United In Words

Manchester United veto Europe's elite

2011-12-09T15:10:00.005Z

Manchester United's loss to Basle is a victory for English self-interest. In fact, Sir Alex has played a blinder. Manchester United are not about serving the interests of Europe, they are about protecting their interests in the Barclays Premiership. Also, cosying up to Europe over the last few seasons has only ever resulted in a chastening experience from European types, unless United were allowed to stumble past (sic) John Terry's Cheslea.

Also, lets be clear. The other Enlgish teams celebrating are yet to realise the futility of their decision. The truth is rather simple. The competition is a series of results that will likely see a final featuring at least one of Barcelona or Madrid.

Arsenal - under French rule - have decided to remain on the inside of Europe rather than leave now. This is beecause they want to distract their fans. After all, what would happen if if their fans realised that they are part of nothing more than the most expensive library membership scheme in the world?! Better to ignore the fact that the Board owes the fans a heafty fine on a book called success. Indeed, I see that the Arsenal board has decided to build a statue of three rather curious characters outside the ground. Tony Adams as a statue. Don't know about you but I remember England Internationals well enough to not need a bronze version.

Then we have Chelsea. Lets face it, they are only celebrating as it offers respite from the concern that they may well just have spent more to sign AVB, than United did on Cristiano Ronaldo, for far less return. Lets face it, this game put a delay on AVB, rather like the port in Porto, being passed to the left of Stamford Bridge and sold down the River Thames.

Bitterness you cry? Absolutely. Unashamed I am too. And for those of you thinking I should be angry with my own club, rathert than Arsenal or Chelsea. You're right. But rather like Cameron's decision on Europe today, do you really think I am going to admit my mistake now? No chance....

The £80m player - Cristiano Ronaldo.

2009-06-17T13:48:00.006+01:00

Manchester United have sold Cristiano Ronaldo at the right time and at a fantastic price. United don't do 'galaticos' and we never will. Manchester United are a principled club that requires its players to behave and perform in a certain way. A way that is in keeping with ethos of this great club. Our history demands our players to perform for the club and not just for themselves. In my mind it became clear that the last two seasons saw Ronaldo do one too many stepovers against these principles for Ferguson to ignore. And with a world record offer of £80m on the table, the deal made sense for all concerned.

The tactic of playing Ronaldo upfront as the sole striker was rightly hailed as a footballing success. Yet it also served to single Ronaldo out as a person on his own, admist his team mates. A player whose demands to be center of attention was at the expense of others. Rooney was put on the wing by Ferguson for football reasons and yet it almost seemed like a signal to the world that a Manchester United team without Cristiano Ronaldo might be better, more balanced and more united.

Manchester United owe Cristiano Ronaldo a huge gratitude. He was one of the most excitement football talents to ever step onto the Old Trafford pitch. For me, one of the most gifted young players I have ever seen. He played great attacking football and developed tricks that mesmerised opposition players and drew gasps from the crowds and demanded the attention of the world stage. Love him or hate, you could never ignore him. Yet he was successful too and this stands him out as arguably one of the best players of modern football. Ferguson is right, Manchester United fans should feel fortunate to have seen him play at Old Trafford and should be pleased that club and player now go their separate ways before the memory of the player became ruined by his need to be more than a club player.

United trigger a cold dark winter for Mark Hughes' City

2008-12-01T10:57:00.002Z

Manchester United dominated this match to the extent that I half expected the watching Ricky Hatton to throw in the towel at half time. The first 45 minutes were as good as I have seen United play this season and proved to be a painful reality check for Mark Hughes and Manchester City. A reality check served up by the excellent Wayne Rooney ended a mini drought for United and ended the hopes of the blue half of the Manchester.

Monday morning will bring a harsh reality for Mark Hughes. It will bring fresh concerns for the new owners and will probably bring earache for City fans. Christmas is known for people following the brightest star in the Sky but lets be clear, this is no historical moment here. Newsflash: Robinho is not Manchester City’s messiah. The truth underneath the glamour is: Manchester City now sit below recently promoted Hull and Stoke despite spending like a drunken sailor in a whore filled port.

Manchester City may have beaten Arsenal but they have lost as many as they have won at Eastlands (four games) and they have won only once on the road, whilst losing 4 times. To have lost 8 games out of 15 will not be considered acceptable. Mark Hughes will need to finish in the top 8 to save his job and right now that’s doesn’t look certain. So while the blue half of the City dreams of Kaka and transfer windows, the unrest will continue to build, particularly if players with the talent of Elano are considered to be behind players like Vassell. Hughes has two jobs to do. One in the dressing room and one on the pitch, and I don’t envy him.

As for the Kings of Manchester, you get the sense that this is the beginning of one of their runs. Purpose is being added to technical know-how. The recipe that has benefited the team for so many years under the unrelenting mastery of Sir Alex looks to be happening once again. That’s an ominous sign for others. United are beginning to go through the gears just as City realise that the Premier League allows no one to freewheel…

Ronaldo: Its business not personal.

2008-08-05T14:58:00.003+01:00

The best summer of Manchester United’s recent history has been clouded by the continued speculation over Ronaldo, mostly emanating for Spain.

It is easy to rage against the Real Madrid machine but I have to say its hardly surprising that they are making such a concerted effort to buy one of the best young talents currently gracing football pitches in the world. Why wouldn’t you? To be honest I don’t blame them. I would. It’s business.

The player himself has also angered a lot of Manchester United fans. There is no getting away from it. Ronaldo, as a player, is a marmite player – you know. However, when I have questioned people about their stance it seems to have been based upon blind loyalty. I find this strange, although romantic. Let me explain.

If you work for an organisation and a rival says they are really keen to offer you a job and they will increase your wage by a considerable margin per week and relocate you from England to Spain then, in my book you would be an idiot not to consider it. And you would be an even bigger idiot not to use it as a way of improving your current situation , should you actually want to move or not.

In my opinion this is all that is happening with Ronaldo. He has someone who is happy to offer him a better deal and he is using that to improve his lot. Now before people bleat on about loyalty, they should stop and think about it…loyal to who? Your employer? The fans? Please.

Yes Manchester United have done a lot for Ronaldo but then Ronaldo has never said (ignore the Marca Reports) anything against United either. He has been very careful not to burn his bridges. Ultimately, he has done nothing wrong. People say he should have come out and said he wants to stay. Why? Because it makes us feel better. Yes, conduct is important but as far as I am concerned he has done nothing except look after his career. Ferguson agrees, otherwise there is no way in hell Ronaldo would be allowed to continue at Old Trafford.

So what is the future? Well, it is and always has been very simple. The most talented No 7 in the world will be back playing for Manchester United in 2008/2009. And I can’t wait…

The master looks set to compose another triumphant end of season campaign

2008-03-28T14:56:00.003Z

The magnificence that is Paul Scholes was fully on show during United’s damning drubbing of Liverpool’s Premiership ambitions. The graceful composure and elegant execution of passing was as pretty as it was perfect. It may now be taken somewhat for granted by supporters and pundits alike but it should not be forgotten that this composer of football is at the heart of everything good of even this latest of United sides.

The reality of his impact is not measured by the frequency of mentions by television pundits. For they choose to concentrate on the most obvious sounds of young and ultimately talented musicians rather than the man behind the music. Forgivable as that stance is when the demand for immediate gratification and sensationalism has never been so apparent, it would be a travesty if this small flame haired master of football was not rated as one of the best, if not the best composed and creative midfielders Old Trafford has ever witnessed.

And do not be fooled. This is not an epitaph to an illustrious career, as Paul Scholes shows the signs of being able to continue at this level for at least one more season. However, should he be tempted to call it a day soon, I for one will have noticed that we have been watching one of the most god given talents of his generation. The public focus may be required to be about Ronaldo, Rooney, Anderson, Nani et al but for those of us who simply watch the game for its natural beauty will continue to observe - unless he attempts to tackle someone - that there would be no success without our most treasured number 18.

Ronaldo’s spot on

2007-12-24T11:19:00.000Z

Everton came to Old Trafford boosted by an impressive unbeaten run and in spells, it showed. Without the brilliance of Ronaldo to call upon, the gap at the top may well have been more than a point. A wonderful acceleration of pace, a cut inside and left foot shot that swerved beyond Howard gave United the lead. United’s advantage was cancelled out by Cahill’s well-taken leap and header from Pienaar’s cross but it fell to the show pony turned showman to once again grab the headlines and points with an expertly placed penalty, that few doubted he would miss.

Ronaldo can be irresistible at times. His pace and trickery are well documented but it is his accuracy and end product that now stand him out as one of best players in the world. To be great in spells is doable. But to be consistently United’s best performer is something else. It must have helped learning alongside players of the dedication and quality of Ryan Giggs. Let us hope that same level of dedication in the pursuit of perfection is passed down to the likes of Anderson and Nani.

Credit for the three points must also go to United’s management. With the game seemingly heading for a draw, United took off both Carrick and Anderson and on went a third attacker in Saha together with the almost forgotten Fletcher. Such a decision could have left United vulnerable to the break. Yet, it is the United way to go all out to win games and attack until the final whistle for the three points. Such hunger for wins is the hallmark of the Fergie era. It was a gamble that paid off. More pressure was put on Everton’s defence and with United camped at the Stretford End, players like Pienaar were found defending in the penalty area. Somewhere I doubt he, Moyes or the Everton fans will want to see him again. To say his challenge on Giggs was rash is an understatement. A reverse sweep of the attackers legs is a move normally only witnessed in a Dojo. Moyes placed his head in his hands for good reason, a lesser manager may have cried.

United were missing Van der Saar, Ferdinand and Hargreaves. Speculation surrounds the injuries. It is hard to believe that these were not absences inflicted upon them by Manchester United. Van der Saar for his shocking display at Anfield and Ferdinand for his role in the Xmas Party. Time will tell. Either way, it provided an opportunity for Simpson, Carrick and Kuszczak. An opportunity that none took. Simpson was replaced at halftime, to the relief of most of us. Carrick made a couple of telling passes and a couple of sloppy ones and remains a source of mild frustration. He was replaced on 70 minutes. As for Kuszczak, he handled well but his kicking was abysmal and he remains unconvincing.
With Arsenal beating Spurs, this was an important three points. However, Manchester United must do more to ensure that Ronaldo is not overly relied on this season. More and more, my thoughts turn to Berbatov.

Fairness + Oppportunity = Success

2007-11-19T16:35:00.000Z

As our world of football threatens to retreat into a corner of ‘Englishness’ and point an accusing but wonky finger at foreign players, it is a reminder that we should think with our minds and not our hearts.

Personally, I feel a restriction on Manchester United to buy or play the likes of Tevez, Pique, Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson would be a big loss and a giant step backwards in terms of culture, understanding, technique and entertainment. Am I pleased that Manchester United also employs players such as Neville, Simpson, Carrick, Rooney, Eagles, Brown and Ferdinand. Yes, but only because it suggests a link to the academy systems working in the UK. So should everyone be forced to have a quota of British based players in their first team squad? No.

Manchester United having English players does not automatically translate that England will be successful and it never did. Good organisation and management will decide that. The talent is there. The issue is about infrastructure. Clubs – through their academies - must be encouraged to do more to recruit from and work with their community, particularly disadvantaged communities.

I have an interest in United’s Reserves and the Academy set up. I agree that it is good to see when a young player comes through the ranks and makes it at Manchester United. It is even more pleasing when that young player comes all the way through the system - from academy to first team. It shows our academy system is working. It also demonstrates that it is a realistic but tough route towards the first team – as it should be. Obviously it is a success story when a player such as Danny Simpson, who has been at the club since the age of 9, started in front of a packed Old Trafford crowd against Wigan the other week. However, is it even better because he was born in Salford? Well, my answer is no. It is good he is playing for the club he supported as a boy and yes it may give hope to other young lads to follow his example. But such young lads may be born in Salford, Surrey, Salzburg or Sydney. Who are we to say they are less of a fan and that their dreams to play for one of the best clubs in the world should not be followed? Dreams are not reliant on physical location and nor should opportunity be.

The Simpson story may well encourage more young players to believe joining United’s academy can lead to the first team. That’s important. The rest of it is too caught up in emotion. Any conversation on ‘protecting home grown players’ (a term conveniently ignored when it comes to Owen Hargreaves by the way) all too often transcends common sense and moves us dangerously back to the days of tribal nationalism – rather than the more open, sensible, opportunistic and understanding approach laid down by the European Union.

The accusation that foreign players are hindering the England team also ignores some interesting evidence to the contrary. Consider for a moment the young talent already playing in the Premiership that has and will benefit the national team. Micah Richards (City), Ashley Young (Villa), Wayne Rooney (United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), M Johnson (City), Agbonlahor (Villa), Davies (Villa), Gardener (Villa), and Vaughan (Everton) to name but a few. Let alone emerging players like Smith, Sinclair, Mancienne and Bostock playing outside the Premiership…for the moment.

So if the talent is actually out there, what’s stopping us? Perhaps we should ask the FA?

Is more money needed to invest in academies? Absolutely. Is more to be done to ensure kids from different socio/economic backgrounds have the opportunity to join academies? Yes, but some good and important work is already being done.

In my view all Premiership clubs should be actively encouraged by the FA to scout and source local talent and forge closer relations with their communities, for example through schools and charities. This will help provide opportunities and make an important difference locally. However, the talked of quota system is illegal, a false economy, and an arbitrary line drawn and driven by politics and not by fairness. If politics wants to play a role then it should find the funds and strategy to establish more UK wide football centres of excellence and academies to harness talent for young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds living in the UK. Please note, not necessarily young people born in the UK.

Long may local talent be encouraged but let us focus on ensuring opportunity is provided for fairly and appropriately, regardless of location. I for one am as keen for Magnus Eikrem & Evandro Brandao to make Manchester United’s first-team as I am Danny Welbeck or Danny Drinkwater. As long as the opportunity is fairly there for all young people, I think we should let talent do the rest.

Manchester United 1 v Roma 0

2007-10-04T14:40:00.001+01:00

We had been warned that the game would not see another 7-1 thriller and so it proved. United will be happy with the three points and another clean sheet against a talented, if not revengeful, Roma team. The game lacked tempo and excitement but was actually interesting to watch. A few Roma players caught my eye. Totti was again the composer of most of Roma's best moves but it was Di Rossi that shone. Juan also looked useful and the pace of Cicinho was there to be seen but defensively he looked a bit shakey. Cicinho caught my eye purely because, once again, Neville was missing and given he is now on the wrong side of thirty United may well be in the hunt for a new right back. I don't expect us to be calling Roma anytime soon though. And what's with Mancini? The guy clearly has some talent but gives up way too easily.

For United, there were good performances in defence from Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra. And Kuszczak deserves a mention for keeping a clean sheet and his concentration on his Champions League debut. Nani looked really lively. He again showed his good pace, touch and crossing ability but his decision making is understanably not quite there yet but he has great promise and deserved to start again. Saha will benefit from starting but Tevez impressed with his boundless energy, strength and ability to retain possession when he came on. Rooney looked frustrated all evening until he got his goal and it was some strike. I expect him to hit the goal trail now. Look out Wigan!

In summary, I guess it is easy to dismiss this victory as we have become accustomed to big nights at Old Trafford but the key is not to just have memorable evenings like last years 7-1 but to ensure we build a reputation as favourites to win the competition. Perhaps we were fortunate to take all three points but you have to take your chances when they are presented and for too long it has been the Italian teams teaching us that lesson. If United are to win the Champions League we will need to steal victories like this and not go from winning semi-finals 3-2 to losing 0-3. We must keep things tight and this result sent a more useful if not as dramatic a message as last season to the rest of Europe that Manchester United are right to be considered one of the favourites for the competition.

Man of the match: Rio Ferdinand.

Birmingham 0 vs Manchester United 1

2007-10-02T15:48:00.001+01:00

We continue to look good in patches but ahead of our more mouth watering tie with Roma, things don't look quite right across the pitch. Full credit to Birmingham, they were a real handful. But much of their good stuff came from our inability to retain possession in the first half. There was too many unforced errors from players that should know better. Ryan Giggs was sloppy in possession, Scholes and Carrick were muted and again failed to consistently break the game line often enough to join in on attacks. Tevez and Rooney bustled around the pitch to good effect but both too often were forced to do too much from too far out. And at the back, even Van der Saar had a rare off day this season - most notably when he kicked an easy clearance straight to a Birmingham player. He was saved by Vidic who managed to stretch out a leg to stop the shot on target from going in. Ferdinand came to United's resuce with an excellent clearance of the line when Van der Saar was beaten by a McSheffrey header. It was an awful first half performance and the interval was needed to regroup and refocus on getting three points.

No sooner had the restart happened than United were able to celebrate from Birmingham's misfortune. With Quedrue indecisive Ronaldo stole the ball, rounded Taylor and finished well. It was a good goal and one this disjointed performance bearly merited. However, as per last season our ability to get 3 points from such games is all important. With Chelsea dropping more points at home to Fulham, and with Arsenal and Liverpool both winning, three points were a must.

