Excuse me, but what the hell is going on? Have United been too dependant on Ruud to make goals out of nothing? The result today was very depressing. Scholes is not as dominant as he should be, but I was happy that Kleberson was selected over Djemba and that Spector is doing so well. There seems to be something wrong in the team and I believe a new winger (Duff) could solve much of the problems.

Everyone is getting very excited with the fact we will have 4 of the very best strikers around...RVN, Saha Smith and Rooney???
Fantastic.....except for one slight problem which everyone bar SAF/Board can see...?
You can own the best guns in the world but if you don't have the bullets....they don't work!
What did RVN complain about ...a lack of service.
Now its beginning to tell we have just lost 4 very easy points, especially against everton who we failed to breakdown why because we have no creative spark in central midfield!!!!!!!
What was beginning to look very positive is now looking like a nightmare waiting to happen......!!!
Plus another point which noone seems to look at can anyone seriously see any of these 4 strikers (60Mill +)sitting on the bench waiting like teddy and Ollie, I can't.
The arse and the russians will walk over these teams....remember just as we used to !

still no luck in seeing MU at their best, even Mr Rooney will do nothing if not supplied by good balls from midfield and that is an area Sir Alex should be particularly concerned about, glad no Premiership this weekend so that I could get over the last two games

Disappointing that we still haven`t learned the error of our past mistakes. No movement, no flowing football, no passion or skill. Just ineffective, hopeful, individual runs forward. Will fergie please look at old tapes of how we used to play and try and learn something! What next fergie, the long ball game. At least some regulars will be back or even rooney might sign, some ray of hope or sunshine in a very dull day!

What this result has again highlighted is our lack of creativity! I have said before, it is no good having three/four top class forwards if they are not being given the right kind of service. Too many games last season we either lost 1-0 or finished goalless, due to our inability to create clear cut chances and take them. Again today we dominated possession without really creating too many goal scoring situations. Four games played and only three goals scored, more worryingly we are already SEVEN points behind the top two.
All this talk of us signing Rooney, a hell of a lot of money for potential, but potential is not going to win the Premiership or the CL. Pundits are saying United can't afford not to sign him; but is he really the answer to our problems? We have continued where we left off last season, plenty of possession, but no cutting edge. I know from other postings I am not alone in my concerns, we need a world class creative midfielder, to turn those tight games into three points rather than one, I'm not convinced that Rooney is the answer, I only hope I'm wrong.

Sir Alex seems determined to rest players to prevent burn-out. Today Giggs was rested, agains Dynamo Giggs and Scholes were rested - and Euro 2004 players have missed most pre-season. So maybe our players will be frehs come April - but at that time, we will probably be 30 points adrift of Arsenal and Chelsea.....
Our attitude seems to be similarly minimalistic. We try to do the minimum required to secure a one-goal-victory. Our play is slow, dull and unimaginative. Players try to spare themselves.... Let us at least have two or three wholeharted performances this season - I cannot remember any one last season at all.
Finally, I do not think that players like Fletcher, Djemba and Kleberson are good enough to run midfield - and Scholes and Keane seem to be over the top.... so frustrating.

Alas, the southern giants are showing you lot how to set the premiership alight. I walked into work last monday with every armchair red there is telling me how long this season is going to be for the mighty blues. Tomorrow however, i don't think those uneducated morons are going to have much to say somehow. Have to go now, my tea will be ready in 3 minutes...........Sorry Alex, make that 4 minutes!

This is football, right? Two games in the space of 3 days in which victory by a huge margin would be as normal an outcome as defeat (if penalties or handballs were given). I certainly didnt mind the way we played in either game. Too many chances created to berate the squad. I can see something is missing (the goals dummy!) and luck certainly plays a part, but obviously something s gotta change. I dont know what, I am not the manager. Remarks? Scholes is not playing well. Something is wrong with him. Silvestre was dangerous today. And I also felt that Kleberson, who increasingly looks like the Brazilian World Champion that he is, missed D-D by his side today. I really think that this is a midfield partnership that has to be given a run. People clamour about a winger or a creative midfielder, and I dont know about that, even though I did daydream about Micoud, Giuly or Rothen joining us back in the day, but it looks as if something has to be done in midfield. Soon. Now. Lets see what.

