Jun 30
Exclusive: The sorry life of a former United player
Welcome. Today we tell you the story of a player who not too long ago wore the famous red shirt of our club. We must warn you that the story is grim, in a Dickensian sort of way; for a start the protagonist is allegedly a dick who alleges that others may also be dicks — hence the Dickensian theme.
This is a story of a man, sorry boy (manchild?), who wishes to remain anonymous; let us call him Charles.
For the purposes of lending authenticity to the story, this writer wishes to narrate it in the first person. So sit back with your cup of coffee, and read.
Hello, dear fans. My name is Charles (real name withheld). Most of you might recognize me for my steadfast commitment to your dear club. You see, I’m the one who runs for the whole 90 minutes when a certain preening prima donna looks to whinge most of the time, only turning up to score some flukey free kicks; while some east European lazy oaf saunters about, like he was paid to walk about the park. (What do you say? He leads the assist chart? Well let me tell you something, statistics are like arseholes, everyone has one. Er, that analogy didn’t fit, but you get the point, don’t you? He’s an arsehole.)
But I digress; I work my socks off, dear fans, and your love for me proved that I was right to work said socks off for the team. Yet, what do I get? An away game to Liverpool? Just 34 appearances this season? About £10m for the two years of running every game for 90 minutes?
I tell you what, Britain has a new President. What is that you say? Prime minister? Sigh! You know very little, dear friends. Very little. Sir Alex is the president of Britain. It’s true. Which is why I have gathered you all. He is the president of Britain and he controls the world from his office at Old Trafford, and I’ll tell you what, I think I have discovered he’s a part of the Govan mafia. Don’t you get it? I mean, tell me one thing: who sips wine in the vineyards of southern France, with a cell phone on the other hand, belting out orders to his minions. I don’t know about you, but for someone like me who’s grown up in tough neighbourhoods, that looks like the overlord of a vast criminal organisation. You know, what I saw was just the tip of the iceberg. I know you may talk about David Conn’s new column on the Guardian that promises to uncover the murky footballing underworld, but I have far more murky information. My murk wipes the floor with his murk.
But despite this knowledge I thought, for the good of the team and, especially you, my dear fans, I would keep mum and hope my loyalty to the President, and Great Master would be repaid. But, you know what, he turned out to be colder than any of the Scorsese gangsters rolled into one. At least, they cared for family. This man, made me feel an outsider to the family. And when I went home to my family (my other one), I took only sadness with me.
The recession hasn’t helped either. (I believe I must blame recession too, because everyone seems to blame it for everything, and I think one can make perfect sense by ending any sentence with the phrase ‘due to recession’. But then, I digress.)
I tell you. The life of a footballer is not easy these days. Especially at a club like United. I know, I’m sorry, dear friends, I love you all, but I must tell you, I wasn’t loved at the club. And hence I thought I must move on. Also my best friend — some people say he owns me and my rights, but I am a self made man — let’s call him Hyundai (I can’t let you in on his real name, but Hyundai is the only other Korean car manufacturer I could think of, the other being my ‘owner’s’ name) said United weren’t even making an offer for us. I mean, they made an offer for us but he said there wouldn’t be enough time for us to make up my mind. I know, it sounds crazy, but Hyundai never lies. He’s a man of integrity, and I’ll ever be indebted to him, even though I’m a self made man.
So, on that note, I have come to the conclusion that loyalty is a two way street. And since I was never felt wanted, I must leave with a heavy heart. I still love your City. The rain calms my nerves, and at least the blue side will give me enough money to be able to put food on my plate three times a day. Now I can at least fly to the training ground instead of driving. Take that, you Real Madrid loving, United-betraying winker! And with a heavy heart I must say again, I love you dear fans, and thank you for sticking up for me, which is why I am sticking it up to you.
Regards,
Charles.
PS: BUT SAF SHOULD HAVE STARTED ME FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tags: Manchester United Players
June 30th, 2009 at 6:11
Ah man, that had me in tears.
Poor poor Charles. Never got a break. Ended up in the shite. OOPS! 
Sorry I mean he ended up at Man Shitty. I think we should all give to this noble cause. Lets be charitable. I for one will donate my Godson’s two year old soother and some day/night face cream. What a whiner. 
June 30th, 2009 at 6:14
I thought I should post this over again as it fits the thread so well.
Note to Carlos Tevez and to his handlers to interpret this to him:
Carlos please please please SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY. You pathetic ugly bitter little Hobbit. Two months ago you had a legion of fans who were on your side and loyal to you. Today the total number of fans that are lo0yal to you is at a staggering 13 and a bull terrier named Nigel.
Get the hint. Shut your trap already. You have shit in the face of Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United more than enough to last a lifetime. Take your money and your new position with Manchester Shitty and please stop your bitching and whining. It’s a sad and pathetic attempt at sympathy and sucking up to fans who you are officially dead to. Why? Because you went and signed with the enemy and considered signing with the Anti-Christs themselves at Anfield. You have gone way out of your way to insult your former team and to show your bitterness.
Wake up Carlos. You say that Fergie should have started you in the final. Why? Because you would have turned what was certain defeat into a victory with your deft touch, incredible finesse, pace and finishing ability? You couldn’t finish a glass of ale yet alone score a goal. The fact is Carlito, you aren’t good enough to wear the United shirt as a starter. You were stuck on the bench where you belong and were inserted into games for comic relief. Now piss off and stop your bellyaching, you sad little git.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:20
Poor little Charlie!!!! More money, no trophies, recession Charles?
“hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, the little girl wants to prance around in a blue skirt, C*#t!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 6:22
I don’t blame him for going, we messed the lad about. Nobody EVER mentions that a contributory factor to Ronaldo and Tevez going is that they both likely did not enjoy playing with our mediocre deadwood: O’Shea, Carrick, Fletcher, Brown, none of whom are classy enough for united. Nobody mentions the “SAF personal problems” pattern with Stam, Beckham and Ruud historically. Not one single person would take being messed about with a contract by an employer so why should Tevez? I just hope something messes up him going to “Citeh” and hope he goes abroad, but there’s bob hope and no hope there. Now we’ve got a weakened team playing in a frankly embarrasing kit. MORE should be made of SAF’s stubbornness because it makes it look like the old geezer is losing it. I hate the most common response is that SAF is great manager, but he’s made some awful buys like Smith, Djembe and Kleberson. I’m also tiring of Welbeck and Machaeda being touted as the next big thing, come off it, they’re good kids but will be out on loan within the next 2 years. We needed a few more players BEFORE Ronaldo and Tevez went.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:27
@RedDave: Yes we messed about with the contract. And he’s had his say on it. Yet he keeps on with his whinging. This post is about his whinging. That’s all. Previously he had a lot of fans’ good will. Now, he’s lost even that.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:32
Love the article RR. Great comedic touches! I know we’re feeling sore about the whole thing, but at least Charles is happy(-er).
June 30th, 2009 at 6:39
@TurkishRED: Yes. I just asked Charles. He does feel happier now. I told him, I am happy as long as he’s happy. And we have to move on. He agrees.
Although he insists he might yet tell his tale of woe to whomsoever willing to listen.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:41
@Red Ranter: Well quite. (At least about that last bit.)
June 30th, 2009 at 7:51
im glad im not the only one now
I fell out with the hobbit near enough at the beginning of the season. That was just falling out.
Now i just despise the wank!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:53
Come on lads, lets not be angry, lets celebrate, for this is the day carlos leaves
Yes, midnight tonight, carlos will not be a united player, and he can cry to whoever carers. If im lucky enough to got to the derby this year, i will be booing and i dont care who likes it.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:54
With all the strikers City are being linked to, Charles could end up with blue splinters in his Arse instead of red ones. However, he did really give his all for us in every game. But he should now stop the crying.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:59
Eh…I really dont blame him for complaining about it.
He’s not happy about how it went down and neither am I.
I wish him well wherever he goes even if it is a rival.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:20
@MUFC Fan in America: He is not complaining but whining. He made a choice to leave United – we offered 25.5 Million for him. He was not mistreated. He played plenty of games and only performed so-so. Now he is critisizing Fergie again and again. Yes, he was put on the bench a lot, but when the going gets tough, the tough gets going – he just began whining.
I am happy he left and the team we will have come August will be world class in every position except for young Rafael who is “just” junior world class.
Tevez, he can EAT ONE!
June 30th, 2009 at 8:25
@Dave: Actually he wouldn’t. This is going to be their new formation next season.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:27
@Red Ranter: What about making another story about a fat kid called Sebastian Blubber who was jealoux with the British for their superior machines and company wealth and began to work with the Madridistas to undermine the British. Then when the Madridistas acquire the most expensive British machine for world-record fees (x2), little Blubber decides the problem with the British is that they are owned by smelly foreigners who have too much gold…. he is now on a mission to ignore Madrid’s outrageous spending while claiming that rich British clubs are destroying football this very second.
PS: Seep Blatter is a fat git
June 30th, 2009 at 8:32
@Madschester United: I mentioned it here. Didn’t feel like wasting any more space on that.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:11
@Red Ranter: ahhh your Twitter. It still pisses me off (not your twittering!) – nearly as much as Tevez, because he is helping Madrid (and others?) take EPL’s top players.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:13
A top, top read. Poor Charles.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:30
What’s taking so long…sort out Valencia already.
I swear, the last two summers as a United fan have just been ruined by all this media/Ronaldo/Tevez crap. It’s over. F*ck off Carlos, stop talking about us, we all get it. You were treated like a player of a major football team, rather than as a special individual. Suck it up man. What have these players become? We need Roy Keane back to instill some discipline in the locker room…
June 30th, 2009 at 9:38
@RedDave: Get over that negativity.Spanish players are known to be honest and if they are allowed in our league,they come with a baggage.Honesty.Ronaldo made it clear his dream club was Madrid and maintained.Once “a blue always a blue”remember?
Fans want loyalty but in todays sport that is alien.I have had Rooney complaining about being played out of position.is that whinning too?atleast he played a starter week in week out regardless of form.If he was benched for some games,wouldnt it have been different?No player wants to sit on the bench like Carlos did and if he kept silent,i would doubt his head.
We should be discussing more important issues than tevez because believe it or not,he gave us wonderful moments like goals against pool,lyon,blackburn….etc and now he is gone need i say we are weaker without him?
The letter should read,
Dear carlos,
Thank you for the two years of service but as you know,it was not berba who spelt the end of your united career.You were never a United player since your slave master Kia still owned you.The policy of most companies is to develope their own and as a loanee,your role was to fill the gap and the club only had to decide whether you remained or reverted.Had you been part of us,You would have started the final and even slept in Fergies bed if its what you wanted.
Good luck wherever you go
June 30th, 2009 at 9:42
@RedDave: sorry imeant to agree with you
June 30th, 2009 at 9:46
@donibrasco: Confused….
June 30th, 2009 at 9:51
@RedDave: “mediocre deadwood: O’Shea, Carrick, Fletcher, Brown, none of whom are classy enough for united”
Are you joking??
Carrick and Fletcher were superb last season, O’Shea also played an important role covering in a multiude of positions for us last season and Brown was injured for the most part of last season, squads win titles!!
Plastic fans like you have no right commenting on our club I sugguest you go and support Citeh with your precious Argie Tevez. Calling a footballer an employee, you havn’t got a clue what loyalty and commitment to a football club is pal, and saying Fergie isn’t a great manager because in 23 years he has made the odd bad buy!!!!!!! How about all the great purchases he has made?? People like you, glory boy plastics have should go and support someone else, we have no need for people like you at our club.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:00
Meant to add – what do you guys think of the U21s? Am I the only one really saddened by our massive lack of participation? Just reading an article about the 93 UEFA U18 English team that won – half the squad was from United. And in this tournament, we only had two right? One a quasi United (Frazier Campbell) and the other with one start for us (Tosic).
I realise most of our players are full internationals, but that’s only the first XI, the reserves should be playing for these teams shouldn’t they?
Anyway, just found it very strange that in an internatinoal tourney, we’re barely represented…
June 30th, 2009 at 10:38
Really it is a bit of a tragedy. Tevez had a big heart and gave a lot to the club. But he let jealousy, pride and neediness destroy him. As soon as he felt unwanted his game fell apart. His first season for us he was quality. Second season he was crap just showing glimmers of what he was capable of towards the end of the season (Tottenham and City game).
We were not the right club for him. He needs to be at a smaller club who start him every game.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:42
@Dave: Never mind all the Strikers their being linked to, what about the ones they already have?! the thing Tevez moaned about so much was a first place start, yet with (off the top of my head) Bojinov, Benjani, Cacideo, Evans, Santa-Cruz, and Bellamy he’s not going to be guarenteed a start, unless theirs a fire sale. Never mind, they’ll win fuck all as usuall.
I see a pattern imerginging. City are getting other clubs money grabbers, Barry, now Tevez, whose next? Owen?
June 30th, 2009 at 11:22
Wow, if this really happened, what a shocker…
Press reports in France are saying that at yesterdays EA Sports FIFA10 photo shoot, Benzema did his poses and what not once, and then switched from his Lyon kit into a new United kit and did them again. Not sure how true it is, but…hrm…
http://www.footmercato.net/ol-benzem…icle36053.html
June 30th, 2009 at 11:23
@donibrasco: You need to get off your fucking soap box and stop comparing Rooney to Tevez, there is no comparison whatsoever. All this you don’t love me and respect me shit gets fucking wearing after the 1000th Apache whine! When was it a condition of employment that your boss had to love you, and foam at the mouth over you, and attend to your evey need, or to respect all you said and did? Give me a break, nobody in the workplace should expect all of this, you are at your place of employment to get on with and do a good job for your employers, especially when your employers are paying you millions, and win bonuses, which he got plenty of. If you don’t like your employers and your workplace, you fucking move on. No way do you go off and take up employment elsewhere, and then slander continuously in the media the company you left all the time. United should do him and Joorabchian for slander. Trouble with Tevez is he didn’t want to leave really, he is regretting his decision, and he is STILL FUCKING SAD by the sound of it, there has been no improvement in his countenance and mood at all. He didn’t leave with any dignity, so why would we respect him
June 30th, 2009 at 11:25
@ Stephen, ok, you can’t read, have a cookie… I said that I tire that the standard defence from many “fans” when anything goes bad or wrong at united is that people like you phone up MUTV with Pat from Newcastle and say it’s ok “cuz” Fergie has won everything going for years and imply that history makes everything ok and NOt that he is a bad manager. He is perhaps loved too much which will be unhealthy for united when we need ot move him out in time. Well one day it won’t be ok, and you’ll complain as well. Plastic fan?, how easy it is to sit and berate someone from behind a computer keyboard. I bet you’re from milton keynes. We’ve lost two great players even if one of them is whining is arse off right now. I stand by my comment that Carrick, O’Shea, Fletcher and Brown are NOT classy enough for united (despite their contributions) there’s not a lot you can do about it pal. I have the right to say what I like and comment along with other fans thank you..as long as that’s ok with you?
June 30th, 2009 at 11:32
@Madschester United:
.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:34
@Red Ranter: I feel a Tevez ANTI UNITED book coming out to a bookshop near you SOON
.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:35
@RedDave: I am a United season ticket holder for over 10 years mate, I am born and bred Manc so where do you come from?, how many games did you go to last season, have a cookie??
