the way we are playing, I would not put it past us winning all 6 games.
The Manchester Title Race
- Thread starter charlenefan
- Start date
the way we are playing, I would not put it past us winning all 6 games.
So, if we have clinched it before the game against City, I think the team should have an open top parade from Old Trafford to United Stadium for the match. I'm sure it would go over very well.
I would, if we pissed around like we did vs Felhem and QPR
We won't win at Etihad and I don't think we'll win at Stadium of Light but other than that I think we have a good chance of getting wins in the other six games.
The league may be decided before we go to Etihad. For example, if City drop points away to Norwich and we win our games leading up to the City fixture, then a win against Everton at OT on the 22nd will be enough to win it irrespective of what City do at Wolves later that afternoon.
Manchester City's problem is they haven't got a Sir Alex Ferguson
If Manchester City were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, they’d be the ones celebrating winning the Premier League title this weekend.
By Alan Hansen
8:00AM BST 09 Apr 2012
For 100 years, I would advocate the view that the league has been won by the club with the best players. For the last two seasons, it has been the manager who has made the difference.
Give Ferguson the squad City have and put Roberto Mancini in charge of the current Manchester United side, and City would have won the title by 20 points.
United are on the verge of winning it again because City have capitulated and their manager has made too many mistakes, the biggest of which is failing to gel his assortment of talented players.
I look at City and I don’t see the togetherness, the spirit and kind of team bonding which is fundamental to any title success. These are the qualities United possess in abundance and which Ferguson has instilled into his club.
You don’t get the histrionics we’ve seen at City at Old Trafford, or if you do it happens only once a season and is dealt with immediately.
Mancini has allowed this cult of the individual to sabotage his title bid. Watching his side effectively give up their last hope of catching United at the Emirates yesterday, there was only one player who symbolised everything you need at this stage of the season. Vincent Kompany, the City captain, was heroic at centre-half. A genuine leader, brave and prepared to put his body on the line for his team-mates.
Then you see Mario Balotelli, yet again the villain of the piece.
To win the league you need four or five with the heart of Kompany and you need to root out the likes of Balotelli. United have four or five like Kompany and none of the disruptive influences, and that’s because the manager identifies potential problems quickly and efficiently.
Mancini is culpable. It’s down to him to create the right spirit in the side. He shouldn’t be allowing his players to use weekends off to go to all four corners of the globe. Again, compare his approach to Ferguson, who took his players away for a golfing weekend in Scotland to ensure they were mentally prepared as a unit for the final straight.
It shows on the pitch the way United fight for each other, look after each other and make sure if one of them is down, there are 10 others to lift him up.
One word sums this up. Reliability.
Ferguson will look around his dressing room, glare into the eyes of each of his players and know he can trust them. Those same players will do likewise to their team-mates and feel exactly the same.
Is it the same in the City dressing room before kick-off? Will Kompany look at Balotelli and seriously believe he won’t let the side down? Would anyone be surprised by his sending off yesterday?
If we were still in an era of 11 players and two subs, it would be impossible to keep a dressing room together in which everyone liked each other. With 20-man squads it’s even more challenging managing all the personalities.
Ferguson excels at this, unifying all the elements of his side by ensuring they work for the common good. Mancini has been unable to replicate it at the Etihad Stadium.
I will never advocate a manager losing his job, but it’s a fair observation Mancini is now in danger of losing his given the size of the lead City have thrown away and the failure to use the resources at his disposal as effectively as he should.
Tactically, they’ve become predictable too. Opposing sides have worked them out, recognising they play too narrow. Earlier in the season they were ripping sides apart with the high tempo passing game, but now they look out on their feet.
David Silva was unavailable yesterday because he wasn’t given enough rest earlier in the season. Again, Mancini must take responsibility for not ensuring his main players retained their freshness for the most crucial period of the campaign.
The enduring image of the season will be of City, undermined by Mancini’s inexplicable faith in Balotelli – who I didn’t believe would be picked again after his performance against Chelsea – and United’s Paul Scholes.
He may have played only 14 games, but Scholes is my Player of the Year. Calm, assured, magnificent on the ball and someone who everyone at Old Trafford will look at before an important fixture and say: ‘He is someone you can trust.’
That’s what it all comes down to when the going is toughest. Being able to trust your team and having players who trust each other.
That is why United are going to be champions again and the agonising wait for those City fans will linger on.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...m-is-they-havent-got-a-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html
If Manchester City were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, they’d be the ones celebrating winning the Premier League title this weekend.
