How about siding with United?

SER19

In light of chelsea's recent form there has been an outpouring of praise in their direction and rightfully so. they are certainly going through their purple patch and their home record of only conceding once illustrates how strong they can be. What can't be listened to however is tags of "unbeatable" "clear favourites" and suggestions that they have been a better team for each of the last three seasons, a notion so utterly clueless i didnt respond in the thread.

This chelsea team have lost away at villa and got played off the pitch against a team that lost 9-1 last weekend. Most importantly however, they were lucky to get anything from the game against us and a combination of bad luck and IMVHO the most badly officiated game in my years of watching has made the difference between them being 5 points clear or United leading by 1. If we had won that day,lets say via rooneys onside goal or valencias clear penalty, or even drew 0-0 had fletchers fair tackle been judged as so there would be none of this over the top analysis of a stong, but one dimensional team that are there for the taking.

We've won the league 3 years in a row and should therefore not be fearing anyone,especially a side who looked painfully blunt at home against us when we were missing our 2 central defenders. we are settling well about now, as we enter the period where we traditionally make a huge title push and the last thing we need is any white flags or mindsets that "it wouldve been hard to win it 4 years in a row". we have a run of games that are all winable now and could do with some optimism or at the very least some balls from some fans.

chelsea will drop points a few more times this season. we have to take it that we beat them at home. we also have the best manager in the league who has seen title races more times than ive seen tits. some posters and fans outside the caf need to get a grip and stop buying into this notion that chelsea will steamroll their way to United's title. drogba's imperious form aside they are an aging team built on a defence that was rattled buy wigan. bullying arsenals softcocks doesnt win the league. try not to get carried away.

GaryLifo

Well said.

Let's focus on our improving form and enjoy our own team's excellence.

I think we are still very much a threat to the league leaders and they will drop enough points for us to get ahead of them.

A1Dan

Don't worry mate, it's only that charlene bloke (?) and some gimps in the general...

MUFCgal

I certainly don't think they'll steamroll their way to the title, it'll be a tight contest between us and them I reckon. Hopefully they'll falter a bit during January, and let's hope that we do what we normally do in second part of the season and get stronger as the season progresses. If we can get a good run of results going then we'll be right on their asses going into New Year. We play them again in April, obviously that's a long way off but we need to beat them when it comes around.

MikeUpNorth

They've got to be favourites obviously, but I still fancy us to push them all the way. Their squad is to my mind the best in the league and with a fit Essien and Drogba their first 11 is as good as anyone's now. It would be an outstanding achievement if we were to win the league this season after having lost our best player in the summer.

Spoony Youngblood

We've got to play them at Old Trafford. And have they played at Anfield yet? I fancy us to get very close this year. There's no reason why we can't make it 4 on the trot.

SER19

So far this thread looks like a rational and sane posters sanctuary. i give it a few more posts....

EricaNo7

i'll be upset if they beat us to the title by less than 3 points as there is no way on god's earth they deserved to beat us at stamford bridge

Allforone

Their overrated of course...the sad thing is we have this every season...there’s always a point in every season and this has been the case for the last 6 years now where Chelsea win a few games look good and everyone hails them champions elect...bookies start paying out on them to win the thing and the media run out of superlatives to throw at them before new year....however they are far from unbeatable and still to me no where near as strong as the side they had under Morinhio when they finished with that 95 points tally…that side would never have been thumped at places like Wigan for example.

They’ve already been beaten twice this year and neither of those sides you’d hardly call stella outfits with all due respect...we ourselves outplayed a full strength in form Chelsea unit in their own backyard only a matter of weeks ago and as you rightfully say but for a bent official had that game under control...even with the aid of the referee we still should have been out of sight in that game long before Chelsea’s 'goal'…I don’t think ive ever seen Chelsea so ineffective and clueless at Stamford bridge as we made them look that afternoon.

The gaps only 5 points...that’s nothing at this stage...Chelsea have quite a few tricky fixtures to accommodate over the coming weeks and not to mention have the African cup of nations looming large on the horizon which will starve them of their best two players...easy fixtures on paper or not they’ll miss Essien and Drogba make no mistake...we on the other hand have a decent looking fixture list well into the new year and must make it count...As Sir Alex stated if were within touching distance come Feb/March time were as good a shout as anyone to win it.

