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

[Hellsinkey]

And have a good chance of not making the Europa league either. City will be clear favourites for the league if that happens. Depends on injuries too, of course.

I concur.

Especially with the unbalanced midfield we currently have.

Could use one world class defender too.

[MickeyG]

Aye, Vidic and Rio are both injury prone and neither is getting any younger. Fergie's burnt Evra out by playing him every week. Rafael's coming into his own though this season, not as rash as he has been previously.

Midfield is where teams are working United over though. That's the weakness to exploit for a rival team.

[pieceofme]

Mark Hughes finally gone. He was lucky to have survived for so long.
Redknapp in negotiations.

[pieceofme]

Redknapp is the new manager of QPR.

I'm surprised Hughes lasted this long tbh.

The team is full of mercenaries, huge egos, and little work effort.

I think QPR are doomed even with Arry's wheeling and dealing.

[MickeyG]

Made hard work of it but United played well for the last 20 mins. Should have had more goals, Van Persie missed a few chances.

[Hellsinkey]

Anderson made the difference today.

WBA wft?

[pieceofme]

Anderson made the difference today.

WBA wft?

Good for them.

Always rated Steve Clarke.

That is 9 out of 13 league games that we have gone behind first.

Continue this and we will not win the league. Rumours of Baines coming in for 8 million during the January transfer window.

[Hellsinkey]

It would be good if Fergie retired after this season. It's been said that Pep has passed on Chelsea, waiting for Fergie's decision.

[pieceofme]

It would be good if Fergie retired after this season. It's been said that Pep has passed on Chelsea, waiting for Fergie's decision.

Jose will be the next United manager.

Please for the love of god can it not be David Moyes.

[Hellsinkey]

Benitez gets booed. Back on top.

[MickeyG]

Poor game. Neither team deserved the win.

[pieceofme]

Poor game. Neither team deserved the win.

I figured it was going to be 0-0 draw.

[pieceofme]

at Chelsea

Man City still undefeated

Arsenal dropping like a stone.

What a crazy first half in the United vs. Reading game. THe defending has been atrocious. Seriously we couldn't head anything. Evans was awful.
Anderson was looking good until he got injured. Phil Jones came on and for some reason he is playing as an attacking midfielder, which confuses the hell out of me. Centre back - absolutely. Defensive midfielder - okay. Attacking midfielder - hell no.

Van Persie missed a sitter.
Fergie brought Welbeck on so he's sticking with the one goal lead.

[Hellsinkey]

Again rubbish defending, this was only the third game at PL history to have as many goals in the first half. Oh and one went in, good that it wasn't decisive. Again there's talk on Sneijder in January, I hope they get a defender also.

[pieceofme]

Again rubbish defending, this was only the third game at PL history to have as many goals in the first half. Oh and one went in, good that it wasn't decisive. Again there's talk on Sneijder in January, I hope they get a defender also.

There is talk of Baines, but I don't see that happening as they bought that guy Büttner in the summer.

Once we have all our defenders back I'll be happy. Vidic is a big miss. Obviously.

Its midfield that worries me the most. When is Kagawa back?

Also I would play Powell ahead of Welbeck.

[Hellsinkey]

Benitez is already worried about his job. When you get "You're getting sacked in the morning" chant from own fans three games in, it's bad.

Even Fergie agreed that defence was the worst this season. Rescue jobs won't work against better teams. Citeh game next weekend is very important.

[MickeyG]

Dunno why he didn't bring Cleverly on instead of Jones, but maybe it was for his defensive abilities on set pieces. I mean, United did let them score from 2 corners. I think thats part of the reason Rafa got hauled off, yes he got owned a couple of times by the winger, and got booked, but Smalling is also better in the air. And they were owning United in the air big time.

[pieceofme]

Dunno why he didn't bring Cleverly on instead of Jones, but maybe it was for his defensive abilities on set pieces. I mean, United did let them score from 2 corners. I think thats part of the reason Rafa got hauled off, yes he got owned a couple of times by the winger, and got booked, but Smalling is also better in the air. And they were owning United in the air big time.

That is the reason why. Evans was having a worse game than Rafa.

[pieceofme]

For MickeyG and Hellsinkey

When all the squad is fully fit who would be your starting 11 for Manchester United?

[Hellsinkey]

De Gea
Rafael- Vidic- Ferdinand- Evra
Valencia- Anderson - Scholes- Young
Rooney- Van Persie

Subs:
Lindegaard
Evans
Buttner
Carrick
Nani
Hernandez
Wellbeck

[pieceofme]

De Gea
Rafael- Vidic- Ferdinand- Evra
Valencia- Anderson - Scholes- Young
Rooney- Van Persie

Subs:
Lindegaard
Evans
Buttner
Carrick
Nani
Hernandez
Wellbeck

Wow. No Kagawa? I would probably have him in my starting 11. Or at least rotate him with Scholes.

[Hellsinkey]

De Gea
Rafael- Vidic- Ferdinand- Evra
Valencia- Anderson - Scholes- Young
Rooney- Van Persie

Subs:
Lindegaard
Evans
Buttner
Carrick
Nani
Hernandez
Wellbeck

Wow. No Kagawa? I would probably have him in my starting 11. Or at least rotate him with Scholes.

Oh, of course. He's been away so much, I forgot about him. Him instead of Scholes.

[MickeyG]

Lets see...

442
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Van Persie

or

433
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Cleverly Carrick Anderson
Nani Rooney Van Persie

[Hellsinkey]

Citeh loses, I hope it's a start. Not a classic but good enough. Letting Citeh keep the ball and us making counter attacks on the wing. I hope they can concentrate against lesser teams. That's where it was lost last year.

[MickeyG]

Good win, but they nearly blew it. Should have been 3 nil at least before Shitty scored their first. Linesman fucked up, Young was not offside. Then Evra should have had a pen. Missed a couple of chances too.

[pieceofme]

Lets see...

442
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Van Persie

or

433
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Cleverly Carrick Anderson
Nani Rooney Van Persie

Seriously Cleverly and Carrick before Kagawa?

Great win today.

[Rageman]

Cover of a new magazine focused on football in America

http://www.howlermagazine.com/

[MickeyG]

Lets see...

442
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Van Persie

or

433
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Cleverly Carrick Anderson
Nani Rooney Van Persie

Seriously Cleverly and Carrick before Kagawa?

Great win today.

Both were great against City. Carrick needs someone mobile along side him, and allow him to do his tidy work. Make him cover too much ground, like play Scholes next to him and it all falls down. Kagawa isn't a center midfielder, his best role is in the hole, attacking midfielder like how Rooney has been playing recently. I haven't seen anything to show he's as good as Rooney, but he could be an able under-stoody.

[Rageman]

Seven more and also a link to the artists page can be found here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/gallery ... 03&index=7

[MickeyG]

LOL, there were a few more fans at Old Trafford than that on the day Rooney scored that great goal.