The manager is loved too much which is unhealthy?? What sort of comment is that? What are we City, we have won three Championships in a row a league cup, champions league in the past 3 years, I still remember when we hadn’t won the league for 20 odd season, I am greatful to the manager for knocking Liverpool off there perch.
Was Tevez “classy” enough for United,a great player my arse, you know nothing about me as I never seen you on this site before, but I stand by my club, players and manager and to say Carrick hasn’t the class to play for United is laughable, we have a stong squad and Fletch, O’Shea and Wes are part of that.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:40
@RedDave: Hmmmmm sound more like the red of L’pool with that kind of commenting than United mate. You cannot keep miserable and unhappy players, you cannot chain them in the basement of OT and just bring them out on match days. Ronaldo wanted Madrid since he was a kid in nappies, and his dad sang him Madrid lullabies every night. Tevez sadly wanted a psychiatrist to deal with his nobody loves me, everybody hates me syndrome. They will be replaced, and United will move on and so should they
. To Ronnie’s credit he has!
June 30th, 2009 at 11:42
@Stephen: Born in Salford, season holder over 25 years “MATE”, do you want to be my penpal or something? East Stand, almost level with the 6 yard edge, on top of every home game several euro away games. I don’t care, buzz off an annoy someone else. I can have free comment
June 30th, 2009 at 11:47
@RedDave: Hey its alright to say what you like mate, but if you start dishing it out on this blog, EXPECT some back. Like you, many on here are very strong in their opinions!
June 30th, 2009 at 11:48
@RedDave: Not really, I have just been finding you attitude towards the manager and future potential stars of the club as baffling, I am sure you have your reasons.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:49
@Craig Mc: I respect that, no worries kidda
June 30th, 2009 at 11:50
Stephen don’t rise to the bait, just ignore it, not worth it.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:00
@RedDave: 25 years season ticket holder – I respect that, you must have a good few years in age on some of us then. I can understand the passion in your comments, and 25 years in the stands gives you the right of opinions, but SAF is loved and respected by many one here Dave, although we also don’t believe all his decisions are right. He certainly wasn’t right in his choice of team for the CL. I cannot agree with you on your vitriol regarding Sheasy, Carrick and especially Wes Brown who is immense when fit, but I respect your right to love what players you love, and hate what players you hate! Stephen is just as fanatical as you are in his opinion and what he likes and dislikes, and that is how it should be amongst TRUE Reds. I think you were a bit mean to Pat on MUTV though
.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:01
@Stephen: I accept that, I’m NOT saying SAF is bad, I’m saying that to bang on about his glorious history doesn’t really help much either. Yes he’s won everything, brilliantly but it’s the same as not moving on from Tevez and finding it weird that Tevez might want to bitch about him. Either way we can’t do anything about it. Sorry I don’t share your opinion on Carrick et al, I never wanted him at united and think we deserve a bit better in the middle, after our greats in the middle over the years. Carrick for me was a stop gap and a player SAF bought to try and improve, because he couldn’t get Hargreaves at the time, and despite his annoying injury, Hargreaves runs about like a man who’s lost his car keys for us.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:07
@RedDave: I partly agreee with you about Carrick and at the time thought he was far too much money, but in fairness I thought he was decent for us last season.
The midfield for me is an area which I have gone on about for ages, we lack a true world class player in there, like the dippers with Stevie Me, Alonso and Mascherano, Chelscum with Essien, Lampard Ballack and even Mikel.
This summer we are going to sign a winger in Valencia and a striker when for me the midfield is the area which need most attention.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:08
@RedDave: Dave you’ve no doubt been spoiled by the Cantona’s, Keene’s Ruuds, Scholes, Giggsy’s Becks, Big Jaap Stams etc etc etc in their prime – am I right? 25 years you will have seen some great players, and magnificent football at OT. So you probably feel the present ones pale in comparison – right?
June 30th, 2009 at 12:08
@Craig Mc: Just a bit of Manc banter mate, cheers though pal.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:12
@Stephen: Nod, totally agree, I stuck up for Veron too, how unfashionable can you get?
June 30th, 2009 at 12:18
@RedDave: Ha ha me too, I was at the Everton game in 2001 and he was absolutly superb, I said to mi mate next me that this boy is the best player in the world, but Fergie played him right mid and as an off striker for some reason and still wanted to play Scholes and Keane, shame I was gutted when we sold him, he was all right foot but was class.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:18
@Craig Mc: Yes, I was spoiled for sure BUT at the same time it could be said that our manager has a poor record with personal feuds which end up being better for him than the club, and that is a tiny tiny criticism of SAF, but one which you might say has caused us all more than a little grief over the years. Just sometimes it can be healthy to doubt the great. To bring my red rant back onto topic (sorry about that) I’ll miss Tevez but he is being a git and would be classier not to whine, no doubt. I think it’s safe to expect it though, it’s hard not to resist on your last day at work.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:19
I want a song for Tevez – CRY ME A RIVER, cry me a river, I CRIED A RIVER OVER YOU
.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:32
@RedDave: In fairness with the fueds, Stam released his book and called the Neville brothers “busy cunts”, claimed Fergie tapped him up, aslo he failed a drug teat no long after signing for Lazio maybe Fergie knew something, but he did admit he regretted selling the lad.
Every manager falls out with players, it is part of football bt we have always recovered and to some degree got better.
Beckham well the story is a long one there, we had the boot incident and the long drawn out contracts issue with his image rights, also his wife was being very influencial with him and it was best for him and Fergie if they parted company, we did sign Ronaldo so all is well that ends well.
Keane had simply had it, the attack on MUTV his hip had gone he only played 10 times for Celtic but he was a top player for us.
Ruud, fell ot with CQ and Ronaldo and had the movement of Christpher Reeve towards the end of his time eith us, never got over been dropped from the Carling Cup and sulked ever since, shame again but his time also was up.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:43
lol! poor charlie! unlike other clubs, at United you have to prove your worth day in day out and not just in 1 game where you score four goals and expect to be automatic choise for the next game.
Poor charlie, you should ask yourself what was wrong with you that fergy dint see you fitting the first 11. all the best at the shitty bench.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:50
@Stephen: Yeah, no doubt, accepted! Maybe a player like tevez who was messed about and passionate with it will perhaps foolishly look at those kinds of things, like I do in the heat of it all
and add to that the demise of anyone argentinian at united and think he is well justified to slag it on SAF. (I know the Heinze story too and like you I appreciated Veron)
June 30th, 2009 at 13:37
Tevez’s continuous bout of defamation against United and the Manager can be attributed to the fact that he’s signing with Manchester City.. May be the other half of manchester poured some of their passion into him and told him that he’d get a wage-rise if he foul-mouthed the enemies>?
June 30th, 2009 at 14:14
OK Tevez is being a little girl over this whole thing. But there is no doubt he wanted to be at United. He wanted to be a part of the team. It was Ronaldo who didn’t want to be at the club and wanted to be elsewhere. Tevez was all ready to commit to five years at the club before we started stalling on his contract and benching him. This was a Latin player who never said anything about Real Madrid, Milan, Barcelona.
He was all ready to give the best years of his life to United and then return home to Argentina to see out his last days.
The poor guy is used to being the best player at every club he goes to. Argentina, Brazil and West Ham.
The fact is he was never really the player Fergie wanted. He only got Tevez on loan because he missed out on Berbatov the previous summer. The moment he got Berbatov Fergie forgot all about Tevez. That has to be really hard for a proud Latino to face.
He kept quiet for most of the season. It was only towards the tail end of the season when it became abundantly clear that we had no intention of renewing his contract that he started acting up.
Rejection is very very tough to take. I feel sorry for Tevez. I wish him well in his future career.
June 30th, 2009 at 14:40
@colver: Awwwwwwwwwwwwww sob, sob, sob! Like I said, CRY ME A RIVER, I cry a river over you
.
June 30th, 2009 at 14:46
Latest news coming out of Spain, Rooney is unsettled because SAF is continually messing with him, and playing him out of position. Real Madrid target Villa is not moving, and so Real M are going after Rooney to team him and Ronnie up again. I think its bullshit with a mighty bull, but with Fergie any bloody thing can happen!
June 30th, 2009 at 15:00
@Craig Mc,
lol Bro, this is bull of the highest order. News coming from OT! Its not from that pisstake from Arsenalvision is it?
June 30th, 2009 at 15:08
No mate, I heard it from Man United fans in Spain. I don’t know whether they are stirring the pot, but nothing would surprise me about Real M. I don’t think they so much want all the best players, but there strategy is that they don’t want United to have ANY of the best players, after the virus comment! I notice they are always mentioned as bidders too for whoever United go in for
. I don’t think we have any worries about Rooney though 
. Whats arsenal vision then Phoenix, are they bullshitters or what, cos never heard of them or seen their sight.
June 30th, 2009 at 15:30
Anyway, with Valencia in the bag, (seemingly!) still hoping for a couple of big name signings, agree with Stephen and others about midfield, it needs to be sorted. Good thing about to CL final, its inadeqacies were stark and obvious for all to see. So i expect Fergie to sort it out. As far as goals, yes we need to replace Ronaldos goal tally, question is can Rooney do it? I believe he can, with the slaves departure, (both of them!) i hope to see the second coming of Wayne the Destroyer. As most pundits will agree, he’s best employed playing just off a front line striker,(4-4-1-1) at least he’s been very good for England playing in this role.I know btw, he was key to our fluid attacking trio in a 4-3-3. So indulge me for a second, who is his partner going to be in a more trad 4-4-2?
And along this line of thinking, if Fergie were to redesign the team around The Roon, who would be Rooneys best partner? Berba? Macheda? Welbeck? Benzema? The Kun?
June 30th, 2009 at 15:39
@Craig Mc: I think I’d actually cry if that happened. It’s bad enough losing Ronaldo. Anyway I’d say Rooney hates that shower as much as we do so thank god it’s a no-go.
June 30th, 2009 at 15:41
@phoenix red: If we signed Aguero, Valencia and I dunno, let’s say Lorik Cana, then we’d be better than last season imo
June 30th, 2009 at 15:51
@ Craig Mc, sorry about the delays in replying Bro, i’m posting on my phone, half the time it wont let me post comments at all : ( , so i cant give you links either! But in Newsnow there was a link to an Arsenal blog called Arsenalvision, and they had a couple of pisstake stories to illustrate the absolute BS nature of tabloid transfer gibberish, the Roon to Real was just one of them.
June 30th, 2009 at 16:23
@ Liam, dont know anything about Cana so cant comment, i presume you are talking about a midfield general type player, although i’d prefer a midfield dictator tbh
Yes i agree, if certain positions are shored up, we could be better than last year. But i want to witness the return of fear in all of our opponents.We need to get lethal again, no pussy footing around. To regain it we need to restore control and attacking impetus in centre midfield. In my dreamworld Michael Essian is that player. So whose the next best thing?
On another topic, do you watch any League of Ireland footie? I’m a Sligo Rovers fan, myself. Just wondering?
June 30th, 2009 at 16:28
Hyundai!!!
Funny, I always thought Kia was a swedish brand…
Great article though!
June 30th, 2009 at 16:35
Anybody knows if Valencia talks good english? Spanish is the official ecuador language, so I’m not sure if he’ll integrate the portuguese group of lads.
June 30th, 2009 at 16:37
@phoenix red: had a passing interest. Used to go to a few Shelbourne games with my Dad when I was younger but lost a lot of interest after the whole relegation fiasco.
June 30th, 2009 at 16:39
@RedDave: Hey mate, welcome on board but watch your tone on this blog. We all get along here and we do not throw personal jibes at each other no matter what. If you want to argue rather than debate, this isn’t the blog for you mate. However, if you do want to debate or share your experiences as a hard core United fan with all of us in a friendly way, well then by all means do so. We look forward to it.
June 30th, 2009 at 16:40
Chris Hutchings on manutd.com:
“He works very hard and he is a top professional who was very popular in the dressing room during my time at Latics and will join in with everything.
“If the lads would organise a go-karting trip he would throw himself into that, and I think that is very important for foreign players to do – to try to become a member of the squad off the pitch as well as on it.
“It’s difficult when you don’t speak the language but he was one who always went along to every event and always had a smile on his face.”
Good, good!
Now just hit double figures in your goals stats (and if possible assists too!) and you’ll be an instant crowd favourite. Hope he turns out to be the next Nolberto Solano.
June 30th, 2009 at 16:45
@RedDave: I have nothing but respect for your 25 years of support for the club and i personally welcome all your viewpoints, even if they aren’t popular. God knows mine aren’t quite often. Just be prepared to be taken to task for your comments because many on here are very protective of players but especially of Fergie. Develop a thick skin if some disagree with you because they will, and do not get personal with them because that is the last thing you need and that we all need. I for one look forward to your stories and perspectives as you have been in the thick of it for so long. I’ve been a supporter of the club since 1977 but unfortunately from afar. You have been right there so your perspective is certainly something I look forward to. Cheers!
June 30th, 2009 at 16:48
@RedDave: In many ways you speak my language mate. I think Fergie gets off very easily with many for some of his moves or signs of loyalty. So after 25 years who have been your favorites and what is your favorite team from the past 25 years. Mine is still 1994. I for one cannot pick a favorite United team that doesn’t include Cantona.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:20
@Grognard: Yeah Dave I agree with Grog, no Nani bashing or else
.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:25
@phoenix red: O right Mate, I got ya
.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:26
@Liam: fair enough! Keeps a footy interest for me during the summer, although i havent been to a game for awhle! SRFC are in europe this season too! But i dont hold out too much hope, if they managed to get thru a couple of rounds it’d be a great cash boost for the club.Money(survival!) is the serious issue facing many LOI clubs. It wasn’t that long ago that Shels flew the flag for Irish football, so hopefully they’ll get their house in order and come back to where they belong.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:29
@Liam: Liam if that happened, the fans would TEAR OLD TRAFFORD APART brick by brick. Their would be pandemonium mate, and Fergie would be put into retirement long before his intended departure
. I do believe Real M want Rooney though, because as we know, Rooney and Ronnie can do some damage. So I wouldn’t put it past the bastards to try, with another 80 million attempt 
.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:36
@Craig Mc: Wazza would never leave us he knows the fans love him, also he gets a nose bleed going to away games never mind moving to Spain, personally I would be like the guy who stood in front on that tank in Tiananmen Square outside his house not allowing him to get out of his driveway if we that ever happened!
June 30th, 2009 at 17:37
@Craig Mc: there would be a revolution Bro! A Red Revolution lol i think we need one on the pitch!
June 30th, 2009 at 17:41
Im so glad we’re hours away from another fuck leaving. Heres hoping he flop s at city and realises that hes not as good as maradona thinks he is.
June 30th, 2009 at 17:58
@Stephen:
. I can just picture you in a tank with full body armour!
June 30th, 2009 at 17:58
@phoenix red: I second that Phoenix
.
June 30th, 2009 at 18:00
“The Red Revolution” starring the Roonamator, The Count Berba, Nanierine, Antonio “the hit man” Valencia, the Silva Surfer Twins, O Sheavator,Anderson The Joker,Kiko the Undertaker, not forgetting our very own Batman and Robin(Rio and Vidic) and special guests to be announced! Watch this space,
June 30th, 2009 at 18:01
Douglas Costa injured. No gettiong him then…
June 30th, 2009 at 18:13
http://www.goal.com/en/news/90/france/2009/06/30/1355925/benzema-is-close-to-joining-manchester-united-lyon-teammate
June 30th, 2009 at 18:16
There is no way on God’s green Earth Wayne Rooney would bugger off to Madrid. I will bet my house, dog, etc on that. That’s almost too stupid for even Marca/AS to print. Which I didn’t think was possible. No sleep lost there.
