I think Carragher said that team was very close to United but ultimately not good enough, which is true as when it came down to it and Torres missed a lot of games through injury, N'Gog was the backup. When United weren't playing well they were able to nick a goal, despite teams sitting in against them, due to the players they had. We couldn't always do that and drew the game.
Crouch had just left for games, which he would have got the season with Torres missing games and Keane was brought in then sold in January. If we had either of them second half of the season, I believe we would have won it.
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
You only had to look at the 2 squads in comparison though at the time.
Their front 4 was Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov. We had Torres.
We had a great midfield and good defence but as you say it was t draws that killed us and without more options upfront sharing the goals we were going to struggle to break teams down.
Also Torres and Gerrard only started like 14 games or something together which is ridiculous in itself and showed how well we did to get so close.
comment by Mellor, Lovely Cushioned Header, FOR GERRARD, OOOOOOHHHHHH YAAAAAAA BEEEUUUTTTYYYYY!!!!!!!!! (U1859)
posted 12 minutes ago
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ya I agree. Letting him go after just 6 months was a ridiculous call.
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
United held the longest record without conceding a goal that season and it hasn’t been beaten since.
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by Mellor, Lovely Cushioned Header, FOR GERRARD, OOOOOOHHHHHH YAAAAAAA BEEEUUUTTTYYYYY!!!!!!!!! (U1859)
posted 12 minutes ago
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ya I agree. Letting him go after just 6 months was a ridiculous call.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Without doubt. It all came down to the boardroom politics going on at the time. This was one of a few faults I had with Benitez. He didn't want the player and he was bought anyhow but when the player was available, he should have been treated like any other. Pride shouldn't have got in the way.
comment by Sergio Marquina (U11781)
posted 9 minutes ago
United held the longest record without conceding a goal that season and it hasn’t been beaten since.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah I think both teams were so good that the opposition always sat in against them. Similar to Liverpool now. It's the fear factor.
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 32 minutes ago
We made the champions league final, won league cup and league and made semi of fa cup and used our reserves. You mainly were focussed on the league. We also won club World Cup. We had very busy schedule
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Give you that to an extent but we also got to the champions league quarter finals. We made a good go of the big two. Cant deny you had a far more packed schedule though.
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 35 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That overhead kick goal against us was great though. One of the best goals I've seen scored against us.
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 35 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That overhead kick goal against us was great though. One of the best goals I've seen scored against us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was quality but in reality that was one of the few big games that he really influenced.
Had all the ability in the world but didn’t have the drive to be a really top player.
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 30 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think he was overrated, he had wonderful skills. But his style disrupted us, we were a fast paced team, ne had a languid style.
He was just like an incredibly gifted sloth. Remember that ridiculously nonchalant chip he scored for Monaco a few years back? Just summed him up
Yes haha. Capable of moments of magic. That assist bs West Ham is arguably my favourite ever United assist.
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
We also won the league cup, made a CL final, FA Cup semi as well as the obligation of the super cup, club WC and community shield.
Maybe Liverpool weren't "miles apart", but it was always our title from February.
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 15 minutes ago
We also won the league cup, made a CL final, FA Cup semi as well as the obligation of the super cup, club WC and community shield.
Maybe Liverpool weren't "miles apart", but it was always our title from February.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It certainly looked wrapped up feb but after we beat yous at old trafford then you lost again at fulham the following week it was game on for me.
Im sure your following game after that was at home to spurs and yous were losing and well under the cosh. I was in a boozer watching it and thought yous had completely collapsed. Yous turned it round of course as ferguson teams invariably did.
You also had the marcheda moment which saved your bacon too. Certainly it looked dead and buried in feb but we played our way back into it.
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There's little doubt that Liverpool finished that season on fire. I remember you beating Real 4-0, and I was dreading the next game at OT. Even when we went 1 nil up, Liverpool were still comfortably on top and I always knew that we would lose. A bit like when we played Newcastle away in 03 and went 1 down. But we were playing so well, I knew we'd win and we pummelled them 6-2.
