Man Utd Thread:

[Over the Bar]

Any other transfer rumours doing the rounds?   I'd be happy with what we have provided Hargreaves comes back before Chrimbo.

[689908]

Any other transfer rumours doing the rounds?   I'd be happy with what we have provided Hargreaves comes back before Chrimbo.

No I think our spending is pretty much done.  Either the money has gone to service off the debt, or Fergie felt the current squad has a good chance of challenging for honours and thinks the most sensible policy is to wait a year or two when the market isn't so inflated to spend some of the money.

Anyhows, an assessment of the current squad based on yesterday and pre-season:

GK - VDS will be a big miss for the first couple of months.  I think that Foster's billing as England's World Cup Number 1 has more to do with a serious lack of alternatives than his own ability.  A good shot stopper and normally good under a high ball, but isn't comfortable with the ball at his feet.  In saying that, he needs a run of games in the side before any definitive judgements can be made.  PIG will never be number one, he's a good shot-stopper but that's the height of it.

Defence - United hardly missed Vidic, Rafael, Neville and Brown yesterday.  The defensive unit looks pretty complete.  O'shea will do a good job across the backline, while the twins and Evans are also excellent cover.  I'm a little concerned about the twins' proneness to injury but perhaps this is just because their bodies have not fully developed yet.

Centre-Midfield - A worry for me.  There's no-one there to anchor the team at present.  Hargreaves (if fit) and Fletcher can do a good job at harrassing opponents, but I don't see either as a base which the team should be built around.  Neither has a good enough range of passing and IMO United's midfielder's are pretty much all most suited to a three man-midfield.  Scholes doen't have the legs for a two-man midfield anymore and although he is a good option off the bench, I can't see him starting many games this year.  Giggs still has the ability to be a real match-winner but I think he needs two more defensive minded midfielder's behind him to fully flourish.  Anderson and Gibson and Anderson still have lots to prove.  It amazes me how many people rate Anderson way above Gibson.  Gibson has impressed every time he has put on the United shirt and I think it was noticable that he and not Anderson made the bench yesterday.

Coming through we have Matty James and Petrucci.  Matty James has been the most consistent youth player for the past three seasons and has been compared to Lampard.  He is tough, can tackle and has a fierce shot.  I have very high hopes for him.  Hopefully he will see some first-team action this season.

The real stand-outprospect on the books, however, is Davide Petrucci.  There was outcry in Italy when we took him from Roma where he was hailed as the 'new Totti.'  He arrived last summer and was absolutely outstanding in every game until he was injured around February.  I watch every United youth and reserve game and I have never been sure about a player being destined for the top.  An absolute class act who I think will wear the 7 jersey for United one day.  I have no doubts that if he stays fit, he will play some part in the season.

Wings - I was very impressed with Valencia when he played with Wigan and also when he played against Bayern last week.  He is very fast, direct, powerful and is pretty perfect for a 4-4-2 system.  He will be first choice on the right this season IMO.  I think the left wing postition is up for grabs.  Tosic, Nani and Park all have an opportunity to make it their own.  Tosic is still very lightweight and has only been here six months.  He is a handy player and I think he will do well against the weaker teams, but he doesn't seem like someone who will grab the game by the scruff of the neck.  With Park, you know what to expect.  A very good grafter but not great going forward.  A good option against marauding full-backs.  I think Nani will step it up this season.  He has shown drastic improvement in pre-season.  I have never been a fan, but with Ronaldo gone I think he can step it up.  Sad that he's out for the beginning of the season.

Strikers - Wayner Ronney is Wayne Rooney.  Our best player by a long shot and the rock of the side.  With Ronaldo gone the team should be built around him.  Fergie has said he will play both he and Berbatov up front this season which is good news.  Berbatov played very deep last season, and hopefully with him playiong further up his goals tally will improve.  Owen and Macheda will be great options off the bench.  I'm not sure about Welbeck's role.  I always had much higher hopes for Welbeck than Macheda but since Super-Mac's goals against Villa, Fergie has seemed to almost forget about Welbeck.  He's had a few injuries the last couple of months also so hopefully these clear up.

Over all I happy with the squad, my only concern being which midfield combination best suits 4-4-2.  I suppose that depends largely on the opposition.

