Thank you very much to Manchester City for hammering the daylights out of us at Old Trafford. Not since the humiliation we took at the hands of Liverpool in 2009 did we get to suffer an embarrassment of this magnitude on our home ground which we proudly call the Theater of Dreams. There have been times when Old Trafford has seen some nightmares but it doesn’t come any bigger than what we witnessed at Old Trafford last Sunday. It surpasses the beating we took from the hands of another of our arch-rivals and perhaps until today, the rival that historically we hate more and regard as our closest and bitterest rival, Liverpool.
Our noisy neighbours were really noisy today in OUR home ground and it’s a real shame that our fans were silenced immediately after the first goal went against us, against the run of play. I am very upset and angry with the Manchester United fans who were kept quiet so quickly and so easily after the first goal United conceded despite of having more of the play up until then. Instead of going quiet so fast, we should have got behind the team louder than before and really created a din to silence the cheers of the Manchester City fans but that didn’t happen and at times I wished Sir Alex would just step out of his dug out and act as a cheerleader to get the crowd going again. I guess this is the prawn sandwich brigade that Roy Keane was talking about.
Post-Liverpool, I had wrote about how we could be the ones feeling blue if our performances did not improve quickly. The warning signs were already there. We somehow escaped from being held to a draw or even losing to Norwich City at Old Trafford and before that we had a game against Stoke City away that we were rocky. Granted that the Britannia Stadium is never an easy place to go to for any team but we have normally handled the threat pretty comfortably but not this season. After Norwich, we had Liverpool away and we were thankful that we escaped with a point even though we scored late to equalise and should have been in the ascendancy. As I have noted, our performances post trashing Bolton 5-0 at Reebok Stadium has slowly but surely dipped and today the result matched it. Do not forget that we escaped with a draw against FC Basle at home in the Champions League too and even against Otelul Galati, we weren’t convincing enough.
We got hammered 6-1 but were we really that bad? I felt we started quite well and were playing better than we were doing in recent weeks, all that was needed was to up the ante a few notches. We surely would have scored and had Manchester City on the hooks but that didn’t happen. They scored instead and we never responded. NEVER responded. When was the last time, we failed to respond at going behind at home, at Old Trafford? Anyone got an answer to that question? I was critical of the fans but to be fair, the players got to play their part in trying to raise their game for the fans to respond on cue with a raise in their collective volume.
United went into the break 1-0 down but you would expect United to come back in the second half with more urgency and guns blazing but within 63 seconds, Jonny Evans got sent off for a professional foul and United were down to 10 men which gave us a mountain to climb and even then you would expect United to still be able to come back and at the very least nick a win or squeeze a draw but City took the lead instead and extended it further before Fletcher’s sublime goal, which has to be the best of the game by far. At 1-3 down with 9 minutes left and injury time still to be added, you would expect United to press on with greater urgency to get a second, maybe a third and dare we dream a fourth? But no, we responded for a minute or two and gave up. We didn’t apply enough pressure on Manchester City’s defence and instead of keeping the ball in their half and passing it about incisively and moving about with urgency and speed, we laboured and allowed gaps for the next 3 goals.
Rio Ferdinand looked off pace and perhaps all those niggling injuries and age are taking a toll on him already. He wouldn’t like being made to look bad but he looked very sluggish. Why was Evans playing instead of Nemanja Vidic in such a crucial game? Only heaven knows. Perhaps a touch of over confidence by Sir Alex after a good, decent performance at Anfield by Evans? He might have played that game very well but after Vidic’s appearance against Otelul in the Champions League, we expected the captain to be back. It’s fair to say that Ferguson took a risk by playing Evans after a good performance against Liverpool but with evidence from recent past, we would know that Evans is prone to making mistakes and slip-ups and it happened again. That decision backfired. Everywhere we looked, we saw below-par, sub standard, poor performances except for Ashley Young, Chris Smalling and the endeavour of Wayne Rooney who showed the game and result really mattered to him.
How would Sir Alex, Manchester United and the club respond from this? It is not easy but I am confident that there would be a positive response. From past experience, we know that United will bounce back stronger from this but what options does Sir Alex have in terms of selection? We have a Carling Cup match away to Aldershot on Tuesday before an away game against Everton on Saturday which is a tough and hostile place to go to. As I have mentioned, it will wake the players up from the slumber and from the over-confidence of a scintillating start to the season. The constant chopping and changing have had an effect on the team’s performance and rhythm and interestingly, the downturn in performances started with the injury of Tom Cleverly and his absence from centre midfield. Since then, United have struggled to hold their ground in centre midfield. In defence, the injuries have taken a toll as the manager has been forced to constantly change his backline but he can now be able to play with a settled back four which would be key for defensive stability as United have been allowing far too may gaps for the opposition to exploit and create chances.