There are a lot of parallels between Liverpool at the end of 09 and United in 03. But United held our nerve to hold you guys off, whilst we managed to overhaul Arsenal that year
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oops, was meant to reply to Busby
It was dipstick benayoun fouling in the last couple of minutes to let Everton get a free kick which they scored from.
Also Lucas against Wigan, conceding a pen late on when we were 1 up, they didn’t even have a shot on goal until then.
Fine margins that. I would agree that Man Utd had a far better squad..
Enduring memory from that season is the way we obliterated Real Madrid 5-0 on aggregate.
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 2 minutes ago
It was dipstick benayoun fouling in the last couple of minutes to let Everton get a free kick which they scored from.
Also Lucas against Wigan, conceding a pen late on when we were 1 up, they didn’t even have a shot on goal until then.
Fine margins that. I would agree that Man Utd had a far better squad..
Enduring memory from that season is the way we obliterated Real Madrid 5-0 on aggregate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tbf they were probably one of the worst Real sides in living memory. Lassana Diarra was in CM
Liverpool were very good that season but just didn’t have as good an eleven as us, nor as good a squad as us. Not to mention manager.
Sign in if you want to comment
The 08/09 season
Page 1 of 2
posted on 2/5/20
I think Carragher said that team was very close to United but ultimately not good enough, which is true as when it came down to it and Torres missed a lot of games through injury, N'Gog was the backup. When United weren't playing well they were able to nick a goal, despite teams sitting in against them, due to the players they had. We couldn't always do that and drew the game.
Crouch had just left for games, which he would have got the season with Torres missing games and Keane was brought in then sold in January. If we had either of them second half of the season, I believe we would have won it.
posted on 2/5/20
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
posted on 2/5/20
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 2/5/20
You only had to look at the 2 squads in comparison though at the time.
Their front 4 was Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov. We had Torres.
We had a great midfield and good defence but as you say it was t draws that killed us and without more options upfront sharing the goals we were going to struggle to break teams down.
Also Torres and Gerrard only started like 14 games or something together which is ridiculous in itself and showed how well we did to get so close.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Mellor, Lovely Cushioned Header, FOR GERRARD, OOOOOOHHHHHH YAAAAAAA BEEEUUUTTTYYYYY!!!!!!!!! (U1859)
posted 12 minutes ago
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ya I agree. Letting him go after just 6 months was a ridiculous call.
posted on 2/5/20
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
posted on 2/5/20
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
posted on 2/5/20
United held the longest record without conceding a goal that season and it hasn’t been beaten since.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by Mellor, Lovely Cushioned Header, FOR GERRARD, OOOOOOHHHHHH YAAAAAAA BEEEUUUTTTYYYYY!!!!!!!!! (U1859)
posted 12 minutes ago
Letting keane go so early was a big mistake. Felt like he was just starting to come into his own. To allow him to leave with nothing else coming in was a terrible decision.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ya I agree. Letting him go after just 6 months was a ridiculous call.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Without doubt. It all came down to the boardroom politics going on at the time. This was one of a few faults I had with Benitez. He didn't want the player and he was bought anyhow but when the player was available, he should have been treated like any other. Pride shouldn't have got in the way.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Sergio Marquina (U11781)
posted 9 minutes ago
United held the longest record without conceding a goal that season and it hasn’t been beaten since.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah I think both teams were so good that the opposition always sat in against them. Similar to Liverpool now. It's the fear factor.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 32 minutes ago
We made the champions league final, won league cup and league and made semi of fa cup and used our reserves. You mainly were focussed on the league. We also won club World Cup. We had very busy schedule
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Give you that to an extent but we also got to the champions league quarter finals. We made a good go of the big two. Cant deny you had a far more packed schedule though.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 35 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That overhead kick goal against us was great though. One of the best goals I've seen scored against us.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 35 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That overhead kick goal against us was great though. One of the best goals I've seen scored against us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was quality but in reality that was one of the few big games that he really influenced.
