Man Utd Thread:

[wanderer]

will united be streets ahead of Madrid if the worlds best player leaves united to join madrid?

Personally i despise Ronaldo's antic/attitude, i would so much more enjoy supporting a this united team if there wasn't this glamour boy image associated with the no7.

But he is the difference so often in matches that even Fergie is prepared to put up with it.  Who in world football would contribute as mch as Ronaldo to this United team.  Messi? I am not sure 1. he would ever sign and 2. he would produce as many goals/assists as Ronaldo.

Could someone not just give him a club on the ear and tell him to wise up

Personally think that Ronaldo doesn't contribute as much as people make out. His assists for a "winger" are poor. If he gets a sight of goals at all, he shoots which is maybe his best/worst attribute in one

[118cmal]

will united be streets ahead of Madrid if the worlds best player leaves united to join madrid?

Personally i despise Ronaldo's antic/attitude, i would so much more enjoy supporting a this united team if there wasn't this glamour boy image associated with the no7.

But he is the difference so often in matches that even Fergie is prepared to put up with it.  Who in world football would contribute as mch as Ronaldo to this United team.  Messi? I am not sure 1. he would ever sign and 2. he would produce as many goals/assists as Ronaldo.

Could someone not just give him a club on the ear and tell him to wise up

Personally think that Ronaldo doesn't contribute as much as people make out. His assists for a "winger" are poor. If he gets a sight of goals at all, he shoots which is maybe his best/worst attribute in one

Are you serious?  This year he has 18 goals and 6 assists in the PL.  I don't care if he scores or creates, he is responsible or partly responsible for 24 goals.  Compare with 12 goals and 10 assists for lampard, 15 goals and 8 assists for Gerrard and you can see how important he is. He has 26 goals in all competitions, and people are saying he is not at his best.  Shows just how good a player he really is.

Last year, 42 goals and 8 assists.  The man is a goal machine.  He may act like a baby, but he is irreplacable.  I don't think Messi would contribute as much in English football.

[Doogie Browser]

If one had to leave lads, Ronaldo or Rooney?

[118cmal]

Ronaldo.

One reason for this is that I think the core of the team should be British/Irish.

Another reason is that Rooney gives the same performance every game.  You know exactly what you are going to get.

There is never any speculation about Rooney going.

But don't get me wrong, if Ronaldo left, I don't think there would be any way of strengthening the team in his absence.

[full back]

Ronaldo

[wanderer]

will united be streets ahead of Madrid if the worlds best player leaves united to join madrid?

Personally i despise Ronaldo's antic/attitude, i would so much more enjoy supporting a this united team if there wasn't this glamour boy image associated with the no7.

But he is the difference so often in matches that even Fergie is prepared to put up with it.  Who in world football would contribute as mch as Ronaldo to this United team.  Messi? I am not sure 1. he would ever sign and 2. he would produce as many goals/assists as Ronaldo.

Could someone not just give him a club on the ear and tell him to wise up

Personally think that Ronaldo doesn't contribute as much as people make out. His assists for a "winger" are poor. If he gets a sight of goals at all, he shoots which is maybe his best/worst attribute in one

Are you serious?  This year he has 18 goals and 6 assists in the PL.  I don't care if he scores or creates, he is responsible or partly responsible for 24 goals.  Compare with 12 goals and 10 assists for lampard, 15 goals and 8 assists for Gerrard and you can see how important he is. He has 26 goals in all competitions, and people are saying he is not at his best.  Shows just how good a player he really is.

Last year, 42 goals and 8 assists.  The man is a goal machine.  He may act like a baby, but he is irreplacable.  I don't think Messi would contribute as much in English football.

Completely serious, Anelka has 17 goals and 6 assists which is running him pretty close. Berbatov has 9 goals and 10 assists yet a large mjority of fans think he has been poor. Don't get me wrong I think he is a good player I just don't think he is as good as he is made out to be. No-one is irreplacable.

Messi this season is on 36 goals (23 league) and 9 assists (5 league), and in my view is the one player currently playing that has the potential to be truly great

[118cmal]

I think if Ronaldo continues to score 25 plus goals a season, including some memorable free-kicks, then he will also be considered a great player.  Messi also.

I really don't think any other winger could come into the side and score 23 goals one season, 42 the next and around 30 the next season from a mostly right-wing role.  In addition, he has started to produce the goods on the highest stages.

That's why he is irreplacable IMHO.

[Ping Pong Santa]

Ronaldo.

One reason for this is that I think the core of the team should be British/Irish.

Another reason is that Rooney gives the same performance every game.  You know exactly what you are going to get.

There is never any speculation about Rooney going.

But don't get me wrong, if Ronaldo left, I don't think there would be any way of strengthening the team in his absence.

Why?

[118cmal]

Ronaldo.

One reason for this is that I think the core of the team should be British/Irish.

Another reason is that Rooney gives the same performance every game.  You know exactly what you are going to get.

There is never any speculation about Rooney going.

But don't get me wrong, if Ronaldo left, I don't think there would be any way of strengthening the team in his absence.

Why?

Because they are a British club and I think they should be promoting British talent.  Over the last ten years, United have only really brought through Fletcher, O'shea and Brown.  The youth team is riddled with foreigners.  I don't think anyone would dispute that having Ole, Ruud, Ronaldo etc etc over the past few years has been good for the club, but when you look into the youth team, the only stand-out foreigners are Macheda and Petrucci.  Lee Martin has been outstanding all year for the reserves and doesn't get a sniff of first-team action.  At underage Robbie Brady, Matty James, Welbeck, Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood have all been outstanding but people like Possebon have been keeping them out of the reserve team.  Sometimes I just think that people are given more chances just because they are foreign.  That is something I disagree with.

