Jul 31
Audi Cup: The Escapist’s Roundup
Hello there, I’m in the middle of moving house, hence there will be some minimal blogging today. I will probably be more detailed when I am well settled in my new abode — internet connectivity permitting. In the meantime, hopefully, Stephen Darwin might fill in, or even — who knows — I might swoop in when I find an idle computer with internet connection like a starved dog on a juicy bone and pen some, mostly inconsequential, words.
I had the chance to watch the Boca Juniors game but only the first half of the Bayern one. In the spirit of the underlying theme of this post I’ll go with something vacuous: I found some parts of the game encouraging and some discouraging. (I know, I told you today wasn’t the day)
Moving on, I will point you out to some of the coverage of the Audi Cup elsewhere:
1. United Rant looks at Antonio Valencia’s debut and gives their first impressions.
2. Scott at RoM was in Munich, and has done a terrific job covering the Audi Cup. You can read his coverage (including his visit to Busby Babes Memorial)
3. Tim Rich on the Guardian wonders where United’s goals will come from.
4. A Kick in the Grass looks at the way the side is shaping up after the Boca Juniors win.
5. Unsurprisingly, another journo wonders where United’s goals are going to come from — this time Mark Ogden of the Telegraph
That’s about it from me for now. I am a terrible packer and mover — this is my nightmare. So wish me luck.
Related items from Red Rants:- Giggs and Brown to Remain Reds | Ex-Reds Clash | Wenger Threat | Takeovers And Other Such Nonsense
- Possebon Loan ‘Cancelled’; Returns to United?
- United gravy train chugs back after Asian jaunt
- The Red Hot Roundup: Scholes, Eggy, FIFA, Evra
- Slow Monday Roundup
Tags: Daily Roundup
July 31st, 2009 at 8:30
Good Luck with the moving!!
I see we lost the Audi cup in Penalties!! Everton in the FA Cup semi, and now this one… We’re definitely back to shit luck in penalty shoot-outs.
July 31st, 2009 at 8:55
@Rahul: Yeah… Agreed….
July 31st, 2009 at 8:58
I fuckin hate moving, so best of luck with that RR! Only got to see 2nd half of the Boca game, liked what i saw, esp Valencia, its only pre season, nothing to get too excited about, real test is the league. Can see frustrations ahead with our CM though! If Fergie doesn’t strengthen this part of the team United might live to regret that. Hargo, well we cant rely on getting him back fully fit so buy a replacement now! Ffs, our midfield has tired written all over it, and we haven’t even started the season!! Sort it Fergie!
July 31st, 2009 at 9:12
I don’t think Fergie will even think about getting anyone for midfield till next summer.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:18
@ Rahul: Well, we’ll suffer because of that, mark my words!
July 31st, 2009 at 9:22
@phoenix red: I feel the same way mate.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:23
Our season could rest on Hargreaves fitness…I never want to see a midfield of Giggs and Scholes again…thats Fucked up. Why Gibson…he has no pace or skill to be a winger…damn sometimes i wonder
July 31st, 2009 at 9:24
It was sad to see united lose and iknnow many people will say it was only a friendly but losing is a bad habbit and what puzzles me is the manner we lose.Against big teams we play like fucking Stoke city. Last season we barely beat a big team or matched it preferring to defend ad hit them on a counter and united not attacking is suicide.
This pre season has showed me we are going to play much in the same way.Dont be fooled by the number of wingers we have,we are going to use a central midfielder on the wing appearing like a poor mans Chelsea.
What the fuck are we doing with scholes,giggs,gibson,carrick,fletcher on the same team even for a friendly?And we start on our strikers not scoring enough.No pace no creativity nothing.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:25
Good luck to you RR. I hope fergi makes another buy before the start of the season.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:34
Donibrasco, i agree with you. Age is telling on giggs and scholes, carrick and anderson are not that consistent. Something has to be done.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:38
It’s difficult to tell with these pre-season games. So much chopping and changing to give everyone a look in. However, the midfield does look to be a problem made more so without the services of Hargreaves. Playing Giggs and Scholes looks to be far too retro if Fergie is trying to take this team forward. Carrick, Anderson and Fletcher have to be first choice. Questions remain over Berbatov and Owen for different reasons. Berba still has to prove that he can fit into United’s style. Yes the control, the occasional incisive pass and flick on are all admirable but how consistent is he with these and what overall positive effect is he having on the team ? Will he turn out to be a luxury we simply cannot afford ? As for Owen, certainly give him a chance but if the doubters are proved right and he’s not the player he was or that he’s injury prone, then bringing him in at the expense of a younger and possibly better striker will have proved to have been a big error. Finally Fergie has gone on about how good Foster is and how he’ll definitely be England’s no 1 for the next world cup. Why then isn’t he taking VDS’s place already. Foster started only once so far in the pre-seasons. Rather odd, I think. Let’s hope Fergie doesn’t let his rotation policy go completely wild and that he settles on the important combinations – in midfield and upfront particularly.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:45
@Taehr: Ideally Fergie should train Gibson personally to become the devil reincarnate, instil pure venom into his soul, make him a rabid dog and then let him lose in the DMF role.. and then everyone will be happy with Gibson’s existence.
But realistically it is not possible. So Fergie keeps him for another season of apprenticeship (to who I dunno) and then sells him next season off to a lower rung premier league team or a championship team. The debt needs servicing as we all know.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:07
I dont care what anyone says, right now in this very time, gibson>scholes, but saf will go with the old guard as usual.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:11
@Dan: Very little to argue there.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:20
@Julian: Foster is played sparingly since he risks breaking his toe finger or his pinky every time he plays. He is quite not cut out for us anyway IMO.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:25
@Rahul: and@phoenix red:
I totally agree with both of you that we are definitely short on the CMF position.. And by playing people out of position or making Giggsy and Scholsey together he is just aggravating the problem. I mean even when Ronaldo was there in the team I always felt that we are CMF short. We need a dominating character or a classy AMF who can give us goals from CMF area (ala Carrick of Spurs and not from UTD).
Once, Ronaldo left then the need was even greater. And, since I can’t see OH is ever going to play (at least in Near Future) I think we need a dominating MF.
I am also reading some stuff on few sites which suggest that Wenger is looking at De Rossi. If this is true then we should not wait and just get him……
Anyway, from yesterday one thing is clear that for me our best MF combo can be
NANI(LW), Carrick and Fletcher (CMs with Carrick in advance role), Valencia(RW)…
But, still we need some addition and super quality addition in midfield or else we may pay for it…
July 31st, 2009 at 10:28
@donibrasco: Absolutely mate.. I mean my blood literally boils hot with anger when I see that players are played out of position for no obvious reason and to add to agony he plays oldies as a CMF pairing and at the same time he plays a proper CMF on the wings or at RB position… Whats the logic.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:28
Bobby robson has died
RIP
July 31st, 2009 at 10:30
RIP Sir Bobby. This is a sad day for football.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:33
@Onkar: DeRossi is a very very long shot. He doesn’t wanna leave Roma, and he’s said that quite a number of times. But having said that, we all know how footballers say they don’t wanna leave but end up making their ‘dream’ move that summer. So maybe we might have a shot at it, a long one nonetheless.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:34
@Julian: As far as i am concern from what ever i have seen so far and what logic can back is that the best strikers partnership is Owen – Berba. And if Owen can keep his fitness then I will always go for this partnership. This brings us to the eminent question that what to do with Rooney. For me I can always deploy him in AMF position where I can use all the skills he has for sure at the same time it will give me best possible Attacking Partnership (available with us) on ground.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:36
RIP Sir Bobby.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:42
@Rahul: Absolutely, but still I am just hoping since day 1 of this transfer window that we should try and get him. But, yeah its a long shot due to both given the way De Rossi is and given the way gaffer is dealing in this window…
One things for its a ‘Dream Transfer’ if not for him but definitely for me…
July 31st, 2009 at 10:46
@Onkar: I hope we see that team play against Valencia, I agree that is our strongest line up.
Regarding Carrick, if I’m not wrong he scored just one goal for Spurs the season before he moved to us. Carrick never played as an attacking mid-fielder his whole life. He has always been a deep-lying playmaker. A box-box mid-fielder next to him will do wonders. We lacked the spark and creativity from our mid-field in these two games and the player most likely to pull strings in the mid this season is Carrick, now that Scholes is past it. Carrick – Fletch is the best mid field combo i believe. Carrick – Ando wouldn’t do much defensively.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:16
@Scorp: I agree… When i say AMF who will give us goals i should have mentioned that by way of assists or direct goals like Scholsey (old times)… Thats why i categorically said (ala Carrick of Spurs and did not mention any one like Gerrard or Lampard etc…
My observation is since he has been at UTD he has been deployed bit deeper and that is actually an hindrance in him controlling the attacking areas of game…
Anyway, I agree that is our best combo available and i hope it will turn out to be better than what we are expecting of it….
July 31st, 2009 at 11:19
What are these new stories are all about linking us with RIBERY again???
Does any one have any idea of what they are??? Its all over the place on newsnow Man UTD link…..
July 31st, 2009 at 12:01
@Onkar: surely its because we just played Bayern and fergie would of had a chance to wisper something in his ear about playing for a team who’s silverware won’t just be the audi cup.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:32
@Will:
I hope you are right 
July 31st, 2009 at 12:53
This is something Sir Alex has said in the latest “Inside United,” for August; when discussing where goals are going to come from this season the boss said, “I’ll be looking to Park, Nani, Valencia – even Welbeck and Macheda – to contribute 40 goals between them.”
Personally, I feel we will be lucky to get 20 goals from all of these players combined. If this is Sir Alex’s true ambition for these players he will be greatly disappointed I fear.
July 31st, 2009 at 13:17
@RichmondRed: i disagree, this season instead of looking for ronaldo to put the ball in the net there are more options for us. dare i say it we were too one dimentional i.e. give the ball to ronaldo and he’ll do the rest. this season lots more options and plenty of pace in the wings. coupled with SAF admitting he will play berbatov where he’s supposed to be bloody played, i think that tally is reachable… especially if you think that Machadea got 2 goals in 2 preimerleague games then with 12 or so games its realistic to expect him to get 5. same with welbeck. that leaves 10 for nani and valencia.. the only worry is park. but he will provide.
July 31st, 2009 at 14:58
Here’s what our Gaffer had to say About A fellow knight who sadly passed away today. “I was never too big or proud to ask him for advice which he gave freely and unconditionally. And I’m sure I am speaking for a lot of people when I say that.
“In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. I mourn the passing of a great friend; a wonderful individual; a tremendous football man and somebody with passion and knowledge of the game that was unsurpassed.
“His character was hewn out of the coal face; developed by the Durham County mining background that he came from.
“His parents instilled in him the discipline and standards which forged the character of a genuinely colossal human being. He added his own qualities to that which then he passed on to his sons.
“The strength and courage he showed over the past couple of years when battling against his fifth bout of cancer was indescribable. Always a smile; always a friendly word with never a mention of his own problems.
“The world, not just the football world, will miss him. Let’s hope it won’t be long before another like him turns up because we could never get enough of them.”
Quotes taken from Sky Sports btw. SAF was speaking on behalf of the League Managers Association.
RIP SIR BOBBY ROBSON gone but never forgotten.
July 31st, 2009 at 15:09
Goal prediction time!!!
Rooney- 25
Berbatov- 17
Owen- 18
Macheda- 12
Welbeck- 8
Nani- 10-15
Valencia- 10-15
Carrick- 8
Giggs- 10
Defense- 15-20
“Squad” players: 5-10
Free Kicks: 5-10
Penalties: 5-15
Possible own goals(Terry?!
): 0-5
That is of cource only a prediction, but if we follow that we can get over 150 goals this season. I know its unlikely, but if you think of it the way I do it it sound probable!
If Rooney stays injury free he will probably get over 20 goals. Dont care what people think, Rooneys tally has always been between 18 and 23. With Ronaldo gone, he may improve that by a few goals. Berba, if played in the right positiong, could easily get 17 goals! If Owen plays every ten days or so, he will score many goals. Strikers at United get at least 1 big chance each game, and if Michael gets that he will stick it in the back of the net!
