No Fergie No ,,, Is about our bench quality. We told u before the season start. Why ppl from far can see the problem but not u? wE Must back to business next week!! PLEASE OFFLOAD KIERAN RICHARSoon AND Darren "Flat"cher! They even worse than Kleberson and Djemba.

I think you are exactly right Sir Alex.

Sir Alex....excuses excuses...united`s biggest problem right now is the lack of world class players..we are simply not good enough to compete(win) in the champions league,premiere league and (possibly) the fa cup with the squad of players available...just look at chelsea and all the world class players on their squad..united`s reluctance to purchase players last summer and in january really shows now...move out ole..smith..richardson..o`shea..brown..fletcher...keep parks..dong...rossi...scholes and giggs are showing age...time for a complete overhaul of the squad before august..bring in at least four capable world class players..otherwise chelsea,liverpool and arsenal will be better...much better next season

patrick.. north carolina usa

No surprises here. Portsmouth have a great record against Man U who being honest have had two months of good luck with results going their way despite not playing great football or earning results. Did the show pony play today as I did not hear his name mentioned. Not too sure I will renew my season ticket. Is this Fergies final season?

pack it in fergie,the "squad" men you put out against portsmouth were a shambles,if we lose the title it is down to you..two more years,NO THANKS !

well, that was dissapointing. Chelski have somehow done it again, winning a ridiculous number of games on the spin (mainly 1.0) whilst we're starting to drop points and players through injury. I think our only chance was to hold that 6 point lead but now, Chelsea are breathing down our neck and I can see them nicking the title even though we have been the superior side this season. That's football, and that's Chelski.

I can understand where he's comming from, but the fact is that the bench is short some are not up to standard and I'm sure that SAF already knows that. I wish they kept Rossi and as much as I like Giggs, I'm afraid these last 2 games he looked like a part timer. However this is one game that United didn't look too good, but after that game against Roma, they looked more mentally than physically tired.

Played with 9 men for long periods today, Fletch & Richardson not up to the required level to play a decent EPL team on their own ground. Team can carry one of them but not both together. Can't understand why Eagles (who has been outstanding for the reserves the last few months) can't get a look in, has vision and energy both lacking the the 2 already mentioned!

Undermanned, not enough quality, too much resposibility on too few, too narrow minded management who took the summer off instead of strengthening the team. What do you expect? Fergie...the start raised our hopes but the reality of injuries, suspensions and a great performance by Roo,Ron,Saha and the defense won us too many days....consequently we have too many to play....hard to figure, hah FERGIE!!!
Heck when all is lost, blame the refs or injuries or the schedule....how long have you been managing Fergie?

Sorry not an excuse, I know I will anger some people but
I can't see just how professional footballers can use tiredness as an excuse..flown out to Rome in a specially chartered flight on monday stay in the best hotels with the best facilities able to relax and do a little bit of training get the very best in treatments and then play 90 minutes of football (ok with 10 men blaa blaa) then a day and a half R & R in Rome before again returning direct to the south coast on specially chartered aircraft finally lazying around most of the day until kick off at 5:15....and then putting on a display like that....now you tell me if that was a tough week!

we already were without 4 first choice players through injury facing a tough game and saf decided to bring in more of the fringe players in kr and df and it was a disaster. the both of them were utter garbage.

Does fergie never learn,play Giggs in the first half and if your in control then you could conider others....BUT....not K richardson ,not the kids fault he aint good enough,the mangagemant team should recognise this.
There again this was down to E VAN SAAR,what the hell is this parrying thing ,wasn;t that what Howard did against Porto!!!! has his eye sight or reactions gone???
Poor performances from Rooney,Ferdinand too.Giggs too was very llacklustre when he did come on.I said prior to this game that it was the most important of the season believing that if Utd won here it was a title winner,now its in the balance again,and i think we will eventually have to go to Chelsea to WIN.Everton and City are very tricky fixtures for Utd ,whereas Arsenal look to have pack up for there summer hols and that was going to be the vital game for me.
final thoughts. utd fixtures. sheff utd 3 pts Middle'h 3pts,Everton 1pt,City,3pts Chelsea 0 pts West ham 3 pts.....13 points

Chelsea fixtures....West Ham 3 pts, Newcatle,3pts Bolton 3pts ,Arsenal 1 pt,Utd 3 pts,Everton 3 pts......16 points

hey thats us !!!! hang on to your hats....