In addition, when you look down through the years there has always been a strong British/Irish nucleus to United teams.  Players like Stepney/Foulkes/Best/Kidd/Edwards/Charlton/Robson/Giggs/Neville/Law/Keane/Irwin/McGrath/Ferdinand/Rooney have formed the backbone to our best sides.

People say that times have changed but look at the CL final lineup from last year:
Brown, Ferdinand, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Rooney all started
O'Shea, Giggs Fletcher on the bench.




Ah, I dunno.  Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I think United have a duty to continue the traditions of the club.

[Minder]

So do you mean they should bring more through their youth system or the players in the first team should be British/Irish ?

Ferdinand £29m
Rooney £28m
Carrick £18m

[Doogie Browser]

Ronaldo.

One reason for this is that I think the core of the team should be British/Irish.

Another reason is that Rooney gives the same performance every game.  You know exactly what you are going to get.

There is never any speculation about Rooney going.

But don't get me wrong, if Ronaldo left, I don't think there would be any way of strengthening the team in his absence.

Why?

Because they are a British club and I think they should be promoting British talent.  Over the last ten years, United have only really brought through Fletcher, O'shea and Brown.  The youth team is riddled with foreigners.  I don't think anyone would dispute that having Ole, Ruud, Ronaldo etc etc over the past few years has been good for the club, but when you look into the youth team, the only stand-out foreigners are Macheda and Petrucci.  Lee Martin has been outstanding all year for the reserves and doesn't get a sniff of first-team action.  At underage Robbie Brady, Matty James, Welbeck, Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood have all been outstanding but people like Possebon have been keeping them out of the reserve team.  Sometimes I just think that people are given more chances just because they are foreign.  That is something I disagree with.

In addition, when you look down through the years there has always been a strong British/Irish nucleus to United teams.  Players like Stepney/Foulkes/Best/Kidd/Edwards/Charlton/Robson/Giggs/Neville/Law/Keane/Irwin/McGrath/Ferdinand/Rooney have formed the backbone to our best sides.

People say that times have changed but look at the CL final lineup from last year:
Brown, Ferdinand, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Rooney all started
O'Shea, Giggs Fletcher on the bench.




Ah, I dunno.  Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I think United have a duty to continue the traditions of the club.

That is a load of romantic tosh, they are a foreign owned club FFS.
That reminds me, where were all those tubes who proclaimed 'we are mancs not yanks' when the Glazers took over after Utd won the CL last May?  Not watching FC United thats for sure.  Soccer fans are fickle and don't give a hoot for tradition as long as fergie keeps providing silverware.

[118cmal]

Primarily, I think the players in the first team should be British/Irish.

Ideally, of course I would like these players to have came through the ranks.  

Yes, Fergie may have to pay over the odds for British players, but when did he last sign one that was a flop?  Hargreaves has been excellent when fit.  Carrick, Ferdinand, Rooney have all by and large been excellent.

[118cmal]

Ronaldo.

One reason for this is that I think the core of the team should be British/Irish.

Another reason is that Rooney gives the same performance every game.  You know exactly what you are going to get.

There is never any speculation about Rooney going.

But don't get me wrong, if Ronaldo left, I don't think there would be any way of strengthening the team in his absence.

Why?

Because they are a British club and I think they should be promoting British talent.  Over the last ten years, United have only really brought through Fletcher, O'shea and Brown.  The youth team is riddled with foreigners.  I don't think anyone would dispute that having Ole, Ruud, Ronaldo etc etc over the past few years has been good for the club, but when you look into the youth team, the only stand-out foreigners are Macheda and Petrucci.  Lee Martin has been outstanding all year for the reserves and doesn't get a sniff of first-team action.  At underage Robbie Brady, Matty James, Welbeck, Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood have all been outstanding but people like Possebon have been keeping them out of the reserve team.  Sometimes I just think that people are given more chances just because they are foreign.  That is something I disagree with.

In addition, when you look down through the years there has always been a strong British/Irish nucleus to United teams.  Players like Stepney/Foulkes/Best/Kidd/Edwards/Charlton/Robson/Giggs/Neville/Law/Keane/Irwin/McGrath/Ferdinand/Rooney have formed the backbone to our best sides.

People say that times have changed but look at the CL final lineup from last year:
Brown, Ferdinand, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Rooney all started
O'Shea, Giggs Fletcher on the bench.




Ah, I dunno.  Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I think United have a duty to continue the traditions of the club.

That is a load of romantic tosh, they are a foreign owned club FFS.
That reminds me, where were all those tubes who proclaimed 'we are mancs not yanks' when the Glazers took over after Utd won the CL last May?  Not watching FC United thats for sure.  Soccer fans are fickle and don't give a hoot for tradition as long as fergie keeps providing silverware.

I would happily sacrifice 5 trophy-less seasons If it meant United no longer had debt, but it can't happen.

There's nothing that can be done about someone coming in and buying an asset which he is perfectly entitled to do. 

[thebigfella]

So do you mean they should bring more through their youth system or the players in the first team should be British/Irish ?

Ferdinand £29m
Rooney £28m
Carrick £18m

It's well known that if you sign a British/Irish player, you will get the arm ripped out of you. 18 million for Robbie Keane, Villa want/wanted the same for Barry, need I say more

Lets be honest now, we would all pay double that for Rooney.

[Ping Pong Santa]

To be honest I was more questioning the Irish part of your 'British/Irish' phrase. It made me cringe a little that you would think any English club should have a loyalty to developing homegrown talent which classed Irish players as being homegrown.

Edit: Homegrown is probably the wrong word here as even an Italian snapped up at the age of 14 would be probably considered homegrown. But I think you get what I mean.