Kiko will score a few goals in the Carling and FA cup, along with a few cameos in the Premier League, same will Welbeck. If Nani is played consistently, he will score goals. Even with his “few” performances last season, he did manage to score 6 goals. Cant see why he shouldnt be able to better that this season? Valencia will get chances as well, and, even though he may only score against “small” teams, he will get his chances. Carrick can get a few goals, he has proved that. He was injured for large periods during our last two season, but still managed 8 goals. If given more freedom and confidence, he has proven that he can score goals. And I would be surprised if Giggsy didnt manage more than 5 goals this season. We have Vidic, Evans, Rio, Brown and Oshea as dangers on set-plays in the box, and Rafael and Fabio can be dangerous in attack. Rafael managed to score a goal last season, and if he was more composed he would have gotten at least 5. I can remember many occasions when he blasted it wide or over from close distance. Then we have the “squad players”, like Scholes, Gibson, Park and maybe also Hargreaves(?!), who are capable of scoring at least 5 goals. Shouldnt be difficult. If Scholes can score 2, Gibson can score 1, Park will get his chances as well, and Hargo gets to take some free kicks, I dont see why?
Then we have set-plays. Even though I dont expect many goals from Anderson, he will get his chances from free-kicks. From his time in Gremio and Porto I have seen some very nice free-kicks, and against Boca he reminded us that he actually is brasillian!
I think we will get more opportunities from free-kicks and penalties this season, cause the refs wont think so much about whether its a dive or not, because Ronny has left. If Andy can score at least 3, that would be marvellous! Giggs, Nani, Rooney and Hargo can also take free-kicks, and I would be hugely surprised if we didnt manage at least 5 goals from that area. And who will be the penalty taker? Although I wont take things for granted, penalties are supposed to be scored! Just like free-kicks, refs wont be too thoughtful when our players fall in teh box because of Ronnys removal, so I expect us to get at least 10 penalties this season. That is in all competitions…
All players are probably gonna chip in with goals this season, and if you look at “how” we are going to score them we can easily get over 140 goals this coming season. The future looks bright…
July 31st, 2009 at 15:11
Rest In Peace Sir Bobby Robson. A sad day for English football indeed.
July 31st, 2009 at 15:32
@Onkar: For no obvious reason? How about match-fitness reason? Or pre-season reason? Fergie was not experimenting with lineup, he was making sure that everyone gets ready for the new season – the same reason we had 22 players play over 2 games. Nothing to worry about.
Also, about penalty shootouts: We lost the last two shootouts when using defenders as backups shooters – Ferdinand, Vidic in FA Semi and Evans, Evra in Audi. I think when it counts we will have full team (#1) and the order will be stronger – Rooney, Ando, Nani, Carrick, Hargo(?), Giggs, Fletcher (#2).
July 31st, 2009 at 16:17
@ Footy4Eddy : your goal prediction was a joke…
rooney will feel tough to score 15.
owen will get 10( not even 11)
macheda : 12??? ha ha
welbeck : 8???
nani will not get 15 games and u hope him to score 15
carrick will never get past 4…
giggs will score 10 if he plays enough as in current form he is the best united player( not talking about defenders)
united will really struggle and we will pray to get 1 goal …
this is the weakest mid field in regard to chelsea,liverpools,arsenal,man shitty,everton and tottenham mate
July 31st, 2009 at 16:40
@Taehr: I thin SAF wanted to see what he had with those two running the middle and if Gibson could run the flank. I’d rather him figure it out now then when he was forced to give Gibson the runout against a prem team.
@Rahul: I personally dont see SAF selling off Gibson unless Anderson decides he wants to actually do something in a game. Right now, based purely off form, I’d pick Gibson over Anderson. I’m not convinced on Possebon either, so a future CM group of Carrick, Anderson, Gibson, and Fletcherinho (add Hargreaves if he recovers to the player he was before the injury and Possebon coming good, and we’ve got it made!) would be solid for us, and we dont have to spend. I would still like to see us pick up someone along the lines of Di Rossi, but I fear its just a dream. I also think Fletcher can step up and fill that void for us.
I personally would love to see a pairing of Carrick – Fletcher first choice, or Carrick – Gibson second choice.
July 31st, 2009 at 16:51
@owen: Im not talking only Premier League, Im talking all competitions.
Rooney got 20 goals last year, and he suffered from many injuries, plus being played on the wing. If Owen gets 30 or so games during the season, which I believe he will, he will score at least 15. If he stays injury free that is. Kiko can easily get 12 mate, Carling Cup and FA cup plus some cameos in the Premier League. If Tevez can get 15 goals why cant Kiko score 12?! 
Carrick was injured for large parts of last season, but still managed 4 goals. And since he played in the role he did, that should be considered a surprise. In the latter stages of the season he joined the attack more often, and created a few goals. He has a nice shot, and has proved that he can ghost into the box. Dont see why he cant get past the 5 goal mark if given the room or confidence.
We are not competing only in the Premier League remember, Im counting FA cup, Carling Cup and Championd League as well. My predictions dont look like a joke if you look at it like that…
July 31st, 2009 at 17:18
@Julian: It is pre season and hard to tell but if you have noticed,all the games we have played have had a central midfielder playing on the wing,Gibson or Fletcher.Am almost sire that’s how fergie intends to use the team and its scary.
About the number of goals,our strikers need service,alot of it to score so the wise thing would be to play high up the pitch to support them and react quickly to rebounds instead of sitting back and waiting for a counter attack.
The foster question should be put to bed since clearly he is only good as back up,behind kuszack
July 31st, 2009 at 17:30
@Taehr: maby saf jumbled them up in preseason to let them see some adversity and see how they deal w it?
July 31st, 2009 at 17:59
love it if united get a proper midfield enforcer. de rossi would be nice but hes never going to leave roma.
July 31st, 2009 at 18:01
@Footy4Eddy: looks good heres mine
Rooney- 25
Berbatov- 15
Owen- 15
Macheda- 9
Welbeck- 5
Nani- 12
Valencia- 10
Carrick- 8
Giggs- 7
ando-5
park-4
Defense- 9
“Squad” players: 5
=129 i think that is entirely possible
war united
July 31st, 2009 at 18:17
@owen: only chelsa and liverfool are title rivals out of that lot mate and the fools are loosing theirs right now xabi and javi, and we have saf to fuck with their heads ando will show class this year(already has{fk}imo) fletch hopefully ate a few steaks during the summer and can put some bulk behind his capabilities and we are fine hargo will be used sparingly in europe and vs chelsa and we will win the prem again. we have gibson and the oldies for cover, scholes has maby 5 good games left in him:( but giggs still has class to show. bring on the season.
that said if we do bring someone in more the marrier.
July 31st, 2009 at 18:25
@Footy4Eddy: Agree more or less, except maybe you’re a bit too optimistic for Macheda.
No Anderson, though?
@gator: Yea, very plausible. In an ideal world though…
July 31st, 2009 at 18:38
Awwwww, how cute!!!
July 31st, 2009 at 18:57
RIP,
Sir Bobby…
July 31st, 2009 at 19:11
FootyEddy I wish I had your optimism!
I agree that Rooney, Berbatov and Owen will probably manage 50-60 goals between them, but the rest of your predictions I do not agree with.
Assuming Rooney, Berba and Owen are getting enough games to manage the totals you predicted, Macheda and Welbeck would be lucky to get 20 appearances between them. So expecting 20 goals from them is way off.
Valencia hardly scored any goals for Wigan so I’m not sure how he is going to manage 10-15 a season. Nani quite possibly could score 10 goals a season but it remains to be seen whether he will find the sort of form he displayed his debut season.
Giggs won’t get enough gametime to score 10 goals. Maybe if he was ten years younger and playing every game. But I doubt he’ll play more than 20 games and that translates into around 5 goals.
Carrick has never showed any signs of being a goalscorer. But Ill let you off because between them Carrick and Fletcher will manage 8-10 goals a season.
So my predictions look a bit more like this:
Rooney 20
Berbatov 20
Owen 15
Nani 8
Macheda 7
Fletcher 5
Valencia 5
Giggs 5
Carrick 5
Vidic 5
Park 3
Welbeck 3
Anderson 3
O’Shea 2
Which gives a total of around: 105 in all competitions.
July 31st, 2009 at 19:22
The expectations for number of goals scored by Owen would have been thought of as far-fetched and ludicrous a month ago!!
But I’m not complaining!
July 31st, 2009 at 19:29
Rooney 20
Berbatov 15
Owen 15
Nani 7
Macheda 5
Fletcher 4
Valencia 8
Giggs 3
Carrick 4
Vidic 4
Park 4
Welbeck 3
Anderson 2
O’Shea 1
rafael 2
Tosic 2
July 31st, 2009 at 19:33
Actually if owen stays fit he could top 15 we do create loads of chances esp in the prem against poor sides but only if he plays 30+. Rooney between 15-20. He has looked shit so far
July 31st, 2009 at 22:12
@owen: What a cry baby
July 31st, 2009 at 22:42
@NicoQB: Reason I think Kiko will get so many goals is because I still think Wazza will be injured for at least 10 games during the season, and Owen will only be able to play every 10 days. Kiko will have his fair share of games when those are out, and in the FA cup and Carling Cup I believe he can get at least 7 goals. Add 5 goals in the Premier League and CL and I dont look at myself as too optimistic in that apartement.
As for Andy, I add him in the penalties and free-kicks goals category. The day Andy score a goal from OPEN PLAY I will die out of shock!
In a competitive game that is. 
July 31st, 2009 at 22:47
@Footy4Eddy: “I dont look at myself as too optimistic in that apartement.”
Looks like I’m not the only one reeling over house-moving blues.
July 31st, 2009 at 23:00
@colver: Everybody wants my optimism!
Still, dont think Im being “too” optimistic. As for strikers(Wazza, Mike, Berb, Kiko and Danny) I stand by my statement. I believe they will get the amount of goals I think. Nani is well capable of scoring 10 goals in all competitions, and even though Valencia was not so prolific for Wigan, we have to remember that it was WIGAN. There is a huge chance between Wigan and United, he will get many more chances to score here. I think he can chip in with 10 goals, because he is going to be our first choice winger.
Not too sure about Giggs though. He might not score the amount of goals I hope, if he is used to take penalties and free-kicks, he can get 5 goals there. Add 5 goals from open play in CL, Premier League, FA cup and Carling Cup, and its not too impossible…
As for Carrick, if he stays injury free and shows the confidence he showed in the latter stages of the season I dont see why he should get over 5 goals. He may also take some penalties and free kicks. If Fergie is to be believed, we are going to play a different way this coming season. I still dunno what that means for Carrick, but Im quite sure he will be more offensive next season. At least I hope so, because we look more dangerous when he moves up the pitch!
July 31st, 2009 at 23:14
Eddy there are only two striking berths available and I really do not think Macheda and Welbeck will get enough games to score twenty goals between them. If Rooney gets injured for ten games a) he’ll struggle to score 25 goals a season and b) Owen will likely replace him not Macheda. As for Welbeck it is difficult to imagine him getting many games because Macheda is ahead of him in the pecking order solely for his ability to finish.
July 31st, 2009 at 23:16
@Footy4Eddy: True, I didn’t think about the Rooney injury factor…
But I don’t know about Macheda. I was one of the earliest here bigging the boy up on this site. Hell, I was even repsonsible for some bit of soothaying on ROM when somehow I managed to write the very first comment on the Aston Villa game thread, (not to boast, though that’s exactly what I’m doing!):
-Arise Kiko Macheda!
But recently he’s looked ominously average, and I talk more in terms of his general contribution to play rather than actual scoring statistics. I hope he has not started to develop some kind of big head ego…
Giggs is also another moot point. He clearly can’t cut it in CM against top european teams, but last season he eaned his POTY playing there against minnows…
Wonder if we cound play him as Left Sided Midfielder rather than LW… (the same way Beckham was a RM and not a RW…)
July 31st, 2009 at 23:28
@Red Ranter: Hows the movig going mate, I know it can be a bitch.
July 31st, 2009 at 23:35
@colver: We can play a maximum of 65 games. If Rooney is injured for 10 games, he has a possibility of playing a maximum of 55 games. With Rooney being the most vital asset offensivly for our team this season I dont see why he shouldnt be able to manage a goal every second game. Welbeck and Kiko will probably be our striker partnership in most Carling Cup and FA cup games, and with injuries/suspensions they will get time in the Premier League and Champions League as well. Kiko is ahead of Danny in the pecking order, but Fergie really fancies Welbeck. As our only real young home-grown talent, I know Fergie rates Welbeck high! He will defo get his chances, even though it may only be against the minnows in the Prem. As a sub, he can also be important. If there is one thing Manchester United can teach you, its that you dont need 90 minutes of football to score a goal. It only takes a second or two.
