Sep 27
Man Utd v Bolton: Preview
A quiet few days later, United return to a Premier League game that’s at home. The start has been gruelling for us with the injuries and the fixture list, among a few reasons, but if Fergie’s prophecy — that we’ll be fine by October — is to ring true, today would be a game we should be looking to stamp our authority.
Bolton haven’t been particularly stellar, and at home one should expect us to knock them over easily. The question, though, is how.
But before delving into team news there have been quite a few interesting quotes from Fergie ahead of today’s game that could be worth glossing over, albeit briefly.
First one is on the role he’s earmarked for Giggs this season:
“I see his role as a central player, where we played him the other night. The days of trampling up and down that touchline for Ryan, at 34 years of age, are gone. He can maybe do it occasionally, but I think that is beyond him now.”
This has been assumed to be a role of either a central, withdrawn striker or in central midfield. I honestly don’t see him in the central striking role this season, considering the headache Fergie already faces with the array of strikers at his disposal already — more on that in a bit — and even playing him in central midfield appears a stretch. It is still left wing where he stands a chance, and even that I see him occupy that role in case the wingers are struck by injury. He could play in those central positions only in Carling Cup games. Fergie will surely have ideas different from me, but in my opinion, I can’t see any other role for Giggsy.
He made another admission of the challenge he faces trying to manage the talent at his disposal up top. But he also says that players accept the fact that rotating his front line is a must. Considering how badly the likes of Tevez and Rooney want to play every game, it would be a bitter pill to swallow for either of them to be left on the bench. The only constants, for now at least, appear to be Berbatov and Ronaldo. The press all over have been speculating that Tevez might partner Berba with Rooney relegated to the bench — a thought hardly imaginable a few seasons ago.
He also let rip at that thug, and part time footballer, Kevin Davies, questioning the spirit at which he plays the game. Considering the agony young Possebon went through in midweek, Fergie’s message was loud and clear, and conscious of its timing.
In team news, Owen Hargreaves is eager to play, so I can only assume he’ll be starting. In the absence of Carrick he should start in central midfield. I’d prefer to play Anderson alongside him, but have a feeling that Fergie would continue to play his favoured son, the Ginger Prince. As much as I like Scholesy, I think Anderson and Hargreaves play better together, whereas Scholes and Hargreaves will be a very defensive setup. Ronaldo should start and possibly Nani. Berbatov and Tevez will be my picks up front, not because I don’t rate Rooney, but because I think Tevez’s form must be rewarded. Berba should start because we need him to get games and get a feel for our system at home. Simple as.
In defence, we’ll have Brown (I hope), Vidic, Rio and Evra. However, I am not really sure if young Ben Amos will be thrown into the deep end. He had a decent outing against Boro in midweek, and if EVDS and Kuszczak aren’t sufficiently recovered from their respective knocks it will be Amos’ full Premier League debut. According to reports though, EVDS looks fit to start. Even if he’s half fit I think Fergie will play him over an 18 year old ‘keeper.
So there goes the preview, feel free to discuss lineups and your thoughts on today’s game in the comments.
Prediction: 2-0 to United. Berbatov to open his United account.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Rooney Out For A Month
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Porto it is then…
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (542)
Stephen (490)
RedDevilEddy (462)
Craig Mc (349)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@cheeseburger o’shea: if thats true, then rooney/tevez, manucho and campbell/welbeck will all go.
Like?
0 
0
We should be looking at another keeper I think. VDS is starting to show signs of his age, and Ben Foster seems to be a Saha with gloves. PIG will only ever be a back up keeper. I’m watching the Spurs/Pompey game amd I like that Gomes fella. I’m sure Tottenham would be willing to business with us again.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Grog, glad your doing okay. What are you doing to improve your chances of warding off heart problems Bro?. Are you enjoying more exercise, better diet etc
?. Listen to me, Heart Surgeon Dr. Craig Mc 
.
With regards to our doing well against European minnows in the next game, trouble is Grog, minnows turn into SHARKS whenever they happen to be playing United
.
Like?
0 
0
@Orez: Hurrah – I’m with you
.
Like?
0 
0
@TinManUnited: “A Saha with gloves” –
.
Regarding spurs doing business with us ever again, I don’t think so mate. They are well and truly pissed with us getting their players.