Here we go again. All the below comments are correct! We have no creativity! In each of the four games we've played this season, we have had over 60 per cent possession and only gained three goals from it. How does that work? Well the answer is, the absense of a world class creative midfielder. At least when we had Becks and Veron we got some class service to the strikers. I have to admit i'm excited about the prospect of Rooney's signing and the fact that we'll then have four top class strikers. But as others have said, what is the point if we don't have adequate service. Perhaps if SAF decided to play with wingers again. I mean today we were so narrow, despite Ronaldo's presence on the pitch, in the first half there was no width whatsoever as Ron kept coming inside. Did you notice that in the second half when Giggsy and Ron were wide on each wing, we made more chances. It is obvious that wingers bring goals, as every great united team have had fantastic wingers. Why did you leave Giggsy out SAF. Surely this was a must win game and you left one of our best players on the bench "Brilliant". Although it hurts me to say so but you never see Arsen leave his best players on the bench, he always seems to play his best team. There are a couple of pluses though. I thought the young lad Spector had a cracking game. He seems to ooz class and confidence. He looks very very good. Plus Kleberson showed that he really was a Brazillian midfielder and of course our mate Ron was just himself and looked to be our most creative player. So I really hope we sign Rooney, but at the same time I think SAF and the PLC board need to identify a winger or world class midfielder to help us turn possession into goals.

Two ways of looking at this: first concern, Arsenal have played Blackburn and Everton too and thrashed both of them too. Second and a bigger concern is that even we put a good run together, we'll be trying to play catch-up to 2 teams not 1. With previous teams, I was always confident that we could get a result up until the last minute, but those players knew the drill and were confident. This team is sadly lacking currently. What SAF would give for a young Roy Keane?

I think what SAF is banking on is the strength of his back four once they are all assembled and it will probably read Neville, Rio, Silvestre and Heinze. that leave Brown, O'Shea as the alternates. Pretty formidable as will our strikers be.
With that sort of support I think Alex figures he has the horses in mid field. Don't forget, with Keane and Scholes in Mid field we would have won both of our last two games instead of drawing.
After Roo signs, that will be that folks so giggs back up on the left will be Ronaldo and on the right we will see Fletcher, Miller or Bellion. The key for our big games will be Scholes and Keane in the middle Giggs and Ronaldo wide. Arsenal and Chelsea have started every game with the strongest team available to them. We haven't because we simply don't have the players available. Neither Arsenal or Chelsea had a Spector or a Miller or an Eagles or a Richardson out there. Right now we are hanging on with a desperately depleted back four and strike force. We have to be patient.

I`ve seen worst starts to the season so its too early now to hit the panic button. But the signs are fighteningly there for all to see and as long as we continue to see more regulars return and others get match fit and maybe get a run in the team, we might yet find the consistency we lack and are crying out for. Our problems are stemming from the lack of class( excluding Keano) in midfield, with Scholes under performing and Klerberson and DD still trying to fit in and find some kind of form. With an ever changing backline that always seems uncomfortble on the ball, the sooner Rio`s back and with the introduction of some bite with Heinz maybe confidence will return! Thats basically what we lack, confidence and the belief in ourselves which we used to take for granted. The sooner the belief returns the better,and the more chance we have of regaining a cutting edge. Yes we do lack fluency and free flowing football but we have to start somewhere, take it one step at a time so hopefully we`ll again be in a position by Xmas at the earliest to be capable of launching a double attack on the Premier and CL.
I for one have been calling regularly for the head of fergie and gill but at the present time would it do us any good? I don`t think so. Time for everyone to realise nothing is going to change( if any) until the end of the season,with no more transfers( apart from rooney) in the pipeline, the team we have now is the one we`ll have to work with, get behind and support, no-matter how we feel about certain positions or individuals!
We`re starting to see more and more vultures from other teams especially our bitter friends hand around waiting for us to hit the self destroy button. Why, because they can see all the negativity that we all have been prone too and the fear we have of failure or percieved failure. We are a great club have great players with a great history, so no-matter what happens we`ll never lose this. Time lads to shut up shop and get behind the team. Time for us to believe, what call we lose! United til death.

If Ryan Giggs started the game, MAN U would have came away with their 2nd victory of the season. Still baffles me why Alex waits until the last minute to react. Paul Scholes was invisible again. Jonathon Spector played surprisingly well.

