Looking assured and confident at his regular Friday press conference Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has insisted on patience in light of the team’s poor starts. : G) F7 Y5 M1 D6 K! R( p - 专业·专注·曼联中文网站曼联,曼联BT,曼联在线视频,曼联图片,曼联新闻,曼联论坛$ g* H2 U6 b; l. n( x) t : t1 s" |! h# W$ v3 }
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Draws against two of last season’s most impressive clubs cannot be termed as failure, but when measured against the high expectations set at the club, United have made a poor start. & E8 V. K) l% U5 Z2 ]' G曼联,曼联BT,曼联在线视频,曼联图片,曼联新闻,曼联论坛After just two games they sit four points behind title challengers Chelsea and local rivals Manchester City. 7 u2 E: A. e1 }/ e8 F, p$ ywww.imanutd.comBut the veteran manager has remained calm whilst many in the game are writing off United’s title defence before it has begun in earnest.: h: J, U5 _ [
"I’m looking at the performances of the team in the first two games and saying to my players, ‘Well done’," said Ferguson.www.imanutd.com/ m5 Y# i, s- O5 y" | L, C
"We’re dropping points and that’s disappointing and frustrating because the performance levels have been very good. The important thing is to be patient now. The situation is recoverable, of course." 1 [) @# D$ d( Q' ^! h9 ^曼联,曼联BT,曼联在线视频,曼联图片,曼联新闻,曼联论坛United go into Sunday's Manchester derby without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sent off at Fratton Park, but Sir Alex was pleased the Reds left Portsmouth with a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, however, none of the long-term injured players have recovered sufficiently to resume match play. ! E, `" f8 f$ W# `, \0 H+ ]2 q曼联在线·球迷地带The champions are far from full strength at the moment, an explanation but not an excuse for failing to register a victory in their first two games. A depleted attack is only shored up by new signing Carlos Tevez and the treatment room is still full of players waiting to make their comebacks from long term lay-offs.4 ?* J% E: a2 w) p
"Owen Hargreaves is still feeling the problem of tendonitis in his knee but he is doing some bits of training, which is encouraging," the boss added. "Gary Neville has also been doing bits of training but he's not really near [to playing on Sunday]," Ferguson concluded.& P' P/ b4 g$ Y& l
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