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The old Man Utd Thread

ThePixelbarks

By ThePixelbarks
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Was a decent performance in the end, thought Rafael did really well considering that was only his second game of the season. Fletcher was excellent, but that goes without saying these days. Same goes for Evra although much like Fletcher his performances are rarely anything other than impressive.I though Owen did surprisingly well in dropping deep and helping to link up play.

Although Giggs had a good game he spends most of the game playing in the centre of the park and I feel it upsets the balance of the team. With two quick attacking full backs it gives the side real balance but then Giggs is rarely out wide so the ball from Evra nearly always has to come back in or go to an out of position Rooney. The only other frustration is a complete lack of aerial threat, something I think we really do miss from Ronaldo. There were more rumours over the international break (I know, I know...) about Dzeko, and Ferguson himself said they looked at him over the summer. I'm not saying he is the right option but if we are going to play with wingers who cross the ball in e are going to need a greater arial threat.

God I sound like a right moaning bastard despite that being one of our best performances of the season.

He missed the first couple of months of last season, didn't he?

He was supposed to but came back before he was fully fit, partly why we had such a bad (or comparitively bad) start to the season.

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bowser123

bowser123

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I though Owen did surprisingly well in dropping deep and helping to link up play.

Whereas I don't see the point in him. If he doesn't score he doesn't contribute anything.

It's funny, I was reading some stuff in the MEN that Andy Cole had to say. Apart from the stuff we already knew or suspected (Keane is a bit of a twat, Cantona was incredible) he said something a little more interesting. To paraphrase, Brian Kidd said to him when he joined that scoring 50 goals a season wasn't enough. Coley thought he was off his head, but came to understand why he had to do more if he wanted to stay at Utd.

From what I can see the little Scouse rat bastard doesn't take the chances he's given, contributes next to nothing and was badly, badly puffing before the end of Saturday. He seems incapable of ever striking the ball cleanly and truely whether under pressure or with time. Just about the only plus is he is at least moving and making runs to get on the end of chances unlike at Toon, though he invariably misses them. How many again at the weekend? 2 very decent opportunities at the least. Sure he dropped deep like you say, that said he didn't exactly create anything by doing this, did he?

The only thing more annoying than the guy at the club is MotD and the press in general. Once again entire post match coverage and match reports are filled with will the fuck make it to the World Cup? Who gives a shit! ARGENTINA, ARGENTINA etc etc etc.

--------------------------

Fucking Patrice Evra. Man, I love that man.

Dunno what to say about the match, already been said really. Dazzler was once again fabulous, but what's new, and I too liked the Rafael-Valencia link up. Good result and performance from what was a tricky fixture. Said it after the Chelsea game we should be winning the next 10 games or so, that's one down and we'll be where we want too soon enough.

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We'll just have to agree to disagree on Owen in that game. The only thing he really messed up was when he took it wide round the keeper and over hit it, the other decent chance was an excellent defensive block. When you watch his movement around the box it is so much better than any other player we have up front, he always sits on the shoulder of the defender and gives himself a chance to get on any through balls. The problem on saturday was that the through balls (especially from Rooney who has been poor the last month) were shite. Giggs too could have done a lot better with his passing.

It's really strange how Rafael (and Fabio) seem to split opinion. Maybe not on here but quite a few United fans I know really don't rate them and think they are poor defenders. This seems to be based around how they go into the tackle, but almost every time Rafael did it we came away with the ball and were able to counter attack. The pull down on Saha was a bit daft but there are plenty of experienced defenders who would do the same. Also, I would far rather a litte over-exuberance in the tackle than just standing off of players which is what so many full-backs do, the latter is infinitely more dangerous if you ask me, especially when playing high up the pitch.

We'll be averaging 2 games a week until the new year now so hopefully we'll see some of the fringe players getting more opportunities, especially Macheda, Obertan and Welbeck. I'd like to see Tosic get an opportunity on wednesday too, possibly with him and Nani on the wings.

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Trigg

Trigg

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Owen will be ,and should be judged on scoring goals. He doesn't off much to the team in terms of link up play/holding the ball which is fine if he's scoring goals.

As it happens, I thought he did alright Everton. Maybe should have done better with the one he scuffed but his movement was good at times and got into some good areas.

I'm massive fans of the twins. They do lack the experience in defense but to be fair to them (more so Rafa) they've improved 10 fold since we signed them. As long as they continue to learn thats fine with me. I think both are going to have fantastic futures with us.

I'd like to see Tosic get an opportunity on wednesday too, possibly with him and Nani on the wings.

He's not registered for the Champions League is he?

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bowser123

bowser123

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We'll just have to agree to disagree on Owen in that game. The only thing he really messed up was when he took it wide round the keeper and over hit it, the other decent chance was an excellent defensive block.

This is going to sound confrontational, but it isn't meant that way, but yeah- fair enough you disagree. So what did he do then? You said he played deep and linked. True, but to what offensive extent? Fully agree he gets into positions consistently, that was about the only positive in my last post about him. Problem is he misses so much, I thought one on one's were his thing? Ruud, Ole, even Saha would have done much better with the stuff he was provided with.

The thing is he's scored, what, four I think? Ciddy, Wigan, Champs League (against the Russians?) and Barnsley I think? That's in what, 20 games or so? Sure he hasn't started many of them or had much time, but wasn't he signed on the basis that he'll get a chance and score, that he'll be an impact sub?