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: Yah I know. We should go anyway, sort of keeping them as our bitches to do with what we like. That’s all Spurs are good for. Looks like they’ll have another loss again today.
Like?
0 
0
@TinManUnited: You think so Tinman, I fancied Spurs to do Pompey today
.
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: You would think so after the hiding they took from City, but we’ll see.
Like?
0 
0
@TinManUnited: you know who im impressed with, diarra, everytime i see this kid, i think to my self, how the hell did arsene let him go? he is meant to be a CDM but in all honesty, he could become world class CAM if he came to the right club, *couch*united*cough*
if he came to us, i would be so happy!
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol): Yah, I have him on my fantasy team. Hoping he will take a few shots and get me some points…but he does look pretty solid. Don’t know where he would fit in the current United setup though.
Like?
0 
0
I can’t believe what I’m reading on here. I know it’s a ‘rants’ page but good lord.
1. Bolton aren’t crap defensively, they’re actually quite good. They’re big and strong and Jussi is a great keeper. So breaking them down is always difficult. We should be happy with the win.
2. Ronaldo is selfish as hell, but that’s because he’s supposed to be, as he’s our goalscorer, winger or not.
3. Berba is starting to look good, and I’m 100% confident he’ll come good. What he needs is our wingers to realise we have a big man in the middle for the first time in 2 years, and start delivering balls to him.
4. Rooney is the second best offensive player on the best team in the world. He is the second most productive player in the premiership. After Rio and Ronaldo he would be the first name on my team sheet any day. He needed a little reminder that he’s not undroppable, and game on with energy focus and a goal. I’m not sure what you people expect from him, but even in the relative ‘poor’ form he’s in, he still did more than Tevez in half the time.
5. Tevez and Park shouldn’t play together. Both perform similar roles and are useful – but both have pretty poor final balls. And that deprived of us that cutting edge.
6. Nani is a kid, who is undergoing his footballing education at the best club in the world. He’s not perfect but he’s learning. Again, what do you people expect?
Fergie needs time to see how different partnerships work on the pitch, and that’s why we’re taking a while. I thought Nani and Evra are an effective team, and also that Fletcher and Ando looked pretty good in the middle. We all kno about Rooney and Ronaldo being great together too. So for me when all the experimenting is done we’ll kick into gear. And personally I expect that to be a team with Rooney, Ronaldo and Berba as the lead 3. I guess we’ll see.
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol): Oh Man, so much for getting me some points. Red card. He just cost me some points.
Like?
0 
0
@TinManUnited: hehe
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol): Dan my boy. Just the other day you were letting somebody have it for saying some really rude remarks directed at you and me. Now you go and do the same thing. Careful mate. I don’t want you to get on Red Ranters hit list. No need to get nasty. Just some friendly advice to prevent you getting banned.
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: Craig I too would rather see Nani on the left wing over anyone else on the team. However, how long would he last out there playing the selfish, head down game he showed us today? But I also have a theory about that. Being on the bench so much has caused Nani a lot of anxiety and so when he wants to come into a game, he so wants to impress that he feels the only way to be noticed is to go for goal. This is his mistake but honestly, how hard has Fergie (without Queiroz) instilled the need from him to look up, pass and cross more? The boy has super talent and he idolizes and wants to emulate Ronaldo. The problem is, as good as he is, he isn’t Ronaldo. Nobody is. At 17 Ronaldo was getting away with a lot of the things Nani doesn’t get away with because he was that much better. Still, a Nani that is focused and totally understanding of his job and his duties could become an awesome weapon for us.
United need to bring this out in him by playing him. Give him five matches to express himself and become the consummate team player. If he is still mentally challenged and selfish after that, then sit him down. But nobody tell me that Park or Giggs or whoever deserves to be out there over him. He has the kind of talent that if properly channeled can be dynamic to United and would help us forget our central midfield weaknesses and would open up our offense and allow Berbatov to flourish. I say give Nani a chance.
Like?
0 
0
@Ryan: Ryan, mate. Some of us who have suggested that Rooney be sold have taken that position because we feel or think that Wayne has reached a peak with this club and that for him to improve or become better, he needs a change of atmosphere and a manager with a different approach that doesn’t use him like a utility man. Rooney is and always will be a super talent but he is woefully inconsistent and as strikers go, he is undisciplined and erratic. His emotions are never in check and his passion often gets the better of him. He runs around and does other people’s jobs but quite often is found wanting because he neglects his job which is either to play striker, or play off of the striker. The boy also has a lifestyle that may eventually lead him out of OT as we all know that Fergie only tolerates so much. He also needs to stop smoking as this will eventually really impact his play.
