I think that Redknapp probably told them to try and test De Gea as often as possible, as he's had a dodgy start to the season and messed up on some long shots. Helps if you get them on target, though! Cheers for the good will and the same in return. Your win at Upton Park was great!
See what you're saying Schteff, but my question is why were they knackered???. Uniteds MF would probably have stayed on had Defoes effort gone in, meaning fit enough to give 90mins, why weren't ours? United looked like they had another gear and we didn't, thats a bit of a puzzle this stage of the season for me.
Because it was our first league game and neither of them had played regularly in the Premier League last season, so they weren't used to it?
We had two players who couldn't really tackle in midfield so they were chasing and closing down all game. Kranjcar's never had great fitness levels for us and once he got knackered it was only a matter of time until Livermore was too.
To be fair to Kranjcar though, he did try to get stuck in whenever he could last night. Stupid foul for a free-kick on the edge of our box at one point, but at least he was trying! Livermore didn't look out of place either, which I'd feared. I wonder what'll happen to him if we do make the expected signings and manage to get everyone fit?
I think we'll keep him for the first half of the season PNP, even with 4 ahead of him he'll still have chances in the Euorpa and League cups. After that, depending on his progress he may well be loaned out.
We have a similar habit at Stamford Bridge of turning up expecting to get little or nothing from the game, which shows alarmingly if they score first. And the less said about our irritating habit of guaranteeing a clean sheet to any keeper whose got a reputation for being a bit crap... Corluka should've played instead of an unfit Walker, although the rest of the selections can't be criticised because they were basically enforced by injury or lack of fitness. But the gutless collapse can't.
I was slightly more encouraged by the first hour than appalled by the last third of the game. A lineup missing some key parts played Man U more or less even. And Man U really does look good: the combination of Young, Rooney and Nani is frightening. On the other hand, the collapse was pretty appalling. I'm going to put on my rose-colored glasses and say the team wasn't fit enough, since it was their first game of the season. I also thought the missed foul on Bale was inexplicable.
He didn't affect the result, as United fully deserved to win, but he got at least four major decisions wrong including one of the goals. Probably hard for a Man U fan to discern any difference from normal
So your complaint about the ref is that he penalised Man Utd for fouls, Lidls? I know that this may sound strange to you, but it's what he's supposed to do.
Luke, that's complete bollocks. So, it takes Utd an hour, plus, to "go through the gears", does it? The player we missed most was Sandro. After the first goal, we just imploded. Which is what I find unacceptable.
I'd say Sandro, Modric and King or Gallas, NSIS. We desperately needed someone to keep the defence organised and someone else to shield them.
Last night just makes me wonder what 'Arry and his coaches get paid for. All the old complaints from last season surface..... again...... Can't defend set-pieces, can't capitalise on our set-pieces, shooting woefully off target or straight at the Keeper, can't pass, players run out of steam..... I honestly feel Redknapp is one of the weakest tactical managers in the league, both in matchday tactics and in his ability to assemble a balanced squad. How long have we been after a target man type forward? Yet still we persevere with what we have though they have proved on countless occasions that none of them are up to the job. What the hell are our scouts doing? Yes we can't compete with the wages offered by the loonies around us but there are plenty of undiscovered gems out there.....probably (Hernandez at £10m for example). Redknapps forte is his motivational skills but that can only take you so far. Players will have heard is spiel countless times and it is starting to run out of steam. He has taken us as far as he can in my opinion and it would be only downhill from now on if he stays after this season. The only problem is, who would replace him? And how would the players react?
Yes, PNP, I was forgetting Gallas. I think had he, and Sandro, been there last night, at least we would have stayed together, and stayed in the game. Instead, we just disintegrated.
Precisely, no ball winner, we only have two at the club really, Sandro and WP, so why people are against us chasing Diarra is beyond me. Even when Sandro returns fit, how long before match fit and those performances we saw last season. We need someone now. If Silva, who's on fire atm, isn't shackled on Sunday we're in trouble again imo.
I'll agree with most parts of that. Harry has done a very good job for Spurs - a fact that we are constantly reminded of by Harry. We are currently at a crossroads. From here we are either going to push on and be a serious, regular, top four contender; or we will stagnate, and eventually drift back to mid-table obscurity, as our top players leave for greener pastures. The choice is for Levy and the board. If we are to push on, that means serious investment in terms of, stadium, competitive wage structure etc. If they are not prepared to take that risk, to make the investment, then we will probably never have this chance again - not in my lifetime, anyway. This is one of the best, most promising, squads of players we have had in many, many, years. If it is allowed to disintegrate, we could wait another quarter of a century, or more, before we have another chance like this.
Sorry mate. But those are the facts - well, as I see them, anyway. I've followed this club for over 50 years, now; and this is one of the best squads we have had in all that time.