The selection for the Roma tie looks more difficult than you might otherwise expect. Once again Saha played a brief cameo role from the bench - he appears to be being given the cotton wool treatment by Sir Alex. But with Giggs largely disappointing, and the return of Hargreaves a distinct possibility - we may see some changes. We can ill afford injury to Van der Saar. Kuszczak did well and pulled off a maginificent save to deny McSheffrey after his goalbound effort took a mean deflection off of Ferdinand. However, he doesn't look commanding, despite being a fine shot stopper. And we can't afford to have our central defensive partnership broken either as without Vidic and Ferdinand we won't be able to steal three points like this for much longer.

The Carling Cup

2007-10-02T15:26:00.000+01:00

Losing to Coventry was annoying and acutely embarrassing. The Carling Cup was a good opportunity for us to give games to the likes of Pique, Simpson, Evans, Martin and Fangzhou. It was also another opportunity for Anderson and Nani to demonstrate why Manchester United paid so much for them. None of the players took their opportunity. There was some okay performances from Simpson, Pique and Anderson. Anderson's range of passing is impressive as is his vision, as demonstrated in his wonderful lay off to Frasier Campbell, who fluffed his lines.

Others must take a long hard look at themselves and wonder what the future holds for them. Manchester United doesn't accept average and players such as Bardsley, Martin, Fangzhou and Campbell were just that. These players have already been on loan spells and it is difficult to envisage them breaking into the United first team any time soon. So they will have to be patient and wait for more chances or move on. The question is, how long will Sir Alex maintain his patience? The FA Cup may see one or two players get a reprieve, and if that happens, they must impress. However, when you consider the talented Rossi had to leave to get his chance you can't see many of this lot being able to carve out careers at Old Trafford. These types of nights are opportunities to make a name for yourself. These players may just live to regret the fact they didn't take it.

Manchester United 2 v Chelsea 0

2007-10-02T14:26:00.000+01:00

The departure of Jose Mourinho stunned most. To end the tenure of your clubs most successful manager is more than just a brave decision, it is a defining moment in a clubs history. It is too early to tell what this will mean for Chelsea FC in the long term. But questions will now surface about the new manager, about how committed the Chelsea players really are to the club, which most of them joined because of the manager and the enormous wages on offer. Who knows. But we are left to wonder if the wheeels now fall off completely, whether players now leave and if this London club will once again revert to being in Arsenal's shadow. Certainly, everyone (particularly the media) will miss Jose Mourinho but no one more than Chelsea. Without Mourinho Chelsea lack aura. They will continue to lack invention and style but more worryingly for their supporters, they look like they now lack direction and that incredible determination not to lose too.

In truth, Manchester United failed to sparkle in long periods. There were good displays from Tevez, who looked strong in the holding the ball up and played a delightful back heel to Scholes, who incidentally was fouled in the area. Rooney is clearly on his way back and, like Ronaldo, put in a strong performance, as did Carrick. However, it is the pairing of Vidic and Ferdinand that really caught the eye.

As for Chelsea, it might be flippant to say that they looked like Bolton without Anelka but they were not far off. The sending off of John Obi Mikel (it couldn't happen to a nicer bloke) was harsh but he needs to learn how to tackle without going in showing studs. You can blame the referee to an extent but players know the rules and put themselves at risk with such challenges. In my view, it was a stupid challenge that deserved to be punished. It did have a detrimental effect on the game as it meant Chelsea sat back and United were less able to attack on the break. However, Chelsea's decision to play Mikel, Essien and Makelele looked a poor one. All our good individual players but when all three play, Chelsea have power but no panache. Never before have I seen Essien play so badly.

Chelsea were finally opened up by a wonderful pass from Giggs that was met by the diving head of Tevez, leaving Cech with no chance and leaving John Terry to once again question his positioning. Click here to see the goal. And for all those whinging Chelsea fans who said the referee allowed the game to play on when time was up, they might want to remember that the number of minutes is a minimum amount of time that gets played.

United's advantage was doubled late on. The late penalty decision may have seen Saha make the most of the contact but it was a clumsy tackle by Ben Haim, who continues to look the average defender most of us thought he was at Bolton. Saha cooly dispatched the penalty to leave Chelsea and Avram Grant facing the music. It was a penalty, as was the one Saha never got at Anfield last season. And as was the one in the first half that saw Joe Cole bring down Patrice Evra. Cole not only got away with the penalty claim but also a booking, which considering his dangerous and deliberate challenge on Ronaldo, should have seen him join Mikel in the dressing room.

Grant may have not had long to stamp his mark on the team but then on this performance and the attitude of some of Chelsea's players, I can't seem him lasting the distance. Furthermore, I don't see Chelsea winning the league.

Everton 0 vs Manchester United 1

2007-09-17T12:48:00.001+01:00

We did it again! It is now three games in a row that have ended with one goal scored and all three points. While some strange looks are being cast at the forwards, not enough plaudits are being given to our defence. The performances of Ferdinand and Vidic were excellent on Saturday. Vidic was commanding in the air and the timings of Rio’s tackles are awesome. The manner in which he stopped Anichebe from scoring, after Van der Saar parried a fierce shot from Scotland’s hero McFadden, was very impressive. The loss of Silvestre may not rock the club in terms of future fixtures and results but it is very sad to lose a good servant of the club for the entire season that has just started. Particularly after he had just returned from a bad shoulder injury last season. I wish him a full recovery.

In summary, this game was rather like watching England play England at rugby. The speed of passing and quality of play wasn’t there. Both teams failed to sparkle. It seemed that both teams were concerned about making that one slip that would cost them the match, and perhaps players had half an eye on European fixtures this week. Fans say the early starts are no good and on this evidence, one is left to ponder other options. How about Friday nights down the pub with your mates to watch the Premiership? Count me in.

I would have preferred to start Nani or Giggs on the left to really attack Everton’s Achilles heel, aka Hibbert. I can only assume that Saha is not ready to start games after his latest setback because the likes of Tevez, Giggs, Ronaldo and Nani all prosper from his inclusion in the team. United did create chances, some quick interchanging from Giggs and Tevez suggested that if United could go through the gears clear chances would arrive. When they chance did arrive to an unmarked Scholes he slashed wide of the upright to the disbelief of everyone including the debutant Everton keeper.

This was a tight game that failed to light up because neither team’s midfield supported their strike force with conviction. Ronaldo continued to waste freekicks and was upset not to see a decision go his way when seemingly tripped on the edge of the box. Scholes continues to approach tackles like a blind farmer going at someone else’s cornfield with a scythe and was lucky not to see his yellow card turn into a red. Forgiveness because it is Scholes appears to a rule in referee’s notebooks – and thank-goodness for that as it was Scholes who cleared a goal bound header off the line from Johnson.

It was left to Vidic to bring cheer to United’s day. A thumping header from Nani’s corner leaving Everton cursing their near post defending and United reflecting on their good fortune at getting another three points at Goodison. In fact, Everton must be sick of the sight of Fergie coming to Goodison Park and taking three points, regardless of performances. If this ‘bogey team’ status carries over to Everton’s new ground, Fergie may be considered a clubcard holder - as he always leaves with the points!

Coming to the boil...

2007-09-06T16:51:00.000+01:00

Too much has been made of Manchester United's start to the season. In truth, there hasn't been a great deal wrong with the performances. The defence has been strong and our midfield has been controlling games. Yes our attacking play has lacked a directness and penetration but that was to be expected when you lose Rooney (to injury), Saha (to injury), Ronaldo (to suspension), Solksjaer (to retirement). And don't forget we have also lost our captain who, despite being a defender, is probably one of the best crossers in the game.

The key was to get a good start and keep the confidence high in the squad. I think that has generally been achieved. The result against Spurs was important. Not because of the title race, but because it allowed the new signings to demonstrate their ability to contribute. A spectacular shot from Nani (deflected or not) went someone way to ensure the OT faithful are thinking 'new Ronaldo' rather than 'another Richardson'. The power and energy of Hargreaves next to the skill and guile of Scholes is a fine mix. And with Carrick and Fletcher as options too, there is no longer a combination that concerns me in central midfield. A far cry from the days of Miller and Djemba Djemba.

What excites me most is the challenge of selecting a starting X1 when everyone is fit. Does Saha start ahead of Tevez? Does Nani start ahead of Giggs? Does Carrick begin to start more than Scholes? Only an idiot would right of Giggs and Scholes completely but at long last you feel some worthy challengers are in place to at least give food for thought. The truth is that the course of the season will demand everyone plays their part. And with the Carling Cup coming up, the likes of Kuszsack, Silvestre, O'Shea, Evans, Pique, Simpson, Anderson, Fletcher, Gibson and Campbell should also get their chance to start.

So ignore those that seek to suggest that United have gifted Chelsea too much of a lead. As no sooner had John Terry said such a thing than he was left to reflect on Chelsea's loss to Aston Villa. Sometimes it is best to judge in May. Afterall, United were written off last season too...

Deal or no deal? £6.7m for Rossi? I shout deal.

2007-08-01T14:01:00.000+01:00

We have to congratulate our club. Selling Rossi for £6.7m is a brilliant bit of business.

Lets own up, we took the bait. Rossi was dangled on a line to us and we bit down hard on it, as we hoped to boast of another young talent coming through from the reserves to the first team. Now that he has gone, it seems strange that only a handful of people were prepared to question why this prolific scorer in the reserves failed to secure first team appearances more regularly at Old Trafford. Only a few scratched the surface on why he went unused at Newcastle and why he was returned (albeit) on loan to Parma, where he was first found. It also escaped most people’s attention that at 20 he was still only representing his country on a few occasions and then only at Under 21 level. An achievement not to be totally knocked but when you compare him to Rooney, Ronaldo, O’Shea and Fletcher – all of whom received call ups to their respective senior squad by 20 despite good competition for places. People will say its Italy not Scotland and that’s fair comment to an extent but lets be clear, age is no barrier when you are good enough. Rooney and Ronaldo are obvious United examples. For me, Rossi was only 'world class' in the minds of those that were swayed by a careful run campaign by United that resulted in the club taking near £7m for a player that did little in the Premiership, nothing to note in any cup competition but scored a few for Parma during a very short second stint of around a dozen games at the club. People forget this money is the same amount Arsenal paid for a certain Tomas Rosicky last summer…that's incredible.

I wish Rossi the best but I take my hat off to those who manufactured the hype, as rarely can a player who has done so little go for so much. Breathtaking...

Richardson sold to Sunderland

2007-07-16T17:53:00.000+01:00

It has been clear to may United faithful that Kieran Richardson was just not good enough to cut it as a first team player at Old Trafford. I for one hope he goes onto find his feet at Sunderland. This guy has plenty of potential but was unable to translate that on the pitch at Old Trafford. The question of daunted or dud has yet to be answered in my view but whether it was a niggling self-doubt or lack of real talent his departure was the only way forward.

This transfer is a good bit of business for everyone involved. Despite scoring a few goals this season and putting in some better performances there was always discreet but tell tale signs from other players and from the manager that he was not accepted as one for the future. Whether it was the look from Rooney to Ronaldo when he seemed almost apologetic for his decision to pass to Richardson – who went onto run into a cul-de-sac and give possession away, or whether it was the telling look from Sir Alex when he again failed to control a ball on his chest at Fratton Park, which set up Portsmouth’s opening goal, the writing has been on the wall for some time. And with the arrival of Nani to add to the mix this transfer makes plenty of sense…

Selling Heinze is no bad thing

2007-07-16T17:23:00.000+01:00

The departure of Gabriel Heinze took a step closer today. Despite some blogs taking the news rather personally, I fail to see the problem. Let me be clear, Heinze was an excellent find for Manchester United. He excelled in his first season and was rightly rewarded with Player of the Season. This was mainly due to winning the crowd over with his tenacious attitude, his commitment and overall contribution. In my view, it was also partly down to a sense of relief at finally having a decent left back – which he most certainly was. However, just because he manfully provided reassurance in a position, not truly felt since Dennis Irwin, it does not mean we shouldn't sell.

Since joining Manchester United Heinze’s reputation went through an arguably rapid rise but again arguably it risks a rather rapid decline. Firstly, this 29 year old recognises the threat provided by Patrice Evra and the decision by Sir Alex to retain the younger players such as Evans, previously sent on loan. Secondly, this is arguably his last chance to secure a big contract elsewhere. I truly believe that Sir Alex Ferguson’s knows that despite his commitment his lack of pace – so cruelly exposed at times this season – can not be risked during a title defence. The Premiership is quicker and more and more we are seeing players reaching their 30s that seek the slower, steadier pace found it Italy or Spain.

Some will lay the blame at having to balance the books – and its hard to ignore the market sense in selling a player at 29 that will command a decent sum - but I also sense his departure is in the best interests of the club. This player is not the player he was, is 29 and is being outpaced by the fast and furious style of the Premiership. If we can get £6m for him – I say do it.

Like so many departures before this one, many may not yet realise its the right thing to do – because they like the player’s style, attitude and commitment etc. But this is not the business of sentiment. And, I am prepared to sit in the minority and say that right here right now, I believe allowing Heinze to leave is the right thing to do.

Our best signing of the summer so far is...

2007-07-03T12:07:00.000+01:00

The signings of Nani and Anderson have caught the eye and imagination of most Manchester United fans. I have already read numerous posts on how Anderson will fit in to the new system, how he is the new Ronaldinho and how Nani is Ronaldo mark two. Firstly, let me say this. I hope all of that is true. Secondly, let me say this. The most important signing United have made this summer is Owen Hargreaves.

Owen Hargreaves has been a top player for over 6 years for one of Europe’s biggest teams. And now is he is a Manchester United player. Yes, his transfer saga was protracted. Yes, he doesn’t capture the imagination of a flair player but in my view he is a tremendous signing.

We have needed to add some more quality to our central midfield for a few seasons now. Paul Scholes remains the heartbeat of our side and our most talented and important midfielder on our books. Michael Carrick has progressed as expected and his range of passing and ability to retain possession played a big part in our success last season. Without wishing to criticise Darren Fletcher, whose spells in the centre of midfield were at times impressive last season, Owen Hargreaves is the missing piece to the midfield. For me, Paul Scholes is the master and Michael Carrick is his apprentice. Equally, Owen Hargreaves will be first choice and Darren Fletcher his understudy. These options now give us the blend of qualities needed to take on the demands of defending our Premiership Title and have a real go at the CL and FA Cup, without worrying so much about injuries, tiredness or suspensions.

Over the years we have been blessed with quality players in central midfield. The greatness of Bobby Charlton is still the benchmark for many fans, others point to the passing of Ray Wilkins, the engine of Bryan Robson and more recently, the grit and termination of Paul Ince and Roy Keane.

Like any partnership, I believe a midfield duo needs understanding and different styles that complement each other. And I believe the partnership of Carrick and Hargreaves can be a key part of the future for United over the next 4-5 years. I liken them to the partnership of Cambiasso and Riquelme of Argentina without fear of being too bold. Of course, other players will emerge (Darron Gibson is apparently one to keep an eye on) and others will be bought and sold. But right now we have two players on our books that will be the fulcrum of the side. From this important platform we will be able to spring the attacking exploits of Rooney, Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani, Park and (I hope) Rossi and Saha. I am not overlooking the contribution Paul Scholes has on this side. Genius should never be ignored. But the satisfaction I now have is this: when Scholes makes the mistake of tripping up Totti in the future to get himself sent off, all our hopes of controlling the midfield are not ruined by gamesmanship or poor tackling.

And sitting behind this complementary shield of vision (Carrick) and vehemence (Hargreaves) will be Vidic and Ferdinand. Impressive isn’t it? This formidable four will also allow our fullbacks to attack with real purpose. So when the attacking play begins to excite you once again next season, spare a thought for those that allow it to happen. Don’t get me wrong, I am more than happy for the talk to be about Nani, Anderson and who we should sign as another striker but I feel it important to point it out now, that the reason we chased Hargreaves for so long will soon become very obvious to 76,000 excited fans…

On top of the world

2007-05-08T16:04:00.000+01:00

We are champions of the best league in the world and we owe it all to Sir Alex Ferguson. He just doesn’t seem to know when to stop surpassing people’s expectations. He is a master of his work and his record in the Premiership is quite simply breathtaking.

Manchester United won the first Premiership title in 1992 and fifteen seasons on we have lifted our ninth title. During that 92 season, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool came 11th, 10th and 6th respectively. All three came behind Queens Park Rangers, Norwich, Blackburn and Aston Villa. If I tell you that Arsenal finished behind Spurs you will begin to see just how the picture has changed except for one common trend: Alex Ferguson = success.

Since 1992 Manchester United have gone on to win another eight premiership titles, numerous cups and of course the Treble in 99. Nine premiership titles is a staggering statistic on its own and one that gives some credence to the chant of ‘we’ve got our trophy back’. On the six occasions Manchester United failed to win the title we finished runners-up three times and third place three times. Manchester United have never finished 4th in the last 15 seasons - a record that has no equal. For the record, Arsenal lifted the title three times, Chelsea twice and Blackburn once. For any Liverpool fan this list of honours must make for painful reading. Yes there is some comfort in the Champions League but to not have won a Premiership title must hurt badly and to have only finished runners-up once in 15 years is pathetic.

There are many detractors out there that like to have a shot at United whenever possible. Many also wrote us off because of our signings, mocking us for buying Vidic, Evra and particularly Carrick. Many said that players such as Giggs, Solskjaer and Scholes were finished and that selling Van Nistelrooy was effectively nailing our own coffin. Some even to dare that Carlos Queiroz was effectively running the club. No wonder every journalist is hailing this as United’s biggest achievement to date. They have to because they got it so badly wrong! Fergie is obviously happy to use this to his advantage and shower his squad in praise. Remember, every clever schoolteacher says the same thing about their latest class on parent’s day: This is the best class I have had.

