We Didn’t Deserve To Win The Game – Queiroz

Manchester United Assistant Manager was suitably disappointed after his side’s shock defeat at the hands of a struggling West Ham side. He made no excuses, and insisted his side were inferior on the day… 

 The Red Devils took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo, but a late show from West Ham not only drew them level but saw them take all three points as United fell to Curbishley’s West Ham for the third time in as many games.

Assistant manager Carlos Queiroz spoke to the BBC after the game and was suitably downbeat regarding the result.

“Very disapopinted to tell you the truth,” he began. “We didn’t expect a result like this today, but we got what we deserved.

“Despite the fact that we scored first in a counterattack movement, also the fact if Cristiano [Ronaldo] scored the opportunity, the penalty, probably the game was finished.

“The reality is West Ham was the better team today,” admitted Queiroz. “We didn’t deserve to win this game.”

With United having leapfrogged Arsenal on Boxing Day with a win at Sunderland while the Gunners drew visiting Portsmouth, the tables have now turned again, with United’s loss and Arsenal’s emphatic and somewhat fortuitous win at Everton putting them back at the top.

“It is a wakeup call,” admitted former Real Madrid manager Queiroz. “It could be a lesson for us.

“Since the begining we’ve been saying that the feeling is this season it could be a very, very tough championship with a lot of teams playing to win all the time.

“It’s not a race between two teams as it happened in the last two three years; we believe this race will be between at least four teams in the next two or three months.

“We need to take something positive from this result and the positive thing is to learn from everything that happened here today, and from now on do everything to avoid that something like this happen again.”

Sir Alex Ferguson was banned from the touchline for today’s game, but when asked if that affected the outcome Queiroz refused to make excuses for United’s failure to perform.

“What was difficult was the fact that West Ham played well. We were never in control of the game,” he admitted. “We never dominated the game.”

With their slightly fortunate lead intact, United came out in the second half a more inspired side and had chances to kill the game, with Cristiano Ronaldo astonishingly missing a penalty, which arguably would have killed the game.

“I think in the second half, the first 10 [to] 15 minutes, we came back much better,” said Queiroz. ”Better possession, [we] played better than West Ham, we created the penalty.

“After the penalty [miss] the team crashed. The reality is when West Ham scored the second goal we were not able to find more strength to come back in the game.”

Despite the crucial miss, the Portuguese assistant refused to be too critical of Ronaldo, which is obviously down to his outstanding form demonstrated throughout the year of 2007.

“It’s one of those days, it was not him,” he insisted. ”We lose together, we win together.”

Queiroz remained optimistic of the title race, as he concluded: “Of course, we’re gonna do it.”

Ferguson sounds warning

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester United’s title rivals his players are ready to embark on their traditional December charge.

And the United boss believes Arsenal’s punishing schedule this month could be crucial in the race for Premier League glory.

Fergie thinks his reigning champions can seize the initiative at Yuletide and said: “Points-wise and position-wise, we’re in the best shape we’ve been in all season.

“Arsenal have lost their game in hand over us and they’re only a point ahead. This has always been a big month for us.

“We’ve always seemed to do well in December, because there are so many games to play and that seems to suit us.

“Arsenal have got 10 games this month, with the game in hand they had and next week’s Carling Cup tie at Blackburn.

“They will really be looking forward to that. I think it might annoy them.” Fergie believes the title race will go down to the wire, with the top four slugging it out for much of the campaign

“You’re encouraged for a few moments when your nearest rivals drop points, but then you realise that you can have a bad result yourself – so it can even itself out,” he said. While Liverpool were forced to play a full-strength side in Marseille on Tuesday in order to secure qualification for the Champions League knockout stage, United could afford to play an under-strength side in their 1-1 draw with Roma.

Virtually all of Fergie’s firstteam were rested, but he believes the extra rest for his players will have little bearing on the outcome of Sunday’s Anfield showdown.

“With Liverpool having played on Tuesday, that’s left them with five days to prepare for Sunday – which is plenty of time,” he said.

Midfielder Michael Carrick insisted United will go to Anfield believing they can win.

“We know Liverpool is always a special game, particularly at Anfield,” said Carrick.

“They’re a good side and playing well right now, but so are we and we’re full of confidence.

“In these games the performance is irrelevant. It’s coming away with a result that matters.”

Ryan Giggs OBE

Finally Ryan gets real acknowledgement of his achievements in British Football, honoured with an OBE for his services to sport from the Queen.

A true legend within the game, doesnt matter which team you support you have to admire his commitment and skills over the years.

His record will take some beating in the future and hopefully it will inspire future youngsters to go on and try and emulate him, which lets face it, wont be a bad thing.

Good on ya Giggsy.

Fergie: Arsenal will slip up soon.

Sir Alex Ferguson is certain Arsenal will slip up in their bid to depose Manchester United as Barclays Premier League champions.

The Gunners are unbeaten in their 14 league games so far this season and lead United by three points with a game in hand.

But, in what is bound to be perceived in some quarters as psychological warfare timed to coincide with the crucial Christmas period, the Old Trafford boss insists they will drop points.

He said: ‘Arsenal are playing well, but it’s a long season and they know that, too. They will drop points, there’s no doubt about that.’

United could have been level at the top of the table with Arsenal had they not failed to beat Bolton 10 days ago and Ferguson admitted: ‘We’d like to be three points better off.

‘If we hadn’t lost to Bolton then we would have been in a great position.’

Ferguson also revealed he is pondering how strong a side to field in United’s final Champions League Group F game against Roma.

The match is for nothing more than pride, with Ferguson’s men having already secured top spot in the group and the Italians also having qualified for the knockout phase in second place.

With the congested Christmas fixture schedule on the horizon, including a vital Premier League trip to Liverpool, Ferguson said: ‘I have a dilemma for the Roma trip.

‘Obviously we’re already through, and I’d really like some of the young players to get some miles on the clock, but we have to make sure we don’t get embarrassed.’