I cant believe the comments being made by United fans on here. Shocking to say the least. Come on we all want the title to come back home but we will not get it back with fans like these. Looking back on the last 8 games we won 7 out of 8 and Chelsea scrapped 8 out of 8. Picking out specific results, we beat Liverpool with 10 men away at Anfield, then did Ronaldo magic at Craven Cottage before scoring a priceless away goal at Roma and then managed to score away at Portsmouth in the 93.5th minute and with a brilliant save forced on David James in the 94th minute after going 2-0 down in the 90th! If those results do not show desire and passion in a team even after the setbacks we are currently having with injuries and suspensions then all you muppets should go support City.
I am proud of the lads, they are not angels. I wonder what you guys would be if you were gunners fans - 3 losses in a row and out of all competitions. There is only so much that the lads can do... Edwin may have goofed yesterday with the back pass but he still pulled of a brilliant save when it was easier for the ball to have gone in in the second half. At this time real United fans will tell the lads " come on you Reds, we are minutes away from the finishing line." Slating the manager after amassing 78 points 75 goals scored and only 21 conceded in 32 games to stand 23 points clear of gunners and 18 clear of Liverpool both of whom were tipped to finish ahead of us at the start of the season is fantastic. Nobody in their real senses that is, can argue that we do not deserve to win the league even gunners will tell you that and just because we slipped up this once does not mean we are pathetic. All the Reds including the much slated Fletcher and O' Shea have played their part in us being where we stand today and deserve a pat on their backs no matter what happens in the next few weeks. I have confidence in the team and am certain they will put the league title in the trophy cabinet at the end of the season.

what an excuse . what is saf going to say IF we get beat on tuesday 3 games in a week . these players are pros making millions each year. we should of won last sat and also against west ham we did not have our mind on those games.GO REDS GO ON TUESDAY I WILL BE WATCHING.

Good comments, RedRonny but it's a lost cause trying to reason with most of the muppets on here. They assume, as a United fan, they should have a God-given right to watch an easy victory every weekend, irrespective of injuries, fatigue or the quality of the opposition.

I can understand the frustration regarding yesterday's match. Such a defeat has been coming for weeks and to Utd's credit they have pulled off some staggering results. This is the final wake up call and maybe it has come at just the right time - the next few weeks will tell. As for the performance, many players had a shocker. I do think this was Richardson's last chance to impress - he cant say he hasnt had chances this season but Ive yet to see him deliver. To me there was no team play yesterday, and Rooney and Ronaldo disappointed. I dont expect Ron to score wonder goals every game but yesterday he just kept trying to score. He sometimes forgets he is a winger and a plan B - crossing into the box - helps the team. As for Rooney, he needs a Roy Keane to tell him to get on with it. Maybe just maybe Roma will get the aftermath of yesterday's frustration - 4:0 would be nice. And when is Saha due back? I cant help wondering whethere Larsson has set back Saha's season. There is still time to come good, who knows even Richardson could become a United legend

mick it would help if we were not handicapped by our esteemed manager giving certain players 2 many chances to prove themselves when time after time they have failed the team.

I'm stuck between posting comments a la Mick, RedRonny i.e being positive, or else posting my other side of thinking (my pessimistic, fearful, tension-filled thoughts). All things being equal, my honest conclusion is the latter. I honestly feel the pendulum has well and truly swung Chelsea's way now (Kalou's winner at Watford the defining moment, no doubt). Please, SAF, DO NOT say that Chelsea cannot win all their remaining games because that will make them EVEN MORE determined to do just that! The pessimist in me cannot bare think about our whole season collapsing in front of our eyes (it will be interesting to see if heads will roll in the summer). These things have happened to us in the past as we all know. Fair game to Chelsea, always playing after us and getting a win under pressure. The first time we,re asked questions by them and, ditto, we crack! Although I fear we're going to win nothing this season, that won't stop me from dusting myself down in the summer and preparing myself for another rollercoaster next season. Supporting the reds is a religion that will NEVER end. And amidst all the doom and gloom remeber what we were ALL predicting in the summer. Nobody gave us a hope in hell! And incredibly we're in pole position in April! So let's put aside our fears and pessimism aside and just support our lads wholeheartedly (yes, O'Shea, Fletcher and Richardson included) and see where it gets us. After all nobody can change fate.