My predictions:

Player of the Year - Berbatov
Young Player of the Year - Fabio da Silva

Reserve Player of the Year - Davide Petrucci

Youth Player of the Year - Robbie Brady



Premiership - Winners

Champion's League - Semi-Final

FA Cup - Winners

Carling Cup - Semi-Finals

[Hound]

Centre-Midfield - A worry for me.  There's no-one there to anchor the team at present.  Hargreaves (if fit) and Fletcher can do a good job at harrassing opponents, but I don't see either as a base which the team should be built around.  Neither has a good enough range of passing and IMO United's midfielder's are pretty much all most suited to a three man-midfield.  Scholes doen't have the legs for a two-man midfield anymore and although he is a good option off the bench, I can't see him starting many games this year.  Giggs still has the ability to be a real match-winner but I think he needs two more defensive minded midfielder's behind him to fully flourish.  Anderson and Gibson and Anderson still have lots to prove.  It amazes me how many people rate Anderson way above Gibson.  Gibson has impressed every time he has put on the United shirt and I think it was noticable that he and not Anderson made the bench yesterday.

Its hard to know what Ferguson is thinking, but on reflection I'm not sure Gibson on the bench means anything, other than Ferguson indicating to him that he is important. Anderson played well v Valencia, scored a lovely free kick v Munich (I think) and I wouldnt be surprised to see him start v Birmingham.

I think Scholes/Owen will be a regular double substitution this season. Scholes seemed to be looking for him almost every time.

Giggs looked right sharp and fit when he came on. Fair play to him. Wouldnt want to be relying on him being your best midfielder though.

[DennistheMenace]

I'd have serious concerns about Manyoo's midfield, thought Fergie would have addressed it in the summer but doesn't look likely now.

Massive season for Rooney as it seems likely he will be played in his favoured down the middle position and I expect Berbatov to step up to the plate this year but think 2nd best is were Utd will finish.

[stew]

Did Cech get MOTM?   Only for him United could have got the bus home at half time.

He was at fault for the United goal, the first one in my opinion, mind you Terry got in his way a bit as well although he should have done better.

Cech is not back to his best, he is an excellent keeper but he is not back to his best.

[norabeag]

From BBC:

Ferguson fumes at ref after loss




Start the season as you mean to go on, eh?

He's cracking already 

And thats a fact, just like he cracked last year!!

[corn02]

I do't understand how anyone can not have United as clear favourites. Ronaldo/Tevez gone, Valenica/Owen and Heargreaves in.

[689908]

I do't understand how anyone can not have United as clear favourites. Ronaldo/Tevez gone, Valenica/Owen and Heargreaves in.

Hargreaves mightn't play again Corn

[DennistheMenace]

Not sure how they are doing to replace Ronaldo's goals either, Berbatov is prolific, Rooney chips in with a few but averages around 13/14 a season, Owen has it all to prove and can't see Valencia scoring that many.

If Ancelotti is serious about the league where he hasn't previously had a good domestic record, I'd fancy a wager on them above both Manyoo and Liverpool. A big if though.

[stew]

Not sure how they are doing to replace Ronaldo's goals either, Berbatov is prolific, Rooney chips in with a few but averages around 13/14 a season, Owen has it all to prove and can't see Valencia scoring that many.

If Ancelotti is serious about the league where he hasn't previously had a good domestic record, I'd fancy a wager on them above both Manyoo and Liverpool. A big if though.

United will do well to finish second, Chelsea will win it and United and City will battle for second with Liverpool and the arse falling out of the top four as Villa or Pompey take over a CL spot.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

From BBC:

Ferguson fumes at ref after loss




Start the season as you mean to go on, eh?

He's cracking already 

Expect to see this image in Sept, Oct, Nov...

[AFS]

Any other transfer rumours doing the rounds?   I'd be happy with what we have provided Hargreaves comes back before Chrimbo.

No I think our spending is pretty much done.  Either the money has gone to service off the debt, or Fergie felt the current squad has a good chance of challenging for honours and thinks the most sensible policy is to wait a year or two when the market isn't so inflated to spend some of the money.

Anyhows, an assessment of the current squad based on yesterday and pre-season:

GK - VDS will be a big miss for the first couple of months.  I think that Foster's billing as England's World Cup Number 1 has more to do with a serious lack of alternatives than his own ability.  A good shot stopper and normally good under a high ball, but isn't comfortable with the ball at his feet.  In saying that, he needs a run of games in the side before any definitive judgements can be made.  PIG will never be number one, he's a good shot-stopper but that's the height of it.

Defence - United hardly missed Vidic, Rafael, Neville and Brown yesterday.  The defensive unit looks pretty complete.  O'shea will do a good job across the backline, while the twins and Evans are also excellent cover.  I'm a little concerned about the twins' proneness to injury but perhaps this is just because their bodies have not fully developed yet.