It might take some games for United to recover from this shock but certainly all United fans would be hoping to see an immediate response. We would like to see us go on a long winning or at least unbeaten run now, making Old Trafford a fortress again and most importantly to retain the Premier League and/or add the Champions League to the list. Do also remember that we have been trashed before; Newcastle and Southampton in 1996, Chelsea in 1999 and Liverpool in 2009 and emerged as champions at the season’s end. There is still a long way to go and this is only one game with 29 more to come. This is a league not a knockout cup competition where a one-off game has more significance but no doubt this hammering would have some effect on the players and the manager. This defeat will hurt and cut deep and we can’t wait to play City away now to avenge our humiliation. United will surely sit back and gather their thoughts on what went wrong but we don’t have much time as we have a Carling Cup match before an away game to Everton but they owe it to us, the fans and to themselves to restore the pride of Manchester United.
Get real , my friend, that team will never win the Champions League unless Barca & Real or, now even City decide to withdraw.
As for your comment about Fletchers goal being the best by far, only a misguided red could make a statement like that. All 6 City goals were better worked then that one. Think of Silva’s pass to Dzeko for the last one, the way Milner and Silva carved your defence open for Balotelli’s 2 and also Aguero’s.
Major surgery needed at OT. Ocean Finance sounds good
get revenge are you blind they are better than us except it i have , its no good ignoring them anymore they aint gonna go away i was at the game and what i saw was aa scary city team they were brilliant off the ball and brilliant on it we aint gonna beat em at the ethiad we might get a draw ,why didnt we buy silva my god what a player what technique .im very worried now they look like champions to me ,but how i loathe to say it there are very good now ughhh.
Liverpool fan in peace here…..
As a Liverpool fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. To see all the foreigners in the stands who are normally flashing away on their little cameras just standing there looking bemused was brilliant but not as brilliant as seeing the die-hard mancs in the Stretford End close to tears. City were fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
However, this was one game. Results like Southampton 6 United 3, Newcastle 5 United 0, United 1 Liverpool 4 have given me great pleasure in the past but mean nothing in the grand scheme of things because United have kept on winning virtually everything. Unless City go on to win the title, there can be absolutely no mention of any power shift in Manchester. I have learned to my dismay down the years never to write United off and I think Everton will be in for a bit of a hammering on Saturday.
It does make for an fascinating season ahead though!
We got hammered 6-1 but were we really that bad?
Yes.
I’m afraid the end is here. We had better get used to it.
So much truth in what you have said : The crowd ; of the people i know not many are season ticket holders anymore . often wonder who took those seats ,I know the previous seat holders would of bayed for blood ! i believe the visiting UTD fans are in large numbers and do not know what to expect or how to re act . I may be wrong but that is my view .
I also believe we should aknowledge the game MCFC team played was very good, discipline and shape held well they exploited our weakness’s . I can not take that away from them. we can learn and have in the past from these games .We lost this battle the war is still there to be won .
I have also decided to seperate MCFC the football team from Citeh the club . You can buy a team they have proven that ( Sanchez brilliant ) But what can i say about Citeh that they do not reek of themselves. Its Pithy i know But you can learn a lot about a man in defeat , far more so than victory .
Agree with LMM there is no power shift until City start claiming titles at the expense of United; As a City fan I’m proud of the performance on Sunday but at the end of the day it’s still only 3 points – I suspect the return fixture at the Etihad will be the real title decider (we shouldn’t discount Chelsea either). It will be interesting to see how United respond – I don’t particulary watch United but it seems you are struggling for form for the past few weeks and you could have easily lost to Liverpool and Norwich. I don’t think I can ever recollect United being on such a bad loosing streak had it happened. I’d be interested to see how the less established United players deal with the weight of expectation that comes with playing at the top level in front of 70k+ who largely expect to win every game… it’s going to be an interesting season and I’m not claiming any victories until the day of reckoning some time in May
Though it is early days, clearly all is not well at Old Trafford. Usually any team Ferguson sends out is always a fighting team but I have to say that the present side lacks the guts and heart of the United of old. De Gea is still learning his trade but is it any wonder that he feels like it is shooting practice when you see Ferdinand “missing in action” on several occasions.The midfield is average at best. No Scholes or Keane, Ince etc etc.Instead Ferguson sent out 2 men in midfield against in theory 4 (Milner, Toure, Barry,Silva.Rooney drops deeper each game to shore up the midfield, why not start with Park,Carrick and Fletcher and play Rooney Hernandez and Young upfront.You will have gathered I am a Blue but not a bitter Blue who knows that winning a Derby 6-1 is not the apex of my season.What I can honestly and truthfully say is that..this United team does not fill me with dread and aprehension when we play them what does surprise me is that more teams dont take the game to United because believe me the signs are there for them all to see.Hopefully for my part Ferguson will continue to not see the signs and the balance of power will shift.Whether City are capable of not shooting themselves in the foot or Mancini truly is the “Messiah time will tell.One last point I would like to mention is at some point in the game why didnt Ferguson come to the touchline and give his team the roasting they deserved or has even Ferguson given up now.
