Lazie and the faithful

[Westman]

That is pure politics. He was not good enough to make the world cup side and has no business playing for England in international competition. In close quarters with a lot of defensive support, he looks decent. But the game is about a whole lot more than that. He has no pace. He cant defend in an open game with top attackers coming at him. Vidic used to save him but Vidic can no longer do it. Vidic, too, is past his prime. There is no top class holding midfielder to save him. Wing back play is pathetic. The right side is totally atrocious. The left side is mediocre. And when Evra makes foray's downfield, attack comes down the left side. Mediocre midfield doesn't pick up the slack and neither Rio nor Vidic or any of their backups is of the class anymore to be able to go over to the wing and pick up the threat. Neither is effective stepping into the midfield to stifle an attack. they no longer have that in them like the once could. I am not the only one saying that.

Before the world cup, Rio started a big stink about this and even old time Man United faithful friends of his disagreed with him entirely.

The game that Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and others are playing, not to mention Champs League, exposes him and the whole backline as being way past their prime.

I do not need to read what others write to form my opinion. I watch the game. I watch the competition. I watch young teams. The Glazers needed to have been rebuilding in a meaningful way before now. That whole organization was overachieving and is now in serious crisis mode. it is going to be very difficult to rebuild now.

[Lazie]

Boss, I am not emotional at all. Come on now. Check archives. I have been saying the same thing on this website from before the last world cup. I understand this game. England aint winning anything with Rio in the defense. I appreciate Rio and what he has done for United but he is far from top class. Whoever wrote that article doesn't have a clue.

Dude, it's not what is written, Rio was in the PFA team of the year. Based on that your arguments from last year does not hold water Westman. As I said previously, on this year's performance you can criticize him.

[Westman]

That emotional comment is far out of bounds. Just check the archives. I love Man United but I am an objective lover of football. I understand the game> I may use trash talk at times but I give people their due when they do well and I rightly criticize them when they don't do well.

Right now, there are at least six teams in the EPL alone that have a totally better defensive line than Man United. Taking the step to Champs League, it will be a miracle if this same team is in the competition after Christmas.

[Westman]

Boss, I am not emotional at all. Come on now. Check archives. I have been saying the same thing on this website from before the last world cup. I understand this game. England aint winning anything with Rio in the defense. I appreciate Rio and what he has done for United but he is far from top class. Whoever wrote that article doesn't have a clue.

[Lazie]

Reinstating him to national team would have been BS. The majority of top sports writers would never have. Rio ceased being a top defensive player since his big suspension. Fergie was able to squeeze more juice out of an orange that was overjuiced. Rio is slow and vulnerable in the open field. Man U preserved him when he played with lots of support, in close quarters, with mid-field strength. With Vidic's decline and the wingbacks getting even weaker, and the mid-field mediocrity showing, Rio no longer has the support to protect him. So his vulnerability is more evident now than ever before.

Please, my friend, look at the top 8 teams in the champs league. Look at their centerbacks objectively. Rio couldn't start for any of them now. Now look at the top 12 prem teams. Their centerbacks are currently outperforming the Man U pairing with consistency.

Man U guys here call u their leader. But I was Man U's face here by myself for years before you came. I love Man U but I love and understand football. Everything that is happening now is what I kept pointing to in the last 3 years. Rooney and his team saw it too. That's why he wanted out. The Glazers used Fergie to get him to stay. If they continue at this pace, Rooney will be somewhere else next season. He is their best player now but he does not have the temperament nor maturity to deal with the current mess. man U will allow him to go rather than have him remain disgruntled and continue to poison the well. That is my prediction.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...reth-Bale.html
West man, you sounding emotional. Based on last years performance

[Paul Marin]

That would be a factor for any top club that all of a sudden becomes a mid level team.

You mean like Liverpool? Look at what dropping out of the top 4 has meant to us...it ain't pretty and it ain't easy, especially when teams like Spurs, Chelsea and City are chanting SPEND SPEND SPEND...the business of football is broken; money can buy championships which was far less possible in the first 100 years of the game.

[Westman]

Boss, as I have said, it starts with the Glazers, then the front office and then with coaching staff. All of them are at fault. But I do not think Moyes has what it takes and Felaini aint taking us anywhere big or even keeping us as a top three team, which is what we need.

