Are Manchester United ready to conquer Europe?
Manchester United fans have been through a lot in the last few months. The lows of losing to Milan and Chelsea in May were only marginally tempered by the Premiership title, but the Nani/Anderson swoop (Anderson!) coupled with the move for Tevez has easily covered the losses of Rossi and Smith.
United were never going to miss Smith as much on the pitch as the fans would, but Rossi is / was a future star and the fact that he wasn’t going to get regular games is unfortunate, and shows Ferguson’s dependence / reliance on Saha’s experience.
You would be a fool to think that winning the Premiership was all there was to last season - it was about rebuilding the Manchester United dynasty and you can expected Rooney and Co. to come out with guns blazing against Reading.
United will be playing for all 4 titles but Ferguson’s eyes will surely be on the Champions League - I’ve always had the feeling that he would retire after winning the Champions League again, and the players he’s brought in are not only to add depth to the squad but also to give the side an additional dimension in Europe, where United have been too defensive and circumspect at times.
Manager Status: SAF will go when he wants to, not before, not after.
Transfer Analysis: United have strengthened their squad and with Tevez on his way, United have a formidable first-XI (still a bit weak in central midfield and possibly left-back if Heinze leaves) and most importantly, strength on the bench. United have splashed the cash but a lot of it is in staggered payments and United also had the money from last summer left over, so overall it’s much better than it ‘looks’.
Players to watch: All eyes will be on Tevez, but look to Rooney to shine and if and when Nani and Anderson get their shot, they’ll be dynamite as well.
August Fixtures: Reading at home, Portsmouth and Man City away, and then Tottenham at home before Keano’s homecoming on the 1st of September.
Expectations: Title.
Predictions: Top 2, unless both Rooney and Ronaldo get crocked, in which case there’s a risk of being overtaken by Pool and Arsenal.
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I think EVDS will be a big player in determining the success of the team because he was looking shaky towards the end of last season and if Foster wasn’t injured I’d have been expecting him to make a challenge for the No.1 spot. Also I think Gibson should play before Fletcher who really in all honesty isn’t good enough for United. Nani looks to have settled in well and I haven’t seen much of Anderson but he should be good. Could probably do with another striker though. If Heinze leaves, well even if he doesn’t(he wont be playing much if he stays) United should look into a new left back. In the next couple of years maybe a replacement for Neville will have to be bought as well. Hopefully the Brazilian twins will solve our full back worries next year though.
Reading all the post in rss reader and this was the one i was waiting for
Manager Status: SAF will go when he wants to, not before, not after.
Just loved that no one Commands Respect the Way Sir Alex does.
And liam how old are these brazilian twins havent read much apart from one two snippets ?
And what place does pique play? can he be converted in the left back and bardsley is still there so defence is not that shaky and that guy we loaned at sunderland last year whats his name aargh?
My only worries are rooney and ronaldo staying fit they have been playing almost all games and have been vital for us anything happens to them then we are screwed.
Bring it on Sunday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabio_%28footballer%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Silva
the twins wikipedia pages, Born 9th July 1990, will join up with United when they turn 18
“United have a formidable first-XI (still a bit weak in central midfield and possibly left-back if Heinze leaves)”How can you possibly say we are weak in central midfield ? Scholes carrick hargreaves and anderson with fletcher and o’shea to cover ? what did you smoke on your holiday ?! I agree that left back is a problem. It still makes NO sense to me why Heinze would want to leave but even if he doesnt i still think its our weak spot.
While everyone seems to be focusing on the signings as the major plus, which god knows are brilliant, but for me its the back up that is going to be the decisive factor for me. For strikers we added tevez and dong is in reserve. Out wide chris eagles and lee martin return from loands, and have had a crazy pre season, and scored some fantastic goals. In central mid we have david jones who should get a good run out in the carling cup and at the back we bardsley and pique as cover. I really dont see any team in recent history stronger. Not to mention Foster and Kusczack as back up to EVDS. its scary to think of and we no longer have to worry about fletcher in at right back like against Milan, or Saha being injured yet again and being frustrated by richardson not performing to his capability. We have a brilliant squad and i honestly see us lifting two trophies this season, wont speculate as to which two.
Glory Glory Man Utd.
well im a big fan of SAf but the fact that bothers me is the purchase of Anderson.He’s a brilliant talent as far as carlos Queiros is concerned but according to previous experience I seriously doubt the money paid for an untried Brazilian who could find life difficult in england like his predecessor (Kleberson).I just hope he is a smart buy coz the buz around england is that he is the replacement for Paul Scholes and those are some large boots to fill.
Time for SAF to go. I mean if Wenger, Benitez or muriniho had uniteds team they’d own europe.
I am not insisting he isnt a good manager but his time is past and Hagreaves for 20million, Nani for 18 and Anderson for 13 just shows hes went off the clock
Good luck next season.
Liam give up your Fletcher bashing a rest. The Roma game and the Milan games should have convinced the likes of you by now….
wilfred: im not worried about Anderson. For a start he’s played in the Portuguese league so its not like he’s coming straight from Brazil. He’s also up and coming so we can mould him. Kleberson was a mid-career Brazilian too old to adapt to the English game.
indianpunk: if rooney gets injured we can replace him directly with Tevez. But i do not think there is a direct replacement for Ronaldo. Nani is cover but not in Ronaldo’s league and there is no way he going to score the 20 goals we’d get from a fit Ronaldo.
I think we look good this season.
Our midfield is strengthened with the addition of Hargreaves who will give us defensive cover for the big games. On the wings we have Nani (and even Anderson who can play on the left) to provide cover for Giggs and Ronaldo.
Our defence is unchanged from last season and while Heinze will be a big loss we have gained in Pique a promising defender who has everything.