It might be too early but the title already seems to be slipping. I had to go to work today and i came home fully expecting Utd to have won this 'must win game'. To my suprise my brother (an Arsenal fan) tells me we only drew. I was shocked, angry and frustrated. The first thing i did was check what team SAF put out.

I was shocked again because if that team cannot beat Everton at home then we will not win the title. I was excited by the possible arrival of Rooney, but two draws over the weekend has dampened my mood. Arsenal look unbeatable and Chelsea are grinning out results. We are already 7 points behind those two.

I don't care about all the injuries the players we had where more than good enough to beat Blackburn and Everton. If we have any chance of getting back into the race we have to completley forget about the title and just play every game as it comes and go on a long winning run. We have to forget how Arsenal and Chelsea are playing and their results and just concentrate on ourselves.

My only concern is whether this squad is capable of going on a winning run. We are lacking some spark or magic in the side which allows us to defeat teams. Perhaps Rooney and Ruud are the missing spark. I definatley feel that one Heinze and Ferdinand come into the defence we will be stronger at the back.

Let's forget about Arsenal and Chelsea and just fully focus on our own game. A winning run is crucial and it has to start in the next game against Bolton. Arsenal and Chelsea will have their draws and defeats latter in the season, it will come for them as well. Also Arsenal and Chelsea have to play each other still.

United season so far has really been a disaster.
OK, we are in the CL, but for how long?
The PL is already lost, and the reason for that is not only that we are 7 points behind after just 4-FOUR games, but because United have no leader in midfield that is able to dictate play. There is so little creativity in midfield, that even Everton could have long spells in command at OT. What is SAF thinking about this? Does he see the same as everybody else, United need a top central midfielder NOW. There is no reason to expect miracles from Keano any longer, and if You compare Uniteds central midfield to Arse and Chelsea, well, sadly, there is no comparision at all. And Arse still has Vieira to come back!!! The board and SAF has now only a few hours to save the season, and I am really depressed about the whole situation. Wayne Rooney will be a great buy for the future, but the midfield is the crisis area that has to be solved first.
And as a short term buy, I think we should steal Boltons skipper , so that we at least can hope for some creativity and technical play in the central midfield area. If United have any ambition left, action must be taken now, or else even a 4th place in the PL can be out of reach. Young talents have been brought in during the summer, and I applaud that. But Manchester United, as they say, is the biggest Club in the World. Well, 7 points behind after 4 league games proves to me that something must be done and done now.

I agree with all the comments. And re-iterate : we need a creative midfielder. I liked the comment that said that we can have the guns but we do not have the bullets. And yes, it is good to see that Kleb is at last playing. I always thought he needed time to settle.

As with all other comments, a blind man can see we lack something in the midfield. Fletcher,Djemba,Kleberson are all average players who wouldn't get a start with the Arse or Chelsea. Fletcher's passing and distribution were pathetic!

Dare U say Veron was able to at least make and play decent passes. The alarm bells were ringing for fergie last season, sure no ruud,rio or keano and possibly rooney on his way but i see us winning nothing when we're trusting the above mentioned to run the midfield. Why oh why wasn't the likes of Ballack or Guily or Micoud looked at?

It pains to me to say it but Arsenal are playing with the style and arrogance we once had, the geordies have just got rid of Sir Bobby dare I suggest the another 'Sir" may soon follow when Rooney doesn't prove to be the final piece to the mess he has created?

One final point, this site has become and is becoming a Fergie lover site! No-matter my last posting about unity? Its time the "Fergie is God" brigade realisted one thing, we were here before Fergie AND WILL BE HERE AFTER HIM! Jericho get back here we can't do it by ourselves pal!

Well at least we can say that we did our best. But if that is the best we can do then we are in for a poor season.

However there was a positive in the result but, alas, a negative too. Spector is a real class player and should stay in the first team. Some say he is too young but not much younger when Ronaldo made his debut. I'm not saying Spector is in the same class but he did really well against Everton.

The negative - Silvestre's days are numbered. He is, and always has been, too slow and too indecisive. Did you see the ball he gave Spector? It was a hospital pass. I can't remember the other incident, but Silvestre gace another ball it like to someone else. And did you see him fiddle around with ball near the goal where he nearly had the ball stolen from him? Silvestre and Fortune should start by asking who the seconds manager is because that's where they will be if players like Spector keep getting better.