[Peter R]

Thanks for your response above and also your thoughts here. It is clear to dispassionate observers that Manu's defense is not what it was a few years ago... this team is aging and the rebuilding needs to be implemented: it's all wel and good for older guys egos to see Giggs starting etc. but really, the defensive pair of Vidic and Rio aren't effective; you (one) can't blame Moyes for that; I don't know the squad well enough to know whether there are adequate replacements on the bench but ManU needs to start there. Giggs should pack it in by Christmas. Evra isn't that old, but it seems to me he's lost a half a step.

On the post-match show today one of the analysts said that ManU has only five players IHO, who would be sure starters, including Rooney and De Gea... i missed who the other three are but the point is the team hasn't kept up... and OVERACHIEVING last season, has lulled the fans into a state of complacency.

Anyway, long and short of it, I think it is unfair of the fans to be SOLELY (or 95%) dumping on Moyes when there is evidence to suggest "dem give de man baskit fi carry wata!"

[Gamma]

Well a your team suh a your dime😜😜😜

[Westman]

The thing is that Man U has never had a season in which they have not played in the Champs League. Some other teams which have gone that way have spiraled downward and have never recovered. I hope that never happens to Man U but the best way to prevent it is to finish in the top 3. And they aren't showing anything near top 3 class>>>>the promise doesn't seem to be there now. We cannot just hope, we must have action at every level.

[Me]

That would be a factor for any top club that all of a sudden becomes a mid level team.

[Westman]

It will be a factor. My fear is that they wont qualify for Champs League next year and then the real revenue crunch will come into play. That is a very real possibility right now.

[Me]

Highly doubt Manu is over mortgaged given that the Glaziers allowed Moyes to spend the amount he did on Felliani and authorized the bid for Baines.

Now if Moyes wrecks the club and Champions League revenue disappears and t-shirt sales starts to disappear, then that could become a factor.

[Westman]

Reinstating him to national team would have been BS. The majority of top sports writers would never have. Rio ceased being a top defensive player since his big suspension. Fergie was able to squeeze more juice out of an orange that was overjuiced. Rio is slow and vulnerable in the open field. Man U preserved him when he played with lots of support, in close quarters, with mid-field strength. With Vidic's decline and the wingbacks getting even weaker, and the mid-field mediocrity showing, Rio no longer has the support to protect him. So his vulnerability is more evident now than ever before.

Please, my friend, look at the top 8 teams in the champs league. Look at their centerbacks objectively. Rio couldn't start for any of them now. Now look at the top 12 prem teams. Their centerbacks are currently outperforming the Man U pairing with consistency.

Man U guys here call u their leader. But I was Man U's face here by myself for years before you came. I love Man U but I love and understand football. Everything that is happening now is what I kept pointing to in the last 3 years. Rooney and his team saw it too. That's why he wanted out. The Glazers used Fergie to get him to stay. If they continue at this pace, Rooney will be somewhere else next season. He is their best player now but he does not have the temperament nor maturity to deal with the current mess. man U will allow him to go rather than have him remain disgruntled and continue to poison the well. That is my prediction.

[Lazie]

Great question!! Hear me now. The responsibility lies with the Glazers. I think their management skills for this type of business are inadequate. Billionaires are not necessarily successful in every endeavor and they don't have the skills to survive outside of their area of strength. They survive in the NFL because the NFL's operating scheme allows an unsuccessful team on the field to be successful financially, especially if they stay within the salary cap.

European football is different. The fans argued this clearly before the Glazers were allowed to purchase Man U. The fans foresaw this and argued that the Glazers would over-mortgage Man U. The Glazers promised they would not but they have. There were constant rumors for years that Fergie argued with the Glazers for years but agreed with them in public to show a unified face.

The Fergie factor in this is that he selected Moyes, who is clearly out of his league. Was he afraid of a enw sharp manager sharing the spotlight with his accomplishments? Was he trying to help a bredring from the Scot football mafia? It is quite unlike Fergie's going to Man U in the 80's. Football is at a totally different level now. Real-time business deals, instant global profits or failures. Huge battles for market share. Huge tv rights. So front office, ownership, coaching, game day inspiration are all important and are areas where Man U has failed.

Final word, last season, I spoke of how weak the defense was. Folks like my own team mate Lazie argued how great Rio was. I was stunned. In close quarters, with lots of help he is ok. In open field he and all of Man U defense are mediocre. Fergie was able to squeeze some more juice out of the orange and it tasted sweet. But the juice is done. Rebuilding is past being needed.

As Courtney used to say, defense win championships. If rio was no good last season explain why they won the league? Explain why sports writers were asking for him to be reinstated in the national team? Why was he called to the national team? Yes he hasn't been good this season, but judge him on this season's performance.