Our fixtures until the end of Jan.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Fair enough, i think you could pick pretty much any two or three from Fletch, Hargo, Carrick and Anderson and have a quality midfield tbh. I kind of agree if we are gonna leave Rooney up on his own we need a regular goalscorer in the midfield 3, though to be honest, i fail to see the need to buy a goalscoring midfielder rather than play Rooney and Berbatov as a forward two given that they both can naturally drop into an attacking midfielders position anyway.

I don't think carrick can play in a midfield 2 as much 06-07 would suggest otherwise. I think rooney, saha and ronaldo's movement pulled the opposition teams so much and the space they created helped carrick a lot ( Along with scholes having one of his best half a season since 02-03 ).

I don't even know why people are mentioning Hargreaves tbh.

If you think he is going to get back to a high standard and playing regularly, you are extremely deluded. I hope I am proved wrong 'cos I think he is a brilliant player, for me he was one of the key men in the 07/08 season, he just has class, he is brilliant in big games and just knows what to do in the big situations in big games.

I think we'd be best off not counting him as part of our plans and not having much hope for him, 'cos if he does manage to come back to a decent level it will be a huge bonus.

I can definitely see Fergie buying a top class young midfielder this summer. I also think Carrick may be sold this summer.

Originally Posted by rafabio

@appletango, if you look it that way milan side of early 00's didn't use to score a lot from midfield. pirlo, gattuso, ambrosini, seedorf etc didn't score too many goals. They like us just had a very good attack and very good defence.

In fact lot of teams that have won champions league and domestic are like that. at the top of my head, I can remember only us ( before 08 ), arsenal, barcelona and real madrid who seemed to get a lot of goals from midfield. And in all 4 cases its the wingers who or attacking midfielders who often played like supporting strikers who contributed a lot to these goals like giggs, ronaldo, beckham, figo, zidane, scholes, iniesta, messi.

The Milan side effectively played 3 up front though with Kaka behind two of Shevchenko/Inzaghi/Crespo/ Ronaldo etc. Seedorf regularly chipped in with 6 or 7 goals to.

If you look at the last ten sides to of won the champions league pretty much everyone of them has goals coming from midfield.

Barcelona - Messi, Iniesta
United - Ronaldo
Milan - Kaka, Seedorf
Barcelona - Ronaldinho, Messi
Liverpool - Gerrard
Porto - Deco
Madrid - Zidane, Figo
Bayern - Scholl
Madrid - Figo, Zidane
United - Scholes, Beckham, Giggs

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

I don't even know why people are mentioning Hargreaves tbh.
If you think he is going to get back to a high standard and playing regularly, you are extremely deluded. I hope I am proved wrong 'cos I think he is a brilliant player, for me he was one of the key men in the 07/08 season, he just has class, he is brilliant in big games and just knows what to do in the big situations in big games.

I think we'd be best off not counting him as part of our plans and not having much hope for him, 'cos if he does manage to come back to a decent level it will be a huge bonus.

I can definitely see Fergie buying a top class young midfielder this summer. I also think Carrick may be sold this summer.

Because he's responded well to the treatment and he's on the road to recovery, training well and expected to be back in contention before Xmas.

Feel free to write him off, I think he'll come back pretty strong.

Originally Posted by Appletango

The Milan side effectively played 3 up front though with Kaka behind two of Shevchenko/Inzaghi/Crespo/ Ronaldo etc. Seedorf regularly chipped in with 6 or 7 goals to.

If you look at the last ten sides to of won the champions league pretty much everyone of them has goals coming from midfield.

Barcelona - Messi, Iniesta
United - Ronaldo
Milan - Kaka, Seedorf
Barcelona - Ronaldinho, Messi
Liverpool - Gerrard
Porto - Deco
Madrid - Zidane, Figo
Bayern - Scholl
Madrid - Figo, Zidane
United - Scholes, Beckham, Giggs

Not that year. point taken thogh

Originally Posted by wiganste

Because he's responded well to the treatment and he's on the road to recovery, training well and expected to be back in contention before Xmas.

United are bound to tell us that though.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

United are bound to tell us that though.

Some people just prefer to err on the hopeful side I s'pose.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

United are bound to tell us that though.

Of course but I can't see them telling porkies about it really. It's not as if his impending return has influenced the season ticket sales.

