Player Progression 06/07

[billyireland]

I was sitting aroudn bored out of my tree, trying ot think of an interesting thread to make (since I have been slightly less active 'round these parts lately). In trying to think of an interesting topic, I kept second-guessing myself to an extent, as I haven't been around enough to get a feel of what the general concensus here of how players are doing this season is. So... I reckoned since we are doing better than even most people here would have expected thus far, and just beat Liverpool (who will win the league THIS season - you can just feel it :rolleyes: ) to make the gap 11 points, what do people make of our players so far? Have any big names underperformed (or are they declining?), have any younger or unexpected players impressed to the point where it looks less like their form, and more like development? Etc, etc. Feel free to add players on loan to your lists, but here is the first team squad, but I was not arsed hunting down all the details at the moment. ;)

Edwin van der Sar
Tomas Kuczcsak

Gary Neville
Rio Ferdinand
Nemanja Vidic
Wes Brown
Patrice Evra
Gabriel Heinze
Mikael Silvestre

Paul Scholes
Ryan Giggs
Cristiano Ronaldo
Darren Fletcher
Michael Carrick
Ji-Sung Park
John O'Shea
Keiran Richardson
David Jones

Louis Saha
Wayne Rooney
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Alan Smith

[MtP07]

Edwin van der Sar -- Same as last season. Dependable, great work.

Tomas Kuczcsak -- Only two appearances, seems good enough.

Gary Neville -- Same as last year.

Rio Ferdinand -- Same as last year.

Nemanja Vidic -- Playing better this season due to being in the side longer and getting to know his teammates.

Wes Brown -- Seems to have gone backwards this season.

Patrice Evra -- Same as Vidic. Impressive.

Gabriel Heinze -- Hasn't really played much.

Mikael Silvestre -- Same old shite.

Paul Scholes -- Playing better than last season. One of our best so far this season.

Ryan Giggs -- Playing really well.

Cristiano Ronaldo -- Really raised his game this season. Great season so far.

Darren Fletcher -- Probably the biggest elevation of game this season. Has looked a totally different player.

Michael Carrick -- Not as good as last season, but not totally his fault. He's still trying to settle into the side and has not been given control of midfield.

Ji-Sung Park -- Hasn't played.

John O'Shea -- Crap.

Keiran Richardson -- Shite.

David Jones -- Hasn't played. :(

Louis Saha -- Same as last season.

Wayne Rooney -- Hasn't been in form for most of the season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -- 20LEGEND :) . Already has contributed more than anyone expected. Great stuff.

Alan Smith -- Still coming back from injury.

[Achtung]

Edwin van der Sar - solid as ever, calm and collected in the back gives the players in front of him reason to feel the same
Tomas Kuczcsak - only seen him personally during the Arsenal game... he looked ok, but not like a starter just yet

Gary Neville - had some poor games, although played well against Liverpool
Rio Ferdinand - looking fairly solid after an uneven performance last season
Nemanja Vidic - continues to improve and adjust to the speed of PL forwards while being a threat to the other team's goal
Wes Brown - back in a utility spot, tough on him after last season, but he can slot in most anywhere in back, and that is a good thing to have
Patrice Evra - progressed hugely since last year... probably our most improved player
Gabriel Heinze - injuries continue to be a setback, and are hopefully not something that will prevent him from getting back to his 04-05 quality
Mikael Silvestre - when Heinze gets back to match fitness, Silv could easily be fourth-choice LB behind Evra, Gaby, and even O'Shea

Paul Scholes - admittedly, a lot of us thought he was in steep decline last season... my how he's proven us wrong
Ryan Giggs - every year we talk about seeing a "Ryan Giggs revival" ... but what's he being revived from, exactly? fantastic spark as always
Cristiano Ronaldo - looks to be having his "Beckham 98-99" season, despite all the boo-birds away from OT, he's playing well and continues to look like he's well on his way to being one of the top players in the world
Darren Fletcher - he's been winning over the critics more and more this year... all but the most cynical now feel he is MUQ
Michael Carrick - slowly coming into the team, making good passes but still adjusting to being a United player
Ji-Sung Park - sadly he's been out injured most of the season
John O'Shea - still doesn't seem to provide a lot, but Ferguson feels comfortable with him as the new Phil Neville
Keiran Richardson - has gone from weak to poor this season, contributing little and taking a midfield place from youth talent
David Jones - hasn't gotten much of a shout, which is a shame