I have said many times before, sit the lad down and punish him a bit. Let him realize that his place on the side is not ensured and that he has to work for it and do what the manager tells him to do. If the manager has told him to run around like a chicken with his head cut off, then Fergie deserves half of my condemnation. If not than Wayne has to fess up to his weaknesses. Sitting him down on Saturday and bringing him on as a sub seemed to stoke the proper fire in him. I for one would have sat him down for a few more games before he saw any playing time. Make him really feel it. If sitting him down for 65 minutes could get him to come out and play as well and score a pretty Rooney circa 2004 goal, then great. But I think sitting him down for a few more games will make the message sink in. If he starts the next game, nothing will have been learned.
The bottom line is that Rooney is ten times the player Carlos Tevez. Don’t get me wrong, i love Tevez but he hasn’t got the first touch, speed, vision, passing ability or even finishing ability that Wayne has. They both have great determination and desire but lets face it, we play much better as a team when Wayne is playing well rather than when Carlos is. That’s a fact. Wayne Rooney is a better player. Problem is, ever since he came back from his injury last year, he has not been a better player most of the time.
Another reason I considered letting Wayne go to another team is that our team is evolving into a style of play where Wayne seems confused. He is still a world class player but right now he still has tremendous value and worth. United have other needs and the money gained from selling a Rooney would get us the attacking midfielder we need or that permanent left winger should Nani not make the final grade. It’s really up to Rooney how long he remains a United player. He needs to wake up and smell the coffee. He needs to grow up and he needs to refocus himself and stick to the job description for his position. And in fairness, Fergie needs to start playing him in his proper position rather than moving him around.
My alternate solution to Rooney’s positional indifference is to place him and train him in the role of an attacking midfielder AMF. This would give him the room and freedom to roam the park more, come up for offense and help more on defense. He is an exceptional passer of the ball and has great vision and creativity. Even more than Paul Scholes ever had. If Scholes and even to a lesser effect Allan Smith can be converted to this position, than so can Wayne. Where he would need work is on his temper and his use of energy, which often gets him in to card trouble. If he could control that part of his personality he has the skill to become a Francesco Totti. Perhaps Fergie has already thought of this, perhaps not. Either way Wayne is at a crossroads where he needs to figure out what he is and where he is going. Truthfully, I have become tired watching him waste his immense talent doing stupid and mundane things.
I have always been a strong Rooney supporter so for me to start talking transfer or repositioning, then there must be something wrong. I’m not blind, stupid or fickle. And Wayne waking up for 20 minutes isn’t going to convince me of his return to greatness either. A simple but positive plan of attack by Fergie is needed to reassure people like me and to motivate and refocus Wayne into becoming the player I know and we all know he can be.
Like?
0 
0
@jason: Let me ask you something mate. I assume you have changed jobs in your life, assuming you are over 18? If not lets use that analogy of having to change schools. I doubt very much that on your first few weeks in a new environment you fit in like a perfect glove to a hand. That you had no problems fitting in or settling with your new job duties, a different way of doing things and being introduced to complete strangers. To expect the world from Berbatov who feels like a fish out of water right now is incredibly fair. Rooney has been with the team for 5 bloody seasons. Berbatov has been with us a few weeks. He came to us not in the best match fitness due to the way Tottenham were not using him and punishing him for his love and loyalty to United. Secondly, the team has played poorly around him rarely if ever providing him the service and support up front that he needs to flourish. Yet the best passes I have seen from anyone on our team in our last two league games have come from Berbatov. Get off his back and have some fucking patience for a change. The player is class personified and he will eventually pay great dividends for United. Man your comment was so incredibly unfair.
I suppose he should have known his God Damned role and scored 6 goals by now right? You said it, it’s a ” bit by bit process.”
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: you know mate, your right, but he has grudge. i think it was over rooney, but before you came back, we argued and it got to much for ryan, so he had had to resort to petty insults as a lot of new people on this blog do. i didnt insult him technically, i just told him where to go, in a negative manner lol, perfect;y legal hehe.
but honestly, when they see rant in redrants, they think it gives them a license to insults.