For me the reasons for United’s success were as follows:

1) The dressing room was in order. The departure of Van Nistelrooy was not about his ability as a player but about ensuring the club went forward in the manager’s direction. The Fergie way.

2) The balance between good defence and attack was there. For every trick from Ronaldo was a strong challenge from Vidic. For every killer pass from Giggs was a timely interception from Carrick. For every special shot from Rooney was a solid stop from Van der Saar.

3) Self-belief and selflessness. This season was a real team effort that drew on togetherness as much as it did individual brilliance. When Manchester United lost Ferdinand, Wes Brown stepped in. When Evra was lost, Heinze stepped up. When Saha was injured, Larsson, Smith or Solskjaer stepped up. Every player in the squad was prepared to do what was necessary for the team. Arguably, none more so than John O’Shea, who played centre midfield, right back, left back, centre back and goalkeeper!

4) Individual brilliance – This was the Ronaldo show – albeit with an incredible supporting performance from Paul Scholes – a player so gifted that God made him ginger just to restore a balance to things. But it is Ronaldo that has made football fun again. He has made it exciting. Love him or hate him this season no one can argue about his contribution to the title. There are very few players that can make you go WOW. The league is full of Scot Parkers, Kevin Nolans etc but only now and again does a real gem come along. Recently, the darling of the beautiful game has been Henry, particularly when playing almost telepathically alongside the magnificent Bergkamp and Pires. Chelsea had the impish delight that was Zola. And of course United had the audacity of Cantona. I hope this summer people begin to realise what they are witnessing in this league.

This victory, coupled with the wonderful football on display, has made us very marketable, very attractive and in turn breathed life in to the Premiership 2007/08 season…I can’t wait!

Rooney is the one to watch

2007-04-27T14:15:00.000+01:00

It is difficult to understand how a footballer must feel when his mate receives so many plaudits in one season when you yourself have outstripped previous seasons with a better scoring record (22 and counting), including goals like this

Rooney has had a very good season. He has done everything asked of him, when more has been asked of him, particularly in the big games. And he has delivered. Fergie calls this past of growing up and feels we are seeing a more mature Rooney this season. Who am I to argue with that? United were robbed of Rooney at Stamford Bridge last season and were robbed of his influence as he got too distracted by incidents in games. I think having Ronaldo in such fine form has made Rooney better. He is part of a team that continues to push their limits and he is relishing the positive approach of Ronaldo Scholes, Carrick and Giggs in particular. Quite simply, I reckon he is having fun. It shows in his body language, his movement and his goals.

While we all marvelled at the art that was Paul Scholes’ chip against AC Milan, only one person reacted differently, only one person anticipated it, collected it and gave that pass the finish it deserved. And if you watch the end of the clip you will see him go back to the centre circle and you will see what it means to him and you will also see him call to his team mates to make it their night - something David Beckham used to do time and time again at Old Trafford. Then, after great work from Giggs, Rooney took it upon himself to win the game for United. Look at the burst of pace and the movement to get in behind his marker and look at that finish.

Rooney is obviously special but now right now he is lethal too. I have a feeling he can't wait for the games. And next up for Rooney is a trip to Everton…

ROY KEANE: A PREMIERSHIP MANAGER

2007-04-25T14:21:00.000+01:00

For those of you that have been keeping an eye on the race to the Premiership or been reading any well written newspapers recently, you too will no doubt be thinking about...

ROY KEANE: A PREMIERSHIP MANAGER

When any new manager enters the Premiership, you can’t help but rank them against those there already. When Watford went up Boothroyd was billed as one England’s most promising young managers. In truth, he ultimately proved to be entertaining but limited. Yes he didn’t have the resources available to him in comparison to others but you only have to look at Reading to question whether that is really a mitigating factor or not. He has some promise but he is more of a character than a serious candidate for a bigger job in the future. He certainly provided good copy but now faces a real test next season, when he will be expected to repeat the success of before.
With Watford came Sheffield United and Reading. Both managers have a great deal of experience and have tasted the ‘big time’ before. Neil Warnock ensures his team give as good as they get and are always a difficult team to beat, particularly at Bramall Lane. Steve Coppell is an experienced manager who has already made Reading look at home in the Premiership, rather like Curbishley did with Charlton for so many seasons. However, neither Coppell nor Warnock have the aura of Keane. So where will Keane rank?

You have to say that Fergie, Mourinho, Benitez and Wenger are at the top of the order. Then I would argue you have Mark Hughes, David Moyes, Martin O’Neil and Sam Allardyce. Moyes doesn’t enjoy the best of win averages at Everton (38.6%) but like Hughes has lifted Everton from being relegation contenders to European challengers, which when you consider the finances at their disposal is very impressive. Particularly Mark Hughes, when you think he got McCarthy for £2m and Ryan Nelson for free, showing a cuteness in the transfer market and perhaps demonstrating what such players think of him by signing. Both Hughes and Moyes have the gravitas that makes you wonder what they will go on to achieve later on in their careers.

Spurs fans will no doubt be crying out that Martin Jol should be further up my list than now but I have to say, he hasn’t progressed Spurs as much as he should and at times seems a little out of his depth tactically. Under Jol, Spurs have finished 9th, 5th and are currently 9th again this season. And despite being a big spender in the transfer windows over the last few seasons they have failed to sort out their defence and currently have a goal difference of minus 1, which is ridiculous when you consider they have the talent of Berbatov, Keane, Defoe and Lennon. Yes Jol has taken Spurs to the semi final of the Carling Cup and the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup but these flirtations with success have really been just that. For me, Spurs all to often give the impression of a pig in make-up, flattering to deceive.

It is worth noting that Allardyce, Hughes and Jol all have a win average of just over 40%, Moyes just under and O’Neil’s at Villa is 28% (although at Celtic it was at an impressive 75%). You can read what you like in to such statistics and we can’t ignore the context, such as how long they have been at the club, how much money they have had to spend, the players they inherited etc. However, the bottom line is always about whether you win, lose or draw. Roy Keane’s win average is currently a very impressive 61.53%.

Worth noting that Benitez’s win average at Liverpool is 57.47%, Ferguson’s 57.63, Mourinho’s 69.59% and Wenger’s 52.2%

Okay Fergie has been at Old Trafford for 20 years now, Wenger 10 years at Arsenal, Benitez 3 years at Liverpool and Mourinho nearly 3 years at Chelsea. But do you really doubt Keane’s will ever be anything else than impressive? I don’t. And when you compare him to Roeder, Sanchez, Pardew, Curbishley, Southgate, Jewell and Pearce well as the character English Bob once said, it is a bit like comparing a King to a President…
“If you were to try to assassinate a king, sir, the…how shall I say it? The aura of royalty would cause you to miss. But the president…I mean, why not shoot the president?”

Why the quote. Well if you haven’t worked it out for yourselves, consider this. Roy Keane – the manager of Sunderland further enhances his reputation and CV with a decent opening season in the Premiership and you are the owners of a Premiership club such as Man City, Middlesbrough or Newcastle etc and were to compare Roy Keane to your manager, well I think you may view your incumbent manager rather like a President…

Sette punti a cielo

2007-04-11T15:56:00.000+01:00

Was it just me, or, did you pinch yourself this morning too? Part of me still finds the score line from last night’s game difficult to comprehend. After all, aren’t English teams supposed to huff and puff their way to a result against the technically superior teams from the continent? Aren’t English clubs generally meant to live up to the reputation for falling short in Europe? Even in the wonder that was 1999, Manchester United arguably stole the trophy right at the death in that oh so memorable final. They did not dictate the game against Bayern and cannot claim to have outclassed their opponents in the manner that took place last night.

Lets get this straight, Roma were serious opponents and having already knocked out the formidable Lyon no doubt fancied themselves to win last night. They started the game at Old Trafford with intent in the first 10 minutes, taking shots and building play in a way that for a brief moment suggested United would find the night difficult. In Totti and De Rossi they have two players of the highest quality in key positions. We knew from the start these two would prove a handful for our changed midfield and defence. Without Scholes and without Vidic could Fletcher and Brown cope? And what of the decision to start Alan Smith and use Rooney out left? Could O’Shea cope with the trickery of Mancini? Could Carrick control things without Scholes? Would Ronaldo be shackled by good old Italian defending?

Well all doubt, all concern and all caution was cast aside last night in a way that had all the hallmarks of a great performance. In Rooney, Ronaldo and Giggs United have a holy trinity worthy of praise from Best, Charlton and Law. In Carrick we have the closest thing I have seen to an English Riquelme and finally he was rewarded in the media for his role in the team. Even the Guardian gave him a 9/10 – my god, what a night it was!

And the man the Stretford End normally refers to as the ‘Scottish’ player (a jocular take on saying his true name, like that “Scottish” play) revelled in the responsibility placed on him. For me it was his best game since the FA Cup final against Millwall and is a sign of what we can get from him when used in central midfield. He will hopefully now been taken more seriously as a dependable and useful squad player.

Wes Brown was composed and strong when called upon, getting turned once or twice early on but threw himself in front of shots and was strong in the tackle against Totti. And then there was Alan Smith….

Now, I have been critical of Alan Smith in the past and still feel there are better strikers out there. However, I have to hold my hand up and say that last night Alan Smith was fantastic. He was so every inch the player that helped Leeds get to the semi-finals of the Champions League. His physical presence and ability to link play was top drawer. Rooney, Carrick, Giggs and Ronaldo didn’t think twice about passing to him. His speed is there now and as a result he looked every part a trusted player in the team. His performance and finish was vintage Hughes. More must follow but I am beginning to rethink my logic about selling him in the summer.

Finally, I would like to pay homage to Sir Alex Ferguson and to Carlos Queiroz for having the strength of mind and tenacity to push through the changes in recent times – both in terms of personnel and formations. For to score 7 goals in the Champions League without seeing the name Van Nistelrooy flash up on the screen is nothing short of incredible. And to see Manchester United set up as 4-2-3-1 in the QF of the Champions League and be that fluent and ruthless in attack just goes to show Fergie was spot on when he said, “tactics don’t win games, men do”.

Whatever happens now, this season has already surpassed expectations – not just because of results but also because of the football on display. Last night was breathtaking, bold and beautiful – it was vintage Manchester United.

When Apollo cursed the Bridge – is it just Greek myth?

2007-03-30T11:24:00.000+01:00

If we cast our minds back, few would have predicted that the winds of change would be blowing over Stamford Bridge instead of Old Trafford. When the Glazers bought Manchester Untied, many were roaming the media world preaching predictions of doom in a way not even Cassandra herself would have dared. In order to ensure these rumours were not believed the Glazers appear to have reacted like Apollo and put in place a curse that has already taken care of the errant fan, who with no one now believing their doom-mongering stories have retreated to the hills to live a sheltered and distant existence. But the curse seems to have stretched to London and, for the present time, settled over Stamford Bridge.

Firstly the curse struck Shevchenko who in front of expectant millions could only resemble the Cossack statue in Odessa – confused and unable to strike having fallen from his horse in public. Then came the serious injury to Petr Cech, only to be followed by injuries to Cudicini and John Terry. And just when things seemed bad enough in the dressing room, the curse spread onwards and upwards up the Chelsea hierarchy. Stories were produced that seemed to ensure Mourinho was linked with a move away to Real Madrid. Then the curse struck their billionaire owner, with his love of Chelsea being too much for his wife, and his love of Shevchenko allegedly causing the breakdown of his relationship with the manager, having the knock on effect of the manager falling out with the clean shaven Rasputin (formerly known at Kenyon) and the child snatcher (Frank Arnesen) – whose major input appears to have the kidnap saga and expensive pursuit of John Obi Mikel – that made Manchester United £12m (oh great and gifted Apollo) and ended the enthusiasm of the once great Makelele.

In contrast, Sir Alex has appeared more relaxed than ever and is settled for another few years. The purchase of Michael Carrick has worked out better than expected, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have been rejuvenated and even the departure of goal machine Van Nistelrooy has resulted in more goals being scored. And the special one status of one Portuguese man has also moved from Mourinho to Cristiano Ronaldo – who in a season of bewildering ability and football fantasy has been compared to George Best.

Perhaps I have over cooked the curse story a little but when you consider in the just the last few days, Frank Lampard has his wrist fractured by a shot from Wayne Rooney, you start to think, is there really more going on than meets the eye…

From Larsson to Berbatov?

2007-03-19T16:39:00.000Z

It seems a strange time to be looking ahead to next season with so much still to play for in 2007. However, with the latest rumours suggesting a potential summer swoop for Berbatov, it led me to wonder what Fergie may get up to in the summer?

United’s strike force was given an injection of brilliance this season when Sir Alex Ferguson captured Larsson on loan in January. The Swedish striker’s contribution was about more than goals. It was certainly about influence. But was it also an insight in to United’s plans for the summer? Was it the beginnings of an outline of a question mark over the futures of Solskjaer, Smith and Saha?

Solskjaer is 34. The injuries this guy has suffered surely cast a doubt over his future. There is little point going into the stats of the “baby faced assassin” but for anyone in doubt about just how happy he really has made United fans feel, the record of 126 goals in 357 appearances (that’s an average of 2.8 a game despite 145 appearances coming as a sub) is there to be admired. Also, take a look at the banner held by the fans in the Stretford End reading 20 Legend. That says it all. I suspect this prolific marksman will only ever be known for missing one thing, and that will be life at Manchester United. Verdict: Gone

Saha turns 29 in the summer. Signed in 2004 for a fee of £12.8 million he has only just signed an extension to his contract in December 2006, tying him to United until 2010. He has 13 goals this season and averages just better than 1 in 3 since joining. Blighted by injury, brilliant against defenders. Verdict: One more season

Alan Smith, bought for £6m in 2005, is 26 and has a goals to game average of roughly 1 in 5. Most of 2006/07 saw him perform as a central midfielder but there still remains doubts over his goal scoring amongst fans. Like him yes, admire him, well... In eight seasons of top-flight football he has only managed to net double figures four times. Suggesting his role at Old Trafford will never be greater than 3rd or 4th choice striker. Verdict: Gone

Dong Fangzhou has just turned 22 and is at the beginning of his career at United. He may or may not be good enough for United but the signs are he will figure in and around the first team squad more next season. Verdict: Staying

Giuseppe Rossi has just turned 20 and clearly has a promising career ahead of him. He is contracted to United till 2010 but playing at Parma, where he has scored 2 goals in 5 appearances. In the 2005/2006 season Rossi made 12 appearances for United, scoring 4 times. This 1 in 3 average is something expected after his prolific goal-scoring record in the reserves. The only blight on his time so far came during his recent loan spell at Newcastle, where 13 appearances failed brought only 1 goal. What remains to be seen is whether his ability to play Premiership football is as black and white as we thought, when he was scoring freely in the reserves. Interestingly, Lupoli at Arsenal, the other starlet plucked from Parma, is due to return to Italy in the summer. Verdict: Staying

So what does this all mean? Well, of course only Manchester United truly know but for me the issue is this. If Rossi returns to Old Trafford, either a surprise sale of Saha will happen either with or instead of the more expected sale of Smith – with Everton and Aston Villa possible destinations. Only if Rossi is sold will both Smith and Saha stay. But United will make a move for a new striker and that striker will likely be ranked second in the pecking order, behind Wayne Rooney.

So I expect United to have the following options as strikers next term: Rooney, Saha, Rossi, Fangzhou + one more. However, who is out there that has the ability to come in and cement their place as one of United’s first choice strikers?

The first and most recent suggestion is Berbatov of Spurs. Cynics have already replied to this rumour by saying he is only heavily linked because he is poorly paid. However, it is clear to all that he has the attributes and goal scoring record in the Premiership to be a success at Old Trafford, and don’t Spurs know it. (Likelihood: 7/10). Another is Eto’o of Barcelona, who seems to either stay or move depending on the week. Heavily linked by the media to Arsenal he is undoubtedly talented. (Likelihood: 4/10). Next comes, Fernando Torres who was rumoured to have been the subject of a bid from United in January. The rumours have been so rife even his Coach appears to have resigned himself to losing this star of Spain. This guy is young and top quality but has not played outside of Spain. (Likelihood: 8/10).

Underneath these more obvious three can be found Huntelaar, who has scored 17 goals in 27 league appearances for Ajax this term and looks set to continue to impress. (Likelihood: 5/10) Then there is Fred: Aged 23 and contracted till 2009 this Lyon forward has 10 goals in 17 league appearances but with Mancini the pick of their players and the fact that Lyon demand silly money it’s a long shot. Likelihood 3/10. Then the mercurial Tevez who at 23 with Premiership experience makes some sense. He is incredibly talented but his confusing contract with West Ham was enough to put United off last summer and may keep their distance once again. Tempting though. Likelihood: 5/10

A quick look around also brings up the names of: Kone (PSV), Babel (Ajax) Adebayor (Arsenal), Defoe (Spurs), M Owen (New) and Ashton (West Ham) but these seem unlikely.

