Manchester United, oh dear.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

That 89/90 season was one where United struggled, were close to the relegation zone for most of it and had shown another season of decline under Ferguson. Liverpool lost a classic FA cup semi to Palace. Villa, unlikely league runners up, lost at Oldham on the plastic pitch. All the big sides fell away, leaving the door open for an average United side to win the cup after a replay. Mark Robins was a scoring sensation at the end of the season and kept them up.

The following season saw what I thought was a defining moment. Arsenal, unbeaten at home all season, played United in a league cup game at Highbury. United were 3-0 up in no time but Arsenal pulled it back to 3-2. United were scintillating in attack and won 6-2. Arsenal won the league, losing only once all season. They conceded 18 at home in the league all season and were unbeaten, yet in that one game they were absolutely battered. If I remember correctly, United played quite a few youngsters in that game. 2 years later they won the league.

United won the first PL with 84 points. That was for a 42 game season, which equates to 78 points for a 38 game season. Only once has the PL champions in a 38 game season won less than 78 points, ironically United in 1997

A good documentary, it covers those seasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXLF1qmizO4 Sir Alex Ferguson Never give up

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

They need a clear out but don’t seem capable of doing it.

They do, they have the same job to do as we have just on, it will take three seasons at least they look so far off the pace it's unbelievable.

Isn't it funny, the owners were OK for a while again, now they're shyte they have to go!

[PontBlue]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

United won the first PL with 84 points. That was for a 42 game season, which equates to 78 points for a 38 game season. Only once has the PL champions in a 38 game season won less than 78 points, ironically United in 1997

It would be 76 points over a 38 game season, exactly 2 points per game.

That 96/97 season was quite extraordinary. Second only had 68 points and 8 points separated 9th from 19th.

[delmbox]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Alex Ferguson who won three league titles, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen before winning 38 trophies at Man Utd was "lucky"

Football fans on messageboards are utterly delusional :hehe:

[Ninja]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Alex Ferguson who won three league titles, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen before winning 38 trophies at Man Utd was "lucky"

Football fans on messageboards are utterly delusional :hehe:

Man Utd fan I take it?
He was close to losing his job. That one result would have changed the course of history.
And yes, he was lucky. Giggs, Scholes, both Neville's and Beckham all coming through the academy at the same time.
Is that not a large stroke of luck?
That's half a first team and they all happened to be top level internationals!

Incidentally, he left them in a right mess and they've never recovered.

[Colin'sReversibleHat]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Man Utd fan I take it?
He was close to losing his job. That one result would have changed the course of history.
And yes, he was lucky. Giggs, Scholes, both Neville's and Beckham all coming through the academy at the same time.
Is that not a large stroke of luck?
That's half a first team and they all happened to be top level internationals!

Incidentally, he left them in a right mess and they've never recovered.

That specific part of the equation is luck to some extent, but no manager United has had since looks like they could get a tune out of those players like Fergie did.

You also don't win the only treble in the history of English football, plus countless other trophies, simply by being lucky, or having 5 youth team players come through in one academy class.

I can't tell if you're being deliberately obtuse or not- Fergie is one of, if not the greatest football manager of all time, there simply cannot be any question of that, regardless of who you support.

[Ninja]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

That specific part of the equation is luck to some extent, but no manager United has had since looks like they could get a tune out of those players like Fergie did.

You also don't win the only treble in the history of English football, plus countless other trophies, simply by being lucky, or having 5 youth team players come through in one academy class.

I can't tell if you're being deliberately obtuse or not- Fergie is one of, if not the greatest football manager of all time, there simply cannot be any question of that, regardless of who you support.

I'm not denying his achievements, simply pointing out that he WAS lucky with that crop coming through all together. I forgot Butt too who was also capped many times for England.
Let's not forget here, 4 of those players, Giggs, Scholes and Beckham, and G Neville, could have walked into almost any team in Europe.
That is a huge stroke of luck!

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

That 89/90 season was one where United struggled, were close to the relegation zone for most of it and had shown another season of decline under Ferguson. Liverpool lost a classic FA cup semi to Palace. Villa, unlikely league runners up, lost at Oldham on the plastic pitch. All the big sides fell away, leaving the door open for an average United side to win the cup after a replay. Mark Robins was a scoring sensation at the end of the season and kept them up.

The following season saw what I thought was a defining moment. Arsenal, unbeaten at home all season, played United in a league cup game at Highbury. United were 3-0 up in no time but Arsenal pulled it back to 3-2. United were scintillating in attack and won 6-2. Arsenal won the league, losing only once all season. They conceded 18 at home in the league all season and were unbeaten, yet in that one game they were absolutely battered. If I remember correctly, United played quite a few youngsters in that game. 2 years later they won the league.

United won the first PL with 84 points. That was for a 42 game season, which equates to 78 points for a 38 game season. Only once has the PL champions in a 38 game season won less than 78 points, ironically United in 1997

That’s a good summary Eric, but I’d add the Cup Winners Cup Final over Barcelona in 1991 when Mark Hughes scored twice as a big factor as well.

That League Cup game you mention stunned me at the time because things like that just did not happen to that Arsenal team - Manchester United’s pace ripped Arsenal apart - didn’t Lee Sharpe score a hat trick?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

I'm not denying his achievements, simply pointing out that he WAS lucky with that crop coming through all together. I forgot Butt too who was also capped many times for England.
Let's not forget here, 4 of those players, Giggs, Scholes and Beckham, and G Neville, could have walked into almost any team in Europe.
That is a huge stroke of luck!

Ferguson was probably Manchester United manager when some of the Class of 92 became teenagers, so he would have had a good five or more to influence their development - it would be wrong to say he played no part in making them the players they were.

[delmbox]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Man Utd fan I take it?
He was close to losing his job. That one result would have changed the course of history.
And yes, he was lucky. Giggs, Scholes, both Neville's and Beckham all coming through the academy at the same time.
Is that not a large stroke of luck?
That's half a first team and they all happened to be top level internationals!

Incidentally, he left them in a right mess and they've never recovered.

Yeah massive Man Utd fan, that's why I've got 8500 posts on a Cardiff City messageboard, what are you, 14? :hehe:

[Vindec]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Methinks the glory hunters need to find a new club to support.

[WJ99mobile]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Look at the team fergusson won the title with in his last year.

Whether he left them in ‘disarray’ slowly he won the title 5 times in 8 years and still won trophies with dire players.

Sometimes you need to realise how much a manager impacts a team.

[WJ99mobile]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Methinks the glory hunters need to find a new club to support.

Unfortunately like Liverpool they’re too big to fail.

They’ll be back eventually.

[splott parker]

Re: Manchester United, oh dear.

Yeah massive Man Utd fan, that's why I've got 8500 posts on a Cardiff City messageboard, what are you, 14? :hehe:

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