Like?
0 
0
@jason: Why are you giving me stats from past years? Read what I have written. I am talking about now. The last few games we are playing. Not what we did in 2006 and 2007. God give me strength from having to endure crap like that. They are crap RIGHT NOW. They can’t finish worth shit and their play breaks down in the opposing third because they lack the inventiveness and movement off the ball they have shown in past years. One would have to be blind to not notice how static they have played. Except for the game against Middlesbrough where Fergie started a Samba loving side that moved the ball beautifully and quickly and it showed up to the point where they finished poorly or the last pass was left wanting.
Your point about our team not playing the style that suits a Berbatov or RVN is correct. Our wingers need to be less selfish and they need to pass and cross more. This is not a suggestion, this is a directive from Fergie. They never spent over 30 million to watch Nani and Ronaldo selfishly ignore Berbatov. Fergie wants our wingers to mix it up. This will take some time to drill in their heads. But heck look at Park. He must have tried a dozen crosses in the game of which 10 of them were blocked. We need to provide better service to Berbatov if we are to best utilize his gifts.
As for the rest of your tirade against my views, that’s fine. I think you are are wrong and you seem to rely far too much on stats from the past which for me is total nonsense. And for your information, United should not be trying to get into forma nd in shape 6 games into the season. They should have been in shape to start the season. This crap has happened three years in a row and I for one have to question the teams pre season training and traveling. Yes Rooney may be tired and so is Tevez but Rooney never had any international tournaments to further fatigue him this Summer. Instead he was off getting married and partying on yachts off of Italy. When I see this team suck early in the season and fall behind just like I predicted, it just further strengthens my beliefs and my case over yours. No disrespect but I don’t mind you disagreeing with me. I do particularly mind being referred to as short sighted and being lectured to in a pontificating manner. I’m sure that was not your intention but I am not an idiot and so in the future assume that I know just as much as you but that I may have a different view on things. That doesn’t make either of us wrong or right. It’s just our views. Nothing I said lacked insight, thought or common sense. I find it a little disturbing that you can find so many things wrong with what I wrote yet nobody else seemed to. And sorry but we should be destroying teams like Bolton at home. I think Fergie is thinking more like me on that one to. That is the United way. We don’t settle for mediocrity.
Like?
0 
0
@Traverse: I agree with you except that Scholes can’t start anymore. Before the season I suggested that the way he was used yesterday is the way Fergie should utilize him because of his age. I think I was proven correct. Carrick is a fine player but Fergie has him playing to far back to properly use his offensive passing skills to full effect. This is the primary reason why a lot of people are not won on Carrick. I say move him up more and put him next to Hargo and we will play better.
Like?
0 
0
@Nico QB: Sweeeeet!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Groggy, if I could see you, i’d kiss u rite now (no homo
). That’s a fair and balanced critique of the lad. I seriously think Fergie has played or should I say, taken advantage of the boy’s versatility a bit too far. Funny thing is, I too was thinking of him becoming a Totti-esque player if Fergie decided to do so. He has all the qualities to excel in that position. He was never an out-and-out striker, however, some of his finishes might have fooled us into thinking he was.
The thing is, Rooney has had to acommodate for the team’s lack of a no.9 since ruud left and Saha began his injury woes plus the fact our main midfield attacking force (scholes) was getting impotent in that area. Ever since then, he has never played in the position he did when ruud/fit saha were around (which, coincidentally, were his wonder years). He has either gone up-front to be a no.9 or down to the wings to accomodate our european system/ronaldo or has had to drop deep to playmake due to our lack of attacking midfielders.
Fergie, i think, has tried to compensate for the constant misuse of the boy by letting his anger/disciplinary and inconsistency issues slide (although the latter can be expected, given he is usually misused). This is where Fergie might be dropping the ball, as those bad traits will become habits and might deter his progress.