For me the smart money is on Torres or Berbatov, with Tevez and Huntelaar good outside bets. Over to you Fergie…

Liverpool 0 v United 1 - A review

2007-03-05T14:23:00.000Z

Normally when John O’Shea comes on you sense Fergie has decided to shut up shop. So to see O’Shea perform like the artful dodger and pinch three points in front of the Kop was more than just a moment to remember. The result effectively ended Liverpool’s domestic season and gave United further belief that this is their year. Beneath the wild cheers of the travelling support you could clearly hear the groan of Liverpool fans. Fainter still – but still significant – was the sound of disappointment coming from West London.

Once again United emerged with 3 points from a game that had suggested a draw. Last week it was Ronaldo’s moment of individual brilliance. This was O’Shea’s moment. Liverpool could scarcely believe what had happened as John O’Shea span away to celebrate.

Football can be a cruel game. But it hands out pleasure in equal doses. Liverpool can and will consider themselves unlucky. But it was concentration that cost them. Ronaldo’s fierce strike from the freekick was well watched by Reina, particularly as Saha had come across him and the ball had moved on its way. In fact he did well to prevent it going straight in. But it was his team-mates that decided to simply stop and watch as O’Shea knocked in the simplest of chances. And that was the difference. That is not about luck. That is football.

Liverpool fans will point out that the momentum had long been with their team, that they had more possession and so have a right to feel aggrieved by the loss of all three points. Although Liverpool managed to the put the ball in the back of the net, which was rightly ruled out for offside, it couldn’t have escaped the attention of their supporters that Benitez’s team still lack a finisher. Wasn’t it strange that Benitez came out to describe Fowler as the best finisher at the club? Not because it was said of Fowler, but if he believed that why didn’t he do something about it rather spending so much money on Kuyt and Bellamy? Kuyt is a good player and has 10 goals this season but arguably Benitez may have been wiser to go for Berbatov who has scored 16. And Bellamy has scored 8 goals this season. That is 10 less than his replacement (McCarthy) at Blackburn. It is also two less than Ole Gunner Solksjaer. In fact, Crouch was for every reason Liverpool’s biggest threat on Saturday and he started on the bench, despite having scored 13 times this season.

Bellamy did cause United some problems by drifting into the space between Evra and Vidic. And he did well to drag Vidic out of his comfort zone and at times exposed the Serbian’s lack of pace when in the corners. But with Kuyt also dropping deep to receive there was little left in the penalty area to have a chance on goal. And when it finally did come it was generally well looked after the magnificent Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van der Saar.

This was the best game I have seen Ferdinand have for some time. He was commanding rather than casual and decisive rather than deft with his touch. He was very well supported by the impressive Van der Saar who pulled off a number of important catches when the crosses entered the area at height and speed. He also pulled of a wonderful save to deny Peter Crouch and deny Liverpool a way back in to the match.

If we compare Liverpool’s wingers to Ronaldo and Giggs it is clear that both Pennant and Gonzalez come up short. Neither looks capable of that bit of brilliance. Whereas Giggs has shown it on and off for a staggering 700 games and Ronaldo continues to show it week in week out this season. Therefore, it was no surprise that it was Ronaldo who demonstrated in one move how lethal he could be when running direct at Liverpool. After skinning Riise with an outlandish nutmeg he raced at Liverpool’s penalty area and with one step over at full speed left Agger in his wake only for his shot on goal to be thwarted by the outstretched leg of Carrigher. No Liverpool player appeared to have the ability to do something out of nothing.

I was impressed with United’s ability to cope with the pressure Liverpool and the occasion put on them. But I was disappointed at how often our attacks fizzled out when a better final ball was needed. All too often Rooney’s flick or Larsson’s touch was not what it should have been. Admittedly a lot was asked of them when the game plan was too deploy Scholes and Carrick in front of the back four, meaning there was a bigger gulf than normal between midfield and attack. The gap certainly made it difficult for Larsson to have a real impact, although his technique and ability was demonstrated in an instant with a beautiful and clever back flick to lay the ball off for Ronaldo to uncharacteristically waste.

The Guardian saw fit today to describe United’s midfield as ‘porous’, a strange comment given the achievements of the season and the success in this game. But then they also gave the Man of the Match award to Jamie Carragher rather than Rio Ferdinand, despite Carragher’s nasty challenge (which incidentally failed to spark a millennium style fight) on Rooney and despite Liverpool losing. Carragher played well but was not better than Ferdinand or Van der Saar.

United’s midfield sat deeper but you are mistaken if you see this as anything other than tactical. Very little in Liverpool red got through it. Scholes and Carrick soaked up stray passes – particularly from Sissoko – and got their foot in when required. They also found time to retain possession when under pressure and fed Ronaldo and Giggs with well placed passes. Ultimately, their game plan cancelled out the supposed threat of Sissoko and Alonso. In fact the danger for United were passes out wide to Gerrard, who caused Evra a number of problems when driving forward on the inside right channel. Fergie saw fit to rectify this by bringing on the more defence minded Silvestre (what must Heinze be thinking). Fergie then moved Rooney out wide and instructed Giggs to operate in the centre of a 5man midfield. He also replaced Larsson with Saha as a direct response to the changes made by Benitez.

It wasn’t long before Rooney made a burst down the left flank, raising his foot to reach the ball before Carragher – whose mistimed and ugly challenge saw him catch Rooney around the knee and ended the young player’s involvement in the game. As Rooney hobbled off, O’Shea prepared himself to come on. As a substitution it appeared to have 0-0 written all over it.

John O’Shea is accepted as a Manchester United player but not loved. Indeed people next had earlier been asking me why he was even on the bench in the first place and why Fergie so often sees fit to play him in midfield. Sometimes it is difficult question to answer – after all, his ‘natural position’ is in defence. He is generally seen as ‘make-do’ option when he comes off the bench and is often greeted with a mix of concern and condemnation when he starts in central midfield. But there comes a time when we should praise a player that works his bollocks off for the team and the manager and accepts his role at United. And on Saturday, John O’Shea got his reward. And he got it by scoring in front of the Kop. Does it get any better?

To see the goal, click here

Player ratings: Van der Saar 7, Neville 6, Ferdinand 8, Vidic 6, Evra 6, Ronaldo 7, Scholes 7, Carrick 6, Giggs 6, Rooney 6, Larsson 6

Man of the match: Rio Ferdinand

Lille 0 vs Manchester United 1 - A review

2007-02-23T15:53:00.000Z

Two key things happened on Tuesday night. Firstly, United showed an ability to adapt and overcome an awkward game that looked destined to end 0-0. Secondly, Lille made an incredibly poor error of judgement that could ultimately see them penalised by UEFA. There was nothing wrong with them protesting to the referee immediately after the goal was awarded, BUT to kick the ball out of touch and then for their coaching staff to blatantly encourage them off the field of play was as deliberate as it was disrespectful. To make matters worse their management have sought to blame this act on “an emotional moment”. According to their manager (Puel) "In France the tradition is to make a protest at the first pause in the game and then after the match”. I am not sure that the UEFA will share the sentiment that French tradition is more important than the rules.

So what will happen to Lille? I expect a heavy fine and perhaps a touchline ban to be the decision. Calls for Lille to be removed from the competition are a touch ITV – i.e. overly dramatic.

Returning to the game, the main pleasing aspect was United’s ability to give a patient and professional performance. It was this that led to United returning home with an important advantage and the bonus of having kept a clean sheet – something no other English club was able to do. In previous campaigns United would have conceded. With Van der Saar, Ferdinand and Vidic at the heart of defence United’s foundations are much stronger. There are games when it is necessary to reign in your attacking instinct, to wait, weather the storm and be patient in finding and executing the vital knock out blow. It can be a worrying thing to watch – after all, we are more accustom to watching United dominating possession and attacking at a high tempo. However, this performance showed maturity and great belief. Something that should – barring a poor performance at Old Trafford in two weeks time – see United progress into the quarterfinals.

Player ratings: Van der Saar 8, Neville 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 8, Evra 6, Giggs 8, Scholes 7, Carrick 7, Ronaldo 6, Rooney 7, Larsson 7.

Manchester United v Charlton - A preview

2007-02-09T15:32:00.000Z

I expect United to push Charlton further towards relegation. Charlton are 19th in the league with a goal difference of –25. They have lost their last 4 away games. And without Darren Bent, their best marksman in the league is Hasselbaink with a paltry 2 goals. Yes, that is 2 goals. To put that into perspective that is one less than United’s defender Vidic and exactly the same as Darren Fletcher.

So why are Charlton suffering so badly this season? Well when I look down Charlton’s squad I go someway before seeing anything resembling quality. Young, Holland, Ambrose, Thomas, Kishishev, Lisbie, M Bent, Sorondo, Hughes. Yep still waiting. Charlton has some good players but not many very good players that can make a difference. In fact, Scott Carson and Darren Bent are arguably the only two to have made a positive impact. The rest are steady and steady players all to often find themselves in the Championship. And if I was to be truly cutting, I could say that with Alan Pardew at the helm they have the perfect manager to get them there.

Charlton will try their best to frustrate United but I expect the gulf in class to finally tell. Fergie may, with a question mark over Ronaldo and Carrick, turn to Park and Fletcher. But don’t count on it. If Ronaldo and Carrick can play, they will. There was mention that Rooney is suspended after picking up 5 yellows, but this has not been confirmed.

I expect Kuszczak to record his first clean sheet at Old Trafford. Something the guy needs given all the positive talk about Ben Foster at the moment.

Probable team: Kuszczak; Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Rooney; Larsson

Prediction: 3-0

Player to watch: Scholes, having just scored I expect him to raid forward to good effect

Spurs 0 v Man United 4 - A review

2007-02-09T14:24:00.000Z

Manchester United rolled over a Spurs team that now has much to reflect on. There was even time for some fun to be had. After a nasty knock to Van der Saar, John O’Shea went in goal much to the amusement of everyone not supporting Spurs. Thankfully, United were already four nil up when Rio Ferdinand decided to play one of his pranks by under-hitting a back pass into the path of Robbie Keane. To everyone’s amusement – including Fergie – John O’Shea tackled his international teammate to a chorus of cheers.

This was Manchester United’s day. Much had been made of this fixture as a potential banana skin. To be fair, until United got the breakthrough it was actually relatively close. As predicted, Spurs lacked fight but had enough quality upfront to pose a threat with Berbatov once again impressive. Lennon was strangely out of sorts - perhaps sensing for once his pace would not be enough when confronted by Evra. Both Giggs and Ronaldo have been schooled by Fergie and as a result were tireless in tracking back, something Malbranque and Lennon did not do, which left Huddlestone and Zakora more exposed. And as predicted this combination were no match for the guile and experience of Scholes and Carrick and were left further confused by Rooney dropping back to receive the ball.

Gardener was continuously turned inside out by the movement of Larsson. His defensive frailties were further exposed when Larsson once again got ahead of him to receive the ball. Gardener decided to lunge across him in a desperate attempt to get the ball. It was a clear penalty but was amazingly waved away by the referee. United players rightly protested at the absurdity of the decision. Something that should not be encouraged but something that surely played a part in the referee’s next decision. Ronaldo received the ball on the outside of the area. He burst past Lee Young Pyo at pace and went down under the challenge of Malbranque, who clearly left a foot in on the winger. Lets face it, when it happened everyone saw it as a penalty. The referee, like us, saw the leg go in and saw Ronaldo go down. He blew his whistle. It was not until half-time when the Spurs technicians decided to replay the incident from every conceivable angle on the big screens in the ground that talk of a dive was encouraged. The truth is we don’t know. If it was a dive, it was art compared to the work of Zakora a few months ago. What is clear is that the referee felt there was contact or intention of contact that resulted in Ronaldo going over.

Despite continuing protestations from the Spurs support, the game was shortly over. The Spurs fans were still booing Ronaldo when they conceded again. Robinson’s goal was attacked incessantly from the start of the second half. Spurs were helpless. Carrick supplied a precise corner onto the head of Vidic and the ball whistled past Robinson.

Spurs had moments. One provided by our own Gary Neville, who decided it would be okay to manhandle Chimbonda inside the penalty area in clear view of everyone. The amusing thing was it was okay, as the referee once again went against all common sense by waving play on. You win some; you Spurs some.

The game got more painful for the home fans when Cristiano produced one step-over at speed to once again outwit Lee Young Pyo and get to the by-line where he sent in a wicked low cross that Robinson failed miserably to deal with and Scholes had time to control the ball between his legs on the ground and slot it home and smile. This really was shaping up to be one of those days for United. The cherry was firmly put on the cake came when Saha – on for Rooney – picked up the ball and under a challenge, span his marker and ran at the Spurs defence. Looking up he provided a perfectly weighted pass to the feet of the unrushing Giggs, who subsequently lifted his shot over Robinson for United’s fourth.

The major difference between Spurs and United was fight, belief and ability. If the only fight Spurs possess is Zakora then they really have problems. A poor man’s Makelele is no answer at this level. Huddlestone was more boulder than builder, when it came to influencing the game. Gardener is so inept he rivals Titus Bramble as the countries worst central defender. And the belief of Paul Robinson had been cut to size by the young guns of Arsenal and has now been truly shredded by the visit of Manchester United.

Player ratings: Van der Saar 8; Neville 7; Ferdinand 7; Vidic 8, Evra 6; Ronaldo 7; Scholes 7; Carrick 7; Giggs 7; Rooney 7; Larsson 7

Man of the match: Vidic

Spurs v Manchester United - A preview

2007-02-02T13:58:00.000Z

Sunday sees Michael Carrick return to White Hart Lane for the first time since his transfer. I suspect this will concern the Spurs fans more than the player. After all, he has more than enough ability to cope with the challenge of Zakora and Huddlestone. He also will have the luxury of playing alongside a certain Paul Scholes. And although Rooney and Ronaldo will no doubt catch the eye again, it is the combination of Carrick and Scholes that holds the key to ensuring United leave with all three points.

I think too many of the current Spurs team lack fight, which is why they have had problems on the road this season. If you want it summed up, look at Steed Malbranque - good going forward but provides no muscle to an already light- weight Spurs midfield. Zakora is the poor man’s Makelele. However, Spurs do have a decent forward line, something they always seem to focus on. Perhaps to mask the overall failings in the rest of the side. It wasn’t that long ago that I used to hear Spurs fans bragging about having Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola and Paul Gascoigne. Ever hear them mention that the same side also had Chris Perry, Dean Marney and Goran Bunjevcevic?

And they are still doing it. Berbatov looks a great buy and Keane, Defoe and Mido all have to be watched as they can all score goals. They also, in Lennon, possess one of the most exciting players playing on the wing in the Premiership. But behind that one is left to wonder how good are Dawson, Gardener, Assou-Ekotto, Zakora, and Rocha?

In fact, I am really looking forward to seeing Lennon run at Evra. But, I cannot wait to see Ronaldo vs Assou-Ekotto, Rooney vs Gardener and Larsson vs Dawson, as Spurs always look capable of conceding - particularly without King in the side. And Spurs may have England’s number one goalkeeper. But I would be prepared to wager that most strikers in the Premiership would say that felt more likely than not to score when one on one against him. For me, he lacks presence, which is perhaps why none of the bigger clubs have come in for him.

On paper, this is one of United’s three tricky away games, with the other two being trips to Liverpool and Chelsea. It is true enough to say that Spurs are usually stronger at home than they are away. However, it is also true that United have won at White Hart Lane on their last 5 visits.

Probable Team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Larsson.

Prediction: 0-2

Player to watch – Carrick

United v Watford – A preview

2007-01-31T11:21:00.000Z

In the last two games Watford have managed to collect three valuable premiership points as well as beat West Ham in the FA Cup. A trip to Old Trafford is arguably not the fixture they need, particularly as it means they can’t play Ben Foster – who will be returning to Old Trafford in the summer. However, I believe it is just the fixture that United need. The three points are there to be collected and I believe the hunger is there to take them.

In terms of team news, the only main issue is the knee injury to Saha. This should see Rooney start alongside Larsson, and see Solskjaer back on the bench. I would like to see us rest Giggs and instead play Ronaldo and Park. Park may have failed to convert chances against Villa, but he put in a decent performance and deserves to start.

I suspect Watford to play a high defensive line and I expect them to attack, leaving space for United to exploit. If United play Rooney and Ronaldo we should see United win by some margin. I get the feeling Larsson may well be licking his lips in anticipation.....

Probable Team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Rooney, Larsson.

Subs from: Kuszczak; Heinze; Brown; O’Shea; Fletcher; Richardson; Fangzhou; Smith; Silvestre; Giggs; Solskjaer

Injured: Saha

Player to watch: Rooney

Prediction: 4-0

Man United 2 v Portsmouth 1 – A review

2007-01-31T11:14:00.000Z

A good victory over a stubborn Portsmouth team means the week at least ended on a positive. In particular, we witnessed another wonderful goal from Wayne Rooney. The look on David James’s face said it all. There really was nothing anyone could do, except look and admire.

Kuszczak seemed determined to make an impression. The challenge of Gary O’Neil was actually very good. To flick out his hand and push the ball away was impressive. He also caught the ball cleanly and commandingly on crosses and distributed well. He was unlucky not to keep a clean-sheet when having moved to cover the shot he was caught out as the ball took an unkind deflection. 2007/08 could see an interesting contest between him and Foster – if Fergie decides to keep both men at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer and Larsson failed to impress as a partnership, largely due to the impressive Sol Campbell and partly due to them playing similar roles. Larsson looked sharper with the introduction of Rooney and was so unlucky to have his wonderfully volleyed goal wrongly ruled out for being offside. For me, Rooney and Larsson look the best option, given Saha is still carrying a knock.