Centre-Midfield - A worry for me.  There's no-one there to anchor the team at present.  Hargreaves (if fit) and Fletcher can do a good job at harassing opponents, but I don't see either as a base which the team should be built around.  Neither has a good enough range of passing and IMO United's midfielder's are pretty much all most suited to a three man-midfield.  Scholes don't have the legs for a two-man midfield anymore and although he is a good option off the bench, I can't see him starting many games this year.  Giggs still has the ability to be a real match-winner but I think he needs two more defensive minded midfielder's behind him to fully flourish.  Anderson and Gibson and Anderson still have lots to prove.  It amazes me how many people rate Anderson way above Gibson.  Gibson has impressed every time he has put on the United shirt and I think it was noticeable that he and not Anderson made the bench yesterday.

Coming through we have Matty James and Petrucci.  Matty James has been the most consistent youth player for the past three seasons and has been compared to Lampard.  He is tough, can tackle and has a fierce shot.  I have very high hopes for him.  Hopefully he will see some first-team action this season.

The real stand-outprospect on the books, however, is Davide Petrucci.  There was outcry in Italy when we took him from Roma where he was hailed as the 'new Totti.'  He arrived last summer and was absolutely outstanding in every game until he was injured around February.  I watch every United youth and reserve game and I have never been sure about a player being destined for the top.  An absolute class act who I think will wear the 7 jersey for United one day.  I have no doubts that if he stays fit, he will play some part in the season.

Wings - I was very impressed with Valencia when he played with Wigan and also when he played against Bayern last week.  He is very fast, direct, powerful and is pretty perfect for a 4-4-2 system.  He will be first choice on the right this season IMO.  I think the left wing position is up for grabs.  Tosic, Nani and Park all have an opportunity to make it their own.  Tosic is still very lightweight and has only been here six months.  He is a handy player and I think he will do well against the weaker teams, but he doesn't seem like someone who will grab the game by the scruff of the neck.  With Park, you know what to expect.  A very good grafter but not great going forward.  A good option against marauding full-backs.  I think Nani will step it up this season.  He has shown drastic improvement in pre-season.  I have never been a fan, but with Ronaldo gone I think he can step it up.  Sad that he's out for the beginning of the season.

Strikers - Wayner Ronney is Wayne Rooney.  Our best player by a long shot and the rock of the side.  With Ronaldo gone the team should be built around him.  Fergie has said he will play both he and Berbatov up front this season which is good news.  Berbatov played very deep last season, and hopefully with him playing further up his goals tally will improve.  Owen and Macheda will be great options off the bench.  I'm not sure about Welbeck's role.  I always had much higher hopes for Welbeck than Macheda but since Super-Mac's goals against Villa, Fergie has seemed to almost forget about Welbeck.  He's had a few injuries the last couple of months also so hopefully these clear up.

Over all I happy with the squad, my only concern being which midfield combination best suits 4-4-2.  I suppose that depends largely on the opposition.

My predictions:

Player of the Year - Berbatov
Young Player of the Year - Fabio da Silva

Reserve Player of the Year - Davide Petrucci

Youth Player of the Year - Robbie Brady



Premiership - Winners

Champion's League - Semi-Final

FA Cup - Winners

Carling Cup - Semi-Finals

I'd agree with a lot of that apart from your appraisal of Gibson and Welbeck. I think Gibson has been poor apart from one or two notable performances. I'd love if he made the breakthrough as it would be great for Ireland as well, but I just can't see it. I think he'll leave next summer after adding another million or two to his value by making a few appearances in Hargreaves absence. I'm surprised so many people rate Welbeck so highly, I think he is a very limited player at this stage. He has a lot of raw potential with great pace, but he is paralysingly one footed. Any half decent Premier league centre back should know that if you push him onto his left he's next to useless. Maybe if he can develop his left foot he'll be an asset, but until then I can't see him getting much game time, and even then probably only on the right wing.

[EC Unique]

I see Rooney is Targeting 25+ goals this season and if he stays fit I think he will get them. A good start in the league is a must as the last few years Utd have started badly. I expect 9 points from the first 3 games.

[full back]

Agree about Rooney
By playing through the middle he is well capable of hitting 25+ if fit

What concerns me is that if Rooney isnt playing I find it difficult to see where the goals are coming from
Fergie will rest Rooney at every opportunity this season in order to keep him fresh

[magpie seanie]

Great post by 689908 there and would agree with a lot of it. Just interested in your opinion of Carrick? Think he has lots to offer but only with a grafter beside him and needs to expect more of himself, push himself harder.