On the Eve of the new Season...

[vansmack]

Right now, I'm pretty sure that was about the worst minute of my life as a United supporter.

The goal was bad enough (though deserved), but to see Rooney helped off ahead of the Chelsea match - that's downright frightening.

[godsshoeshine]

hey premier league, we're back. the mackems are still shite, right?

[vansmack]

hey premier league, we're back. the mackems are still shite, right?

Welcome back and no, the Mackems looked proper this weekend against Spurs, but all in all, yes, they have struggled this season.  You will get the chance to face them next season however....

PS: Can you bring Forest up with you?

[godsshoeshine]

haha i did watch that match this weekend. three chances from the spot was kind of nuts. missing two was funny. my spurs loving brother in law was less than stoked

forest deserve to go up. which means they won't

[Barcelona]

he is truly amazing. he is god

[vansmack]

he is truly amazing. he is god

He was entertaining all by himself yesterday...unbelievable.  Even when I knew the game was out of reach and had baseball to watch, I couldn't turn it off just because I had to see what he was going to do next.  Damn is he being wasted by Maradona....

[vansmack]

F me - shoeshine called it.  Rooney is starting.  I'm not watching the game live so I won't be back in this thread for a little while.  Just thought I would share.

[brennser]

well. THAT sucked......talk about a game of two halves

[vansmack]

well. THAT sucked......talk about a game of two halves

I don't like to question SAF, but up 3-0, there really wasn't much need for the suicide squad to be left out there.  I'm sure he was thinking if we can make it until half up 3-0 we can adjust at the half but that was not to be.  I was shocked that Rooney/Gibson/Rafael were all back on the pitch to start the second half.  I thought SAF might make one change out of those three... 

[brennser]

twas the soft goal that killed us

3-0 at half time and they would have been dead and buried

[vansmack]

twas the soft goal that killed us

Both soft goals, if you count the goal at the end of the first leg...Agreed.

[vansmack]

And since we're talking about next year already, I like the Hernandez signing, depite hating Mexican footballers.  He plays hard and dives in like Rooney.  He'll have to adjust to the EPL, but should do well given the effort that I've seen him give for Chivas.  I do wonder if this hurts United's chances of signing di María though...

[hutch]

And since we're talking about next year already, I like the Hernandez signing, depite hating Mexican footballers.  He plays hard and dives in like Rooney.  He'll have to adjust to the EPL, but should do well given the effort that I've seen him give for Chivas.  I do wonder if this hurts United's chances of signing di María though...

I really think United should stay  away from Latin American players..something about Ferguson and Latin Americans does not seem to work for Man U:

Veron, Forlan and Tevez..

Forlan is one  of the best strikers in the world and Tevez is a proven winner.... What happened to Veron at ManU will remain one of the great mysteries..he went in as one of the best players in the world (I bought his Man U jersey in Bs. As...) and came out a has been not to mention the 2002 WC debacle..

Frankly, lately Ferguson seems a bit out of it.. his comment about Germans was particularly innane

I'm not sure if I'm forgetting anyone the past 10 years

[vansmack]

Antonio Valencia, and he's doing just fine...

Forlan is a bit of a mystery to me.  He just couldn't score, depsite many appearances and many chances.  He had over 60 appearances and probably just as many chances, but somehow just couldn't finish, save for a handful of goals.  Most United supporters aren't surprised at his success at Villarreal - he just needed to find that finishing touch, which he clearly has.  He certainly was a frustrating player to watch in Red though.

Veron simply couldn't play without space and the English game didn't lend itself to Veron's style of play.  It's not like he was any better at Chelsea so to say that it's SAF's fault is a bit unfair.  He was brilliant for United in the Champion's League (where he was afforded space) but the defense in the English game was too much for him, both in Manchester and in London.

We've gone over Tevez a million times and nobody ever doubted his talent.  As I've said before, he was let go to City because he wanted to be the highest paid player on the team and United wouldn't do that.  Rooney's still outscoring him and United still lead City by a healthy margin, so I still think SAF made the right decision. 

Unlike Veron and Forlan, Tevez was the right kind of player for United with his effort and constant hussle - the money just wasn't right.  I like the way Hernandez plays and I think he'll also be the right type of player for SAF's tactics.  For 6 million pounds and a match in Guadalajara this summer, a bit of a bargain too.

[hutch]

I remember that Veron was doing very well when he first played for Man U (as I recall in Premier league too as I was watching the Man U games as was all Argentina).... then all of a sudden he crapped out a few months before the 2002 WC and unfortunately Bielsa (then Argentine national team coach) could not adapt at that late point...

You can't deem the T decision a good one because Man U is ahead of City! Come on! City has nowhere the talent Man U has (despite having Tevez)...I mean imagine City if they had Rooney! OK, you probably don't want to imagine that... I mean Man U was really really close to progressing in the Champions and winning League.. I have to think Tevez would have helped...

Hernandez is definitely a "bargain".. then again Mexicans can't really play soccer so I'd be skeptical but who knows....I don't know anything about him.... I just know I've never seen a Mexican player I enjoyed watching..well, maybe el Pajaro who for a while reminded me of Caniggia.