What a load of old drivel? Sixth place at best? WTF, we are sixth now and only half way through the season and are three points behind Chelsea. I would say we are more likely to perform better in the seccond part of the season. We are in the first phase of Kenny's rebuilding plan, get rid of dead wood, cut the squad down and bring back some British players to return our identity, the football we are playing is good, based on a high-tempo passing / pressing game, we just need a little luck right now. Phase 2 will be to complete the squad, maybe another midfielder, a right sided player with pace and a goalscoroing forward. I would say it would be better to make a judgement on how well we are doing once everyone has settled and the players understand each others games. But so far, so good. As the King says "A work in progress"
Kenny's signings have generally been very good, Enrique, Bellamy and Suarez in particular have been superb, Adam has been very good and will improve, Downing, Henderson and Caroll have been fair, the latter three can and will improve IMO but at worst add very good depth to the squad. Suarez's ban will give the chance for big Andy to lay down a marker and could be a blessing in disguise for the lad. When you see our bench, containing the likes of Kuyt, Carragher, Caroll, Kelly & Gerrard etc it shows we are clearly stronger than last year. Kenny got shot of the likes of Poulson and Konchesky, which is what we all wanted. It's still a work in progress, we are not the finished deal. Can't wait to see our signings in January and the summer, think we will see a statement of intent from our American owners.............. Look on the bright side, we have a very strong defensive platform to build on. Just need to start taking the chances. To the doom mongers, I say, be patient, chill out a bit.
@bazray, as entitled to your opinion as you undoubtedly are - in this the UK, not North Korea - you too shall be reminded of it if we plastics are correct in May. Likewise we shall be reminded of it if we are incorrect. **** me I went what! when Bellamy was re-signed, and blow me have I been proved wrong! Diamond! Work in progress, yes. With that I agree. However, we aren't learning from the mistakes we're making. That's not to say we won't. I'm wondering if it hasn't been helped recently by all this Suarez hoo-ha, but is that a reason or an excuse? With the problems Rafa had, then the disaster that was Hodgson, we've taken steps back. Having said that even Kenny is pissed off with us not moving forward as we ought to be. 5 points from a possible 21 isn't great, now, is it? If you want to pretend you've been happy with recent results that's your problem. Allow some of us to let the steam out of our ears. A lot of what we say is crap in the heat of the moment but somewhere in that crap we make some points that are uncomfortable but need addressing. City? You must be ****in' jokin'! You can shove them up yer arse! @BiasedOpinion, I'm sure Mr Ferguson will oblige you with your request.
We just have to keep faith with Kenny at the moment, he has not been give enough time to mold a squad yet. At this point all that Kenny has done is put a squad in place where we have a good player in every position and cover for that position. I don't think we should be judging him or pulling his team apart at all. January and then in the summer should start seeing us putting quality other than quantity in place, some of Kennys signings were to get bodies in place and to make sure those bodies would serve us for years to come. The next step is to put class players in place and therefore be able to give the younger players like Henderson and Carroll time to develop without any pressure on them.
I think this debate needs to be approached with a bit more balance- both sides imo, are right to an extent, and their opinions are as valid as each otherâs. All the regular LFC posters on here are, Iâm sure, true fans of the club expressing themselves in their own way. Accusing someone who doesnât agree with you of not being a true fan or not knowing football or whatever is unfair and inaccurate. Interpreting concern with our current position as some form of treachery to the club is unfair, Iâm sure we were all hoping to be doing a bit better than this, and some are just more likely than others to admit it. On the other hand, disappointment can bring about excessive negativity and a doom and gloom atmosphere, which isnât very helpful either. âSixth at bestâ is a bit negative I think, because it supposes an even worse set of performances from here on, and thereâs no evidence to suggest that.. I would say sixth at worst, and fourth at best now. Finishing outside of these parameters is conceivable, but predictions should be based on probability, not possibility. Our performances havenât been bad at all apart from Spurs and, to a lesser extent, Blackburn. Loss of form in front of goal and some bad luck with the magnetic woodwork is unlikely to last for ever. Another point, Kennyâs defence of his team is to be expected, and quite rightly so, but inside he will obviously be aware that something needs to be done. He made his choices in the summer and some havenât worked out as well as hoped perhaps. He will undoubtedly learn from this. We need to see what he does in January, and how we perform for the rest of the season. Weâre all on the same side, and we should realise that we are going in the right direction, if not as quickly as weâd hoped.
WHAT??? "Not enough time to mold squad yet" How much time do you have to give? He has had time to choose, sell and buy players. he has had time to choose his own tactics and strategies. I think at the end of the day, you sometimes have to accept that you have made a mistake and cut your losses. Carroll was/is a massive £35 million pound mistake. Persevering with him will be the scousers downfall because playing him and depending on him for goals will lead to nowhere. It will get even worse when the pressure on him to deliver is increased. United has had their fair share of striker failures: I remember the likes of Davenport and Birtles. The manager kept persevering with them but they were missing huge sitters: the GKs were always having world class matches when they were playing. Sound familiar?
If you want to compare prices, let's have a look at berbatov. 30+ mil spent, was horrible in the beginning and thus got tagged "berbaflop", he did not fit the United way. Now last year he was joint top scorer and helped United to their 19th league title. Although he does not play regularly now, he still contributes when called upon. I believe this is the thinking with Carroll and the time afforded to him ( plus carroll is younger). I will say that Carroll has no where near the same skill set as berbatov but he is not that type of player. He is a bruiser, bosses people around, good in the air, and hopes to get the ball to that left peg of his. With all of this being said, I don't think he will cut it and just looks a right donkey out there at the moment, but I understand why we are continually going with him and backing him. if he can prove all of us wrong then good for him and I would love to eat my words.
Carroll may eventually come good but like you I do not think he will "cut it" at all. Berbatov is a player of skill and he does not depend on a specific style of play to score a goal. His style does not really suit United's current style but when Hernandez or Welbeck are not having any joy, and Ferguson wants to change it, he'll come in and introduce a new set of problems for the defenders. Carroll was bought (rashly I believe) just on the basis of the goals he scored for the Geordies for a short period. BUT the geordies were playing a certain way and to his strength. He was a big fish in a small pond. Unless the scousers change their style completely, playing long balls to him then I cannot see how he can flourish. I agree that he looks like a lost donkey most of the time. Newcastle has had a great deal. They got £35 million and Ba who is now outscoring not only Carroll but Suarez too. Talk about having your cake and eating it.
Did all Andy Carroll's goals come from route 1 punts from the Newcastle goalkeeper? No. Therefore we do not need to do that in order to get him scoring. Every team has a time and a place when they need to relieve pressure by holding the ball up, and this will come in useful in that time and place. In the meantime however with a bit more luck and confidence he would have been much closer to the 1/3 goal striker we probably hope he will become. Now is it entirely out of the question that with a few goals Carroll can match he goals tally of a similarly aged Luca Toni or Miroslav Klose or Jan Koller? Andy Carroll may well turn out to be a flop but the fact remains on his day he is unplayable and there's not too many strikers who are like that. If he develops to his full ability he will be a huge asset, and fortunately the people in charge of him understand these facts. please log in to view this image
This is his first full season, regardless of his success or failure in the transfer market he has not been back at the club long. Fergie has been at Utd forever and during that time he has had plenty of expensive failures, it happens to every manager.