Fletchers goal was a beaut i’ll give you that, but I feel its nature highlighted your biggest problem. I cant think of one occasion you got in behind us, even when you had the ball at the start. Our defending as a team meant we were in control and when we went forward our passing and movement created chance after chance. A wonderhit from far out was the only way of scoring. Fergie bemoaned how you suicidally continued to attack. Surely this was his error? You should have tightened up and played on the counter, classic 10men tactics. Ultimately the pride of being never say die united at OT against city, cost you.
as an impartial watcher of the game on sunday, what i have to say is
flecters goal best of the game??? Incredabley deluded is what you are if you honestly believe that.
And the united fans were a disgrace in my opinion, leaving the game 20minitues early? There not fans just glory seekers a fanbase who will probably just move onto the next sucessful club in the premier league whoever it it. If united ever got relegated probably wont happen for a long time i doubt that they would pull the same crowds city did! Possibly even newcastle too.
Common City, get out from living in the shadows of your neighbours. Time for you to stand up a be counted.
I am reading a lot of views from fans of our rivals and I appreciate it. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Please take note that we started the season very well,played very well. This is a test and challenge because the players and the club got to recover from it mentally and psychologically.The teams of past responded frm being hammered.Can this team do it? Time will tell.
The fans as I have shared, were disappointing.I’ve heard a lot that the fans there are not locals. I am a foreign Manchester United fan too and I would like to go to Old Trafford one day to watch a match but when I am there I want to be part of a great atmosphere created by the local United fans.
Football is fickle, one day you are top and next day you are down. Are we really down or not? We will know at the end of the season and there is still a long way to go. One day our era will end but I doubt it will be so sudden.
Any time.
It was a pleasure
All I’m going to say is….
Even though I took great pleasure out of watching City destroying you(for obvious reasons)… The fact is shit happens in football!
But what I don’t get is this…
when 1-3 down against LFC at OT your fans started to disappear leaving many empty seats and by the time the 4th goal was being lobbed in there was hardly fans left. Again on Sunday the same thing was noticable.
Believe me when I say the result could have been 1-10 and it would not have been as shameful as your fans leaving before the end!
At the end of the season it will be the same SO CALLED fans cheering and dancing if you win the title….
At Anfield we are the 12th man win, lose or draw!
Anyway something has gone wrong at OT or maybe it’s always been this but due to your success it’s been masked… Untill now!
Dear Lfc4life,
I do envy the way Liverpool fans get behind the team at Anfield from first minute to last and create an incredible atmoshphere. At Old Trafford, there would be games where the fans come and sit waiting for the goals to go in without much cheering. We have had terrific atmosphere at OT but I feel its reserved mostly for big games or European nights. Sunday was a big game but we were let down by our fans after a goal went in against us. Someone got to address this from the club.
as a reds fan,.,wie got a great hammering,.I still cannot walk properly in town wearing my jersey,.City was awesome,.just goes to show we are not invincible,.Fergie needs to wake up and buy some reinforcements!!!SNEIDJER!!!
As a lifelong City fan and diehard Mancunian (though now I live abroad) I really hope City and United finish 1 and 2 – in the right order.
I really was astonished by the game on Sunday. By our performance of course but also by
1) Fergie’s seeming inability to fashion another tactical plan when it was obvious the two wide men approach wasn’t working. The readiness of Silva, Milner and even Balotelli to track back contributed – in contrast to the scant help your midfield gave to Evra and Smalling.
2)The attacking side, with a lightweight midfield that Fergie put out. I honestly believe he under-rated us. I was amazed he didn’t start Carrick and Giggs – the latter is always up for a derby match.
3)The decline of Ferdinand – I hadn’t realised how far it had gone.
4)The fans who left in droves 20 minutes before time.
I came away thinking your team is in need of rebuilding. The keeper has to be given time, as does the raw but talented Welbeck. Of the guys on show Young, Rooney and Smalling emerged with credit. But Ferdinand, the error-prone Evans, Fletcher and Anderson should, on that form be dispensed with and better men acquired. These guys will not win you the Premiership. Nani (who I think is a fine player) and Evra seem to be well-off form.
Sorry guys blame it on the flipping American Microsoft Word. It is Theatre not Theater. Hahaha.
Beaten fair and square – end of. What are Liverpool fans basking in the glory of a City win on a United Blog for? You won’t see me jumping on a Bin dippers blog when Everton next beat Liverpool!
Not that im taking anything away from City’s victory but we had 10 men (through no fault of our own) and we deserved what we got but every comment of City fans on here never mention the real goal fest began after Evans got his marching orders?! I’d be more embarrassed if it was 6-1 11 v 11.
All though Fletcher’s goal beared no difference to the score Citeh fans should take their blue tinted specs of and acknowledge it was the best goal of the day compared to 6 tap ins.
All the big comments of people leaving their seats early – I didn’t and don’t agree with the ones who did but the muppets jumping on here slagging the ones who did from the comfort of their arm chair is laughable – at least they turn up to watch their club.
@LMM
Foreigners in the stand?! Says a Liverpool fan? Glass houses dickhead! Liverpool’s Asian following is as big as ours! If you knew anything about Manchester – we have a massive Asian community – a lot born and bred Mancs – try again!