Very true, guys. With the lack of experience shown by de Gea and Jones, along with the chemistry shown at the beginning of the season, it is obvious that this is another transition season, albeit one that is looking being successful. The future is very bright, and the present could have been, too, if it weren't for the injuries. Too many people are shortsighted here; that's why they are so negative.

stretford77:

We should be praising SAF and the players this season for how well we have coped with injuries, I honestly don't feel any team could cope in the way we have with these injuries

That is what exactly baffles me. You would think "fans/supporters" would come over here be all gaga over our determination and resilience in the face of adversity. Isn't that what supporting a team is all about. lifting them when they are down? Or did it change to putting them further down, while I was asleep?

We should be proud that our team is just 3 points behind, with all the injuries, when City have been nothing but sensational with their multi-million dollar squad. We should only look at Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal to see how fortunate we are to have the the team and the manager we have. Let any other team lose their best defender and important mid, and lets see how it does. The media and the so called "pundits" aren't helping either. There only job these days is to sensationalize things and play with the emotions of the gullible fan.

Negative Creep:

stretford77:

Of course we are a team in transition we have just lost three legends at the club and we are now rebuilding. SAF has been one of very few managers to keep building new sides and the next one is soon coming, young players like De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Hernandez have been bought in coupled with the promotion of youth Welbeck, Cleverley and the next generation of youth is coming through to Fryers, Morrison, Keane, Pogba, Cole.

Exactly Stretford. I can see what SAF is doing. Contrary to popular belief, I think he believes in the youth and is ready to build the next great United team to be left to his successor for continued success. But the instant noodle lovers on here can't wait for the Seafood Laks***

They are wasting their breath anyway the only man who can change the team is SAF, whinging about it isn't going to help anyone just get on with supporting the club. He is a stubborn man, fans moaning about players will make him even more stubborn and he is a man that doesn't back down easily.

Very much agree with you but most people are blind to this and just want us to spend millions on any old player. We should be praising SAF and the players this season for how well we have coped with injuries, I honestly don't feel any team could cope in the way we have with these injuries. At the start of the season we were going strong with very similar line ups for the first 5 games or so, the new signings and promoted players were gelling and the chemistry was forming but injuries have caused problems for us we haven't been able to pick a constant line up like other teams but we haven't had a settled midfield, we haven't moaned and just get on with it, I mean Mancini is moaning because City only got 2 days rest. No other team would be 2nd place, three points behind the leaders with what we have to cope which I think is pretty good going.

Yes tweaks are needed to the squad but theres no point wasting money on someone who doesn't fit us or isn't good enough. We will bide are time to find someone is suitable and will actually improve us and if not we promote the youth. ,

stretford77:

Of course we are a team in transition we have just lost three legends at the club and we are now rebuilding. SAF has been one of very few managers to keep building new sides and the next one is soon coming, young players like De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Hernandez have been bought in coupled with the promotion of youth Welbeck, Cleverley and the next generation of youth is coming through to Fryers, Morrison, Keane, Pogba, Cole.

Exactly Stretford. I can see what SAF is doing. Contrary to popular belief, I think he believes in the youth and is ready to build the next great United team to be left to his successor for continued success. But the instant noodle lovers on here can't wait for the Seafood Laks***

Of course we are a team in transition we have just lost three legends at the club and we are now rebuilding. SAF has been one of very few managers to keep building new sides and the next one is soon coming, young players like De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Hernandez have been bought in coupled with the promotion of youth Welbeck, Cleverley and the next generation of youth is coming through to Fryers, Morrison, Keane, Pogba, Cole.

Bump.

@tamtheman: If you posted like a human being in small caps may be people will wanna give your post a chance.