One more point is that although he wasn't brilliant, Kleberson showed some glimpses of class. I think he'll be one of the stars this year given a clear run without injuries and no rep football.

All true.

We don't need Rooney, we need another Bryan Robson or Roy Keane driving the midfield.

Got 12 hrs to get Gerrard if he's realized Liverpool are not going to make it!

Fletcher, Djemba, Kleberson, Miller ---- all back up players - I'd rather see Phil Neville at leats he has some fight!

I think the board is just waiting for the right moment to sack Ferguson and rightly so. They didn't have the guts to sack him after last year's failure but soon if not now will the board be safe from any criticism over any sacking. Even the blind can see that Fergie has lost it. He has failed to build another great team. His scouting network is not working; the unproven players (Bellion, Forlan, Djemba, Kleberson, Fortune) he has signed during the last five years are not up to United standard and only the players that we paid loads of money for have improved the team, Rio, RvN and Ronaldo. The players the youth system have produced during the last five yaers are not good enough (Greening, Stewart, Richardson, Chadwick, Fletcher) Fergie's tactics are confusing; only two established wingers at the club but 6 or 7 central midfielders where Scholes, Kleberson or Fletcher are forced to play as wingers. No replacements for Keane and Giggs, I just don't think Djemba will be a new Viera. And what about Rooney. He's a great player but who's gonna sit on the bench, Smith and Saha? Or will he play 3 strikers? Things will improve when Rio, RvN and Keane returns but we can forget about the title. I wasn't optimistic when the season started but with seven points behind Arsenal AND Chelsea it's just too much and Arsenal are too good. And don't give me that bull that we're always stronger during the second half of the season.

To read the London press and even some of the comments on this site is astonishing! In both the Blackburn and Everton games we have had 60 % possession and something like 10 to 1 attempts on goal. It's a double hammering only without a fair result, like 4-1 in both matches.

OK. The team hasn't quite gelled yet, so the chances aren't always created brilliantly but through sweat. And Saha and Smith are obviously still finding their feet after injury and after joining, respectively. They should both have had braces or more this weekend.

With Ruud back and Rooney signed up, however, we'll have two extremely confident and clinical finishers. That'll rub off. If we could get Keano, Rio, Wes, Heinze back, we could rest Scholesy and Silv who looked tired and a bit blunt during the Euro and still do. Then we'll be truly up and running. Trouble is that teams seem to roll over before the Arse and Chelsea. But I think our best team this season will be one of the all time great Red machines and have a chance anyway.

I'm looking forward to brilliance when the squad is back to strength.

The most frustrating thing is that this 10 man back defence that everyone has used against us for the past YEAR, has not been cracked for the PAST YEAR!!! The difference between us and arsenal is that every one of their players, including fullbacks, can make a break on goal and are legitimate scorers, although they may not score, they still can. With UNited, its almost like its left up to giggs and ronaldoto create while everyone else stands waiting for the ball. CAntona was so Great because he CREATED and took the game into his hands. This United team has only Ronaldo able to do that and at 19, its too much for him. With the addition of Heinze, who is a defender who can charge forward, we will see a difference but it will take more. Smithy has been outstanding but there is no tenacity in the side for months and that is exactly what we are missing. So ohter teams just stand there and protect the net and wait for a counter which usaully pays off. SAF get the troops motivated and get some creativity and excitement in this side before its too late!!! On a side not, Kleberson FINALLY had a good game. CHEERS!

What do you think of this? Buy Rooney and play him on the right wing and Ronaldo at the left? Would this be enough to open up spaces for the forwards? (Assuming that SAF isn't going to buy a creative midfielder in the next 24 hrs.)

I believe that the solution to the Man Utd problem is the sacking of SAF...he has basically lost the plot (i.e. for the past two seasons). Newcastle realised that they were going nowhere with Sir Bobby, so why can't United to the same; or is it that SAF is now bigger than the club.

I am sure that we have the right players at the moment (bar some ex. DB, PN), however, the team is lacking ideas and personality. These can only be achieved by getting in a new manager who will freshen up the team. Please act immediately before it is too late.