May 17
Some Love For Saha | Ole on Current Squad | Tevez
A very good morning to you all. Assuming you did manage to wake up on a Saturday morning, sober enough to read this.
As the days draw ever so close to the Champions’ League final, news comes from Moscow as police from the Russian capital outline their plans for tackling fan violence.
It’s good to see that local police are taking steps for the fans’ safety, but the ban on public drinking and the absence of outdoor TV screens will not sit too kindly with the travelling folk. That said, the club has clearly warned United fans against travelling to Moscow if they had no ticket.
Louis Saha has pretty much resigned himself to the reality that it could be his last season at Old Trafford. The Frenchman has been dogged with injuries throughout his United career and that reputation has made him legendary — only recently rivalled by Tomas Rosicky, who apparently is not even sure if he can recover from his injury. But while we’ve all been left frustrated, breaking several objects in our vicinity every time we saw a starting XI minus Saha — especially in games where his attributes would have helped greatly — a part of us still feels sorry for the lad. Today’s article on the Guardian features his feelings for the club and his own frustrations:
“I know it [the final] could be my last game, and I would understand if the manager went for another striker. It would be painful if he did and it’s painful even to talk about it because I love the club so much. But it’s been very hard for me this season. This is the best and biggest club in the world and the fact is that I’ve had very few chances. I do get miserable when I am injured and it’s very tense for my family because I want to play and I want to win things, so when that chance is taken away from me I can’t help but be in a bad mood. I’m 29 now and I wanted to improve again this year because that’s what you have to do at a club like this. But it’s difficult when you get injured. You are staying in the same place all the time.”
Think about it for a minute. Yes, he’s our balsa boy. Yes he seems at times a bit too fragile mentally to not be able to play through a pain barrier. But we can’t apportion the blame squarely on him. It’s not entirely his fault that he ruptures his tendon while walking his dog. While players blame injuries, Saha seems almost apologetic; almost telling us sorry for staying injured. Perhaps, he feels guilty for not repaying the fans’ and the manager’s faith in him by playing regularly. [Remember it was SAF who dumped Ruud in favour of Saha in what were early days leading to the fluid formation that United possess today, and it showed when Saha played alongside Rooney in the first half of the 06/07 season]
That said, I think he knows and everyone knows that the writing is on the wall as far as Saha’s United career is concerned. The only question is, who’ll be daft enough to take a chance on him.
Meanwhile Solskjaer has drawn parallels with the current squad from that of ’99 in terms of it’s depth.
Carlos Tevez is probably one player Ronaldo could learn from. While it may be a bit premature, considering the direction two other Argentinians’ careers took at United, him saying that he could sign today if a contract was put to him would only make him more endearing to fans. The lion hearted Tevez seems to only get better as the season wears on (just as he did for West Ham) and he’s played himself into contention for a starting place from his performances in recent games. What a player!
And finally — while this is old news — thanks to piss drunk Rangers fans who couldn’t keep a lid on themselves we won’t be seeing a victory parade from the lads anytime soon.
That’s all from me. I’ll see if I can catch a bit of the FA Cup action, and I am sure quite a few of you would be watching it for having a closer look at Aaron Ramsey, who we’ve been heavily linked with.
Let’s see how that goes, before we revert to discussing stuff in general… you know, like life, United and everything.
Cheerio.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Should Saha leave Manchester United?
- Preparing to beat Reading
- Why United Should Hold On To Smith
- Evaluating the United players who faced Chelsea
- 5 reasons why Tevez needs Manchester United
Tags: Manchester United News
Craig Mc (195)
RedDevilEddy (170)
Opti (135)
Moscow is my heaven (96)
Ian (95)
JB:
It seems that Saha has saved us the trouble. Surprise, surprise he’s injured and won’t travel. I wonder if that is the truth, or whether SAF told him he wouldn’t play and Saha decided not to travel.
In any event, whatever the true reason for Saha’s absence, I feel vindicated in saying that it would have been too great a risk to have put him on the bench in place of a more deserving and reliable player, such as Fletcher.
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[Fred]
]. I love the works of Orwell [1984, Animal Farm and a couple of his essays]. Great writer well ahead of his times.
I know mate, which is why I responded with me being more equal [I also added a smiley
At times written comments don’t exactly convey sarcasm.
