So if Ruud is off: buy a new striker or go with what we've got?

[Dark Savante]

Stud's query in the Rossi thread was interesting. I personally wouldn't want to start next season with what we have minus Ruud, but I'm seeing quite a few confident rumblings on here to go with what we have, sans Ruud.

What do you say?

[The Guv'nor]

Depends who the striker is:p

I;d like to see us buy someone, or else give reserve players a chance. Will Dong get a work permit now?

[johno]

If we are to belive DS in his belief that Rossi is the second coming then why go out and get another striker?

I'd be happy with what we have so long as Smith returns to health although a small purchase would be fine. Getting a WC striker would be silly... it would put us in the same position as we're in now allowing Rossi no chance to play.

[Vermont Red]

I believe in Rossi, but not in Saha. Although I think that Rooney and Rossi can play together one day, that day will not occur during the next season.

[Stud83]

If Rossi didn't even deserve to be the first forward off the bench after all of his successes with reserves, what's the point of even keeping him in the long run? :confused: Rooney is not going anywhere, and if they can't play together at the same time, that means Rossi would NEVER be a starter for us. He'll soon be 20, and by that age Rooneys, Rauls, Owens and Torres's of the world already were first team regulars and helping their teams.
Plus, if we get someone like Torres and sign him to a long-term deal, Rossi would just never get out on the field. This season at least he was able to play many games with reserves but since we all seem agree he's on another level - he probably won't be playing for reserves. And without first team action he really won't become a better player.

Another thing - if we have to spend on a striker, we'll have less money to spend on CMs, and regardless of what happens to Ruud, that should be our main priority this offseason...

[bestbecks]

Another thing - if we have to spend on a striker, we'll have less money to spend on CMs, and regardless of what happens to Ruud, that should be our main priority this offseason...
I'd assume Fergie would be smart enough to realise that he needs to buy CM's before anything else. With whatever money left over then they'll be able to address the situation. Kuijt is promising along with Torres, but the problem is that we'll probably buy a new striker (if we buy one at all) after the WC. That means prices will rise dramatically and bidding wars will erupt between big clubs. There is no way United will be able to compete financially with the likes of Chelsea or Real Madrid for example, after we've forked out so much money on at least 1 world class Midfielder.

[Sapphire]

I'm still not convinced that Mr. Glass' continued fitness isn't a fluke. And now that Rooney's injured, we don't know how his recovery might go. Same with Smithy, and with Ole's recovery. We could easily have an abundance of strikers, we could easily be stretched thin.

[johno]

I'm still not convinced that Mr. Glass' continued fitness isn't a fluke. And now that Rooney's injured, we don't know how his recovery might go. Same with Smithy, and with Ole's recovery. We could easily have an abundance of strikers, we could easily be stretched thin.

I agree, its the perfect time to sell Ruud :angry:

[DutchFootballRulez]

Rooney + Ronaldo + Rossi 4-3-3. or 4-2-2-2

[Seraphesy]

I wouldn't mind us buying a prospect, or an aging tall striker happy to be a back-up.

Saha has been pretty good. Whilst he remains fit, we can see more Rooney-Saha partnership with Rossi coming off from the bench.

If anything happens, Rossi should be ready to take over as a starter, and there's always smith/ole to back up the strikers.

I mean... come on, Roo/Rossi/Saha/Smith/Ole, that's 5, and we need another one?

[Achtung]

I mean... come on, Roo/Rossi/Saha/Smith/Ole, that's 5, and we need another one?

One world-class forward, one up-and-coming player who is rumored to the next big thing, if that's enough to bank on, one oft-injured, pretty good but not world-class striker, one physical striker who converted to midfield for an unspecified period of time and is undergoing intensive rehab for an absolutely horrendous injury, and one player who was once world-class but has suffered repeated knee injuries for two and a half years now.

Not what I want, tbh. But then few options will look good in the face of breaking up the top striker corps in England and certainly top three in Europe. Oh well.

[benni...]