Louis Saha - looks to have contradicted those who said he wouldn't be able to replace Ruud or stay healthy
Wayne Rooney - stuck in that post-WC slump, as well as a victim of that ridiculous ban... looking better recently though
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - it's like he was never gone :) no one could have predicted his goal tally this early
Alan Smith - continues to recover, should be back to match fitness very soon

[Charleysurf]

Edwin van der Sar -- As solid as last year

Tomas Kuczcsak -- Been fine in his couple of appearances, too early to judge

Gary Neville -- He's been sub-par since the WC. Maybe age is telling?

Rio Ferdinand -- Same as last season. Pretty solid at CB with Vidic and scoring against Liverpool is always good.

Nemanja Vidic -- He's been great so far but we still need to see how he handles a really fast striker. It seemed a weak point last season.

Wes Brown -- He's been poor this year (ever since Alan Hansen said he was the best CB in the PL after Terry)

Patrice Evra -- He's really improved impressively this season. Every game seems to be better than the last, with the Liverpool game being his best. Bolton game might be a problem though. His small size is always a drawback.

Gabriel Heinze -- Did well against Benfica but too early to judge his form.

Mikael Silvestre -- Still a liability like he was last season.

Paul Scholes -- He's come back really well.

Ryan Giggs -- Continued his great form of last season.

Cristiano Ronaldo -- Taken on the boo boys and won by playing really well. Seems to have matured a lot and has improved his passing.

Darren Fletcher -- Big improvement. Found the aggression he lacked before.

Michael Carrick -- Still not settled here. He is going to have to step his game up.

Ji-Sung Park -- N/A

John O'Shea -- Same as last year, reasonably dependable utility player.

Keiran Richardson -- Rubbish. This is his last season at OT surely.

David Jones -- Only played one game.

Louis Saha -- Same good form that he finished last season in. Still misses a fair number of chances but his speed and workrate are vital to the team.

Wayne Rooney -- His form has been poor.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -- Great comeback. Our main backup to Saha while Smith is still recovering.

Alan Smith -- Still (very slowly) coming back from injury.

[Stud83]

Much, much better than I expected:
Ole

Better than I expected:
Ronaldo, Evra, Vidic, Scholes, Fletcher

Same as expected:
VDS, Rio, Giggs, Saha, O'Shea

Worse than expected:
Neville, Brown, Carrick, Rooney

[GrodZilla]

Edwin van der Sar: - Plays as we expect him to. Always reliable, sometimes brilliant.
Tomas Kuczcsak: - I thought him an unnecessary addition in the summer. The jury is still out.

Gary Neville: - Has not performed as wel as I'd expect him to. But I hold that down to form.
Rio Ferdinand: - Has looked very good this season. that's what I expect and he has delivered.
Nemanja Vidic: - Also doing just what I expected of him. Continuing just where he left of last season.
Wes Brown: - Competition does not seem to do him that well. Was solid last season when he was no.2 behind Rio. Not so much now as third choice.
Patrice Evra: - Also one who does just what I expected him to, has progressed a lot, but I expect even more from him in the future.
Gabriel Heinze: - Hasn't really been able to show us anything.
Mikael Silvestre: - I don't wish injury on anyone, but it means that he's not playing. should be 4th choice CB and 3rd choice LB and should get playingtime accordingly.