To me he seems nervous and snatches at chances. Like I said, he never ever strikes cleanly. Even some of the goals he's scored have been mishits, LC and CL.

Put it this way, could you have seen him scoring the goal Torres did against us? Now that's a loaded question and unfair- Torres is so good because he's in the top 5 or so of the world and one of only a few who could have scored it. But, the thing is, why are we making do with a guy just because he's cheap/ free? We should either be giving Wellbeck time (was him at the WC bull from the manager?) or signing somebody like Villa that will take these chances.

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bowser123

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The problem on saturday was that the through balls (especially from Rooney who has been poor the last month) were shite.

From an attacking perspective I felt he was our best player against Chelsea and did well. The likes of Fletch and the CB's may have done better in general performance, but from a pure perspective of scoring and winning he was probably the best on the pitch from the two sides. Won us the game (well we drew!) when he came on against CSKA too.

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I agree with a lot of what you say but i'm not going to criticise a striker when the service is so shit. Like I said before he had two decent chances, one of which he messed up the other was a good block.

He hasn't scored as many chances as he should have done and in that respect he hasn't done what he has been bought in for. Not really sure what the Villa point was about as that would mean either Berbatov or Villa spending most of the season on the bench, a situation neither would be happy with. Welbeck hasn't played recently because he picked up another injury and presumably Obertan is being given the chance on the wing rather than playing him out there. I would like to see him and Macheda get more games but that time will come as the games piLe up over the next couple of months. Lets not forget we should have Diouf joining us in January and he looks like a handy finisher so who knows what are striking options are going to be like in 6 months time?

I think part of the problem is that we haven't actually played with an 'off the shoulder of the last defender' centre forward since RVN left, and much like the team are having to adapt to a more conventional 4-4-2 this season they will have to adapt to playing with a more conventional CF when Owen, and potentially Macheda, play.

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paddyo

paddyo

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The new Andy Mitten book 'Glory, Glory...' is out, loads of interviews with players from the 90's, AND Martin Edwards!! includes Eric interview...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&tag=rllmukforumco-21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738&location=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glory-Andy-Mitten/...3848&sr=8-1

have not got it yet but have read the previous one... 'We're the famous Man Utd' which has interviews with ex-players from the 80's, absolutely amazing read, great to hear from some of the guys you grew up watching (well i did!!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&tag=rllmukforumco-21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738&location=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Were-Famous-Man-Un...3848&sr=8-2

also Mitten is a top red and creator of the United We Stand fanzine so is deffo worth buying :D

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Trigg

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Manchester United's Paul Scholes: Player of the Decade

By Mark Ogden Football Last updated: November 25th, 2009

Paul Scholes is British football’s Player of the Decade.

That’s only a personal opinion and, with five weeks of the Noughties left to run, it could be a touch premature to start handing out the personal awards and accolades.

But if you cast your mind back over the last 10 years, only Ryan Giggs can seriously lay claim to the title of the most influential, successful and important player since the turn of the millennium.

Giggs would probably get the vote ahead of his Manchester United team-mate if you conducted a straw poll outside most football grounds. Leaving club loyalties aside, few can match the longevity of Giggs and Scholes.

Those that can, drop out of the running when it comes to placing medals on the table. Think about it. Steven Gerrard has become a Liverpool icon over the last ten years, but despite almost winning the Champions League final single-handedly against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005, his medal collection is still awaiting its first Premier League winners’ medal. Scholes has nine of those, with six coming during this decade.

Frank Lampard? Again, the Chelsea midfielder has carved his name into his club’s history with a decade of success, but Scholes has a Champions League winners’ medal. Lampard doesn’t. Same goes for John Terry.

Wayne Rooney? He hasn’t been around long enough. You could make a case for Cristiano Ronaldo, but he was still in school when Scholes was in his pomp at the turn of the decade.

And the Real Madrid winger, while tearing Europe apart during his final two seasons with United, cannot claim to have delivered for the same length of time as Scholes.

So it comes down to Giggs and Scholes. Giggs has more medals, he has played more games and scored more goals, but the Welshman has not had to overcome the injuries and ailments that have threatened to bring a premature end to Scholes’s career.

Scholes has had a succession of knee injuries and he also had to battle back from the blurred vision problem that cost him the final six months of the 2005-06 campaign.

The 35-year-old is still partially troubled by the problem, but you wouldn’t know it with the performances he has delivered in recent seasons.

Scholes’s detractors could point to his early retirement from the England team at the age of 29, but nobody could argue that he failed to deliver in an England shirt.

Fourteen goals in 66 appearances isn’t a bad return for a midfielder and Fabio Capello would early love to include a younger version of Scholes in his World Cup squad next summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a nightmare scenario when it comes to replacing Giggs and Scholes. Both men are likely to be offered new one-year contracts in the new year, but the cupboard is bare when it comes to replacing either of them. Nani and Anderson have failed to meet that particular challenge.

While Giggs has won his share of personal awards, Scholes has always slipped under the radar, but his fellow professionals rave about him. Edgar Davids billed him as the best midfielder in Europe and Darren Fletcher, his United team-mate, pointed to the esteem in which Scholes is held by his contemporaries with the following insight.

Fletcher said: “It was funny watching Ivan de la Pena before a friendly against Espanyol at Old Trafford last year.

“He was in awe of Scholesy and looking up to him as if he was a god. He arranged for shirts to be swapped before the game.

“Scholesy seemed a bit embarrassed. Good players know great players and they respect them.”

So that’s where my vote is going. Any argument?

No arguments from me.

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