Manchester United Season Tracking Version 2

[Springsteen]

In truth I think we were victims of circumstance with the Hernandez thing because I think he was about to come on when Evra got injured and he was held back then as O'Shea had to come on.

 

[Springsteen]

Aston Villa 2-2 Manchester United

In many ways not a bad result considering we were absolutely terrible. Goaless first half followed by a goal packed second. They took the lead when Brown clumsily tripped Ashley Young and the same player dispatched the penalty. Villa got the second when an energetic break was finished by Mark Albrighton from Downing's cross. And that appeared to be that, but the changes up front made a difference and Federico Macheda hit a spectacular goal to halve the deficit and when Nemanja Vidic headed us level the comeback was complete. It's another example that we never say die really. Although with the six points we'll have to make up on Chelsea which they'll make it tomorrow it's looking unlikely it will be a Title winning season.

Man Of The Match : Federico Macheda, at least he tried.

 

[Springsteen]

Manchester United 2-0 Wigan Athletic

Fairly comfortable win over the Lancashire club. Evra scored the opener right on half time with a delightful header. They then had two men sent off after Alcaraz saw a second yellow card for a late challenge on Fletcher and Hugo Rodallega saw a stright red for a two footed challenge on Rafael. After this it was pretty much all us and a deserved second came when Rafael's cross was headed in by Javier Hernandez. A good result made even better by Arsenal and the rent boys both losing.

Man Of the Match : Rafael

 

[Springsteen]

Rangers 0-1 Manchester United

Qualification for the Champions League knockout stages confirmed with a professional performance in Scotland. In fairness for a team that needed to win this game to have any hope of qualifying Rangers played fairly negatively and our better play eventually won the day. The goal came late on when Fabio sneaked into the area, was kicked in the head by the defender and the resulting penalty was dispatched by Wayne Rooney, just the goal he needed.

Man Of The Match : Fabio

 

[Springsteen]

Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers

In truth, this kind of result has been coming for a while, given we have played games even recently where plenty of chances have been created yet just as many squandered. We took less than 90 seconds to take the lead when Nani's cross was flicked on by Rooney into Berbatov's path and he did the rest. The second goal didn't take too long and a sweet flowing move was finished when Park accepted Rooney's through ball and put it over Robinson. Berbatov added a third before the break when Chimbonda's backpass was played back to him and Blackburn's chances of getting anything were finally ended. Berbatov's hat trick was completed 96 seconds into the second half and he laid off a beauty of a pass for Nani, who cut inside the hapless Chimbonda to make it 5-0. Berbatov's fourth goal was to follow on the hour before he equalled Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Jermaine Defoe's records of five goals in a single match after his attempted pass to Rooney was played back into his path. Blackburn got a late consolation when Chris Samba headed in a cross but in truth this was as one sided as you will ever see.

Man Of The Match : Dimitar Berbatov

 

[Springsteen]

West Ham United 4-0 Manchester United

The long unbeaten streak ends (in all competitions at least) with this humiliating defeat at Upton Park. The goals really started earlier when Obina's shot was deflected in, however after consultation between officials the decision was that the ball had deflected off the offside Spector, which was the correct decision. However the first wasn't too far away and Jonathon Spector duly delivered it when he got free of Fletcher to head past Kuszack. Spector then added a second before the break and we had a mountain to climb. The misery was compounded when Carlton Cole added two in the second half to send West Ham through to the Carling Cup semi finals. One trophy we won't be retaining this year. Despite the gap of the defeat at least we've been beaten here and not in the more important Premier League (hopefully this result won't have a knock on effect).

Man Of The Match : A West Ham player.

 

[skyblue]

Man Of The Match : A West Ham player.

that comes across as sour grapes

 

[Springsteen]

Oh no far from it, I don't think any of our players performed well enough and they were much better. That's the reason.

I guess I'd agree with Sky's Spector award.

 

[TGLucario475]

It might of been your reserve team but they still should of done better!

 

[Springsteen]

Indeed, those players have played more games than the average reserve this season and they shouldn't be beaten like that. Sure credit to West Ham for a very good performance and props to them if it makes their season as a whole get better. The worst players were Evans and O'Shea.