I have a theory. Presumably the Valencia formalities are done, and there is no reason to not have made him officially a United player. Unless of course you want to just have one press conference, announcing all of your signings, ala Hargo, Nani and Ando. Now wouldn’t that be nice?
June 30th, 2009 at 18:27
you have to wonder sometimes, does fergie getaway with murder? hell yes!!!
we love fergie, there is no question about that. he has earned the right to get away with murder though…. there are issues with the sale of ronaldo and tevez. fact is with every major player we have sold over the last 10yrs, we have suffered! how he could not swallow his pride and keep beckham and nistelrooy i do not know. beckham was an assist goddddd! he never stopped creating opportunities, and ruud can testify to that. ruud still is the best penalty box striker i have ever seen – bar none! we sold him beckham and we did not win for some time! ok, we sold ruud and we won but c’mon, becks loved united and united loved becks end of story,
fact is, beckhams type of football, was such that he never relied much on his pace but on his abiility to deliver a good pass! end of story. we lost money in the sale of beckham! and to this day, it beats me! is any one should have been phase out, it should have been giggs. ronaldo could have easily played left wing more consistently! no excuse beckham should never been sold. beckham was always of more value to us that gigsy, both on and off the pitch.
morAL of the story, i miss becks and fergie better replace those two with quality!!!!! and valencia is not the quality i am talking about. although i believe he is a great buy.
honest opinion pls i believe fergie has been the best manager over the last 20yrs, are there any that u guys think are better than him or at least come close
June 30th, 2009 at 18:33
Carlos Tevez, as big a fraud of a person as he is a fraud of a player. We loved him for his passion and commitment and thus were quite happy to ignore the flaws that hamper his game, and an exorbitant transfer fee to go. I’d rather give Ronaldo a standing ovation than give Tevez as much as a nod of approval upon their future visits to Old Trafford. I sincerely hope Carlos gets the vote of ignorance from our fans when we next face City.
June 30th, 2009 at 18:33
@phoenix red:
.
June 30th, 2009 at 18:55
@Dan: Or he thinks he is, for that matter.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:02
@edwin: Maradona said he was the argentine prophet of the 21st century(despite us not being a decade in yet
), this went right to the prats head like oral sex, and ever since then he thinks hes god gift to football since maradona.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:05
@Liam: I watched a youtube video of that Cana lad and I must say, he looked f’ing MENTAL!!!! Looks like he’ll tackle anything that moves, teammates, refs, ball boys, the little kids that walk out at the start holding hands with the lads, anything.
He would easily get about 10 reds a season, but it would be worth it just to watch Fab/Torres/Lumpard piss themselves at the sight of him!!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:10
@phoenix red: Essien would be my dream signing as well.
Another pipe dream that won’t happen is of course De Rossi.
But, one that I’ve thought of since our two games against Porto is their young Brazilian Fernando. I admit that I’ve only ever seen him play in those two games, but he was immense against us and made countless perfectly timed tackled to break up our play/attacks. Just a suggestion…
June 30th, 2009 at 19:12
It’s official. United sign Valencia.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:14
@Red Ranter: Yes, fuck Fake Madrid and all their legion of Fascists! Valencia—-I am a fan, welcome aboard you Nani-look-alike
June 30th, 2009 at 19:15
Bloody hell, I am just watching the Valencia presentation 0n MUTV, and I thought it was Nani. This guy Valencia is the feckin spitting image of Nani – Woooooooooooooooooooooo, Nani on the left and Nani on the right. The Nani/Valencia twins. Anybody else see the similarity in the facial features. If I didn’t know better, I’s say they were from the same mother
.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:18
@Drew Vader: Not to mention crippling a few of the
.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:21
@Craig Mc: Looks like you have another person to share your Nani love with.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:34
@Red Ranter: Oh this is TOOOOOOOOOOO exciting RR
. Valencia with curly hair, well wouldn’t be able to tell them apart with the same cheeky, red devil grin 
. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah – too bloody comedic – double take – 
.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:34
WTF! its been like 20minutes since we signed someone.
Fergie out.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:36
Valencia 4 no. 7?
He could be worth it in the future IMO…….
June 30th, 2009 at 19:40
First positive news for a while.
Keep it coming Fergie!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:41
@Craig Mc: They are the secret children of Michael Jackson!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:43
@Craig Mc: That means you love him already, don’t you?
And as for Charles, poor him, we should report Fergie to human rights authorities, he probably tortured and threw boots at him each day in training, that explains his suffering.
@Dan: ITS A FULL THIRTY MINUTES NOW, Fergie is really losing it.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:43
@Red Ranter: Finally!!!
Ive waited for this since the bid was reported, Ive wanted this to happen for a while now…
WELCOME TONY!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:44
@edwin: He got the number 7 shirt in my FIFA 09 team…
June 30th, 2009 at 19:44
@Dan: Didnt get that…
June 30th, 2009 at 19:53
@RedDevilEddy: I swear to God they are Eddi – except one has curly nut and the other is almost skinhead. They should wear the same number shirt in a game, they’d never get booked, because Refs wouldn’t know which fecker was which!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:57
@Craig Mc: Imagine the confusion if we have the silva twins behind them on either flank.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:57
@Rd: I know! I expected the Ribery AND Benzema deals to be done by now!
@RedDevilEddy: Need to get on FM, sell Ronaldo, Buy Valencia, and do that……….
June 30th, 2009 at 19:58
@NicoQB: Kia Motors is South Korean.
June 30th, 2009 at 19:59
@Rd:
, your right about Charles Rd. With regards to Valencia, I will have to see him play 1st before I decide whether he’s a United footballer whose game is worth loving!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:59
@Craig Mc: Nani and Valencia? You think that will confude them?!
Rafael————-Fabio
Valencia———–Nani
Refs, opponents, and co players will be confused to fuck!!!
Shit, I just got Fergies tactics for the next 5 years…
June 30th, 2009 at 19:59
@Red Ranter: Imagine the reactions on the scouse panel that is Match of the Day trying to distinguish ‘em all! Would be hilarious!
June 30th, 2009 at 19:59
@Red Ranter: Shit, you beat me to it…
June 30th, 2009 at 20:01
@Red Ranter: Oh yes, that would be bloody magic RR. Well worth the entrance fee. United is fast becoming the theatre of TWINS
.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:02
@edwin: “Thats Nani crossing the… Wait, I mean Valencia. Or is it Nani?! No, its Valencia. Goes over the Chelsea defense. Fabio picks it up… Rafael picks it… Fabio… Rafa… THE CURLY HEADED FELLA CROSSES IT!”
June 30th, 2009 at 20:02
Has this been posted?
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11667_5408324,00.html
If so it maybe time to;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v154/kizinho/benzometer.jpg
June 30th, 2009 at 20:03
Red Ranter, surely there should be a NEW THREAD BEGUN entitled Nani recruits his twin into OT
. We need a thread for new signings anyway?
June 30th, 2009 at 20:04
@Craig Mc: Now lets just get this guy and we have the Anderson twins in our team as well! LATIN TWIN MAGIC!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 20:08
@edwin: Unless its made up media bollocks you muppet.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:08
@RedDevilEddy: Is that dude a soccer player, he looks like a pimp with his fists full of illicit gains.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:08
Haha. T-PAIN would be an excellent signing… but I have to say I would rather they didnt have any loud music drowning out the atmosphere at OT this season…
Valencia will be a great signing and it looks like the likes of Berbatov and Rooney will get some good delivery in a 4-4-2 formation… though I have to say… the real big signing for me will be Benzema and I’m pleased to see it looks like its being sorted on the quiet
June 30th, 2009 at 20:09
Foster
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Berbatov
subs: VDS, Rafael, Oshea, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Welbeck/Macheda
June 30th, 2009 at 20:10
@RedDevilEddy:
.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:10
@Craig Mc: He is a rapper, called T-pain. Think he is kinda good, like his “low” song.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:13
@edwin: Its been on Goal.com, ROM, and Sportinglife today, as well as Sky, and apparantley he really said it. Athough, i dont believe him. Looks more likely that Benzi is on his way to Real, as they have said they are interested. But if Benzema really chooses United over Real then we know he is the kind of player we want! Only thing we have said he lacks that we wants him to have is the desire to play for United. Hopefully he will come…
June 30th, 2009 at 20:15
@RedDevilEddy: TBH, I dont believe him either.
I shall keep my fingers crossed. Hopefully he will show the desire to play for our clubs and stick a fat middle finger up to the fascists.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:15
Right fred, any news on benzema and/or any other transfers?
June 30th, 2009 at 20:19
@edwin:
Hopefully! 
June 30th, 2009 at 20:20
@Dan: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11667_5408324,00.html
June 30th, 2009 at 20:21
@RedDevilEddy: seen it already, not that reliable though is it.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:23
@Dan: No, but thats all it is for now. But come on mate, we just signed Valencia!
Lets enjoy that for this week and lets see what happens! 
June 30th, 2009 at 20:32
There is also this;
http://www.olweb.fr/en/home/100007/A…ck-in-training
OL are back in training, no mention of Benzema though………
June 30th, 2009 at 20:35
I LOVE MANUTD but when it comes to Carlos Tevez, I WOULD do the same. FCUK Sir, FCMU, players and all haters. His career and well being of his family is FAAAAARRRR more important than bench at OT. I WISH him all the best and even score twice in their 2-3 loss.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:37
@jv: Good for you. And don’t forget to relate your story too.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:39
Meaning??? Red Ranter, what are you trying to say?
June 30th, 2009 at 20:42
@RedDevilEddy: Is this THE Predator???
June 30th, 2009 at 20:43
I hate for benzema to come here, but by the time he leaves us for real madrid i hope kiko and danny are ready for action, i will cheer him but if he even thinks of pulling a ronaldo…
June 30th, 2009 at 20:46
@jv: And how is sitting on the bench at OT interfering with his family? He still gets the same millions, plus big win bonuses whether he is in the team or on the bench. He chose to leave, but he is still not happy. He is one sad person. With regards to him scoring the goals in a Man City win against United, it wont happen pal, so you just keep on dreaming, because that is all it is. We will wallop City, Tevez and all. Nemanjah will eat him for dinner in that game
.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:48
Well Valencia is a like for like replacement for Ronaldo and will be lining up on the right of midfield with Nani on the left and Park and Tosic deputising.
The Benzema rumours have a ring of truth. If Fergie wants a player he has a habit of pursuing him until he gets him. Valencia we’ve been after for a while and same applies for Benzema. Real don’t want Benzema so Im guessing he thinks he can use Manchester United as a stepping stone. Lyon have signed Lisandro so all the pieces seem to fit.
Now Berbatov is going to get a taste of life on the bench.
June 30th, 2009 at 20:53
How bench warming is interfering with his family? He goes home sad for not playing and his family is sad to see him like that. He wanted to play, not the millions, and if he is sad now it is because he tried and gave his all for the team, and he didnt get the respect back. And in regards to him scoring, I said in City LOSS to UTD 2-3, IO dont want them to WIN, although it did happen twice in 07/08 season, with much worse team than this City. I am just saying that in my opinion, HE SHOULD be in the team instead of that money/time/space wasting Bulg…
That is all
June 30th, 2009 at 20:54
@Dan: Meanwhile….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkvFU6QMrCo
June 30th, 2009 at 21:20
@jv: That money/time/waste space Bulgarian scored more goals than Tevez and had more assists. Tevez is NOT going to start every game if he wants to play for a BIG team like United, and no way will he start every game for City either. If he continues to CRY to play every game, he needs to go to a small team where they don’t have big squads. Other United players had to suffer then bench and have done over they years, great players, but they weren’t cry babies. They fought for thei places instead of crying to the press every few minutes. This whole RESPECT thing is bollocks too, and only came in with the latins, notably the South Americans. They are not bigger than Man Utd and never will be.
June 30th, 2009 at 21:22
@jv: he wont start at shitty either and he will not win so he will be really sad.
June 30th, 2009 at 21:22
@jv: jv, are you, in actual fact, Tevez himself??
You show about the same capacity for reasonable though as the wise one himself!
June 30th, 2009 at 21:38
@jv:
Tevez wife: carlitos, why you no happy?
Tevez: Dat wank put carlitos on the bench and me no like dis.
Tevez wife: Oh carlitos, you no deserve dis, you should leave for a bigger club like mananner thity.
Tevez: I is, i cant stand no sitiuation like dis right now. Me no like fergie, me no like the bulgarian, me no like old trafford. Atleast de fans still cheer me on when i give 100% everytime.
Tevez wife: i know know. Thity have mega bucks so are bigger anyways, it will be good.
Pause
Tevez: lets have sex
Tevez wife: ok, only if you put mask on
(tevez puts on maradona mask)
No not dat one, daaaaat one!
(tevez puts on ronaldo mask)
Oh ronaldo.
June 30th, 2009 at 21:44
@Dan:
XD XD XD XD
Funny shit mate, hillarious!
June 30th, 2009 at 21:55
I hope that the Benzema to United for £38million is not true.
I wont mind having him, but hell, for £38m? That’s real f’d up! Way, way, way tooooo much.
What is this about Valencia’s fee being Undisclosed?
June 30th, 2009 at 22:08
@Dan: LOL, nice one bro!
Just wanted to add… (in the voice of Agent Smith): Welcome Mr. Antonia Valencia. We’ve missed you (err, a new signing basically)
June 30th, 2009 at 22:49
@Karl: Wigan should unveil Valencia’s fee in the near future (remember the tax-man’s prerogative?). Then we will know. Anyway Beeb reckons the deal can be worth ‘as much as 16m’.
As for Benzema, from the vid above, one thing stood out, how he always pushed team-mates out of the way of the ball and how he always shot instead of passed. Ah well… welcome Ronaldo v2.0 …
June 30th, 2009 at 22:57
Dan, you know I like Tevez, but I have to admit that imagined dialogue was seriously funny! Im pissing myself here. Ronaldo mask hahahahahahaha
Us paying over the moon for Benzema sounds like our style. I think the guy is a dick, but I think he and Rooney would be an absolute dream together. It just makes me wonder how Berbatov would fit in. There is no way Benzema would accept being dropped and I don’t think Berbatov would be happy about it either.
June 30th, 2009 at 23:20
Just wondering about the number 7 shirt, not a very important subject i know but theres always interest on the whos gonna be the next number 7.
I have to say i dont see valencia being given the number, its a big thing and i would think were valencia gonna be given the number 7, they would have announced it today, meet our new number 7, blah blah blah would have been spoken about by fergie surely if he wanted valencia to take that shirt.
If reports are to be believed then we may be close to signing benzema. Whilst i have reservations as to how he will fit in, will it mean pushing rooney out of position and all that he is undoubtedly a huge star in the making and would definitely be considered more a direct choice for the number 7 shirt than a talented player like valencia, but one who i think its fair to say doesnt have the talent nor the appeal of ben.
But regardless of playing the number game ive changed my mind on valencia. I will give him time, there are attributes about him i like and others i dont. Just looking a few clips of him (i know on youtube), there was a finish against villa i believe in 07/08 which was just a brilliant finish. Pace and a finish on the outside of his foot, an outstanding finish and goal really, thats what i want to see from him.
