Comments on: Red or dead – Are Rafa and Fergie losing the plot?

By: Nev Napier

Nev Napier — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:02:05 +0000

They should be, other clubs have been put into administration for much less, just look at Palace. A ten point deduction for Utd would shake things up a bit!

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:32:58 +0000

I think Randy Learner is doing well for Villa. There is always money to spend and the club are heading the right diection.

I think United and Liverpool are completely knackered, if it was a small business that was so much in debt they would shut them down so why arent Liverpool and United being threathened with closure?

By: Nev Napier

Nev Napier — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:19:07 +0000

That’s Napier to you and I.

By: Nev Nalier

Nev Nalier — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:18:13 +0000

There is a lesson to be learned here, never sell your club to Americans, they know nothing about football and care little for it, a bit like me with American football. The only exception would be Villa, although Learner does seem suspiciously quiet, he will send them up the creek before long.

Liverpool and Utd have similar financial problems, the difference between the two clubs is their managers, one is keeping his club afloat and the other is taking his under.

The Premiership needs a re-shuffle, good luck to Tottenham, Villa and City, I welcome the new dawn.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:01:37 +0000

Dexy, if I was Rafa I’d keep getting Howard Webb to ref at Anfield. What a joke. Spurs were bad last night but how he disallowed Defoe’s equaliser I’ll never know. Plus Mascerano shouldn’t been booked on about 6 separate occasions. Kind of comes back to that top four bias I mentioned a few months back. Either than or all the top refs are just intimidated by reffing at the top four, scared to give decisions against them. Speaking of which, how on earth did Gallas get away with that tackle in the lead up to Arsenal’s equaliser? If Owen Coyle can see it from 40 yards away then surely the ref can from 5 yards. Or maybe he didn’t want to.

Also it’s nice to see the old spirit of fair play alive and kicking as Arsenal continue to attack as player lies prone with a broken ankle/snapped ligaments as a result of an atrocious tackle. If that had been a home player down I suspect the whistle would’ve been blown pretty quickly. I remember Wenger’s apopleptic reaction to a similar tackle on Diaby at Sunderland a few seasons back, plus his outrage after the Eduardo leg-break. He admitted this one was bad but then compared it to some from the game at Bolton the other day saying they were worse! His myopis is simply extraordinary – beggars belief.

Finally a touching reaction from the Emirates faithful, booing Davies as he was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected broken ankle. It may be a great looking stadium, but most of those inside don’t have a clue about football.

By: dexylongshot

dexylongshot — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:21:56 +0000

if i was Fergie or Rafa, i’d be keeping tabs on milner for the attacking midfield slot, he’s been fantastic tonight in the cup. he’ll be starting for fabio in the usa game if he keeps this form up.

By: W.A.

W.A. — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:07:54 +0000

United are struggling because Ronaldo can’t be replaced. He wasn’t just the team’s most talented player; he came to determine how the team played. Ronaldo was only nominally a winger in his last couple of seasons at United. He started wide but would swap flanks or play through the middle, in search of the ball. The other forward players (Rooney included) took up positions according to where Ronaldo was on the pitch, and played off him. Rooney is having an exceptional season but he needs a foil or two to create space and link up with, as Ronaldo had with Rooney and Tevez. Berbatov and Owen slow the game down too often.

Counterattacking used to be United’s strong point but, although the squad still has pace (Rooney, Evra, Nani, Obertan, Valencia, even Giggs still), they’re nowhere near as effective as with Ronaldo and (though it pains me to say it) Tevez in the side.

By: Matt Quinn

Matt Quinn — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:30:42 +0000

Fergie… overrated. Lucky to get the best crop of youngsters in decades. I could have managed Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Giggs, Nevilles (x2) et al to a league title.

His signings have also been very hit and miss. Especially lately.

Although i do think he is one of the best man managers ever. Even when you play a weakened United, they still play in a manner and style that suggests they cant be beaten. They never give up.

Ive twisted myself in circles here. He’s overrated, lucky but a cracking man manager.

By: Finn

Finn — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:32:52 +0000

Liverpool are more immediatly in trouble (due to Benitez losing it, his post-match interviews are cringe-worthy and the sign of someone tipping over the edge) but United will have problems when Fergie leaves. Unless he has a ready made replacement it’s difficult to see anything other than trouble for United, especially as Giggs and Scholes will finally retire and players like Rooney and Vidic may get their heads turned by Spain. It’ll be good for the league though if both these sides drop out of the top 4 – its way too predictable nowadays, it needs shaking up.

By: dexylongshot

dexylongshot — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:56:22 +0000

Of course they don’t. West Ham will have taken their place in 7 years time if all goes to plan after the takeover. Olympic Stadium, 50’000 packed in every week, possibly more if we can get away with somehow getting the running track out of the way. They probably only want the track so they can have flirt on the dogs now Walthamstow has closed down.

By: Darren

Darren — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:14:10 +0000

I for one am absolutely loving it! It would be great for football if they both finished outside the top 4!

Both clubs think they have a divine right to win all the trophies, which they don’t of course

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:56:30 +0000

I think it’s time for change at both clubs. Fergie has been the best manager of all.

Where as Rafa is still living of that Champions League win. The amount of money he has spent means they should of won the Premier League by now. They will NEVER win the league under him.