HI THERE,, AS A LIFE LONG FAN O THE RED DEVILS AND OF SAF I ALSO BELEIVE THAT THIS IS A TEAM IN TRANSITON IF YOOU TAKE THE AVERAGE IS 25 AND SOME O THE FIRST TEAM PLAYERS ARE ONLY JUST GETTING THERE MOJO!!!!!!THEY HAVE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PLAYERS BUT THEY HAVE 2 GET TIME TO GEL AS A SQUAD.SAF IS A UNIQUE MAN MANAGER AND I TRUELY BELIEVE THAT IF ANY ONE CAN GET THE TEAM TO GET BACK INTO 1ST GEAR HE CAN.MY ONLY RESERVATION IS OUR GOAL KEEPER HE IS A YOUNG GUY WHO HAS CAME INTO ONE O THE BIGGEST TEAMS IN THE WORLD HE HAS"NT BEEN CONCISTENT ENOUGH IN THE COMMANDING PRESENCE IN HIS GOAL,HE IS A SMALL GUY AND I FEEL HE HAS TO BUILD UP HIS MUSCLE MASSS AS THE PAST 2 GAMES WERE WE HAVE BEEN BEAT HE HAS FLAPED A FEW TIMES AND BEEN BARGED OUT THE WAY, SADDLY GETTING A QUALITY GOAL KEEPER HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR WEAK LINK IN THE CHAIN,YET I DO BELIEVE THAT DE GUE WILL COME GOOD JUST AS HE STARTS TO BELIEVE IN HIS DEFENCE THEN THEY WILL BELIEVE IN HIM YET I BELIEVE THAT COMUNICATON IS KEY TO US GETTING BACK TO WINNIN WAYS.RIGHT NOW IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT OUR BIGGEST RIVALS CITY HAVE GOT THE CASH AN A MAN MANAGER IN MANCINI,LIKE SAF HE IS A GREAT THINKER OF THE GAME.PLUS HE HAS BEEN GIVING THE FUNDS TO GO OUT AND BUY PLAYERS THAT HE HAS GELED INTO A WINNING SQUAD YET IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUCLIOUS O THE SQUAD THERE IS YOUNG ENGLISH BORN PLAYERS,THIS YEAR I FEEL THAT IT WILL BE THE CLOSEST RUN RACE FOR THE TITLE IN MANY YEARS AS HARRY REDNAPP IS ANOTHER MANAGER WHO HAS GOT A STRONG SQUAD O PLAYERS THAT ARE PLAYING FOR EACH ORTHER,PLUS WI A GAME IN HAND BEFORE WE KNOW IT WE COULD BE SITTIN IN 3RD PLACE. I AM A TRUE DEVIL AND I HAVE THE FAITH IN THE CAPABILITIES O THE SQUAD WE HAVE AND THAT SAF CAN GET THE BOYS FIRED UP,LET THE MIND GAMES BEGIN WE BEEN THERE BEFORE AND KNOW WWHAT IT TAKES TO WIN THE LEAGUE........................

we have been in transition for a few years now, i think next season was supposed to be when the new team would have been formed but when clev ando welbeck and young were decimating arsenal, city and spurs fergie seemed to change his opinion on that. i really dont think we need a world class attacking midfielder, in a 433, i can see nani providing that creativity in the david silva role. i also see cleverley setting the quick passing tempo, carrick/fletcher /jones protecting the defence and pogba/ando providing support on both ends. if we do need to sign, id sign a new centre back, Jones isnt going to be a defender and im not too sure about smalling. a new partner now will help us for this nd next season, someone to bring confidence to our defence, doesnt have to be a big name(kompany wasnt when city bought him, neither was vidic when we bought him).

Simon H:

I'm sorry I don't agree.Only 3 full backs ? Loss of form or injury leaves us short in that department. That is why we have Valencia playing at right back. Nani too inconsistant, Giggs retiring, Carrick knocking on a bit and used at centre back due to injury prone centre halves. Berbatov, one more season Owen injury prone and no sign of youth coming through. Pogba will be off and Morrison, remains to be seen. Fryers seems to be the only shining light in that department. If things aren't rectified and rectified soon we will be a team in decline not transition, however I have every faith in SAF.

Simon mate, at the beginning of the season we went in with 8 defenders with Smalling and Jones equally capable of playing on the right side. Noone which includes SAF would have envisaged so many injuries on the defense. Vidic being ruled for the rest of the season was a big blow to us. The twins inability to stay fit has been another hindering block. If Smalling was fit, I am sure Valencia would have been played on the right wing. I think Rafael was on the bench because of the height of the wings and forwards of Newcastle. And as for the injury prone CB's, I don't think anyone except Rio is injury prone.

I think Nani has been spectacular this season. I am sure every player has days where they are not going to perform to the optimum level. It was just one of those days for him. I am sure when Giggs signed his new contract SAF didn't think that he would have to start with him in the middle so often during a busy festive period. Fletch and Clev are out and Ando just got back from injury, way before schedule. I am pretty sure SAF planned to use Giggs as an impact player, who could come late in the game and make a difference. It is because of the injury catastrophe that he had to start these games.

Berbatov is a mystery that I don't understand so can't comment on that. Owen was always going to be used sparingly. We are not missing him too much to be honest. The youth if ready would have surely played. They need more time with the first team or good loan spells to become regulars.

great point mate. as SAF said earlier this season, not enough people look at and understand the idea of potential. de gea, smalling, jones, fabio, rafael, anderson, hernandez and cleverly can all be absolutely top class in time. I agree with the clamour for an extra top class player or two to be brought in to compliment but believe also come next season we will be vastly stronger as all these players are young (some very young) and will all have had another season under their belts.