Listening to the interviews he has given, he seems very positive about how well the ops went, how his rehabilitation is going/has gone and the prospect of playing in the first team again. Also, with the tendintis cleared, he should be ok to play 2 in a week (when fit obviously) rather than the play one, sit one out we became used to.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Some people just prefer to err on the hopeful side I s'pose.

That's my point, the it's more likely he won't come back at the level he was, so it's best to stop talking like we're suddenly going to have a top midfielder again so anything he does give is a bonus.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

That's my point, the it's more likely he won't come back at the level he was, so it's best to stop talking like we're suddenly going to have a top midfielder again so anything he does give is a bonus.

Really it makes no odds how people talk about him, if some want to be very positive abouit his return, doesn't affect him or anyone else, just a personal choice innit.

Maybe this goalscoring midfielder we need is right under our noses, Wayne Rooney....always wants to track back, cracking shot on him, strong, can pass.

Easier to buy a striker than it would be a good goalscoring midfielder

Originally Posted by ScholesScoresGoals2

Maybe this goalscoring midfielder we need is right under our noses, Wayne Rooney....always wants to track back, cracking shot on him, strong, can pass.

Easier to buy a striker than it would be a good goalscoring midfielder

Or, I dunno, we could play Berbatov? He's been in excellent form so far this season.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Or, I dunno, we could play Berbatov? He's been in excellent form so far this season.

You're the biggest Berbatov backer on here. I like the man, but can you honestly say you are utterly convinced by him.

Oh and to SSG2, Rooney showed against Spurs and Chelsea what his best position is. Up top, simple as that.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Or, I dunno, we could play Berbatov? He's been in excellent form so far this season.

In Midfield or as the front man?

My ideal team would be (if all fit and available)

VDS
Rafael
Vidic
Rio
Evra

Hargreaves
Fletcher

Valencia
Rooney
Giggs

Berbatov

I'm really not convinced with 442, we seem to get over run and the play is not as smooth.

Originally Posted by ScholesScoresGoals2

Maybe this goalscoring midfielder we need is right under our noses, Wayne Rooney....always wants to track back, cracking shot on him, strong, can pass.

Easier to buy a striker than it would be a good goalscoring midfielder

I wouldn't mind seeing something like

Fletcher Carrick Anderson

Rooney

Berba Owen

Then buy a top class forward in January to relegate Owen back to the bench. Evra and Neville/Rafael as maurading full backs. Looks good on paper anyway.

Originally Posted by Fatboy Shrek

You're the biggest Berbatov backer on here. I like the man, but can you honestly say you are utterly convinced by him.

Oh and to SSG2, Rooney showed against Spurs and Chelsea what his best position is. Up top, simple as that.

I only said we could play him, he has played rather well so far this season. Is it a bad thing to back Berbatov, it seemed almost like an accusation.

Originally Posted by ScholesScoresGoals2

In Midfield or as the front man?

My ideal team would be (if all fit and available)

VDS
Rafael
Vidic
Rio
Evra

Hargreaves
Fletcher

Valencia
Rooney
Giggs

Berbatov

I'm really not convinced with 442, we seem to get over run and the play is not as smooth.

I don't think it necassarily has to be a rigid "one or the other". Rooney and Berbatov both drop deep into a more attacking midfield position naturally at times so it can be as you suggest but they can also both push on at times.

Originally Posted by Appletango

I wouldn't mind seeing something like

Fletcher Carrick Anderson

Rooney

Berba Owen

Then buy a top class forward in January to relegate Owen back to the bench. Evra and Neville/Rafael as maurading full backs. Looks good on paper anyway.

You seem to be forgetting that we have no money. Money is a key element when signing top class forwards.

Originally Posted by wiganste

You seem to be forgetting that we have no money. Money is a key element when signing top class forwards.

Deep down I know you are right but I still have a glimmer of hope that a Ribery, Villa, Aguero will arrive

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

I only said we could play him, he has played rather well so far this season. Is it a bad thing to back Berbatov, it seemed almost like an accusation.

If it did, my apologies. The man is a very gifted player and i am disappointed each an every time his name isn't on the team sheet. I'm just not convinced by his long term future in the side. An 06/07 Saha for example brought much more to the team than current Berbs. Personally thought we looked at our sharpest this season on Sunday, very focused.