Giggs put in a tremendous effort and got his reward from providing the assist for United’s opener with a good run to the by-line and cut back for sub Rooney to gladly finish unmarked from 4 yards.

There was another very impressive performance from Evra down the left. If this form continues and if Bale arrives in the summer, Heinze must either look to play in the centre or consider options away from the club. That is no comment on Heinze but a compliment to Evra.

Park needs to turn energy into goals to really add value but his overall performance for the team is still significant. Vidic was once again an aerial threat from set pieces – and only failed to get on the score sheet because of a wrong decision from the officials. The ball was over the line but you can’t blame the referee when we only found out the goal should have stood when we had seen it from two different camera shots in slow motion.

Player ratings:
Kuszczak, 6; Neville 6; Ferdinand 6; Vidic 7; Evra 7; Park 6; Carrick 6; Scholes 6; Giggs 7; Solskjaer 5; Larsson 6.

Man of the match: Rooney

Arsenal v United: A review

2007-01-24T15:36:00.000Z

The defeat to Arsenal is disappointing but nothing more, unless United allow it to be. I expect United to react positively to only their third defeat of the season by firstly, beating Portsmouth in the FA Cup and then by taking the 3 points against Watford at Old Trafford. One concern that once again raised its head on Sunday was United’s willingness to replace big players in games if they are tiring.

The reason for this comment is partly a reaction to Wenger’s alleged instruction to his team that United tire during the course of a game. And to those fans wishing to dismiss this idea immediately as nonsense, I would ask you to ignore where the message came from and think about it for a moment. Perhaps look back to the United v Chelsea game this season, a game which saw United really attack Chelsea early on and then, in the last 20 minutes, saw key players begin to tire, as they did against Arsenal on Sunday.

Utilising substitutes is part of the game. On Sunday, I believe United should have replaced Giggs with Park. I also believe Fletcher should have replaced Scholes, with an instruction to get stuck into the best player on the pitch on Sunday, namely, Fabregas. Bringing on Heinze was not a bad decision as such, but to do so at the expense of Ronaldo - who was capable of hitting Arsenal on the break – was curious. It was perhaps too trusting for United to rely on those players they tend always to rely on. I say too trusting because you need energy as well as experience to ensure you impact on a game for 90 minutes, particularly when facing a team as young and as attack minded as Arsenal. When I saw United backing off, I began to get concerned. However, if it had not been for two good finishes, we would all be singing United’s praises, so I accept the line is a thin one. And the best time to judge is at the end of the season.

Therefore this article is certainly not a comment on Fergie – it never would be - but instead seeks to explore the question that surrounds the reasons for United not trusting in substitutes such as Park and Fletcher during these pressurised moments.

United are famous for making changes late on (think Solskjaer) when needing to get back into a game but we are less remembered for making the right changes to close a game out. It was right for Scholes and Giggs to start the game – of course it was - but was it sensible for them to play the whole 90 minutes when younger players could have been used to chase down the ball and opposition? We will of course never know, but changes to the midfield may have helped to take some pressure off the defence. I believe Fergie finds it too hard to not rely on the same players - a loyalty which has brought more success than problems but knows that come the summer his hand will be forced. United need to reinforce by bringing in players that are good enough to take some of the responsibility off Scholes, Giggs and Neville. That is the reason for United's dogged pursuit of Hargreaves. It may be the reason for United's previous interest in Franck Ribery and could be why Bardsley has been sent on loan to Aston Villa till the summer. Only Fergie knows. Till then we will continue to see Scholes, Giggs and Neville used in the same way, as Fletcher and Park - as good as they are - are not yet big game players.

Therefore, I think Fergie will settle for the odd result, as experienced on Sunday. I also think he knows United are capable of winning the title this season and accepts that the experience, craft and will to win that Scholes, Giggs, Neville etc bring to the team outweigh the downsides associated with these player’s ages. And right here, right now, he is right to. As United's best chance of winning the Premiership, since 2002/03, is now. And despite Sunday's defeat and despite what some people may think, United are still very well placed to win the Premiership this season.

So we can thank Liverpool for beating Chelsea and we must thank Fergie for ensuring that United remain six points clear. And we owe Arsenal and Wenger a response too, but lets do that in May.

Arsenal v United – A preview

2007-01-19T11:22:00.000Z

There is only one Premiership team that I look at and think: this team is capable of playing better football than United. That team is Arsenal. For that reason, this fixture is always – since Wenger started managing Arsenal - an interesting and exciting match-up. Gone are the days when Arsenal's attitude to defending was mocked in Monty Python sketches.

Make no mistake about it Arsenal are back to playing their best football and look –worryingly enough – like they are about to go on a run this season. A run, I believe, they will continue into next season and result in them winning the Premiership title. I also feel that Wenger’s approach to bringing in, and trusting in, young players needs to be matched at Old Trafford. Put simply, United need more Ronaldos, more Rooneys. United need the best young players coming to Old Trafford - players such as Ribery, Richards, Babel, Huntelaar, Gourcoff, Navas, Dos Santos and Gago to name just a few.

When Wenger singed Cesc Fabregas most other people did not know – and I include myself – what a gem he had found. Interestingly, Cesc has said spoken of his admiration for Paul Scholes, describing his as player ‘you want to emulate’. But if you were to ask any of the 70,000 + of the United faithful about Cesc you will hear nothing but high praise. And in the voices of those supporters - if we are being honest – you will hear more than a hint of jealousy. To see these two players go toe to toe is a football feast that any fan should cherish.

In my opinion, this Sunday will see one of Manchester United’s best ever central midfield players go up against one of Arsenal’s most creative central midfield players ever – and that at the age of 19. But don’t let the attention of just one young player control all your thoughts, as United certainly have two of their own. Both Rooney and Ronaldo have more than enough ability to create a victory that would see Arsenal lose for the first time at the Emirates. But while Sky’s cameras will likely zoom in on this pair I sense the key to a United victory lies in the performance of the midfield pairing. Lets be clear, United must play Carrick and Scholes in the middle and not use O’Shea as they did at OT. Possession of the ball will provide for the forwards but also take the pressure of our defenders. This is also an important game for Giggs. He will be up against a quick full back and will need to be as smart on the ball as he was once fast. He will need to cross when in a good position and must look to cut inside to change the angle of running and open up more opportunities for the strikers. Otherwise, the energy of Park must be considered. In defence, Ferdinand and Vidic must remain central and must not get pulled out of position by Henry or Adebayor and exposed for pace. This may mean a less adventurous role for Neville and Evra. And may mean a start for Heinze, but I doubt it.

The gap may be 15 points in the table but in my view you can’t put a piece of paper between these sides in terms of ability and talent. Both are more than capable of winning, and with Arsenal at home they must be considered favourites. After all, Henry is looking sharp and we know what that can mean. But talking of forwards, United possess a player whose sheer presence will remind Arsenal of losing the Champions League final – and I expect, if the game is tight, Fergie will use that player in an effort to ensure United have the Lars-t laugh.

Probable team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

Subs from: Kuszczak, Brown, Heinze, Silvestre, Smith, Richardson, Fangzhou, Solskjaer, Larsson, O’Shea, Fletcher

Prediction: 2-1 to Arsenal that will see a disappointing end to a good month for United

Mid term report

2006-12-22T12:47:00.000Z

Van der Saar: A very impressive campaign so far and has rightly been rewarded with an extension to his contract. 8.5/10

Kuszczak: Only a couple of appearances this season but has looked useful and must not be unhappy with learning from Van der Saar. 5/10

Neville: Committed captain, fantastic fullback. Has got the balance spot on this term between going forward and marking his man. His crossing has been excellent but injuries stop him from getting a higher mark. 8/10

Evra: Has looked a solid signing this season, particularly going forward where he has arguably been better than Heinze. 7/10

Heinze: Has just got back from injury but is nearly back to his best. Occasionally looks vulnerable when up against pace but rightly deserves a starting place 7/10

Vidic: What a season so far. Very committed, strong in the air, strong in the tackle and a danger from set pieces at the other end. 8.5/10

Ferdinand: Has been in impressive form this season. His reading of the game continues to make him look graceful even when under pressure. His partnership with Vida is the best I have seen for some years. 8.5/10

Silvestre: Who? The guy has done nothing wrong but doesn’t have a prayer of having a big impact on this side this season. Hopefully, he will be content to play cup games and a few league games as he still has experience to offer the team. 4/10

Brown: His future suddenly looks less certain but he is still 3rd choice centre back and with his injury record, that may just be as good as it will ever get at United. He is a very good defender and well worth having around. 5/10

Scholes: Majestic on the ball despite now playing a little deeper. He makes everything tick and is a huge loss when not playing. It would be nice to see him get forward a little more and score more. 8.5/10

Carrick: Has fitted in well. Has brought a calmness to our play and has ensured possession of the ball with clever, quick and incisive passing. Good at breaking down attacks with minimum fuss, as shown against Chelsea this season. Needs to move quicker to receive the ball in order to get more time on it. 7.5/10

Fletcher: He has won over more of the crowd with his combative and committed displays. No longer seen as a poor replacement. Instead he is being seen as the useful squad player he is. 6.5/10

Giggs: Had a wonderful start to the season with some magical displays for both club and country. He did so well the Brazilians even started talking about him. His form has dropped a little recently but you sense the number of games has caught up with him a bit. Will benefit from having Park around. 8/10

Ronaldo: Has been absolutely fantastic and my player of the season so far, despite Rooney making it close. He has played more games, had to deal with the events of the summer and has produced exhilarating and more mature displays than ever before. 9/10

Park: It has been largely a season on the treatment table so far but expect him to be starting sooner rather than later, in order to keep Giggs fresh. 4/10

Richardson: He has the talent but he has repeatedly failed to deliver. The pressure of playing for United seems to be getting to him. The crowd have been on his back and as a result of his poor performances he has been playing reserve football. He still needs time, but will he get it? 4/10

O’Shea: The ‘John’ of all trades has put United first and as a result must be commended. He is always good but never better than that. I still think his best position is at full back. With Hargreaves potentially on the way and with Neville in need of some competition we may see him revert to fullback next season. 6.5/10

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Rooney: The boy wonder has been back to his best in recent weeks. And even when he isn’t at his best he is still head and shoulders above most. It has just been a pleasure to watch him and Ronaldo in action. We are watching one of the best there has been. 9/10

Saha: The goal against Chelsea showed the maturity and ability of the player. After the penalty-miss against Celtic he was under pressure. He answered it. Firstly with his left foot and secondly with a Gaelic shrug. This is his best season. 8/10

Solskjaer: He is just back (again). His experience at stealing a goal at crucial times could be significant this season. The best substitute the club has ever had. 7/10

Smith: Breaking his leg was a significant injury, mainly because the picture has changed now he is back. He has looked too slow but with the speed training he is on he may just come back to help lead the line in the FA Cup. 4/10

West Ham 1 v United 0

2006-12-20T14:35:00.000Z

We failed to do what was needed. It is a simple as that. We may have ‘deserved a point’ but football is all about taking your chances. Zamora missed a clear chance to put the Hammers ahead but was foiled by a brilliant block from Van der Saar. Ronaldo was later denied by a wonderful save when put through on goal, after a slick pass from Saha. Saha looked lively all game and had several smart shots saved by the impressive Robert Green.

United played some okay stuff but were constantly boxed in by a well-organised West Ham side. West Ham had only 27% possession when they scored, so we were right to be frustrated. Fergie got it spot on about taking our chances but there was also a great deal of carelessness in our approach play too. Too often simple passes went astray. Too often shots on goal were forced from outside the area rather than being good chances. When that happens the keeper always has a better chance.

The result was partly due to Carrick and Scholes failing to break the midfield line, which would have allowed the forward players to receive the ball in more dangerous areas. Giggs was too often careless in possession and wasted a great chance by blazing it high and over. Rooney was well marshalled and looked frustrated. In general, West Ham got their tactics spot on and had a nice balance

The result is a set back but nothing more. It is, like the defeat to Arsenal, all about how we respond. If we put together another run like the one we have just been on then Chelsea really do have some competition.

United v City - A preview

2006-12-04T16:51:00.000Z

Seeing Joey Barton play at Manchester United is nothing new but I don’t think it will be all that long before the talk of him playing at OT more regularly begins to fill the back pages. This season has once again shown us that he is a quality player, a player still in development and a player that needs to be improved further. However, he is capable of playing Champions League football and that means a move to one of the top four clubs is on the cards despite a new contract with Man City. Stuart Pearce is doing a decent enough job with City but without wishing to be disrespectful Pearce does not have the experience in management to take Barton any further as a player than one that stands out in a Manchester City side. To reach that next level he needs a new challenge under new management. I would welcome him at Old Trafford. I think everyone would welcome him, as they would Micah Richards. Another player so obviously destined for bigger things, although there is no reason for him to rush down a Chelsea sized cul-de-sac like Wright-Phillips. Successor for Gary Neville anyone?

Looking to the game, this is a double opportunity for United. It represents a chance for United to put one over on their local rivals and also go 9 points clear off Chelsea in time for us all to sit back and watch Chelsea take on Arsenal on Sunday. However, City should not to be ignored. If United get past Benfica on Wednesday night, I expect a relatively full strength side to ensure United put in a performance. And as good as Nicky Weaver has been this season, I still think they miss David James when away from home.

Probable Team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha

Subs from: Kuszczak, Heinze, O’Shea, Richardson, Solskjaer, Silvestre, Fletcher

Prediction: 3-1

United v Benfica

2006-12-04T16:01:00.000Z

This is a massive fixture for United. The result is massively important to the players, the manager, the club and the moneymen. Being Manchester United demands Champions League football next year. It really is as simple as that. Too wretched results from United’s two last outings at Celtic and FC Copenhagen have meant this fixture becomes a nail-biter for fans. In many ways it is vintage United. The good news is that as opposed to this time last year, United play at Old Trafford where a sell out gate should help make the atmosphere another great European evening at the Theatre of Dreams.

United’s confidence is high and I am sure Fergie will have the dressing room ready. Benfica have a number of good players and must be not be given too much time to settle and set their own tempo. Simao must be watched, as he remains their main danger man.

Probable Team:
Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha

Subs from: Kuszczak, Brown, Silvestre, Evra, Fletcher, Richardson, Smith

Prediction: 2-0

Middlesbrough 1 v United 2

2006-12-04T11:42:00.000Z

The pressure on Manchester United is building. With every fixture from now on in, there is a requirement to get the three points to stay ahead of the rest of the league and send out a message to Chelsea. The response to the pressure will probably determine the destiny of the domestic title but will also determine certain player’s careers. So far the pressure is bringing out the best in the players.

Under the guidance of Fergie the side is looking well balanced and the necessary appetite appears to have returned. Last season, the humiliation of a 4-1 defeat at the Riverside led to Roy Keane famously playing the pundit. This season, after United’s deserved 2-1 victory at the Riverside there is to be no post mortem. Put simply it is not needed.

The game saw the familiar line-up, with the only change being Fletcher coming in for Carrick. Central midfield is Fletchers’ best position and his favoured position. He was industrious throughout and acted as a willing worker alongside the majestic Paul Scholes. Cristiano will be remembered for the drama in the penalty area that led to Saha giving United the lead from the spot. There was no contact from Schwarzer on Ronaldo but the winger knew the keeper had over-committed and that contact would result in a spot-kick. He was already off balance when Schwarzer removed his hand and went down as a result. In my view, the attacker has got his team the penalty. Rightly or wrongly he has done the keeper . He isn’t the first and he sure as hell won’t be the last. Middlesbrough were rightly aggrieved and if the decision had gone the other way, so would the United contingent.

The penalty was not the turning point of the game. United missed a number of opportunities to kill the game off. In a season that has seen United now score 18 goals away from home, it seems odd to say that chances must be taken, but as the pressure grows so does the need to be ruthless. It is at this time that United may just begin to miss the killer instinct of a Van Nistlerooy. However, Saha and Rooney are playing well and the goals continue to be shared around the team.

Middlesbrough found a way back into the game from some fine work from Stewart Downing. It was his intelligent cross that led to James Morrison finishing to give the home side the belief that they could once again take points from this fixture. Middlesbrough’s hopes were dashed when two minutes after their equaliser Fletcher connected well with Giggs’ cross to head United in front. Game over.

With an important game coming up against Benfica on Wednesday, United did well to concentrate on ensuring the three points from a fixture that has seen Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton all drop at least 2 points. Perhaps this is why Gary Neville celebrated by punching the air. However, with the pressure yet to reach truly examining levels this result for United was only another important step in a long race to be the best team in the Premiership.

Player ratings:

Van der Saar 6/10
Neville 6/10
Ferdinand 7/10
Vidic 8/10
Heinze 7/10
Ronaldo 7/10
Fletcher 7/10
Scholes 8/10
Giggs 7/10
Rooney 7/10
Saha 8/10

Man of the match – Paul Scholes

Middlesbrough v United - A preview

2006-12-01T16:57:00.000Z

This season Middlesbrough have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 2 at the Riverside this season. They have beaten Chelsea, West Ham, Everton and Newcastle, drawn with Liverpool and lost to Blackburn and got battered by Portsmouth.