July 31st, 2009 at 23:43
@NicoQB: We are talking about goalscoring mate, and if Kiko is on the pitch only to score goals, I cant complain if he manages that. He seems to be a deadly finisher, always playing on the shoulder of the last defender. He will be rotated along with Wazza, Mike and Dimi up front, and I still look at him as our best option from the bench. He seems to have that Ole thingy, where he can change a game in a flash after coming off the bench. As we say, good strikers are born with the natural understanding of where to be at what time. Kiko seems to have that, and if he gets 20-25 games I can see him score over 10 goals. Even if half of those are as substitutes!
As for Giggs, he wont be used as much as the presvious season. Each season, GIggsy is going to play less and less. But he can still do a good job in midfield, if being played with Fletcher or Hargo. Then we return to our old 4-4-2 diamond style, where Fletch or Owen can protect the defence and Giggsy be the one playing behind the strikers. The reason I think he will score the amount of goals as written above is because he is an option from free-kicks and penalties…
August 1st, 2009 at 0:28
Honest question, what of these two options do you guys find most annoying?
Girls repeatedly saying football is a waste of time, or Carlos Tevez talking about Manchester United?
I tell you, its a tough one!
August 1st, 2009 at 0:33
Where is everybody?
What did you say? They are all dead?!
OH NOOOOO!!! What am I gonna do, I am the last person on earth! Is life worth living? Okey, calm down… Look at the positives! Lets see… Well, first of all, you are the emperor of teh planet. Well thats nice! And you have nobody to annoy you. Nobody can hate you. You have no responsobilities, and you live only for yourself! You have a TV, a video game and there in the corner is a football. What more can you need?!
WHERE THE FUCK IS MY BELOVED UNITED?!!!
That seals it, life isnt worth living!
*BANG!*
United-kids-wife. In that order.
August 1st, 2009 at 0:38
Its late, but Im not tired. Come on pussies, entertain me.
August 1st, 2009 at 0:40
@Footy4Eddy: For three or four years now, people have been saying:
“Surely Fergie will let them (Giggs, Scholes and Neville) retire gracefully by playing them in the odd game…”
For three or four years Fergie has been playing them for far more games than necessary, and I get goosebumps when I see Neville lined up against European behemoths.
No I think he’ll squeeze every drop of energy out of them, even if it means they are playing like shite. They are his unouchables.
As for the striker thing, I personally will always complain if a striker scores and does literally squat for the rest of ninety minutes. Its terribly frustrating (for me) to see a team of eleven players playing as if they are 10 on the pitch! But if Kiko does reach those figures you hope for, then I’ll happily turn a blind eye.
@Footy4Eddy: I know that. Their usual gripe is
“Elevn idiots running after a ball”
And then you feel obligated to correct them:
“Its not eleven idiots, its twenty two, or rather twenty cause goalies run very little.”
August 1st, 2009 at 0:46
Im bored, but Im too lazy to try to find something funny…
Craig? Grog? Where the fuck are you guys?!!! I know its summer, but I dont think you have travelled to UrAnus! You gotta have some kind of internet connection wherever you are, wouldnt be rude to just drop by and tell a joke or give your thoughts on Andersons brilliant free-kick tecnique which makes Ronaldo, Juninho and Becks look like a bunch of boobs! 
August 1st, 2009 at 1:04
@NicoQB: What Fergie is doing to Neville, Scholes and Giggs is actually disgraceful! Giggsy still looks like he has one good year on him, he looks fresh. But Neville and Scholes are doing nothing to help this squad! Thats what you need players for, right?! So they can offer you different qualities. Right now Scholes and Neville offer us nothing. Neville has lost his pace and crossing. Rafael can do both, and will turn out to be one of the best defenders in the world when he improves his tackling and marking. Right now Wes Brown is our best right back, and offers us pace, crossing, hard tackling and also heart, which is probably the only thing Neville can offer! Giggsy has more than enough experience, and Rio has good leadership.
Lately Scholes doesnt even seem capable of hitting a god pass. Carrick and Anderson are great passers of the ball, for short and long distances. Scholes cant tackle, and as long as he doesnt shoot he does nothing! Gibson, Carrick, Fletch, may I say even Andy shoots better than Scholes these days. His accuracy is off, and his confidence seems to be shattered. So what is the reason for Fergie to play them? Sentimentality! I find no other reason, which is a shame when you think of Fergie as the best manager ever. Everybody have their soft spot, but great men are judged by their choices. And right now Fergie isnt making the correct one…
August 1st, 2009 at 1:09
Have you guys ever wondered about what your life would be like if you hadnt become a United fan?
Me, I cant even picture myself! Guess it would be kinda boring and slow moving… Thank God for football!!!
August 1st, 2009 at 1:14
@Footy4Eddy: Its gone eerily quiet recently…
But thats what I meant when once I wondered what would have happened if Ronaldo had not thrown his Madrid tantrum last season and Tevez had not had his boy-periods just recently. Can you imagine the desert that would have been united blogs?
August 1st, 2009 at 1:25
@NicoQB: I thought we had many Americans on this site? According to my watch its not more than 20:22 there right now… Oh well, I guess its just friday night!
Would have been out myself had it not been for the shit weather. Worst! Summer! Ever! 
Dont know if I can call it summer, its only been 3 days of sun since the start of July. Oh well, at least I got to spend some quality time with my family and my girlfriend, and got to practice some FIFA 09. 
Think Im gonna hit the bed now, its kinda boring when its only one other person awake at this moment. Ta-Ta!
August 1st, 2009 at 1:26
@Footy4Eddy: The one thing Scholes still does best, though not as good as he used to back in the days, is putting his foot on the ball and directing the flow of the football. I think he can still hit a good pass, but somewhere he must have lost some confidence on the ball when seeing for himself that he’s not as good as he used to be. And its a viciouscircle really. Unless he plays often enough, he’ll not get the confidence back.
But Fergie knows how good Scholes on form can be, even at 3/4 of his peak form he’s still a hell of a player, as he showed two or three years ago, if I remember correcty when he was in the EPL team of the year.
@Footy4Eddy: Easily. I would have been listening to even more music, and watching more movies and playing more games! This modern age has way too many distractions for the good of its people.
In some hazy distant past we used to read books…
Oh well… I guess I’ll leave too. Try to finally finish reading Narnia.
August 1st, 2009 at 1:28
@Footy4Eddy: Night’
August 1st, 2009 at 5:02
I’d like to offer a little perspective on our musings here!
In the last 3 seasons our goals per season average has reduced from 2.05 in 2006/7 to 1.80 in 2008/9, and the reduction has been a steady decline, not up and down!
I’d like to be able to pin this on a single facet of our offense but it seems to be a little more complex!
The idea that our FWDS are not putting them away certainly has a leg or two, but the fact that our CMF’ers are not contributing much at all, is a much more pertinent point!
Over the past 3 seasons we have scored a whopping 352 goals, of which our storming central corps have contributed just 50, an appauling average of just about 16 per season! In fact in the 2007/8 season they only managed 12 goals out of 110 scored.
The alarming fact is that Scholes and Giggs were responsible for 26 of those 50 goals, and with there talent and appearances dwindling, that number is likely to fall even further.
Not to mention the fact that over the past 3 seasons, Ronaldo, Tevez and Saha had scored 143 of the total 352 wev’e scored, it makes our season ahead more than just a little tenuous!!
I would like to think that Owen can get into double figures, and that Berbatov could pull the wool out of his ears and listen to his distractors, and that Rooney could magically learn how to play the big man in a small man offense and how wonderful it would be if Valencia all of a sudden becomes a dead-eyed demon from the right flank……etc,,etc,,etc,,.
The fact is we can’t boss the midfield going forward, and when we attack down the flanks we just don’t have the the targets to hit in the middle.
It’s all well and good for SAF to tell everyone that we need to play a different style and spread the scoring around but what, pray, is the formation he’s thinking about!
August 1st, 2009 at 5:13
Correction,
Goals per seasonGoals per game.August 1st, 2009 at 5:42
@Footy4Eddy: Believe me, when I say United is my passion, I mean it!! And at my age, I’ll take all the passion I can get! But when you say “United-kids-wife. In that order”, I’ll just take it in any old order!!
August 1st, 2009 at 7:28
JEEZ! You take four or five days off and go without Internet and when you return you notice that all Hell has broken out and that I have missed a Hell of a week of useless pre season football
First off, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Bobby Robson. Truly a great man and manager. So sad to see him in such a bad state last week in the Germany vs England old timers friendly. May he rest in peace.
Secondly, you know when the world has gone to Hell in a hand basket when you return to find out that Anderson not only scored a goal, but scored a real beauty. It must be some kind of Internet conspiracy and I refuse to believe it.
Funny how United’s forwards have all gone silent in two games against top competitions. Where are the Malaysians when you need them eh?
We are total shit and the performance against Bayern showed it. And please, Scholesy, FUCKING RETIRE ALREADY, JEEZ! 
It’s sounding like Liverpool are close to selling Alonso and then taking the money and signing Villa. If so, we are totally fucked.
Fergie expects the team to score 100 goals in all competitions. I’d be happy with 80 based on the this group. against good opponents they look like shite.
And I still don’t believe Anderson scored. It’s just one of eddy’s FIFA 09 renderings that was inserted into the real game to make us think it was real. No way could Anderson score a goal like that. IT NEVER HAPPENED.
And even if it did, it’s typical that it would happen in a meaningless pre season friendly. I will not believe him possible of scoring until he actually does in a game that matters.
And shame on all of you thinking that we could beat a German team in a penalty shootout. NEWSFLASH!!!! Germans don’t lose penalty shootouts to nobody.
Well I am back as my move has finally ended and I am going to use the next week to recover from what I refer to as a true Hell week. I count myself lucky for surviving it. Although I still have to unpack and settle in.
Good to be back and cheers to all of you.
August 1st, 2009 at 10:46
Fact is that the Premiership defences are getting a lot meaner as teams everywhere switch to defensive styles because there is just too much at stake! I do not think next season will be any different. That is why I think some of these goal predictions are wildly optimistic. Even Fergie is losing his mind expecting we can score forty goals from midfield. We are in for a rude awakening next season.
The only players that I am confident can score double figures next season are Rooney, Berbatov and Owen.
Macheda and Welbeck won’t score many goals. Even if they play all the Carling Cup/FA Cup games and get ten or so Premiership appearances that adds up to a maximum of 20 games. And promising as they are, there are very few strikers in the modern game who can score a goal every other game. Macheda, even with his superior finishing, would do well to manage seven goals a season. As for Welbeck he has shown none of the finishing ability of Macheda so I doubt he’ll manage more than five goals.
As for our midfield I really do not have much hope. Nani is the only player I think represents a realistic goal threat in our midfield. The rest will chip in a few goals but not enough to make up for the loss of Ronaldo.
August 1st, 2009 at 10:51
@Grognard: Yeeeey, you are back!!!
Just got one question, what are your thoughts on Andersons brilliant free-kicks which puts him in the pecking order over free-kick taker for United the coming season? 
I gotta tell you, I was in shock myself! Couldnt believe it, and still cant. Looking forward to more goals now in the future from Andy(and dont you dare say it wont happen, I feel happy these days! 
).
August 1st, 2009 at 10:54
Am I those only one who find it ironic that Andersons first Manchester United goal hit the post?
Looking through the record, he has hit the post a massive 16 times for Manchester United in all competitions(friendlies counted) in his two years at the club! 
I knew he had hit some, but that is a lot! So much for bad shooting, rather bad luck… 
August 1st, 2009 at 12:42
@Grognard: Welcome back Grog, i trust all is becoming well in the land of the Grog?
I second your Scholes to retire demand, i kills me to see a boyhood hero of mine to become so mediocore/championship class. Scholes is better than this and i always thought he was a humble man! one who would know when he has lost his touch and would take that step down for the greater good of the team he has so tremendously graced for over a decade. Neville has the heart of a 17 yr old but the body of a well used up 34yr old and i also thought better of him too. He is and has been our Gaffers righthand man on the pitch.
Personally i feel it’s not only Fergie who is having trouble letting go of these legendary player but also the Legends themselves fearing the unknown. All they know is Manchester United and playing for them. Personally i think i’d have a mental breakdown at the heartache of having to give up on the thing i love most but hey i’m not a professional footballer.
The sentiment thing works both ways. Fergie must find it hard to say no to such hard working loyal minions who has bleed for so long for him.
Thus why i would never be a Football manager.
