Manchester United Preview

[philipl]

Really proud of the how the team played 10 against 12 second half.

The Axe's weakness was exposed by him not challenging Ronaldo for the free header which put the Mancs 1 up but I don't think that was even a corner- Ronaldo's shot across goal went straight out.

Once again, we have been technically the equal of a big 4 team but those guys still have the edge in midfield muscle.

[modes98]

Gordon McQueen just been on Sky saying both yellows were wrong and should only have been free kicks to Utd.

Spot on imo. I didn't think the second challenge was a yellow on it's own and 2 fouls isn't persistent infringement.

It's possible for Reid to be back for next game. 2 weeks til our next fixture now thanks to the international break. Hopefully it'll help get a couple of our players fit again.

That's my thinking. I just hope Hughes pulls him out of the Ireland squad. I don't think he is ready yet and needs a couple of light closed door or reserve matches.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I too expected nothing today, but I'm glad we are coming away with a burning sense of grievance rather than having been spanked. Might stand us in good stead over the next few games.

Very very disappointed with MGP today - doesn't deserve to have regained his first team shirt. Bentley showed him what contributing to the team means. Once Savage is fit, put Dunny out there again.

[Mr. E]

The only thing we need to be concerned with now is to get Dunn's first yellow card overruled - because you cannot play without a central midfield.

[Shevchenko]

Stupid by Dunn to get himself sent off, very rash challenge when he was on a yellow. Can't argue with the ref there. The first one was fair enough as well. Didn't think it was a yellow when I first saw it but on replay, he had both hands on Ronaldo's shoulders, almost around his neck and got booked for it. In my opinion, the referee is in the clear on that one as well. Decent game by our lot, although not surprisingly, they outplayed us in midfield for most of the afternoon. Samba needs to start shooting more! Awesome finish that deserved a better result. MGP was very poor.

Could have been a game that, if Dunn hadn't been so bloody stupid.

[thenodrog]

My lad came into the room at 2.15 to say that Saha was playing and that he always scored against us, my reply was never mind Saha the ref will be their danger man! And that was unfortunately that! HE did NOT have a bad game otherwise poor decisions would have evened themselves out. Free kick stats, card stats etc simply point to one of two things....

1. The ref is very weak and therefore not fit to referee a match in the 'biggest' league in the world.

2. He has taken a bung.

I prefer not to believe '2' so why therefore has that man been elevated to the Premiership ranks?

As for a centre half by trade, marking a winger in the box and not competing for a corner kick coming down a couple of yards from where he is standing is inexcusable.

[Exiled_Rover]

Stupid by Dunn to get himself sent off, very rash challenge when he was on a yellow. Can't argue with the ref there. The first one was fair enough as well. Didn't think it was a yellow when I first saw it but on replay, he had both hands on Ronaldo's shoulders, almost around his neck and got booked for it. In my opinion, the referee is in the clear on that one as well. Decent game by our lot, although not surprisingly, they outplayed us in midfield for most of the afternoon. Samba needs to start shooting more! Awesome finish that deserved a better result. MGP was very poor.

Could have been a game that, if Dunn hadn't been so bloody stupid.

Sorry, mate, but Tevez realised he wasn't going to outmuscle Dunn so went to ground. Not even a foul.

[92er]

That's my thinking. I just hope Hughes pulls him out of the Ireland squad. I don't think he is ready yet and needs a couple of light closed door or reserve matches.

I have read in the last few days that he has been pulled from the squad.

[American]

Where was all the whining about the refs for the matches they have given us points in?

[Roar of the Rover]

Lack of concentration cost us today, nothing else. You can't blame the Ref for the goals.

[Presty On Tour]

ANY MORE DETAILS ON THE CROWD TROUBLE?

[cn174]

ANY MORE DETAILS ON THE CROWD TROUBLE?

Something of nothing. Stewards they decided they wanted someone out for one reason or another. Didn't look like he'd done much, he must've said sommat. They went in to get him out, he didn't want to move. Cue 5 minutes of faffing about, people coming to watch, police coming down, £2/hour shouts and they took the lad out just before half time. Or thats how it looked from where I was sitting

[Ewood-angel]

ANY MORE DETAILS ON THE CROWD TROUBLE?

