BFTG - United (A)

[BR0B0T]

Gunter - defender in his prime signed for the PL - vs Martial
Murty - defender in his twilight signed for L1 vs Ronaldo

Murty put in way better performances.

Did he?

We played United six times when Murty was here.

Home 06/07 - Kieran Richardson started on the left. Shorey kept Ronaldo quiet. Richardson went off, Ronaldo switched flanks and scored.
Away 06/07 - Ronaldo scored two and set up one. The HNA? match report says we were weak down Murty's side, particularly when he tried to play on with an injury.
Two FA Cup matches - Murty rested
Away 07/08 - Murty marked Giggs and played very well.
Home 07/08 - I don't really remember how Murty played in this match, just that Cisse played well, Matejovsky looked good, and both (late) goals came from attacks down United's left.

Kevin Doyle quote about best player he's played against

"Ronaldo, he gave Murty a Hamstring injury...twice!!!"

[genome]

But you can make a better judgement off two games of football than no games of football.

Agreed, but that doesn't mean there's any point in doing so.

I'd rather stick to facts, actual games watched than hypothetical situations you're so keen on.

Coulda, woulda shoulda.

Making snap judgements on a complex issue based off a small sample of limited facts? The old Kes would be ashamed!

Nothing wrong with saying that on another day we could've played better in the match, which any football fan would know that is a basic characteristic of the sport. Not my fault that you decided to straw-man the point

[No Fixed Abode]

"Could've"

There it is!

[genome]

CLOLassic stuff

[Hoop Blah]

If he's such a weak defender, how come there has never been the slightest hint of the club trying to replace him since his first season?

He's a passable Championship fullback, and we've always had bigger priorities for transfers since we dropped back down into the Championship, especially considering that for two of those seasons we also had Stephen Kelly on the books so signing another right back when we were struggling to pay the bills would've been a bit daft.

It's quite telling that Kelly was signed in the January of our Premier League season and then took Gunters spot for the rest of the season. He, like Griffin before them, was bar far the better defender and probably would've played more for us in the Championship if he didn't suffer from a few injuries (IIRC).

[Ian Royal]

If he's such a weak defender, how come there has never been the slightest hint of the club trying to replace him since his first season?

He's a passable Championship fullback, and we've always had bigger priorities for transfers since we dropped back down into the Championship, especially considering that for two of those seasons we also had Stephen Kelly on the books so signing another right back when we were struggling to pay the bills would've been a bit daft.

It's quite telling that Kelly was signed in the January of our Premier League season and then took Gunters spot for the rest of the season. He, like Griffin before them, was bar far the better defender and probably would've played more for us in the Championship if he didn't suffer from a few injuries (IIRC).

Yeah, Gunter couldn't even keep Cummings out of the side in the PL iirc.

[muirinho]

If he's such a weak defender, how come there has never been the slightest hint of the club trying to replace him since his first season?

He's a passable Championship fullback, and we've always had bigger priorities for transfers since we dropped back down into the Championship, especially considering that for two of those seasons we also had Stephen Kelly on the books so signing another right back when we were struggling to pay the bills would've been a bit daft.

It's quite telling that Kelly was signed in the January of our Premier League season and then took Gunters spot for the rest of the season. He, like Griffin before them, was bar far the better defender and probably would've played more for us in the Championship if he didn't suffer from a few injuries (IIRC).

Yeah, Gunter couldn't even keep Cummings out of the side in the PL iirc.

Not true. Gunter played for a few games, got dropped, Cummings came in - he was worse, Gunter got the place back. Kelly was bought, and Gunter was dropped, then came back again, with Kelly switched to the other side, towards the end of the season.

He played more than half our league games that season. Yes, Kelly was better defensively, but given he was 30, with 8 or 9 years PL experience already, while Gunter was 23 with only a few odd games for Spurs in the PL previously, that's not terribly surprising.

Yeah, yeah, I know you hate him, but at least attempt to vaguely stick to facts.

[Ian Royal]

He's a passable Championship fullback, and we've always had bigger priorities for transfers since we dropped back down into the Championship, especially considering that for two of those seasons we also had Stephen Kelly on the books so signing another right back when we were struggling to pay the bills would've been a bit daft.

It's quite telling that Kelly was signed in the January of our Premier League season and then took Gunters spot for the rest of the season. He, like Griffin before them, was bar far the better defender and probably would've played more for us in the Championship if he didn't suffer from a few injuries (IIRC).

Yeah, Gunter couldn't even keep Cummings out of the side in the PL iirc.

Not true. Gunter played for a few games, got dropped, Cummings came in - he was worse, Gunter got the place back. Kelly was bought, and Gunter was dropped, then came back again, with Kelly switched to the other side, towards the end of the season.

He played more than half our league games that season. Yes, Kelly was better defensively, but given he was 30, with 8 or 9 years PL experience already, while Gunter was 23 with only a few odd games for Spurs in the PL previously, that's not terribly surprising.

Yeah, yeah, I know you hate him, but at least attempt to vaguely stick to facts.

Don't hate him at all. Seems a lovely bloke.

And I did stick to the facts. I said he couldn't keep Cummings out of the side. You said yourself he was dropped for Cummings. I didn't say Cummings was better.

[Royals and Racers]

Bit of aggro on the 16.27 cross country train from Manchester Pic to Reading- British Transport police got involved after a head-butting incident. Train stood still at Banbury station for about 45 mins whilst it was sorted out. The only good thing about being 37 mins late into Reading is that 50% of the fare will be returned as compensation.

3 arrested according to Get Reading-2 from Reading and the other from Oxford !!!

Cross country trains have given me back 50% of my Manchester-Reading fare. So anyone who got off the train after Banbury can also claim 50% of the fare(I am assuming the train was still over 30 minutes late arriving at the stations after Reading)

[tidus_mi2]

To be fair, any trouble on the way back is no guarantee to be Reading fans, we stopped at the Oxford services on the way back and it was full of United fans.