Benzema as i said i am unsure about, i think i would prefer the cheaper choice in huntelaar. I think to be honest benzema is a man utd player, but at the minute i just see no way we can fit him in with rooney and berbatov. Unless berba is left out we have a problem and even then we also have an expensive problem in berbatov being on the bench.
I think if we didnt have berba then fine hes ready to go, i just dont want to see another tevez situation with either benzema or berbatov (whoevers the 3rd choice) moaning all season long. Huntelaar isnt up to their standard maybe, im willing to bet he would be prepared to play the rotation game than others, he would be cheap as chips and also i believe he has the attributes we are looking for right now, in that he is an excellent finisher which is what we need most of all.
Add to that a new midfielder in which im really in two minds about and were sorted. Im not in two minds about whether to sign a midfielder, no we defo need a midfielder, but i keep looking and wondering whether a enforcer is needed or a goal scorer in the midfield. You can balance it i guess, the way we got killed against barca suggests a DM enforcer is needed, but you can also look at it and say we have hargo and fletcher there while we have no scoring midfielder who can get us say 10 goals a season. With the loss of ronaldo and the introduction of valencia who just wont score any where near that amount of goals i think goals from the midfield will be needed even if berba and rooney do have a good season.
Maybe we go with fletcher and give hargo a final chance and go for a goal scoring midfielder. Not many of them about i know, maybe moutinho is an option with maybe arteta, and maybe a few others i cant think of. Fact is it will be hard looking in the midfield area there aint many around atm, we have the money and i will be eagerly looking to see how fergie reinforces that area if he does at all.
Another albeit highly unlikely option could be to play valencia in the AM position which he can play in and invest in another winger. Theres possibilites but big decisions will have to be made, glad im not the one having to make them though.
June 30th, 2009 at 23:20
@colver: Berbatov can suck dick if he sulks. Sorry for that image, but we got rid of Tevez for him. Surely he can understand and sit his ass on the bench for about 30 games next season.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually like Berbatov but nobody’s bigger than
BenzemaRooneythe team.June 30th, 2009 at 23:47
@Andrei: If we do end up with benzema another option could be to play berba in an AM role that i spoke of. He has all the attributes to play there, his ball control is the best, and his ball distribution is good too. At times last season he played almost in that position anyway, problem was rooney also played thereabouts as well so it was all up to ronaldo to get into the box and get the goals, and as a result of this i think we suffered from this.
I think were we to sign benzema and play him up top, with the service from valencia he could be our torres, i have been saying this for ages that torres was not a deadly goal scorer in spain yet here he is capable of getting 30 a season. Benzema at times reminds me alot of torres, and also ronaldo (the fat one) all into one. In a good season i reckon he could get 30, in a bad one 20, but playing him up top with rooney behind i think the two could get well over 40 between them.
Add berbatov to the mix in the midfield and i think your talking a good deal of goals for these 3, most importantly in a formation and for them in positions i feel suits them well. I would hate to see rooney stuck on the left of a 4-3-3 with benzema and berba the other 2, i just couldnt see this working.
As i said in the post above i think a midfielder with a goal threat is needed and there aint much of them out there. I really feel berba could do that job very well, i know its a risk but its one i would take. Only problem could be he is nearly 29 now and playing him in a position hes never played in before could be a big mistake, he just may not take to it, but anyway its something i think fergie should try.
July 1st, 2009 at 0:04
He kinda looks like the old Michael Jackson,without the afro.Here is to moonwalking past Bacary Sagna and Ashley Cole.Welcome to Old Trafford Luis Antonio Valencia
July 1st, 2009 at 0:05
@colver: I hope and would wager that Berbatov does not have half a brain like Tevez and realises that big teams need big squads.
And if you take last season for an example of what could happen, the three big name strikers (four if you count Ronaldo) were rotated and only one moaned his way out of United.
Benzema is definfitely moody, but twice the player Tevez is imho, and also being moody doesn’t necessarily imply having a peanut size brain, or being the slave of his agent.
July 1st, 2009 at 0:14
If we do get Benzema then we may actually not require any other signing.That would mean Karim and Rooney will eventually become the 2 forwards of choice.I don’t believe in the 4-3-3 formations being suggested. There has to be a simple rotation of strikers because the 3 up front has never worked for us.In any case u need one of the players to be either a winger or attacking midfielder. I think a conservative rotation of strikers is what would be needed if we go on to sign a new striker
July 1st, 2009 at 0:41
@NicoQB: It must hurt when the likes of Berbatov play against Arsenal/Liverpool/Chelsea and you play against Wigan… no bashing Tevez for complaining that Berbatov was favoured. He was!
July 1st, 2009 at 0:51
if we are going to get benz then i think aguero is out of the question and we would most likely be going for costa and someone like veloso. wish it was aguero and silva.
July 1st, 2009 at 0:59
@Matt: I have 2 problems with Berbatov playing MF.
Firstly and most obviously, is his lazy approach to game. An attacking MF’er must be willing to fight for the loose ball, force the ball forward and generally put a large footprint on the game. (ala Gerrard or Lampard)
Secondly, he seems to have an aversion to shooting the ball from distance.
Without this, we have no central threat from 20 yards or so out.
His better position is to play a little behind a main target guy, doing give and go’s and cleaning up the scraps. He would probably be much more successful at this if that was a big, strong CF, like Benzema!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:09
@Jay wire: I think the approach will be to play 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 depending on the competition and the opposition. When in a conventional 4-4-2, the strikers will be in rotation, with the third one being rested or used as an impact sub.
There’s absolutely nothing about this system that should upset the strikers. It’s a proven method used by all major teams and one that will benefit the club toward the latter part of the season!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:09
@Redrich: Yeah i get where your coming from mate. If we do get benzema we find outselves with a conundrum, its a pretty big one too, but fergie is the master and he will sort it out. Anyway looking on the bright side its a good situation to be in, better to have alot of top class players and trying to find positions for them in the squad than over say liverpool and arsenal who strugle to find enough top class players to make the first 11.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:22
@Redrich: that would leave roony in the am position whitch isnt bad given his propensity to go looking for the ball and run for days. but im still hoping that ando can come good for us in the next couple seasons in that role fingers crossed.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:23
@Andrei: Nobody’s bigger than the team
A United battle cry for as long as I’ve supported them.
You’d just think that, with as uncompromising as SAF is with this motto, the fucking players would just not go there anymore!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:32
@Matt: I don’t see it as a problem as long as the strikers don’t see it as a problem.
We have to get a big, powerful man up front, because no matter what combo we used last season, we rarely overpowered anyones back line.
When Ronaldo played centrally, it made a huge difference because of his speed and strength!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:36
@gator: Only when we’d play a 4-3-3 or any other unconventional formation.
It would be great to see Rooney rested more often and have gas left in his tank in April and May!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:48
@Andrei: Come the end of season, Tevez was playing ahead of Berbatov for the big games.
And even if he felt offended, couldn’t he take it like a man and try to get his starting place back in the line up by making his appearances count? I repeat once again, he got plenty of game time to prove what he was worth. Only he didn’t score enough, and created little also:
Minutes played per goal scored: Berba – 282 mins/goal in the EPL, 123 mins/goal in the CL; Tevez – 372 mins/goal in the EPL, 196 mins/goal in the CL.
This does not even take into account assists where Berba is also infinitely better than Tevez.
Also: wins when Berba starts – 81%; wins when Tevez starts – 62% (and Tevez complains that he starts only in games against weak opponents).
And despite the fact that Berbatov is clearly the better player, people are still standing up for Tevez after the amount of shit he’s been spouting recently.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:49
@phoenix red: Rio and Vidic are not Batman and Robin. They are “World’s Finest” Batman and Superman.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:51
@Craig Mc: There’s only one Nani.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:54
@NicoQB: There’s not all that many standing up for Tevez now mate – read back thru the posts and count. Also your right, Berba is better on the field than Tevez, and like you say, Berba supposedly played the bigger harder games. So Tevez no grounds for complaint really!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:55
@RedDevilEddy: Is that lineup supposed to impress me? Christ, we just lost Ronaldo the best player on the planet and we replaced him with a Nani wannabe. Also, I’d still take EVDS over Foster any day of the week.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:56
@Grognard: But he has a double now Grog, so what was his Mom up to
.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:57
@jv: Perhaps you should try English because I have absolutely no idea what you just said.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:58
@Grognard: Don’t knock the Nani wannabees Grog, ‘cos you will feel silly when he proves you wrong.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:59
@Craig Mc: He’s in disguise because he is covertly trying to supplant Nani in the starting lineup. He plans to kidnap Nani and kill him and then take over his place on the team because he wants your special Nani love. He’s heard about Craig and his special love for the Lil Man and he wants it, he wants it real baaaaaddddd.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:02
Vidic’s wife! Apparently it was true!
July 1st, 2009 at 2:04
@jv: Boo Fucking Hoo. Perhaps he should try finding a minimum wage job and go out there and bust his ass and come home too exhausted, bitter and frustrated to give his family the time of day. So what you are saying is that we should all have sympathy and cry for the rough luck of a millionaire, is that right? Not on your life mate. You and Tevez need to grab some perspective. I think Tevez should be more upset with his poverty as a child and with the person who tossed scalding hot water on his face and scarred him. And not Sir Alex Ferguson for sending him to the bench for not scoring goals. Cry me a frakken river.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:04
@Grognard:
, you’ve truly been watching too many late night movies Grog!
July 1st, 2009 at 2:06
@Redrich:
That was frakken great mate. I loved it. 
July 1st, 2009 at 2:07
@Grognard: Aaaah Grog you caught on to the Cry me a River then? It’s such a great song for Tevez and all his sob sob sobbing!.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:07
@Craig Mc: I agree, most people have now seen the light. But its just that a few are still stubborn, believing that Tevez had every right to moan.
I’m very disappointed with Andrei for instance. I would have thought that a fan of a team player like Rooney would appreciate Berbatov’s intelligent contribution, compared to the bustling, unproductive tevez.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:08
@Dan: Very good mate. Sticking it to Carlito, old school.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:09
@Karl: The problem mate is if we want anybody at all, we have to pay more than we want or what they are worth. That’s just our lot in life. It’s the price we pay for being Man Utd.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:10
@Dan: Oh ronaldo.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:12
@Jay wire: I still want that Central midfielder and the rumours are Yaya Toure. I would love to get him.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:14
@NicoQB: I think Andrei said that he didn’t dislike Berba, but he just likes Tevez better, only God knows why, as Ronaldo would say
.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:15
Reporter to Tevez:- Did you know that SAF was not made the President of England, he was just knighted??
Tevez:- I know nothing about chess!!
July 1st, 2009 at 2:36
@Craig Mc: Oh, it’s because Tevez is better looking!!
July 1st, 2009 at 4:05
@Grognard: I think Tevez should be upset about his “Mental Poverty”. This man needs a boat-load of charity in that depatment!
July 1st, 2009 at 4:23
@Grognard: So you think that a DMF would do the trick?? Freeing up Carrick and Fletcher to go forward, with Anderson in reserve??
July 1st, 2009 at 4:40
@Craig Mc: Can’t you just imagine Carlito trying to sing Elton John’s “Don’t go breaking my heart” and Fergie singing along?
(CT) Ju no breaky my heart
(SAF) Are you a girl or a guy?
(CT) Mo money if I get restless?
(SAF) Numptee you’re not that guy
(CT) Ju no breaky my heart
(SAF) You try my patience you see
(CT) Mo money if want me to score
(SAF) Ha…I guess you don’t know me
(SAF) Ooh Ooh, nobody’s loyal
(CT) Ju bring me down
(SAF) You played like a clown
(CT) Ooh Ooh Nobody Loves me
(SAF) Nobody gives a sod
(SAF) Right from the start
(CT) I give ju my heart
(CT) Oh Oh I give ju my heart
(CT) So don’t go breaky my heart
(SAF) You make me wanna go fart
(CT) Ju no breaky my heart
(CT) And nobody loves me
(SAF) Cause you’re bloody ugly
(CT) I guess I go to Man City
(SAF) Because you’re so damn shitty
(CT) Ju don’t misunderstand me
(SAF) You take years off my life
(CT) Ju put the spark out in my flame
(SAF) I want you out of my sight
(CT) Ooh Ooh Nobody loves me
(CT) I was always around
(SAF) With a mighty big frown
(CT) Ooh Ooh Nobody loves me
(SAF) Nobody gives a sod
(CT) I wanted to start
(SAF) You’re breaking my heart
(SAF) Oh Oh You’re not making this hard
(CT) Ju go breaky my heart
(SAF) You make me wanna go fart
(CT) Ju go breaky my heart
(SAF) Ooh Ooh you always blew it
(CT) I demanded to start
(SAF) You make me wanna go fart
(SAF) You make whining an art
(CT) I really work hard
(SAF) Ooh Ooh You’re making me faaaart
(CT) Ju go breaky my heart
(SAF) You make whining an art
(CT) Ju go breaky my…Ju go breaky my
(SAF) You make me wanna go faaaaaart
(CT) Ju no breaky my
(CT) Ju no breaky my
(CT) Ju no breaky my heart
(SAF) You make me wanna go fart
(CT) Ju no breaky my
(CT) Ju no breaky my
(CT) Ju no breaky my heart
and on and on and on
July 1st, 2009 at 5:38
@Grognard: I dont know if you were joking about the scolding water. But the story goes his mom was boiling water, and as a small child he reached up and tipped the pot over and thats when he got burned. So no one was to blame but the poor little wee man.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:40
@Grognard: Despite my spoilt fan red rant from earlier, I would think it would be easier for me to pick players I didn’t like because we’ve had a lot of good and great to be honest. I agree about Eric and 2004 though, those were special times. Always loved Sparky too, and if he were playing now he’d benefit from not getting kicked all the time. You might not think it from our earlier exchange but I’m with Stephen on the midfield, I think there’s a massive hole it and I’m not sure we have one fit enough, young enough “in their prime” midfield general. My problem with Carrick is his lack of balls going forward, I’m not a believer in the holding role (which to me means slightly advanced defender possibly coined by Andy Gray FOR And Gray) I want a middle pairing who get up and put the fear of god into teams. Not been happy at how deep Scholes has been played either, obviously I accept he’s getting on in age. If playing Tevez as a forward didn’t suite SAF then maybe he could have tried him as an attacking mid, I dunno. It’s all over anyhow
July 1st, 2009 at 5:41
@Craig Mc:You know Im a Tevez fan, Im just done arguing about it. Between you, me,dan, Karl and stephen we covered every ounce of the debate. I havent seen an original angle to the whole thing in a while. At the end of the day we all have come to our own well thought conclusions, and I just dont see them changing anytime soon.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:48
I really like the Valencia signing, he is a rugged traditional winger with pace and high technical ability. I keep hearing people knocking his goal scoring record, but thats because we have all forgotten what wingers do. Ronaldo spoilt us and now we expect our wingers to be fre wheeling goal machines, and the fact of the matter is there arent alot of ronaldos laying around. Nani is prolly the closest thing to a ronaldo style winger, yet SAF seems to have no patience for him.