Onto the Anderson goal! it wasn’t him it was an imposter dressed up to look like Anderson. lol
even though it was a pre-season game i feel it would give Ando the confidence boost that he needs. The boy has it in his head he can’t score for this team because of his amazingly long draught but now he’s off the mark it might help. would prefer it to be in open play for that extra boost though.
P.s How’s the view from your window?
August 1st, 2009 at 12:48
It looks like we have signed another starlet…
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5465435,00.html
Anyone have any idea abt this kid?
August 1st, 2009 at 13:11
@Vivek: Reported a few months ago, this lad. Surprised it took so long to complete.
I believe hes 16, so i doubt any united fan would know any, let alone little about him.
August 1st, 2009 at 13:20
Sorry about the grammar, at work at the moment and have to rush the messages as i’m being watched and shouldn’t be on the net. lol
I just can’t resist this site.
Eddy you should be out in the rain training hard, your a marked man now and they are watching you!! (who “they” are exactly i don’t know yet!)
we should offer valencia £60 mil for silv and villa if anything to stop anyone else getting them .lol
August 1st, 2009 at 13:38
Fact is that we were a high scoring teram before Ronaldo and there is no reason we cannot continue to be one after him. Actually we didn’t score that many goals last year even if Ronaldo personally did. M
August 1st, 2009 at 15:56
near on 2 hours and no one has posted, is this a day of silence in respect of the late great sir robert william robson??? or it just a very slow day?
i was led astray by transfer rumours and found myself in the middle of some dirty scummy scouse blog. But something did catch my eye. More than a few idiotic scumpool fans are now saying the Rafa Surprise for SAF is that they are going to acuire the services of none other than Ruud Van Nistlerooy. This i found rather amusing as althoughg he was a great striker he is too long in the tooth for the prem. The urge to say something was that large i had to delete my search history and clear all internet records followed by shutting my comp down going away to distract myself.
The messy situation i could of found myself in. My IQ could of been butchered by their shere idiocity i mean claiming they are get RVN as a surprise for Fergie? what is this fucking football one upmanship where a debt ridden club can afford to buy player just to wind other managers up??
They claim they shall get 20mil plus Sneijder for Alonso? seriously Also is ok but 20 mil and Sneijder ahhh
oh and to top it off The goons down at the emirates irritated me a lil, now i seemed to have gotten myself an iffinity to the gunners (much like fergie to wenger) they don’t irk me what-so-ever on the norm but to claim that they are in for no other than Mr Daniel De Rossi thats just got right on my F**King T*Ts. The same guy who said he does not wish to leave Roma and vice versa roma would not sell. How dare they even think that if this boy was up for grabs we (MANCHESTER UNITED) wouldn’t rip the hand no in fact arms of anyone holding him out so us!! or that if given the choice Danny boy would even contemplate joining the Gunners over us! arrrggghhh Fergie Make so god damn Moves
I need someone to come and shot these F**king Premiership pretender fans out of the sky (thats right the sky not the water) these guys are a bunch of R.Kelly’s (i believe i can fly!!)
errm humm! Sorry All Just had to get that of my chest.
On a lighter note we do actually have some fans like that claiming we are putting in a £35 mil bid for Essien. Now That is sky high stoners teritory, would be awesome if true but lets get real Chelsea ain’t stupid. Spending wise yes maybe but selling wise no!
any whoooo i’m off for a lung kill cigarette to calm myself.
see you soon.
the mental Monk!
August 1st, 2009 at 16:29
@Footy4Eddy: I’m still convinced his goal is either a conspiracy or was just a dream that I have not awoken from yet. I fully expect to wake up and find out that it was just a silly dream.
Seriously though, one can never take too much from one kick but I have to say he took his chance beautifully and that goal should increase his composure and confidence greatly. Lets wait a while before we get too comfortable over him taking free kicks for us. Still, very positive signs.
August 1st, 2009 at 16:32
@Grognard: Scholes would retire if he could, but right now we have no one to replace him!!
If Gibson continues to improve then we could see him fazed out by the New Year. But thats a big IF!
Glad you made it through the move, mate. Welcome back!
August 1st, 2009 at 16:37
@Grognard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xop17BfNVI8
August 1st, 2009 at 16:39
@frankie: And if you take away his tally, what are you left with??
Because we’ve scored lots of goals in the past, doesn’t magically mean that we’re destined to do the same again. Look at our current squad, their goal scoring records, and only the most staunch optimist could dream up a scenario in which we will score a lot!!
August 1st, 2009 at 16:41
@Monkwahhdo: I am training, but on my strength and ability. Just some weights and ball control practice at home.
Dont worry about me, Im doing just fine! 
August 1st, 2009 at 16:42
@Monkwahhdo: Thanks mate, it’s good to be back. The move was an absolute killer and it would take place during the worst heat wave in Vancouver history. We have had longer heat waves but none as hot as this. A record breaker and I must say that it almost killed me. Still I got over it although I have yet to unpack and settle in to my new flat. I plan on unpacking very slowly as I need time to recuperate from that week of true Hell. Love my new place though as it is nice and cool and facing North. And no, I cannot see the water. I am on the third floor but there are tall trees and a houses blocking my view. But the sea is so close I can smell it and certainly a walk to it is only a few minutes.
Now regarding Scholes, many know by now that I have never been one of his biggest supporters. Yes he has been a great servant for the club but he just never thrilled me like he did many others. He has become very slow and surprisingly, he has become a bit careless with his passes. He no longer offers us any attacking options and his pace is just not up to par. Having said all that, it is early in the pre season and generally a player like Scholes needs 7 to 10 EPL games to find his form and his legs. So although I feel he is finished, I will reserve total condemnation and cries for his retirement until after he has played a fair amount of games. Lets face it, older players take longer to round into shape. In fact, Giggs totally sucked last season until the heroic effort at home vs Chelsea. So I will show a bit of patience out of respect for the Ginger Ninja
August 1st, 2009 at 16:46
@Redrich: There are plenty to replace him mate. It just requires Fergie to spend some bloody money. De Rossi, van der Vaart, Sneijder, Toure, are all out there and can be bought for the right price. The two Dutchmen especially can be had right now as Real are desperate to unload. Our midfield is just so ordinary and the fact Fergie doesn’t see it really disturbs me.
August 1st, 2009 at 16:48
@Footy4Eddy: I saw it mate and I am convinced it was you who inserted that into the real game and got thousands if not millions believing that Anderson had scored a legit goal. CON OF THE CENTURY!!
August 1st, 2009 at 16:54
@Grognard: Yep, as nice as that 60m looks sitting in the bank, it’d look a whole lot nicer dressed up in a red shirt!!
August 1st, 2009 at 17:03
well it was just short of 2 hours before began to type that mess of a post. lol
Why is it that the transfer window seems to drag on longer every season?
where has everybody gone? i feel like Eddy just sat here waiting on anyone to comment to stop myself feeling alone.
Where is Grog, where is Eddy? where is Dan, Redranter (moving i know but still) redreich, owen, colver Nico? I think i’m just going to finish work and go out to drink myself into oblivion.
August 1st, 2009 at 17:07
sorry about the delayed posting, work in a motor claims call centre so get stuck on calls mid typing.
Grog what do you reckon Roma would take for Danny boy?
August 1st, 2009 at 17:07
@Grognard:
BTW, fancy a laugh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JknU2MLaZEw&feature=rec-HM-r2
August 1st, 2009 at 17:11
@Monkwahhdo: Im here mate, just commented. No offence, but what was that comment about!?
Ive been doing some training today, and hung out with my friends. Gotta say, I love Oslo when its great weather! Good weather=party!!! 
August 1st, 2009 at 17:15
@Grognard: Wow, thats sounds rough!
I know moving can be a pain in the ass, but during a heat wave? Now thats just fucked up! Still, its good to see that you like your new flat. Nothing sweeter than a good home, eh? 
And I guess as a Greek it only feels good to be near the ocean?
August 1st, 2009 at 17:18
@Grognard: Anderson is gonna be the worlds best midfielder in about a year or two, so you shouldnt worry about our midfield right now. Something tells me Andy is gonna make you forget all about Riquelme and Ronaldo…
Dont kill me for saying that, just in a good mood right now!
August 1st, 2009 at 17:26
@Monkwahhdo: £30 million should do it. In my mind he is worth about £50 mill, but I think Roma would reject any offer we may come with… They seem relucant to sell him, but a offer in that area may make them at least consider it. At least hope so, if we got De Rossi we would be as good as unbeatable! Talking about enforcers, he is as good as they get.
August 1st, 2009 at 17:36
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5465680,00.html
De Rossi looks impossible to get… He wouldve have to be thrown out of Roma if we are going to get him! If only he had been an Argie…
August 1st, 2009 at 17:44
Oh, and for those who care, Mame Biram Diouf scored a goal today. A header in the 8-1 win over Start(yeah, wierd name!
). Couldve scored two, but he didnt get to take a penalty because he offered it to a teammates who could get his hat-trick. He did. 
August 1st, 2009 at 17:52
Jack wilshire is making the atletico madrid players look average. Why cant he play for united
August 1st, 2009 at 18:15
@Footy4Eddy: WTF? This is sick!!!
Lescott is best, though!
August 1st, 2009 at 18:19
@Redrich: “Scholes would retire if he could, but right now we have no one to replace him!!
“
The current scholes is shite, pluck any kid from the reserves and he will offer more than scholes right now. The only thing he does now is pass the ball backward. No matter where he is at on the pitch his first touch is a negative one that sets him up to pass it back to the back 4 or th Keeper. I for the life of me cant fathom what fergie sees in him now.
August 1st, 2009 at 18:20
@Footy4Eddy: Only one goal? Didn’t he average four goals per game?
That’s it then. He’s crap.
August 1st, 2009 at 18:26
@NicoQB: He has got 18 goals in 22 apperances in the NP, so its defo not 4 per game!
August 1st, 2009 at 18:31
@NicoQB: Looking at that video makes me understand Citys policy. Buy the ugliest players in the world!
They have signed Tevez already, and want to buy Lescott, Ribery and Clichy. 
August 1st, 2009 at 18:33
@owen: And we’ll loose every game a million nil and get relegated by christmas?!
August 1st, 2009 at 18:50
@Footy4Eddy: Apparently, over his entire career in Norway, in all competitions, it is 4 per game.
August 1st, 2009 at 19:15
milk cup semifinal highlight
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/milkcup/?vid=premier_semis_09
August 1st, 2009 at 19:19
check the top ten goals.manchester united did over 10 passes to get the goal .worth looking at
August 1st, 2009 at 19:38
@ebrahim: Thanks.
Good attacking mentality by the kids.
Paul McG doing a great job.
August 1st, 2009 at 19:40
@Dan: Who the fuck told you that?
He is far from that, he is under a goal per game. No fucking way its 4 per game, that would be impossibe mate!
August 1st, 2009 at 19:57
@johnsom33: Neither can I, but SAF will always stick with the “old guard” when things are tough. And believe me, times are really tough in CMF!!
August 1st, 2009 at 20:14
@ all: any new transfer rumours???
(plz dont mention ribery)
August 1st, 2009 at 20:19
@owen: You’ll find some here.
August 1st, 2009 at 20:24
@ Redrich : times r tough everywhere mate,not only CMF…
the ever reliable defence is also looking shaky…
wat abt strikers….
rooney is nowhere his average…
berbatov still showing everything except scoring goals
August 1st, 2009 at 20:27
@ Dan : wat was that mate ???
August 1st, 2009 at 20:38
where r u all
August 1st, 2009 at 20:38
@Dan:
Classic mate, classic! 
August 1st, 2009 at 20:49
@owen: Come on mate, its only pre-season. You cant judge anything negative about certain players in pre-season, as they need time. Some players just need more time than others to get into their rythm. Our defence has played without Vidic for all games so far, and without Rafael as well. Hell, we kept a clean sheet against Bayern with a back 4 of Fletcher, Cathcart, Evans and Evra! How can you possibly say our defence is looking shaky when we lack two of our best 3 defenders! Brown and Vida are out, and but Rio has done well. SO dont get that comment mate…
As for strikers, read this: @Footy4Eddy
Goals will come from everywhere, and you have no reason to be pessimistic! Things are looking bright right now, and not bleak. Have we lost a game so far this summer? No, only on penalties to Germans. Germans!!! We kept a clean sheet against them with a back 4 including Fletch and Cathcart, and with a midfield of Scholes and Giggs with Gibson on the wing!!! Come on, with the team we played we should be happy we didnt lose! We also hit the woodwork and created the biggest chances, only for some deft finishing from our not-yet-fresh strikers. Anderson score a goal, I mean ANDERSON!!!