 

[Peter Parka]

You think it was our first team with no Parker and Spector playing? Nice little result there, Man Utd's biggest defeat for 9 years, apparently.

 

[Springsteen]

Yeah I can't think of the last 4 goal defeat.....

I remember us losing 4-1 to Liverpool in 2009.....Boro beat us 4-1 in 2005....I'll do some research.

Edit : Arsenal beat us 4-0 in the Carling Cup in November 2001. Before last night that was our heaviest defeat since the Newcastle/Southampton days.

Oh and good to see you back

 

[porterjack]

is the carling cup the same as the FA cup? I understood the FA cup to be a big deal that everyone wants to win, so they always put out a strong team

 

[Springsteen]

It's the same knockout formula yes. It's got a lot less prestige than the FA Cup though mostly because the FA Cup goes back more years and it's always been seen as a pretty big thing to win. The Carling Cup's fine as it is but it wouldn't bother me to see it not there.

 

[porterjack]

It's the same knockout formula yes. It's got a lot less prestige than the FA Cup though mostly because the FA Cup goes back more years and it's always been seen as a pretty big thing to win. The Carling Cup's fine as it is but it wouldn't bother me to see it not there.

how about TV revenue and prize money? probably not as big as the champions league, which one pays more FA or carling

 

[Springsteen]

I suspect TV money would be pretty much the same in both competitions.

As for prize money. Here's the FA cup


Extra Preliminary Round winners (201) £750
Preliminary Round winners (166) £1,500
First Round Qualifying winners (116) £3,000
Second Round Qualifying winners (80) £4,500
Third Round Qualifying winners (40) £7,500
Fourth Round Qualifying winners (32) £12,500
First Round Proper winners (40) £18,000
Second Round Proper winners (20) £27,000
Third Round Proper winners (32) £67,500
Fourth Round Proper winners (16) £90,000
Fifth Round Proper winners (8) £180,000
Sixth Round Proper winners (4) £360,000
Semi Final winners (2) £900,000
Semi Final runners-up (2) £450,000
Final winners (1) £1,800,000
Final runners-up (1) £900,000

As for the League cup you get £100,000 for winning it, £50,000 for the runner up and some semi final money. So the FA Cup is far more lucrative.

 

[porterjack]

I suspect TV money would be pretty much the same in both competitions.

As for prize money. Here's the FA cup


Extra Preliminary Round winners (201) £750
Preliminary Round winners (166) £1,500
First Round Qualifying winners (116) £3,000
Second Round Qualifying winners (80) £4,500
Third Round Qualifying winners (40) £7,500
Fourth Round Qualifying winners (32) £12,500
First Round Proper winners (40) £18,000
Second Round Proper winners (20) £27,000
Third Round Proper winners (32) £67,500
Fourth Round Proper winners (16) £90,000
Fifth Round Proper winners (8) £180,000
Sixth Round Proper winners (4) £360,000
Semi Final winners (2) £900,000
Semi Final runners-up (2) £450,000
Final winners (1) £1,800,000
Final runners-up (1) £900,000

As for the League cup you get £100,000 for winning it, £50,000 for the runner up and some semi final money. So the FA Cup is far more lucrative.

so i can see why the coach would maybe rest his star players for a carling cup game, the attraction of winning is not the same as the FA cup

 

[Springsteen]

It's not just that, there is also the Premier League to consider. In 1994 we went to Port Vale in the League Cup and won 2-1, but we played what would be classed as a weakened team and got slated for it. Nowadays most of the top teams do it. Although with that most of the players in our sides in the league cup would probably be considered first teamers and almost all would certainly get into most Premier League 11's. The Champions League is hugely lucrative too.

 

[skyblue]

It's not just that, there is also the Premier League to consider. In 1994 we went to Port Vale in the League Cup and won 2-1, but we played what would be classed as a weakened team and got slated for it. Nowadays most of the top teams do it. Although with that most of the players in our sides in the league cup would probably be considered first teamers and almost all would certainly get into most Premier League 11's. The Champions League is hugely lucrative too.

and its said that thats the reason that we still have bragging rights over united,but the team we beat had 8 internationals and most are first team players now

 

[porterjack]

and its said that thats the reason that we still have bragging rights over united,but the team we beat had 8 internationals and most are first team players now

everyone wants to say they beat the big teams