The best thing about Valencia is that we wont have to see Park playing on the right anymore.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:57
@johnsom33: Nani has everything but the few times he played last season he couldn’t keep the ball and lost it or passed it to get rid of it. You’d think we could help him with that because he’s got the pace, he’s got the crossing and shooting. Him and Valencia look like that bloke from Breakdance
July 1st, 2009 at 6:15
@RedDave: Trust me I am a huge Nani believer(just not as huge as Craig MC
) It just seems people cant wait to get on his back if he makes a few errant passes. You have to give creative players like him a litle slack and let him perfect his craft.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:24
@RedDave: As for the midfield, I have been a very loud critic of the present state of it. I cannot believe that Fergie is standing pat and not doing a thing to improve the biggest weakness on this team. We need either a world class attacking midfielder or a world class physical and intimidating defensive midfielder. Both would be nice but I am trying to be realistic. As for Hargreaves, I’ll believe him playing again when I see it.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:43
@NicoQB:
“Also: wins when Berba starts – 81%; wins when Tevez starts – 62% (and Tevez complains that he starts only in games against weak opponents).”
That line made me chuckle
July 1st, 2009 at 9:25
@RedDave: I completly afree with you, the “Makelele” role was invented by a player who could read the game well enough to play centre back and didn’t have the ability to get forward and score goals, what happened to the box to box midfielder al la Bryan Robson?
July 1st, 2009 at 9:26
@johnsom33: Amen to that brother!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:49
@johnsom33: You got that right Bro
.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:56
@Grognard:
SAF’s not easy with his responses then?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:02
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5408818,00.html Shit nooo i didnt want this!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:03
The guardian are banging on about SAF going in for Robben and Cahill, as well as Benzema
. Surely NOT? How old is Cahill? Also they are both INJURY PRONE and out a lot 
.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:05
@Craig Mc: I can’t see that mate, Cahill is a good player but is he United quality?!??! Robben would be a good signing if he could keep fit!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:06
Cahill isn’t injury prone – but is awesome. Not young enough for us though.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:09
The Sun say we are to bid £8m for Gojko Kacar?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:20
If Benzema does indeed join Real Madrid, like much in football, it just wouldn’t make any sense. Surely with Ruud, Hunterlar, Kaka, Ronaldo not including some of the younger forwards… would Benzema get the pitch time he craves before World Cup time?
We just got £80 Million deposited into our bank accounts and while I think the money is mad, I truley believe we should really push a british transfer record fee for Benzema. He’s 21, show’d a lot of promise and… he’s marketable.
I’m happy with the Valencia purchase but he is hardly a marque signing.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:31
RONALDO HAS COMPLETED HIS MOVE TO REAL!!! Thank god that is over with
July 1st, 2009 at 10:51
@Stephen: That’s what I thought mate! Arteta would have been a better proposition, but how old is he? Also the paps are saying that while everyone is banging on about Benzema, (whom Pranjic is now denying making any such comments about Benzema moveing to us) the striker whom SAF is really going out to quietly steal is Andrei Pierre ganjic who looks a useful striker from you tube clips. Who knows eh?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:58
BREAKING NEWS: Liverpool have signed… Julian Dicks as a body double for Rafa
July 1st, 2009 at 11:01
if you liked the news about ronaldo, you will like this
http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/07/01/1357110/real-madrid-agree-karim-benzema-deal-report
July 1st, 2009 at 11:01
@Craig Mc: Arteta is 27 mate and he would be a top signing for us mate, a midfielder who actually goes forward, could you imagine that for a change!
I would be still surprised if Benzema signs for us, he wants to go to Real and Real want to sign him.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:02
@ROOOOONEY: I would never believe anything written on that site, but sounds logical.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:18
@sig:
July 1st, 2009 at 11:45
Sky Sports News just reported Benzema’s agent has stated on french radio that a deal has been agreed with Real… meh
July 1st, 2009 at 11:52
goal just posts what everyone else says they dont really write their own rumors from what i saw. i personally dont believe anything till the main website confirms it.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/2274/goalcoms-top-50-english-players/2009/07/01/1357107/goalcoms-top-50-english-players-bobby-charlton-1
July 1st, 2009 at 11:53
@sig: I simply believe we have been used by his agent to flush out an offer from Real, he has never had any intention of signing for us and has fluttered his eyelashes at Fergie so that we make our interest known in him which in turn will speed up an offer from Real.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:58
Ahhh…anywayz thers no other striker for us now.. Hunterlaar is too slow,too Van nistelrooy like..aguero-too short and expensive…villa too much too old..Maybe a free transfer for owen lol
July 1st, 2009 at 12:01
I think it will be a catastrophy to sign a ‘world class’ striker for a huge fee. Anybody will find it a mammoth task to live up to the constant Ronaldo comparisons.
@johnsom33: So true. It’s not a matter of chaning perpsective, but more of getting sick and tired of the endless debate where both parties are ignorant to the others’ point of view.
I am still a fan of his, and I still believe what I believe. None of the stupid justifications or silly stats manipulations have thus far convinced me otherwise. But, alas, we must move.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:05
I used to feel kinda ‘excited’ over Real’s new galacticos. Now, I’m just amazed and curious. How will a team containing Kaka, Ronaldo, Ribery and Benzema fare. How will they defend? How will be supplying who? Who is going to make a name for himself and who will turn out to be an expensive flop? Who do you get to manage all the egos? How long will the manager last? Wow!
July 1st, 2009 at 12:48
THIS IS AWSOME!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 13:16
@Karl: Well if your STILL a fan of his mate, you can catch him playing in the blue of City or Chelski. If you live locally, City is within spitting distance
.
July 1st, 2009 at 13:21
Benzema wants Real, so why the fuck would we want to bring another Real lover in. I can’t make Fergie out sometimes. Benzema is NOT worth 38 million quid, and I think we can get two other VERY GOOD players for that price. I have never wanted Benzema, and I don’t now. I will be miserable if he come to OT
.
July 1st, 2009 at 13:38
well his team mate spoke on the reports
http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/33352/default.aspx
July 1st, 2009 at 14:10
Alright so no Benzema, I’m fine with that. Was excited for a bit, but never really wanted him as his heart always looked to be elsewhere. We’re still in a state where we need a third striker that is experienced, but I now hope that we manage to get someone a bit less ‘must-play’. Even if it isn’t a ‘world class’ player, I think with Berba and Rooney (and the youths) we don’t necessarily need a world class option, just someone reliable. Not sure who that is though!
July 1st, 2009 at 14:31
Soooooooooooooo finally the truth comes out of the Apaches mouth
. He wanted Chelsea, because he wanted CL football to continue, BUT – and wait for it, he chose Shitty BECAUSE their offer was just too good for him and especially for his slave owners to refuse. This lad IS OWNED. He’s Kia’s puppet, and all this coming out of Kia’s mouth, that Tevez ALONE has made the decisions – BULLSHIT. I think the few of you that still believe everything that comes out of Tevez’s mouth about the reasons he gave for wanting to leave us, will now get wise about him. Prostitutes follow the money, and if as he says, HE REALLY WANTED CHELSEA, then he is at City for one reason – MONEY. It was always about money, and all the sad stories and cry, cry, cry me a river shit was to fool some of your GULLIBLE United fans 
. Sorry but that is the truth. Some of you need to face it!
July 1st, 2009 at 14:37
@Craig Mc: Benzema doesn’t ‘want’ Real, but he’d have no problem playing for them as he likes them. He likes United as well and said that he watches the PL just to watch us. He was misquoted saying it was his dream to play for Real, he just said they are a team that he likes and they have great history. I want Aguero but in no way would I say no to Karim
July 1st, 2009 at 14:40
By the way, I dont care that Tevez went to City, I wouldn’t have cared if he went to the scousers, because I don’t hate peoples choices in life, life is too short. But why I go on about Tevez, is that I do HATE DISHONESTY and deceiving people, and he completely hoodwinked the United faithful. He wanted out, but he had to find a way out that wouldn’t offend all the Argentina chanters, all those who boo-ed SAF for him, and drowned out SAF’s victory speech, and he still has a few of you thinking he was maltreated and that was his reason for leaving
what a fucking fraudster. I am sorry guys, but I feel strongly about the Tevez lie. UNited fans deserve better!
July 1st, 2009 at 14:40
@Taehr: yeah let’s not sign one of the top 10 players in the world because he is too short
ffs if Barca came and said ‘we’ll give you Messi for £60m would you say no thanks he’s too short and too expensive?
July 1st, 2009 at 14:42
@Liam: I’m with you Liam on Aguero, but not on Karim – sorry mate!
July 1st, 2009 at 14:44
@Liam: I think I would say no Liam even for Messi 60 mill it too much. But then I think transfer fees have become obscene!
July 1st, 2009 at 14:46
@Craig Mc: but trading in Ronaldo for Messi and a £20m profit, when you look at it that way I think it’s some deal. Maybe I’m buying in to this Galactico crap though
July 1st, 2009 at 14:50
On that premise I can see where your coming from Liam, but I think that the Ronaldo fee was greatly obscene, especially when you consider the devestating effect on the rest of the world, ordinary peoples lives by the world financial downturn
.
July 1st, 2009 at 14:55
Liam We have too many midgets and aguero is another and Aguero is no messi..
July 1st, 2009 at 14:55
according to this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jul/01/karim-benzema-lyon-real-madrid
it surely looks like it is happening.
July 1st, 2009 at 15:03
@Taehr: yeah I know, he’s stronger, better in the air and a better finisher. Messi has him on dribbling but Aguero is in the top 3 young players in the world and quite possibly in the top 10 attacking players in the world. If we don’t sign him now he’ll move to Chelsea or City and then we’ll regret it, trust me. Also who are these midgets you talk of? I wouldn’t call Rooney a midget personally and I don’t really think our wingers have to be tall. Also Macheda and Welbeck aren’t going to be collecting disability for being small. It’s this ‘has to be tall’ mentality that made us sign Berba last season and that didn’t improve us drastically like everyone thought it would
July 1st, 2009 at 15:04
@Taehr: No he is no messi Taehr, but accordion the the pros, and Argentina fans, Aguero is actually BETTER than Messi. Real Madrid would snap him up in an instant but Atletico Madrid players NEVER move to Real M.
July 1st, 2009 at 15:24
I’d rather he wasn’t leaving and I wish he wasn’t off to City
July 1st, 2009 at 16:15
@Taehr: agueros height isnt why i dont want him tbh. Its the fact that he plays in the same position as rooney.
Villa is a midget, best finisher in the world as well.
July 1st, 2009 at 16:40
Yeah seems like Benzema is off to Real Madrid. Aguero is rumoured to be our second choice so I hope we at least submit a bid for him. Lack of height may be an issue but we are moving towards becoming a continental team which plays the ball along the ground. But to makke that style work we could really use a bit more quality in midfield.
Another rumour is we are going for Gignac. A French player. i don’t follow french football. Does anyone know anything about him? Apparentely he’d be a pretty cheap option under £15 million, which is the sort of fee youd expect for a third striker. But it still begs the question are we going to buy any world class players this summer?
July 1st, 2009 at 17:02
@colver: He’s 23, and was top scorer in France last season with 24 goals. That’s 4 more than Benzema got his big year 2 years ago.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:29
@colver: that gignac guy doesnt look to bad, i think he got 20 odd goals last year and from the little ive seen of him when i watched the french games on setanta he looked a pretty useful player, a good finisher and would be worthy of a 3rd choice strikers position.
But for my prefernce i would say to go to madrid and offer a double deal, say £30 million for the dutch pair, huntelaar and sneijder both reportedly up for sale and both very talented players who have been over looked despite their talent because they arent galacticos.
£30 million for two players who a year ago would have cost £45m is good business and i have no doubts these two would look like bargains within a year. Huntelaar is a great player, excellent finsher, good header of the ball and i think most importantly would not demad first team football every week. If he was getting the number of games tevez got last season (50 odd games i think it was) im telling you he would get at least 20 goals in all competitions and i think would be happy and do the job of rotation striker with ease.
Next is sneijder, what a talent he is. Averages about 15 goals a season from the central midfield area and for me is the only midfielder out there who is available, affordable and good enough to come into our midfield and make a major difference. What we miss and have missed for years is a goal threat from the centre, liverpool have gerrard, chelsea lampard and even arsenal have fabregas who whilst struggling last season is capable of getting 10 goals a season, who do we have?
The fact we used to get away with this because we had a winger who had a sensational scoring record as good as that of a striker meant we could overlook this, but not any more, a real goal threat from the midfield really may make the difference for us this season.
Both full dutch internationals, both at a good age for a good price and both supremely talented i think these 2 should be our next targets as they have everything we need right now. I know we have an issue with dealing with madrid but these 2 will be struggling to play for them next season, and i think £30m of their ronaldo money back would be too good for them to turn down. Would have been better to get these 2 included in the deal and the fact they didnt do this makes me think we m=wont make a move for them, but i do think we would be fools to not attempt to go for these 2 especially for their knock down price.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:32
guys,check out new kits of every team
and i do not know 
what’s with the ‘V’ symbol.
http://www.4thegame.in/features/feature/238209/200910_new_kits.html
July 1st, 2009 at 17:34
Finnaly Some good news!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1196716/Vidic-missus-Manchester-United-star-snubbed-Barcelona-Real-Madrid-AC-Milan-despite-wifes-wishes.html
I love the fact that he came out and explained the entire situation. It is so refreshning to hear a profesional player discolse everything. And its refreshing to see a man who isnt pussy whipped by his wife, like a certain bitch called david beckham.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:37
3 teams have put a ‘V’ symbol,everton’s being the worst of it and oh
who forgets newcastle’s away yellow orange jersey.what do u guys think are the best and worst????
July 1st, 2009 at 17:38
@Matt: I couldnt agree with you more. I makes much more sense to sign Huntelaar and sneijder for a fee between 30-40m than to buy 1 Benzema for 38m. In all honesty I rate Benzema higher than huntelaar, but I wouldnt rate him 15m higher. I will be furious if we do indeed actually sign him. Dont waste the money.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:40
Speaking of splashing the cash, I would also be upset if we bought Ribery for anything over 40m. I rate him very highly, but he just hasnt done the same stuff ROnaldo and Kaka to deserve the disgusting transfer fees.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:40
Lyon just confirmed benzema is headed to Madrid for 30m. I Just saw it on sky.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:42
yeah it’s true benzema is off to real
July 1st, 2009 at 17:44
http://up.www.olweb.fr/
July 1st, 2009 at 17:48
Well if the media is to be believed, it looks like Madrid has done us all a big favor and swooped in and stolen Benzema from under the clutches of Fergie. Like I always said would happen. Madrid would wait until United made their official move and then they would come in and top it simply because they can and because Benzema was always destined to go to Madrid. It truly amazes me how naive Fergie has been through all this. Was I the only one who could see this coming? This was a no brainer.
So hopefully now that the football Gods have done us and Fergie another big favor, he can now get to the real business of signing the player or players we all know are needed and who would love to play for us. Go get Aguero Fergie and stop wasting our time and yours. Also, if you can get him for a song, buy Huntelaar and stay away from that gay looking and incredibly soft and injury prone Arjen Robben. Wesley Sneijder or van der Vaart are better buys than Robben. Also, if there is money left over, Ya Ya Toure is out there. Go get him and lets end this sorry soap opera and get on with the new season wearing our new butt ugly kits.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:49
Benzema’s goin to Real.
http://up.www.olweb.fr/
Knew it.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:52
No biggie really.