Paul Scholes: - Paul is a diamond, imho the most important player in our lineup. I expect him to be great, but he's always better than I expect. Also, since his goal tend to come in clusters I have high hopes for he coming weeks.
Ryan Giggs: - He may have lost pace, but I'm trying to remember, was he ever this good? he used to be more spectacular, but he seems to do everything right. Most of our goals seems to originate from his flank. Just second to Paul right now.
Cristiano Ronaldo: - My second biggest surprise this season. And it's a good one. I never thought him capable to fulfill his promise at OT. He looked to easily distracted, not protected by the refs andit din't look as if he could step up to the challange. But if he goes on like he has he's going to prove me wrong big time. He has been focused and lethal, my god I hope it continues.
Darren Fletcher: - I'm baffled, I didn't think the lad had the psyche to cope with beeing a Man Utd starter. He always looked like a hard worker, but he never imposed himself on games, he helped others do their job. But he's had some stellar displays this season. I promise, I'll never doubt the old gaffer again... that is if he gets rid of Silvestre and O'Shea.
Michael Carrick: - My biggest dissapointment this season. He has not performed as well as I'd have expected. He runs alot, but looks to be taking too long on the ball, a bit like Fletcher used to do. That worries me a bit, especially since I don't really have any reference in how he played for Spurs. But we are doing well with him in the team, that's what's most important.
Ji-Sung Park: - Dissapointing to see him out.
John O'Shea: - Dissapointing, had some good, solid displays last seqason but seems to be back to his old ways again.
Keiran Richardson: - I hoped to see more from Kieran but to be earnest he's not really going forward at all. He has assets, but his deficiencies looks to great to bridge.
David Jones: - Really wanted to see what he could offer us this season, but he looks stuck behind Paul, and there is no easy way to get out of that place.

Louis Saha: - Started out great, has subdued a little but is still the player I expect him to be, athletic and a handful for any defender in the world.
Wayne Rooney: - We all agree that his performances have ranged from quite poor to (lately) exellent. He's young and i don't expect consistency even if he seemed almost superhuman in that respect last year.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: - I'm so incredibly happy that he's finally back and doing well. Out top scorer in the EPL. Who coud have guessed?
Alan Smith: - Still recovering, I think he'll struggle to get that much time this year. Especially if we recall Rossi in January. I hope he can though. Love the lad.

[yikchi]

Edwin van der Sar -- Awesome, we never worry about howlers when he's in goal.

Tomas Kuczcsak -- Has reflexes like Tim Howard, not sure about his complete game just yet, good enough to backup.

Gary Neville -- Has been okay, but the quality of his crosses seem not as good as before.

Rio Ferdinand -- Been great since Vidic is back

Nemanja Vidic -- Perfect partner for Rio. Loves to watch him play.

Wes Brown -- Not good at all... wasn't even good against Crewe.

Patrice Evra -- Much better than last season, but I think he can still improve offensively.

Gabriel Heinze -- Incomplete. Injured too much.

Mikael Silvestre -- The Watford game sums it up. Scores a goal and then let his man beat him and gave up the equalizer. Don't want to see him in our squad anymore.

Paul Scholes -- Looked very sharp. Has been playing great in our central midfield.

Ryan Giggs -- Like him more now than even in his younger years. With him and Scholes in the lineup, you can see that they just control the game using their experience. Awesome to watch.

Cristiano Ronaldo -- Carried the team in the early part of the season. Saved us at Reading and won us the game at Benfica. Has improved tremendously compared to last season.

Darren Fletcher -- Improved definitely, want to see more of him.

Michael Carrick -- will never justify his price tag, but definitely good enough to play for us.

Ji-Sung Park -- Incomplete.

John O'Shea -- util guy.

Keiran Richardson -- frustrating to watch since you can see he has all the physical tools to become a decent player, but definitely don't have what it takes in between the ears.

David Jones -- Incomplete.

Louis Saha -- Has definitely been effective. Still we need more depth at his position.

Wayne Rooney -- need a goal... hasn't seen his best yet.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -- has already contribute much more than all we expected.

Alan Smith -- now that he can resume his normal position upfront, he needs to show that he belongs. Has to put away chances like the one vs Copenhagen. Need to do more vs weak sides like Crewe.

[listen_up_fergie]

Edwin van der Sar - Reliable as ever. Hand him that new contract!
Tomas Kuczcsak - Looks like a good backup goalie.

Gary Neville - Has underperformed in some games.
Rio Ferdinand - Has had his dodgy moments, but I think he's had a better start than last season. Plus he's scored already this season :D
Nemanja Vidic - I expected him to come good, and he has. He's been a terrific addition to the defense.
Wes Brown - Not as good as last season, and will probably worsen as the season wears on due to a lack of playing time.
Patrice Evra - has shown drastic improvement; still struggles against opponents in the air, but seems up for physical challenges.
Gabriel Heinze - Injury has held him back so far this season.
Mikael Silvestre - Same old.