By Alan Hansen
8:00AM BST 09 Apr 2012
For 100 years, I would advocate the view that the league has been won by the club with the best players. For the last two seasons, it has been the manager who has made the difference.
Give Ferguson the squad City have and put Roberto Mancini in charge of the current Manchester United side, and City would have won the title by 20 points.
United are on the verge of winning it again because City have capitulated and their manager has made too many mistakes, the biggest of which is failing to gel his assortment of talented players.
I look at City and I don’t see the togetherness, the spirit and kind of team bonding which is fundamental to any title success. These are the qualities United possess in abundance and which Ferguson has instilled into his club.
You don’t get the histrionics we’ve seen at City at Old Trafford, or if you do it happens only once a season and is dealt with immediately.
Mancini has allowed this cult of the individual to sabotage his title bid. Watching his side effectively give up their last hope of catching United at the Emirates yesterday, there was only one player who symbolised everything you need at this stage of the season. Vincent Kompany, the City captain, was heroic at centre-half. A genuine leader, brave and prepared to put his body on the line for his team-mates.
Then you see Mario Balotelli, yet again the villain of the piece.
To win the league you need four or five with the heart of Kompany and you need to root out the likes of Balotelli. United have four or five like Kompany and none of the disruptive influences, and that’s because the manager identifies potential problems quickly and efficiently.
Mancini is culpable. It’s down to him to create the right spirit in the side. He shouldn’t be allowing his players to use weekends off to go to all four corners of the globe. Again, compare his approach to Ferguson, who took his players away for a golfing weekend in Scotland to ensure they were mentally prepared as a unit for the final straight.
It shows on the pitch the way United fight for each other, look after each other and make sure if one of them is down, there are 10 others to lift him up.
One word sums this up. Reliability.
Ferguson will look around his dressing room, glare into the eyes of each of his players and know he can trust them. Those same players will do likewise to their team-mates and feel exactly the same.
Is it the same in the City dressing room before kick-off? Will Kompany look at Balotelli and seriously believe he won’t let the side down? Would anyone be surprised by his sending off yesterday?
If we were still in an era of 11 players and two subs, it would be impossible to keep a dressing room together in which everyone liked each other. With 20-man squads it’s even more challenging managing all the personalities.
Ferguson excels at this, unifying all the elements of his side by ensuring they work for the common good. Mancini has been unable to replicate it at the Etihad Stadium.
I will never advocate a manager losing his job, but it’s a fair observation Mancini is now in danger of losing his given the size of the lead City have thrown away and the failure to use the resources at his disposal as effectively as he should.
Tactically, they’ve become predictable too. Opposing sides have worked them out, recognising they play too narrow. Earlier in the season they were ripping sides apart with the high tempo passing game, but now they look out on their feet.
David Silva was unavailable yesterday because he wasn’t given enough rest earlier in the season. Again, Mancini must take responsibility for not ensuring his main players retained their freshness for the most crucial period of the campaign.
The enduring image of the season will be of City, undermined by Mancini’s inexplicable faith in Balotelli – who I didn’t believe would be picked again after his performance against Chelsea – and United’s Paul Scholes.
He may have played only 14 games, but Scholes is my Player of the Year. Calm, assured, magnificent on the ball and someone who everyone at Old Trafford will look at before an important fixture and say: ‘He is someone you can trust.’
That’s what it all comes down to when the going is toughest. Being able to trust your team and having players who trust each other.
That is why United are going to be champions again and the agonising wait for those City fans will linger on.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...m-is-they-havent-got-a-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html
I'd rather not get my hopes too high for this particular game, it's the toughest game of a season and they will be well up for it even if it's over or nearly over by then.
Sure, there was just something about the prophetic tone of the statement that tickled me. I'm still looking forward to that match, we're capable of winning there.
So, do people prefer the ''guard of honour'' before the game or would it be too sweet if we are crowned Champions at the Etihad?
Either would be cool but I think I'd prefer it to win it at Etihad. It'd be perfect to go there with 8-point gap, they know that even if they win it's over.
Can't see it. I think they'll beat West Brom.
I agree with Hansen's sentiment but I think too many people have discounted our players because they're not as good as City's 'on paper'.
The Rio / Evans partnership has been as good, if not better than, Kompany / Lescott, Evra is susceptible but certainly a better option than Clichy or Kolarov, DDG has grown into his role and has been arguably more reliable than Hart at this 'business end' of the season.