We shall all look back and see (and laugh, in Heinzesight) the implosion of this new Madrid team.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:54
@johnsom33: I would take Ribery over Kaka any day of the week. Has there ever been a more overrated player in football than Kaka? What exactly does he do that is so amazing? I have watched him play well over 100 times and I still don’t see him being worth more than 30 million. Ribery alone is worth 50 million on a bad day. His pace, tricks on the ball, vision, finishing and passing ability is worth every penny. He also works hard and plays with passion and pride. Kaka lopes around seemingly like he couldn’t care less and then occasionally makes a nice play that for me looks rather pedestrian. Ronaldo, Messi, Torres, Villa, Ribery, Aguero I get. Benzema and Kaka I will never understand. Making mountain’s out of molehills.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:55
@Grognard: Exactly, Huntelaar was already for sale and now that Benzema has signed Madrid couldnt shove him out the door fast enough. I also agree with getting either vander art or sneijder. I just dont hope we stand pat while Madrid are having a clearance sale of quality players.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:57
@Grognard: I seem to remember a certain Kaka, running wild at OT in the Champions League. When fit he is immense.
July 1st, 2009 at 17:57
Maybe we should look to cheaper players who have caused us problems this year like Kris Commons from Derby. Young, cheap and improvable (I know I’m unfashionable views wise!) Aguero would be nice but what about a new central attacking mid? All our players would benefit from a proven world class attacking centre mid.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:04
Christ I am so relieved. I can’t tell you the angst I felt about us possibly getting Benzema. That player would have been a world of hurt for us and a major disappointment, not to mention a malcontent with a bad attitude. Now we are clear to concentrate on better players who would like to play for us. Watch Fergie though, he will concentrate and waste time going after players like David Villa or David Silva who don’t want to play for us. It’s like he is more determined to go after players who snub us at every turn. I don’t get the old man anymore. Hell, I don’t even think Valencia looked too thrilled to be part of our team yesterday. I mean he was being forced to smile for photos while wearing this forlorn frown on his face through the proceedings. When has becoming a United player begun to be such a turnoff for players?
So Fergie, here is a list of names to go after. Aguero, Huntelaar, Toure, Melo, Sanchez, Sneijder, Hernanes, Toivonon, Marcus Berg, Ozil, Pogrebnyak, and either Adler, Neuer or Akinfeev. And just watch, when it’s all over and done with, we will get NONE of these fine players.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:09
@johnsom33: You said it mate. Their fire sale has intensified now with the purchase of Benzema while we stand pat and do sweet fuck all. Not satisfactory at all. I don’t consider those players as retread failures of Madrid’s. I consider Madrid to have failed them. Fergie is an absolute 100% bonafide idiot if he doesn’t buy a few of these players. And just watch, he will buy Robben who is lazy and injury prone so that he can force Nani to sit on the bench yet again.
Honestly, I love Fergie but I am tired of the way this club does it’s business. I just cannot sit back and take this crap any longer. United are just not cutting it anymore in the off season. All this money and an ex WEigan player to show for our trouble. How fucking sad. 
July 1st, 2009 at 18:12
@johnsom33: So you jump on the bandwagon of a player whose claim to fame was a 5 or 6 game run in one Champions League period 4 years ago? Please, what has he done since. Player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup and he was bloody invisible throughout. I swear to God he is just a massively marketed money scheme for FIFA, whether he earns the plaudits or not. Kaka means shit in many languages. I think that says it all.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:13
@Grognard: grogs you know that saf is just pushing madrids hand to go for him now instead of next summer so they will shoot their wad on attackers and leave his real targets unknown. madrid is going to be in the same boat as shitty with 5 guys pushing each other out of the way to get the ball and shoot. a bunch of selfish primadonas looking for personal glory team be damned. im soooo glad we didnt get benz and the $$ can go somewhere eltse. if we pull some good business in the next weeks “England’s president”(thinks for the new moniker tevez) will be fully realized. and by good business i mean one or two of aguero, silva, hunter, sneijder, and a costa or sanchez
July 1st, 2009 at 18:15
@RedDave: I think his last name says it all mate, COMMONs. We are United, not Derby County. We have over 60 million to spend of the Ronaldo money alone. United owe us the fans a big signing with world class written all over him. Anything less than that speaks of bloody gross incompetence.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:19
and if we dont bring in some quality evryone can impeach the president,
July 1st, 2009 at 18:19
@gator: You know, despite my negativity towards Fergie today, I have to say that if I give the man the benefit of the doubt and start to dig deeper into his soul, I think you may be right. I know that he does like David Villa and with Madrid officially out of the race for Villa, he may have a clear road ahead of him to go after the player. Eto’o looks to stay in Barca so Barca will stay away from Villa too. That just leaves us vs Man City and Chelsea. And I really believe that if Villa was to come to play for anyone other than Liverpool in England, it would be us. And Liverpool can’t afford a cardboard cutout of Villa yet alone his manicure kit for that ugly little tuft of hair under his chin. I still want to see us go for Aguero and or Huntelaar. I also would feel rapture f we signed either of these three midfielders, Hernanes, Toure or Melo.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:32
Real Madrid are becoming very annoying.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:34
Fergie does seem to have been sucked in by Benzema, he is probably the only person in the World who actually believed that the Frenchman had any interest in coming to us.
I hope he was one iron in a very large fire because I am not that excited about Valencia and hope he has the insight into realising that the midfield is an area we also need to seriously need to look at.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:35
Well ive only just found out this minute about benzema and i have to say im actually pretty glad to be honest. Maybe the fact that we didnt make a move after hearing of the bid this morning meant fergie had given up on him and felt there were others elsewhere he wants to pursue.
I never wanted the guy anway, sure hes an excellent player and was suited for us and our system, but he looks an arrogant so and so and his public comments about joining madrid put me right off, enough of the guys who see us as a stepping stone, there are hundreds of thousands of players that would kill to play for us, these are the players we need, not ones who put down our club and see us as a wigan, a club which they use as a stepping stone to go onto greater heights.
Well enough of him, lets look for who out there we can buy who is still available and good enough. Well as i mentioned earlier there huntelaar. Tall, powerful player whos just one of the greatest finishers around in world football at the minute, the guy fits our specifications perfectly and add to the fact he is still at the right age, and is available for peanuts i have to say i will be pissed off if we dont move for him, unless we went for a player better than him, but there aint much tbh.
The other player i love to watch is aguero, the guy is just a bloody wonder, hes amazing to watch at times, word around argentina is they feel for the future he will make it bigger than messi which is some compliment. I feel he would walk into our team no problem. Only thing is he would cost over double that of huntelaar, and i just feel for all his talent a real lead the line goalscorer is needed more than a guy who whilst is a great goal scorer is more a second striker in the role of rooney and maybe too similar to what weve got. Thats not to say i dont want him but a finisher with height like hunter i think would be getting on the end of nanis and valencias crosses week in week out and could easily get over 20 odd goals a season.
If we were to get either of these 2 we would be laughing and for me these are the only two strikers who are good enough to get into our team right now who are realistic signings too. Forget the villas, gignacs, fabianos etc these are the 2 players we should be looking at, unless these 2 or signed i say why go for second best and just leave it as we are and go with macheda & welbeck.
I mentioned sneijder in an earlier post as well, he would walk into our midfield and would do wonders in it aswell, 15 goals is a very achievable target for this guy, very under rated player who i cant believe hasnt been mentioned by others frequently.
Also if we could add a new kepper and flog off the waste of space kuzczak then were laughing and in many ways may look much more balanced and maybe overall stronger than the team we had last year.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:40
Dear oh dear.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/cristianoronaldo/5710680/Cristiano-Ronaldo-admits-lashing-out-at-teenage-girl.html
If its true of course.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:41
@Grognard: Thats a good point about villa, there aint much competition for him tbh but from the sounds of it he will be staying at valencia and for me i place aguero and huntelaar above him like you mentioned.
As for mentioning hernanes, melo, toure and the like i have to ask, do u feel a DM like one of these 3 players is needed over say a wesley sneijder type player. In an ideal world we would buy in both positions but seeing as we have about 8 CMs alreay i think only 1 would be bought if any.
I was under the opinion like you that a DM enfrocer like a yaya was needed up until a few days ago when i felt a goal scoring midfielder would be needed more. So my question is if we were to only buy 1 CM who would you go for, a DM like the 3 you mentioned or say sneijder, for me i would take advantage of the pathetic decision to flog off sneijder and steal him for the reported £15m which would be a bargain.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:47
@Matt: I agree bro Sneijder would be a super signing I also would go for Drenthe who the Facists would almost give away with obviously the Hunter. I can’t see Toure wanting to leave Barca or them wanting to sell even if the get Mascherano, a decent punt for a holder would be in my view Toulalan.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:49
@Matt: If Villa is staying at Valencia, then they HAVE to sell David Silva. They are in bad financial trouble, and they need the money from one of them. This could be good news for us. Unless they buy Villa aswell….
July 1st, 2009 at 18:53
Ronaldo, after smashing glass into the face of a 17 year old girl : “I regret what I did, but I can’t promise that I would not react in the same way again in the same circumstances.”
Glad to see he is sharing Real Madrid’s class so quickly…..
July 1st, 2009 at 18:53
@Matt: @Traverse: @colver: Will give you my two cents on Gignac…
I know a bit about him, since I’m probably the one who follows most Ligue 1.
Just give me 30 min.
July 1st, 2009 at 18:55
@johnsom33: Kaka was owned by Pienaar against South Africa. Despite being deceptively fast, his game doesn’t suit the premier league.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:09
@NicoQB: And Messi was owned by Nobody Jonathon Bornstein in a friendly last year. Every dog has its day once in awhile.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:13
@Grognard: Grog what are you talking about mate? SAF had been talking with BOTH Lyon and Benzema for the last 48 hrs since Benzema DAWDLED back from holiday. He did all he could to get Benzema, with Benzema making noises that he would come to United. But he has always wanted Real M, and if their is any foolishness with SAF, it is going for players who have said they want to play for Real or Barca. We should be moving for players who want to come here, and their are some big players who would like to. That would be my only criticism of SAF, not chasing the lads who would come, are good enough, and would die for us. Real Madrid want one thing, to stop United more than anybody from getting the best players. That is why they bid for Valencia, and they did bid for him, but he wanted to stay in England with us. We need to look at the Atletico Madrid players who wouldn’t ever leave Atletico to go to Real M
. I want players brought in who WANT TO PLAY FOR US 
.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:16
@Craig Mc: Spot on I totally agree with that sentiment, Benzema was using us to a lever to get a bid from Real, Fergie should have known better.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:16
Right our options:
Klass jan huntelaar-Goalscorer in the dutch and spanish league, quickly being eased out by perez. The one problem is that his fellow countrymen in recent history have well and truly flopped. But with benzema no longer an option, it might be a risk we have to take. Transfer likelihood- 6.5/10
Kun aguero-argie, plays in the same position as rooney, maradonas future son in law. No, no and no. Big talent, bags of ability and has goals in him, but with a £45mil price tag, the cons out way the pros. Transfer likelihood, 4/10
David villa-Valencia are in need of cash, hes the best finisher in the world in my books, can head the ball despite his height. Only problem is that he doesnt want to move to england, but i think fergie and can sweet talk him into a move. Transfer likelihood 6/10
Then we have our youth.
Welbeck, can dribble(made the hull players look like league 1 standard on the last day) can shoot, lead the line, poach goals, hold the ball up well and has pace. Obviously inexperienced, and slightly selfish, but thats what we need at united, a striker not afraid to go bent a few times then score a goal, compared to our current batch who are scared of missing tap ins. Likelihood of him getting more games 7.5/10
And kiko macheda, fergie said he believed kiko was the most gifted player of his generation. He is a classic old-school striker, he will stay up there and lead the line, and come up with a bit of luck or magic that every great goalscorer has. Has a bit of pace to him too. likelihood of him playing, not necessarily starting, but playing more often, 8/10, my heart says 8.5 though.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:19
@Craig Mc: tbh craig, you cant prove that saf has been talking to lyon.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:22
@Grognard: Grog don’t go on a downer on Valencia mate, he definately wants to play for us. He cut his holiday short and came back early for us. He was frowning because he DOESN’T SPEAK ENGLISH, and understood little of what was being asked of him. According to Wigan he hasn’t managed to master English yet, so we shall see. Also he had had a hell of a day with the medics doing tests all day, and it was bloody cloggy and draining with a hot, humid sappind day yesterday. I watched him on MUTV and he was made up to be coming to us!
July 1st, 2009 at 19:25
@Dan: I agree a lot in that, but feel for the greater good sending Welbeck out on loan next season and insuring that he plays would be the best thing for the lad.
We also have Berbatov and Rooney surely the most sensible option would be to play the two of them from the outset, we have spent about £55m so if we spend big again on the striker then Berba will have to sit on the bench or Wazza will play out fucking wide!
July 1st, 2009 at 19:26
@RedDave: I agree with you Dave, we should sort MF and Ashley Young is not a bad acquisition to be had either.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:27
Benzema could turn out to be the greatest player of all time, but then again, he could turn out to be the biggest flop. He is defo unproven at the highest level, and at this present time his talent does not justify the fee that has been paid for him. Madrid have taken a big gamble on him and although he is big and strong Im still not convinced that he has what it takes to make it in the premiership and even though he may have more to his game than Huntelaar I think that Huntelaar would outscore him all day long. In the future we might look back on Benzema as the one that got away, but at this minute Im not convinced so Im not too dissapointed to be honest. Weve got Rooney and Berbatov, two world class players that must be given a chance ti forge a partnership, adding another top class striker would have given us the same selection problems as last season, we would better off if we added another top class winger and creative midfield player to our ranks and possibly a combative central player, this would give the team a better balance, so now its over to SAF to go and secire these types of players and prove that signing these big name players is not the only way.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:28
@Craig Mc: Mate he has played in England for 4 years and can’t speak English??!!
Also bro he is from Ecuador this heat is like the middle of winter for him!! 
July 1st, 2009 at 19:30
@johnsom33: Madrid feel we have screwed them Johnsom, and SAF has inflamed relationships with them, so I doubt they would sell anybody to us. They will not forget the whole virus thing, and only got friendly with us to get Ronaldo. Now its war again, they consider us enemy No1.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:42
@Stephen: So because he is from Ecuador he doesn’t get tired from the heat? And Chris Hutchings in his interview with the media said he couldn’t speak English, so like I said, I don’t know. But I don’t agree with you or Grog either that he didn’t look pleased at the press takes
.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:44
@Craig Mc: I think fergie put too much hope in getting benzema tbh that he didnt really look for any other replacements. Should have put a clause in the contract when they signed ronaldo that they wouldnt go for benzema or something like that or that we would have first option on say the dutch lads like drenthe, the hunter, sneijder etc. Feel that was a bit of laziness by fergie in only be interested in benzema so much so that he didnt even consider the chance of us not getting him, probably thought after getting ronaldo and kaka they would have no more money left for benzema.
Does kinda leave us in the shits no though, the 2 players i want to see come now maybe above anyone else just happen to be at madrid in sneijder and huntelaar. But im pretty sure though as much as they may hate us if we were giving them some of the ronaldo money back to them they would accept it. Even if we ended up paying £40m for the pair that the money for benzema sorted in their opinion and its still good business for us. But god i really do hate them bastads.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:45
@Craig Mc: I didn’t notice it too much mate to be honest, at least the lad wants to play for us which is half the battle.