They face a United team that has won 6, drawn 1 but have not lost on its travels, has scored 16 goals and conceded only 4. The memory of Middlesbrough’s 4-1 victory over United last term is still yet to be erased. I expect it to be erased tomorrow evening.

We can expect Middlesbrough to be solid but United, at their best, should have too much in attack for them.

Fergie may continue to have one eye on Wednesday but I expect to see Scholes and Saha return at the very least. Vidic will need to be 100% for Fergie to throw him in, so we may see Silvestre keep his place. Heinze could come back in for Evra but it is hard to chose one over the other right now. He may decide to hold Giggs back again but I hope he doesn’t as Richardson once again failed to really convince.

Probable team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Saha

Subs from: Kuszczak, Silvestre, Fletcher, Richardson, Evra

Prediction: 0-2

United 3 v Everton 0

2006-12-01T15:12:00.000Z

You have to give credit to Sir Alex Ferguson for continuing to get it right on nights like this. Sensing that Everton were not at their strongest and knowing that the now vital game against Benfica is around the corner Fergie made 5 changes to the side that lined up against Chelsea. Out went Scholes, Heinze, Vidic, Giggs and Saha and in came, Richardson, Fletcher, O’Shea, Evra and Silvestre. With so many changes it was not surprising that the team failed to find its rhythm and relied on an inspirational finish from Ronaldo from 20 yards to give United the edge. Once the goal went you could sense United were comfortable, particularly as the defence never looked like conceding.

The game saw the in-form Patrice Evra score his first goal for the club with a clinical finish. A finish he has obviously always had since he started out in football career as a striker. United’s goal difference was improved further when John O’Shea, who had a steady game in the centre of midfield, steered the ball past Richard Wright with a clever finish from Evra’s cross.

The loudest cheer of the night came when Rooney, having been barracked all evening by the travelling Everton fans finally responded by kissing his badge in front of them. The roar from the Old Trafford faithful was instant as much as it was incredible, given Rooney’s long quoted statement of ‘once a blue, always a blue’. I suspect that his love of Everton is still very strong but he clearly dislikes being made a hate figure by the very fans that used to chant his name with such affection.

Rooney saved some of his energy for football. One very memorable moment coming when he nutmegged Carsley and then Stubbs only to ruin this sublime improvisation with a wild swing that swerved horribly wide of Richard Wright’s goal.

Phil Neville on his return certainly left his mark on a few United players, as if to demonstrate his commitment again to his new team. He was as committed and tenacious as ever and provoked a reaction from Rooney after one mistimed and hard challenge that left the England striker on the ground for some time. I suspect Fergie has witnessed it many times before at the Carrington Ground and he looked on like a man seeing two of his offspring having a spat.

It ended with three points for United after two years of draws in this fixture. Once again an improvement for United this term. Next up Middlesbrough away and the chance to open up a precious gap over Chelsea before returning to European football.

Player Ratings:
Van der Saar – 6/10
Neville – 6/10
Ferdinand – 6/10
Silvestre – 6/10
Evra – 7/10
Fletcher 6/10
Carrick 6/10
O’Shea 6/10
Richardson 5/10
Ronaldo 6/10
Rooney 7/10

United v Everton – A preview

2006-11-29T13:58:00.001Z

For the last two seasons this game has ended in draws and Everton are more than capable of continuing that sequence tonight. Everton’s recent trip to Charlton was less than impressive and absence of Johnson, Cahill and Howard tonight is a big blow. But under Moyes you always know that Everton will give a good account of themselves. Indeed, their injuries and suspensions may actually galvanise them to produce a dogged performance that will test United over the 90 minutes. Even without Andrew Johnson they still pose a threat, particularly in McFadden, Arteta and Vaughan. United found out at Parkhead that a game can be turned on one freekick and must not allow Arteta to have a clear sight on goal. That boy can finish.

For United, the news is all about Saha and Ronaldo being doubts after picking up knocks against Chelsea. It is no secret that the lack of fitness and form of Smith, the injury to Solskjaer and the fact that Rossi is currently keeping Newcastle’s bench warm means United are seriously lacking alternatives for Saha, so hopefully he is okay to start. If not Giggs could be pushed up to support an eager Wayne Rooney. And with a knock to Ronaldo, the absence of Park is once again felt. If Ronaldo fails to start, I expect to see Darren Fletcher given the nod.

There is some good news in that both Solskjaer and Park are now back in training and should see some action over the festive period. I find it strange that Rossi has not been recalled given the issue with Smith. He is by no means the finished article but he provides a good option for United right now.

Lastly, Phil Neville will lead out Everton tonight and I hope he gets the warm welcome he genuinely deserves from Old Trafford.

Probable Team: Van der Saar, Neville; Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

Subs from: Kuszczak; O’Shea, Evra, Fletcher, Silvestre

Prediction: 1-0 (Scholes)

United 1 v Chelsea 1

2006-11-29T12:35:00.000Z

When the dusts settles from this fixture it is clear to me that it is Manchester United that will be the happier. Yes there was an opportunity for United to make a statement and to extend the gap to six points but only those pushing for TV ratings would not see that this ‘opportunity’ actually exists with every fixture played. It is worth noting that Chelsea has arguably the tougher of the coming fixtures. They face a tough and examining fixture against Bolton tonight and then a mouth-watering tie against Arsenal. For me, United will only miss their chance if they do not follow up the result on Sunday by seeing off Everton and then Middlesbrough this week.

United clearly had the better of the first half. United suffocated Chelsea in key areas and looked the better team going forward, with Ronaldo v Cole the most intriguing match-up. The Portuguese flyer was well watched by Cole but most of the time he had at least two players trying to stop him. It was Ronaldo who put in the first clear effort on goal with a well-struck freekick that forced Cudicini to turn the ball over the bar. The crowd were lifted. But more was to follow, as Carrick’s sliding interception was soon at Giggsy’s feet. He looked up and made delivered a decisive pass to Rooney who span inside looked up and delivered an inch perfect pass to the feet of Saha, leaving Carvalhio to turn away and provide a foot of space that invited the shot. Saha coolly moved the ball onto his left foot, looked up and fired a bending shot along the floor in off the post past the diving Cudicini. United had their breakthrough and the goal they deserved. Lampard was not allowed to drop off and receive the ball and Makelele, normally so noticeable, was neither effective in preventing attacks or in building them for Chelsea. Chelsea were left to shoot from long range, with Geremi’s drive from right back being the only memorable shot on target. Ferdinand and Vidic manfully handled Drogba and Shevchenko.

Chelsea came out in the second half and began to assert them influence on the game. The substitution of Geremi for Robben stating their intent, although Robben’s influence on the game was arguably summed up by Mourinho berating him for a cross field ball that failed to meet its target by some distance. Instead it was the powerhouse that is Michael Essien playing now at right back that drove forward into the space created from Giggs moving more centrally that helped Chelsea get back into the game. His crossing, running and sheer determination resulting in a cross that was deflected out for a corner. Lampard curled the ball into the area and Carvalho rose an inch higher that Heinze to direct a powerful header goal-bound, which Saha tried to head clear. In doing so, the ball came off the underside of the bar and prevented Van der Saar from attempting to save the situation. In fairness, Chelsea’s possession against a flagging United deserved an equaliser. United continued to create chances that suggested a second goal. Heinze put in a great cross that was taken on the chest by Ronaldo but the ball ran just the wrong side of the waiting Saha. When the whistle finally came it was clear that the race for the title is still very much on for both clubs.

Ratings:
Van der Saar – 7/10
Neville – 7/10
Ferdinand – 8/10
Vidic - 8/10
Heinze – 7/10
Ronaldo – 8/10
Carrick – 8/10
Scholes – 7/10
Giggs – 7/10
Rooney – 7/10
Saha – 7/10

United v Chelsea

2006-11-24T17:15:00.000Z

For me, Chelsea has the best squad in the league. They also have the very impressive midfield of Ballack, Lampard, Essien and Makelele. All quality players that as a collective represent a significant challenge for United. How those four players play will have a decisive say on the result.

Make no mistake about it though United can win this fixture. United must play to their strengths but also appreciate that they must make it hard for the opposition. This may mean sacrificing their attacking instincts somewhat. Something that the crowd will not like but something the management may decide to do anyway. Hopefully Giggs and Ronaldo will both play. I hope to God that Carrick will not be dropped for the ‘industry’ of Fletcher or O’Shea. United must play to their strengths. Their strength is in passing and movement.

United must trust in their instinct to play high tempo football, knowing that doing so will create chances to take all 3 points. United must set the tempo from the start and place doubts in Chelsea’s game plan. Whipping the ball in to areas just in front of Cudicini behind the back four is essential to upsetting Chelsea’s rhythm. The supply needs to come from the fullbacks more so than from the wingers, as the runs of Giggs and Ronaldo in the area could be the surprise factor that leads to a goal. When defending both Neville and Evra must snap at the heels of Chelsea’s wide men to force their play down the middle and into the path of Ferdinand and Vidic.

Probable team: Van der Saar; Neville; Ferdinand; Vidic; Evra, Ronaldo; Scholes; Carrick; Giggs; Rooney; Saha

Subs from: Kuszczak; Heinze; Silvestre; O’Shea; Fletcher; Richardson

Key man: Wayne Rooney

Prediction: 2-1 (Rooney, Vidic)

Celtic 1 v United 0

2006-11-22T12:44:00.000Z

The game last night went off script for one brief moment, one important moment that now leaves United needing a result against Benfica at Old Trafford. The result was largely disappointing because United had carefully controlled long periods of the game, showing superior technique and speed of thought than their opposition. The platform for attack was provided by a strong backline but ultimately the attack never really turned into any constant goal threat.

United had chances, most notably the penalty in the final minutes which was squandered by Saha or well saved by Boruc, depending on how you care to look at it. Earlier on in the first half it was Ronaldo whose timely run resulted in his effort being blocked by Boruc who made a smart one handed save. Later on, Rooney met a delivery from a corner cleanly on the volley but it whistled inches past the post. Ryan Giggs was then left to smile at Celtic’s fortune when his expert free-kick looked to have caught Boruc flat footed as it seemed destined to curl into the corner of the net only for a last second deflection off the top of the wall to send the ball over the bar.

United’s midfield was clever without being either cruel or clinical in supporting or making attacks. Scholes and Carrick moved the ball around with composure and craft to ensure the tempo was at United’s liking. However, Carrick and Scholes never really pushed forward far enough to force the issue, perhaps knowing that a professional performance was enough to earn the result. Perhaps knowing that others would likely do the damage for them. Saha was a handful, turning players and linking his play well with Ronaldo and Giggs. Saha should not dwell on his penalty miss too long as it is his response on Sunday and beyond that will be the measure of the player, not one chance from spot last night.

Celtic failed to offer any real threat despite a bustling display and once the jubilation has subsided its arguably Gordon Strachan’s men that will need to find a way of making more of a game than they showed last night. Nakumara’s freekick was good enough to grace any Champions League match. His special skill though may not be enough to see them go much further. Without Miller they looked toothless. Gravesen worked hard as did Lennon but graft is no match for skill. Sno drifted out of the game and looked as flaky as his name suggests when up against Scholes.

From today, Strachan and Fergie both have work to do. Ultimately, United failed last night but looking at the teams United were better player for player in every position, with Ronaldo reminding everyone of his ability to carry the ball at pace past players at will. But performance is not enough. Against Benfica the chances must be taken. United are still developing as a team in my view and need a couple of better options on the bench to change things when necessary. Solskjaer and Park would likely have been sent on ahead of O’Shea and Evra if available, the fact that Smith wasn’t will further the debate about his future. You can’t help feel that Fergie would like more options in any case. January may well see Fergie dip into the transfer market for more players but there is no need for panic buys as despite the result last night, the foundations are clearly there.

Player Ratings:

Van der Saar 6/10 – Beaten by a wonderful strike, that when seen from behind the goal shows he really had no chance.
Neville – 6/10 – Few problems in defence and supported well down the right
Ferdinand – 7/10 – Very composed and also very strong in the tackle to ensure the upper hand was United’s.
Vidic – 7/10 – Unfortunate to be penalised for the challenge that led to the goal and generally looked strong and in control, all game.
Heinze – 6/10 His best performance since returning from injury but some of his passing showed that more games are still needed.
Ronaldo – 7/10 – He was on a different level in terms of carrying the ball at speed beating numerous men at ease
Scholes – 8/10 A calming and controlling presence all evening
Carrick – 7/10 – Tidy in defensive duties and his ability to play the intelligent quick pass to feet set United off on attacks.
Giggs – 6/10 – A normally assured first touch was slightly off as was his passing on occasions.
Rooney – 6/10 – Not as his influential last night, primarily due to playing the wide role but still managed to show moments of class and vision when he eventually came into the middle
Saha – 6/10 Linked play well but missed the penalty and was too slow to react when he thought he was offside from a clever Rooney pass

Away to Sheffield United

2006-11-16T16:55:00.000Z

It’s difficult to see anything other than an away win here. It is important that United concentrate on maintaining the gap to Chelsea by putting in a convincing performance on Saturday against obstinate opponents. Liverpool already made the mistake of underestimating Neil Warnock’s team. The good thing is that United’s starting X1 is known to those looking to change it. That should mean the likes of Heinze, Silvestre, Fletcher and Richardson are fired up to impress.

United should be too strong defensively to offer hope to a team short on goal-scoring confidence. The form of United’s back 5 has been good with clean sheets resulting in goal action at the other end. If United’s football flows the chances will continue to fall to Saha and Rooney. And if that happens not only will United get the result, there is a very good chance of this fixture turning into a rout.

With the tasty clash with Celtic just around the corner Fergie may well select a slightly changed side. Latest news is that Giggs is a doubt after picking up a knock on duty for Wales. The good news is that Rooney, Vidic and Ronaldo all scored on International duty last night.

Probable Team: Van der Saar, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo, Saha, Rooney.

Subs from: Kuszczak, Brown, Heinze, Smith, Richardson, Giggs, Silvestre

Injured: Neville, Solskjaer, Park

Prediction: 0-4 (Scholes 2, Saha, Rooney)

Its goodbye David Jones but is it hello to Giles Barnes?

2006-11-16T13:56:00.000Z

It seems only yesterday that I stated David Jones was under pressure to remain at United. Two unconvincing games later and it appears that the player is all set to agree personal terms on a move to Derby County. The one thing that people have not considered is that United may be using David Jones as a way of getting a deal for Giles Barnes (18). Giles Barnes has already attracted interest from Liverpool and Everton with the clubs willing to go up to over £2m for the signature of the Under 19 England player. I hope this saga is not about waving goodbye but about saying hello to a player with good potential. He's younger and I believe he is better.

Lets not forget David Jones is 22. He is being moved on because of what it takes to break through at United, nothing more. People can go on all they want about David Jones representing a failure of United to bring young players through in recent years but I would point to three things in response:

Firstly, David Jones is 22 and did okay on two loan spells but that’s it. He never was ‘the one’ that many United fans spoke about. I am sure he will carve out a career for himself and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that or anything new about a player not making it at United.

Secondly, becoming first-team at a club like Manchester United is not a simple task, and nor should it ever be. Many more talented players than David Jones have not been able to convince so there is no embarrassment for the player or more importantly anything wrong with the stance of the club. You want the bar to be as high as possible otherwise the club fails to progress. Rooney and Ronaldo are good examples of what it takes. They are two of the finest young players in the world game. As a United fan that is how it should be, the trick is to find the next and be ruthless about it.

Thirdly, no club in the Premiership is producing a steady flow of world-class young players from its local community. It just doesn’t happen like that. Many have opted now to source from abroad and rightly so. You do not run a world-class operation by limiting your resourcing options.

So for those of you worrying that David Jones’ imminent departure represents a failure is without foundation. It simply represents a reality. In fact, I argue that’s exactly the way it should be. Ignore the clichés and think more about the Clichy's. This is not about how many home-grown players a club has. It is about one simple question at a club like Manchester United. Does the player have what it takes to succeed at United? A question I trust Fergie to answer in the next few days. After-all can you think of one young player told to leave United that was a mistake? Quite.

As I said, my only real interest on this issue is to question whether behind the scenes there is deal to bring Giles Barnes to Old Trafford…

Blackburn 0 v United 1

2006-11-13T17:21:00.000Z

This is not yet a renaissance but there are plenty of positives right now for United. The form is good, the results are there and the belief is growing each week. United’s first victory at Ewood Park for over 8 seasons says plenty. The most impressive aspect to be taken from Saturday was the manner of the victory. Not all games will result in the performance and score-line seen against Bolton and it is much to United’s credit that they found away to get the 3 points on Saturday after some clear cut chances had been squandered despite good possession in poor weather conditions. Giggs’ pass to provide for Saha’s 8th goal of the season typified the single-mindedness and will to win that has seemingly returned to United’s game.

The front 6 are playing with a panache not seen so consistently for sometime. The width and pace provided by Giggs and Ronaldo is a joy to watch. Their approach play compliments the games of Rooney and Saha very effectively. With the latter doing all that is required of him this season. It was arguably the biggest ask of the player to date at club level, or, his best opportunity to show what he can do. Either way he is relishing playing each week.