Great comments RedRonny! The majority on here are just standing in the shadows waiting to attack SAF at a moments notice. Embarassing really! This is why United fans are hated the world over. One game away from the semis of the CL, one game away from the FA Cup final and 3 points clear at the top is just not good enough for us.
Pompey away was always going to be tough, and after a game like that last wednesday... But i forgot that if you're a millionaire footballer, taking chartered flights and staying in nice hotels then you shouldn't be tired and should never lose down there, even if we did 3 out of the last 4 visits. Pathetic comments from foolish people!

Not quite sure what poing you're making, BobbyD. Should he have started Giggs? He didn't exactly make a massive impact in the second-half and will be starting in central midfield on Tuesday so badly needed a rest.

Or maybe you think Ole would have been the man to get up and down the right flank for 90 minutes?

I don't think Fergie had any choice other than to start with the XI he did.

Fletcher did ok, KR was poor. Against an energetic Portsmouth side we needed more from them. And that's a pity. But almost every other player that started also had a game to forget.

I've just read somewhere that our 2003/2004 seson was effectively ended with an April defeat at Fratton Park (I remember it, 0-2 Unsworth(pen) and Yakubu and if my memory serves me well it was Rio who gave away the penalty!). For me this has confirmed that we are fated not to win neither the Premiership nor the CL, just like 2004. The sheer coincidences are too strong to ignore. That Fratton Park debacle with Rio at the centre of it. Just like now! As for the Cl, we played Porto in the QF's. We lose 2-1 away in the first leg (just like with Roma now!), the ref is Herbert Fandel (just like now!), he sends off Keane (just like Scholes now!). So it's obvious that the second leg will end 1-1 and we're out! And Mourinho will have the last laugh on Sir Alex, just like 2004! I know I'm superstitious but these bad omens are too obvious to ignore! Don't say I didn't warn you!

it is incredible how the fans are ready to slate the team so quickly. our first defeat in the league for a while and whilst we werent at our best we were clearly lacking after wed nights hard work. its not the end of the world. were stil 3 points and goal difference ahead. for me fletcher and oshea didnt play badly i would point to richardson, brown, van der sar and giggs as the worst. the last 3 have done a decent job beforehand so can allow one off game

redronney, Mick and duffer..... great to see that some united fans still recognise the efforts of this united team this season even after a difficult week. I find it staggering to see some united fans still rubbishing the team and caoching staff as a whole after such an amazing season. I thought thats what a city fans main vocation in life was. Top of the league with only 5 games left, and still in the FA cup and champions league at this stage of the season???? and they're still calling for fergies head????

You see bobbyD always chipping in to support the right of anyone else who has just lambasted the team with the usual argument about the strength of our squad blah blah blah. But you see, we all know richardson's not good enough for this team, but the others (even fletch) have played their part this season, particularly oshea. There were good reasons other than fergies team selection yesterday for the bad performance. The exertiions against roma on tuesday for one. As someone else said, some united fans are never happy. They crawl out of the woodwork any chance they get to have a pop at the old grandmaster himself (fergie that is). They, other than Bobby D of course, have been conspicous by their absence during all of our success's this season. At least Bobby D has shown some consistency, and has kept to his arguments even after a 4-1 win.

And no doubt, when we do win the league in May after beating chelsea at the bridge, they will be back on here talking about how fergie's rubbish and he should have done this and done that ion the transfer market. Or that we were lucky to win the double, because chelsea handed the title and the cup to us on a plater etc etc etc. God forbid if they had to credit the great man for any of the success we as fans have enjoyed over the last 15 years including this season. Quite comical really.

Bobby d, before you get your knickers in a twist, i agree with you on the fact that we need to bolster this squad with exactly the kind of players we have all been dreaming of for the last three seasons. But you have to admit, that other than on a few occasions this year, this squad hasn't done too badly has it. Liverpool and chelsea have invested heavily in their teams and apparantly have stronger squads than us, but we're still ahead of both teams in the EPL,and as far as i'm concerned, the league table never lies.

It seems the media, bitters and other ABUs have now (joyously) written us off. Many of our own fans have too. Fine. It will just make it even sweeter if we do finish the season as champions. If we should finish empty-handed, I will still be immensely proud of the club, coaches and players. The games can't come quickly enough now - bring it on.

M NOT CALLING FOR FERGIES HEAD,SIGNING'D MUST BE MADE AND DAMN YTHE COST FOR THE RIGHT MEN.
FORGET TUESDAT WE HAVENT A CHANCE,OUT AGAIN TUESDAT NIGHT IM AFRAID.
HOPE FOR A MIRACLE,BUT THELL COME AT US ALL GUNS BLAZING.