July 1st, 2009 at 19:46
@Matt: We probably will end up with Guti
July 1st, 2009 at 19:53
@Dan: I am just reporting what one or two of the more reputable paps are reporting. Guess we will find out in time eh?
July 1st, 2009 at 20:05
I know this is off topic but with Real spending bus loads,if clubs like Spurs don’t take advantage of the obvious exodus of players on the cheap then they should never ever complain about not having access to world class talent.Huigain or whatever is gonna be available and probably the experienced Guti also.Huntelaar doesn’t look like he’s gonna find any joy in Spain.Neither will Schneider or Van der Wart.So if some of these ambtious clubs don’t take advantage then it’s their funeral
July 1st, 2009 at 20:21
Ok so Gignac is basically the long lost brother of Frank Lampard. He looks like him not only in style but especially in weight.
But because heplays as a striker, people have been comparing him to Wayne Rooney.
He has got a good free kick, decent technique (but he’s no Berbatov) decent finishing skills, and can provide his fare share of assists too.
He’s a good player, and if he has a good season, he may notch up to 25 goals. Unfortunately he will need free kicks and penalties to reach this total, so already not a good point.
Benzema defintely has much better technique and a better shot, and looks the real striker, whereas Gignac is more like another second striker in the Rooney/Berbatov mould.
And now, worst for last: I clearly heard him tell that he needs to play to be happy. Maybe I’m just sorting conclusions too fast (he was at one point removed from the squad at Toulouse) and didn’t like playing second fiddle to Johann Elmander.
AH!!! I’m just reading that Madrid have Comfirmed the signing of Benzema. I just hope that this is the final straw which causes the board of directors and other top management people to review the way they sign players. Its been touted that we’ve ogffered more money for Benzema than Madrid (we apparently offered 35 million £ whereas Madrid offered about 35 million €)
July 1st, 2009 at 20:22
Ok. Now that Real bought Benzema, can we have Huntelaar, please? Or Aguero; considering he plays for Atletico, surely he won’t move to Real?
Real will line up next season like this, I believe:
Benzema
Robben Kaka Ronaldo
Diarra Gago
Ramos + 3 other defenders (doesn’t really matter; they don’t care)
Casillas
July 1st, 2009 at 20:27
@NicoQB: I heard the contrary: Madrid offered £6m more than us.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:29
Then to more relevant lands,I’m just beginning to realise how Benzema’s move to Maggots was a good thing if we were indeed after him.The guy had Real Maggots as his 1st choice should he leave Lyon and if ppl at OL should be believed he actually made an about U-turn on his “I’ll stay in France for one more year” principle as soon as Real’s offer became official.So had we signed him I believe in less than 36 months he’ll be “dreaming”. Now the tough part begins.Now we definitely need a striker because of the loss of Tevez.David Villa for me is no longer an option.All players who don’t seem flattered to be linked with us we should not bother trying to get them because we will simply be disappointed.I really believe it’s now time to look away from all these superstars,Aguero being my exception.Let’s look for capable and dependable forwards and midfielders who will at least be overjoyed at the chance to play for us.
My suggestions are Aguero,Fabiano(though i’m not sure if he’ll be overjoyed),David Silva or Sanchez from Udinese.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:34
And damn,we really need to get ourselves a goalkeeper.Geez.I hope Hargreaves makes it this year
July 1st, 2009 at 20:41
@Jay wire: no shit hargo is going to be like a new signing
July 1st, 2009 at 20:41
Ok so Gignac is basically the long lost brother of Frank Lampard. He looks like him not only in style but especially in weight.
But because heplays as a striker, people have been comparing him to Wayne Rooney.
He has got a good free kick, decent technique (but he’s no Berbatov) decent finishing skills, and can provide his fare share of assists too.
He’s a good player, and if he has a good season, he may notch up to 25 goals. Unfortunately he will need free kicks and penalties to reach this total, so already not a good point.
Benzema defintely has much better technique and a better shot, and looks the real striker, whereas Gignac is more like another second striker in the Rooney/Berbatov mould.
And now, worst for last: I clearly heard him tell that he needs to play to be happy. Maybe I’m just sorting conclusions too fast (he was at one point removed from the squad at Toulouse) and didn’t like playing second fiddle to Johann Elmander. If he’s unhappy his performances suffer and the season before last he averaged one goal in 700+ min.
AH!!! I’m just reading that Madrid have Comfirmed the signing of Benzema. I just hope that this is the final straw which causes the board of directors and other top management people to review the way they sign players. Its been touted that we’ve ogffered more money for Benzema than Madrid (we apparently offered 35 million £ whereas Madrid offered about 35 million €)
July 1st, 2009 at 20:42
Does anyone else have a feeling that Ronaldo will go the same way Ronaldinho did?
Another name that has been mentioned by the papers is Kacar. Plays for Hertha Berlin. Another East European. Would be interested for a scout report from the guys on here in the know.
Sneijder impressed the hell out of me in the Euros. But I have question marks about his fitness. Another injury prone player would be annoying. With Real wanting to claw back some money I think they would ask for ridiculous sums especially as there will be no shortage of offers.
Unfortunately this transfer market is not for us.
Valencia is a classic Fergie signing-a player who has done well in the Premiership and had a few good games against us. He will be a good team player and will pull his weight more defensively than Ronaldo which will free up Rooney to be more creative and score more goals.
The real difficulty is our midfield. Anderson and Carrick present very little goal threat. Fletcher is not much better. Valencia same thing. Nani could manage a fair number if Fergie doesn’t shackle him too much. But really most of the goals are going to have to come from Rooney, Berbatov and whichever guy becomes our third striker and that doesn’t fill me with a lot of confidence because none of them are as prolific and lethal as Ronaldo (and before him Ruud Van the Man) were.
Fergie sign Aguero I beg you!
July 1st, 2009 at 20:44
This new Galatico era looks destined to fail (touch wood), there are far too many egos in that dressing room, where is Raul going to play centre back? They have RVN, Guti, Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Huntelaar, Higuaín, Robben or Drenthe warming the bench I for one hope it all ends in tears.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:46
@johnsom33: My point was that Kaka would suck if the game is played at 200 miles per hour. Not Ronaldo, not Messi, but Kaka plays well when the game follows the italian pace,
Even when we rolled over and let Milan trample us and Kaka ended up MOTM, the pace of the game was nowhere near hectic.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:50
Whatever happens in the transfer market this season, next year I want Gourcuff.
We’ve veing made a mockery by just about everybody now.
Oh, and now that I expect that the board of directors feel retchedly empty, I sincerely hope that they don’t go gung ho on the transfer market and buy 2 no-name for 20 millions each or aguero for 60 million £…
July 1st, 2009 at 20:52
@NicoQB: i don’t get how we have been made a mockery by just about everybody? We have missed out on one player mate.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:54
@Stephen: We all agree here.
I hope that we meet Madrid next year in the CL; not even in finals, but in the knock out stages and we would then humiliate them home and away with Nani, Rooney and Berbatov shining brightly.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:55
USA have surpassed portugal in fifa rankings hahaha ronny get your team together sorry CQ just come back and well do it quietly so you can save face you are at your best to the right of the Scotsman.
July 1st, 2009 at 20:57
@Red Ranter: They already signed Raul Albiol from Valencia. He is very good. Only (
) £13m so didn’t make the front pages
July 1st, 2009 at 20:57
@NicoQB: I agree mate playing Real next season would be superb, we need more quality and I know I have been banging on about it but the midfield is an area we need to focus on.
I do have a feeling next season could be big for Berba, and I hope it works for the lad.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:08
@Stephen: We’re missing out on Ribery and Aguero (both too exopensive); Villa and Benzema (not interested)
Other world class strikers in the world simply won’t join us. I’d fancy Henry but he’s too faithful to the Arsenal of old.
I’m personally frustrated as we’ve got a shitload of money and can do seemingly nothing with it. All signings would be a step down from our professed targets from now on.
Anybody who’s been a regular on redrants might have heard me moaning about french television coverage of United. They politely respect our achievements but never get taken in, or rather do not give enough credit and glamour to our achievements. I’ve got theory of mine as to why french players are not interested to play for us – Its all because of the media – canal + (the rough equivalent of Sky in france) idolize Arsenal. Ask any french citizen about any EPL team and they’ll come up with arsenal first, having no idea that the arse have been underperforming for the past 3 seasons. I think this reflects on players and in the end, as Arsenal just can’t afford france’s top players, the players settle for Spain – the Zidane factor. Its not haphazardly that Zidane ended up a director of sorts at Real. I think that part of his job is already done now that Benzema has signed.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:10
@Jay wire: Just noticed that thise players you mentioned are not world class. On his day (and right now he isn’t) Schneider is, but the others are just very good.
With the exit of Ronaldo… blah blah
July 1st, 2009 at 21:11
@Matt: It really depends on who our big signing will be up front. If it’s Aguero, I say go after a DMF because Aguero is a creator not just a goal scorer. If we get an out and out striker like Huntelaar or Villa for example, then I think the need for an attacking midfielder becomes paramount. The reason I love Hernanes so much is because he is both. He has the graft and grit to play the defensive role plus he has great attacking skills and finesse to be a creator as well. Unfortunately Fergie isn’t listening to anyone yet alone me.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:12
@Stephen: Stay away from Frenchmen. They have a bad predisposition for loving Spain.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:13
@Traverse: Barcelona are inquiring about Silva so I think our chances against them is slim to none.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:13
@NicoQB: We will miss out on Ribery but maybe not the Argie, but who knows mate.
You might be spot on though mate about your conspiracy mate see where you are coming from there, but we did sign a very youthful Blanc who actually got out paced by a sloth the day he signed for us as part of his medical.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:14
@NicoQB: Kaka is a useless git.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:17
Ok I’m off to watch some tennis.
Need to forget about footy a bit…
July 1st, 2009 at 21:17
@Grognard: Oh jesus I am off Argies and now Frenchman to boot, now I know why we are focussing on Ecuadorian’s but don’t they speak……….. Spanish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 21:20
@Craig Mc: Benzema was only willing to listen in order to force Madrid to act. It’s called playing your bluff. He had no intention of ever coming to play for us. It was either play for Madrid or stay another year with Lyon. Benzema’s history and his idolization for one Zinedine Zidane is the prime motivator. Like Ribery, Benzema has Zidane on the brain and this affliction is the most powerful and seductive weapon Madrid have. We stand no chance against this team with any player out there if they want him to. So my solution to the problem? Take the players on their roster that they don’t want. Nothing wrong with Huntelaar, Sneijder, van der Vaart, Drenthe, Robben etc. They are all top class players who are being phased out because of financial restrictions and because Madrid wants bigger and more expensive players. Expect them to get Ribery soon too. There’s no stopping these mother fuckers.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:22
@Stephen: You got it mate. And if you and I are smart enough to see this, then what the Hell is Fergie smoking? I seriously hope he was playing a bluff hoping to get Madrid to buy him so that he could go after Villa but I doubt it. My God, Aguero and Huntelaar are out there just waiting for us and he;s searching in all the wrong places for players who had no intention of ever playing for us.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:24
@Dan: What cons? Aguero is a world class player of immense skill and class. It’s like saying Messi or Ronaldo would be risks. No way. Aguero is the answer. And he wants to play for us. How frakken unique is that these days?
July 1st, 2009 at 21:27
@Craig Mc: That’s possible but I just felt he looked very sullen. Still, he is not the name we need to get. I’m happy we got him but if he is going to be the main player we get, we might as well slash our wrists now. My God, we are now talking about Robben whose a stiff and Cahill who is good but not United class.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:29
@Grognard: I find it very odd mate, he seemed absolutly smitten with the moody Frenchman, Huntelaar would give his left nut to play for us and that for the club and fans is surely more desirable rather than a player who has no interest in playing for us.
He is also a box player and with Berba and Rooney that would bring everthing out of their game, Fergie open you eyes please.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:29
@Stephen: Agree about Blanc!
But the man was, and still is, class. One of the few french people in football to genuinely “get” Manchester United. the others being Evra and Cantona…
July 1st, 2009 at 21:30
@Fred The Red: I agree. Huntelaar is a better player than Benzema and far more prolific. The other great thing about Huntelaar is that for a big man he has great agility scoring with headers, bicycle kicks, banana kicks and can also score with a hard shot from outside the box. What the Hell more do we need? Benzema was never as prolific as Hunter and he brought much baggage and an attitude with him.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:31
@Craig Mc: It’s fine if you don’t agree with me mate. You could be right about Valencia. But then again, I might be right too. We just don’t know for sure.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:33
@NicoQB: Fergie was doing his Mounty gotta get his man regardless of age or how they will fit into the side, lets wait we will probably get Veira this summer, five years too late at least!!
July 1st, 2009 at 21:34
@Red Ranter: It’s not like we never had the 7 million extra to top that offer. So my feeling is that either Fergie came to his senses or he was bluffing about buying Benzema all along. Perhaps he has a better and bigger fish to fry. Who knows?
July 1st, 2009 at 21:37
@colver: I said that a few weeks ago. He is stubborn and very egotistical and he likes to party. In Madrid there is much to do and nobody seems to control the players or put limits on their extracurricular activities. I could see Ronaldo being seduced by the dark side and going to Hell in a hand basket because he comes across as a person without a great deal of logic or intelligence. Prime bait for the sharks of Madrid to take aim at him.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:39
@NicoQB: The game is still slow in Spain so he will fit in alright.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:41
@NicoQB: If we do have so much money, then please tell me why we aren’t offering it to Ribery or Aguero? I don’t care, I give either one of their team’s 50 million in a heartbeat.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:43
@Stephen: That’s why I have been screaming for two years now for more Germans, Dutch and Russians. Great players from all those countries and players who would play in England and most importantly, for us.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:44
@Stephen: Hell I’d give Fergie both of my nuts if he would sign the Hunter. I’m beginning to think that Fergie is clueless these days. He showed me that in the CL final and it’s only getting worse.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:45
@NicoQB: Cantona is born French but like he has said many times in the past, he isn’t French because he doesn’t think French. I love the King.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:47
@Stephen: If we ever were to sign the old and over the hill Vieira, I would change my team allegiance. I absolutely hate his guts. After a post season of incredible disappointment, that would be the final slap in my face to be sure.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:47
@Grognard: He needs to get out of his comfort zone and show us that he is still has it, be bold in the market Valencia is no better than what we have, it is the case of the classic Fergie had a good game against O’Shea playing left back and he wants to sign him.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:50
@Grognard: More Europeans and less Latins, they do not settle well in the tropical temp of Manc Land, Veira is a cheating Gooner but Fergie got obsessed with him years back and nothing would surpise me at the moment.
July 1st, 2009 at 21:59
@Grognard: Not cons of his ability, but cons of how hed fit in.
-Plays same position as roo
-we havent had much luck with argies
-tevez and maradona will always pressure him into leaving
-the team at atletico is built around him, it wont be the case at utd.
-£50mil is a gamble on any player you buy, and an expensive one at that. Id rather go for a cheaper huntelaar. That says it all really.
July 1st, 2009 at 22:00
I obviously meant less Latin’s as well as Latin Euros!
July 1st, 2009 at 22:07
As much as it pains me to admit this, this is reality, we have never been able to compete with the top Spanish and a few years ago the Italian sides whenever it came to attracting the top foreign stars at the peak of their careers, 90 percent of our former greats were home grown, British or had not yet reached their potential.