Negative Creep:

Squad (Players age in parentheses):

GK: DeGea (20), Anders Lindegaard (27)

LB: Patrice Evra (30), Fabio (21)

RB: Rafael (21)

CB: Rio Ferdinand (33), Johnny Evans (24), Phil Jones (19), Chris Smalling(22)

RW: Antonio Valencia(26), Nani (25)

CM: Michael Carrick(30), Ryan Giggs(38), Tom Cleverley(22), Anderson(23)

LW: Ashley Young(26), Ji-Sung Park(30)

ST: Wayne Rooney(26), Chicharito (23), Danny Welbeck (22), Dimitar Berbatov (30), Michael Owen(32)

Disabled List: Darren Fletcher (27), Nemanja Vidic(30)

Surplus: Darron Gibson (24), Tomasz Kuszczak`(29), Mame Biram Diouf(24)

Every defeat hurts; each one more painful than the other. The two consecutive defeats at the hands of Blackburn & Newcastle, two mediocre clubs, have let many “fans” question the manager, the owners and the players at the club. But are they to blame? Or there are other reasons behind the performances this season.

I personally believe that we are a team in transition and as SAF said two defeats should not send out the panic signals. If we look at our team objectively, we’ll notice that we have young players in each and every position. A lot of guys are in their first or second year at United and need time to gel and grow together before they can start winning titles and trophies ( I am not saying we are not going to win any this year). On top of that we have been laden with numerous injuries since the beginning of the season. We have lost the best central defender in the world and one of the best box-box mid in the league for the entire season. Tom Cleverley & Anderson, who showed tremendous promise at the beginning of the season, have been sidelined for most the campaign so far. The same goes for Ashley young. The defense had to be chopped and changed every game. No other team can cope with so many injuries and be on the top. We still are only 3 points behind City and have every chance of winning the title.

If you look the squad above, at every position we have players who are very young and in the nascent stages of their United careers. DeGea , Twins, Jones, Smalling, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez, each of them are young and in early years of their United careers. We as fans need to patient and support these players. All these guys have tremendous potential and in a year or two without any doubt will become top professionals. Till that time, as is with any other young team, there are going to be some scintillating performances and there are going to be some awful ones. We have to accept that and take it all in our stride. .

This thread is not an excuse for the loss but an endeavor in understanding the team.

I'm sorry I don't agree.Only 3 full backs ? Loss of form or injury leaves us short in that department. That is why we have Valencia playing at right back. Nani too inconsistant, Giggs retiring, Carrick knocking on a bit and used at centre back due to injury prone centre halves. Berbatov, one more season Owen injury prone and no sign of youth coming through. Pogba will be off and Morrison, remains to be seen. Fryers seems to be the only shining light in that department. If things aren't rectified and rectified soon we will be a team in decline not transition, however I have every faith in SAF.

I will not put Mame Biram Diouf in 'Surplus'. He was good on loan last year. and we need a big forward occasionally , against physical teams. He should be part of the squad.

Negative Creep:

Squad (Players age in parentheses):

GK: DeGea (20), Anders Lindegaard (27)

LB: Patrice Evra (30), Fabio (21)

RB: Rafael (21)

CB: Rio Ferdinand (33), Johnny Evans (24), Phil Jones (19), Chris Smalling(22)

RW: Antonio Valencia(26), Nani (25)

CM: Michael Carrick(30), Ryan Giggs(38), Tom Cleverley(22), Anderson(23)

LW: Ashley Young(26), Ji-Sung Park(30)

ST: Wayne Rooney(26), Chicharito (23), Danny Welbeck (22), Dimitar Berbatov (30), Michael Owen(32)

Disabled List: Darren Fletcher (27), Nemanja Vidic(30)

Surplus: Darron Gibson (24), Tomasz Kuszczak`(29), Mame Biram Diouf(24)

Every defeat hurts; each one more painful than the other. The two consecutive defeats at the hands of Blackburn & Newcastle, two mediocre clubs, have let many “fans” question the manager, the owners and the players at the club. But are they to blame? Or there are other reasons behind the performances this season.

I personally believe that we are a team in transition and as SAF said two defeats should not send out the panic signals. If we look at our team objectively, we’ll notice that we have young players in each and every position. A lot of guys are in their first or second year at United and need time to gel and grow together before they can start winning titles and trophies ( I am not saying we are not going to win any this year). On top of that we have been laden with numerous injuries since the beginning of the season. We have lost the best central defender in the world and one of the best box-box mid in the league for the entire season. Tom Cleverley & Anderson, who showed tremendous promise at the beginning of the season, have been sidelined for most the campaign so far. The same goes for Ashley young. The defense had to be chopped and changed every game. No other team can cope with so many injuries and be on the top. We still are only 3 points behind City and have every chance of winning the title.

If you look the squad above, at every position we have players who are very young and in the nascent stages of their United careers. DeGea , Twins, Jones, Smalling, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez, each of them are young and in early years of their United careers. We as fans need to patient and support these players. All these guys have tremendous potential and in a year or two without any doubt will become top professionals. Till that time, as is with any other young team, there are going to be some scintillating performances and there are going to be some awful ones. We have to accept that and take it all in our stride.

This thread is not an excuse for the loss but an endeavor in understanding the team.