Even I couldnt believe my eyes! 
Owen has done really well on the tour, ending as top scorer. Berba looked fresh, and Nani and Valencia have shown promising signs against good opposition. No reason to fear doom and gloo just yet mate! 
August 1st, 2009 at 20:49
@Dan: +1
August 1st, 2009 at 21:03
@ Footy4Eddy : mate i also want to be have the same confidence of you…
but due to being champions for last three yrs, there is a lot of fear…
also we have to proove others tat we r still as good without ronaldo…
August 1st, 2009 at 21:04
@owen: Im sorry mate, ive wanted to do that for a while and you were the unlucky one. If you want transfer rumours, go to the BBC gossip page. It gets updated everyday.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:13
@ Dan : no problem mate…
it was too nice for some change
August 1st, 2009 at 21:20
@Monkwahhdo: It would take at least 25 mil and a lot of convincing to get Roma and De Rossi to budge. Much easier is going after Sneijder or van der Vaart. I think both can be had for under 20 million a piece. But what’s the point of discussing it? Fergie is not on the same wave length as most of us. But fear not, he will be…..he will be. Ten games into the season and he’ll be singing our song and praying for the January transfer window to come.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:24
@Footy4Eddy: That Sparky sure has the moves.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:26
@Grognard: Nope, hes gonna pull a berbatov and pay over the odds on the last day of the transfer window.
Fergie thinks a midfield of scholes and giggs is good enough to win the CL so why are we discussing this?
Darron gibson is better then scholes, but whos gonna get more games?
August 1st, 2009 at 21:27
@ Grognard : mate you r wrong…
it will take him only 5 games ,instead of 10, to realise…
August 1st, 2009 at 21:33
@Footy4Eddy: Yes it feels good to be near water. I guess the zodiac is correct because I’m an Aquarian. The move was killer to begin with because of the sheer amount of stuff I was packing up to move to my new place as well as all the stuff that was being given away or thrown out. Just massive and on top of that I have a very bad back and ticky ticker too boot. On Tuesday I quit early because I could feel the symptoms of heat exhaustion hitting me so I loaded up on fluids and went to bed,
Fortunately I bought this killer fan that cooled my bedroom up very well. Very strong fan and it has become my new best friend.
Now I need to unpack and settle in but I am taking a few days off just to recuperate. The worst thing about all this was having to give up my 56″ wide screen rear projection monster of a tv. Just too big for my new living room. I need to get an LCD flat screen tv soon or I may jump off my balcony.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:33
@ Grognard : i am really not understanding the mentalities of all managers…
they r chasing those who r not availabe anyway like ribery,rossi,terry or even villa…
and there is no one going after those who r available and mind u they r class players like sneijder.vaart,robben….
it is really annoying that there is no one goingfor robben???
he is really good…
August 1st, 2009 at 21:34
@Footy4Eddy: Fat chance mate. You’re dreaming.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:44
@owen: I was just trying to show some objectivity but you are right, five games will do. And you have also keyed on to something i have mentioned numerous times before which is United’s and Fergies hubris regarding chasing players who have no interest in playing for us or for for Fergie. So why does he do it? Simple mate, to make us poor supporters feel like they are active and interested in signing players when in reality, the opposite is the case. By going after players they know we will never get, there is no money lost and no risk of one of those players then saying yes, I’ll forget about Real Madrid and sign for United. Fergie may be fooling many out there with his Benzema and Ribery teases, but I know better. The fact is we don’t have a plug nickel to spend on big players and so we just talk the talk but never walk the walk.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:56
@owen: Really good but really injury-prone, too. You can’t rely on him to play more than 30 games a season, if that, and he’s very selfish as well. Personally I think Real should hold onto him for at least one more season and see how hard he can push Ronaldo and Kaka, but it doesn’t look likely.
@Grognard: I think if he’s part of a settled midfield partnership we’ll really see the benefits. Knowing that you can fuck up once or twice and still keep your place can be good for some players and bad for others. I think both he and Nani need a run of 10 games or so where they know that they’ll be in the team next week, just to get them a little more settled into the side. And he has shown that he does have the potential to be a truly world-beating midfielder.
August 1st, 2009 at 21:59
@Grognard: Sorry do you remember how much we’ve spent each season since the Glazers took over? And they’re now selling (or have sold) Tampa, so they have a fair bit of cash if it comes to it. They’ve shown time and again that they know that investment will help to bring success. We’ve got the money but there isn’t an abundance of world-class players available out there.
August 1st, 2009 at 22:14
@ grognard: man utd midfield + strikers:
valencia carrick anderson nani
rooney barba
liverpool :
kuyt gerrard mascherano riera
torres villa ( much chance)
chelsea :
ballack lampard essien zhirkov
drogba anelka
no match b/w us and others two…
the diffence last time was ronaldo used to score the same amount of goals scored by the combined mid field of others ( may be 5-7 less)
who will do it now???
nani???
andy???
August 1st, 2009 at 22:23
@owen:
Valencia > Kuyt
Anderson > Mascherano
Nani > Riera+Zhirkov
Rooney > Drogba+Anelka
Rooney=Torres
only:
Essien > Carrick+Anderson
Villa > Berbatov
Gerrrad > Carrick
Oh no, how are we gonna survive?!
BTW, for Liverpool there is a bigger chance of being:
Kuyt Macherano Cattermole Riera
Gerrard Torres
Xabi will leave, and I highly doubt Villa to join Liverpool. He seems like a nice guy, and he will stay in Spain for his family. He wont move to United, he wont move to Liverpool, he wont move to Chelski and he wont move to Burnley. He will stay in Spain, so Liverpool will be fucked. And Chelski are growing older and older, and except for Essien their team dont scare me. If they get rid of Carvalho as well, they will lose more than we lose with Ronaldo…
August 1st, 2009 at 22:28
@owen: Oh, and by the way
United:
VDS
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Liverpool:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Skrtel Aurelio
Chelsea:
Cech
Bosingwa Terry Carvalho Cole
That is teh deciding facter when the season has ended, and we will win that one.
August 1st, 2009 at 22:40
@ Footy4Eddy : i am not sure but i think we concede more goals than chelsea and also we scored less than liverpools….
liverpool will definately get either villa aur silva as we all know the love of spanish players for liverpools..
rooney > anelka + drogba
drogba was the golden boot winner sespite not taking freekicks and penalties…
r u serious when u tell anderson > mascherano
and valencia ( 4 goals in 100 matches) > kuyt
August 1st, 2009 at 22:49
@owen: That is because we played Neville for too many games last season, and Oshea was our best right back at the end of the season. Brown is the best RB in the League, and if we can make him stay fit for at least 20 games of the season it would be a massive boost! Rafael is still very immature and too brave at times for a defender…
The chances of Liverpool getting either Silva or Villa, despite what papers want to make you believe, are as good as slim to none.
Drogba can only become worse, as he only gets older. Rooney also gets older, but he is at an age where he can only improve. Plus, he can be a goalscorer AND playmaker. Same goes for Anelka, he can only get older and worse…
Anderson can turn into one of the worlds best midfielder, because some people forget that Andy is only 20 years old. Mascherano is worse than shit, his temperament lets him down at times and I find him overrated. Essien on the other hand is a monster, and I know how to judge Def Mids.
Kuyt is a poor mans Park… Enough said.
August 1st, 2009 at 22:56
@ Footy4Eddy : mate i am really waiting for the season to get 15 matches old so that i can reply…
for my sake mate,plz remember the comments…
then only it will be better to discuss…
one more thing,i have doubt now that rooney can only improove
August 1st, 2009 at 22:58
bcoz of 20 years of age only, not everyone is going to be world’s best midfieder
August 1st, 2009 at 23:01
@owen: Alright, but I would trust you more to remember it because I have moer important things on my mind! Just right now I see no reason to be pessimistic, and there is no need to be sad in happy times!
August 1st, 2009 at 23:14
@Grognard: Funny how you describe Anderons goal as “Hell in a handbasket”, while I think of it as a Godsend from heaven!
August 1st, 2009 at 23:16
@owen: Finally, what will decide the title in the end!
Sir Alex Ferguson > Rafa Benitez+Carlo Ancelotti
Manchester United > The whole Premier League!
August 1st, 2009 at 23:38
Here is an interesting read I found on the Norwegian United site. This is my way of translating it!
“”
Two pre-season games remaining before the new Manchester United will try to become the first club in history to win the English Premier League four years in a row.
That we lost against Bayern last night on penalties is not something to dwell to much on. I thought it was clear that the team was marked by some long trips and many flew “half the world”, but there are many positive elements to read from the pre-season so far:
We seem to work as a team. There were periods during the last two seasons where it was all about “Give it to Ronaldo!”, Only to hope that something would happen – Which sometimes it actually did. We are definitely no longer a “one man team”, to the extent that a team of United quality can be said to have been then.
We have new players that both refreshes and fits well into the team. We must play this first season to see what Valencia, Owen and Obertan (and hopefully from January also Diouf, even though I think he will have to wait long for a work permit) actually manage to perform for United. Valencia is very exciting, it was a moment against Bayern Munich he reminded me of Andrei Kanchelskis in which he played the ball past the defender, and only disappeared in the horizon – breathtaking pace and acceleration. Owen is a type of player we have lacked, a backroom player with the end product almost on par with Solskjær.
We are in an attacking positiong. Usually a team that just won a trophy is supposed to defend it. I look at the new season with a clear feeling that we are actually more in the positiong of having all to win and nothing to lose, rather than the opposite. “Everybody” expects us to be poorer without Ronaldo. Now the players have a chance to prove during the course of the season that we actually are a better team, with better coordination, without the world’s best player. The pressure is greatest in the upcoming season for Liverpool – who MUST win a major trophy again – and City, who seem to try to gather as many players so that no one should look at the club as not having enough “stars” to be a good team. ———–> Note from Eddy, City suck!!!
We have the best manager in the world. Of cource Fergies last season is not far away. We cannot expect hom to be a manager when he reaches 70-75. In a way he is now about to build his last team. When Scholes, Giggs and Neville retire in a year or two (I expect Scholes and Neville to retire in about 12 months, while Ryan probably has one more year on him) the golden generation that marked the first team since 1996 has disappeared. Now Ferguson has an incredibly exciting mix of experienced and young players, who can almost be compared with 1996. The difference is that not many of the young players are from Manchester, and that the 1996-team had several leader characters. In a way, Ferguson is right now building his last team.
United weakness is that we may not have a strong midfieldenforcer. There are so many possible combinations in the central midfield right now, that it is difficult to say whether some of them are outstanding. I think it is unrealistic that Owen Hargreaves is ever going to come back fully fit, and he has missed so much football in two of the last three years that it is going to be practically impossible for him to reach his potensial. So I will not be surprised if it arrives a new central midfielder before September. Darron Gibson is a good player, but he currently lacks the little extra that makes him extraordinary.
Two weeks left until REAL football begins. Its going to be wonderful!
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:03
OMG!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVXb4QjV2nM
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:26
@michael: Oh I so disagree with you mate. There are plenty of great world class players out there but Fergie has dragged his ass because he doesn’t want to spend big money on principle. Well principle does not win you championships, players do. And players like Aguero, Villa, Silva, van der Vaart, Huntelaar, Sneijder, Toure, De Rossi, Rossi, Pogrebnyak, Drenthe, Moutinho, Hernanes and others have been out there and ready to be bought. Instead we are led to believe that we are fine as is and that we will not be forced into spending money when the sale of Ronaldo for 80 million is what started this price hike mess we are seeing. Our midfield is a joke and it will show in time just how useless and inept they will be as our strikers will be starving for service.
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:30
@owen: It’s called being up Shit Creek without a paddle mate. Inexcusable that Fergie would truly believe his midfield is good enough. I am also distressed by his need to have players that don’t complain and accept being part of a squad rotation. Is he losing it? First off, I would never want a star player to play for me and be content to sit on the bench and shutup. That would signal lack of desire, ambition and heart in my books. Secondly, he wants conformists and not mercenaries in this the age of the mercenary. Christ, I cannot believe the Gaffer is that naive.
Like I said, we shall see very soon what this team is made of. If I’m wrong the season will prove it out. Somehow, I rather doubt that I am.
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:34
@Footy4Eddy:
Mascherano over Anderson any day of the week mate.
I love Nani but he is not in Zhirkov’s class.
Rooney over Torres? I don’t think so. I think that’s a tie.
Liverpool is not done dealing either. Don’t be too surprised if they sign
Villa or Silva or both. The money from selling Alonso will go a long way in helping them get that killer player.