Hopefully, with the purchase of Berba, plus the (hopeful) emergence of Anderson as an effective attacking midfielder, the team can get back to a more balanced, versatile formation that does not revolve around Ronaldo. Only then, will Rooney return to the position and play of the ruud/fit saha years… the years when he was referred to as the ‘white pele’…
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: I’m still dealing with this upper repiratory problem that caused the whole problem to begin with. It probably was an allergic reaction to dust or mold when I helped my friend who just passed away move all his stuff from his old place to his new place. A lot of dust and who knows if there was mold growing there. It was a damp basements where he had all his stuff. Either that or a reaction to my neighbors cigarette smoke. My heart is fine but my friend’s passing has made me enroll in a Healthy Heart fitness and maintenance course where I will exercise and get medical checks regularly from a cardiologist. I am also eating better too. Toughest part is cutting out my salt intake. I need to get in shape and lose a lot of weight. I’m going to do it because lets face it, I was scared straight.
Thanks for asking mate.
And yes, minnows in the CL can never be taken lightly. Especially when we are playing in such static and clueless manner.
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol): I see what your saying but Red Ranter won’t see it that way. He’ll tear you one so clean it up mate. Don’t want to lose you from this blog.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Grog is it really fair to judge Nani on a 10 minute cameo today?. How do you think he played in the cup match against Boro?. I think he did well. But I don’t want people to judge him on the few games of this season so far. I want everybody to watch the dvd end of season review for last year. I had friends watching the dvd with me, one who utterly detests United, but he was saying “who the feck is this lad Nani?. He is involved in nearly every move leading up to a goal in the games he plays in.” They were very impressed. They wondered why he wasn’t acclaimed more at our club. A lot of the goals that were vital in affording us a win, where otherwise we would have lost the game, came from Nani assists, or Nani’s involvement somewhere in the process, IN THE GAMES HE PLAYED or had cameo sub roles. Grog, I have asked time and time again for United fans in the Nani debate, to give there UNBIASED view on the lad AFTER watching the dvd. Nobody, and I mean Nobody who argues about Nani has ever come back and given their opinion AFTER watching end of season review. One reason really I would suspect, they cannot honestly not see his UNSELFISH contribution to last seasons cause, unless they are embarrassingly biased. I comment on Rooney’s lack of present form, his poor passing average in a lot of games, and his one and ones legendary misses. I have NEVER said the Roon is selfish, because he isn’t. In fact, I think I have complained that his unselfishness has led him to spend too much time doing other peoples work on the field, and neglecting the vital role we need from him, to stay in our half of the field, and get AS MANY SHOTS ON GOAL AS HE CAN. I know all strikers have bad spells where the goals dry up, but if they are where they should be, and getting shots on target or close, I am okay with that. Anyway, people will always consider me a Rooney hater, rather than a hater of the inefficiency of his role of late. Especially when I was the most ardent admirer of the Roon he was in his first couple of seasons for us
.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Good Grog good. You keep up your good health and wellbeing mentality Bro
.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Red Ranters HIT LIST
. I am sure even RR will be as amused as I am at this new title, RR Redrants blog hitman 
. Bet RR feels like killing off a few of us on here sometimes. Well I have my excuse – lager braindead, especially after matches 
.
Like?
0 
0
@Beachryan: Ryan says, “I think Evra and Nani are an effective team”. I bloody you love you mate
. Thank God somebody sees it. Also agree with a good deal of your other points too. Your post was pretty fair Bro.
Like?
0 
0
if Aaron Lennon could get the best out of berbatov, certainly nani should turn him into puskas, let the boy play and watch the crosses and goals pour in,
Like?
0 
0
@Mr.Muhozi: true, true… Nani is a great crosser, dribbler, shooter, speedster.. he’s got everything. When he learns which of those skills to use in different situations, he will be unstoppable!! Dare I say, he could even be better than Ronaldo… can’t wait to see his development this season, cuz if his decision-making improves even just a little-bit, he will certainly be among our star-performers this season.
Like?
0 
0
@gabriel: i agree wholeheartedly nani has the ability to become one of the best wingers in the premier league even the world in a few years time, he will be better than ronaldo in some aspects, lets not get too ahead of ourselves, ronaldo is a once in a lifetime player and has the ability to dominate a game at will, nani has shown some flashes of brilliance with an outstanding ability to cross which has made me feel he is the best crosser on our squad which really says something about the lads ability. lets hope 2008/9 is a breakout year for him and anderson so giggs and scholes can retire in peace
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: Not a dig at Nani or anything, but I think you have to hold up your hands to Evra and say he forms a pretty damn effective partnership with anybody playing out on the left wing. It is of great credit to his ability and work rate that he so quickly adapts to whowever is playing out wide with him.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Grognard, My master! Are you befriending Dan-u(OL)? Do you remember that he Danified you at a time when we were fretting on thought of who our new no. 9 was going to be? My master! Let the hatred of revenge coarse through your veins! Grognify DAN!
