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19-10-2004, 09:28
ALEX FERGUSON has admitted his own mistakes have cost Manchester United points this season.
In a shock revelation the Old Trafford boss said he has not been picking the right teams.
And Fergie concedes his errors have contributed to Arsenal opening up an 11-point lead over United.
On the eve of tonight’s Champions League tie against Sparta Prague, Ferguson said: “I definitely believe we have got the right players.
“At the minute I’m picking the wrong teams for a variety of reasons.
“Maybe I have been making too many changes.
“We have not had a consistency in selection and that has affected our performance.”
During his 18-year reign at United Fergie has never been slow to defend himself or his team in the face of any situation or poor results.
But he was not hiding behind anything yesterday and cited his decision to play Ronaldo in the goalless draw at Birmingham on Saturday as an example of misjudgment.
He said: “At Birmingham on Saturday I thought Ronaldo would be fresh enough after being away with Portugal. But he was not.
“The first thing he did when he got on the bus after the game was fall asleep. I made a mistake there.”
Ferguson also believes he made errors in pre-season.
He said: “We accept that the mistake of the pre-season campaign was calling players back too early.
“Paul Scholes was one of them. As can, and did, happen he got an injury. Then we had to give him a break. So we have not had the chance to see the best of him.”
But Fergie is convinced once he is picking a regular side again they will make inroads on the Gunners.
The pair clash at Old Trafford on Sunday. And Fergie vowed: “I know we are capable of winning this game and they know that too.”
The Sun (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2004482020,00.html)
In a shock revelation the Old Trafford boss said he has not been picking the right teams.
And Fergie concedes his errors have contributed to Arsenal opening up an 11-point lead over United.
On the eve of tonight’s Champions League tie against Sparta Prague, Ferguson said: “I definitely believe we have got the right players.
“At the minute I’m picking the wrong teams for a variety of reasons.
“Maybe I have been making too many changes.
“We have not had a consistency in selection and that has affected our performance.”
During his 18-year reign at United Fergie has never been slow to defend himself or his team in the face of any situation or poor results.
But he was not hiding behind anything yesterday and cited his decision to play Ronaldo in the goalless draw at Birmingham on Saturday as an example of misjudgment.
He said: “At Birmingham on Saturday I thought Ronaldo would be fresh enough after being away with Portugal. But he was not.
“The first thing he did when he got on the bus after the game was fall asleep. I made a mistake there.”
Ferguson also believes he made errors in pre-season.
He said: “We accept that the mistake of the pre-season campaign was calling players back too early.
“Paul Scholes was one of them. As can, and did, happen he got an injury. Then we had to give him a break. So we have not had the chance to see the best of him.”
But Fergie is convinced once he is picking a regular side again they will make inroads on the Gunners.
The pair clash at Old Trafford on Sunday. And Fergie vowed: “I know we are capable of winning this game and they know that too.”
The Sun (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2004482020,00.html)