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:35
@Grognard: Still, I hope you are…
There is big pressure on Andys shoulders this season. I hope he can prove me right, and you wrong. I tell youn, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, would feel sweeter!
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:36
@Footy4Eddy: It was chaos and the big bang theory all in one. You are out of it for a week and you come back to the surreal. And I was referring to a number of events combined as Hell in a hand basket.
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:41
@Grognard: Mascherano is overrated in my opinion. And I know DMF! Trust me, from what Ive seen from Mascherano he is an overrated piece of shit. Not bias talking here, Ive never wanted Mach at United. Not even when he was at West Ham, because he did nothing to prove his quality. And although right now Andy may not be a brilliant player, I believe he will be some day. Which is impossible for Macherano…
On a good day, Nani is a good a winger as it gets!(havent seen to much of Zhirkov though, so difficult to judge him…)
“Rooney=Torres” means tie. Equally good players, but with different qualities.
And dont you tell me you dont think Liverpool are in depth. If our money from the Ronaldo sale goes to our depth, then what do you think will happen to the Alonso money… At leats we are winning things, Liverpool are doing shit to win stuff! Only way for them to make money is by selling players now… Alonso will be sold, but unless Mach also goes they will not buy Villa or Silva. Cattermole maybe, but not Villa!
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:41
@Grognard:
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:46
@Footy4Eddy: I’m not a big believer in the magic switch theory. Everybody seems to think that this season Fergie will turn on the magic switch that will make Anderson into a world class performer who will score goals too. That with this switch Michael Owen will go against history and against his proven track record and not get injured this season like he has been the past four years. We are expected to believe that this magical switch when turned on will wake up Michael Carrick and turn him into the attacking consistent force we have been waiting for while Darren Fletcher will be the second coming of Roy Keane even thought there is nothing in his play that makes me think of Keano.
Finally, this magic switch will charge new life into the old legs of Neville, Scholes and Giggs and Berbatov will all of a sudden stop being the languid and lazy Berba who scores a dozen goals in a season and will now become a player full of life, fire and vinegar who will score 25 goals. All I know is could Fergie please use this elixir of a magic switch and use it on me to give me back some life as this week has made me totally exhausted?
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:49
@Grognard: Ferguson can do anything, if you just give him a good reason to do it.
History proves me right…
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:50
@Footy4Eddy: I am not a fan of Mascherano’s as I think he is a little cunt and he looks like Freddy Mercury but even more gay. But the fact is that he is an outstanding DMF mate. If you don’t think so, that’s fine, but he truly is. Why would Barcelona want him so bad if he weren’t? Nobody came knocking on United’s door asking for Andy now did they?
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:53
@Footy4Eddy: Fergie has done incredible things but he has always had players to do it with. And contrary to what everyone might think, he has not won the league every year and he has only one the Champions League twice. So he is far from perfect and he got totally outclassed and out smarted in the CL final too, lets not forget. I hope he can prove me wrong but I just don’t see it because frankly, we just don’t have the players and we recently lost the God who truly made our team great. Without him I expect us to fall like a shooting star into 4th or 5th place.
August 2nd, 2009 at 0:57
@Grognard: Its because Andy has said he never wants to leave United, and he is our version of Romas De Rossi/Totti(loyalty).
To be honest, Toure is ten times the player Mach is. He cant shoot, he cant control his temper, and he isnt exactly quick either… I find him aggressive, yes. He may break up attacks, yes. But he can also be caught out of position often, and its not difficult getting past him… He can easily make the people around him confused, as he is a nutter without any tactical understnding.
I take notes of DMs…
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:06
@Grognard: If there is something I can say about Ferguson, it is that I wouldnt trust anybody else with Manchester United or my own life for that matter but him! He is a guy you just know you can trust, and he seems to know most thigns before they happen. Now he may not win the Premier League every season, or have won the Champions League many times. But there is no man bigger than him, and if there is, I would like you to point him out and tell me his name because it would change my life!
He may have lost some of his spark these last few years, but I still believe that he knows some things we never will understand. He seems to have that act for knowing people, talent and potensial. He seems to have a lot of faith in Anderson, and that is a big reason why I also have so much faith in him. I dont understand why he didnt give Nani so many chances last season, but it might just have been an act for Nani to mprove himself and do his best all the time so he should fight for his place. Who knows? He knew Ronaldo would leave, and he has done for a few years. I dont think he would have gone through these last years without a plan for the future, and if he has a pan who are you and who am I to say it is wrong until we have actually seen it. No, I dont believe in magic. But if there is one thing I have learnt from being a United fan it is that nothing is impossible, and the most unlikely thigns can come true if you just believe hard in it! 
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:07
I am great at speeches, arent I?
Maybe I should look at a career in politics when I retire from being a footballer? 
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:49
Mascherano is basically an angry Darren Fletcher with less chance of scoring a goal than Anderson.
Villa and Silva will not leave Spain. I know playing for Liverpool is near enough spanish, but it’s weather and euros that will stop those deals happening.
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:31
@Footy4Eddy: Well look at it this way. It takes a sense of courage to be able to question a man who has had such success. Yes he has been a giant among dwarfs but he is not perfect. He has made errors in judgment before and I think he is making big ones this year. Sure the chances are that i may be wrong because I obviously don’t know as much as the Gaffer………or do I?
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:45
Just back from another day of packing and moving. Terribly exhausted, but more because I’m extremely pissed off at IKEA. Those people need to work on their inventory tracker. I spend a good hour deciding my bed, speak with the salesman who plugs in the model numbers, sends me all the way down to the aisle only for me to discover that they’re out of stock. And it shows the items are in stock both, in their online system as well as the salespersons’ own system. And to think I drove 25 miles to the place.
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:33
@Red Ranter: Ouch, you should of threatened to shit in his manbag, if if doesnt give you the bed you want
Cheer up, my mother use to always say, everything happens for a reason.
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:48
@Red Ranter: You know what you have to do then…
*cough*kill*cogh*them*cough*
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:50
@Grognard: You often question the work of God, but in the end you realise it happens for a reason…
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:51
@Traverse: +1
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:55
Do you guys also think Fergie wants to check out Silva on Wednesday? There are lots of rumours going around that Fergie is going to bid for Silva, because Villa is destined to stay. We all know what happend in 2003, Ronaldo practically killed us and Fergie was driven to buying him. That was a friendly, and Oshea was right back… He suffered the most. That was after we had sold our biggest superstar, Becks. Now we have sold Ronaldo, and although things are quite different I can easily see Fergie wanting to see how Silva does against us, and if he does well, we make an offer. We bid for Silva last season too, but he said he wanted to develop himself more in Spain before he moved abroad. Its been a year, and Valencia are due to sell him. We have the money, and we need a winger. If Nani or Tony gets injured/suspended, I dont wanna see Gibson and Park out there…
GET HIM FERGIE!!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:59
I would feel much better about the season if we have Silva in our ranks. He is a world class player, and can apparently be had for £25mil. He can head, cross and shoot with both feet, is quick, can play anywhere across the midfield or behind the main striker.
There isn’t much better value for the Ronaldo money than that. I hope he whoops our ass Wednesday!
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:21
@Traverse: For maybe the first time in my life, I am praying for a person playing for the opposite team making United look like kids without any football knowledge. Well, at elast our right back and defense…
Even though I am happy with our current squad, it would be absolutely awesome if we could bring Silva in with us. He is an amazing talent, and as you said, is versitile. Fergie likes those, so hoping for a great game! From him at least… 
Still, I would give my left nut for De Rossi…
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:50
@Dan: According to my scources he isnt going to be the only 16 year old to join United in two weeks time… But we will see!
August 2nd, 2009 at 13:35
@Footy4Eddy: Oh, you know someone thats joining united?
August 2nd, 2009 at 14:41
@Footy4Eddy: I swear the rags are reading the blog, i’ve said it a few times that fergie would be watching both Silva and Villa when we play Valencia at OT. I also said we should bid £60 mil for the pair. The rag claims Fergie is putting in a £25 mil bid for Silva and will be watching Villa to see if he would be worth the punt too!
August 2nd, 2009 at 16:52
@Red Ranter: RR. DON’T BUY FROM IKEA!!!!!
Trust me on this. When I got engaged back in 1986 my fiancee and I spent all our money furnishing our apartment with Ikea products. Within a year we were buying new furniture from other places. It’s all crap and it’s all made from cheap particle board. Ikea is total rubbish like Newcastle Utd.
Anyway, I hope your move has gone better than mine. I still haven’t started unpacking because frankly I’m still exhausted, it’s too damned hot, and my body is just simply telling me NO FRAKKEN WAY!!
Good luck with your move and here’s hoping you enjoy your new place mate. Cheers.
August 2nd, 2009 at 16:59
@Traverse: I don’t like the idea of buying a lone Spaniard and expect him to feel happy in the wilderness without any other fellow Spaniards around. Those people suffer from an extreme tribal mentality. That is why you don’t see too many of them leave Spain and why Liverpool manages because they have Spaniard manager and about six of them around to form a band. They are an extremely insecure bunch and I for one would go elsewhere and find a player who would feel comfortable playing in Northern England.
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:01
@Footy4Eddy: That would leave you with no nuts correct? Didn’t you already offer up your other nut if Anderson were to score?
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:06
Come on fergie, wake the fuck up and put a £20-30mil bid in for wilshire
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:13
@Footy4Eddy: tell ‘em eddy.
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:15
@Grognard: Nah, I was gonna run down the street naked! My right nut is left for more important things… Come to think of it, what is more important for me than Anderson scoring?
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:16
@owen: someone got this guy on suicide watch?
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:17
@Dan: I told you about my mate, the striker/winger who said he was going to United. Last night I heard he would fulfill his dream in two weeks, but I dunno if he meant as a finalised deal or whether its just a trial…
I still cant tell which club I may go to…
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:18
@Footy4Eddy: go out to loose and you surely will
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:18
@Traverse: The other problem I have with Silva is I honestly in my heart do not think he is a much better upgrade to Nani. I also feel that winger is not our weak spot, central midfield is. Why is he not going after Sneijder, Hernanes or an other central midfielder? Has he not seen that Scholes is done like dinner and that the rest are woefully not up to handling the Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool midfields? Unbelievable that we are going into this season with the same central midfield as last year. Did Fergie not learn from Rome just how poor we are in that area or does he believe that Darren Fletcher’s absence on that evening was the reason for our loss?
I cannot believe Fergie is that stupid.
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:19
@Monkwahhdo:
We know the rags follow this site, just a few days ago Daily Mail was in here and told us about their Fantasy FOotball thingy… Kinda pathetic really. 
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:19
@Dan: You mean a two or three pound bid right?
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:20
@gator:
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:22
@Footy4Eddy: never seen someone so happy to get a yellow in my life. hahaha
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:24
@Footy4Eddy: Damned straight they are. I know for a fact that they have stolen some of my more bizarre theories like Torres possibly being placed in a position financially and coming to United. Nobody even considered that until I wrote it and within a couple of hours one of the rags wrote an article that sounded almost exactly like my rant based on the why’s and hows.
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:30
@Grognard: Pathetic really, but its got to be a good job… You get paid to go through football blogs, while offering no creativity on your own! Those guys are some lazy ass bitches…
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:35
@Grognard:
Hes talent jokes aside, a real talent.
August 2nd, 2009 at 17:44
Guys, take a look at this.
Liverpool(a): 1-2
Rooney Scholes Carrick(Giggs) Anderson
Chelsea(a): 1-1
Hargreaves Fletcher Scholes Park
Arsenal(a): 1-2
Ronaldo Carrick Anderson Park
Chelsea(h): 3-0
Ronaldo Fletcher Giggs Park
Liverpool(h): 1-4
Ronaldo Carrick Anderson Park
Arsenal(h): 0-0
Ronaldo Fletcher Carrick Giggs
*Barcelona(n): 0-2
Park Carrick Giggs Anderson Rooney
We lost all our games when Fletcher did not play. Now I am not Fletchers biggest fan, but you gotta admit its funny that we didnt lose any of the big games he started, but lost all four he didnt play… Maybe Fergie has a point, maybe Fletch is the missing link for the big games!?
Well, Im gonna give Fergie the benefit of the doubt here, and if FLetch is the missing link then fuck De Rossi!!! We have got De Fletch! 
*This is only theoretic, but its weird that we beat Arsenal 3-1 when Flecther played and lost 2-1 when he didnt..*
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:06
Starting on a new topic, I think this should be our first 11 next season:
VDS/Foster
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani(Silva?)
