Well, I suppose we're past mid-season, but I figured this is as good a time as any to do a review. Player of the season: Wayne Rooney Best youth prospect: Giuseppe Rossi Top summer signing: Edwin van der Sar Most improved player: Ruud van Nistelrooy Top individual performance: Rooney, Newcastle v United Top team performance: United 4-0 Wigan Goal of the season: Rio Ferdinand, United v Wigan Feel free to add more categories if you want. And here's something else if you feel like taking part. Here is a list of the current United players who have at least five first-team starts this season. Grade them using the letter-grade system with an optional + or -, like A-, B+, or C (I'm sure you're all familiar with it). Ferdinand O'Shea van der Sar van Nistelrooy Fletcher Silvestre Rooney Scholes Smith Ronaldo Park Neville Brown Richardson Giggs Bardsley Saha At the end, I'll give each player a GPA to see how they stack up.
Ferdinand B+ (Only recently showing best form) O'Shea C- (Not as horrible at CM as LB) van der Sar A (A couple soft ones) van Nistelrooy A (Not perfect, but damn close) Fletcher B+ (Poor form early in the season) Silvestre B- (Not as bad as usual) Rooney A (The talisman) Scholes B+ (Coming back into form) Smith B (Great effort, so-so results) Ronaldo B (Shows signs of improving) Park B (Need to see more end product) Neville B (Injury took him away for a while) Brown B (Injured but has looked solid when on the field) Richardson C (Started well and then declined) Giggs B- (Well below his own standards) Bardsley C+ (Heart and desire, but not quite there yet) Saha Incomplete (but B based on limited appearances)
On most improved, I don't think Ruud is the correct choice. I mean it's not like he lost any ability or skill last year, he was just hurt. So he didn't improve or anything, just got back to form, and I think everyone was confident he would. That being said there really is no other choice.........
Ferdinand B O'Shea C- van der Sar A- van Nistelrooy A- Fletcher B+ Silvestre C Rooney A Scholes B- Smith B Ronaldo C Park B Neville B Brown B- Richardson C+ Giggs C Bardsley C Saha Incomplete
Goal of the season: Ryan Giggs vs ?West Ham Ferdinand - B+ O'Shea - C+ van der Sar - A- van Nistelrooy - A- Fletcher - B+ (for class participation) Silvestre - B- Rooney - A Scholes - B+ Smith - A- (for effort) Ronaldo - B Park - B+ Neville - A- Brown - B Richardson - B- Giggs - B- Bardsley - B+ Saha - B
Player of the season: Wayne Rooney Best youth prospect: Giuseppe Rossi Top summer signing: Edwin van der Sar Most improved player: Darren Fletcher Top individual performance: Alan Smith against Chelsea Top team performance: United 4-0 Wigan Goal of the season: RVN's first against Charlton Worst team performance: @ Boro Most Shocking result: at home against Blackburn Worst individual performance: a tie between Ronaldo against Benfica and Rio at Boro.
The answer to both of these is a five-way tie: home to Villarreal, at Villarreal, home to Lille, at Lille, at Benfica.
hmm...there's something about that answer of yours, it all seems connected, i Can't exactly put my finger on it though....
I agree with all the original assessments, save the following: I thought our best team performance was the Chelsea match. And I would rate Fletcher as the most improved. That Boro match might also be a candidate for worst performance of the year, or perhaps just call it our entire European campaign. Rooney is definitely the best so far. Our fortunes seem to depend almost entirely on him remaining on form. If we avoid the major slips that have characterized the first half, Champions leage football seems secure for next year.
You are right, however I'm going to say that we WILL make CL, if not that will be an extreme travesty. We shouldn't even be talking about if we don't slip up, it should be a garrentee(sp?).
Ferdinand B O'Shea C van der Sar B+ van Nistelrooy B+ Fletcher C+ Silvestre C- Rooney B+ Scholes C+ Smith C Ronaldo C Park B- Neville B Brown C+ Richardson C Giggs C+ Bardsley C- Saha C+
Rooney gets an A+ for playing at the same level all season where as players like Scholes, Giggs and Ronaldo have been up and down all season.
Ferdinand A- O'Shea C van der Sar A van Nistelrooy A Fletcher B Silvestre C- Rooney A Scholes B+ Smith C+ Ronaldo B- Park C Neville B Brown B Richardson C Giggs C Bardsley C Saha C+
Ferdinand B- O'Shea D van der Sar A van Nistelrooy A Fletcher B Silvestre C- Rooney A Scholes B- Smith C+ Ronaldo B Park B Neville B Brown B+ Richardson C Giggs B- Bardsley C Saha C (until I see more) Richardson and Bardsley are like freshman in a senior seminar--they're lucky to pass. John O'shea's gonna have to repeat and do better if he wants credit.
Why do you consider Bardsley lucky to pass? for all the time he's been on he's been more than good, no giant mistakes, hard working and determined.
[Edit] I DID say he's lucky to pass. What I meant was . . . [/Edit] I just think that he's a little out of his league. I don't see him as a steady first team player for United. He did damn well for his own capabilities, which aren't up to usual standards for a man united defender, imo. Which is why I mentioned the analogy to freshman and seniors -- if you're inexperienced and you take an advanced course (unless you're extemely brilliant: Rooney, Ronaldo), it's gonna be harder for you and you won't do as well. It's what they call a "hard C" -- it's not the C where you were all set with your B but you were too hungover on exam day; it's the C you totally fought for. I really have liked Bardsley's performances this year so far; I'm proud of him for his C. Exact same is true for Keiran.
I understand how you would say that for Richardson but I don't see how it suits Bardsley. From the first time he played a Premiership game to the Burton game, he has actually looked solid, his positives certainly outnumber his negatives (and there really was no one occasion where he fvcked up) For all that's worth he does look like he can be a first teamer.
Then why did you also give him a C? You ranked Keiran higher, and the only person you ranked lower than Bardsley was O'Shea. I do agree with everything you're saying about Bardsley, except for your final assertion that he could be a first teamer. I think if he were, it would be temporary, or in an injury crisis or some such thing. But, we could start going in circles on this--it's just, like, my opinion, man.
I gave him a C and Richardson a C+ because the latter simply played more and I could only rate Bardsley on the very few games he had(in which he was excellent, I might as well give him a B-) it would be unfair to grade them on different criterion, sometimes grades don't fairly represent one's individual performance, thats just how it is. I'm sure Bardsley down the road could benefit us more than Richardson though, Neville is getting older and right about now is the perfect tutor for Bardsley. Too bad Ferguson isn't playing Kieran in his original position, otherwise I could say the same for him. only time will tell.
Instead of adding the obvious answers again, I'll just focus on what I saw differently Most improved player: Rio Ferdinand Went from greedy bastard to shocking, pathetic, okay, good, great... The Teso Dos Bichos' please just die award: John O'Shea Ferdinand (B) O'Shea (F-) van der Sar (A) van Nistelrooy (A) Fletcher (B) Silvestre (C) - not captain! Rooney (A+) Scholes (B-) Smith (C) Ronaldo (B-) Park (B) Neville (B+) Brown (B+) Richardson (C-) Giggs (C) Bardsley (B) Saha (C)