Our attack has an abundance of talent but I wonder if sometimes we will miss having a proven out-and-out striker who can contribute 30+ a season in the Henry/Van Nistelrooy/Drogba style. While we have modified our style of play so goals are spread throughout the team and create a lot of chances, when we are playing badly or against very good teams when chances are scarce we do not really have a player who we can rely on to finish them off.
Also I still think we are weak on defensive cover. Heinze will be a big loss as he could play left back and central defence. Brown is excellent cover. But apart from that I am worried. Pique is promising and has everything but is still short on experience. Same with the other youngsters. Silvestre will probably end up as cover for left back but he has never convinced me.
Keith Kaira II
Were they the Milan games that Gattuso completely shut down our midfield the whole time he was playing? In the Roma game everyone else had a fantastic game and I don’t really think Fletcher’s was a real standout performance compared to Carrick. I don’t think Fletcher is a bad player, he did improve last season, but now we have cover for CM and I would rather see Gibson get games over Fletcher. Fletcher is a decent player but he is just not Man Utd class. He will never be anything more than second-rate backup
ManU 4ever!
weak in cm??? carrick OH scholes anderson o’shea fletcher!!!
I understand what ahmed means when he says were weak in the midfield.i dunno bout you guys but hargreaves comes of as an injury prone guy to me.i hope im wrong though.o’shea and fletcher are not quality back up in my opinion.o’shea isnt even a midfielder and doesnt do to much when he is in midfield.as opposed to other clubs we are a bit light e.g liverpool .alonso,gerrard,masherano,sissoko,lucas and chelsea .mak,essien,lamp,mikel,sidwell.our other weak point is left back as heinze is now definately leaving.other than that we have an abundunce of talent and i believe without injuries to key players we will win the league and champs league.
How can you possibly say we are weak in central midfield ? Scholes carrick hargreaves and anderson with fletcher and o’shea to cover ? what did you smoke on your holiday ?!
Dude, you won’t believe what I smoked
But to be honest, when I’m evaluating United I tend to be more perfectionist than elsewhere. So while A Cesc-Gilberto pairing in Arsenal’s midfield is weak it’s acceptable to me, but a Carrick-Scholes or Carrick-Hargreaves pairing isn’t ok with me.
O’Shea - midfield - no, please no, not again.
Fletch - backup, always.
So that leaves us with Carrick, Hargreaves and Scholes. Scholesy is getting old, Hargreaves is new and Carrick is still learning to go forward while simultaneously learning to tackle (he was very good last season though).
When I said weak, I think I meant physically, because it’s a central midfield that can be overpowered. Against Chelsea at Old Trafford it was because of Vida, Rio and some exceptional movement by Carrick that prevented it from happening, and I don’t want to see United’s midfield get run over like that.
So yes, we’re very good, but we’re not perfect, hence we’re a bit weak in that department
indianpunk - we loaned out Danny Simpson and Jonny Evans to Sunderland last season. Both are back and most likely staying.
I’m sorry Liam O, but that is hogwash pal. Against Roma he was outstanding, he was the main reason Totti was well taken care of. Against Milan in the first leg he and Rooney were the men of the match second half. Before that in our home game vs Liverpool he was outstanding. In our loss to Arsenal at OT only he and Ronaldo had good games of the attacking players in our side. Besides, Gattuso shut down our midfield with Carrick and Scholes present. I don’t see you blaming them! Especially his partner Carrick, who was piss poor in both legs as long as Gattuso was on the pitch.
Frankly I’m sick and tired of people bashing Fletcher at every little opportunity. The lad is a young player. Only 23. He still is developing and has some way to go before he matures. But last season he showed a big leap in his improvement and has proved he is a worthy and valuable squad member. He is not that far of being truly class. And he will only get better. To suggest we should start using an inexperienced and untested player like Gibson, just because of a few flashes of his skills in meaningless pre-season games is frankly disrespectful to Flecth on top of being plain ridiculous. Remember how people used to talk up Richardson and David Jones over him? & Where are they now?
That should tell you something. Fletcher is a far better player than and a lot of people care to admit. And that’s a stone cold fact
Cant wait to see the CL next season Liverpool VS Man u is my dream final
come on
Look Keith Kaira II, the fact is, Fletcher is goodn, but he’s not good enough to play in our team, and if you think about it, he wouldn’t play in any of the top 4 teams, Tottenham - possibly, Everton - no, Blackburn - probably not, he’s just never been that great, he runs about not doing much, and you can’t use him being young as an excuse, David Jones is better and he’s younger, so is Mark Noble, just like plenty of other young players are.
And then you say this: ‘just because of a few flashes of his skills in meaningless pre-season games is frankly disrespectful to Flecth on top of being plain ridiculous’ about Gibson, after just describing some of the very few games when he played well: AC Milan, Roma etc.
‘Remember how people used to talk up Richardson and David Jones over him? & Where are they now?’ Emmm they’re in the premiership, and both are important players in their team, because they were smart enough to know that if they didn’t leave they would still be sitting on the bench for most of the season, like Fletcher will do.
I agree with keith fletcher may not be a star but hes good cover and gives everything so he will neve break into the starting 11 but will always be a good backup player the type of player a team needs
Using Gattuso as an example is a bit harsh he is one of the best if not the best defensive mid in the world but on the other hand if you wanna be the best u gotta beat the best so flecther is not up to par sorry!?
I agree with the midfield comments. We do have a good centre but it is probably our weak point. And probably the only area we do not compare favourably to our rivals. And that matters because most of the big games are won and lost in midfield.
Ain’t gonna be conquering much with that sorry show. Can’t score a goal in 25 mins against 10 men? WTF????