So, he can afford to lose the game then? IMO, not being able to afford to lose a game would mean you're going to get the boot should you lose. However, you guys are saying he'll just get **** for it.
That would be the worst thing they could do. It would completely undermine the manager (Moyes) and make his position untenable once Fergie backs off again!
They won't sack him, but the pressure on him from every angle will crank up another notch. He needs a win tonight - badly.
They made that mistake with Busby, they won't do it again. SAF will only be there as a sounding board for Moyes, IF he asks for it. Moyes is both stubborn, proud & somewhat egotistical, so I doubt he'll be pressing the panic button to parachute Fergie in.
Fergie was at Harvard the past few days doing a leadership seminar so he may not even be at the game btw.
I agree but this is completely new territory for MUFC fans in recent times - Fergie was given time and patience during some rough spells (when Chelsea and City competed) because of what he has done over the years. Moyes doesn't have that respect yet so I can sense that MUFC fans may become restless very soon.
It was relevant, you're right, it's just that I'm not interested in it - sorry. We're looking to 'getting back' the fortress mentality and our unbeaten runs of late haven't done that. While your unbeaten run maybe building confidence, ours wasn't. Moyes has the toughest job in the PL, was always going to be under pressure. Failed the first test - transfer market dealings, the second test - local derby, tonight could be considered the third test.
The fortress mentality is more to do with the opposition than it is our players. Sure, winning at home breads confidence into the team but if the opposition players realise it then it equally puts fear into their minds too. It is the reason Chelsea and Man Utd did so well over the years, teams knew they were unlikely to come away with the points when visiting Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. Arsenal had it at Highbury and IMO, it is part of what they lost when they moved to The Emirates.
Only 5 teams have gone unbeaten at home in a season Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd, Liverpool and City. Liverpool went 3 years unbeaten at home, broken only by Chelsea's 86 run [broken by us]. Liverpool have had 4 separate runs of over 30 unbeaten runs at home. So we do have some pedigree in this area and the fortress title rightly given. I'd like to see that title dusted off and re-instated, starting now!
My point was, a fortress is a place that opposition team fear going. Do teams fear Anfield? Not in my opinion.
No they don't fear Anfield any more - we're both agreed on that. If you think about what a fortress is physically, it's a place where those inside are secure in the knowledge they can't be touched and those outside worry that they can't breach. This is what Shankly wanted and achieved. His philosophy was you set up your team to be it's strongest and let the opposition worry about trying to break that down. Now if you're talking about it in terms of a fortress 'mentality' then the same applies on a psychological level - the players have to believe they are invincible and fight to keep control of the game and win it being attack-minded and not defence-minded. If it's to be fortress again then the players have to fight for the whole game and play like their lives depended on it - we just don't see that desire enough.
I don't disagree with that, I just believe its 60% the mentality of our players and 40% the mentality of visiting players #madeupstats
Someone that is talking on radio about Man UTd (so I assume he's a Man Utd fan) has just said Liverpool haven't won nine of the last ten visits to OT. I 4-1 WILL NEVER FORGET THE ONE WE WON!!!!