Then we have Valencia, Scholes and Carrick. They have all been immense since the turn of the New Year and I'd struggle to name anyone except Yaya that has shown that kind of consistency. Silva had a remarkable 1st half of the season but his downturn has been such that any hope of being awarded the PotY has pretty much disintegrated. Yes, he was played too much early on, but his form has been off the boil for a while.
Then you have the typical "Rooney vs Aguero" debate. Another player that, initially, looks like he could really topple Rooney in the "up there with the best" stakes. But his early form simply hasn't been maintained and, as dangerous as he can look, he is nowhere near the influence of Rooney in a game.
So, whilst on balance, City probably have the better group of players, I think that sweeping statement does some of our players a real disservice.
The Rio / Evans partnership has been as good, if not better than, Kompany / Lescott, Evra is susceptible but certainly a better option than Clichy or Kolarov, DDG has grown into his role and has been arguably more reliable than Hart at this 'business end' of the season.
Then we have Valencia, Scholes and Carrick. They have all been immense since the turn of the New Year and I'd struggle to name anyone except Yaya that has shown that kind of consistency. Silva had a remarkable 1st half of the season but his downturn has been such that any hope of being awarded the PotY has pretty much disintegrated. Yes, he was played too much early on, but his form has been off the boil for a while.
Then you have the typical "Rooney vs Aguero" debate. Another player that, initially, looks like he could really topple Rooney in the "up there with the best" stakes. But his early form simply hasn't been maintained and, as dangerous as he can look, he is nowhere near the influence of Rooney in a game.
So, whilst on balance, City probably have the better group of players, I think that sweeping statement does some of our players a real disservice.
I can't see City's squad as better than ours at all. I'd say our squad is the best in the world.
City are a group of individuals, United are a team. In terms of man for man quality City are probably better, but that counts for feck all if they can't play together and egos clash. We're the best team in the league this year, as the Champions always are.
I'm not celebrating till its done.
Hope the players take on the challenge of trying to win the next 6 games and setting the points record. No room for complacency...
Hope the players take on the challenge of trying to win the next 6 games and setting the points record. No room for complacency...
I somehow don't think the City game will matter anymore. Reckon we may even extend our lead by a point or two before we go there which will render the game quite meaningless. Kind of reminds me of Chelsea in 2006 when we had to go to Stamford Bridge as the title decider but we won the league before that
Yeah our squad is much better than credited with. If someone is going to argue you could put Fergie in charge of City and they'd have won but then I don't see why you can't argue that if we'd have had better luck with injuries then we'd have already won it by now. City look so vulnerable without Kompany, we've been without Vidic all season. They're not the same without Toure, again we've lost Fletcher all season. Not to mention all the other injuries we've had.
Ultimately it's not just talent that wins you stuff, if that were true, Arsenal probably should have won some trophies these last few years. There's more to it then that. Our team can be improved but what we have right now has such a good balance between experience and youth, with talent to burn and plenty of mentally strong players. I don't think any other team has that around us.
When players are only at your club because of the ridiculously high salaries you're going to have problems. They have no team spirit and the young kids coming through are being overlooked.
Are you fecking serious ?
Yes squad quality wise I'd say we are the best in the world. Real are very close.
If the derby has anything riding on it, we will win it.
If not, we will field a second string team and take the piss.
If not, we will field a second string team and take the piss.
We have a better squad than city and a better first 11 IMO as well but real Madrid and barca are much better than us in both squad and first 11.
I'd say first 11 Barcelona for sure have a better team. Really not sure about squad wise though.
Why ? They battered us at home. I know it doesn't matter now but I don't think there will be many opportunities to beat this off form City side. We have to put the record straight and win by a big margin.
Why what? Why will we field a second string team? I just think that is what SAF will do. It's business, not personal. Once the league is won why should we stress a loss earlier in the season? SAF will be more interested in giving younger players some experience.
That's your opinion. I think that the club would love to put the record straight.
Thanks for clarifying that. For one moment I thought it was a statement of fact.
I think that the record has been set straight as far as Fergie's concerned.
"Well done, you won one game 6-1, but in the end we'll be the champions and nobody except you will remember that game"
The youngsters can play in the final two fixtures. Fergie will want to make a statement v City.
If City do beat us, we will have a 5 point lead with two games to go. Still possible for them to overtake us, although unlikely.
I want a win at the Etihad's, THAT day still in mind - we have beaten them there before in January and we will again.