Paul Scholes - He's back!
Ryan Giggs - Easily our most influential player this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Our second most influential player this season.
Darren Fletcher - Has grown a bit of chest hair.
Michael Carrick - Slowly getting the knack of things at United; hasn't made a big impression, but with time I sure he'll start to look like a 14m player.
Ji-Sung Park - Didn't look as vibrant before he got injured.
John O'Shea - His versatility serves us well, but he shouldn't be played in midfield when other options are available.
Keiran Richardson - Has gone from bad to worse.
David Jones - Still to hit any patch of form.

Louis Saha - it seems to me he's missing more sitters than on avg, but he's scoring great goals too :p
Wayne Rooney - slow start, and going through a dry spell, but his form has improved a lot from his bad patch a few weeks ago.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - 20Legend
Alan Smith - will need time to get back into shape and find his goalscoring touch, especially considering that before his injury he was being deployed as a midfielder.

[johno]

Edwin van der Sar - He's the same, as expected. Really Happy with him

Tomas Kuczcsak - haven't seen alot, but he looks a good shot stopper and will be an able back up.


Gary Neville - He's been horrid this season when he's actually fit, maybe 3 above average performances and I'm very disappointed.
Rio Ferdinand - not yet at his best, but good nonetheless
Nemanja Vidic - looks like he's been with us for years
Wes Brown - he's dropped off and will now be a backup
Patrice Evra - probably our 2nd best defender this season really improved
Gabriel Heinze - struggled with injury
Mikael Silvestre - he's crap, the only good thing is that he's been injured

Paul Scholes - immense, a great return for Paul from injury its like we've got a new signing
Ryan Giggs - superb, very special
Cristiano Ronaldo - he's almost everything we could have possibly wanted him to become in 2-3 years.
Darren Fletcher - amazing, really a change from last season.
Michael Carrick - is getting better as season progresses but isn't yet up to standard. needs to be more of an impact player.
Ji-Sung Park - injured so really n/a but wasn't at his sharpest b4 going down, understandable at the start of the season though
John O'Shea - hasn't played too often in CM which is good, has been a capable back up at RB and LB.
Keiran Richardson - He's utter shite
David Jones - who???

Louis Saha - up and down, he's been goat and hero and needs to get consistent.
Wayne Rooney - horrid, injured and out of form and looking like a 20yo forward rather than a world beater - he must improve.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - he's been much better than expected, new signing
Alan Smith - glad that he's back so soon.

[sdotsom]

Paul Scholes - immense, a great return for Paul from injury its like we've got a new signing

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - he's been much better than expected, new signing


Man I made so much fun of Ferguson for saying that this past summer, but it has been so true.

[SirManchester]

Edwin van der Sar - It's fantastic how this old fart has still remained consistent for so long. I'm extremely content with him at the back, he's not very injury prone and provides the neccesssary stability for our back four.
Tomas Kuczcsak - I've always liked him, and watching him a few times for West Brom and Poland, I knew he had something special in him, he just needed the right club and the right mentor. At United he has both.
Gary Neville - Not exactly our Captain but a great representative of the club and his total devotion to the club will always alleviate some pressures brought about. He hasn't been solid this season and it's expected but as long as he's the right mentor for Bardsley and Simpson.
Rio Ferdinand - I really can never know what to expect from this guy. We can draw to any conclusions that we want, but quite frankly I don't think he'll ever be consistent for an extended period of time. He'll have games where he's brilliant and then games where he's below average. Ultimately though, there's no one else I'd rather have back there than him.
Nemanja Vidic - What can I say about this guy? He's the true gem in our backfour, and he will only improve.
Wes Brown - So much potential, he's carried over his great form from last season early this season but has slipped. I thought he would reach maturity by now but he continues to commit stupid fouls and at times just doesn't seem to put his brain in gear.
Patrice Evra - I'm so glad I wasn't one of the ones to criticize him immediately after his purchase. Give him time and I knew exactly how he'd fit in. He'll only continue to improve and is a great option on the left flank.
Gabriel Heinze - Well he's had his ups and downs this year, came back reasonably strong this season but he doesn't seem to be totally back into the game. I don't think we'll see the same great season he's had his first year here, this season, but his mental toughness and determination will get him back into the game down the road.
Mikael Silvestre - I think we can all agree on Silvestre, no further need to comment on him.