The top players that we were linked with this summer were pie in the sky bye and bye pipe dreams who I hope we were never really interested in.
Ribery, Villa, Kaka, Silva where all names bandied about in the press that we had zero chance of getting, Benzema and Aguero were maybes, so its time to come back down to earth and start targeting realistic signings.
Despite our size and stature in the world of football The Madrids and Barcas of this world will always get their man in front of us, so our policy should be based on the following, buy the best British talent there is, widen the scouting net in the eastern European markets and not just South America and finally, start to develop our own talent through the youth system which has consistently churned out top players stretching as far back as Busby but in recent years has not been good enough for a club like ours.
Also our attitude in the areas of acquiring the top talent must be more ruthless, take Costa for example, he has played roughly as many games for Gremio as young Raphael has for us, both have made good impacts at junior international level and both have signed long term contracts because of the promise they have shown, now my point is this, what do you think our reaction would be if Barca came to us and said that they wanted to sign Raphael but they wanted to take him for a 3 week trial first, they would be told to take a jump, and rightly so, but we are doing just that with Costa, a kid with bundles and bundles of raw talent, its embarrassing, just go and sign the kid before someone else does, coz the top players that we are wasting our time on are not coming, end off.
Add Pastore, Sanchez, Hernanes, Nilmar and Dentinho too that list of maybes, combined with the likes of Ashley Young and Jack Rodwell and you have the future sorted.
Then combine some of these hopefuls with the likes of Pogrebynak, Huntelaar and Zhirkovs of this world and when you add it to what we already have in the likes of Rooney, Rio, Hargreaves, Evra,Vidic , The Da Silvas, Evans, Berbatov and Nani then Im convinced that we would be extremely competitive and more stable.
July 1st, 2009 at 22:11
@Grognard: Nani on the right, and Nani on the left – I know I’m right
,
July 1st, 2009 at 22:20
@Grognard: I thought some team in Germany had just bought Hernanes Grog? What nationality is he by the way?
July 1st, 2009 at 22:28
Grognard, Im glad we feel the same way. Of course it would be a waste of an incredible talent but I could never enjoy watching him play for Real so I hope he fails there and thinks back about players like Scholes and Giggs who stayed at the top for most of their careers because we take care of our players and care about football rather than glamour.
Fergie doesn’t cast his net wide. I really don’t think many players are on his radar. If he misses out on his other targets (and I think Benzema and Ribery were on that list) which I think is almost certain then Fergie will be twiddling his thumbs. I don’t rate our scouting staff so we’ll end up with another flop like Kleberson.
It is a real shame because how often do we get £80 million to spend. Ronaldo was amazing but he was only one player. With £80 million we can buy 2 or 3 great players to make our side even better than when we were a one man team revolving around Ronaldo. I cannot give you names off the top of my head although I fancy Aguero and Sneijder and from what Grognard has told us Huntelaar seems perfect for us. But at a club like United we should have personnel capable of identifying the players we need that can take our team to the next level. So often we have been cash constrained but now we can outspend everyone bar City (who no one wants to join) and Real (who are so focused on buying galacticos they will overlook the up and coming stars)
July 1st, 2009 at 22:30
@NicoQB: So why is needing free kicks and penalties to build up your goal tally a problem, it worked for Ronaldo?
July 1st, 2009 at 22:39
@Fred The Red: Agree. But once in a while a player will break through and all and sundry will realise that he’s a wee bit special.
When Ribery had his breakthrough season at Marseille all could see it, except Fergie listened to the not-always-sure-fire advice of CQ and went for Nani(no dissing him craig, but its clear Ribery >>>> Nani).
Now Gourcuff is the new diamond in french league and I’m adamant that he’ll turn our bloody world class if a big club signs him and plays him regularly. + he’s a poster boy, and would have great marketing value imho.
And finally from various features about him I saw, its clear that he’s not as dumb as Ribery or Benzema.
Sign him!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 22:44
@Fred The Red: Fred, thats the Wenger philosophy
. I would agree in many points though!
July 1st, 2009 at 22:44
@Craig Mc: Ronaldo built up his tally to near 30 a season (with him injured early on the past season).
And he had that unreal season at 42 goals.
Gignac had a full season with penalties and free kicks and reached 24, and with only a measerly 2 assists.
My hunch is that if Rooney had a full season and took penalties he would definitely reach 30 goals a season, not counting free kicks.
I may still be wrong about Gignac though. Its just that Benzema was a proven quantity, turining it on for 3 seasons now, whereas Gignac was moderately crap before last season.
July 1st, 2009 at 22:51
@Grognard: I agree that Kaka might still just do it in Spain, but he’ll de playing second, no, third fiddle behind Ronaldo and Benzema.
@Stephen: I wouldn’t be surprised!
Still think that Henry would be a good signing though.
July 1st, 2009 at 23:23
our hero next season fingers crossed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMydX-E11YI
July 1st, 2009 at 23:55
@Dan: Atletico Madrid is not built around him
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:08
@Dan: I see your point but having four players that play the same has never turned Fergie off before. I love Aguero but here’s the thing, I’m a greedy prick. I want Aguero and Huntelaar and send Berbatov to Juventus who have shown interest. A front line of Hunter in the middle and Rooney and Aguero on his sides but not too wide would scare the Hell out of anyone.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:09
@Craig Mc: There is only one Nani and a con man trying to supplant the Lil Man. You wait and see.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:10
@Matt: Cristiano Ronaldo was our goal threat from midfield. He is not a striker in my opinion.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:13
@colver: What really upsets me and worries me is we won’t spend the remaining money and as time goes by it will be used up by the Glazer’s. Fergie needs to know the meaning of strike while the iron is hot. Stop being a cheap SOB and spend the god damned money already. I honestly don’t care any more about caution. Buying anyone beats not buying at all.
Meanwhile, our new reputation as a second rate team is beginning to grow as nobody seems to want to pick us any more and instead is going to Spain. I honestly wish a plague on that country. Ugly and extremely overrated.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:15
@NicoQB: Nico, how do I say this gently. The French League produces fags. I want serious footballers without emotional problems and delusions of grandeur. Find me a present day Frog footballer that isn’t like that?
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:16
@NicoQB: Agreed.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:36
@NicoQB: I don’t think Kaka would have a problem playing second fiddle. His ego is not the size of Australia, unlike Benzema and Ronaldo. How Benz and Ron get along would be more interesting.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:37
@Fred The Red: I agree with you on most things you mentioned and here is why I think we are not as attractive as the likes of Barca,Madrid and Milan.Style of football.Simple.We all have history but Spain and Milan have a much broadcasted history of great football and some of the best attacking legends and their style of play has always been based on skillful and inventive football.Think Cryuff,Zidane,Rivaldo,Figo,Romario,Maradona.In fact the only super great who hasn’t played in either Italy or Spain is Pele.Now this may sound silly to include Serie A which has always been associated with defensive football,but Serie A’s ambassador to the rest of the world was and has always been the European Cup serial killers AC Milan who play like a combination of Brazil(in attack) and Germany(in defence).
Now contrast that with the Epl which has no meaningful reputation as a whole when it comes to beautiful football.Our ambassadors were the hard working and hard tackling Liverpool teams of the 80s.Pragmatic cross whipping football.To top that off the EPL is a league with zero tolerance for skillful and adventurous players.They are called lazy(Berbatov),show ponies(The Slave),pompous(Henry) and liabilities(Joe Cole).So really we cannot expect to attract the best attacking players with such a history.Now that’s not to say all teams are bland,direct and robotic in England.Not at all.The best team in Britain is one of the best attacking sides in all of world football.Arsenal is the English equivalent of Barca and clubs like Spurs are also adventurous.But the rest of the world watches other Leagues in the Champions League.This is where we bottle it.United in Europe plays some of the most defensive football and we will be unfairly viewed as such overall.That’s why only Arsenal have the edge which they rarely use(inexplicably) because they stay true to their philosophy.
Now hopefully no hot and thick headed United Superfans will suggest that I F*** off and become a gooner.I’m just pointing out the truth.We need to play our game in Europe.That’s how we can become attractive to the rest of the world.If we were able to do it in 99,if Real did twice after us,Milan in 2007,Barca twice after us,playing good football,why should we resolve to playing like Liverpool.That’s our downfall in luring the best attackers in world football.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:38
@Grognard: I agree but the thing is that for every one world class technically gifted player that England (or Britain) produces – make that a Rooney or a Gascoigne – France produces 5. Its in the mentality of youth coaches to promote technique ahead of physique, which I’m not sure is the case in England.
.
And those players, not only do they make the teams win, producing tanglible results, but their marketing appeal is much superior to an equally effective, but boring functional player – typified by Inzaghi, but I suspect Huntelaar too
These players would elevate United to their right position in the hierarchy of world football. And I’m not pro – french, I think Ribery and Benzema are idiots; but I just want vintage football with results.
And we all know latinos can be an even greater gamble, with adaptation, big head syndrome and all…
Perhaps Giovinco is worth a punt? What am I talking about, Nani should be given his chance and we just bought Valencia…
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:40
Damn.By the way I meant United when I mentioned the best team in Britain,lest some fools think I was talking about Arsenal
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:45
@Red Ranter: I agree, but what I meant is that Benzema, for me, will be very probably ahead of Kaka in terms of contribution and importance in the Madrid set-up.
Unless he gets home-sickness (he’s still a kid living at his parents…)
If the Real coach seeing that the line up is too offensive and decides to sacrifice one player, it will be Kaka. At least that’s what I think.
@Jay wire: Agree. Different wording and examples, but similar to my post above about marketing value and footballing attraction.
July 2nd, 2009 at 0:52
@NicoQB: Man I’ve always said it.Britain has to seriously look at changing its style of football.My opinion is you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,so all these youth coaches,maybe except West Ham’s,should be placed in other jobs and hire some new continental coaches who understand the value of technique and skill.Or maybe have them work hand in hand with the British coaches in order to preserve that British grit and other things they’re obsessed with like “running your socks off”.That would help to elevate and improve the status of all British leagues in the eyes of the rest of the world
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:10
Well worth reading. Nice one. It is a shame he’s gone, but i think it’s a “F*** You” to Sir Alex by joining City. Shouldn’t have done that!
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:11
@Grognard: Disagree. Kaka is a class player. Lacks flair but is one of the most balanced and complete players today. I dont think he deserved player of the tournament at the confed cup, but I also think Landon Donovan should have been named ahead of Clint Dempsey because for me Donovan was immense, perhaps the second most consistent performer of tournament behind Fabiano. For me it should have been Fabiano, Donovan, Kaka.
Kaka is intelligent as fuck, especially off the ball– he makes exceptional runs. His touch is deft, great eye for a through ball, roams the field appropriately and effectively in a free role, actually defends unlike another star who left OT, holds the ball up well for team to him, knows when and how to cross, has a decievingly good acceleration. I think his reputation is well deserved.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:30
@Roge9: Stoke City would eat him alive!
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:37
@Jay wire: Yeah, a big job has to be done at coaching level. But I’m also a fan of the sometimes gung-ho approach of the English game.
You wouldn’t get Rory Delap in Spain!
But yeah you’re right. The perfect example is Theo Walcott. the kid has actually decent technique, but is pretty much average if put alongside a bunch of continental promising players. His most prominent asset is his pace – a physical attribute. And the English mentality has been quick to elevate a rather good player to be better than what he actually is.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:41
@Jay wire: Dont get me started about English coaches and more importantly, the English FA, both groups need to be replaced from top to bottom and replaced with young visionaries who are not held captive by preserving the status Quo.
Im sorry if I offend any English people on this site, but in my opinion English coaches and the English FA are a joke and are not fit be be holding the positions that they do, and as long as these people are shaping the destiny of the English game, then the longer our football will be behind the other major nations
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:10
@Jay wire: Hmmmmmm really mate? And yet the most watched league worldwide is the PREMIER LEAGUE! So can’t be all that lacking in entertaining football, can it? Premier league HAS THE PASSION that a lot of other leagues of the world don’t have in the spades full we have
.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:15
@Grognard: Berba will come good this season, FRET NOT
.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:18
@Craig Mc: The premier league may be the “best league in the world”, but the opinion of broadcasters/advertisers/fans etc do not necessarily align with the players. They look for other factors like weather, historical prestige (like Real, Milan, Barcelona etc). Sad but that’s the truth.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:36
@Grognard: Grog, Aguero is too small and is not a true CF. WE need a big physical presence up front.
Forget him and Villa too, it’s got to be down to Eto’ or the Hunter!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:58
@Red Ranter: Speaks volumes to the elitism of todays players. Plying your trade in a tough league, supported by no nonsense, tough fans and in a climate that will probably make your wife take up knitting, has less appeal than the Costa del Sol. And if you make the same money and take less punishment, the decision becomes so much easier to make!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:05
@Craig Mc: We like the PL because it is inherent to our nature – “barbarous”!!
May not be everyone’s cuppa, mate!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:07
Rooney
Berbatov
Nani Carrick Hargreaves Valencia
Evra Vidic Ferdinand ?
D. Sar.
Give me youngsters who will break through over some jumped up french wannabe any day!
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:11
@Will: Hargreaves probably wont start a game until the new year!!
Don’t forget, we need to always qualify for the CL!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:51
@Redrich: I do not think Eto’o is a good signing for united but may be for cash rich citeh but huntelaar is sure target and also for attacking threat from midfield we need a CAM like sneijder coz anderson is not upto his mark and the lad has not even scored a goal.
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:01
@Craig Mc: hey,ribery will not come to united coz he has i think no interest in united.but leave him and why not take bastian schweinsteiger.he is a superb attack threat from midfield and can perfectly fill the void left by ronaldo.we need more germans in our side and it was just proved in U-21 tournament that germans are fucking awesome and very lethal in attack.
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:15
The difference between Ronaldo and ronaldinho is that Ronaldo is a workaholic. Ronaldinho never practiced at barca, he just relied on his talent. Ronaldo loves women and dancing but he isn’t a partier.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:47
@vanderberg: Errrr I don’t think you will find anywhere that I have ever mentioned Ribery mate. I don’t like french players to be honest. I didn’t want Benzema or Ribery, so I don’t understand what you are on about mate. It is Grog who likes Ribery, and he definately would like to see some German players at OT, but not the one you mentioned I don’t think. I like Bastien though, very much to be honest
.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:51
@Redrich: Still the cuppa tea of the world viewing public more than any of the other leagues are though mate
. We are the most watched worldwide 
.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:57
@Red Ranter: But United have NEVER had any trouble with broadcasters, advertisers etc have they RR. Also we have our share of history too.
Heard this morning on talk sport, that Real Madrid are trying to get the banks to loan them on their ground now
, so they must be doing a Glazier eh?
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:59
@Roge9: Sorry, disagree with you about Kaka.. Good player but not the god he is made out to be. Agree about Donovan at the Confed Cup. I ma not a fan of Landycakes but he was immense in that tournament and actually showed some passion and desire, which for him is very rare indeed.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:59
@Craig Mc: Yah right.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:02
@Red Ranter: Thety didn’t seem to be too concerned with that five years ago when Chelsea was buying them left and right as well as other teams. All of a sudden the league has become a leper colony because of the rough physical style and the negativity and backward culture of the English game. Oh and lets not forget the referees who refuse to protect the stars of the game from terrible abuse.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:06
@Redrich: I want both Aguero and th