Post ManU v Arsenal - worrying words

[NMH]

There were a couple of things said after the Man Utd v Arsenal match yesterday, where ManU humbled and humiliated the visitors - that fans of both teams should, I think, take some issue with.

Arsene Wenger was said to have admitted that the FA Cup was not important to them - a reported comment which he wisely disowned. For any manager to say that a result didn't matter, would be a slap in the face to those travelling fans after all - who work all week to pay for, and get very excited about matches.
It seems the media made that one up (I heard it said by a commentator on my radio too, loud and clear).

About the Nani 'showboating' though, surely the pundits and experts could and should take issue with both Arsenal players, AND Manchester United's Alex Ferguson.

From Goal.com ;
"Arsenal seemed unhappy with Nani's apparent show-boating, and Ferguson admitted the Portuguese winger's tricks were somewhat unnecessary.

The Scot explained: 'I agree, I think he shouldn't be doing that, he doesn't need to do that.

'In some ways it shows a great deal of courage to do what he did, that's one side of it, but you don't need to do that.' "


Isn't that sort of thing EXACTLY what the fans WANT to see though? The United support were giving Nani EXCLUSIVE applause, and from the tv audience they were texting Nani increasingly more for their elected Man Of The Match. The commentators had Rooney running away with it, until the Nani "showboating".

Well, as I see it, Nani did only a minimal amount of flash while running away from a couple of zealous Arsenal players - and ffs, that is exactly what people WANT to see players doing!! Isn't it what Ronaldo does ALL GAME when he plays?

It was a convincing win by MU, but devoid of any 'flash' other than the little that Nani came up with.


What if The Albion were overturning a rival in convincing style - wouldn't we be a bit pleased to see our players lauding it over our rivals, taking the piss a little?
Wouldn't we just love to see a bit of showboating play, fancy footwork, at Withdean?

Or is that sort of thing, as Ferguson says; "unnecessary" ?

 

[Simon Morgan]

Yes it is unnecessary and actually I DON'T think it is what the fans want to see. Doing what Nani did simply takes the piss out of the opposition, which is not very sporting. It's also quite ironic that Nani does it, giving across the impression Man U can take the piss out of Arsenal, when infact the latter are 5 points clear at the top of the league.

 

[bright1064]

I agree with you NMH. I didn't see anything wrong with it at all, in fact I really enjoyed that little moment! The crowd went wild as well, which is a great thing to hear.

I'm actually surprised at Ferguson for calling it "unnecessary". As you quite rightly say, there are players out there who do this kind of thing all the time.

 

[bright1064]

Yes it is unnecessary and actually I DON'T think it is what the fans want to see.

Did you not hear the crowd roar their approval!!?!?

Maybe the Arse fans didn't like it, but that's football!

 

[Simon Morgan]

Did you not hear the crowd roar their approval!!?!?

Maybe the Arse fans didn't like it, but that's football!

Well it was clear they enjoyed it, although I can say I probably wouldn't enjoy it as a home fan, because there is no need for it and you could potentially put your team in danger. All Nani was trying to achieve was to wind up the Arsenal players and he got what he wanted when Flamini clattered into him.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Yes it is unnecessary and actually I DON'T think it is what the fans want to see. Doing what Nani did simply takes the piss out of the opposition, which is not very sporting. It's also quite ironic that Nani does it, giving across the impression Man U can take the piss out of Arsenal, when infact the latter are 5 points clear at the top of the league.[/QUO

So what's wrong with taking the piss out of the opposition then ? What does every fan try and do to the opposing team and their supporters at every ground in the country. It could have worked the other way if Nani had screwed it up and made a twat of himself, at the end of the day it's all entertainment and it is only a game.

:thud:

 

[Kent Seagull]

I thought football was supposed to be entertainment and Nani was entertaining the crowd. I think the problem is more down to the arsenal players being sore losers.

 

[Trigger]

Looking at it from the other side, if a player does want to cock about and show off (which of course he has every right to do) then surely he has to expect to be kicked up in the air a few times (which again, players should have the right to do).

 

[Simon Morgan]

So what's wrong with taking the piss out of the opposition then ? What does every fan try and do to the opposing team and their supporters at every ground in the country. It could have worked the other way if Nani had screwed it up and made a twat of himself, at the end of the day it's all entertainment and it is only a game.

:thud:

Surely you can't just back down and say Man U v Arsenal is "only a game", it clearly carries far moer significance than that. The trouble with what Nani does is it is high-risk, he could easily get it wrong, potentially giving away possession and putting his team in danger. However, he got it right, hence humiliating the other team, whatever the outcome it doesn't really work out too well. I think football is a game that should be played in a professional manner. Nani, in my opinion, was unprofessional and quite immature to do what he did.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Surely you can't just back down and say Man U v Arsenal is "only a game", it clearly carries far moer significance than that. The trouble with what Nani does is it is high-risk, he could easily get it wrong, potentially giving away possession and putting his team in danger. However, he got it right, hence humiliating the other team, whatever the outcome it doesn't really work out too well. I think football is a game that should be played in a professional manner. Nani, in my opinion, was unprofessional and quite immature to do what he did.

Yup, even Man U v Arsenal is still only a game no matter how big the clubs are or their league position. As a football fan I love to see individual ball skills, but if they do cock it up then have a laugh or give them some stick.