Just got back from Old Trafford. The crowd trouble was the same as it is every year. The Manchester United stewards on a power trip. Once the second goal was in the United fans started to taunt us and as at every football match we retaliated, by standing up & chanting back.

In came the stewards and started throwing people out. One guy even pointed out to the steward that he was out of order & they had the police come in and remove him. They were throwing us out left, right & centre for standing up for our own fans.

What happened to the banter between rival fans that is all part & parcel of a good football game?

It was a complete disgrace!

[roverthemoon]

The goals

Ronaldo's 1st

Ronaldo's 2nd

[Ben-2000]

Just got back from Old Trafford. The crowd trouble was the same as it is every year. The Manchester United stewards on a power trip. Once the second goal was in the United fans started to taunt us and as at every football match we retaliated, by standing up & chanting back.

In came the stewards and started throwing people out. One guy even pointed out to the steward that he was out of order & they had the police come in and remove him. They were throwing us out left, right & centre for standing up for our own fans.

What happened to the banter between rival fans that is all part & parcel of a good football game?

It was a complete disgrace!

Disgraceful - glad I didn't go to be honest.

[eddiewac]

Double standards by the ref, show me a video of a man utd player or any of the top 4 clubs players getting two yellow cards like that and prove me wrong, you can lose count on the number of times the referees let these go for the big clubs, especially when they are playing each other so they don't 'spoil' the game, lets not forget the players surrounding the referee at every decision and getting nothing, unlike jason roberts last year who got a second yellow for literally nothing

[Rovermatt]

Gordon McQueen just been on Sky saying both yellows were wrong and should only have been free kicks to Utd.

Yes but Gordon McQueen was also claiming that 'we all wanted to see Ronaldo get a third goal' so I would really take what he says with a fist-full of salt.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Yes but Gordon McQueen was also claiming that 'we all wanted to see Ronaldo get a third goal' so I would really take what he says with a fist-full of salt.

Coming out with the Ronaldo comments shows, that as an ex red, he is biased towards United. Even more credence to the fact that the ref got the decisions wrong if someone like McQueen is saying so.

[thenodrog]

MoM poll's a tough choice this week. Everybody played well but with nobody really outstanding.

[Jan]

Dunn spent a lot of time on the left side today- trying to cover for "our friend" who went missing- AGAIN. Loved the "attempt at goal" which was rivalled only by one by Tevez at the other end. WE were in more danger than the goal.

[rover6]

Surely, Hughes has to consider dropping MGP for Peter or for that matter, Treacy or Olsson. This unconditional faith can't go on.

And as for Mokoena's defending, where have we seen that before, Sheringham? Hughes recently said something about Mokoena never letting us down. Well I'd beg to differ. When Mokoena is making those kind of mistakes, I am reminded of why the guy's career as a Premiership defender ended a long time ago.

I say it again. A top defensive midfielder must have most of the attributes of a top central defender. Mokoena is lacking the latter and is therefore, imo, not good enough for the former.

[RevidgeBlue]

I thought we were doing really well until they scored the opener, which was an absolute shocker from our point of view.

Ronaldo should not be scoring with any sort of header and certainly not completely unchallenged from around the penalty spot! Horrendous gaffe by Mokoena.

Obviously they then caught us out again immediately on the break and it was effectively game over in the space of a minute or so.

Didn't bother hanging around in the Pub to watch the second half so didn't see Dunn's sending off but the first caution was never a foul as long as I have a hole in my backside let alone a yellow card!

Good to see the referees back on form for "the big four" so soon after Mr Atkinson's disgracefully even handed display last week!

[Paul Mellelieu]

How many games have we had at OT like this? We play well enough, but a bit of slack play and a ref playing to the gallery let us down.

Remind me not to pay £40 next season to sit in a seat that an average sized child would struggle with, to put up with over aggressive stewards, and with facilities out of the 70s.

Well the Axe dropped a bollock, but so did Emerton for the second. Overall Mokoena did OK: neat and won the ball in the right areas. Not the disaster Rover6 would have you believe. As for Pedersen, his form is still poor, but if you think Peter, Olsson or Treacy are ahead of Dunn you even more stupid than I thought. BTW haven to made it to a games this season?

[Scotty]

MoM poll's a tough choice this week. Everybody played well but with nobody really outstanding.

Bentley by a mile for me. He looked class and was behind most of the good things we did today.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Mistake aside I thought Emerton put in an excellent shift today.