That day did hurt but I'm surprised so many people still feel they have one over us because of it. It was a single game. Now we are on the verge of winning the league, of taking the league they thought they were on course to win. There is no need for revenge. There is no record to set straight.
We could take a second string team there as champions and lose 8-0, would it matter? Would that give them the upper hand in an argument down the pub? Would that take the gloss off title number 20?
I'd love to see us go there and win, BTW, but experience tells me when the league had been won, SAF gives squad players game time. I don't think he would change that for City.
The good thing is we may not have to wait long to get an answer on this one. I think they are so demoralised now I don't see them getting maximum points before we play them. Then we'll see what SAF does.
We could take a second string team there as champions and lose 8-0, would it matter? Would that give them the upper hand in an argument down the pub? Would that take the gloss off title number 20?
I'd love to see us go there and win, BTW, but experience tells me when the league had been won, SAF gives squad players game time. I don't think he would change that for City.
The good thing is we may not have to wait long to get an answer on this one. I think they are so demoralised now I don't see them getting maximum points before we play them. Then we'll see what SAF does.
I agree.
Just like in 2009 when Liverpool beat us 1-4 at Old Trafford. Yes it hurt on the day, but when we won our 18th title, we had the last laugh while all they had to remember that season was a single match. I think this season will be the same for City.
So true! This is what I thought too. To go there having already won the League but wanting an revenge is not the United way. We are more classy than that, unlike many clubs coming to OT playing like their finals but were sh*t in their league position because to them, beating United is their trophy. We don't need to prove anything because the table doesn't lie. Let some young players have a go.
The game at the Emptihad will matter. If the gap is anything from 9 points or less then it'll matter. If nothing else and the race has truly been run, we officially claim our title there.
If the gap's more than 9 then we should be doing everything we can to win by as big a margin as possible.
If the gap's more than 9 then we should be doing everything we can to win by as big a margin as possible.
I don't care either way; win the league there or not, I want us to smash the crap out of shitty at wastelands.
And I think we will.
They are in a real mess: a demoralised, disrupted and divided squad with a manager who does not know if he will be in the job in a few weeks time. In that situation, any semblance of trust between individuals, let alone a team is possible; everyone will be out to save their own skins, the manager included.
The blame game has already started and disgracefully with the manager, Mancini, getting in the early blows: whilst Ballotelli was despicable yesterday, his manager turning on him in public like that was even more despicable. It would just never ever happen at United. The matter would be dealth with behind close doors and the actions swift.
Instead, this demoralised, disrupted and divided squad have the ugly shadows of Tevez and Ballotelli now hanging over them as well as the reality of blowing a once in a lifetime lead in the PL which they could have won at a canter slowly sinking in. Very few of the players can be certain of their footballing futures (lucky for all of them, they are all on ridiculous medium term contracts) so they will either play for themselves to stay at the club or to attract the eye of a future buyer.
Net net: no team ethic at all and so a sluggish, stuttering and shambolic end to the season.
Thats the side we will face at Wastelands whereas we will be in form, bouyant, united and as if any extra motivation was required, have a score to settle from being embarressed earlier in the season.
I can see us winning exactly 0-6 just to prove a point.
Bring it on.
And I think we will.
They are in a real mess: a demoralised, disrupted and divided squad with a manager who does not know if he will be in the job in a few weeks time. In that situation, any semblance of trust between individuals, let alone a team is possible; everyone will be out to save their own skins, the manager included.
The blame game has already started and disgracefully with the manager, Mancini, getting in the early blows: whilst Ballotelli was despicable yesterday, his manager turning on him in public like that was even more despicable. It would just never ever happen at United. The matter would be dealth with behind close doors and the actions swift.
Instead, this demoralised, disrupted and divided squad have the ugly shadows of Tevez and Ballotelli now hanging over them as well as the reality of blowing a once in a lifetime lead in the PL which they could have won at a canter slowly sinking in. Very few of the players can be certain of their footballing futures (lucky for all of them, they are all on ridiculous medium term contracts) so they will either play for themselves to stay at the club or to attract the eye of a future buyer.
Net net: no team ethic at all and so a sluggish, stuttering and shambolic end to the season.
Thats the side we will face at Wastelands whereas we will be in form, bouyant, united and as if any extra motivation was required, have a score to settle from being embarressed earlier in the season.
I can see us winning exactly 0-6 just to prove a point.
Bring it on.
Heh, Hansen said exactly the same last year about Chelsea and us as well. Utter bollards.
has anyone won more leagues than ryan giggs?