Like?
0 
0
@Red Diablo:
in all honesty, me and grognard are old friends, since i started posting on the blog in fact, but we’re not afraid of an argument or 2 hehe. Same with JB, just that jb and grognard just cant get along.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I’ve said this before. If Berbatov is just going to stroll around up front and wait for the team to function just to accomodate him then I don’t want him there. He needs to keep up with our counter attacks and also partake in them. From what I’ve seen he has been slowing down our play and his “superior aerial ability” has served as nothing more than an excuse for the CBs to lump up long balls to him. As for giving him time to settle in, that is something he shouldn’t need and one of the reasons that people were justifying his purchase were because he has played in this league for two years in one of the best attacks in the league. He is nearly 28 so at the most we will get 3 or 4 good seasons out of him as opposed to 9 or 10 for the likes of Rooney and Nani. If he can’t deal then he should have to change his style to suit us, not vice versa.
Like?
0 
0
Dan, Grognard and other FIFA fans. I have got the player ratings for FIFA 09! At least the Premiership sides. Ronaldo is 91, Rooney 87, so is Rio, Berba 86, Carrick 83 and Anderson 82. Well, here you go!
Like?
0 
0
Ronaldo: 91
Rooney: 87
Rio: 87
Berbatov: 86
Vidic: 86
Tevez: 85
Scholes: 85
Evra: 84
Hargreaves: 83
Carrick: 83
Giggs: 82
Anderson: 82
Nani: 81
Brown: 80
Neville: 79
Rafael: 67
Fabio: 64
And so on…
Like?
0 
0
@Liam: Berbatov isn’t at fault for our CB’s lumping long balls up the field, they are perfectly capable of resorting to that when under pressure, even when there a couple of midgets to aim at up top. That criticism was pretty heavy after the Liverpool game. People seem to have red tinted specs on when comparing it to our performance in the prior year. There we did exactly the same thing, failed to retain possession and waste it by punting long balls up the field but got away with it because there because we made no defensive errors. Our defenders hoof the ball when the midfield stops function, tall striker or no tall striker and this is one of the team’s key weaknesses. Attributing it to Berbatov is completely unfair.
You also make the point about time to settle in. I know what you are getting at, he knows the league, is 28, experienced etc. And fair enough, you wouldn’t expect him to take a season, even half a season, to adjust. But in has last couple of seasons with Spurs he has taken a couple of months to get really going, same with Bayer at times. Your judgment is based on three games so far, three! How is that enough time to assess someone properly? Given a lack of pre season and time with his team mates surely he is justified more slack than that?
I know you weren’t in favor of the transfer but at least give the guy a fair crack at the whip and don’t base judge him based on your preconceptions of him.
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol):
‘we argued and it got to much for ryan, so he had had to resort to petty insults’
Get it right, I just insulted you straight away!! But to be fair I just presumed you were 12 or 13 years old from things you say and do so that was me just getting it wrong.
Secondly the petty insult of ‘pea sized brain’ that I used, you went and said it to someone else a few days later!!
So your no angel on here and often insult people so deal with it rather than throwing your toys out your pram.
@Grognard:
Grog, sorry to hear about your pal the other day, my girlfriend just lost a friend to a heart attack and he was only 26. Its just awful and does make you think……
Regarding Wayne Rooney, how can a player reach his peak at a club when he is only 23? He still has a few years to go till we see the peak of his powers and I for one dont want to see him doing it for another club.
I wasnt impressed with his smoking over the summer either, alhough thats okay surely because from what I hear Berbatov is a heavy smoker…. im sure someone can confirm or deny that rumour?!
I think having Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov means 1 is always gonna get rested so I dont think being left on the bench was a suprise for Rooney and I think he knows that will be the case alot this season. He just brings so much to the side which only when he is missing you realise how much of a difference he makes. Wayne is not a goalscorer, never really has been, he shot himself in the foot scoring that hat trick on his debut! He is our most creative player and gets the amout of assists Gerrard, Lampard and Fabregas get in a season. Why? Because our central midfielders and so blimin deep these days he has to be the creator and Ronaldo is the goalscorer! Without Rooney on the pitch who is gonna create our chances? Berbatov maybe, but he was brought in to take the pressure off Ronaldo. Tevez is a good player but doesnt have an eye for a pass, he has the work rate of Rooney but without the special talents.
