**OFFICIAL Association Football 2012/2013 Season thread**

[Hellsinkey]

Rubbish performance, yet a win. Good start for Januzaj, but even he was invisible before his goals. They have to be better against better teams.

[pieceofme]

Rubbish performance, yet a win. Good start for Januzaj, but even he was invisible before his goals. They have to be better against better teams.

I wouldn't say he was invisible. It was nice to see a winger getting past people, and his technique for the second goal was excellent. Ashley Young has been beyond awful. How he stayed in the starting line up for long was crazy.

[Hellsinkey]

Vidic was poor too. Again no Kagawa, yet Valencia and Welbeck played.

[Hellsinkey]

Moyes can't get it right. Useless substitutions, what's wrong with Kagawa and Zaha? No last minute comebacks anymore either. Januzaj played well though.

[MickeyG]

It wasn't bad until the subs. Really poor subs.

[pieceofme]

Moyes is proving to be worse than I feared. Terrible appointment.

[Hellsinkey]

I'm hoping he gets sacked, he shouldn't have been hired in the first place. He has always been a mid table manager. At least he's constant in that, now he's made United a mid table team.

[MickeyG]

Trouble is, who can they get mid-season?

[pieceofme]

Hey we won! I still want Moyes gone.

Not liking this Liverpool doing well business. If they won the league it would be unbearable. I would prefer the Rent boys or City to win it instead of them.

[Hellsinkey]

A comeback for once. And rubbish defending.

[MickeyG]

Liverpool should be found out next week at the Emirates.

[pieceofme]

Liverpool should be found out next week at the Emirates.

God I hope so.

[MickeyG]

City are not much better than United, spent more money, but no outcry in the media on their woes.

[CliffByford]

City are not much better than United, spent more money, but no outcry in the media on their woes.

In fairness, Hart's clownish impressions of an international-standard keeper have been getting attention but you've got a point. I think it's a case of schadenfreude as United have been top of the tree for twenty years now whilst Citeh are relative upstarts.

Shit weekend for QPR, Bournemouth and Exeter (all teams I have some interest in) - but I spent my afternoon watching Lewes smash Margate in the Ryman Premier. Come on you Rooks!

[MickeyG]

I dunno if you can remember the 80's Cliff, but 89 is the last time United had such a bad start to a league season. Although there was no internet then, shit even Sky Sports hadn't been invented yet, United were constantly in the news for being shit. An Emlyn Hughes' article in a newspaper around that time with the headline something like; "Fergie OBE (out by Easter)" always sticks in my mind.

I think it goes further back than 20 years. Winning has made it worse as has the greater number of media outlets and the internet. It probably goes back to Busby times, where through Munich and great teams United started to separate themselves from the rest in terms of size. At school in the 80's I could still rile up my Liverpool/Everton supporting classmates by saying despite winning fuckall United were still the biggest club. It maybe nothing to get excited about, but back when you're at school you'll take any win you can.

[Hellsinkey]

Liverpool should be found out next week at the Emirates.

God I hope so.

[Rageman]

Question today on Fox Soccer Daily . . . Most important contract extension for Man U?

Eric Wynalda- Vidic
Cobi Jones- Carrick

Your preferences?

[MickeyG]

Evra and Rio's contracts are up too in 2014. They're all past 30 so should only be expecting yearly renewals now anyways. Evra apparently wants to go back to France. Although I like Carrick I think Vida would be who I'd tie up first. I think Vidic is still up there as a top defender wheras with Carrick if you offered me a more dynamic replacement I'd take it. That's why I'm really disappointed in Fellaini because even those he's not top class, I expected more aggression from him in midfield. I'd like to see Fabio get a new deal and become 2nd choice at both fullback positions. Jones and Smalling are not good enough to cover at right back, and Buttner is just a joke on the lerft.

[jellyheadrobertson]

Liverpool should be found out next week at the Emirates.

Arsenal play some nice football. Every attack they look like something will happen. Better team won today. Next week should be a test for United.

[MickeyG]

I expect United to lose, Arsenals midfield is far superior.

[Hellsinkey]

The table is really even now, seven teams within three points, even United.

[CliffByford]

It's looking like a keen premiership this season, though I still think Man City have too much firepower. They're going to be the least affected by injury during the hard winter months. Did anyone see them destroy an admittedly poor Norwich team yesterday?

[MickeyG]

City and Chelsea have huge squads, I mean Chelsea played their reserves against Arsenal in midweek ans still put out a midfield worth 100 mil. United have the depth upfront and at the back, but are shite in midfield. I didn't see city, but they fuck teams over when they have a good day, they don't back off. United by contrast, if they do get a good start, back off and seemingly try to save energy.

[MickeyG]

Shit on the Arsenal tonight!

United have been shit all season but are only 5 points off the top and 3 behind the dippers.

City!

[Hellsinkey]

Back in the game, bitches. RVP silences Arse fans. "8 points clear, Robin." Jones played really well.

[Rageman]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/11/literal ... ue-badges/
Here are just a couple of the EPL crests taken literally. I love the Fulham one and the heavenly ball one.

[MickeyG]

Rageman, I know you watch the Bundesliga but how are Leverkusen 2nd in that league after getting raped by a poor United side twice? Is that league overrated? Bayern are probably the best in Europe but is the rest of the league shite?

[Hellsinkey]

I wish they would play in the PL like that.

[MickeyG]

When everyone is fit there's no way Moyes has the balls not to play both Rooney and Van Persie. Despite being a bitch, Rooney has been better than Van Persie this season and prefers to be a striker. And I agree with him that he is better as a striker than as a "no 10". He drops too deep and doesn't have enough creativity to be a consistent no 10. Kagawa isn't good enough out wide to play on the wing. If he plays it needs to be centrally.

[Hellsinkey]

Rubbish game again. Didn't even see the goal, fell asleep.