Silva: The fear is over

Name Changed

What? Do you think he should randomly rang up Sky or something and said this? He was obviously asked in an interview. If he was asked specifically if City were afraid of United, obviously he should say no.

Regardless of whether they lift the trophy or not, the statement is still true. Even if they go on to drop points at Newcastle, and subsequently lose the league, the statement that they are not afraid of United is still true.

What's the problem? He said absolutely nothing wrong.

Name Changed

Yes, of course it will.

Do you think that if City slip up against Newcastle, that it now means they are afraid of us again? That's not how it works.

FlawlessThaw

You'd think after £500m you wouldn't need to fear Manchester United any more.

gooDevil

Even looks like Silva

Waltraute

I do agree, but claiming
is still pretty funny to me. 'Passed that mental stage...'

DomesticTadpole

What bothers me about us being a team in transistion is that everyone is presumes that the young players are going to improve and become world beaters. If they don't then we will be decline. If yes then we will be fine. It is a very thin line.

Varun_Utd

They were living in our shadows even after the sheikhs came in. There's no doubt about that. In their minds, its only recently that they've started believing that they can beat us. Remember how Mancini set them up for the 0-0 at the etihad couple of seasons back?

I just think its a very honest interview, he's basically admitted that they needed to beat us to believe they actually could and that has happened this season. also admitted how mentally they didnt actually believe it themselves before this season.

Plan M

Don't think he's reading this thread mate.

red2deadboy

Unfortunately at the moment we are a team in transition and don't have a
1st XI capable of dictating play against better teams, though on a flip side i am sure this has hurt SAF and he might in turn be lest likely to tow the party line regards transfer budget for next season.

DomesticTadpole

Sir Alex has only got so long left in management, he will want to go out at the top and leave a top side for someone else. i think he will try to sign top players. He won't want to leave with the team on the wane. People forget too easily all the past triumphs.

Plan M

Agreed.

JustAFan

I wonder when Arsenal were at the top, when Chelsea were at the top, did they fear us? Or were they concentrating more on themselves. I think if a club knows it is a good team, and feels they can win, then they are not really going to fear other teams. they might have respect for them and know they have to play well to beat them, but fear...not so much.

Waltraute

I do agree.

I just interpreted his remarks as meaning, or rather hoping to convey, a sense of United being totally immaterial to them.

'We're so far beyond that silly parochial squabble; we don't even care. We've evolved beyond the mental stage where Manchester United are in any way significant.'

Which is, you have to admit, a bit premature -- 1-6 derby, great run-in, and limitless finacial backing or no. But I do prefer your interpretation to my 'extremely touchy United supporter' take on it.

redevil2

In fact the argument here is no longer whether he's saying the right or wrong thing any more. I really am not that interested in how the media is trying to stir things up and get him to gloat... It's the people on here who are saying we are in decline which is simply untrue.

redevil2

Have you ever thought about our injury problem/illness wasn't helping in the run in?! S*it does happen sometimes.... Football management is not as simple as ABC like many on here pretending to know what it takes.

togg

The guy's a money grabbing c££t who wouldn't know loyalty if it was served with chips and a meaty juicy steak.

I would Luv it....luv it if we took this title...

Pexbo

Sounds like it's been mentally tough for them these last few weeks. So glad it's over for them now and they are relaxed. They only have Newcastle away on Sunday, they just have to turn up and win.

Tell you what, if any of our players did that interview in their position Fergie would put a rocket up their arse. They've got a fucking tough game on Sunday and they will need to be sharp and up for it because Newcastle certainly will be.

Bebe

Nobody is pretending to know what it takes. They're saying Silva has the right to say those things. Some of us have gone further and pointed out that of course they don't fear us, we're not as good as we have been the last few seasons. I don't see why you find any of this so contentious.

Pexbo

We're 3 points ahead of last seasons points total and only 2 points off the previous season's total with 2 games to go.

amolbhatia100

Hope he put a rocket up their arses after the Wigan and Everton game. That was worse and more damaging than these fairly honest and harmless comments.

Varun_Utd

Mulensteen did do a similar interview before the Wigan game. He actually went on to say that he always knew City would crumble under pressure and not hold on till the end. Not the smartest thing to do and this is likewise for me. Both of them have said nothing wrong but should have waited till the end if season.

redevil2

The fact that they are saying thing now before they lift the trophy like they don't fear us now... "we won over there, and we won over here" sort of comment is not really that wise, isn't it! I am really surprised some on here endorsed that kind of comment before it's mathematically impossible for us to win. Sir Alex will never allow his players gloat like that before the trophy is sure in our hands.

And to answer the question posed "will they fear us any more next season if we win this time?". The answer is a resounding YES.

And if they don't understand why, I don't think further explanation will help. Let's just all agree to differ.

Bebe

Fair enough, I think our good away form has been key and that stat shouldn't be discounted. We were also knocked out of the CL in the group stages with an easy group no less, and thoroughly schooled by admittedly a very good Bilbao side. We've been defensively shaky at key moments and haven't generated our typical late pressure when we need a result, both of which were key to our title last season.

Name Changed

Maybe he was making reference to what a lot of the media were saying when we went so far clear, i.e. that United would win the league because they mentally knew how do to it as they have done it before, whereas City were cracking under the pressure.

Name Changed

[QUOTE=redevil2;11582075]In fact the argument here is no longer whether he's saying the right or wrong thing any more. I really am not that interested in how the media is trying to stir things up and get him to gloat... It's the people on here who are saying we are in decline which is simply untrue.[/QUOTE]

Everyone has a different opinion. I don't think we are a team in decline as such, but we aren't as good as we were, and City are only going to get better. I think we will have to strengthen to continue to keep up with them, because one thing is for sure, they will strengthen.

redevil2

That's the thing, mate! For sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But some opinion which is so far from reality should not be expressed IMHO! lol.... Seriously, a team needing improvement here or there is normal, whereas describing United as a team in decline (even if the Barcodes does not get a result on Sunday, we will end up second... hardly the worse nightmare) is just a total lie, not an Informed opinion I am afraid.

Regarding City are only to get better, its a specuation, and always relative. In the unforunate event tht we do lose out the title by goal difference, the gulf between us is only minute so i can't see much legitimate argument of your "we need to keep up with them" scenario.

True, when we see player like Polosky joining the Arse, we are green with envy, but When our injured/sick players are back next season, surely we will be similar to having signed new players, no?

redevil2

I have problem you are trying so hard to defend this guy. It's like you were trying so hard to read and speculate so much behind the scene reasons what and why he said things. We re reading the same article and there is no need to explain something that wasn't written there, unless you really like him so much you defend him regardless.

Name Changed

Yeah I love him so much. He didn't say anything wrong. As usual there is much ado about nothing.

Name Changed

I never said we were a team in decline.

Of course City will get better. They will strengthen their squad, and unless something ridiculous happens, they will be better than they are now. There's a very small chance they will weaken their squad. I really cannot see that happening. I didn't say there was a huge gap between us now either.

I doubt there are really too many on here green with envy at Arsenal or their signings.

I'll reiterate. I never said we were a team in decline.

KingEric7

Dunno, doesn't look like Silva has said anything untoward here. He even says that they still have a job to do.