Originally posted by Private PeeWee:
<strong> <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[No No]" />
Well, you must be religious to seriously believe Arsenal won't clinch the titles now, as double winners. They have the quality, the experience and hunger for it. They will take this, make no mistake. And if they do as they should, they will have deserved it, 'cause Liverpool still isn't polished enough just yet, and we have been making way too many slip-ups this season.
You just don't make so many mistakes as we have done, and go on unpunished. And even more important; you don't do such mistakes against such sides as we have done at our own home-turf. And most important, you don't do that in a time like this.
The engine isn't a Ferrari this season. It is still in the garage for some serious surgery. Sure, we pack some steam now and then on test-runs, but there are many parts that is either not attuned rite, or just needs to be taken out and replaced.
Ofcourse Veron is a let-down, and might easily be a permanent mistake. But he could also be a new man next season playing for us still, for all we know. The essence is not him, but how the team play. And that hasn't been even close to what we all hoped for. Surprisingly, we have been a more balanced team in Europe than in England. I think, as many, that several factors have been poisonous to us in some campaigns: the Fergie-matter, the Beckham-issue, the Barthez-displays, the Stam-factor, the Blanc-speed... Toss in the mistake of excluding Scholes almost permanently due to a poor, poor Veron, and a very, very nervous and shattered defence, and you have it. Plus, Fergie thought it was smart to fix the working machine 4-4-2, with an untested 4-5-1; for a loooong period of time.
We have made errors in plenty, plus we have been in all kinds of unfortunate mishaps as well. Taken that in respect I think we have done well. We can still win 2 trophies. But will we? Seriously, do we want to win? Are we that hungry? Have we deserved it? I think not. Hungry people fight for their crumbs. We are fat now. Let's let Liverpool, Arsenal, the spanish and the germans have some more glory. Heck, even loser-sides in the Prem show more skill and attitude than we do. We don't want trophies anymore. We like museums. And our trophy-cabinet is way too full already. Right?
We have some serious home-work to do. All of us.
<img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[No No]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Which brings to mind how desperately we need a good and tactically sound assistant manager