Paul Scholes - He's back and he's clinical. Our most mature and important player when on the pitch.
Ryan Giggs - The Lord of the Wings, he's earned that title. I don't think any of us thought he would explode in such a fashion before the season began. We can all thank God that he plays for us.
Cristiano Ronaldo - After three questionable seasons with United and a horrib WC, he's finally come into his own. He looks like a totally different player and has matured incredibely well. If he keeps this up, there is no denying he will become a United legend.
Darren Fletcher - The biggest revelation. Once again, I'm glad I wasn't part of those who lambasted him since he got to play for United, but rather defending him all the way through. When you see a player of his potential (and he has shown it for club and country) you don't criticize him, and most of all you have to be patient. I'm glad Ferguson stuck with him. Furthermore, this lad also has certain leadership potential if he keeps playing the way he's playing now.
Michael Carrick - Until we sort out our DM problems, we will always question his presence at the club.
Ji-Sung Park - Hasn't had much playing time this season but if he continues to get more playing time, it's the only way we'll see consistency and progression from him. Unfortunately the way Giggs, Ronaldo and Fletcher are playing, I don't see much playing time in his future.
John O'Shea - Love him or Hate him, he's virtually our only utility player and will continue to exist at the club until Ferguson sorts out our midfield. Some games he's solid, and others he's totally out of it. It's difficult to tell if he'll have some sort of Fletcher-esque revelation and start playing brilliantly, I just don't think he has the determination but he will no doubt continue to be a vital part of the club.
Keiran Richardson - Honestly, I dislike him, as a player and as a person, but Ferguson must see some potential in him, otherwise he wouldn't let him on the pitch as much as he actually has.
David Jones - He needs playing time. He need REAL playing time!

Louis Saha - Nothing that I didn't expect from him when we signed him. Fit he provides a real threat, not because he's a lethal finisher but because of his workrate. With our frantic and rapid attacking, he fits in perfectly and compliments Giggs, Ronaldo, and Rooney very well. He's still not a #9 and I think down the road we'll have to address the issue but at the moment, I'm very happy with his season so far.
Wayne Rooney - Started the season off great against all odds, that stupid ban really hampered him mentally and we can see progression, slowly, but surely. he will be back to his great usual self in no time.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - Another one to step it up. I wish we had him for the last three seasons. He does show glimpses of old age, but when we need experience and intelligence off the bench or inbetween injuries, there's nobody better.
Alan Smith - I love this guy, I wish him all the best, hope he gets more playing time because he's earned more than just that his time here.

[Dark Savante]

Edwin van der Sar - Our best keeper since The Great Dane. He is flawless in all areas of keeping and whilst he may not be the word's best because of a lack of 'ultimate athleticsm' he's not far off. A true title-challenging keeper, at long last.

Tomas Kuczcsak - Very good reflexes, but he's not ready to take over #1 for a while yet, positionally is not sound, but his reflexes and agility bail him out a lot. Decent on crosses.


Gary Neville - Gary is fading. Age is catching up with him. Injuries, stamina and the ability to go all out every game are reducing his ability. His experience bails him out a lot, but I think this is the slope downwards for Gaz and I think he'll have a very serious challenge for his starting spot by the season after next.

Rio Ferdinand - Erratic. We all know by now that consistency is his bane. From brilliant to demented from incident to incident, Rio has as always, been key at the back, but because he is so much better than everyone else, his bar and the expectation on him means mistakes, bottling headers and so on are not acceptable. We all know he is supreme at his very best. It would be nice to see that best week in and week out. Here's hoping.

Nemanja Vidic - Well, he's come in and has been excellent thus far. He seems to be the antithesis of Rio, which is perfect for a partnership, yet to see him tested against rapid, inter-linking strikers to see just how far he's come along since getting raped by Keane and Defoe at the Lane last season. Very impressive start to his true Utd career though. All we can ask for is more of the same.

Wes Brown - Wes has again regressed. This inability to hold form and his game is what is always going to cost him a permanent berth. The problem Wes has now though is that players infinitely superior to Silvestre are coming up and through very, very soon... Evans is going to take his 3rd CB spot if he isn't careful and with the form of Vidic, we may see Wes relegated to 4th CB or utility CB/RB. He needs a much bigger season than he has given so far.