Don’t get caught up in the Chelsea hyperbole....it happens every year and hasn’t stopped us winning the title for the past three.

SER19

this bit seems to be selectively forgotten by most.

good reciprication of thoughts

Anderson Searl

I think most of the concern now comes from the fact it's NOW 2 horse race, and Chelsea have been more than formidable opponents.

B Cantona

Ay, when they're going to Arsenal and winning 3-0, however glossy the score may have been, it does make you wonder how many points they'll drop through the campaign

It'll be tough, and they're rightly the favourites. They know damn well they'll have to sustain it though because we'll be breathing down their neck to the very end

Anderson Searl

How does the African Cup look for them? I know it seems a bit of a stretch but Essien, Drogba, Mikel, etc will be gone... how many matches during that stretch? What nations qualified.

I'd look myself but i'm lazy and drunk.

B Cantona

Hull away, Sunderland and Birmingham home, Burnley away

MikeUpNorth

That's about the best set of fixtures they could have hoped for whilst missing their two best players.

Anderson Searl

Of course... so that's still 9/10 points in their hands, Sunderland being the blip for obvious reasons.

Eriku

fantastic quote.

A1Dan

Most? Which most? List the posters on here who think Chelsea have us beat?

This is about the most annoying thing on the caf... one dick posts something like "Giggs is shit" and 100 more pop-up claiming they are the one voice of reason who knows he's not. Today's version is "you lot all think Chelsea are much better than us and I'm the only one who can see they're not". It's all in your head!

Yassir

I think our next run of matches until we play Arsenal will be crucial. If we win 8-9 of the 10 fixtures we will have a fantastic chance because I think Chelsea are far from unbeatable. I like the look of some of our players; I think Valencia is coming into his own and looks a 'proper' Utd player, our defence is looking more solid and Rooney is back in the goals. Added to that, the promise of Obertan and the return of Berbatov makes things look good for us.

The biggest area of concern for me is our midfield. Without Fletcher we look lightweight and even with Fletcher we look shorn of creativity.

BUT I really do think the next ten matches or so will prove to be crucial.

SER19

most as in its has been totally ignored amongst the masses and myriad of football websites,papers journalist, fans i know from life OUTSIDE the caf and of course amongst many on the caf. remember, deep breaths before jumping to conclusions.

Im not trying to be a voice of reason. im giving my opinion with the added objective of slowing down the chelsea bandwagon. calm down

A1Dan

Fair enough if you're talking about outside the caf, but that's not how it comes across in this context. In here, I'd say the fact that we outplayed them at SB is never far from the minds of 99% of posters when assessing Chelsea.

SER19

that was obviously just a misunderstanding. i was talking about the grand scheme of things though.

Kraftwerker

I honestly think we're still the best team in the league, only just though.

The last 3 seasons I think we've been comfortably better than everyone. Now we're only marginally better.

We should be top, but I don't want to focus on that too much. Chelsea haven't been tested by injuries to any great degree. We'll see but I'm optimistic.

Plechazunga

They are looking better than us this season. More solid at the back, more powerful in midfield, and marginally more creative.

Sure we did well at the Bridge, but a one-off game's never a good argument. Liverpool were better than us at Anfield, doesn't mean they're as good as us.

I still don't think they're all that, mind. They still don't have much in the way of real width, and their age may tell in the latter stages.

Trouble is I don't think we're great either. We weren't all that marvellous last season, and since then we've lost Ronaldo and Tevez, and seen loss of form from Rio and Vidic who were imperious last time round, probably the biggest reason for our success.

We're definitely missing a bit of magic and our traditional fear-factor. Teams are having a right go at us this season, and it's understandable: they look at the team-sheet and who are they really scared of? Rooney, and maybe Giggs.

Admittedly, I didn't think we'd win it last year either, and I was wrong.

RedDevilCanuck

Holy shit,2 horse race my ass. L'Arse are still in it. They were not THAT bad today.

Eduardo played like complete shit and wasted every opportunity he got the ball. They are missing RVP and they are a different side when he is fit.

