Yeah, third. On 75 points.
The point being not having Europa would be more damaging due to our inability to rotate. Having Europa wouldn't harm our chances of top four as the point of those games would be to give the second eleven a chance and to be honest, it seems to be a good second eleven (especially with a sprinkling of the first).
Same they've got the next year with 3 games left. The decision to sack Moyes was definitively taken after Everton, according to several accounts. Of course it was merely the straw that broke the camel's back in all likelihood, but we didn't know that. Right before Everton there were still plenty convinced he'd be given until Christmas. So yes, I wanted it, and I feel vindicated. If there was even the slightest chance Moyes would stay with a convincing win over Everton (plus winning out probably), then it was worth it.
The decision to sack Moyes was likely made up a while back however they waited for top four to be mathematically impossible so they could justify only one season of severance.
Plenty convinced? Those plenty had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. There were plenty (especially non-united fans) that thought he was gone whatever happened so this point of yours is useless. I'm not sure how you can argue the board would have trusted him next season with how this season has gone, unless you are insane...
You wanted Everton to win and you wanted them to win big. Who knows what other games you've wanted Man United to get hammered in, and one can only assume you will give the next manager that treatment too.
I cannot understand how a real fan could bring themselves to support Everton over United in that last game.
And of course I'd rather Liverpool/United winning the league in consecutive seasons over Chelsea/Chelsea. That wasn't the scenario presented. I really don't see a dead rubber win having that much of an impact on a team's chances of winning the league the following season. I note you never answered my query about you and the escort. You don't get the rivalry, do you? It's just another 3 points to you.
You miss the point. I did not talk scenarios, I said your action of not wanting United to focus on preparing for the following season to their absolute max but instead focusing on Liverpool shows your desire for Liverpool to lose is stronger than United to win. Such therefore suggests you would rather Chelsea win twice than Liverpool followed by United otherwise you would want United to do all they possibly can to reclaim the trophy next season and you would accept there are no meaningless games. You would accept the focus must be to win every remaining game and to put in a performance that will return the confidence the squad has lost.
You would sooner the squad not find that confidence that is so important and Liverpool lose than find the confidence and be better for it.
I get the rivalry. But you don't understand elite performance, I'm approaching this from the mentality of the manager. And it's about the players and it's about being best prepared for the following season. I mean, you think there are such things as meaningless games therefore you do not understand elite performance. To think the last game of the season is meaningless is to think friendlies are meaningless also. Pre-season would be meaningless to you however I cannot accept such a viewpoint.
Alex Ferguson went mental when United won the league but did so with a draw. These are the standards you don't care for. He didn't care the league was won, he was furious with how they performed. Just like his rant when Aberdeen won the cup, he was furious at the performance.
Everybody on here understands the United - Liverpool rivalry and you are foolish to think they do not. The point here however is to understand the mentality of the champions, clearly you do not understand this. Champions win, these are the standards set and so it is important when they have failed in pursuit of the title one season then all focus and all attention is directed to winning it in the following season, one cannot do anything that would compromise this.
You would tell your players to compromise this. You would sooner Louis van Gaal have United lose the game than win it, just so you feel better. I can tell you now that Louis van Gaal wouldn't let you anywhere near the squad, and quite rightly so
You look at this from only the perspective of the fan ignorant of elite performance and mentality. There are no meaningless games, Liverpool had little to play for last season but they didn't throw in the towel, they were way off the pace after the first half of the season losing 6 of their 19 games but in the second half they lost 3. They could have given up and accepted the season to be a write off however they focused only on themselves, they focused on improving and it seems that was the right thing.
Ryan Giggs' focus now should be on winning these last four and ensuring the team are performing to the best of their ability. It is not a characteristic of the champion to lose games on purpose. It is the characteristic of the champion to win and this is what he must do.
Should you understand elite performance then you would understand why losing is not tolerated. Especially the Everton scenario that just happened, which on your part was disgusting behaviour, but even in your fantasy (very improbable) Liverpool one. The team should not lose focus of their own preparations, they should not get distracted by what their opponents are doing. They must focus on being the best they can because next season will be very tough and they will need to be on form if they are to rise above the rest.
This mentality was amazing especially when those posters posted next on an another thread how it is disgusting for fans to want United to lose a game just in order for Moyes to get sacked.