Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

it has that..hmm je ne se qua :D

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

maybe but I can already see the standards at the club slipping and players who aren't good neough being there for years already. If the performances on the pitch drop and we lose money as well with 800m in debt that doesn't sound like a great business plan to me

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Absolutely lost it and his comments are becoming more and more bewildering and embarrasing with each defeat. The Derby? best performance under his management? that is ludicrous as the best performance under his management was the home draw against Arsenal first game of the season before he'd had any real chance to work with the team. I think the realisation has hit home hard that he is managing a team ill equipped to play his archaic stand-off and counter tactics and he doesn't seem to have a plan B, either that or he's not prepared to use one.

Under Benitez, the team at their best last season were hard working, pressing and organised, capable of retaining posession: press and push forward being the first line of defence. Quite a contrast to the tactics served up by Hodgson: stand off and attempt to absorb the pressure with the whole midfield sitting constantly on Pepe Reina's toes in the centre of the park. The major source of goals conceded has come from the flanks: teams are encouraged to attack due to the lack of closing down and the full backs are not good enough to prevent the cross. When the ball does arrive in the box Skrtel and Carragher are completely devoid of any ability to meet the aerial challenge. Other maladies include the utterly shambolic and immobile Christian Poulsen lacking the ability to cover for Glen Johnson et al when they push forward which is something Mascherano was very adept at doing last season. Roy doesn't seem to realise that there are a couple of players in the squad more than capable of doing this job but he chooses not to play them there or not play them at all.

Sections of the media and certain ex players who ought to know better are still desperately clinging to their anti Rafa agenda and the notion that poor old Roy inherited such a poor squad: one that's not too different to a squad which finished second a couple of seasons before and a squad which didn't concede many goals the season after despite an unacceptable league position. Hodgson has already lost the fans and it won't be long before he's lost the dressing room so he has to go now before any further damage is done.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Definitely. I think it was the second half against Arsenal in which they played excellently but this was provoked by Joe Cole being sent off. In theory this may be because down to 10 men, against an attacking side, requires Hodgson's tactic of choice; Sit back, keep your shape, defend and attempt to score on a counter.

It required less than this shambles for the media to completely turn on Rafa last year but herein lies the hypocrisy and certain jingoistic approach from our sports journalists (not all mind). Benitez was never popular with the press, he did chat to them off the record, he was never jovial and fun in the press conferences and he general keep himself to himself. Hodgson on the other hand is a very popular figure with the press and as such they continue to leap to his defense.

Last year 'Rafa finished 7th with that squad?! Clearly underachieving, he needs to go!'. This year: 'Of course Hodgson can't compete with that squad! Rafa left him a horrible team'. Can't have it both ways. Being popular does not mean he is a better manager than Benitez.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Ferguson has confirmed Rooney wants to leave the club. It all seems very strange as he has no idea why and said Rooney made his intentions clear just after the world cup. It must be down to personal issues as he made it clear they hadn't fallen out and it wasn't anything to do with money. I don't think i've ever seen Ferguson like he was in the news conference today.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Fergie has confirmed Rooney wants to leave.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-reaction.html

Seems very odd but this means it was not provoked by the recent lack of appearances. In fact we seem to have the cause and effect the wrong way around; Maybe his lack of form and the dropping from the squad was started by his desire to leave...

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

There was a quote from Fergie that said he spoke to Wayne who just told him the same thing as they were already told by the agent.

Think the agents are at the heart of this. They get a higher fee if he joins a new club than if he signs for Man U again. Players just listen to the agents all the time and don't think for themselves

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Obviously feels betrayed and stabbed in the back by Rooney.

---------- Post added at 14:51 ---------- Previous post was at 14:47 ----------

Was Saturday the last time Rooney played for United then?

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

One minute he's saying he wants to stay for life, the next he can't get away quick enough, i can't see how an agent can have that much influence over a player in such a short period of time. He won't be getting more money elsewhere as United were prepared to offer pretty much anything by the sounds of it and he apparently hasn't listened to any offers from the club.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Can't help but suspect that there is an element of mutual intent here. Rooney would stand to make a bigger wedge if he ran down his contract and left on a Bosman, I'm sure his agent would be trying to push him in this direction although the club would be shrewd enough to see through any attempt to do this. If he's intent on leaving then the club need to recoup a fee, part of which will undoubtedly go towards servicing debt so I guess the January window is an ideal time while there's still some value in his contract.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

I was more talking about the fact an agents gets a higher fee for a transfer than he would for signing a new contract.

We know agents have no morals, take bungs and bribes and are obsessed by money and greed.

From comments I have heard from managers in the past I think players really do just listen to whatever their agents tell them, they are paid to be yes men all the rest of the time so if they say move somewhere else they just listen to them without even thinking

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Man United simply cannot offer any wage; City and Chelsea can. Also why blame his agent, Rooney knows full well how good the club and fans have been to him. This is his responsibility.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

Looks awful, don`t wan`t him, don`t need him, Tevez is doing just fine thank you very much :)
A self over hyped, undereducated numskull like the one who`s just gone to Cardiff we can do without...!

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

I am almost certain that the wage has nothing to do with it. United would have offered him big money, its not as if negotiations broke down because he couldnt get the money he wanted, there were no negotiations.

---------- Post added at 15:37 ---------- Previous post was at 15:35 ----------

I'm suprised that City are favourites to sign him, i think the only way that would happen is if he leaves in 18 months time and not in January.

Re: Football Season 2010/2011
 

I disagree. City are the only ones who can afford him..and Man Utd want some sort of fee.

He is a player City want..high enough quality that might attract others.

So i see him going in jan..to City. (and I don't mean Norwich :D)