As for Chelsea, I dont think they were THAT great today. Drogba is a beast and looking like the best striker in the league ATM but they are very beatable. Cole,Deco,Mikel,Ballack, and Kalou are all vastly overrated.

Hopefully Drogba hits a dry patch because he was the difference today and hasb been a force for them all year. If he gets injured, they will be fucked, just like Liverpool without Torres.

Alex

So let me get this right, talking up United in the United forum will improve their form and their excellence....

Chelsea deserve the accolades at the moment, they are rolling over most teams(other than United), although charlenefan is a bit of a moron, posing a question such as can the team that we beat to the league three years in a row adn beat in 1 CL Final whilst reaching another been better than us then? Umm no! That said they do have a better side atm, there is a long way to go, and by no means are they near being clear of United, hell Liverpool could still catch them..... Hopefully, they fall off the pace at somepoint, United just need to take care of their business the rest of the way and they will be champions easier said than done, and they must beat Chelsea at OT when they come to town, that will be a massive match.

Chris H

But he won't be fit for at least the next 4-5 months, and even then he'll have to play his way back into form. Arsenal aren't nearly as good without van Persie, as their results since his injury (2 league matches, 2 losses, 2 weak performances) demonstrate. They'll adapt and pick it up somewhat, but as you say...not the same team.

Bit early to call it a two-horse race perhaps, but no one will be too surprised if Arsenal fall even further behind by Christmas.

roodboy

Chelsea looking strong at the moment but almost everything has gone their way so far this season - they will go through a bad patch and we have to capitalise to stand a chance of getting the unprecedented 4-in-a-row

Im hoping that the ANC will hit them hard - Essien and Drogba are arguably their two best players and potential replacements, Mikel&Kalou, will also be away.
I would like to see a few weaker teams give them a bit of a old school kicking - I dont see enough teams raising their level against Chelski like they always do against us.

Alex

You'd love to see the weaker teams give them a kicking, hmmm, surely you'd be the first towhine if The same happened to United.

roodboy

yes - so what is your point?

Cold_Boy

This.

Chief

Spending too much time on the caf mate?

Alex

Surely if teams start kicking the shit out against Chelsea and do well, it will encourage them to do it to United as well. All things being equal I'd like to just go head to head with Chelsea again, United dont need Chelsea players to get hurt to win the title

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

My money is on us. We are second and looking comfortable there. Yet far from our best. Which always comes as christmas nears. Chelsea and The league beware.

Alex

My only concern is what United's best will be Chief, and whether it will be good enough come trophy time, especially on the big European nights.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

TBH I expect nothing from us in Europe. We don't have enough attacking magic in the first 11 with Ron gone. We will have to really on our back 5 mostly. I don't think that will be enough to triumph there. Though it can take us far.

As for the league...once we get our second wing fully funtioning. & our first choice defence fit, we will steam roll small teams. & I fully expect us to avenge our defeats to Pool and Chelsea at OT. & I back us in the domestic cups because we excellent at knock out football.


& I maintain faith in our league chase mainly because Chelsea can always pu all surprise and lose to a Wigan and a Villa.

misterredmist

TBH I like other teams getting "buttered up" by all and sundry, and don't like it when
we get the same treatment....... i remember in 1998, the press were fawning all over us all season...who came up on the rails and won the league? Arsenal...... the reverse occurred in 07/08 where the bummers were lorded by one and all......

I could'nt give a t*ss who says what about us or anybody else ...... those trophies handed out towards the end of the season are all that matter.

Crustanoid

Teams just have to work out how to play against them

Ancellotti has brought something new to the PL, which hasn't been engrained into the way oppositions handle it yet. Mourinho tried a diamond but imo was unsuccessful, and was only doing it under duress to accomodate Bollack and Shevchenko.

They'll crack eventually and become like Milan were towards the end of Ancellotti's time there

CLK_FPC

I've been saying this to anybody that will listen. Its not like they were playing badly wen they lost to Wigan or Villa, you could call them blips so whose to say they wont have blips again?

Everyone is saying they are the team to beat etc but if there was a team to beat them, it would be us. We gave them a very hard time at the Bridge and that was with players missing.

roodboy

Im not talking about wanting other teams to go out to injure Chelsea players - Im just talking about having a go at them rather than sitting back and playing for a draw.