Rooney Berbatov
Three of the back four picks themselves, but I would play Rafael in the “usual games” because he will need games to get experience. He has the potensial to become one of the best right backs in the world, but he will need games and he is still only 19. VDS is currently our best keeper, but Foster is the future and could be rotated for the “usual games”, like Blackburn, Pompey, Stoke and Hull. Carrick is probably going to play the most games of our midfielders, but the guy next to him may be one of Anderson, Fletcher or Scholes for the “usual games”. In these games we should try to win, therefore Nani is a must. If I see Park I will scream!
And not South Korea style… Maybe we will have Silva, then he will be our first choice winger along with Valencia. Rooney is probably gonna be one of the first names on the teamsheet in every game, but in these types of games I would play Berbatov because we will be given more room and more chances.
But in the big games:
VDS
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Fletcher Anderson Park(Silva?)
Owen Rooney
Brown-Rio-Vidic-Evra is probably the best back four in the world. Not talking bias here, but I dont think there is a more complete back 4 in the world… Evra may be skinned sausage, but you cant have everything, can you? VDS is our best keeper, and he will be played in the big games along with Brown, Rio, Vida and SS. Valencia is gonna get the most games of our midfield, I beleive, because his pace and stamina are vital assets in every possible game. May be rotated with Nani for these games, depending on the opposition/injuries. Like I said in my previous post, I think Fletcher may be the missing link to our big-game misfortune. If Hargreaves can come back fit, I would play him, but somehow I really doubt it… Anderson is also a big game player, and accrding to Fergie he is very much in his plans. I believe Fletcher will be the first player on the teamsheet for these games, but next to him it could be either Carrick, Anderson or Giggs(because of his experience). Park is gonna be played in these games, as he is necesarry to neutralise other teams attacks. Rooney will again be our first choice strikers, but I would play Owen next to him in the big games becayse we wont get as many chances. And if a chance falls to Owen, he is the player we should give most faith in when given a possibility to score.
Carling/FA Cup:
Foster/PIG
Oshea Evans De Laet Fabio
Gibson Scholes Giggs/Anderson
Nani Macheda Welbeck
Young lads, blended with some experienced players who shouldnt play against too hard opposition…
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:23
@Footy4Eddy: No scandinavian solidarity there?
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:28
@NicoQB: Fuck Ikea, they have screwed me too in the past(okey, my parents, but whatever!)
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:30
@Footy4Eddy: Just as someone on ROM brought up a very valid suggestion: the rags in england are on a crusade to make Berbatov the “new Veron”.
He already has a certain stereotype attched to him – that of being lazy, even when statistics contradict this, but they are harbouring this misconceotion as it gives them material to fill their pages.
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:31
@Footy4Eddy: They’re just like Apple then… 90% branding and 10 % product!
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:38
@Traverse: @Grognard: As much as I concur with Trav’s appreciation of Silva, I have to also agree with Grog when you suggest that he could end up being the lonely one at OT.
While his talent is undeniable I cannot piccture him fitting with our current Portugueses/latin clique or the english/british bunch. Maybe he could replace the argie twat…
Anyway, we’ve already bought Valencia, and with Nani showing early promise this season, I just can’t see this deal happening.
August 2nd, 2009 at 18:56
@NicoQB: Yep, we don’t need another wide man. The key to our upcoming season is to enliven the CMF – in both, it’s approach play and it’s goal scoring contribution!
The idea that Siva wouldn’t fit in because of his ethnicity, is a little vague. It would imagine that it would differ from individual to individual, rather than from ethnicity to ethnicity!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:00
Eddy it is a bit harsh dropping Carrick in the big games! He’s been a constant in the team’s success over the last three years. I’d say Carrick and Fletcher everytime but if we wanted to pack the midfield we could go with a threesome of Fletcher, Carrick and Anderson. Carrick is still the best passer in the team and I think he will play a bigger part now he is freed from having to play so deep. I agree though that Anderson should be playing once a week or so to get that consistency.
But good call on Owen in the big games. Those sort of matches are sometimes decided by a single chance and Id fancy Owen out of all our players to convert that chance now that Ronaldo has gone. Keeping him fresh for the big games, if only to come on from the bench would go a long way to making up for the loss of firepower.
I also share your doubts on Hargreaves. This is the SECOND pre-season he’s missed and I smell something fishy.
I think Silva would be a good signing. He is versatile and a very classy player. Yes id prefer a hard tackling central midfielder but there aren’t many on the market. The Dutch midfielders of Real Madrid would be good to have but i don’t think real will sell them to us-as they perceive us as a rival. Shame because Sneijder would be a great addition
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:03
@NicoQB: The perception of Berbatov being lazy comes from the fact that he is just really a CF and he performs only to that standard. What is required, at the moment, is an attacking player, that can fight and tustle for the ball from 40-50 yards out, all the way into the 18 yard box.
Of course, if we had an impact CMF’er who could boss things from box – box, then perhaps Berbatov could excel at just being Berbatov and our perception that he does fight hard for the ball, would be laid mute!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:04
Did anybody watch the U19 final this afternoon. I watched the first half and I must say tha Wellbeck was very dissappointing. He didn’t get much service but he didn’t place him in positions to get the ball, made no runs and was completely peripheral to the game.
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:09
@Redrich:
correction:
he does fight hard= he doesn’t fight hard.August 2nd, 2009 at 19:11
i am again somewhat happy with the news that we r going to bid for aguero
and silve
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:15
@owen: Who is this silve? Is he any good?
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:23
sorry for spelling mistake mate…
its the spanish silva
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:29
@owen:
Chances are, its more tabloid bollocks.
Yesterday, some rag said we where giving up on costa because of his private lifestyle, today another rag said we are closing in on a deal. Fuck the rags! I want some clean cloths!
August 2nd, 2009 at 19:33
@Dan: Better not check out my room then, you will find no clean clothes there.
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:05
@Redrich: TRue, individuals differ from one another, but you do find certain persisting characteristics in people from certain regions. For instance, argies are more likely to end up being lying, deceiving cnuts! Not all of them, though.
Still, I would not like to see 25million used for another winger when we just bought 2 and have a few more in the squad already.
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:08
now if the things r going to happen,they will be fast…
hope to get one big name atleast
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:13
@Redrich: Did you know that Berbatov had around 23 successful tackles last season while Tevez had around 14? I’m not sure of the exact statistics, but player style and body language can be deceiving!
And I don’t buy all this stuff about a striker, or forward players having to hussle and tussle. I believe there are two types of attackers -Creators and Finishers.
Berbatov is a creator. Owen is a finisher. Some, like Yorke at his peak – are both. So can Rooney if gets his game on track.
Forwards who hussle and tussle – tevez, Alan Smith – while being ver pleasing on the eye, bring less tangible results than those other two types I mentioned above.
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:16
@Grognard: hey man regarding the magic switch debate i believe the team as a whole will play better than last year and therefor all ur negatives wont be there for us to see, berba will play alot better and owen wont get injured because fergie will be the only manager ever o treat him properly, plus newcastle is renowned for its miserable injury lists, must be voodoo
anyway im just saying dont worry, because without ronaldo we wont be a one man team, and that can only be a good thing, also regarding fletcher, he is no roy keane but is still a really good player in his own right, and if all goes well hargo will be back stronger than ever
look forward to us giving city and pool a thrashing each next season
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:25
Manchester United have a £30 million offer for De Rossi accepted by Roma!!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:31
@Footy4Eddy: are u serious???
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:34
@jamie lee: No, but the news are gonna all over the back pages of the newspapers tomorrow…
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:37
wo knows, plus silva would be some buy, we would have a complete attack if he were to come to town, his playmaking superb and being left footed he would bring a good blance to the team
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:41
Grognard mate u are mistaken abt Silva .
Actually lot of people talk abt Silva as a pure winger when he aint one.
That is one of the reason why he did not figure that much into Valencia`s starting 11 however fits into Spanish team right away.
I am a huge fan of Silva , he is a rare breed of mid-fielder/winger .
His style of play is almost the same as Iniesta .
Excellent dribbling skill , small accurate passes , enough pace to beat rb/lb and capacity to shoot and cross consistently ..
He will never be replacing Nani as LW ! He is a damn good creative player with the capacity to play in wings , below the striker & “Defends very well”
He will fill the void we were always talking abt , the need for one more proper creative mid-fielder.
He will fit in into 4-3-3 style very well ..
August 2nd, 2009 at 20:58
@Traverse:
If Silva is available we should buy him. It’s an attacking midfielder we need, preferably left sided and he fits the bill. I think it’s only paper talk though originally coming from Guillem Balague’s website.
I don’t think he really wants to come to England either.
Come on Fergie get that cheque book out! Shut those scousers up.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:04
@Cyclops-Red: i think “monitoring the situation” is probably what we are doing with silva if anything. meaning we will bid xmill over what rafa offers to try and keep him from pool. saf wants to wait till next yr on a couple stars i think and this may be one of them.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:22
@gator:
That’s all we seem to do, monitor situations.If he’s available he should be bought. Next year is WC year and there will be the usual scramble for players. Player prices might even go up.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:34
@Cyclops-Red: didn’t we try and sign Silva at the end of last year… and it ended with him saying.. no ta il stay in spain.. whats changed?
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:50
@Will:
Yeah, apparently so and as I said I don’t think he wants to come to England. A lot depends on how desperate Valencia are to sell. Personally I think it’s a non story. The cheque book is well and truly shut.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:56
@Cyclops-Red: well valancia are in serious debt, villa will soon move so they are a team in decline, so theres two good reason why we could sign him, plus fergie might just of been playing mind games earlier when he said we wont be buying any more players.
howver if we dont buy we are still strong enough to compete domestically and abroad.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:56
Please can we all stop comparing Comparing Berba to Tevez? Its a pointless argument, Fergie already branded Tevez as simply not good enough, so why the fuck would we use Tevez as a barometer to gauge Berbatovs worth to the team?
I am sick to death hearing about Tevez, Fergie doesnt care about him so why should we.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:57
@NicoQB: Watch what you say about Apple. Apple is an awesome and highly innovative company that pushes the envelope and has developed some of the greatest items of all time. I wouldn’t trade my iMac for anything currently out there. No they are not just brand, they deliver the goods too with high end product, not chaff like all the rest. Steve Jobs is my hero.
August 2nd, 2009 at 21:59
why would we sign Silva? we are already over crowded with wingers right now. I would only belive we are intersted in silva if A)Nani is for sale or B)we are swapping silva with nani plus cash.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:00
@jamie lee:
I mostly agree but I don’t think we are strong enough in Europe without that extra bit of quality.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:00
@Redrich: Spaniards are into the clique mentality. They do not like going at things alone in countries that do not speak Spanish. Liverpool is an exception for obvious reasons. There is nothing at OT that would drive Villa or Silva into Fergie’s arms.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:00
@johnsom33: i agree mate.
tevez is long gone and proved he was a traitor with his city move.
plus berba deserves ato be cut a bit of slack, i was also one fan who condemned him last season, but he is still here, he is still OUR player a possibly this will be a great season for our silky skilled forward
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:01
@owen: That’s just rumors mate. There is nothing in it.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:04
@NicoQB: I think my point is that Berbatov will need to do more, in the way of workrate, for us RIGHT NOW. Without a strong CMF he will need to create some of the attacks as well as using his deft touches to create goal scoring ops.
Whether you believe that Strikers need to hustle or not, is beside the point. For United, at this present moment, they do need to hustle – for our attacking momentum to flourish.
I say again, a strong CMF’er would change this approach, and then the main purpose of our strike force – SCORING GOALS – would, again, become their “main purpose”!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:08
@Redrich: i think u are wrong, utd already have rooney to hustle from up top and fletch in the centre, berba is berba and he was bought for his skill not his aggression, trust me if we just leave him to do his thing we will be fine
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:08
@jamie lee: Im reserving judgment on Berba till after this season. But if im honest, so far i havent been too impressed with him. I think the price tag distorts everyones perception of him(including me)
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:11
@Grognard: <— Any Spaniards out there willing to discuss this point???
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:14
@johnsom33: yes 34mill was alot of money considering his performances last season. however take note
1. fergie said he played him out of postion last season.
2. ronaldo was the key man, and the team played around him, and him alone
3. the fans were making it very hard for berba to settle in
4. pre season os just pre season, and berba and he hasnt been the only one under performing, but he will up his gae in the competive matches
5. i believe this season his career is on the line,so that might be motivation for him
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:17
@jamie lee: And when we start getting 0-0 and 0-1 results, and Berbatov looks like he’s playing in a Sunday afternoon pick-up game, you’ll change your opinion!
