What the pundits say....

[coco]

What the pundits say....

BBC pundits on Chelsea v Man Utd

Alan Hansen

Match of the Day pundit

When you consider both sides played away in the Champions League it was a tribute to the two managers that we had open and attacking football.

Chelsea were the better side and Man Utd, at times, didn't get tight enough quick enough

The pace and intensity was absolutely phenomenal.I thought the officials had a great afternoon because in a game of this intensity they let it flow.

Chelsea were the better side and Man Utd, at times, didn't get tight enough quickly enough.

A lot of people have been saying that Chelsea haven't really got any flair players and they're not attractive to watch, but they dispelled that myth today - I thought they played brilliantly.

In a game as vital as this, they got it down and played and it's great that the title race is going down to the wire.

Man Utd are still favourites but it was a great result for Chelsea.

Graham Taylor

BBC Radio 5 Live summariser

I didn't think here was any great rhythm to Manchester United's play.

They have a very talented and large squad and when we were all talking about the game before the match, we were saying 'this looks ok, with Ronaldo and Tevez to come on'.

Tevez never came on. We saw what he did for West Ham in the last few games of last season. Tevez is a big time player and I am always surprised when he spends 90 minutes on the bench.

Both against Barcelona and against Chelsea, the line-ups selected by Sir Alex have been based on the fact that they didn't want to lose the game.

And sometimes, I don't care how talented your players are, that can give out a wrong message.

Garth Crooks

BBC football pundit

When it started I thought Chelsea looked the more likely to win the game. It then twisted and turned.

Manchester United picked up two very important injuries in Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic going into an extremely difficult period.

They have the Champions League next Tuesday against Barcelona, they have the championship to win here as well and I think nothing is by any means certain.

I just have a gut feeling that Chelsea will win the title.

I feel for Avram Grant and I think he's done a fantastic job. Jose Mourinho was a difficult act to follow but he's done it pretty well.

Lee Dixon

BBC football pundit

Let's take nothing away from Chelsea - to actually get into this position and go into today's game needing a win is a phenomenal achievement.

Man Utd just need to win their last two games against West Ham and Wigan

They were so far behind, everyone had written them off and then they come with this charge where nobody saw them coming up on the rails and then they beat Man Utd.

They've just ground out results. They haven't played particularly well, they've been off form, but they've got results.

Man Utd just need to win their last two games against West Ham and Wigan and if they don't win those then they don't deserve to win the title and Sir Alex Ferguson knows that.

Gavin Peacock

BBC football pundit

I think United will still just do it.

It is difficult. Chelsea go to Newcastle, but they're in decent form and as for United, although they have got Wigan away on the last day of the season, it might not be too easy for them.

But I think you're happier if you're United, although losing Rooney and Vidic is a big blow for them.

[Backbiter]

So Crooks thinks will win the Prem. Crooks is truly useless as a pundit, so we have no chance.

[coco]

Dont worry, countermeasures have been taken against Crooks punditing, we have our very own Val, who keeps backing Utd.

[Gem]

Bloody Peacock, don't care if you don't think we'll win it, show some bias for once in your life.

[g3.7]

I like gavin very much.

p.s. how can people complain against bias and yet at the same time complain people aren't biased in our favour?

p.p.s. I know the answer.

[The Brit]

it's still in utd's hands, bias doesn't come into it...i don't doubt for a second gavin wants us to win, but he's being asked who he thinks will win...i don't have a problem with it

[lauren]

I don't think I could bear the scenario where both Chelsea and Utd win their next game and then we both draw the last game.

[Mr Chelsea]

theses guys are pundits

if they knew as much about the game as they preached they would be top managers

instead they just sit there givin over hyped predictions

[Gem]

Okay Gullit4 and Brit.

Seeing as both statements were aimed at what I was saying, I'll respond to both individually.

Brit - of course it's in Manchester United's hands, but (and until any of them say it, you can't really answer this, so bit of an unfair question) if Franco Zola, Dennis Wise, Chopper Harris... ANY true Chelsea legend (not just some ex-player) said Man Utd will win it... wouldn't that just be the slightest kick in the teeth? Could you honestly say there wouldn't be a bit of you that would have hoped they'd stick their neck out and just give their backing to their former side? Regardless of who's in the best situation?

Tell you what if Zola said tomorrow it's Manchester United's title no worries... I'd be gutted. But that's me.

Gullit4 - Forgive me for wanting some Chelsea bias, it's not like we're surrounded by it towards other teams. Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas etc just do not exist. I know we get our fair share of positive comments and Paul Merson always seems happy when we win, but he never played for us. Yes I (I assume although it was a general statement it was aimed at me as I was the only one who mentioned 'bias') complain when ex-players have such red/yellow/blue/green tinted specs towards their teams, but only because our ex-players do their best to hide any they might have. Our ex-players in the media at the moment Ruud Gullit, Ray Wilkins, Mark Hughes has been on a fair bit recently... all have strong (maybe even stronger) alliances with other clubs so they may not favour us as much as the other teams.

Maybe Peacock is doing the right thing by going with the sensible and logical option,taking into consideration all the facts which put Manchester United in the best position, but just for once I'd like some blind stupid loyalty in the media, would make a bloody change.