 

[Simon Morgan]

Yup, even Man U v Arsenal is still only a game no matter how big the clubs are or their league position. As a football fan I love to see individual ball skills, but if they do cock it up then have a laugh or give them some stick.

Ok then so if united win at the end of it they'll be treating it as "only a game". Many utd fans in the stadium will treat last night as one of the best games they have ever witnessed, it was not "only a game".

 

[NMH]

Looking at it from the other side, if a player does want to cock about and show off (which of course he has every right to do) then surely he has to expect to be kicked up in the air a few times (which again, players should have the right to do).

Erm... excuse me?
What the modern game should have more of, in my opinion, is skilled players who can afford to showboat in front of everyone. I wouldn't have wanted to see Peter Ward "kicked up in the air a few times" because he could sit defenders on their arses in dazed bewilderment. Yes, oppositions DID try sending on some short fat moron sub to maim him, and that often quite-rightly resulted in a sending off for them.

It's a game that does not have a place for "polite respect" of oppositions. I would rather see fancy showboating than leg-scything and heads butting, swearing and insulting, petulance, timewasting, and 'professional' cheating.

If Nani had passed the ball all the way back to Van De Sar, and wandered back to the midfield - is that better for the game

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Bet you Arsene Wenger actually DID say that. He's just retracted the statement to limit the damage.

.

 

[Wozza]

Many utd fans in the stadium will treat last night as one of the best games they have ever witnessed

Only if they're idiots. Arsenal didn't turn up. Takes two teams to make a truly great game.

 

[Mr deez]

I thought it was great.

I wouldn't be too chuffed if someone did it to us, but it would only be a spur to get payback next time.

Surprised Ferguson has spoken against it, might be saying different behind closed doors perhaps.

 

[NMH]

Yup, even Man U v Arsenal is still only a game no matter how big the clubs are or their league position. As a football fan I love to see individual ball skills, but if they do cock it up then have a laugh or give them some stick.

Yes, exactly. It was the Arsenal player's job to get the ball off Nani, and make him look foolish by outplaying him instead - that's what football 'should' be like, in my opinion.

 

[Simon Morgan]

Erm... excuse me?
What the modern game should have more of, in my opinion, is skilled players who can afford to showboat in front of everyone. I wouldn't have wanted to see Peter Ward "kicked up in the air a few times" because he could sit defenders on their arses in dazed bewilderment. Yes, oppositions DID try sending on some short fat moron sub to maim him, and that often quite-rightly resulted in a sending off for them.

It's a game that does not have a place for "polite respect" of oppositions. I would rather see fancy showboating than leg-scything and heads butting, swearing and insulting, petulance, timewasting, and 'professional' cheating.

If Nani had passed the ball all the way back to Van De Sar, and wandered back to the midfield - is that better for the game

Yes it is. This romantic, popular viewpoint about football as entertainment is all well and good, but in reality the aim is to score more goals than the opposition and football, to me, is far more than just "entertainment", especially Arse v Utd. I understand United were well clear at the time and in no real danger of losing, but if all players start to take the piss when they have an unassailable lead, I really cannot see how it will benefit anyone. If you put yourself in the players' position, it just seems totally unnecessary, there are many other ways of demonstrating skill. And also, others have mentioned that Ronaldo does this "all the time". I'm sorry, but I've never seen Ronaldo try and do kick-ups all the way up the pitch before. Ronaldo uses skills, but to gain an advantage of the opposition player and creat a goalscoring opportunity. Nani's effort was just a self-satisfied act of total arrogance, and this from a player who hasn't exactly set the world alight so far this season.

 

[NMH]

Bet you Arsene Wenger actually DID say that. He's just retracted the statement to limit the damage.

.

I don't know how we'd be able to prove it, but you're right that he might well have blurted it out as part of his usual 'excuse'.

He did blame the Old Trafford pitch, in part.

 

[Simon Morgan]

Only if they're idiots. Arsenal didn't turn up. Takes two teams to make a truly great game.

So as Arsenal didn't play well, utd fans won't be bothered about the fact that they've belted them 4-0 in the f.a. cup? What about that 5-1 in the league all those years ago? What about when Palace beat us 5-0, were they pretty unbothered about the whole thing?

 

[NMH]

Yes it is. This romantic, popular viewpoint about football as entertainment is all well and good, but in reality the aim is to score more goals than the opposition and football, to me, is far more than just "entertainment", especially Arse v Utd. I understand United were well clear at the time and in no real danger of losing, but if all players start to take the piss when they have an unassailable lead, I really cannot see how it will benefit anyone. If you put yourself in the players' position, it just seems totally unnecessary, there are many other ways of demonstrating skill. And also, others have mentioned that Ronaldo does this "all the time". I'm sorry, but I've never seen Ronaldo try and do kick-ups all the way up the pitch before. Ronaldo uses skills, but to gain an advantage of the opposition player and creat a goalscoring opportunity. Nani's effort was just a self-satisfied act of total arrogance, and this from a player who hasn't exactly set the world alight so far this season.

Yes, I do see your point. Though I have indeed seen Ronaldo juggling the ball up the pitch for deliberate effect, before.

We had Nathan Jones doing his 'stepover' act as a crowd pleaser I seem to recall.
He did it once or twice to try to fool defenders, but I'd seen him do it unnecessarily too. I realise he's a pratt now, but if at the time he was doing that for us our manager had publicly chastised him for it - I think the manager would have been the bigger loser from that, as fans cheered it and obviously liked to see it.