I pray that Rooney stays fit this season because he is one hell of a player who deserves more respect than he gets from united fans.
Like?
0 
0
@JB: the thing is that he doesnt even seem interested in playing. He barely goes faster than a jog pace. I would be a lot more welcoming if I felt that he was putting in the effort but I just don’t see that. He’s also been slowing down our counter attacks with his strolling whenever he gets the ball and seeing as how our counters are one of our greatest weapons I see that as being very serious. I still think that especially when Ronaldo is playing that Rooney and Tevez are a better option.
Like?
0 
0
@Craig Mc: Craig, I call it as I saw it but I also was fair and said that I think part of the problem is him not starting. He deserves to start and he needs to be given a specific role rather than just be allowed to freelance. Don’t get me wrong, I am hard on him but I like the lad and I think he is loaded with talent. They just need to kick start his brain a bit.
Like?
0 
0
@Red Diablo: Dan is not my enemy. He has misunderstood the power of the dark side and he will eventually join the order. I may disagree with him a bit but he is a decent bloke that just has a bit of a temper like me. I like that in all my dark allies.
Like?
0 
0
@Red Diablo: Now is the time for you to show me your loyalty. Let the hate pour out of you. Be consumed by the doom and the gloom. It is time to do thy bidding.
Actually that was just a test. Like I said, Dan is not the enemy. There are others who deserve our wrath more. Save it for them. BWHAHAHAH!
Like?
0 
0
@dan(u-ol): You are wise young Dan. That is why you are an ally.
Like?
0 
0
@Liam: I guess that means you’d tell Gerd Mueller, Ronaldo (Brazil), Crespo, Rossi, Shearer, Lineker, Batistuta, and countless other former world class strikers to go fuck off then Ha? They were all lethal finishers who waited and floated around waiting for that killer pass, cross or rebound. That’s what they do. Get over this new age do everything forward who burns himself out by half time and who lacks the true finish of a clinical striker. Sorry but I’ll take Berba over Tevez and those types every day of the week. He just needs better service. The blame is on the whole team for not providing it. And lets not forget his great passes top set up others. A bonus feature from the world class Bulgarian. Ahhhhh I guess you can say I disagee mate.
Like?
0 
0
@RedDevilEddy: Thanks mate, much appreciated.
Like?
0 
0
@TinManUnited: I think I remember Fergie saying something along the lines of “Foster is over his injuries”. The latest incident he had was nothing to do with the recurring injury he’s been having, he just fell badly on his ankle. I think its to early to tip him as the new Saha with gloves. Hargreaves seems to be waiting to fill that role.
@Grognard: On the part about taking too long to find our form, theres nothing we can do about that can we? It seems to be happening every season and every in 2006/2007 season when we started with a 5-1 win over Fulham, i think we still ended up with like 3 wins in 6 games.
Like?
0 
0
I can’t be bothered to read ALL these comments. But I think it was great to see Rooney come off the bench for a change, and his reaction was fantastic.
Just because some idiots on the blog can’t exercise some patience doesn’t mean the rest should be punished. NANI STAYS AND SHOULD GET MORE PLAY TIME! Once he gets his shot going he’ll have some crackers. His crossing is great as well so I got some time for him. Park is fine and deserves his place in the team, one bad match doesn’t make a player.
I personally thought we played well just lacked sufficient width, and I was glad Giggs didn’t play. Scholes is a master and I loved how he was used today and there maybe some merit to a Rooney CAM role and I’m sure Messi can play there too, the boy is a genius level talent.
Like?
0 
0
@Rd: RD, I cannot accept that. Why can’t we do something about those awful starts? Something is radically wrong with their pre season training program and it needs to be looked at. It seems to take them about 6 games to find their legs in the season and by that time our opponents build 6 or 7 point leads. Truthfully, I’m tired of chasing and I’d like them to chase us for a change.
Like?
0 
0
Erm, just to set the record straight, Beachryan and Ryan are two different posters
Like?
0 
0