Saturday’s game also showed the strengths United have in defence. Ferdinand and Vidic were commanding when called upon, with their two different styles promising a solid partnership that will do little to give Wes Brown hope of a return to the first team anytime soon – not that he has done much wrong at all. Neville and Evra also did well. Proving once again how able they are to push forward to good effect. The loss of Neville to injury was unfortunate but the good news was that O’Shea quietly took over from where Neville left off. Indeed it was O’Shea’s cross that led to the goal. It is good to see him being used as a fullback, a position he looks more comfortable in and a position where he adds value to the team rather than in midfield, where it can be argued he weakened the team. United’s backline has also been given enormous confidence from Van der Saar, who continues to perform to the standard demanded.

Looking beyond the limitations of a small squad United deserve considerable praise for their start to the season. Fergie must also take credit for his man-management of Cristiano Ronaldo. Everything good about him was on show on Saturday. Time and time again he made Lucas Neil look unsure of his own ability. But what impressed most was the wingers’ acceptance of the inevitable punishment dished out. The challenge from Tugay was a disgrace. Clearly beaten for pace he made a deliberate foul on Ronaldo’s thigh with his studs in front of an incensed Ferguson. To see Ronaldo get up and carry on was as pleasurable as seeing his wonderful low cross into the six yard box which begged for a finish from Rooney, only for the chance to be strangely squandered.

The must now is for United to take all three points against Sheffield United before facing Chelsea. Today, Fergie is able to talk of United having a chance of the title. Strengthening the squad in January with one or possibly two signing should ensure that chance becomes a better one as the games move into the business end of the season.

Player Ratings:

Van der Saar – Brave and commanding when called upon. 7/10
Neville – Failed to make it for the second half due to injury. 6/10
Ferdinand – Composed at the back and was able to read some smart turns with ease. 7/10
Vidic – Another no nonsense display with some well-timed challenges. 7/10
Evra – Got forward well and also stuck to his defensive duties well 7/10
Ronaldo – Carried the ball excellently down the wing and caused Blackburn problems all evening. 8/10
Carrick – Ticked things over effectively and is getting forward more to link attacks too. 7/10
Scholes – Clever in possession as always 7/10
Giggs – Wonderful assist and good overall play 8/10
Rooney – Wasted two glorious chances but his overall play was good. 6/10
Saha – Was a handful all night and had good earlier chances on target before finding the winner. 8/10

Man of the match:
Arguably Ronaldo, but I am going to give it to Louis Saha for a good goal and very good individual performance.

Always Coca-Cola

2006-11-10T15:29:00.000Z

As Alan Smith mulls over the taste of Coca-Cola, United supporters up and down the land are questioning the logic of such a move. There is clearly two ways to interpret this news.

Firstly, Fergie wants his player to get game-time and knows that with United out of the Carling Cup such an opportunity could help a player get back to his best.

Secondly, Fergie wants to begin to distance the player from the club in a way that takes supporters minds out of their emotive state, stimulated by his injury, to begin to question the players ability in a way that makes an impending departure easier to accept.

You can’t ignore the fact that Smith has recently come back ahead of schedule from a nasty injury and that he needs first team action. It can also be argued that competitive football is the answer for his ongoing rehabilitation particularly as reserve football is too far removed from the ‘real thing’.

However, one could point to the fact that Solskjaer battled back from a two-year injury without going on loan and came back to play reserve football and then to play and score for the first team in Premiership and Champions League matches, albeit to pick up another injury recently. Some might also point out to Smith that Liam Miller also went out on loan to the same division to only then leave the club.

People keep banging on about the attitude of Alan Smith but for me that just being nice. It’s a bit like describing an ugly chick as having a nice personality. We all know what it means. Smith isn’t good enough. When I was first told he was linked to the club I said he was crap and there has been little to date to change my mind. You can’t help but be shocked that he comes at a cost of £1m per premiership goal since joining United.

Looking back over his 52 league appearances (15 as sub) I can only remember games he failed to shine rather than those where he did. He had a decent pre-season in the States a year ago but hey, so what. I remember a game he played upfront for United against Norwich, which we lost. He was about as mobile then as he was when he broke his leg. It truly was shocking. The play passed him by too easily.

Smith is very much still United’s player and perhaps Fergie sees something I don’t despite me trying to concentrate on the positives. Perhaps if I say really committed three times whilst looking in the mirror he may suddenly become Mark Hughes 2. However, in my mind he is destined to play football away from the club, arguably Middlesbrough (exchange for Yakubu?!) or Newcastle (Come back Rossi?) It’s clear that at United he lacks too much. Next to Rooney and Saha his lack of pace, ability, movement and skill are made to be glaringly obvious. It might just be Cardiff or Leeds for a reason.

Anyway, as he battles back from injury I fear he may now realise that football is a tough sport but it is an even tougher business, particularly at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Freddie Adu will have a trial at Old Trafford. It is unclear whether Nike or Fergie is behind this. Meanwhile, another player Chinedu ‘Edu’ Ogbuke has been strongly linked with a move to the Premiership. Apparently, Lyn, his club have confirmed a major offer for the player. Edu’s agent is John Shittu, the man at the centre of Obi Mikel saga, which makes you wonder whether United would be prepared to even consider such an approach. Edu is also very strongly linked to Arsenal and with a number of Nigerian young players having trialled at Chelsea, with an agreement rumoured to have been put in place, they can’t be ignored.

Blackburn v United - A preview

2006-11-09T16:52:00.000Z

It would surprise me if United failed to respond to their Carling Cup defeat. SAF will demand a performance and it’s impossible to see anything other than Saha, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs and Van der Saar all back in the starting X1.

Blackburn did the double over United last season, incredibly putting 4 goals past United in the same fixture last season. And although United got a measure of revenge by knocking Blackburn out of the Carling Cup last season, the two defeats in the premiership still remain sore points.

Blackburn last won in the Premiership on the 1st October. Since that win over Wigan they have lost to Bolton, drawn with Liverpool, lost to West Ham and Aston Villa despite winning in Europe. With a number of injuries Mark Hughes appears to be facing the problem of getting results domestically when the lure of Europe is around his dressing room.

The key to United getting all 3 points will come from Carrick and Scholes pulling the strings in the middle. I have a strange feeling Carrick may just score too….

Probable team: Van der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Saha

Subs: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Smith, Heinze, Brown, Silvestre, Richardson, D Jones

Prediction: 0-2 (Saha, Carrick)

Southend 1 v United 0

2006-11-08T12:41:00.000Z

Southend 1 v United 0

United were dumped out of the Carling Cup at Roots Hall. Memories of thrashing Wigan last summer were ended by a freekick of quality. For most United fans I suspect that this was more than just a cup shock. For me, it was a reminder of the warning sign that lies beneath the surface. Despite the good results and good form shown so far this season the warning reappears, getting stronger each time. From Arsenal to FC Copenhagen to Southend. What next? A pub team? Some journalists decided to point out that United have lost each of the 3 defeats by a 0-1 scoreline. Although you can’t argue against the stat there appears little point to it, i.e. there is no obvious correlation. You can’t bracket all three teams as being ‘too-good for United’ as each are very different and when you consider Arsenal to Southend they are miles apart in terms of quality. Nor is it a lack of confidence in front of goal, as United have been scoring at will so far this season from many different sources and again had enough shots on goal last night to get a result. And it isn’t systems either. So the question remains, is United’s first team squad too small and too short of quality? And if the answer is yes, should we panic?

Fergie himself pushed the ‘calm’ button on the back of last nights result claiming that there will be no ‘mass suicides or sackings’ despite the humbling result. He also stated that maybe a few of the players will be ‘a little bit embarrassed’. Somehow I doubt those were anywhere near the words he used when he reportedly locked the players in the dressing room. Personally, I always believe some good comes out of defeats. They are (without seeking to be too dramatic) the making of players, and in the managers eyes the end of players, not now but maybe in the summer.

I would have loved to know what Roy Keane would have said if asked to play the pundit on last night's result. However, tearing the team apart is sometimes less useful than allowing the result to do the damage. Yes the riot act should be read out. However, United need to keep the players together and push on for the remainder of the season.

United’s small squad must re-group and focus – but it does need to be strengthened in key areas. United are still in need of two central midfielders, a winger and a centre forward. Owen Hargreaves is on most Untied fans Christmas list but I believe another player of midfield quality is required. It must be a player that has a real presence in the centre of the park, who is good enough to fight for their right to play and good enough to represent United when called on. The test is always in the away dressing room, i.e. do they fear the team sheet enough to know they are facing United.

Currently, David Jones and Richie Jones are both falling short of the requirement. They are both purposeful rather than special. Darron Gibson has obvious potential but I believe there is a big gap between him and the likes of Carrick and Scholes than needs filling now. Fletcher does it for Scotland and is a good first team squad player but I would still add, even if we get Hargreaves. Reo-Coker would add some forward drive but more on him and others in the future.

United also need more options on the wings. Ronaldo, Giggs and Park are all very good options. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to defend Richardson as good enough for United, let alone call for his inclusion to the first team. Talk of his potential is no longer acceptable. I sense Fergie may agree in the summer. Lee Martin looks an exciting option but again we need someone for now. Lennon is the talk of the town right now and rightly so. He would certainly have United fans up on their feet during games should he be looking a new home, rather than just improved terms. Pedersen remains a decent player for Blackburn and Downing would no doubt improve at United and although neither has the 'wow' factor they should not over-looked. Bastian Schweinsteiger is also useful, but again more on individuals in the future.

Lastly, United need another striker. Rossi has potential but training grounds and reserve matches are a long way off from the real thing. His time at Newcastle is useful and will improve him, particularly as he is outside the comfort zone of compliments paid to him from within the United squad. However, United need another player that will add something the current quartet lacks. Solsksjaer is an excellent finisher but sadly cannot be deemed to be the future anymore. Other answers must be found. Next up, Alan Smith. A clear crowd favourite for his no-nonsense displays and ‘give all to the cause’ attitude but I question (and I appreciate he is still coming back from injury) how long fans will continue to cheer when goals and something extra is needed upfront to turn games United's way. Smith could prove me wrong and could prove to be the 'new Mark Hughes for United', something I would welcome. Smith is also a good person to have at the club but let us not forget that United will always rise above such sentiments in order to ensure success.

So while the Cup tells us something we already knew and hoped was wrong, it is clear that Sir Alex has plenty to do at the club to keep him motivated beyond his 20 years, and that is still very much worth celebrating.

United 3 v Portsmouth 0

2006-11-06T17:14:00.000Z

Fergie was able to take his new seat at Old Trafford with some ease on Saturday. Able to field arguably his best current X1, he had the look of a man that only had to sit back, press play and watch his favourite show in his Theatre of Dreams.

The fact that the media had concentrated so much on Fergie’s 20 years at Old Trafford was perhaps fortunate, as it took the media’s usually predatory eyes away from Rooney’s dive to win a penalty. You can dress it up as going down easily under a challenge if it helps you keep faith, but it was a dive, pure and simple.

Saha stepped up to bury the chance from 12 yards with confidence and duly dispatched his effort past the diving David James.

United continued to play decent flowing football without hitting the heights shown at Bolton a week earlier. Gary Neville took every opportunity to show just how good he is at getting forward and just how bad he is at finishing. It is not a criticism. It isn’t his job. It did however provide an amusing sub-plot to the game with David James continuously provide the saves needed to remind his of his fullback status.

James, who did well throughout, was undone by a freekick from Ronaldo, who managed to connect with the ball in a way that ensures both speed and accuracy are maximised. It truly was a great effort and went some way to answering the question over his status as United’s main freekick taker. I am sure Fergie will be on at him to repeat it more often.

United’s third goal came shortly after a good spell from the visitors, who rather curiously left Kanu on the bench, a move which almost suggested they knew it was not their day to claim. With Neville turning provider, Vidic climbed unchallenged in the area to head past James to secure any doubts that this was United’s day.

Good performances from every United player meant United went 3 points clear at the top of the table. Over to you Chelsea.

Ratings: Van der Saar 7, Neville 8, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 8, Evra 7. Ronaldo 7, Carrick 7, Scholes 7, Giggs 8, Saha 8, Rooney 7.

Southend v United - A preview

2006-11-06T14:43:00.000Z

It is difficult to get too excited about this match. Yes it’s a cup game by the seaside but I doubt a sandstorm will be blowing for United’s visit. No doubt, Southend will give it a go tomorrow but I can’t seem them providing any real threat to United. They are currently rooted to the bottom of the Coca-Cola league and morale is, fittingly for a seaside team, rock bottom. People will spit out the line that cup games are different but that’s just nonsense in my view. United will only struggle if the players selected don’t respond to the task in hand, something sadly evident against Crewe. I don’t expect a repeat and I doubt the Coach journey will be as relaxed on the way to the game. Fergie will be determined to keep United’s winning run and form going, despite the team changing around a bit. We are unlikely to witness too many young players tonight, as too many of the first team squad players need a game. And with a lot of players (Rossi, Bardsley, Martin, Evans etc) out on loan it will mean another chance for Richardson et al to prove they can conjure up a fitting reminder to the first X1. Personally, I doubt Giggs will worry….

Giggs, Neville, Scholes and Van der Saar look set to be rested. I would rest Saha too. Rumours are that Rooney and Ronaldo will be on the bench. The loss of Solskjaer is a blow but it will give Smith another game, which he badly needs and could, if Fergie is bold enough, offer the chance to unveil Fabian Brandy to those that don’t him.

Probable team: Kuszczak, Gray, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Fletcher, O’Shea, D Jones, Richardson, Smith, Saha

Subs from: Heaton, Lee, Carrick, Rooney, Ronaldo, Shawcross, Evra, Barnes, Burns, Brandy

Score: 0-3 (Heinze, Richardson, Jones)

FC Copenhagen 1 v United 0

2006-11-02T13:21:00.000Z

Listening to Fergie try and explain the defeat last night I was reminded of the Radiohead lyric: He buzzes like a fridge, he’s like a detuned radio. To be fair it is an awful thing to have to try and explain a performance like that, particularly without any serious time permitted for reflection or preparation, but his defence of the team was as unconvincing as the marking that led to goal.

Congratulations must also go to FC Copenhagen, who after all played on the same pitch in the same temperature (has Manchester relocated to South America?) as United. However, the temperature and the pitch are reasons for defeat. They are factors but factors that must be overcome to win.

I also fail to see the logic of continuing to use John O’Shea as anything other than an emergency midfielder. There was no emergency last night. O’Shea is a good defender with an ability to play in midfield but not the ability needed for United. What I don’t get is this. Paul Scholes was fit. Carrick was fit. Fletcher was fit. David Jones was fit. So you have 4 central midfielders available. Why even consider O’Shea?

I may now myself be in danger of being arrested by the Karma Police, so to balance things out let us look at some positives. Solskjaer’s injury is nothing more serious than a hamstring. Anything more is pushing it….

FC Copenhagen v United – A preview

2006-11-01T13:12:00.000Z

United travel without Giggs, Saha and Neville thus opening up the opportunity for Wayne Rooney to take the captain’s armband. A proud Wayne Rooney will lead out a changed line-up to face a side that showed glimpses of talent at Old Trafford that should not go ignored.

Wes Brown has been tipped to start at right back, with Heinze coming in for Evra, Solskjaer coming in for Saha and possibly O’Shea coming into midfield. The Guardian predicts a 4-3-3 formation. Strange when you consider how outspoken they have been about the failings of that system for United. I expect 4-4-2.

One of the strong calls has been for Fergie to give Smith more game time – judging for the Carling Cup game he clearly does need it. However, I don’t think he needs more than a subs performance right now and Solskjaer’s form means he deserves to start. The other talk has been of O’Shea coming into midfield to rest Scholes, which begs the question: How should United start this game? Do you go into it with those available from the impressive result against Bolton or do you ring the changes more widely to provide game-time for those waiting their chance. On the issue of whether to play or rest Scholes, I would play Scholes. United will need to turn in a professional and assured performance tonight. Key to that will be controlling the game. If United can do that and get on top then changes can be made and legs can be rested.

As an outside bet, I just wonder whether Fergie will offer Kuszczak a taste of away games in the Champions League. Long odds but these chances are few and far between in this competition.

Probable line-up: Van der Saar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick, Ronaldo, Solskjaer, Rooney.

Subs from: Kuszczak, Evra, Silvestre, Lee, Smith, Richardson, O’Shea

Prediction: 0-2 (Rooney, Solskjaer)

Bolton 0 v United 4

2006-10-30T12:41:00.000Z

Watching Bolton try and contain United on Saturday reminded me of the line, ‘you can’t hit what your eyes don’t see’. It was the movement, pace and skill of United’s attacking play that simply left Bolton exposed as a bare-knuckle fighter trying to land one of a professional heavyweight who was light on his feet with a punch too quick to know its origins let alone block it.

This blog previously called for United to play with both Giggs and Ronadlo alongside Scholes and Carrick. Thankfully it happened on Saturday and boy did it pay dividends. United excelled. The opening 20 minutes was an exhibition of football not seen for some time. Even Alan Hansen was purring on Saturday night.

Yes the papers were full of praise for Rooney. Yes he scored 3 good goals but there were more positives than that on show, afterall the form of Rooney was never a question worth posing. Giggs is relishing each game and still giving fullbacks days to forget. Scholes and Carrick are both supplying passes that penetrate or retain possession in a way that compliments our style of play and keeps the tempo up. Ronaldo's speed and movement adds so much to our attacks and Saha, now free of injury, is excelling as a result of playing each game. He always had the ability, now he has the stage every-week.

