mean look at Munian and Pogba:

Both 19 years old, Munian has played 117 games for Bilbao, Pogba has played 6 for United.

This is why I keep saying we should have tried Pogba more this season to help him develop. Even Cleverley has started quite late for us (that may be more due to him being quite small though)

Some of barca's youth get their debut in cl away matches during the group stage. Its a good way to see what they made off.

Ezyryder · 16 Mar 2012 at 10:38

Muniain is a bit of an oddity. He has been playing official matches since he was 16 years old!

I don't think Spanish football is free from errors (the dire financial situation for one) but teams such as Rayo Vallecano or Levante are examples of well managed clubs which will probably be able to be in the English top 10 with ease with a 1/10 of their budget.

I do think English football problems are structural and they originate at grassroots.

Tom84 · 16 Mar 2012 at 11:09

Shamikebab said:
I don't think they really looked fazed, Cleverley wasn't bad (he was definitely the best of the central bunch) and Pogba was pretty confident when he came on.

No chance he was absolutely woeful*

*Understand that this isn't me being over critical of him because he is lacking match fitness.

Shamikebab · 16 Mar 2012 at 11:21

Well, in comparison to everyone else he was good. Carrick and Park were appalling, Giggs looked massively off the pace. Cleverley improved a lot in the second half and was the only one who looked close to being able to match the kind of passing their midfield was doing.

jakeke · 16 Mar 2012 at 11:25

I don't think Cleverly was good even by Park and Carrick's standards. But he isn't to blame, the unit was the problem, not the individuals

Tom84 · 16 Mar 2012 at 11:26

Shamikebab said:
Well, in comparison to everyone else he was good. Carrick and Park were appalling, Giggs looked massively off the pace. Cleverley improved a lot in the second half and was the only one who looked close to being able to match the kind of passing their midfield was doing.

LOL that Carrick was worse. Same old same old.

EDIT: Oh and just incase you think same old same old from Tom never criticising Carrick see here that I'm not the only one

cheets64 · 16 Mar 2012 at 11:34

Problem is you all love players when they have a good few games then suddenly want them replaced.

You are skint, you have to make do with what you have.

UEFA Champions League/Europa League 13/14/15 March *** Spoilers ***

UEFA Champions League/Europa League 13/14/15 March * Spoilers *