Patrice Evra - Well, as I said, you judge new players after a true and settled pre-season. People were piling on Evra for what has to be the most difficult set of debut fixtures in this league and at this club that I can remember. I would just say he has adapted to the league. Anyone who watched him at Monaco or in the CL, wouldn't be too surprised thus far. He has a lot more to give offensively, been pleased with his improvent in regard to stab-tackling these last two games. His kamikaze-go-to-ground-for-every-tackle game is not good, it's great for the fans, but tactically it's easy to plan against and opens his flank up for the double team. By stabbing more he becomes a proper stand-up defender and it will aid us no-end. I'm pleased for him.

Gabriel Heinze - Injury has ruined his season. He's struggling for form and fitness, which is understandble.

Mikael Silvestre - I think my thoughts on Silvestre are well documented for the last, oh, three ********ing years


Paul Scholes - The top dog, the ginger prince, the numero uno, the..you get the idea.

Ryan Giggs - LOTW.

Cristiano Ronaldo - This is not form. This is his emergence from larvae into his next stage of development. That's right, he's a pokemon.

Darren Fletcher - Unrecognisable from last season's player who looked like he was on the edge of losing his place in the 16. To the detriment of D.Jones in particular, but there is no grudge to be held against Darren, it is always pleasing to see academy players step up like this. Fletcher's emergence this year has seen him look like a true United player for the first time in his 1st team career. The biggest difference is now he is nobodies dogsbody and is his own man in our midfield. This is essential. My eternal complaint with him was always 'he wasn't about anything' he was an aimless player who looked lost when given a character defining pass to make or the offering of making a difference in a game rather than just using up that incalculable stamina he has. I am very happy for him. When you are here you should live and die by the sword, but give your all and never be afraid to make mistakes, but totally rely on your ability and confidence to actually make that play lesser players would not even attempt. Fletcher has that right now. If he maintains it for the season then he's made it here and has established himself as a genuine challenger for a starting xi spot. Oh, and his newfound pace is baffling...

Michael Carrick - Has been discussed at length in numerous threads. I'd prefer to judge a DLP after New Year or even at the end of the season. It will take him time to get used to not being the 'go-to' man in the midfield. He has to step up and make our lot respect him enough to perhaps even look past Scholes or LOTW and give him the ball as a first option....unlikely? Maybe, but I'd think that's his mission for the next 3months, at least.

Ji-Sung Park - Injury blighted.

John O'Shea - Not MUQ. Should be sold Newcastle in January.. His ultility skills are vastly overrated as he isn't good in any of the positions he takes up and we have cover for every spot anyway. I'd rather see Wes at RB when Gaz is out..I'd rather see Silvestre at LB if the other two are out.. and he is poor in midfield.

Keiran Richardson - :mad: If he didn't have that pace, he'd have been sold.

David Jones - Absolutely wasted. Even the one 'chance' he was given in the CC he was paired with the worst CM in the reserves and a bunch of kids who weren't ready. Shambolic handling of a genuine special talent. He should have been loaned to a PL team if we weren't going to use him properly.


Louis Saha - Saha has been Saha. I wrote a whole thread devoted to what he offers vs. Ruud in March I think it was? Nothing has changed in his game since then, so I'm not surprised by the chances he squanders but am always pleased with how he makes our team click and how many of those chances he earned the right to waste. For the most part it's only him that has a right to be ashamed as he can make something out of absolutely nothing, but he has to improve vastly on converting potential assist-making passes.

Wayne Rooney - ******** the FA.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - No one could have foretold such a return for Ole. I still don't know or want to put any expectations on him, but he's making that difficult... The manager wants 20 goals! from him this season. I think in ROM's thread the question was posed if he could even hit 6! He's already broken that, I believe, and it is an unbelievable story the Norwegian baby-faced assassin is having so far. At this rate, he may be our saviour at some key, key moments in upcoming fixtures.

Alan Smith - I fear for Smudger. I said before the injury he may struggle to make it here. after the injury his chances are even more remote. It's obviously early doors yet, but he looks to have lost; pace, aggression, confidence in his body (he is not kamikaze anymore) and at this club, amongst the calibre of striker he is up against plus what we have coming up, he could be in real trouble. It would be a shame because he's never had a true run in his best position here, nor is he likely to do so with Rossi and Rooney at #10 and Saha and the revitalised Ole at #9.