[coco]

I only seriously listen to the pundits that have ridden the crest of a wave in their football career.

Hansen, O'Neil & Desially are great pundits to listen to.

Pundits like Shearer, Dixon and Peacock just come out with the obvious comments, the easy calls.

Dixon (yesterday on footie focus) said Uniteds midfield would overun the Chelsea midfield and he couldnt see them losing. The exact opposite happened as we all now know.

P.S. he made the comments even though he knew what 11 Ferguson was starting with.

[coco]

Lee Dixon

BBC football pundit

Let's take nothing away from Chelsea (no dont take anything away, give a bit of respect if anything) - to actually get into this position and go into today's game needing a win is a phenomenal achievement (not really, weve been doing this for 3 years now).

Man Utd just need to win their last two games against West Ham and Wigan - (clever boy) !

They were so far behind (were we ?), everyone had written them off (had we ?) and then they come with this charge where nobody saw them coming up on the rails (must be blind then) and then they beat Man Utd.

They've just ground out results. They haven't played particularly well, they've been off form, but they've got results.

Man Utd just need to win their last two games (we heard you the first time) against West Ham and Wigan and if they don't win those then they don't deserve to win the title and Sir Alex Ferguson knows that.

[g3.7]

Okay Gullit4 and Brit.

Gullit4 - Forgive me for wanting some Chelsea bias, it's not like we're surrounded by it towards other teams. Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas etc just do not exist. I know we get our fair share of positive comments and Paul Merson always seems happy when we win, but he never played for us. Yes I (I assume although it was a general statement it was aimed at me as I was the only one who mentioned 'bias') complain when ex-players have such red/yellow/blue/green tinted specs towards their teams, but only because our ex-players do their best to hide any they might have. Our ex-players in the media at the moment Ruud Gullit, Ray Wilkins, Mark Hughes has been on a fair bit recently... all have strong (maybe even stronger) alliances with other clubs so they may not favour us as much as the other teams.

Maybe Peacock is doing the right thing by going with the sensible and logical option,taking into consideration all the facts which put Manchester United in the best position, but just for once I'd like some blind stupid loyalty in the media, would make a bloody change.

the thing is look at the biased pundits you've mentioned those guys and the likes of lawrenson. to me they're crap pundits but also so bad at wind ups I personally never take any notice of what they say. they're morons. I want my pundits to not sit on the fence, which means sometimes they'll say things I don't like or agree with, but as long as they say something interesting then I'm happy. observe alan shearer sitting on the fence so long that splinters have probably made their way up his small intestine.. boring. he describes exactly what he sees.

to be honest I can't agree with you- hughes is good and fair, but sees things from blackburn's view before anyones (boyhood chelsea fan though), wilkins is extremely pro chelsea, and is good. more because he has a good voice and a habit of saying "a touch" at the end of each point than anything really. ruud is always supportive, desailly always refers to chelsea as "we"- there are plenty of pro chelsea voices in the media. there are more for other clubs, but there are also a lot less for other clubs too.

also worth pointing out if you visit every football club's big forums in the league I'm sure you'll find that the media is anti their club. that's how it is- you remember the bad things but not the good things said or written.

p.s. the comments coco put up by peacock are hardly emphatic and dismissive of us are they?

p.p.s. you'll be interested to know, that merson supported us as a boy, and my comment was aimed at everyone / anyone with that mindset. you're not the first by a long shot.

[Gem]

I knew Merson was a boyhood Chelsea fan, that's why I mentioned him.

You're right in the fact they're just wind up merchants and their punditry skills aren't actually that good, but they're still on the television and as much as I'd like to ignore them... I can't. To be fair to Nicholas he's all right, just used him as an example because he does show some bias, but without going overboard like some.

Can't really argue with anything else you've said, especially everyone thinking the press is against them.

Coco - Peacock a boring pundit, can't argue there either.

I just want a show with Zola, Wise, Dixon, Harris and Wilkins, that's fair isn't it?

PS- Actually, we had Lovejoy on the most successful British sports show morning program for yonks, that was the only place I felt we got any sort of positive press at times.

[g3.7]

do you have chelsea tv? it's not as good as it could be but tommy langley and jason cundy amongst others are good.

[wicksy]

do you have chelsea tv? it's not as good as it could be but tommy langley and jason cundy amongst others are good.

I agree with you about Jason Cundy, but Tommy Langley is hopeless. He's great in that he's very bias towards Chelsea, but he could fill a "Colemanballs" book on his own. There have been too many to remember, but one that stands out for me is "we're going to throw carte blanche at them". You gotta love his love for Chelsea though.

I also think King Kerry and Clive Walker are good, but for me the best pundit on Chelsea tv is Scott Minto, he's articulate, likeable and pro-Chelsea. I think he's going to get an increasing amount of work with Sky he's that good. Tommy on the other hand will have to stick to Chelsea tv.

[goose]

This would be fairly typical of the after match discussions on RTE.

Sometimes it can fairly heated between them. Dunphy can be a real

w**ker but is good value for stirring it up.

If you watch this Youtube clip you'll see he hasn't much time for Ronaldo,

so he can't be all bad.