We have to buy another striker. Saha and Ole are not reliable to stay healthy. Rooney and Rossi play the second striker positions, and Alan Smith is probably in limbo after being moved round so much. We do not have any world class strikers going into the season if Ruud is sold. If you guys can live with that then whatever.

[tscboys]

If we sell Ruud we have to buy a world class replacement, otherwise I will call for Fergie's head because it probably wont work out. Why replace the Center mids and make them topclass only to pussify our front line and we can't score near as much???

[benni...]

To add to my previous post, while its good to get goals from different parts of the field, its also very important to have someone who can put away the chances that Saha and Rooney dont put away consistantly.

One thing Fergie needs to do when getting a striker is make sure this person doesnt get too big for his boots. From the beginning, let this person know. As the season goes on tdont let him get to comfortable like Fergie did with Ruud.

[SirManchester]

It would be a mistake going into next season with just Rooney, Saha, Ole, Rossi and Smith. I also really think Ferguson is counting on the midfielders such as Scholes, Giggs, Park, Ronaldo, Richardson(if he remains) to add to the scoring.

[bestbecks]

We do not have any world class goalscorers going into the season if Ruud is sold. If you guys can live with that then whatever.
FYP. Rooney is a world class striker, but not a world class goalscorer. A striker's main job is to score goals, yes, but at the same time he should be able to provide that extra something needed to steer the team in the direction of victory. Van Nistelrooy is a world class striker along with being a worldclass goalscorer.

So basically what I'm saying is that we would have a world class striker, but not a world class goalscorer.

[DutchFootballRulez]

FYP. Rooney is a world class striker, but not a world class goalscorer. A striker's main job is to score goals, yes, but at the same time he should be able to provide that extra something needed to steer the team in the direction of victory. Van Nistelrooy is a world class striker along with being a worldclass goalscorer.

So basically what I'm saying is that we would have a world class striker, but not a world class goalscorer.

For the love of semantics,

Rooney is a forward, support striker, withdrawn striker, and Wonderboy. Ruud is a striker, or centre forward.

One bangs goals in and sometimes creates, the other creates them and sometimes bangs them in.

[haven]

Go with what we've got, assuming we don't sell Saha. Saha fills the role of the big striker, when healthy. Yes, he's not particularly rugged and doesn't battle. But he fills the role because of his remarkable athleticism and leaping. Hell, he's more physical than...say...Peter Crouch.

Rossi is a tiny dynamo.

Rooney is the creative genius.

Alan Smith is the workhorse.

You don't need anyone else. If you improve central midfield, Alan Smith and Saha will score plenty of goals. Rossi and Rooney will anyway, given their creative abilities.

[mhtwins113]

I'm probably one of the few who thinks Campbell or Blake can also step up from the reserves in a pinch if desperately needed next year, Ruud here or not.

[JC7rox]

If at all possible we could get someone like Torres in for less than 15m, I say jump at it, but not with the exchange for Ruud. Regardless of what has transpired, Ruud deserves much better than Atletico can provide, and he should be respected enough to not be a makeweight in a deal.

I voted for us to stay with what we've got. If Smith can return to complete health, I would love for him to get a second chance at the striker position. If we can get a proper midfield, I don't see why Smithy can't be bangin' them in as well as Saha. Also, I've always felt that there was good potential in a Smith-Rooney combination. When Smith was our loan striker, he made sure we didn't sit in the relegation zone, so I feel he deserves another shot.

Rotate Smith and Saha. Rossi could get in there when Rooney is tired or injured (hopefully not too often) or rested for a CL game. Even internationals. Lord knows Rossi isn't touching the international game anytime soon (unless he decided to be American).

Also, assuming we do get a couple world class midfielders, I would expect for us to be able to look at the rest of the team for more goal output. With the right purchases, we could rely a little less on our forwards to carry the goal scoring weight because goals will be coming in from elsewhere on the pitch.

Our main targets should be CM's. I fear that if Fergie finds an itch, he'll splurge on a new striker and penny pinch our midfield situation. We all know how much Fergie likes to spend on forwards.