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:21
@jamie lee: The rest of the team as whole does not make us a better team just because we don’t have Ronaldo. We need to spread things out due to necessity. Frankly you say this will happen and that will happen but all you are basing it on is optimism. I look at the team we have and analyze it based on the players we have, what they have done in the past, their ages, their realistic potential for improvement and their propensity to get injured. And from where I sit, all the factors come out saying we are royally screwed. All the positive vibes in the world can’t ignore facts based on past accomplishments. Sorry for sounding like Rafa but;
Carrick is slow and inconsistent FACT.
Hargo has been injured for a long time and may not return FACT.
Owen has been injured for the better part of four seasons and has lost a lot of what made him great, most notably his speed and quickness, FACT.
Anderson has not lived up to his hype, FACT.
Nani has not lived up to his hype, FACT.
Berbatov is 29 and the chances of him improving and all of a sudden finding an extra gear and a new energy is naive to say the least, FACT.
Scholes is finished, MAJOR FACT.
Giggs can no longer be counted on to start, FACT.
Neville is also finished, FACT.
EVDS is on his last legs tool, FACT.
Both PIG and Foster are bloody useless, bloody well FACT.
Fletcher is a good and versatile player but overrated by Fergie, FACT.
We just lost the best player in the world and our go to guy and he is irreplaceable, BIGGEST FACT OF ALL.
And finally, Fergie is naive, stubborn and suffering from denial if he thinks we will win a plug nickel this season, OBVIOUS FACT.
Now you tell me why I should feel so confident about this team and why you feel we are now better than the team that barely got past Liverpool and Chelsea last season and the team that was so horribly humiliated in the Champions League final? I want somebody to give me facts, not fiction and fantasy. Wishful thinking is what I do a day or two before Christmas. It won’t help make our football team any better. Only spending money on quality players will.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:23
@Footy4Eddy: If we are playing that game then the big news is that Ronaldo has had a change of heart, has realized that Madrid is not for him and is asking to be sold back to Manchester United.
Expect it in the SUN first thing in the morning. 
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:25
@Rick: I have nothing against Silva and I know he is a great and versatile player. My point was simply I don’t think he wants to come and play for us, that’s all. Nobody is debating his skills, although I do not believe he is much better than Nani. I still believe in Nani and expect him to be a superstar with some team once given the chance to play a regular role.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:27
@Redrich: They won’t comment by themselves. They need to form a gang and then come on here and debate.
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:40
@Redrich: Defintely agree with the thing about a strong midfiled.
But if the midfield is failing, why should it be the responsibility of a striker – Berbatov – to cover for their lack of creativity?
Surely the midfield should stand up and be counted.
And still he’s done it last season.
As for work rate – this is beside the point especially for an attacker relying on talent. A player for the style of Inzaghi maybe. The ones who have to improve work rate is, you said it, the central midfielders. Should they do it, our possession will improve resultingly and hence opportunities for attakers to do their job.
@jamie lee: I hear you!
@Redrich: Once again, matches when we will not be getting enough possession due to the failings of the central midfield, yet people like you and sunday papers will start harping on about Berbatov this and Berbatov that…
@johnsom33:
Once again players rarely have a thing to say about their transfer tag, and anyway his price was distorted because of 1) United tax 2) City sniffing around 3) deal done on last day of transfer deadline.
I believe we should have got him around 26million hd we not dilly dallied with the transfer itself…
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:53
@Grognard: I wanna know what you think about this: @Footy4Eddy
And this: @Footy4Eddy
I think I brought up some valid points, although they may be agaisnt your theory of us being fucked for the coming season!
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:54
@Grognard: i agree scholes giigs and neveille are gone.
but here are some facts
NANI had little to no chances to shine last season and WILL produce on a better level this season and pte season form proves that
CARRICK is slow but so was beckham, and if give more freedom will create more goals and control games, he is a playmaker, and fergie played him too deep last year FACT
OWEN is past his best but he is better than tevez and still a good goal scorer FACT and he is not injury prone, he had TWO serious injuries, thats unlucky not injury prone, as he played near 30 games last searon and the one before that
FLECTHER is not overrated infact hes quite the opposite FACTS show we are better with him in the big games then without
BERBAis a cf not a second striker which is the postion he played last season even fergie said that, so this season he will be as elegant as before but wwith the goals as he will be a cf this season.
AND the biggest fact is all the players u regard not good enough didnt have to be because our tactics were sit back wait counter and pss to ronaldo, so he unbalanced the team.
MY point is with him gone they will come into their own with the new system and quite frankly FERGIE will pull his finger out of his arse and play people in their proper postionsn thats why im so confident!
WE will be better without ronaldo, because quite frankly we abused his talent and undermined our other players talents FACT
August 2nd, 2009 at 22:56
@ Grognard : we always fortunate that after loosing stars,some one came and maintained the team at the same level ofconsistency…
so despite knowing the facts of our squad,i still believe that some one again will proove our doubts wrong and we will forget everything …
it is really hard to accept and happen but we cant do more as fergie is more than satisfied…
so mate accept the squad and start praising them only as there is no one more coming…
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:08
@NicoQB: It’s a team effort, mate. When there is a glaring need to be filled, most people would expect the troops to rally around – all hands on deck, that kind of thing!
If I was Berbatov, I might be taken aback somewhat by the idea that I have to fill more than my own boots, and he may well feel this. But from a fans standpoint, it is an unusual stance not to feel aggrieved when all the players do not try as hard as they can to win a game, regardless as to whether its their main role or not!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:10
@Grognard: This team is fine, quit moaning. FACT.
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:16
@Grognard:
Touche!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:17
It seels good to be debating on this site. Last week or so was pretty dull.
Unfortunately its basically the same thing we’ve been debating for the past 6 months!
Last thing about berba:
Onw should take into account the economics of football. Right now we are being linked to an unknown quantity named Douglas Costa for figures exceeding 12-15million£!
Now, 32million£, Berbatov’s fee:
5 years ago —you’d buy that same player for —> 25million£
10 years ago ————————————> 15million£
15 years —————————————-> 5million£
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:22
@Redrich: Occasionally, yes. But when the “glaring need” in question is felt week-in, week-out then I think that the root of the problem (Hint: Its Central Midfield) has to be addressed instead of makeshift solutions which will ultimately undermine the effectiveness of the whole team.
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:24
@jamie lee: +1
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:30
@Footy4Eddy:
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:37
@NicoQB: No argument here!!
Berbatov and Rooney would benefit greatly from a stronger CMF, they both have the touch and skill to score a bundle between them. It would also put them in a much more natural and comfortable playing position.
Until then, I say do whatever we can to win games and if that means taking an odd role for the sake of the team, so be it!
August 2nd, 2009 at 23:45
One thing I will say about Berbatov is that he has handled the adversity of his situation well!
He did have the rep of sulking and moaning when he was at Spurs, but he’s handled things very maturely and professionally here!
There, I can say good things about the lad!!
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:03
@Redrich: Then again he knew he had something of a reputation, so jhe wouldn’t want to start sulking in his first season!
Anyway, I was looking for highlights of the milk cup finals, but the link on the bbc restricts access to britons…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/milkcup/
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:05
@NicoQB: Ah I wan’t done typing my cooment there.
So…
But check out the top goals video, and wait for the last one – needless to say we scored the most beautiful one! The kids have done Fergie proud!
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:24
@Grognard: And with all of this we are still odds on with the bookies for the Premier League next season. I’ve never seen a poor bookie…..
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:32
@Traverse: How much did you put down???
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:36
Liverpool lost 3-0 to Espanyol today…
Cocks out?
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:38
@Redrich: £50 myself!
Told you I was optimistic…
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:48
@Footy4Eddy: 50 quid is hardly a vote of confidence, mate!
August 3rd, 2009 at 0:56
@Redrich: Im not made of money mate!
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:03
Footy4Eddy: Fuck mate, you should sell everything you own, max out the CC, even pimp your own sister (OMG cant believe I said that!!) and stake the whole damn thing on United to win the quadruple.
It’s a sure thing, believe me.
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:07
@Redrich:
Dont have a sister, but funny nontheless!
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:08
@Footy4Eddy: Then pimp out your friends sister!!
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:09
@Footy4Eddy: Do you have a mother??
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:15
@Redrich: Dont you dare talk about my mother!
Then Id have to go to you and kill you Stevie Gerrard(aka Joey Barton 2k) style! 
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:16
@Redrich: Believe me, Ive already done that.
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:24
@Footy4Eddy: I’d deserve it as well! Hope you know I’m just playing, mate?
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:32
@Redrich:
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:18
As per Telegraph (is it more reliable than rags like mirror/sun?) Wesley Snijder cud be off to Inter for 15m!!!! WTF!!!???
Why cant we have him for 15m?????? Direct like-for-like scholsey replacement isint it?
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:06
@jos: even tho i have stated that if we didnt buy anyone else that we would be ok as i think we are strong enough.
however i have been wondering why we having scooped for one of the dutch duo of van da varrt or sneijder??
if we bought sneijder for 15mil and silva ffor 20-25mil, that would be great business and we,d walk pretty much anyone!
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:18
sky sports say we have handed a trial to Swedish 15-year-old star Linus Sjoberg who is currently on the books of Vasteras.? Who is this young lad? is he any good?
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:32
I do not think Real will sell to us. After all we are potential rivals in the Champions League.
Our midfield does need to be sorted out but where I think we will improve is we will get more service from the flanks with Nani and Valencia. After all we did pretty well with Keane and Ince in the middle neither of whom can be considered creative. But then our current strikers are not really suited to getting on the end of crosses…as we do not have a single striker who can head the ball!
That is why I think we should take a serious look at David Silva. We need a playmaker to free up Berbatov and Rooney to score goals.
A defensive midfield would be nice too if Hargreaves is out. But i think in Fletcher and Anderson we have players who can do the dirty work in midfield. What we really need is someone who can help us keep possession, chip in some goals, dictate the game just like Scholes used to back in the day.
August 3rd, 2009 at 15:37
Off-topic I know but there was an interesting read in the times assessing the main European teams in terms of quality and balance. We got a 15/20 which put us in 4th place behind Real, Barca, and Chelsea. 7/10 for quality and 8/10 for Balance.
Admittedly it was done on the basis of each team’s first XI and we should get extra points for the depth of our squad. I also do not think we compare too badly with our rivals on the wings. While we have this tradition of amazing wingers, it is not that important to our current style of play as we do not really play an old fashioned 4-4-2 anymore. Besides Valencia and Nani both have the potential to turn into very good players given games.
But I do feel that we need one world class player to give an added something to our attack. Ideally an attacking central midfielder, but to be honest id take a forward or a winger. Because outside of our defence Rooney is the only world class player we have and for a club of this stature that is not enough.
Yes we have a good balance to the side now and lots of team players. But you need a player who gives you that extra spark of creativity or cutting edge to turn a game and we are missing that. Rooney could be our saviour but im not convinced…he is too much of a team player these days and has lost some of his magic. Im also not convinced that Berbatov can turn it on in the very big games. Yes he can outskill everyday Premiership teams but can he produce the same magic on the biggest stage? Im not convinced.
August 3rd, 2009 at 16:02
@Footy4Eddy: Valid and well thought out but I wouldn’t give Fletcher that much credit for those games we win. He’s a good player and his work ethic counts for something but are we that much better with him on the pitch than without? I seriously doubt it. Then again, maybe.
As for lineups. Lineups are something one can never forecast too far ahead because of fatigue, form and injuries. I’m sure Fergie has his own ideas but he will alter them according to the schedule, and those above factors. All I know is that we have to put up with another season of Park and the Skinned Sausage and for me that is not good. Our back 3 is good even if we have to ad Skinned Sausage to make it an official back 4. He is useless and a major liability and the sooner Fergie decides to blood Fabio more, the better off we all will be.
August 3rd, 2009 at 16:06
@owen: I don’t blindly praise anyone mate. They have to earn it the old fashioned way. They need to go out there and consistently prove to me that they are as god or even better. Until then, I will go with what the logical facts tell me.
August 3rd, 2009 at 16:07
@Will: I’ll moan to my heart’s content mate. It’s my right as a fan.
August 3rd, 2009 at 16:10
@Traverse: Then I guess you’ll put your money where your mouth is. I wouldn’t put a plug nickel on them myself and I might put 20 quid on them finishing in the top 4.