Van der Saar was commanding, and the back four was very strong defensively, with both Neville and Evra able to support attacking moves in a way that helped lay continuous siege on Bolton’s goal. All in all this was an excellent display, it’s just a shame it was wasted on Bolton…

Bolton v Man United - A preview

2006-10-27T11:45:00.000+01:00

The first game of the season saw Bolton lose 2-0 away at Charlton. Since then Sam’s men have climbed the table with wins over Watford, Liverpool, Portsmouth Newcastle and Blackburn and a draw against Middlesbrough. This constitutes Bolton’s best ever start to a premiership season. Presently sitting 3rd also means this is a top 3 encounter. Yes, really.

Bolton owe their current good run mainly to the excellent form of Jussi Jaaskalainen, a quality keeper that will no doubt prove hard to beat. Bolton do not average that many shots on goal per game, in contrast to United. Their supply to the front men will also be weakened by the absence of Kevin Nolan, who is suspended. In contrast, United are delighting in Paul Scholes’ form. In fact I expect there to be a few match-ups that will swing the result United’s way. I expect Ronaldo to come back in to the starting X1, with Giggs possibly rested for the trip to Denmark, although the brave option would be to deploy both Ronaldo and Giggs on the wings. I expect to see the very best of Ronaldo tomorrow, he debuted against Bolton with an amazing display of trickery, craft and pace and he seems to enjoy playing against them. He should be hungry after missing out on against Liverpool. I also expect Saha’s powerful runs to open gaps for Rooney to exploit.

Last season saw United pick up all 3 points with goals in this fixture from Saha and Van Nistelrooy. In fact, United have not lost to Bolton at the Reebok in the Premiership and I don’t see anything other than an away win on Saturday.

Probable line-up:
Van der Saar: Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra: Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo, Saha, Rooney

Subs from: Kuszczak, Brown, Giggs, Solskjaer, Heinze, Smith, Richardson, Silvestre, O’Shea

Injured: Park

Prediction: 0-2
Rooney, Ronaldo

Crewe 1 v United 2 (aet)

2006-10-26T14:05:00.000+01:00

Crewe’s attacking style gave United one hell of a game, which as it happens is the best thing that could have happened. For those in the United side needing competitive football or those trying to make their names it was exactly the type of game to see who has the character as well as the ability to succeed. You can’t make a final decision based on one game but you couldn’t help but notice that too many players for United failed to sparkle. Those guilty of not taking their chance were D Jones, R Jones, Gray, Marsh and Barnes. You don’t get too many chances at this club so you need to do something to stand out. Lee did exactly that by coming on and making a name for himself. Shawcross also did well and Kuszazck was again impressive. The question for the others is have they done enough to earn a starting spot against Southend?

Kuszczak is a very good goalkeeper that has both the ability and hunger to succeed at United. He pulled off a number of good quality saves when his defence were doing a good impression of the Maginot line. 7/10

Gray: A reasonable performance but Bardsley is some way ahead of him in the queue of right backs. 6/10

Brown: Should have led by example and was given the run around too often for a player of his experience and ability 5/10

Silvestre: Back 3 weeks early and it told. 5/10

Heinze: Reasonable and great to see him back. 6/10

Marsh: Didn’t do enough to start against Southend. 5/10

D Jones: Okay first half but not the performance expected. May just have done enough to start in the next round. 6/10

R Jones: Determination took him through to set up Solksjaer for the opening goal but otherwise it was not a memorable night. 5/10

Richardson: Some good runs and nice turn of pace but should have finished the game off for United when through on goal. Needs to do more in a game over 90 minutes to progress 5/10

Smith: Good pass to set up Lee’s winner. However, he is a long way short of having an impact in the Premiership. 5/10

Solksjaer: Nicely taken goal and looked sharp. In truth he was let down by others around him. 7/10

Subs:
Lee: Great goal and rightfully earned the praise of his manager. 7/10
Shawcross: Assured under pressure. 6/10
Barnes: No impact, except for his injury and got the hair-dryer treatment. 4/10

Loan Players – The good, the bad and the pointless

2006-10-25T14:46:00.000+01:00

I was interested to read the recent comments of Sylvan Ebankes-Blake, now playing for Plymouth Argyle. When talking about his time at United he let slip that the players joked that a player’s time was up once they came back from loan from Belgium. Although this was true in his case and was obviously an in-house joke it made me wonder about the merits and futures of those players we have been sending out on loan. Recent United gossip columns have been saying that Fergie is unsure over the future of David Jones. He’s back at United, but there clearly is an issue now on how best to use him. He has been on loan to Preston and abroad. So what next??

But is it only David Jones? And how does Sir Alex juggle the pressure being applied by young players in the squad. A cynic might point out that it wasn’t a problem for Ronaldo and Rooney to find a space in the first X1. So is it really a question of loan spells and maturity or is just a simple ‘they’re not good enough”?

Players probably do develop at different rates and different times – it stands to reason, as individuals are just that. And yes, Rooney and Ronaldo are exceptionally gifted as players, although there is no guarantee that they will be as good as they are now when they reach 30. They should be, but there is no guarantee.

So who are the younger players (21 and under) on loan and what chance do they have of making into United’s first team? Again, I can provide no guarantee and in many ways wish to be proved wrong.

Name: C Eagles
Age: 20
At: NEC Nijmegen
Yes or No: No
Comment: I doubt his time at Watford will have helped his CV. He has talent but has yet to stand out as a vital player.

Name: L Martin
Age: 19
At: Rangers
Yes or No:Yes
Comment: I believe this guy has real promise and being sent to Rangers (he’s currently injured) will do him the world of good.

Name: P Bardsley
Age: 20
At: Rangers
Yes or No: Yes
Comment: I believe he could play as Neville’s understudy now.

Name: G Pique
Age: 19
At: Real Zaragoza
Yes or no: No
Comment: The option to buy on his loan spell may be telling. However, the guy could be a regular but will those Spanish skies become too enticing?

Name: J Evans
Age: 18
At: R Antwerp
Yes or No: Yes
Comment: No question here. Probably the best bet to make a back-four position his-own in due course

Name: G Rossi
Age: 19
At: Newcastle
Yes or No: Yes
Comment: His instinct to find the back of the net is a precious commodity. I believe he should get more chances this season in the English Cups.

Name: D Gibson
Age: 19
At: R Antwerp
Yes or No: Yes
Comment: He is highly thought of but central midfield is one of the hardest positions to fill. It will take time.

Name: D Simpson
Age: 19
At: R Antwerp
Yes or No: Yes
Comment: Fullbacks need aggression, pace and good control. He has all that and we are not blessed with natural fullbacks so expect him to get a few chances next season in cup games.

Name: F Campbell
Age: 19
At: R Antwerp
Yes or No: No
Comment: Scores plenty and has pace but reports are he may just fall short of the grade

Name: D Fangzhou
Age: 21
At: Royal Antwerp
Yes or No: No
Comment: His pace and movement are pleasing but his work permit vs country issue may mean another year passes him by.

Name: M Soulyemane
Age: 19
At: Royal Antwerp
Yes or No: No

Comment: Reports are okay but he could do with a spell on loan in the UK to appreciate the different challenge faced in the Premiership and English football.

Crewe v United – A preview

2006-10-25T12:48:00.000+01:00

Tonight will see United take on Crewe in the 3rd round of the Carling Cup. As the holders it is important that United field a decent side, with one eye on giving some players some first team action. Of interest tonight will be the form of David Jones. Yes Alan Smith will make his long awaited start tonight upfront and yes, there are a number of others, particularly Aaron Burns who could make a name for themselves if used from the bench. However, it’s David Jones that has promised to break-through from the Reserves for a while now.

This summer the player himself pleaded for his chance at OT. Words that obviously were heard by Fergie, who himself has hinted at more of a role for the want to be United midfielder. We know from both Jones’ loans spells that he is a good player. The question is, is he United good? To find out he needs take his chance by putting in a performance that makes him stand out. It is that simple. Get the fans on your side and impress the boss.

Both domestic cups offer the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that he can make it. With his 22nd birthday just around the corner it is arguably make or break for him at OT. Lets put him into perspective. He is a year older than Rooney, six months older than Ronaldo, a couple of weeks younger than Kieran Richardson and eight months younger than Darren Fletcher. And lets not forget behind him in the ranks are Ritchie Jones, Darron Gibson and Floribert Ngalula. So its clear, he must take his chance this season. With United’s central midfield ripe for competition he will never have a better chance.

Recent games have seen O’Shea deployed as a right back again. Smith has gone back up front and Fletcher continues to toil away at right midfield. All this means that there is definitely a place up for grabs now, especially as buying Hargreaves in January remains a want rather than a done deal.

So tonight will give him the chance he asked for this summer. So it’s over to you David….

Probable side: Kuszczak; O’Shea; Brown; Silvestre; Heinze; D Jones; Fletcher; R Jones; Richardson; Solskjaer; Smith

Subs from: Heaton; Shawcross; Burns; Gray; Marsh

United 2 vs Liverpool 0

2006-10-24T15:34:00.000+01:00

Liverpool’s challenge lasted only slightly longer than the time spent by Paul Scholes at his pre-match ceremony. People, led by the press, are now pointing out the failings of Liverpool but few are concentrating on the quiet efficiency with which United re-took top spot on Sunday. No matter, as United talked too much last season and achieved too little. This season the quiet approach is the right approach. Many will point to the deficiencies of the Liverpool performance and some will go down the road of attacking Benitez’s rotation policy. Personally, I don’t care. I care that United did a number of things well on Sunday.

Firstly, United’s midfield operated as a well-balanced 4-4-2. Lets not forget the more recent fixtures against Liverpool have often seen Rooney deployed on the left of a 4-5-1 system that also used Keane as a holding midfielder. That system seemed to be chosen due to a lack of faith in United’s central midfield. Enter, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher. The selection of Fletcher worried me (but not for the reason it worries most United fans). In my pre-match talk I had talked about the need to dominate the wings. However, on form the selection of Fletcher was justified. Ronaldo was creative, exciting but ultimately wasteful against FC Copenhagen whereas Fletcher has been displaying more of the qualities he has as well showing more maturity. He has obviously benefited from the guidance of Fergie but also more recently from Craig Brown when playing for Scotland.

United took time to settle against Liverpool but once they did they seized the initiative. Fletcher was more combative than creative but he set the tone for a series of strong tackles on Liverpool that seemed to shake their confidence and lifted the home crowd. His combative approach was ably supported by the fluency and guile provided by Carrick and Scholes. On the wing, Giggs carried the danger to Liverpool with some fine runs that were less speedy and more sensible in approach.

Upfront Rooney was purposeful and proved a handful all game without really providing a direct goal threat. He almost took a wonderful lifted pass from Carrick in his stride but a difficult opportunity to take was not taken and Liverpool cleared the danger. Fletcher muscled his way down the right side, rebounding of challenges to find himself hunting down a 50/50 with Reina. His eagerness told, as the ball came loose and found its way towards Liverpool’s goal only for some fortuitous defending to result in the score staying 0-0.

The breakthrough came from the wing as predicted. And as predicted it was Scholes that appeared in acres of space from a well placed cross from Giggs to hit the back of Liverpool’s net. Reina’s save from Scholes’ side-footed effort merely slowed down the inevitable, as Scholes extended his leg to finish off the move.

Saha spent most of the first half showing a mixture of strength and skill by collecting and then turning his markers on a number of occasions. He was only stopped by a foul from Sissoko. Yet, he managed to find some space later in the first half to test the abilities of Reina with a powerful low shot that was destined to result in celebration until the hand of Reina intervened. It was a great save.

The second half was more surprising as most expected to witness Liverpool really attack, after all they needed the win. However, what we witnessed was a rather flat performance from both sides which was only really lifted by a very memorable goal from Rio Ferdinand. A clever right footed cross from Giggs was well taken by the big defender who turned inside on to his left foot, leaving Riise too stretched to intervene, and unleashed a cracking drive into the top corner of the net beyond Reina. It was a goal for the cameras and one that meant the 3 points were United’s.

3 pleasing points: The attacking ability of Evra; the continued good form of Fletcher; and 3 points needed and taken to restore our position at the top of the table.

3 concerns: The occasional slip and space afforded to a sole striker; the speed of and accuracy of our passing needed to last for longer spells; and, knowing Scholes can’t play another 500 games!

Man United v Liverpool – A preview

2006-10-20T11:47:00.000+01:00

Last season saw all three points go to United courtesy of a dramatic and well-taken header from Rio Ferdinand. Lets be honest, the last few encounters have been tense rather than top drawer.

United will go into this game in confident mood. With 17 goals scored already should provide the platform for a good attacking performance. A straight 4-4-2 must be used to ensure United attack down the wings, with the fullbacks pushing on to Liverpool’s wide men to prevent crosses. If United can control the flanks they will win the game.

If Giggs and Ronaldo supply, Saha and Rooney will do the rest. Oh and watch out for a certain Paul Scholes, as without the departed Hamman and the injured Sissoko Liverpool will provide less cover in that important space that both Rooney and Scholes are lethal at exploiting.

Probable line up:
Van der saar, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

Subs from: Fletcher, Smith, Solskjaer, Heinze, Kuszczak, Brown, O’Shea, D Jones

Injured: Park Ji Sung, Silvestre

Prediction:
United 2 vs Liverpool 0
ScholesGiggs

One to watch
Paul Scholes (500 games and counting)

Champions League: United 3 vs FC Copenhagen 0

2006-10-18T15:51:00.000+01:00

This game was not the game to make too many conclusions on the overall form and future of this United squad. It was however an opportunity for fans and critics to cast an eye over the team without Rio, Giggs, Neville, Silvestre and Heinze against a team that surprised Ajax. Unsurprisingly the majority of pre-match punditry centred on Wayne Rooney. This obsessive past-time was more tiresome than telling. The fact that Rooney was made captain was no surprise and to be honest, not really an issue either. No one doubts the selection and no one should doubt the man himself.

It was a pleasing victory and winning three games in a row in the Champions League should not be under-estimated. Fergie, his team and the players have done well. This is a significant improvement on last season.

Carrick and Scholes are an improvement on the pairings of last season too. For all of the calls for Carrick to dominate proceedings from those who presumably see Carrick as a different player to the one I know, I would urge them to acknowledge the impressive passing and composure he brings to the centre of midfield, particularly when placed alongside Paul Scholes. In a time where the slightest touch draws a foul and the threat of yellow or red, is it not useful to have a player who breaks up play without violent conduct at the forefront of his game? His passing is simply excellent and effective. Had Fletch not actually intercepted a ball for Rooney in the second half, the boy wonder may have actually got the goal he craved. For all the talk of Rooney’s ‘miss’ when he brought down the ball to then lob the keeper only to be thwarted by a last ditch headed clearance, there was no mention of the immaculate ball provided by Carrick. Oh and the deft touch that set up Paul Scholes to round the keeper, only to be fouled in the penalty area by the keeper was provided by, guess who, Carrick. This is said not to overstate Carrick. We still need Hargreaves. But I want to tip the balance away from those that seem solely intent on pointing out he is not Roy Keane. Congratulations. He isn’t, so let it go.

Below are my player ratings:

Van der Saar: 7/10. You don’t need to be used every minute to earn praise. His ability to concentrate for the whole 90 minutes already makes the memories of the Great Dane’s departure a lot less painful.

O’Shea: 6/10: Passing was at times sloppy but he moves around team positions more often than any other player, so it will take a run of games to judge him as a right back.

Evra: 7/10. His movement, engine, enthusiasm and pace are all crowd-pleasing. His touch is a good one for a defender too. This guy is starting to look the part.

Vidic: 6/10. Is Steve Bruce back with us? Hard tackling performance mixed in with a few moments of hesitation but generally sound.

Brown: 6/10. He is better than this game showed. No real concerns but Rio brings calmness to the centre that either Brown or Vidic complement. The two together are less assured.

Fletcher: 6/10. Always willing, never wonderful. He isn’t a winger but he is responsible enough to do a job there. He does it well but at times you long for more pace and guile. I sense Fergie will use him as a central midfielder as he gets older.

Paul Scholes: 8/10. He was as inventive as he was intelligent. Good performance and the goal was very timely given Sunday’s game.

Michael Carrick: 7/10. An impressive display of clever and quick passing mixed in with a range of sensible short passes that ensure possession was maintained at a tempo that encouraged attacking football.

Ronaldo: 6/10. End product! His final ball was too poor too often last night. When it works its unstoppable though. Lets hope it works on Sunday.

Rooney: 8/10. Took the responsibility of the armband in his stride. Wonderful passes to Saha showed his all round game is best when unleashed in the centre.

Saha: 6/10. If that first chance had been taken he would have had a different game. His movement and pace remain the best option to complement Rooney. However, it wasn’t his best performance.

Subs:

Smith: 5/10. Looked a bit too off the pace and wasted a gilt edged chance but game time is the only solution.

Richardson: 5/10. Looks bright and full of running as usual. Add to that a CL goal and we should be quietly satisfied he remains a young and gifted, if raw option at United.

Solskjaer: 7/10. For me this guy just oozes class and cunning every time he is on the pitch. He can’t do the defensive work of Fletcher or the out and out speed game of Ronaldo or Giggs but his intelligence and calmness that creates chances for others.