Here we go again...

[listen_up_fergie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4417860.stm


Police are investigating allegations that Manchester United footballers Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown assaulted a man in the early hours of Monday morning.

[bigtoga]

If those two assaulted a man then he must not have had a soccer ball with him - they couldn't have touched him if he had, not in their form...

[listen_up_fergie]

Apparently the guy who was allegedly assaulted went to the Daily Star with his story before contacting the police...hmm.
He was trying to take a picture of Rio on his phone, and thats what supposedly led Rio to whack the wanker in the face.

[Rick B]

Apparantly the guy was complaining after Man U beat Chelsea with a Flether header.

Looks like Roy Keane strikes again eh........... :p

[billyireland]

If those two assaulted a man then he must not have had a soccer ball with him - they couldn't have touched him if he had, not in their form...
:confused:

Sure Rio has been in bad form, but Brown was injured for almost all of the season thus far, and did fantastically at RB against Chelsea.

[yossarian]

:confused:

Sure Rio has been in bad form, but Brown was injured for almsot all of the season thus far, and did fantastically at RB against Chelsea.

I've always thought Brown was an under-rated player for your side. When healthy and in form, you can stick him almost anywhere on the back line and he'll do a decent job. He's probably not a starter for any of the top clubs....but a great first sub for defensive purposes.

[billyireland]

I've always thought Brown was an under-rated player for your side. When healthy and in form, you can stick him almost anywhere on the back line and he'll do a decent job. He's probably not a starter for any of the top clubs....but a great first sub for defensive purposes.
That's what I've been saying for a good 2-3 years now (beforehand he used to be more mistake-prone than Silvestre of last year). If we sell defenders to get better replacements, I believe they should be O'Shea, Silvestre and Fortune (if you include him as a defender, as he can play LB). I consider Brown to be a pretty important member of our squad, but much like Fletcher people don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he isn't a big-name player.

[Republic of Mancunia]

The real drawback with Brown, especially when playing RB was always his distribution IMO. After O'Shea's exploits this season though all is forgiven. Gary Neville is a good passer of the ball and sometimes produces great crosses, when he's not there it's noticeable to me from an offensive point of view.

Of course, Brown's also had many injuries and usually seems to need quite a while to get fit and nursed back into the team but once he's got his match-sharpness he's definitely a competent defender, it's sad he's not fit more often.

[Motterman]

The real drawback with Brown, especially when playing RB was always his distribution IMO. After O'Shea's exploits this season though all is forgiven. Gary Neville is a good passer of the ball and sometimes produces great crosses, when he's not there it's noticeable to me from an offensive point of view.

Neville is our best crosser of the ball, full stop.

Brown is a hard man tackler. He's not as steady as you would want from a central defender starter, but that's got to be a product of being in and out of the physio room his whole career. Brown and Ferdinand in the middle, with Tweety on the left, and Gazza on the right would be the best we could do right now, from a defensive standpoint, IMO.

[Rei de Boston]

Neville is our best crosser of the ball, full stop.

Brown is a hard man tackler. He's not as steady as you would want from a central defender starter, but that's got to be a product of being in and out of the physio room his whole career. Brown and Ferdinand in the middle, with Tweety on the left, and Gazza on the right would be the best we could do right now, from a defensive standpoint, IMO.

If we had Heinze in the mix with Gazza, Brown, and Rio I feel our defensive issues would be non existent. Gary and Gabby would more than take care of their areas and that would help Rio and Brown focus on the center and making the right plays there. Brown is talented and I think he could be much more consistent if he stayed healthy.

[Republic of Mancunia]

Neville is our best crosser of the ball, full stop.

Oh, I agree with that 100%.

Maybe I was doing him an injustice when I said that he "sometimes produces great crosses" but to be honest it wouldn't take much more than that to make him the best crosser at the club.

Giggs has always been inconsistent in that department, Ronaldo doesn't always do it and Richardson doesn't impress too much either. Since Beckham left we've obviously struggled with balls in from wide areas although Ole looked at least competent during his spell on the wing and perhaps Park will show a little more than he has so far.

I always thought that Forlan was pretty good at passing and crossing when he was here but you want your strikers in the box and not out wide.

As far as defenders getting forward and crossing I don't think O'shea, Brown, Heinze or what little I've seen of Bardsley cut the mustard TBH. Silvestre occasionally plays a good diagonal long-ball and I think he's capable of the odd good cross too. He had an important role in the game, from an offensive point of view when Fergie put him in at LB during the second half of the 3-5 win at Spurs the other season and it was his inclusion that made that comeback possible IMO.

[Motterman]

If we had Heinze in the mix with Gazza, Brown, and Rio I feel our defensive issues would be non existent.

I agree, I just don't think we'll see Heinze back in a United kit until after the World Cup.

[Achtung]

I agree, I just don't think we'll see Heinze back in a United kit until after the World Cup.

PhysioRoom.com says April, FWIW. All depends on the status of the team at that point I guess.

[johno]

If there's anyone in the squad who can get fit in time its Heinze (or perhaps Smith/Keane) these are the players who will push themselves and regain fitness... will themselves to be fit for the match.

[listen_up_fergie]

I agree, I just don't think we'll see Heinze back in a United kit until after the World Cup.

I hope Heinze will be able to make it to the World Cup. It would be a real shame if he had to miss out on it. At least he can still make the squad for the 2010 World Cup.