Source: Team_Talk
United boss calls for 'ruthless streak'
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has accused his players of not being ruthless enough after a frustrating start to the season.[LNB] United slipped five points behind champions Chelsea in the Premier League at the weekend following a goalless game at Sunderland.[LNB]But it is the points dropped in draws at Fulham, Everton and Bolton that have most irked their manager.[LNB]Speaking to the club's official magazine, Inside United, Ferguson said: "This present team doesn't kill off sides as well as they should.[LNB]"At Goodison, we had three or four chances at 3-1 to really put the game out of sight, but we were wasteful and ultimately paid the price.[LNB]"We threw away two goals in injury-time. That's unthinkable.[LNB]"That killer instinct just isn't there at the moment and it's something we need to develop.[LNB]"We haven't had a problem scoring goals.[LNB]"We got three against Liverpool, Everton and West Ham, two away at Fulham, three in the Community Shield; that suggests we don't have difficulty finding the net.[LNB]"What we're not doing, though, is killing teams off.[LNB]"I have no doubt the players have taken these setbacks on board. They suffer just as much - if not more - than the rest of us.[LNB]"They're the ones throwing the points away and they're the ones who know fine well that they're good enough to win this league."[LNB]United have been criticised for some of their performances this season but Ferguson said: "We're playing well, and perhaps those four points we have dropped away from home at Fulham and Everton have given off something of a false impression.[LNB]"Nevertheless, we didn't like letting those points slip away and it's crucial that we don't make too many more similar mistakes this season."[LNB]The United boss also kicked off the mind games with Chelsea by claiming that they have had such an easy start, they should have won every game this season.[LNB]The Blues have, in fact, taken maximum points in all but one match, their defeat at Manchester City.[LNB]Asked if United could not afford to drop any more points, Ferguson said: "No, no, no. Every team is going to drop points - that's inevitable.[LNB]"If you look at Chelsea's start to the season, you'd have expected them to have won all those games, so the position they're in doesn't surprise me.[LNB]"Meanwhile, we've had tricky trips to Fulham and Everton then played Liverpool at home. Those are difficult matches.[LNB]"Liverpool, Arsenal and ourselves have all played top sides early on.[LNB]"Chelsea's sterner tests are still to come."
