Magic8Ball

I Britains best loved teams are on course for a wembley final --- Ronaldo cheats and steals his way there and Tottenham bottle it to give Chelsea a chance .... One team on course for a TREBLE the other on course for a QUADRUPLE and only LIVERPOOL to stop them - ooh the drama

Penalties like that really shouldn't be given - but thats modern gamesmanship for you - and TBH thats what MU are about - from the Manager down to the players - win at any cost is the message

We must buy Lennon !!! -let's offer Crouch as part-ex

That's as it should be --

thats about it, but the wide players and striker need to be top quality - not what we have currently

he doesnt have to let anyone go Ive said this for a while now -- play 3 CMs with Gerrard given the free role my prefered cms are Mash, Alonso and Gerrard then as you say we need world class wide players and a striker

Finally someone starts to get it, we cant wait for mistakes we have to force the opposition into making mistakes

said it before, to move forward and use the talent we have to its fullest, we need to stop playing 442 on a regular basis its a 3 man CM for me Mash and Alonso as the holding midfielders, Gerrard allowed to Roam Add 2 top quality wingers and a top notch striker that will be the best formation for us to use when attacking with Mash and Alonso - Alonso can venture forward more using his passing to more deadly effect with 2 two defensive midfielders Gerrard can go all out with attack With the 2 wingers we will stretch the opposition more creating spaces for Gerrard and Alonso's passing and force them to make mistakes with a deadly finisher ie Fowler or Trezeguet from 5 years ago we would finally turn our possession into goals

we need to give up on the 2 strikers idea if we want to best use Gerrard and invest in top quality wingers - play as CM trio Mash, Alonso, Gerrard, Allow Gerrard to ATTACK and let the wingers ATTACK thats 3 attackers - then with a top Quality striker watch us improve as a team The midfield trio allows Gerrard to be used to Best advantage and with some of the Holding responsibility off Alonso he can move forward more - anything other than that will not use the talents in the team to best advantage

apparently it was something like 1.5m to WHU and 10m buyout of his contract in 18months time

we dont have the same quality attacking talent of Man U, Arsenal or even Chelsea - until this problem is fixed we will not be able to take the game to a team intent on defending

I keep saying this, and everyone else says we create the chances we just dont put them away - but which striker is good enough to put all of the chances this team creates away ? 1-2 chances per match would require the best striker EVER for us to realistically do significantly better especially as Rafa wants his strikers running all over the place No what we really need are pacey creative players who can force the opposition on the back foot, force them to make mistakes and have the skill and speed to take advantage of those mistakes this is really all the other top teams have over us - best example is Man U who have C Ronaldo, Rooney Our current midfield is all about waiting for the opposition to make mistakes, thats not a tactic that will win you the league

let's steal him again a la Sissoko ;-)

Totally agree with that You cant expect to win the league when you have to rely on the opposition making mistakes; you need players who can force the opposition to make mistakes - like C Ronaldo

wish people wouldnt just say midfielder - shees AM, DM, RM, LM, which ??

Once again its C Ronaldo - have to say someone like him is the difference between us and Man U at the moment - Both Arsenal, Man U can break EXTREMLEY QUICKLY even Chelsea can break at pace - we ....can't/don't Arsenal have Henry, Man U have Rooney and C Ronaldo, Chelsea have Robben, Droba --- all players that can 1 break at pace 2 carry the ball past defenders - until we get players who can carry the ball past defenders (under close control) at pace - we wont win the Championship - if you have the talent that C Ronaldo does, you can force the opposing defender to make mistakes and expoit the gap created, currently we HAVE TO WAIT for a gap -- psychologically this is a huge difference, it means the opposing team believe its in their hands - while if you can force an error Nerves will run riot in the opposing team and it gives you a MASSIVE advantage we need players like Lennon, Quresma, Alves - Kewell ( in best Leeds form ) to move up to the next level

This is an argument for Rafa getting the funds he wants, when he wants them. Implies he's a shrewd politician as well as a shrewd tactician Seems to me this week has been about sending a message to the new owners - its a subtle statemtent of intent To be honest the more I find out about Raphael Benitez - the more impressed with him as a Man I am -- I'm beginning to believe we have the smartest coach in europe ( smartest in serveral areas not just football)

didnt NUFC offer 12m for him ? Crouch must be worth 10m

I dont expect to see Alonso go no matter what the offer - finally with Masherano and Alonso Rafa has his 2 holding players and some balance to the midfield why would he sell Alonso and go back to the unbalanced midfield? More than that with the arrival of Voronin and with Bellamy he has the basis of playing a Christmas tree formation from time to time with the CM's he has under extreme defensive conditions he could play all 4 in a 5 man midfield we have far more options and are a more capable team with Alonso than without him we are more likely to see some variation of a 3 man CM --- Masherano, Alonso, Gerrard - especially if we get Alves for next season

anyone who wins the league and CL deserves another season IMHO - you cant do much better than that reminds me of Bobby Robson at Barca

Personally I would love Tranmere or Crewe to take half our youngsters for a season, so they can get regular footy --- Crewe would be my first Choice and D Gradie has a history of bringing the best out of youngsters Its just a shame we cant turn Tranmere into our "Academy Team"

no no no !!!! besides I actually think Cisse would do well in spain; if he can take the racial abuse

Other than that wonder goal against Brasil, the best I saw him play for England was against Argentina ( the "hand of God" match) --- I still think Lineker is going to score from his cross

WHU had 18m turned down !!!!

True BUT Rafa wants his strikers to be the first line of defense