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Nino, for feck sake mate, how am I supposed to know where you come from?. There is nothing on your posts, that tell me what nationality you are!. As I said to RR, do I have to apologise for my ancestry?. Whatever nationality you are, I expect that you love your nation, local community and peoples. It is the same with me!. My roots are Irish/Scots/English, and I am Salford born and bred, course I am going to be drawn and love my ancestral and local people. I don’t care who supports United, I am glad for every fan, wherever they originate, but I mix with locals, Irish and Scots mostly at the matches. What do you expect me to do about that Nino?.
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Yeah you’re right RR, allow the mud-slinging for today (well, until the next time Grognard posts something inflammatory hehe!). I’m beat and gonna go to sleep now. Craig mc: I have no problem whatsoever with you mixing with your people at matches. I’m also sorry if I misinterpreted your point, only you know what you meant mate, but like RR, I interpreted it to be something else.
Red Ranter: Just out of curiosity, what has been the record number of posts any of your articles has received? I’m sure this article must be a contender lol.
Anyway night all and sweet dreams (preferably about us winning in Moscow on Wednesday!).
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I just knew that you would be switched on Red Ranter, I think Orwells book 1984 would be an eye opening read taking into account when it was wrote and how it reflects certain aspects of life today, but that debate is for another day on a non sporting blog.
And by the way, although I must confess that for various reasons I share craigs views about the local fans and the scotch and Irish contingent,but I also respect the views of any United fan no matter were they are from.
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[Nino]
I think it was 194/195.
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RR – peace, what a good word!. I do understand and appreciate your position as Boss of this blog – not feckin easy for you by any means!. I value too, that you have allowed all the trying debating going on in this thread today, and have not interjected, even though you must have felt like it sometimes!. I know it seems like mudslinging, but with so many different mindsets and outlooks, it is bound to happen, and you did so great in letting us sort it out ourselves. Course there will always be things that will never get sorted, but that’s life. I certainly appreciate very much your discreetness today RR!. You just allowed the mudslinging as you call it to run it’s course lol. Thank you!.
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Nino, no problem mate, and thankyou!. Sweet dreams and hope you wake up fresh!.
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craig mc, how many games do you get to each year and whats the ticket situation like in Salford. Travelled over from Belfast for the Everton and Lyon games myself this season and God willing I hope to get to a few more next season, maybe even starting with Oles testimonial game in pre season
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If the news is true that Saha is once again injured and won’t make the final, then I damn well demand an apology from each person on this blog that busted my balls over the last 48 hours.
Perhaps some of you will be honest with yourselves and admit that deep down I am right and that you just didn’t have the kahonas to agree with my tirade against Balsa Boy. To quote Rafa “eeth omboliebable!”.
Craig the problem with pushing your nationality in that way is it comes across to some of us as very condescending with a pinch of Ancient Roman superiority mixed in for taste. When an outsider reads it it sounds like Irish, English and Scots are superior to the rest. It wasn’t that long ago that they hated each other’s guts and were at each other’s throats. Ironic! I know that is NOT what you mean but that is the curse of the internet. If people on this blog like yourself were having a drink with me at a pub and had me deliver my stinging commentary on Saha and Nani in person, you might not react so badly because seeing how I say it and how it is delivered would make you realize I was talking out of frustration and trying to fire up a little harmless banter. But writing on the blog even with the help of smiley’s just doesn’t always convey itself in the intended manner.
People can take things wrong and misinterpret intentions terribly. Something to keep in mind the next time you defend your position. Trust me, it’s not easy. Especially after a game where a Nani has pulled an incredibly bone headed act that could have cost the team dearly. Suppressing feelings of anger and frustration isn’t easy for me or other on this blog. But I seem to get under peoples skin more than all the others combined. Don’t think I am oblivious to that and that it doesn’t bother me. Everybody wants to be respected and liked. I am no different. But in order to get accepted one should not stop being himself and speaking his mind. Honesty and sincerity is a big part of who I am. Conformity and political correctness is not who I am. Quite often I am larger than life and I wear my personality on my sleeve. I am extremely extroverted and opinionated. I don’t feel comfortable around quiet and mousy people. I hate silence. It makes me insecure. My posts are long because I have things to say that take more than a few words. Expressing myself is therapeutic, yet so many of you try to stifle my thoughts as if you have been given some divine right to do so.
