The old Man Utd Thread

[LaParka]

It always seems to be united fans who have to defend why they support who they do. Last time I went to a Liverpool game I was surrounded by Liverpool fans who certainly weren't scousers. They all seemed to go to Goodison...

[bradigor]

Hope those soldiers got beasted after that. Out of time all of them. Shocking.

It always seems to be united fans who have to defend why they support who they do. Last time I went to a Liverpool game I was surrounded by Liverpool fans who certainly weren't scousers. They all seemed to go to Goodison...

All the bitters live in a big blue house on County Road.

[davejm]

Btw, I love Anderson more and more every day. Awesome!

[Belbo]

It's amaing fook-loads of money'll buy you isn't it? 'Well done'.

POTY

[Lilywhite]

Btw, I love Anderson more and more every day. Awesome!

Good player but gives the ball away too much. He can find a killer pass but needs to work on the simple stuff. No doubt he will become a top player though.

Utd really need to get rid of Nani and quick. The chap just isnt good enough.

[phresh]

I've watched Anderson a fair bit and a lot of his missed passes are actually just a bit to clever for the player they are for. Other than that he is quicker, stronger and better on the ball than most midfielders. With a bit more composure and a few goals he could be truly exceptional.

I think Nani will get one more season, he's not played much this season and Ferguson has implied that he will stay. It could well depend on if Tosic breaks into the team and if Ljaijc is introduced straight into the first team when he joins us.

[Trigg]

Anderson will always be a player who gives the ball away now and then, he's adventurous in his passing and for that sometimes it won't come off and he'll give it away.

The simple stuff will come with age and experience, and he's only really started playing as a traditional central midfielder since his time with us so he's got loads to learn. He's got all the raw attributes to be a wonderful player, and I'm sure he'll fulfil his potential.

Why do we 'need' to get rid of Nani? He's just had a poor time of it of late, he's showed what he's capable off and again given the time I'm sure he'll come good. He's only been here 2 seasons to be fair to the lad. He, like Anderson has got all the raw attributes to be a very good player. He just needs to be given a chance, football fans are so impatient.

[Liamness]

I just thought it was strange that we bought two wingers from the same club who were about the same age. I never really got that. He doesn't give us any Ronaldo doesn't already, why not try to get a different option. He still has the ingredients to become a great player, I just think it was a strange pick to begin with. Him and Ronaldo don't even seem to play particularly well together.

Yeah, most of Anderson's "wayward" passing is actually just a really great pass that went completely over his team mates' heads. Hopefully once he's spent longer on the pitch with our players, learnt our style a bit more, his passing and movement off the ball will improve. The latter will help him get onto the scoresheet, which he quite simply must do at some point, as a midfielder at Manchester United.

[Trigg]

Who's the two wingers we bought from the same club? Ronaldo and Nani you mean?

And Anderson wayward passing is because its usually a difficult ball, you can't have every player passing it safe. Ball retention is one thing, but it bloody pointless if you don't get anyway with it. I have no problem with Anderson in terms of passing if I'm honest, the area in which he needs to learn for my money is his positioning and making himself available in the right areas. He's improving all the time but there is still room for improvement. Plus, he has the mater in Scholes who can teach him.

[Liamness]

Yep. Both used to play for Sporting something or other.

[phresh]

When we bought Nani the only other options on the wing were Park and Giggs. It's just turned out that Hargreaves does a decent job out there as has Rooney recently. The problem with proper wingers is that they really are a rare bread so getting decent ones can be a bit hit and miss.

[Trigg]

Yep. Both used to play for Sporting something or other.

Sporting Clube de Portugal, but why is that strange?

We'd been watching Nani for a quite a while due the arrangement we have with Sporting, I don't see why it would be strange.

[Liamness]

they really are a rare bread

Yeah, it's quite fashionable to play a centre-forward on the wing opposite to their foot, isn't it, so they can turn in and have a shot. That's why Rooney's been quite successful, defenders will show him on the outside at all costs, and the same goes for Ronaldo as he can shoot just fine with his left. Henry and Messi do it at Barca, Arsene's a fan too. I think at the top level, the idea of a winger's primary job being to tramp up and down the line and whip balls in is gone. I see the full-backs doing that more now, and balls get sent in much earlier. They still provide a lot of running and stretch defences, but their positions aren't neccesarily fixed, and they put in as many goals as the "strikers", possibly even more. So yeah, I think Nani, as more of a 'pure' winger, is a little outdated.

[a big boy]

Anderson came from Porto.