Had all the ability in the world but didn’t have the drive to be a really top player.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 30 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 1 minute ago
Great season for us in terms of achievements. In terms of our football I never really thought we hit the heights of the 2 seasons before. I think partly because Berbatov has interrupted things a bit, and also because it was the season Scholes started to hit his decline.
Vidic was at his absolute peak though. Think we had 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row until you guys demolished us at OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signing Berbatov was one of SAF’s few big mistakes.
Has become really overrated by some of our fans since retiring but in reality he wasn’t that good at all for us and didn’t suit the style of play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think he was overrated, he had wonderful skills. But his style disrupted us, we were a fast paced team, ne had a languid style.
posted on 2/5/20
He was just like an incredibly gifted sloth. Remember that ridiculously nonchalant chip he scored for Monaco a few years back? Just summed him up
posted on 2/5/20
Yes haha. Capable of moments of magic. That assist bs West Ham is arguably my favourite ever United assist.
posted on 2/5/20
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
posted on 2/5/20
We also won the league cup, made a CL final, FA Cup semi as well as the obligation of the super cup, club WC and community shield.
Maybe Liverpool weren't "miles apart", but it was always our title from February.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 15 minutes ago
We also won the league cup, made a CL final, FA Cup semi as well as the obligation of the super cup, club WC and community shield.
Maybe Liverpool weren't "miles apart", but it was always our title from February.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It certainly looked wrapped up feb but after we beat yous at old trafford then you lost again at fulham the following week it was game on for me.
Im sure your following game after that was at home to spurs and yous were losing and well under the cosh. I was in a boozer watching it and thought yous had completely collapsed. Yous turned it round of course as ferguson teams invariably did.
You also had the marcheda moment which saved your bacon too. Certainly it looked dead and buried in feb but we played our way back into it.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There's little doubt that Liverpool finished that season on fire. I remember you beating Real 4-0, and I was dreading the next game at OT. Even when we went 1 nil up, Liverpool were still comfortably on top and I always knew that we would lose. A bit like when we played Newcastle away in 03 and went 1 down. But we were playing so well, I knew we'd win and we pummelled them 6-2.
There are a lot of parallels between Liverpool at the end of 09 and United in 03. But United held our nerve to hold you guys off, whilst we managed to overhaul Arsenal that year
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 41 minutes ago
Yeah I agree with M52, don’t think he was overrated, fans just enjoy seeing players like him who make the game look so fun, even though it was clear he didn’t really improve us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I do think he was massively overrated. Didn’t score enough goals and rarely influenced big games.
It was telling that in his so called best season for us he didn’t even make the squad for the CL final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it wasn't for that Macheda moment I think it could have been very different.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oops, was meant to reply to Busby
posted on 2/5/20
It was dipstick benayoun fouling in the last couple of minutes to let Everton get a free kick which they scored from.
Also Lucas against Wigan, conceding a pen late on when we were 1 up, they didn’t even have a shot on goal until then.
Fine margins that. I would agree that Man Utd had a far better squad..
Enduring memory from that season is the way we obliterated Real Madrid 5-0 on aggregate.
posted on 2/5/20
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 2 minutes ago
It was dipstick benayoun fouling in the last couple of minutes to let Everton get a free kick which they scored from.
Also Lucas against Wigan, conceding a pen late on when we were 1 up, they didn’t even have a shot on goal until then.
Fine margins that. I would agree that Man Utd had a far better squad..
Enduring memory from that season is the way we obliterated Real Madrid 5-0 on aggregate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tbf they were probably one of the worst Real sides in living memory. Lassana Diarra was in CM
Liverpool were very good that season but just didn’t have as good an eleven as us, nor as good a squad as us. Not to mention manager.
Page 1 of 2