But still I go on because I love Manchester United and I need to speak my mind whether it be good or blasphemy. I’ve got to be me 
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Fred the Red, one can usually get hold of tickets for most of the games at OldTrafford, because as you know, season ticket holders send their tics back to the ticket office when they are not able to make the matches. This happens quite often with the prawn sandwich brigade, bless their hearts, and so tics are often available. My cousin and some of my friends are season ticket holders, and have jobs that mean they can’t make every game. So yeah, I can get to almost all the games some way or other!. When will your next pilgrimage to Theatre of dreams be then?. Did you say Ole’s testimonial?. That should be a mammoth entertainer!.
Grog, whatever you say mate, WHATEVER YOU SAY!. I will just skip all your posts in future, so there will be no arguements – how’s that!. Think others on the blog will be breathing a sigh of relief right about now lol!.
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Grognard; Ha, good luck getting your apology, you sure as hell ain’t getting one from me. I didn’t say that Saha was not an injury prone cunt, but the fact that he got injured does not vindicate anything you say or have said in the past about him, your feelings of hatred towards Saha are stronger than mine towards anyone, and since you don’t particularly know the man, too strong.
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Grognard; By the way, I’d rather you would use another word instead of conformists, I don’t particularly like the fact that you continually use it when talking about people on this blog. It would be a nice gesture if you agreed rather than gave me a speech about your right to say what you want.
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Conor; Too bad for you. I’ll use whatever God Damned word I feel like using OK,
Absolutely unbelievable! I make a joke, I even use a frakken smiley to get my point across as a joke and you have to hit back with rude and vindictive words that cut like a knife. Then you start dictating what words I should use. I think you take yourself a bit too seriously. You are also becoming a royal pain in my backside. Kindly leave me be and I’ll try not to waste my team responding to anything you say. I’ve absolutely had my fill of you.
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Grognard; You haven’t used a smiley the other times you called us all conformists. Also, “rude and vindicate words” = overreaction. I did no such thing and you know that yourself. I take myself too seriously do I? Wouldn’t that be what you would call a personal and very vindictive use of name calling Grognard? You are a hypocrite, it is clear for all to see. And no that is not a hurtful word, we all are, yet you deny it.
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When it comes to you Conor, I’ll lower myself to your level to get my message across one more time. You’re hopeless and I refuse to ever have anything to do with you on this blog ever again. So in the future you can say whatever you like because I will ignore you like I ignore American Idol. You are dead to me and you are a sad little man who likes to play judge , jury and executioner. Take a humility pill on your way out the door. And if you only knew how many expletives I refrained from using to express my rage regarding you.
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Grognard; you’re too easily wound up mate. Red Ranter, just in case, if you feel I was out of order I apologize.
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The Daily Mail reported this morning that Saha was injured: see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=567195&in_page_id=1779&ct=5
But that’s the only news outlet that has run with that story, and I’ve seen Saha get on the plane to Moscow. So who knows what’s going on.
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Frankie; I take the term “getting on the plane” very loosely. It generally refers to the players who will dress for the game. However, United will also pay for many of their staff as well as injured players and a few reserves who have made an important contribution over the year or years. Saha is probably being allowed to come along to take part in the celebrations should we win. That is of course if he is injured. If he isn’t, I see him on the bench. We need to have an alternative at strike on the bench if both Tevez and Rooney start. All the more reason for him to be injured. When has he ever been available when we needed him?
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[Grognard]
When has he ever been available when we needed him?
Against Sunderland when he headed that goal in from a corner earlier in the season when we were struggling to score. He was there when we absolutely needed him. Came off the bench too.
I know it was a rhetorical question. So don’t bother responding to this. It was answered with my tongue firmly in my cheek.
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RR; The third or fourth game of the season hardly constitutes a “clutch” situation. I think playing Chelsea at the Bridge or perhaps the Champions League final would be a better use of his availability.
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Like SAF, said when he’s fit, he’s an awesome striker. Wasn’t he supposed to be injured at the end of the EPL season? But he was healthy enough to hop aorund with the other players after winning the trophy…strange.
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