[phresh]

Yeah, it's quite fashionable to play a centre-forward on the wing opposite to their foot, isn't it, so they can turn in and have a shot. That's why Rooney's been quite successful, defenders will show him on the outside at all costs, and the same goes for Ronaldo as he can shoot just fine with his left. Henry and Messi do it at Barca, Arsene's a fan too. I think at the top level, the idea of a winger's primary job being to tramp up and down the line and whip balls in is gone. I see the full-backs doing that more now, and balls get sent in much earlier. They still provide a lot of running and stretch defences, but their positions aren't neccesarily fixed, and they put in as many goals as the "strikers", possibly even more. So yeah, I think Nani, as more of a 'pure' winger, is a little outdated.

What you are talking about is the move to 4-5-1/4-3-3 which doesn't require traditional wingers though. In a standard 4-4-2, which for my money is still the best option for most PL games decent wingers are a neccesity.

[fatbob]

Yeah, its Ronaldo and Nani that came from Sporting.

Although Anderson didn't realy play a lot for Porto, he had a good first year then had a bad injury the second IIRC.

[Trigg]

Anderson as only had 130 games as a professional footballer according to Wikipedia, thats not a lot of football really. He's still got bucket loads to learn.

I'm hoping he'll be a regular starter next year and we can see him push on.

[phresh]

You can see how much Ferguson rates him.

Anyway, here is a really good interview with Ferguson from a week or so ago.

[ckny]

My housemate has just suggested that instead of Hull giving us a 'guard of honour' next week, we should give them a 'guard of shame' (if we send them down, that is) by flipping the V's and making wanker signs at them while singing 'Another One Bites The Dust'.

[Mr Do 71]

Possible team for the Hull game, awaits the disrespect hyperbole from that idiot Alan 'The Opinion' Green

Tomasz Kuszczak

Richard Eckersley

James Chester

Jonny Evans

Fabio Da Silva

Zoran Tosic

Darren Fletcher

Darren Gibson

Nani

Federico Macheda

Danny Welbeck

[fatbob]

To be fair, I think that team should be able to beat Hull anyway based on their terrible form, relegation fight or no, saying that, I doubt that is the team it will be. It will be strong within reason. We have a lot of good players who probably won't be starting the Champions League Final anyway, and some who will want to proove themselves worthy of a place in the travelling squad.

Despite loosing to West Ham that day a couple of years ago, no-one can critise the team that Fergie put out.

[Baring]

i can imagine he will play a stronger team than that to keep the player on thier toes as it will be 10 days before some player will have played a competitive match for if they dont play against hull. i imagine vidic will play with berb evans, oshea, teves, park, fletcher to name some strong players.

[ckny]

ManUtd.com has a live blog from the Player of the Year Awards.

Macheda has won Academy POTY and James Chester has won Reserves POTY.

Senior player and goal of the year still to come.

[Baring]

marcheda v villa goal of season or ronaldo against porto.

[ckny]

Ronaldo won Goal of the Season, rightly so. Incredible goal.

And Nemanja Vidic has just won Player of the Season.

Edit - Vidic wins Players' Player of the Season too.

[phresh]

And Players Player of the season Well deserved.

Will be interesting to see if Chester goes back to Peterborough next season. With them going up and Keane taking over at Ipswich we should see a few academy/reserve players there next year I reckon.

[FATEone]

Yeah I get the impression its how Fergie wants to play him too but still it's weird given how much talk there was of bringing in a target man/up top striker.

He doesn't have the pace to be the point of attack in Fergies system, which is in essence counter attacking. But his touch and vision are quality, similar to Scholes in that sense.

[FATEone]

I am slightly concerned about the possibility of violence or crowd trouble but hopefully it will be OK.

On the upside if there was any it would pretty much guarantee Italy won't get the World Cup/Euro's or any other finals any time soon.

Are you mad!?

Sep Blatter and Michel Platini will be sendin the cunts out in formations, like two anti-English nazi generals!

[FATEone]

I think if Brown is fit for next season he will slot back in at right back and alternate with Rafael. I can't see Neville lasting another season and we shouldn't expect Brown to be cover for two positions. If Rafael were to be injured for any period (which is likely) then we're down to the bare bones again with just one back up centre back.

Like you say though I think he could look to bring someone a bit older in as back up. Someone like Cannavaro maybe?

what!?

hahahahaaaaaa

[FATEone]

He Italian though... So he still has another 10 years on the clock.

He'd have about 10 minutes in the premiership!